Day 3807

I wasted hours today watching a launch on NASA TV that ended up getting scrubbed at the last minute because of weather. If I was down in Titusville as I'd planned to be, I'd be wondering now if I could afford to stick around until the next attempt on Saturday. Launch delays get complicated quickly. Sometimes the hotel is full and it is difficult to extend your stay. Airline and rental car reservations need to be rebooked. You alway have to keep in mind that the next launch attempt could get rained out as well. I've been lucky on my last two trips to Kennedy Space Center. The Solar Orbiter went off right on schedule and the Falcon Heavy STP-2 launch was only delayed a few hours. I've had to return home without seeing anything though. It's always a risk.

It was fun watching the launch preparations today. I kept thinking "I've been there" when I saw something familiar. I recognized an astronaut I'd met in Houston and noticed a few familiar faces among the NASA media relations staff. I missed this launch and I might miss a few other until the pandemic is over, but I'll be back. Maybe the next time I return, I'll have a few more publications under my belt and it will be easier to get media accreditation.

It may still be raining in Florida, but I think the rain is over in Dallas for a while. We had a nice walk with Dawn this morning. It was still overcast when we left around sunrise, but we could see patches of clear sky by the time we returned. As Summer approaches, it is increasingly important to get an early start. Dawn enjoys these walks but dogs can easily get overheated. I always worry about Dawn because she's not a young dog anymore. It rarely occurs to me that Janet and I are getting older ourselves. Neither of us think of ourselves as old. Probably the rest of the world does though.

My chore for the day was clearing the standing water off the roof. Since there is no rain in the immediate forecast, maybe my work is done for a while. The warmer is gets, the more unpleasant it is up on the roof. It can get quite hot in the Summer. At some point, I need to power wash the surface and look carefully for more bad spots before I apply the rest of the silicon material. I don't think there is any rush to do this though. I seem to have sealed all the leaky areas.

I've got to come up with a Plan-B for the Summer. It doesn't look like McDonald Observatory is going to reopen any time soon and it might be a while before I can get media accreditation at the Space Center again. I've photographed all the plants and animals in the park, but don't really feel like going anywhere else on a photo expedition. I don't feel like buying new gear either. The pandemic has got me spooked about spending money. The Land Rover dealer called today and told me that the new Defenders have finally arrived in the showroom. I wasn't even interested in that. It's definitely time for a Plan-B.

Libby is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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