Day 3998

We debated about waiting until later to walk this morning. It was really cold. We decided it was better to wear warmer clothes than to change our plans. This meant that Dawn would have to wear two coats today. Janet and I wore two coats as well. Dot and Dash often wore two coats on cold days, but this was a first for Dawn. A black sweater goes on first. Then the red Ruffwear harness goes on top. Finally an insulated outer coat goes on top of the harness. Since Dawn is about the same size at Dot, everything fit well and she could still move freely. It took Dawn a little while to get used to the new gear, but it definitely kept her warmer. Northerners would think this was overkill, but like I've said many times, we're not Northerners.

It was a clear, sunny day and although the temperature was near freezing while we walked, it warmed up quickly as the day progressed. I think we had a high of around fifty-five degrees. I always turn the furnace up and change back to shorts and a t-shirt when we return home. There is a lot of glass in the house and we used to have problems with condensation in the Winter. The dehumidifier has taken care of that. As long as the dehumidifier and the furnace are running, Winter is banished from the house.

Today was uneventful. I made a quick trip to the bank after breakfast and spent the rest of the day puttering around on the computer. I'm still trying to improve my skills at processing the astrophotography pictures I took out at McDonald Observatory last October. There are lots of techniques you can use to improve the quality of the images while still keeping them looking natural. I know how to stack images now, but I still need to take dark, flat, and bias calibration frames to reduce noise and artifacts even further.   When you add these calibration frames to your stack and run the processing software, the images noticeably improve. I should have taken the calibration frames out at the observatory because your camera needs to be at the same temperature as when you are taking star images. Darks are taken with the lens cap on. Flats are taken with the camera pointed at an evenly lit white background or a blank patch of sky. Bias frames also have the lens cap on and are taken at the fastest shutter speed your camera has. Mix all this together with the right software and you reduce a lot of the noise that digital cameras can create. Since all this is technical and tedious, I just played around with Photoshop today.

I'm sure that the next time I go out to West Texas, my photos will be a lot better. I have no idea when that is going to happen though. Covid has gotten really bad in Marfa, Alpine and Fort Davis and the observatory has shut down again as a precaution. They say the primary reason for the surge in cases is the huge increase in traffic to the Big Bend area. When people couldn't fly or take cruise ships, they began to take road trips. Campgrounds and National Parks are full all over the country and a lot of rural areas have been overrun by city people. It's ironic and kind of sad that my friends at the observatory thought they were safe because they were so remote. The remoteness and beauty of places like Big Bend attracted all the city folks with cabin fever though and now the Davis Mountains have become one of the worst Covid hotspots in the country.

It's time to make a grocery list again. I also need to make sure that all my camera batteries are fully charged and that I have spare batteries and bulbs for my strobe equipment. The Santa Paws event is Sunday. We looked at the backdrop today and it appears that we already washed it last year after we were finished with our events. It least that's one thing I won't need to do. It looks like it is going to be very cold again tomorrow morning. We know what to do.

Camp is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2906

It was so cold this morning that we decided Dash needed a sweater in addition to all the regular gear he wears on walks. I'm surprised he could move after we got him all bundled up. The sweater went on first. Then the Ruffwear harness was placed on top of the sweater. The knee brace attached to the harness and then came the socks. Finally, the rubber boots were placed over the socks and Dash was ready to go. We had to adjust several straps so all this would fit properly, but Dash took it all in stride.  He doesn't resist wearing this gear at all. I think he realizes that he is more sure footed now and that he can walk with more confidence. I hope he appreciated the sweater too, because it was only 28 degrees this morning.

I didn't go out for breakfast this morning because I had a meeting scheduled. I was a little worried about leaving Dash, but he slept well last night and had a lot of energy this morning. There were no visible signs that he was still having problems with his vestibular disease, so I decided it was OK to go.

It was kind of weird to have a business meeting again. I used to do this almost every single day and now it's all becoming a distant memory. The project sounded interesting and I hope I get the job. There is a website involved, but it's really more of a rebranding project. After a while my brain kicked into gear and I started spitting out ideas. It was almost like old times again. The meeting lasted a lot longer than I though it would, but when I got home Dash was fine. He woke up when I opened the front door, but it was obvious that he'd spent most of the morning sleeping on the bed. It didn't take him long to let me know he was ready for lunch. I'm really glad he's finally getting back to normal.

I was hoping to finish my website project today but that didn't happen. My morning meeting threw me off schedule for the rest of the day. By the time I fed Dash, took our regular afternoon walk, and did a few errands around the house, the day was over. I was feeling good that it was Friday and the long week was almost over and then I remembered that we've got another Santa Paws photo shoot tomorrow.

Most of the equipment is already packed and ready to go. All I had to do today was recharge the camera batteries. I'm glad that we didn't get snow like the Southern half of the state. I've got a long drive in the morning and it's going to be a lot easier on dry roads. I'll need to remember to dress warmly. Santa always gets hot inside his heavy red suit, so that means I'm almost always cold. I'm used to cold though. Both Janet and Dash like a cold house. I'm just the opposite. I'm wearing a jacket now and wishing there was a furnace vent under my desk.

The doctor I saw earlier this week called with my test results. Everything is fine. I've had some major health problems over the years, but most of them have been resolved. I wish I could say the same for Dash. He has a fabulous team of doctors and we do everything we can, but our little guy has never really been healthy. We think he probably came from a puppy mill, but like any rescue dog, we'll never know his early history. Dash might not have been dealt a good hand at birth, but we're doing our best to make sure he stays in the game. He's happy and comfortable now. We've all just got to keep taking things one day at a time.

Willow is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2562

I feel like we're embarking on a journey to the South Pole each time we get ready for our morning walk. There are so many layers now to ward off the cold. Dash wears a snug black sweater under his red service dog harness. Dot wears a modified puffy coat over her Help ‘Em Up harness. Both dogs have fleece lined hats that actually fit properly on their heads, so they don't immediately shake them off. It's always easier to dress the dogs first. I wear a lightweight technical climbing jacket under a heaver goose down coat. I'm not sure what Janet wears, but she looks warm. I have to remember to pee before I pull on the compression pants that go under my regular pants. I hate that compression pants don't have a fly. My hiking boots go on last, so I won't track mud through the rest of the house. This all might seem a bit excessive, since the temperatures aren't below zero or anything, but you have to remember that we're Southerners.

I"ll be glad when warmer weather and a sense of sanity returns. I don't know about you, but I've had enough of this polar vortex. Everything seems to take longer when it's cold. There are so many leaves on the ground now that I have to drop brightly colored plastic markers when the dogs poop at night, so I can find the stuff the next morning. The outdoor faucets are frozen, so it's gotten a little harder to clean Dot up after she's made a mess. On a more positive note, there's hardly any condensation on the windows this year. The dehumidifier is really doing its job. The furnace is running constantly, so I think I made a good repair. Even though the thermostat says the temperature is normal inside the house, I still feel cold most of the day. I'm just not a Winter person.

I had a couple of articles to write today, but I only managed to finish one of them. Before Dot got sick, I could easily finish four articles in a single day when it was necessary. Those days are gone. When Dot wakes up from her morning nap, she tries to stay on her feet the rest of the day. Sometimes she barks when she needs help and other times I just find her stuck in a corner somewhere. I have to remember to gate her out of bathrooms with tile floors, because she'll immediately fall on the slick surface. For the most part, I try to walk behind her and hold her up while she meanders around the house. She likes her independence though, so when she's feeling strong, I still let her try to walk on her own. If I ignore her for even ten minutes, she's almost certain to poop or pee on something. It makes for a busy and somewhat stressful day.

After a multi-million dollar ad campaign featuring Hollywood celebrities, protests in major cities, and even death threats, only two electors failed to vote for Donald Trump. Meanwhile, seven electors tried to defect from Hillary Clinton. Jill Stein's expensive recount effort actually ended up netting Trump hundreds of additional votes in Wisconsin. I really don't understand why it is so hard for some people to be pragmatic and accept reality. You lost. Contrary to what some might think, the Electoral College wasn't created to prevent Donald trump from becoming president. It was created to prevent a few people in large population centers from imposing their will on the entire country. The Electoral College is a good thing. Without it, many states wouldn't have a voice at all. I'm happy that the people of Vermont, North Dakota, and Wyoming have a voice. We need this balance. Lord help us if the people of San Francisco ever started making the rules for everyone.

The election is over and I'm ready to move on. I'm also ready for this nagging cold to be over. When I was running errands today, a checkout clerk asked me if I wanted a printed or e-mail receipt and when I started to answer it triggered a horrible coughing fit instead. It was embarrassing to say the least. Since I couldn't speak, I just grabbed my bag and ran coughing from the store. Here's hoping that the weather will be warmer tomorrow and my sore throat, cough, and chest congestion will miraculously disappear.

Ranger is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1846

I'm glad this day is over. It was so cold this morning that I didn't even want to get out of bed. The dogs didn't want to get out of bed either. I think they knew that this was a day when they would have to wear their warmest winter coats. It looked nice outside, but looks can be deceiving. Even though the sky was clear and blue, the temperature was in the low twenties and there was a stiff wind. It felt like we were heading toward the North Pole.

Have I mentioned that I hate to work on Sundays? Sometimes it's unavoidable though.  Several of my clients seem to work 24 hours a day and I've found that if I don't deal with their requests right away, I tend to forget about them. Forgetting doesn't tend to make people happy. This is why I found myself doing a lot of website work today. It's much easier to work on Sunday than to try to remember what you were supposed to do on Monday. I'm not sure if I got everything right today, but at least I made an effort.

I made an effort to go to the gym today as well. I wish I actually enjoyed going to the gym, but for me it's kind of like eating Kale. I know it's good for me, but I'd much rather be watching Dr. Who while I was eating a sausage and bacon pizza. I'm discovering that if I modify some of my workout routines a bit, I can get in quite a bit of the stretching that my physical therapist wants. I'm always trying to kill two birds with one stone. The less I have to do the better. I had a very good workout today, but as I was cooling down shooting free throws on the basketball court, I found myself thinking "Three more to go, two more to go, etc" I usually enjoy sinking baskets, but not today.

On my way to the gym, I stopped at a Sports Authority store to get some running shoe glue I'd seen on their website. When I told the manager what I was looking for, he just laughed. "We don't want you to repair running shoes," he told me with a smile. "We want you to buy new ones." There you have it. The guy managed to explain our entire economy in a single sentence.

I just looked at my calendar and every single day is filled with either a vet appointment or a physical therapy appointment. That's my week. If you work out of your house and actually want to get anything done, it's really hard to do more than one thing that requires driving somewhere else each day. My plate is full.

Hunter is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1500

My visit with the hepatologist today was very encouraging. The new treatment for Hepatitis-C is far superior to the old interferon and ribavirin treatment. The new treatment only takes 12 weeks. It is almost always successful. And there are no horrible side effects. The old treatment could take up to a year, involved injecting yourself with very expensive interferon every week, and it almost always made you feel like you had a bad case of the flu. You also had to worry that the medicine would destroy your white blood cells.

Sovaldi, the major component of the new treatment, appears to be an amazing new drug. I'm glad someone finally invented it. The only downside is that I have to get approved before the pharmaceutical company will start sending it to me. The first part of the approval process involved getting new baseline blood work done. That part was a piece of cake. The next part involves getting insurance approval.  Lets see. A brand new advanced drug and an antiquated approval system that doesn't even understand some of the regular medication I take. What could possibly go wrong?

The best part of this new treatment is that my reluctance to inject myself with interferon has actually worked in my favor. Apparently Sovaldi works best if you have never had the interferon and ribavirin combo before.  We'll see what happens. My medical team wants to see me again in March. They say that I should be halfway through my treatment by then.

It was so cold today that the dogs and I were both reluctant to go outside. Nature calls though, so we had to bundle up and make the best of it. I found some new dog coats that are much easier to get on and off and the dogs seem to tolerate them pretty well. Getting them to wear their old sweaters was often an exercise in futility. Luckily, we didn't have to stay outside as long as we used to. Dash has finally learned to poop in the yard on cold days. Thank god! I don't know why it took him five years to learn this simple trick, but I'm glad he's finally acting sensible.

The tree service is supposed to come out and remove the tree from my roof tomorrow. We'll see how that goes. I wouldn't be terribly surprised if the tree trimmers never show up. The tree has been sitting up there on the roof since well before Christmas, despite several promises of a speedy removal.  When the tree is finally gone, I'll move on to my next big project: doing my taxes.

Chloe is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1483

It was cold enough to dress in layers this morning. I wore two warm coats, and so did Dot and Dash. One coat is usually plenty for the dogs, but when the temperature is in the single digits, you don't want to take chances. It's still hard for me to believe that Dallas is actually warm, compared with other parts of the country, but that's what I'm hearing on the news.

I've experienced much colder temperatures in my lifetime. I went to high school in Fairbanks, Alaska where it would often remain twenty degrees below zero for weeks at a time. It didn't seem colder though, because everyone was prepared. The windows in our house were all double glazed and there was a huge coal-fired furnace in the basement that kept the house toasty warm even in a blizzard. The cars all had electric crankcase heaters that you plugged into parking meters whenever you went out. When I went to school, I wore an Eddie Bauer parka that looked like it would keep you warm at the South Pole. The lesson I learned was that if you took the cold seriously, you were almost always warm. It's hard to take the cold seriously in Texas. As a result, I've experienced more dead batteries on cold mornings and more malfunctioning furnaces here in Dallas than my parents ever did in Alaska.

Today was one of those doctor appointment days that makes it difficult to get anything done. By the time you drive to the appointment, find a parking place, sit in the waiting room for an interminable amount of time, and take all the tests the doctor wants, you've wasted half the day. Luckily, today's tests went well, and this particular doctor gave me the green light for another six months.

Tomorrow, it's Dash's turn to go to the doctor. I'm worried that something might be wrong with his kidneys, since he's peeing all the time now. I've seen a noticeable change in the past six months. He also has some bad looking rear molars and his teeth need to be cleaned. I worry about this too, since Dash doesn't react well to anesthesia. The vets call his response "waking up hard" and it doesn't sound pretty. I'm hoping that his vet can come up with a more gentle way to bring him out of the anesthesia after his dental procedure is complete.

With Dot's physical therapy, Dash's seizures, and my own multiple medical problems, it often seems like life is just one extended doctor visit. If you count the trips to the gym and the pharmacy as health related outings, there is something medical going on just about every day. I guess it's worth the effort though. They say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and I'm all about prevention these days. The dogs are both still very active, and when I'm sitting in the doctor's waiting room, I still seem to be in a lot better shape than most of the other patients. I must be doing something right.

That stupid bird is still pooping on my car every night. I wish there was an accessory I could buy that would electrify the entire car whenever I turned on the car alarm. Birds that used the car as a pooping post would get fried. Of  course, knowing me, I'd probably forget to turn the thing off one morning and fry myself instead. Better leave things the way they are.

Nellie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1479

What a difference a day makes. Yesterday, it was almost seventy degrees outside. Today it was below freezing with a fierce wind that made the temperature feel much lower. At least we didn't have snow like a lot of folks in the East. I put two sweaters on each of the dogs this morning, but they didn't act like they needed them. I always think Dalmatians are going to freeze in cold weather, since they are short haired dogs. Dot and Dash seem to relish the cold however. They were certainly perky on their walks today.

Dot had her weekly acupuncture session today, but will return to her regular Wednesday schedule next week. Hopefully, I'll return to my regular schedule as well. This mid-week holiday season has left me totally confused. Most of the time, I don't know what day it is.

All in all, it was a pretty boring day. I got some writing work done, went to the bank, and attended to Dot on her spa day. That was about it. The day was so boring that I found myself wondering about trivial things. Janet got a different brand of oatmeal at the store last week and it said on the box that the cooking time was twice as long as my regular oatmeal. I set the timer for the recommended time, and stirred the mixture like I normally do. I was surprised to discover that this new oatmeal took exactly the same amount of time to cook as the regular "quick" oatmeal I normally eat. I'd never timed this meal before. Why bother? It's so simple that Dash could prepare it. I guess I never realized I was cooking my "three minute" oatmeal for eight minutes. I just keep the pot on the stove until the coffee is ready.

There's a little bird that's driving me crazy by pooping on my car every single day. It's an evil bird. I can see it doing its business through my office window, but I can't make it stop. I don't know why people keep birds as pets. They are filthy creatures. Even if you love birds, it makes little sense to keep one in a cage. When you clip a bird's wings, you are basically crippling it so it can no longer do the one thing that makes birds unique: fly. If I were a bird, I would despise the person who kept me in their living room in a cage. Oddly, the people I know who have birds, also seem to inevitably have a cat. The cat is always trying to get the bird.

I continue to find it amusing that friends of mine who thought ObamaCare was a wonderful idea are now shocked to discover they have policies with ridiculously high deductibles that cost even more than they were paying before. I used to tell these people that if the government can't make the post office work, it certainly couldn't make the healthcare system work. I think I'm going to have the last laugh on this one.

I know that I've already had my weekly poached egg and pulled pork combo, but maybe if I go back to my breakfast restaurant again tomorrow, it will get me back on schedule again. It certainly doesn't seem like tomorrow is Friday. I did remember to take the trash out tonight though. I wrote myself a note.

Dash is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1126

I took my car to get a new catalytic converter today. The mechanics banged on the exhaust system with a wrench for a while and then told me there was nothing wrong. Although they didn't solve my problem, they did like my car. The muffler shop wasn't busy and I could have spent the rest of the day talking with the guys about Jeeps and 4-wheeling if I didn't have better things to do. I asked the mechanic what was making the rattling sound if there was nothing wrong with the catalytic converter. He told me that it could be anything and sent me on my way. In a way it was refreshing dealing with folks who were so open about not knowing what they were doing. In my experience, very few people really know what they are doing, but most of them try to fool you into thinking they know.

Today was the coldest day of the year so far. Since layering works well with me in cold weather, I tried the same thing with the dogs. First, I put on their black sweaters, which fit quite well and cover their bellies better than most dog coats. Then I added a thicker quilted coat on top. Dot and Dash get quite a bit of attention wearing this Winter garb. I think they are the only dogs in the neighborhood who wear two coats in cold weather. Most people think these coats are quite ingenious. The rest think they are ridiculous.

I had quite a bit of website and writing work due today, so I spent most of the day sitting at my desk, trying to stay warm. The heating vents don't distribute air very evenly, so when the office is comfortable, the rest of the house is unbearably hot. I'm sure this problem could be resolved by restricting the air flow to the living room and kitchen, but it's just not worth the trouble. I've never thought work was fun anyway and somehow having an uncomfortable work environment seems appropriate. When I finish my work, I can reward myself by fixing something to eat in the kitchen, or watching TV in one of the warmer rooms.

I must be one of the world's most unobservant people. Although the Internet was buzzing this morning about Jodie Foster coming out during her lifetime achievement award acceptance speech, I can't remember her saying anything about being gay. I'd never heard of Ben Affleck's Argo film either. Where did that one come from? I kept thinking that Steven Spielberg's Lincoln would win all the awards. Not that it matters anyway. I probably won't see any of these movies until they eventually wind up on the $9.95 discount DVD table at Fry's.

Kasey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1107

At times like these I seem to spend my entire day lacing up heavy boots and piling on layer after layer of clothing to ward off the cold. I put the sweaters and jackets on when I go outdoors and take them all off again as soon as I come inside. The dogs have their own set of sweaters and jackets, because they get cold too. In and out we go, because dogs have an almost primal need to go outside no matter what the weather is doing. It is all very time consuming.

Since I didn't notice that Dash got the bed all muddy when I let him outside last night, I started the day doing several loads of laundry. Next, I washed a dishwasher full of dirty Christmas dishes and then when I could find no more domestic things to do, I finally sat down in my chilly office and began writing. My office should be the warmest room in the house, since I spend most of my time here. Unfortunately, it is the coldest.

I got two articles finished today, which is a pretty good day for me. I also took Dash to the vet this afternoon for his regular Tuesday antigen shot, since the clinic was closed yesterday for Christmas. For a moment I thought that my car wasn't going to start, but after sluggishly turning over half a dozen times, the engine finally coughed into life. Anyone who owns an older car will recognize the sound of an engine that will barely turn over when the weather is cold. I hate that sound, because I seldom have a backup plan if my car dies. In the Winter I always worry that my car won't start. Of course, in the Summer, I always worry that it will overheat. It's always something, isn't it.

In theory, there is no dog training class when the temperature drops below freezing. That's what it says on the training class website anyway. In practice, there is always training class on Wednesday, no matter what the weather is doing. There are always a few diehards who look at terrible weather as a challenge. These are the same type of people who love to run marathons in the middle of Winter and jump in freezing water for a brisk swim. Dot and Dash won't be joining these crazies tonight. They are sensible dogs who realize that sitting on the bed under a warm blanket and watching television is the preferable course of action on days like these.

I hope it warms up tomorrow, but I'm not counting on it.

Freckles is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1091

Brr! It's was very, very cold this morning. With the temperature hovering near freezing, the dogs wore their Winter sweaters and I went looking for my down ski jacket before we departed on our morning walk. I always wonder how you Northerners cope with this kind of weather for months at a time. Just a few days of sub-freezing weather are enough to do me in. One problem is that our house just wasn't designed for cold weather. There is a lot of single-pane floor-to-ceiling glass in the house that lets the heat out almost as effectively as leaving a window open. The other problem is that my office is on the opposite end of the house from the furnace. By the time the hot air makes it down to my end of the house, it's already cool again. If I turn the thermostat up enough to warm up the office, the kitchen is way too hot. The house was designed for Summer. Somehow, the air conditioning cools the house a lot more effectively than the furnace heats it.

I had another ambiguous doctor visit today. Somehow, I never find out anything definitive during these visits. Apparently, I am hovering right near the red line for several serious ailments. So far, I've  always been on the safe side of the red line. The doctor tends to congratulate me on holding my ground, but never really explains why I'm so close to the line in the first place. I've always suspected that the medications I take may be causing more harm than good, but this is often hard to prove and even harder to get a physician to admit. One thing about ambiguous lab results. It usually means that you need a second opinion from a specialist. I'll be making appointments with my hepatologist and urologist tomorrow.

I packed up some books in book boxes and took them to the storage warehouse this afternoon. I like the little corrugated book boxes because they aren't too heavy to carry when full. They don't hold a lot of books however.  At this rate, it will take me about five years to clear off my shelves.

I sure hope it is warmer tomorrow. Dot and Dash hate the cold, but it still takes them just as long to poop on a cold day as on a hot day. This extended walk in the cold usually results in two disgruntled dogs and one very cold dog walker.

Princess is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1039

The week ended well. I finally got paid on an invoice that was long overdue. A watch that I'd been waiting for arrived in the mail. A picture that I uploaded to Google got 49 +1's. I tried to avoid looking at the stock market today, because I knew it would spoil my good mood.

It's amazing how quickly the year has gone by. It will be Halloween soon. The stores are full of pumpkins and candy. They are also full of Christmas decorations. It appears that the Christmas season starts a little earlier every year. The dogs have a Halloween party every year at their training class. Maybe Dot will go as a diva and wear her Justin Mcmillon dog coat.

You guys probably haven't hear about Justin Mcmillon. He makes a decent living creating custom coats and collars for Dalmatians. Only Dalmatians! Can you imagine a business more specialized than this? Dalmatian owners around the world rave about Justin though. I know people that own four of his coats and claim he is the Karl Lagerfeld of doggie duds. Is this a great country or what! You can do absolutely anything you want, and if you meet a need, you will make money. You go, Justin!

Our beautiful Fall weather continues unabated. I'm enjoying walking the dogs these days. We're right in between the sweaty clothes season and the coats and sweaters season. I can leave the house in a t-shirt and jeans and come home an hour later still feeling comfortable. The dogs love this weather. It would be nice if it would last through November, but it probably won't.

There's absolutely nothing on the agenda for this weekend. I wonder what I'm going to write about tomorrow. I'm sure I'll think of something.

Diva is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day