Day 1665

I had another doctor's appointment today. I've been doing all these tests for so long now that I think I'm learning how to cheat. Blood sugar levels rise and fall throughout the day. You can schedule lab work to make blood sugar levels appear lower if you want to go to the trouble. Heart rate and blood pressure levels can be regulated to some degree with controlled breathing. I used to drink lots of water as soon as I got to the doctor's office when I knew they needed a urine specimen, but then they would do this ultrasound test and tell me that my bladder wasn't emptying properly. Of course it wasn't. I had just consumed boatloads of water. Now, I time this test too, drinking about ten ounces of water three hours before my appointment and no liquids again until the appointment is over. Whatever works is my motto. Apparently my plan was a success because the doc was pleased with the test results and told me that I didn't need to see him for another year.

It looked like it was going to rain all day, but it never did. Everywhere I went there were ominous dark clouds on the horizon. I kept hurrying home to make sure the dogs were OK, but there was never a drop of rain or a single thunderclap. It was just another hot July day with strangely dark skies. As much as I hate rain, I'm beginning to hope we do get a few showers this week. The grass in the back yard is drying up at an alarming rate. I water every evening, but it doesn't seem to be enough.

I feed the dogs lunch every day, even though I never eat any lunch myself. Eating seems to be the high point of their day, so I make a big ritual out of feeding them each a rice cake at lunch time. There are virtually no calories in a rice cake, but apparently there is a lot of chewing pleasure. Dot and Dash both love rice cakes. After lunch, Dot likes to sun herself in the back yard. I have to watch her though to make sure she doesn't get sunburned. Dalmatians sunburn very easily. When it's hot like this and there are so many mosquitoes around, ten minutes of sun is usually plenty. While Dot suns herself, I usually knock down wasp nests under the eaves of the house with a broom. It's such an exciting life.

I finished some website updates this morning, but even that slows down during the Summer. I don't hear from my clients much during July, but I do see pictures of them on Facebook riding jet skis, visiting national parks, and doing whatever you do on family vacations. When the kids return to school, I'll get busy again.

My vet called today and wanted to reschedule Dot's acupuncture appointment again. I thought she wanted to change the day, but she just wanted to move the appointment up an hour. Sure. No problem. Hey, what's an hour to me?  I'm sure the dogs and I will never notice the difference.

Delaney is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1305

Timing is everything. The best time to eat breakfast at my favorite restaurant is 9 AM. All the work slaves have left for the office and the people with nothing better to do haven't even gotten up yet. I practically have the place to myself.  The best time to walk the dogs is 6:30 AM. This is not the best time for me, mind you. It is the best time for the dogs, and you should know by now that dogs rule. The best time to go grocery shopping is 10:30 AM. This is when I see the produce managers putting out fresh produce and most importantly, when the Chef Prepared section is being filled with fresh tasty dinner items. By the end of the day, everything is picked over, but not at 10:30 AM. The best time to go to the gym is at 2 PM. None of the Type-A fitness fanatics are here then. They all arrive either at the crack of dawn, before they go to work, or later in the evening on their way home. At 2 PM, it's just me and the cardiac rehab patients. You're probably seeing a pattern here.

Maybe I've grown too comfortable working in my quiet little room with a dog under my desk. Occasionally, I think I'd like something more exciting, but when I try to think of something specific, nothing comes to mind. I have an almost encyclopedic knowledge of Apple computers, but I don't think I'd last long working at the Genius Bar. The Apple stores are just too busy and chaotic. I don't think I'd make a good film producer anymore, even though I spent the early part of my career doing precisely this. I just don't have the patience to hire and manage a film crew these days. I don't even think I could work at an ad agency. Agency life used to be fun, but whenever I visit an ad agency these days, you can smell the stress in the air. It's a dying industry and everyone is treading water, just trying to hold on to what they've got. I suspect than in ten years, the ad agencies I remember will all be gone.

I do like blogging. I keep hoping that if I keep stirring this pot, it will eventually start to boil. Who knows. Maybe people will eventually want to pay me for writing about nothing. Hey, it worked for Dave Barry and Seinfeld. In the long run, it doesn't really matter, but I learned long ago not to rule anything out. The world is a strange place and almost anything can happen.

I can't figure the dogs out. They absolutely hate to take a walk in this hot weather we're having lately, but they seem to love to lie out in the back yard under the same hot sun. Often, they lie on their backs with their paws in the air. I guess it's not that surprising that a Dalmatian would rather sunbathe than exercise. I've got to keep an eye on them though. They sunburn easily.

A new spare tire cover for the Defender 90 came in the mail today. After ten years, the old tire cover had pretty much succumbed to the elements. It was tattered and torn and tended to fall off every time I went through a car wash. As I was putting on the new tire cover, I realized that it was the high point of my day. It was just that kind of a day.

Winston is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day