Tuesday is typically the hardest day of the week. Getting through Monday takes a Herculean effort at the best of times and leaves you spent come Tuesday morning. This past Tuesday I managed to get through the work day feeling pretty good, all things considered. The day went off the rails when I got home from work. Hera had an accident while I was out at work. I put Hera in the car to take her for her daily run, then cleaned up the poop on the dining room floor.

There was a strange sound coming from Mika's telephone--he has a land line with Bell--and the burglar alarm panel on the wall next to the front door was beeping. We have a burglar alarm, it was installed by a previous owner of our house, but we opted not to use it and do not have a subscription with the alarm company. The message on the call display on Mika's telephone read "extension in use." Odd, there is no extension and there was no dial tone also. I unplugged the telephone and the sounds stopped. With that settled for the moment, I took Hera for her run.

When I got home I got supper under way and when Mika got up from a nap I told him about the issues with his telephone and the burglar alarm panel. Mika checked out his telephone and this time the message on the call display indicated there was something wrong with the connection. He went to the burglar alarm panel to see if he could stop the beeping sound and managed to arm the alarm. Problem with that was we never used the alarm and did not have the access code to disarm it. The motion detector promptly set off the alarm--a siren whooping at a high volume--that set Hera off as well. I put Hera outside while Mika frantically tried to turn off the alarm, but without the access code there was nothing he could do. I went to the computer and googled the manufacturer and model of the alarm to see how to turn off the alarm in such an instance. There were instructions on how to disconnect the batter and AC connection if applicable. We found the panel in the basement, unfastened the screws holding the cover and disconnected the battery. This took care of the motion sensor in the basement, but not the sensors on the doors and windows. The alarm started shrieking as soon as I opened the kitchen door to let Hera in. Mika went back into the basement and while I called the customer service for the alarm company, only to find the service is available from 8:00 am - 8:00 pm. It was 8:47 pm when I called. I was looking online to find an electrician who makes emergency house calls, when Mika found the AC connection and disconnected the burglar alarm, finally!

We had supper and after supper Mika called Bell to send for a technician to come repair the land line. A technician is due to come Thursday morning between 8:00 am and 12:00 pm to tend to the land line. With this drama finally concluded, I retired to my bed for the night.

Last month, August 2014, Mika and I marked our sixteen years together without ceremony. We started seeing each other in August, 1998 and remain happy together in the present. We continue living quietly with pride as we enjoy life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Expensive repairs to the roof of our house precludes the prospect of trip to some exotic locale this year. This time last year we took a trip to England for two weeks. We had a great time are thinking of taking a trip to California in the new year.

My efforts to rid the garden of a nest of yellow jackets continue. They are entrenched in the wooden beam that borders the garden in the front yard. The beam borders on the sidewalk and I am concerned the yellow jackets are a threat to passersby. I tried the OneShot foam to get rid of them, but they are still there. The effort to rid my garden of these insects continues.

After the dog run this morning my buddy Jason and I went to LeBaron Outdoor Products to browse the gun room and to pick up some ammunition. I found the kinds of non-toxic shotgun shells I prefer using for wild duck and goose hunting are no longer stocked at LeBaron or any other retailer in town. I prefer the alternatives to steel shot that is commonly used as I recall the bad experiences I had when the use of non-toxic shot was mandated in the 1990s. Prior to this, lead shot was used and the transition to steel shot for use in duck and goose hunting proved difficult for me. Though I tried the choke and shot size combinations recommended at the time, I found steel shot wanting. I suffered appalling crippling losses, despite waiting until birds were well within range. I remedied this situation opting to use the more expensive alternatives to steel shot: bismuth, tungsten, hevishot, etc., and was more than satisfied with the results. With these cartridges I kill Canada geese cleanly at 40 yards.

Jason and other hunting buddies use steel shot effectively and Jason has encouraged me over seasons past to consider using steel shot as he assures me it is much improved in performance in the present. That the kinds of non-toxic shotgun shells I prefer appear to have priced themselves out of market is forcing my hand, finally. Very well, then, this season I am steeling myself to try steel shot in going duck and goose hunting with Jason and the rest of my hunting buddies. To this end, I purchased a new Browning BPS Stalker pump action shotgun in 12 gauge with a 3 1/2 inch chamber and 28 in, barrel. I purchased a case of Winchester shotgun shells, steel, no. 2, 3 1/2 inch, as Jason swears by this when we are hunting ducks and geese. I must admit, it works for him.

In purchasing a new shotgun for this experiment I am opening a new chapter in my hunting hobby. Buying the new gun should help me overcome the psychological inhibition that lingers and kept me from trying steel shot until now. I will try out the new gun and shooting steel shot through it when we get out for the opening day of duck season on September 27th. I am hopeful this experiment will prove successful.

Heading out with Jason to take Hera and Nos, our dogs, for their daily run yesterday afternoon in my Hyundai Tucson, I got rear ended by another motorist. Jason and I were heading south on Bronson Avenue and the motorist, a young man driving his father's Nissan Duke, left the parking lot at McDonalds and was attempting to change lanes. While he shoulder checked to see if the left lane was clear, he drove into the back of my Tucson. Thankfully, Hera was not injured; she was riding in the back of the car. There were no immediate injuries, though Jason messaged me this morning saying he is experiencing pain and going to see his doctor. I am fine this morning.

We turned onto Powell Street and called the police to report the collision. The young man at the wheel of the car that collided with mine is called Nolan and he is starting his first year at Carleton next month. He did the right thing in stopping at the scene of the collision and accompanying us to the police station to file an accident report. The visible damage to my car is a dent in the bumper on the left side. I will need the services of an auto body shop to take care of this damage.

August 15, 2012, the day I lost Juno, my four year old Brittany. She developed a malignant tumor in her mouth and by the time it was detected there was nothing that could be done. I had her euthanized on this day, two years ago. I was with her till the end, doing my best to ensure the experience was as easy on her as possible. While I try not to dwell on the past, I make a point of remembering her as she lived and the time we had together. She was a dear little dog, very lady-like in temperament, but also a keen little huntress in the field. She was the third Brittany I owned and like the two who came before her, Christie and Maggie, remain in my fondest memories.

Hera, the Brittany I own in the present, named Hera in tribute to Juno (Hera is the Greek form of Juno) turns two years old this coming October. She will join me in the field for her second season this Fall. She had a great first season, pointing ruffed grouse and woodcock for me. I look forward to taking her into the field this season. While I harbour a touch of sorrow over the untimely loss of Juno, life goes on. In taking to the field with Hera, I honour the memory of Juno, Christie and Maggie, in carrying on the tradition of keeping a working hunting dog.

Following the ordeal of having three root canals, I allowed myself the luxury of buying the GoPro Hero 3 camera I wanted for some time. I bought the camera a couple of weekends ago and got around to taking it out of the package yesterday evening. While I took care to purchase a head mount and a spare batter, I overlooked the need for an SD card. I will have to swing by Best Buy or The Source to get one before I can try out the new camera.

I am looking forward to using the GoPro in the field this season when I get out upland gunning with Hera. I hope to catch the action of Hera locking up on point and my hunting buddies and myself walking up her points, flushing the grouse and woodcock and making the shot. No doubt a great many of my spectacular misses will be caught on camera.

I am recovering well from the three root canals I had done recently. It feels so good to be free from the pain and swelling in my jaw. I finished taking the antibiotic yesterday. The infection in the three teeth on the right side of my mouth, two upper and one lower, got pretty bad, because I ignored the pain, mistakenly thinking it was sinusitis. This is a bad habit of mine, ignoring pain hoping it will go away on its own. The infected tooth in my lower jaw abscessed. The teeth in my upper jaw were well on the way to abscessing. If there is a lesson in this experience it is I should take care not to ignore pain, dental or otherwise, if it persists as it may be more serious than I imagine.