Day 4756

Not a lot happened today. I still can't get over how different Dawn seems when everyone is home. She is a happy dog again. After an energetic early morning walk, I made the bed and ate my breakfast. I went back to my weekday breakfast of shredded wheat and fruit because Janet left early to catch up on her grocery shopping.

I returned to mall walking today. I was actually a little surprised the mall was open on New Year's Day because it was closed on Christmas. Most of the Christmas decorations had already disappeared and all the store windows displayed large sale signs. If you were in the market for overpriced clothes, this would be a good time. I was surprised to see a huge line outside the Lego store. Something big was happening, but there was no indication in the store window. I have seen similar lines outside the Swatch and Nike stores in the past and didn't know what was going on there either. Clearly I am not on the need to know list for these type of events. Lots of adults seem to be interested in Lego products. I had always thought this was a store for kids.

On the way home I listened to a program on NPR about how a largely unknown hockey player named John Scott was voted by fans to be a team captain on the 2016 all star team. This vote angered the NHL and they asked him to decline the honor. When he refused the league orchestrated a trade to a minor league team in Canada where he was ineligible to play on the all star team. I had never realized that there was so much intrigue and pettiness in the world of hockey. Not surprisingly there was a big fan backlash and the league was forced to reinstate Scott as a team captain. I don't know what happened after that, because I had arrived back home.

When I returned from mall walking, I found Dawn waiting to go on her Sunday outing. She definitely hasn't forgotten her normal routine. I didn't even need a jacket for this walk. It was a surprisingly warm day, especially considering that we were all freezing just a few weeks ago. Dawn definitely had more energy than I did. By the time we returned to the car, I was walking well behind Dawn and Janet. Of course we all had to have an ice cream cone before we returned home. Dawn hasn't forgotten about ice cream cones either.

I had vague thoughts about doing something productive when I woke up this morning, but that never materialized. Sundays are seldom productive. I basically just walk on Sundays although I don't really accumulate that many steps. I am still fascinated by Fitbit results. My heart rate is remarkably consistent when I walk at the mall. This is probably because I am walking in a flat, climate controlled environment. When I walk outside in the park, my heart rate is all over the place. My outdoor walks are clearly better exercise, but it gets boring sometimes. I was glad I went to the mall today.

I wonder when I am going to hear something about the upcoming falcon heavy launch? I thought I would have received my credentials by now, but I have heard nothing. My connections to the world of rocketry are tenuous at best and I'm always worried that I'll fall off the approved list. I don't think that NASA or the magazine I write for care nearly as much as I do about this. Old retired guys like me still need some legitimacy and validation.

I have no idea what I'll be doing tomorrow. Hey, it's a new year, so I guess anything is possible.

Jasper is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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