Day 3316

It's going to be a long Winter. It was warmer today, but the wind picked up again and I still felt cold. I packed some cotton balls between Dash's toes in an attempt to keep his paws from bleeding this morning but his socks and boots still got wet. My jacket was kind of damp when we returned as well. There is no way around it. Walking in the Winter is just messy.

There was lots of laundry to do this morning. Dash pooped in his dog bed while he was waiting for his breakfast. The dog bed cover was washable, but I had a hard time putting the bed back together after the cover was clean. The foam structure had gotten old and mushy and it was difficult to pull the cloth cover back over it without destroying the foam. Why isn't foam rubber more durable? I've had the foam inserts inside of camera cases become soft and sticky several times. I'll have to admit that putting the dog bed back together was easier than cleaning old sticky foam off of my Nikon cameras.

It was a slow day, but at least the banks and post office were open. I took a check from one of the auction houses to the bank and paid my January gas and electric bills at the post office. Just about broke even on these transactions. Oh, well. So much for getting rich selling art.

Dash was still shaky in the house today, but at least he got a lot of rest. He does a lot better after a long nap. I try to keep Dash moving while he's awake, because he slips and falls if he stands in one place for too long. Usually he will follow me around because he always thinks I am headed towards food. Actually, I am headed towards food quite often. What else is there to do on a cold rainy day.

So far, the rain we've been having for the past several days has just been periodic light showers. I don't think we've really put the roof repairs to the test yet. There is still room for optimism though. There have been no additional leaks so far. I'm not expecting miracles anymore. I'm just hoping that we can remain free of further leaks until warmer weather returns. I'd much rather put on a new roof in the Summer than in the Winter.

Sometimes I can't tell the difference between allergies and a cold. I've had a runny nose for weeks now, but there is no fever or sore throat. Do I have a cold? Who knows. It probably doesn't even matter. It is irritating to have to blow my nose every five minutes day in and day out, but if that's as bad as it gets I can live with it. I bet if we could get a week of sunny, warm weather I'd be fine again.

I don't expect tomorrow to be very different than today. Janet has plans, so we'll need to walk Dash a little earlier than usual. I have no plans, so when we return I'll slowly drink my morning smoothie while I contemplate the day ahead. There are lots of things I need to do but it it doubtful that I will do any of them.

Raider is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3315

I must have slept better last night because I didn't wake up when Dash pooped in the bed. Luckily, one of us usually wakes up when this happens. These nightly accidents aren't as much of a problem now because we always make sure there's a puppy pad under Dash's butt before we go to bed. We've almost used up the carton of training pads that were left over when Dot died. Pretty soon they're going to be back on the shopping list again.

It's still bitterly cold on our morning walk. Dash's paws have started bleeding again. The bleeding is minimal, but it shouldn't be happening at all. His rear paws are very well protected now. I wish his boots were waterproof. On damp mornings, all three layers of foot protection are wet when we return. Part of the problem is that Dash makes no effort whatsoever to avoid mud puddles. He just goes wherever the smells are the strongest.

The only thing more uneventful than a regular Monday is a holiday Monday. Part of my morning routine is waiting for the mail to arrive and listening to the market reports on the business channels. No mail today and the stock market was closed. I pretty much just drank my smoothie in silence, wondering how I could improve Dash's footwear.

With every passing day, I'm spending more time picking Dash up off the floor. He seldom falls hard. He'll just be standing somewhere with a vacant look on his face and slowly sink to the floor. I leave his harness on in the house now because the handle on the top makes it much easier to get him upright again. It still seems strange that our house has become treacherous for Dash. He still does fine when he is moving forward on our walks. I think the walks are good for him because he has less muscle atrophy than Dot did when her legs began to fail. Dash even has enough strength to walk up reasonably steep hills. It's just standing still that's becoming a problem. I kind of wish I could find a small ottoman or big pillow to place under his belly while he was drinking from his water bowl. He drinks very slowly and usually starts sinking to the floor before he has quenched his thirst. If I could just find something appropriate to place under his belly to prop him up while he drinks, I wouldn't have to spend so much time holding up his rear legs.

Everyone must have been looking at the moon last night. My Facebook timeline was filled with pictures of the eclipse. Some of these pictures were great and others were terrible.You could tell how much people knew about astronomy by what they posted. Quite a few folks took a picture of the moon before the eclipse even started. Others used their phone and the moon was only a very bright dot. A lot of pictures were excellent though. Many were better than mine. Some of the best pictures were from folks I met at Vandenburg Air Force Base when I was there for the SMAP launch. I was glad to see that these people were still interested in space and astronomy several years later.

It's supposed to start raining again tonight. Tomorrow doesn't look good either. I'm tired of looking at the damaged sheetrock in the ceiling and wondering when the roof is going to start leaking again. Sooner or later it will. I don't want to replace the roof while it is raining every few days, but I think it's going to be a long wait until it's warm and dry again.

Molly is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3314

If you have trouble sleeping, it's just a matter of time before you eventually end up buying one of those My Pillows. The commercials are relentless. I can't turn on the TV anymore without seeing the My Pillow guy. Sooner or later you think "What have I got to lose," and you buy one. I wasn't looking for a pillow today, but ended up getting one when I saw it on sale. We'll see if it makes any difference. If I get even a single additional hour of sleep a night, it would be well worth the price. I'll have to say I'm a bit skeptical though. Shredded foam pillows aren't exactly rocket science. I think my parents used these type of pillows when I was a kid.

What I was really looking for today was a better way to waterproof the bed than the shower curtain we're currently using. I think I found that too. I ended up getting a tent footprint, which is a piece of waterproof fabric that campers put under their tent to protect the floor from damage. These footprints tended to be smaller than your typical tarp and fit nicely under Dash's blankets on the bed. Like my new pillow, we'll see how it works tonight.

Today was even colder than yesterday. There was no wind though, so it was reasonably pleasant to go outside. Yesterday's thirty mile per hour winds were pretty brutal. We still dressed very warmly today, but compared to yesterday, our morning walk was a piece of cake. Dash still does well on these walks, even though he's having increasing trouble walking around in the house. We keep bringing home more rugs, but I don't know if they're doing a lot of good. It's so easy for Dash to lose his balance and fall.

Sunday has turned into the busiest day of the week. Our walks tend to be longer on Sunday. I almost always go to the gym and then come home and vacuum the house. Sometimes I do other chores as well. My Fitbit loves days like these, but I find them tiring. I could clean the house or go to the gym any day, but old habits die hard. I still do things almost exactly the same as I did while I was working.

I was hoping to see the Saints and the Chiefs in the Superbowl but it wasn't meant to be. The Saints lost after officials clearly missed calling pass interference late in the game. The Chiefs basically lost when they didn't win the overtime coin toss. What does this prove? I guess it proves that life isn't fair.  These were both exciting, well played games, but I'm tired of seeing the Patriots in the Superbowl.

The lunar eclipse has started. It's a little cloudy, but the moon is clearly visible. The moon is so high in the sky that I don't see any dramatic photo opportunities. I'll take a few shots anyway. I'm sure I'll be asleep before the eclipse is over. The days when I'd sit in a lawn chair and watch things like this for hours at a time are long gone. It's way too cold outside and I've seen the moon before. It's always worth another look though. Just before I went to bed I went outside again and the sky had completely cleared. There it was in all its glory: the Super Blood Wolf Moon. Now I think I'll go try out my new pillow.

April is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3313

First it was the rain and now it is the wind. The weather is not my friend in the Winter. A cold front swept through town last night, bringing sustained thirty mile per hour winds along with it. The high winds continued for most of the night and blew the roof off the greenhouse again. The old greenhouse was built in 1955 and is pretty frail by now. It doesn't take much to bring it crashing down.

I've fixed the greenhouse roof before, but it's hardly worth the effort. When a stiff wind catches the edges of the translucent fiberglass roof panels, they just blow off again. Unfortunately, I couldn't ignore the roof panels all over the yard, so I got a hammer, some nails, and a ladder and put the dilapidated greenhouse back together again. It's anybody's guess which will last longer: my greenhouse repairs or the roofers efforts from last week.

It was so cold this morning that we all had to wear our warmest clothes. Getting Dash dressed on a cold morning is quite an effort. First we put on his sweater. Over that goes his Ruffwear harness. Then we attach the leg brace and put on a fitted bandage, a pair of socks, and the Ultra Paws boots on his rear paws. Since it was extra cold this morning, he also wore a hat to keep his ears warm.

If Dash didn't love his walks so much, we wouldn't go to this effort. I'd just as soon sleep in a little longer on cold mornings like this. Walks are still Dash's favorite part of the day. He is transformed from a dog who falls down every five minutes in the house to a dog who strides purposely through the wet grass in the park, smelling every bush and tree along the way. It's kind of amazing that he gains stability if he is moving forward. If he is standing still, his rear legs start to sink fairly quickly. I often have to hold him up now while he is eating or drinking water from his bowl. Even smelling things along the way can be hazardous. If he gets too interested in the scent of another dog who has peed on a tree, he will lose control of his rear legs and stumble.

My attempt to repair the greenhouse made me pretty late this morning, but I still had lots of errands to run. When I'm shopping on Saturday, I buy the same staples over and over again. It's amazing how much the price of things like paper towels, toilet paper, and laundry detergent have gone up over the years. How can people continue to say that inflation isn't a problem when the cost of many ordinary things has doubled?

The skies are starting to clear, so I might actually be able to see tomorrow's blood moon lunar eclipse.  I've tried to photograph these things before, but our yard doesn't provide a very scenic backdrop. A red blood moon always looks good when it is near the horizon in a national park. Not so much in my yard. I think the moon will be more or less directly overhead at totality, so a scenic backdrop probably doesn't even matter. I'm only going to be outside for a few minutes anyway. It's not worth getting cold just to see a red looking moon.

I go to the gym again tomorrow. I think putting the greenhouse back together this morning provided more of a workout than going to the gym ever does. Actually, just putting on Dash's winter clothes today was quite a workout.

Daisy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3312

I let Facebook pick the restaurant this morning. Maybe privacy is overrated. The food was delicious. I had Shrimp Grits with andouille sausage, peppers and leeks. All things considered, it was one of the best meals I've had in quite a while. I never would have known about this place if Facebook hadn't been snooping about my likes and dislikes. They've actually done a pretty decent job of helping me find a new pair of work boots and giving me a heads up about upcoming lunar eclipses and satellite launches.

I wish Facebook would fine tune their algorithm a bit more. With a bit of tweaking they may be able to find me the perfect restaurant. The only thing wrong with this morning's meal was that the place was crowded and a bit noisy. I guess that's to be expected when you're popular. I'm not used to popular. Most of the places I frequent for breakfast are half empty. I don't know how they stay in business.

I seldom see a lot of people together in the same place. Breakfast gave me an opportunity to see how society has changed. A lot more young people wear glasses now. Has staring at cell phones made people's eyes worse, or are contact lenses just out of fashion? I don't know. Apparently, nobody works on a fixed schedule anymore. I typically eat late and when I went to breakfast this morning, everybody should have been at work. The place was packed.  It was clear that most of these folks had a job. They just didn't work 9 to 5.

Some things were unexplainable. While I was waiting to be seated, I noticed that the woman ahead of me was wearing Louboutin stilettos at nine in the morning. A guy at a table next to me pulled a Ziploc bag full of credit cards out of his pocket when he was ready to pay his bill. Are plastic bag wallets a thing now? I'm clearly too old to know. Even though this new restaurant was a bit too trendy for my taste, I'm sure I'll be back. There were too many things on the menu that I'd like to try.

It was supposed to rain today but it never did. The forecast kept changing by the hour. Something is clearly happening. The wind has picked up and the temperature is supposed to be below freezing tomorrow. Hey, I'll take what I can get. I don't like the cold but if I've got to endure freezing weather I prefer that it be dry.

One of Dash's paws was bleeding a bit when we returned from our morning walk. It looked a nail was scraping against the adjacent skin. It's about time for a nail trim again. I'm trying to learn to do this myself while Dash is asleep. In theory this sounds like a good idea, but I can usually one clip a single nail before Dash wakes up. I've got a good pair of clippers, but so far I've only been trimming a tiny bit off each nail. Maybe if I get better at this, we can avoid the trauma of going to the vet for a nail trim. I'm also trying to rinse Dash's mouth with Dentahex while he's asleep. Dash hates the oral rinse but it's necessary to keep his Periodontal Disease from getting worse. Since Dash is no longer a candidate for anesthesia, it's been really hard to keep his teeth clean and his gums healthy.

All in all it's been a good day. I did something new. It didn't rain. And nothing terrible happened. I hope it stays dry this weekend. I've got a ton of errands to run tomorrow and there's a total lunar eclipse on Sunday. We'll see how it goes.

Dovey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3311

Every once in a while I look at posts from previous years. Apparently not much changes on January 17. It's usually cold and rainy. I've either just gotten or am about to get a haircut. Maybe the dogs were healthy at some point, but not in recent years. It was obvious from a quick glance at my past that Dot and Dash have been sick for a very long time. I wonder how long it's been since I was genuinely excited about something. I couldn't find anything. Read in sequential order, each day just seemed like I was living in an endless boot camp.

Hey, I'm always the one who says he loves consistency. I guess I shouldn't complain. Life has been consistent. Today was certainly a typical January day. It was cold and damp, but that didn't keep us from walking. Dash was even slower than usual because Janet had an appointment this morning and he had no one to follow. When we walk alone it often feels like we just walk in circles. Eventually, we made it home. Dash is forgetful now but he still remembers the way home.

Dash wasn't on a puppy pad when he pooped in the bed last night, so there was lots of laundry this morning. I wish he'd learn to sleep in the center of the bed. It would make life so much easier if he'd just stay on his protective bedding. Whatever we do, he always ends up right on the edge of his blanket. At least I've got cleanup down to a science. Janet and I have become quite efficient when an accident happens at night. Out with the soiled stuff. In with pre-positioned replacement bedding. And back to sleep we go. Oddly, it all seems normal now.

Actually, all the chaos in the world just seems normal now. It's hard to get alarmed when the same old shit keeps happening over and over again. Maybe I'll get used to stock market volatility someday. Political volatility is here to stay as well. If Trump eventually gets his wall, the next administration will just tear it down again. I see an endless series of eight year cycles where each incoming president is determined to erase the accomplishments of the previous one. Maybe China has the answer. Their plan seems to be totalitarian rule but still let people have nice stuff.

Lately I have been seeing a lot of ads for breakfast restaurants on my Facebook feed. This is odd. I talk a lot about breakfast on my blog, but I never post anything directly on Facebook. How do they know? All there is on my timeline is a daily link to my latest blog post. Does a Facebook robot follow each link and try to figure out your personality? I wouldn't doubt it. If they do figure something out, I wish they'd let me know. I  could use the information. Actually some of the restaurants that have been turning up in my feed look interesting. Maybe I'll go try one out tomorrow.

Hard to believe it's almost Friday again. The trash has been taken out to the curb. I'm getting a grocery list together for Saturday. Dash has already taken his evening meds. I should just look at last years post to see what I need to do tomorrow.

Chief is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3310

I try to leave myself plenty of time whenever I make an appointment. Let's face it, I'm slow and Dash is even slower. You'd think an appointment at noon wouldn't present a problem. Wrong. I actually got up early this morning, but by the time I'd walked Dash, made the bed, cleaned up dog poop on the living room floor, fixed breakfast, and taken a shower, I was already late.

I get my hair cut every couple of months. I've been going to the same stylist for decades and see no reason to change now. This periodic trip to the mall gives me an opportunity to see if the outside world has changed. It seldom does. There was a new Model 3 on display at the Tesla store and I noticed that a new KAWS Companion sculpture had been added to the Mall's art collection. Everything else was the same. I was surprised at how nice the low cost Tesla looked considering the bad press it has been getting. I'm always surprised at the popularity of Brian Donnelly's art. I guess I'm getting old. I don't understand the popularity of Banksy either.

I didn't linger at the Mall today. I skipped the usual window shopping at the Apple Store and watch boutiques. There is just no desire to buy stuff anymore. It was good to get a haircut though. I always feel better after a haircut. My hair is almost white now, but at least I still have hair. I'm looking more and more like my Dad every year.

I finished the day by paying a few bills and picking up a new supply of Plavix for Dash at the pharmacy on my way home from the post office. It seemed like a very busy day, but as usual I didn't get much done. Janet and I both wonder how we used to get so much done when we were younger. Now, just taking care of the bare necessities can eat up an entire day.

It was a little warmer today, but the weather is still damp and nasty. This type of weather must accentuate smells, because Dash spends even more time than usual smelling things on damp days. Smell is everything to him lately and he will frequently walk straight through muddy areas to get to a smell he likes. I've always got to have a spare set of footwear for him because his boots and socks usually need to go in the laundry after a walk. My own boots are usually muddy as well. Sometimes I feel like I spend half my day cleaning stuff. When Dash poops in the bed, I might spend the entire day.

After today's excursion, I see no need to leave the house tomorrow. The outside world just isn't that enticing. I still enjoy walking through the park, but I don't take many photos anymore. I have to concentrate on keeping Dash from falling. I didn't realize how good I had it when Dot and Dash were young and healthy. Walks were a joy back then. We walked a lot further, but it was relaxing. Relaxing isn't a word I use very often anymore.

Shelby is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3309

It's come to this. Dash can't remember where to pee anymore and I can't remember what day it is. When I let Dash outside to pee while I was fixing breakfast, he wandered around for a while and then came back inside after doing nothing. This is common with Dash, so I didn't think anything of it. Almost immediately after returning to the house he peed all over the floor. He kept walking while he was peeing, so there was a long wet trail of pee all over the place. Why would he do this? He had plenty of time to do his business outside. It took quite a while to clean up the mess. Actually, cleaning up poop is a lot easier.

At times like this I'm convinced that Dash is suffering from dementia. I may not be far behind him. I was getting ready to leave for my haircut today when I looked at my phone and realized that it was Tuesday. Hmm. My appointment is actually on Wednesday. Why did I think it was Tuesday yesterday? Usually Mondays are quite distinctive, as any working person can attest. Maybe the problem is that I'm not a working person anymore. All days seem the same.


No harm done. I'll still get a haircut and I'm sure that Dash will continue peeing wherever he pleases. The accident this morning reminded me that I needed to find a quieter way to protect the bed. The loud crackling sound the plastic shower curtain I bought makes is making it even harder than usual to get to sleep. I'm not quite ready to buy an expensive high tech nylon backpacking tarp from REI, so I thought I'd try a lighter, thinner shower curtain first. I found something very light and flexible, but Dash will probably destroy it. We'll give it a try tonight.

While I was out, I got another hundred pounds of rocks for the driveway. The first pile of rocks I got were actually pretty effective, so I thought that a few more would help smooth out some remaining low spots in the driveway. The river rocks are actually very attractive. Maybe I should keep buying rocks and resurface the entire driveway. I bet it would be a lot less expensive than asphalt. There is something satisfying about fixing things with rocks. A rock is about as low tech as you can get. Filling a hole with rocks is much simpler than repairing a French toilet or figuring out why my computer is running slow.

I've really got to watch Dash carefully now. He falls so frequently that I've got to plan ahead and make sure he is secure in a safe place before I leave him unattended. Today, I had to pen him in the bedroom while I took a shower. If he wakes up and I'm not nearby, he comes looking for me. There are lots of rugs in the kitchen but the bathroom tiles are off limits now. It's too easy to fall on the slippery surface.

There are no wildflowers in the park now. Hey, it's Winter. The flowers you've been seeing lately are just part of a sad little display of bedding plants at the Home Depot where I bought my pile of rocks. I guess I could have showed you a big puddle of pee on the floor today, but I still prefer a pretty theme picture. I'll be getting a haircut tomorrow, but I guess you know that already. I told you yesterday.

Betty is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3308

We tried using the new left side leg brace by itself today. Dash didn't approve. Even though both rear legs are weak, a brace on the left leg doesn't seem to provide any additional stability. The brace actually made it harder for Dash to walk, so we quickly took it off and went back to using the other brace made for his right leg. Dash probably hates all this experimenting, but we're really trying our best to make life better for him.

I was pleasantly surprised that I had no heartburn last night. I still can't figure out what the magic food groups are. Sometimes things that are mild give me heartburn and other times spicy things don't. We had a stuffed pork roast last night with mashed potatoes and root vegetables. I guess this is safer than chili, pizza, or spaghetti. Maybe my reflux problems have nothing to do with what I eat. I suspect they do though. Pizza always causes problems.

At least Dash's eating problems have vanished. He has a good appetite now and hasn't thrown up in months. I'm happy that we have one less thing to worry about, but I'm still not sure what happened. Nothing medically has changed. At some point we gave up on all the food that vets were recommending and Janet started cooking for Dash herself. He eats a cubed fresh chicken breast for breakfast and a mix of chicken, brown rice, and vegetables for dinner. He's even gaining a little weight again, which his doctors think is a good thing.

A roofer knocked on my door this morning and asked if I was having roof problems. How did he know? The guy came with no references and his business card said he specialized in installing gutters. Nope. I politely told him that I already had a roofer. The last thing I need are a bunch of random roofers knocking on my door. This happens occasionally after a big wind storm. Most of these roofers are worthless. I will need a new roof soon enough, but the person who gets the job will need good references. Even a great roofer is going to have problems with my roof.

I was supposed to receive a payment from one of the auction houses today, but it got delayed again. Auctions require a certain amount of patience. Nothing happens quickly. I started consigning things last Summer and we're still not done yet. So far, everything has sold though. That's a good thing even if there is a long wait.

I think the wait to get the house shipshape again is going to be endless. I've lost count of all the things that need to be fixed. Today I thought I'd clean the shower tiles to see if there were cracks that I'd overlooked. There were. If the tile guys had installed the shower pan properly in the first place I don't think I'd be having these problems. Water leaks into the shower pan from small cracks in the tiles, but it doesn't drain properly like it should. Water that finds it way into the shower pan should just go down the drain. Instead, it builds up in the pan and eventually starts flowing out of cracks where the shower walls meet the floor. Regrouting the tiles would be easy, but it won't prove anything unless the shower pan is fixed first. All my problems are like this. They're not as easy to fix as they might seem.

I've got an appointment to get a haircut tomorrow. Maybe this will be more exciting than cleaning shower tiles. Hopefully, the weather will be warmer. I'm still freezing.

Kasey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3307

It was hard for me to get up this morning. Once again I didn't get enough sleep. I'd stayed up too late late watching an old black and white Dr. Who episode and wondering which Doctor it was. If you were wondering too, it was Patrick Troughton and his companions were Jamie and Zoe. The show was eventually over, but a crinkling noise from the shower curtain I'd bought to protect the bed woke me up more than Dash did. He rarely gets up at night anymore. He just poops in the bed in his sleep. That's OK though. I always make sure that there's a puppy training pad placed under his butt. Whenever I wake up, which is often, I check to see if he's pooped and when necessary change the puppy pad for a fresh one.

I probably would have slept until ten this morning if Janet and Dash hadn't already been ready to walk. I quickly got dressed and off we went. It's still very cold. I'm surprised at how many joggers we see on days like this. They dress lightly, but seem to be enjoying themselves. I, on the other hand, dress like a polar explorer. I wear more layers than I used to, but I still can't stay warm.

Cold day always reminds me of a story I'd read as a kid called "A Pail of Air." The story was about the last four people on earth, who stayed alive after the earth got pulled out of its orbit by a passing dark star. They stayed alive by heating frozen air they scooped up in buckets and let it turn back into oxygen by placing it in front of a perpetual fire they could never let go out. How can I remember this old science fiction story sixty years later? It must have made an impression.

They keep the gym colder than I'd like, but about halfway through my workout I'm usually feeling fine. Maybe this is how those joggers feel. I probably just don't move around enough in the Winter. I'm too tired to move more. My Fitbit says I take between 10,000 and 15,000 steps a day. That's plenty for me.

I couldn't postpone vacuuming any longer because the floors were getting filthy. Most dogs are scared of vacuum cleaners but Dash likes to follow ours around. It never was a problem when he was younger, but now Dash can barely stand up and keeps getting tangled up in the cord and falling over. After extricating him a few times this afternoon, I finally had to pen him in another room until I finished cleaning.

Maybe that old Fritz Leiber science fiction story from 1951 stuck with me all these years because life has always been about survival to me. You do simple things over and over again to stay alive, to stay sane, and to keep moving forward. Hey, it's working. I'm still here. I don't get bored doing the same things at the gym every Sunday. I'm finally starting to understand how to shoot free throws. I don't get bored eating the same thing for breakfast over and over again. Actually I think I have perfected breakfast. I don't even get bored with writing about nothing every evening for thousands of days. Writing is good. It keeps you thinking.

Taylor is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3306

Winter is here. It was all about the weather today. The wind was blowing so hard that it felt much colder than it actually was. Even though there was no rain or snow, it still felt like we were headed toward the South Pole on our morning walk. I'm glad we don't live any further north. The weather reports from the middle of the country looked pretty grim today.

I think the roof survived yesterday's rain. No water entered the house. The pumps kept the water level reasonably low, but when I went up to inspect things after breakfast, there was still lots of water to sweep away. It seemed even colder up on the roof than it did on the ground. The roofers did a pretty good job of repairing and sealing the areas where water was coming inside, but I can already see other areas that are likely to deteriorate in the weeks and months ahead. I've pretty much resigned myself to climbing up on the roof and sweeping the water away every time it rains. I think that the best I can hope for is that the recent repairs will keep the house dry until early Spring when I can make a decision about completely replacing the roof.

Dash has already torn up the plastic sheet we use to protect the bed in case he pees on it again. I went to Home Depot to see if I could find a better solution and came home with a shower curtain. The plastic shower curtain is waterproof, easy to place on top of the bedspread before we go to bed, and inexpensive enough that we can just keep replacing it as needed. Dash only peed on the bed once, but I'm convinced that he'll do it again the first time I forget to place a protective covering under his blanket.

I'm listening to the Cowboys vs Rams playoff game as I write. The Cowboys better pick up the pace a bit in the second half. Early in the season I didn't even think that they'd make the playoffs. It's never over till it's over though. Wouldn't it be a surprise to see the Cowboys in the Superbowl again. Somehow, I don't think it's going to happen.

Dash is still stumbling a lot, but other than that, he seems like a happy dog. We tried putting a leg brace on both rear legs this morning but it was too much. Dash couldn't walk at all. Oh, well. Back to the drawing board. When we ordered the second brace for the left leg we were hoping that it would provide some additional stability. Unfortunately, it just made it harder for Dash to walk. Both legs are weak, so maybe we can alternate the left and right braces on different days. Dash walked fine when we went back to our old configuration. He likes the cold a lot better than I do.

Janet made chili tonight. A hot bowl of chili is the perfect meal for a cold Winter day. It reminded me that even though I'm freezing, it's been a pretty good day. The roof isn't leaking. Dash has been in a good mood. And it doesn't look like there is going to be any more rain for the next week. Hey, the Cowboys didn't win, but the chili was delicious.

Suzie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3305

Today was full of inconsistencies. When I returned from taking Dash on his morning walk, his breakfast wasn't in his bowl like it usually is. Hmm. Did he eat before I got up this morning? Was his regular bowl of chicken still in the refrigerator? I couldn't find it anywhere. I couldn't ask Dash and Janet was already gone. I didn't want to feed Dash twice, but he seemed hungry so I fed him some dry kibble that he usually likes. When Janet got home, I asked her about the breakfast. "Did you look in the microwave," she asked? Nope. Why would I look there? No harm was done. Dash ate his chicken for lunch. When I went to the hotel for breakfast, the regular chef wasn't there. The customers didn't seem normal either. Two ladies with diamond encrusted wristwatches at the next table were comparing their friends divorce settlements. Another couple nearby returned their meals without eating them. I knew what they were eating and there was nothing wrong with the food. I've ordered the same thing many times. Another customer wanted to specify exactly the type of fruit she was going to get in her fruit bowl. Evidently pineapples and bananas were unacceptable. Everyone seemed picky and extremely demanding today. The substitute chef undercooked my French Toast a bit but I would never return a meal. Mom taught me to eat what was put in front of me. That being said, I hope the regular chef returns. I like consistency.

There has been a light rain for most of the day, but so far there is no water in the house. This is a good sign, but we're not out of the woods yet. Sometimes it takes hours for the water to penetrate the roof and find its way inside. I've got buckets ready, but hopefully I won't need them tonight. Even if the roof survives this rain, it's going to be hard to ever trust it again. This thing is just a disaster waiting to happen.

The rain was intermittent today, so Dash got both his walks. I'm surprised that he still enjoys walking as much as he does. I'm providing a lot of support lately with a leash at both ends of his special harness. My function is similar to a spotter for a weightlifter. When I sense that Dash is starting to stumble, I keep him upright. Without this assistance, I doubt that he could walk very far.

I can't decide whether to leave the pumps on tonight. They do a good job of keeping the water level from getting too high on the roof, but if the rain stops and they run dry for very long, the motor burns out. I used to have a pump with a built-in sensor that would automatically turn the pump on and off when the water reached a specified level. I used this pump on another flat roofed home I owned for many years until it eventually wore out. Nobody makes this type of pump anymore. I've looked and looked. Not surprisingly, the old metal pump was made in the USA. The new ABS plastic pumps are all made in China.

I still can't bring myself to wear my new work boots. This is getting ridiculous. I wore them around the house for a while today to make sure I'd gotten the right size. They aren't house slippers though. These are boots meant for rainy days like today.

Like always, I'm hoping for a good nights sleep. I certainly didn't get one last night. I imagine that I'll wake up several times tonight, listening carefully for the sound of dripping water.

Pepper is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3304

I've been cold all day. Sadly, this is just the beginning of Winter. There will be many more cold days to come. My office is the coldest room in the house. It is a long way from the furnace and by the time the warm air arrives through the floor vents it has already cooled quite a bit. I plugged in my trusty little ceramic heater today. This small four inch square cube does a pretty good job of keep in the office at the same temperature as the rest of the house. Ceramic heaters are much safer than other types of small space heaters, but I've still got to be careful not to let Dash get too close to it. He's curious about anything new and I don't want him to burn his nose.

Since it is still supposed to rain tomorrow I thought I'd try to bleach the stains in the ceiling where water has been leaking in. This won't prevent future leaks, but it will make them easier to see. I've thought about putting bleach in a spray bottle and just spraying the ceiling, but I'm afraid that the mist will get on furniture or pictures hanging on the walls. Instead I soak a rag with bleach and stand on a ladder while I scrub the damaged areas. This works, but it is terrible on my hands. Bleach is nasty stuff. The ceiling looks better now. If I start seeing rust colored stains again, I'll know that the roof repair didn't work. The stains appear first and then the water starts dripping about an hour later.

Tomorrow should provide a good test of the repair work. It's is supposed to rain all day again. Hopefully, Dash will be able to take his morning walk before the rain begins. He is much calmer after he's had a walk. We'll see what happens. If the rain is bad I won't want to leave the house. I've got to be ready to place buckets under any leaks that might appear. I'll feel much better if the house survives the rain tomorrow. On the other hand, if the roof starts leaking again I'll be very discouraged.

I left Dash's harness on for most of the day. He is still falling a lot and it is much more effective to lift him up using the handle on the Ruffwear harness than it is to get my hands under his belly while he is struggling on the floor. Dash would be fine if he stayed on the rugs, but he always seems to find a place where the floor is still slippery. Dot did a little better at adapting to her disability. Dash is so stubborn that he still thinks he can move around like a pup. I don't know when he is going to realize that he would be much more comfortable sleeping on the floor. That doesn't appear to be an option. He is determined to keep sleeping on the bed.

I didn't get a lot of sleep last night, so I tried to catch up today by taking a lot of short naps. There wasn't much else to do anyway. You know your day is uneventful when the high point is applying bleach to the ceiling. I guess this was actually the low point as well, but the ceiling does look better. I was going to get a haircut this afternoon, but there were no appointments available until next week. It's just as well I didn't go today anyway. I still haven't shaken that cold.

I was going to wear the new boots I bought on Dash's evening walk, but I couldn't bring myself to put them on. They looked so nice and new in the box. I wore my old worn out boots instead. I'm hopeless. I specifically bought these boots for wearing in the mud. It's hard for me to start using new things. I want everything to stay new looking forever.

I've taken the trash out to the curb, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to go out for breakfast tomorrow. It all depends on the weather.

Murphy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3303

Filling the pothole in the driveway with rocks actually worked. The surface is stable now and it's easy to get the car in and out. The toilet is still working as well. That's a minor miracle. Let's hope that the roof repairs were successful as well. I went up to check on things this morning and it looks like the guys did a good job. I don't see how water could possibly get inside the house now. Of course, I've said this many times before. Somehow water always seems to win this perpetual battle. I'm definitely not going to attempt to repair the damaged sheetrock in the ceiling until we've survived a few heavy rains.

Dash was alert and full of energy this morning, but his legs still aren't working very well. He stumbles frequently now and is unable to get up. I've started leaving his harness on in the house so it is easier to lift him up after a fall. We've repositioned the rugs so he has better traction in strategic places, but there isn't much we can do medically. I guess we could give him steroid shots to reduce inflammation in his spine, but we're not even sure there is any inflammation. Steroids are not a good long-term solution anyway and neither of his vets have recommended them. Dash could be suffering from degenerative myelopathy, a ruptured or slipped disc in his spine, arthritis, or the weakness could still be a symptom of his vestibular disease. He still enjoys his daily walks, but they are becoming progressively slower. One of these days we'll have to see if he can learn to use Dot's doggie wheelchair.

I wrote another letter to my Luddite sister today. Every time I do something the old fashioned way, it makes me realize that I'm not really that dependent on the Internet and technology. I could go back to living like I did in the 1970's rather easily. Life was good then. I had an IBM Selectric typewriter and a little Sony Trinitron TV that received about eight channels using a built in antenna. I played my music on a reel-to-reel tape recorder and shot most of my pictures with a Nikon-F on Kodachrome film. We still picked up the phone when it rang. There were no telemarketers. I think even answering machines came a bit later. Has life really improved that much since then? I don't think so. We'd already been to the moon in the early 1970's. Houses were affordable. Music was great. People trusted each other more. What's not to like? I'd go back in a minute if I could.

I've had a low grade cold all week. It's not the flu, but it's still a nuisance. My nose is constantly dripping and I wake up with a sore throat. Nothing really seems to make a cold go away quickly. You've just got to let it run its course. Decongestants and antihistamines don't work well with me. I hate the way they make me feel, so I don't take them. As a result I'm blowing my nose all the time. Hopefully I'll be back to normal in a few days. I look like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer now.

There was a beautiful sunrise this morning. It was almost worth getting up early. I think we have to get up early tomorrow as well. Janet has plans and Dash won't walk anymore without both of us nearby. Hopefully Dash will be a little steadier on his feet for tomorrow's walk. I don't have any plans at all, but I'm sure that something will happen. It always does.as

Mack is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3302

What a busy day. The roofing crew arrived early. It took a while to explain what was going on, but once we were all on the same page, the guys found two additional leaks. Since these leaks corresponded to areas inside the house where water was getting in, I felt like we were making progress. When I asked whether they felt confident that the had discovered all the potential leaks, they just shrugged. "We'd have to tear up the entire roof to do that," one guy said. At least the guys made an honest effort to patch the leak. We'll have to see what happens when it rains again.

I got a quote on fixing my office chair. It's going to cost more than it cost to fix the dryer. How can that be? It's only a chair. Reluctantly, I told the guys to go ahead and order the parts. The repairs will still cost considerably less than buying a new chair. Janet suggested just going out and buy a cheap chair at Office Depot, but I like my Aeron Chair. It has served me well and even though I don't spend a lot of time designing websites or editing videos these days, I still like to be comfortable when I'm writing the blog.

Since I was making progress on the roof and the chair, I decided to tackle the driveway as well. I went out and bought a hundred pounds of river rocks at Home Depot and dumped them in the pothole. It wasn't an elegant solution, but it just might work. At this point I just want to stop getting mud all over my car every time I back out of the driveway. Before filling the hole with rocks, I checked to make sure there wasn't a water pipe underneath. Nope. The ground is just saturated with all the rain we've had lately.

The last thing on my list today was an attempt to fix the weird French toilet in one of the bathrooms. This seldom works, but since I can't get parts for the toilet anyway what do I have to lose? Basically I just shut the water off, clean off the parts as best I can and them put the flushing mechanism back together again. This is the most complicated toilet I've ever seen. It was probably designed by the same person who designed Citroën automobiles. Rube Goldberg would be proud.

Dash is still slipping on the bricks, so I went to the storage warehouse and brought back a few more rugs. I've already brought quite a few of these rugs home, but I was surprised at how many still remained. We must have covered our entire house with cheap rugs when Dot was sick. The rugs do make a difference. They help Dash get up when he's been sleeping on the floor and they help him stay upright when he's awake.

Towards the end of the day I got a call from the guy who is restoring my Sequential Circuits synthesizers. He said that one of the synthesizers was as good as new now and that he was making progress on the other two. These synthesizers have been in the shop for over three months now. I didn't even want to ask what this was going to cost me. I still don't feel bad about restoring this stuff. Vintage Sequential Circuits gear is very desirable. When everything is finished, I'll either start playing the keyboards again, or someone will want to buy them.

All in all, it was a good day. I like making progress even if the progress is small. The weather should be nice tomorrow as well, so today's roof repairs should have plenty of time to dry before rain puts them to the test again. Fingers crossed. For some reason I'm slightly optimistic today.

Jordan is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3301

Did I make any progress today? It's hard to tell. I'm sitting in a chair that stays upright, but it's just a loaner chair. My own chair might take up to a month to get fixed. Evidently nobody keeps a supply of parts for these chairs in Dallas. The weather was nice today. It would have been a perfect day to fix the roof, but the roofers had other plans. Nobody showed up. I did get a one word text message from the guys though. It said "tomorrow."

I was bragging about Dash yesterday, but today we had a setback. He could barely stand up this morning. He slipped and fell so often in the house that I had to leave his harness on so it would be easier to get him upright again. It's getting harder and harder for Dash to get up on his own. He struggles a lot now. I'm going to have to bring back more rugs from the storage warehouse because the brick floors have become too slippery for him. It's strange that things can change so dramatically from day to day with Dash, but that's the way it is. There will be other good days, but there's no avoiding the fact that Dash continues to go downhill.

When I took my chair to the Herman Miller store, it reminded me of how much I hate to drive. It's sad. I love cars, but Dallas traffic is terrible now. At certain times of day it feels like I'm driving in Los Angeles. I don't know how regular commuters avoid going insane. There's always a near miss somewhere. I'm always afraid that if I get hit, the other driver won't have a license or insurance. I guess that's why I prefer to stay in the neighborhood. Maybe this is why Amazon Prime has become so popular. Why leave your own house if you can avoid it.

Even frequent naps aren't erasing my sleep deficit anymore. I'm just not getting enough sleep. With a somewhat nocturnal, incontinent dog, getting eight hours of sleep is just a fantasy. It's not going to happen. Maybe if I slept whenever Dash slept I'd be OK, but I'd never get anything done. If Dash isn't eating or walking in the park, he's sleeping.

The pothole in my driveway keeps getting deeper and deeper. It almost seems like there is an underground spring beneath the driveway because the hole is always muddy and filled with water. It could just be all the rain we've had lately. The park is always muddy these days as well. The ground seems saturated with water. Of course in August this same ground will be dry and cracked. Texas weather is always like this. There is nothing in moderation. At any rate, the pothole is one more problem I can't keep ignoring indefinitely. I need to find someone who does driveway repair soon.

I'm really tired of fixing things. It never ends. Is this just the modern version of the Sisyphus legend? Sometimes I fantasize about living on a cruise ship where everything is done for you. Then I remember that I get seasick.

Misty is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3300

Dash seemed a little more lucid today. He didn't stumble around as much and his eyes seemed brighter. I have no idea what determines whether Dash has a good of bad day. Everything in his life is fairly consistent, but some days are definitely better than others. I'm always happy to see a good day. They are few and far between.

The roof is finally drying out. The weather is still nice and warm but the leak did not return during the midday sun. I'm at the mercy of the roofers now. If they return tomorrow or Tuesday we may be able to fix this leak. The rain is supposed to return on Thursday though, so the window of opportunity is small. I'd love to hear the guys up on the roof tomorrow morning but I'm not going to count my chickens before they hatch. I was the squeaky wheel for a while, but I may not be any longer.

On my way to the gym this morning I thought I'd pick up another pair of cheap rubber rain shoes for walking Dash. These slip on shoes don't last very long but I can put them on in seconds and they keep my feet dry. Somehow, instead of these cheap shoes, I came home with a pair of steel toe Doc Martens. Why did I buy these things? I already have some heavy work boots. These felt comfortable though and seemed like they would last forever.

 My shoulders and elbows still hurt from working on the roof last week, but I did my full workout anyway. I'm afraid if I vary my routine, I may just quit going to the gym altogether. I'm pretty much on automatic pilot when I go to the gym, but my Fitbit indicates that I'm doing something right. If I could just bring myself to endure this kind of punishment three times a week I'd be in great shape.

The park behind our house has become so popular in recent years that it is stressful to walk Dash on a nice weekend. There were bicycles everywhere today. None of them slow down for Dash. The number of loose dogs increases dramatically on warm weekends too. You really have to be aware of your surroundings. These things called Onewheel are becoming popular too. They look like a skateboard with a single big motorized wheel in the center and can travel up to twenty miles per hour. We saw six of these contraptions today. They're fairly expensive but that doesn't seem to stop people from buying them. Onewheel travel seems even more dangerous than those ride sharing scooters that are popping up all over the place. What do I know though? I still prefer walking.

If things go well tomorrow the roofers will discover what is causing my roof leak and the Herman Miller technicians will fix my office chair. Unfortunately, it's a Monday tomorrow and people aren't always at the top of their game on a Monday. I'll hope for the best but nothing will really surprise me.

I'm getting sleepy so it's probably time to call it a day. Dash has been sleeping for quite a while, so he'll probably be wide awake at 3 AM. We'll see what happens.

Nellie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day