Day 4590

It's going to be a very long summer. Every day seems the same. The relentless heat takes away my desire to do anything. Our sunrise walk with Dawn feels like what you'd expect at noon in a normal year. This is the only walk that Dawn gets now. It's far too hot for an afternoon walk. It's too hot for anything. I eat my breakfast, check my messages on the computer, and then wonder what to do next.

This morning I went to the gym fairly early. I have no burning desire to exercise, but it is something to do.  I'm getting better on the basketball court, but I'm not very athletic. All I do is shoot free throws. I'm not very fast on the indoor track either, but my Fitbit doesn't care. I make sure to walk at least 10,000 steps and close all the activity rings on my Apple Watch. I've actually learned a lot watching other people's personal trainers. Maybe someday I'll put these fitness tips to good use. I think I'm in reasonably good shape but older, heavier people often pass me on the track. Usually after about an hour and a half I've had enough and I head back home again.

My phone said that there was a new version of the Polaris app available, so I downloaded it. Strangely, it was exactly the same as the version I downloaded last week. Since I didn't have anything better to do, I set the star tracker up again and put it through it's paces. I had better luck today and the camera only disconnected from the tracker once. I have a feeling that some of the problems I've been having might be user error. It's hard to tell though, since there has never been an instruction manual for this thing. Most of what I've learned comes from the Facebook user group and the majority of these other users don't know any more than I do. 

I wish it were easier to keep our house cool. We have a ton of single pane windows that act just like radiators in the summer. When you stand near them you can feel the heat. The roof isn't insulated well either. Originally, the house had a thick tar and gravel roof that provided excellent insulation. When it came time to replace this roof, we discovered that nobody does tar and gravel roofs anymore. The thinner roofing materials that replaced the tar and gravel don't provide much insulation at all. I have a feeling that the weather was cooler fifty years ago as well. There were also more large Oak trees that provided a lot of shade. Several of these trees have died and the remaining ones are not in great shape. It all adds up to a house that isn't that comfortable in triple digit weather. Our air conditioning system is doing all it can. Most AC systems will only lower the temperature about twenty degrees. This means when the temperature is over 100 degrees outside, it can still approach 80 degrees inside.

I still wish I could hibernate like a bear. Napping is the next best thing though. Dawn has finally realized that nothing bad happens when we share the bed for an afternoon nap. We're actually getting along pretty well now. Maybe those nine days we spent together while Janet was on vacation helped. It's a good thing we can nap together. What else is there to do on a hot July day.

I'll probably go back to the gym tomorrow morning. I need to mow the grass but I'd rather wait for a cloudy day. It's time to get a haircut again too. Maybe I'll make an appointment tomorrow. I'm sure there are all sorts of things I could do if I was more industrious. We'll wait until it's cooler for that. This heat has killed my motivation.

Jade is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4031

Today was dismal. It was supposed to rain all day, but for the most part it was just dark and overcast. When we tried to walk Dawn, she wanted to turn around before we even finished our first mile. She always starts out very enthusiastic, but as soon as she spots a way home, she's done. We keep wondering if she has arthritis or if something else is wrong, but she always makes the journey home just fine. All she seems to want to do these days is lie on the bed.

After we returned home with Dawn, I continued walking. I was pretty sure I would get wet, but there was nothing to lose. Wet or dry, I had very little to do today. Although I got a little damp, the rain never really amounted to much today. I ended up walking about six miles.

I had trouble getting motivated today. I didn't take down the Christmas tree and I didn't start my next astronomy article either. I certainly didn't begin raking the leaves. You never want to rake leaves when they are wet. I ended up watching the Space X Starship static fire test in Boca Chica, but I couldn't bring myself to watch any of the news channels. It was just too discouraging. 

I think there's a new season of The Expanse available now on Amazon Prime. I think this would be season five. Maybe I'll watch that tomorrow. I always liked this show and the previous seasons seemed to get me through dismal days before. Unless I'm really motivated to start my astronomy article tomorrow, a little science fiction seems to be in order.

Janet was gone this afternoon and I had a hard time getting Dawn off the bed. I had to take her outside to go pee on a leash. She does fine on a leash, but she won't come when I call whenever Janet is gone. Sometimes she won't even leave the bedroom to eat her dinner. When I fixed her dinner this evening, she wouldn't leave the bedroom to eat until I went back to the office and ignored her. I heard her eating, but I didn't leave my desk because I didn't want to scare her. As soon as she finished her meal, I heard her go to the front door and wait for Janet to return. As soon as Janet came home, everything was fine again. It's kind of sad. I'm always here and Janet is gone a lot. I'm sure Dawn would prefer the opposite.

I'm going to have to disable some more things on my Apple Watch. After I upgraded the system, it's become way too intrusive. The watch is reminding me to go to bed now and asking me if I want a wake up alarm. I disabled the feature that calls 911 if you fall, but there are apparently more things I need to disable as well. A watch that tells the time, tracks my walks, and provides a decent weather forecast is all I need. Actually, I don't need any of this. I'm pretty content not wearing a watch at all.

I hope I'm more motivated tomorrow. It really is time for the Christmas tree to come down. I'm sure there's water on the roof as well. I should be getting to know my new camera and sending queries and proposals to magazines. I'm doing nothing instead. January is never a great time for me, but I should be able to do better than this.

Nellie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Dayu 3897

Every once in a while I make an effort to get motivated. It usually doesn't get very far. I haven't had much luck sending e-mail to my Air Force contact, so today I thought I'd call instead. I tried five different numbers at Patrick Air Force Base and each of them gave me a "mailbox full" message. I couldn't reach a real person at all. I couldn't even leave a message. Why did I think getting media credentials through the Air Force would be easier than getting credentialed by NASA? I'm beginning to realize that I just might be out of luck until the pandemic is over. I know a few people who are still getting launch access at Kennedy Space Center, but they are all well-known Florida locals. It's kind of a shame to realize that I am one of the "non-essential" people. I might still want to do certain things, but nothing grinds to a halt when I'm not there. I guess this is the essence of being retired. Nobody is depending on you. My interest in space and astronomy is just an indulgence. I'm reluctant to call it a hobby, but that's probably what most people think.

We got an early start this morning. Sometimes Dawn gets spooked by things we can't see in the dark. She is very alert. It's weird that I can identify all the stars in the pre-dawn sky. It isn't hard when there are only a dozen of them. Light pollution is really this bad in Dallas. I know there are thousands of stars up there. I just can't see them. Despite the city lights, dawn is still a magical time. I love seeing the sky lighten as daylight arrives. Birds start to sing as sunrise approaches. I've learned to identify many of them. We often hear owls and hawks. Lately, we've been hearing Egrets and Herons. The ducks and geese are always noisy, but we haven't heard the Monk parrots in a while. I wonder where they went?

Facebook looked different today. I hate the new layout. I immediately switched back to the 'legacy" view which I guess will disappear forever on September 1st. Why do people feel compelled to change things? Everybody does it. I'm still mad at Apple for taking the DVD drive out of all their computers. I like the old Land Rover Defender a lot better than the new one. Truthfully, I still like film cameras better than digital cameras, but that ship sailed a long time ago. There's not much you can do about change. You certainly can't stop it. I try to go with the flow and accept change gracefully. It's sad though when you realize that certain aspects of the past were measurably better and you're never going to be able to convince anyone to turn around and go back.

I "drove" around Boca Chica today using Google street view. It's weird to think that the Google camera car has even been here. The landscape is pretty bleak down here. There are very few trees and  a lot of dirt. It makes me wonder why those people in Boca Chica Village decided to live there. There are no shops, no restaurants, and no gas stations. The place is certainly no luxury resort. The houses are very modest. Space X moved here because Boca Chica is the southern most point in the United States and this helps when you are launching things into orbit. I'm still not sure why the other residents moved there though.

I think that Hurricane Laura is going to bring some rain to our area tomorrow and Wednesday. The heavy rain is expected to be East of us, but we'll probably still get wet. I should have gone up on the roof today and made a few repairs while things were still dry. There's a lot of things I should have done today. I guess that's why there's always tomorrow.

Pinky is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3805 - Memorial Day

Another all day rain. This one was a soaker. We thought we could squeeze in a shorter walk this morning, but we were wrong. The storm moved faster than we did and by the time we returned home we were all very wet. Oh, well. We tried. I think Dawn would have preferred to sleep in late.

I must have done a decent job on roof repairs because even though we have had a ton of rain this Spring, there is still no evidence that the leak has returned. I left the pumps running all day today. They can't keep up with the rain, but over time they do help reduce the amount of standing water on the roof. It's clear that I will be up on the roof again soon. I've just got to wait for the rain to stop.

The wet weather didn't stop us from visiting the Dalmatian kennel. Today, in addition to playing with all the dogs, we photographed Murphy, our new arrival. Murphy is an owner surrender. Like most owner surrenders, I can't imagine why anyone would even consider giving this dog up. Murphy was extremely friendly and had obviously had some obedience training. He knew how to sit, stay, and lie down. He also seemed very adept at catching treats in the air. I don't think Murphy will be with us for very long. He's an amazing dog and should find his forever home very soon.

There were no Memorial Day picnics in the park today. There wasn't even much traffic on the roads. A hard rain really puts a damper on things. There is more rain in the forecast for tomorrow, but I hope the forecast is wrong. I'm sick of this wet weather. Pandemic confinement is bad enough on a good day, but wet weather makes it seem even worse. As long as I can take a long walk, I'm fine. Sitting in the house watching TV while rain pounds on the roof gets old quickly though. I'm totally over listening to "experts" disagree with each other about the virus. It's refreshing to occasionally hear a thoughtful person admit to the world that actually nobody has any answers.

The weather isn't looking good for Wednesday's Demo-2 launch. Maybe NASA's new media restrictions just saved me from making an expensive trip to Florida to view a launch that ended up getting scrubbed. This has happened to me before. Sometimes it is possible to stay an extra day or two, but other times you end up going home without seeing anything. Hopefully, everything will go according to schedule. Whatever happens, I'm sure I'll be streaming the event on my computer.

I'll add Murphy to the Dalmatian Rescue website tomorrow. Hopefully the skies will clear so we can take a decent walk without getting wet. Maybe I can think of something else to do as well. It's hard to believe that it's almost June. Half the year is already gone and the world is still on hold. I'm certainly on hold myself. There are no observatory trips to plan. I have no idea when Kennedy Space Center will open again. I haven't heard from the Air Force yet either. I'm a self-motivated person by nature but it's hard to get excited by anything when the world feels like a giant jigsaw puzzle that has just been dropped on the floor. I'm not smart enough or patience enough to put all the pieces back together. You probably aren't either.

Ranger is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3429

I always think I am slow when I walk because from time to time other people pass me on the trails going much faster than I am. This morning I realized that this is probably just an illusion. I'm sure there are people walking slower than I am as well but I never see these people because they gradually fall further and further behind. Maybe I'm really faster than I think. Life is like this. When we only look straight ahead we only see a small slice of what is going on.

I'm surprised at how many people take long walks during the day. I've started to recognize some of the people and many of them appear to walk longer distances than I do. I wonder what motivates these walkers? Maybe they're walking for their health. Maybe it's more complicated. I couldn't give you a simple reason why I do this. It's similar to walking dogs, but it's definitely not the same. The dogs really needed their walks. I'm just killing time.

I read that there's a security flaw in Intel processors and that all Apple users should apply the patch that fixes this problem immediately. I dutifully upgraded my computers without really understanding what the problem was. This happens so frequently now. Apple seldom warns you about these things but there's almost always a security update waiting for you when you go to the App Store. I used to go for years without even thinking about malware or computer viruses. It just wasn't a problem. When I first opened my business it was rare for a computer to even have a password.

We didn't have problems with telemarketers back in the day either. At least the FCC is finally starting to look at the problem. I've heard that they are now going to allow telephone carriers to block telemarketing calls by default so they won't even reach your phone. It would be nice if this were true. Telemarketers have become a major irritation. I suspect that phone companies secretly like telemarketers. If all the telemarketers suddenly disappeared the phone companies wouldn't have nearly as many customers.

I spend a lot of time walking these days, but apparently not enough. There are still huge swaths of time with nothing to do. I vacuumed the house today because I couldn't think of anything else to occupy my time. There's no point in taking naps now because I'm finally getting plenty of sleep. I still turn on the computer every morning out of habit, but there are no deadlines anymore. I don't really need a computer. I do need a purpose though. One of these days I'll find one.

Sadie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3358

It was much nicer today. I could almost overlook the fact that it was 23 degrees this morning because the sun was shining and there wasn't much of a wind. Of course Dash wanted a walk. It takes a while to get him suited up on cold days. We try to put his socks and boots on before he gets up because it much easier to fit these things while he is still lying down. When he gets up we take off his harness so he can wear a warm sweater underneath. Then we attach the Help 'Em Up Harness again, trying to make sure that Dash doesn't fall down in the process. On really cold days he also wears his hat. You may think this is overkill, but everything fits well and when Dash came home this morning, he wasn't shivering.

Long walks were the order of the day. There wasn't much else to do. I think Dash and I were both ready to get outside. Without writing and website design jobs to keep me busy, my days can get pretty long. If Dash were young and healthy, I could walk for hours in the park. Walking is a great way to daydream and kill time.

The muddy area on top of the sewer pipe still seems to be drying up, so I canceled the plumbing appointment that I postponed yesterday. Plumbers are expensive and I'd hate to tear up the yard and spend a lot of money just to discover that the pipe was fine and I was dealing with a drainage problem instead. We have had a lot of rain lately. I think I'll wait until we get some dry weather and then see what the yard looks like. I can always call the plumber back.

When I was busy with work, I also seemed to have lots of hobbies. I collected things. I taught myself to repair watches. I played in a rock band for a while. I convinced myself that I was an artist and had several gallery shows. Now that I have all the time in the world, nothing interests me. Most of the watches aren't running anymore and I don't even care. I tried to resume playing the piano and took online lessons for a month or two, but quickly became bored and my keyboard is now gathering dust. We have Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime and I'm not even interested in watching movies. This is all very curious. I wonder how this happened? I'm not depressed. I don't think I'm avoiding things because when something needs to get done, I still take care of the problem quickly and efficiently. Some people are motivated by desire. I must have always been motivated by deadlines. Without a deadline to meet I'm alarmingly content to do nothing.

I'll probably do nothing tomorrow. A roofer may come over to give me an estimate on a new roof. Since he's a roofer, he may not come at all though. We'll see. On Thursday we take Dash to the cancer center again for one of his periodic echocardiograms. Against all odds, I think Dash's condition has actually gotten better since we saw these doctors two months ago. He's eating better and seems to have more energy. He even got up on the bed by himself today. The little guy is pretty amazing. We were warned that Dash was living on borrowed time over two years ago and he's still with us today. He seems happy too. Maybe doing nothing is the secret to a long life. Dash has perfected doing nothing. He sleeps all day and when he's active he's mostly interested in smelling other dog's poop in the park. I think he's a good role model.

Rory is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3222

I had lots of errands today. Everywhere I went, I was faced with rising prices. I bought some Salicylic Acid at the drug store and and the price had increased by $2 a bottle. I bought some halogen bulbs at the hardware store and the price had increased by $3 a bulb. The grocery store is always full of price increases. I've been buying those blue paper shop towels for years and the price has almost doubled. Laundry detergent has gone way up . Strawberries are still cheap though. Go figure.

I stopped by the storage warehouse to see when my annual rent was due. Naturally, next year's rent is more than this year's. I've been a loyal customer for decades and yet my rent keeps increasing every single year. It would be a lot of work, but I'm really tempted to move everything to a new storage warehouse so I can take advantage of the new customer discounts. Every time I hear that inflation isn't a problem, I shake my head in disbelief. Maybe big screen TV's are cheaper than they used to be, but the cost of almost everything else has gone up.

For the first time in weeks, I saw blue sky. Amazingly, it was a beautiful Fall day. The performers at the little circus in the park seemed almost giddy with excitement. They were selling tickets, stringing lights, and getting ready for a show this evening. The park was full of people riding bicycles, sitting in hammocks, and throwing frisbees. I had to keep an eye out for loose dogs. There are always loose dogs on a nice day. I saw two dogs get in a fight off in the distance. Luckily they were nowhere near Dash and I.

There were no accidents today. Not yet anyway. Miraculously, Dash slept through the night and walked outside the next morning and pooped in the yard. He took his meds without incident, ate all his breakfast, and was enthusiastic about his walks. For most of the day, he seemed like a normal dog.

I should have vacuumed this afternoon, but I watched cooking shows on PBS instead. It's hard to get motivated. The combination of roof leaks, poop on the floor, and worn out appliances has taken it's toll. I look around and keep thinking "what's the point."

Another watch winder broke today. Back when I was really interested in watches, I bought winders for the watches I regularly wore. One by one, the motors in these winders have started failing. Nobody seems to be able to repair these things either. You'd think a simple electric motor would run forever. Nope. About twelve years seems to be the limit.

We had fried chicken tonight. Sometimes I forget how good simple southern food can be. Hey, blue skies, fried chicken, and no poop on the floor. That's a good day in my book.

Emily is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3073

Today was slow. Who am I kidding. Every day is slow. I did manage to finish updating an animal rescue website today, but for the most part, the day was almost identical to yesterday. We completed our walk this morning without losing a shoe. Maybe I'm getting better at attaching Dash's boots, but it was probably just luck. I used a fitness app on my phone this morning to see how far we actually traveled and it told me I was on pace to run a 35 minute mile. Dash and I are really slow.

After breakfast, I watched the new episode of The Expanse that I recorded yesterday. For the first time since the series started, I was disappointed. They skipped way ahead from the previous episode to move the story arc forward. It was disorienting to see different characters doing different things with very little continuity. It was almost like the show runner knew how he wanted the series to end and was trying to cram four seasons into three. It's too bad if this is the case. This show deserves at least four seasons.

There were a bunch of calls I should have made today and I didn't make any of them. I'm tired of bothering the roofer and the landscaper every single day. I don't even think it helps. Sometimes being the squeaky wheel does more harm than good. There are also a couple of website projects on the back burner that I need to follow up on. I'm reluctant to push too hard to get these jobs because I honestly don't think a website is going to change things for either of these people. They've got bigger problems than their online profile. I'd love to have some additional work, but I hate to overpromise. A good website can't fix everything.

It's going to be a long, hot summer if I can't come up with a better way to spend the ample amount of time I seem to have. Practicing the piano went nowhere. I haven't even looked at the keyboard in several weeks. My plan to upload hundreds of pictures to my stock photo site is languishing on the back burner too. I have some old images that I think might sell, but it's hard to get interested in these things. I keep coming up with excuses why the images wouldn't get accepted anyway. People are always saying that you need to follow your passion, but the truth is that I've never been passionate about anything. I've always preferred the term "dispassionate." Why has this emotion never gained popularity? A dispassionate person is always cool, calm and able to be rational and impartial in any situation. That's a good thing, isn't it?

I've taken the trash out to the curb, but I'm not really sure what's on the agenda for tomorrow. I don't feel like going out for breakfast and household chores don't sound very appealing either. Who knows. Maybe I'll wake up motivated. If I don't, I can always take a nap with Dash.

Ranger is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3005

I certainly didn't accomplish much today. I did my grocery shopping and filled the car up with gas, but that was about it. Janet was away at a Dalmatian Rescue event today. Dash usually follows Janet around like glue on weekends, but he didn't seem to notice she was gone. I suspect he just thought it was another work day. We ate breakfast and took our morning walk just like we did yesterday and then I started my Saturday errands. When I returned Dash was asleep.

I spent a long time trying to figure out where to store a huge box of toilet paper I got at Sam's Club. Buying in bulk does save money, but it sure is difficult to store the stuff when you're living in a small house. I guess I could have done some house cleaning, but I got distracted looking for a technical service manual for my refrigerator online. There are all types of sites that will sell you duplicate service manuals, but I wanted to find a free one. I eventually found what I was looking for and started reading the diagnostic section. It's probably not helpful that I want to figure out what is wrong before the service technician arrives on Monday, but that's just the type of guy I am.

I suspect that one of the two remaining original thermistors has gone bad. Hopefully that's all it is. If the mother board I replaced a few months ago is already defective, I've got a big problem. Truthfully, I have no idea why the refrigerator isn't working. It should be working perfectly. When I read through the technical service manual, it appeared that the previous technicians had done exactly what the manual recommended.

While I was searching for the cause of my refrigerator problem, I started looking up the side effects of some some of the meds I'm taking. That was a mistake. A hypochondriac should never start reading about side effects. It's easy to imagine that you have all of them. I'm trying to decide whether a brand name drug I'm taking is worth the extra money. The brand name and the generic are similar, but for some reason the side effects are different. After comparing both, I felt like someone was telling me to pick my poison. I miss the days when I didn't even have a doctor and took no meds at all. As you might expect, those days were a long, long time ago.

We were going to go out for pizza tonight, but Janet ended up getting a free pizza at the grocery store.   We thought about going out anyway and then it started to rain. Once I started to hear thunder, I knew we were staying home. We've learned that it isn't wise to leave Dash alone in a storm. The free Tom Thumb pizza wasn't bad, but it didn't come close to the pies at our neighborhood Italian restaurant. Who knows when we'll have the urge for pizza again. Usually, both of us eat amazingly healthy meals. Sometimes you just crave pizza though.

I hope I wake up tomorrow with more motivation than I had today. I could have easily stayed in bed all day. Luckily, I don't need motivation to go to the gym. I've never been motivated to go to the gym. I just go because that's what I do on Sunday.

Allie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2721

I'm sleeping longer now. I guess that's a good thing. I wish the extra sleep left me filled with energy and motivation, but that's not the case. I'm still kind of floundering around and searching for a direction. Fortunately, I'm so slow these days that it's not hard to fill up the day even with no plan whatsoever.

I've determined that the rat is still in the atrium. I haven't seen him since he escaped from the trap, but I know he's there. I placed several pieces of cheese outside the trap last night and they were gone in the morning. The rat avoided the larger piece of cheese inside the trap though. I think I'm dealing with a smart rat. I purchased some old fashioned rat traps that will kill the rat, but I am reluctant to use them. I'll give him one more chance. I added a big scoop of peanut butter to the bait in hopes of enticing him inside. I wish this rat knew that I had his best interests in mind. If he would just go inside the trap again, I'll take him down to the park in the morning.

Recently, I remember someone posting "Do you remember when Bluehost didn't suck" on Facebook. I laughed because I did remember. Bluehost used to be a great web hosting company. I recommended them to many of my clients. Unfortunately, things have changed. I don't know what happened. Maybe someone else bought the company. At any rate, calling technical support is a nightmare these days. You have to wait on hold forever and when someone finally picks up the phone, they don't know anything and always have to talk to their supervisor. I had a problem today and it drove me crazy trying to get a simple answer from the tech support people. I wanted to hang up on them several times but I knew that I'd be sitting on hold for another twenty minutes if I tried to start over. After spending an hour on the phone, I still didn't receive an answer to my question.

I wish I could get Dash to take long walks again. I think it would be good for both of us. He wants to stick close to home though. I've been having trouble getting him to walk all week. I noticed he was panting a bit this morning and it was still cool outside. This worried me a bit. We've known for a long time that Dash has an enlarged heart and a bit of a heart murmur. He's got to go to the vet to check his triglycerides again soon and I'll have the vet look at his heart. It's always hard to tell if Dash has a medical problem or is just being moody.

I'll try to cut Dash some slack because I'm feeling a bit moody myself. Hopefully, this will pass. I certainly didn't accomplish much today. I paid a few bills and took them to the post office. I picked up a bottle of rubbing alcohol at CVS and bought a couple of pair of anklet socks. I used to hate the idea of anklet socks, but they do make sense in the summer.

The sun has finally returned and the yard is drying out. Maybe I'll figure out how to use the new pressure washer tomorrow. There is certainly a lot that needs to be cleaned. I hope there is a rat in my trap in the morning. I'm not looking forward to resorting to Plan B.

Wendy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2711

Dot has forgotten a lot, but she hasn't forgotten birthdays. We celebrated Dash's twelfth birthday this evening and Dot ate her birthday cupcake like a champ. I was surprised, since the Sprinkles doggie cupcake was larger than the things she can normally chew. Motivation is everything, I guess. Dot has always loved cake.

I wish she was equally motivated to eat her dinner. I couldn't get Dot to eat dry food at all today. So far, her somewhat eclectic menu has included three thin slices of turkey breast, a piece of cheddar cheese, and two crackers. This isn't enough.

At least Dot has been calm and peaceful today. There has been none of the anxiety we saw last night. We'll never really know what caused yesterday's problems, but I think she might have gotten a pill caught in her throat. Dot wasn't eating food when she took her evening pills, so she might not have swallowed them completely. When we took her outside and squirted some water down her throat with a syringe, the anxiety seemed to go away and we were all able to go to sleep.

The weather has been hot and humid all day. It's starting to feel like Summer. I'm dreading the warmer weather. Dot can't handle the heat and I can't handle the bugs. I've already started seeing an increase in the number of bugs hanging out on the back porch. Since I am unable to close the back door when I take Dot outside, many of these bugs get inside. Nighttime is the worst, since a lot of the flying insects are attracted to light. I keep several strategically placed flyswatters around the house now. I still think the bugs are winning though.

I wish there was some sort of breakthrough I could report. I know it's not going to happen. We will continue taking things one day at a time. There will be good days and bad days and then there will just be little good moments within the bad days. I have a feeling that Janet will be the one who decides when it is time. I'm not really good at evaluating quality of life. I've experienced little good moments within bad days for so long now that it just seems normal to me. I hope I am not fooling myself about Dot. I really think she enjoyed Dash's birthday party tonight. I could tell that she remembered all the other birthday celebrations and at least for a little while, she was happy. That's worth an extra day in my opinion.

Libby is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2281

After months and months of watching the seasons slowly change, it seemed weird to be plunged back into darkness again. There was an artificial feeling to our morning walk. It was as if all the gains we had made since the Winter Solstice had been erased in a single day. I still don't know what this arbitrary time change means. What does it prove to pretend that it is an hour earlier? At any rate, we're going to have to start walking a little later in the morning until the days get longer. The darkness felt a bit uncomfortable this morning.

The recent time change wasn't the only uncomfortable aspect to the day. It was also unseasonably hot. The temperature climbed above 90 degrees this afternoon, which seemed just as strange as walking the dogs in the dark again after watching the days grow longer since mid-December. The air conditioner is running now, although I bet the furnace will be running again tomorrow morning. At least Texas weather gives me something to talk about on days where very little happens.

The Prairie Verbena is starting to bloom alongside the trails in the park.  These perfect little circles of tiny purple flowers are usually a reliable sign that Spring has arrived. Maybe there will be one more cold front before we can finally say goodbye to Winter, but I doubt it. The trees are getting green. The ducks are starting to nest again. It won't be long before I have to get out the lawn mower and begin the weekly ritual of making the front yard look as nice at the neighbors yards.

I think the neighbors are already ahead of me. We have a new neighbor who seems to love lawn equipment. Almost every day my peace and quiet is interrupted by the sound of lawn mowers, leaf blowers, and chain saws. They apparently haven't learned that the effort is futile. If you live near the park, the prevailing winds will ensure that your yard is soon filled with weeds. It's not like my minuscule writing schedule needs that much quiet time anymore, but the noise is still irritating. I'm probably the quietest person on the block. My lawn mower is electric and hardly makes any noise at all.

There were a ton of things I needed to do today, but the only things I actually accomplished were making an appointment to get a haircut later in the week and picking up two prescriptions at the pharmacy.  It is becoming increasingly difficult to stay motivated and engaged. I used to jokingly tell people that I worked for praise. Now that I live in a world with very little feedback and direct encouragement, I realize that this statement wasn't a joke. A lot of things seem utterly pointless when nobody notices.

I still take new pictures every day, although I've lost interest in exhibiting in galleries. I still write everyday, although I no longer try to get published. Maybe this is enough. I do know that Dot appreciates me, although it would be difficult to explain my new found poop cleaning expertise on a resume. You're reading this, which gives me all the reason I need to continue writing.

Humphrey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2033

I got the go ahead to begin another new website project. It is a small project, but aren't they all these days. I'm just happy to have the work. I'm not motivated enough to look for challenges outside of work, so I depend on new projects to keep my brain in gear. This project will keep me thinking for a little while, and then I'll have to find another one.

Without projects and deadlines, I tend to obsess about little things around the house. I wonder why the ice-maker is filling up with ice too fast. Is it broken, or are we just not putting ice in our drinks anymore? Where do all the little ants in the bathroom come from?  I spray and plug up all the cracks that might let them in from the outside, but they are always there. Lately, I've been spending way too much time wondering when Dot is going to poop next. She doesn't give you much warning anymore and if you don't read the tea leaves exactly right, there's a mess to clean up in the house. I think I'm getting better at reading the subtle signs. I've gotten her outside just in time for three days in a row.

Last night I woke up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom and noticed that I could only see out of one eye. The sensation only lasted a moment or two, but it was very odd and a bit alarming. It was almost as if one eye had see a very bright light, causing the pupil to contract. By morning, I was wondering if I had dreamed the whole thing, because my vision was completely normal. Assuming the momentary blindness was real and not a dream, I'm wondering if it was caused by the Apple Watch. The display turns on and off when you look at it and it is fairly bright. This feature works great when you are awake and standing up, but I've noticed that the display seems to flash on and off randomly when you are tossing and turning in bed at night. Often my hands wind up near my face when I'm asleep and maybe the watch was directly in front of my eye while the display was on in my sleep. Just a thought. I'm beginning to think this was just a dream though. If it happens again, I'll need to see an eye doctor.

I mowed the grass this afternoon. I usually do this on Saturday, but I thought I'd get the chore out of the way early and save Saturday for other things. I have no idea what I'm actually saving the time for, because I certainly don't have any plans for the weekend. The time will get used up though. It always does. Maybe I ought to go out and buy a flat of Monkey Grass at a garden store. The Liriope in one section of the back yard is starting to die. You'd think that with all the rain we've had this year that all the plants would be doing wonderfully, but that's not the case. Janet and I apparently do not have a green thumb. It is a constant struggle to keep the yard looking nice.

Dot's limp is a little better today. I still haven't heard anything from the oncologist at the cancer center, but since Dot has an appointment next week for a re-check, maybe I'll just ask all my questions again in person. I wonder if the receptionist didn't relay my message to the doctor. They are usually very good about returning my calls. Hopefully, Dot's condition will continue to improve. We need to keep her strong, but it's getting harder and harder.

Keller is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1671

I got my energy back today. I mowed the grass, watered the lawn, walked the dogs and went to the gym. Hmm. That's actually all I did. Now what am I going to write about?

I guess I could go off on a political rant. I've got my opinions, just like you do. It doesn't seem right though. It doesn't matter which side you support. I find most political rants annoying in exactly the same way that I find the conversations of a dysfunctional family annoying. It's sad to me that we have completely lost the concept of America as the great melting pot. Diversity has replaced the melting pot as a meme. Instead of a populace with common values and a common purpose, we have fragmented into hundreds of small tribes. People are loyal to their own tribe, but that's about as far as it goes. It seems important to be considered progressive, born again, green, gay, straight, christian, atheist, or any of a hundred other labels. Not so importantly apparently to be an American.

I'm getting better at handling a basketball. Maybe I should start moving around the court a bit and add a bit of diversity to the monotony of shooting endless baskets from the free throw line. There are pick up games at the gym all the time, but I doubt if I'd join in. I'm just not very competitive. It is satisfying to get the ball in the net though.

Weekends go by too quickly. If we had a four day weekend, I might get more accomplished than mowing the grass and a quick workout at the gym. I might paint the house, take piano lessons, or go to a movie. On the other hand, I might just go to the gym more often and rest up when I got home by taking long naps with the dogs. I don't seem to have many burning desires anymore. Nature abhors a vacuum though. I'm sure if I had extra time, I'd figure out something to do with it.

I uploaded my latest website to the server this afternoon. Now that this project is essentially complete, I'll have to go looking for a new one. In the mean time, there are dogs to take to the vet, bills to pay, and wasp nests to eradicate.  Oh, and I can't forget there's jury duty too.

Watson is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1617

Today wasn't bad at all. My photo shoot went well. I never really know what to expect when I'm photographing animals, but these guys had my back. The images were in focus, cute, and won't require a lot of work in Photoshop. I always consider my day a success when a re-shoot won't be required.

Dot had a fabulous physical therapy session. It's hard to believe that little more than a year ago, she was having terrible seizures and her rear legs were so weak that she was having trouble walking. She's still an old dog, but she's an old dog with a lot more energy and visibly less pain. I can't attribute Dot's remarkable transformation entirely to acupuncture and water therapy, but I know they have helped. The water therapy has dramatically slowed down the atrophy in her leg muscles and the acupuncture has reduced a lot of the tension in her back and leaves her feeling much more relaxed. Did the acupuncture have something to do with eliminating Dot's seizures?  I'll probably never know for sure. I do know that since we've added underwater treadmill workouts and acupuncture to Dot's regular routine, she has become a healthier and happier dog. That's enough to make me a believer.

When we were taking our evening walk, I noticed three helicopters hovering overhead, two fire department rescue boats on the water, several fire trucks, and an ambulance. I thought somebody's sailboat had capsized again, but when I got home and turned on the news to see what had happened, I discovered that a guy had jumped off a bridge and apparently drowned. It was weird that after two hours of searching, nobody could find the guy. The news anchor covering the story said that two people saw the guy jump and immediately tried to save him. One swimmer almost reached the guy before he disappeared from view. The lake isn't that big or that deep. You'd think the guy would be easy to find if the rescue folks already knew exactly where he hit the water. It's sad that events like this have become so commonplace. Years used to go by without any sort of mishap in the park. Now, these drowning incidents seems like an almost weekly occurrence.

I'm going to have to make going to the dentist a higher priority. One of my rear molars is starting to hurt and I'm starting to worry that I might need a root canal. As many of you probably already know, I have an irrational fear of going to the dentist. I don't even like to take the dogs to the dentist, although I know it is very important. I eventually do the right thing. Dash had his teeth cleaned earlier this year and Dot has her dental appointment scheduled for next week. Yes, I know. I should probably schedule my own dental appointment as well.

I'm scared of taking the dogs to the dentist because I had a friend once who had a dog who died after a routine dental exam. I trust my vet, but I still worry. My own worries are different. Every time I go to the dentist, they want to take out my wisdom teeth. I've seen how deep the roots are on x-rays. Removing these wisdom teeth seems like major surgery. I always tell the dentist that I've had these teeth my entire life and they don't bother me. My dentist always responds by telling me that the wisdom teeth are slowly pushing all my other teeth out of place and that if I do nothing, I'll regret it later. I'm sure the dentist is right, but this does absolutely nothing to alleviate my irrational fears.

I'm not sure what I'll be doing tomorrow. I've got a lot of projects in the development stages, but no looming deadlines at the moment. It's hard to get me motivated without a deadline.  I've never missed a deadline, but I don't finish many things early either. You'd think there would be a few things that I'd actually look forward to doing for the shear joy of it all. What would those magical activities be? I guess they'd be like sleeping, eating breakfast, or walking the dogs on a nice day. I do enjoy those three things.

Harley is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day