Day 1399 - Columbus Day

It certainly didn't feel like a holiday today. Janet got the day off, but all our planned activities were rained out. The rain continued unabated for most of the day, so it was difficult to even find a few dry moments to take the dogs out. I'm not complaining though. The new roof continues to keep the water out, and that alone is a blessing.

Since I was confined indoors for most of the day,  I thought I might as well get some work done. I continued my quest to master the intricacies of Wordpress, and after four hours in Wordpress hell, I came to the conclusion that trying to design your own themes from scratch was not very rewarding. It is very easy to buy a pre-made theme and fill it up with your own words and pictures. If you want more control than this, lots of luck.

We made an appointment to take Dot for an MRI brain scan on Friday. I am always nervous when a dog has to be anesthetized for a procedure. I just don't like anesthesia and even getting the dog's teeth cleaned worries me. There is no alternative though. If we want the MRI, Dot must be anesthetized during the scan. The animal imaging facility where we're taking Dot is one of the best in the entire country and all the vets assure me that Dot will be safe. I still worry though. Too bad that Dot can't just stay still, like I do when I have an MRI.

Much to my surprise, the framers were super nice and were able to frame the print I'm donating to Janet's charity event while I waited this evening. Some of the guys even remembered me from the old days and treated me like a legitimate working artist instead of someone with a big pile of unsold prints in a storage warehouse. I hope a lot of people bid on the picture at the silent auction. The framers did a great job and the photo looks fabulous.

I hope the weather is better tomorrow. It's always easier to take Dash to the vet on a nice day. Actually, everything is easier on a nice day. The dogs and I got caught in a sudden downpour on our evening walk. I thought I had timed things so we could make it back to the house before the rain started again, but Dash had other plans. Dot knew it was going to rain and did her business quickly. Dash lives in the moment though. He dawdled around smelling things like it was a sunny day. Then the moment he got wet, he panicked and started tugging Dot and I back to the house as fast as he could. Even though we all got soaked, I still managed to snap a few nice flower pictures on the way home. I guess there's always a silver lining somewhere.

Abby is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1397

Janet asked if I would donate one of my old fine art photos to a charity auction she was involved with. The photo that had originally hung in a gallery show was long gone, but I though I might still have a duplicate print over at the storage warehouse. The storage warehouse used to be a repository for things that were too good to throw away and too useless to keep around the house. Now, it has just become a repository for mysterious objects that I don't even remember buying. I'm always surprised when I go to the storage room now. You just never know what you're going to find.

I eventually found the photo, along with a spare gallery frame to put it in. I found enough other forgotten photos to mount an entirely new show, but I think those days are gone. I'm just not that interested anymore.

I was interested in getting the dogs to the dog park today before the predicted rain ruined our opportunity. We'd never been to the park this early before, but it was still full of dogs and their owners. Maybe the others wanted to let their dogs play before the rain started too. Or maybe they just wanted to get their dog to the park before the big Texas Oklahoma football game started later in the morning. Dash was delighted to finally return to his favorite place and was a well behaved dog for the rest of the day.

I happened to see my old Defender on the Land Rover website today. They were asking almost double what they gave me in trade in for the car. Oh, well. I guess I knew I was selling the car wholesale, but still it was a bit startling to see it priced so high. I still feel like I made the right decision. I didn't feel comfortable driving the unreliable car anymore, so I guess it is irrelevant what someone else eventually pays for it.

Eventually it did rain today, but the afternoon shower was so brief that Dot didn't even notice it. I think she slept through the whole thing. By the time the dogs and I took our afternoon walk, the only evidence that it had rained at all were a few water drops on tree leaves. It certainly wasn't an eventful day, but it was a pleasant one.

Kuuipo is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 1384

What a busy day! I removed yesterday's rain water from the roof as soon as I got up this morning. When the roof was dry, we ate breakfast, and then it was off to the Dalmatian Rescue golf tournament. This year's tournament was held at a course where every hole was a replica of some famous golf course in Scotland. The clubhouse was supposed to be a replica of a famous Scottish clubhouse as well. You certainly couldn't have proved it by me. The golf course looked just like every other North Dallas golf course to me. There must be hundreds of golf courses scattered throughout the Dallas suburbs. They all are designed so that people can buy homes overlooking the course. Why anyone would want to live in a gated community overlooking a golf course in the middle of nowhere is a mystery to me. The club we played at today was so far away, it seemed like we were halfway to the moon.

I don't play golf myself. My job at these events is to take pictures of all the golfers and put together a slide show that the players can watch during the dinner and awards ceremony that takes place after the tournament. I get in a cart and drive from hole to hole until I have captured all the golfers doing something that looks like they know what they're doing. Some of the golfers are quite good. Others, not so much. Everyone seems to have fun at these charity tournaments though.

A lot of people bring their dogs to the Dalmatian Rescue golf tournament. The dogs are initially excited by the fresh air and large expanses of green grass. They think they are going to a dog park. When nobody will let them off leash to race around the golf course, the dogs turn their attention to the buffet table. Dot and Dash got to eat all sorts of things that aren't on their regular menu today, but they still got bored quickly. Golf tournaments last a lot longer than a dog's attention span. By the time the day was over, Dot and Dash were so tired that they slept all the way home in the car.

Occasionally, I think it might be interesting to learn to play golf, but I don't really think it's my game. I'm a lefty for one thing, and can't even hit the ball off the tee with right handed clubs. It's an expensive game as well. I can think of dozens of things I'd rather do with my money. It's definitely a game of skill, but I get bored spending an afternoon on a golf course. Even taking pictures of golfers gets boring after eighteen holes.

I'm glad today's tournament was a success. The weather was perfect. All the golfers seemed to enjoy themselves and many of them said they'd return again next year. Most of the silent auction items got bids. This is Dalmatian Rescue's big fundraiser of the year and when the event is a success, it goes a long way toward helping the group continue to rescue dogs like Dot and Dash.

Sweet Pea is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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