Day 3034

I looked up at the sky when I took Dash out to pee last night and I couldn't find Jupiter. How could a planet disappear? I guess I'd forgotten how long it's been cloudy when I take Dash out in the middle of the night. Saturn, Mars and Jupiter were no longer in their familiar positions. It seemed like yesterday when the three planets were neatly arranged in a straight line stretched across the Eastern sky. Of course it seems like Christmas was yesterday too. The older you get, the faster time flies.

It's just about impossible to get Dash to do his business at a reasonable hour. I take him out several times every night now. Dash ought to be glad that I'm a light sleeper. He seems supremely confident that I will always be there to open the door for him. Strangely, I don't really feel sleep deprived like I did when Dot was sick. I take naps now. Dash's behavior is not going to change. He's certainly not losing much sleep since he spends most of the day snoozing. I figure if you can't beat 'em, you might as well join 'em. I'm going to sleep during the day too.

I tried to find the special adhesive that can glue silicon to silicon, but nobody carries it. I struck out trying to find a replacement band for Janet's Fitbit too. I'm beginning to think that it isn't even worth the trouble to shop at retail stores anymore. Both of these hard to find items are readily available on Amazon. All I have to do is click on the "add to cart" button" and they'll be here next week.

There seems to be fewer and fewer people at the gym each time I go. Maybe this is seasonal, or maybe there's a better gym out there. I hope enough people keep attending this gym to keep it open. I'd hate to see the place close. I've grown fond of the place and it would be difficult for me to go anywhere else. If I had to go to a trendy gym full of young people, I'd probably stop going entirely.

We ordered Dash some indoor boots that he can wear around the house. He's really starting to slip on the bricks now. Hopefully, the lightweight rubberized boots will provide the traction he needs. I'd hate to bring all those ugly rugs  home from the storage warehouse again. The three rugs we've strategically placed in the kitchen to help him eat are bad enough. I suspect that it's only a matter of time before the rest of the rugs return as well.

I've started watching a show called Detectorists on BBC. The show is supposed to be a comedy, but it is bleak and a bit melancholy. Maybe that's why I like it. The main characters have dead end jobs, or no jobs at all, and spend their time searching the English countryside for hidden gold with metal detectors. They find nothing but old buttons and pull tabs from beer cans, but never seem to give up. The awkwardness and futility of these characters seems so real that each episode becomes a sad metaphor for life in general. I think there still another season of this show that I haven't seen yet. Maybe I've finally got something to watch on Netflix.

Can you believe it's the middle of April already?  Maybe by the end of the month Winter will be over.

Krissy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3033

I took Dash outside several times last night and each time it was ten degrees cooler than the time before. The temperature was in the seventies when we went to bed and in the forties the next morning. I don't think Winter is ready to relinquish it's grip on us. I'm glad I haven't put away my Winter clothes yet. I still wear them several times a week. It felt like we experienced all four seasons today. The clear skies looked like Summer. The cold temperatures felt like Winter. The blooming flowers reminded me that it was actually Spring. And the blustery wind felt like Fall. It isn't usually this cold in mid-April, but then there is nothing "usual" about Texas weather at any time of the year.

Janet went to pick up a dog for Dalmatian Rescue this morning, but we got Dash to take his regular morning walk by pretending that she was just going to work again. On weekends Dash typically insists that we all walk together. I wanted to stay home with Dash because he was so shaky yesterday. He was still very wobbly when I took him out to pee during the night, but he began to improve as the day progressed. By the end of the day he was walking normally again. This kind of confirmed my suspicion that the gabapentin was causing his problems. It's a shame that there are so few pain pills without serious side effects. Cortisone and other steroids can weaken your immune system. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like Rimadyl can damage the liver and kidneys. Gabapentin tends to cause sedation and weakness. Tramadol and other opioids have their own serious problems. There is not really a good solution. You use these drugs when the pain becomes worse than the side effects.

I got tired of looking at the rust colored stain in the living room ceiling, so I got out a ladder and cleaned the area with a bleach soaked rag. The sheet rock is still damaged, but it looks much better now. I was pleased to discover that the sheet rock felt pretty dry. This means that the leak we experienced recently wasn't very bad. After the cosmetic improvements I made to the living room, I decided to tackle the bathroom. Mildew is a continual problem in the shower. I took the handles off the faucets and scrubbed them inside and out. Then I did the same thing to the shower nozzle. I'm not sure if the shower nozzle works better after I took it apart and cleaned it, but it certainly looks better.

I couldn't figure out why I've been unable to repair the silicon band on my fitness tracker. I finally did some research today and discovered that it is almost impossible to glue two pieces of silicon together. The stuff just doesn't stick to anything. I learned that there is a special industrial adhesive specifically designed to attach silicon to silicon, but it costs $30 for a small 3 oz. tube. Jeez. I could just buy a new fitness band for about the same price. I still like these UP3 bands, despite their many problems. The company is bankrupt but you can still find the trackers at companies that specialize in selling discontinued merchandise. I should buy a few spares before they're all gone.

I listened to another piano lesson on my computer this afternoon and realized that my fingers are going to be a problem. I have trouble playing the guitar for any length of time because of the arthritis in my hands. I thought that the piano wouldn't be a problem, but I'm having trouble with the correct fingering on chords. My fingers just don't move the way they used to. The pain isn't bad, but it's a nuisance. Maybe this is why Dash and I do so well on our long, slow walks. We're both falling apart at just about the same rate. I don't know how Janet puts up with us. We're both grumpy old men.

Flash is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3032

I spend most of the day waiting for rain. Theoretically, we are under a tornado watch, but the bad weather must have gone to the North or South of us. So far, all I've seen are a few light showers. It doesn't hurt to be prepared though. I went up on the roof and moved the sump pump, so it would remove water from the area where we've been experiencing a leak. It may not work, but it's worth a try.

I got an early start today so I could walk Dash before the rain started. Even at Dash's excruciatingly slow pace, we managed to stay dry until we made it home again. I wasn't so lucky when I went to get groceries for the weekend. The rain wasn't heavy, but it was enough to get the car muddy. I picked up a new supply of phenobarbital for Dash on the way home and spent the rest of the day inside, watching the sky get darker and darker.

The vet that examined Dash yesterday thought some of the weakness in his rear legs was caused by arthritis and wanted us to see if gabapentin would help Dash walk without dragging his legs. We tried the drug today and it actually seems to make him worse. Sure enough, two of the most common side effects of gabapentin are sedation and wobbliness. We decided to discontinue the drug after only using it for one day. Dash is so wobbly already from the vestibular disease that he stumbles a lot. He can't afford to get much worse. I had to help Dash up several times this afternoon as he was waking up from a nap. He was struggling to get up on his own. This wasn't normal. It almost has to be the pills.

The tree trimmer canceled his appointment today because of the rain. He told me he was going fishing instead. I don't blame him for not wanting to trim trees in a thunderstorm, but I'm not so sure that fishing was a wise idea. Oh, well. The trees aren't a big priority anyway. The person I'd really like to see right now is the roofer.

I downloaded some of the piano lessons that come with GarageBand. The lessons are pretty basic, but nicely thought out. I could actually learn something. It's kind of cool to have a digital audio workstation that can teach you to play an instrument. Today I learned that the way I typically finger chords is wrong. I also learned how to play a simplified version of Ode to Joy. I think you have to buy the more advanced lessons on the App Store, but they're not very expensive. This will definitely give me something to do on rainy days.

We didn't even try to take an afternoon walk. Dash was smart enough to know that the noise we were hearing off in the distance was thunder. In lieu of a walk, I did some laundry and watched TV. I'm so tired of political news and stock market gyrations, that it might have been better to take a walk in the rain. I need to find a channel that just talks about artificial intelligence and upcoming space launches.

Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3031

Good news. When the doctors reviewed Dash's latest echocardiogram this morning, they were unable to detect any signs of the blood clot in his heart. There's always a chance that the clot just didn't show up during today's scan, but the folks at the cancer center are usually very thorough in their exams. We think that Dash's dangerous blood clot may have finally dissolved. Dash's doctor wants to give him one more scan in June before he gets a clean bill of health, but things are looking very good at this point.

I wish Dash were better behaved during these exams. The tests are non invasive and completely painless, but Dash freaks out whenever we take him to the vet these days. It's embarrassing to sit in the lobby and hear your dog bark and whine during the entire procedure. Everybody else's dog was sweet and well behaved today. Not ours. Maybe Dash would be happier if he realized that he only had to endure one more scan. We won't tell him that he's going to need his teeth cleaned when it's safe to sedate him again.

The day always gets off to a slow start whenever there's a vet appointment. We try to make the appointments as early as possible, so Janet won't miss too much work, but our normal routine still gets delayed quite a bit. By the time I finished my breakfast and got Dash ready to walk, it was well past noon. I don't know why I even try to keep a schedule. When I finally turned my computer on around 1 PM, there was still noting but junk mail in my inbox. I would be totally shocked if I found myself looking at a new assignment these days.

With Dash taken care of and nothing else on my plate, it was hard to avoid mowing the grass. I thought it might be better to care care of this task today, because it's expected to rain tomorrow. The good news is that the mower still works. The bad news is that it seems even harder to push this year. All my trips to the gym really haven't produced any dramatic results. What has happened to me?  Mowing the grass used to be easy.

I installed some music production software on my laptop this afternoon, so I could use the new keyboard outside the office. I probably never will, since the laptop is slow, but it's nice to have options. I was pleased to discover that Logic Pro and GarageBand have a new "teaching" mode where you can learn to play guitar and piano from within the software. Cool. I'll have to try this. I'm certainly pretty rusty playing the piano. I hope I can maintain my interest in music for a while. It would be nice to start writing songs again.

I'm still amazed that Dash's blood clot seems to have disappeared. There was always the possibility that it would, but I wasn't very hopeful. I can't even remember how many echocardiograms Dash has had now. We've been monitoring his condition for many months now and until the scan we had a month and a half ago, nothing ever changed. I'm glad we never lost faith and kept up with his treatment even when it didn't seem to be doing any good. The good news we heard today reminds me how important it is to be patient. Some things in life just take a lot of time.

Nellie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3030

I started to get ready for Summer today. I called the landscaper to get the backyard looking decent again. I called the tree trimmer to get some dead limbs removed from the Oak trees. I called the roofing supply company to see if I could buy the elastomer coating in a small enough size that I could lift the can up to the roof by myself. I found the battery for the lawn mower and installed it to see if it would still take a charge. Nothing was actually resolved today, but at least I made a start.

I was pleased that I managed to find an inexpensive used MIDI keyboard controller that does everything I need it to do. Since this keyboard cost me less than a single one gallon can of the elastomer roof coating, I thought I got quite a deal. Best of all, when I got home from the music store and plugged the keyboard into my computer, everything worked perfectly.

I wish everything worked perfectly with Dash today. He was moody again and refused to take his afternoon walk. It was a beautiful day and Dash wasn't having any vestibular issues, so I don't know what was wrong. I know that Dash was feeling OK, because when Janet came home just before sunset, he abruptly changed his mind and wanted her to walk him. He likes it when we all walk together. It's all too complicated for me. On Monday and Tuesday, Dash was eager to take his afternoon walk. I guess I'll never know why today was different.

I feel kind of sorry for Mark Zuckerberg. Every time I turned on the TV today, there he was, testifying in front of a bunch of old people who basically knew nothing about technology. Why is everyone so outraged about privacy? There is no privacy anymore. Every time you go to the grocery store, fill your car with gas, or pick up a prescription at the pharmacy, you are being tracked. Surveillance cameras are everywhere and you'd be horrified if you knew how much Apple and Google already know about you. Zuckerberg is just a geek who invented a cool app that everyone became addicted to. It's your fault that he became a billionaire. Jeez. Nobody is forcing you to use Facebook. If you really value your privacy, stay offline altogether. If Cambridge Analytica sold your information to Target or Walmart nobody would care. This is all about politics. A wide variety of companies have been selling your information for decades and congress never even noticed.

Even more puzzling to me than the Facebook debacle is the situation in Syria. The only thing the Democrats and Republicans seems to agree on is that they would both like to bomb somebody. Why? Couldn't we wait a while? Nobody has even verified that the gas attacks were real. Isis and Al-Qaeda have staged these type of events before. They guys might not have a powerful army, but they have learned that provocative fake news can be even more powerful than bombs. Lobbing hundreds of cruise missiles into Syria isn't going to help anything. Even if the gas attacks are real, adding a bunch of bombs to the mix is just going to make the situation worse. I wonder how long it's going to take for our government to realize that it's time to come home. We've accomplished absolutely nothing in the Middle East and probably never will.

The dismal state of the world is one of the reasons I focus my energies on dogs. Dogs don't care about global politics. They don't even understand why they need to wear a city registration tag. All a dog wants is regular meals and a warm, safe place to sleep every night. If we're lucky, they enjoy our companionship as well. If these were our own priorities, the world would be a much better place.

Tyson is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3029

One thing leads to another when you've got too much time on your hands. Spending time last week trying to get an old MIDI keyboard controller to work has somehow rekindled my interest in music. I've been thinking about reassembling my songwriting studio. Some of the equipment is still sitting here in the office. Other stuff is gathering dust in the storage warehouse. Is this gear obsolete, or is it still usable? If it is usable, where would I put it? There isn't much space in the office anymore. It's easy to waste hours thinking about stuff like this. Today I reread an instruction manual for an old Yamaha synthesizer that has been sitting in a corner for years and still couldn't figure out how to use it. It didn't help that there wasn't a keyboard attached to the synthesizer anymore. Was this thing still useful? Who knows.

While I was trying to evaluate old music gear, I got a call from my friend in Kentucky who is going to help me liquidate one of my collections. This is my dilemma. I want to hang on to stuff and need to get rid of it at the same time. The logical part of my brain tells me that anything that has sat in a box for over five years really isn't necessary. The crazy part of my brain still thinks that everything in the storage warehouse will still come home again someday.

As I talked with my friend about the logistics of selling my collection, I realized that it wasn't going to be easy. Not a lot of people share my interests. There's no point in keeping a collection in cardboard boxes though. Especially if you've completely lost interest in collecting. I think the stuff will sell at my friend's store, but it might take a while. At any rate, I made a commitment to inventory everything and eventually say goodby to all the dusty boxes. It's time to start downsizing.

I think I've been eating smoked ham for too long. I'm starting to get heartburn again. This is frustrating, since I really thought I'd put my acid reflux problems behind me. I guess I could start taking Protonix again, but my doctors have warned me that taking a proton-pump inhibitor for an extended length of time is not a good idea. Probably a better idea would just be to start eating healthy, bland food again. I switched to a healthy, plant based diet when I was being treated for Hepatitis C and it took care of a host of problems. The only problem that remained was that I didn't really enjoy being a vegetarian. I've kind of slipped off the wagon now and am eating more red meat than I should.

Dash has his own diet issues. He's eating consistently again, but insists on boiled chicken breasts for breakfast now. He won't touch anything else. Today we tried to add some vegetables to his breakfast by adding peas to his chicken. Surprisingly, he ate the peas, but since he has trouble chewing, a lot of them fell out of his mouth. I've been finding little green peas all over the house today.

I saw a Red Tailed Hawk on our morning walk. I like these birds because they are loners like me. You never see a bunch of hawks sitting together on a telephone wire. Hawks usually hunt alone and other birds seem to defer to them. Mockingbirds, Blue Jays, and Starlings irritate me, but there is something noble about a hawk.

I hope I think of something useful to do tomorrow. Today was a waste. My brain is full of new information about MIDI keyboard controllers, but I still can't play the piano very well.

Apollo is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3028

Now that things are turning green again, it is becoming apparent that the yard needs some attention. With each passing year, yard maintenance has less and less appeal. I guess I'd better start by mowing the grass. This usually involves getting a new 24-volt battery for the electric mower. Even though I bring the heavy battery inside when the weather is cold, it never seems to make it through the Winter. Don't even ask about the gasoline mower. I'm sure it just needs new spark plugs, replacement belts, and a good cleaning, but I just don't want to mess with it. I was hoping that the St. Augustine grass in the back yard would return this year, but it never does. We'll have to get the landscaper to put in new grass again. There are some dead limbs on the Oak trees too. One of them is directly over the house and I have no idea how the tree trimmers are going to bring it down without dropping it on the roof. I know this limb is a problem because the tree guys didn't want to mess with it the last time they were here.

I wish the yard would take care of itself. Sometimes I think it would be nice to live in a modern high rise without a yard to maintain, but then I remember we have Dash. Having an incontinent old dog in a high rise would be a nightmare. There would probably be a homeowners association too. Years ago when I lived in a condo, I swore I'd never deal with homeowners associations again. Oh, well. I guess it's time to suck it up and take care of the yard. I may not like yard work anymore, but Dash need a place to poop.

It was a slow day. In addition to the regular breakfast and dog walking rituals, I went to the post office and picked up some more enalapril for Dash. Since Dash was feeling good today and I had nothing else to do, I also stopped by Guitar Center. I hadn't been to this store in a long time and was surprised at how empty it was. Back in the day, this place was always packed with musicians. You don't really realize how much online shopping has changed things until you visit a store where you used to hang out fifteen years ago. I always used to run into my computer geek friends at Fry's Electronics and Guitar Center was a great place to talk shop with other musicians. I had my favorite camera stores, furniture stores, and watch repair shops. There were even three different stores in Dallas that specialized in model trains. All these places are gone now. I have a feeling that Guitar Center might not be long for this world. Kids don't want to become guitar heroes anymore.

The weather was much warmer today. This afternoon I didn't even have to wear a jacket. I wonder if this means that Winter is finally over. It's probably too early to tell. At least we didn't get a hard freeze during our recent cold spell. A hard freeze this late in the year would make our yard look worse than it does already. Actually, today's weather was just about perfect. It was cold enough that Dash was still willing to walk and warm enough that I didn't have to bundle up in a Winter coat. Dash has always had trouble dealing with the heat. With his heart condition, I'm not looking forward to this Summer. I know it's going to be rough on him.

There's not much point in worrying about July yet. It's still easier to take things one day at a time. With that in mind, tomorrow looks pretty good.

Livy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3027

Dash seems to be feeling much better. He's eager to eat again and took two nice walks. I'm not surprised that he's eager to eat. Each time he has had a serious vestibular episode, we have to up the ante to get him to eat anything. After his last seizures, he refused to touch any of the many varieties of dog food we had on hand. In desperation, we boiled a chicken breast and tried feeding him that. He ate the chicken, but now he insists on having the chicken for breakfast every morning. I don't know what we've got left the next time this happens. He's probably going to want Eggs Benedict for breakfast.

When I went to the gym this morning I noticed that the workout app on my watch had changed. Now, instead of a simple heart rate and calorie counter, they had a separate routine for every machine in the  gym. Interval training, running, and even basketball were covered as well. I guess instead of just logging your time at the gym, you're supposed to log each activity and then arrive at a grand total when you're finished. This is probably more accurate, but it sure seems like a lot of trouble. Were people actually asking for this? Maybe. I suspect that some app developer just thought it would be cool and never considered how much of a nuisance this would be to use if you were actually exercising.

I went to the REI store to use my 20% off coupon and discovered that I no longer wear the same size pants. For years I have worn a 32x32 but now this size seems too long. Have I shrunk? It's certainly possible, although I'd hope that I'm still a bit too young for a shrinking stature. Clothing and shoe sizes are somewhat meaningless these days, so I'm not going to worry about turning into my Dad quite yet. The shorter inseam still seems strange though. Is it me or the pants?

I'm thinking about getting a new MIDI keyboard controller so I don't have to reboot the computer every time I want to practice the piano. I looked in the Sweetwater catalog and was surprised at how inexpensive these things have become. Full fledged synthesizers are still pretty pricy, but you can get a decent keyboard controller you hook up to your computer for under $100. The only problem is where to put the thing. There's a coat rack full of Winter coats where the old keyboard used to be. I always wanted to live in a huge loft where I would have room for everything. That's never going to happen though. Urban environments freak me out. My dream house lives on 40 acres of land without a neighbor in sight.

While I was driving to the gym, I listened to a program on the radio about how Adobe was developing advanced software for dialog replacement in movies that will let you just type in the new words you wanted the actor to say and the dialog will immediately be updated in the actor's real voice without recording anything new. This process was described as Photoshop for words. I'm sure production studios will love this. So will purveyors of fake news. Somewhere in Seattle a lab is developing something even more advanced for video. You will be able to take a video clip of anybody and make the face convincingly say completely different words. The lines between fantasy and reality are becoming hopelessly blurred. Can you imagine what the evening news will look like twenty years from now? Maybe these revelations seemed startling to me because I've worked in film and video for so long. I think it's time to stop tinkering around with reality. One day we'll look back and realize we've gone too far.

Cooper is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3026

Mother Nature apparently didn't get the memo that Winter is over. The temperature was in the thirties when I woke up this morning. It didn't get much warmer as the day progressed either. Jeez. The Bluebonnets are in bloom. We've already had our air conditioner running. This just isn't supposed to happen in Texas.

I wasn't happy about the weather, but I definitely was happy to see Dash feeling better. After a rough day yesterday, he was almost back to his old self. Even though it was very cold, he seemed eager to walk this morning. A stiff wind made it feel like the temperature was in the teens, but Dash didn't seem to mind. I can't say the same for myself.

I didn't spend much time outside today. After going to the grocery store and running my Saturday errands, I got the urge to hook up a MIDI keyboard to the computer. I hadn't done this in years, and not surprisingly the keyboard didn't work. After doing some research on Google, I discovered that the keyboard was no longer supported by Apple. I still didn't know whether the old equipment worked, so I restarted the computer using an external drive with an old system on it. I found a driver for the keyboard online and installed it. Suddenly I had gone back in time. Everything worked perfectly. I wish I'd never upgraded my system. My computer and my own brain seem to work better using Mountain Lion. Once Apple stopped naming their operating systems after cats, everything began to go downhill.

I played the little keyboard for a while and was surprised that I still remembered quite a few chord progressions. I had a bit of trouble getting my left hand and right hand working together, but with a little practice I could probably play piano again. Unfortunately, I had to put the keyboard away and restart the computer under Sierra again. Spending time in the past may be pleasant, but I can only make money in the present.

If I had a ton of space and nothing better to do, I'd keep a separate computer running for each decade I've been using one. I really liked my original Osborne 1. I hauled the heavy sewing machine shaped machine to user groups once a month where I would trade software on floppy disks with other geeks. Affordable hard drives hadn't even been invented yet. I got my first Macintosh in 1984 and have owned at least eight Macs since then. I edited video on machines that would be considered dinosaurs today. Everything worked though and I never missed a deadline. I miss those days.

Janet fixed chili tonight. A bowl of chili has always been our go-to meal on really cold days. As tasty as the chili was, I hope it is warmer tomorrow. I've had to plug in the little ceramic heater to keep the office warm and I'm wearing a sweater as I write. I'm not looking forward to going out in the middle of the night with Dash tonight. I wouldn't be surprised to see snow.

I was going to get a birthday card for my Luddite sister and I discovered that the Hallmark store in our neighborhood had gone out of business. I think the store has been gone for a while, but I don't buy cards very often. This isn't really a sign of the apocalypse, but it is discouraging that greeting cards are a thing of the past. I guess everybody just clicks the birthday button on Facebook now.

Molly is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3025

Today started out well. It wasn't raining when I woke up. I had a tasty frittata for breakfast. Dash seemed relatively normal and took a decent walk. I even found time to go to the storage warehouse and retrieve a few rugs that could be place near Dash's food and water bowls to keep him from slipping. The last thing on my list was to go to the AT&T store and look at an iPhone SE, but the salesperson told me that the phone had already been discontinued.

This didn't seem right, especially since the Apple website still said the phone was a current model. I fed Dash a light lunch and then headed back to the same Apple store I visited yesterday. Since I'd already decided to replace my current phone with this inexpensive model, I didn't want to see it discontinued right in front of my eyes. I probably would have waited to get the phone if the AT&T folks hadn't got me worried. To save a further trip back to this store, I got the phone and decided to install the SIM card at home and activate the phone myself.

As you might expect, this process took the rest of the day. I slowly and methodically transferred my files and looked up passwords I'd forgotten. Somehow, my watch became unpaired and I had to reinstall the watch software. That took a while. I lost today's steps on my fitness tracker and some of my photos didn't transfer, but as software updates go, it wasn't all that bad.

As the day progressed, the sky got darker and darker. Dash also started to become unsteady on his feet again. I strategically placed the rugs I'd brought home, but Dash never seemed to stand on them the way I'd imagined. I may have to go back to the storage warehouse and get some more rugs. Even though Dash looked a little unsteady, he still seemed hungry, so around 3:30 PM I fed him part of his dinner. This probably was a mistake. Less than an hour later, Dash became frantic, went outside and ate grass, and then threw up. This was unexpected. Usually, after finishing a course of the Cerenia pills, he is able to hold down his food for almost a month.

I hate to give Dash more Cerenia so soon, but if he throws up again we probably have no choice. For the moment, Dash seems normal again. We delayed his evening pills a bit to ensure he was able to hold down food. I really don't know what to do at this point. Dash continues to bounce back after each episode, but he's never quite a strong as he was before. He seems to take two steps forward and three steps back. We have another major evaluation scheduled at the cancer center next week, but I'm not sure the vet will be able to offer us much help.

The thunderstorm I was expecting last night finally arrived toward dinner time. I think people living to the North of us got the worst of the storm, but we still got some wind and rain. I need to remember to move some living room furniture and bring the bucket in before I go to bed tonight, just in case the leak reappears. I don't think we got enough rain to cause roof problems, but you never know.

It's been a hectic day. All is well though. Dash is calm and took his evening pills without incident. I wish I could convince him to sleep on the floor, because it's becoming harder and harder for him to climb on the bed. Even the special step we installed doesn't help much. So far, my new phone seems exactly like my old phone. The SE is supposed to be much faster, able to run the latest software, and can take better pictures, but I can't tell any difference.

I've almost given up on getting a good night's sleep, but maybe I'll get lucky tonight. Dash needs to rest and so do I.

Paxton is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3024

Dash seems stable enough now to leave alone for a while, so it seemed like a good time to get a haircut. My hair isn't as thick as it used to be, but it still seems to grow pretty fast. Haircuts are the only time I go to the mall these days. Every time I visit, I notice that stores have disappeared. A lot of the high end watch boutiques are gone. So is the Pirch store. I never had the money to buy anything in these expensive stores, but they were fun to visit. Every big name clothing designer still has a store these days, but very few of these ritzy boutiques seem to have any customers. They're empty most of the time. How do they stay in business?

I wonder about these things while I'm having my hair cut, but the stylist and I mostly just talk about our pets. She has cats and I have dogs. The common bond is that we both prefer animals to people. Actually, just about everybody I know prefers animals to people. When you look at how people behave, how could you think otherwise?

I stopped at the Apple Store after my haircut and looked at phones. I played around with the iPhone X for a while and really wished it had a home button. It seemed too big to fit comfortably in my pocket as well. Maybe I'd better buy an iPhone SE before Apple discontinues this sensibly sized model. It doesn't have a fancy camera like the iPhone X, but it's still twice as fast as my current phone.

Dash was still sleeping when I got home. He really sleeps a lot now. This is one of the reasons I think it is so important to continue our walks. If Dash stops moving, his muscles are going to atrophy very quickly. The vestibular disease and a bulging disc in his spine have already made his rear legs very weak. He doesn't need the Help Em Up Harness yet, but I'm going to have to bring some rugs home from the storage warehouse this weekend. We're starting to have mobility issues. Dash seems much steadier on the carpet. The bricks are becoming treacherous.

The stock market had another good day, but it didn't leave me feeling all that comfortable. The analysts say that extreme volatility is the new normal. Volatility will never seem normal to me. I long for a world where the pace is slower and most things are predictable. I don't think that's where we're headed, unfortunately. The future is going to be more like a Mad Max movie than Leave it to Beaver.

They say there will be thunderstorms tomorrow. I hope the forecast is wrong. I haven't been able to patch the leak in the roof yet. Actually, I haven't even been able to find the leak. I haven't been able to find the roofer either. A short rain shouldn't be a problem, but if we get a soaker there is going to be water on the living room floor again. Oh, well. I did buy a new bucket.

We'll see how tomorrow goes. If it doesn't rain and Dash eats his breakfast, we're off to a good start.

Angel is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3023

Dash is finally starting to stabilize. He's still weak, but his eyes are bright and he's showing an interest in his surroundings again. It's weird how vestibular disease works. Even severe episodes seem to subside over time. I'm sorry that Dash has to go through all this, but it would be much worse if lost his ability to bounce back.

We took it easy today while gently trying to reestablish some of our regular routines. Dash is still eating boiled chicken breasts, but his appetite is improving. We were even able to take a walk this morning. Our progress was slow, but I could tell that Dash enjoyed being outdoors again. He wasn't panting or in any kind of distress, so I was happy to let him inch along, smelling every bush along the way.

After I finished my breakfast, I picked up some more Cerenia at the vet so we'd be ready for the next vestibular episode. A four day course of this anti-nausea drug really seems to help combat the vertigo and unsteadiness associated with vestibular disease. I wish there was something I could do about the weakness in his rear legs. That's a symptom that doesn't seem to be going away.

While I was out this morning I picked up my tax documents at the accountant and signed my return. I don't know why I bother to keep all these documents. I've got decades of files in the storage warehouse that I know I'll never need again. Even if I did need them, I probably couldn't find them.

I'm still eating Easter leftovers for dinner. Even though the ham wasn't too salty, I'm starting to feel like I've reached my yearly quota of salt. I've been watching my salt intake for years now and I don't have much of a tolerance for the stuff anymore. I wish that food wouldn't go bad in the refrigerator. A couple of slices of ham every month wouldn't hurt anything. I'm pushing my luck though eating it every day.

I don't understand the stock market at all anymore. This morning everyone was in a panic about tariffs. By mid afternoon, the crisis was forgotten. Oops. Never mind. Nothing had changed, but that didn't prevent a 700 point swing during the day. All this insane volatility makes me want to go out and buy something tangible that I can hold in my hand. Maybe I should get that iPhone after all.

Two of our friends in the neighborhood lost their dog to meningitis recently. I know how they feel, but I don't really know how to express it. I've felt this way ever since we lost Dot. It's so terribly sad to lose a pet after you've done everything you possibly can to save them. You just feel helpless. Enjoy every day you have with your pet. They aren't with us nearly long enough. Rest in peace Bizzy. Everybody loved you.

Dottie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3022

Dash was very weak today. Sometimes all he needs is a good night's rest after a bad vestibular episode, but this morning he seemed worse than yesterday. He still seemed disoriented and often had trouble standing on the slick brick floors. There were several times today when I debated whether to take him to the emergency vet, but I knew it wouldn't do any good. We've rushed Dash to the vet numerous times after a vestibular seizure and there was very little they could do. His initial seizure was so severe that he stayed in the ICU on fluids for four days, but subsequent seizures have been milder and the vet just took his vital signs and sent him home again. Traveling in the car is so stressful for Dash that I've decided that it is better to just ride out the small seizures at home.

If Dash doesn't have a fever, isn't panting or in distress, and is breathing normally when he is asleep, I can be fairly certain the the nausea and vertigo he is feeling will pass. Today I didn't feel this confident. In addition to the usually symptoms associated with vestibular disease, Dash seemed unusually weak. He could barely keep his head up. This weakness could mean that the blood clot in his heart was causing problems with his circulation again. The vets at the cancer center have already told me that unusual weakness could mean that his heart isn't pumping properly. Again, what could I do? Other than continuing to take blood thinners, there is absolutely nothing we can do about Dash's heart. Surgery isn't even an option. The combination of vestibular disease and a serious heart problem are kind of a double whammy.

Sitting with Dash and watching him twitch as he sleeps makes me sad. I wish there was more I could do. Dash's vet at the cancer center tells us we are already living on borrowed time, so keeping Dash calm and happy is probably the best treatment we've got left. We're learning to cope with the vestibular disease and are still hopeful the the blood thinners Dash is taking will eventually dissolve the clots in his heart. Something is working. Dash bounced back a little toward the end of the day. He ate about half of his dinner and Janet and I were able to take him on a short walk to the end of our street and back. He is sleeping peacefully now.

I discovered a cool app today that let's you instantly identify plants and animals by pointing your phone's camera at them. This would be great on my walks with Dash. I am always trying to identify birds and wondering what type of flower I'm looking at. I tried to download the app and I got a notice that I would have to upgrade to IOS 11.3 first. No can do. My phone is stuck on IOS 10.3 forever. That apparently is the end of the road for the iPhone 5. It seems stupid to buy an expensive new phone so you can use a free app, but that's how it goes these days. It's all about the software.

Maybe after I pay my accountant for doing my taxes, I'll still have enough money left over to get a new phone. Nah. That will never happen. There's never any left over money these days. For the time being, I'll just continue looking up wildflowers on Google. Some, like the Bluebonnets I saw today, are easy to identify.

I swept all the catkins off the roof today, so the water won't pond when it rains. I also found a suspicious area that might be the source of the leak in the living room. What I haven't been able to do is convince the roofer that my leaky roof is more important than the other leaky roofs he's dealing with. I'll call him again, but I'm not a miracle worker.

I hope Dash is feeling better tomorrow. Today was a rough day.

Lexi is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3021

Dash has had a rough day. He threw up a third time in the middle of the night and then appeared disoriented when I took him outside to pee. He didn't have much of an appetite this morning, although he did eat enough to take his pills. There were no walks today. For most of the day, Dash slept under a blanket in my office. While he was sleeping, I noticed that the involuntary tremors he sometimes experiences had returned. There are so many possible causes for these tremors that nobody has been able to pin down the cause. I discovered on the Internet that there is even something called "White Dog Shaker Syndrome" where dogs with a white coat, including Dalmatians, are more prone to involuntary tremors than other colors. I doubt that this is Dash's problem, since the tremors are also commonly caused by neurological problems. I wish there was something I could do to control the shivering, but none of his vets seem to have an answer.

The shivering spells, like his occasional vomiting, do seem to go away. If these symptoms are caused by his vestibular disease, he's going to have to deal with them for the rest of his life. Since Dash wasn't feeling well, I kept a close eye on him today. It's not like there's anywhere I really wanted to go anyway. It was a grey, gloomy day. Eventually, the tremors stopped and Dash ate a little food. Hopefully, a day of rest helped him. We'll see if he sleeps better tonight. With my luck he'll probably be up all night since he slept most of the day.

My accountant called today and said my tax returns were finished. The good news was that I don't owe the IRS anything. The bad news is that the company made very little money in 2017. I would have rather have had the opposite result. It's better to make a lot of money and owe tax on it than to have your company slowly disappear under your nose. My accountant hinted that next year might be a good time to officially retire. I'm still hoping that I'll get some good web design jobs this year, but's that's not very likely.

I'm glad I haven't put my Winter clothes away yet. It was really cold today. I was hoping that the chilly weather would invigorate Dash and get him moving again, but he wasn't having any part of it. We stayed in the house all day, and for most of that time, Dash was resting under a warm blanket. When it's cold outside, it always feels cold inside as well. The inside temperature is almost always 75 degrees, but it never feels the same. Today 75 felt pretty chilly. On a warm day this temperature often feels hot.

I hope Dash feels better tomorrow. I miss our daily walks. I didn't come close to my usual 10,000 steps today. I guess I could have gone on a walk by myself, but Dash was so shaky that I didn't want to leave him alone. It was a slow day. In addition to watching my dog sleep, I made an appointment to get a haircut and thought about getting a new iPhone. The last thing I need is a new phone, but that's never stopped me before.

Miracle is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3020 - Easter

Janet and I have been watching old World War II bombers fly over our house for the past week, so we decided to go see them today. A traveling exhibit called Wings of Freedom was in Dallas this week which included some of the last remaining examples of legendary planes like the B-17, the B-24, and the P51 Mustang that are still in flying condition. You can even take rides in these planes although it is pretty expensive. I had no idea how a thirty minute flight could cost $450 until Janet and I climbed inside the B-17 parked on the runway and took a look inside. Good Lord. How do these things still fly? It might be pretty exciting to ride inside one of these ancient bombers, but bungee jumping seems safer. The planes looked huge on the outside but were claustrophobic inside. The B-17 only has room for 7 passengers and costs $4000 an hour to fly. No wonder rides are expensive. You have to always watch your step, because there are few areas where you can stand up and lots of sharp things to bang your head on. These bombers were state-of-the-art in the early 1940's, but seem primitive by today's standards. It's amazing how much the world has changed. I don't know if I'd have the nerve to fly in one of these things, but I have a lot of admiration for the men and women of my Dad's generation who did.

I was surprised at how cold it was this morning. I'm sure glad I fixed the furnace. Maybe it was a little premature to think that Spring was here to stay. Hey, at least we aren't getting snow like some parts of the country. The cooler weather didn't deter the hordes of people who descend on the park every Easter. People were already staking out their territories when we took Dash on his sunrise walk. Later in the day the place looked like a rock concert. I don't know where these people come from, but they sure don't believe in picking up their trash. Every year, the park is a disaster on the day after Easter. Lots of garbage get blown away by the wind and never gets picked up. The rest sits around for weeks until the sanitation department finally gets around to removing it. For the next three weeks I'm going to have to watch carefully to make sure that Dash doesn't eat chicken bones or children's Easter candy. The stuff is everywhere.

It's a shame that Dash wasn't feeling great today, because Janet and I had a delicious Easter feast. We enjoyed a traditional meal of smoked ham, candied yams, green beans, corn on the cob, and spiced baked apples. Dash had an upset stomach and was reluctant to eat his favorite dog food. He must have experienced another vestibular event. Even though Dash seemed normal for much of the day, he ended up throwing up twice as evening approached. Hopefully, the worst is over now and he'll be able to hold down his evening meds. It's always important that he takes his phenobarbital.

It was enjoyable to get out of the house today. While we were at Love Field we stopped to visit the Frontiers of Flight museum. The museum is home to the Apollo VII capsule and they were getting ready for a fiftieth anniversary celebration of the launch later this year. Has it been that long? Jeez. I'm really getting old. I remember each of the Apollo launches quite vividly. There were a couple of World War II vets touring the B-17 with us. I imagine they felt even older.

It was nice having a holiday weekend, but it's back to normal tomorrow. I might even have to mow the grass.

Haley is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3019

When I went to the hardware store this morning to look for some screen wire to repair the back door, there were a whole bunch of people inside the store singing happy birthday to a chicken. This was the most interesting thing I saw today. It was a pretty uneventful day.

We must have run out of all the items we buy in bulk at the same time, because I sure had a lot of stuff to buy at Sam's Club. For once, I looked like everyone else in the store. When I got home it took forever to figure out where to store everything. We definitely have plenty of paper towels, trash bags, and bottled water now.

Dash's new Ultra-Paws boots are better than the ones I've been making myself. We tried them out this morning and not only did they stay securely on his feet, Dash seemed to walk completely normally while wearing them. I think we have a winner. We'll have to see how these new boots hold up to wear and tear. Dash can be pretty rough on his shoes.

Lately, Dash has been pretty rough on me. He gets me up every night at 3 AM to go outside and poop. Usually he gets me up at five AM again to poop a second time. I've been trying to get him to eat dry food again in hopes that he would return to his old schedule, but it's a losing battle. He doesn't like dry food anymore. It's weird that Dash is so confident that I will always be there to open the door for him. On the other hand, maybe he doesn't care. He's certainly not shy about pooping on the floor if I don't wake up in time.

Since the weather is nice, there are going to be a ton of people in the park tomorrow. This seems to be a favorite place to have Easter egg hunts. I wish kids still hunted for real eggs instead of plastic eggs filled with candy. Lots of eggs are never found. I've always had to keep a close eye on the dogs for weeks after Easter. I definitely don't want Dash eating a chocolate bunny, or any candy for that matter.  Dash isn't as quick as he used to be, but he's still pretty good at spotting a piece of stray Easter candy in the grass.

I was pleased to hear the furnace running normally when I woke up. So far, all my repairs are a success. The furnace is working, the toilet doesn't run anymore, and I haven't seen any ice build-up on the refrigerator yet. Even the fitness tracker I fixed yesterday hasn't fallen apart. There is still one huge problem. It's up above my head. The roof is something I can't fix myself. My next challenge is to get the roofers out here to make good on their promises. It won't be easy. If I can ever get the roof fixed, then I can final get around to fixing the sheetrock on the living room ceiling.

Tomorrow should be a relaxing day. The weather is nice. The gym is closed, so there's no need to exercise. With any luck, we'll be able to sleep in late. Last but not least, there will be a nice smoked ham in the oven for Easter dinner.

Smiley is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3018

The house was cold this morning when I woke up. The thermostat said the heat was on, but no air was blowing through the vents. Yep. On probably the last cool day of the year, the furnace broke. I was actually surprised that we made it through the winter with no problems. I looked at the furnace and the fault alert LED was blinking seven times. Hmm. I think I've seen this before. I unplugged the furnace and laid out my tools on the kitchen counter. When I returned from breakfast, I would have one more thing to fix.

Breakfast was actually pretty decent this morning. I gambled on Eggs Benedict and for once it was prepared correctly. I was surprised at how crowded the restaurant was today. I guess a lot of people had the day off. I picked up groceries after breakfast and the store was even more crowded than the restaurant. The deli section featured braised brisket, matzo-ball soup, kugel, and other Passover favorites. I still wanted an Easter ham, but I wasn't going to get it here. There is a great little store in our neighborhood that smokes their own meat.

When I returned home I disassembled the furnace to gain access to the flame sensor. I suspected that this was the problem. I've spent a fortune on furnace repairs over the years before a friendly technician took pity on me and showed me how to clean the flame sensor myself. If the flame sensor is not very clean, it will not send the signal to turn the main burners on after the pilot light ignites. Occasionally components break or wear out, but most furnace problems have something to do with the flame sensor. Sure enough, when I cleaned the sensor with fine grit sandpaper and reassembled everything, the furnace worked perfectly. Let's hope the air conditioner works as well, because we're going to be using it very soon.

Dash's new boots arrived today. Janet and I had been looking at this well known Dalmatian on Facebook wearing these fancy Ultra-Paws boots all winter and finally decided to try a pair ourselves. The boots were a little pricy, but they do seem to work. I can get them on myself and Dash doesn't seem to mind them at all. He's been test driving them all evening.

I think I've found a new use for Shoe Goo. After Superglue failed several times, I used the Shoe Goo to repair the silicon strap on my fitness tracker. I let the repair dry for 24 hours and so far it's been holding up pretty well. Ordinarily, I would have just bought a new fitness tracker, but the Jawbone company has gone out of business. I think my choices are Shoe Goo or nothing.

Dash got me up twice last night to go outside and poop. I try my best to get Dash to do his business before we all go to bed, but Dash just thinks I'm crazy. He's just not going to go before he's ready. Things were easier when Dash ate dry food and didn't take so many pills. I'm not sure what to do at this point, but naps during the day are certainly an option. I'm definitely not very busy anymore.

The roof is drying out, but there's an ugly rust colored stain in the sheetrock. I've left several messages for the roofer, but I'm sure he's got his hands full with bigger leaks than mine. I hope I don't have to go buy more of the messy elastomer material myself, but it may come to that. I'm always fixing something.

Sparky is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day