Day 3979

The Crew-1 launch was amazing. I was apprehensive about the weather at first, but the chances of rain gradually decreased as the day progressed. By the time the launch took place at 7:27 PM, the skies were clear enough to see a bit of the Milky Way between patches of broken clouds. It really was a beautiful night for a historic launch. The Resilience capsule held four astronauts instead of the usual three. The trip to the International Space Station will be the longest any astronaut has ever taken due to the nature of the orbit. This was also the first time a private company had contracted with NASA to take a crew into space. A lot was riding on this launch to say the least.

Since NASA no longer takes the  press to launch events like this in busses, the media folks gathered at Patrick Air Force Base to form a convoy that would travel to the viewing location using our own cars. There were quite a few people in our group and our convoy looked like a parade. We were all flashing our blinkers behind a lead Air Force car. Our host found us a perfect viewing location directly across the water from Pad 39A. There's usually a lot of waiting prior to a launch, which is kind of ironic because the launch itself is over in a matter of minutes. We typically arrive at the designated location at least an hour or two before the launch. This leaves plenty of time for photographers to fret about their cameras and tell war stories about launches where none of the equipment worked. 

I'm always worried that I'll do something wrong and all my photos will be out of focus. It's harder than you think to focus on something in the dark. I take a lot of practice shots as the rocket is fueling but this doesn't even get you close to the exposure you need for the launch itself. The flame from the engines is so bright that if you expose for the flame, you can't see the rocket and if you expose for the rocket, the bright flame overexposes your entire shot. There is a lot of guesswork involved and I learn new techniques from the other photographers very time I visit the Space Center. I'm beginning to feel like a regular now. This is the fourth launch I've attended at Kennedy Space Center. I've been to an additional launch at Vandenberg Air Force Base too. That being said, I've still got a long way to go. Many of the other photographers have photographed hundreds of launches and a few of the older guys have photographed thousands.

While I was waiting to leave for Patrick Air Force Base this morning, I started writing my article for the magazine in my hotel room. I made good progress and probably have about a third of the article completed. It's probably a good thing that I did this. I forget things quickly and I promised my editor a first draft by the end of the day on Monday anyway. It's rare to meet another writer at these events. Most of the media people I've encountered are either photographers or videographers. Some of the writers work for space oriented websites. I'm old school. I'm pleased to have the opportunity to write for a real magazine that you can hold in your hand. Probably the people who do podcasts get ten times the exposure that I do. Who cares. I still like magazines. Sky and Telescope is a real magazine too. I used to read it when I was in high school.

I was hungry when I returned from the launch, but the restaurant in the hotel was closed. The manager at the front desk said most restaurants close early on Sunday. I'm sure there were still restaurants open somewhere in Titusville but I didn't feel like driving any more. I had a bag of chips for dinner. I was surprised at how many cars were on the road while I was driving back to my hotel. There was bumper-to-bumper traffic for at least thirty miles. Evidently 250,000 people watched this launch and a lot of them were aparently still on the road. 

My coach turns back into a pumpkin tomorrow. As soon as I finish writing this, I've got to start packing my bags. I actually don't mind living out of a hotel room. It's simple and relatively painless. Nobody makes up your room anymore because of Covid, but I know how to make my own bed. I also feel safer leaving my electronic gear in the room, knowing that it will be untouched until I leave. The only thing bad about this new normal is that I'm a bit of a hypochondriac. Every time I end up talking to someone without a mask, I feel like the end is near. My waitress at breakfast this morning wasn't wearing a mask and was handling food and talking to everybody. I don't think I'll have to worry for the rest of the year though. I can't afford to go anywhere else.

Honey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3978

Today was more interesting than I anticipated. It was a scrub day so there was nothing to see at Kennedy Space Center. I'm sure there was lots of activity at Pad 39A, but folk like me weren't allowed anywhere near the place. After breakfast I looked for something to do in Titusville and discovered that the American Space Museum was open. This little volunteer run museum had always ben closed when I've been in Titusville before. The museum is full of rare artifacts from the early days of space travel and the docents are full of interesting stories about the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs they worked on. Several of the docents had been at the same launch I attended last night. I enjoyed talking to these people although I will never recognize them if we happen to meet again. We were all wearing masks. This little museum seems to take Covid much more seriously than my hotel or the airlines. I even had to sign a contact tracing form so they would know how to find everyone if somebody became sick. It's weird talking with strangers these days. You just never know where they've been or what they've been exposed to.

After visiting the museum I thought I'd go to Playalinda Beach. I'd heard that this was a good place to watch a launch and wanted to take some pictures. The beach is actually part of the Canaveral National Seashore which is run by the National Park Service. I had to buy a pass to get in, but now I can go to any National Park in the country for the next year. The National Seashore is quite beautiful with unspoiled dunes and a very clean sandy beach. There was no easy access to where you could see the launch pads, but I needed some exercise anyway. I took a four mile walk along the beach, taking pictures of seabirds along the way. Walking along an empty beach is quite peaceful. The sound of crashing waves and the smell of salt water was just what I needed today. I never did get the pictures of Pad 39A that I was hoping for because NASA had recently expanded the restricted zone and there were no longer clear views of the Space Center. I did get a few pictures when I encountered a really tall guy who climbed on a dune and held my camera over his head. Why didn't I do this myself? Sadly, I can no longer raise my hands all the way over my head. That's what happens when you've got a bad shoulder.

I wish my good masks had arrived in time. Florida will make you a believer in wearing a mask. Floridians are the only people who make Texans seem sane. If you look long enough you can see just about anything down here. What you don't see are a lot of masks. Actually, it probably the same everywhere. I just don't get out much. It's pretty clear though that if anyone tried a complete lockdown again there'd be a rebellion. People are tired of Covid and just want to go back to normal.

The launch is still on for tomorrow evening. There's still a good chance of rain as well. Do you hold them or fold them? Nobody really knows what will happen. If the launch doesn't take place tomorrow, I will have to come home. I've heard that if Space X can't launch on Sunday there could be a delay of up to a week. I definitely can't afford to stay down here that long. I've got my fingers crossed. I've got everything I need for a good story except the launch itself.

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

3976

I made it to Titusville. The weather has improved quite a bit. I didn't even encounter any rain on the drive from Orlando, although I could see lightning off in the distance. The forecast looks good for Friday and Saturday. I'm hoping that the launch takes place exactly as scheduled.

This was my first flight since the pandemic started. Things are a lot different now. It was easy to find a parking place at the airport. Going through security was a breeze. I don't think I've ever spent less time in the TSA line. There were still a lot of people at the airport, but the place definitely wasn't crowded. There were lots of empty seats in the waiting areas and even with the center seats empty, there was still plenty of room on the plane. I think there were thirty empty seats when we took off.

If this is the future of flying it's OK by me. I'll trade wearing a mask for uncrowded planes any day. There are lots of new rules at the airport and not surprisingly, many of them made no sense whatsoever. There were many signs that told people to wear a mask at all times. There were also many places selling food. What can't you do wearing a mask? Well, you can't eat for starters. People love to eat at airports, so I saw a lot more masks off than on.

They still served snacks and beverages on the plane as well. As soon as the snack cart came down the aisle, the masks came off. Water was also served, but no alcoholic beverages. I thought they'd pass out little bottles of water, but the water arrived in plastic cups instead. There was even an announcement that if you brought your own alcohol, you wouldn't be allowed to drink it. None of this made a lot of sense. If the airline was worried about the virus, they wouldn't have served snacks at all. 

I'm still amazed at how many people wear their mask below their nose. A lot of the cloth gaiters I saw today were completely worthless. I don't know why guys with thick beards bother at all. The mask just sits on top of their beard. I'll wear a mask and try to wear it correctly because I have absolutely no faith in the people around me. I didn't even eat any snacks on the plane. I kept my mask on the entire time. Oddly, just as I was leaving for the airport this afternoon I got an e-mail saying that my high quality 3M N-95 masks had shipped. A little late guys. They'll probably arrive while I'm down here in Florida.

I still managed to get my steps today. We took a long walk with Dawn before breakfast. I didn't have my smoothie this morning because I knew it would take too much time. I still had last minute packing to do. All in all, the day went very well. I didn't get a good deal on my rental car this time, but I did manage to find a car with in-dash GPS and blind spot indicators. There seems to be a lot fewer cars to chose from now. I noticed the same thing when I was going out to McDonald Observatory. Maybe they don't want a lot of idle cars sitting around.

Another strange thing was that the plane was unnaturally cold. The flight attendants aren't allowed to pass out blankets and pillows anymore either. Everyone on the plane was searching for their coats. I'm guessing that they were adding more fresh outside air to the circulation system to keep contamination to a minimum.  I was cold but felt pretty safe. I think you're in a lot more danger by going to Home Depot.

Tomorrow looks like a very busy day. I've got to get my credentials at the badging office. Then there is a briefing to attend with Jim Bridenstine and a one-on-one interview with a Crew-1 mission specialist. If all goes well, tomorrow evening I watch the Air Force launch a classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office. The main event is Saturday when four astronauts head for the International Space Station in the first official crew rotation mission for Space X. Hope the weather hold up. It ought to be an interesting few days.

Jada is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3975 - Veterans Day

Mom and Dad were both proud Navy veterans. Mom came from a military family with a father who was an Army Colonel and two brothers who were Air Force pilots. I didn't carry on this heritage of service. I never served at all. I had a low draft number during the Vietnam era, but got an exemption because of a knee injury. I'm glad I didn't get drafted. Even back then I thought the Vietnam War was needless. Today I feel that every war the United States got involved in since World War II was an unnecessary war. We certainly didn't need to get involved in the Middle East. Far too many people died or were injured for nothing. Are things any better in Iraq or Afghanistan now? I don't think so. People have been fighting in the Middle East for thousands of years. They will still be fighting long after the last American troops have returned home. We need a strong military, but we also need to learn to mind our own business.

Today was kind of stressful. I'm still not finished packing because there have been so many changes to the launch schedule. I've been on the phone and answering e-mails all day. Nobody knows where tropical storm ETA is headed. Yesterday it was traveling toward the Florida Panhandle. Today the storm has reversed course and is headed back toward the Florida mainland. I still don't know if the storm will be gone by the time I arrive or if I will land right in the middle of it.

Today's schedule changes weren't all bad. A ULA launch that was supposed to take place today got postponed until Friday evening. This means that I will get to see two rocket launches while I'm at Kennedy Space Center. I had to reschedule an interview with a Crew-1 mission specialist so I could attend the additional ULA NROL-101 launch on Friday evening, but I think I've finally got everything worked out.

The elephant in the room is still the weather. Where is this storm going to be when I wake up tomorrow? Will it strengthen to become a hurricane in the next few hours? Who knows. I guess I'll just have to wait and see. Southwest Airlines has canceled flight to Tampa but they are still flying to Orlando. I guess that's a good sign.

It's much easier to walk your dog than it is to travel to another state in the path of a hurricane. We had a great walk with Dawn this morning. The temperature was much cooler today and it was right in Dawn's comfort zone. It's amazing what a difference a few degrees can make. Dawn was frisky and full of energy this morning because the temperature was in the fifties. If it was 15 degrees warmer, you'd see a different dog. I'm glad Dawn likes the cooler temperatures, but I wish the weather was a little more consistent. It's hard to decide what to wear in the morning.

I'd better wrap this up soon so I can return to packing. Did I tell you that I hate packing? I'm always forgetting things because of my tendency to procrastinate. It's hard to remember all the details when you are doing everything at the last minute. I also still have to make a list of question for my interview with the Commercial Crew mission specialist. Jeez. Why didn't I do that earlier today? Don't worry. Everything will get done. I haven't missed a deadline yet.

Dolly is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3974

I got an e-mail today saying that NASA was providing a limited number of one-on-one interview opportunities with Crew-1 mission specialists prior to the launch. I signed up to interview the Commercial Crew Program Launch Integration Manager and was subsequentially approved. Good grief. Why did I do this? I guess I'm really a reporter now. I'll have to think of some intelligent questions to ask before I leave. Do I record the interview or make notes in a little reporter's notobook? Personally, I'd rather just listen and write down what I remembered later. That would probably look very unprofessional though. A lot of reporters I saw the last time I was at the Space Center carried little notebooks with them. Maybe I'll do that. I'd better remember to take something to write with too. I forgot to take a pen with me when I went to McDonald Observatory. A pen is definitely simpler than a tape recorder. Somehow I hate to add audio equipment to the camera gear I'm already taking.

I found a raincoat I liked at REI. I took a coupon with me that I got in the mail a few days ago which said I could save 20% on any item in the store. When I tried to use the coupon the clerk said it wasn't valid until three days from now. I bought the raincoat anyway, but I kind of felt cheated. If someone sends you a coupon you ought to be able to use it as soon as you receive it without reading a bunch of fine print with a magnifying glass. Janet said that maybe I should have bought a larger size, but the coat looked good in the store mirror. It's going to be warm at the Space Center anyway. It might be wet, but with temperatures in the 80's I don't think I'll need a sweater under the raincoat.

I didn't feel like getting up this morning. I'm definitely not a morning person. I usually wait until I hear Janet call out "thirty minutes" before I get out of bed. Dawn and Janet are always up before I am, but thirty minutes gives me enough time to make the bed and get dressed before we leave on our morning walk. It was pretty warm this morning. I'm always surprised at how different each day begins. Yesterday I needed a warm coat. Today a t-shirt was fine.

I got Emma up on the Dalmatian Rescue website today. It wasn't really necessary to add her to the site since she is already adopted, but people are always interested in learning about new dogs in the program. I used to work on several animal rescue websites, along with my regular clients, but the Dalmatian site is the only one I've got left.  I think if I didn't update this site periodically, I would forget how to work with HTML documents entirely. It's kind of alarming how much I've forgotten already.

I'm not going to get my special N-95 masks in time for my trip. The company said that they would refund the fee I paid to expedite my order, but that they were running behind and wouldn't be able to ship for at least another week. Why did I not anticipate this? I thought I ordered in plenty of time, but I should have known by now that nothing goes smoothly in 2020. Oh, well. I have other masks. We bought a ton of them back when toilet paper was in short supply.

Tropical storm ETA is less of a worry now, but I'm sure I'll find other things to worry about. Lets face it, I'm just not a good traveler. Hey, what are you going to do? You can't see many stars in Dallas and they definitely don't launch rockets here.

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3972

There was a heavy fog when we started walking this morning. As the fog started to lift, the sun appeared as a pale white disk behind the thick clouds. A little later, patches of blue sky began to appear overhead. There was a light breeze and falling leaves rustled along the ground. With each passing day, I see more Fall color as the trees continue to turn. The temperature was a little warmer than yesterday and a light jacket kept me warm. Basically, it was a perfect Fall day.

With weather like this, it's hard to imagine that there's a hurricane developing just south of Miami. No one seems certain where tropical storm ETA will go next, but there's a growing chance that it might impact next weeks Crew-1 launch. The launch is still on schedule, but Kennedy Space Center is definitely going to get some rain in the next few days. I hope the storm weakens or changes direction. I'd really hate to arrive in Florida in the middle of a hurricane.

NASA doesn't appear to be worried at this point. I watched the astronauts arrive at the Space Center on NASA TV this morning. I paid a little more attention than usual to this broadcast because some of these virtual events will wind up in my story about the launch. Covid restrictions have reduced the number of in-person events prior to the launch, but I'm going to try to see as much as I can. I got an e-mail with badging instructions and a list of events today. There are still a number of events I can participate in as long as tropical storm ETA doesn't decide to spoil the party.

I wasn't very industrious today, but I did try to fix the shower drain so it couldn't get clogged by hair anymore. I failed. When I took a shower later in the day, the hidden mesh filter I installed under the drain cover immediately clogged and the shower floor filled with water. It's back to the drawing board with this idea. Unfortunately, far too many of my projects end this way. 

Since it was a nice day, the park was crowded this afternoon. I've noticed lots of people taking family and engagement pictures. Every afternoon there are dozens of photographers taking pictures. Why now? It's as if everyone decided to do these portraits at the same time. There are lots of things I don't understand at the park. I certainly don't understand the hammock people. On a nice day there will be dozens of hammocks strung between trees. For the most part, people just sit in these hammocks and look at their phones. Often they bring dogs with them The dogs don't get walked, they just sit under the hammocks or are tied to a tree.

I prefer to stay active. After several long walks, I methodically begin charging batteries. I'm still not sure which cameras I'll take, so I just charged everything. I'm wondering if I should go buy a light weight raincoat. I thought I had one, but I can't find it. I don't like the idea of shooting pictures in the rain, but I have no control over the weather. Realistically, if the weather is bad, they'll just cancel the launch. Rockets have launched in the rain before though. I need to be ready for anything. I will bring a tripod this time. You definitely need a tripod for a night launch.

I have few complaints today. The weather was beautiful, Janet fixed a delicious dinner, and Dawn was in a good mood. Hopefully, tomorrow will be more of the same.

Spot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3970

When some days draw to a close, I wonder if I've done anything at all. Today was slow, even by my own lax standards. I must have done something, but nothing comes to mind. Dawn seems to have adjusted to the time change quicker than I thought she would. She's content to sleep in until we get up now and doesn't demand her dinner at 4 PM anymore. We walk in the daylight now, even though the days are still getting shorter. The weather remains pleasant and we are finally starting to see some Fall color in the park. A lot of trees just turned brown this year, but there are patches of reds and yellows. You'd never mistake this place for Vermont, but it's starting to look pretty outside.

My watch said that my heartbeat was dangerously low last night. I guess 40 beats per minute is pretty low. I think this was a mistake, but I didn't even know that the Apple Watch warned you about this type of thing. The watch has also warned me about falls where I have never fallen. Are you OK it asks me? This all seems a little overprotective to me. It makes me wonder what else the watch is keeping an eye on. I just hope that it doesn't call an ambulance for me while I'm sleeping some night.

The company I ordered the N-95 masks from told me that shipping is taking  from ten to fifteen days because of hight demand. What did I pay for expedited shipping for? Ten to fifteen days was the time listed on the web site for regular shipping. I wonder why shipping takes so long when Amazon can send you almost anything in two days or less? I have a feeling that these masks will arrive the day after I leave for Florida. That's always the way these things work.

I got a notice that some events prior to the Crew-1 launch may be canceled due to tropical storm Eta. I wonder why they even plan launches when the weather looks bad. It happens again and again though. Sometimes they'll wait right up to a few minutes before liftoff to scrub the launch when it is clear that the weather isn't improving. I guess you have to be optimistic in Florida. I don't think I've ever been there when there hasn't been at least a little rain during the day. I hope the storm has either dissipated or moved on by launch day. I'd really hate to make this trip for nothing. It's kind of late in the season for a storm like this to appear, but then it is 2020. Anything can happen in a year like this.

I think I'll get a haircut tomorrow. It doesn't seem like that long since my last haircut, but it does look like I need one. All the virus restrictions have distorted my sense of time. I've really only had one haircut since last March. Maybe it is time. I always seem to wear better clothes and look more presentable when I travel. It's a shame that appearances don't seem to matter the rest of the time. Retirement and virus restrictions can definitely change your perspective on things. I'm amazed that I even get dressed some days.

It's grocery shopping time again. I finally found Clorox wipes but now they say that disinfecting wipes and toilet paper will soon be in short supply. Do I stock up and start hoarding again? Who knows. This whole year seems like groundhog day. The same things keep happening over and over. I always thought I liked consistency, but I'm not so sure about consistent chaos. 

Spot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3969

Don't you hate it when you're running errands and you realize that you forgot your mask right as you reach the first store on your list. Damn. I had to drive all the way home, get a mask, and start my errands all over again. I finally did what I should have done months ago though. I put a few spare masks in the glove compartment.

I wrote my NASA contact and asked whether they had an updated schedule yet. Nope. They did tell me that I probably guessed correctly on my choice of travel days though. I feel a little better now. I'd still like to see an official schedule however. Kennedy Space Center is fairly huge. If you arrive at the wrong gate for an event, you might miss it completely. I've already had a fifteen minute drive turn into an hour drive by getting confused on directions. Don't want that to happen again.

It was overcast today, but the temperature was still nice for our morning walk with Dawn. I thought it might rain for a little while, but it never did. By mid afternoon, the skies had partially cleared and I could see a little blue peaking through the clouds. I shouldn't have been disappointed today, but I've been spoiled by the near perfect weather we've been having lately. 

I finally worked up my nerve to look at the long range weather forecast for Titusville. There's a 30% chance of rain on launch day and thunderstorms are predicted on the day before the launch. This is fairly typical weather for the Space Coast at this time of year, but it sure would be nice to have clear skies down there as well. I'm not wild about driving in from Orlando in a rainstorm, but I don't have much influence over the weather. It is what it is.

I got the results for my recent doctor visit and all is good. I always prefer it when a doctor calls me with results. Everyone is switching to online patient portals now, and half the time the information gets entered incorrectly. Occasionally, the information is correct, but I completely misinterpret it. It's better if you can talk to someone and ask questions. If we have to do this electronically, it would be nice if all the doctors could just enter their information in a common database. It would seem that they would wont to share information, but that never seems to happen. I have so many separate patient portals now that I have a hard time remembering what they are for.

I discovered that my new carry-on bag includes a nifty built-in battery that can be used to recharge a phone or tablet up to five times. This is actually very handy. I wonder why nobody has thought of this before. It's easy to run your battery down at the airport if you have a long wait between flights. The charging stations at airports never seem to work either.

Janet and I still can't decide what to do for Thanksgiving this year. In recent years we've gone out to eat at a local hotel that has an amazing Thanksgiving buffet. It was always fun to try all sorts of things that we normally never eat. I think buffets are gone for the foreseeable future though. What a shame. I doubt that many people get Covid from serving themselves at a buffet. Probably a lot of people will get the virus from having Thanksgiving dinner with their family though. Experts still say that family gatherings are one of the most common ways the virus spreads.

I loaded the dishwasher last night and forgot to turn it on. I forgot to wear a mask to the pharmacy today. I wonder what I'll forget on my trip to Florida. I was real careful about taking everything I needed on my trip to McDonald Observatory, but I still ended up forgetting several things. I guess I'd better get used to this. Old people forget things. I did remember to take the trash out to the curb this evening though. That's something.

Coach is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3968

I reluctantly made my travel arrangements for the Crew-1 launch today. I still haven't received the official media schedule from NASA, but it looked like return flights from Orlando were filling up fast. Two of the three available flights on the day I wanted to return were already full and the third only had three seats left. Jeez. How can these flights be full when I keep hearing that people aren't comfortable with flying yet? Clearly a lot of people have returned to the skies. I can't recall making reservations this early even before Covid hit.

With airline reservations taken care of, I went ahead and booked a hotel and reserved a rent car as well. I guess I'm all set now. Just waiting for NASA to change the launch date so I can do this all over again. You'd think with all the stories about how the travel and hospitality industries are struggling, there would be lots of bargains out there. I didn't find any. Airline, hotel, and rental car rates were all higher than they were the last time I traveled to Florida.

I looked at dehumidifiers today. There weren't a lot available locally and most looked pretty shoddy compared to the one we already have. When I was looking online a few days ago, I found that there were very few portable models available with a 70 pint capacity. Everyone was selling 50 pint capacity portables now. When I looked at Lowes, several brands said "equivalent to older 70 pint models" on their 50 pint dehumidifiers. How can this be? What happens to the extra 20 pints? So many questions and nobody knows anything about dehumidifiers here. Most of these are sold up North where people have damp basements.

On the way home from my dehumidifier search, I stopped at a luggage store and got a new carry-on bag. I'm getting tired of having to open my entire suitcase to get the laptop out so TSA can examine it. I wanted something with an outside pocket for a laptop. Janet said I should look at AWAY bags and that's what I ended up getting. Luggage has come a long way since the last time I bought any. This bag was well thought out and extremely well made. I'm all set now for future rocket launches and observatory trips.

Our beautiful Fall weather continues. We had a pleasant walk with Dawn before breakfast this morning and when I took my second walk later in the afternoon, the temperature was still only in the low seventies. I hope this weather continues. Dawn loves the cooler temperatures and I definitely need the exercise. When I'm walking, I realize that I still need to go to the gym. Walking is relaxing, but it doesn't elevate my heart rate much and does nothing for my arms and upper body. I wish I actually enjoyed going to the gym. Janet returned to her gym weeks ago, but I'm still making excuses. 

People who were expecting a blue wave didn't seem happy this morning. Investors were pleased with the prospect of a divided government though. The stock market had a great day. Investors almost always like a divided government because it means that politicians can't do much of anything. Perhaps this is for the best. Politicians seem incapable of making the right decisions anyway. Given a choice, I'll take gridlock any day over what either party would do if left unchecked. 

Ginger is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3966

We thought we'd be visiting two dogs at the kennel today, but only Charlie was there to greet us. Colt is at the vet. The kennel staff told us he started throwing up at night a few days ago, so he's under observation now. This could be something as simple as drinking water too fast, or it could be a sign of something more serious. Since Colt is new and the rescue group doesn't know everything about his past, it's better to be safe than sorry. Colt is getting new blood work and will remain under observation until the vet can determine what is going on. Hopefully, he will be feeling better when we visit next week.

Dawn is definitely feeling better these days. She seems to love the Fall weather. It was hard to get her out of bed when we had to walk before sunrise in the Summer, but she's getting us out of bed now. I suspect that part of this is the time change. Dogs definitely don't understand setting the clocks back in the morning. From her perspective, all the time change means is that breakfast is late. She's ready for dinner at 4 PM as well. I"m sure she'll get used to the new schedule, but right now she just thinks we're ignoring her.

We had a great walk this morning. The weather has been perfect lately. The temperature is in the mid fifties when we wake up and seldom gets above seventy later in the day. Dawn has a lot more energy on these cool mornings. Although it is clear she likes the weather, I think she is feeling better than she was before her seizure as well. Her condition had probably been deteriorating for a while, but the changes were too subtle for us to notice. The treatment the vet prescribed worked. I hope it keeps her healthy for a long time.

I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow and they wanted me to do the check-in paperwork online. It will save time, they said. Maybe this saved time for them, but not for me. They seemed to have added a ton of new questions to the check-in procedure. I usually answer "on file" or "don't know" to many of these questions when they ask me at the office. I had no excuse today. I had to look all the answers up. I doubt that doctors even read these forms, because they ask me the same questions all over again during my exam. I wish that the online form had allowed me to save a copy. I'm sure I'll be asked these same questions again the next time I visit. The medical profession just isn't very efficient. I do like my doctors. I just don't like all the red tape surrounding a visit.

I was hoping to receive the official media schedule for the Crew-1 launch from NASA today. Nope. I haven't heard anything yet. This isn't unusual, but I sure wish I could go ahead and make travel arrangements. I hate to make reservations before a schedule has been finalized because I inevitably have to change them later. Schedules change frequently too. This is one reason why these trips can get expensive. You can never take advantage of any plan-ahead bargains.

I still can't decide what to do about the dehumidifier. Do I get another like the one we have currently, or do I try a new brand? Our first dehumidifier lasted over five years, but the replacement is already starting to fail in less than two years. Clearly quality has deteriorated. One of the reasons I chose the first dehumidifier was that it was still made in the USA. The replacement looks the same, but I think it is made in China now. I may go to Lowes tomorrow and see what is available locally. You can't tell how long something will last by looking at it on a shelf, but at least you can get an idea about the build quality. I may go shopping for a new carry-on bag as well. I need something with a pocket for a laptop on the outside. It's as pain to have to open up a full suitcase just so TSA can examine the laptop.

I know now that my gym is only open Monday thru Friday now. Covid rules. This doesn't help me much. I always liked going on Sunday morning.

Wolfgang is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3961

More rain and cold weather. I'm really glad our furnace is working well this year. I didn't even want to get up this moring. I was warm under a heavy blanket and I knew it would be all downhill as soon as I got out of bed. We had to postpone our morning walk again because of the rain. I ate breakfast. Dawn went back to bed. And Janet went to the gym.

Our second dehumidifier seems to be on its last legs. We run the thing 24/7, but it seems like a dehumidifier should last a lot longer than this. The dehumidifier still works, but the defrost cycle kicks in a lot and it doesn't extract as much water from the air as it used to. This is exactly what happened to the first dehumidifier before it gave up the ghost about a month later. I was going to get the first machine repaired but I never could find a convenient service center. It's still sitting in the storage warehouse with a lot of other broken stuff.

I finally found a medical supply company that would sell me some decent American made 3-M N-95 masks. I had to call customer support several times to get the shopping cart on the website to work. The website left a lot to be desired but eventually I got my order to go through with expedited shipping. I ordered the smallest number of masks available because these things just seemed too expensive. Someone is making a fortune selling this stuff. I remember what industrial masks used to cost at Home Depot. I wish I'd bought a bunch back then. It's definitely a different world now.

The rain always seems to stop around noon, so we've been walking Dawn right after lunch. She's pretty particular about the weather. She loves cooler temperatures, but hates getting her paws wet. She was reluctant to leave the house today, but once we reached the park she found lots of things to smell and her interest in walking picked up quite a bit. We actually made good time today, but I was winded by the time we got home. Dawn and Janet put me to shame on these walks. I really need to start going to the gym again.

Janet had a tire pressure warning on her dash, so I got out the air compressor and pumped up her tires. I hate getting old. I remember that moving the air compressor around used to be easy. I had to struggle with the thing today. Somehow it felt a whole lot heavier than it did a few years ago. I was going to top up my own tires as well, but then I remembered that they are filled with nitrogen instead of air. Luckily, none of my tires were low. It's a pain to go to the dealership just to check your tire pressure.

I asked my NASA contacts when they were going to update the media schedule for the upcoming Crew-1 launch. They are still about a week away. I guess that still leaves me plenty of time to make travel arrangements. I'm still a little apprehensive about flying, but that's why I ordered the good masks. I'm convinced that Covid is going to be with us for a long, long time. I'm going to continue to be very careful, but you can't just put your life on hold forever. I think all of us have to figure out ways to continue doing what we think is important even though the rules have changed. I won't be going to weddings or large parties, but a rocket launch every now and then should be fine.

The rain should be over tomorrow. It's still going to be cold, but I've got warm coats. I don't know how Northerners stand living through long, cold Winters. The worst weather hasn't even arrived yet, and I'm already waiting for Spring.

Abi is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3959

Winter has arrived. We woke up this morning to a cold rain and the temperature stayed in the low 40's all day. We had to skip our morning walk today because it was just too nasty outside. Dawn went back to bed and I turned up the heat a notch while I ate my breakfast. I don't know why I spent all that time on the roof yesterday. Oh, well. At least all the leaves and pecans are gone.

We met the newest member of the Dalmatian Rescue program when we visited the kennel this afternoon. Colt is a sweet, gentle boy who currently has heartworms and is very underweight. We won't begin his heartworm treatment until he has gained some weight and is in better condition. Colt is a handsome dog with a great temperament. I don't know much about his past history, but he already seems to know some basic commands. He can sit, stay, and will come when you call. This friendly guy is going to make a great companion for some lucky family as soon as we can get him healthy again.

It never warmed up today, but the rain eventually did stop. When we returned from the kennel, we took Dawn on a late afternoon walk. She loves the cold, but doesn't like wet weather very much. Despite the wet weather, she was definitely ready for a walk. It was even colder than I anticipated and I ended up wearing the same two winter coats that I wore during our late night photography sessions at McDonald Observatory several weeks ago. Wet weather must enhance smells outside. Dawn wanted to smell everything today. She seemed happy to be outdoors. I was happy to get back to a warm house again.

I've lived in cold climates before, but I wonder how I survived. I definitely don't do well in cold weather anymore. It's hard to believe that I used to live in Idaho and went to high school in Fairbanks, Alaska. I guess I became a permanent Southerner years ago. I don't like all the bugs we have down here, but it sure beats icy roads, drafty houses, and taking the dogs out to pee in a snowstorm.

NASA has finally set a new date for the Crew-1 launch. It doesn't conflict with Thanksgiving or Christmas, so all is good. I'll wait to make my reservations until I get the official word from my NASA contacts, but it'a beginning to look like this is going to happen. Let's not have any late season hurricanes or civil unrest. There's already enough to worry about this year.

It looks like tomorrow is going to be exactly like today. We may have to postpone our morning walk again because the forecast sure looks like rain. Even on the worst of day, there always seems time to a walk. Having weather radar on our phones has changed everything. Rather than be surprised and end up soaking wet, you can usually find a 30 to 60 minute window where it is dry enough for a decent walk. I was always bad at guessing when the rain would stop. Spot and I got soaked a lot back in the days before the iPhone was invented.

It looks like we might need an extra blanket on the bed tonight. We'll see what tomorrow brings. If the weather is really bad, I'll just turn up the heat and take a long nap with Dawn.

Pearl is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3958

I almost went to the gym today. Then I remembered that there was still water on the roof. It's going to rain again soon, but I knew that along with the water, there was a ton of leaves, acorns, and pecans that needed to be cleared away. All this debris makes little dams when it rains and turns the roof into a series of duck ponds. I eventually got everything cleared away and ready for the next rain. I'm sure that I burned a lot more calories than I would have if I'd gone to the gym.

We slept in a little late this morning, but it didn't seem to bother Dawn at all. When I finally woke up, she was still curled up under her blanket and in no hurry to get up. We had a nice walk, but nobody set any speed records. By the time we returned home it was almost time for lunch. Since we still hadn't had breakfast yet, we fixed pancakes and sausages instead. 

The whole day was kind of slow. Janet baked an apple pie and I didn't do much of anything. After spending a couple of hours cleaning up the mess on the roof, I didn't have the energy for anything else. I did get 20,000 steps today though. Two long walks and some roof duty. That was about it.

I'm convinced that the virus is spreading through large family gatherings. Every time I walk in the park I see very large family picnics and barbecues. Everybody has learned to be wary of strangers but they are a little too comfortable with people they know. I'm not terribly close to my own family, so it's hard for me to understand why people like to gather together. It's happening though. I have a feeling that weddings, funerals, reunions, and birthday parties are far more dangerous than trips to the grocery store.

I washed my favorite drywall mask in the washing machine today and now it smells like soap instead of sawdust. I don't know what this thing is made of. It's not paper and it's not fabric. I thought it might disintegrate in the wash, but it held up pretty well. The mask looks a lot better now. It suffered a mishap out at the observatory when I forgot I had it on and tried to take a bite of a taco.

I still need to order a replacement for the part that fell off my tripod at the observatory. Luckily, the missing piece is not very expensive. Ordinarily, I would have taken care of this by now but I'm operating on a retiree's clock these days. There is no sense of urgency about anything. One of these days I will need the tripod again, but not this week. It's weird to have lost my desire to continually acquire new and better gear. Since I've become interested in astrophotography, it would be tempting to upgrade my camera gear. There are definitely things I could improve. The existing cameras are more than adequate though. Why bother. I don't really have the money anyway.

I will need the cameras tomorrow. There is a new Dalmatian up at the kennel. He's going through heartworm treatment now, but will be available for adoption as soon as he's healthy again. I'll need to get him up on the website soon. At least Charlie isn't all alone any more.

I wish that NASA would reschedule the Crew-1 launch. I'd like to know what I'm going to be doing in November. The launch was originally scheduled to take place on Halloween. I hope the new schedule doesn't move the launch to Thanksgiving. I'd hate to miss Thanksgiving dinner. We'll see what happens. At least I know what I'll be doing tomorrow. It's going to be another Dalmatian Monday.

Patch is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day