Day 3066

Dash has the weirdest eating habits imaginable. I feel like I'm feeding him little mini-meals every ten minutes. He never eats the same thing twice, but by the end of the day he has eaten just as much as he used to when he was younger. Janet thinks Dash always wanted to eat this way, but ate quickly because he was always afraid that Dot would grab his dinner. Dot would have too. Now Dash doesn't have any competition for food. He eats a little, then goes back to the bedroom and sleeps a little, then comes back and eats a little more. This is how we spend our day. It's all eating and sleeping around here.

Dash has been surprisingly good about walking while Janet is away. We walk right after we wake up in the morning, while it's still cool outside. It's a little hard to get his protective boots on, but we manage. Somebody needs to make a better boot sock for dogs. The boots aren't waterproof and when the grass is wet the moisture causes the socks to come loose and bunch up in the bottom of the boot. Today the entire boot came off before we had gone 500 yards. I was able to get the boot back on again, but I still need to come up with a better solution. Dash is becoming an expert at losing his shoes.

I was going to call the roofers again today, but I was glad I didn't. I just noticed that there are thunderstorms in the forecast for next Monday. There's no sense being a pest if it's just going to rain anyway. I wonder what it's going to take to get an entire week without rain? That's what I really need. Of course, all the roofer's other customers probably want exactly the same thing. Fickle weather is one of the main reason that it's hard to pin a roofer down.

I think I'm going to have to call an electrician. The security lamp in the back yard isn't coming on automatically at sunset anymore. The sensor is probably just covered with spiderwebs again, but I don't want to climb up on the pole and clean them off. The lamp is mounted dangerously close to where the electricity comes into the house. I'm clumsy and I definitely don't want to electrocute myself clearing away spiderwebs. Too bad I've gotten hooked on having this lamp working normally. Without it, I can never see where Dash is pooping at night.

I'm hooked on too many things I never thought I needed. It's looks like I'm going to have to get a new fitness tracker because my attempts to repair the silicon band on my Jawbone tracker have been abysmal. I wish I could get my money back on the special silicon glue I ordered. It doesn't work at all. I've been reading reviews about other trackers and nobody seems to be happy with theirs. Either the heart rate monitor is too slow, or the gadget doesn't count the correct number of steps. Some people say their tracker still counts steps while they are sleeping. Others, like me, use two different trackers and can never figure out why they don't agree. I really like my UP3 tracker. Too bad the build quality is terrible and they only last about six months.

I remembered to take the trash out to the curb this evening. I've got lots of reminders so I'll remember to give Dash his pills in the morning. I'm not sure I'll go out to breakfast though. Breakfast isn't as appealing as it used to be. Maybe I should start eating little mini-meals too.

Susie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3065

I voted today. I don't always vote in primary elections, but I took this opportunity to vote against the candidates who irritated me the most with their incessant robocalls and spammy brochures. I still don't understand why politicians of the same party spend so much time trashing each other in primary elections. Both parties do this. All it does is leave voters trusting nobody when it's time for the general election.

Dash is still getting used to our new schedule. I was pleasantly surprised that he stayed still enough for me to put his leg brace and boots on by myself this morning. He was actually eager to go on his morning walk. Unfortunately, he wasn't so eager to take his pills and eat breakfast when we got home. This was equally surprising because usually a nice walk will give Dash an appetite. I had to experiment to find something he would take his pills in, but eventually we succeeded. He didn't seem very hungry this morning, but eventually he finished his breakfast around 11 AM.

It looks like we're going to have clear skies for the next week. There is no rain in the forecast at all. Now, all I've got to do is get the roofers to come back and finish the job before the next thunderstorm arrives. I tried to contact the foreman and schedule something but I kept getting a message saying "mailbox full" and the call would hang up. It's like pulling teeth to get these repairs completed. I feel certain that when the roofers eventually do return, it will rain the next day.

I went to the grocery store this morning to buy some more Chicken Tenders. When everything else fails, Dash will still usually eat Chicken Tenders. He'd probably like a bucket of KFC too, but I've got to draw the line somewhere. The store was out of Chicken Tenders, so I got some Steak Fingers instead. They might not taste the same, but they certainly look the same.

The temperature was in the 90's this afternoon. I didn't even try to take Dash on an evening walk. He just can't handle the heat anymore. As the temperature warmed up, I could tell he was reluctant to even go out in the back yard and pee. Thank goodness it is still cool around sunrise. We need a cool morning breeze or we won't be able to walk at all.

I set the DVR to record tonight's episode of The Expanse. I might as well just watch the show live. There isn't much else to do this evening. We've still got to take our evening pills. I'll do fine with mine, but I'm not so sure about Dash. He certainly wasn't very enthusiastic this morning.

Liberty is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3064

Dash and I have a new schedule for a little while. Janet is traveling and I need to remember to do all the things she usually does. Janet usually prepares Dash's meals and gives him his pills. The meals are a guessing game, since you never know what he's willing to eat on any given day. No matter what his mood is, he always has to eat something early in the morning, because he can't take his phenobarbital on an empty stomach. Dash used to take his pills in a dog food meat ball, but now we have to resort to more exotic temptations. Today, I hid the pills in soft slices of banana bread with a little peanut butter on top. This worked pretty well. Meals are just as challenging. I opened three different cans this evening before I found something he would eat. When a dog turns up his nose at fresh chicken breasts, you know you are getting desperate.

Luckily, we were able to give Dash a good walk early this morning before Janet left for the airport. I knew I would have trouble with the afternoon walk, and even though I tried, we didn't even make it out of the back yard. Dash turned around and threw off one of his rubber boots before we even reached the back gate. When I got the boot back on again, he refused to move at all. Hopefully, he will still walk with me in the mornings. Morning walks are an essential part of the feeding routine. Without a walk, he rarely has much of an appetite.

It's not normal for a Dalmatian to lose interest in food. Something is definitely wrong, but so far his veterinarians have not been able to pin down a cause. We've done every type of test imaginable and so far the only plausible cause for this loss of appetite is the nausea that is commonly associated with vestibular disease. So far, we've always been able to get Dash to eat something, but it's getting harder and harder.

I think I got lucky with the roof. The rain that was supposed to arrive today never materialized. The area the roofers patched yesterday has had a full 24 hours to cure, so I think the elastomer coating is stable now. We may still get some rain later tonight, but if the roof stays dry, my next job is to get the roofers back to finish the rest of the repairs.

I paid some bills this afternoon and picked up the new antibiotic that is supposed to cure the infected area on Dash's lip. Hopefully, this pill won't interact with any of the other pills he's already taking. Dash takes so many meds now that it gets complicated. I always hope that we'll be able to reduce the number of pills at some point, but that's probably being realistic. Dash hasn't had an epileptic seizure in year, but he will always need to take phenobarbital to prevent them from reoccurring. Even though the blood clot in his heart has seemingly dissolved, he will need to continue taking Plavix to keep new clots from forming. The list goes on and on. He has to take thyroid medication because he doesn't have a thyroid anymore and he takes blood pressure medication for the same reason I do.

I think we're going to go to bed early tonight. Why not? We've both finished our dinners. Dash has taken all his evening meds. And I'm almost finished with tonight's blog post. We're probably going to need a good night's rest. Tomorrow might be challenging.

Sadie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3063

We're making progress. The roofers came out today and fixed the area above where water has been leaking into the living room. I reluctantly agreed with them that it wouldn't be wise to repair the entire roof, since there is a 40% chance of rain tomorrow. It probably wasn't even wise to repair the small section above the living room, but it's so hard to get the roofers to come out here that I figured that something was better than nothing. The elastomer material needs 24 hours to fully cure. According to the current forecast, it will probably rain in 16 hours. The roofers said this was OK, but we'll have to see. If it rains really hard, today's patch might just wash away.

I was pleased that the roofers made a firm promise to return and fix the rest of the roof. Lord knows how long this will take, but they've always kept their word in the past. It would be nice if by the end of the Summer, all the house problems that are currently plaguing me are solved. Old houses are relentless taskmasters unfortunately. As soon as today's problems are solved, new ones will crop up to replace them.

Dash's vet is going to prescribe a new antibiotic to see if we can clear up the infection on his lip. I think we tried this before and it was only a temporary solution. Maybe this is a virus instead of a bacteria. I sure wish that Dash wasn't so interested in smelling things in the park. There are tons of animals that call this place home and not all of them are healthy. The main reason that Dash gets a Leptospirosis vaccination every year is that here are a lot of raccoons and rodents in the park that carry the disease. If you're listening Dash, please quit smelling other animals pee.

I've just about got everything set up to start taking distributions from my retirement account. I was hoping this day would never come, but this is what retirement accounts are for. Hopefully, I will be able to live comfortably for a long, long time, but you never know. I had to get a power of attorney and take over my Dad's affairs during his final years, so I have a realistic idea of what might happen. All it takes is one really serious illness to wipe almost anybody out. It was shocking for me to see how quickly medical bills can suck up all available resources. Medicare and supplemental insurance help a lot, but they don't even come close to paying for everything.

I wish Dash had a way of telling me what he wanted to eat. I picked the wrong can tonight and he refused to touch the stuff. Last night, this was his favorite. Even the fresh boiled chicken breasts he gets for breakfast aren't a sure thing anymore. He didn't finish his breakfast until almost 11 AM this morning. We still think it's the vestibular disease that's making Dash such a picky eater. It could be something else though. All I know is that it's getting harder and harder to feed him. Dash has a birthday coming soon. I hope we can find something he likes for his birthday meal. If I asked Dash, he would probably choose a cheeseburger.

Lady is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3062 - Mother's Day

My Mom was younger than I am when she died. I never thought she died young at the time, but I sure do now. I wonder what she'd think if she'd lived to see today's world. She'd probably be excited. Mom was always an optimist. I ended up more like my Dad, but I appreciate Mom's influence. Thanks to her, I can usually see both sides to an issue.

My parents have been gone so long that many memories are starting to fade. I can't remember any specific advice that Mom gave me while growing up. She was honest and kind though, and overcame many adversities. I can't really imagine a better role model.

I doubt that I'm a role model to anyone. I never had children and never wanted them. Instead of sharing my values with the next generation, I just wanted to avoid children at all costs. Maybe that's why I've always been more comfortable around dogs. If there was a holiday for pet parents, I wonder if Dash would remember. I've done a lot of things wrong in my life, but I think I've always been good to our dogs.

Dash got me up in the middle of the night again. I thought his schedule had become a little more regular in recent weeks, but he is full of surprises. The latest surprise is that he can't seem to keep his boots on anymore. He's lost a boot on his walks for the last three days in a row. I've had a lot of trouble putting the boots back on while we are walking. I have a feeling that Dash is dragging his feet more and this is pulling the boots off. I'm really going to have to come up with a solution, because his paws need protection. We found a tick on Dash yesterday too. There are just way too many things that could cause this dog to bleed.

The gym was empty again today. I wonder if I'm ever going to find time to go more than once a week? Sunday's work great because Janet can stay home with Dash. I really hate to leave him for any length of time. Who knows when he's going to have another seizure or fall and be unable to get up? The older and more frail Dash becomes, the more I worry.

Now, I'm fretting about the roof again. I thought next week was going to be perfect for repairs. As recently as yesterday there was nothing but clear skies in the forecast. Now, they say there's a thunderstorm that's going to be arriving on Tuesday. Jeez. Getting the roofers to come out at all is hard enough. Getting them coordinated with the weather is impossible.

One way or another everything will get done. The roof will eventually get fixed. The trees will get trimmed. Dash will take his pills and eat his dinner. Maybe I'll even get some sleep.

Haley is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3061

Lots of errands today. I had to get new halogen bulbs for the living room lamps. These little bulbs cost ten dollars each and I'm lucky if they last a month. It's ridiculous. Why doesn't anyone make a really bright LED bulb with a candelabra base? I couldn't be the only person who uses these type of floor lamps.

Next on the list was something to relieve the itching from chigger bites. I seem to get bit every time I walk Dash now. There used to be a product called Chigarid that worked pretty well, but you can't find it anymore. I use clear nail polish now. Chigger bites itch a lot worse than mosquito bites, but at least you can't catch Lyme Disease from a chigger.  I can tell that Summer is on the way. The bugs are biting and the seasonal allergies are terrible. I kept sneezing and my eyes were watering all day long.

I needed coffee pods today. Coffee pods are almost as overpriced as halogen light bulbs. I could save a lot of money on coffee if I went back to buying beans and grinding them myself. Sadly, I've become hooked on the single serve pods. It's so convenient to make coffee this way that it's worth the extra expense. You don't even have to clean the coffee maker if you always fill it with distilled water. I've seen ads trying to make me feel guilty about using coffee pods. I don't really understand these ads. Plastic containers can be recycled 7 to 9 times to make more plastic. The reason this plastic winds up in the ocean is that too many people don't even bother to reuse it. So there you have it. I want to be lazy and use the pods, but I don't want other people to be lazy and throw them away.

We gave Dash a Rimadyl last night, but it was hard to tell if it is working. He had a lot of energy this morning, but his rear legs are still very weak. Dash is having increasing trouble getting up and down and it often appears like he might be in pain. We'll try the Rimadyl until his next exam at the cancer center in June and then do new blood work to see if his liver enzymes have become elevated. I always worry that Rimadyl can cause liver or kidney damage. If we see anything abnormal in the lab work, we'll discontinue the drug.

It's weird that two of the most common drugs that vets give dogs for pain are in the news for having adverse effects on humans. Tramadol and Gabapentin are both getting a bad reputation for abuse and overdose problems. I wonder if dogs get addicted too. I never want a dog to be in pain, but there are so few problem free pain medications. I won't even take an Advil myself.

Jupiter is closer to earth right now than it's been in two years. I took a pair of binoculars out last night to look at the planet and it definitely appeared larger. I could see all four bright moons and was even able to detect a little cloud banding. If you have any interest in this sort of thing, you ought to go outside just before you go to bed and take a look at the planet. A month or two from now it won't be as bright or large in the night sky.

I'm pleased that the new manual focus app on my phone actually works. I can take pictures of flowers now without the camera always trying to focus on the grass behind them. I've never liked the way the iPhone's autofocus mechanism worked. Maybe I won't have to take a real camera with me on walks now.

I'm either gaining weight or the earth's gravity has increased. I'm definitely going to have to go to the gym tomorrow.

Dixie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3060

I felt old and tired today. Why? I mowed the grass and went up on the roof to inspect for damage again. I'm either going to need to buy a self propelled mower or hire a lawn care service. Pushing this mower up and down hills is becoming harder and harder. I noticed something strange today. Even though I did quite a bit of walking mowing the grass, my fitness tracker didn't record any steps. I guess you have to be moving your arms for the step counter to work. When you're pushing a lawn mower your arms are extended straight out in front of you, holding on to the handle. I feel cheated. There should have been a lot more steps today.

Dash's boot fell off again this morning. He got alarmed at a dog up ahead and tried to turn around quickly. Unfortunately, his rear legs didn't leave the ground when he made this move and the boot twisted off. Once again, I couldn't get the boot back on again my myself and we had to finish the walk without it. Even though we didn't walk far, there was a raw spot on his paw when we returned. I've got to figure a way to get the boots on securely before we leave the house. I don't think there's another boot we could try. We're already using the most durable, best fitting boots out there.

I discovered more damaged areas on the roof this morning. Luckily, we haven't had any rain in a while and the roof was dry. I tried to contact the roofer again and this time I hit pay dirt. The roofer promised that his crew would be out at my house on Monday. I hope they can repair things correctly this time. I'm really getting tired of having to go up on the roof every week. I rarely use a ladder to get up on the roof. There is a decorative pattern of protruding bricks on one of the walls and I use these bricks to access the roof. Climbing up on the roof is almost like going to one of those indoor rock climbing centers. Like the heavy lawn mower, this is one more thing I'm getting way too old to mess with.

There was blood on the bedspread this morning. It didn't take long to discover that it was coming from Dash's mouth. He's had an infection on his lip that we've been treating with medicated pads our vet gave us. The medication doesn't appear to be working. When I looked at Dash's mouth this morning, the sore spot on his lip had gotten worse. We think this is a viral or bacterial infection that Dash picked up from spending so much time smelling things in the park. Mostly he smells where other dogs have peed. This is probably a good way to pick up an infection. Dash has more than enough wrong with him already, but I bet we're going to be adding an oral antibiotic to his list of daily meds.

I went back to the place where I had some tasty Eggs Benedict a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, the place has a new chef who decided to take liberties with the hollandaise sauce. Today's creation had something that could only be described as Mexican hollandaise. It was pink and very spicy. I didn't like it at all. Jeez. Why would you even think about messing with Eggs Benedict?

I watched Space X launch the new Block 5 version of the Falcon 9 this afternoon. At the end of these launch broadcasts, the on-camera presenter usually says something like "If you enjoyed this broadcast, come join us." Then there is always a web address for Space X career opportunities. If I were younger, I would definitely follow up on this. This is one of the few companies around that is actually doing something I believe in.

Dodger is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3059

My friend who owns the train store is already promoting my collection. I read the description on his website and my first thought was "Wow, I used to own this stuff." If I were younger, had a good job and lots of space, this is definitely something I'd be interested in buying. I hope the collection finds a good home. I think I was a discriminating collector. Some of the items are quite rare. I spent a lot of time finding these things.

That's all in the past now. I've just begun downsizing, but I'd really like to get to the point where the house is clean and tidy again and Janet and I can spend our time traveling instead of acquiring stuff. There is nothing wrong with collecting. I'm still a big fan of collecting. Learning a lot of trivia about anything broadens the mind. You should only embark on a collecting odyssey if it brings you joy and you've got a group of like minded people to share your obsession with. A collection without other people who appreciate it is nothing.

Dash has been sleeping all night for the past week. I can't figure out what has changed. He's eating the same things and there has been no real change in his behavior. I appreciate the extra sleep, but I know that things could change overnight. I don't really know if Dash's new sleeping pattern is a sign that he's better or worse. You go through a lot of changes as you grow older and some of them are hard to explain. I monitor Dash closely, but there's only so much I can do. I've been taking things one day at a time for a long, long time.

Our morning walks take over an hour now, even though we don't go very far. I don't mind. Dash enjoys being outdoors and I don't have anything to do anyway. Today was pretty typical. I ate breakfast, did a load of laundry and cleaned the toilets while Dash was taking a nap. I did end up watching the new episode of The Expanse that I recorded yesterday. I think I enjoyed binge watching Season 1 and Season 2 better. There's a formula for episodic TV. There's always a cliffhanger at the end of each show to make sure you tune in for the next week's episode. I'd rather watch the entire series at once. The cliffhangers don't make much sense if you've already forgotten them by the time the next show airs.

I picked up some more meds for Dash today. Janet usually gives Dash his pills, but when she travels, I need to make sure he takes them myself. The older he gets the more complicated this becomes. Dash won't take pills in a dog food meatball or pill pocket anymore. He has lost interest in banana bread too. Janet says peanut butter still works. Before she goes somewhere, Janet packages morning and evening meds in separate zip lock bags and labels each one with the day they are supposed to be given. This may seem like overkill, but I appreciate it. I am becoming forgetful. I forgot my own meds last night.

I made an appointment to get my oil changed and the soonest they could work me in was May 19. When I used to need this sort of thing they would just tell me to come on up anytime. Everything is way too hectic now. I also found out that my regular service adviser no longer works at the dealership. Jeez. Why does everything always have to keep changing.

One thing that never changes is my quest for the perfect breakfast every Friday. I still don't know where I'm going tomorrow, but hopefully I'll find something delicious on the menu.

Chief is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3058

I went to visit my watchmaker friend today. I don't bother to fix my own watches anymore, but I took four of Janet's with me that needed new batteries. I enjoy talking with the watchmaker. Like almost everyone I know, he used to be a client. We have similar interests and always end up talking about how much the world has changed. My friend is still very busy. There aren't a lot of good watch repairmen left anymore. Most of them have retired or died. I'm glad the watchmaker hasn't retired yet. He's the only guy left that I know who does this sort of thing. He tells me that if someone told him how much the watch industry was going to change thirty years ago, he would have chosen a different line of work. I can relate. I might have chosen a different line of work too if I knew how radically the world was going to change.

One of Janet's watches needed a new movement and crown, but I took the other three back with me. It's ironic that Janet is more interested in watches now than I am. She still likes to wear a nice watch to work. I lost interest quite a few years ago. I have so many watches that I just became overwhelmed with the upkeep. It's impossible to keep hundreds of watches running. I should have bought three really good watches that would hold their value instead of a ton of weird, eclectic watches with pretty dials. When I started collecting, I think I just liked getting things in the mail. I bought a ton of stuff on e-Bay from all over the world. I learned a lot, including how to bring old Bulova Accutrons and 1970's LED watches back to life. I actually managed to get quite a few of these dinosaurs running again before I lost interest. If you're just getting interested in watches, don't ever go buy a dozen old Accutrons, hoping they will take you back to the 1960's. Yesterday's state-of-the-art technology is today's albatross around your neck. Just go buy a Rolex. They may too conventional for some, but they are well made, hold their value and you can eventually give the watch to your grandchildren.

I finally contacted the landscaper today. He apologized for not returning my calls and said he could probably come out and get my yard looking decent again late next week. I feel like Sisyphus pushing the rock up the hill with this yard. Whatever I do, I know I'm going to have to do it all over again next year. It's still better to replace the grass than do nothing though. At least our yard will look nice through the Summer.

One of Dash's rubber booties fell off on our walk this morning and I couldn't get it back on again. Dash wanted to keep walking and definitely didn't want me near his rear paw. He even growled at me when I tried to put the boot back on again. This was troubling, because he really needs to wear the booties. His legs are weak and his rear paws turn under when he walks. Without the booties to protect him, it doesn't take long for the top of his paw to start to bleed. I'm not looking forward to getting Dash ready to walk when Janet goes on vacation. It takes two of us to get him suited up now.

There was a new episode of The Expanse tonight, but I didn't bother to watch it. It's more enjoyable to record the thing on the DVR and watch it during the day while Dash is taking a nap. This will give me something to do after breakfast tomorrow. I should just use the DVR for everything. You can fast forward through all the commercials. If I have the patience to wait for a series to come to Netflix or iTunes, that's even better. You have to pay, but the commercials are gone. I wouldn't even want to watch my own commercials anymore. Life should be commercial free.

The next thing on my to-do list is getting my oil changed. I just noticed that the sticker on my windshield said I should have changed it in January. I drive so seldom now that I never change the oil based on mileage. It would take me another year to meet the mileage requirements for my next oil change. Unfortunately, motor oil doesn't last forever. You have to change it eventually whether you drive or not. I end up fixing a lot of things whether I use them or not.

Spot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3057

I'm glad I only had one thing on my list today. Two things would have been too much. After walking Dash and eating breakfast I went to the bank to set up the new account I needed. If you ask me, I have too many accounts already, but apparently I need this new one to serve as a conduit from my IRA account to the operating account that I pay bills with. I was surprised at the number of people who wanted to "get to know" me. One guy told me that he'd watched me come and go for seventeen years and I'd never stopped and introduced myself. Sadly, this was probably true. I never talk to anyone at the bank. I just hope I don't get stuck in the slow line at the teller window and leave as soon as I've made my deposit. The bank is like the post office to me. I could easily make deposits using my phone these days, but I like to go in person. I'm a Luddite. It's hard for me to believe that anything is actually happening if I don't physically hand the postal clerk my letters or the bank teller my money.

It took a long time to get things set up the way I wanted, but I'm ready to go now. Even if I get dementia or go stark raving mad, my bills will still get paid. I saw how forgetful my Dad became as he got older. You need to get prepared while you've still got your wits about you. I definitely don't want my electricity cut off because I forgot to pay the electric bill. I'm going to gradually set up all my recurring bills to auto pay and quit writing checks. My plan seems pretty solid unless I become a nonagenarian and run out of money. I don't think that's going to happen though. My family is not noted for longevity.

I think we're going to have to consider pain management for Dash pretty soon. The signs are subtle, but he seems more uncomfortable than he did even a month or two ago. Gabapentin didn't work, so we may have to resort to Rimadyl. Rimadyl is very effective, but it has some nasty side effects including gastrointestinal bleeding and liver disease. Hopefully, Dash will continue responding well to the Movoflex supplements and we can postpone the harder drugs for a while. I think pain management is important. It doesn't matter whether it's your dog or your Dad. Nobody should live in pain. I hope we can continue Dash's daily walks as long as possible. When he is no longer mobile, he is going to go downhill rather quickly.

Peaches are back in season. I'm always glad when peaches are plentiful at the grocery store. My morning smoothies taste better when I add a peach to the usual strawberries and blueberries. A peach makes a pretty good dessert too. I wish I could get my diet as organized as I've got my finances. I'm convinced that if I were eating exactly the right things, I would enjoy every meal and still never have heartburn. I need to talk to a nutritionist who doesn't just want me to become a vegetarian. Eating pizza is a disaster, but I can often eat pasta and spaghetti without any problems. Vietnamese Pho doesn't give me problems, but similar Chinese dishes can keep me up all night. I eat earlier now and avoid acidic foods like tomatoes. The holy grail would be a meal that provides the satisfaction of barbecue with the health benefits of kale. I'm still looking.

The weather is perfect for putting in new grass and repairing the roof. Why am I having so much trouble contacting the roofer and the landscaper? They should both be out here now. Guess who I'll be calling tomorrow.

Daisy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3056

I've been thinking that it would be a good idea to start taking money out of my retirement account when I turn 70. I called my bank and my broker today to find out exactly how to do this, and as you might expect, it was more complicated than I had imagined. What I wanted to do apparently isn't possible, so now I've got to come up with a Plan B. I also learned that I am required to start taking money out of my IRA before the end of the year whether I want to or not. When I asked why, I was told that the government doesn't want you to die before they are able to tax your retirement savings. Heaven forbid that you might pass it on to your heirs as an inheritance and they wouldn't be able to tax it at all. Needless to say, I hate dealing with banks. Every year there seem to be more rules and regulations that benefit the bank more than they benefit me.

I've been fighting the urge to buy things I don't need. I think the model trains taught me a lesson. When I get the urge to buy something these days, I make myself answer a few questions. Do I really need this? Am I planning to use this within the next six months? Do I already have something exactly like this? So far, this discipline is working. I've had my eye on a couple of cameras and a really cool portable multi-track recorder, but I haven't bought anything. Other than a few odds and ends, I haven't bought anything this year.

I wish it were easier to keep the business going. Life would be simpler for me if I didn't have to think about retirement and I could keep writing off cameras as a business expense indefinitely. The only way I can think of to keep the business going without going to meetings and dealing with people would be to dramatically increase my earnings from stock photography. I would need to upload thousands and thousands of pictures and get them all accepted to make this happen. A daunting task to say the least. Nobody buys pictures of flowers and birds either. The few photos that do sell well in my stock photo catalog all tend to be traditional studio shots involving models and photo assistants. The holy grail of a passive income that requires no real effort on my part remains as illusive as ever.

I think I'm going to have to find a new landscaper. I've called the guy four times and he still hasn't returned my calls. I hate to start over. This guy was very affordable and did a good job. He also knew exactly what I needed because he's been replacing the grass in my backyard every Spring for quite a while now. Why do things have to keep changing? Once you find a really good plumber, insurance agent, or landscaper, you ought to be able to keep them for the rest of your life.

It looks like I'm going to have to add banking problems to the leaking roof, the grass in the backyard, the aging kitchen appliances, and other unresolved issues. At least Dash is still eating well and the train collection is gone.

Spot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3055

The trains are gone. My friend and I loaded box after box full of memories in his SUV and then he drove away. Admittedly, some of the memories are fading, but I enjoyed acquiring these things. Back in the day, my friend owned one of three train stores in Dallas and I was one of his best customers. Twenty-five years later, he owns one of the few remaining train stores in the entire country and I'm just a guy trying to downsize.

As I loaded the models onto a wheeled cart, I was surprised at how many I had. I'd totally forgotten about a lot of them. Actually, we couldn't fit everything into the car, but I made a sizable dent in the collection. My business must have been doing really well back them. I couldn't afford to buy this much useless stuff today. Actually, the models probably got me some business. I used to hang out at train stores a lot and met some interesting people. The owner of Cessna collected model trains. So did a lot of other rich old men. Most of these people are dead now. I don't know what people collect these days, but it certainly isn't trains.

I passed a classic car show in the park on my way to the storage warehouse. Back when I was collecting trains, I would have stopped at this car show. Old European sports cars were almost as interesting as trains. I drove a Citroën SM in those days. I thought my next car would be a Ferrari, but of course that never happened. Over time, my interest in cars, model trains, and even watches waned. I don't collect anything now.

Probably as my interest in dogs increased, my interest in other stuff decreased. I still like tools, however. That's something I share with my Dad. My Dad was surrounded by his tools until the day he died. If you're going to acquire something, you might as well make it a tool. Tools can be used to make a career. My tools of choice have always been cameras and recording equipment. Unlike model trains, these tools have always paid for themselves.

It was a beautiful day today. It's time to start wearing shorts again. Pretty soon it's going to be time to stay indoors. The furnace doesn't come on any more in the morning. I think another Texas Summer is on the way. I hope Dash can handle the heat this summer. He does fine on his morning walks, but he's already starting to get tired when it warms up in the afternoon. It's only going to get worse. We may have to scale back to one walk a day.

The gym was virtually empty when I went this morning. You have to be careful what you wish for. I enjoy going to the gym when it isn't crowded, but it's been so empty lately that I'm starting to worry that it might close. I don't want to look for a new gym. I like being surrounded by old familiar things. That's probably why it was so hard to get rid of the trains.

Patches is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3054

When I got up last night to take Dash out to pee, I noticed the moon centered between Mars and Saturn in the Eastern sky. The celestial display reminded me that the InSight Mars mission was launching from Vandenberg Air Force Base in less than an hour. I decided to stay up and watch the launch on NASA TV. Actually, I couldn't get back to sleep anyway. Just as I predicted, last night's pizza gave me a bad case of heartburn.

Seeing the rocket shrouded in fog just before liftoff reminded me of my own visit to Vandenberg Air Force Base several years ago. I could have applied to view this launch as well, but it wasn't in the cards. Dash is too fragile to take to a boarding kennel these days and I couldn't afford the trip anyway. Maybe someday. Being a space launch groupie seems to make as much sense in retirement as anything else I could think of.

When I looked at Mars this morning, it seemed amazing that someone could aim something so precisely at this tiny speck in the sky. I've always wanted to be involved in the space industry, but I was never good at math. It doesn't matter if you're Neil Armstrong or Steven Hawking, it's all about the math. I wish I understood orbital mechanics. I don't even understand why the moon seems to wander all over the sky.

Nice weather always puts me in a good mood. Even though I didn't get much sleep last night, I felt fine. I  definitely needed to stay in good spirits, because today was the day to go to the storage warehouse and get my collection organized. I sorted through box after box and was amazed at how much I had. I'd totally forgotten buying some of this stuff. I wish I had the foresight to collect something that the younger generation liked. Nobody collects model trains anymore. My friend says most of his customers are old men. I'm glad he knows where they are. I certainly couldn't find them.

My Dad was an accomplished wood carver and kept buying carving tools long after his Parkinson's Disease destroyed his dexterity. I think I finally realized the futility of collecting when I was dealing with his estate. There were boxes and boxes full of brand new tools that never got used. Hopefully, disposing of this initial collection of model trains will make it easier to do further downsizing in the future.

Dash had a lot of energy today. Maybe the Movoflex supplements we're giving him are working. At one point on his morning walk, he actually started to run. Running isn't a good idea for Dash. He's not very coordinated anymore and his back legs don't work as good as his front legs. When he feels like running, I run along beside him, holding on to the handle of his Ruffwear harness. I want him to enjoy himself, but I definitely don't want him to fall. Dash never runs far, but I'm glad he hasn't given up.

I haven't given up either. To the casual observer, it might appear like I've lost interest in everything. Not really. I've still got my curiosity.

Dolly is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3053

I was hoping that the weather would improve today, but I didn't get my wish. We got more rain. It was far too wet this morning to take Dash on a morning walk. I guess I could have gone out for breakfast, but it seemed too wet for that as well. I made myself a large bowl of oatmeal and listened to the rain on the roof as I drank my morning coffee.

It's easy to get cabin fever on days like this. Work doesn't keep me busy anymore. Daytime TV is terrible. And you can only do so much laundry. I wish I could go to sleep as easily as Dash. Since I was wide awake, I absentmindedly flipped back and forth between the news and business channels, looked at Facebook, and perused photo and electronics catalogs in search of new gear that would change my life.

Janet subscribes to Netflix, Hulu, and Acorn.tv, but I can't bring myself to watch a movie. There are thousands of books lining the walls of my office, but I can't bring myself to read a book either. The last book I really enjoyed was A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole. I'm sure there have been great books since then, but few have reached out to me. I think a lot of reading is instigated by recommendations from friends. Dash doesn't recommend many books.

I didn't feel like getting groceries today, but when the rain finally subsided late in the afternoon, I went out and picked up a pizza for dinner. There's a neighborhood pizza place that makes pretty good thin crust pizza. I'll probably have heartburn tonight, but who cares. On a rainy day when you can't find any motivation, sometimes a pizza is the only thing that will do.

It would have been a good day to go to the storage warehouse and organize the collection of trains. Like I've said before, I can talk myself out of virtually anything on a rainy day. I don't have any choice tomorrow. I've run out of time. I'll be glad when I put this chore behind me. It's depressing. I felt the same way when I had to sell my beloved Citroën SM. There are so many things that I was planning on dealing with later. Unfortunately, it's only a matter of time before "later" becomes now.

Dash finally did get a walk when Janet came home from work. I even saw a patch of blue sky just before sunset. Lets hope we get a few more weeks of mild Spring weather before Summer arrives. The only good thing about Summer is that my roof might finally get fixed.

Crosby is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3052

The first thing I did this morning was look at the weather radar. A line of storms was on the way, but it looked like I'd have enough time to walk Dash. I'm getting better at gauging how long our slow walks will take. This time we made it back home with several minutes to spare.

The sky was dark and ominous by the time I finished breakfast. I made sure the pump on the roof was working and then settled in for a long day of doing nothing. It's a blessing in disguise that Dash's hearing isn't so good anymore. He didn't even flinch when the thunder started. After Dash fell asleep, I watched the show I had recorded yesterday. Season Three of The Expanse was worth the wait, but I hate waiting an entire week for each new episode. No wonder binge watching on Netflix has become so popular. A TV drama series is a lot more like a movie when you can watch the whole season at once. I think I'll set the DVR to record the entire series. When I watch this on TV, I can fast forward through the ads. When I stream the same thing on my computer, you can't mess with the ads at all. You are forced to watch each and every one in it's entirety.

I wish I had more to watch today. There wasn't much to do when my show was over. I checked the mail, paid the bills that arrived, and waited for the rain to stop so I could take them to the post office. Dash didn't provide much incentive to be more ambitious. He spends an enormous amount of time sleeping these days. It's hard to even remember that Dash was once a high energy whirling dervish who always wanted to walk or go to the dog park. It's equally hard to remember that I used to have a lot more energy too.

It rained a lot today and I was worried that the roof was going to start leaking again. So far, so good. The living room is still dry. I think it's supposed to dry out tomorrow and be mostly sunny next week. Maybe I've dodged a bullet again. I'll sure be glad when the roofers come back to repair things.

As soon as the weather improves, I need to start boxing up my model trains at the storage warehouse. My heart isn't in this, but there's no point in leaving the collection in storage forever. My friend will find a new home for the collection and maybe I'll recover some of the money I've spent. I used to have a lot of these things proudly on display in my office. I ran out of space a long time ago though. Now, the office doesn't look much different than the storage warehouse.

I can't decide whether to go out for breakfast tomorrow. I can talk myself out of almost anything when the weather is bad. I've used up all the fresh fruit, so I couldn't make a smoothie, but there are still eggs. Maybe I'll make myself an omelet. Actually, a bowl of oatmeal sounds fine. So does staying in bed and sleeping till noon.

Milo is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3051

I'm trying to get organized. I spoke with the guy who is going to sell my model trains and made some final arrangements for him to pick up my collection. I finally contacted the right person and got a refund for the worthless broken activity tracker I ordered several weeks ago. I left another message for the landscaper. He's almost as hard to get hold of as the roofer. None of these things are all that important, but at least I felt like I was doing something.

Dash was really slow today. His energy level varies widely from day to day. It took well over an hour to complete our morning walk. When the dogs were healthy, we could complete this distance in less than thirty minutes. I let Dash take his time. He still enjoys smelling things and I don't have anything better to do with my time anyway. It's sad to see him slowly decline, but I think he's doing the best he can. Dash was a picky eater today as well. I don't think he was sick, but he was very lethargic.

I found a new app for my phone that lets me manually focus the camera. I've been looking for this feature since my very first iPhone. If a third party developer could figure out how to manually control the phone's camera, why hasn't Apple already done this? Probably a focus group told them that the selfie generation didn't care about manual focus and exposure control. Amazingly, the new app works like a charm. Maybe I'll finally be able to keep flowers without sharply defined edges in focus.

I've been waiting all day for the rain to start. It's still dry outside, but there are some ominous looking storms to the West of us. According to the forecast, it's supposed to rain all day tomorrow.
None of this would matter if the roof was in better shape. I've had roof problems for so long that it seems like the roof was always this way. Except for a brief period after the last new roof was installed, the roof probably always was a problem. Even a brand new flat roof can be a nightmare. My one piece of advice to new homeowners would be to never, ever buy a house with a flat roof.

There's a new episode of The Expanse on tonight. I'll probably just record it and watch it later. There is very little incentive to watch a show when it originally airs anymore. I wonder if anybody watches live TV these days? Even the news is easier to tolerate if you watch it later.

Another roof panel blew off the greenhouse this afternoon. Apparently, I'm not doing a very good job of reattaching these things. The slightest wind can knock something loose now. The greenhouse is so old that a lot of the nails holding things together have completely rusted away. I need to get a bid to repair things properly, but I already know that it will be more expensive that it's worth.

If it rains, Dash wont get a walk in the morning. I hope Dash is feeling better tomorrow. Rainy days are even worse when I spend them worrying about his heart.

Bogart is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3050

It took me forever to straighten out my bank account after all the changes that were made yesterday. I deducted all the fees and service charges and the account wouldn't balance. I added the minuscule amount of interest I earned each month and the account still wouldn't balance. I'm generally pretty good at keeping track of things, but something was missing. I finally discovered that the cost of my Part D prescription drug coverage had gone up a long time ago and nobody had told me.

This is why I hate automatic deposits and withdrawals. In my old fashioned world if I don't take a bill to the post office or a deposit to the bank, nothing has happened. I was frustrated enough today to finally throw in the towel and sign up for online banking, but I couldn't get Quickbooks to recognize my bank. The software was supposed to work, but it didn't. I suspect the problem was something I've encountered many times before. The bank was expecting me to be using Quickbooks Pro on a Windows PC and I was using a Mac. Jeez. When are Macintosh users going to get some respect?

I wish I could instill a sense of urgency in the roofers. They have told me several times that they will fix my problem, but they sure aren't in much of a hurry. I'm looking at the weather forecast and it's showing rain for the next four days. A four day rain is more than enough to start the roof leaking again above the living room. I've positioned the sump pump in the general vicinity of the leak, but I don't know if it will help. It all depends on the severity of the rain. All I can do at this point is hope that the weather forecast is wrong.

I'm beginning to realize that there is a flaw in the way my Luddite sister and I communicate. We've been writing letters for years, but never made a Plan B. Now that she's sick and doesn't write, I'm not really sure what is going on. It's kind of weird to deal with someone who isn't on the Internet, doesn't text, and rarely answers her phone. My grandparents would have known how to deal with this. I'm sure they would have just walked across the street. All their relatives lived in the same little town.

Dash won't chew his monthly heartworm pill anymore. It's hard to get him to take these large pills now, because you can't easily hide them in a pill pocket. You can't hide them in a piece of banana bread either. Luckily, peanut butter still seems to work. It takes quite a bit of peanut butter to hide a heartworm pill. Strangely, Dash will chew the new Movoflex pills he's started taking. I guess they taste better. Sentinel need to come up with a new flavor for their chewable tablets. Peanut butter would be a good place to start.

I've only got a few days to get my model train collection organized. I keep postponing the inevitable. I don't know why this is so hard to me. The trains have been sitting in the warehouse for years now. I'm never going to use them. It's kind of the end of an era to realize that my collecting days are over. It's time though. I definitely don't want my storage warehouse on that Storage Wars show someday.

Betsy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day