Day 1851

Yay! The washing machine works again. I asked the technician why the machine breaks so often and he told me the wax motor that engages the locking mechanism on the front door was poorly designed. Wax motor? What the hell is a wax motor? It turns out that this expensive little component actually is full of wax. When the wax is heated by an electric current it melts and expands, pushing a pin outward and locking the front loader door. This seems insanely complicated, when all you really need is a simple mechanical latch on the outside of the machine to lock the door. Commercial laundromat machines have these sturdy and simple locking devices. Why can't consumer machines have the same thing? Apparently to prevent people from starting the machine without properly securing a mechanical lock, the manufacturer created a "fool-proof" electronic lock that breaks all the time.

When I grew tired of being frustrated with washing machine reliability, I became frustrated with airline fares. All those websites that promise tantalizing low fares are basically bait and switch machines. The low fares always come with a catch. You either have to change planes in four different cities, wait in an airport for nine hours to catch your connecting flight, or pay a month in advance for a non-refundable ticket. If you want a simple, flexible flight where you don't have to change planes or spend hours waiting in airports, it's best to just go straight to the airline websites. A flight without ridiculous restrictions costs about the same anywhere. Hotels and rental car companies operate basically the same way. The upshot of all this is that I'm going to have to pay more for for my trip to California than I thought I would. I don't know why I was surprised at this disappointing revelation. If you want something extra, you're always going to have to pay extra.

At least my breakfast was good. This simple Friday morning meal at a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant has become the high point of my week. I almost always order the same thing. My go-to meal is the Amigas with chorizo. It's just scrambled eggs, fresh chorizo sausage, tomatoes, green peppers, onions, thin tortilla strips and spices, but it's so good. The coffee isn't bad either. They even roast the beans themselves onsite.

The video project I was supposed to begin tomorrow got postponed another week. I don't know whether I'm happy or disappointed about this. On one hand, I'm glad to have my Saturday back to do all the usual weekend errands. On the other hand, I'd like to have this project behind me. It's not that I don't like to shoot video anymore, it's just that I'd like all my projects behind me. I don't seem to look forward to many things anymore. I'm just glad when they're over.

Yeah, I know I should be more positive. You don't need to remind me that the glass is half full. Hey, I love my dogs. I'm sure I'll enjoy the satellite launch when I actually get out there. I even like some of my clients. Life is good. Sometimes.

Mack is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1324

I'm always relieved when Dot and I return from her weekly therapy appointments. Driving an old, frail dog around in 102 degree heat in a less than reliable car is never something I look forward to. There are so many things that could go wrong. The car could overheat. The air conditioning could go out. The vibration damper I have on order from England could get worse and throw the fan belt off. Even a flat tire would be disastrous, since Dot's crate would quickly become too hot inside a stationary car. There isn't even a safe way to get Dot out of the car if the Defender broke down on a busy freeway.

At times like these, I wish I lived in a tiny little village that still offered big city services. Do places like this even exist? I'm kind of hooked on taking the dogs to big, full service veterinary hospitals. I like Central Market and Whole Foods for groceries. I enjoy having lots of interesting restaurants nearby and it's always handy to have a Guitar Center in the neighborhood. Everything else, I could live without.

I could certainly continue working from a small town. I never see my clients anymore. Even the folks that are right here in town find it easier to just send me an e-mail. My e-mail assignments kept me pretty busy today. Once Dot's vet appointment was out of the way, the day was virtually identical to yesterday. There was another website to update and three more articles to write. I didn't pay any bills today though.

I'm surprised that the dogs did as well as they did at training class this evening. It was really hot. Dash did a good job with the exercises that didn't involve moving, but I could tell that he would much rather have been at home, sitting near an air conditioning vent. I was so hot that I was very tempted to drink the dog's water. Luckily, the class only lasted an hour.

We start another new month tomorrow. It's hard to believe it's August already. The days are already starting to get shorter. We watched the sun set during training class this evening. Pretty soon the leaves will start to turn and before you know it, we'll be having class in the dark again. These cycles come and go so quickly now. I wish I could slow the clock down a bit. I find I still have time to make plans, but seldom have the time to act on them.

Shelby is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day