Day 3857

After I processed some of the pictures I took last night in Photoshop, I discovered that the comet was there after all. It was exactly where I had been looking, but was too dim to see even with binoculars. So much for astronomy in the city. It's hard to see anything through the perpetual haze. I was a little surprised that my camera captured something I couldn't see with my own eyes, but my eyes can't seem to manage an eight second exposure. This comet is pretty dim. It makes me miss those dark skies of West Texas.

I looked for the comet again tonight but the sky was cloudy toward the Northwest. No luck today.  I did manage to see the ISS as it flew overhead around 9 PM. Unlike comet Neowise, the space station is bright enough to cut through patchy clouds. Every time I see the station it is coming from a different direction. I still have this simpleminded notion that the space station should travel in a predictable path like the planets. Nope. The ISS definitely is predictable because I have an app on my phone that shows where it is at any given time. I just can't wrap my head around orbital mechanics. Maybe that's why I went into advertising.

We got started on our morning walk before daylight again. Today there was no breeze though. Even though it was cloudy, we all got hot fairly quickly. Dawn got excited when she spotted a rabbit, but after that she let us know that she wanted to take the short route home and we were happy to comply. I'll be glad when Summer is over. Every day seems like Ground Hog Day. We just do the same things over and over again.

I think I missed my chance to finish the roof repairs. It's way too hot to go up on the roof these days. I hope my expensive bucket of silicon material stays good until the weather cools down again. I hate to waste this stuff. There are so many things that need attention around the house, but it's almost impossible to get motivated. Covid life is basically just walking and fixing meals.

I find myself looking at telescopes on the Internet a lot now. Buying a nice telescope is tempting, but somewhat foolish at this point. Where would I use it? Light pollution in Dallas is terrible and I hate the idea of a long drive out to the country every time I want to look at the stars. An astronomy club here in Dallas owns some land up in Oklahoma where there are dark skies. Members can use the site for observing, but that's a really long drive. Probably going to Mcdonald Observatory several times a year is a better plan. Oops, I forgot. The observatory is closed.

Clearly I'm not the only person interested in the new Ford Bronco. My newsfeed is filled with articles now. It's weird that Ford seemed to get this retro 4x4 thing right, while Land Rover missed with their new Defender. I waited for years for the new Defender to arrive and now I don't want one. It's too expensive for a utility vehicle and I don't like the styling. So far I like almost everything about the Bronco.

When New York was having a lot of problems with the virus, I kept thinking that Texas had dodged a bullet. Apparently it just wasn't our turn yet. Florida is even in worse shape than we are. I wonder if I'm ever going to get to return to Kennedy Space Center. It's a waiting game now. Janet and I sit here and make plans for things that just aren't going to happen for quite a while.

Laura is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3818

Today was futile task day. I tried and failed to fix a security light in the driveway. I think I discovered the problem though. Wasps had built a nest inside the motion sensor. I managed to kill the wasps, but the bug spray probably didn't do what remained of the sensor any good. I thought I'd get rid of a few more wasp nests while I was outside, but they build them back so fast that I don't know why I even bothered.

My big task for the day was cleaning the atrium. I managed to pry open the broken sliding glass door just wide enough for me to squeeze inside with a broom and a bottle of Windex. I tried to lubricate the door tracks with a silicon spray designed for balky garage doors, but it didn't do much good. One, or perhaps several, of the track wheels have broken and jam when you try to move the door. The atrium does look better now. It's just impossible to use as it was intended. I probably won't try to open the door again for another six months. I'm always afraid it will become permanently jammed in an open position. Since there appears to be nobody in creation who is able to fix this oversize sliding glass door, this would be very bad.

We figured out that we would have to leave at 5 AM to beat the morning runners and cyclists on our walk with Dawn. That would get us home at 7 AM when the morning rush usually starts. We left at 6 AM this morning and the trails were quiet for a while. The tranquility didn't last though. By the time we returned home the park was packed. The good thing about these early walks is that the weather is still cool enough for Dawn. She did well today and we felt good about completing our full five miles.

I still take an afternoon walk, although I don't really know why. It is very hot and there are far to many people in the park. I still keep my distance from these people, but clearly nobody cares about social distancing anymore. There are large groups having picnics and crowds routinely gather around the ice cream truck and the kayak rental stand. After all the mass protests, I think it will be impossible to institute another lockdown if there is a second wave of virus infections. Everyone has moved on and they just don't care about the virus anymore. Very odd, since infections are still increasing in Texas.

It's time to mow the grass again but I just could bring myself to start the mower. The house feels like an old friend who has let me down. Everything is shabby and falling apart. It's hard to get excited about yard work and even harder to get excited about major renovations. We live in a neighborhood where virtually all the small houses like ours are eventually torn down to build McMansions when they are sold. It seems crazy to put a lot of money into a house that will just be torn down.

I saw the International Space Station for a final time this evening. I worked up my nerve to walk to a good viewing spot in the park with a pair of binoculars. It was a good thing that I brought the binoculars because the station was fairly dim this time. The sky was clear, but it was much further away. The first time I saw it on Thursday evening was definitely the best.

Maybe I'll try to contact Sky and Telescope and the Air Force media office tomorrow. I've been very patient. It's about time I heard something from these guys.

Domino is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3817

Another hot Summer day. The park was full of people early this morning, all trying to beat the heat. I like weekdays better. On Saturday, you realize that you really do live in a big city. It was worth the effort to take our sunrise walk though. Even though it was already eighty degrees, it was still the nicest time of the day.

I had to go to several stores to find butter today. How has a toilet paper shortage turned into a butter shortage? The whole supply chain still seems disrupted. All four stores I visited during my weekly shopping run were very busy. Dallas seems to have decided that the pandemic is over. I guess we'll see fourteen days from now whether they were right. Even though it seemed like a normal Saturday, I felt a bit uncomfortable being around so many people. It wasn't a fear of the virus that made me uneasy. Maybe I'm just tired of living in a city. I miss the wide open spaces and quiet emptiness of West Texas.

I went with Janet today when she took Dawn on her regular car training trip. We went to another nearby park and walked around for a while. This is the place where we used to take Dot and Dash for training classes. We want to get Dawn familiar with this place, so that when training classes resume sometime later this Summer we can take Dawn. I'm a little apprehensive but Janet thinks she'll enjoy the experience. On the way home from this little excursion, we stopped for ice cream cones. Dawn loves ice cream. I have a feeling that all dogs love ice cream.

I don't know why I even bother to take an afternoon walk anymore. It's way too hot now. I guess it's just a good way to kill time. If I stayed home, I'd be compelled to start some household repair project I've been trying to ignore. It's always nice to get 20,000 steps too. Such a simple life. What did you do today? Oh, I took 20,000 steps.

There was another chance to see the International Space Station this evening, but this time the path the station took was obscured by trees in the back yard. I would have had to walk about half a mile into the park to get a clear view. Never mind. I don't need to see the ISS again. Not now anyway. It's a shame that I don't feel comfortable walking alone in the park after dark. I enjoy the night. I just don't enjoy living in the city.

I applied for NASA media credentials to attend the Mars Perseverance launch in late July. I'm not terribly optimistic about my chances, especially since coronavirus cases seem to be spiking up in Florida again. I haven't heard from the Air Force yet, so maybe one of these two alternatives will work out. I know a few people are still getting launch access, but most of them seem to live in Florida. I've learned to never give up though. If you want something, you've got to keep trying.

I wonder when I'll be able to resume going to the gym on Sunday? Janet has already gone to her gym twice but mine hasn't even set an opening date. The place is definitely not open tomorrow so it looks like I'll be taking more long walks.

Wendy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3816

I've seen the International Space Station fly over the house for two nights in a row. Last night it passed directly overhead and was very bright. I thought it might pass in front of the moon, but the station ended up traveling a little to the right before it was eventually obscured by clouds. Tonight the ISS appeared a little earlier while it was still twilight. It wasn't nearly as bright as last night, but was still easy to see. It's kind of amazing that there are five people aboard this swiftly moving bright little dot in the sky who are probably looking down at me. I think there will be a few more opportunities to view the station later this week. Maybe next time I'll try to view it with a telescope.

I noticed that Christo died a few days ago. He was one of my favorite artists. I met him once and still have a photo of Running Fence that he signed for me hanging in my office. I remember telling him that if he tied a string around this picture, it might become very valuble and he just laughed. I always admired Christo because his art was temporary. He and his wife often spent years getting permission to undertake one of his elaborate projects, but they only lasted a few weeks and then they were gone. Christo's projects were totally unnecessary, but grand in scale and strangely inspiring. This art also introduced me to the Maysles Brothers, who filmed many of his projects. Watch their Running Fence documentary sometime. The almost insurmountable struggle to build this beautiful 24 mile white nylon fence will make you realize that almost anything is possible.

Not a whole lot seemed possible for me today. It was simply too hot. We got started very early on our morning walk, but Dawn was panting by the time we returned home. We may have to shorten her walks soon. She loves being outside, but Texas Summers can be brutal. Maybe three miles is plenty. We'll figure something out. I guess we could start a little earlier, but I do need some sleep. I'm still having trouble getting to bed at a reasonable hour.

This would be a good time to finish repairing the roof or plant some new grass in the back yard. It's hard to get motivated though. Most of the projects around the house don't really fix anything permanently. They just postpone the inevitable a little. Big home projects are for young people. When you are older, you realize that none of this really matters. It is the nature of things to wear out and fall apart.

It's time to go to the grocery store again tomorrow. Shopping has more or less returned to normal, except that there are still no Clorox Wipes and everybody wears masks. I wonder if wearing masks will last forever? I didn't think that taking your shoes off at the airport would last very long, but here we are. I have a feeling that some of the changes we are experiencing now will be permanent.

When I was out looking for the space station  I noticed that some of the exterior landscape lighting had burned out again. One more thing to add to a very long list of stuff to fix.

Scooby is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 3811

I watched the astronauts arrive at the International Space Station this morning. It must have taken them two hours to open the door to their spacecraft. These guys had a checklist for everything. Even the most minute proceedure was followed to the letter. I'm a methodical person, but this blew me away. I kept thinking that we should all be a bit more like this. If we had an exhaustive checklist for our daily activities and actually followed it, we could avoid so much trouble.

My checklist would be pretty basic. Make your bed every morning. Brush your teeth. Eat a decent breakfast. If you have a dog or a child, take care of their needs before your own. Don't be in a hurry. And never skip an item on your list. You get the idea. I'm a big believer in leading a disciplined life. I've always been suspicious of people who let their emotions get the best of them. Emotions aren't to be trusted. I'm much more comfortable when someone acts like Spock on those old Star Trek shows.

I think the past three months have been defined by strong emotions. First there was the fear caused by the coronavirus followed almost immediately by the anger caused by the death of George Floyd. I guess fear and anger are pretty basic. I get scared and angry too. I don't really think these emotions solve anything though. There's got to be a better way.

I cringe whenever I hear someone say "we're all in this together." Jeez. "Don't drag me into this," I think. I prefer to solve problems by withdrawing and thinking through things on my own. Of course, this kind of attitude will never solve the problems of society. At best it will only allow you to live outside of society. Is that so bad though? I felt happy when I was the only person inside the huge dome of the 107" telescope at the top of a lonely mountain in West Texas. I could live this way. Maybe I should have been a forest ranger. Is it really that hard to learn to love the sound of silence? Is it that hard to just mind your own business while you follow your own personal checklist?

Today's checklist started with a walk with Dawn. The walk even comes before making the bed these days. The warmer the weather gets, the earlier we need to start. The weather is wonderful before the sun gets too high. I just need to figure out how to get more sleep. I've been going to bed late because I'm having trouble writing the blog. The blog is always the last thing on the checklist and I still want to get to Day 5000. It's not really enjoyable writing about a world falling apart though. I'd much rather write about visits to observatories and the joys of getting published in obscure little magazines.

I washed the car today. I'm not going anywhere, but I do like a clean car. We'll take Dawn on another long walk tomorrow morning. I like a happy dog too. Janet made pulled pork in the slow cooker, so there's tasty food for the rest of the week. Who knows. Maybe I'll even hear something from the Air Force about getting media accreditation. All in all, life is good.

Amy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1245

I'm not usually blown away by YouTube videos, but when I saw a weightless Chris Hadfield singing his own adaptation of David Bowie's classic Space Oddity directly from the International Space Station, it brought tears to my eyes. I've always been a big fan of David Bowie. I've been interested in space travel since I was a child. And I continue to think that Chris Hadfield has done more to interest a new generation about the importance of traveling beyond the confines of our blue planet than any astronaut since Neil Armstrong. The guy can sing too. The video was astounding. No special effects. He really was weightless and that really was the earth spinning majestically through the circular window over his head. Cudos to Hadfield's Canadian friends Emm Gryner and Joe Corcoran who did a fabulous job of building a beautiful full arrangement around the space station commander's vocals from space. I think this song should win some sort of special Grammy award for its sheer audaciousness alone.

My day, in stark contrast to this inspiring video, was pretty down-to-earth. I got up early, but it was still 10 AM before I finished walking the dogs and making myself a big bowl of oatmeal with fresh fruit. Things take a bit longer since I'm fixing the dogs their breakfast, giving them their daily meds, and washing and slicing the fruit for the day. Janet usually does these things before she leaves for work and I need to remember to thank her for taking care of these morning necessities as soon as she gets home.

A friend from the ad agency days called this morning while I was washing dishes. We used to spend our time talking about bold and audacious dreams and schemes. Now we mostly talk about our doctors and the mechanics of staying alive. My friend had a heart attack recently and you guys already know about my dodgy liver. It's funny how your focus shifts a bit once your health starts to deteriorate and a significant number of your friends and peers have passed away. You instinctively start to notice the things your other friends have done wrong and resolve to avoid making the same mistakes yourself. It's kind of sad, but kind of inspiring too. The survival instinct is strong. My friend and I made plans to have lunch at a new gluten free restaurant later in the week. I'm sure our conversation will include a few choice words about doctors, but at least we aren't as pitiful as another friend and I who typically spend our time talking about how long we can strap on our Fender guitars before recurring hand and back pain forces us to quit.

I was going to award the contract for the new roof today, but I got behind on my writing work and ran out of time. There's always tomorrow. Or maybe the day after tomorrow. This roof is so old and leaky now that I don't think a few days one way or the other is going to make any difference at all.

Haley is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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