Day 4663

Today was busy. It was chilly this morning on our sunrise walk. It was only 63 degrees and I definitely needed a light jacket. I also needed a stick to brush the web worms away as we made out way down toward the lake. I'll be glad when these little green worms disappear. They've really become a nuisance.

After breakfast I did a few minor chores around the house while I was waiting to leave for my haircut appointment. My hair is thinner now but it still grows fast. It doesn't seem that long since my last haircut. I usually get a haircut before any major trip, but I won't be going anywhere for a while. There are several interesting launches next month, but I didn't apply for credentials. It's just as well that I won't be going anywhere soon. I've got too many bills to pay.

On the way home from my haircut appointment I stopped at the gym. It was cool enough to walk outdoors today, but the gym turned out to be more convenient. I was fairly terrible on the basketball court, but I was actually faster on the indoor track today. It still seems like my performance should be more consistent, but it never is. Some days I do well and other days I don't.

I did some of my grocery shopping today because I'm not sure how long the washing machine repairs will take tomorrow. I hope that no parts are needed for this repair because that always requires a second visit. I really want to avoid going to the laundromat. Hopefully, the problem is minor. According to the error code on the machine there is just a clogged drain filter.  I need to learn how to fix this myself. I'm tired of paying technicians to do things that turn out to be very easy.

The State Fair of Texas opened today. We usually go to the fair, but I'm not sure if we'll go this year. I can't even remember if we went last year. It might have still been closed due to Covid. Somewhere on the fairgrounds there is a brick walkway where you can purchase bricks with your name on them. Years ago we bought some bricks in memory of our first Dalmatian. Whenever we go to the fair, it is always a challenge to find these bricks. They're still there but it is surprisingly difficult to locate them. We used to walk Spot in Fair Park every weekend, but the city was different then. The city felt much safer twenty years ago. I'm not sure I'd want to walk in this park during off season anymore.

I hope the appliance technician is on time tomorrow. I hate waiting for repair people. They usually give you a four hour window and then show up about an hour after the window has expired. The utility room where we keep the washer and dryer is very small. I always have to move a ton of stuff out of the room before a service call to give the technician room to work. I'm not even sure how we got these appliances into this room now. It doesn't seem like they should fit.

I hope the rescue Dalmatians are doing well. We haven't seen them in quite a while. I think they will be moving to another kennel later this Fall where we can visit again. I wonder if they will remember us?

Thelma is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4662

Today was disappointing. The rent has gone up again on my storage unit and the washing machine broke. The storage warehouse increases rates every year. All storage warehouses do this. This is why I moved several years ago. Now my rent is even more than it was at the last storage warehouse when it became too expensive. I hate to move again because it is a giant pain. Janet says I ought to just throw everything in the storage unit away. That's not easy for me either.

The irritating thing about the washing machine is that I may have caused the problem myself. I decided to wash the hat I always wear when I walk in the park. The old hat was filthy. I was going to put the hat inside a lingerie bag but I couldn't find one, so I just threw it in with the rest of the laundry. I was kind of worried that the bill of the ball cap might get bent by throwing it in the washer, but I never thought the whole hat would fall apart. When the washer stopped in mid-cycle with an error code that indicated a clogged filter, I unloaded the soggy wash and discovered that parts of the hat had completely disappeared. Who knows how this happened but I bet those missing pieces are stuck in the machine's filter. I'd clean the filter myself if it were accessible. It's buried away inside the machine somewhere. I called the appliance repair shop but my favorite technician doesn't work there anymore. Hopefully whoever replaced him knows what they are doing. It's always something. I was dreading the annual maintenance costs for my car and now I've got an appliance repair bill on top of that.

The web worms in the park keep getting worse. Janet and I have to check each others clothing after our sunrise walk to make sure we aren't bringing any of the little green worms inside with us. Typically a few worms escape our scrutiny and I'll see them crawling on my shirt while I'm eating breakfast. They say the infestation should be over in two or three weeks. It won't come a minute too soon.

I don't know how the people in Florida can handle all the devastation they are currently facing. I think the worst that has ever happened at our house was a broken water pipe under our concrete slab that flooded the AC vents under the floor. A tree fell on our house once, but it didn't do any real damage. It's a good thing we've been lucky because I don't handle major problems well. I get the problems fixed, but they put me in a bad mood for weeks. Even something as minor as a broken washing machine can ruin my day.

At least the weather was nice today. It's easy to avoid the web worms when I'm taking my long walk in the park, but it's dark when we take Dawn on her sunrise walk and she often leads us right through them. Dawn is a creature of habit and it's easier to walk through the web worms than it is to get her to take a new route. I wasn't very fast on my walk this morning. My feet are slowing me down again. I think the recurring foot pain is going to be around forever. It's not bad enough to stop walking, but it sure is irritating. 

For some reason Southwest Airlines has only refunded half my airfare from the canceled Florida flights. I did change my reservation from September 27 to October 2, but I didn't think that would complicate a refund. I suspect that the rest of the money will turn up in a few days, but today the missing funds were just one more source of irritation.

I finally tested the remote shutter app for the Olympus camera. It works, but is not nearly as convenient as the remote shutter app for the Panasonic camera. Both of these apps connect to the camera using WiFi, but it's not easy to get the Olympus camera to connect. I guess I'll keep using the Panasonic camera for rocket launches.

I've taken this week's trash out to the curb and I've got an appointment for a haircut tomorrow. Getting a haircut usually puts me in a good mood for a while. I could have used a haircut today.

Sweet Pea is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4661

I'm glad I'm not in Florida now. Ian is really a terrible storm. I was listening to the weather channel this morning and one of the reporters said "I don't know how we're going to get out of here when this is over. We all have rental cars and our cars got swept away." The storm looks like it is headed straight toward Orlando now. Whenever I do return, I have a feeling that rental cars are going to be in short supply. I hope there is no serious damage at the space center. All upcoming launches, including Crew-5 have been postponed.

The weather was beautiful here in Dallas. We had another enjoyable sunrise walk with Dawn. I've really got to watch out for those little green worms. They're everywhere. Even when I tried my best to avoid them, I found a few on my jacket when I returned home. I'm glad we don't have any Hackberry trees. These things seems to be killing Hackberry trees in the park.

I was mesmerized by the hurricane coverage on TV while I was eating breakfast. Whenever there is a hurricane, I wonder why people continue to live on the beach. You are basically a sitting duck when you live on the beach and a hurricane is headed your way. I guess you are a sitting duck when a tornado is headed your way as well, but tornados are much smaller. If there's a tornado in the area, chances are reasonably good that it will miss you. Since  it was still cool outside after breakfast, I took another long walk in the park. It's really starting to feel like Fall. The trees are starting to turn and the days are noticeably cooler. I like Fall. The only trouble with this season is that it doesn't last very long. I hope I can stop mowing the grass soon. I've never liked mowing the grass.

Several people have reported seeing eagles in the park again. I keep looking for them on my walks but haven't seen anything. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. It took me a long time to spot the two eagles the first time they arrived at the park. I'm not even sure these are the same eagles, or if there are any eagles at all. Somebody could have easily just posted an old picture on Facebook just to stir things up. I'll keep watching though. I'd still like to get some really good pictures.

I guess I need to take my car in for service. The "service required" light is still showing on my dashboard and it's starting to irritate me. I've grown to hate these annual Land Rover service visits. There never seems to be anything wrong with the car, but they always seem to find something very expensive that needs immediate attention. I'd like a car that never needed attention. I'd like a house that never needed attention as well. I've really grown tired of fixing things.

Dawn did well at training class tonight. She didn't win any ribbons this week, but Janet said her trainer thinks she is doing really well and wants her to move on the the advanced class.  I'm glad Dawn enjoys these classes. They are helping her become a normal dog.

Spanky is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4660

Not a lot happened today. It was still dark when we started our sunrise walk with Dawn. There were other people in the park, but you could only see the lights they wore. Some people carried flashlights. Others wore headlamps and some even put little lights on their shoes. A lot of dogs had lighted collers. We used to have a little red light that would clip on Dawn's collar, but it got lost on a walk over a year ago. You don't really need these lights very long. The predawn sky brightens quickly. I could see Orion in the South with Mars overhead and Jupiter setting in the West as we left the house. By the time we arrived home it was daylight.

I discovered where the little green worms were coming from this morning. There is a tree I often pass under on our morning walks with hundreds of the things dangling from thin weblike threads. I must have walked through this mess the other day and didn't even realize it. Evidently the city is infested with these little green caterpillars this Fall. They seem to favor Hackberry trees.

The temperature was nice and cool today, so I took my long walk instead of going to the gym. Our Fall typically doesn't last very long, but I hope this weather continues. It's rare that the temperature is just right in Texas. Today was perfect. I could walk without getting hot and sweaty, but I didn't need a coat either.

It doesn't look like there is going to be an Artemis launch until mid to late November, but I still feel compelled to check on the rocket every day. Overnight they rolled the rocket back to the Vertical Assembly Building where it is safely stowed away. With the hurricane's path moving to the East, there is a chance that the storm will pass directly over the space center now. By the time Ian reaches the space coast it will be a lot weaker, but it will still be quite a storm. It's a good thing I'm not traveling to Florida this week. I've heard that they might even close the airport in Orlando soon.

My seasonal allergies keep getting worse. I'm not sure what causes these allergies, but it doesn't make any difference whether I'm indoors or out. Either way I'm always blowing my nose. The nasal congestion is irritating but I'm used to it by now. I've had seasonal allergies for years. I really appreciate the few weeks each year when the allergies completely go away.

I was thinking about learning some new features on one of my cameras today, but when the time came, I had already lost interest. Modern digital cameras will do a lot of things that people like me seldom use. I basically shoot the same way I used to with my old Nikon film cameras. The only controls I use are shutter speed and f-stop. I wish manufacturers would invent a way to insure perfect focus at night. That's always a tricky one for me.

I wish Dawn would warm up to me. Janet was gone this afternoon and every time I came in the bedroom, Dawn would leave. We both like to nap. It's a shame that it's so hard to do this together. I don't think Dawn will ever completely trust men.

Sophie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4659

NASA finally decided to move Artemis back to the VAB, so I guess someone eventually realized that launching on October 2nd wasn't a good idea. Hurricane Ian is moving slower than expected, so what is left of the hurricane might still be in the area at the end of the month. 

As soon as the rollback to the VAB was announced this morning I canceled all my reservations. I wonder why so many companies are so eager to take your money as soon as you make a reservation? Rental car companies don't demand payment until you pick up the car, but airlines charge you immediately. So does Airbnb. Everyone would rather offer you a credit toward future travel than refund your money. I think I'll get a full refund for everything, but it will be several days before the money shows up in my account. If there is a silver lining to this mess, it is that I can now afford to take my car in for service. I don't think Artemis will be ready for another launch attempt until late November.

It was really pleasant on our sunrise walk with Dawn, but I could tell it was going to warm up quickly as soon as the rising sun hit my face. I guess I could have tried walking in the park right after breakfast, but I decided to go to the gym because Janet likes me out of the house when she is cleaning. It took a while to get my reservations sorted out and then I did a few small chores while I was waiting for the best time to leave. I swept the pecans from the neighbor's tree off the front porch and walkways and then pried the broken atrium door open so I could clean up the atrium. I still can't find anyone to fix the oversize sliding glass door. It may stay broken like this forever.

I stayed a little longer at the gym today and spent some extra time working with free weights. It's true what the say about muscle atrophy as you get older. It's really hard for me to build back any muscle at all in my arms. You'd think my legs would be really strong with all the walking I do, but they could use some work as well. I don't think I'll ever have to worry about getting fat, but I may have to worry about turning into a skeleton. I need to come up with a better way to build back muscle.

I watched the DART asteroid redirect mission on NASA TV while I was fixing dinner this evening. I didn't realize until recently that the DART acronym meant Double Asteroid Redirection Test. Artemis might be a dismal failure, but at least NASA can get some things right. It seemed amazing to me that the DART spacecraft could score a direct hit on the tiny Dimorphos asteroid orbiting the slightly larger Didymos when the pair is millions of miles from Earth.

When we returned from our sunrise walk this morning I discovered that I had tiny green worms or caterpillars in my hair. This was disgusting. I think these things are called cankerworms because you often find them in Oak trees, but this is the wrong time of year for them. They usually hatch in March or April. At any rate, I took a shower to make sure I got rid of the things. I was surprised at how many fell out of my hair.

With no trip on the agenda and waning interest in the star tracker, I'm not sure what to do next. It gets old if the high point in your day is a walk you've taken a thousand times before. Janet thinks I ought to do volunteer work like she does, but that's not for me. I kind of enjoyed being in demand as a website developer, but that's ancient history now. I guess I'd better start planning another trip.

Suki is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4658

No hurricanes in Texas, but we did get some thunderstorms this afternoon. As usual, the rain missed our house. It always does. We still had to use the sprinklers to water the grass this evening. It's a different story down in Florida. Everyone in the state seems to be preparing for the approaching storm except for the folks at NASA. The Artemis rocket is still sitting out on the pad. What are they waiting for? The odds of a sucessful launch on October 2nd are practically zero by now. My guess is that Artemis will be loaded on the crawler and will be headed back to the VAB sometime tomorrow. I haven't canceled my reservations yet, but I suspect that I will be doing that tomorrow as well.

I didn't have to cancel anything today. It was a regular Sunday that started with a Sunrise walk and ended with ice cream. Janet fixed a nice Sunday breakfast and then I headed for the mall for my Sunday morning walk. For some reason I wasn't allowed in the entrance I regularly use. I was told that this entrance was only for store managers now and that walkers needed to use a different entrance about a quarter of a mile away. Whatever. I came here to walk anyway, so it wasn't a big deal. I have no idea why Northpark has designated entrances now. It must make sense to somebody. Probably a group of very bureaucratic people sat around for weeks discussing the idea in staff meetings.

The store windows are already filled with heavy Winter clothes. Why? It never gets that cold in Texas. I think the mall gardeners must have bought every pumpkin in Dallas. There were massive displays of pumpkins artfully displayed throughout the mall. I've never seen pumpkins and gourds in so many different colors. I didn't even know that green pumpkins were a thing, but I certainly saw lots of them today. I shouldn't make fun of the elaborately decorated mall. It's always a very pleasant place to get my steps.

I though it would be too hot to take a walk on Dawn's Sunday outing, but the skies were overcast and there was a breeze, so we gave it a try. We made a one mile loop around Dawn's Sunday park and then we headed for the ice cream store. I think Dawn was a little tired, but not as tired as I was. I don't do well walking off pavement anymore. My feet hurt and my balance isn't as good as it used to be. Dawn loves all the new smells though, and it is her day.

I was really surprised to hear thunder this afternoon. I wasn't expecting rain since the weather forecast showed nothing but clear skies for the next week. Actually we didn't get any rain in our neighborhood but it was all around us. I'm glad we were able to take Dawn on her Sunday outing while it was still nice outside. 

When I'm busy in the morning there is often nothing to do in the afternoon. I spent an inordinate amount of time searching for information about the Artemis team's plans for the hurricane. Nothing. Probably putting out press releases is the least of their worries now. I heard somebody wonder what happens if the crawler breaks down on the way back to the VAB tomorrow and is stuck outside when the hurricane arrives The crawler is over 50 years old and every time they move Artemis several of the treads fall off the tracks. It's hard to predict what is going to happen next. The hurricane isn't going away though. This weekend I was putting on some sandals and got stung by a bee that was inside the sandals. I certainly wasn't expecting that. I wish NASA luck. They're probably going to need it.

Rosie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4657

I canceled all my reservations for the 27th and made new reservations for October 2nd. Will Artemis actually launch on the 2nd? I kind of doubt it. There's a good chance it will roll back to the VAB tomorrow and sit there for weeks. It doesn't hurt to be optimistic though. I can always cancel the reservations if Artemis has to return to the VAB. One good thing about the October 2nd date is that my favorite Airbnb is available again. I can't imagine leaving Artemis out on the pad with a hurricane approaching but stranger things have happened. NASA really wants to launch this thing. It will be interesting to see what takes place tomorrow.

The park was busy this morning. This always happens on a weekend. We have to stay alert so Dawn doesn't get run over by bicycles. The weather was nice and Dawn enjoyed her walk. We got a later start this morning and the sun was already up. You could tell that it was going to warm up quickly. It felt like it would make more sense to go to the gym today.

I got a late start on my grocery shopping because I needed to change all my reservations as soon as I heard that the launch attempt on the 27th had been canceled. I've finally learned to act fast whenever there is a schedule change. Every other journalist covering the launch was probably doing exactly the same thing this morning.

With my reservations in order again I went to get groceries. The stores were crowded, but this was probably just because I got a late start today. I'm sure they're like this every week. I filled my tank on the way back from the store. Gas is less expensive now. The decrease in gas prices wasn't enough to offset the increase in food prices unfortunately. Food prices keep going up.

The gym was almost empty today. I did my normal routine and came home. I should probably try a little harder to improve myself when I'm at the gym. I just do the same things over and over again. On many days I don't even work up a sweat or elevate my heart rate much. I do get my steps though, and I guess that is the whole point for me.

My task for the afternoon was defrosting the little refrigerator. We got this refrigerator after a power outage years ago. It's small enough that it can be easily powered by our generator. It's weird that this simple little dorm room refrigerator seems essential now. We use it every day.

Tomorrow I'll probably go mall walking again and then we'll take Dawn on her Sunday outing. Since the weather is getting cooler now, we might be able to take a real walk. If not, there's always ice cream.

Scout is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4656

With a developing hurricane headed straight toward Florida, I fully expected NASA to postpone the Artemis launch today. Nope. They just kicked the can down the road, saying that they were closely monitoring the situation. I haven't canceled my reservations yet, but I probably will tomorrow. Flying into Orlando at the same time everyone else is trying to leave just doesn't seem very smart. It takes three days to roll the Artemis rocket back to the VAB, so NASA will need to make a decision soon. You can tell that these guys are trying really hard to avoid moving the rocket again. I'm sure they realize that after another bumpy journey back to the VAB, it will probably start leaking again.

The weather was fine here in Dallas. We had a very nice sunrise walk with Dawn. The temperature was in the mid-70's. The humidity was low. And there was a nice breeze. I didn't even think about going to the gym today. Even before breakfast I could tell that it was going to be a good day for a walk in the park.

After breakfast I checked my messages and got ready to change all my reservations. There wasn't any news yet though, so I went on my long walk. The trees are definitely starting to show some Fall color now.   I saw lots of Great Egrets today and the American White Pelicans are growing in number.  I didn't see the Muscovy Ducks this morning. After all these years I still don't know where they hide.

I returned to the house in time to catch an audio teleconference where the Artemis team was going to review their options going forward. There were lots of questions about why the team was moving forward toward a launch on the 27th when the weather was clearly deteriorating. Right now there is an 80% chance of a weather violation on launch day and the forecast is getting worse. The Artemis team clearly wants to keep their options open though and hope for the best. We'll see what happens tomorrow. I think they are running out of time.

I hate that my seasonal allergies have returned. I'm blowing my nose all the time now. I feel like I have inhaled pepper and at night I get nasal congestion and end up breathing through my mouth. This means that I don't sleep as well. I wake up with a dry mouth and have to go to the kitchen to drink some water. When I go on my long walk I have to stuff my pockets with Kleenex. If memory serves, these allergy problems aren't going away soon. I"m going to have a runny nose for the next several months.

I did some little chores around the house this afternoon, but didn't feel like attempting anything ambitious. I watered the plants in the atrium, tested the generator to make sure it was still working, and cleaned a toilet. I didn't do a load of laundry today because I already did that yesterday. I really should have gone ahead and canceled my reservations. I can't imagine that the launch will take place on the 27th, but what do I know. NASA has access to the best weather forecasters in the world. Maybe they know something I don't.

I don't have a big grocery list this week, but I'll still go to the store tomorrow morning. I'll probably go to the gym tomorrow afternoon. I think I've walked in the park enough this week. Hopefully NASA will make a final decision about the launch sometime tomorrow as well. I think Saturday is the last day I can cancel everything without penalties.

Sage is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4655 - Autumnal Equinox

It's officially Fall. I'm more than ready. With a record setting string of 100 degree days, this Summer was brutal. Hopefully, the cooler weather will bring lower electric bills. I'm not terribly confident though. Nothing seems to go down in price these days. The first day of Fall got off to a good start with our sunrise walk this morning. Not only was it nice and cool outside, the humidity was low as well. Cooler weather always puts me in a better mood. Sometimes this doesn't last very long, but I'll take what I can get.

Since the weather was nice, I took my long walk in the park instead of going to the gym. I kind of miss all the construction that was going on this Summer. It gave me something to look at and speculate about while I was walking. Now I'm back to counting ducks again. When I arrived at the lake I saw our five resident geese swimming toward Sunset Bay. The bay was several miles away at the time, but the geese beat me there. I've been watching these geese for years and I've never actually seen them fly. Since they appear to be domestic geese, I wonder if they can fly. The two resident Muscovy ducks that hang out with these geese can definitely fly. They have large wingspans and are quite impressive when in the air.

I still walk faster outdoors than I do at the gym. I suspect that this is because the first two-thirds of my walk are downhill. When I measure the final uphill climb to get back home, my pace slows considerably. Surprisingly, there are still quite a few wildflowers in the park. The Purple Asters are in bloom. So are Clematis, Goldenrod, and Water Primrose. The only bad thing about walking in the Fall is that my seasonal allergies are back. There are only about two months a year where I am free of allergy problems. My Spring allergies last into Summer and my Fall allergies last into Winter.

It's getting frustrating that NASA still hasn't announced an official date for the next Artemis launch attempt. They are already hedging their bets on the 27th by calling this a "tentative" launch date.  We've been issued instructions about when and where to pick up our credentials for the 27th though. I really expect that the date will change but I haven't canceled my reservations yet. I'm superstitious. If I canceled my reservations, this would almost guarantee that the launch would take place on the 27th. Maybe I'll hear some news tomorrow. I remember hearing that the launch team would make a final decision before the end of the week. When does the week end though? I can't even remember.

I think my interest in astronomy might be waning. Mars is approaching opposition and getting brighter every month. Jupiter is the closest it has been to earth in 70 years. I still haven't gotten out my telescope to view either of these planets though. Mars rises in the East around midnight but I've got no excuse for Jupiter. I could probably go outside right now and see it if I wanted. My main excuse is mosquitos. We've got lots of mosquitos at night now. I'm also just tired. As soon as I finish writing my blog post all I want to do is go to sleep.

When I took this weeks trash out to the curb this evening I noticed that the city had picked up the bulky trash piles on the street sometime this afternoon. I was going to add a few things to our pile, but I guess I'll have to wait until next month. Will I go to the gym tomorrow or take another long walk? Either way, it's probably the only decision I'll make all day.

Sadie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4654

The Artemis fueling test went well today, so it's looking more like a launch attempt will actually take place next Tuesday. I was hoping for a delay since I just got finished paying for my previous trip to Florida. If the launch stays on schedule, I'll be there though. I feel lucky to be among the journalists selected to cover this launch. I don't want to squander this opportunity. We'll see what happens in the next few days. I wouldn't be at all surprised if the launch date still changes.

We got another early start on our sunrise walk this morning. I wish Dawn would stay in the neighborhood when we're walking in the dark, but she still insists on going to the park. The smells are better there. Dawn doesn't seem to mind walking in the dark, but I'm still a little nervous about bumping into a coyote. I'm always surprised at how quickly the sky brightens just before dawn. By the time we returned home the sky was blue and daylight had returned.

After breakfast I watched the Artemis fueling test on NASA TV for a while before heading for the gym. This was not exactly must see TV. The rocket just sat there doing nothing and every twenty minutes or so an announcer would give a brief update on what was taking place. There was another hydrogen leak at one point but they got it under control and were able to complete the test. When I returned from the gym, the test was still going on. I'm glad I didn't watch the whole thing. 

I had trouble finding a parking place at the gym today. I was expecting a crowd on the gym floor, but it was just the same people I always see. What were all those extra cars doing? Somebody must have been having a meeting. Since the gym is owned by a major hospital, a lot of hospital functions take place here as well. My routine never varies. There's a large wall clock on the gym floor and I always try to guess when I'll be finished exercising. My whole routine is just like clockwork. I shoot baskets. I walk two miles on the indoor track. And I lift free weights for a while. It's no surprise that I usually guess within a few minutes of the actual time I spend on the floor.

I paid a few more bills this afternoon and finished the accounting work I started yesterday. I still haven't had the nerve to look at my brokerage account. The stock market hasn't been doing so good lately. I learned a long time ago to stay the course when the market fluctuates. If you pick good solid companies and stay aware of what is happening in the world, you'll usually do OK in the long run. A bear market is still unsettling though.

Dawn won another ribbon at her training class tonight. She really looks forward to this class now. She starts getting excited at least an hour before it's time to leave for class. I don't go to the classes with Janet, but I'm really pleased that Dawn is doing so well. She's come a long way since she came to us as a frightened breeding dog in a puppy mill.

Rowe is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4653

I mowed the front lawn this morning. As expected, the mower's battery died right as I was finishing up, but I did get the job done. I don't seem to be able to manage more than one chore a day lately, but ever so slowly I am getting things done. The yard looks nice now. At this time of year I start to hope that I won't have to mow for another season. It's probably just wishful thinking though. It got up to 90 degrees this afternoon. The grass will probably keep growing for a while.

There were still a few stars in the sky when we took our sunrise walk with Dawn this morning. We carry a flashlight with us now. I continue to be surprised at how quickly the days are getting shorter. It was a pleasant morning but it felt like it was going to get hot later on. On our sunrise walks it feels like Fall. Later in the day it still feels like summer.

I mowed the grass right after breakfast while it was still relatively cool. I wonder how long I'm going to keep doing this? I've found someone who will do the mowing for me but haven't used him yet. I get tired, but it's still easier to do this chore myself. Truthfully, it's easier to do most chores myself. I hate dealing with suppliers.

I went back to the gym because the day was getting warm. I was surprisingly good on the basketball court this morning. I don't think I've ever completed this many free throws in a row before.  Most of the other people using the court shoot from all over. I just shoot from the free throw line over and over again. If I ever get really good at completing free throws I may try more difficult shots. I'll never join in a pick up game with other gym members though. Shooting free throws is satisfying, but I don't even like basketball that much.

I had a productive morning, but I was basically done by noon. Sometimes I think I don't get enough sleep at night, but I probably get too much sleep if you count all the naps I take. I'd probably take more naps if Dawn wasn't so grumpy about sharing the bed with me. When I lie down on the bed during the day, Dawn gets up and leaves the room. Usually she waits just outside the bedroom door and as soon as I leave the room she hops up on the bed again. She doesn't do this with Janet. Only with me.

There is going to be a Delta IV Heavy launch out at Vandenberg Air Force Base this weekend. After this launch there are only two more of these huge rockets left before they are retired. Hopefully, I'll be able to see one of these remaining launches. I've applied to cover a Delta IV Heavy launch before but it didn't work out for some reason. There's always something to look forward to in the world of spaceflight. Maybe I'll even get to see a Starship launch someday. 

While I'm waiting for something exciting to happen, I'll continue to do small chores around the house. I need to do some maintenance work on the roof but I don't like to climb up there anymore. I'm getting too old for a lot of this stuff I used to do around the house. Even the easy stuff is getting hard. I tried to fix the troublesome Porcher toilet again this afternoon, but the parts I bought last week didn't work. Who knows what's on the agenda for tomorrow. I suspect the day will be very similar to today. 

Rosie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4652

I've got several hours every morning to do something outside before it gets too hot. Sometimes I take a long walk. Other times I try to do something useful. Today I decided to mow the grass. Well, at least I decided to mow half the grass. That's all my aging electric mower will do now on a single charge.

I thought Summer was over. As usual I'm almost always wrong about Texas weather. It actually got quite hot today. Dawn got the best of the day. Our sunrise walk was pleasant, although the humidity was higher than I'd like. It was certainly quiet this morning. There were no police or fire sirens and only one aircraft flew overhead. I always enjoy a quiet walk but sadly they are becoming increasingly rare. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. The park is just a small oasis inside a large city.

Since the weekend is over, it's back to shredded wheat and berries for breakfast. I watched the Queen's funeral while I was eating. The carefully choreographed ceremony was mesmerizing. It made me realize that there is value in heritage and tradition. Respect for the queen has at least temporarily unified the British people. Today they seemed proud to be British. I don't think anybody in the United States could command anywhere near the same degree of respect. We all seem to hate each other. We are a young country without a long history, but we don't seem to value what we have. History is important. It seems fashionable today to repudiate history and deconstruct the past. I watched a funeral this morning, but it was strangely uplifting. A reverence for history and tradition is so much better than tearing down statues in an infantile rage.

By the time I finished breakfast and mowing the back yard, it was already way too hot for a walk in the park. I checked my messages, took Dawn outside to pee, and then headed for the gym. It's interesting that I'm not the only one at the gym who follows a set routine. Most of the regulars do exactly the same thing day after day, just like me. There aren't many spontaneous gym rats. It takes a lot of effort to stay in shape and working toward a goal often involves a lot of repetition. I rarely speak to anyone at the gym, but I probably have a lot more in common with these folks than with people who think of themselves as free spirits. No happy hour drinks for me. No impromptu weekend getaways. I've got a Fitbit on my arm and lots of steps to take before the sun sets.

Janet thinks I get in her way when she's cleaning, so I thought I'd hole up in the office this afternoon and balance my checkbook. I don't know why it always takes so long to get my Quickbook Pro records to exactly match my bank statements and credit card receipts. It always ends up being my fault. A single misplaced Quickbooks entry can throw me off for hours. It's easy to make errors while transcribing things but it can be devilishly hard to find them later. Everything is in balance now and I managed to stay out of Janet's way all afternoon.

I guess I'll need to mow the front yard tomorrow morning. The front is harder to mow because it's on a hill. The mower battery doesn't seem to last as well in the front yard either. The job needs to be done though. The yard looks terrible now. I can always go to the gym tomorrow afternoon. I'll probably be going to the gym more often now anyway because my seasonal allergies are starting to act up again.

I wish I'd hear some definitive news on the next Artemis launch attempt. It's getting on my nerves that nothing is settled yet with a scheduled trip to Florida less than a week away.

Rhett is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4651

Another nice Fall day. The mornings are cool but it warms up quickly. We had a pleasant sunrise walk with Dawn and didn't encounter many other dogs or bicycles. Dawn has lots of energy for an older dog. She enjoys her walks and I'm glad she still seems very healthy.

After breakfast I checked my messages while I waited for the mall to open. Mall walking on Sunday has become a regular part of my weekly routine. I usually walk from 10 AM until noon. The stores aren't open, but this is perfect for me. Finding a parking place is easy when the stores are closed. The temperature inside is perfect and I never have problems with my seasonal allergies. I don't need to wear a hat or worry about getting sunburned. The window displays are interesting too. Oddly it seems just as natural to walk indoors as outside. There are no snakes either. I guess I'm not much of an outdoorsman.

Styles haven't really changed that much over the years. I think they just get recycled. I see things in window displays that are very similar to things I saw thirty years ago. Kitchen and jewelry stores haven't changed at all. The main difference in stores today are the prices. Retro looks cost a lot more than the originals they are emulating. 

A few things still confuse me. Who takes care of the ducks and turtles that swim around in the mall's reflecting pools? Why are there so many little stores that sell cookies? I don't understand several current style trends either. When did asymmetrical looks become popular? I still prefer symmetrical clothing where the left side of the garment looks the same as the right. A lot of modern shoes look really clunky as well. All these windows give me a lot to look at. For the most part, it's more interesting than watching squirrels chasing each other in the park.

When I returned home, Janet and I took Dawn on her Sunday outing. It was too hot for a longer walk, but Dawn got a chance to get out of the car and smell things for a while. It's never too hot for ice cream. For some reason we got larger cones today for the small cone price. I think it was just a mistake. We checked on the neighborhood Chinese restaurant on our way home and it was still closed. Such a shame. I really liked this place. I don't know how anyone has the nerve to open a new restaurant. It's a hard business.

I keep waiting for news about the next Artemis launch attempt. Nothing yet. At least the weather is improving in Titusville. Space X was finally able to launch its next batch of Starlink satellites after being rained out for an entire week. I kind of hope that the launch does get postponed again. I'll go down for the next attempt, but I'd rather wait another month or two until the weather starts to improve. This is still hurricane season. The chances for weather related delays are high.

I miss visiting the rescue Dalmatians on Mondays. Things change though and you've got to stay flexible. I could always mow the grass instead, but that doesn't sound nearly as much fun.

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4650

We got started on our sunrise walk later than usual this morning, but the park was still very quiet. A few of the trees are already starting to turn. There is definitely a hint of Fall in the air. Dawn really enjoys these early walks. I'm still half asleep, but it's a pleasant way to wake up.

Saturdays are always the same. We have a big breakfast and then I do my grocery shopping. I didn't have much on my list today, but it still took the same amount of time. Most of the time is spent driving from store to store. It's almost impossible to find everything you need in a single store anymore. I go to specific stores for specific items. I guess I could just go to Walmart to save time, but I prefer to just pretend that Walmart doesn't exist.

It wasn't that hot today but it felt very humid. I decided to go to the gym instead of walking in the park. My trips to the gym are just as predictable as my other Saturday errands. I shoot twenty-five free throws on the basketball court, walk two miles on the indoor track, and spend a little time working with free weights. I could do more, but I usually get bored after an hour or so. 

It's frustrating that I can't upgrade my watch or phone anymore. I've reached the end of the line with these devices because Apple has officially abandoned them. Both the watch and the phone work just fine but Apple clearly thinks it's time for me to get something new. Both my laptop and desktop computers haven't been able to run later Apple operating systems for quite a while. This means that my Safari browser is way out of date and runs slow. I still have no interest in buying anything new. I have a variety of older Apple systems on external hard drives and often use them when I run really old software. I've reached the age where I keep wondering why things have to change. I was perfectly happy with the way things were 15 or even 25 years ago. 

I'm glad that there weren't any launches I felt compelled to attend down in Florida this week. It's been raining all week in Titusville. Space X has delayed one of their Starlink launches for five straight days in a row because of bad weather. I hope the weather improves before the next Artemus launch attempt. There are enough problems with the rocket itself. Adding bad weather into the mix will only make things worse. I don't even like to leave my car out in the rain. You'd think they'd worry about leaving this billion dollar rocket out in the weather for weeks at a time. The rocket already leaks. We certainly don't want it to rust.

I guess I'll go mall walking again tomorrow. There's absolutely nothing I'm interested in buying at the mall, but walking around and around the huge square enclosure is still kind of pleasant. The air smells clean and the temperature is just right. It's nice and cool inside but I don't need a jacket. Maybe someday I'll find something more interesting to talk about than all these walks I continue to take. I wouldn't count on it though. I'm becoming more and more like a dog. All I think about is walking and eating. And rockets. I still think about rockets.

Princess is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4649

Today was frustrating. I decided it was time to make reservations for the Artemis launch attempt on September 27th and almost immediately ran into problems. The Airbnb I liked was already booked. So was the Holiday Inn where I've stayed frequently. I looked for other Airbnb rentals in Titusville and many were already booked as well. The available places I found either had a four day minimum stay, were ridiculously expensive, or looked pretty shady. I eventually found a decent hotel and made a reservation. I wondered why this hotel wasn't sold out like the others and later discovered that it was undergoing renovations and many guests thought the construction noise was irritating. Oh, well. When I was making airline reservations my computer crashed right while my transaction was being processed. That took a while to get sorted out.

The sad thing is that all the effort I put in today is probably for nothing. There's a very good chance that the launch will get postponed again and I'll have to change or even cancel these reservations. The launch attempt on the 27th is really just tentative at this point. The Artemis team won't know whether the repairs they made recently to the hydrogen fill line are effective until they try to fill the rocket with fuel on September 21st. I had to abandon several promising Airbnb's because the 20th was the last day you could cancel your reservation without a penalty. I have a gut feeling that this rocket isn't going to launch until Halloween, but what do I know. If I want to see this launch I have to play along at this point. NASA doesn't care how often you have to change your travel plans.

The park department finally mowed the meadow behind our house. It's much easier to get down to the lake now on our sunrise walks with Dawn. This morning's walk was very pleasant. The weather was crisp and cool and the park was fairly empty. Although my feet are starting to hurt again, I decided to take another long walk in the park after breakfast. Actually it was quite a while after breakfast because I had to make all my travel arrangement first. It's a good thing I took care of this early. By lunchtime the hotel where I made my reservation had sold out.

My pace today wasn't as fast as yesterday's. This was probably because the temperature was warmer. I probably should have gone to the gym, but I didn't feel like driving. More American White Pelicans arrived at the park this morning. The pod of pelicans will continue to grow throughout October and by the time Winter arrives there will be hundreds of them. There will be lots of Double-Crested Cormorants as well but they haven't arrived yet. I enjoy watching the seasons change and always look forward to Fall. It's the one time of year when it's actually pleasant to be outside in Texas.

This week has gone quickly. There are still a lot of things on my to-do list but I'm going to postpone most of them. I'll postpone taking my car in for service until I pay my travel bills. Maybe next month. I'll postpone getting the roof replaced until the stock market starts going up again. Maybe next year. I can't postpone mowing the grass much longer. It grows really fast when there's rain. The only thing I never postpone is doing the laundry. It's easy and strangely satisfying. I did a load of laundry this afternoon.

It's time to make a grocery list again. Prices have come down at the pump a bit, but the cost of food is still going up. One more thing to be frustrated about.

Phantom is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4648

Not much happened today. You can tell the days are getting shorter. We left on our sunrise walk a little later than usual, but the sun still wasn't up when we returned. The weather was nice though. It was just chilly enough to wear a light jacket. Fall is definitely here. It won't be long before it's time for the State Fair.  

When I took my long walk after breakfast I noticed that the first of the White Pelicans have returned for the Winter. Usually about a dozen birds arrive early and the rest begin to appear about a month later. Seasonal changes are very predictable and so far this year everything is right on schedule. 

The stone masons have just about finished the four stone gates in the park. I still have no idea what these gates are for, but they are large and look expensive. There has been a lot of construction work in the park this Summer. The place looks good this year. It's too bad the city doesn't run as efficiently as the park department. The park is definitely cleaner and a lot safer than the city that surrounds it.

I got a notice this morning that it was time to set out this month's bulky trash. That meant that I needed to move a big pile of brush and tree limbs I had cut earlier in an attempt to clean things up on the roof. The neighbor's Pecan tree would droop down and touch our roof when it rained and often this would knock over my pumps. It took a lot longer to move the tree limbs than it took me to cut them in the first place. I got the job done though. I was tired when I finished, but at least I didn't get stung by bees.

A year ago today I was down in Florida for the Inspiration 4 launch. Now I'm waiting for news about the next Artemis-1 attempt. I'm pretty sure I'll return to see the next attempt, but I haven't made any firm plans yet. I wonder why I still enjoy doing this? I've covered quite a few of these things now and each launch is remarkably similar to the previous one. The space community is filled with interesting people though. It's nice to feel like I'm a part of this group even if my contribution is very, very small.

I've really got to get some work done on the house. It bothers me that the carefully curated list of suppliers that I've collected over the years is basically worthless now. Just about everyone has either retired or died. I hate to start over or rely on websites like Angi's List. There are few thing more irritating than hiring a sloppy painter or an inept carpenter. Something's got to be done though. I'm not going to get this work done myself.

This weeks' trash has been taken to the curb and I'm wondering whether to go out for breakfast in the morning. I'll probably just have my regular bowl of shredded wheat, but I did used to enjoy my restaurant breakfasts on Friday.

Spot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4647

Another slow day that was punctuated with a bunch of small chores. As usual, the day started with Dawn's sunrise walk. It was definitely jacket weather this morning. The temperature was only in the low 60's. The park was quiet today. A waning moon was high in the sky and you could still see Jupiter in the pre-dawn twilight. This is a good time of day to walk. I'm always a little nervous about running into coyotes but we haven't seen any in quite a while.

I took my own long walk in the park right after breakfast while the temperature was still cool. There was a lot more activity than when we walked Dawn a few hours earlier. I watched stone masons working on the series of gates the park department is building. There was a crew with lots of machinery paving a road that had gotten torn up earlier in the summer. The mowers were out as well, but they seem to have forgotten the meadow behind our house. It would be nice if they mowed this area because our shoes get wet walking through the high grass every morning when we leave the house with Dawn.

When we returned home I washed the car and narrowly avoided getting stung by bees. I'm really showing my age. It's a lot harder to get down on my knees and clean the wheels now. It's time to mow the grass again, but I'll save that for another day. By the time I finished the car it was getting warm and I wanted to get back inside.

There is already new firmware available for the star tracker, so I installed the latest version this afternoon. I'm always a bit apprehensive about updating this thing, but it still works. The Benro team has added so many features over the past six months that I think the app is running slower now. Some operations seems to take a very long time to complete. I wonder when I'll actually start using the tracker. The one time I used it out at McDonald Observatory was very promising. I was able to get some good pictures. I can't imagine using the tracker in Dallas though. The combination of light pollution and crime isn't conducive to astronomy. There are too many streetlights visible from our back yard and the rest of the city is just too dangerous at night. There are a few dark, secluded areas in the park, but bodies show up in the park from time to time and I don't want to be one of them.

I can't decide whether to make reservations for the next Artemis launch attempt, or just wait a while. I have a strong feeling that this launch is going to get postponed further, but I could be wrong. I'd hate to make the trip to Florida just to see another launch get scrubbed, but I'd also hate to be here in Dallas when there was a successful launch. I probably should just plan on going to these events as long as I can afford the trip. It sure beats sitting here and doing another load of laundry.

Dawn got another blue ribbon at her training class tonight. She is really doing well. Dash won a few ribbons before he lost interest in the class, but Dawn has done better than any of our other dogs. Janet says Dawn really likes the class too. It's nice to see Dawn overcoming her many fears and gaining confidence. She's come a long way.

Nicholas is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day