Day 1939

My life is a lot like watching paint dry these days. Dot is definitely getting stronger, but progress is very slow. I've still got some new projects on the back burner, but it could take weeks or even months before any of them come to fruition. I'm still doing my physical therapy exercises, but any progress in regaining the use of my shoulder is still measured in inches. I've learned to take it all in stride. I don't even expect anything to happen fast anymore.

People who are in a hurry probably find me infuriating. I can spend hours eating breakfast. I never drive over the speed limit anymore. I finish everything on my to-do list, but it can take months for me to get around to the less desirable tasks. I still brag that I've never missed a deadline, but this is probably only because my clients are getting slower too. Even writing this blog is taking longer than it used to. I guess this makes sense. It's not easy to say the same thing over and over again without becoming redundant.

Today was particularly slow. I did have one website problem to solve, but that was about it. Since the dogs were unusually quiet today, I wanted to find a way to fill the day without waking them up unnecessarily. I ended up watching Interstellar at a very low volume all over again. It's a long movie, so it used up a lot of time. I don't mind reading a book or watching a movie twice. If it was good the first time, it is usually good the second time as well. When I watch a movie twice, I'm always surprised at how many things I missed at the first viewing.

I thought I was going to get lucky and make it through the afternoon without any frantic barking episodes, but a yard crew came to the neighbors house and started making a huge racket with their lawn mowers and leaf blowers. Not surprisingly, this sent both dogs into a barking frenzy. Dot and Dash have always barked at strange noises, but I guess I just ignored them because I wasn't actually participating. Now that I'm holding up Dot's rear legs, I sometimes feel like I need to start barking too. I took the dogs outside, fed them a rice cake, and eventually got them settled down again after the lawn crew finished their noisy work. I thought I was home free, but then the UPS delivery guy knocked on the front door and the barking started all over again.

Dot is probably more frustrated than I am. All she wants is her freedom back. I'm sure she's not wild about having me following her around holding her harness everywhere she goes, but it can't be helped. If Dot wants to wander around freely again, she going to have to become a bit more surefooted. She thinks she's hot stuff now, but I still catch her and keep her from falling at least ten times a day.

To continue today's slow motion theme, I got a call from my insurance company saying that the car accident in California had finally been resolved. Jeez, the accident happened in January and it's April now. I never thought the whole process would take this long. Everything takes a long time now. I'm working on a video for a client that probably won't be finished until June. Lord knows when I'll finally get my teeth fixed. After all Dot's expenses, dental surgery seems pretty pricy right now. By the time I can afford to have the dental work done, I'll have to overcome my fear of the dentist all over again.

Everything in good time, I guess. Somehow my taxes will get finished and filed on April 15. The dead limb on the big oak tree in the back yard will be pruned by Summer. I'll probably be wearing an Apple watch before Christmas. Somewhere in the grand mix of things, Dot will be walking on her own in the park again.

Molly is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1646

When computers eventually control everything and nobody remembers how to control the computers, we're going to be in big trouble. I can already see this starting to happen. Just about all my clients and suppliers have invested in some sort of automation system. Maybe it's a phone system. Maybe it's a database in the cloud somewhere. Whatever it is, nobody really understands how it works. Everyone's happy with the money they're saving until the thing quits working properly and then they're just confused. Generally, they don't even know what went wrong.

Today, my insurance agent called and told me he thought I had a brick house, but that his records said that I now had a wood frame house. "Jeez, you've been over to my house," I told the guy. "You know it's made of brick." "Well, could I come over and take some pictures," he asked me. "I'm having trouble with the underwriters. They want to believe what's in the computer." How do these things happen? My agent had no idea how the bad information had gotten into the database.  He didn't even know when the mix-up had happened. Everything we do these days is in some sort of database. What's amazing to me is how often this information is wrong.

I looked around the house for stray gift cards before I went to pick up Dash at the cancer center this afternoon. Today was one of those days when he got a new supply of chemotherapy meds, so I knew there would be a big bill. I was hoping that we were nearing the end of chemotherapy, but after a consultation with Dash's oncologist, I learned that they want him to continue taking the Palladia medication until the end of August at a minimum. We've got two more months to go, with a possibility of an additional two months after that. The good news is that Dash is responding to the drugs well and there don't appear to be any adverse side effects. The bad news is that this is getting to be very expensive.

I was pleased to see that Dash's tail survived the day at the cancer center, but then it started bleeding again while we were at training class this evening. The healing process is definitely a "three steps forward, two steps back" proposition. The tail is getting better, but there are many small setbacks along the way. It's hard to fault Dash on the slow healing process, however. This is an injury caused by Dash's generally happy disposition. I want him to be happy. I just wish he wouldn't wag his tail so vigorously.

Tomorrow is my birthday. I'm going to do the best I can to look at the day as a glass half full.  There's no sense to being half empty on your birthday.

Rugby is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day