People I've never met still stop me in the park to ask about Dash. I guess it must seem strange to see me walking alone. Dot and Dash have been fixtures in the neighborhood for so long that I forget how many people used to see them every day. Rain or shine, we were almost always out there. Today a lady with two Greyhounds enquired about Dash. I've noticed her dogs for a long time too because they have matching coats for every type of weather. Today they were both wearing their raincoats. It wasn't raining but I almost wore my raincoat as well. It was one of those days where it looked like the rain could begin at any minute.
Since it was Friday, I went out to breakfast before my walk. I had Shrimp and Grits again at the cool restaurant. I've got to stop calling this place "the cool restaurant" because it just seems like your average breakfast place when you go at 8 AM. The restaurant was only half full and I was seated immediately. I had trouble finishing my meal this morning. I just can't eat as much as I used to. I probably should have just stayed home and had a bowl of cereal.
I continued exploring the idea of going to McDonald Observatory today. There is only one place to rent a car in Alpine, Texas but they seemed very friendly. The guy I talked to said they would meet you at the train station with a car if you arrived by train. Janet likes the idea of taking a train trip too. Now I've just got to wait and see whether I get accepted by NASA to attend the next Falcon Heavy Launch. As luck would have it, the first available Special Viewing Night at the Otto Struve Telescope happens to coincide with the launch date for the Falcon Heavy. We'll see what happens. Maybe one of these two events will work out for me.
I've been thinking about looking for owls ever since I met that guy in the park who showed me where they live. This afternoon, I took a detour from my regular evening walk and visited the owl habitat. A huge bird flew away as I arrived. It looked like a Great Horned Owl but I wasn't really sure. It was gone before I could get my camera focused. I kept looking and about five minutes later I saw a Barred Owl looking down at me from a nearby tree. I noticed the bird because a nearby Mockingbird was harassing it. A lot of birds in the park don't seem to like the large Hawks and Owls. Perhaps they know that they might become these birds next meal.
I hope all the walking I've been doing is good for my health. I don't feel any different yet, but the walks do feel easier now. I'd rather walk outdoors than in a gym. I gradually learn the names of the plants and animals I see. You learn to appreciate the Seasons when you spend a lot of time outdoors. I miss not having a dog at my side, but for now I'm going to do some things that were almost impossible when I was walking Dot and Dash. I carry a better camera with me now.
I got the heals on my hiking boots repaired this week. I probably should have just bought some new boots, but I hate the idea of breaking them in. Old boots are more comfortable. New or old, I see a lot of walking in my immediate future. I might not be doing much tomorrow though. The thunderstorms are returning. I can already see them approaching on the weather radar.
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