Day 2257

My stomach vetoed going out for breakfast this morning. After we walked the dogs, I just ate a leftover frozen waffle I found in the refrigerator and went back to bed. I don't know what kind of bug I caught, but it's a lot more persistent than I anticipated. The first day was a runny nose and a sore throat. The second day was aching joints, night sweats, vomiting, and a mild fever. Today things seem to have settled in my chest. I'm coughing more and still feel tired. I think I'm getting better, but it's hard to tell. The aches and pains keep moving around.

Did I mention I'm a hypochondriac? I rarely get sick, but when I do, I always think I've come down with something much worse than I really have. Now, I'm wondering if the tick that bit me a few weeks ago caused this. It's highly unlikely that I have some strange tick-borne disease, since my symptoms seem exactly like the flu, but that's how my mind works. A mild case of the flu usually lasts about three days and a more serious case can last up to a week. My flu shot obviously didn't work, but maybe it is helping to keep things from becoming worse. There's got to be some reason why I keep getting these flu shots year after year.

I got off to an extremely slow start this morning, but I eventually finished my writing assignment and turned it in. The only other thing I did today was go to the grocery store and pick up something for dinner. I didn't feel like eating anything hot, so I got some chicken salad, potato salad, and broccoli slaw. I probably shouldn't have gotten anything, because I wasn't really hungry.

So far so good with Dot. She's only taken one round of chemo pills so far, but there doesn't seem to be any obvious adverse reactions. She still has a good appetite and enjoys her walks in the morning. Since Dot is tired and weak anyway, it might be hard to detect a subtle further decline. She gets her second set of pills tomorrow, so we'll see how that goes. I'm hoping that the new lower dose and extra day of recovery will help prevent the weakness that was obvious the first time we tried chemo. If this works, the Palladia pills could add significantly to the amount of time we still get to share with her.

I think I'm going to skip some of my usual Saturday errands tomorrow. What's the point. There's nothing I do that can't wait a few days. I think the priority now is to shake off this cold and get better. I hate to take decongestants or cold pills, so the only thing that makes sense to me are some extended naps with the dogs. The house may get a little dirtier, but I think the dogs will understand.

Spot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2256

I'm still feeling under the weather, but things are improving. Yesterday was horrible. Today was just kind of yucky. One benefit of feeling extremely tired is that you apparently sleep better. For the first time that I can remember, my activity tracker said that I had an entire night of deep sleep. This wasn't entirely good news though. The tracker also said that I woke up at 4:30 AM. If you're wondering what could wake me from a deep sleep, Dot pooped in her bed and Dash had to go outside to throw up simultaneously. This was actually the second time that Dash had to go outside last night. Janet said I slept through the first commotion. I briefly wondered if Dash and I were suffering from the same ailment, since I threw up yesterday too. I don't think so. Dash eats horse poop and disgusting dead things he finds in the yard. I don't.

Although I still spent a considerable amount of time napping with the dogs today, I did manage to get a few things done. I did some bookkeeping, paid a few bills, and got started on a new article. This is only a fraction of what I would do in an ordinary day, but at least I could hold my food down today and am starting to feel better. It's surprising how much the dogs seem to enjoy me taking naps with them. They seem visibly calmer and less restless. Since they both spend half their life sleeping anyway, my extended naps probably just make me seem more like a dog to them.

I'm getting so sick of political advertising. Every day our mailbox is stuffed with fliers from local politicians who want my vote. I've never heard of any of them. Don't they realize that these fliers are junk mail. 90% of the people who receive them just throw these postcards and fliers away without reading them. Cable news is even worse. It doesn't matter whether you are listening to MSNBC or Fox, the reporters love politics. Probably the only thing they'd love more than an election is another OJ Simpson trial. It's not surprising that outsiders like Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump have attracted so much attention. I think a lot of people are starting to realize that it really doesn't matter who you vote for. The political establishment has become so entrenched that it probably would take a genuine revolution to change things.

I kind of think politicians should be selected the same way as we select juries. I'm convinced that ordinary citizens could do just as good a job as the folks we've got now. If we had a system where anyone could be selected for political service, just like they are for jury duty, many of today's problems would go away. If you were selected, you would receive a decent salary for your service, but you could not run for reelection. Sure, you might end up with a few idiots in congress, but we've already got more than a few idiots in congress. I think political experience is overrated. People with long political careers usually just wind up with a more comprehensive knowledge of which lobbyists and special interests will take care of them.

I don't know if my stomach is ready for a spicy breakfast at my favorite restaurant yet. The jury is still out. I didn't throw up today, but I didn't eat much either. Here's hoping that I wake up feeling good as new tomorrow. I'm hungry and I've got a lot of work to catch up on.

Bailey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2255

I was wrong. I don't have a cold after all. I have the flu. I don't know how I came down with the flu, since I got my flu shot this year. It sure feels like the flu though. When I woke up this morning, my bones ached and I was extremely tired. I thought about canceling my dental appointment, but ultimately ended up keeping it because I wasn't coughing or sneezing anymore. We walked the dogs like we normally do and then I sat down for breakfast. I drank about half of my morning smoothie and then I knew I was going to throw up. I couldn't even make it to the bathroom in time. So much for breakfast. I cleaned up my mess, took Dot outside to pee again, and then took a short nap.

When it was time to leave for my dental appointment, I was feeling fine again. I don't think anybody even realized how bad I felt earlier in the day. I didn't cough. I didn't sneeze. I didn't do anything out of the ordinary. The dentist took new x-rays and his hygienist cleaned my teeth. Everyone said I had been taking very good care of my teeth and then they sent me on my way.

When I got home, I realized I was tired again. I fed the dogs their lunch and then took a nap. Dash curled up next to me and I don't think either of us moved for hours. When I finally woke up, it was time to feed the dogs their dinner. I must have waited too long with Dot, because almost immediately after I got her up, she needed to poop. I tried to get her outside as fast as I could, but I was still sleepy and I couldn't get her harness on fast enough. By the time we made it outside, she had already left a little trail all the way from her bed to the back door. She made a mess in her harness too, so I had to take it off, hose it down outside, and then put it in the wash. Getting Dot to pee without her harness was a challenge, but somehow we succeeded.

After I walked Dash, it was time to give Dot her Palladia pills. I had forgotten how much trouble this is. I first have to pen Dash in a different room, so he won't inadvertently eat the pills himself. Then I put on rubber gloves and make a little meatball with the two pills hidden inside some wet dog food. Then I clean the gloves and anything else that touched the pills and put everything away. Hopefully, since Dot is taking a smaller dose and we are waiting an extra day between treatments, she won't be as uncomfortable as she was before. After three treatments, we go back to the cancer center and evaluate her progress.

Today wasn't a good day. I've known for a long time that Dot is frail and doesn't have much energy in reserve. What I didn't realize was that I don't have much in reserve either. The flu knocked me out. I need to have my wits about me to take care of Dot. When I spend as much time sleeping as the dogs, everything falls apart. Hopefully, I'll feel better tomorrow.

Lexi is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2254

Two vet appointments in a single day is probably too much. I basically spent the morning taking Dot to her physical therapy appointment and the afternoon taking her for a reevaluation at the cancer center. Dot was tired and so was I. Dot did well during the therapy session, as she always does, but the big news was that her blood pressure has returned to normal. The blood pressure medication she's taking appears to work. We'll recheck her urine and blood work in a week or so, but I'm not quite so worried about kidney failure anymore.

I am still worried about the cancer. Dot's oncologist wants to resume chemotherapy on a trial basis. We're going to try a smaller amount of Palladia and add an extra day between treatments to help her recover. We'll try this until next Friday and see how well she tolerates the new treatment schedule. The oncologist agrees that quality of life is more important than longevity at any cost. If Dot tolerates the Palladia, we'll continue the treatment. If it makes her miserable, we'll quit.

Hopefully, we'll have better luck with chemotherapy this time. I'm not looking forward to it though. It's a nuisance to put on the purple rubber chemo gloves every time you give her a pill and since Dot's poop will be mildly toxic during chemo, an accident in the house will be a bit more consequential than it was before. Incontinence and chemotherapy are not a good combination. As always, we'll do the best we can.

I'm coming down with a cold, which is rare for me. I can avoid colds almost indefinitely as long as I stay away from other people. I could have gotten the cold anywhere, but I have a feeling that I  caught this particular bug while I was at the photoshoot last weekend. Ironically, this is also where I probably got the nail in my tire. Maybe I should stick to photographing inanimate objects. I frequently get a cold when I'm doing holiday pet portraits for Dalmatian Rescue. If I'm photographing children, I'm toast. At least this is just a garden variety cold and not the flu. I woke up with a mild sore throat and spent the day sneezing, but that's about it. I should be fine in 48 hours.

I can't believe its been a year since I had my dental work done. It's already time for my annual checkup. In my prior life I would have ignored these annual checkups, but last year's dental adventure finally convinced me that I need to take care of my teeth. I want to keep the teeth I have left, so I'll do anything the dentist wants these days. I use a Sonicare toothbrush now and floss with a Waterpik before I go to bed each night. Hopefully they won't find any cavities when they clean my teeth tomorrow. The less time I spend in a dental chair, the better.

It would have been a good idea to go to bed early tonight, except that it's already late. That's the way it goes. The days are long and very little is accomplished. Now, if I could just remember where I put the cough drops the last time I had a cold.

Joshua is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2253

I wasted most of the morning getting my tire fixed. I can't complain though, because I didn't have an appointment and the dealership was nice enough to work me in on a busy day. There was plenty of time to drink too much coffee and look at cars on the showroom floor that I can no longer afford. I probably could have left the nail in my tire for quite a while, since it wasn't leaking. I didn't want to take a chance though. I have to take Dot to two different vet appointments tomorrow and a flat tire along the way would really make a mess of things. I guess it was worth the wait. I wasn't charged for the repair and they filled my tire with nitrogen, which no garage in the neighborhood would have been able to do. The unfortunate thing is that I could run over another nail tomorrow. Dallas streets are full of nails and sharp debris.

Some days I get lucky with Dot. Other days, not so much. I did a lot of laundry today. I took Dot outside again and again, but it was only after I brought her back inside and got her settled in her bed that she decided to poop. This happened several times. It takes a lot of patience to deal with an incontinent dog. Dash is testing my patience as well. He is eating something in the yard that is giving him diarrhea. I saw him eating bark the other day and he's been known to eat cat poop. I've got to find what he's been getting into soon. It won't be easy to find since his disgusting treasure is probably hidden under a huge pile of leaves.

I was hoping that I could stream the Grammy's tonight on my computer while I was writing the blog, but it was just too much trouble. I found a live stream of the red carpet before the show which I wasn't interested in. I found backstage interviews during the show. I found selected clips from the show. I found everything except the broadcast itself. Never mind that the show was already playing on a TV in another room. With all the time I wasted trying to find a free streaming broadcast, I could have just walked across the house and watched the show on TV. I did see bits and pieces of the show. I had looked forward to Lady Gaga's tribute to Davie Bowie, but the whole thing seemed overproduced and a bit weird. Adele seemed to hit a few flat notes during her performance. How could that happen? I forgot that Don Henley played drums with the Eagles. Hey, it's been a long time. Why did I think he played guitar? I did like the tribute to BB King. Bonnie Raitt was fabulous. I guess I liked most of what I saw except for Justin Bieber. Alice Cooper probably should have stayed in retirement too.

We ordered takeout from Chili's tonight because neither of us felt like cooking. This is becoming increasingly common. I think that the older you get, the less appealing cooking becomes. It just isn't worth the trouble on a regular basis. Truthfully, a lot of things aren't worth the trouble on a regular basis. I try not to let that stop me though. If I only did what was appealing, I wouldn't do much at all.

Lucky is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2252 - Valentine's Day

We got to sleep in until almost 8 AM this morning, which is almost unheard of. Both dogs slept soundly. There were no accidents during the night. And best of all, after our morning walk, we had bacon for breakfast. Who could ask for more. I didn't make it to the gym today because I had to catch up on a lot of Saturday errands that got postponed by yesterday's photoshoot. It was no great loss though. I didn't really feel like going to the gym anyway.

When I was out running errands this afternoon I noticed that I had another nail in one of my tires. Damn. It's almost impossible to avoid getting nails and screws in your tires in Dallas. Janet has had three nails in her tires during the past year and I've had two. I don't know where these nails come from, but they're everywhere. The situation has gotten so bad that I've even thought of investing in a set of run-flat tires. I can't imagine changing a tire on the side of the road in this city. The traffic is so bad that you'd probably get killed. The tire is still holding air, but getting it fixed is the first thing on my to-do list for tomorrow.

I'm apparently not the only one who has made Sprinkles Cupcakes a Valentine's Day tradition. Every time I go to the store on this day there is a huge line out front waiting to place their order. The wait wasn't so bad today, because it looked like it was going to rain any minute and even though the cupcakes are delicious, they are not worth getting wet for. I didn't even have to pay for the cupcakes today because Janet discovered a gift certificate she won in a charity silent auction quite some time ago. I thought the certificate had probably expired, but the store honored it and even told me that I could redeem the gift certificate a little bit at a time since I really only wanted four cupcakes today, plus another two small ones for the dogs.

I received an e-mail from a veterinarian this afternoon asking if I was still interested in designing a website for him. I had initially contacted this guy over two years ago and then just assumed he wasn't interested because I never heard back from him. This just goes to show that some things take time. I'm always delighted when these sleeper cell jobs come back to life. I've made tons of contacts over the years, but I just don't have the energy or inclination to make cold calls anymore. There are certainly a lot more people out there that I haven't heard from in a long time. If even half of them still remembered me, I could be busy for a long, long time.

Dot is ageless. I took this Valentine's Day portrait of her quite a few years ago, but she still looks absolutely the same today. Dash looks pretty young too, but that's probably because he actually is a lot younger than Dot. We're all getting older though. Now Janet is the only one in hte family who isn't taking blood pressure medication.

Tomorrow is President's Day. Is this a holiday for all the presidents, or just the ones like Washington and Lincoln who used to have their own holidays? It's a weird holiday. The post office is closed, but FedEx and UPS are still making deliveries. Some banks are closed, but others remain open. Mattress stores seem to love this day, because they always seem to have huge President's Day sales. For me, it's just another day, I hope I can get my tire fixed.

Dash is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2251

The photoshoot went well today. All things being equal, I might not have chosen to place a lot of cats in a big pile of sand. As you might expect, the cats immediately thought the sand was a catbox. It might have been better to select dogs that weren't scared to put their head through a hole in the painted backdrop too, since the whole concept was based on animals putting their heads through cutout holes in the backdrop. These were minor things though. You can't really expect animals to anticipate what the art director had in mind.

The team I was working with was great and eventually we were able to make everything work as intended. I'm glad I was only taking the images today. Since the animals didn't really want to take a group shot, we had to photograph them all individually and will reassemble the group portrait in Photoshop. If the animals had been cooperative, this afternoon's photo would have been a piece of cake. Now, it's going to take someone a long time to recreate the illusion of animal harmony through the magic of Photoshop. I wonder what people did before Photoshop? It has saved me again and again.

The bird was fairly cooperative. Maybe the art director can change the concept to feature the bird. I was able to get lots of shots of the bird sitting exactly where he was supposed to be. This still leaves three dogs, a large cat, and lots of puppies and kittens who had no interest in being where they were supposed to be. When these animals are eventually composited into position, I think the photo will make a cute promotional poster. I'm still not sure how they'll use the photos of the kittens pooping in the sand though.

Since I spent most of the afternoon at the photoshoot, I wasn't able to finish my normal Saturday errands. It looks like I'll be doing the grocery shopping tomorrow instead of going to the gym. I wish I had time to get Valentine's Day cupcakes today. We always get cupcakes at Sprinkles on Valentines Day and I'm sure there will be a huge line at the store tomorrow. I could always just pick up some cupcakes at Kroger, but it wouldn't be the same. You could tell the difference immediately.

Janet left this evening in a long dress to go to some special work event. I think it was some sort of awards show. By the time she returns, the rest of us should be asleep unless Dot refuses to poop. I've taken her outside three times already this evening and she appears to be just as stubborn as the dogs at the photoshoot this afternoon. I'm tired and would really like a good night's sleep, so I'll take her outside a few more times before I give up entirely. The night is young.

Tessa is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2250

While I was eating breakfast this morning, I watched a dad teaching his kid math by counting things in the restaurant and pointing out the corresponding numbers on the menu board. The kid was really little but he seemed quite interested. Instead of looking at Facebook like all the other people, the man was using some sort of drawing app on his phone to show the kid how to make the shapes for each number. As I was leaving, I saw him demonstrating how to add two numbers together. I think this kid will do well.

I wish I could teach the dogs a little math. Maybe if they could count, they wouldn't constantly return to their bowls looking for dinner ten minutes after I just finished feeding them. Maybe if they could put two and two together, they would realize that barking while I am trying to write is not the best way to get additional treats. Sometimes I wonder how I get anything done at all with these two underfoot.

I didn't feel like cooking today so I picked up some chicken salad, potato salad, walnut grape and blue cheese salad, and Caesar salad for dinner. I wouldn't recommend an all salad meal every day, but sometimes it is exactly what is needed. I added a little sushi for variety, but didn't go near anything that required me to turn on the stove.

More of Dot's lab results came back today. The results weren't perfect, but they were a lot better than I expected. We'll have to monitor her every week for a while to make sure the new blood pressure medication is working and take her back in a month for new blood work. We still haven't decided whether to resume Dot's chemotherapy again. I guess it depends on how fast the tumor is growing. She had a bad reaction to chemotherapy the first time we tried, but maybe a much smaller dose would be OK. The good news is that she can continue eating her current food. The oncologist thought that Dot's current diet was just fine.

I made sure my cameras were functioning properly today and charged all the batteries. I'm not really looking forward to working on Saturday, but sometimes weekend jobs are unavoidable. Hopefully, I can get everything finished in time to give the dogs their evening walk. Janet has an office function in the evening, but the photoshoot couldn't possible take that long. If it were just me, I'd be done in an hour, but since there are lots of people involved, it will probably take all afternoon. Lets hope that everything goes smoothly.

Dot almost caught me by surprise several times today. I managed to get her outside both times before she pooped, but it was a close call. I've learned that you've got to watch Dot's tail. When the tail starts to twitch, you've got to get her outside in a hurry. It's a weird life when your main activities are cleaning up dog poop and watching the humidity levels. Janet went back to work because she said the isolation she felt just hanging around the house was driving her crazy. By those standards, I probably went crazy ten years ago.

Lucy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2249

I had a strange experience today. I received an official looking letter from a law firm addressed to somebody I'd never heard of in my life living at my address. Only three people have ever lived in this house since it was built in 1955, so I knew something was fishy. I Googled the name of the law firm and discovered a laundry list of complaints, saying that these people were scammers and to never pay them. There were an almost equal number of comments saying that the firm was a legitimate collection agency often hired by municipalities to collect unpaid traffic tickets, toll road tolls, and court judgements.

I opened the letter and sure enough it was an order demanding the mysterious recipient immediately pay a local Justice of the Peace court $800. I called the court and sure enough, the man named in the letter was real and had a case file. They didn't know how my address had become associated with the case and told me that they had sent the collection agency a different address several years ago. They didn't seem very concerned and told me to call the law firm that sent me the letter if I still had questions. I called the law firm, expecting a lot of trouble because of all the bad Yelp reviews, but they were quite nice and told me they would take my address out of their database and I wouldn't be getting any more threatening letters. When I asked how my address had become associated with the person they were actually trying to reach, they didn't have a clue. Both the court and the law firm were so casual about this mix-up that I got the impression that it happens everyday. They just didn't seem to care. This unusual civics lesson certainly didn't inspire much confidence in either our legal system or bureaucracies in general.

The cancer center called today with Dot's initial lab results. It appears that her kidneys and liver are still functioning normally, but they still want to see her again next week. I tried to get a blood pressure reading while Dot was at her therapy session this morning but the clinic's blood pressure monitor was malfunctioning. I'll have to schedule weekly blood pressure monitoring at the cancer center instead. One more vet appointment in a long list of ongoing vet appointments. Dot did quite well in the underwater treadmill today. She seemed to have more energy than I did.

When I was preparing dinner tonight, Dot looked like she was getting ready to poop. I rushed to get her outside and quickly pushed all the food to the back of the kitchen counter so Dash wouldn't eat it while I was outside. When I returned a few minutes later, I was surprised to discover that one of the stove-top burners was on and had partially melted a nearby bottle of mayonnaise. Yikes! When I pushed the food to the back of the counter, I must have inadvertently turned on one of the burners. This just goes to show that there are very few scenarios where something can't go horribly wrong. Luckily, no harm was done, but the incident reminded me of the dangers of being in a hurry. I am so slow and methodical that it drives people crazy, but apparently I should have acted a bit slower in this situation.

I have a photoshoot this weekend where my client is actually a committee of people. I think I will have to multiply the amount of time I think the job should take by the number of people in the committee to find out complicated this assignment really is. The fewer the people the better has always been my motto, but I'll do the best I can. One of the people on the committee is another photographer, which ought to make things even more interesting. Anybody who works with ad agencies would find this situation completely normal, but I haven't dealt with agencies for quite a while. I'm going to have to be on my best behavior so these people won't think I'm a grumpy old man. Who am I kidding? I am a grumpy old man.

Laday Gogh is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2248

I couldn't figure out why I've been getting more telemarketing calls lately and then I discovered that Facebook had added a "Call Now" button to my company page. They didn't ask me if I wanted this button. They just added it. This is typical of Facebook. They add, subtract, and change things routinely without any warning. Needless to say, I didn't want a "Call Now" button on my Facebook page. I get enough junk calls as it is. I deleted the button and hopefully things will go back to normal.

It's time to renew my car insurance again. Why do insurance rates always go up? They never seem to go down. I now pay more to insure one car than I used to pay when I insured two. Homeowners insurance, health insurance, liability insurance; it's all the same. Rates go up, but when you read the fine print, you discover that your coverage has actually decreased. There's not much you can do unfortunately. I paid my bill and resigned myself to another month of frugality and living within my means.

At least I had a few good years back when the world was sane. I'd hate to be young and entering the workforce right now. For the most part, young people are fucked. Salaries have declined. Job security is non-existent. And virtually everything has gotten more expensive. I think I only paid about $1,500 per semester for college and I got a very good education. I had no student loans and graduated with no debt. I had a part-time job in the college library that paid for most of my expenses. This would be impossible these days. No wonder college kids are overwhelmingly for Bernie Sanders. High taxes mean nothing if you've got no money to begin with. If I were young, I'd definitely be feeling the Bern.

When I was fixing dinner tonight, I noticed that the steamed vegetables I was going to warm up for dinner had a bad smell to them. I threw them away. I only bought these vegetables on Sunday, so they shouldn't have gone bad already. This happens frequently now. Janet and I don't cook much anymore, so I buy a lot of food at the chef prepared counter at Central Market. Everything tastes great if you eat it right away, but it doesn't last long. I'm beginning to think that Central Market uses this deli counter to get rid of food in the store that is nearing it's expiration date. Nothing in the chef prepared section seems to last longer than three days, and if you pick up something that was made using milk or dairy products, you'd better eat it right away. I still don't like to cook. I wish I could find fresh, tasty food that lasted all week and didn't require much preparation. My breakfast smoothies are perfect. Eggs easily last a week. Bananas and fresh fruit last quite a while, if you make sure they're not too ripe when you buy them. Ice cream lasts forever in the freezer. Ditto for oatmeal. Dump these ingredients in the Vitamix and thirty second later you've got a delicious meal. Dinners are more problematic. I like to eat something solid for dinner.

I need to remember that Dot's physical therapy appointment is earlier than usual tomorrow. It's hard enough staying on schedule at her regular time. I'm going to have to get up early. Wait. I get up early every day. I'm going to have to do something else.

Landry is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2247

Today was discouraging. Dot's oncologist found a second tumor during her ultrasound exam. We won't know whether she also has kidney problems until the complete lab reports come back later in the week, but we did learn that Dot has high blood pressure. The high blood pressure could be causing the abnormalities discovered in the routine urinalysis we ran last week. None of this is good news. Dot's oncologist wants us to consider resuming chemotherapy at a lower dose to see whether Dot can handle it. This will slow down the growth of the cancer, but it might cause her to become weaker and make it harder for her to walk again. It's going to be a tough choice.

Cancer is so relentless that it's really hard to beat it entirely. Most treatments don't actually cure cancer, they just slow down it's advance. Despite her limited mobility, Dot is still a happy dog who enjoys her life. If we can come up with a treatment plan that will keep her happy and motivated, I'm willing to try it. The day Dot becomes severely depressed with her condition, it's all over. I think this is true with people as well when they become ill. You've got to have a reason to keep moving forward.

I'm having problems with my car and had to make a service appointment. It used to only take a day or two to get an appointment, but now the wait can be up to two weeks. I'm sure this has something to do with the economy. The dealership is still selling a lot of cars, but they haven't added any new mechanics. As a result, customers wait longer. The same thing seems to be happening when you need a plumber or make a doctor's appointment. Airlines are the worst. Fuel prices have come down dramatically during the past year, but have ticket prices decreased? Nope. Flying is just as unpleasant as it has always been.

I digress though. I was talking about my car. The car is still under warranty, but is getting old enough that things are starting to break. My current problem is with the electrical system. Modern automotive electronics are so complex that they are almost unfixable when things start to go wrong. Usually they end up replacing the expensive computer brain that controls everything. That's why I'd like to get this problem taken care of before the warranty runs out. I was able to keep my old Defender 90 long after the warranty ran out because it was basically a very simple machine. I don't think I'll be able to hang on to this car without a good warranty. The car is just too complicated. Repairs are already so expensive that it would make more sense to just trade it in as soon as the warranty runs out. Luckily, I've still got a few years to decide what to do next.

I don't think I've got a few years with Dot. I'm worried. After all we've been through, it's hard for me to accept that she won't live forever. I've never seen a dog with this much strength, determination, and resilience. We're getting near the end of the road however. I'm observant enough to see what's happening. I'm just not ready.

I was pleased to see the outsiders win tonight in New Hampshire. Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump are as different as day and night, but each is authentic in their own way. I hope this sends a message to Washington DC that politics as usual is over. I don't know what the solution is, but we've got to find a way to move beyond the total gridlock our current politicians have created. It won't be easy because we have allowed ourselves to become so fragmented as a country that nobody can agree on anything anymore. The next year or so should be very interesting.

Jazz it today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2246

I got the results from a routine urinalysis this morning and discovered that Dot has abnormally low protein levels, along with a couple of other abnormalities. Since these readings could indicate a possible loss of kidney function, I was worried. Dot's cancer is still growing very slowly, but there are no guaranties that it won't spread to other organs. She already had a re-check scheduled for March 1, but I called the cancer center and moved her appointment to tomorrow. Petey, one of our earlier Dalmatians, died of kidney failure. We didn't get much warning and this time I'd like to know what's going on as soon as I can.

There are many subtle signs that Dot is slowly going downhill. She tires easily. She is losing control of her bowel movements. She pants frequently and is more sensitive to touch than she used to be. Even though her heart and lungs remain strong, the cancer has taken its toll. I am not ready to say goodbye. Dot isn't either. Despite all her problems, she remains remarkably alert and engaged. If you've been reading for a while, you know how much Dot means to me. Hopefully, the tests we will do tomorrow are only a precaution. I wish there was more I could do, but there really isn't. Old age catches up with all of us in the end.

Janet had a breakfast meeting at work this morning, so we began our morning walk even earlier than usual. The sky was clear and provided me with what might be one of my last opportunities to see all five visible planets. It's interesting how quickly the planetary configuration changes. Mercury  appears to have already reached it's high point in the sky and is starting to sink back toward the horizon. Venus has been getting lower in the sky for quite some time now. Jupiter, which was very close to Venus only a few months ago, has already moved far to the West. I used to see Orion ahead of me as we walked toward the park each morning. Now Orion has moved to the evening sky and I see it when I take Dot out to pee before bed time. These changes are oddly comforting because they are so predictable. I could tell you exactly where Jupiter and Venus are going to be five years from now. I wish the rest of life were as predictable as this planetary dance. I'd like to know what lies ahead for Dot. I'd probably like to know what lies ahead for me as well. Financial planning would sure be a lot easier if I knew how long I was going to be around.

I've become intrigued with the new iPad Pro and may get one as soon as I have a little extra money. The large retina screen is fabulous and the fast processor and large internal memory make it a handy substitute for a laptop. One of these things would make a perfect teleprompter for video productions. Needless to say, I haven't produced any videos lately that required a teleprompter, but one can always hope. I probably don't need any new tech toys at all, but I think learning new things keeps me going. The day I finally realize there is no longer a reason to even turn the computer on in the morning will not be a good day.

I got my February invoices prepared and in the mail this afternoon. March invoices are going to have to be a lot better than this if I'm going to get that iPad Pro. Declining income. A declining stock market. Declining health. None of this is good. I know a small handful of people who have retired to beautiful golf course homes and seem to be living an idyllic life, but most are like me. We are confused with a world that has gone topsy-turvy on us. It wasn't supposed to be this way. No wonder Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump are so popular. I think each in our own way, we are all looking for something better.

Taylor is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 2245 - Superbowl Sunday

Today had its ups and downs. We woke up to discover that Dot was having difficulty walking. As most of you know, she has had trouble walking ever since her spinal injury last year, but today was worse than most days. She couldn't put any weight on her left rear leg at all. This has happened before, so we let her rest in hopes that she'd just slept on the leg wrong. Occasionally, her leg gets twisted in an awkward position when she attempts to get up and re-position herself during the night. If I wake up I'll check and make sure her legs are straight, but sometimes I sleep through her attempts to move. The only thing you can do is let her rest for a while and hope for the best.

Dash likes the mornings when Dot has to rest, because he gets a long walk by himself. We were out for over an hour this morning, walking along the shoreline, reacquainting ourselves with sections of the park that are too distant for Dot to reach these days. Dash didn't seem the least bit concerned that Dot was having a tough day. He just seemed happy that he was finally getting some individual attention. By the time we returned, Dot was already feeling a little more stable. The next time I took her in the back yard to pee, she was already starting to put a little weight on the rear leg. It's always a judgement call when we have to decide if Dot has had enough. If we quit trying to keep her moving, she would quickly become an invalid. Pushing her too hard is equally bad. You have to find the sweet spot where she remains motivated, without asking her to do anything that might make her condition worse. For Dot, and myself as well, life has become one long physical therapy session.

After breakfast, Janet went to a Dalmatian Rescue event and I went to the gym. I probably should have just taken the day off and rested with Dot, since my bad shoulder was really acting up today. I have a feeling that we both slept awkwardly last night. Dot twisted her leg, while I must have gone to sleep with my arm in the wrong position. It happens. I concentrated on cardio training this morning and didn't do any routines that would aggravate my shoulder further.

On the way home from the gym, I stopped by my favorite barbecue place and picked up two pounds of pork ribs, some fried okra, a pint of potato salad, some barbecue beans, and a couple of Corona beers. This seemed like the kind of food you should eat watching the Superbowl.

I enjoyed the game and was happy that Denver won. I always root for the old guys these days. I was glad to see Payton Manning go out on top, becoming the first NFL quarterback in history to have 200 wins as a starter. Everyone looked good today. Lady Gaga sang the best rendition of the Star Spangled Banner since Whitney Houston's memorable performance twenty five years ago. Lady Gaga seems to have grown up. Hanging out with Tony Bennett has been good for her. Nobody will ever top Michael Jackson's half time performance, but Coldplay, Beyoncé, and Bruno Mars put on a good show.

I'm still laughing at Larry David's take on the Bernie Sanders campaign last night on Saturday Night Live. Larry David is perfect as Bernie. The Iowa Caucus skit where Bernie lost by five votes because he alienated a voter by refusing to shake hands with a her after she coughed in her hand, and then compounded his error by refusing to try to pop another woman's shoulder back in place while he was going out for coffee was hilarious. Sienfeld meets politics, meets reality. This political season is very confusing. Am I watching an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm? Am I watching an episode of Celebrity Apprentice? Who knows.

Stortz is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2244

The stores were filled with people getting ready for Superbowl parties today. Everybody seemed to be looking for Velveeta cheese. I grew up thinking that Velveeta actually was cheese, but thankfully I've learned to appreciate Parmigiano-Reggiano, Stilton, Feta, and aged Cheddar. I'm no food snob, but somehow I don't think I'll be having Velveeta and hot wings tomorrow. Hopefully, I'll be having more than I had today. I woke up with a stomach ache and didn't feel like eating much all day.

I probably just need to get a good night's sleep. Dot woke me up with another middle of the night accident. I don't know whether Janet and Dash were pretending to be asleep or whether I'm the only one that wakes up now. Even Dot didn't seem very awake. I carefully picked up the poop on her bed and she went back to sleep. When all this started, I would have gotten her up to go outside, changed her bedding, and immediately started a load of wash. Now, if the smell is gone and everything looks reasonably clean, I just let Dot go back to sleep and wail till morning to start the laundry. Firm poop is a blessing. Soft runny poop is a nightmare.

I went to the Superbowl Sale a day early and came home with a few great deals. I went early partially because it beat vacuuming the house and also because I knew that everything had already been priced for tomorrow's sale. 75% off without all the crowds. That sounds like a winner to me. I didn't really need another pair of pants, but I tried not to let that stop me. It was something to do on a very uneventful day.

I keep telling people that I'm not interested in the presidential debates, but I keep listening to them. I never listen to the entire debate; just bits and pieces. Tonight, I must have missed the parts where they asked Ben Carson questions, because it seemed like he didn't get any questions at all. I don't know why they didn't invite Carly Fiorina to the debate either. She isn't doing well in the polls, but neither were several of the people on stage. Everybody seems to say the same thing over and over again. It's kind of like watching Denver and Carolina play each other over and over again for the month leading up to the Superbowl. Everybody keeps talking about the undecided voter, but I think most Democrats and Republicans have already decided who they like best.

I hope the game is good tomorrow. It's one of the few times during the entire year where I watch an entire football game from start to finish. I typically tune in during the fourth quarter and watch the last ten minutes of the game. I hope that Budweiser runs an ad with Clydesdales and a Dalmatian in it. So far, that Heinz ad with the dachshunds is the gold standard. I'd like to see a few others with this kind of imagination. I don't know what we'll have for dinner during the game, but I can guarantee that it won't have Velveeta cheese in it.

Landry is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2243

I daydream a lot eating breakfast. The music and the overheard conversations cause my mind to wander. If I overlook the hipsters at the next tables, it's easy to imagine that I'm sitting in a small roadside diner somewhere in Wyoming. This is an appealing thought. I used to love slow, pointless road trips along the back roads of Western America. There's nothing better than a great breakfast at an obscure roadside diner. I wonder if it would be the same today? I used to feel comfortable pulling over to the side of the road and sleeping in my car. Now, I'd be looking for the nearest Embassy Suites. I used to feel confident that if my car broke down, there would always be a friendly garage and a competent mechanic nearby. Now, I'd be calling AAA from my cell phone and hoping I could find a tow truck to take me back to the nearest big city. A lot of these little towns don't even have a gas station anymore. Who am I kidding? A lot of these little towns don't even exist. The interstates killed them off long ago. For the most part, the picturesque two lane highways I remember have been replaced by impersonal eight lane freeways filled with a frightening parade of eighteen wheelers.

If my fantasy still existed, it would be fun to wander from one obscure diner to another, sharing brief conversations with fellow travelers, eating tons of home made pie and pancakes, and stopping along the way to photograph amazing things I stumbled across. I'd never be in a hurry and I'd never really have a destination in mind. Since this is just a fantasy, I'd pay for my travels with a credit card that didn't need to be repaid and there would always be a comfortable, clean bed nearby when I felt tired. I would take tons of cool pictures and upload them to Google, so they wouldn't disappear, but I wouldn't try to sell them. There are never clients or money in my daydreams.

Since my mental road trips are about as real as a ride down Route 66, I am content to spend an hour a week daydreaming in a little restaurant near my house. I eat, I daydream, I always get a final cup of coffee to go, and I pick up groceries for Friday dinner on the way home. I'm usually back before the dogs have finished their morning nap.

There were more websites to update this morning, but no writing jobs. Writing jobs have been scarce this year. With extra time on my hands, I've been trying to stay busy. Today, I cleaned the utility room. This small room has become the repository for everything that won't fit in the rest of the house. The top of the washer and dryer are filled with empty Tupperware containers, half filled bottles of bleach, seldom used cookware, oven cleaner and Windex, and old dog toys. There is a heavy orbital floor polisher in a corner that we used to use years ago to wax the brick floors. I don't think the bricks have been waxed in ten years. The utility room is hard to clean and when you finish, it looks just as bad as it did before. I know that there's a lot of stuff in this room that could be thrown away, but I'll leave that to Janet. I'm terrible about throwing things away.

It's Superbowl weekend. I'll watch the game, but I can't say I'm excited about either team. I do like the Heinz commercial with the stampede of weiner dogs. What could be better than dogs in costumes running through an open, grassy field into the arms of a family of giant Heinz condiment bottles? I'll probably go to the Superbowl sale at my favorite clothing store. Everything is 75% off for a few hours just before the game. 75% off is the only time I can afford these clothes anymore. I can't believe it's Superbowl 50. I was already a college freshman when they played the first Superbowl. I think I listened to the game on the radio. Jeez, I'm getting old.

Zorro is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2242

We actually got to Dot's physical therapy appointment on time today. I wasn't really any more organized. The vet just called while I was eating breakfast and asked if I could come earlier this morning. "Sure," I said. "We're on our way." Dot didn't have time for her morning nap. I didn't have time to take a shower and answer e-mail. I didn't even turn on the computer before we left. It all worked out pretty well and ended up being the first time in several months that I wasn't late.

I think I've figured out how to keep Dot calm in the car. She isn't really anxious of fearful, she just needs to be in a comfortable position before we start our journey. Since I wasn't in a rush today, I waited a while before we left the driveway. When Dot started squirming, I re-positioned her before we got underway. As soon as she was calm for a few minutes, I started the car and she didn't move again until we arrived at the vet. This plan may not work next time, but I thought it was pretty clever. It was certainly better than drugging her with Xanax.

Today was surprisingly busy. When we got home, I fed the dogs their lunch and spent the rest of the day updating several websites. It wasn't a bad day at all. Dot did exceptionally well on the treadmill this morning. She walked for a full twenty minutes and didn't appear overly tired. Like I've said many times, Dot has good days and bad days. This was a good one. It was good having some work to do as well. I like that sweet spot that's somewhere between being bored out of my mind and totally stressed out by impossible deadlines. Finding this balance is hard though. In my business, you work when the client wants you to work.

I'm having increasing problems accessing my various Google accounts. Sometimes Google Drive quits working. Other times I have trouble logging into Blogger. Today I couldn't even access my Google+ account. Usually the outages are temporary, but I'm afraid that someday I'll sit down to write the blog and won't be able to go to my Blogger account at all. I just got a notice that Google Chrome won't be supporting anything earlier than OS 9.0 on the Mac starting in April. Maybe this is where my problems start. I like older browsers and operating systems. Companies like Microsoft, Apple, and Google almost insist that you use their latest offering. I heard that Windows is going to start automatically updating itself to Windows 10 in the near future. One more reason I'm glad I'm still on a Mac. I wish people would just slow down and leave things alone for a while.

When I was debating whether to give Dot Xanax yesterday, it occurred to me that most anxiety is caused by two things. Running out of time makes you anxious and running out of money makes you anxious. If you have control over just these two things, a whole lot of problems simply disappear. It's hard to have both things simultaneously though. Whenever I've had plenty of money, I've had no time. Conversely, when I have plenty of time, I seldom have any money. Hmm. I wonder how you get both?

Duke is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2241

I've gotten so intrigued with watching Mercury, Venus, Saturn, Mars and Jupiter in the pre-dawn sky that I'm tempted to bring the telescope home from the storage warehouse and take a look at all five planets while they are still visible. I need to remember why the telescope is in storage in the first place, however. Telescopes are bulky and take a while to set up. Dallas skies are filled with the light pollution you find in any large city, so it is difficult to see anything fainter than a bright planet anyway. The only place in the yard with a good view of the sky is near a busy street filled with people going to work in the dark with their headlights on. I'd have to get up even earlier than I already do as well. It's hopeless. Occasionally, when I travel, I wind up in a place with clear dark skies and I'm amazed at how many stars there are. You never see these stars in Dallas. I'll add clear dark skies where you can see the Milky Way to the list of attributes I'm looking for in that mythical retirement destination Janet and I will probably never find.

I got up early enough to see the planets this morning, but it was so cold I immediately wished I was back in bed. We didn't see many other people walking their dogs this morning. Neighbors looking out their kitchen windows as they drink their morning coffee must think we're nuts. We're always out there bundled up in every coat we own, walking a crippled dog who can barely move. Even though she is slow and sometimes forgets where she is, Dot absolutely loves these walks. She gets to smell things, bark at neighborhood cats, and survey the park she has known all her life. We watch her carefully to make sure that she is not overexerting herself, but at least for now, our early morning walks are the best part of her day.

Maybe the walks are the best part of my day as well. Until recently, my days were filled with a seemingly endless series of deadlines to meet. I was in demand and almost always busy. All that has changed in the past couple of years. It's quiet now. Most of the clients are gone. Some abandoned me for larger, full service alternatives, but most simply retired or faded away. Throughout my career, my best clients have always been five or ten years older than me. That makes them pretty old now. Quite a few people I've worked with over the years have died already.

I need to figure out what to do with my time. I take care of Dot, write the blog, and keep the house from falling apart, but that's not enough to keep me from getting a severe case of cabin fever. I really don't have any hobbies. I write, take photographs, have made films, and can design websites, but these were never hobbies. They have always been tools I could use to make money without having a boss to report to. Photography and writing are freedom, but they are not necessarily fun. I'm not sure I even know what fun is.

Dot's vet wants me to give her a Xanax before we go to physical therapy tomorrow. I don't think this is a good idea. Dot is a little anxious riding in the car, but she doesn't have enough energy to mess around with any type of sedatives. I've never taken Xanax myself, but if it makes dogs lazy, relaxed and sleepy like it does with people, she could never finish her workout in the underwater treadmill. I think I'll just get started a little earlier tomorrow, so I'll have plenty of time to stop the car and re-position Dot if she gets stuck. If we drive slow, everything should be fine. So, how am I going to be early for our appointment when I'm perpetually late? I think I'll just wait to take a shower until after Dot's therapy is finished. That should give me plenty of time. If everybody had plenty of time and didn't go through life in a hurry, they probably wouldn't need Xanax anyway.

Casey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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