Day 4964

I got a message from my editor asking if I'd be interested in getting a tour of the ship that will be used to retrieve the Orion astronauts after the next Artemis mission. I had to say no. The event is being held at the Navy base in San Diego and I'd have to pay for the trip myself. Jeez. I can barely afford an ocassional trip to Titusville and this would be much more expensive. I'm also a bit superstitious. The last time I went to California on a NASA related event, I had a wreck in my rent car.

Today was another day with triple digit temperatures. We still had a nice sunrise walk with Dawn though. I knew it was going to be a bad day when we walked out the door before sunrise and the temperature was already in the high 80's. We've definitely had hotter days in Texas, but I can't remember this many 100 degree days in a row. I seldom wish for rain but we could definitely use some. Sadly there is no rain on the horizon. My Apple weather app shows triple digit weather and clear skies for the next ten days.

Today was just like yesterday. I had my breakfast of shredded wheat and fruit, made the bed, checked my messages, and headed for the gym. I wish there was something that would capture my interest, but there isn't. I'm not even as excited about launch trips anymore. I certainly have no regrets about skipping the EchoStar Jupiter 3 launch. The weather has been stormy in Titusville this week and even if the launch does take place tonight, I would have ended up spending most of my time sitting in a hotel room. 

I've got to start doing something else at the gym. The place is very well equipped, but all I do is walk around the indoor track and shoot a few baskets afterwards. I've been going to the gym for a long time and have used most of the machines, but I'm not very interested. This is just a poor substitute for walking in the park. I've managed to convince myself that it's important to get my steps every day. Somehow it doesn't seems that important to build up my strength.

As usual I did very little this afternoon. It's too hot to take a walk or even take Dawn outside for long. The house needs lots of work but it's discouraging to even think about it. There are no movies I want to watch or books I feel like reading. I must be doing something though, because the afternoons usually go quickly. I guess I'll watch the Falcon Heavy launch on the Space X feed later tonight. Dawn did get excited about grocery day, but even she seemed a bit subdued today. The dogs days of summer have definitely arrived. I'm ready for Fall. Even Winter would seems like an improvement right now.

Queenie 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 4958

Today was busy. I surprised myself with how much I got done. I do set the bar pretty low these days though. Maybe I was a bit more energetic because it was cooler today. For the first time in a long time the temperature didn't top 100 degrees. When 90 degrees seems cool, you know it is summer in Texas.

I was hoping to sleep in this morning but Dawn had other ideas. She wanted a walk. It was actually very nice out early this morning. Too bad these sunrise temperatures don't last very long. By the time we finished our big weekend breakfast it was already hot.

I got my grocery shopping finished early this morning and filled the car with gas. My grocery list wasn't long, but I still had to go to several stores. I think grocery store parking lots are more dangerous than most roads these days. People are always racing around looking for the last available parking spot. You've got to be careful or you'll get hit.

When I returned home I defrosted the little refrigerator. I have to do this every few months. It's too bad that these little dorm room refrigerators aren't self defrosting like a regular refrigerator. This thing was supposed to be temporary, but somehow it has become permanent. We can't get a bigger main refrigerator because it fits in a little alcove in the kitchen. A lot of modern refrigerators won't fit in this 1950's sized space. At any rate, a big refrigerator plus a small dorm room refrigerator seems to work just fine.

While the little refrigerator was thawing out, I washed the car. I should just start going to a car wash because cleaning the wheels is harder than it used to be. Whenever I have to kneel down for any length of time, I realize that my knees aren't in very good shape.

Even though the temperature didn't top 100 degrees today, it was still too hot to take my long walk in the park. I went back to the gym again and did my three miles on the indoor track. I was a little slower this morning but I didn't care. No basketball today because other people were using the court. I went back to the store on the way home to pick up a few things I forgot. In retrospect, the day wasn't really that busy, but it was busy enough for me.

I still haven't heard whether I've been approved to attend next Wednesday's Falcon Heavy launch. Approval notices seem to come later and later these days. I guess it doesn't matter because I've more or less decided that I'm not going to bother with this one. It just seems too expensive to make a quick trip to see something I've already seen many times before.

I hate to think what next month's electric bill is going to be. The air conditioner has been running non stop. At least I can do my walking indoors for the rest of the summer. Tomorrow I'll skip the gym and go mall walking instead. Both places are ice cold. I have to wear a long sleeved shirt when I go walking in these places. It remains to be seen whether it will be too hot for Dawn's Sunday outing tomorrow, but we'll go get ice cream cones anyway. We're definitely back to our regular schedule now.

Pongo is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4957

There's a Falcon Heavy launch next week that I'll almost certainly get credentialed for. I don't think I'm going to go. Hmmm. This is new. I never turn down a chance to go to a launch. I just don't feel like it this time. Florida in July is not pleasant and I get eaten alive by bugs on night launches. That's not a good excuse though because Texas in July is not pleasant either. Flights are always fully booked now and I always have to pay a lot more to get a seat when approval notices go out at the last minute. Sometimes it's hard to find a hotel as well. I've already been to a bunch of Falcon Heavy launches and it's getting harder and harder to come up with something to write about. I'm also feeling poor. I've had a lot of large expenses this summer and these launch trips aren't cheap. Do I even really need an excuse? I started doing this for fun, and if it doesn't seem fun anymore, why bother.

When I'm sitting here doing nothing next week I might regret my decision, but there are plenty of other launches to think about. I'm sure I'll return to Kennedy Space Center again. I still kind of envy the guys who live in the area and can easily go to any launch they want on very short notice.

Hey, I can still go to the gym on very short notice. It's open seven days a week now. Unless the temperature cools down a bit, a daily trip to the gym is going to be my summer. No complaints though. I'm staying in shape inside an air conditioned building and keeping the car filled with gas is a lot cheaper than a plane ticket. 

Today was uneventful. The only thing that happened out of the ordinary was that Dawn threw up on the bed and we had to wash all the bedding. She wasn't sick. Sometimes when Dawn drinks a lot of water right after she eats, she regurgitates things. This certainly isn't the first time this has happened. It would be nice if she threw up on the brick floors where it is easy to clean things up. She prefers the bed for everything though. It is her safe space.

I prefer the bed too for afternoon naps. It's more comfortable than napping on the sofa. Dawn must have been in a good mood because she seemed happy to share the bed with me this afternoon. It's supposed to be a bit cooler tomorrow. That would be nice. It's already time for me to make a grocery list again. Janet did her grocery shopping today and of course that made Dawn happy. Dawn loves grocery day.

Katie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4871

The rocket didn't go anywhere today. Space X scrubbed tonight's launch due to the potential for severe weather in the area. Since the launch was postponed early in the day, we weren't even able to get our credentials. This was a disapointment to everybody waiting for their badges at the Press Accredation Office. We were hoping that we could at least go visit the Press Site today and get some pictures. I guess Space X didn't want us wandering around unsupervised. The launch has been rescheduled for tomorrow evening. The weather looks better tomorrow, but it's still not a sure thing. Basically, it has been a very rainy week. It's even raining in Dallas today.

I think there was some severe weather near Kennedy Space Center this afternoon, but it was very localized. When I went back to my hotel in Titusville, we didn't even see any rain until very late in the day. I guess this was a good thing because I was able to get my steps. I walked back and forth between the hotel and a Cracker Barrel restaurant at the other end of the street until I got my daily 10,000 steps. My timing was good because shortly after I got 10,000 Fitbit steps and closed all three rings on my Apple Watch it started raining pretty hard.

The rain didn't last very long and I didn't want to spend the entire afternoon in my hotel room, so I drove out to Playlinda Beach. This beach is located in the Canaveral National Seashore and is a place I like to visit. There are some nice views of the launch pad in several areas as well as an abundance of wildlife. The seashore is a protected nature preserve and is the longest stretch of pristine, undeveloped beach in Florida. The area is run by the National Park Service and today I traded my annual pass for a Lifetime Senior Pass. If you save your old yearly passes, they count toward the price of a lifetime pass. I ended up getting my Lifetime Pass for half price.

I did get a few photos of the Falcon Heavy rocket from the top of one of the walkways to the beach. The park service doesn't want you to walk on the dunes surrounding the beach, so they've built wooden walkways over the dunes in selected areas. I saw several other launch photographers I know taking pictures as well. Today, Playlinda Beach was the only game in town. It was a grey day and my pictures weren't spectacular, but at least it wasn't raining. Actually the weather was nice for the entire time I was out at Playlinda Beach and it only started raining again when I returned to Titusville for dinner.

I stopped at my favorite barbecue place for dinner. If I'm in Titusville I've got to have at least one meal at Sonny's. Most of the other launch photographers seem to favor seafood restaurants, but I'm from Texas and I'll take barbecue over fish any day of the week. When I travel I realize that I'd be fat if I made a habit of eating restaurant meals. Janet is a great cook and fixes really healthy meals. I'm lucky that I get to enjoy them.

It's too bad Space X didn't go ahead and have the launch today. The storms are gone and it's clear outside right now. I'm sure they had their reasons. I did see lightning several time times during the afternoon. The weather forecast said there was a possibility of large hail, but I didn't see any. I hope there is no rain tomorrow. At one point when I was driving through a short patch of heavy rain, my rental car had an electrical problem. The headlights went out and the GPS display went dark. Everything returned to normal a few minutes later, but this would be bad news if it happened at night.

I've changed all my reservations and will be staying another day in hopes that the Viasat-3 launch will take place tomorrow evening. Lets hope the weather improves. This isn't the first launch delay I've experienced and it won't be the last. When you are chasing rockets you've just got to expect these things.

Brady is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4770

Today's Falcon Heavy launch was a resounding success and ended up being one of the most beautiful launch events I have ever witnessed. What a difference a day makes. It was warmer today, the skies were clear, and there was no wind. The timing for this mission was perfect. The launch took place right at sunset, and as the rocket rose through the atmosphere, the exhaust plumes from the three boosters glowed with fantastic sunset colors. 

You could see the two side boosters detach from the center core high in the atmosphere and begin the boost back burns that would return them to landing zones LZ-1 and LZ-2 at Kennedy Space Center. Shortly after the side boosters landed we heard the two very loud double sonic booms that have become a signature of Falcon Heavy launches. From our vantage point at the NASA Press Site, you could hear these sonic booms ricochet off the nearby Vertical Assembly Building making a strange high pitched ringing sound each time the sound hit the building.

It was worth waiting an additional day to see this launch, but I'll be glad to be back in Dallas tomorrow. Traveling is tiring for me. I never sleep well while traveling and according to Fitbit my resting heart rate goes way up along with my heart rate variability. Not good. I'm sure a lot of this is caused by the lack of sleep, but my poor travel diet might have something to do with this as well. It's nice to see rocket launches and look at stars under dark West Texas skies, but I think I do better in familiar surroundings, leading a somewhat dull predictable life. I eat much healthier meals when I'm home and certainly sleep a lot better. All in all I think I prefer my simple life of long walks and predictable days to unexpected surprises and excitement.

I certainly had a few unexpected surprises today. I found myself locked out of my e-mail account because the laptop reverted to the old passwords I used to use before I updated everything recently. I couldn't access the new passwords on my desktop computer at home and much to my chagrin I discovered that I never bothered to set up e-mail on my phone. Since Space X only communicates with me using e-mail, I drove out to the NASA Press Site this afternoon not knowing whether the launch had been canceled or not. 

Luckily the launch was right on schedule. The iPhone app I use to remotely trigger my cameras is such a battery hog that my phone completely died shortly after the launch. I did get the photos I need though. When I was putting my equipment away I thought my phone was broken, but then I remembered that the battery was probably dead. It did feel a bit weird to drive back to Titusville realizing that I had no way to communicate with anyone. I had a brief scare when the rental car automatic transmission wouldn't go into gear at the Press Site and then I noticed that I hadn't closed the driver's side door completely. Strangely, the warning light on the dash didn't say "door open" or anything remotely understandable. It just said "transmission not engaged." That seemed alarming, but everything ended well and I'm back at the Airbnb now.

Even though it was a busy day out at the Press Site, I still managed to get my Fitbit steps and close all three rings on my Apple Watch. I even found time to get started on my article for SpaceFlight Magazine. I kept wondering why I was seeing other people out walking today and then I remembered it was Sunday. The last time I stayed at this Airbnb during the middle of the week and didn't see anymore. They were all at work. I just walked around the neighborhood today, even though there was a hiking trail nearby. I was curious about the hiking trail but was afraid I'd run into an alligator. 

I was determined not to eat any more restaurant food, so I got a chicken Caesar salad and a small quiche for dinner at the grocery store and ate in my room after I returned from the launch. I often forget how lucky I am to live in Texas. Food and gas prices are higher in Florida and I hear that Florida prices are still much better than the rest of the country. It's hard to buy for one. Most portion sizes are too large and when you can find a single serve size of just about anything, the price is always $4.99. It's easy to spend more than you think on a simple meal. Picking up something at a grocery store is still much cheaper than going to a restaurant though. What ever happened to $5.00 hamburgers? A burger and a beer will cost you more than twenty dollars these days.

I'm ready to come home and resume my simple life. Hopefully Dawn will be glad to see me again. You never know with that dog.

Betty is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4769

No launch today. The USSF-67 Mission was scrubbed right after lunch and will be rescheduled for tomorrow. I began to suspect that something might be wrong when we went out to the launch pad and the rocket wasn't vertical yet. There's a lot that still needs to be done once the rocket is vertical on the pad and they were running out of time. Space X had no real explanation for the delay. They just said that the rocket wasn't ready yet.

These type of delays happen surprisingly frequently. They are frustrating but there is nothing you can do when a launch is scrubbed. I scrambled quickly and changed all my reservations. I got the last seat on a Monday flight to Dallas and was able to extend my stay at the Airbnb as well. I've got plenty of time, but the trip will be more expensive than I was planning on.

At least the weather is still good for tomorrow. The wind is dying down as well. Hopefully these are good omens. It will still be very cold unfortunately. The weather forecast says it will be 34 degrees at sunrise tomorrow morning. Yikes. I was already freezing this morning when the temperature was 37 degrees. This is two coat weather for me and unfortunately I only brought one coat with me. Temperatures this low are rare for this part of Florida. I guess the weather is crazy everywhere these days.

Since there was no launch today, I went out to the Canaveral National Seashore instead. It's a beautiful place and I always like to visit when I've got the time. You can see the space center from the beach and I noticed that the Falcon Heavy rocket is vertical now. That's another good sign. There were a few brave souls swimming in the ocean today. This seemed strange since a lot of people on the shore were wearing parkas. Who knows. Maybe the ocean water was warmer than the air.

My diet always suffers when I travel. I had barbecue for lunch and a hamburger for dinner. I have no willpower. I guess I could have ordered a salad, but restaurant salad dressings are full of fat as well. I'm really glad that Janet fixes healthy meals. She's probably added years to my life. My original plan was to fix all my own meals at the Airbnb, but boredom set in and I went to a restaurant instead. We'll see if I can stay more disciplined tomorrow and Monday. Probably not.

I'm always surprised at how many changes take place between my trips to Kennedy Space Center. They've moved the Artemis mobile launch platform outside and are beginning to refurbish it for the next Artemis flight. Space X has almost finished the giant Starship launch tower standing next to launch complex 39A. There are rumors that they are planning on building a second Starship launch site as well. Blue Origin keeps adding to their huge manufacturing facility near the visitor center, but I'm not sure if they're actually making anything yet. It may not be like the Apollo days, but there's a lot going on down here.

I'm glad I don't have to get up early tomorrow. I'll probably sleep in. I'm not sure what I'm going to do tomorrow morning, or Monday after the launch for that matter. It's really quiet here at the Airbnb. I'll probably end up going to the Press Site way too early tomorrow and end up sitting in my car again to stay warm. I still can't get over how cold it is in Florida. I hope the launch is successful tomorrow. This is a long trip to make if nothing happens.

Kasey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

 

Day 4767

Today was very busy. Dawn got a bath. I went out and got ink for both printers and got them working again. All the batteries for my devices have been charged. The laundry has been done. I've answered my e-mail and caught up on all my messages. Of course Dawn got her early morning walk and I took a longer walk later in the morning. I still haven't finished packing, but there's still time. Hey, I've got to save something for the last possible minute.

I was surprised at how cold it was this morning. It was over 80 degrees yesterday, so I expected that it would be warm today as well. Nope. Texas weather is never predictable. The temperature was in the low 40's and there was a stiff wind. I was chilly on our early walk, but Dawn seemed to love the brisk weather.

Everything I did today seemed to take twice as long as I expected. The shower drain was clogged when I took a shower. Every towel we own seemed to be in the laundry. I wanted to switch to using Firefox on my laptop, but I had trouble importing my desktop settings. I still can't decide what clothes to take to Florida. Right now it's colder down there than it is here.

I felt like skipping my long walk today, but I went ahead and got my steps. I was reasonably fast today. I had to be. I doubt that I'll have time to take a long walk tomorrow, but Dawn will still get her early morning walk. Today I walked my regular route, counted all the ducks, and made it home in time to help Janet get Dawn ready for her bath. We go to a self bathe place in the neighborhood and Dawn always gets her nails clipped and her anal glands expressed while she's there. Needless to say, bath time is not one of Dawn's favorite activities. She looks so much better though. Her coat is actually white again. It's hard to keep Dawn clean after a bath because she loves to roll in the grass. Oh, well. She'll look good for a couple of days anyway.

I guess I'll finish packing after I complete this blog post. I hate packing. No matter how hard I try, I always forget something. Sometimes it's reading glasses and toothpaste. Other times it's a raincoat, or a sweater for cool mornings. At least I'm pretty good at getting the computers and cameras ready. I can spend hours transferring information from the desktop to the laptop and then just spend a few minutes throwing some clothes into the suitcase. True luxury would be having a Titusville apartment stocked with a full complement of everything I need. That's never going to happen, but it's something to daydream about on my long walks.

I've got my writing assignments now. The article the magazine wants isn't going to be as easy as some I've written in the past, but I'm pretty sure I can deliver what is needed. I've downloaded my boarding pass on my phone, so I guess I'm ready to go. Oops. My suitcase is still empty. I guess I've still got some work to do.

Suzie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4765

I received a notice today that my application for press credentials was accepted, so I will be heading to Kennedy Space Center soon to attend the USSF-67 Falcon Heavy launch. These last minute notices make me nervous, but the Space X folks are probably doing the best they can. Things change rapidly with almost any launch and they probably weren't even sure the launch would take place until today's successful static fire. Hey, at least I got credentialed. The weather looks good so far as well. Airfares look terrible though. I thought Southwest would be offering some deals to win back customers after all the problems they had a few weeks ago. Nope. The current fare to Orlando was the highest I've ever seen. The Airbnb I like was open though, so that's good. I've really got to stop fretting about this stuff. There are many launch opportunities and I can only afford to go to a few of them anyway. It wouldn't have been the end of the world if I missed this one.

The laser pointer accessory I ordered for one of my star trackers arrived today but I couldn't figure out how to assemble it. I wrote the company a letter saying that I thought a part was missing. A few hours later I noticed a video on the company website with operating instructions. My bad. I just needed to unscrew the top of the unit so it would fit on the star tracker adapter. I felt kind of stupid, because after looking at the video I felt that I should have been able to figure this out myself. These type of things are going to happen more frequently now. Growing old isn't pretty.

It was foggy outside when we took Dawn on her early walk this morning. Ground fog in the park is often very pretty, but cameras and dogs don't mix well, so I didn't get any pictures. We had a nice walk though and since we started a little later, we didn't even need our flashlights.

I got a late start on my long walk today because I needed to make all my reservations for the Florida trip. By the time I left the house it was warm enough to wear shorts again. I think we set an all time temperature record today. It got up to 83 degrees. I'm sure it will get cold again, but I'll take this warmer weather whenever we can get it. It didn't feel like January at all today. It felt more like April.

I hope all these long walks are actually helping me. Sometimes I wonder. I'm certainly not building any muscle. They say building muscle mass is much harder as you grow older. I'm probably going to have to get serious and spend more time lifting weights. I'm thin enough as it is. I wish I enjoyed going to the gym, because I've certainly got the time. I prefer walking though because I can daydream and let my mind wander. I'd never make a good gym rat.

I can't decide what to write about on this trip to Florida. The USSF-67 Mission is almost identical to the USSF-44 Mission which I've already written about. I doubt that the magazine is going to be very interested in another article about the same thing. I already have a Falcon Heavy article in the January issue. Hopefully, I can think of something interesting in the next day or so because I'd like the magazine to stay interested in me.

Dawn is finally starting to relax around me. It's about time. Maybe we'll eventually end up being best buddies after all.

Murphy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4764

I finally tried to remove the brown water leak stains in the ceiling this morning. I've done this before and I tried not to make the same mistakes I usually make. The proceedure involves using a spray bottle to soak the affected areas with bleach and hope that the stain disappears. The problem is that tiny droplets of bleach sometimees go where they are not supposed to. This time I knew to wear a hat and not to wear my usual black t-shirt. I also moved everything under the stained area out of the way. I did a pretty good job. The ceiling looks much better now although a few small stained areas remain. A few droplets of bleach got on some furniture, but I cleaned them up quickly before the bleach discolored anything. Since the house smelled of bleach anyway, I also cleaned out the tubs of both dehumidifiers with bleach. These water tubs get pretty nasty after a while. I still need to replace the sheetrock in the ceiling, but I'm not going to do that until we get a new roof. The next really heavy rainstorm we get will make the leaks appear all over again. These water leaks really make me feel like Sisyphus pushing the rock up the hill.

I still haven't heard anything about the Falcon Heavy launch, but I talked with one of my launch photographer friends and the Florida folks haven't heard anything either. Who knows what is going on. I may or may not end up going to this launch and I'm beginning not to care. I do know that the launch has been postponed until Friday which is too bad because airline flights are more expensive on the weekend. Maybe I'll find out something tomorrow.

We walked Dawn in the dark again this morning. Janet likes to keep a regular work schedule even though we have both been retired for quite a while. We always get up earlier on weekdays. I could sleep until 8 AM every morning, but it's not so bad getting up early. I've got to get up at some point anyway. Dawn loves these early walks. She spends most of her time zig zagging around smelling things. At first I thought she was smelling other dogs, but we're usually the first to walk every morning, so I think she is smelling wild animals now. There are tons of animals in the park and they probably spend all night peeing on things.

Every morning I contemplate going to the gym and then end up taking my walk in the park instead. I kind of like shooting baskets at the gym, but that doesn't overcome my dislike of driving. Usually it's just general laziness that makes me choose a walk in the park. It's easy to just head out the back door and start walking. Today's walk was completely uneventful. There is no construction activity to watch anymore and lord knows where the eagles have gone. I haven't seen them in over two weeks now.

I still can't decide whether to attempt a trip out to the observatory this year. I'm pretty sure there will be events where they will need volunteers in the Spring. I'm not at all sure about the long drive though. The last time I returned home from West Texas I kept thinking that this was my last trip. The drive was very tiring. I hate to give up though. I'm determined not to wind up like my Dad, sitting on the couch and watching television all day. It's a shame that the two things I like are so far away. I do enjoy my time at the observatory though. Maybe I'll send a letter and see if they are looking for volunteers.

Tomorrow will probably be very much like today. I should make an effort to go to the gym just to do something different. We'll see.

Mack is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4763

I often think about the past as I drift off to sleep. Increasingly, much of it is a mystery. How did I find so many jobs when I was younger? I didn't know anybody and wasn't a particularly good worker. Nevertheless, I got hired again and again by some of the best ad agencies in the country. How did I live? I remember one particularly nice apartment on Capitol Hill in Seattle with a great view of a park where the art museum used to be. I remember buying art for the walls and some nice living room furniture, but I have no idea where I kept my clothes. I didn't own any cabinets and I can't even remember if there were closets in the house. I do remember that the bedroom was completely empty except for a low platform bed in the center of the room. I must have had a place to store clothes because I wore them to work every day. Where was it though? I also can't remember ever cooking meals. I must have cooked, because I can't remember going out to restaurants either. Memory gets tricky as you grow older. It's probably good that I have forgotten a lot.

It's pretty easy to remember what I do now, because I do the same things over and over again. We sleep in about a half hour later on weekends, so there is no need to walk in the dark. Weekends are the only time Janet and I eat breakfast together. We usually have bacon, eggs, and toast. Dawn gets real excited about these weekend breakfasts because she gets to have a little bacon. 

I used to go to the gym on Sunday, but since they are closed now I go walking at the mall instead. The mall is built around a big central outdoor courtyard and the distance around the perimeter stores is a little over a half mile. I make five trips around the perimeter, looking at all the window displays as I walk. The stores aren't open yet, so the only people inside are other walkers. Lots of young couples bring their children with them. This seems to be a popular place to take young children. Small kids are pushed around in strollers and slightly older kids have their own little strollers that they push around filled with dolls. More people are still wearing masks inside this mall than any other place in town. I really have no idea why. 

Once the stores start to open I have no reason to be there anymore. I try to time my walk so I'm done by the time the stores open. It's weird that the stuff in the windows seems interesting to me, but I have no desire to buy anything. Looking in the windows is kind of like listening to the radio in the car. It just gives me a little more insight into what is going on in the world. I lead a fairly isolated life, so it's good to have a clue what the rest of the world is doing. 

When I returned from mall walking today, Dawn was ready for her Sunday outing. She definitely knows when everything is supposed to happen around the house. I'm kind of amazed that her internal clock is much better than mine. The weather was nice today and we had a pleasant walk. Our Sunday walk is almost exactly the same distance as our early morning walk, but we always finish about two minutes earlier. Dawn is either excited and walks faster on these Sunday outings or doesn't stop as often to smell things. It's probably a little bit of both. 

Today the ice cream store gave Dawn a free pup cone. I don't know why they don't always do this. Dawn is always with us and it's pretty obvious that she likes ice cream. I guess it just depends on who's serving. If they like dogs, you get a pup cone. 

I still haven't heard anything about Thursday's Falcon Heavy launch. This is kind of strange, since they usually let you know even if you don't get credentialed. It looks like I'll either have to make all my reservations at the very last minute, or that I won't be going at all. I should probably just quit fretting about this. It's not like it really matters if I attend these launches or not. I'm just trying to make my life a little more interesting.

Tomorrow we start all over again. I've got a new box of shredded wheat for the week and plenty of strawberries. I'll take my walks in the park and wonder where the eagles are. If I'm lucky I may even hear something about that launch.

Jordan is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 4762

Another week of being amazed at how grocery prices keep going up. The price increases aren't dramatic, but they are relentless. I don't think I've seen prices go down on the things I routinely buy for several years. Oh, well. It is what is is. Price inflation doesn't seem very fair for seniors. When you're living on a fixed income you get a little further behind with each passing year.

I still haven't heard anything about next week's falcon heavy launch. This doesn't look good. I have a feeling I won't be going to this thing. I suppose it's no great loss. I've already been to several falcon heavy launches. My bigger worry is that my magazine has abandoned me. Without this connection it would be a lot harder to get press credentials. We'll see what happens. There are still a few day for everything to come together.

We had a nice early walk with Dawn this morning. The weather was warmer and we waited until after sunrise to walk today. I prefer sleeping in, but Dawn and Janet are morning people. I get out of bed when I get my ten minute warning and I know not to be late. Sometimes I'm still sleepy, but there's plenty of time to take a nap later. 

I had plans to go to the gym today, but ended up taking my regular walk in the park instead. The traffic was heavy when I did my grocery shopping and I just didn't want to get out on the roads again. I think I could take this walk blindfolded now. The route is so familiar now that I practically have every step memorized. Frequently people will wave at me as I walk by. I don't know who these people are, but I guess I've become a familiar face. I can guess my pace fairly accurately now, but I still don't know why I'm faster or slower on any given day. I was slow today even though the temperature was pleasant and there was no wind.

I haven't received any updates to the star tracker in over a month. I've noticed that this unit is available in stores now, so maybe Benro is finished with the development phase. I guess I got a good deal for all my efforts with Beta testing. The retail price for the tracker is almost double what I paid. Am I ever going to use this equipment? I'd like to think so, but it probably won't be in Dallas. I don't feel safe in this town after dark anymore.

I'm getting frustrated with my computers. Neither my desktop or laptop will run the latest Apple system files. The machines are too old, even though they both still work fine. Since I'm running an older system I can't update Safari and Mail anymore. Safari crashes a lot now since my version doesn't incorporate the latest security updates. It's gotten so bad that I've had to switch to using Firefox, which I never particularly liked. I've been a huge Apple fan for decades but Tim Cook's Apple is not the same as Steve Jobs Apple. I miss the old days.

Tomorrow it's time for a walk through the mall and Dawn's Sunday outing. I wish my gym would start opening on Sunday again, but that's probably not going to happen. Sunday hours are just another Covid casualty. I guess mall walking is a good substitute. I actually enjoy looking in the store windows.

Misty is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 4756

Not a lot happened today. I still can't get over how different Dawn seems when everyone is home. She is a happy dog again. After an energetic early morning walk, I made the bed and ate my breakfast. I went back to my weekday breakfast of shredded wheat and fruit because Janet left early to catch up on her grocery shopping.

I returned to mall walking today. I was actually a little surprised the mall was open on New Year's Day because it was closed on Christmas. Most of the Christmas decorations had already disappeared and all the store windows displayed large sale signs. If you were in the market for overpriced clothes, this would be a good time. I was surprised to see a huge line outside the Lego store. Something big was happening, but there was no indication in the store window. I have seen similar lines outside the Swatch and Nike stores in the past and didn't know what was going on there either. Clearly I am not on the need to know list for these type of events. Lots of adults seem to be interested in Lego products. I had always thought this was a store for kids.

On the way home I listened to a program on NPR about how a largely unknown hockey player named John Scott was voted by fans to be a team captain on the 2016 all star team. This vote angered the NHL and they asked him to decline the honor. When he refused the league orchestrated a trade to a minor league team in Canada where he was ineligible to play on the all star team. I had never realized that there was so much intrigue and pettiness in the world of hockey. Not surprisingly there was a big fan backlash and the league was forced to reinstate Scott as a team captain. I don't know what happened after that, because I had arrived back home.

When I returned from mall walking, I found Dawn waiting to go on her Sunday outing. She definitely hasn't forgotten her normal routine. I didn't even need a jacket for this walk. It was a surprisingly warm day, especially considering that we were all freezing just a few weeks ago. Dawn definitely had more energy than I did. By the time we returned to the car, I was walking well behind Dawn and Janet. Of course we all had to have an ice cream cone before we returned home. Dawn hasn't forgotten about ice cream cones either.

I had vague thoughts about doing something productive when I woke up this morning, but that never materialized. Sundays are seldom productive. I basically just walk on Sundays although I don't really accumulate that many steps. I am still fascinated by Fitbit results. My heart rate is remarkably consistent when I walk at the mall. This is probably because I am walking in a flat, climate controlled environment. When I walk outside in the park, my heart rate is all over the place. My outdoor walks are clearly better exercise, but it gets boring sometimes. I was glad I went to the mall today.

I wonder when I am going to hear something about the upcoming falcon heavy launch? I thought I would have received my credentials by now, but I have heard nothing. My connections to the world of rocketry are tenuous at best and I'm always worried that I'll fall off the approved list. I don't think that NASA or the magazine I write for care nearly as much as I do about this. Old retired guys like me still need some legitimacy and validation.

I have no idea what I'll be doing tomorrow. Hey, it's a new year, so I guess anything is possible.

Jasper is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 4745 - Winter Solstice

I should have known. You don't start planning for cold weather on the day before the cold weather arrives. I went out this morning to get some faucet covers for our outdoor faucets. It seemed like a simple enough errand. Home Depot was completely out of stock. Lowes was completely out of stock. Ace Hardware was out of stock as well. I couldn't even find any of the covers at Teeters. Everyone seemed to be looking for these things. I definitely wasn't the only one asking about faucet covers today. I started calling around and eventually found a few covers in a small neighborhood store. The guy on the phone said that he had ten faucet covers left. I asked if he could hold three for me and that I would be right over to pick them up. When I arrived at the store my three faucet covers were sitting behind the register and the other seven were in the hands of people checking out. I'm glad I called ahead of time. If I had just driven over to the store, they would have all been gone before I got there. If this little saga proves anything it is only that I'm not the only one who waits until the last possible minute to plan for bad weather.

It also took quite a while to get gas this morning. Everyone seemed to want to fill their tank before the storm arrives. I don't know if it makes any difference, but a full tank of gas seemed like a smart move to me as well. Am I ready for the arctic blast? I doubt it. Thankfully the really cold weather will only last two days.

We had a nice early walk with Dawn this morning. It was quite dark when we left the house and I was worried about coyotes. The sky brightened rapidly though and it was daylight by the time we arrived home. I didn't' sleep well last night and even this short walk made me tired. I should have gone back to bed, but I ate breakfast instead and got ready to take an even longer walk.

I sent in my application for press credentials for the January falcon heavy launch. I'm pretty sure that my application will be accepted since credentialing is being managed by the Space Force. The Space Force is easier to deal with than NASA for some reason. I wish I knew the actual date of the launch so I could go ahead and make travel arrangements. I'd like to stay at my favorite Airbnb again.

I was really slow on my long walk today. I thought about turning around early but I kept trudging along and eventually made it home again. Maybe I do have a cold instead of seasonal allergies. I certainly didn't feel very good today. I wanted to take a nap as soon as I returned home, but Dawn didn't want me in the bedroom. As soon as I got on the bed she went out in the hallway and started whining. Eventually I just took a nap on the sofa in the living room. I hate to see Dawn crying. She's a very manipulative dog and I think she's got me figured out.

The cold weather and high winds arrive tomorrow afternoon. We should be able to have a normal sunrise walk with Dawn, but all bets are off after that. I just hope we don't have any problems with the furnace. It has a tendency to go out at the worse possible times.

Willow is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 4744

It's that time of year again. I'm blowing my nose constantly. This seems to happen every Winter and I usually chalk it up to seasonal allergies. This time I'm wondering if I've caught a cold though. It kind of feels like a head cold. Maybe it's allergies though. I could easily be allergic to falling leaves.

Janet had plans today, so we took our early walk in the dark again. Dawn has two lighted collars now. She got a second one at the training class Christmas party gift exchange. I continue to be surprised at how quickly night transitions into day. It is usually quite dark when we start these early walks and daylight by the time we return home. We only walk a mile, so we're not out all that long either.

Dawn went to the vet today for a bath, a nail trim, and her canine influenza booster shot. It was kind of weird not having a dog around the house this morning. Dawn mostly ignores me, but I'm still very aware of what she is doing. I always take her out to pee before and after my long walks and feed her lunch when she is in the mood. She looked very clean when she and Janet returned this afternoon. You'd think a Dalmatian would always look clean, but that's not usually the case. She likes to roll around in the grass, so I tend to forget how white her coat actually is.

I saw all the Sunset Bay birds today. It's weird that so many species call this place home. I saw several kestrels. The Muscovy ducks and geese were all there. The coots, mallards, and double crested cormorants were there as well. The female bald eagle was in her nest. Even about half of the white pelicans had returned. I don't think I will ever become a serious birder, but I am learning to recognize the various species that call the park home.

I didn't make good time today. I'm surprised at how much my pace varies from day to day. I'm obviously slower when my feet hurt. The temperature seems to have a lot to do with my pace as well. It was warmer today. I'm usually faster on really cold days. 

It's going to be a lot colder later in the week. If it is as cold as the forecast predicts I might not walk in the park at all. My gym seems to be a much better alternative when temperatures are in the teens. We'll see what happens. Southerners tend to get very alarmed about cold weather, but hopefully everything will be fine. I'm trying to get prepared. I put foam insulation around all the outdoor water pipes. Tomorrow I'll go to the hardware store and get some protective covers for the faucets. Indoors we should be fine, but Janet did bring a down comforter back from her storage warehouse in case the power goes out. I think everyone remembers the big statewide power outage in February 2021. We were one of the lucky ones that year. Our power didn't go out.

I just found out that there is going to be another falcon heavy launch in January. I wasn't planning on returning to Kennedy Space Center so soon, but I think I'll apply for credentials to attend this launch. The last time I tried to view a falcon heavy launch all I saw was heavy fog. I heard the rocket but it was completely invisible in the fog. Hopefully I'll be luckier this time.

I've got to remember my appointment with the eye doctor this week. I completely forgot my last appointment and if I did this two times in a row it wouldn't be good. I'll leave a big note for myself on the kitchen table. The note will say "Don't walk this morning, you have an eye appointment at 10:45 AM." That should work if I remember to write the note.

Lexi is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 4695

What a weird day. When I left the hotel this morning to go to the launch, it was so foggy outside that I could barely see the car. What a surprise. I kept thinking that the fog would lift quickly, but the closer I got to the ocean, the thicker the fog got. Visability was terrible on the roads and by the time I arrived at the KSC Press Site, you couldn't see anything. Nobody knew where to point their cameras because you couldn't even see the launch pads. Fog was quickly enveloping the 45 story tall Vertical Assembly Building and as it got closer to launch time, you couldn't even see the sun. Instead of burning off as the sun rose, the fog was blowing in from offshore and it just kept getting thicker.

None of this seemed to bother Space X. The countdown proceeded right on schedule and at 9:41 AM the Falcon Heavy lifted off. We could hear the launch, but we couldn't see a thing. This seemed impossible to me. The Falcon Heavy is a huge rocket with 27 Merlin engines. I was expecting an immense flame from this thing. I didn't even see an orange glow through the fog. If it wasn't for the roar the rocket made, you wouldn't have known there was a launch at all. 

Since we couldn't see the launch, we couldn't see the return of the two side boosters either. Once again it was the sound that reminded us that this launch was actually taking place. As the side boosters began their landing burns, we heard a double sonic boom from each booster. The sonic booms were so loud that we also heard a strange high pitched sound as the sonic booms ricocheted off the VAB. The sound pressure levels had caused the entire building to vibrate. As cool as these sounds were, it was still a huge disappointment not to see the launch. 

I initially thought I might have picked the wrong location. I decided to go to the NASA Press Site at the last minute when I remembered that I got eaten alive by mosquitos the last time I was at the ITL Causeway. It wouldn't have made any difference where I went today. The Causeway was completely fogged in as well. Even though they were closer to the landing site, they still couldn't see anything either.

The launch was a success even though it was a total bust for all the launch photographers. I wasn't the only one who'd been waiting a long time to see the Falcon Heavy's twin side boosters return to land at Cape Canaveral. I was lucky to see the Falcon Heavy SPT-2 Mission launch in 2019. It was spectacular and I really wanted to see another one. Oh, well. You win some and you lose some.

Since the launch was over by 10 AM and my flight home didn't leave Orlando until 6 PM, I had a lot of time to kill. I stayed at the hotel until noon and then went into Titusville and had lunch at Sonny's. I didn't get any good pictures today, but I did have some good barbecue. 

Even though I tried my best to kill time in Titusville, I still arrived at the airport hours before my flight was scheduled to leave. This proved to be a good time to get my steps and I walked back and forth on the concourse until I met my goals. 

The flight home was late getting started because people were so slow getting on the plane. The flight was completely full of little kids returning from a trip to Disneyworld, overweight people who were having trouble navigating the narrow aisle, and way too much carry-on luggage. We were so late getting off the ground in Orlando that we lost our gate when we arrived in Dallas. We had to wait on the plane until they found a new gate for us. All in all it was a long and somewhat frustrating day.

Dawn seemed glad to see me when I got home though. At least the day ended well.

Jeda is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 4694 - Halloween

It was a long hot day in the sun. I'm glad it's the end of October instead of the middle of July though. I think I'm just getting old. I found myself growing tired more quickly than I used to on these trips out to the launch pad. That being said, it was a beautiful day and it doesn't look like there will be any weather problems tomorrow. I enjoyed talking with the other launch photographers, although I didn't get the pictures I had hoped for. There were two busses and the first bus I was on was a little too early for the roll out to the pad. I got a few shots of the Falcon Heavy emerging from the hanger but that was about it. I hope I do better tomorrow.

I asked everyone whether they were going to the Press Site or the ITL Causeway tomorrow. There was no clear consensus about which location was best. The Press Site has a slightly better view of the launch, while the ITL Causeway has a better view of the side boosters return. I still can't decide where to go. I guess I'll sleep on it and decide in the morning.

I'm always amazed at the launch photographers who regularly set remote cameras. They will take a $4000 camera and tie a plastic garbage bag around it to protect it. Sometimes the cameras sit out near the pad for days before they can be retrieved. We even saw an alligator near one of the remote camera sites today. There is no danger of theft at the space center, but there is plenty of danger from the weather or rocket fuel. There are lots of stories about cameras and lenses being damaged or destroyed. Lots of folks buy used lenses on eBay and some don't even put a protective glass filter in front of the lens. They think it will cause reflections. I doubt that I will ever set remote cameras myself. I'm very risk adverse and fabricating a protective cage for the camera makes flying from Dallas a lot more difficult. I still like to travel light.

Although I've been down here quite a few times, I'm definitely not one of the regulars. Some of these folks cover every single launch. There are a few launch photographers from major news outlets, but many just have their own podcast or take pictures for a website. A lot have full time jobs outside the space industry. I have no idea how they have the time or money to do this. If I lived nearby, I"d probably come to every launch as well. There's something mesmerizing about chasing rockets.

I'm really hoping for a successful launch tomorrow morning. I don't really want to extend my stay this time. The hotel said there are vacancies tomorrow night, but the flight back home will definitely be more expensive. I will get an article published about this launch, but I'm not sure what to say at this point. The mission is classified and just about everything about the payload is secret.

It doesn't seem much like Halloween. One of the bartenders was in costume where I ate dinner, but there certainly aren't any trick-or-treaters at the hotel.

Roxy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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