Day 4288

Cooper and Charlie were glad to see us today. Dogs are easy to please. We throw toys for them to fetch. We play with them and tell them what good dogs they are. We feed them treats. We take them outside to pee. Then we're gone for another week. Both of these dogs would make a good companion for the right person. We always hope they will find their forever home soon.

We keep hearing that a cold front is on the way and that temperatures will be dramatically cooler soon. Cooler weather can't come soon enough for me. It's nice outside when we take our sunrise walk with Dawn, but it gets hot quickly as soon as the sun comes up.

I'm taking my long walk right after breakfast now. Breakfast doesn't take as long these days since I'm not making my smoothie anymore. It doesn't take long to eat a bowl of shredded wheat. I wonder if I'll feel like drinking large fruit smoothies again? It was a total surprise that I suddenly lost my taste for these things. Things change I guess. I made myself an omelet for years. I fixed pancakes and sausages for quite a while as well. Years ago I used to eat a grapefruit for breakfast. I don't even like grapefruit anymore.

I wouldn't be surprised if I grow tired of my long walks someday. They take a lot of time and are often boring. Whenever I get tired of walking I accidentally read an article that extolls the many benefits of walking. It's good cardio exercise and helps prevent bone loss. Walking is much easier on your joints than running. There are so many good things about walking that it's usually pretty easy to convince myself to get outside and hit the trails. It's good to be outdoors. Staying inside can be boring as well.

My editor agreed to make a few changes to my Inspiration 4 article. The changes were minor and mostly involved going back to the way I'd written the article in the first place. I think the magazine goes to press soon, so there probably won't be any more changes. I'm happy enough. Two weeks ago I thought I wouldn't be writing for this magazine anymore. Now it appears that my contributions are still valued. It's good to have a purpose. Not a lot of people read my articles, but writing about space is still a lot better than sitting at home doing nothing.

I've finally gotten everything put away after my trip. I thought that the office would look a little nicer now that the suitcases and cameras are out of the way. It still looks just the same though. I think this office will be permanently cluttered, no matter what I do. I wonder how long it will be before I start packing again. I still have no idea whether I'll be going out to the observatory in October.

I don't even know what I'll be doing tomorrow. Maybe I'll wash the car. Maybe I'll fix something different for breakfast. Whatever happens, I'm sure we'll start the day with a sunrise walk.

Rosie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Dasy 4239

I've got ice again. A plumber came out this morning and after a lot of experimenting, determined that there was nothing wrong with the shut off valve the other plumber installed last week. Apparently, a small piece of rubber from the old broken valve had gotten into the small copper pipe going to the refrigerator and caused a jam that stopped water from flowing. This scenario seemed very unlikely, but it had to be true. There was no other explanation. After replacing the long copper pipe with a flexible braided wire hose, everything worked fine. A few hours later the first ice cubes started to form in the icemaker. I'm back in business.

The plumber said that since there was nothing wrong with the shut off valve they installed, that I would have to pay for this new work. I didn't feel like arguing. Technically, it was their fault for not testing the system after they were finished, but I was the one that told them to just leave the valve in the off position, because the appliance repairman hadn't finished fixing the ice maker yet. The young plumber was very polite and did a good job. I could have bought big bags of party ice for the rest of my life for the cost of these repairs though. Oh, well. The whole repair saga is still less expensive than my upcoming root canal.

We got more rain today, including a few heavy downpours. The leak hasn't reappeared in the kitchen, but I noticed a very small new leak developing in the hallway leading to the office. I think I'm going to have to settle for a new roof that still has standing water. It is just too expensive and complicated to re-slope the existing roof so there are no low spots that cause ponds to form after it rains. I just need to get a warranty from a reputable roofing company that lasts longer than I expect to live and just forget about all the standing water on the roof.

Dawn has no fear of thunder and lightning, but she hates to get her paws wet. We couldn't get her to take an early walk, so we had to wait until we returned from visiting the rescue Dalmatians. We finally got her to pee in the yard before we left for the kennel, but it was an uphill battle. Dawn does not like to walk on wet grass.

Cooper and Charlie were glad to see us. They know we we bring them tasty treats and the occasional new toy. Cooper loves rope tug toys and when he finds one, he will always bring it to you to play tug with him.  Charlie is still obsessed with soft plush toys. One of the kennel attendants told us that he carries them around the way he does because he is waiting for an opportunity to take the toy back to his kennel and tear it up in private. We got to witness this today when Charlie found a stuffed duck that had a squeaker that made a quacking sound. We need to remember to just have indestructible Kongs and rope toys in the play area when we are up at the kennel. Both dogs are kind of weird with plush toys.

We took Dawn on a short walk when we returned from the kennel. Our timing wasn't good, because we got caught in a downpour and we all got wet. Dawn was disgusted and sat on the bed for the rest of the day after we got her dried off. I waited until the storm had passed and then took my long walk. It was considerably cooler after all the rain, so the walk was actually quite enjoyable.  It is rare to have temperatures in the seventies in August. 

I think we're done with rain for a while. The hot weather will probably return tomorrow. I'm going to need to go up on the roof and look for leaks again as soon as things dry out. It's a never ending battle. I wish I could find a contractor like those guys on that PBS 'This Old House' series. Real life contractors aren't like that at all. I guess I'll watch the Boeing Starliner launch on a streaming channel tomorrow. I'd love to be there in person, but it wasn't meant to be.

Scout is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4232

The heat is getting serious. The temperature topped 100 degrees for the second day in a row. Everywhere I went today it felt like the air conditioners were struggling to keep up. Even our sunrise walk this morning felt considerably warmer than usual. I can't wait for Fall to arrive. The sad thing is that we aren't even getting the worst of the summer heat. Many other parts of the country have it worse than we do.

Luckily, the kennel was still keeping Charlie and Cooper nice and cool. The boys are alone again, since Daisy went to her forever home this week. Not surprisingly, the dogs didn't want to go outside today. Cooper really didn't want to go outside and decided to poop in the indoor play area instead. We left the possum toy home today because it seemed to be making Charlie sad. We brought two new toys that didn't look like animals and both dogs had fun thrashing them around and trying to get the squeakers out. Both dogs have gotten extremely good at catching toys when we throw them in the air. They know all the basic commands and enjoy showing off. The kennel staff agrees that these two boys are happy dogs. They seem to think that the kennel is their home. Maybe it is. Charlie has sure been there for a very long time. I still hope they can find a real home. For the right person, each of these dogs would make a great companion.

It was so hot when we returned from the kennel that I didn't even consider walking in the park. Even though it was late in the day, I went to the gym instead. The gym wasn't ice cold for the first time I can remember. Even their massive air conditioners were having trouble coping with the heat. Evidently they are still having problems finding a technician to repair the treadmills. Even more were broken today. In fact, one treadmill died while I was using it. I had to search all over the floor to find another that still functioned properly.

More people are wearing masks at the gym again. I have a feeling that it won't be long before there is a mask mandate again. I always keep one in my pocket just in case I'm asked to wear it. Hospitalization rates in Dallas are quite low, but media stories about the Delta variant have gotten a lot of people worried again. You can't say they aren't trying to get everyone vaccinated. I had to pick up a prescription at the pharmacy and the pharmacist asked if I'd had my Covid shots yet. There were big banners on the store advertising free Covid shots inside with no waiting or appointment needed. I don't really understand the reluctance to take this shot. I've been vaccinated against virtually everything over the years and am still doing well. Nobody questions their vet when it's time for a rabies shot. When I was a kid getting vaccinated for everything from polio to measles, there weren't any anti-vaxers. There wasn't any social media either. Social media is at the root of so many of today's problems. It is an addiction every bit as serious as alcoholism or drug abuse. If we could somehow just make Facebook, Twitter, Tik-Tok, and all the other media distractions disappear, the world would be a better place. Medical decisions should be between you and your doctor. They shouldn't be between you and a million other people on Facebook.

I'm glad I'm old. I think future historians will write about this period of time the way we write about the fall of Rome. Civil society is crumbling and we are slowly forgetting that it wasn't always this way. I grew up in a time where my family took vacations all over the United States in a car without seat belts. We played on rusty jungle gyms and swing sets, swam in creeks, and went unsupervised at night on Halloween all over town. There wasn't a single murder in our town during the entire time I was growing up. We rode our bicycles to school and our parents never worried that we'd be involved in a mass shooting. I grew up confident that the world was full of opportunities and never missed not having a phone in my pocket. I'm glad to have experienced this moment in time because it's gone now.

Smokey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4225

Daisy, the new dog at the kennel, is wonderful. This three year old owner surrender is good looking, has a great personality, and is fully trained. We were amazed that she seemed to know every single command we gave her and had no trouble following commands from two total strangers. She even knew tricks and would roll over to get a treat. She was an athlete too and would leap high in the air to catch a ball. She never missed and would even return the ball so we could throw it again. Not surprisingly, Daisy already has a long waiting list of people who want to adopt her. I have a feeling that she won't be at the kennel very long.

I wish that Charlie and Cooper could find a home this quickly, but they both have to overcome their past. In rescue it is customary to let any potential adopter know if a dog has been involved in a bite incident. Charlie and Cooper are very nice dogs, but they both have bitten someone. I don't think it was their fault and they are definitely not aggressive dogs, but you can't hide the fact that somebody got bit. Eventually Charlie and Cooper will find a home with a person who understands that any dog can bite under the right circumstances and will give these boys a chance to shine again. I can't blame someone for picking Daisy first though. Daisy is perfect. I don't think I've ever seen a better dog in rescue.

I wish we'd left Charlie's possum at home so he would play with his other toys. As soon as Charlie saw the possum today he began gently carrying it around and wouldn't play with anything else. He looked kind of sad. I have no idea what this means. Maybe Charlie needs a friend.

It was considerably cooler today. Many parts of town got rain, but we stayed dry for some reason. Our sunrise walk with Dawn was very enjoyable and I had no problem taking my own long walk in the park when we returned from the kennel. A ten degree drop in temperature makes a huge difference. You could still tell it was summer, but it wasn't miserable outside. For a while I thought I was going to get wet today. On my way home I found myself walking directly toward a very ominous dark cloud and I kept hearing thunder and seeing lightning off in the distance. The storm passed slightly to the Northeast of me however and I never got wet.

Dawn is still licking her paws whenever she can get her socks off. The paws don't appear quite as red and raw now, so maybe something we're doing is working. We've started giving her probiotics and a little goat's milk on the recommendation of friends. She has an appointment at the vet tomorrow to make sure her urinary tract infection has cleared up. I'm sure the vet will weigh in with his own opinions on Dawn's paws as well. Like everything else in life, if you ask ten people for their opinion, you will get ten different answers.

I've read several article recently that say brisk walking is one of the best things older people can do to prevent Alzheimer's and dementia. I've read that journaling has many benefits as well. If this is true, I should live forever. I'm tired a lot, but you'd be tired too if you slept four hours a night and walked as much as I do. I go to bed too late and get up too early. It's not a good combination. We'll see if I can get an extra hour of sleep tonight. I had leftover pizza for dinner though, so that's not working in my favor.

Jade is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4218

I almost forgot that we visit the Dalmatians on Mondays. The days just blur together now. Sometimes I have to stop and think for a minute to remember what day it is. We missed seeing the new puppies. Both of them have already gone to their forever homes. The rescue group usually has a waiting list for puppies, so they seldom stay at the kennel long. Charlie and Cooper were still waiting for us. They were both a little subdued today. I think it was the summer heat. We played a little, but the dogs were much more interested in the treats we brought. We were curious whether Charlie was still interested in the toy possum, so we put all the toys in a pile and Charlie immediately went for the possum and started carrying it around like a baby.

The day started normally enough. We took Dawn on her sunrise walk and then I fixed my morning smoothie. I'm not a morning person, but it's so nice outside before the sun comes up that I might try to become one. Dawn loves the morning walk. Today she led us in a new direction. We always let her choose where to walk, mostly because we are curious to see what she'll do. The more confident she becomes, the more she tries new things. Dawn definitely knows the way home and always keeps her walks to approximately one mile. She's a very smart dog.

I was afraid that it was going to be too hot for my long walk when we returned from the kennel, but there were storms in the area that kept the temperature down. Even though there were some very ominous clouds on the horizon, I stayed dry for the entire walk. I don't know what I'd do without the weather radar app on my phone. It adds an element of certainty to an uncertain life. The radar indicated that the storm would pass to the East of me, and sure enough it did.

Three of the resident geese seem to have disappeared and I haven't seen the Muscovy ducks in weeks. I wonder where these birds go? Just when I think they've left the area completely, I'll see them again. I saw a coyote walking very near the road today. The animal seemed to have no fear of people. Usually the coyotes stay hidden during the day, but this one acted more like a dog. I actually thought it was a lost dog for a while until I got closer. There are lots of coyotes in the park now and I am always a little wary of them.

I need to find a project that doesn't involve fixing things around the house. You'd think this would be easy, since a wide variety of things have occupied my interest for months at a time in the past. I don't collect things anymore. I'm no longer interested in songwriting or making fine art prints. I don't even read much anymore, although all four walls of my office are lined with books I've read in the past. It's weird how interests come and go. I'm still interested in astronomy and rockets, but that doesn't do me a lot of good in Dallas. I think the long walks are just a phase, but I have no idea what comes next.

I've noticed that Dawn is more relaxed around me now. Maybe that's what's next. Will I have a dog friend soon? We've still got a long way to go, but Dawn doesn't automatically run away when I approach her now. She's even started following me out to the kitchen occasionally. I need to be careful not to make any sudden moves, but that's pretty easy. I never make any sudden moves.

Winston is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4211

I guess the holiday continued into today. The markets and banks were closed. There wasn't any mail delivery. The Dalmatian's kennel was still open though, so we were still able to visit Charlie and Cooper. I took my camera because there were supposed to be two new Dalmatian puppies at the kennel. They were both at the vet for their check ups when we arrived though, so maybe we'll see them next week.

The day started normally enough. We got up early and took Dawn on her sunrise walk. I can already tell that the days are starting to get shorter. Sunrise seems a few minutes later each day. Dawn is now reluctant to eat the new food we got for her, so we made an appointment to see the vet. We need to know if she's just being a picky eater or if there is a medical problem. We are a little worried about her kidneys since we've known that they are a potential problem for some time. We'll get some new blood work done and a urinalysis, along with anything else the vet suggests. Hopefully, Dawn is just being stubborn. She has no problems eating people food.

The traffic was still pretty light when we went up to the kennel. I guess that holiday travelers aren't visiting Dallas. There were a lot of boarding dogs at the kennel, but we were still able to secure a room where we could play with Charlie and Cooper. Charlie was still very gentle with his new possum toy. This is the only toy that he doesn't toss in the air and get rough with. He just carries it around like he's looking for a safe place to hide it. We've never seen Charlie act this way before. It's actually encouraging to know that he has a softer side.

I was planning to go to the gym when we returned from the kennel, but I decided to take a walk at the last minute. I don't know why I thought it would be cool enough for a long walk in the park. Maybe the sun was behind a cloud. I managed to complete my six miles, but I was hot and tired by the time I returned home. I would have been tired at the gym as well, but I wouldn't have been as hot and sweaty. It's too bad I don't enjoy exercise more. It's very necessary, but I'd rather just sleep.

I paid some bills today and noticed that the electric bill has take a sharp rise upward. It's summer in Texas. Next month's bill will be even worse. The water bill will be a lot higher next month as well, now that we are trying to keep our new grass alive. I was never as aware of prices when I was working. Living on a fixed income puts a whole new perspective on things. 

I didn't sleep well last night. I've been having weird dreams again. For some reason my dreams frequently involve choosing food in buffet lines, being lost inside buildings, or being back in college. Last night I was dealing with all three of these things. At some point a professor asked me to come up with an equation that would generate an outline in the shape of Africa. I kept trying to convince the class that you could accomplish the same thing with a much easier equation that gave you the area of a circle. Just pack a whole bunch of little circles together and you'll have your map of Africa, I told the class. Hey, I was never very good at math. Maybe I was distracted by the fact that right after I had chosen a pathetic looking roast beef sandwich for my lunch, service workers bought out huge stacks of much better looking meat and replaced the entire buffet table. The flying dreams I had as a kid were much more enjoyable.

Hopefully the vet can tell us why Dawn keeps licking her feet and has lost her appetite. It might be nothing at all, but you never know with a dog. It's too bad dogs can't talk and just tell you what's wrong.

Isabella is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4197

We like to bring the rescue dogs a new toy to play with when we visit on Monday. Today we brought a stuffed possum with us. We thought that Charlie would destroy this toy and get the squeaker out in less than five minutes, but he surprised us. He carried the toy around gently the way a mother dog might move a puppy. He didn't thrash the toy around or make it squeak at all. He seemed a little confused, but it sure looked like he had found a friend. We'd never seen Charlie act this way before. Dogs tend to be predictable, but they are often full of surprises. When we put the toy possum away, Charlie immediately reverted to his old self and begain to play rough with all his other toys. Cooper had no interest in befriending the little possum. He was determined to get the squeaker out.

I knew it was going to rain today, so we walked Dawn as soon as we got up and then I took my long walk right after breakfast. It wasn't terribly hot this morning, but it was incredibly humid. I had to change clothes when I returned home because I was drenching wet. I wish Spring had lasted a little longer. There isn't a lot to like about a Texas Summer. 

It didn't start raining until we were driving home from the kennel. The rain didn't last long but it looked like it had been intense in our neighborhood. When we went in the house I was extremely disappointed to discover that we had a roof leak again.  It's been almost two years since there has been a leak. I was actually beginning to believe that I had solved the problem. Why did the roof leak today? We've had a lot heavier rain earlier in the Spring. This leak was right over Dawn's food bowl, so I don't think she was very happy about it either.

I really had no choice. I climbed up on the roof and spent the next two hours sweeping all the standing water away. The roof was a mess. I hadn't been up there in a while, having convinced myself that the hot weather must have evaporated any standing water. There was a lot of water from today's rain, but since there was algae developing in some of the puddles, it was apparent that there had been water on the roof for quite some time.

I'm really getting too old to remove standing water from the roof every time it rains. It's hard work pushing hundreds of pounds of water over the edge of the roof with a big broom. It's slippery up there as well. By the time I finished removing all the water my heart was pounding. I'm going to be really pissed if it rains again later tonight. I don't want to go up there again. 

I hate to spend a ton of money putting on a new roof and still have problems with standing water afterwards. I've gotten multiple bids from different roofing companies to replace the roof and they all say that since the house has settled, there will still be standing water in the low spots after they are finished. It's discouraging. I guess you could completely remove the roof and start over, but that doesn't seem like a good solution since we are still living in the house. The only times I get really depressed is when I'm up on the roof. It seems hopeless up there.

The only thing good about today's rain is that it is supposed to be a lot cooler tomorrow. One forecast says we will get more rain tonight. The other says we are in the clear. I guess we'll see what happens. I'll leave a bucket out in the kitchen just in case.

Barley is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4154 - Mother's Day

I couldn't find a good picture of my Mom, but she would have liked this picture of Dot. Dalmatian Rescue used to do pet photo events for every holiday under the sun. Our Mother's Day events were surprisingly popular. You didn't have to have children to be a pet Mom and everyone wanted a picture with their dog. Dot was the poster child for many of our photo events. She wore her pearls well.

Dawn expects her Sunday car ride now. She got so excited when she saw we were getting ready. She still doesn't seem to like riding in the car, but she loves going somewhere new. Dawn walks a little faster on Sundays. She seems to know that we are doing something special just for her. As always, we finished this morning's outing with an ice cream cone. When we returned home, Dawn was content for the rest of the day.

I had more energy than usual today. It was an increasingly rare 20,000 step day. After a short nap on returning from our outing with Dawn, I decided to mow the grass. I tracked the activity on my Apple Watch and discovered that I burned twice as many calories mowing the grass as I did walking Dawn a little earlier. Mowing without a self propelled mower on a sloping lawn can be pretty strenuous for an old guy like me. I really need to ask one of the neighbor's lawn guys how much they'd charge to mow my lawn too while they were doing the neighbor's yards. My yard is so small that it would only take them a few extra minutes. If the cost was even remotely reasonable, it would be worth the money. Pushing this mower is wearing me out.

I needed a little longer nap after this much activity, but I still wanted to take my regular long walk today. It was very windy today, but the rain that was forecast never arrived. Actually the wind helped cool me down. It would have been hot and muggy outside without it. It was a nice day for a walk, but by the time I'd completed my normal five mile route, I'd had enough. 20,000 steps seems to be my limit these days. There were times when I completed as many as 24,000 steps a few years ago. I don't know how I did it.

I should have gotten a big bag of party ice today and used it to fill the ice maker bin. The ice maker is still broken, but I'm not going to have time to deal with an appliance repairman until after my trip. It would be easier to just replace the entire refrigerator, but nobody makes the correct size anymore. Kitchens have gotten larger over the years and today's refrigerators are huge. None of them will fit in the small slot where our current refrigerator goes. It looks like the only way to get a new refrigerator is to keep replacing components on our current one whenever something breaks. We are gradually getting a new refrigerator, part by expensive part.

I'm going to have to get serious about packing soon. I hate to pack and am a terrible travel planner, so I always wait until the last possible minute. I thought I'd be better prepared this time, but it looks like procrastination wins again. I just hope that it doesn't rain when I'm out at the observatory. It's a long, hard drive just to end up with cloudy skies or a thunderstorm when I get there. This will be my fourth trip out to the observatory. I've gotten rained out before, but I've also had clear skies and beautiful weather. You just never know.

I'm curious whether Cooper got adopted this week. I guess we'll find out when we visit the kennel tomorrow. Last week we thought that Cooper would be going to his forever home very soon, but things can always change. It's a pretty safe bet that Charlie will still be there though. Charlie is always there.

Spot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4141

I almost forgot it was Monday today. I was getting ready to take my long walk when Janet reminded me that it was time to go see the rescue Dalmatians. I took my camera in case the new female in the program was at the kennel, but when we arrived we learned that she had already been adopted. Charlie and Cooper were glad to see us as always. We've been pretty good at teaching these active guys to "go out for a pass" and catch a toy football in midair. We need to try to teach them some manners. Maybe they would find a home quicker.

We had already taken Dawn on her short walk before we left for the kennel, but there was still time for me to take my long walk after we returned home. I knew I was going to be slow this afternoon because my foot was bothering me before I even left the house. It's kind of irritating that the only thing my foot doctor was able to recommend were new shoes and some topical pain cream. There is just no magic bullet when your cartilage begins to wear out. I'm going to keep walking though. I have a feeling that things would get worse rather quickly if I quit moving. I know other people with arthritis and the fact that I can still walk six miles a day is proof that I'm really not doing all that bad. It could definitely be a lot worse.

My package isn't in Indiana anymore. With any luck it might arrive later this week. I wonder why USPS surface mail is so much slower than FedEx Ground or UPS Ground? Most UPS Ground orders arrive in three or four days. I know why Amazon Prime is so quick. They have giant warehouses all over the country and most things we order on Amazon are already in the Dallas warehouse anyway. Maybe I should be glad that the post office is slow. It gives me something else to track every day.

I watched the Delta IV Heavy NROL-82 launch on the ULA live stream this afternoon. I've always wanted to see one of these launches in person because the Delta IV Heavy is huge. I was approved to see the last Delta IV Heavy launch in Florida but the trip didn't work out for a variety of reasons. Since these rockets are almost always used to launch giant school bus sized spy satellites you don't get a lot of access at a launch. It would still be great to see one lift off though. There are only three of these aging giants left, so I'd better get planning if I want to see one of the remaining ones fly.

Janet is having a wisdom tooth removed tomorrow, so I'll need to take her to and from the dentist. Whenever you have a wisdom tooth removed you kind of wish you'd taken care of this earlier in life. Wisdom tooth roots go on forever and it is not always easy to remove them. My dental surgeon told me that the hole where the tooth used to be would fill in over time. It never did. There is still an indentation in my jaw that is easy to feel at the gum line. Hopefully Janet's extraction will go smoothly. We've stocked up on tasty soups so she'll have something to eat while she recovers.

We're starting to think that Dawn used to just be fed once a day. She still eats the same amount of food, but her schedule has changed. She isn't as interested in breakfast anymore and wants to eat more at dinner. I guess this is OK, but it seems weird to have a dog that isn't interested in breakfast. We couldn't fix breakfast fast enough for all our other Dalmatians. To each his or her own I guess. As long as Dawn continues to eat a normal amount of healthy food, we're not going to worry about when she eats. 

I'll continue eating my own breakfast at the same time every morning. Hey, I'm not a dog, even though I act like one at times.

Brady is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4134

How did it get to be Monday again? These weeks go so fast. Whenever we visit the Dalmatians at the kennel, I realize that Dawn is the perfect dogs for us. She is older and pretty subdued for a Dalmatian. Younger Dalmatians have so much energy. Charlie and Cooper are fun to play with, but I don't think I could keep up with these two for very long. Hopefully they will find homes with someone who has as much energy as they do.

I tried to find my lost memory chips today and was told that the post office doesn't consider anything lost until they've had it for at least fourteen days. OK. I'll wait a little longer. Since it only takes two days for mail to travel from the shipper's location to my house, I wonder what's going on for those other twelve days. Amazon Prime has spoiled me. Somehow I think that everything should arrive the next day now.

I also wrote NASA and politely asked why I was being rejected for certain launches. I get accepted for some launches and rejected for others, but there seems to be no rhyme or reason to the process. If I'm doing something wrong on my end, I'd like to know what it is. I think the articles I've written have been very good. What do I know though. If I can't consistently get press credentials, it is going to be very difficult for me to become a space journalist.

Maybe it would be easier for me to become a HVAC technician. The furnace repairs I made the other day are working well. This is a weird time of year. It's very cold around sunrise and when I hear the furnace running I know it's time to get up. The furnace continues running while I'm eating breakfast, but by mid-afternoon it is warm enough outside for the air conditioner to kick in. Every day for the past week we have had the furnace and the air conditioner running on the same day.

My back is still bothering me. I'm comfortable when I wake up, but the process of becoming upright changes everything. Yikes. Those "I've fallen and I can't get up" commercials are starting to make sense now. Am I going to need a cane soon? I hope not, but it might be a good idea to have a few stashed around, just in case. My Dad had a ton of canes and I gave them all to the Goodwill when I cleared out his house. I should have kept a few.

At least I can still walk. Walking doesn't bother my back like it does my feet. It's bending over that bothers my back. If I stay on level ground and don't do anything stupid, a long walk still feels good. I've managed to convince myself that this type of exercise is the best thing for aging, tired bones. I hope nobody proves me wrong. I don't think I'm cut out for yoga, pilates, or lifting weights. You don't need a class or a gym or a trainer to take a walk. All you need is some free time. I've got plenty of that.

We'll see what happens tomorrow. Early voting has started for a local election. Maybe I'll go vote. I need to pick up some more duct tape at Home Depot as well. You can't ever run out of duct tape. Maybe Dawn will wake up and decide to be my best friend. That's a long shot, but it could happen.

Marley is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4127

It's Monday again. We got another Kong football for Charlie and Cooper to replace the one that got destroyed. Both dogs love to fetch and catch things and have boundless energy. They were delighted with their new toy. Charlie and Cooper are smart, very athletic, and I keep thinking that they would respond well to agility training. I keep hoping that one of these days when we visit the kennel, we'll discover that at least one of them has found their forever home.

I was expecting rain today. We were under a severe weather forecast for a while but nothing materialized. I'm glad when that happens. At this time of year storms can pop up out of nowhere. Sometimes they disappear quickly as well. By the time I took my long walk, I wasn't worried about rain at all. I was more worried about getting a sunburn. Today was very hot for early April.

I decided to upgrade my laptop and install an operating system that will run the astrophotography processing software I need. Step one is to replace the current 4 GB of memory with 16 GB of memory. This is an easy upgrade and I wish I'd done it earlier. Every time I remove the tiny screws that secure the back of the computer in place, I'm afraid I'm going to strip the threads. Apple won't sell you replacement screws. If I am successful at adding the additional memory, I'll create two partitions on the hard drive with a separate system on each. In theory these dual boot systems are easy to create and quite safe to use. I still worry that I'll, screw something up though. I've certainly done that before.

After I ordered two 8 GB memory sticks, I found a replacement for the video component that I accidentally threw away a few months ago and ordered that as well. I may never use this gear, but I hate not having it. I also feel stupid for throwing something away in what I thought was an empty box. The New York audio shop where I found the part told me that had only one left. Everybody tells you that they only have one left these days. The star tracker people told me that they only had one unit left as well. I guess these guys know what they are doing. This psychology certainly works with me. I'm usually the first to buy the last available widget.

I seem to feel perpetually tired these days. Sometimes I wonder if I might have had Covid and never even realized it. Since literally everything under the sun is a potential side effect from Covid, it's pretty easy to attribute anything abnormal to the disease. Probably, I'm just getting old. Trust me, 70 is a lot different than 40. My joints are toast, but I'm going to continue walking and probably even return to the gym. I'm convinced that you start to go downhill the minute you stop being active.

I have a feeling that I may be able to postpone any further furnace repairs until next Fall. This morning when I woke up I heard the air conditioner instead of the furnace. The temperature was in the high eighties today. Our gas bill will go down for a while, but our electric bill will go through the ceiling this Summer. We have a very small house and I can only imagine what all the people in the huge houses that are popping up all over the neighborhood pay for electricity.

Dawn doesn't like me to be in the kitchen with her so I've started going back to the office after I fix her meals. This seems to work and it is much easier than trying to figure out what is going through her head. Dawn is my buddy when we are hanging out on the bed together. She's scared of me in the kitchen though and won't come in the office at all. Go figure. All is fine when we're outdoors. Dawn loves being outdoors when the weather is nice. Dogs are just as complicated as people. Luckily they are nicer than most people.

Nellie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4120

I got a call from my doctor asking whether I'd been vaccinated yet? Good grief. The place where I got vaccinated is part of the same medical group that my doctor belongs to. When I filled out all the vaccination forms, I checked the box that asked whether it was OK to share the information with my primary care physician. Obviously, nothing has been shared. Doctors seem inable to share information with each other. I've filled out the same information over and over again whenever I see a doctor. Nobody shares information and nobody corrrects incorrect information in your files. It makes you wonder why doctors even want all this information. Nobody reads it.

When we visited the rescue Dalmatians this afternoon the football the dogs liked so much last week was gone. We asked about the football and were told that the kennel dogs had destroyed it. I'm not surprised. A popular toy doesn't last long in a busy kennel. We'll have to look for a new toy football. Charlie and Cooper loved that thing. The dogs were playful today, but that wasn't much of a surprise. They are always playful. I hope both of them end up getting adopted by a young, active person.

My allergies seem to have cleared up. I can't remember if this the time of year when they disappear for a while, but it seems about right. Nothing is happening on schedule this year. Most of the Irises in the park haven't even bloomed yet. The ducks seem to be nesting later than usual as well. I haven't seen any baby ducks at all. I have no idea whether school is in or out anymore. I still see lots of kids in the park during the week who ought to be in school. Just about the only thing that hasn't seemed to change this year is Dallas traffic. The traffic is still terrible.

Dawn had a nice walk before we went to visit the rescue Dalmatians and then I had a not so nice walk after we returned. Today wasn't a great day for my feet. There still seems to be no rhyme or reason as to whether I'm going to experience foot pain on any given day. I'd ask my doctor except I've already done that. He sent me to a specialist who didn't have an answer either. I should probably just quit complaining. The pain obviously isn't bad enough to keep me from walking. I completed six miles today.

I think I felt more comfortable traveling during the height of the pandemic than I do now when everyone is returning to hotels and airports. I've always enjoyed doing things when other people were doing something else. I loved when the airlines blocked the center seats and the planes were half empty. My favorite time to walk is on overcast, dismal days when the park is empty. Even when I was younger and went out more, I would typically get tickets to see unpopular bands because I knew there wouldn't be big crowds. There are some interesting launches at Kennedy Space Center later this Spring, but I'm dreading flying into Orlando now that everyone wants to go to Disneyland again. 

I finally figured out why I'm probably stuck running Sierra on my computers forever. Sierra is the last OS that will run 32 bit software flawlessly. Apple began the transition to 64 bit software with High Sierra and when Catalina appeared, they completely pulled the plug on 32 bit software. It just won't run on newer machines or newer operating systems. This kind of sucks since I still have a ton of perfectly good 32 bit software that I bought back when my business was busy. Why should I subscribe to Office 365 when I have a perfectly good working copy of Office 2011? Why should I subscribe to Adobe's Creative Cloud when I've been using CS-5 for years without any problems? I hate the subscription model that most software companies have adopted. It's just a way for rich companies to get even richer. Can I keep ignoring the future? Maybe. My Dad never used computers at all and he did OK.

Janet wants me to go out and look for a cell phone booster tomorrow. Do such things exist? Our iPhones barely work in the house anymore. We have to go outside when we get a call. I keep the old landline because it's much easier to make outgoing calls on it. All the phone companies are talking about 5G now when they never even got 4G to work reliably. It's a a good thing I'm retired. I'd really be frustrated if I had to depend on today's technology.

Angel is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4113

Somebody bought Charlie and Cooper a yellow football with a squeaker inside and it was their new favorite toy this week. We discovered that both dogs would make pretty good wide receivers because you could toss them the football and they would catch it in the air surprisingly often. We met some new employees today. Like most Dallas businesses, the kennel seems to be slowly returning to normal. I'm glad they survived the pandemic.

When we returned home I went out and got a new pair of walking shorts. I was down to a single pair and I knew they wouldn't make it through the Summer.  Amazingly, I found some shorts that were exactly the same brand and style as the ones I bought three years ago. In theory, buying something that I didn't need to try on first should have saved me time. It didn't. There was only one person working at the checkout counters and the person ahead of me in line was trying to return something without a receipt. It took me forever to get out of the store, but I still like to support local business whenever I can.

Dawn did well on her first walk this morning, so we thought she'd enjoy a second walk after we returned from the kennel. Apparently not. We couldn't even get her down to the park. She froze in place and wouldn't go any further before we had even gone three hundred yards. Oh, well. At least she got a good walk this morning. Janet returned to the house with Dawn and I continued walking.

I wonder how long this nice Spring weather is going to continue? The weather has been almost perfect for over a week and there is no rain in the forecast. The pleasant weather is probably why I thought about getting shorts today. I've been wearing shorts and a t-shirt all week. Right now, the heat comes on when we wake up in the morning and then the air conditioner comes on later in the afternoon. I'd better enjoy this while it lasts. Pretty soon it's going to be way too hot.

I had a good walk this afternoon, even though I am still embarrassingly slow and every step reminds me that I'm almost 73 years old. I have so many aches and pains that I feel like an old rusty machine. I think things would be a lot worse if I didn't keep moving. Would I feel more fit if I moved even more? I guess I'll never know unless I return to the gym. When am I going to find the time though? I'm so slow that a few chores and a long walk fills my entire day.

I'm surprised that I still haven't heard from NASA or the Air Force about the launches I've applied to attend in April. Jeez. It's almost April. I hate to make plans at the last minute. I haven't heard anything from the magazine I write for either. It's starting to feel like everyone has forgotten about me. I'm torn between wanting a full schedule and the realization that I could never afford a full schedule anyway. I do get published, but the magazine never pays for my expenses when I travel. Does this just make my space journalism quest an expensive hobby? Who knows. 

I'm thinking about getting a smoked ham for Easter again. Janet thinks about the true meaning of Easter, but I usually just think about smoked ham. I'd better go look for something tomorrow. It may be too late already.

Elliott is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4106

Charlie and Cooper were both glad to see us today. These two have boundless energy and race around throwing their toys in the air until they are completely worn out. Both dogs will bring rope toys to you because they want to play tug. They won't release the toys however until you throw another toy for them to chase. Charlie becomes so fixated on killing the squeaker in these toys that you have to be careful not to let your hands get too near his mouth. The mouth is constantly moving. These energetic males are the complete opposite of Dawn. We haven't seen Dawn play with a toy yet.

It was a rainy day, but we were able to give Dawn two short walks between the storms. I have a feeling that Dawn is a lot easier to walk than Charlie or Cooper. They are both smart dogs and do listen to commands, but they are so strong. I'm not sure I could even walk Cooper at all with my bad shoulder. They would be great companions for an active family though. I hope they find their forever homes soon.

It wasn't dry enough to take my long walk today, but I was able to squeeze in a little walk after Dawn's afternoon walk. I walked just long enough to get ten thousand steps on the Fitbit and close all three activity circles on the Apple Watch. My foot didn't bother me today. Probably because I didn't really go very far. Maybe my foot is trying to tell me something. 10,000 steps might be enough. I do like long walks though. We'll have to see how I feel tomorrow.

I'm so glad that Dawn isn't scared of storms like Dot and Dash were. There's been lots of thunder and lightning today, but it hasn't bothered her at all. She can certainly hear the thunder. Dawn hears everything.   She can hear people walking down the alley behind our house long before she can see them. Her new favorite thing is to stand in the yard and bark at these people, especially if they are walking a dog. Dawn must have spent a lot of time outdoors in her former life. When the weather is nice she likes being outside more than being in the house. I didn't think anything could compete with the big bed in the bedroom, but sunning herself on the grass runs a close second. I really need to plant some new grass for Dawn. The grass we have now is fairly pitiful. Maybe today's rain will help everything in the back yard turn green again.

I called my accountant to review my taxes along with two different tree companies to get bids on removing the damaged Oak tree and all I got was voice mail. It's really hard to get a live person on the phone anymore. Nobody seems to have a receptionist these days. Nine times out of ten you will just get a voicemail message if you call a business. Voice calls have definitely gone out of style. Maybe you have to leave text messages for businesses too. You certainly have to leave a text message for personal calls. The world have definitely left me behind. I still write letters and I still prefer voice calls.

The pumps on the roof aren't working very well today. This is frustrating with so much rain, but I'm definitely not climbing up there to inspect things right now. I'll have to trust that my repairs keep working. So far, so good. There haven't been any problems with leaks for over a year. I still wish I could find someone to put a slope on the roof, but it is a complicated, oddly shaped roof and nobody seems up to the job. If I was convinced that the roof would never leak again and we got rid of the old, damaged trees in the back yard, I might install solar panels. It would be nice not to worry about power outages again. This is all fantasy talk unfortunately. It will probably never happen.

I finally got a good night's sleep last night. Hopefully, I will be able to do the same this evening. A good night's sleep can make even a dismal, rainy day seem a little better.

Brooke is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4085

Charlie and Cooper were really playful today. They had a lot more energy than we did and could have played all afternoon. Charlie is nimble and can easily catch things in midair. Cooper is kind of clumsy but still has fun chasing after things he can never seem to catch. The dogs have plenty of toys at the kennel, but are always most interested in the new toys we bring with us. Both dogs are very motivated by food and will do almost anything for a treat. We spent some extra time with them today because next Monday the kennel will be full with Spring Break visitors. 

It kind of surprised me that people are even traveling on Spring Break this year. Have schools even been open long enough to have a break? Is there even anyplace to go? So many questions. I don't think McDonald Observatory is having any special Spring Break activities this year. Traditionally, this used to be their busiest time of the year and it was always the time when they called on volunteers like me to come out and help them with tours and star parties. I won't be making the trip this year. People are getting vaccinated, but restrictions are still in place almost everywhere. I wonder how long it will be before people start filling stadiums and going to concerts again? I have a feeling that it's going to take at least another year.

Dawn is full of surprises. She decided to take a longer walk today. The new route she picked wasn't a lot longer, but it probably added at least ten minutes to her walk. It was encouraging to see her try something new. We tried a second walk when we returned from visiting the rescue Dalmatians and she picked the longer route again. Who knows. Maybe she will decide to join us on longer walks later this Spring. We're not going to force her to walk longer than she wants. Walks should be fun for a dog. She's going to enjoy walking a lot more if it is something she looks forward to. At any rate, Dawn had a good day today. So did Charlie and Cooper.

I can't say that I did that well myself. I walked seven miles today, but my foot was bothering me for much of the way. Often my foot doesn't start bothering me until I've walked quite a way. By then it's too late. I still have to walk home. Today's return journey was slow and somewhat uncomfortable, but I did get 21,000 steps.

Our nasty weather appears to be over. We should have clear skies for the rest of the week and afternoon temperatures will be in the 70's. Maybe we've got a few more winter days left, but I doubt it. It's already March. It won't be long before the trees start budding and things get green again. I certainly hope they get green anyway. A lot of plants froze in our yard during the cold spell and it is unclear if they are going to come back again. 

Tomorrow, Janet and I get our second Covid vaccinations. I don't anticipate any problems, but they do say that the second shot is harder on you than the first. In two weeks from now we should have immunity and be good to go. Where do you go though? It's really hard to plan ahead. What if there's another surge in infections? What if the places we like don't open up again? Everyone wants to get back to normal, but what is normal now? Maybe all this uncertainty has become normal.

We'll see what happens. You've kind of got to take things one day at a time. Maybe Dawn will like walking again. Maybe NASA will invite me down for the Starliner launch. Maybe my allergies will go away. One can always hope.

Lucky is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day