A New Book & A New Mac OS

I was up until 4am last night but it was all for good reasons. Sadie was sleeping in her "big chair" in the living room, Heidi was on the right side of the couch while Stella had her back up against the side of the kitchen island on the carpet side of the room.

As you remember I get free data after midnight so that is when I do any downloads and especially downloads that are large, like a new Operating System for Macs. It was over 4GB's and was noted it would take about 1 hour.

I knew from previous OS changes it was going to be at least 3 hours and probably 4 hours by the time it was installed and running. Toward the end you have to be around to log in, using a password, hit a few 'continue' buttons ... so going to bed while it downloaded and installed was not an option. I had other things to do during those 4 hours though. Nightly after midnight I will uploaded all the photos I take that day very easily from my computer hard drive to Google Photos AND Flickr. I can organize them into their specific alums on both programs ... everything done within 20 minutes.

So what about the other 3 hours ???  How about a new book from Chinle over at The Spotted Dog Ranch. This was #7 in the Bud Shumway series and although I have just started I can see it's another great mystery. I was hesitant in buying it in the middle of the night (2:30am)  because in the past I will read them nonstop not caring what the time of day or night it was. But ... I bit the bullet, bought it on Amazon and had it in my Kindle reader and on all my devices after a short synch.

By the time I hit the bed at 4am, the new Mac OS system was working great with some fantastic new features and Chinle's book was hard to turn off. I'll finish it sometime today or tonight. The hounds still had their breakfast kibble served at 8am ... although they will not whine for it. They sleep as long as I do.

By 1pm we were ready for the mid-day walk ... another beautiful day here in 'the tropics'.

Sadie and Stella might start the walk out together, but it will not be long before they follow their own noses and head different directions. Today I decided I'd be a friend and let them roam on their own.

It didn't take long for each hound to take advantage. By the time I got to the first turn, NEITHER hound was close to me.

Sadie never likes to be left behind, so she sprinted to catch up to me.

When I asked her "where's Stella" ... she looked around in all directions, but Stella was nowhere to be seen.

The field continues to change each day as we move close to October already ... hard to believe how fast September is moving.

Sadie and I were walking along the back edge of the field heading north, not quit at the 'halfway' point ... looking back into the field ... no sign of Stella.

Every corn field I look at in a 40 mile radius shows the corn may be picked a little earlier this year. I'll be taking some photos of the fields at least across the highway ... some farmers have bought some new equipment.

As Sadie and I turn the last time to head home I didn't see Stella anywhere. I started calling her name and guess what ???  Off to the left was Stella slowly strolling through the high grass and flowers. I expected to see her walking up the path towards us but was happy to see that she was just to the left of us.

As usual, she took her time.

They both eventually move forward and when it gets hotter, they will take the lead and head to the house.

These were in the middle of the path but we always walk around and not on flowers ... hounds included.

Although they are on the way home, there isn't a scent they will not pass if that radar nose of theirs picks up a new target.

Heidi in the meantime hung out at the house and explored the yard. This is around 48 hours after her epsom salt soak and it's about the best her skin will look. It looks bad when compared to years ago when there was nothing going on but for the past 18 months, this skin is about the best it gets.

That is after 4 different vet opinions, various medications, various grain free food, food with rice, etc.

It never fails that when Sadie returns she always goes over to Heidi to see if she is okay, even at night when Heidi comes back inside the house after her last trip outside for the night.

Once again she did not want to go on the walk after I carried her to the field. She turned and headed back to the house.

The rest of the day was spent learning the new Mac OS named Sierra, testing it and also trying some of the new features it has. I also found out from some geek sites that Safari had been update to the point of getting good reviews in tests ... so I tried it, liked it and then made it my default browser again over Google Chrome.

It was very sad to read the news about Bridget over at RVSue's blog. It's never easy losing an old friend.

If you don't hear from me ... I'll be out in Utah with Bud Shumway helping him investigate another mystery.

The weather is great again here in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana.

Sadie Shows Remorse

By the time Stella and I got to the house yesterday after catching Sadie next door, she already had that worried look on her face. She knew she had broken the rule of free roaming.

We all went inside for a little discussion. I discussed the pros and cons of "going that extra mile" where in this case that "extra mile" would put you in the highway and nothing good every happens when hounds are on the highway. She looked right at me while I was talking to her, so I think she understood what I was saying. Some would say that was just me wanting her to understand ... still her actions said otherwise.

Last night as we sat outside to enjoy the last of the good weather, she showed me (I think) that she really did understand what I had told her. Take a look at the following photos and see if you agree. Both hounds had free reign to go anywhere they wanted because I was outside. Not a word was spoken, to 'stay' or 'no' ... I just sat and watched ... with my camera making the most noise.

She is looking at Stella walking out into the field.

This photo has the look that she knows she broke the rules yesterday by running off to the neighbors house. She is pretty smart in her old age.

When she laid down I knew something was up. She rarely lays down in the yard by herself. I can think of only one time this past year, otherwise Stella has to do it first for Sadie to follow.

This morning while I was outside for the trip right after breakfast, I stood and watched them. Stella did the normal yard inspection then came inside while Sadie went straight out into the field to dump her tanks. She did not go anywhere near the north side of the yard.

Our mid day trip to check the weather and just how wet the field is, to see if a walk is possible ... Sadie was still in the mode of staying in the yard. Strange.

I was thinking last night trying to remember the last time Sadie took off for the neighbors. It was last fall on a Sunday morning when I let her and Stella outside for them to roam. Then when I went outside to check on them, both of them were next door at the same neighbors house. There was an ambulance with it's lights on backed up the driveway, with volunteer firemen (1st responders) along the drive. The hounds came sprinting toward me when I yelled their name.

So most likely Sadie saw the neighbors outside yesterday. That is something we normally don't see on our walks. Sadie must have decided to have some social interaction and went to introduce herself.

Before that it had to have been 6-7 years ago when she was a puppy. I would let her out in the mornings on her own before I went to work. One morning I go out to check on her and hear her baying ... she is next door at the house south of us ... the neighbor had some brand new rabbits in a cage for his young son. Of course the rabbits were a huge point of interest for her to take off to check them out. The neighbor wasn't happy, neither was I.

Sadie was a monster as a puppy ... too much energy to be left alone all day.

Other than that ... she has never left the field or yard. Oh, there was that time on a walk in December when she took off after a deer in back of the field. She and the deer jumped the short fence and she was sprinting across the corn field ... she came back a few hours later. I could not find her while driving my truck around the local area.

Overall though ... she has been great and still is. She knows she broke the rules yesterday.

It was still too wet to mow the yard in the shaded areas around 1pm. So we took for an early afternoon walk. Heidi made her daily noon appearance but still does not go near the field to walk with us. I tried to help her start but she turned around and ran for the house ... obviously didn't want to go.

That's her skin a day after the 20 minute soak in epsom salts and a bath tub full of water up past her belly.

Since Stella didn't 'go' this morning she headed to the field after her lunch.

Sadie was just checking to see if it was okay for her to head in that direction. Pretty amazing how she is acting today.

Instead I called her "lets go for a walk", she came sprint and Stella joined us soon after we started. Overall they both stay in the general area and came whenever I called them.

Sadie looking in the direction of 'her' scene of the crime yesterday. I looked to see what she was interested in and saw no one outside and nothing going on.

Stella got in some running to catch up to us before we got to the first turn. After they she and Sadie were on their way for 'the daily walk'.

Since the day I brought her home Stella has always shown a laidback personality. She is a great bloodhound.

Although it was very nice outside today, it started getting hotter by the end of the walk and the hounds were anxious to get home and back inside. It was borderline whether the AC was needed.

There is always something though they need to stop and check out. Even after they get back into the yard.

As we came into the yard, Heidi was in the shade waiting for us.

By 2:30pm it was dry enough to mow, a light breeze and an hour later I was done. The bloodhounds stayed in the backyard while I mowed, neither went into the field although Sadie tried a couple of times to sneak away. When I yelled her name over the sound of the mower, she ran toward me and away from the field.

While mowing the front yard I put them both in the bed room that gets the mid-day shade. Once again Stella stayed there without causing any damage. She use to sometimes so she is improving each time I leave her alone.

I usually power wash my house and hand wash all my windows in the spring. That gets all the dust from the fall, any winter weather off the siding and the house looks clean. That also gets rid of all the winter cobwebs. I might have to change that strategy. As you see, the spiders have been busy this summer and very recently this past week ... Will I power wash the house again before winter?

By definition most of these were cobwebs instead of spider webs. Either way, they are coming down.

The temps said it was hot, my t-shirt shirt after mowing showed it wasn't that bad but Stella had her tongue hanging out panting, which was the sign the AC needed to be turned on, even if it was just for a short time. With them taking a late afternoon siesta, we walked again in the early evening but after this blog posted.

Great weather right now in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana.

Sadie's HUGE Mistake Today

Monday started off beautiful, great weather and the next 7 days looks good in that regard. I had plans for a couple of tasks today. Getting up early, I felt recouped from my lack of sleep over the weekend.

Until I walked my face into that invisible spider web this morning as I went to take the daily photo from the rear corner of the house, facing the backyard. I don't know if this was the spider that built the web but when I glanced up at him, he was moving. By the time I took the photo and headed back to the house, he was in this position.

With that happening I realized today might be one of those 'critical days'. Remember 30-40 years ago when we were all into Biorhythms? For some reason I just remember the 'critical days' warnings.

Stella decided after walking to just the edge of the yard, it was too wet to go anywhere in the field, to do anything ... she headed back to the door and went back to sleep until lunch.

By leaving the car cover off the Z4 the past few weeks, I had some heavy blowing rain storms leave rain drop marks and some dust from the highway on the Z4 ... so it was going to get my first hand wash job. It was great weather to wash the car.

To keep Stella from wandering off while I washed the car, I pulled out the old 80ft tether and connected it out in the field so she would have some room to roam and hopefully cut down some of the giant ragweed in the field. All she did was protest by laying down in the field right by the yard ... and howled like she had lost her last friend. I guess she doesn't like that tether anymore like she use to.

I knew Sadie would go out to her favorite spot in the field and she had not been going outside the 'boundary' so I didn't worry about her. Maybe an hour later, or when I finished drying off the car, putting the water hose away and setting my bucket, and wash mitt in the sun ... I started to look for Sadie because she had not returned to the house, like she normally does. That was odd.

Stella and I took off north into the field heading to Sadie's favorite spot ... she wasn't there. Yelling her name as I walked out into the field ... I didn't see her and that was quite odd with her. She never does that. I heard a lawn mower but she never stays around the house when I mow the yard like Stella does ... still, that meant the neighbor or neighbors were outside.

Could it be? I really hope not. If they go to the neighbors then they can also head out into the highway following their nose and ignoring their brain. I glance over at the neighbors house and he is on his riding mower, his wife is outside in the yard ... but no Sadie. Now I am getting more than a little concerned.

Just as I start to turn to go back to the house to get the FJ and start the dreaded drive to find her ... I see Sadie running in their front yard. They also live on a hill above the highway but it seems closer to the road than my house but isn't.

When she hears me yelling her name, she sprints into the field not toward me but the house. She knows she is in trouble. The neighbor was trying to talk over the sound of the mower, but she said that Sadie had been following her around the yard and garden. She knew it was my dog and it was okay with her that Sadie came over to visit.

So within the last month both bloodhounds have gone way outside of their boundary when I left them alone to wander the field like they had for almost a year. I am debating whether to declare 'Marshall Law" but troops are stretched too thin to come to help me here in 'the tropics' ... so I will have to start some 'adult supervision' and only let them roam the field while I stand watching them while taking photos or am sitting in the backyard where I can stand and check on them ... at least until they cut the hay. Then I won't have to stand ... LOL. From now on, neither of them will be left outside to roam on their own anymore.

I just can't afford to make a mistake of giving them a chance to run into the highway, while they innocently follow their nose.

Other than that, it was a very productive day. After my two cups of coffee and some organic coconut sugar replacing the old granulated sugar ... normal morning reading of blogs, news, sports and emails ... I gave Heidi her 20 minute Epsom Salt soak. During that soak I will also take a wash rag and clean her stomach, armpits, legs and paws of any dead skin and/or dirt. The salts must have worked ... she eventually sat down in the deep bath water, laid her chin on the edge of the tub and fell asleep!!!

So besides the Sadie escapade, I had already given Heidi a soak, washed the Z4 all before 1pm ... a trip to buy groceries was next on the list. The daily hound walk would take place today back at the normal time of late afternoon. The photos of the walk have been the ones you have seen posted between my rambling paragraphs.

In May 2015 I started the Paleo Diet. I had good results, losing 15 pounds, a couple of inches around my gut, two inches on my waist and body fat was reduced 9mm. I loved it at times. At other times I 'wondered' if I was making the right decision ingesting that much fat with a family of heart problems on my dad's side of the family. I admit bacon tastes fantastic but all of that fat ......

Way back in history, in the 70's I was a strict vegetarian. I knew what it was like to eat that type of diet. I was also younger, weighed only a 160 and rode my bicycle training for racing roughly 400-450 miles per week. It's too long of a story to tell why I came back to what many consider a 'normal' american diet. I will say laziness was a big reason.

Over the past couple of months I had decreased the amount of red meat I was eating, decreased those trips to DQ and other fast food joints, less to no candy but I could feel myself falling off that wagon again. So about a month ago I started researching again about different diets. Not really diets but different ways of eating.

I had been leaning toward a lacto-vegetarian like before ... eating dairy, poultry and fish. Yet my digestive system hasn't liked dairy products like my brain does in recent years. I consider chickens as some of the filthiest animals in the world and those huge pens of cattle in Kanas out in the middle of nowhere always flashed into my mind after seeing them many years ago.

I could feel myself leaning "veggie" again. So with the decrease in eating meat, fish and chicken the past couple of months I was almost there anyway. It was that dairy getting in the way ... the ice cream, the yogurt with me needing TUMS later on in the middle of the night to survive. Could I really go to Nick's and not order my favorite strom or never head to 5Guy's again for their great burgers????

So last week I decided to go vegan. I started with a 3 day water fast and could have gone longer but started fresh vegetable juice on the 4th day. It will be a week tomorrow since I started this radial change in my eating habits. Hard as hell to get through 14 hours of college football on Saturday and 12 hours of NFL football on Sunday ... it wasn't the games ... it's those damn commercials with all the food you love to eat that made it hard. I survived.

Yet, 3 weeks into the football season I have been able to survive the urge to buy junk food, all the stuff I use to eat non stop while watching football games in the fall. I know there will always be strong urges waiting around every corner for me.

Otherwise there are just really a few changes I made ... I went back grains, beans and legumes instead of fish, chicken and red meat. I've always been big on vegetables and fruits ... that is if I can keep Stella out of my fruit bowls sitting around the kitchen.

Losing weight is not the main objective ... it's the cholesterol, the triglycerides, feeling lighter, eat less foods that cause mucus build up and general inflammation throughout the body. I've always have had low blood pressure, low resting heart rate. I've passed the two stress tests with flying colors and I've made it to my mid 60's without a heart attack or by-pass surgery ... my dad and uncles did not. I just felt better getting back to fruits, vegetables, beans and nuts.

I will admit though it's really hard at times to get through those periods of around 20 minutes to go out and make a fast food run, order a pizza, or just run out for a tub of Ben&Jerry's Ice Cream ... I have found that drinking ice cold water during those urges kills the pain and it goes away.

I think the last picture of Sadie and Stella show once again they are pretty close friends and Stella has been great for not only me but also Sadie ... having another hound her size.

They will be on a 'short imaginary leash' though ... no more leaving them out of sight knowing they will come back. I gave them an inch and both of them ended up taking a mile.

All is good here in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana.