Day 3644

We had a nice visit with the Dalmatians today. It was so cold that we spent most of our time inside. This was fine with the dogs. As soon as they peed, they wanted to go back inside as well. A volunteer donated a bunch of plush toys recently and we discovered that some of the dogs really liked them. Sock became so playful with the soft squeaky toys that he completely forgot that he was afraid of everything. Even shy Lord became playful, chasing after Sock and his new toy. We can't leave the dogs unsupervised with these new toys, but it was fun to see that even the shy ones had a playful side.

A few of the dogs didn't get to play with the soft plush toys. Charlie would destroy these things in a heartbeat. He loves to play, but we need indestructible red Kongs for him. I don't think Hank is ready for this type of toy either. He tries to eat everything. Some dogs love soft toys and others try to destroy them. We'll experiment with the toys again the next time we visit. The dogs don't get to keep them in their kennel runs at night though. That's just asking for trouble.

Hank and Ginny should be at their forever homes before Christmas, but they were both at the kennel today. I was glad I had a chance to see them again. Ginny has finally completed her heartworm treatment and can play with the other dogs again. You could tell she was glad that her confinement was over, but she is still a very quiet girl. Unlike Charlie and Hank, Ginny prefers to just sit quietly and enjoy a treat with us.

Before leaving for the kennel this morning, I was able to get started on my new article for SpaceFlight Magazine. I finished about half the article and should be able to complete it tomorrow. I'm sure there are plenty of mistakes in this initial draft, but I'm in no hurry. I don't really have to finish it until the end of the month. I hope the magazine likes this new article as much as they did the initial one I wrote. I'd like to be a regular contributor to this magazine.

It was way too cold to walk today, but I was determined to get my steps. When we returned from the Dalmatian kennel, I put on an extra coat, some warm insulated boots and went walking anyway. After the first mile, I realized that this was probably a mistake. It was very windy today and the wind chill made the temperature seem even colder. I didn't walk my full five miles but I went far enough that I can live with myself. I basically had the park to myself. Everybody else realized that it was nasty outside

It's too bad I couldn't be at McDonald Observatory tonight. The weather is clear and there is a Special Observing Night at the 82" Otto Struve telescope. The only downside to this spectacular evening is that the temperatures are expected to be in the low 20's. Brrr. I briefly thought about making the trip to Fort Davis but didn't have the nerve to play weather roulette. I'm terrified of getting stranded in a snowstorm on I-20. I think I'll wait until Spring to make a return trip to the mountain.

I might make a return to Kennedy Space Center this Winter. Hey, how cold can it get in Florida? There's another opportunity in early February when the European Space Agency's Solar Orbiter launches. I missed the Parker Solar Probe launch, so this should be interesting. Do I try to get an invitation from NASA or a press pass from SpaceFlight Magazine? Its something to think about during these cold winter nights.

Hannah is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day