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