Day 3283

I was optimistic when I got up this morning. The sky was clear. The temperature was warm. It seemed like a good day to fix the roof. Unfortunately, the roof had other ideas. It still wasn't dry. I tried to clear away the remaining water before the roofers arrived but I wasn't successful. When the roofing crew joined me on the roof, they agreed that the coating couldn't be applied until the roof was completely dry. I wonder when that's going to happen? Probably next Spring.

While we were up on the roof, we located a few more areas where water had gotten under the supposedly impenetrable silicon coating. Since the repair job seems to be growing by the day, the crew did what any workers would do. They called their boss. Hopefully someone with the authority to approve more extensive repairs will come out tomorrow. I kept reminding the guys that there are thunderstorms in the forecast for next week. I'd like to think my roof is a high priority for these guys, but I doubt it. There's always someone else with an even bigger problem.

Oddly, the other roofers I contacted to give me a bid for completely replacing the roof haven't showed up either. I have a feeling that all roofers are the same. They are completely dependent on the weather and most of them have more jobs than they can handle.

Although the weather was nice, it sure was windy. For the most part I like the wind because it blows the leaves off the roof. Today's wind was a bit excessive though. It blew some of the roof off the greenhouse. The greenhouse needs repairs even more than the house, but it is a relatively low priority.  Neither Janet or I have a green thumb. We quit trying to grow plants in the greenhouse years ago. Now it is mostly just a big shed to store broken lawnmowers and tillers.

Dash has stopped waking up when it is time for him to poop at night. As recently as two months ago, he would wake me up around 4:30 AM and we would both race to the back door. Now, he just poops in his sleep. It's almost become a nightly occurrence. If I wake up to go to the bathroom, I always check to see if there is a pile of poop near his tail. Usually there is. I've developed a technique for picking the stuff up without waking Dash or making a mess on his blanket. When I'm successful, I can just go back to bed and postpone changing the soiled blanket until morning. If Dash has strayed off his blanket during the night, all bets are off though. Occasionally I'm faced with a huge mess.

Tomorrow I get the dryer fixed. The appliance repairman is much more reliable than the roofers, so I think there is a good chance of success. I've already called in part numbers, so hopefully the parts we need will already be on the truck. It will be a relief not to hear the irritating high pitched squealing noise anymore, especially since I'm doing laundry every single day. Dash has turned our home into a laundromat.

The only bad thing about getting the dryer fixed tomorrow is that I won't be able to go out for breakfast. We're completely out of fresh fruit, but pancakes sound good. I'll make pancakes and sausages. On that optimistic note, I'm going to take the trash out to the curb and call it a day.

Lexi is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3235

Dash gave me another scare last night. He woke me up when I felt his whole body shaking next to me. The shivering continued for quite a while and he seemed in some sort of distress. His front legs felt stiff and his heart was beating rapidly. Was this another vestibular seizure or the beginning of heart failure? He's had these episodes before and we've learned that taking him to the emergency room doesn't help at all. Trying to get him into the car during a seizure often makes things worse. I stayed next to him and kept him calm until we both fell asleep again. This morning Dash was fine. It's weird that these episodes always happen at night. I don't think Dash has ever had a vestibular seizure during the day.

The rain appears to be over for a while. It was a cool, clear Fall morning and I walked Dash before going out for breakfast. I really ought to just stay home and drink my regular smoothie on Fridays. It's becoming harder and harder to find anything in a restaurant that interests me. The buttermilk pancakes I had this morning were good, but I ate way too much and felt sluggish for the rest of the day.

Janet helped me with the storage warehouse move today. She filled her car with items for the charity shop while I filled mine with things that had to go to the new storage unit. It's pretty obvious that I don't need any of this stuff. I wonder why it's still so hard to jettison these things? It's easier to turn loose of stuff when Janet is with me. She reminds me how ridiculous it is to save things I haven't used in decades. There's still a long way to go, but I think about a third of the warehouse has been moved.

I need to remember to ask my doctor about my recurring heartburn when I have my exam next week. I thought I had the problem under control, but now it's back again. We has shrimp with pesto last night and it gave me heartburn. Tonight chicken tikka masala gave me heartburn. This shouldn't be happening. I understand why pizza might cause problems, but the pesto sauce was pretty mild. I'd hate to have to start taking proton-pump inhibitors again. They work well to control acid reflux, but they are risky to take indefinitely. Side effects from long-term use include osteoporosis and increased risk of heart attacks.

I'll probably go back to the storage warehouse tomorrow. I wish I still had my Defender. The car was indestructible and was perfect for moving things. I have to worry a lot more about scratches and dents when I'm moving things in my current car. The boxy Defender seemed to hold a lot more too. I'll still probably call a mover at some point, but the more things I can move myself, the lower the final bill will be.

Dash has had a good day. I really hope that he sleeps well tonight. There was a short period last night when I though he might die. The specialist at the cancer center has warned us that if the blood clot shifts and goes to the brain or lungs, he could go at almost any time. It's a good thing that Dash doesn't know what 's wrong with him. He's still a happy camper. I'm pretty sure he'd enjoy spending another year with us.

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2990

It was so nice to see the sun today. The weather was beautiful. Dash was in a good mood. I even felt like getting up this morning. We need more days like these. After a nice long walk with Dash, I went out for breakfast. I was seated near a table where several employees were talking with their boss about personnel problems. Everyone was trying to make themselves look good and their co-workers look bad. Jeez. I don't think I could ever work in an office again. There is way too much drama for me.

I'm beginning to think I might not be able to work with anyone again. Every time someone dangles a job in front of me, I try to talk them out of it. I've been corresponding with the person who wants me to update their website. When I try to explain the pitfalls of sticking with a flawed concept, I get the dreaded "I appreciate your honesty" response. Usually this just means "why aren't you agreeing with me?" Strangely, the job hasn't gone away, so I may end up doing it after all. Who knows. Maybe they actually do appreciate my honesty.

I was going to repair my dog walking shoes this afternoon, but when I took a closer look at the shoes, it seemed like a waste of time. I should just buy a new pair of boots. I didn't feel like cleaning or going up on the roof, so I wrote a letter to my sister instead. I do this about once a month. I haven't actually spoken to my sister or anyone else in my family in years. Sporadic letters seems like a good way to keep in touch to me. Anything more would be overkill. I truly don't understand how people spend so much time on their phones. What do they talk about? I really have nothing to say.

The weather remained nice for our afternoon walk. If it stays warm, I'm going to have to start mowing the grass again soon. The first time I get out the lawn mower is a good test to see whether I've gotten stronger or weaker during the year. With each passing year, the mower seems a little heavier. Last year I though that 2017 might be my last year pushing the mower. We'll see how it goes this year.

I think allergy season might have started. It's a little early, but my eyes are already itching and I'm sneezing a lot. Janet is already suffering from seasonal allergies, so I guess it's just a matter of time. Every Spring I am miserable until the allergy season passes. I start thinking how nice it would be to live in Arizona, and then I remember all the rattlesnakes and scorpions. Can't we just have nice weather without all the pollen?

I dont have any plans for the weekend. This usually means that I'll do a little cleaning and then end up wondering why things don't look any better. After a house reaches a certain age, I don't think cleaning really helps much.

Tucker is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2948

Another uneventful Friday. My pancakes were delicious. Maybe next week I'll make an omelet. I'd almost forgotten that my special omelet recipe made it into the South by Southwest cookbook a few years ago. I was probably the least famous person in this celebrity studded cookbook, but it was still cool to be selected. The only downside to today's meal was that I used up the last of the Italian sausage. There's only one place in town that makes this stuff the way I like it, so I'll have to drive across town to pick up a new supply next week. Let me know if you hear of any amazing new breakfast restaurants. Until then, I'm content to eat at home.

I talked to a dealer I've known for years about helping me liquidate one of my collections. I didn't think he'd be interested, but he seems willing to help for a percentage of the sale. Before we can get started, I need to provide a complete inventory of the collection. Lord knows how long that will take. Most of the stuff is in unmarked boxes in the storage warehouse. I don't even know what I have anymore. If making an inventory was a pleasant task, I would have done it years ago. I guess I should have known that you can postpone unpleasant tasks, but you can seldom avoid them entirely.

People who collect memories probably have an easier time decluttering than people who collect stuff. We all become forgetful as we grow older. When you forget your memories, your problem is solved. When you forget where you've put all your stuff, the problem just becomes more difficult. I hope I can take care of this collection by the end of the year. Then next year, I'll start on another one.

It was much warmer today. Dash didn't need to wear a sweater under his harness and I didn't need to wear a second coat under my down jacket. The fact that I would call a windy, forty degree day "warm" just goes to show you how cold it's been for the past week. I'm ready for Spring. Unfortunately, I don't think Winter cares what I think. We've had plenty of ice storms in February and March.

I got two more writing assignments today. Two articles isn't enough to pay the electric bill, but it's nice that a few people still remember me. I could write two articles a day indefinitely, but I was in no hurry to start writing immediately. I'm going to save these jobs for next week. Hey, I already wrote something last Thursday. With assignments so few and far between, I need to spread these things out.

Am I the only one who's grown tired of all the drama in Washington DC? All the TV stations have a countdown clock showing how many hours are left before the government shuts down again. Who cares. These shutdowns are meaningless. The government starts back up again in a few days. All the government workers get paid. Both sides blame each other for the mess and then the whole cycle starts all over again. The next time the government shuts down, we should just leave it closed indefinitely and see what we can do without. Congress would be the first to go. They aren't doing anything anyway.

Daisy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2941

Slow days can be dangerous. When I don't have much to do, I tend to update software. Lately, these updates come with a lot of rude surprises. Today, I discovered that iTunes is no longer a place to buy and store apps for your phone. I've always bought apps on iTunes and installed them on the phone or iPad later. I thought it was handy that you could activate or deactivate your purchases without actually erasing them. There was also a convenient feature that made it easy to rearrange the apps so they would appear where you wanted them. It's all gone now. Apple apparently wants you to do everything on the phone itself. I guess this is what most people do anyway, but I've never been most people.

It was way too cold when I woke up to take Dash on a morning walk, but the sky was clear and I knew it would warm up later in the day. To pass the time, I made pancakes and sausages at home instead of going out for breakfast. I'm so slow that Dash went back to the bedroom and took a nap before I finished my meal. When Dash leaves the scene while you're eating, you know he's tired.

It's a good thing that Dash still sleeps a lot, because otherwise I'd never get anything done. As Dash has gotten older, he's become a lot more needy and doesn't like to be left alone. He used to be content to sleep under my desk while I'm working, but now he wants me to go sit on the bed with him. If I wanted to spend the day watching Netflix movies, this would be fine, but I still have things to do.

Today I needed to send out my January invoices, but Dash didn't want me sitting at the computer. I took him outside several times and tried to figure out what he wanted. As it turned out, all he wanted was my complete and undivided attention. I eventually had to block the office door with a dog gate. He barked a few times and then went back to sleep on the bed. I'm slowly learning that life is simpler if I wait until he's asleep before I go to the office.

By lunchtime it was warm enough to stay outside for a while and I took Dash on a nice long walk. If I'd taken him on a walk before breakfast this morning, he probably would have been as much of a pest. You have to do everything in the proper order with this dog. Sadly, I have probably encouraged this behavior. I have to do everything in the proper order myself.

We took a second walk around 4 PM, before the air started turning cooler again. Whenever I see a Dalmatian with behavior problems, I know it isn't getting enough exercise. Dalmatians are very active, energetic digs. Even an old sick one like Dash has more energy than me.

One reason I was tired today was that that I had to get up several times and take Dash outside. This is becoming more frequent and is probably related to his new diet. I'm not sure which of the various brands of food he eats is giving him loose stools, but I'm reluctant to change anything. We've got a routine going now where Dash is eating consistently again. One of these days I'm going to need to get him tested for urate crystals again. I know his new diet is nutritious, but it may cause the crystals to form again. It's always something, isn't it.

I wish it would warm up. I don't know why I'm so cold this year because it's always cold in January. It's actually been much colder in previous years, but i don't  recall wearing so many sweaters before.

Pepper is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2920

I spent the day trying to stay warm. Last night's forecast was right. It did end up raining for most of the day. It was a cold rain too. The temperature was in the high 30's, but the wind chill made it feel below freezing. I stayed home and fixed pancakes and sausages this morning. I kept hearing rolling thunder off in the distance. Thunder often triggers Dash's panic attacks and it was pointless to leave the house for a breakfast that I probably wouldn't like anyway. Actually my pancakes were quite good. I should stay home on Friday mornings more often.

Around noon it looked like there was going to be a break in the rain, so I took Dash for a walk. For a dogs that is terrified of rain, he certainly doesn't seem to mind walking in wet grass. We should have had plenty of time before the next storm cell arrived, but Dash was even slower than usual. He wasn't having trouble walking. He just likes to smell things. We ran out of time on the last half mile of our walk and got soaked. I kept telling Dash to hurry up, but he seems to have no idea that rain is approaching until he actually gets wet.

It was bad enough getting caught in the rain once, but the same thing happened again on our evening walk. This time I was almost certain that the rain was over, but another rain cell popped up out of nowhere as we were approaching the house and we got soaked again. Note to self: a down jacket is great in cold weather. Not so good in wet weather.

After I dried Dash off a second time and changed my clothes again, I didn't feel like leaving the house anymore. I needed to go to the grocery store, but luckily Janet said she'd pick something up for dinner on her way home from work. I don't feel like I accomplished much today. Even with weather radar on my phone, I managed to get caught in the rain twice.

Janet and I decided not to exchange gifts this Christmas. There is nothing we need and it seems silly to keep getting things that don't end up being used. Our house is way too full of clutter as it is. We'll get something fun for Dash. He loves food gifts. We probably should have done this a long time ago. Adults can spend a lot of money but it's almost impossible to recreate the sensation of being a kid at Christmas. Christmas is for kids and dogs. I guess it's not surprising that my favorite Christmas memories are childhood memories. I know Christmas is an important religious holiday, but I haven't been inside a church since my Dad's funeral. To me, it mostly seems like a time when people are slightly nicer to each other.

I'm having problems with my new website project. It's not the layout that has me stumped. I can think of plenty of cool designs. I just can't think of a solution that would genuinely improve my client's business. Unless you're in the business of selling things online, a website isn't really a game changer. Sure, you've got to have one, but it will never matter as much as what your customers say to their friends about you. Word of mouth is still the best advertising. I'm going to give this a lot of thought. My client certainly deserves a website that makes a difference. If I had the answer, I'd probably build one for myself too.

I can't wait until it gets warmer again. I know people who love snow and bundling up in sweaters. I'm not one of them

Two sisters are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2857

When I was at breakfast this morning, I heard people at two different tables arguing about politics. This isn't a good sign. People should be talking about Halloween costumes and home improvements at breakfast. Football and Fall weather are OK, but it's way too early to talk about politics. I guess it's a sign of the times. I didn't hear the entire conversations, but these didn't seem to be Democrat vs Republican arguments. I got the impression that everyone was disgusted with both sides and thought that the entire system was broken. Actually, most people would probably agree that the system is broken. They just can't agree on how to fix it.

I tried to order something off the menu again with very limited success. I wasn't asking for anything exotic, but my request seemed to confuse the waiter. I should have stuck to the menu. I probably should have just stayed home. I wasn't even hungry this morning.

Our plan to get Dash walking again didn't work today. We should have headed toward the park where the smells were stronger, but we headed down the street instead. Janet was able to turn around and go home, but Dash didn't walk much further after that. When I stopped to clean up his poop about halfway down the street, he used the opportunity to turn around and head for home again. I tried to get him turned around so we could continue our walk, but his will was stronger than mine.

This evening, we tried an experiment. Janet tried to walk Dash by herself to see if he just liked to walk with her better. He refused to leave the yard. I watched her try several times to get Dash moving before I joined them. As soon as Dash saw the whole family was together, he headed for the back gate and we took a very normal walk. I can't really explain this behavior, but I can't seem to change it either.

It was a very slow day. I had to go to the grocery store twice, because part of the store was closed when I went after breakfast. Come back after 10:30 AM the sign said. I had a coupon Janet wanted me to use, but I probably didn't save any money, since my car gets such poor gas mileage.

I repaired another pair of Dash's protective boots this afternoon. This has turned out to be a very messy job. The Shoe Goo I'm using to repair things seems to be fairly durable, but it's hard to apply neatly. Someone needs to invent a better way to bond rubber to rubber. Rubber cement might work if the surfaces were smooth, but they're not. I guess it doesn't really matter if my repairs aren't pretty. The boots just need to stay together.

The refrigerator isn't warming up as quickly as I thought it would. Should I take things apart and defrost the coil this weekend, or just let the food get a little warmer and wait for the repairman on Monday afternoon? Those are the kind of decisions I make these days.

Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2842

It's getting harder and harder to see and touch something in a store before you buy it. Specialty products are almost never available in retail stores anymore. Everything is online. We ordered some new protective boots for Dash because the description sounded perfect on the website. When the boots arrived in the mail today, they were a lot different than I imagined. They were certainly sturdy, but they were also stiff and heavy. Dash doesn't lift his rear legs very well anymore, which is why we wanted him to wear the protective boots in the first place. When I got him fitted with the new boots, he immediately started stumbling. The boots were too stiff and heavy for him to walk normally. We'll have to return these boots, but if we could have tried them on in a store, we never would have bought them in the first place.

The boots we're a failure, but at least Dash is walking today. He wouldn't walk early in the morning like he normally does, but while I was having my smoothie this morning, I could tell he was ready to go outside. I put my drink in the refrigerator, got Dash's harness, put on the old boots, and off we went. He actually took a pretty decent walk and his boots only came off twice. I'm learning to keep a careful eye on his rear legs when we walk. The boots aren't hard to put on, but they are almost impossible to find if they become lost in the grass.

I went ahead and purchased the new mother board for the refrigerator. I figured that if this expensive part didn't solve the problem, the remaining parts that might cause the evaporator coil to freeze are all pretty cheap. I miss the days when washers, dryers, and refrigerators were controlled by simple mechanical switches. Now, just about everything has a computer inside of it. You can't fix these mother boards. You can only replace them. I've already had to replace the mother board in the dryer when a power surge fried it.  

Power outages and surges are common in our neighborhood. I have surge protectors and filtered power for the computers, put it's too much trouble to protect everything this way. I depend on electricity, but I don't really trust it. I have experienced too many power outages and had too much equipment ruined by leaking bad batteries. I'm intrigued by the idea of electric cars, but I don't think I'd ever buy a Tesla. The thing is powered by 6216 lithium ion batteries. What could possibly go wrong.

It's been a long day, even though very little happened. I fell asleep after dinner and almost forgot to take the trash out. Actually I forgot is was Thursday as well. We may not need to start Dash on the Cerenia pills again. He is still challenging to feed, but I can tell he is eating better. I must be eating better as well, because I'm starting to gain weight again. That won't stop me from going out for breakfast tomorrow. I'm hungry for pancakes and sausages.

Lightning is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2836

I stayed home this morning and made pancakes. Every time I put a pancake on the griddle, Dash went to the back door and scratched to get out. Even though the pancakes got burnt, Dash still took his sweet time to do his business. Yup. It was another rainy day.

Dash wasn't eating dry food today, but he was eating wet. I got him to eat most of a can of Castor & Pollux stew that he likes while I was finishing my own breakfast. I remember asking the vet yesterday what I should be feeding Dash. "Let him eat whatever he wants," the vet said. I'm convinced that this is vet code for "your dog is going to die."

By the time I finished breakfast, the rain had subsided to a gentle mist and I decided to take Dash on a walk. "Slow walks are good, overexertion is bad," the vet told me yesterday. I didn't think this was going to be a problem. Dash always walks slowly now. I put on his protective boots and off we went. About halfway through our walk, I noticed that one of the boots was missing. I wanted to turn around so we could find it, but Dash stubbornly wanted to keep moving forward. Before we made it home, he lost the second boot as well. I realized then that protecting Dash wasn't going to be easy.

After Dash had gone back to sleep, I retraced my steps through the park and managed to find both missing boots. Dash's dewclaw has healed, but in addition to the small rubber boots he'll be wearing on walks, I still have him wear the cone when I leave the house. Now that he's taking Plavix, I don't want him licking or injuring anything.

I had to go pay my storage warehouse rent today because my year is up tomorrow. I always pay a year in advance because I get the thirteenth month free. I was complaining to the manager about the relentless rent increases I get every year and he tried to convince me that I was actually was getting a good deal. "Almost everybody pays month-to-month and we raise their rent every nine months." "Your rent only goes up every thirteen months," he said.  As he was trying to figure out how to give me the thirteenth month free on the company's new accounting software, we both started complaining about all manner of things. That's just what old men do.

The manager told me that he was working at the storage warehouse because he'd been laid off from his last two jobs because of his age. "You don't fit in with our corporate culture anymore," one of the companies told him. "I'm right there with you," I told the manager. It sucks to be cast aside because someone thinks you are too old. Maybe I'll end up working at a storage warehouse someday myself. If you're not already a Walmart greeter, that's where most of the old people seem to wind up.

Dash was moody today, but he eventually did end up eating enough. I had trouble writing my article, because every time I sat down at the computer Dash started slapping at my leg. He wanted me to come in the bedroom with him and take a nap. A nap sounded good, but I had lots to do today. I'm still waiting for the vet to tell me what to do in case Dash starts bleeding. I'm not sure what to feed him anymore either. Today seemed like the first day in a new long march. I'm determined to give Dash the best chance possible to stay alive. A lot of his future is up to luck, unfortunately. The blood clots in his heart could move or break apart at any time.

Sweet Pea is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2724

I got up early this morning to take Janet down to Baylor for some tests. Every time I step inside a hospital, I realize why our health care system is so hard to change. Hospitals are the size of city blocks now. They employ thousands of people. Health care is the biggest industry we have these days. It's no surprise that almost all the young people moving into our neighborhood recently are doctors, dentists, and anesthesiologists. That's where the future is. I'm sure most of these people have a vested interest in keeping things the way they are. Truthfully, I can't blame them. Health care has a lot more job security than advertising.

While I was waiting for the call to come pick up Janet again, I fed Dash his breakfast and fixed myself some pancakes and sausages. I thought about going out to eat, but it was starting to rain and most of the restaurants I go to weren't even open yet. I'm starting to think that my own breakfasts are tastier than the ones I used to rave about at my favorite restaurants too.

Dash hates the rain and I couldn't even get him to go outside to pee. We waited and waited and eventually I saw a break in the rain on the radar and convinced Dash to go outside. I don't know how that dog can hold his bladder so long. Once the rain stopped and I got Dash to take his morning walk, I realized that this was a perfect day to take a camera down to the lake. I certainly didn't have anything better to do today.

I always take better pictures when I don't have a dog with me. Dot and Dash always used to scare all the animals away. I saw some Wood Ducks and Great Egrets today. I also saw a Red Tailed Hawk swoop down and grab a mouse with its claws, but I wasn't quick enough to capture a picture. It's relaxing to take pictures of wildlife. I should do this more often.

While I was checking on the rat traps last night, I noticed that there was also a large toad in the atrium. How are all these animals getting inside? Basically the atrium is a screened in porch enclosed on three sides by the house. There shouldn't be any critters getting inside. The rat has discovered how to remove the cheese from the two Havahart traps without setting them off. He stays away from the kill trap. I don't think I'm ever going to catch this rat.

It seemed more like Saturday than Friday. Janet couldn't go back to work until the anesthesia wore off, so she watched movies with Dash for most of the afternoon. I haven't had any work to do for several days. Maybe this is what retirement is going to be like. I'm still not comfortable with the whole idea of retirement. Where is the money going to come from to pay for all the gear I crave?

I hope the rain stops tomorrow. I've got a lot of errands to do and I'd prefer to be dry.

Liberty is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2710

This is a weird way to live. I usually wake up tired and disoriented. Usually, I've been up several times during the night with Dot and no matter what time it is, it always seems too early. Often, Janet has already walked Dash, because she needs to get to work. Neither of us wants to wake Dot while she is calm and resting.

Lately, Janet has already left for work by the time I get Dot up for her morning pills. She has no interest in food, but often wants a walk after she is fully awake. If she won't drink water, I take her outside and hydrate her with water from a large syringe before we go anywhere. Sometimes this initial drink of water will kick start her drinking response. Other times, she just looks at her water bowl like she doesn't know what it is.

Mornings are stressful. I don't want Dot to have a dry mouth while she takes her pills, so I've been taking her outside and feeding her some of the Dogsure liquid as I put each pill down her throat. This takes a long time. If this process takes too long, Dash starts barking and often destroys the calm environment I need to feed Dot. I try my best to get Dot to eat while Dash is sleeping, but he's got a keen sense of smell and always seems to know when there are tasty treats nearby. This is not what I want. Dash is getting fat and Dot keeps getting thinner.

For most of this week I haven't had much luck getting Dot to eat in the morning. I gave up again today and fixed my own breakfast after taking Dot back to her bed. I have to make sure all the food is put away before letting Dash out of the bedroom because he is on a special diet. Everything takes so long that it is usually around noon before I have finished my breakfast and put away all the dishes.

Every day I worry that Dot has finally run out of time. It doesn't seem right for a dog to refuse food during the day and only eat after sunset. Dot was still sleeping and hadn't eaten anything when Janet returned from work around 7 PM. I took Dash for a walk and was surprised to discover that Janet was able to hand feed Dot an entire cup of dry food while I was gone. She subsequently drank a lot of water and then proceeded to eat some more dry food from her bowl.

Once again, Dot had eaten enough to survive. In one brief spurt, she had managed to consume her entire two cup daily quota. This would be the last time Dot ate for the rest of the day. When it was time for her evening pills, she had already lost her appetite.

I didn't accomplish much today. I miss going out to the restaurant on Fridays, but my homemade pancakes and sausages were delicious. I picked up the prescription I forgot yesterday and got food for the weekend at Central Market. That was it. The dogs are wearing me out. At times it's really hard to know whether we're doing the right thing. We had some good moments today, but Dot is agitated now and seems uncomfortable. Maybe we waited too long.

Chief is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2703

It's even harder to tell what day it is now that I'm not going out to breakfast on Friday morning. I'll have to say that my pancakes were pretty good though. They were better than any restaurant pancakes. The only problem was that I had to reheat them in the microwave half a dozen times because every time I took a bite, Dot wanted to go outside.

Dot's new schedule is perplexing. She generally wakes up in a good mood. We take our early morning walk and sometimes she eats a little while Dash is eating his breakfast. By the time I give Dot her morning pills, Dash is usually taking a nap. After taking her pills, I try to feed Dot again, but usually she isn't hungry. She doesn't want to rest either. I might as well just skip breakfast because I'm constantly moving Dot around for the first hour or so after she takes her medication. She doesn't seems to be uncomfortable. She is just restless. We walk around a lot. I figure this is good exercise for her. Eventually she gets tired and goes into a deep sleep. She sleeps more soundly during this period of time than she does at night. By the time I wake her up for her afternoon pills her appetite has generally returned. She eats most of her food between 4 and 6 PM. Sometimes she'll eat more as the evening progresses. If I'm lucky, she'll take a nap when I'm writing the blog and then just when I'm getting ready for bed, she becomes active again.

This type of activity is not conducive to getting much done. It's not great for getting a lot of sleep either, because now there's an additional trip outside to pee every morning around 2 AM. We've learned to adapt to the incontinence, the mobility problems, and the eating difficulties. It makes you wonder what's going to happen next though.

After Dot went to sleep, I drove to Central Market and got some food for the weekend. They were having some kind of celebration of southern cooking, so there were all kinds of tasty new items in the Chef Prepared section. We seldom cook anymore, so something new in the deli section is always a treat. Tonight we had grilled shrimp and Andouille sausage over a bed of smoked grits and red onions. It would have taken hours to make something like this at home. Cooking is overrated.

Dot's changing moods throughout the day make me wonder how the pain pills actually work. I would think by giving her the medication every eight hours, that she would be pain free all the time. Maybe the pills don't really last eight hours though. Maybe it takes a long time for the medication to actually enter her bloodstream. I hope Dot's restless periods aren't just times where she is still in pain. This will be a question for the oncologist when we go back to the cancer center for a recheck next Tuesday. Cancer pain and neurological pain are very different. I'd like to learn more about what is actually happening when we give her these pills.

There are supposed to be thunderstorms tonight. I can see them on the radar West of Fort Worth. Let's hope the go to the North or South of us. I'm not in the mood for thunderstorms.

Holly is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2702

Dash's bloodwork came back today and his triglyceride levels were sky high. This wasn't just a little spike. The tests showed triglyceride levels that were ten times higher than they should be. Dash's vet wanted us to change his diet immediately. This should be interesting. Dash is picky about food already. I can see him turning up his nose at the special low fat diet.

Abnormally high triglyceride levels can mean a lot of things. Sometimes the levels are high if the blood test are done right after a meal. Other times they are an indicator of poor thyroid function, pancreatitis, or liver disease. Hopefully, we just tested Dash too soon after a meal. We'll have to test him again in a couple of weeks. He'll have to fast this time. That's always fun. Dash hates to miss a meal.

I wish Dot and Dash could eat the same thing. Life is complicated enough as it is. Now we have to feed Dot a high calorie, high fat diet and Dash needs to eat just the opposite. The triglyceride levels could have become elevated just from all the food Dash steals out of Dot's bowl. At any rate, we need to get this under control. One sick dog at a time is plenty.

Dot still isn't eating in the morning. This makes giving her morning set of pills quite a challenge. It always worries me when Dot refuses to eat. So far, her appetite always seems to return late in the day, but I'm sure there will come a day when Dot quits eating completely. I don't know why Dot has adopted this strange new schedule, but I'm trying to adapt to it. I never used to appreciate how consistant the dogs were about just about everything. They always ate at the same time, walked at the same time, and slept at the same time. Now any semblance of consistency is out the window. Every day is a new day.

I bought some audio gear online today. I could justify the purchase because the gear was on sale and I got a tremendous bargain. That wasn't the reason though. I bought the stuff because I was frustrated. I always buy gear when I'm frustrated. The gear doesn't necessarily make me take more photographs or write more songs, but I always hope it will. I remember when I used to spend almost every evening writing and recording songs. Those were good times. Maybe someday the urge to write and record will return. I want to be ready when it does.

This week has gone quickly. I almost forgot to take the trash out to the curb this evening. It didn't seem like Thursday. I won't be going out to breakfast in the morning. Like songwriting, that activity has been postponed until sometime in an indefinite future. I do have pancake mix though and there are sausages in the freezer. It's always easy for me to eat. I just wish it was equally easy for Dot.

Skippy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2696

If you are a regular reader, you are probably wondering how long things are going to go on like this. Is Dot getting better? Is she getting worse? What is her quality of life? I wonder about these things too. When Dot is eating and has some energy, I am tremendously encouraged. When she shows no interest in getting up, I am discouraged. When something unexpected happens, like vomiting in the middle of the night, I am alarmed. All I can tell you is that Dot isn't ready to leave us yet. There's always a point in the day when she is determined to take our short, but very slow, walk to the edge of the park. There are moments when she still barks at Dash, as if to say "Remember I'm still the alpha dog around here." I never know when she is going to become hungry, but when she does I'll hold her up by her bowl as she slowly eats her dinner one kibble at a time.

Today was like most days this week. There were high points and low points. The Cerenia pills definitely helped her sleep. There was no nausea last night and Dot slept comfortably all night. When Dot sleeps comfortably, we all sleep comfortably. I got more sleep last night than I have all week.

This morning, Dot wasn't hungry, but she did have energy. Luckily the weather was cool and we were able to take a nice walk to the edge of the park and sit in the grass for twenty minutes. I'd like to say that things got better and better, but Dot didn't have much of an appetite today. I had difficulty getting her to eat until very late in the day. When she did eat something around sunset, it wasn't enough to make up for the food she missed earlier in the day.

Every day is like this. Some days mornings are good. Other days, afternoons are better. Dot doesn't eat much, but the food she is eating now is nutritious and good quality. We do our best to make sure Dot is well hydrated and not starving herself. There are many small meals throughout the day. Dot eats when she wants and sleeps when she wants. If she heads toward the back gate, I take her on a short walk. I don't know how long she has left, but the goal is just to keep her happy, out of pain, and as well nourished as we can during her remaining days. It's not an easy job, but I feel that it is well worth the considerable effort it takes.

I didn't end up cooking this morning after all. I just didn't have the energy. I got some pancakes in a take-out box at a nearby restaurant and came home again. There were so many dog things to do this morning that it was almost noon before I got around to actually eating the pancakes. This is definately a work in progress. I'm still having problems keeping Dash from getting jealous when I'm feeding Dot. It's best if I do this while Dash is sleeping in the bedroom, but it doesn't always work out that way. Things need things to be calm and quiet while Dot is eating. If Dash starts barking, or swoops in to steal her food, progress usually stops.

I try to make a big deal about feeding Dash too, so he feels special. This has been partially successful, but dogs are dogs and Dash just isn't able to resist the sight of me sitting on the floor with Dot, surrounded with little plates of turkey, cheese, and other tasty food. Usually, if I can get Dot interested in food with something really tasty, she will then want me to hold her up so she can eat her regular kibble from her bowl. I'm counting on this, because it is the regular food she eats that is keeping her nourished.

My phone has been giving me problems lately. Almost every day I get an error message saying "No SIM card installed." Of course, there really is a SIM card and the phone works normally again once I turn it off and on again. It's just irritating. Today I thought I'd take the SIM card out and clean it. Hey, I've already tried everything else. I never realized that the SIM card was so small. I almost lost it when I popped open the tray and the little card fell on the floor. The SIM card is probably dirtier now than it was before, but the phone still works.

We're not going to give Dot a Cerenia pill tonight to see whether the nausea returns. In many ways it would be easier to just keep giving her the pills, but this is not a medication designed for long term use. We need to know what is causing the vomiting too. It might not be nausea at all. I hope that everyone sleeps well tonight and that the weekend is peaceful. We all need to recharge our batteries.

Dodger is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2689

I didn't get any sleep last night, but today went reasonably well. I actually had time to run down to the hipster restaurant and pick up some breakfast to go before Janet left for work. I gave Dot her morning pills and then sat down to enjoy some delicious cinnamon pancakes. Dot didn't eat her own breakfast until almost 11 AM, but who care about timing anymore. She ate pretty well and wanted to eat out of her bowl again instead of being hand fed.

The reason I didn't get much sleep last night is that Dot can't seem to sleep all the way through the night anymore. She peed in her bed around 3 AM and while I was cleaning her up, she decided to poop as well. It was a mess. By the time I took her blankets and harness outside to rinse off with the garden hose before throwing everything in the washing machine, I was wide awake. Maybe I went back to sleep and maybe I didn't. It's hard to tell.

The only benefit to this nocturnal mishap was that it was pretty easy to get her outside again when I woke her up around sunrise. There were no leaks on the way to the back door at all. Usually Dot sleeps for hours after breakfast, but she remained active today for some reason. Maybe she's starting to feel a little better. She certainly kept me busy. I could tell that all this activity was making it hard for her to stand, so we used the wheelchair for our evening walk. I wasn't sure if she'd ever be strong enough to use the wheelchair again, but she did pretty well today. I continue to be amazed at how easily Dot is able to walk using this contraption.

I made an appointment to get a haircut tomorrow. I'm way overdue, but it's been hard to get out of the house this Spring. Today I made a ten minute trip to pick up breakfast and another ten minute trip to pay the phone bill, but that was it. The rest of the day was non-stop dog wrangling.

My new driver's license arrived today. That was quick. I was convinced that the process would take months. I probably should start doing more things online like this. The whole world is optimized for online transactions these days. Nobody wants you to go to the post office or the bank anymore.  I'm afraid I'm becoming a Luddite just like my sister. I'm just more comfortable doing things the way I've done them for most of my life.

I'm curious to see if Dot's blood work and vital signs have improved the next time we take her to the cancer center. She was genuinely close to death for almost a week and now she seems to be slowly improving. Dot is still very week and has a lot of trouble swallowing, but the fact that she is trying to eat on her own again and still wants her daily walks is pretty amazing. I'm not going to get my hopes up, but it would be really nice if she could make it to her seventeenth birthday. Hey, it's possible. Her birthday is this summer.

It took about five tiny meals, but Dot ate her full two cups of food today. I had a decent breakfast for a change and Janet and I had a nice dinner. Even Dash acted pretty normally. Not a bad way to end the week.

Dolly is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2661

The waitress was just bringing my breakfast when I decided to check the baby monitor to see how the dogs were doing. I couldn't see Dot, but I could hear her whining and barking. Not good. I immediately asked if they could put my pancakes in a take-out box, paid my bill, and returned home. I could see what happened as soon as I opened the front door. Dot had tried to get up, fallen down again, and gotten one of her rear legs stuck in an awkward position. Dot is not predictable anymore. It used to be safe to leave for breakfast on Fridays because she almost always slept for at least three hours after we returned from our morning walk. She still tires easily, but she's a lot more restless. I never know whats she's going to do anymore.

After I took Dot outside to pee and made sure she was comfortable in her bed again, I returned to my pancakes. The fancy pancakes looked pretty ordinary when I placed them on one of my own plates and put them in the microwave. I could have easily cooked pancakes like these without leaving the house. Oh, well. At least I tried to get out. I brewed some coffee, found some maple syrup in the refrigerator, and got ready for a long day.

It's time to get Dot fitted for a doggie wheel chair. Her rear legs have gotten so weak that she can no longer support her own weight. After breakfast, I called Dot's physical therapy vet to make an appointment to get her fitted for wheels. I thought I might be able to just buy the wheel chair in a size appropriate for her weight and then fine tune the adjustments at home. A nurse told me that it wasn't that easy. If the wheels weren't fitted properly by the vet, Dot could injure herself. Of course, Dot is already injured, but that's another story. Since I can no longer transport Dot by myself, I'm going to have to find a time when both the vet and Janet are available. I want to do this as soon as possible. I waited too long to have Spot, our first Dalmatian, fitted for wheels. He was only able to use them a few times before he passed away.

Dot could barely move her legs when I found her this morning, but her condition improved slowly throughout the day. By this evening, she was able to take a short walk again. I can't fool myself into thinking she is getting better though. Her rear legs have been getting weaker for a long time. In addition to her physical disabilities, Dot is also becoming increasingly senile. She still enjoys her meals and likes to smell things on her short walks, but sometimes I don't think she knows what planet she's on. Dot and I have bonded closely during her long, slow decline. She is very needy at times, but she trusts me completely and knows I am here to help. I think the fact that I am always nearby has allowed Dot to continue her life despite her many disabilities. I try to plan ahead, but I always feel bad when things don't work out as expected. Dot was fast asleep when I left for breakfast this morning. Who knew that she would really want to get up five minutes after I left.

By early afternoon, the house seemed normal and somewhat predictable again. I went up on the roof and cleared the remaining water away. Luckily, a lot of the standing water had already evaporated, so this job didn't take long. Since both dogs were still resting when I went back in the house, I decided to go pick up something for dinner at Central Market. I've become fond of their new Buddha Bowls and was pleased to see that they had added a few new varieties since my last visit. 

It's been a long day.  I'm tired, but I'm looking forward to the weekend. We're entering a new phase with Dot. Maybe a wheel chair will help her maintain her quality of life for a little longer. She definitely wants to keep on going. Sometimes I think the old girl is going to outlast me.

Molly is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2660

I think the phone companies have finally figured out that we are addicted to smartphones and have started pricing things accordingly. I used to be able to get a new phone for almost nothing. I would get a generous trade-in on my old phone and then the phone company would give me a deeply discounted new phone in exchange for signing a two year contract. All that is gone now. There are no subsidized phones anymore. AT&T prefers to rent you a phone by the month. If you actually want to own the phone, you pay full retail. When I explored my options this morning at the AT&T store, it made me think I should just keep my old phone a while longer.

I've given up on blueberries. They must be out of season. I've almost forgotten that fruit and vegetables are seasonal items. You can get virtually everything all year round now. Sometimes the price goes up for a while when the distributor is switching to a supplier in a different country. Sometimes fruit disappears for a few weeks, but there is a remarkably steady supply of strawberries and blueberries. Peaches seem to disappear the longest, but even they are generally available. I'll probably be seeing blueberries again pretty soon. Even though I'm not a big fan of globalization, I'll have to admit that I do like being able to enjoy fresh fruit all year long.

I hate to leave the house without accomplishing anything, so I stopped at Home Depot and got two light bulbs and a garden hose. When I returned home from my errands, Dot was still asleep. I'd like to think that I'm getting better at anticipating Dot's next move, but truthfully I just got lucky. The key to success is not being gone too long. I made it to the grocery store, the AT&T store, and Home Depot in less than an hour. That's pretty good.

Work was slow today, but that's not surprising. The surprise these days is when I actually do get a new project. It's amazing how busy I stay even when nothing is happening. I made sure all the rugs were dry and then brought them back inside. I cleaned the blankets that Dot peed on this morning when she couldn't make it outside. I experimented with my morning smoothie recipe now that there aren't any blueberries. After breakfast, I got online and learned a little more about DirectTV Now. I saw a flyer about this streaming service while I was at the AT&T store and it seemed a lot less expensive than my current cable package. I think that traditional cable TV is going away in a few years. I just need to decide where to go next.

I feel like pancakes tomorrow, but everyone makes their pancakes too thick. I wish I could find a restaurant that served nice thin pancakes. I guess I could just order crepes, but usually crepes are filled with jelly or have half a pound of powered sugar on the top. I just want a stack of simple thin pancakes served with real maple syrup. Is that too much to ask?

I almost forgot to take the trash out tonight until Janet reminded me it was Thursday. That's what got me thinking about pancakes. Everything is done for the day except for one last trip outside with Dot. The day has to end with Dot peeing outside or nobody sleeps very well.

Paxton is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day