Day 4983

It was actually a little chilly this morning. I was amazed. We had a very pleasant walk with Dawn today. I think we were all surprised at the cooler weather. Unfortunately this isn't going to last. It's going to be 108 degrees again tomorrow. There's a chance of rain next week though. One can always hope.

The weather was so nice today that I didn't go to the gym. I ate my breakfast and for the first time in ages decide to take my long walk in the park again. It's been a while, so I noticed a few changes. Stone masons are rebuilding the park restrooms that got destroyed when a guy lost control of his car and crashed into the building several months ago. 

New grass has been planted in several bare areas. I didn't see many people though. Even though it was much cooler than yesterday, it was still pretty warm. I was surprised to see that all the ducks at Sunset Bay were gone. I wonder where they went. The water level in the lake was lower as well. These were all small changes though. The walk was pretty much the same as it's always been. 

I think walking outdoors is better exercise than walking at the gym. I certainly felt more tired when I returned home. Oddly, my Fitbit didn't agree. It says I actually burn more calories per mile while walking indoors. It's definitely more interesting walking outdoors. This is probably going to be a one day event however. The rest of the week will be just as hot as it's always been.

I got another invitation to attend a launch at the end of August. I'll think about it. I probably won't go though. I'm still feeling poor. There will always be other launches and Florida will be more pleasant later in the Fall. The fact that I'm not terribly eager to travel anywhere is a bit troubling. Ordinarily I'd have figured out a way to return to McDonald Observatory by now and would never turn down an opportunity to see a launch.

Maybe a few more weeks of fighting the heat here in Dallas will have me thinking differently soon. Driving to the gym every morning and then spending the afternoon wondering if the air conditioner was going to keep working is not very exciting. There are other things I could be doing but most of them involve work. I really don't feel like fixing things around the house.

Dawn got to go to her training class again. The temperature was finally cool enough for class. Dawn seemed really excited this evening when she realized she was going to go somewhere. Janet said she did well in class although she didn't bring home any ribbons this week. Dawn enjoys this class. Hopefully she will get to go again next week.

I need to remember that I've got a dental appointment tomorrow. I get so used to my never changing schedule that it's easy to forget these things. I don't think I have any cavities, but you never know. I go to the dentist regularly now, probably to make up for the many years when I never went at all. Dawn has her own dental appointment next week. She probably spent many years not going to the dentist as well.

Pogo is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4982

It was surprisingly cool this morning. When we left the house to take our sunrise walk it was only 75 degrees. It was so pleasant outside that I thought seriously about walking in the park later in the day. Then the sun came up. As soon as the sun hit my face I knew this illusion of Fall wasn't going to last long.

I didn't do much today. I was supposed to hear whether I got accepted to the OSIRIS-REx sample return event at John Space Center, but nothing came in the mail. I'm getting closer to attempting to repair the damaged sheetrock in the living room ceiling myself, but it's still looking like a task to avoid. It's kind of amazing that the days still go quickly. On days like this it feels like I do literally nothing at all.

Of course I still make the bed, have my shredded wheat and fruit for breakfast and go to the gym. These things seem automatic now. At many points during the day I find myself thinking "didn't I just do this yesterday." Maybe it was always this way. Nostalgia is kind of tricky. I think we all have a way of making the past seem more exciting than it actually was.

At the gym everyone walks around the indoor track clockwise on odd days and counterclockwise on even days. This has always seemed strange to me but I've never questioned it. Wouldn't it be easier to just keep the direction the same? I've gotten in the habit of adding up the distance I've traveled in my head. I'm getting pretty good at this, but still lose count of my laps from time to time. I sometimes lose count of how many free throws I've completed on the basketball court as well. I ought to pay more attention to what the trainers are doing. I could probably pick up some good tips without having to hire a trainer myself. There are lots of televisions at the gym. When I'm going clockwise on the track I watch what's happening on the Food Network. When I'm going counterclockwise I watch what happening on Animal Planet. It's all pretty boring. I think I just do this because I'm addicted to getting my Fitbit steps.

When I come home I let Dawn outside to pee and then I make a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch. Occasionally I wonder why I'm not doing more. I always hear people talks about how they are passionate about this or that. I've never felt this way. Hey, dispassionate is a fine word that doesn't get used a lot. Isn't being calm, rational, and impartial a good thing?

I think it is kind of weird that I'm running out of things to say at the exact same time as I'm approaching my blogging goal. Did I know this was going to happen all those years ago? I often wonder why I picked 5000 days in the first place? Maybe this was just meant to be. The way I'm feeling now, I don't think I could possible keep writing for 6000 days.

I think it's still going to be cooler tomorrow. That's a good thing. Maybe Dawn will finally get to go to her training class again. For the past month it has been too hot for Dawn to go to the Wednesday evening class. We'll see what happens. I'm not expecting any surprises.

Freckles is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4962

Instead of incurring new bills with a last minute trip to Florida, I spent the morning paying old bills. There seems to be a relentless push with online payment systems to get you to sign up for automatic payment plans. Some companies are even charging more if you don't specify automatic payments. I keep doing this manually on my own schedule, but I'm clearly behind the times. Oh, well. At least I'm not taking bills to the post office anymore.

Today was completely uneventful. I'm still glad I didn't go to the launch though. There will be plenty of other opportunities in the future. For the moment I'm just trying to survive the summer. The day always starts well. I really enjoy our sunrise walks with Dawn. The temperature is still in the high 70's and there is usually a nice breeze. I'm glad Dawn gets these walks because the rest of the day isn't worth bothering with.

I still make the bed every morning and have my standard breakfast of shredded wheat and fruit. I always check my messages after breakfast but I don't know why?  There seldom anything in my inbox but spam. I'm beginning to wonder what I'm going to do when I finish with the blog. My 5000 day goal isn't that far away. I still spend too much time at the computer but it's just force of habit. I made my living at this keyboard for decades and old habits die hard. Unfortunately, there is little pleasure in being online these days. Google relentlessly sucks up all your information and then sells it to Facebook, where it turns into ads the next day. It's amazing how thorough this process is. If I write about something on the blog, there will be ten ads about the same thing on Facebook the next day.

Why is everybody continually trying to sell you something? After my gym changed management, they are really trying to push personal trainers and special classes now. Jeez. That's not why I go to the gym. I only go because it's nice and cool in the summer and lately it's been way too hot to walk outdoors. When it cools down a bit I'll quit going to the gym and resume my long walks in the park. I don't even want anyone to talk to me while I'm at the gym. Let me do my three miles on the indoor track, shoot a few baskets and then I'll get out of your way.

When I returned from the gym, I sat outside with Dawn for a little while. True to form, she immediately rolled in the grass. Doesn't she realize that this is what makes her itchy? Dawn loves to lounge in the sun, but I limit these excursions to five minutes at a time because I don't want her to get too hot. It's still nice and cool inside, but I hate to think what our electric bill will be next month.

Janet and Dawn went to training class this evening, but they came home early again. Class got let out early when the dogs started to get hot. Dawn was really eager to go to class despite the heat though. She likes being around the other dogs and probably gets bored just sitting on the bed all day.

I'll watch the live feed of the Falcon Heavy launch on the Space X site later this evening. Weather is good in Titusville and it looks like the launch is going to take place on schedule. Live coverage usually only lasts about eight minutes. If I was actually at Kennedy Space Center the rocket would disappear from view even quicker than this. It really makes you wonder if these launch trips are worth it.

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4920

No rain today, but the humidity was so high that it felt like it was raining. At least it was overcast and relatively cool outside. The humidity would have seemed even worse if the sun was shining. I had plenty of time to contemplate the weather today. I don't think I did anything except walk and eat. 

Our sunrise walk with Dawn was enjoyable. Dawn is always eager to go on these early walks. I'm always sleepy, but this is how I wake up. I wish the entire day was like these mornings. It warms up quickly though. By the time I'm ready for my long walk, I usually think it would have been smarter to go to the gym. Today wasn't that bad. I only questioned my sanity a few times during the walk.

The loose dog I saw animal control trying to capture yesterday was still there this morning. I guess they didn't catch it. There's a story here but I don't know what it is. The dog seemed friendly and I thought it would be easy to capture. The dog probably knew what it's fate would be if it wound up at Dallas Animal Services. Maybe a local rescue group will take an interest in this dog. There seems to be an epidemic of people dumping dogs around town and most of the rescues are full. It's all kind of sad.

I'm impressed at how quickly the park department removed all the downed trees from Sunday's big storm. I saw crews working with chain saws yesterday and today almost all of the trees were gone. There were lots of downed trees in the park, so this was a big effort. The park department seems like a model of efficiency compared to other parts of city government. Maybe I just notice things since I'm walking every day, but I'll have to admit that I'm impressed.

As soon as the ground dries out I'm going to have to mow again. We've had so much rain this Spring that the grass is doing really well. Grass has overrun several gravel pathways in the yard, but I don't really care. It's green and everything looks pretty nice. I keep thinking that I should hire a lawn service to take care of the yard, but I need to stay active and it isn't that hard to keep doing things myself. What else would I do anyway? I'm not that busy.

I've got an appointment soon to sign up for TSA Pre. In theory this will make it easier to travel. It will certainly save me time at the Orlando airport. I won't be going anywhere soon though. The roof was expensive and there are other big bills this month as well. I miss my time in Titusville though. I'm already looking at upcoming launches and trying to decide which ones I really need to see. I'm sure I'll be back at Kennedy Space Center later this year however. It's important to still have something interesting to do.

Dawn did well at her training class tonight. She's not been winning ribbons lately, but Janet says she still enjoys the class and knows all the commands. I probably need some sort of training class myself. I've forgotten just about everything.

Daisy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4906

I finished my article this morning, edited some pictures, and sent the package off to SpaceFlight Magazine. The pictures were almost identical to other rocket pictures I've taken. The article was pretty similar to other articles as well. It kind of made me wonder why I continue to do this. I guess I chase rockets for fun. What is fun though? I don't really know.

Today wasn't just warm, it was hot. The temperature got up to over ninety degrees. I guess it isn't Spring anymore. Summer has arrived. It was still nice outside when we took Dawn on her early morning walk, but I should have taken my long walk right after breakfast. By the time I got around to leaving the house, it was already too hot. I'm always slow to change my routines, but it's about time to go back to using the treadmill at the gym instead of walking outside.

I still haven't fixed the screen door, but I did update the Dalmatian Rescue website this afternoon. I do so little web design and maintenance anymore that I'm starting to forget things. The applications I use are becoming out of date as well. Luckily I still remember enough to get things done. It seems strange now that I used to have lots of clients and did this every single day. There are times when I miss the structure imposed by work.

The friend who is selling my model train collection sold a few more things today. Sales have slowed down to a trickle, but it's still a nice surprise when something sells. Why did I collect these things in the first place? It's a mystery. I wish I could find someone to sell my watches. I've really lost interest in watches over the years and only wear the Apple Watch anymore. There is nothing wrong with collecting things, but it can become an obsession. There is always something new and you never seem to have enough. I collect absolutely nothing these days. Too bad it took me thirty years to arrive at this point.

I'm still resisting the urge to climb up on the roof and inspect things after yesterday's big rain. If I keep climbing up on the roof it will have defeated the whole purpose of getting a new roof. The roof doesn't leak any more, so I should just leave thing alone. I wonder how many days it will be before curiosity gets the better of me. Realistically, I'll still need to go up on the roof from time to time. We have lots of trees and branches occasionally fall on the roof that need to be removed. I'm not going to make visits to the roof a regular occurrence though. Those days are over.

Dawn did well at training class tonight. She seems to love this class even though she hates riding in the car. I probably need to find some sort of class as well. At this point Dawn is probably learning more than I am.

Amy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4864

We are getting closer to pinning down a start date for the roof replacement. I think the roofers will be ready to begin sometime in early May. Unfortunately, I'm not getting any closer to pinning down anything else. I have no idea if or when I'll be going to Kennedy Space Center again. The launch date for all the missions originally scheduled for April keeps changing. In theory I'm still going to the Viasat-3 launch, but I haven't received my credentials yet. I have a feeling that Space X is preoccupied with the Starship orbital launch and I won't hear anything until that takes place. I guess all this uncertainty should teach me to just chill out and carry on. Life won't change much whether I go to these launches or not.

It was quite warm today, but it was overcast, so it was still reasonably pleasant walking weather. The days are getting longer now and it is almost always daylight when we take Dawn on her sunrise walk. This morning we saw no photographers surrounding the tree with the baby owls. Have the owls left the tree or have the photographers become bored with taking endless pictures? Maybe I'll have to visit the tree tomorrow and see if the owls are still there.

I got a late start on my long walk today, but I guess it didn't matter. There was certainly nothing else on my schedule. I see a lot fewer birds these days because the seasonal migrations have taken place and the migratory birds have left the area. There are still Purple Martins fighting with Starlings over the Martin houses in the park and a handful of Great Egrets and Blue Herons but that's about it. I don't even see many Mallards this Spring. The resident geese and Muscovy Ducks are always at Sunset Bay, but that's because they just hang around and wait for people to feed them. I haven't seen the Monk Parakeets in ages. I wonder where they went? I did see one of the Bald Eagles today. It was flying and I didn't get a great view, but the bird definitely was an eagle.

It bothers me that even though I walk six miles a day, my Apple Watch still says my fitness level is low. This is because the watch can estimate the amount of oxygen your body can consume during exercise. Unfortunately, certain blood pressure medications can throw the measurement way off and make it seem artificially low. There's nothing I can do about this, but it's irritating that I do so much exercise and still get a low score. I'm pretty sure that the Apple Watch and Fitbit don't make me any healthier, but I do like to measure things.

I should have mowed the grass today but I did a load of laundry instead. I've grown to hate mowing the lawn. I need to either buy a self-propelled lawn mower or hire a lawn service. Pushing that old mower around is getting harder and harder. I try to convince myself that this is good exercise, but it just feels like a giant nuisance. Too bad I can't just let the weeds grow and call the yard a small "native prairie."

Janet said that Dawn did well at training class tonight. Since we no longer use a leash around her neck because of the bulging disc, it's a little harder to get her to heal. Dogs tend to pull more when they are wearing a harness. A harness isn't typically allowed in the training class, but Dawn has a doctor's excuse. She still does all the other exercises well, but if she doesn't heal properly she's not going to be winning any more ribbons. I'm sure Dawn could care less. The reason she likes the class is that she gets to see other dogs.

Marley is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4850

Some really loud thunder woke us up last night. The lightning flashes were quite bright and even Dawn, who isn't scared of storms, seemed alarmed. From the sound of rain hitting the roof, I was prepared for roof leaks to start any minute, but the storm was over as quickly as it started. We went back to sleep and by the time we got up, the ground was almost dry again. The roof never leaked.

The rest of the day was uneventful. Dawn got her early walk at the normal time and I had my regular weekday breakfast of shredded wheat and fruit. It actually felt colder than it did yesterday because there was quite a bit of wind. Not a bad day though. Any rainy day where the roof doesn't leak is fine by me.

I applied with the Space Force to cover another April launch today. This military mission will be one of the last remaining Delta-IV Heavy launches, since this vehicle is being retired. I'd like to see one of these rare launches before this rocket disappears entirely. I don't know what I'll do if all my applications get approved. I can't afford to go to all of them. Nothing ventured, nothing gained though. There's a good chance that at least one application will be rejected, Several of the April launches are very close together, so I'd probably only need to make one trip to Florida. We'll see what happens. It wouldn't be the end of the world if nothing gets approved.

It's probably time to start going back to the gym again, since my daily long walks are getting really boring.  Every day is exactly the same. The walk has become so predictable that I can guess my time within a few seconds at just about any location. It's clear that I'm not the only one with a predictable schedule because I pass a lot of the same people every day. Many of these people are walking their dogs. It would be nice if Dawn would walk with me sometimes, but she'll never go anywhere without Janet. All things considered, it's better that I walk alone.

I keep reading that artificial intelligence is going to replace us all. This might have worried me when I was younger, but it's hard to care now. I've already been replaced by younger humans. They say that artificial intelligence applications like Chat GPT are well suited for advertising copywriting. I'm not surprised. Copywriting never seemed to require a lot of intelligence. That's probably why I was good at it. I don't know what I would choose as an occupation if I were young today. In high school I thought I was going to be a physicist. In college I chose to be an architect. Despite the best of intentions, I wound up in the advertising industry. Go figure.

Janet said Dawn did well in training class tonight. She's currently the only dog in class wearing a harness instead of the required prong collar. Dawn has a doctor's excuse though, so everything's OK. Hopefully everything will remain OK for the rest of the week. We're going to discontinue Dawn pain medication soon because she is doing so well on a minimal dose. There is no rain in the forecast for tomorrow but that doesn't mean much. I'm sure it will rain again soon.

Angel is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4843

Where did today go? I don't think I did anything worth mentioning all day. It was too cold to mow the grass and I didn't feel industrious enough to start anything new. I just shuffled through my regular routine and before you know it, the day was over. 

Lately I've been preoccupied with aging equipment. My computers, phones, and watch can't be updated anymore because latest operating systems aren't supported. In prior years this would have been a good excuse to buy something new, but I have no desire for new gadgets anymore. My frustration isn't that the stuff is getting old, it's that Apple doesn't support it anymore. I have no real desire for a new large format printer either, but I hate broken stuff. I feel compelled to fix or replace the broken printer even though I will probably never use it again. I tried to convince myself that I need a large format printer to make huge prints of my rocket and milky way photos, but there is no wall space to hang more pictures. That was used up years ago. It's silly to buy an expensive printer to make three or four prints anyway.

Our pretty Spring weather seems to have disappeared. There was some light rain early this morning and more is on the way tomorrow. This didn't stop me from walking though. Dawn got a nice early morning walk and I took my regular long walk later in the day. I discovered that the photographers I've been seeing weren't looking for the eagles after all. Evidently there was an owl in a nearby tree that had babies recently. I already have pictures of an owl tending babies, so I doubt that I will join the other photographers. Owls are interesting to photograph though and they don't tend to fly away as you approach them.

It's amazing that the days go by so quickly since I basically only do two things each day. I try to walk at least six miles and I write my blog. I know that it's good to have goals but these are kind of silly goals. Why six miles instead of five and what's so special about 5000 days? These activities do provide structure though and they eat up a huge amount of time. I'm not sure what I would do if I didn't walk everyday. I don't really think of the walks as exercise anymore. It's just a way to spend the day.

We thought Dawn was well enough to go back to her training class tonight, but she had to come home early because she seemed to be favoring one of her front legs during an exercise. She seems fine now and seemed fine during the day, but it's really hard to tell how she's really feeling. Dogs hide pain well, especially if the pain is minor. All we can tell is that is walking normally again and the swelling in her neck has subsided. I wish she didn't shake her head so much, but she has always done this and I doubt she's going to stop.

I wish I'd hear something about the April launches I've applied to attend. Sometimes I don't know whether I'm going to get press credentials until a few days before the launch. This means that I never get any bargains on airfare and sometimes it's hard to find a hotel. Covering launches still seems worthwhile though. What else am I going to do with my time?

I hope it doesn't rain much tomorrow. I'm getting so tired of dealing with roof leaks. You're probably equally tired of hearing about them.

Elliott is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4801

This is weird. We're under a severe weather alert even though it is currently clear outside and the weather apps on my phone show no chance of rain. I probably spend way too much time fretting about rain, but I just finished cleaning up the house and have cleared all the standing water off the roof. I'm not ready to go through that drill again. 

Today was basically just like yesterday. Not a lot happened. Dawn got her sunrise walk. I got my long walk in the park later in the day, and then spent the rest of my time puttering around the house. It was surprisingly warm today. I almost wore shorts on my walk, but decided against it because of the high winds down by the shoreline. I continue to follow the my familiar route through the park while maintaining my weekday routine at home. I'm really hoping that my request for Crew-6 press credentials comes though because these days are getting a little monotonous even for me. It's time for another trip to Kennedy Space Center.

I think the bald eagles have left the area. There is still a large area that the city has been fenced off near their nest, but it's been several months since I've seen the birds. I wonder where they've gone? It seems strange that they'd go to the trouble to build a large nest and just abandon it. There are still five missing geese as well. I don't think they've moved to another park of the park because I would have seen them by now. I still think somebody ate them.

I paid bills and did my bookkeeping this afternoon. Everything balances, but it took me a while. It seems like I used to be a lot faster at this. I've always used Quickbooks, but now I crosscheck everything with my online statements. If there is a discrepancy it is always a data entry mistake I've made on my end. I don't even know why I do this anymore. The online statements are probably all I need. Force of habit is strong though. There are probably a lot of things I will continue doing whether they make any sense or not.

The roofing company wants to meet with me next week to go over their bid. I'm pretty sure I'll give them the job even though I have no idea if they are any better than other roofing companies I've dealt with. Everyone I've ever used came highly recommended but I've learned that this doesn't guarantee anything. Our house is full of little non-standard quirks that can make a joke out of anyone's bid. Oh, well. I've got to do something. I just wish replacing a flat roof on an architect's unique creation wasn't so expensive. I'd much rather buy a new car.

Janet said Dawn did well at her training class tonight. She's missed several classes due to bad weather and was eager to go tonight. No ribbons this time, but you can't win a ribbon every week. I used to go to these classes when we had Dot and Dash, but there's no point for me to go now. Janet does well training Dawn and Dawn trusts her. Dawn is never going to trust me completely and I wouldn't do well as her handler.

The severe weather alert has almost expired and we still haven't had any rain. That's good news. I have no plans for tomorrow, which means that it will probably be a lot like today. No complaints though. Today was a pretty good day.

Lucky is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4780

The rain has stopped. Unfortunately, the roof is still leaking. I could probably put a stop to this if I went up on the roof and swept all the standing water away. I'm really trying to avoid climbing on the roof though. My balance isn't as good as it used to be and I'd hate to fall off. Heavy rain in the winter is the worst because it never evaporates. Hopefully, the leak will stop tomorrow. The buckets are filling slower now, so at least we're making progress.

It was cold enough on our morning walk with Dawn that I seriously considered going back to the gym. Dawn wore her sweater and it was definitely a two coat day for me. Dawn still enjoyed smelling things but I think she was glad when we returned to the house. I'm already tired of winter and it's barely even started.  We have at least three more months of cold weather before I can start to think about Spring.

I ate my breakfast slowly and did some small chores around the house in hopes that it would warm up outside if I waited long enough. It never did. In fact, I think it got colder as the day progressed. I still needed to get my steps though, so I dressed warmly and headed out on my daily long walk. The walk might have been a mistake, but I made it. There are a lot fewer people in the park on cold days. I saw very few bicycles and joggers today. I didn't even see many ducks. I still see people walking their dogs though. Dogs need to poop and pee in all types of weather.

My feet still hurt on these long walks. Sometimes the pain goes away after a while, but other times it gets worse. I think I've just reached the age where everything hurts. My shoulder hurts when I attempt to raise my arms above my head. My knees hurt when I bend them. Even my wrists and fingers hurt. None of this is really debilitating. It's more of an irritation than anything. I remember the days when nothing hurt.

I still can't decide whether to apply for the Crew-6 NASA Social. One of the cardinal rules for these things is never apply unless you really plan to go. They don't like it if you cancel after you have been accepted. Crewed launches are always interesting, but if I go to this one, it means one future launch I won't be able to attend. My budget is a bit limited this year. I just can't afford to be going down to Florida every month.

Janet and I decided not to visit the rescue dogs this week. It was too cold and damp to play with them outside and it's still unclear if there is an available indoor space we can use. We'll try to go up next week. It's too bad that the old kennel went out of business. It was just about perfect. Hopefully, the dogs will like this new place. It seems clean and well managed. It's just a long way away for Janet and I.

There's new software available for the star tracker and I had plans of testing it again today. The day got away from me though and when I finished everything else, it was too close to dinner to mess around with new software. I have no faith in the Benro people. Sometimes their software and firmware updates make thing better and other times they make things worse. I'm always apprehensive about starting the tracker up after I've installed new software.

Dawn didn't go to training class tonight. It was too cold and damp for her to be outside that long. The days are getting longer though. Maybe next week will be better.

Bones is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4773

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dovey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4759

I must have done something today. There are days when it's really hard to tell. It was definitely a slow day. I still haven't heard anything about the upcoming Falcon Heavy launch. That's probably not a good sign. My friend who is selling my train collection made a minor sale today. That was a surprise. Most of the good pieces in the collection are already gone, so sales have slowed down considerably. I probably should have started selling the collection a few years earlier. Nobody is interested in model trains anymore.

We had to wear our warning lights again on our morning walk with Dawn. I'll be glad when the days start getting longer. I can't say that I'm a fan of walking in the dark. Dawn enjoyed herself though. We had a good walk. I'll have to admit that these early walks are good for me. It's hard for me to get out of bed, but I'm always wide awake by the time we return home.

I thought about going to REI today because they are having a big sale. I looked on their website and there was absolutely nothing that interested me. I used to always be able to find something at this store. I still had an itch to buy something, so I ended up ordering some more astrophotography gear. Today's purchase was a little green laser that attaches to one of my star trackers. You just point the laser toward Polaris and you are aligned. Never mind that I can't even see Polaris from my house. I probably couldn't use something like this in the city anyway. It will be useful if I ever go back to McDonald Observatory though. The attachment wasn't very expensive and I don't feel like buying things anymore. Mission accomplished.

I'm still wondering where the eagles go when they aren't near their nest. Occasionally I'll see them and then they'll disappear for two weeks. They were gone today. The new female Muscovy duck has disappeared as well. Now we are back to three ducks again. There isn't a lot going on in the animal world. I haven't seen a bobcat or coyote in months.

The construction in the park is finally finished. All the construction equipment is gone and the last piles of debris have been cleaned up. The six stone gates were the last things to be finished, but they are done now.  Yesterday, custom metal posts were installed between each of the gates to prevent cars from driving on the trails. These gates are pretty elaborate, so the park department must have had some extra money lying around. 

Dawn did well in training class tonight. She's not winning ribbons anymore, but Janet is pleased with her progress. I'm not so pleased with my own progress. I'd like to find something that interests me that doesn't involve traveling halfway across the country. I shouldn't complain though. Chasing rockets is really quite interesting even though you can't do it in Dallas.

Hunter is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4738

I totally misjudged the weather today. I put away the buckets because the rain has stopped and then one of the leaks started again. What a mess. I need to start looking at the wind chill index instead of the temperature. I glanced at the temperature before we took Dawn on her early walk and thought it was pretty warm. There was a brisk wind though and I was freezing by the time we returned home. I didn't learn my lesson either. Later in the day when I took my long walk the temperature was even warmer so I only wore a light jacket. Wrong again. The same cold wind was blowing and I ended up freezing all over again. I did learn one thing. Being cold makes me walk faster. I completed my long walk in record time today.

I took the letter I wrote yesterday to the post office after breakfast, but came right home again. I have no interest in shopping or doing things around town these days. Everything is too expensive and I don't really need anything anyway. I hope this new sense of frugality continues. Property taxes are due and I need to start saving for my next trip to Kennedy Space Center.

I've been trying to avoid mowing the grass, but the front yard looks terrible to I decided to get it over with this afternoon. Unfortunately the lawn mower battery won't hold a full charge anymore and the mower died before I finished the job. The yard does look better, but it looks like I've got to mow at least one more time I can call it quits for the year. Now that the weather is cold I have to remove the heavy 24 volt battery pack from the mower and bring it inside when I'm finished. What a pain. No wonder all the other neighbors use a lawn care service.

The stains in the ceiling from the latest series of leaks are really looking bad. I'm not even sure I can bleach them out this time. I've contacted a contractor who came highly recommended to give me a bid on fixing everything in the house. Restoration work will be expensive but something needs to be done. Unfortunately, I don't think I'm very high on anybody's list these days. We've been trying to get together for over a month now and nothing has happened yet. I have a feeling that I'm not demanding enough. Thats not going to change though. I'm not a pushy person.

I wish I was down at Kennedy Space Center this Friday. Space X is launching two rockets on the same day. The launches are only a few hours apart. I can't recall that ever happening before. It ought to be interesting. I'm still a bit envious of the launch photographers who seem to never miss a launch. They all live in the area though. I don't know how they find the time because most of them have other jobs. It's probably good that I can only afford to go to Florida several times a year. If I was trying to cover every launch I'm sure I would have lost interest by now. I get bored quickly.

Dawn and Janet did well at training class tonight. I was surprised that they went to class because it was pretty cold outside. I was reluctant to even take out the garbage. I guess we'll have to deal with this cold weather for quite a while. Winter Solstice is almost here and it will be officially Winter soon. I don't know about you but I'm ready for Spring.

Lance is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4724

It's hard to get used to this weather. It was a beautiful day but was very cold. I guess I'd better get used to this. It's Winter now. We bundled up and took Dawn on another early walk in the dark. Mars was very bright in the early morning sky. The planet is nearing opposition now and won't be this bright again until 2033. Dawn wasn't very interest in the sky, but was very serious about smelling things this morning. I was just glad to return to a warm house.

After breakfast I wrote a letter to my sister because I knew I would be passing the post office later in the morning on the way to pick up a prescription. I don't like to drive anymore and try to combine errands whenever I can. After all these years I have never left letters in our mailbox for the postman to pick up. Somehow I have no faith that these letters would get delivered. I always have to drop the letter in a slot at the post office myself.

I don't understand drug prices at all. I still get a much better deal using GoodRx than using my Medicare Part D plan. Today's choice was $17 on GoodRx vs $65 on my supplemental insurance. Lord knows how much this prescription would cost if I was just paying retail. When I asked the pharmacist how this all works, she didn't know either. She said she'll always give me the lowest price available though.

I waited for it to warm up before I took my long walk. Maybe it got a little warmer but it still felt very cold when I left the house. I tried a different coat when I walked today. I'd almost forgotten that I have several goose down jackets. This one was a little warmer but the hood didn't fit as snugly. I continue to be amazed when I see men running on the trails wearing shorts and no shirt in this kind of weather. I dress like I'm on an expedition to the South Pole.

I saw one of the eagles again today. This time it was in flight. The pair of eagles is definitely here for the Winter. The nest continues to get bigger. Maybe there will be eaglets in the nest next Spring. I need to start taking a camera with me. I have a little compact camera with a long telephoto lens. The lens retracts when it is not in use and the camera is pretty easy to carry while walking. Right now all I bring with me on my walks is my phone and the nest is too far away to get a good picture.

I tried to contact a contractor who was too busy for me last Fall. There are so many problems with the house that I really need to do something. I keep hoping to find someone like those people you see on that This Old House program on PBS. Craftsmen like this are hard to find though. It's easy to find someone to remodel your kitchen or bathroom. A lot harder to find someone to do quality restoration work on mid-fifties architecture.

Dawn didn't go to her dog training class this evening. It was just too cold. Dawn didn't seem to mind napping on the bed instead. She's a smart dog. I noticed today that there is new firmware available for the star tracker. That will give me something to do tomorrow. One of these days I might actually go outside at night and use the thing. Maybe I'll wait till Spring though. I really don't like this cold weather.

Belle is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4689

I really thought I was going to get the dryer fixed today but it wasn't meant to be. When the appliance repairman arrived he discovered that another part was needed that wasn't on the truck. The part was available in town and we decided that it made more sense to just do all the repairs tomorrow rather than tear the machine apart twice. This means that I will have to remove all the junk from the utility room all over again tomorrow morning. It took me about an hour to do this today and I'm sure it will take just as long tomorrow. Not surprisingly, the repairs are more expensive than I'd hoped, but when they are finished I should have a reliable dryer again.

I didn't have time for a long walk today, but I was able to get my 10,000 steps before the repairman arrived. I guess I could have walked again later in the day, but I didn't feel like it. I asked if I could be the first appointment tomorrow morning so I won't have to wait as long. I wish I'd thought of this earlier. If there are several appointments ahead of you, it is almost inevitable that the repairman will be late. 

The tree guy I called yesterday actually called me back. This surprised me, but I'm glad I'll be able to get the large tree limb removed from our roof without having to deal with someone I've never used before. Nothing on the schedule yet. The guy was on a job when he called and said he'd get back with me later. This may take a while, but at least it's a start.

Tonight was the annual Halloween party at Dawn's training class. We've been to so many of these parties with Dot and Dash. I can't even remember all the costumes we've made for the dogs over the years. I went along with Janet tonight, mostly for old time's sake. Dawn went as Cruella DeVil and won first place in her category. Dawn didn't like wearing the Cruella wig, but she was a good sport about it. I enjoyed going to these classes when we had Dot and Dash. It's better if I don't go now. I could tell that Dawn got distracted when I was there tonight. She kept jumping up on me as if she was trying to get me to save her from having to wear the wig.

I'm still trying to find a carpenter to repair the rotted fascia wood on my roof. I tried several websites and got a response from one. I still don't like this attempt to totally automate things. I always used to get better results when a trusted friend would recommend someone and I could mention their name when I called. Sometimes the old fashioned way of doing things is still the best.

I canceled the hotel reservation I made in Cocoa Beach for the Artemis launch and now only have the other hotel I booked in Titusville. I wanted to do this before I forgot that I had made two different reservations. The more I think about it, the upcoming Falcon Heavy launch might be the better one to attend. The Falcon Heavy is supposed to launch at sunrise and will be a better photo opportunity than the midnight Artemis launch. Since I haven't been credentialed yet for the Falcon Heavy launch, this is all just idle speculation. I'm not even sure if I want to go to either launch. Scheduling these things is becoming way too complicated.

Hopefully the dryer will get fixed tomorrow and I can cross one more thing off my list. It's a long list though. There's always something that needs attention.

Pearl is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4682

I knew this was going to happen. We woke up this morning and there was no heat on the coldest day of the year so far. I was pretty sure I knew what was wrong because this happens every year. The furnace flame sensor gets dirty and the burners won't light. A repairman taught me how to fix the problem myself and it has saved me a ton of money over the years. That being said, I still don't enjoy doing the repair. It's an easy fix that involves sanding the flame sensor with fine grit sandpaper. The problem is that I have to dismantle part of the furnace to access the sensor. It is located down near the floor which is hard on my knees as well. At any rate, I got the furnace working again before breakfast, because I hate being cold while I eat.

It was really chilly this morning. I had to put on some extra layers for our sunrise walk. Dawn didn't need to wear a sweater yet, but if it gets any colder that's next. The park was really empty this morning. The colder it gets, the fewer runners and cyclists we see. Dawn really enjoys this cooler weather and I'm happy with it as well. I've got plenty of warm coats and I don't sweat much on a chilly day. The stars were out when we got started this morning. It reminded me that I ought to spend a little more time stargazing. Maybe not though. It's just not that much fun here in Dallas.

Once I finished breakfast and was satisfied that the furnace was running properly, I took my long walk. I didn't do as well this morning. My pace was slower and my feet hurt. There is no way to predict how I'm going to feel until I start walking. I thought this was going to be a good day when we took our sunrise walk with Dawn. Apparently not. By the time I returned home I felt like soaking my feet in a bucket of warm water. It was a beautiful day for a walk. My feet just weren't having any part of it.

After lunch I got out my video gear and checked everything out while recharging a bunch of batteries. I discovered that I'd forgotten how to use my wireless microphones and had to download a PDF document to relearn how to use the transmitter and receiver. Will I ever use this equipment again? It's doubtful. Making corporate videos was an important part of my business back in the day. I had a little editing studio and did everything myself. I still have the tape machines but I doubt that anything is done on tape these days. Oh, well. The equipment paid for itself and most of it is sitting in the storage warehouse now.

Dawn graduated to the advanced group at her training class this week. Janet said she did well, although she didn't bring home any ribbons. Next week the class is having a Halloween party and Dawn is going as Cruella de Vil. Janet made her a cute costume, but we don't know how long she will keep the Cruella wig on.  

I've got to get up early and take my car in for a service appointment tomorrow morning. We'll see how expensive the repairs are before I move on and get the dryer fixed. There's always something that needs to be fixed.

Diva is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4675

NASA has finally set a new date for the next Artemis launch attempt, so it's time to make travel arrangements again. I sure wish the process was a little easier. Hotel and airfare prices can differ drastically depending on which day you choose. Sometimes leaving or returning one day earlier or later can double the price of your ticket. Hotels are the same way. As it turned out it was cheaper to stay an extra day in Florida to get a lower airfare.

Since the launch is scheduled for a few minutes after midnight I initially scheduled my departure for the wrong day and had to reschedule everything a few hours later. Jeez. You'd think I'd know how to tell time by now. The Airbnb I like wasn't available, but I was able to book a room at the hotel I usually stay at. The rental car website wasn't working properly today, but I'm pretty sure my car is booked as well. I'll probably have to skip the Falcon Heavy launch at the end of October. These trips have become way too expensive and I can only afford one trip to the space center this Fall

Our day started as usual with a pre-dawn walk with Dawn. We left earlier this morning since Janet has a doctor's appointment. I'm getting used to walking in the dark now, but this won't last long. On November 6 we go back to Standard Time and we'll be walking in daylight again. I keep hearing that congress wants to make Daylight Saving Time permanent next year. Why? I'd rather make Standard Time permanent.

I had a hard time deciding whether to walk in the park or go to the gym today. It was a little too warm for my taste, but I didn't feel like driving. Eventually I decided to take my long walk in the park. The water department was digging up one of the streets in our neighborhood, so I had to take an alternate route to reach the path I usually take. The streets are a mess now. Several years ago the city used a cheap "spray on road" technique to re-pave several streets in the neighborhood and now the tar is leaking to the surface. You have to be careful where you walk because the stuff sticks on your shoes. I made pretty good time today, but by the time I returned I wished I'd gone to the gym instead. Considering how cool it was on our sunrise walk, it got hot outside very quickly. I shouldn't complain though. At least the little green web worms are gone now.

My chore for the day was removing the water that accumulates under the shower tiles. I need to get the shower re-tiled, but it is easier to remove the water every few weeks with a wet-dry vac. I tried to re-seal the tile once, but apparently it didn't work. Several quarts of water can accumulate between the tiles and the shower pan. When it reaches a certain level it starts leaking out the same cracks that let it in. Water is not my friend. I think most of the problems around the house have something to do with water.

Dawn did well at training class this evening. Janet said she is going to graduate to the advanced class next week. I'm surprised at how much Dawn seems to enjoy these classes because she is typically scared of everything. I'm glad Dawn has found something she enjoys. Now I need to do the same.

Kuuipo is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day