As I finished putting both legs into one leg of my Under Armor shorts and nearly falling on my face, I noticed my phone ringing. It was ADT, our alarm people. They were calling to tell us our alarm was going off, but first we had to give them our code. Now when we finished the install, we had about 14 worker running around from various projects and our tech showed us how to use the alarm and we chose our code.

Devin and I could remember choosing a code as she was walking out of the house and I had dog issues and knew I would not remember the code. The rep from ADT did everything he could to help me remember the code, but indicated he would be forced to call the sheriff if I could not come up with the code. I said fine as we needed some outfielders for the baseball game my wife wants me to play with the burglars.

I remembered the code and then remembered that Devin had picked the code as it is the same code we have in our Utah house. Now that the pressure was off, I had to go look for the baseball players. My dogs were too tired to get up so I stayed on the phone with ADT in case I found some in fielders.

Then the rep sayed the alarm was a broke glass alarm in area 53. Now I did not know where area 53 was and the rep did not know either. I started looking around and by now Devin had her uniform on and wanted to play as she had her own bat. Then we saw Jack who had his own bat. It was amazing that I did not know we had so many bats until about 4:08 am this morning. We never play baseball. How did we end up with so many bats? Bizzare.

Leave it to Jack to figure out how to use the monitor on Devin's night stand to figure out that area 53 was the master bedroom. I was still on the phone with the rep and told him that area 53 was in our master bedroom. Which now sounds funny, as it made me think of Area 51 in our bedroom and aliens and, anyway, I digress. He suggested I look in the master bedroom. Dah! I told him that is where the ball game began and we will assume it was a false alarm.  Thank God as I discovered I had my T-shirt on backwards and inside out.  I magine being killed with your T Shirt on backwards and inside out.  How embarrassing.  

We then took all of the animals out for a quick break and to make sure there were no baseball fans in the backyard. Devin and I watched as Lucy was struggling to relieve herself and when we got back inside found out she had been sick in her bed. Her quality of life quickly diminished in the last couple of days.

We all tried to get back to sleep for the hour or so we had before it was time to get Jack to school and for me to meet the contractors who will be tearing our driveway apart and installing our new one over the next two weeks. (Our driveway was pretty chewed up by the earth moving equipment during the flood.) By the time I got Jack to school, I got home and was watching Devin trying to get our old friend Lucy to eat something. We were facing that dreadful moment dog owner must face. Are we keeping her alive for us or for her?

At about 9:30 am, I joined Devin and Kristin at the vet's office to say good bye to our loyal friend Lucy. She would be 16 this June. Devin held her and she slipped away quietly and peacefully. At times like that I remember the saying, "Good Lord, let me be the man my dog thinks I am." The unconditional love of a dog is a very rewarding gift indeed.

Three Loyal Friends

L-R Bucky, Lucy, Willy.  Lucy was the last of this great group of dogs

Since the market did nothing extraordinary today, we will leave you with a quick portfolio update we provided the SLP family.