Day 4902

Just another grocery day. The day started as always with Dawn's sunrise walk. It was nice and cool this morning. I wish the temperature would stay in the low 70's for the rest of the summer, but of course that's not going to happen. I'd better enjoy this weather while it lasts, because in a month from now it's going to feel a lot different.

When we returned to the house we had a big weekend breakfast. I couldn't eat like this all the time, but it's nice to have a change of pace from my shredded wheat and fruit. Shredded wheat was on my grocery list today, but I still couldn't find any at HEB. Hopefully they'll have my favorite brand back in stock before I run out. I found everything else easy enough and was back at the house by 11 AM. I've discovered that the stores aren't nearly as crowded if I go shopping an hour earlier. Probably a lot of things would be easier if I did everything an hour earlier.

By the time I was ready for my long walk it had warmed up quite a bit. It wasn't uncomfortable though because it was still overcast outside. It always feels cooler when there is no direct sunlight. There were no ducks to count today. The Muscovy Ducks have been gone for several weeks, but the geese were gone today as well. I have no idea where the geese went. I'm not even sure that these domestic geese can fly. I thought that breaking in a new pair of Hoka shoes would ease my foot pain, but the new shoes haven't made much difference. Some days are good and other days are terrible. There's no point in going to a doctor about this. I've seen the orthopedic specialist several times and it's pretty obvious that I have arthritis.

I was going to work on my AX-2 article this afternoon, but never got around to it. I've managed to convince myself that there is no point in finishing the article until the eight day mission is complete and the Dragon capsule splashes down in the Gulf of Mexico on June 1st. Hey, I've still got plenty of time.

I resisted the urge to do another load of laundry this afternoon. I think my obsession with doing laundry is why our water bill has gone up. I hate to think what the water bill is going to be like in July when we are watering the lawn again. Actually, all the utility bills have gone up this year, but what else is new. It's just another sign of the times.

It's supposed to rain tomorrow, but I think we'll still be able to take Dawn on her Sunday outing. The rain isn't supposed to start until later in the afternoon. There has been no appreciable rain since the new roof was completed. I'm curious to see how well it drains. I'd be real disappointed if there is still standing water up there after all this trouble. I'll go to the mall again in the morning. Mall walking is another thing that would benefit from starting an hour earlier. I went earlier last week and the place was almost empty. 

I really need to make an effort to work on my article tomorrow. I need to put a new screen on the screen door at the back of the house as well. I've got a roll of screen wire. I just don't have the energy to do this anymore. Usually after my walks all I want to do is take a nap.

Libby is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4898

Since I had to fast for my physical exam this morning I couldn't have my morning coffee or breakfast. It showed. I felt like I had no energy for the rest of the day. Of course this might have been some sort of jet lag effect from my trip. I never get much sleep on these launch trips. The exam went well though. The doc thinks I'm in great shape for my age. Of course "for my age" probably just means that I can still move around without using a walker.

I wish now that I'd asked the doctor about all the bug bites I've got. They're horrible. I think Florida mosquitos are much worse than Texas mosquitos. I get bites like this every time I visit Kennedy Space Center because I'm outside a lot. Since the bites don't go away quickly and I'm a terrible hypochondriac, I always worry that I've caught some strange disease. Were there bedbugs in the hotel? Did I eat tainted food? Did I sit next to the wrong person on the plane? Of course not. These almost have to be mosquito or chigger bites because I've experienced the same thing every time I go to Florida. The bites usually go away in about a week.

On the way back from the doctor I had to stop at the bank and get some documents out of my safe deposit box for tomorrow's driver's license renewal. Something must have changed in the law because I've never needed so much documentation before. I used to just renew my license by mail. The weird thing is that I already have a Real ID, so DPS should know exactly who I am. The letter I got for my appointment said to bring two forms of ID to prove I'm a US citizen, two forms of ID to prove I'm a Texas resident, an original Social Security card, and the title to my car. I've had numerous background checks run on me since I visit military bases to watch launches. Seems very strange that it's easier to visit high security areas at Kennedy Space Center than it is to get a Texas driver's license. At any rate, I've got a pile of documents now and hope I have everything I need. I definitely don't want to have to do this again.

When I returned home I mowed the grass in the back yard and then I took my long walk. The yard looks much better now, although there are still a few dead spots where the roofers left pallets of material while they were working. The grass will grow back quickly and I'll have to mow again pretty quickly as well. At least the new batteries I bought for the mower worked. I'll try to mow the front yard tomorrow.

I finally threw away my worn out Hoka shoes and broke in a new pair on my long walk today. These shoes are comfortable and help with my foot pain, but I sure wish they lasted longer. I've had hiking boots that can be resoled for a lifetime, but any type of sneaker is basically a throw away item. If you're active, you're lucky if they last a year. I was exceptionally slow on my walk today. I got started late and the  weather was hotter than I expected. My feet bothered me as well, but mostly I was just tired. I mentioned to the doctor this morning that I don't have as much energy as I used to. He just laughed and told me I was getting old.

Maybe Dawn did miss me while I was gone. She seems a little friendlier toward me now. One of these days we'll finally be friends. Hopefully there will be no problems with my driver's license renewal tomorrow. I need that license to travel. I also need to get started on my Axiom-2 article soon. There is no rush deadline this time, but I promised my editor that I'd get him something by Friday. Right now I just need to get some sleep.

Willie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4874

Life is back to normal. Dawn seems happy that I am walking her again. Only a dog could appreciate a regular routine more than me. After our early walk with Dawn, we had a big weekend breakfast and then I did my Saturday grocery shopping. I only went to one store today and managed to find everything I needed. I should do this more often. Shopping is a lot easier when you don't have to visit multiple stores. I probably won't be able to do this again next week because I didn't need shop towels, laundry detergent, orange juice or my favorite beer today. Sam's Club still has the best prices on bulk items and Central Market is the only place that sells fresh squeezed, cold press juices. Today I only went to Tom Thumb.

It didn't take long to unpack my bags and put everything away. It pays to travel light. I did all my laundry from the trip and put that away as well. Now I'm ready to go again. The only thing preventing me from taking another trip to Kennedy Space Center is the expense. I'm getting ahead of myself though. I haven't been approved yet for any future launches and I'm too tired to go anywhere anyway. I sleep better and eat a lot healthier when I'm at home. Even though I got to bed late last night, I slept better than I have all week.

The weather was nice today. It was chilly when we took Dawn on her sunrise walk, but it warmed up to the mid 60's later in the day. This is perfect walking weather. I don't need a heavy coat and I don't get hot and sweaty either. The park looks great this Spring. With all the rain we've had lately, there is an abundance of wildflowers and the native prairie grasses in the meadows are lush and green. I need to enjoy this while I can. By July or August all these areas will look parched and dry.

The baby owls must still be in their nest because all the bird photographers were back this morning. The park department has posted signs that say "do not disturb, sensitive nesting area," but nobody reads signs anymore. Photographers still surround the tree with the nest. I wish people would leave the animals alone. They are constantly feeding the ducks bread, which is very bad for them. Today I saw a little kid try to pick up a turtle. Luckily his mother told him to stop. It was a snapping turtle.

I made good time on my long walk today. It aways helps when the weather is nice. It's probably time to retire my current pair of Hoka shoes. They don't provide enough support anymore and are slowly starting to disintegrate. A good pair of hiking boots will last a lifetime. A pair of running shoes is lucky to last a year. I've already got a replacement pair of Hokas, but I'm trying to get as much use out of the old pair as possible.

It looks like the weather will be nice again tomorrow, so Dawn will get her Sunday outing. We've had a lot of rain, so hopefully the park we go to on Sunday won't be muddy. I'll go mall walking again tomorrow as well. The park is great, but it's still nice to have a change of pace every once in a while. The Falcon Heavy launch I went down to Florida to see has been rescheduled for tomorrow evening. I'll watch that on the Space X live feed. The weather down there is still iffy, so we'll see if the launch gets scrubbed again.

Parker is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4778

I'm getting apprehensive about the weather again. We're supposed to get a lot of rain and possibly even snow tomorrow. This means that the roof will inevitably start leaking and I'll be back to square one with my cleanup efforts. To say that I'm getting tired of this would be an understatement. At this point I just hope the forecast is wrong. It often is.

Today was a another day of long walks and paying bills. I extended my 20,000 step streak to six days. I think that's a record for me. It's going to be hard to make it a full week though if it rains tomorrow. We'll see what happens. I hate the thought of driving to the gym in the rain tomorrow, but I can't just sit around the house all day. Walking brings a necessary structure to my life. I need to keep walking.

It's time to start working on my taxes again. I had a talk with my accountant today about whether it was time to stop filing as a business. Am I retired or not? I'm certainly busy enough. I still build and maintain animal rescue websites and I regularly write for SpaceFlight Magazine. The British magazine even calls me their U.S. Correspondent now. The only problem is that I'm not making any money. I think a business has to make money at least two years out of five. I need to find a gig with a magazine that actually pays for content. Easier said than done though. Especially when all you want to write about is astronomy and space. The magazine industry is not very healthy. I used to receive a ton of trade magazines at the house. Most of them are out of business now.

All the extra walking I'm doing is killing my feet. I probably need to retire my current pair of Hoka shoes and break out a new pair. I have one fairly new pair of Bondi 7 shoes that I just use when I travel and a brand new pair that I got just before they discontinued this style. My current shoes still feel comfortable but I'm sure they are not providing the support I need. The soles and heal areas are completely worn out. It's too bad that sneakers don't last like boots. I've got twenty year old hiking boots that are in better shape than my two year old Hokas.

Tonight there was a conjunction of Venus and Saturn right after sunset that astronomer friends said was a must see event. It's not happening. It was clear for most of the day, but clouds have rolled in and the skies are overcast now. This is probably the beginning of the bad weather that is supposed to start later tonight. There is also a green comet in the northern skies that people are talking about. I'll probably never find this. I had trouble finding Neowise a few years ago and it was much brighter. Lately my only connection with astronomy is testing the Benro Polaris star tracker every time a new firmware update comes out.

We were thinking about visiting the rescue Dalmatians this Wednesday but we'll wait and see what the weather is like. It's a long drive to this new kennel and it looks like we'll be playing with them outdoors instead of indoors like we did at the old kennel. Weather and rain will be an issue. I have a feeling that we won't end up visiting every week like we used to. We'll figure out something though. Janet and I still think socializing the dogs is important.

There's nothing on the agenda for tomorrow. I'll probably spend most of the day fretting about roof leaks.

Chloe is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4503

I had to pick up some prescriptions while I was grocery shopping this morning and out of curiosity I asked the pharmacist if I would save any money if I used GoodRx instead of my prescription drug plan. "Well, let's see," she said. The pharmacist picked a random bottle out of my order and looked it up. "This would cost you $3.65 using GoodRx and $34 using your Supplemental Part-D plan. I was shocked. "So why am I paying all this money every month for my prescription drug plan," I asked? The pharmacist just shrugged. "A lot of people are just using GoodRx these days," she said. Looks like I'll be adding another app to my phone.

Smartphone apps have taken over the world. They're cheaper and more efficient than employees and everyone wants you to use them. Janet wanted me to pick up something at the store that she said was on sale. I returned without it, because it wasn't on sale after all. "You have to use the coupon on the store's app," Janet said. "They scan it at the register and the price comes off your bill." Who knew? Janet has apps from dozens of different stores on her phone. I have none. Well, I guess I do have one, but even that app that lets me bypass the register at one store is starting to irritate me. I've learned how to do things a certain way and find it frustrating when I am forced to change.

It was even windier today than yesterday. I wonder what is causing this? At least we still get a decent amount of rain, so the wind doesn't cause wildfires like it does out west. Our part of the country seems to be in some sort of a sweet spot where the climate isn't changing as rapidly as it is in other parts of the country. Temperatures are getting much hotter out West. They are actually getting a little cooler here.

It was nice and cool today. If it wasn't for the unrelenting wind, it would have been a very pleasant day for walking. I completed my full six miles this afternoon, but foot problems definitely slowed me down. I can't decide if the Hoka boots or the lighter Hoka running shoes are more comfortable. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Basically, the last mile is hard no matter what I'm wearing.

It's been interesting to watch the construction of the new bike trail through the park. Whoever is building this thing is much more efficient than the highway department. I've been amazed at how fast the construction is proceeding and how nice the results look. It looks like the entire project will be finished by early Summer, just like they promised. The only bad thing about this new super trail is that it will bring even more bicycles to the park. Bicycles and dog walkers don't mix well. We always have to keep any eye out for bicycles when we are walking Dawn. She likes to meander from one side of the trail to the other following the best smells. Bicycles are silent and deadly. We always have to make sure that Dawn isn't wandering into their path. It seems to be an unwritten rule that bicycles never slow down for anymore.

I tried to learn a few more features of the star tracker camera this afternoon. It would be nice to just take one camera out to the observatory and this one has to go with the star tracker. Once again I'm faced with the issue of learning new things. I know the camera I use for taking dog pictures backwards and forwards. This new one, not so much. The menu structure on these two cameras is completely different even though they can share lenses. I may end up having to take both cameras because the learning curve on the new one is a bit steeper than I'd hoped.

I got Chinese take out for dinner again. This time I checked my order at the restaurant to make sure that I was actually taking home what I ordered. This week has gone quickly. It's almost time for Dawn's Sunday outing again. Hopefully, it won't be quite so windy tomorrow.

Wyatt is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4500

Yay. Only 500 days to go. Why I ever took on this 5000 day challenge is lost in the mists of time, but I think I'm going to make it. 500 days is less than two years. Back when blogging was popular readers were impressed when I posted something 500 days in a row. Now that I'm closing in on 5000 days nobody cares. I don't even care myself. It's just something I do everyday like taking a long walk. Maybe the writing is beneficial, but it's a little late now to discover it's not.

I got a haircut today. I always feel better after a haircut and tend to get one before every major trip. When I was much younger I wore my hair a lot longer. That makes no sense to me now. Beards make even less sense. It all seems so messy. I kind of miss the days when I put on a suit to go to client meetings. Life seems way too casual now. People don't even wear suits to church anymore. A certain amount of formality is good for you. It adds a layer of structure to the chaos all around you.

With these attitudes it's no surprise that I didn't celebrate 4/20 today. I've never liked pot. I've never liked any form of hallucinogens. I think I've tried almost everything at least once, but that was enough. Why would you want an altered state of consciousness? Life is a rollercoaster ride full of nuances and complexities. I prefer to be alert and functional to take it all in.

I picked up my new boots at the REI store on my way home from getting a haircut. They look like what I need, but I haven't tried them on yet. Janet was surprised that I didn't wear them on my long walk today. All in good time. I'm never in a hurry to do anything. I'll wear them on at least one long walk before I leave on my trip. I'd hate to discover that these shoes hurt my feet when I'm on top of a mountain in West Texas. One good thing about Hoka shoes is that you don't really need to break them in. They feel about the same on the first day you wear them as the day you decide they are finally worn out.

This is the windiest Spring I can remember. I cut short my long walk today because the wind was blowing me off the trail. For some reason the wind is even stronger down by the lake. When I was walking into the wind it was hard to make any forward progress. At any rate, I only walked half my normal route today. That was plenty. I didn't really feel like going a long way anyway. I think I overdid it yesterday.

Janet said the Dawn did really well in training class tonight. You can tell that she has grown to like these classes. She is eager to go to class on Wednesday evenings now and has even made friends with some of the other dogs. She has also gotten really good at the obedience exercises. Maybe dogs need a little structure in their lives as well.

The ants are back. We get them every Spring. They don't stick around long, but when they arrive it seems like an invasion. I'm going to have to go buy some more bug spray and go around the outside of the house and cut off as many entry areas as I can. By May the ants are usually gone, but right now it seems like they could win this battle.

I don't have any plans for tomorrow. I'll try to think of something. I don't really want taking the trash out to the curb to be the big event of the day.

Wilson is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4482

I'm making progress. I finally got the new Hoka shoes. The store that had the style I wanted was a little out of the way, but I made the trip part of this morning's grocery run and all was well. I asked the sales guy why this shoe never went on sale. "Because it's popular," he said. "We don't need to put this one on sale." Honest answer, I guess. I'm sure this is probably how all sales work.

The weather was just about perfect today. The sky was clear. The temperature was in the low 70's. And there wasn't much wind. I would have enjoyed walking further today if it weren't for my persistent foot problems. I did what I could though. A little over 18,000 steps today.

I think my seasonal allergies are finally going away. I don't have as much congestion at night and I can make it through the day without going through a roll of blue Scott shop towels. I hope this isn't some cruel April Fool's joke. I'm really getting tired of watering eyes and a constantly dripping nose.

It's amazing how quickly everything turned green. There are small leaves on most of the trees now and I'm starting to see some wildflowers. The pecan trees are still pretty bare, but they are always a little later than the other trees. With such nice weather, it's kind of a mystery why the wildflowers are so sparse this year. Maybe I'm just not looking in the right places.

I woke up last night remembering that I never sleep well when I travel. How quickly we forget. I need to start remembering some of the more positive aspects of traveling. There really are a lot of positive aspects, but all I can think about now is how tired I get and how glad I usually am to be back home.

I think I would enjoy rocket launches more if I actually lived in Titusville. It's a nice sleepy little town, filled with retired NASA workers. I don't think this part of Florida gets nearly as many hurricanes as the Panhandle or the Tampa area. There are still alligators though. Dallas is nice, but it's getting way too crowded. People move here because there are still lots of jobs. I moved here because of job opportunities myself, but this isn't nearly as important when you are retired. Sleepy little towns have a certain appeal when you aren't constantly looking for clients.

I could tell that Dawn was getting hot on her afternoon walk. I don't think she's going to enjoy walking as much this Summer. I don't think I'll enjoy walking this Summer either. It doesn't seem like I'm able to regulate my temperature as well as I used to. I'm always either too cold or too hot. It's very rare that the temperature seems just right. Today was one of those rare days.

I need to start packing soon. I like to travel light, so I am always forgetting things. I always remember to take my daily meds with me, but there are lots of other things in the medicine cabinet that I forget. You've got to remember to take things like Q-tips, Neosporin, Visine, bug spray, toothpaste, and much more. I usually take too many coats and not enough toiletries. Sometimes I forget to take enough socks as well.

We had Chinese take-out for dinner again. I don't know why Chinese take-out is so appealing, but it's usually our go-to meal when we don't feel like cooking. Ice cream cones sound appealing for tomorrow. It looks like it's going to be a good day for Dawn's Sunday outing. I just hope it won't be too hot.

Miracle is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4429

We got off to a slow start today. Dawn froze on her morning walk and refused to move. This hasn't happened in ages. It's been so long since Dawn froze on a walk that we thought this behavior was ancient history. Usually Dawn will start following Janet if she starts walking away, but not today. We tried everything we could think of to get her interested in walking but all she wanted to do was go back to the house. Later in the afternoon we tried the same walk all over again and had no problems whatsoever. Go figure. 

When Dawn first began to freeze in place we didn't know whether she was having a small seizure or was just being extremely stubborn. We still don't know. She's always fine as soon as we return home. At least we were close to the house this time. Once on a walk I had to leave Janet with Dawn and walk over a mile home to get the car so we could retrieve Dawn and get her back to the house again. We've asked several vets what this all means but it seems like a mystery to them too.

I did even less today than I did yesterday. I paid some bills and made an appointment to get a haircut. Other than my perpetual long walk, that was about it. I got a letter from NASA this morning asking me to fill out a survey so they could assess my needs at the Artemis 1 launch before they made a final credentialing decision. I don't know if this means I'm about to get a press pass or not. The letter did say that completing the survey did not guarantee getting credentialed. I'll just have to wait and see. It does appear that NASA is expecting a lot of people for this historic launch. My best hope for getting accepted is if Covid fades away before the launch takes place. I never had a problem getting a press pass before all the Covid restrictions began.

I wish I hadn't gotten apprehensive about going up on the roof. I know there's still water up there and it doesn't evaporate very fast in the winter. It's discouraging to see brown stains begin to reappear on the living roof ceiling. I worked really hard to get rid of those stains less than a month ago. The roof does better if I go up and remove all the standing water right after a big rain, but I think my recent apprehension is warranted. My sense of balance just isn't as good as it used to be. Bad feet and a weak knee don't help either.

At least I can still walk. I had another 20,000 step day and I wasn't really trying. I wish I could find a source for the Hoka hiking boots. I know if I just go ahead and buy another pair of Hoka running shoes like I've got now, the boots will suddenly reappear and be available everywhere. These shoes really do help my feet but they don't last very long. High end running shoes never last very long. I'm used to keeping a pair of leather boots for decades. I've had boots that I've resoled five or six times. You can't do that with flimsy running shoes. You are real lucky if they last a year.

I added Jo Jo to the rescue website today and marked several dogs as adopted. This is the only website I work on anymore. There used to be dozens of websites that I actively maintained and website maintenance kept me busy every single day. The days of old fashioned static sites are over and my programming skills are deteriorating. I had a good run while it lasted though. It's weird to see a profession slipping away. I'll be able to keep writing forever, but I just don't have the desire to keep up with all the changes in website design. Today's dynamic sites are much more complicated than they used to be. Actually, everything in life seems more complicated than it used to be.

Tomorrow I get a haircut and Dawn gets her annual exam at the vet on Thursday. I'm trying to stick with doing one thing a day. It keeps life simpler.

Taylor is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4374

My FedEx package still hasn't arrived. Actually I think it is even more lost than it was yesterday. After I initiated a trace on the package, I received a message saying that duplicate tracking numbers had been found. One of the identical numbers appeared to originate from Oregon and the other from New Jersey. I was asked which of these numbers was correct. How would I know? I have called Fedex for help numerous times but the only people I am able to talk to are contract call center workers based in another country. They don't know any more than I do. I tried to contact the distribution warehouse myself and eventually found their website. It was filled with a seemingly endless list of one star reviews written by people who were experiencing the same shabby treatment that I'm getting. One person had discovered an unlisted direct line to the warehouse and posted it on the site. When I called the number, nobody answered. FedEx used to be good. Now, it appears that nobody cares. Packages are lost routinely and drivers just make up excuses why they weren't able to make a delivery. I'm not sure if I will ever get my package.

I'm continuing to walk even though my feet are starting to hurt again. Foot pain was pretty bad today even though I'm wearing my newest pair of Hoka shoes. I know I walk a lot, but these shoes should definitely last more than six months. At least it was a nice day for walking. The temperature really varies a lot from day to day. Yesterday was cold. Today was so warm that I didn't even need to wear a jacket. I actually think I made good time today, but I forgot to wear my Fitbit. I hate when that happens. Now I don't get any credit for two hours of exercise.

The photo backdrop we used for the Santa Paws events finally got washed today. Now that it is clean, I'll take it back to the storage warehouse and probably forget where it is when I we need it again next year. It is hard to believe that Christmas is so close. Where has this year gone? We still haven't decided what to have for Christmas dinner. Last year we had a crown roast. The year before we had a smoked ham. Often we go out to eat on holidays, but Christmas Day isn't a good time to go to a restaurant. 

It looks like Dalmatian Rescue is getting two five month old puppies. I don't know if these dogs will be at the kennel next Monday, but it will be fun to meet them when they arrive. We haven't had any puppies in the program for a long time. I guess Oliver is still a young dog, but he is definitely not a puppy.

I don't know why the missing FedEx package bothers me so much. My life isn't going to change much even if I never receive the package. I guess I just hate when things are out of my control. I feel totally powerless to resolve this situation. I've called again and again and nobody seems to care. The entire company seems to be run by a bar code reader. Once something is scanned and in the system the scan becomes the reality. If your own eyes are telling you something different it just doesn't matter. Even today, someone on the phone told me that the package was at the FedEx Print Center and ready to pick up. Umm. No it isn't. I've already been to this store twice and called them again this morning. They are getting tired of hearing from me too.

I finally got a lead on a good contractor from someone I trust. Hopefully we can start fixing a few things around the house soon. Of course "soon" for a busy contractor might mean three to six months from now. Hey, at least I've moved the ball forward a few inches. 

Jasper is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4341

It's hard to dress properly for my walks at this time of year. It was really cold when I got up this morning. I ended up wearing long underwear and a sweater under my jacket on our sunrise walk with Dawn. After breakfast it felt considerably warmer, so I ditched the long underwear and just wore a light fleece jacket on my long walk. By the time I was on my last mile it felt so warm that I finished the walk in shirt sleeves. It was a nice day though. The skies were clear and the recent storm seemed to have cleared out all the pollen in the air. I don't think my seasonal allergies are over yet, but it's nice to have a day of reprieve from the watering eyes and dripping nose.

I always see something interesting on my walks. Today I saw somebody walking a ferret on a leash. This must have been quite a hike for the little ferret. The pair were at least a mile from any car or house. I also see a guy walking his cat in a harness from time to time. How do you even get a cat to wear a harness and walk on a leash?

I had no plans for today. I thought I'd buy another pair of Hoka shoes with a 20% off REI coupon that was going to expire soon. It turned out that the shoes were just about the only thing that the coupon wasn't good for. Oh, well. I searched the Internet and found the Hoka store, where the shoes I wanted were almost half price. When I went to check out on Paypal, it turned out that this wasn't a real Hoka store after all. It was some weird Chinese company that sold electromechanical equipment. Something seemed really fishy about this, so I canceled the sale. It's hard to trust the Internet these days. This place was probably selling counterfeit shoes or maybe they would just take your money and claim that the shoes were lost on a container ship in the Pacific. I guess I'll wait until the shoes go on sale in a real store here in Dallas.

It's hard for me to remember what day it is on Friday. I went through half the day thinking it was Saturday.  Maybe this is because Janet does her grocery shopping on Friday now. We both used to do our shopping on Saturday. I started thinking that I need to do my shopping too, but then I finally remembered what day it was. I think Dawn remembers what day it is better than I do. All I have to do is say "It's grocery day" and Dawn jumps off the bed and runs to the front door to greet Janet when she returns.

The Starlink launch I was going to watch this morning got postponed until tomorrow morning. These frequent changes aren't a big deal when you are watching a live stream on your computer, but they can make travel a real problem. I've had several launches get postponed after I made the trip to Kennedy Space Center or Vandenberg Air Force Base. Usually I can extend my stay a day or two, but occasionally I've had to come home seeing nothing. I've also driven all the way out to McDonald Observatory only to find clouds and rain when I got there. It makes me wonder why I've chosen these two frustrating activities as my favorite things to do. 

Tomorrow is grocery day. At least it's my grocery day. This is about the only time I use the car anymore. I'll get my shopping done early and then take another walk. You'd think I could find something more interesting to do on the weekend, but that's not going to happen. These days if I manage to get out of bed and get dressed, I consider the day a success.

Jada is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4321

I got the grocery shopping done early this morning to avoid the crowds. I wish I'd discovered this plan a long time ago because it works like a charm. Nobody appears to want to do their shopping early on a Saturday morning. There wasn't a lot on my list this week, but I had trouble finding something for dinner tonight that wouldn't give me heartburn and we would both like. I settled on chicken pot pies, risotto, and brussel sprouts. We'll see if that works. Very little does these days. Last night I had terrible heartburn and didn't get a lot of sleep.

I'm continually amazed at how much traffic there is in Dallas now. It's not the same city that we moved to in the late 1970's. The place feels more like Los Angeles now. It's not surprising that I don't like to drive. When I was younger I lived in the city because it was a great place for business. There were opportunities everywhere and I did well. Now I live in the city because the healthcare resources are so much better than in a small town. Living out in the country is so much more peaceful though as long as you stay healthy. I guess I'll never know if I made the right choice.

It was pleasant outside when we took Dawn's sunrise walk, but by the time I finished my grocery shopping and was ready for my own longer walk, it was already too hot. I thought our summer weather was over, but it was pretty warm this afternoon. It is Fall though. Some of the trees are starting to turn, but it doesn't look like we are going to get a lot of color this year. Usually there are already a lot of leaves on the ground by now. This year is different and most trees are still green. I guess we won't be going to the fair this year. The State Fair is already over. Where did the time go?

My foot pain issue seems to have resolved itself. I'm walking normally again without any pain medication.  I'm always going to have issues with my feet because there isn't much cartilage left to cushion the old bones. The Hoka shoes allow me to keep moving though. They are so much better than anything else I've tried. The only problem is that they don't last very long. I guess I'll just have to get used to buying shoes more often. Running shoes and hiking boots are not the same thing. I've had hiking boots that have lasted for decades.

I watched the Ariane 5 launch in French Guiana this evening. Next up for this rocket is the 10 billion dollar James Webb Telescope which will launch this December. I imagine that there is a lot of pressure to see that this launch goes perfectly. The huge telescope has been under development since 1996 and has endured numerous delays and complications. There is no backup for this mission. If the launch fails, decades of work and billions of dollars go down the drain. I'm always amazed when complex missions like this work as planned. I can't even get my car or our furnace to work perfectly.

The weather looks good for tomorrow, so we'll be taking Dawn on her Sunday outing again. I wonder if Dawn gets bored doing the same things over and over again. She seems excited to take this slightly different walk, but also a bit apprehensive. I guess I understand. I'm the same way about doing new things, even when they aren't very new anymore.

Freckles is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4314

I woke up this morning with terrible foot pain. What have I done? This was the right foot which had never given me problems before. It was the left foot that I went to see the foot doctor about. My foot didn't appear red or swollen, but I could hardly put any weight on it at all. Since I couldn't get back to sleep, I applied some Voltaren cream to the sore area, took two Tylenol, and transferred the orthotics from my old Hoka shoes to the new ones.

It was odd that the pain came at night while I was sleeping. I felt a little better when I was wearing the new shoes, so I thought I'd try going along on Dawn's sunrise walk. That didn't work very well. I couldn't keep up with Dawn and Janet and quickly decided to turn around and go home. It was a shame that I didn't feel better, since the weather was beautiful.

Eventually, the pain started to subside. I think the new shoes helped, but maybe it was the arthritis cream and the Tylenol that did the trick. By the time we finished breakfast, I felt like I could still do my Saturday grocery shopping. I guess my old Hoka shoes were pretty worn out, because the new ones kept my feet in a lot better position. I wasn't walking on the edge of my feet anymore. As the day progressed, the pain gradually became a background noise. It still hurt, but I could deal with it. By mid-afternoon I felt it would be OK to take a short walk. I walked slowly and carefully, eventually completing about two miles. It did feel that putting weight on my feet felt better than resting in bed.  This didn't make any sense, but I was happy to be feeling better. 

Things are definitely getting more expensive. I was surprised at how much I spent filling the car with gas this morning. Everything seems to go up a little with each passing week. You have to wonder how this is going to end. Inflation basically hurts everybody. I didn't do any panic buying today, but I did pick up a big package of toilet paper. The toilet paper aisle was starting to look a little bare. Better safe than sorry, I thought. Hopefully the top of the cedar chest in the entryway won't start to look like it did during the early days of the pandemic. You never know though. I'll buy what's needed and am just going to take this one week at a time.

I guess I'll take some more Tylenol before I go to bed tonight and hope that the pain doesn't return. The Dalmatian Rescue golf tournament is tomorrow but I don't feel like I'm in any shape to spend the day photographing golfers. I'll stay home with Dawn while Janet goes to the tournament. This is good in a way, since we would have had to board Dawn if we both went to the tournament. Dawn may have other ideas. I'm sure she wishes that I was gone for the day instead of Janet.

It's a shame that I couldn't walk further today because the weather was absolutely perfect. The temperature was in the low sixties for most of the day and the cold front seemed to sweep away a lot of the pollen in the air. I mostly just hung around the house this afternoon. I watched a replay of the Lucy launch. I would have liked to be there but if I'm going to have a foot problem it's much better to be home. I seldom wear shoes inside the house, but I kept the Hoka's on all day. The support they provided helped a lot.

Dawn won't get her Sunday outing tomorrow unless we decide to go later in the day after Janet returns. She's a lazy dog and will be content just napping on the bed unless I decide to take a nap next to her.

Camp is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day