Day 4951

Janet returned home this evening and Dawn is beyond happy. I think a week alone with me is about her limit. For the most part she's been very good, but this morning I was worried enough about her that I almost took her to the vet. She seemed very agitated and tore up her dog bed in the kitchen. Then she tried to hide in all the wrong places, like inside closets and behind the television. I took her outside and she was panting heavily. I don't know whether she had a mild seizure or was just having a panic attack. At any rate after about fifteen minutes she was completely back to normal and there were no problems for the rest of the day. It will be nice to finally go on a walk with her again tomorrow. She has refused to take a walk all week.

The last time Janet went on vacation Dawn seemed to relax as the week wore on. This time she seemed to become a little more stressed with each passing day. She is a very fearful dog and it doesn't take much to get her shivering and shaking. I think today she might have just given up hope that Janet was ever returning and thought she might be stuck with me forever. All is well now though. I hope she remembers that these vacations don't last forever the next time Janet goes someplace. 

Once I was convinced that Dawn was fine I went to the gym. Walking around the indoor track is the only way I'm going to get my steps this summer. It's way too hot to go walking in the park. When I took Dawn out to pee this morning it was already 90 degrees. It didn't take long for the temperature to climb over 100. I didn't stay long at the gym today. I was still a little worried about Dawn and came home as soon as I finished my three miles around the indoor track. I picked up a few groceries on the way home but I'll probably have to go to the store again tomorrow. 

My call to tech support yesterday accomplished nothing. I'm still getting the spoofed e-mail spam that appears to come from me. The person I talked with yesterday sounded pretty convincing and I actually thought the problem was solved. I should have known better. These guys have never really helped me before. Why should they start now. 

I hope Janet has some ideas about how to get rid of the pile of stuff in the living room that used to reside in the utility room. I have no idea where to put these things now that we no longer have a shelf. Our closets are full and the storage warehouse is getting pretty full as well. Some of the things could be thrown away, but at least half the stuff are things we use all the time. All these problems could have been avoided if the building inspector didn't have to inspect new water heaters. The way the shelf in the utility room was attached before worked well for over fifty years. It's a shame that the rules had to change at a time when I've lost all patience with bureaucracies. Getting a new drivers license was a pain. So was getting approved for TSA Pre. I never dreamed that getting a water heater would be a hassle too.

I guess I'm just getting old and grumpy. Dawn and I should get along great because she's old and grumpy as well. Neither of us like dealing with change. All in all, I think we did pretty well this week. We're both glad Janet is back though. It takes a team to keep this house running.

Lizzy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3360

Dash got a good report today. His blood pressure is normal. His liver enzyme levels have improved. Actually, his entire CBC blood panel looked pretty good. Best of all, there was still no sign of a blood clot in his heart. There isn't a lot we can do about the neurological damage that is causing the incontinence and weakness in his rear legs, but Dash is still doing better than anyone thought possible this time last year.

I got up early this morning to give Dash a walk before we went to the vet. I wanted to give him every opportunity to do his business before putting him in the car. It was a wasted effort. Dash still pooped in the car. Then he had a panic attack before we reached our destination and I had to stop the car and let him out for a while. I thought he might have needed to pee, but he just didn't want to be in the car. Needless to say, I'm pleased that the vet said he doesn't need another echocardiogram until May.

As soon as we got home, Dash peed in the house. The vet said that there were pills he could give him that might help with the incontinence, but he was reluctant to prescribe them because they would raise Dash's blood pressure. When you're taking blood thinners, you definitely don't want high blood pressure. The good news is that we're learning to deal with the incontinence. There wasn't even a big mess when Dash pooped in the car this morning because we were well prepared.

I was just starting a very late breakfast when the roofer knocked on the door. I went up on the roof with him to show him around. As I listened to the solution he proposed, I became disappointed. I have heard this story before. There are several ways to get the roof to drain properly, but apparently there is no way to bring the house back to the condition it was in when it was constructed in 1953. "Roofers can't do what you want," the guy told me today. "You're going to need carpenters, framers, and a whole lot of money," he said. After explaining that I essentially wanted to rebuild the house,  the roofer tried to sell me on the merits of an engineered roof. I've gotten bids on engineered roofs before. They are very expensive and when all is said and done they are still just a layer of tapered foam placed on top of the existing decking. There's got to be a better way to add a small slope to a flat roof. Couldn't roofers remove the plywood decking, place some shims underneath to create the necessary 1/4" per foot slope, and then replace the decking? It seems like tapered foam panels placed on top on an uneven roof would still be uneven. What do I know though. I'm no roofer. I'm just a guy who has lived under a flat roof for over forty years. Yes, my previous house also had a flat roof.

I made my reservations to go to the Johnson Space Center and then I looked at the long range weather forecast. There are supposed to be thunderstorms on my departure date. It's always something, isn't it.    I don't like driving in thunderstorms but flying in thunderstorms is even worse. Been there, done that. There is a ray of hope though. Long range forecasts in Texas are next to worthless. Who knows what the weather will be really like. It could just as easily be clear and sunny.

I'm not sure if I'll go out for breakfast tomorrow. Right now I'm feeling really tired. Sleeping till noon sounds a lot better than French Toast or Shrimp Grits. Sleeping late is probably just wishful thinking though. If the weather is even halfway nice, Dash is going to want his morning walk.

Connor is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day