Day 4755 - New Year's Eve

Well, 2022 is a wrap. It was a pretty good year all things considered. There were no medical emergencies. Dawn is healthy. Janet and I are healthy. I got to take a few fun trips this year. I'm still writing and I'm still managing to take at least 10,000 steps every day. Hey, today I got 20,000 steps. Not bad at all. I have no big goals anymore, but life has been good. If next year is more or less the same, I'll be happy enough. There's not a lot to prove anymore.

Dawn was excited to take a walk today. I don't think she will ever understand that she could have taken a walk every day last week. Dawn wanted to keep going this morning, so we walked an extra mile. She is happy again, since her world has returned to normal. Instead of our usual weekend breakfast, I fixed french toast this morning. It was a nice change of pace.

My grocery list wasn't large today, but I had to go to several stores. All the stores were crowded and food keeps getting more expensive. It seems strange to me how much simple things like bottled water, cheese, and strawberries have gone up in price. I wonder where this will end. I still believe that everything that goes up must eventually come down, but I've been waiting a long time. I'm glad I had some good years when I was younger, or things would be looking pretty bleak.

When I took my long walk this afternoon, I saw the eagles again. The birders in town must have some kind of secret network where they immediately tell each other whenever the birds are in the area. I've never seen the birds without a large contingent of people with cameras nearby. It only seems to take minutes for a large group to assemble. Most of them have huge telephoto lenses and tripods, so it's not like they were just wandering through the area. When the eagles are gone, the cameras are gone. It's still a mystery how these people find out about the birds so quickly.

It's amazing how quickly the weather changes around here. I've still got freeze covers over all the outdoor faucets, but the temperature got up to 70 degrees this afternoon. That's quite a change in less than a week. I wore shorts on my walk this afternoon and wasn't cold at all.

Dawn is definitely a weird dog. All our other dogs have been scared of the vacuum cleaner. When I vacuumed the bedroom this afternoon, she just sat on the bed like a little diva and looked at me. She wasn't scared at all. Of course when I finished with my chores and sat down on the bed to take a quick nap, Dawn immediately left the room. The fact that I'm more scary than the vacuum cleaner just isn't right.

People are already shooting off fireworks in the neighborhood. Fireworks are another thing that doesn't seem to bother Dawn. She just ignores the noise. I have no interest in fireworks myself. It just seems like a strange way to celebrate. We'll stay up till midnight and ring in the new year with a glass of bubbly. It seems like eons ago when I was always playing at someone's New Year's Eve party when the band was together. I won't be doing that again. It probably won't be that long until we don't even bother to stay up until midnight anymore. The older I get, the more one year starts to seem exactly like the next.

Dot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4754

Janet is back and Dawn is a happy camper again. She was actually very good with me while Janet was away, but it's nice to see the tail wagging again. I think that Dawn has been in kennel mode all week. She was very obedient and did everything she needed to do, but it was clear that she wasn't happy. Now Dawn is happy again and all is well. Janet had a nice trip, but I don't think that meant much to Dawn. Dogs don't hold grudges though. As soon as Janet opened the front door, Dawn was immediately back to her normal self.

Janet's plane didn't arrive until late this afternoon, so for most of the day Dawn and I went through our familiar routine. Dawn got her last breakfast in bed for a while. She will go back to eating in the kitchen with Janet now. We never did take a walk. I was actually lucky that she would go down to the park with me every morning, but as soon as she did her business, she wanted to go straight back to the house. She didn't want me to brush her teeth either. I couldn't get anywhere near her mouth unless I had a treat in my hand. Dawn was probably just playing me the entire time because she knew she could get away with it. She is a very smart dog.

I continue to take my long walk every day. These walks are frequently boring, but it's hard to argue with their benefits. Long walks are some of the best exercise a person my age can get. It's great low impact cardio that helps to build bone density. The effort must be working because I'm in great shape for my age. Even my doctor is impressed. I wish there was an easier way to stay in shape, but few things worth doing are ever easy. To be a good writer you need to keep writing. Ditto for being a good photographer.  I don't think I'm a good web developer anymore because I don't build many websites these days. Practice makes perfect, or so they say.

The refrigerator was getting pretty empty, so I went to the grocery store this afternoon so Janet would have some food when she got home. I was surprised at how crowded the stores were. Was everybody out shopping for New Year's Eve parties, or are stores always crowded on Friday afternoon? I am totally unaware of what goes on in this town unless it is on my regular schedule. I did pick up a bottle of champagne for New Years Eve. Our celebration mostly just consists of watching the Times Square ball drop on TV and then going to sleep. We love dogs but we are definitely not party animals.

This year has gone quickly. There were a few surprises, but the year was largely uneventful. At least I didn't wind up in the hospital like I did last year. I did get to see the Artemis-1 launch and several others as well. Titusville is getting to feel like a second home now. I'd attend more launches if I could, but it's just too expensive. I kind of envy my launch photographer friends who live in the area. I'm glad that Dawn remains healthy. She did have bladder stones removed this year, but there have been no serious medical emergencies. After all the problems that Dot and Dash had when they got older, I'm always waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Hopefully Janet and I will stay healthy in the year ahead. So far, so good, but I've learned not to take anything for granted. I'm looking forward to returning to Kennedy Space Center. I have no idea when my next trip will be though. It all depends on getting press credentials. Maybe I'll go back to McDonand Observatory next Spring. I still wonder about that long drive though. For now I'll just concentrate on taking a long walk every day.

Penny is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4753

Dawn seemed sad today. I could hear her crying in the bedroom ocassionally. We are getting along fine, but I've never seen a dog so dependent on one person. Dawn is just not the same dog when Janet is not around. It all makes sense if you know Dawn's history. Dawn was attacked by another dog at the rescue kennel and Janet took her home and nursed her back to health. 

I was out of town at the time and Dawn didn't know I was a part of the household until later. I don't think Dawn has ever trusted men. She was born at the puppy mill where she was later used as a breeding dog and was mistreated by the two men who ran the place for her entire life. It is all she has ever known. Dawn could probably put her past behind her if she was a young dog, but she is older and has seen a lot.

We do the best we can. I don't think that Dawn and I will ever be best buddies, but she does depend on me.  I do the best I can to make sure she has nothing to worry about. We do everything very consistently and try to avoid surprises. I have always been very consistent with Dawn and think that it helps to build trust. We eat and go outside at the same times every day. It's probably not great that she wants to spend her day sitting on the bed, but she's peaceful and relaxed there. She will go down to the park with me every morning to smell things and do her business. Hey, it's a start. Given enough time, I might eventually be able to convince her to take a walk. I know she loves to walk when Janet is around.

I continue to take my long walk every day. I just don't feel like going anywhere else. I don't think there will be any year end purchases this year. I just don't feel like buying things this year. The walk has become a placeholder to fill a very long day. If my feet didn't hurt so much, I might walk even longer. Walking is great exercise and it doesn't prevent you from day dreaming. I daydream a lot. I think about future trips I'm planning and cars I'd like to buy. Sometimes I think about articles I'd like to pitch to various magazines. Occasionally I worry about my health, but I still think I'm pretty healthy. I rarely think about doing anything with friends. I'm happy enough by myself.

All the leaves are off the trees now and the grass has turned yellow and dry. The park is actually looking pretty bleak, but there are still plenty of birds to watch. Another female Muscovy duck turned up today, so now there are four of these strange birds. Maybe there will be ducklings this Spring. I have no idea where the eagles went. They don't even seem to be in the area anymore. Maybe that's why all the white pelicans have returned. I saw a ton of white pelicans today. I don't know where the monk parakeets went either. These loud birds were everywhere this summer, but I haven't heard a peep out of them for months.

It's hard to believe what is happening with Southwest Airlines. I almost always fly Southwest and have liked the airline for a long time. It's sad to see them implode like this. All things considered it wasn't even that bad of a storm. It makes you wonder how many other companies are living on the edge of disaster. I don't think our economy is nearly as robust as we'd like to think it is. Look what happened when a little bad weather almost brought down the entire Texas power grid a few years ago. This ongoing uncertainty doesn't bring me any comfort. Much of my future is tied up in the stock market and there has never been anything safe about the stock market. In some ways I'm glad I'm old. The world is doomed, but I think it will probably last another twenty years.

I've taken this weeks's trash out to the curb. There wasn't much trash this week. I guess I don't consume much. I imagine that tomorrow will be very much like today. It's been a very quiet week.

Petey & Greta are the Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4752

It was a quiet day. Dawn and I have our routines down now. She still seems depressed with Janet gone, but she isn't acting fearful anymore. I was able to take a nap with her on the bed today and she didn't even try to leave. We're not doing anything exciting, but we are consistent. I think Dawn knows she's going to be OK.

My cold is just about gone. There is no sore throat anymore and my cough has subsided. Hopefully, this was my Winter cold for the year. There are things I'd like to do this Spring and I'd like to feel well. I'm glad I didn't get too worried about Covid. This didn't feel like Covid at all. Of course I've never had the virus, so how would I know?

Typically I buy something for the business at the end of the year, but I have no desire to buy anything this year. There's nothing I really need. Who am I kidding. I don't have any clients anyway. Maybe I could convince myself that I've transitioned into an aerospace writer if I made any money. I do get published, but it still seems like more of a hobby. I'm just glad there is still something that interests me. So many of my old interests have vanished.

I wish Dawn was interested in taking a walk. She could use the exercise. I'm not going to push things though. Dawn is finally starting to calm down and act normal. That's all we need right now. We can start walking again as soon as Janet gets home. I'm certainly continuing to walk. There isn't much else to do. It was much warmer today and I only needed a light jacket. I was slower today although I didn't feel particularly tired. I talked to a neighbor who said a stray dog had wandered into his yard and decided to stay. He asked if I wanted another dog and then said he was taking the dog to a vet to see if it was chipped. If he can't find the owner, he'll try to get the dog in a rescue program.  I wish him luck. All the rescues in town all full. It's sad how often dogs get dumped in the park. This isn't the first time something like this had happened in the neighborhood.

I haven't seen the two eagles in several weeks. All the pelicans have returned though. I see lots of people with binoculars looking for the eagles now. If they're in the area they are easy to spot. They are very large birds. I keep thinking I ought to take a camera with me in case the eagles return, but I'm not really that interested. I already got some good pictures last year. I don't think I'd make a good birder. Birds are mildly interesting, but I'd still rather take pictures of rockets.

The Waterpik I fixed yesterday doesn't work as well as I'd hoped. It doesn't seem to have as much water pressure as it used to. This seems weird because the pump was never broken. Oh, well. I tried. I may need to buy a new Waterpik anyway. My dentist convinced me that I need to use this contraption every day and I guess I've become a believer.

I thought our Christmas leftovers would last for the rest of the week, but I may need to go to the grocery store tomorrow. I'm really glad that Janet likes to cook. If I had to fend for myself, my diet wouldn't be nearly as healthy. Maybe I'll pick up a bottle of champagne if I'm out tomorrow. New Year's Eve is just around the corner.

Dot & Petey are the Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4751

Dogs love consistency. As luck would have it, so do I. Dawn and I do exactly the same things at the same time every day and this consistancy seems to help us both. I've turned off Janet's alarm clock and we sleep until 8 AM now. I've learned how to make the bed while Dawn is still in it because she refuses to leave her spot on the bed. I get dressed, fill Dawn' water bowl with fresh water and then make her breakfast. I take it back to the bedroom and then go out to the kitchen and start fixing my own breakfast. I can hear her eating because the tags on her coller jingle on the ceramic dog bowl. When I'm sure she has finished eating, I put on a coat, and grab her blue training leash. When she is wearing this leash, she will follow me down to the park. Without the training leash, she won't leave the yard. I always make sure I have poop bags in my pocket before we leave the house. Dawn usually does her business very quickly and then immediately wants to return to the house.

I take my time eating my own breakfast, because a day is a long time to fill and I don't have that much going on. After breakfast I give Dawn her morning meds. She likes to take them in cream cheese. Since it's been very cold lately, I try to wait a few hours before taking my long walk. The walk is more pleasant if I leave around noon. Before I leave I'll take Dawn out to the back yard to pee. She always returns to her place on the bed. That's where she likes to spend her day. When Janet is home, Dawn will follow her around like glue. She doesn't follow me around.

My long walk is always the same. I know where the birds and animals live and keep an eye out for them. Some days I see lots of wildlife. Other days I see none. I always see joggers, dog walkers, and cyclists. The park is a popular place to exercise. For me at least, my walk is a lot better than going to the gym. There are lots of elevation changes and if you keep up a decent pace, the walk is great for cardio health. It's also a great way to kill time. I spend several hours each day walking and usually travel at least six miles. I'm about a mile short now that Janet is gone however, because there is no early morning walk with Dawn. Dawn does not want to go walking with me unless Janet is nearby and I'm not going to make an issue of it. 

The parts I ordered for my broken Waterpik arrived today so I took the unit apart and fixed it this afternoon. I guess I could have just ordered a new Waterpik, but why bother? I'm pretty good at fixing things and I knew that this could be fixed. It's hard for me to give up on something, and the computers, the refrigerator, washer, dryer, my phone, and one of the dehumidifiers have all been repaired. The toilet in the office bathroom need work, but I can't find parts. I have been unable to fix the large sliding glass door in the living room as well. It's way too heavy for me to take off its track by myself and nobody seems to repair these things anymore. I wish I was a better carpenter. I have the tools, but the repairs the house needs are way beyond my modest abilities. I do what I can. For now, it's fixing a broken Waterpik.

Our arctic freeze appears to be over. It was still a little chilly this afternoon, but tomorrow the temperature is supposed to climb back to seventy again. That's fine by me. A week of freezing weather was about all I could handle. I keep thinking that the past few days have been the worst ever, but that's just not true. I remember one winter when our lake completely froze over. No frozen lake this year. Not much snow either in recent years. When I first moved to Texas there were some huge snowfalls along with ice storms that knocked down large trees all over town. All in all, the climate does seem to be getting warmer.

Dawn won't be going to her training class tomorrow. That's fine by her. She and I are getting along fine and she seems to enjoy having a lazy week with nothing on her agenda. I'm sure she will be delighted when Janet returns, but so far things are going better than I expected.

Taylor is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4750

I got a message this morning saying that there had been an emergency at Janet's storage warehouse and that I should return the call immediately. The number I was given wasn't the number of the storage warehouse so I was suspicious. Everything seems like a scam these days. I called the real number of the storage warehouse and it turned out there actually had been an emergency. A pipe had burst on Christmas Day and flooded the place. I called Janet to see if she had an extra key to her unit around the house and then drove over to investigate.

There was some water on the floor of her unit, but the location of the burst pipe was in another part of the building, so she didn't get the brunt of the damage. Almost everything in the room was in big plastic tubs with lids. The only things that got wet were some blankets and throw rugs that were on the floor. I took these home to wash and was glad that the damage wasn't any worse. A few of the storage units had significant water damage. It just goes to show that you can't take anything for granted. I've been worried about roof leaks at the house for years, but it never occurred to me that our storage units could get flooded too.

Dawn hasn't warmed up to me yet, but we are getting things done. She eats her breakfast in the bedroom, but comes out to eat her dinner and late night snack in the kitchen. She goes down to the meadow behind our house every morning with me to poop and pee and then immediately wants to return to the house. It's clear that she's not going to venture very far from home until Janet returns. Luckily, she has no problem going out in the back yard when she needs to pee. I wish she was interested in getting a little exercise, but I'm not going to push my luck. I just want her to feel safe and not have any panic attacks.

After I cleaned the things that got wet in Janet's storage unit, I went on my long walk. It was a little chilly, but was actually a nice day for walking. It's too bad that I have so many problems with my feet. I'm constantly battling foot pain, but walking still seems like the best exercise for me. Walking doesn't build muscle, but it's great for cardio. Walking is also relaxing for me, which is something I can't say about going to the gym.

There were a lot of people out in the park today. That probably means that most people got Monday off as a holiday. A lot of folks must have got new bicycles for Christmas, because there were a ton of bicycles on the trails. There were a lot of people walking dogs too. I bet a few of those dogs were Christmas presents. It was clear that some needed a little leash training. I didn't see any eagles today. I didn't see many pelicans either. I'm still wondering where all the white pelicans went. They usually don't leave the lake until April or May.

My cold is getting better. My sore throat is almost gone, although I still have a cough. I can seen how Janet might have thought I had Covid. Some of my symptoms are very similar. I'm pretty sure this is just a Winter cold. I've never had a fever and both Covid tests I took turned up negative. The only good thing about having this now, is that I'll have it all behind me by the time I'm ready to travel again.

I don't have any plans for tomorrow. I didn't have any plans for today either, but I was actually pretty busy.  Let's hope that if there are surprises tomorrow, they are pleasant ones.

Dash is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4749 - Christmas Day

It was a very quiet day. I didn't talk to anyone all day. Dawn's first day alone with me went better than expected. She was a little nervous last night but she fell asleep long before I did. She wouldn't come out of the bedroom for breakfast this morning, but was eager to eat when I brought her bowl back to the bedroom. The little diva evidently wants breakfast in bed.

I ate my own breakfast and then took Dawn down to the park to do her business. She doesn't like to wear her regular harness when Janet is gone, but will follow me down to the park if I use the special training leash that Janet uses at dog school. She acted fairly normal this morning, smelling everything to find the perfect spot before peeing, but she definitely didn't want to take a walk. As soon as she was finished she headed straight back to the house.

My Waterpik broke today and I tried to order a replacement on Amazon. I discovered that I can't use Janet's Prime account anymore because she's enabled two-factor authentication and gets a code sent to her phone before each login attempt. Oh, well. I used my regular Amazon account and paid the shipping. Amazon Prime is nice but it's not worth each of us having our own Prime account. I use two-factor authentication for almost everything myself. It's weird to think that ten or fifteen years ago you didn't even need passwords on the Internet. A lot has changed over the years. I think I liked things better when I had a little 300 baud dial up modem and getting online was an adventure.

Since both my gym and the mall were closed today, I took a long walk in the park. The temperature had warmed up quite a bit by early afternoon and it was actually a very nice day for a walk. I didn't make great time today, but I did OK. I didn't see the eagles either, although lots of people were looking for them. I've walked this route so many times by now that I can predict my pace along the way almost to the second. There was a little excitement on the way home this afternoon. There were ten police cars and at least thirty cops surrounding a car on a nearby road. The police were lobbing tear gas canisters at the car and using a bull horn to tell the guy inside to come out and surrender. Eventually the driver did surrender and left the car. Then a large group of officers went up the the car with guns drawn to make sure there was nobody else inside. There were lots of spectators taking pictures with their phones but nobody knew what was going on. Clearly this guy was in some serious trouble. Whatever he did, it was a lot more than speeding or running a traffic light. I checked the news but there was nothing about the incident. That's kind of sad. It's probably just another day in the life for Dallas police.

I wish that Dawn didn't get so depressed when Janet is away. I haven't seen her wag her tail yet. She did come out and eat her dinner in the kitchen tonight though. That's a good sign. She came out for her bedtime snack last night as well. Dawn actually adjusts to changes fairly well. I just hate to see her sad.

There isn't a lot on the agenda for the rest of the year. I might be going to another launch in January, but I haven't been approved yet. Basically my life revolves around going down to Kennedy Space Center three or four times a year and and making at least one trip out to McDonald Observatory. I don't have any desire to go anywhere else. I haven't picked up a guitar in years and my little recording studio is gathering dust. Things change I guess. At least I'm still interesting in something. 

Dot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4748

Dawn surprised us this morning. We thought she'd want to stay inside because it was cold, but when we took her out to poop this morning she wanted to walk. She picked her own route and had a good time smelling things. I was glad that Dawn's day started well because I was afraid it wouldn't end well. Janet left for the airport right after breakfast this morning and sooner or later Dawn was going to figure out that she wasn't just out getting more groceries.

After finishing my own breakfast I paid a bunch of year end bills before going to the gym and doing my weekly grocery shopping. I went to the gym first because I didn't want food to spoil sitting in the car. What was I thinking? It was like a refrigerator outside. I could have left food in the car all day and it would have been fine.

After I got my steps at the gym I quickly found everything on my list at the grocery store and came home. I didn't need much this week because there are a lot of left overs from our early Christmas dinner. I thought that people would have finished their holiday shopping by now, but the stores were packed. I had a hard time finding a parking place at Central Market. I was going to get gas today, but there seemed to be long lines at the pumps. Never mind. I didn't really need to get gas anyway. It seems like I just filled my tank a few days ago.

About mid-afternoon Dawn seemed to figure out that Janet wasn't coming back anytime soon. She's been acting depressed ever since. We've gone through these vacation periods before. Dawn will be fine. The first few days are the hardest. The last time Janet was on vacation, Dawn wouldn't even leave the bedroom to eat her breakfast for two days. I had to bring her bowl back to the bedroom and then stay out of sight until I could hear that she was finished. Things gradually improve, but Dawn definitely does not like Janet being away. Since Janet is frequently out of the house and I'm almost always here, life still seems fairly normal to Dawn. Things will get real when it's time to go to bed.

Janet tries to make things easy for me. All Dawn's meds are in little baggies labeled with the time and day the pills are to be given. I already feed Dawn anyway, so I know what she needs for meals and when to give her treats. I am more likely to run out of food for myself than to run out of food for Dawn. We are well stocked with dog essentials.

I didn't think that anyone would be at the gym on Christmas Eve, but about half a dozen of the regulars were there working out. I was only there because it was too cold to walk in the park today. I don't know what their reasons were. I never talk to these people even though they all seem very nice. It's good to always have the option of going to the gym. I think I made my cold worse by trying to walk in the park on a day when any sane person would have stayed inside.

I won't be mall walking tomorrow. The mall doesn't close for many holidays, but it does close for Christmas. We won't be doing Dawn's Sunday outing either. That would be traumatic for both of us. Dawn has actually never been inside my car and I don't think she wants to start anytime soon. We'll try to keep things really low key while Janet is gone. I just want Dawn to be relaxed, eat all her food, and take her meds. It would be nice if she still pees and poops on a regular schedule as well. 

Christmas should be a happy time, but my Facebook feed seemed filled with sadness today. Several dogs died today. Other dogs were sick and owners were wondering what to do when they were stuck in a blizzard. City pounds and shelters were still euthanizing dogs on Christmas Eve. Many people seemed lonely, but a few seemed to be having a good time with family and friends. I'm glad Janet enjoys being with her family. They'll have a great time this week. I'll be fine as well. My cold actually seems to be getting better and I enjoy spending time with Dawn even if she has other ideas. Hope springs eternal I guess. I keep thinking maybe we'll be best buddies by the time Janet returns.

Dash is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4747

It was as just as cold and nasty as everyone predicted this morning. It was eleven degrees when we woke up, with a wind chill that was below zero. Not surprisingly, we did not take a morning walk with Dawn. Dawn is no fool. She ran out in the back yard and quickly did her business and then came right back inside again.

Considering the weather, I actually had a very busy day. After breakfast I went and had my annual eye exam. My cataracts are getting worse, but evidently my eyes are deteriorating very slowly. My doctor said that he wouldn't recommend doing anything yet and said that I could easily go another year without cataract surgery. I no longer have 20/20 vision unfortunately. I was given a prescription for glasses, but it is optional if I ever use it. I'm still OK to drive and I guess do anything else without glasses. I may fill the prescription if I ever drive back to McDonald Observatory. My eyes get tired on long car drives.

The car started fine in the cold weather. I was a little worried about that. The outside faucets that I set to drip are still dripping, so I guess that's good too. So far there are no problems related to the cold weather. The furnace is running constantly, but it is still working normally. Our house is not well insulated and you can see condensation on all the windows on days like this. The dehumidifiers help, but there is only so much you can do with large expanses of single pane glass. I just hope that this cold spell doesn't linger. With temperatures this low, I feel like we are under siege.

This afternoon I got a haircut. Either my hair is growing faster or it's been longer than I thought since my last haircut. Even my stylist thought it was growing fast. I guess Covid worries are largely over. I didn't need a mask at the eye doctor or at my hair appointment either. Janet was the only one worried about Covid since she is traveling soon and didn't want to go if I was infected. She worries about giving Covid to her relatives. I took another Covid test this morning and that one turned up negative too. I just have a head cold and even that seems to be getting better.

Since it was way too cold to go walking in the park today, I stopped by the gym on the way back from my hair appointment. I still had to get my steps. I was in street clothes, but that was fine for walking around the indoor track. Actually I fit right in. A lot of the old people who come to my gym just wear street clothes anyway. I got my 10,000 steps, closed all the rings on my Apple watch and headed home for dinner.

Janet fixed an early Christmas dinner for us tonight, since she will be gone on Christmas Day. I'm glad that Dawn doesn't know what's up yet, since she will be very upset. We made it through Janet's last vacation, and we'll make it through this one as well. I know how to get Dawn to eat and take her meds and she will go down to the field behind our house with me in the morning to poop and pee. We won't even try to take a walk while Janet is gone. That would be stressful for both of us. 

Ziggy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4746

Brrr. It is really cold today. I think the temperature dropped thirty degrees in less than an hour when the arctic front rolled through town. Luckily we were able to give Dawn a morning walk before the cold weather arrived. I don't think we'll be walking tomorrow morning though. It's just too cold.

After breakfast I put the faucet covers on the three outdoor faucets. The covers are a little too small but they will have to do. Actually I should have bought four covers. There is a fourth outdoor faucet I forgot about. I covered that one with a big pile of leaves.

Janet wanted me to take a Covid test today because she thought my head cold might be Covid. I didn't think so, but what do I know. We still had a bunch of those home test kits around the house, so I read the directions and did the test. I found it ironic that the test kit was made in China. According to the test, I don't have Covid. I definitely have a cold though. I wonder how I caught this since I am seldom around other people. This is the first time in years that I've had a sore throat.

I drove to the store where I got the faucet covers yesterday because I needed to warm up the car. Not surprisingly, they had sold out of the covers again. I think everyone in town must be looking for faucet covers. I always have this fear that my car won't start in cold weather, so I started it several times today. No problems today, but I hope the car starts tomorrow. I've got an appointment with the eye doctor in the morning and am getting a haircut in the afternoon.

I should have gone to the gym today. I was really cold on my long walk. I dressed warmly, but there was a fierce wind. My face was the only exposed skin, but I really should have worn a scarf that covered everything except my eyes. I was the only person out in the park today. There were no bicycles, joggers, or dog walkers. No park department workers either. I guess I was the only stupid one. It was so cold that I couldn't complete my full route. After walking a mile or so I was ready to turn around and come home. Not a stellar day for exercise, but I did manage to get 10,000 steps.

I think I've lived in Texas to long. I don't understand how anyone could live in Wyoming or North Dakota in the Winter. I went to high school in Alaska and spent several of my early working years in Idaho, but that's ancient history now. I like being warm and right now even Texas is too cold for me. 

We'll see what tomorrow brings. I'm afraid it's going to bring single digit temperatures. The wind chill index is already below zero here. I may break with tradition and have a hot breakfast tomorrow. 

Two sisters are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4745 - Winter Solstice

I should have known. You don't start planning for cold weather on the day before the cold weather arrives. I went out this morning to get some faucet covers for our outdoor faucets. It seemed like a simple enough errand. Home Depot was completely out of stock. Lowes was completely out of stock. Ace Hardware was out of stock as well. I couldn't even find any of the covers at Teeters. Everyone seemed to be looking for these things. I definitely wasn't the only one asking about faucet covers today. I started calling around and eventually found a few covers in a small neighborhood store. The guy on the phone said that he had ten faucet covers left. I asked if he could hold three for me and that I would be right over to pick them up. When I arrived at the store my three faucet covers were sitting behind the register and the other seven were in the hands of people checking out. I'm glad I called ahead of time. If I had just driven over to the store, they would have all been gone before I got there. If this little saga proves anything it is only that I'm not the only one who waits until the last possible minute to plan for bad weather.

It also took quite a while to get gas this morning. Everyone seemed to want to fill their tank before the storm arrives. I don't know if it makes any difference, but a full tank of gas seemed like a smart move to me as well. Am I ready for the arctic blast? I doubt it. Thankfully the really cold weather will only last two days.

We had a nice early walk with Dawn this morning. It was quite dark when we left the house and I was worried about coyotes. The sky brightened rapidly though and it was daylight by the time we arrived home. I didn't' sleep well last night and even this short walk made me tired. I should have gone back to bed, but I ate breakfast instead and got ready to take an even longer walk.

I sent in my application for press credentials for the January falcon heavy launch. I'm pretty sure that my application will be accepted since credentialing is being managed by the Space Force. The Space Force is easier to deal with than NASA for some reason. I wish I knew the actual date of the launch so I could go ahead and make travel arrangements. I'd like to stay at my favorite Airbnb again.

I was really slow on my long walk today. I thought about turning around early but I kept trudging along and eventually made it home again. Maybe I do have a cold instead of seasonal allergies. I certainly didn't feel very good today. I wanted to take a nap as soon as I returned home, but Dawn didn't want me in the bedroom. As soon as I got on the bed she went out in the hallway and started whining. Eventually I just took a nap on the sofa in the living room. I hate to see Dawn crying. She's a very manipulative dog and I think she's got me figured out.

The cold weather and high winds arrive tomorrow afternoon. We should be able to have a normal sunrise walk with Dawn, but all bets are off after that. I just hope we don't have any problems with the furnace. It has a tendency to go out at the worse possible times.

Willow is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4744

It's that time of year again. I'm blowing my nose constantly. This seems to happen every Winter and I usually chalk it up to seasonal allergies. This time I'm wondering if I've caught a cold though. It kind of feels like a head cold. Maybe it's allergies though. I could easily be allergic to falling leaves.

Janet had plans today, so we took our early walk in the dark again. Dawn has two lighted collars now. She got a second one at the training class Christmas party gift exchange. I continue to be surprised at how quickly night transitions into day. It is usually quite dark when we start these early walks and daylight by the time we return home. We only walk a mile, so we're not out all that long either.

Dawn went to the vet today for a bath, a nail trim, and her canine influenza booster shot. It was kind of weird not having a dog around the house this morning. Dawn mostly ignores me, but I'm still very aware of what she is doing. I always take her out to pee before and after my long walks and feed her lunch when she is in the mood. She looked very clean when she and Janet returned this afternoon. You'd think a Dalmatian would always look clean, but that's not usually the case. She likes to roll around in the grass, so I tend to forget how white her coat actually is.

I saw all the Sunset Bay birds today. It's weird that so many species call this place home. I saw several kestrels. The Muscovy ducks and geese were all there. The coots, mallards, and double crested cormorants were there as well. The female bald eagle was in her nest. Even about half of the white pelicans had returned. I don't think I will ever become a serious birder, but I am learning to recognize the various species that call the park home.

I didn't make good time today. I'm surprised at how much my pace varies from day to day. I'm obviously slower when my feet hurt. The temperature seems to have a lot to do with my pace as well. It was warmer today. I'm usually faster on really cold days. 

It's going to be a lot colder later in the week. If it is as cold as the forecast predicts I might not walk in the park at all. My gym seems to be a much better alternative when temperatures are in the teens. We'll see what happens. Southerners tend to get very alarmed about cold weather, but hopefully everything will be fine. I'm trying to get prepared. I put foam insulation around all the outdoor water pipes. Tomorrow I'll go to the hardware store and get some protective covers for the faucets. Indoors we should be fine, but Janet did bring a down comforter back from her storage warehouse in case the power goes out. I think everyone remembers the big statewide power outage in February 2021. We were one of the lucky ones that year. Our power didn't go out.

I just found out that there is going to be another falcon heavy launch in January. I wasn't planning on returning to Kennedy Space Center so soon, but I think I'll apply for credentials to attend this launch. The last time I tried to view a falcon heavy launch all I saw was heavy fog. I heard the rocket but it was completely invisible in the fog. Hopefully I'll be luckier this time.

I've got to remember my appointment with the eye doctor this week. I completely forgot my last appointment and if I did this two times in a row it wouldn't be good. I'll leave a big note for myself on the kitchen table. The note will say "Don't walk this morning, you have an eye appointment at 10:45 AM." That should work if I remember to write the note.

Lexi is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4743

It's definitely Winter. It's cold. It's damp. I want to sleep with an extra blanket on the bed. Winter is not my favorite season, but luckily it's not as bad here as it is further north. The problem with Winter is that I continue to do exactly the same things I do in the summer even though the experience is not as pleasant.

I dressed warmly for our early walk with Dawn. Actually I dressed a little too warmly, but I didn't want to take chances. As temperatures drop, there are fewer people on the trails. We're dedicated though. If it's not raining, we'll be out walking.

I waited a while before taking my long walk today because I was hoping that it would either warm up or the wind would die down. Neither happened but I went walking anyway. I must really hate driving because in many ways it would be so much easier to go to the gym on days like this. Sadly, the weather was nice today compared to what it is going to be like later in the week. Single digit temperatures are still in the forecast.

I found a really nice sweater under a pile of clothes when I was getting dressed for my walk. Where did this come from? I must have had the sweater for years. It looked like it had never been worn. I wonder what else I have. I accumulated a lot of clothes during the time I traded design services for clothing and shoes. Looking back, this was a pretty good deal. The money I made during the early years of my company disappeared a long time ago. I still have a lot of the clothes though.

I didn't see the eagles today on my walk. I wonder where they go when they aren't near their nest? I cover a lot of ground in the park and you'd think I'd see them somewhere. They're either near the nest or gone completely. People speculate that since the pair returned this year to build a second nest that they might have made the lake their permanent home. I don't think anyone really knows however. I hope they didn't scare the pelicans away. I think I enjoyed watching the pelicans more than the eagles. 

Since the ground has dried out and bulky trash pickup is later this week, it was a good day to start raking leaves. Since we have large Oak trees in our back yard, there are a ton of leaves on the ground every fall. I'm not a fan of raking and bagging leaves, but it needs to be done. When we first moved here I just let the leaves blow away during the Winter. It worked pretty well until all the neighbors built tall privacy fences. Now we don't get the same kind of breeze we used to get and the leaves just stay on the ground. 

I bagged a lot of leaves this afternoon and took them out to the curb. There are still a lot of leaves on one of the Oak trees, but it's a start. Maybe I'll rake a little more tomorrow. The leaves are dry now and it is supposed to rain later in the week. For a while, Janet and I were both out working on the leaves and Dawn got excited, thinking that we were out there to play with her. She had great fun racing through the big piles of leaves. It was nice to see her enjoying herself. Dawn is not usually a very playful dog.

I made an appointment to get a haircut later in the week. I have an appointment to see the eye doctor the same day. Doing two different things in one day is rare for me. I think I'll manage though. I'll probably find time to take a walk as well.

Ranger is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4742

I didn't do much today. I should feel guilty for being so lethargic, but it doesn't seem to bother me. We took our morning walk a little later this morning. After all these years we still have a weekend schedule even though we are both retired. I'd probably sleep in late every day, but Janet and Dawn have other ideas. It's probably good that they get me up. I'm lazy enough already.

After breakfast I went mall walking again. I thought the mall would be packed this morning, but it was strangely empty. I'm sure the place was busy after the stores opened, but there were definitely fewer walkers today. I still can't figure out why I walk slower indoors. It seems counterintuitive. The terrain is flat, The temperature is comfortable. I don't have to worry about tripping over anything. You'd think I'd be really fast in this type of environment.

I'm probably slower because I glance at all the store windows. I don't linger, but I'm definitely aware of what's on display. I wonder who buys this stuff. These clothes don't look anything like what I see at the grocery store or walking in the park. I guess people still go to parties. There are a lot of party clothes on display. There are a lot of Winter coats on display as well. Some of these coats will probably get sold next week when we are expecting a record cold spell. The mall does feel festive at this time of year. I'm not a very festive person, but I do enjoy the Christmas season. I may be imagining things, but people seem a little nicer in December.

Every time I go mall walking I notice that a new store has opened and another one has closed. I didn't realize that things were so fluid in the world of retail. You wouldn't think anyone would have the nerve to open a new store in an environment where people buy everything on Amazon, but I guess hope springs eternal. Since Northpark is a very high-end mall, I'm probably getting a distorted view of reality. It suits me though. I'd never go walking at a Walmart Supercenter.

As soon as I returned home Dawn was ready to go on her Sunday outing. She always seems super excited to go on these little Sunday road trips, but instantly reverts to panic mode as soon as Janet starts the car. She walks fairly normally when we arrive at our destination, but is always a little wilder than she is at the park near our house. Since we do this every Sunday, you'd think this would all be routine by now. I'm not a dog though. I really have no idea what is going through her mind.

Ice cream definitely calms Dawn down. I think she enjoys the ice cream even more than we do. We order the same thing every week, but sometimes the cones are larger and other times they are smaller. It just depends on who is serving that day. There is always a help wanted sign at the ice cream store. It's probably not a hard job but I don't think I'd want to work there. I don't think I'd want to work at a restaurant either. OK, if I'm being honest, I don't really want to work at all. 

I'm a little apprehensive about next week's weather. Single digit temperatures are rare in Dallas. I'm always worried that the pipes will freeze or the car won't start. Hopefully the furnace is in good shape. It just got repaired a few weeks ago. I'm sure we'll be just fine but Florida is looking better and better.

Alvin is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4741

Today was busy. There was lots of walking, grocery shopping, and household chores. It was in the mid-30's when we took our early walk with Dawn. That's warm compared to what it's going to be like next week though. An arctic cold front is headed our way with predictions for single digit temperatures. I hope the power grid holds up this year. You definitely don't want a power outage when you are experiencing sub-freezing temperatures.

I got a box of large leaf bags when I was out shopping this morning. This doesn't mean that we are going to rake leaves right away, but it does mean this odious chore is officially on the radar. The stores were crowded today and so were the roads. I think it's going to be this way until Christmas. You can tell that Hanukkah and Christmas are almost here. The stores were filled with holiday food favorites. It's tempting to buy more than you need, but I've finally learned that two people can only eat so much.

Yesterday I was pretty sure I was going to the gym today, but the heavy traffic made me change my mind. When I finished my shopping all I wanted to do was go home. Actually, walking in the park is better exercise than I typically get at the gym. I walk faster for some reason and I definitely walk longer. The weather was definitely brisk this morning but I dressed warmly and I was fine. 

I saw the eagles again today but there are still no White Pelicans. The pelicans started disappearing around the same time the eagles arrived. My theory now is that the eagles drove the pelicans away. Both birds use Sunset Bay to catch fish. You wouldn't think that two eagles could scare one hundred pelicans, but the eagles are fairly ruthless. Most of the local waterfowl seem nervous around them. Truthfully, I know nothing about birds, but this does seem like a plausible theory to me. The White Pelicans have always been here in December before.

I vacuumed, did laundry, and finished a few other small chores this afternoon. Every dog we have had before Dawn was scared of the vacuum cleaner. Dawn could care less. She just sits on the bed and looks at me when I'm vacuuming in the bedroom. Today she even fell asleep. Apparently the noise doesn't bother her at all. Dawn is definitely a weird dog. She ignores things that frighten most dogs and is frightened of things that a normal dog would ignore.

Since it is going to be at or near freezing tomorrow morning I started my car in the driveway and ran it until the engine was warm. I did this last year during freezing weather and it seemed to work. I've had car batteries fail during cold weather before and I don't want to deal with that again. Janet brought home a down comforter for the bed from her storage warehouse. We don't want to deal with a cold weather power outage either. Every time winter weather is headed our way I'm envious of my Florida friends. It was seventy degrees in Titusville this afternoon. There was a rocket launch this evening too.

I'll probably go mall walking tomorrow morning but it all depends on the weather. I'm not even sure my car will start at this point. At least there is no rain or snow in the forecast. One day at a time I guess. Eventually it will be Spring again.

Duke is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4740

I often have trouble remembering what day it is. It's understandable. I do the same things every day. I get up when Janets says "We'll be walking in twenty minutes." I dress warmly for these early walks and then change back into indoor clothes as soon as we return. I make the bed and then eat my breakfast when Janet and Dawn are finished in the kitchen. I fix my coffee and have a bowl of shredded wheat with fruit. Lately the fruit of choice is strawberries, but I enjoy peaches in the summer. I've tried blackberries, blueberries and raspberries, but didn't like those as much. I've gone through periods when I've fixed myself an omlette, made french toast, or eaten a grapefruit. I even got my special omlette recipe featured in a cookbook once. Now shredded wheat seems to do the trick. They have to be mini-wheats without a sugar coating though. I don't like the old fashioned full sized shredded wheat either.

I usually watch television while I'm eating breakfast. This does little to remind me what day it is. I'm a channel surfer and find all the channels equally bad. Fox is the pillow guy every five minutes. MSNBC is non-stop January 6. CNN is the Ukraine channel. Business is looking up on CNBC. A recession is just around the corner on Fox Business. I only watch the local channels if there is a tornado warning. It's all basically worthless, but it's better than eating in silence.

I try to wait until it warms up a bit before I take my long walk, but usually I get bored and leave right after I check my e-mail for messages. When I was working there were a lot of messages. Now my inbox is mostly spam. Walking is even more boring than watching cable news during breakfast, but I've convinced myself that I'm doing this for my health. I'm sure the long walks do some good, but I'm a long way from becoming a gym rat. I still walk pretty slow and occasionally fat people pass me on the trails. 

To amuse myself I try to keep track of what the local birds and waterfowl are doing. There is a lot of activity. We've got a colony of very noisy green monk parakeets. There are tons of mallards, coots, and ruddy ducks. Occasionally I will see some very colorful wood ducks. A large group of American White Pelicans spend the Winter at the lake along with an even larger group of Double Crested Cormorants. I frequently hear owls but rarely see them. I do see lots of Great Egrets, Cattle Egrets, and Blue Herons. Hawks are pretty common too. I always see the five domestic geese and the three Muscovy ducks near Sunset Bay because they are always looking for handouts from the people who feed them. Of course, now we've got two Bald Eagles as well. Everyone is interested in the eagles.

Monday is Dawn's favorite day because that's when Janet does her grocery shopping. Grocery day is a big deal for  Dawn. She's waiting at the front door at least an hour before Janet returns. For some reason Dawn seems to get great pleasure watching all the groceries being put away. She certainly knows what food is. I think her favorite words are turkey and bacon.

On slow days I recharge batteries. That's what I did today. Phones, laptops, recorders, cameras and much more all rely on batteries. These batteries go dead whether you use the equipment or not. It seems like I'm always recharging or replacing batteries. This is probably why I will never buy an electric car. Batteries are a giant pain. They're expensive, they don't last long enough, and they perform poorly in cold weather. I've had to replace the lawn mower batteries several times because I forgot to bring the battery pack inside during cold weather. These batteries are inside now because the temperature will dip below freezing soon.

Hannah is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4739

It was clear and cold this morning. I made sure to dress warmly this time for our early walk with Dawn. Even Dawn wore a sweater today. There aren't nearly as many people out on cold mornings but we did encounter a few hardy souls. I was just glad to see the sun again.

The leaks have finally stopped at the house. I put the buckets aways again and tried not to look up at the ugly stained ceiling. I still haven't found anyone who can fix everything but it's not for lack of trying. The world has changed and the suppliers I have relied on for years are no longer around. I'm not a big fan of online resources. Recommendations from friends are much better. Of course you have to have friends with similar problems for that to work.

I think I continue taking my long walk every day because it's a great way to kill time. I'm usually out for over two hours and that's two hours that would be totally wasted if I was sitting around the house. These walks are hard on my feet but are probably great for my heart. I've been doing this for so long that people wave at me as I go by. I don't know who they are, but I suppose I've become a fixture in the neighborhood. We've lived here for thirty years and I've always walked in the park. Spot, Petey, Greta, Dot, Dash, and now Dawn have all gotten daily walks in the park. People often stop me to ask about the dogs but often I find that they are thinking about the wrong dog. I guess if you don't own one, all Dalmatians look alike.

I still wonder where the eagles go when they are not near their nest. Sometimes I will go weeks without seeing them, but I know they are around here somewhere. I don't know where the White Pelicans go when they aren't at Sunset Bay either. It's hard to hide a hundred pelicans. The only birds I see consistently are the five domestic geese and three Muscovy ducks that live near Sunset Bay.

I paid a few more December bills today but that was about it. I wonder if something has happened to the price of natural gas? Our gas bill went up dramatically this month. It has been colder than usual but there have been plenty of cold months in the past where our bill was much lower. I guess this is to be expected. The prices for everything are becoming ridiculous.

It's hard to believe that it's already the middle of December. Where has this year gone? I did get to see Artemis launch and spent several days out at McDonald Observatory last Spring, but all in all it's been an uneventful year. I kind of miss working. A steady stream of writing jobs provided a structure to my life that is missing these days. There just isn't that much that interests me.

I've taken this weeks trash out to the curb and am already wondering what I'm going to do tomorrow. I keep thinking about restarting my Friday breakfast restaurant tradition but I'm not as hungry as I used to be. Some of my favorite restaurants have closed too. Maybe I'll get in the car and try something new one of these days, but for now a bowl of shredded wheat and fruit is just fine.

Jasper is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day