Day 4508

I got up early this morning and watched the milky way core rise in the East before dawn. The morning sky is actually more interesting than the evening sky at this time of year. It's pretty dark at 5 AM, but it's late enough so you can still get some sleep. I was able to see Jupiter, Venus, Mars and Saturn all lined up in a nice row, and as the sky started to lighten a very thin crescent moon followed behind them. I didn't try to use the star tracker this morning because the sky was getting lighter instead of darker. I've been having so much trouble with this thing that I knew the sun would probably be up before I could get the tracker working  properly

It was an enjoyable day. I didn't really do much but doing a whole lot of nothing is my kind of day. I walked a few miles before eating a leisurely breakfast and then walked a little more. I'm glad I brought some shorts with me because it was surprisingly warm today. By mid-atenoon the temperature was almost ninety degrees. When it got too hot outside I went to my room and learned a little more about Messier 3, the globular cluster I am supposed to show star party visitors during the festival. I also tried to make sense of the vague star tracker instructions.

An astronomer friend loaned me a tripod to use while I'm here, so I was able to test the star tracker after all. I spent a couple of hours this evening putting the tracker through its paces with decidedly mixed results. When it worked, the tracker was quite impressive. The problem is that it disconnects from the camera at random intervals. This is the problem I've been having since I received the tracker several months ago. I still don't know whether the problem originates in my camera, the Polaris tracker, or the app on my iPhone that controls everything. I did get a few decent pictures tonight, but until the software improves I doubt that I'll be using this thing very much.

It is so quiet up here. It is amazing to take a walk and hear absolutely nothing except for the wind blowing softly through the trees. You hear bird sounds very early in the morning, but they are quiet later in the day. Occasionally you will hear a car off in the distance in the valley below, but not very often. I like the peaceful isolation of this place. If you actually lived here it might get old quickly, but for a few days at a time it is very peaceful. There are no radios or televisions at the Astronomer's Lodge. If you really insist on keeping up with what is going on in the world, there's always Google News on your computer. We do have a good WiFi connection.

I don't know if I'm going to get up early again tomorrow morning. It's hard to get any sleep when you go to bed late and the turn around and get up early. I usually get to bed really late after star parties because I've still got to write the blog after the star party is over. I guess I could sleep during the day like the astronomers do but that is an acquired skill. My body clock is still set to night time sleeping. We'll see how it goes tomorrow with my first real work day. So far, my stay on the mountain has been very enjoyable.

Parker is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 4477

We met Dorothy today. She was a little bundle of energy and loved to play. It was hard to believe Dorothy was an owner surrender because she seemed just about perfect. How can people get rid of a dog like this? On our way home we took her to the vet to be spayed. She was a little nervous riding in the car but that was understandable. This week was full of changes and it was probably all pretty new to her. Like all of our rescue Dalmatians, I think she will make a great pet for some lucky family.

We spent a lot longer at the kennel today because there were so many dogs. For a long time it was just Charlie and Oliver. Now we've added Sammy and her eleven puppies, Dorothy, Willie, Jo Jo, Rocket, Candy, and Julip. Each of these dogs has their own distinct personality. Some are shy and others are wild. It's been fun getting to know all of them. Janet and I need to learn how to do some basic training. Some of the younger dogs could definitely use a little training.

I'm still feeling tired. It wasn't a strenuous day but all I really wanted to do was take a long nap. Actually, my allergies weren't bad today and my feet weren't bothering me a lot. I just felt tired. I've been walking less this week. My long walk has been getting shorter lately. I only walked two miles today. Dawn actually took a longer walk this morning which surprised us. She seems to be getting a lot more confident. This morning she added an extra half mile to her regular one mile loop and was full of energy the entire way. Of course she spent the rest of the day lying on the bed, but it is good to see her more active.

I've been approved to attend the Axiom-1 launch. I just found out today. I'll need to start making travel arrangements tomorrow because the launch is actually pretty soon. Hopefully, the weather will be nice and there won't be any problems. I'm always simultaneously excited and apprehensive about these launch events. I enjoy being back at Kennedy Space Center, but I don't really like traveling. I've already agreed to do a story about this launch for SpaceFlight Magazine, so I guess I'm on the road to becoming a working space journalist again.

April is going to be a busy month because I'm probably going back to McDonald Observatory for their Dark Sky Festival at the end of the month. Flying to Florida is a lot easier than driving to West Texas. It's a very long drive and the roads are filled with heavy trucks. I always dread the stretch through Midland and Odessa on I-30. It's very peaceful once I get to the observatory though. I guess I've got one more road trip in me. 

Today was even hotter than yesterday. It really felt like Summer on my afternoon walk. I'm sure the heat had something to do with why I felt so lethargic today. Maybe I just need to get more sleep. Janet and Dawn like to get up early. Not me. I could sleep till noon.

Doc is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 4473

I think I've applied for too many events. Today I learned that NASA is resuming in-person NASA Socials starting with the Crew-4 launch in late April. Of course I had to apply for this as well. I love NASA Socials and they've been discontinued for over two years now due to Covid. If I end up getting approved for Artemis-1, Axiom-1, and Crew-4, I'm not sure how I'm going to afford it. That's a lot of launches in a short amount of time. Getting credentialed for all three events is doubtful though. I might not get approved for anything. It looks like there will be a trip out to McDonald Observatory this Spring as well. They definitely would like me to volunteer for their upcoming Dark Sky Festival. The thought of doing this much traveling is sending me into a panic. I'd really feel more comfortable doing nothing at all. 

It's hard to get motivated to do household chores, but I fixed the problematic French toilet again this morning. It seems like I just repaired this thing a little while ago, but my fix didn't last long. The running toilet was driving me nuts, so I took everything apart and cleaned the components again. This seemed to work, but I don't know why. I still don't really know how this odd contraption works.

I'm having a hard time getting up in the morning. I don't know if I'm not getting enough sleep or if I just don't want to face another day. Janet and Dawn are always up a lot earlier than I am. When I hear Janet say "we're walking in ten minutes," I reluctantly roll out of bed and get dressed. Dawn still loves her sunrise walks. Due to the time change, it seems like we are actually walking at sunrise again.

I managed to walk six miles again today. My feet actually didn't bother me too much. I'm walking a lot slower than I used to, but at least I'm still moving. It's amazing how quickly everything is turning green. The dogwood and redbud trees are flowering and I'm finally starting to see some wildflowers. I still enjoy seeing the park come back to life, even though I've witnessed the same thing every year for as long as I can remember. I should probably take a good camera and go exploring before it gets too hot. This is a good time of year for interesting pictures.

I'm hoping that my seasonal allergies are finally starting to abate. For the past two days my runny nose hasn't been nearly as bad. Being able to walk or even sit here at the computer without a constantly dripping nose is a blessing. I hope this lasts. It seems like with everything starting to turn green in the park, I've got more pollen woes ahead of me, but I'll take what I can get. The day is just a lot more enjoyable without watering eyes and a runny nose.

Janet wants to put a new roof on now and get started on renovations around the house. I'm dreading this, but it's probably time to start making some decisions. The house really does need a lot of work and I'm definitely not a big fan of roof leaks. I've never had a lot of success dealing with contractors though. It's a giant pain fixing things in a house that you are still living in. It's a lot easier to do renovations in an empty house. 

At least this week's trash has been taken out to the curb. Taking out the trash is more my speed. I can handle this. I'm not sure what I"m going to do tomorrow, although I have a feeling that it will involve a walk.

Chelsey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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