I didn't do much of anything today. I answered a few e-mails, but that was about it. There was plenty of time for a long walk. Maybe I'm finally getting enough sleep, because I'm picking up the pace a bit. I'm still nowhere near where I was a year ago, but any improvement is good. I noticed today that all the American White Pelicans are gone. The Double Crested Cormorants are gone as well. These birds are probably better predictors of the seasons than the weatherman. They always seem to know exactly when it is time to migrate. Occasionally, a few White Pelicans will stay at the lake for the Summer. Not this year. They are all gone. The eagles are gone as well. I wonder when the city will reopen the area where they built their nest. There is no need to protect the area anymore.
I thought I was going to need to take Dawn and Janet to dog training class tonight, but her car repairs ended up being completed in time. I've got a recall on my own car as well. I got the recall notice over six months ago and the dealership still doesn't have the parts. I have my doubts that they will ever get the parts. They're having a lot of trouble even getting cars to sell.
Somebody sent me a copy of an old newspaper article about my house today. The article ran in the local paper in 1957. It was interesting to see what had changed and what had stayed the same in the pictures. The author apparently thought that this house was special and would probably be appalled if he could see it today. Foundations have settled. Cracks have appeared. Roof leaks have stained areas of the ceiling. Several different owners repainted the house, so few of the original colors are the same. Hey, the place is over 60 years old. What would you expect. It's still a neat house. I wish doing a restoration wasn't so hard while you are still living in a house. Contractors really prefer working in a vacant house.
I think I'm going to spend the next several weeks fretting about my trip to the observatory. I've thought about leaving really early to avoid the traffic. Unfortunately, it's hard to avoid the heavy trucks. They're on the road 24/7 and are always going too fast. It's kind of ironic that I'll be going to one of the nation's premier dark sky sites and I still want to get to bed early. While I'm driving I worry about my hands going numb from gripping the steering wheel for hours on end. When I get there I'll worry about twisting my ankle by tripping on a rock in the dark. I wonder why they even want volunteers like me? I do like astronomy though. Maybe that counts for something.
I wonder if Covid is really over. By all accounts it appears to be worse than ever in China. I'd hate to get out to the observatory and discover that a mask mandate had been reinstated. It could easily happen. I've gotten used to going without a mask, so I'd hate to go back to 2020. If I really have to go back in time, I'd rather go back to 1969 instead.
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