Day 4725

Another cold and largely uneventful day. We slept in this morning so we didn't need flashlights and lighted collars on our early walk today. I would have preferred warmer weather, but it was actually a pretty nice day.

The leaks have stopped, but I think I'm going to be nervous about rain for the rest of the winter. The trouble with cold weather is that standing water on the roof never evaporates. I'm reluctant to continue climbing up on the roof to sweep the water away as well. The older I get, the clumsier I get. I really don't want to fall off the roof.

My one errand of the day was a trip to the bank. Something spooked Dawn just before I left, and I had trouble getting her back to the bedroom. This is her safe space. One of our earlier Dalmatians jumped through the living room window and cut himself badly trying to get a squirrel. A dog waiting for your return at the front door can always get out as well. I just don't like to take chances. Dawn is always gated in the bedroom before I leave the house. I lured her back to the bedroom with a few treats and was on my way.

Later, when I took my long walk, Dawn had no interest in leaving the bedroom. These walks are getting boring, but I generally still prefer them to going to the gym. Lots of people are looking for the eagles now that the location of the nest is known. I've been seeing them at least once a week lately. I still need to remember to take a better camera with me. You never know when they are going to be nearby.

Everyone is putting up their Christmas lights this week. White seems to be the popular color this year. I see very few colored lights. One family down the street from us went all out this year. They hired a crane to hang lights on their three story house. We've never put lights on the house. We're lucky just to get the tree up.

I didn't upgrade the star tracker after all today. It just seemed like too much trouble. I decided to watch Good Night Oppy on Amazon Prime instead. This documentary about the Spirit and Opportunity Mars rovers was quite good. I remember watching the landings on my computer. It definitely doesn't feel like eighteen years ago. I've met several people who work at the Jet Propulsion Lab. They all loved their work. The tradition of passing peanuts around for luck before a launch is real. When I was out at Vandenberg Air Force Base in 2015 to watch the SMAP launch, a group of JPL scientists who were nearby passed me a jar of peanuts and explained the tradition to me. The peanuts didn't work well that time because the satellite's radar unit stopped transmitting about three months after launch.

This week has gone quickly. I've already taken this week's trash out to the curb. We'll be doing Santa Paws  pictures this weekend, so I need to make sure my cameras and strobe lights are ready tomorrow. Hopefully nothing breaks and we have good weather for the events.

Jada is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4005

The rain arrived later than expected this morning, so we had time to walk Dawn after all. Our timing was pretty good because we were able to complete four miles and were almost home again before the first drops began to fall. It didn't take long to realize that the pumps weren't working correctly. I had to climb up on the roof and unclog one of them before I could eat my breakfast.

Rainy days are usually uneventful. I seldom leave the house and have no desire to start any major projects.  I puttered around the house and forgot what day it was several times. I still haven't taken the new dehumidifier out of the box but I did finally do a basic setup on my new camera. I wonder how long it will take me to start taking some pictures?

Janet was gone a lot today, so I worked on getting Dawn to learn how to do some basic things with me. The bedroom is her safe space and when Janet is gone, that's where she wants to stay. I had to put her on a leash to get her to go out in the back yard to pee. As soon as she was finished she ran to the back door and waited until I let her in so she could run to the bedroom again. She didn't even want to come out to the kitchen for lunch even though this is one of her favorite things when Janet is home. I do think we are making progress, but it is going very slowly.

The light rain stopped around mid-afternoon and I took my afternoon walk. Basically all I did today was walk. There were a few light sprinkles and I got a little wet, but it was fine. I enjoy watching the weather as long as there is not thunder and lightning. The clouds were moving swiftly today. By the time I returned home, the sky was starting to clear and I saw several large patches of blue among the clouds.

I got my editor's permission to share my new SpaceFlight Magazine article with my contacts at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California. I'm going to try to get myself invited out there to attend the Perseverance Rover Landing in February. I have no idea if they are even interested in having a little British magazine do an article about them, but it's worth a try. I have no idea what the Covid situation will be in February either. If things get worse, I might not even be allowed to travel to California.

A year ago at this time I was in New Orleans visiting the Michoud Assembly Facility. The first Artemis rocket had just been completed and would soon be on its way to the Stennis Space Center for testing. It was supposed to be on its way to the moon by now, but it is still sitting at Stennis. People in the space business must have a lot of patience. Delays and setbacks seem inevitable. Down in Boca Chica the next Starship prototype Space X was planning to test fell over inside the assembly building today. I don't think they were expecting that. I guess there is still plenty of time to see both of these rockets get off the ground. They're not going anywhere soon.

I doubt that I'll be going anywhere soon either. It's frustrating that Covid is still such a problem. You have to wonder how long it is going to take for this thing to die out and disappear. Even countries that were being held up as examples of how to do things right are having huge virus surges now. So far, the virus seems to be winning. We're definitely not going anywhere for Christmas. Janet ordered a Crown Roast from the butcher and we'll just have a nice Christmas dinner right here at home.

It's time to make my grocery list again. This week has gone quickly even though nothing happened. Next week I have two doctor's appointments and Dawn has a checkup at the vet. Such excitement on a wet December day.

Emmitt is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3259

I did a lot of laundry today and watched the Mars landing on NASA TV. That was about it. Of course there was poop to clean up, a walk in the park, and a large smoothie to drink, but these things happen every day. Mars landings and major cleaning efforts happen much less frequently.

I started watching Mars landings when the Spirit and Opportunity rovers made their debut in 2003. When I look up at Mars at night, it seems amazing to me that we can send things to this distant point of light. Traveling to a different city seems complex to me. It's hard to even imagine traveling 300 million miles and still arriving right on time. Maybe if I understood orbital mechanics a little better I might not have not have wound up in advertising. What I do definitely isn't rocket science.

I'm not sure if the solar panels have deployed yet, but the Insight mission appears to be a success. So few things in life work perfectly that I'm always impressed when anything goes exactly as planned. So many things could have gone wrong today, but they didn't. If my car worked as well as a Mars lander it would probably last 100 years. The space program proves that we actually do have the capacity to do things right. The reason that we don't have lawn mowers and cars built like the Insight lander is that nobody could afford them. Even though the space program is horribly expensive, it's cheap compared to all our senseless wars. I'd like to see fewer aircraft carriers and more Mars landers. Hopefully, I'll see a lander with a person in it while I'm still alive.

Dash was frustrated that he couldn't sleep on the bed while everything was being laundered today. Janet took the big, heavy comforter to a laundromat and I washed everything else at home. Everything looks crisp and new again. Even the pillows look good. It would sure be nice if Dash doesn't poop in the bed tonight. We need a few days to enjoy things the way they used to be.

The weather continues to be confusing. It was 34 degrees when we woke up this morning. Just a few days ago the temperature was almost 70. We'll probably go back and forth like this for the rest of the Winter. I just hope we don't get much snow. When I see the blizzard conditions in other parts of the country, it makes me glad I live in Texas. Dash had to wear a sweater this morning under all his other gear. He wasn't happy. It wasn't easy to get the sweater on because he wouldn't relax his legs so we could slip them through the armholes. I'm sure he doesn't enjoy all the time we spend dressing him to go outside, but it is necessary. The little guy likes his walks but he's pretty fragile these days.

Dash has a vet appointment scheduled on Wednesday, but I'm not sure what we'll do tomorrow. I certainly don't have much on my schedule. I'll have to say that I enjoyed watching the Insight landing today. I don't think I missed much by not being there in person. I wish there were more events like this. Watching a talented group of people accomplish the impossible is uplifting to me. It sure beats watching congress accomplish nothing.

Pepper is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3258

I was right about the leaves. It was very windy last night and a whole new batch of leaves have fallen. Oh, well. I kind of hope that the wind continues and blows all the leaves off the trees before the next rain. Dry leaves are much easier to remove from the roof. If I'm lucky, maybe the wind will do the job for me.

Dash almost made it through the night. Close is not always good enough unfortunately. By the time I cleaned up the poop, it was time to get up anyway. Janet stayed home and fixed breakfast while I walked Dash this morning. Lately, Dash won't go anywhere without Janet leading the way, but today was the exception. He was eager to hit the road this morning and didn't even notice that she wasn't with us. Dash really enjoys the cold more than I do. I thought the strong wind might blow him over, but he held his own and did just fine.

By the time I left for the gym after breakfast I felt like I'd already had a workout. Cleaning up poop isn't all that strenuous, but it feels that way sometimes. Lack of sleep is tiring. I couldn't really blame Dash for my restless night. Dash woke me up once. The other times were because of heartburn. I probably should have asked my doctor to schedule an endoscopy to examine my esophagus. Something isn't right. I've had problems with GERD in the past, but I thought that was all behind me.

There were some younger people at the gym today who made my own efforts to stay in shape seem pitiful by comparison. I'm always surprised that most people I see at the gym really seem to enjoy working out. When do the endorphins kick in? I'm persistent, but I never find much joy in exercise. Usually what sustains me is the thought of taking a nap when I get home.

I actually did take a nap today. It was the only way I could get Dash to settle down. He would follow me into the shower and then slip on the tile floors. He would try to get under my desk like he used to do and then get stuck. Usually when Dash follows me everywhere, he is tired and wants me to rest with him. He does not like to be alone anymore. Resting with Dash seemed like a fine idea today. It would have been an even better idea last night.

Later this afternoon I watched the Insight landing press conference at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Damn. I could have been asking questions at this press conference. Maybe someday. I shouldn't get discouraged about not making the cut for this NASA event. The timing wasn't right anyway. I'd still like to be a space groupie though. Hopefully NASA won't cut funding for these unique opportunities for bloggers like me to become reporters for a few days. I still remember my trip to Vandenberg Air Force Base and would really like to do this again sometime.

I fell asleep at the computer again. It's time to go to bed. Hopefully, the weather is a little warmer tomorrow.

Dot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3171

I sent in my application to join the InSight team at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for the spacecraft's November landing on Mars. A little while later, I received a conformation from NASA thanking me for my interest while telling me that I was application number 61005. Wow. The last time I did this in 2014, there were only several hundred applicants. Now there appear to be over sixty thousand. Times have definitely changed. I probably don't have a chance in hell of being selected. Only 30 people will be given social media credentials.

Hey, nothing ventured, nothing gained. At least I made an effort to venture out of my comfort zone and expand my horizons beyond picking up dog poop. We'll see what happens. If Dash's condition remains stable, everything should be fine. I had to decline an invitation to view an Orbital ATK Cygnus launch at Kennedy Space Center when Dot became very sick, but I'm going to remain positive for the moment. What have I got to lose? It would be pretty cool if I made the final cut.

Dash got me up several times last night, but he ate well today and seems to be in good spirits. So far, there has been no pooping in the house. Lets hope this continues. I wish Dash had more energy, but he's actually doing amazingly well, considering the severity of his heart condition. I wish there was a cure for Dash's heart problems and vestibular disease. There isn't. We do the best we can managing the symptoms, but it is stressful knowing that your faithful companion could die at any time.

One day at a time has become my motto. When you take things one day at a time, long-term goals become irrelevant. There are just good days and bad days. Today was a reasonably good day. Dash didn't fall down. He didn't poop in the house. And he seemed happy.

Dash's mood must have been contageous, because I felt pretty good as well. I got off my butt and applied for the NASA media credentials. I even had an appetite and went out and got some delicious barbecued ribs for dinner. This was probably my first mistake of the day. Damn. I've already got heartburn. I wish I had the discipline to eat like Janet does. Her post-cancer diet is about as healthy as you can get. I don't do so well. My health regimen is basically occasionally eating her leftovers.

This month has flown by. I can't believe it is almost Labor Day. Pretty soon I'll have to start watching out for School Zones again. I don't drive much, but wherever I go, there always seem to be lots of schools. It really slows things down when you get stuck in one of those lines of people waiting to pick up their kids. Traffic in the city seems to double when school is in session.

I set the bar pretty low, but I think I was adventurous today. I wonder if I can be as adventurous tomorrow and try eating breakfast at a brand new restaurant. We'll see.

Tessa is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3169

I've stopped going to the library, but I certainly haven't stopped reading. I think one reason my head is filled with useless information is that on slow days like this, I can spend hours reading odd little articles I find on Google. When I click on the Google Discover tab, I'm always amazed that there seems to be an endless supply of things I've never heard about before. I'll read almost anything about astronomy and space. I like reading articles about how the human race is doomed and headed toward extinction. Most articles about Elon Musk catch my attention. I always read articles about the best diet to feed your dog. Sometimes I'll read articles about the pills I'm taking or the stocks my broker recommends. I like articles about exotic cars and vintage guitars. I'm not interested in politics at all, so I skip over a lot of stuff. Apparently, a lot of people are only interested in politics.

Today I read articles about what might have existed in the universe before the big bang, learned about a new mass extinction theory that says the dinosaurs all died in a single day, read about a Ferrari prototype that uses a "virtual" windshield made out of air, and did some research on several stocks my broker wants me to buy.

My broker and I don't agree on much. I like to contemplate large scale trends like young people preferring pets to children and ordering meal kits from Hello Fresh rather than going to the grocery store. I'm bored by technical analysis and usually could care less when a stock dips below its two hundred day moving average. My broker thinks Gilead Sciences is a good buy right now. What? I hate that company. They're the ones who charged me $1000 a pill for Sovaldi. OK. It is a revolutionary drug that cured my Hepatitis C, but $1000 a pill still seems a bit steep. I wish I'd just kept the first three stocks I'd ever bought: Apple, Boeing, and Southwest Airlines. If I'd kept adding to those positions over the years, I'd have done a lot better than decades of hit and miss trading.

Forget about stocks. What I should be researching is what's causing Dash's loose stools. According to everything we've read, what we're feeding Dash now should be very easy to digest and contribute to firm stools. It's just not happening. It's hard to get a definitive answer from the vets either. The older your dog gets, the more "old age" seems to be the cause of everything. I doubt that I'm going to find a cure for Dash's incontinence, but it does get tiring having a world centered around poop.

I've stopped carrying a camera on our walks because I really need to concentrate on keeping Dash upright. It's kind of a shame. This morning I missed a spectacular shot of a Great Egret. Yesterday evening the setting sun reflecting off the downtown skyscrapers was equally spectacular. I still carry my phone in my pocket, but I would have needed a telephoto lens to capture these images. It probably doesn't even matter. Everything I see in the park, I've already photographed dozens of times before. Just to prove my point, I took another picture of Jimson Weed flowers with my phone this morning.

Dash had a good day, but he still hasn't pooped yet. I'm nervous. I still can't decide whether to apply to join the Jet Propulsion Lab team for the InSight landing either. I guess I'm nervous about that too.

Mandy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2395

Independence Day ended as it began, with a horrendous thunderstorm that lasted for the rest of the night. I didn't get much sleep. Dot got so upset that I thought she was going to have a stroke. Dash was pretty upset too. This was some of the most intense thunder and lightening I've ever seen. The storm went on for hours and this morning I heard that some parts of town had gotten up to four inches of rain.

The U-Verse TV didn't work when we woke up this morning. Rebooting the receiver didn't fix things. Rebooting the router didn't help either. Nothing worked. Oddly, the U-Verse land line phone and the WiFi network were just fine. I called technical support and they said they needed to do some tests. After they tried to reboot the router remotely, everything went dead. Somehow they fried the entire gateway. The tech support guy claimed that last night's storm had damaged the router, but I think they ruined it themselves. Luckily, I had a spare router that AT&T sent me last month. I had been reluctant to install it because I knew I would have to re-pair every single wireless device on the network.

Since the router I'd been using was toast, I really had no choice. I spent the rest of the day configuring the gateway and then painstakingly reattaching all the devices on the network. Some devices were easy to reattach, but others were insanely difficult. A wireless office is convenient when it's working, but it can drive you crazy when something goes wrong. If I had it all to do over again, I'd just hook everything up with Ethernet cables.

After I finally got everything working again, I heard something on the weather report saying that there were more thunderstorms in the forecast for tonight. That's all I need. After spending all day getting my network running again, I certainly don't want to fry my new router tonight. I don't want to deal with two storm phobic dogs either. If the storm is bad enough, I really worry about Dot and Dash. When they go into panic mode, it feels like I'm only inches away from a medical emergency. Hopefully, things will be a bit calmer tonight. I really need some sleep.

I did manage to update some websites today, but I don't remember much about the assignments. All I remember is struggling to get the wireless thermostat working again and cleaning up dog poop. When I watched the Juno orbit insertion maneuver last night on NASA TV, I couldn't help feeling a bit envious of the folks I was watching at the Jet Propulsion Lab. I felt the same way when I watched the New Horizons spacecraft rendezvous with Pluto and as I held my breath watching Spirit, Opportunity, and Curiosity make successful landings on Mars. Ad people often think they are doing something important, but it's all just smoke and mirrors. These scientists at JPL actually are doing something important.

I don't expect to get a lot done tomorrow. It's Dot's physical therapy day and each week these sessions seem to take longer and longer. There are things I'd rather do, but the therapy is important. Maybe the weather will be nice tomorrow. Maybe Dot's won't poop in my car. A little good news tomorrow could go a long way.

Isabella is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1845

The sun finally returned today. It's still a bit chilly, but it was actually a beautiful day. The abrupt change in the weather made me realize that it was time to start the new year. I took down the Christmas tree and put the ornaments away for another year. I went up on the roof and removed a week's worth of accumulated water. I even thought about cleaning the office, but wisely decided not to get ahead of myself.

I've just about given up on getting a response from Jawbone, so I went out and purchased another UP fitness band. This one syncs automatically using Bluetooth, so you don't have to plug it into your phone everyday. I must be a glutton for punishment, since this will be my fourth UP band in just a few years. I love these things, but they just aren't made very well. The batteries don't last very long. The little LED status lights frequently stop working. And, in the case of my last band, they sometimes refuse to go into sleep mode. You'd think I'd wise up and get a Fitbit or something more durable, but I still like the UP band best. It is still the smallest and most unobtrusive fitness tracker you can wear on your wrist. You can wear an UP band with a watch without feeling that you've got a watch on both wrists. And best of all, Jawbone has easily got the best smart phone app to track your results. It's just too bad the company hasn't figured out a way to make these clever little gadgets last more than a year.

I guess I'm officially in the loop for the upcoming launch of the SMAP satellite. I'm starting to get e-mail from my contact at the Jet Propulsion Lab and was invited to join a recently created Facebook group where other people attending the launch can share information. I still haven't made any travel arrangements, but that's on my list for next week. It was kind of unnerving to see that there was snow in Southern California last week, but hopefully the weather will improve by the time I depart. The weather has always been fabulous whenever I've visited the Los Angeles area and I'd hate to break a winning streak.

The range of motion on my right arm is increasing, now that I've been doing the stretching exercises that are supposed to loosen up the muscles in my bad shoulder. Unfortunately, the shoulder still hurts just as much as it always has. I wonder if I've really proved anything if all I can do is painfully extend both hands all the way above my head. Maybe I'm just not being patient enough. I don't really like to exercise and exercise that causes pain is even worse. I'm going to ask my physical therapist if they offer cold laser therapy like Dot is currently getting. The laser treatments seem to be helping Dot, and it certainly seems like I ought to be able to get the same kind of care as my dog.

I had to get some prescriptions renewed this afternoon and I noticed that the price of several drugs had gone up almost 40%. Every year, my drug plan adjusts prices in January and they never go down. I hope this isn't a sign of things to come. We're only a few days into 2015 so far, and I'm trying to remain optimistic.

Chase is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day