Day 4839

I hate getting old and forgetful. Today I accidently left my wallet in my pants while I was doing a load of wash and all the paper ID cards inside basicallly disintegrated. Any cards made of plastic were fine, but more things than I thought were made of coated paper. I'm trying to dry this stuff out, but in some cases it's a lost cause. Everything can be replaced, but it's a big hassle and will involve a lot of phone calls. Will I ever do this again? I certainly hope not.

Other than being irrationally fearful, Dawn seems fine now. We've reduced her meds to a minimal dose and will discontinue them entirely in a few days. Dawn seems strong and moves around normally now. The swelling on her neck is gone and her collar fits normally again. If we could just get her to quit shaking her head so much, she might be fine for quite a while. She does have a bulging disc in her neck though, so we need to be careful. Unfortunately it's very hard to tell a Dalmatian to be careful.

I got my grocery shopping done this morning without any problems. I found everything I needed easily and prices seem to have stabilized. The weekend traffic is still horrible, but what else is new? At least the weather was nice today. A beautiful Spring day makes everything a little easier.

Dawn seemed completely normal today, so I felt comfortable leaving her alone in the house while I took my long walk. She wasn't really alone that long because Janet didn't leave the house until I was on my way home. It was easy to get 21,000 steps today because I did a fair amount of walking while I was out grocery shopping. I can't say that I made good time though. I may never make good time on these walks again. My painful feet are really a problem. You've got to keep moving though. I'm convinced that a healthy diet and staying active are the secret to a long life.

The park is really pretty at this time of year. The early wildflowers are in full bloom now and new flowers will be appearing weekly for at least the next month. I keep thinking we're having an early Spring, but really this is just a normal Spring. The flowers always start blooming around this time of year. I wonder if I'll ever see the eagles again? I know they are in the area because the birders have staked out several areas to watch for them. I would never have the patience these guys seem to have. They bring lawn chairs and an array of cameras with long lenses, often waiting for hours for the birds to appear. I just get lucky occasionally when I accidentally happen to be in the right place at the right time.

I had a nice conversation with a neighbor I seldom see while I was out walking today. We both used to play in bands back in the day and chatted about guitars, our dogs, real estate values, and changes in the neighborhood. There have been a lot of changes in the neighborhood. Janet and I have lived here over 35 years and the place has undergone a lot of gentrification. I liked the place a lot better before the park became a popular destination, but I guess you can't stop progress. It's probably a good thing that the neighborhood has become desirable, although I couldn't afford to buy a house here anymore. People definitely aren't trying to escape from this place.

It looks like tomorrow will be another clear Spring day, so Dawn ought to have a nice Sunday outing. I'll go mall walking indoors even though the weather outdoors is just about perfect. Mall walking on Sunday has become part of my regular routine.

Petey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4782

Another nice day. I wish this weather would continue but there is rain in the forecast for next week. I took advantage of the clear skies and took three walks today. It was cold enough on our sunrise walk with Dawn that I needed two coats. My long walk in the park later in the morning only required one coat. By mid-afternoon it had warmed enough that I wore shorts for a final shorter walk. That's Texas weather for you. Almost 22,000 steps today. Not bad for an old man with creaky joints.

I finally got around to updating the star tracker this afternoon. This update made everything worse. It's always a gamble with these firmware updates. The company is trying to provide compatibility for so many different brands of cameras that when they make an improvement for one brand they often inadvertently cripple something for another brand. I think the tracker works best with Canon cameras. The Olympus I use is not a popular brand and sometimes gets overlooked. The tracker basically still works fine, but my camera wouldn't stay connected today. I have no idea what the problem is. I eventually got everything working, but I don't have a lot of faith in this unit. I think it would be a giant hassle to get everything working properly in the dark.

I really thought the leaks were over after I cleared all the water off the roof yesterday. Much to my surprise another small leak appeared today. Will this ever end? Only about one drop of water fell per minute, but it was still a leak. Probably a lot of water got underneath the surface of the roof before I removed all the standing water. That water's got to go somewhere. I suspect that when everything dries completely the next round of rain will start. I really can't catch a break with this roof.

I got a letter saying that it was time for my annual appointment with my gastrointestinal doctor. When did this start? I think that if you see a doctor once, you will end up seeing them forever. Just about every time I've been referred to a specialist by my primary care physician, I end up becoming a permanent patient. I hate to ignore these doctors, since you never know when you will need them again. I do think I have way too many doctors now though.

It's time to renew my credentials with the Space Force. Unlike NASA credentials, these last for a full year. Since there are launch pads at Patrick Air Force Base as well as Kennedy Space Center, you really need to be able to access both locations. Most people think the space center is one big location, but the NASA side and the Air Force side are two separate entities. It's totally different watching a launch on the Air Force side, but the view is still good. I'll try to send in the renewal forms tomorrow and then I'll wonder for months if they got lost. I always seem to get credentialed, but it really seems to take a while.

This week has gone quickly. It's already time to make a grocery list again. Sometimes it seems like I spend my life repeating the same things over and over again. No wonder Dawn always seems to know what is going to happen next. We are very predictable around here.

Sophie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4778

I'm getting apprehensive about the weather again. We're supposed to get a lot of rain and possibly even snow tomorrow. This means that the roof will inevitably start leaking and I'll be back to square one with my cleanup efforts. To say that I'm getting tired of this would be an understatement. At this point I just hope the forecast is wrong. It often is.

Today was a another day of long walks and paying bills. I extended my 20,000 step streak to six days. I think that's a record for me. It's going to be hard to make it a full week though if it rains tomorrow. We'll see what happens. I hate the thought of driving to the gym in the rain tomorrow, but I can't just sit around the house all day. Walking brings a necessary structure to my life. I need to keep walking.

It's time to start working on my taxes again. I had a talk with my accountant today about whether it was time to stop filing as a business. Am I retired or not? I'm certainly busy enough. I still build and maintain animal rescue websites and I regularly write for SpaceFlight Magazine. The British magazine even calls me their U.S. Correspondent now. The only problem is that I'm not making any money. I think a business has to make money at least two years out of five. I need to find a gig with a magazine that actually pays for content. Easier said than done though. Especially when all you want to write about is astronomy and space. The magazine industry is not very healthy. I used to receive a ton of trade magazines at the house. Most of them are out of business now.

All the extra walking I'm doing is killing my feet. I probably need to retire my current pair of Hoka shoes and break out a new pair. I have one fairly new pair of Bondi 7 shoes that I just use when I travel and a brand new pair that I got just before they discontinued this style. My current shoes still feel comfortable but I'm sure they are not providing the support I need. The soles and heal areas are completely worn out. It's too bad that sneakers don't last like boots. I've got twenty year old hiking boots that are in better shape than my two year old Hokas.

Tonight there was a conjunction of Venus and Saturn right after sunset that astronomer friends said was a must see event. It's not happening. It was clear for most of the day, but clouds have rolled in and the skies are overcast now. This is probably the beginning of the bad weather that is supposed to start later tonight. There is also a green comet in the northern skies that people are talking about. I'll probably never find this. I had trouble finding Neowise a few years ago and it was much brighter. Lately my only connection with astronomy is testing the Benro Polaris star tracker every time a new firmware update comes out.

We were thinking about visiting the rescue Dalmatians this Wednesday but we'll wait and see what the weather is like. It's a long drive to this new kennel and it looks like we'll be playing with them outdoors instead of indoors like we did at the old kennel. Weather and rain will be an issue. I have a feeling that we won't end up visiting every week like we used to. We'll figure out something though. Janet and I still think socializing the dogs is important.

There's nothing on the agenda for tomorrow. I'll probably spend most of the day fretting about roof leaks.

Chloe is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4777

I did a whole lot of walking today. I really wanted to have five 20,000 step days in a row, so I ended up taking four walks. We started off with Dawn's sunrise walk. Then I went mall walking at Northpark. When I returned it was time for Dawn's Sunday outing. Finally, to push me over my 20,000 step goal, I took another walk in the park. Walking was enjoyable. Watching the Dallas Cowboys playoff game later in the day, not so much. It looks like it's going to be a long time before the Cowboys ever get to the Super Bowl again.

It was really chilly this morning. I think Dawn thought we were crazy for taking an early walk when she could have been sleeping an extra hour in our bed. She got her reward when we returned though. She gets to have a little bacon when we have our Sunday morning breakfast. I rarely cook since Janet is a much better cook than I am. I made French Toast this morning though. Every once in a while, French Toast hits the spot.

Northpark seemed kind of empty this morning. Maybe I was a little early, but there were a lot fewer walkers today. All the Christmas decoration were gone and so were most of the sale signs in the store windows. I'm still surprised at how rapidly stores open and close at the mall. Every week there is something new. Two new stores opened for the first time this week, but even more seem to have disappeared. There were a lot of boarded-up storefronts this week. It's probably because the rent is so high. A lot of stores probably can't afford to stay at this location.

It still seem weird to me that I always walk slower when I'm inside. The temperature is always pleasant and the terrain is flat. You'd think I'd walk faster here. Of all the walks I took today, my Northpark indoor walk was the slowest. Maybe I'm slower because I'm looking in the store windows. I'm not conscious of walking slower as I pass the window displays, but maybe looking at things slows me down. Apparently watching ducks and animals when I'm outside doesn't slow me down.

When we took Dawn on her Sunday outing, it was foot pain that slowed me down. Dawn and Janet finished the one mile walk well ahead of me. Dawn is always really excited to go on these Sunday outings.     As soon as the car starts though, her excitement turns to panic. After all this time you'd thing she'd know where we were going. Apparently not. Every day is a new day for Dawn. She really enjoys this new and different walk though. There are all kinds of new things to smell.

Our ice cream was really soft this morning. The quality of the cones seems to change from week to week. Dawn doesn't seems to care whether the cones are firm or soft, but a soft cone makes for a messier experience. When Dawn licks a soft cone there's always more of a mess in the car.

I was hoping that our Sunday outing would get me over 20,000 steps, but unfortunately it didn't. After resting a bit I took one final walk on a path where I used to see owls. I haven't used this route for quite a while and was curious to see if anything had changed. Everything looked more or less the same, but there were no owls and the nest that used to be up in a tall tree was gone. I did see some Great Egrets though and it was a beautiful clear day, so all was not lost.

Not a bad day, all things considered. I even managed to get some laundry done. Tomorrow it's back to my routine weekday schedule. I think we're due for more rain and even colder weather this week. I'm not looking forward to that. I'm tired of this runny nose I've got and am really ready for Spring.

Raider is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4773

We moved the rescue Dalmatians to their new kennel this morning. The dogs have been in limbo at a temporary facility for several months while the rescue group looked for a replacement for Waggin Tails, which unfortunately shut down. The new place is very nice and we hope the dogs will be happy there until they find their forever homes.

We picked up the dogs at the rescue group's veterinary clinic, where they all had just received a bath. Landry, our newest rescue, rode with Janet and I to the new kennel. He is a handsome two year old male, and like many of our rescue dogs, it was hard to believe he was an owner surrender. Who could give up a dog like this? Landry was well behaved in the car and seemed a little scared. His nervousness was certainly understandable. The poor guy has been through a lot of changes in the last month or so. His life is going to take a turn for the better though. We're going to find him a great home with someone who realizes that having a dog is a lifelong commitment.

The new kennel is further away than the old kennel, but is is very clean and well managed. Everyone who helped with moving the dogs this morning liked the place and we think the dogs will like it too. Janet and I will be able to visit the dogs as well. We might not be able to visit quite as often because the kennel is quite a bit further from our house, but regular visits are important. Playing with the dogs and working on basic training will help socialize them and hopefully ensure a successful adoption.

Our winter weather continues to be full of surprises. It was quite warm today, which makes for pleasant walks. We walked Dawn in the dark again this morning because Janet had an early class at the gym. Dawn could care less whether it is dark or light outside. All she is interested in are the smells. She loves to smell things in the park. There are tons of critters who call the place home and Dawn is curious about all of them. We saw some bunnies this morning. We're seeing a lot more bunnies this year, which probably means there are fewer coyotes in the area.

I proofread my SpaceFlight article several times and selected several pictures to accompany it before sending everything off to my editor in London. I was fairly pleased with the article and hope the magazine likes it as well. Most of my pictures turned out well, but the camera I set up to take an automated launch sequence malfunctioned, so I didn't get good photos of the rocket leaving the pad. Everything else turned out excellent though. It might be a while before my next article. These trips are becoming a lot more expensive and I don't think I can afford to go to Kennedy Space Center more than a couple of times a year.     I still love to chase rockets though, so I'll find a way to get down there for important launches.

I did a lot better on my long walk today than I did yesterday. I completed my full six miles and got over 20,000 steps. The nice weather helped me maintain a pretty good pace today. The temperature was about 68 degrees and there was no wind. For me, this is just about perfect. I'm wondering if the eagles have moved on. I haven't seen Nick and Nora for over a month now. Another Muscovy Duck joined the small group that lives near Sunset Bay. I wonder where this one came from? Unlike the mallards, geese, and white pelicans which tend to travel in large groups, these Muscovy Ducks are loners. Maybe that's why they seem interesting to me.

Dawn got another ribbon at training class tonight. She's a smart dog and has won more ribbons than Dash by now. Janet says she really enjoys the class too. All in all it was a good day. Life is good as long as I keep the TV turned off and don't have to hear about current events. I prefer my own little world.

Dovey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4665

I did a lot of walking today. 20,000 step days are becoming increasing rare, but I had another one today. The weather was just about perfect and I certainly didn't have anything better to do. There was no need to go mall walking this morning. It was much nicer to be outside.

We had to share the trails with a bunch of runners on our sunrise walk. A local running group was having a race. We probably should have started our walk earlier, but we typically walk later on weekends. Even though we are both retired, we still seem to differentiate between weekdays and weekends. Walking with Dawn is much more enjoyable when the park is empty. She loves to smell things and will wander right in front of passing runners and bicycles if we aren't watching carefully. Janet ordered some little clip-on lights so bicycles won't run over us when we are walking in the dark. Neither of us are a big fan of bicycles.

The park was more enjoyable when I took my long walk after breakfast. The runners were gone and all that was left of the race were a few volunteers cleaning up. Surprisingly, my feet didn't hurt very bad today. I maintained a fairly good pace for my entire walk. I'm still having problems with seasonal allergies, but they weren't as bad today. The air was clean and the humidity was much lower than it was a month ago. I can tell the humidity is lower because I don't have to empty the dehumidifier as often. During the summer I had to empty the water bucket twice a day. Now it takes the entire day to fill with water.

Dawn got a nice Sunday outing today. Since the temperature was cool all day we were able to walk a full mile at her Sunday park. Dawn likes to eat grass and we've had to be careful and keep her away from tall grass in these parks lately. The city has been trying to eradicate the Johnson Grass that has overrun the native prairies in the area and they've been selectively applying herbicide to the Johnson Grass. When I first started seeing the tractors applying the herbicide, I thought they would kill everything. Whatever they are using appears to be very selective. Only the Johnson Grass appears to be dying.

After we made our trip to the ice cream store and headed home, I tested the washing machine. I'm happy to report that is is working normally again. Even the clothes seem to be a little cleaner. The only downside to cleaning out the drain filter is that the machine drains more rapidly now. Sometimes the floor drain overflows now and I've had to plug it again. I stuff a cloth down the floor drain pipe so that condensation from the AC can still drip through the pipe, while backflow from the washing machine drain is greatly reduced. I wouldn't have these problems if the builders of this house had put in three inch drain lines instead of two inch pipes. A two inch drain is just too small for modern appliances.

Dawn is still weird about being in the house with me when Janet is gone. When I try to take a nap in the bedroom, she hops off the bed and goes out to the hallway by the front door and whines until I leave the room. I've started napping on the couch in the living room because it just makes life easier. I don't think Dawn is ever going to change. She is nervous about everything and doesn't feel safe when Janet isn't around. When Janet is here, Dawn actually seems to like me. I'm OK with all this. Dawn had a very rough life before we adopted her. I'm sure she has a doggie version of PTSD.

Tomorrow the appliance repairman returns to fix the refrigerator. This is basically preventative maintenance since the refrigerator works just fine now. The warm to the touch metal exterior is a bad sign though. If we don't replace the fan that cools the compressor, it could fail at any time. It could still fail even with a new fan, but I'd like to keep this thing running as long as possible. Modern refrigerators keep getting larger and it is almost impossible to find a replacement that will fit into the designated refrigerator slot in our kitchen.

I didn't see any little green web worms today. I did see a lot of dead Hackberry trees in the park though. Maybe the worms have finally eaten their way through their food supply and died.

Bailey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4560 - My Birthday

Another trip around the sun. I'm 74 now. I'm definitely feeling a little worse for wear.  I'm still hanging in there though. I walked my full six mile route this morning. We'll see if I can keep this going for another year. I'm already doing better than my parents were. My Mom was dead before she turned 74 and my Dad had already been diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease.

We went out for dinner at my favorite restaurant this evening. We hadn't been since before Covid and things had changed a bit. The place was seriously understaffed and everyone seemed a bit stressed. The food was still good though. My favorite dish wasn't even on menu anymore. That was a little disappointing. I was surprised because it was still on the online menu, it just wasn't on the actual menu that the waiter brought us. Oh, well. I found something else I liked and we had a very nice dinner. 

I wouldn't want to be in the restaurant business right now. Everyone is still trying to recover from the Covid shutdowns, the cost of ingredients has gone up, and fewer people are dining out because of out of control inflation. We arrived a little early tonight, but they wouldn't seat us until our scheduled time even though the restaurant seemed half empty. I'm sure it was company policy. I bet they thought if they could shuttle everyone to the bar for a while before they were seated, they would sell a little more. I can't really blame them. It was clear that this place was just trying to keep their doors open.

We always have Sprinkles cupcakes and a little champagne to celebrate birthdays. Dawn gets a pupcake as well. I forget how long we've been doing this, but it's been quite a while. I enjoy the celebration, but I don't look forward to birthdays anymore. I'm clearly on a downhill glide path. I'm doing the best I can to stay healthy, but you never know. People my age are dropping like flies. I know a few people who are still active in their 90's though, so maybe I'll get lucky.

I get fewer Facebook birthday greetings every year. The difference isn't dramatic, but it is consistent. I think the smaller numbers correspond pretty well to the number of friends who have died during the year. I should do a better job of keeping up with my remaining friends, but I probably won't. I'm a solitary person and if I could just get my dog to like me I'd be a happy camper.

I was a little surprised that I got 20,000 steps today. I guess I was busier than I thought. Dawn still got her Sunday outing, even though she only took a very short walk because of the heat. She did get a nice sunrise walk earlier in the day though. These early morning walks are the only times when it's still pleasant to be outside. We didn't spend a lot of time outside on Dawn's outing, but we did still go and get ice cream. Dawn even got an extra treat today when they gave her a free doggie cone.

All in all it was a good day. I tire easily and my feet hurt, but I'm still in pretty good shape. I think I've still got a few good years left. I hope I've managed to see a few more rocket launches and made at least one more trip to the observatory before I turn 75. There are no big plans anymore. Little day to day plans are all I need. I think we'll go visit the rescue Dalmatians tomorrow. I'm a year older now but it's time to get back to our regular schedule.

Jade is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4546

Lots of walking today. It was another 20,000 step day. We took our sunrise walk with Dawn, ate breakfast, and then I immediately took my long walk in the park before the temperature got too hot. A local running club was having a 10K race and there were lots of runners sharing the trails with me. The fast runners had already finished, but the slow stragglers were still making their way toward the finish line. Some of the slowest weren't going much faster than me. I momentarily thought of crossing the finish line myself, but I walked around it. Runners are a proud lot. I'm sure someone would have called me out as a fraud. 

Big races often have live musicians placed along the course. I guess this is to provide encouragement. One hapless duo were playing the Eagles greatest hits very badly. They sang out of tune and kept playing long after all the runners were gone. One my way home I heard them say they were going to play one last song. After they were finished one of the guys thanked everyone for coming and said he hoped they enjoyed the show. There was absolutely nobody within three hundred yards of the band. I think they were playing for squirrels.

I rested about an hour after I returned home and then Janet and I took Dawn on her Sunday outing.  I was afraid that it might be too hot for her, but she had a good time and did fine. It probably helped that there was a nice breeze and it was partially overcast. When we went for ice cream today we got lucky and received nice sized cones. They even put some ice cream inside the cone instead of just plopping a single scoop on top. Dawn expects the ice cream now. I think she would be very disappointed if we skipped this part of the outing.

This afternoon I went and looked at dishwashers in two additional stores. This turned out to be a good idea because both Lowes and Home Depot still had Memorial Day sales going on and offered much better deals than Best Buy. I found an LG model that I liked and will probably go get it tomorrow. Appliance sales are deceptive. There's the price on the sticker and then there are all the hidden extras. Installation and delivery are extra. The hoses and fittings to hook up your appliance are extra. Most dealers charge you extra to haul away your old appliance as well. It is what is is though. Few people will want to install a dishwasher themselves. Hopefully I can schedule the installation fairly soon because the old dishwasher is still leaking water.

I still haven't figured out the best way to catch the rat in the atrium. I have a Havahart Animal Trap but it only seems to trap squirrels. Rats are too smart. They quickly learn how to eat the bait without setting off the trap. I'll see if I can find the trap tomorrow and see if it still works. It's probably been eight years since I've used it. It's worth a try anyway. I really don't want to kill the rat.

There's already new firmware for the star tracker, but I don't have the nerve to install it. Everything is working now. Why do I even need the new firmware? I guess I don't really have the temperament to be a Beta tester. Each new firmware version adds additional features, but many of them don't work in the beginning. It can be frustrating. No wonder the Kickstarter backers got a good deal on this product. We are the ones working out all the bugs before it goes on sale commercially.

It will be good to go back and see the rescue Dalmatians tomorrow. All eleven of Sammy's puppies, as well as Sammy herself, have found great homes. Charlie, Oliver, JoJo, and Rocket are still waiting for their chance at a forever home though. Maybe our attempts to socialize these boys will help.

Scooby is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4400

Every 100 days I feel a little closer to my goal. Only 600 days left. As daily blog entries go, today was a good one. We met Jack this afternoon at the Dalmatian kennel. What a wonderful dog. Jack is good looking, has a great personality, and is smart as a whip. Janet and I had fun trying out different commands with him. He knew everything. Jack can sit, stay, lie down, and give you a high five with his paw. He comes to his name when he is called and even heels on a leash remarkably well. We couldn't think of anything he didn't already know. I would have loved to take Jack home myself, but we don't have the energy or the money for more than one dog anymore. Jack is definitely a keeper though. I'm sure he will find a fabulous forever home.

Today was pretty busy. In addition to visiting with Jack, Charlie, and Oliver, I finally took the Christmas stuff back to the storage warehouse and picked up a few things I forgot on Saturday at the grocery store. Dawn got a nice sunrise walk and it wasn't even terribly cold this morning. I should have quit while I was ahead on the walking front, but I stubbornly took my long walk anyway after we returned from the kennel. My feet weren't being cooperative today and it was pretty windy as well. Not a very enjoyable walk, but I did manage to get 20,000 steps.

I did absolutely nothing with the star tracker today. I need a rest. If I was really ambitious I could have taken it outside tonight and tried to actually track something. It was a clear night so it might have worked. I find it difficult to do more than one thing in an evening though, and usually that thing is writing the blog. When I'm out at the observatory it's worth staying up really late to write the blog after my stargazing is finished. Not here in Dallas. The light pollution makes the viewing experience so miserable that it's not even worth the trouble to go outside. I'm sure I'll use the star tracker and eventually take many more pictures of the night sky. There is no hurry though. One thing at a time is my motto.

A guy wrote me out of the blue today and said he'd like to buy our house if we ever decided to sell. Strangely, this happens every five or six years. These people aren't your normal real estate investors. They are architecture buffs who already seem to know a lot about the house and its semi-famous architect. Janet and I have no interest in selling, but it's nice to know that there are people out there who are actually interested in preserving the house instead of scraping it so they could build another ugly McMansion. Dallas as a city had no respect for architecture at all. A lot of really nice examples of mid-fifties houses and commercial buildings have already been torn down.

I'm not sure what I'm going to do tomorrow. If I hadn't already been to the orthopedic surgeon twice about my feet, I'd make an appointment. There really isn't a lot I can do about the foot pain. Bone on bone contact is always going to hurt. I could take steroid shots which a terrible thing to do long term, or I could try a wide variety of pain killers. I'm not a fan of pain killers. Some pills are fine. Taking Benicar to lower your blood pressure is fine. Taking Metformin to lower your A1C is fine. I'm not to sure about pills that just mask a condition rather than actually changing anything. A little pain is useful to show you your limits.

Dawn is back to normal now. We may never know what she ate that gave her diarrhea, but we're going to be watching her more closely now. There's way too much poop from a wide variety of animals to tempt her in the park.

Dolly is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4394

I'm getting used to changing several times a day because of the rapidly changing temperatures. Our early morning walks with Dawn are very cold and I really have to bundle up. The later in the day it gets, the more clothes I can shed. I'm sure that Dawn would prefer to sleep in a little longer, but these early walks are the only times that Janet and I can walk Dawn together. It's too bad that Dawn is still afraid to walk alone with me. If she realized that I am really her friend, we could walk a lot later when it was warmer. She'd be more than welcome to come with me on my long walks as well, but I'm not sure she could walk that far anymore. Truthfully, I'm not sure I can walk that far anymore either. Some of these walks have been brutal on my feet lately.

I decided that I would go looking for some cable adapters so I could experiment with my star tracker some more. Target and Best Buy didn't have what I needed, so that led me to the Apple Store. What a bunch of woke idiots. The mall had just opened, so it was almost empty. That didn't deter Apple in the least. They had the most elaborate and nonsensical Covid protection scheme I've ever seen. Before you could enter the store, an employee standing outside in a red shirt would ask you what you wanted to buy. People looking for a phone were directed to one line. People looking for a computer were sent to a second line. I was directed to a third line because all I wanted were some cable adapters. I think that if you just wanted to look around you were told to go away. There were very few people in each line, because the mall had just opened. Each line had another employee in a red shirt acting as a gatekeeper. The short lines didn't move fast because Apple would only allow ten people in the store at a time. When someone left, a new person could enter. There were a lot more employees in red shirts than there were customers. The store was almost empty. 

When I finally entered the store I was greeted by another employee who asked me again what I wanted to buy. He would look up the item on his phone and then tell a different employee to go look for it. Customers couldn't browse or go look for the item themselves. We had to stay quarantined at the front of the store. It was one of the weirdest things I've ever seen. If you entered the store in the computer line, you couldn't change your mind and go see the guy who was showing people phones. Each section has a pair of people. One would look up your item on his phone and then the second guy would act as a runner to go back in the store and find it. Needless to say, this guy would usually bring back the wrong item and he'd have to make four or five trips to find what the customer actually wanted.

The tag team of inept red shirted employees eventually found what I wanted after bringing me several things that weren't even close. The oddest thing about the whole experience was that the employee trying to help me appeared to be wearing a mask that was crocheted. This mask wouldn't keep a mosquito away. It would do absolutely nothing to ward off a virus. This is what we've become: people wearing masks as fashion statements, blindly following a set of rules that make no sense whatsoever. I'm sure someone in Cupertino had good intentions, but this plan made the folks controlling traffic in grocery stores look like geniuses.

I'm learning a lot more about how cameras can be controlled by computers, or in my case little star trackers. When the computer industry had to deal with connecting their products to printers and external hard drives, they came up with an industry set of standards that made connecting things easy. The camera industry hasn't done this. Each company has it's own proprietary way of connecting to a computer. My cameras just don't want to talk with the star tracker. I'll figure this out eventually, but unfortunately it may involve buying another camera body.

I managed to get 20,000 steps today, but they were slow painful steps. I probably look really awkward when I walk. I've found that a flatfooted walk where my heel touches the ground first and I never walk on my toes is the most comfortable. Bending the toes is what hurts the most. I think I'll keep walking though. I've seen the x-rays. Quitting walking won't bring the cartilage back. All a sedentary life will do is make me fat.

Hunter is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4385

I wasn't expecting it to be cold and foggy this morning since yesterday was the hottest Christmas on record. The weather has been hard to predict lately. Every day is something new. The dense fog didn't last long, but it was very pretty. Since it was Sunday, I did a lot of walking again. After our early foggy walk with Dawn, I ate breakfast and then hit the trails again. I tried to use Voltaren today to ease the inevitable foot pain, but it didn't seem to work very well. I'm not sure that any of these over the counter pain remedies actually do anything.

The weather warmed up rapidly today. It wasn't as hot as yesterday, but the only time I needed a jacket was on our early walk with Dawn. There were still plenty of people in the park. Kids must have not wanted scooters for Christmas this year, because I didn't see any. On the day after Christmas in previous year you'd see lots of new kids scooters in the park. I did see several guys trying out their new drones. You can always tell when someone has just gotten a drone because they crash them a lot. 

When I returned from my long walk, I could tell that Dawn was ready to go on her outing. She's got a good sense of time and she thought I was late. We almost immediately got in the car and headed for Dawn's Sunday park. Dawn gets so excited to go on her outing, but as soon as she gets in the car, she becomes apprehensive again. It's a good thing that it isn't a long drive. We all had a very nice walk even though the ground was damp and our shoes got wet. I really need to buy some of the waterproof Hoka hiking boots because I'm getting tired of wet feet.

We always enjoy getting ice cream on the way home. The ice cream place still has a help wanted sign out front. Actually every restaurant in town has a help wanted sign out front. I can understand why restaurant jobs might not seem as desirable anymore, but why is there a shortage of truck drivers? A lot of truck driving jobs pay very well. The work ethic that my parents had just isn't there any more. I certainly have no desire to return to the work force, even though I could probably get a shitty job tomorrow since everyone is short on staff. Maybe that's the point. Nobody wants a terrible job anymore and most low level jobs are still terrible.

After we returned from Dawn's outing, my feet were telling me that they'd had enough for today. I've become hooked on getting 20,000 steps a day, so after a short rest, I went out again. For my last walk of the day I've been choosing an old path I used to use a lot when I walked Dot and Dash. I used to have specific things I looked for on this path that I used as memory builders. It became a game for me to find every single item on my list. I've started doing this again, but my mind seems to wander. The game is much harder ten years later.

We had leftover Christmas dinner tonight. It was just as good as it was yesterday. It's hard to cook a small Christmas dinner, so it looks like we will be eating very well this week. I'm a bit apprehensive about tomorrow. I guess I'm optimistic and pessimistic at the same time. The last time I talked with someone at the local Fedex distribution center on Friday, he practically promised me that my missing package would be located and ready for me to pick up on Monday. These people have been wrong so many times before though. I guess it doesn't hurt to remain optimistic until I makes that initial phone call right after breakfast tomorrow morning. 

I'm not sure if we'll be visiting Charlie and Oliver at the kennel tomorrow. The Christmas rush might not be over yet, since some people board their dogs while they are away between Christmas and New Years. One way or another, it should be an interesting day.

Dash is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3872

We tried an experiment this morning. I attempted to walk Dawn by myself. She started out confidently enough, but quickly became apprehensive and nervous. Where was Janet? I walked confidently and was very encouraging but Dawn kept looking back toward the house. After we had gone about a quarter of a mile, she stopped completely and wouldn't go any further. "Do you want to go home," I said. Immediately, she turned and started walking confidently toward the house.

We knew Dawn still wanted a walk, so Janet put on some shoes and off we went again. Everything was fine now. Dawn just wanted to make sure that Janet was with us. We'll have to keep working on this. Actually, I was encouraged that Dawn made it down to the edge of the lake with me. We've never made it this far before. Dawn has always seemed frightened when Janet isn't nearby. When Janet first began fostering Dawn, I was in Florida attending a launch. Maybe that had something to do with her uncertainty toward me. I was the stranger who just appeared about five days later. It's weird. Dawn is super friendly with me when Janet is around. It's only when she and I are alone that she gets nervous. I keep thinking that she was treated badly by the puppy mill breeders who kept her before she entered the rescue program. We'll never know everything about Dawn's former life, but she clearly prefers women.

I was back up on the roof this morning. The rain we got last night didn't last long, but it was heavy. There was a lot of water on the roof. At least it was a little cooler today. The rain brought a cold front with it. A cold front in July doesn't mean much, but it was definitely a little cooler than yesterday. I'm starting to see a little deterioration in the silicon coating. At some point I'm going to have to start making repairs again if I want to keep the roof from leaking this winter.

I made another appointment to get a haircut toward the end of next week. We'll see how this goes. I'm still not completely comfortable being out and about, but you can't put everything on hold forever. I have a feeling that this virus is going to be with us for a long, long time. I'm careful, but you've still got to get groceries and eventually you're going to need a haircut.

I'm still getting 20,000 steps a day, but that's about it. I'd like to think I'm in between avocations, but who knows. I certainly don't want to become a collector again. That was a giant waste of time and money. I don't want to be a fine art photographer either. Been there, done that. After spending years getting to the point where I could have my own gallery shows, I discovered that being around other artists irritated me. The art world turned out to be just as phony as the advertising world. These days I prefer the company of scientists. I'm sure this is an illusion as well, but the people I've met in the space and astronomy communities have seemed really interesting. Unlike ad folks, they all appear to be doing something of substance.

Hard to believe it's going to be August tomorrow. Where has this year gone? It's time to make a grocery list again. I wonder if I'm ever going to find Clorox Wipes? I have a feeling that when Clorox Wipes are readily available again, the pandemic is officially over.

Shelby is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3859

I found most of the items on my grocery list this morning. It remains to be seen whether I'll find the comet tonight. While I was out grocery shopping and running errands today, I scouted some more promising locations. Everyone says you have to be at least ten miles away from the city to see this thing with the naked eye. I'm not going that far, but I did find a little hill that might be better than down by the lake. We'll see. I hate driving at night. I might not even have the nerve to leave the house tonight.

We got a late start on our morning walk, but at least we had a breeze this morning. Saturday morning is always busier than other days of the week. We see the same people in the park day after day. At first I thought it was curious that everyone seemed to always wear the same clothes when they walk or jog. Then I realized that Janet and I do the same thing. I guess there is no sense in changing outfits on pre-dawn walks. We know the names of a few other dogs now. People are always curious about Dawn. We trade names and ages of our dogs as we pass on the trails. We keep our distance, but early morning walkers seem like a nice group of people.

I found blueberries again at the store, but I don't think I'll ever find Clorox Wipes. Now that conditions are getting worse in Texas, I hope people don't go back in hoarding mode. Shopping was just starting to feel normal again with most items back on the shelves. People do seem a bit nervous now. I know I am. When I was getting gas this morning I noticed two ladies sitting in their car at the next pump. They were both wearing gas masks that covered their entire face and purple rubber gloves inside their car. I haven't seen that before. I still wear the old drywall masks I bought at a hardware store a long time ago. I'm not sure how good they are, but they seem to last a long time.

Days are still extremely uneventful. I easily got my 20,000 steps today after two walks and a little grocery shopping. I'm working on getting Dawn to trust me more. She's still more comfortable around women, since the breeders who mistreated her were both men. I've learned never to make any sudden moves when I'm around her. She walks well on a leash with me and relaxes when we are both on the bed together. She's still a little wary when I'm doing something unfamiliar though. I'm fairly predictable. Eventually everything will become familiar. You just have to be patient with rescue dogs.

I think I'm going to go ahead and get a haircut. My stylist really needs the work. Since I'm retired, it's easy for me to forget how hard the pandemic has been on people who have a small business. Gig workers have it the worst I think. My stylist is very careful and I have an N-95 mask. I don't think I can wait until this is over anyway. Covid is going to be with us for a very long time.

You didn't know I was gone, but I took a break from writing for a couple of hours and went looking for the comet. Found it. I went to the only hill I could find in Dallas and discovered that there were other people looking as well. One couple I spoke with had even been out to a special observing night at McDonald Observatory. The comet was almost impossible to see with the naked eye, but looked spectacular in my image stabilized binoculars. I took some pictures but they didn't turn out very well. The sky just wasn't dark enough. I did see a pretty bright meteor though. Too bad my camera was pointed in the other direction at the comet. It was surprising to meet random astronomy people on a hill in the dark in the middle of a pandemic. They were nice people though. Maybe a comet brings out the best in us.

Beemer is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3855

We got up early enough this morning to see the comet if it hadn't been cloudy again. Cloudy was good though. It kept our morning walk nice and cool. We keep leaving earlier and earlier in an attempt to avoid the heat. I used to think 7 AM was early. Now our goal is to be out of the house before 6 AM. The extra hour makes a big difference. There are fewer people on the trails and the weather is noticeably cooler.

Dawn did well today, but it is still the middle of July. It's going to be a long march to September. Dawn has the right idea about surviving summer. She went back to sleep on the bed while I had my breakfast. I usually watch TV while I'm eating breakfast. The news is still dismal, but the stock market was having a good day. It's kind of a mystery to me why the stock market has made such a dramatic recovery in recent weeks. What do other investors know that I don't. People are even starting to buy cruise line stocks again. I wouldn't feel comfortable taking a cruise for a long, long time.

I got Luckie up on the Dalmatian Rescue website after breakfast. I'm glad the rescue websites I work on are fairly simple. I've lost some of my skills. I haven't created a complex website in quite a while now and it shows. Use it or lose it has been my motto for many years. When it comes to web design, I think I've lost it.

I mowed the grass in the front yard this afternoon. It was too hot to be outside, but if I keep waiting for cooler weather, the yard is going to look like a jungle. Since I survived this task, I decided to go ahead and take my afternoon walk to get my 20,000 steps. It's a simple and at times mindless life, but I do have goals.

I went out and looked for the comet again a few minutes ago, but there were thick clouds on the horizon to the Northwest. I'm still not sure how the comet can be visible in both the morning and evening skies for the next several days, but that's what I keep hearing. Pretty soon it will be evening skies only. I think the best viewing opportunities will last for about a week. I'm hoping that we'll get clear skies on at least one of these days. I keep seeing cool pictures of the comet all over the Internet and I haven't been able to see it at all.

It looks like the new Ford Bronco is going to be incredibly popular. They are taking reservations online like Elon Musk now, and one model sold out in a single day. They say dealers are going to be charging a premium for the Bronco for at least a year. I don't know why I'm even interested. My car is running fine. It still looks almost new. I guess planning to buy a new car is just so much easier than planning to move to a new state.

I've already decided that it would be stupid to travel to Florida right now but I'm still wondering why I haven't heard anything about media accreditation for the Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover launch. Usually when a launch is only several weeks away, all these details have been worked out. You'd think I would have at least received a rejection notice by now. Who knows. Maybe I'll hear something tomorrow. Otherwise, the big event of the day might be looking for blueberries.

Dolly is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3846

It was so hot and humid this morning that we had to cut our walk with Dawn in half. Dawn was still tired when we got home and I had to change my clothes. It's definitely going to be a long summer. I thought the day might improve, but it actually got worse. By the time I took my afternoon walk, it was stifling outside. At least I managed to complete my 20,000 steps before the weather changed again. Around mid-afternoon a sudden storm appeared out of nowhere and drenched us with rain.

I turned on the pumps and they worked fine for about an hour and then one of the pumps shorted out. I went up on the roof in the rain to see if any of the electrical connections had become submerged. Yep. I moved an extension cord out of the water, reset the circuit breaker and the pumps started working again. About thirty minutes later the lights in the kitchen went out. The pumps had tripped another circuit breaker. Something is definitely wrong with the pumps. I disconnected the pumps so I wouldn't start a fire and I guess I'll have to deal with this later. It might be quite a while later. There is more rain in the forecast for tomorrow and Tuesday.

I skipped going to the gym for the second Sunday in a row. The way things are trending in Dallas, I wouldn't be surprised if my gym decides to close again. This is the third day in a row we have had more than a thousand new Covid-19 cases a day. When we only had ten or twenty cases a day everyone was staying inside. Now, despite a dramatic resurgence, everyone has gone back to normal mode. Some blame the resurgence on Memorial Day. Others blame the people who don't wear masks or the protests in the streets that were taking place a few weeks ago. Very few people appear to be blaming themselves.

I think we have given our adversaries a blueprint for taking us out whenever they want. When we stay united, we are a badass country that will nuke you back into the stone age. If you can manage to turn us against ourselves though, you won't have to go to war at all. You can just sit back and watch while we destroy ourselves. Who would have thought that a tiny little virus combined with an avalanche of conspiracy theories could render all our missiles and aircraft carriers useless. I still think the virus was created in China for a specific purpose, but that's just my own conspiracy theory.  Just watch China be the first to come up with a vaccine and we all rush out to take it and die. Relax. That's a  conspiracy theory too.

I have a dental appointment next week. Why are dentist's offices still open? Aren't dental procedures right up near the top of the danger list? I guess I'll go ahead and keep the appointment. My dentist is extremely careful and there is only one patient in the office at a time. I wouldn't want to be a dental hygenist though. They're bound to get coughed on sooner or later.

I guess we'll go visit the Dalmatians tomorrow. It is Monday tomorrow, isn't it? It's getting to be so hard to tell the days apart. Even our walks are starting to seem like Ground Hog Day. We see the same people walking the same dogs or riding the same bicycles over and over again. They probably are saying the same thing about us. Everything is so predictable that Janet and I have started wondering about the "Hello Guy." There is this one cyclist who says Hello very loudly to every single person he passes. We used to see him every morning and he's been gone for several weeks now. I wonder if he got the virus.

Isabella is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3817

Another hot Summer day. The park was full of people early this morning, all trying to beat the heat. I like weekdays better. On Saturday, you realize that you really do live in a big city. It was worth the effort to take our sunrise walk though. Even though it was already eighty degrees, it was still the nicest time of the day.

I had to go to several stores to find butter today. How has a toilet paper shortage turned into a butter shortage? The whole supply chain still seems disrupted. All four stores I visited during my weekly shopping run were very busy. Dallas seems to have decided that the pandemic is over. I guess we'll see fourteen days from now whether they were right. Even though it seemed like a normal Saturday, I felt a bit uncomfortable being around so many people. It wasn't a fear of the virus that made me uneasy. Maybe I'm just tired of living in a city. I miss the wide open spaces and quiet emptiness of West Texas.

I went with Janet today when she took Dawn on her regular car training trip. We went to another nearby park and walked around for a while. This is the place where we used to take Dot and Dash for training classes. We want to get Dawn familiar with this place, so that when training classes resume sometime later this Summer we can take Dawn. I'm a little apprehensive but Janet thinks she'll enjoy the experience. On the way home from this little excursion, we stopped for ice cream cones. Dawn loves ice cream. I have a feeling that all dogs love ice cream.

I don't know why I even bother to take an afternoon walk anymore. It's way too hot now. I guess it's just a good way to kill time. If I stayed home, I'd be compelled to start some household repair project I've been trying to ignore. It's always nice to get 20,000 steps too. Such a simple life. What did you do today? Oh, I took 20,000 steps.

There was another chance to see the International Space Station this evening, but this time the path the station took was obscured by trees in the back yard. I would have had to walk about half a mile into the park to get a clear view. Never mind. I don't need to see the ISS again. Not now anyway. It's a shame that I don't feel comfortable walking alone in the park after dark. I enjoy the night. I just don't enjoy living in the city.

I applied for NASA media credentials to attend the Mars Perseverance launch in late July. I'm not terribly optimistic about my chances, especially since coronavirus cases seem to be spiking up in Florida again. I haven't heard from the Air Force yet, so maybe one of these two alternatives will work out. I know a few people are still getting launch access, but most of them seem to live in Florida. I've learned to never give up though. If you want something, you've got to keep trying.

I wonder when I'll be able to resume going to the gym on Sunday? Janet has already gone to her gym twice but mine hasn't even set an opening date. The place is definitely not open tomorrow so it looks like I'll be taking more long walks.

Wendy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3797

The weather was much better today. We got up early to avoid the crowds, but apparently we didn't get up early enough. Even before 8 AM, the park was already filled with runners and cyclists. This must be the city's new exercise destination now that the gyms are closed. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised. It was a Sunday morning on a very nice day.

It's pretty clear that the quarantine is over in Dallas. Traffic is back to normal and people aren't shy about gathering together in the park. When I returned later in the day for my afternoon walk, the place was packed. There were large barbecues, clusters of hammocks strung between trees, and a flotilla of kayaks on the water. Most of the large gatherings consisted of young people. Maybe they are starting to develop herd immunity.

There are still a lot of people wearing masks in the park. I suspect that some of these people will continue wearing masks forever. They will become a fashion statement or a badge of identity. There definitely aren't many who know how to wear a mask correctly. I see a lot of noses poking out on top of these masks. People take them off to talk to other people or even to sneeze. Basically, you wear a mask to show other people that you are a team player. Medically, most of the disposable earloop masks are of dubious value.

I was back on the roof this afternoon removing the standing water from yesterday's rain. Both pumps are working again, but there is still a lot of residual water after it rains. Removing the water with a big push broom is actually good exercise. I'm usually tired after I finish the job. I'm always careful, but I hope I never stumble and fall. That's the first question my doctor asked at my physical last week. "Did you have any bad falls last year," he said.  I guess I've arrived at the "I've fallen and I can't get up" stage of life. I felt like telling the doctor that I was much more careful than he was. At least I don't ride bicycles.

Dawn likes our bed so much that she gets upset when I change the sheets. I told her that everything was going to be OK and that she would be pleased when I was finished. After everything was clean, there was still dog hair on her blanket. I've noticed that the vacuum cleaner canister fills up twice as fast now that we have Dawn. Dalmatians shed constantly. You just get used to the dog hair after a while.

I had another 20,000 step day, but I didn't do anything of consequence. 20,000 step days are so common now that maybe it's time to up the ante and try for 25,000 steps a day. I'm hoping that walking will keep me in shape, but I need something to occupy my mind as well. I'll complete my application for launch access to Kennedy Space Center and send it to the Air Force tomorrow. Maybe I'll start editing my McDonald Observatory pictures and send a batch to Sky and Telescope. They haven't actually requested the pictures yet, but have indicated that they will use them when the article eventually appears. I'll be glad when they give me a publication date. Right now I don't know whether the article I wrote will appear a few months from now or next year.

The chigger bites still itch, but I've got some nice looking fresh fruit for tomorrow morning's smoothie. Life goes on.

Susie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day