Well, that was quite the duration of absence. Wish I could say I was on a remote island, soaking up sun on a white sand beach.
Alas, I've been busy--having an almost-as-wonderful time as-on-the-island--working on our electronic health record software.
I know you're jealous.
I don't know much about making software but I do know that it has sucked up the majority of my time and energy. (The dogs suck up any remaining time and energy.) Weekends, holidays, mornings, evenings, all consumed by electronic health record development.
I'd like to say I see the finish line, but it's a moving target. Actually, it's like seeing a mirage. I refuse to let myself think things will be "done" once we go live on November 1st. That would be setting myself up. I see the end, mirage in the distance. Yet, I'd get there and there'd be no finish line. Although I'll have done all the original work, everything will need to be tweaked, fixed, added, removed. Then, there will be more to do.
I see a finish line in March next year, not in November. I hope that's not a mirage or a hallucination. Since that is at least four months away, I shall stay in the one-day-a-time mode until further notice.
Thankfully, the dogs are a great distraction. Unfortunately, they are not well-versed in home life. It's hard to learn to go outside when you're not used to being inside. Being outside means you can go whenever you want. You don't have to go on command. You just go. It's hard not to jump on the windows and screens and doors when you're a hunting dog and you see a squirrel five feet from you on the porch. That's your job--to catch the varmints. It's hard not to freak out about seeing your reflection in the stainless steel dishwasher when you've had to be careful of danger. It's definitely a challenge to remain calm when a "stranger" comes in the house.
So, in my free time last night, I bought a book on rescue dogs and read the entire thing in one sitting. I didn't learn anything new, per se--after all, training a dog is training a dog--but, training a rescue does have special consideration. I learned a lot about training a terrier, a hunting dog by nature. We haven't been challenging her enough--mind or body. So, I'll step up the game. Two walks a day and at least one training session somewhere in the middle. Games to keep her busy. As for the boodle, well I'll keep trying to get her to sit on command. I'm doing everything as described in the book but so far, her sitting is not sitting well with her.
As for the bodily fluids being excreted in the house, well.... that's a work in progress. I have tolerance for this. The poor wife does not. At least I pee and poop in the toilet.
Today, a Sunday, is no day of Sabbath. Tomorrow, a holiday, is no holiday. I'm salary, so it is what it is. I don't have to like it--I just have to do it. Thankfully, I will have to take breaks to work with the dogs. I'll figure out a way to get some ice cream injected into my body. I'll be outside at least a few times a day to get the dogs to poop and pee on command.
Never did I think I'd see a day when I'd be "writing" software. Never did I think I'd see a day when I couldn't teach a dog to sit. And, never did I think I'd see a day when a dog would scratch up a dishwasher because of a reflection.
No wonder I need ice cream. Please don't let that be a mirage.
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