Day 4724

It's hard to get used to this weather. It was a beautiful day but was very cold. I guess I'd better get used to this. It's Winter now. We bundled up and took Dawn on another early walk in the dark. Mars was very bright in the early morning sky. The planet is nearing opposition now and won't be this bright again until 2033. Dawn wasn't very interest in the sky, but was very serious about smelling things this morning. I was just glad to return to a warm house.

After breakfast I wrote a letter to my sister because I knew I would be passing the post office later in the morning on the way to pick up a prescription. I don't like to drive anymore and try to combine errands whenever I can. After all these years I have never left letters in our mailbox for the postman to pick up. Somehow I have no faith that these letters would get delivered. I always have to drop the letter in a slot at the post office myself.

I don't understand drug prices at all. I still get a much better deal using GoodRx than using my Medicare Part D plan. Today's choice was $17 on GoodRx vs $65 on my supplemental insurance. Lord knows how much this prescription would cost if I was just paying retail. When I asked the pharmacist how this all works, she didn't know either. She said she'll always give me the lowest price available though.

I waited for it to warm up before I took my long walk. Maybe it got a little warmer but it still felt very cold when I left the house. I tried a different coat when I walked today. I'd almost forgotten that I have several goose down jackets. This one was a little warmer but the hood didn't fit as snugly. I continue to be amazed when I see men running on the trails wearing shorts and no shirt in this kind of weather. I dress like I'm on an expedition to the South Pole.

I saw one of the eagles again today. This time it was in flight. The pair of eagles is definitely here for the Winter. The nest continues to get bigger. Maybe there will be eaglets in the nest next Spring. I need to start taking a camera with me. I have a little compact camera with a long telephoto lens. The lens retracts when it is not in use and the camera is pretty easy to carry while walking. Right now all I bring with me on my walks is my phone and the nest is too far away to get a good picture.

I tried to contact a contractor who was too busy for me last Fall. There are so many problems with the house that I really need to do something. I keep hoping to find someone like those people you see on that This Old House program on PBS. Craftsmen like this are hard to find though. It's easy to find someone to remodel your kitchen or bathroom. A lot harder to find someone to do quality restoration work on mid-fifties architecture.

Dawn didn't go to her dog training class this evening. It was just too cold. Dawn didn't seem to mind napping on the bed instead. She's a smart dog. I noticed today that there is new firmware available for the star tracker. That will give me something to do tomorrow. One of these days I might actually go outside at night and use the thing. Maybe I'll wait till Spring though. I really don't like this cold weather.

Belle is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day