Day 4008

With temperatures hovering around 32 degrees when we woke up this morning, we decided that it was too cold for an early walk. I ate my breakfast and waited for the sun to warm things up. It didn't take long. By the time Janet returned from the gym, it was pretty nice outside. Dawn was eager to walk and I had trouble keeping up with her. My feet were bothering me this morning and I eventually handed the leash to Janet. I think they arrived home a good fifteen minutes ahead of me. Oh, well. I see the foot doctor on Wednesday. We'll see what he has to say.

Since it was Monday, we spent the afternoon visiting Charlie and a new dog named Clyde at the Dalmatian Rescue kennel. I think Charlie expects to see us on Monday's now. When we arrive he races around like a maniac tossing toys in the air and catching them. We throw balls for him and play for a while and then take him outside to pee. After he has calmed down a bit we sit on a bench with him while he chews on a red Kong. Charlie is always chewing on something. Eventually Charlie gets tired and we bring out the treats. This dog will do anything for a treat and we've managed to teach him quite a few tricks.

Charlie and Clyde have completely different personalities. Clyde is kind of shy and seemed a little nervous around us today. He really likes one of the kennel attendants though so she stayed with us while we visited. I have a feeling that Clyde will be more relaxed the next time we visit. The kennel is still very new to him.

I got a check from Sky & Telescope today. The adventure that started well over a year ago has finally come full circle. I have been to the observatory three times since my initial visit in August of 2019. I have made some lasting friends. And I have gotten published in a magazine I have enjoyed since childhood. It's a good start. I'm already thinking of a second article to submit to the magazine.

Tomorrow Dot goes to the vet for her annual physical. She has recovered so well from her seizure incident that it's hard to believe the event even happened. We've got a list of questions for the vet, but there is nothing alarming at the moment. Dawn seems pretty healthy. She is going to need her teeth cleaned pretty soon, but hopefully there is nothing else on the horizon that would require her to be anesthetized. I hope that Dawn stays healthy for a long. long time. I have too many memories of serious illnesses with earlier dogs.

I don't know why it is so hard for me to throw away the two damaged dehumidifiers. My HVAC guy has explained to me how expensive is would be to get these things fixed. I have two perfectly good working dehumidifiers, including one that is still in the box. In my head I still think these things should be easy to fix. I guess that's why my storage warehouse is filled with junk. My large production printer is nonfunctional now, but I still remember the beautiful prints I used to make. I can't seem to throw this away either. I went to great lengths to fix three vintage synthesizers last year and I still haven't bothered to play any of them. It's a sickness.

Hopefully Dawn will get a clean bill of health from the vet tomorrow. Then it's my turn to go to the doctor on Wednesday and Thursday.

Lance is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3917

Yay. I finally heard from my editor at Sky and Telescope today. It looks like my article about McDonald Observatory is going to be published in the February 2021 issue. This seems like a long time to wait considering that this whole process started well over a year ago, but that's how publishing works. It took a long time for my article about Michoud Assembly Facility and the Artemis program to get published as well. Now that I know the magazine hasn't forgotten about me, I'd guess I'd better learn to just be patient and wait.

We went up to the kennel to visit Charlie today. He's the only Dalmatian left at the place. Charlie is always glad to see us. I know the kennel staff loves him, but sometimes it feels like we're the only friends he has. He always seems to get overlooked when potential adopters come looking for a pet. Admittedly, Charlie has a few problems, but he's a great dog. He's going to find his forever home one of these days. Sometimes it just takes a little longer.

The weather was still nice today. We got off to a late start on our morning walk, but it didn't seem to matter. There was a chill in the air and it felt like Fall had arrived. I even noticed that a few trees are starting to turn this morning. The upper level winds must have changed because the sky looked blue again. I didn't see any smoke in the air. Dallas is a good place to be right now. There are no hurricanes, no wildfires, and temperatures couldn't be better. I think our two weeks of Fall have finally arrived.

It looks like the Delta IV Heavy mission I've been waiting to see is back on schedule again.. I think it's going to launch within the next couple of weeks. I've got to decide whether it's worth going down to Florida for this. Even though I've got Air Force credentials now, the Space Center is still fairly restricted. You have to stay in your own car and follow an Air Force vehicle to the designated photography location. There are no group activities or interview opportunities and you definitely can't wander around the base on your own. I'm still thinking about this one. If all I can do is stand next to my car and take a picture, I'm not sure there's much of a story. Unless I can convince the magazine that an article about Covid restrictions at Cape Canaveral might be interesting, I have a feeling that I'll pass on this launch.

Janet found some puppy pictures of Dawn on the Internet. I don't know how she managed to find these, but it's definitely Dawn. All the spots match perfectly. From the date on the picture, we think Dawn might be one year older than we previously thought. That would make her seven years old instead of six. I've always thought that Dawn was even older than this. She just acts like an older dog.

Janet wants to get an early start tomorrow, so it looks like we'll be walking in the dark again. Every time I look up at the sky on these early walks, I'm reminded about how much better things look out at McDonald Observatory. I miss the dark skies and am ready to go back. I wonder if things will be back to normal by next March? I hope so. What a long strange year it's been

Nicholas is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3875

Dalmatian day is here again. We didn't get to meet Marshall after all. Some dogs get lucky. We found out today that Marshall was only at the kennel for a few days and has already gone to his forever home. Charlie, Hank, and Luckie were still waiting for us however. Luckie seems more relaxed this week. She still had little interest in playing, but would come when we called and wasn't nearly as fearful. She definitely likes treats. Charlie and Hank were still happy and playful. One of these days, these three will find their forever homes as well.

It was hard getting up this morning. Another day where everything seems the same. I always thought I was well suited for monotony, but enough is enough. Janet and I are both having trouble remembering what day it is when we wake up. It's definitely time for something different.

I hope Dawn still enjoys her morning walk. The landscape is getting pretty familiar by now. I think I have memorized the entire route. When everything is the same, you start to notice the smallest changes. There was a guy who used to walk his cat on a leash who we haven't seen in a while. There were three Muscovy ducks who always used to hang out next to a small creek we always cross. The female has been gone for several weeks. Where did she go? I'm still trying to identify some of the trees we see everyday. I'm fairly certain that the fruit tree we have been speculating about is a Mexican Plum, but I'm not sure. The fruit is edible, but I'm not going to try it.

I still don't have a publication date for my Sky and Telescope article. The closest I've been able to get to a commitment from the editors was a mention of "early next year." I hate to bother these guys. I'm afraid they might get irritated at my impatience and not publish the article after all. It has been a long time though. It's been almost a year since I got the idea for the article and made my first trip to the Davis Mountains. I got rained out on the August 2019 trip and it took a second visit to McDonald Observatory the next March before I finally had an opportunity to look through the large telescopes. I never dreamed the whole process would take this long when I initially contacted the magazine over a year ago.

Life seems to be a waiting game these days. I'm still waiting for the Artemis Day article I wrote about my visit to the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans to be published. I wrote that article last December. I think this piece is going to appear next month though. We'll see. I'm also still waiting for the Air Force to process my application for media credentials at Kennedy Space Center. How long ago did I send that application in? I'm waiting for the new Bronco to appear at Ford dealers. I'm waiting for star parties to resume. Most of all, I'm waiting for the pandemic to be over. In many ways, this has been a wasted year.

It's weird that all the things we used to worry about are still here. There is a hurricane on the East Coast and wildfires in the West Coast. The virus just adds another layer of bad news. It makes you wonder what we'll be dealing with this time next year. Sure would be a nice surprise if something good happened.

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3819

Another dog day afternoon. Every Monday, Janet and I spend the afternoon visiting the rescue Dalmatians at their kennel. It is one of the best parts of the week. Currently there are only three dogs in the program and we've grown to love each of them. Hank, Murphy, and Charlie all have their own unique personalities, but they all love to play. Hank is deaf and today we tried to teach him some simple commands. It took a lot of patience and a lot of treats, but I think he finally understands how to sit on command. We'll see if he remembers next week.

Dawn was happy to stay home and sleep on the bed while we visited the rescue dogs. She'd already had her five mile walk and was ready for a nap. We always get started before 7 AM but it seems impossible for us to get ready any earlier. I don't even make the bed or eat breakfast until we have finished our walk. In theory, we should be out the door around 5:45 AM but it's not going to happen. All three of us sleep pretty soundly in the morning.

I heard from my editor at Sky and Telescope today. She said that my article will be published early next year. This seems like an exceptionally long time to wait, but some magazines have always had a long lead time. Actually, six months from manuscript to publication is fairly normal for Sky and Telescope. I wish there was a way to speed the process along. The more published articles I can get under my belt, the easier it will be to get other publications interested in using me. I'd almost forgotten that I had to go through this same arduous process to establish myself as an advertising writer. It seems weird to have to pay my dues at my age, but that's how it works with anything new. I actually welcome the opportunity to reinvent myself one more time. I just need to learn to have patience.

For the first time in many years, Janet and I are talking about moving. It will probably never happen because the whole process is just too complicated. City life is definitely losing its appeal though. Where would you go these days? We enjoy excellent medical care now. So do our dogs. When we used to take Dot and Dash to the cancer center, it was common to meet people waiting in the lobby who had traveled for hours with their dog from a small town just to meet with the oncologist. Life in a little town like Fort Davis seems idyllic at first glance and then I remember all the stories people tell me about wells that go dry and living with septic tanks. Snakes in the garage doesn't sound very appealing either. Everything from getting your car repaired to buying groceries becomes more difficult in a small town. There are a lot of problems with urban life, but there are a lot of things you take for granted too. We definitely aren't interested in retirement communities or life in the suburbs. If we start taking car trips to visit picturesque small towns, you'll know we're getting serious. Actually, what I'd like is a time machine. Almost any place thirty or forty years ago sounds pretty nice to me.

The temperature is supposed to reach 100 degrees tomorrow. We'll have to get an early start on our walk. With clear skies predicted for the next two weeks, I won't have to worry about the roof for a while. Now we just have to make sure that the air conditioner keeps working.

Lacey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3785

My article about McDonald Observatory is going to be published in an upcoming issue of Sky and Telescope. I received an acceptance letter from the editors this afternoon. Needless to say, this is great news. Sky and Telescope is a well respected magazine that I have been reading off and on since high school. I was so disappointed yesterday when I failed to obtain media accreditation for the upcoming Space X Crew Dragon launch at Kennedy Space Center. Now, I feel somewhat vindicated. My writing efforts aren't back to square one after all. I also got a letter from my editor at SpaceFlight Magazine saying that they were sad that I wouldn't be able to attend the Demo-2 launch. What can you do? The magazine tried their best to get me access to the launch and I tried as well. Sadly, the virus wins this one. I guess I won't be writing about America's return to manned spaceflight after all.

I'm not sure yet when my article will appear in Sky and Telescope, but I did learn that they are interested in using my photos as well. I'll send them a selection to choose from later this week. This magazine, like many others, plans their publication schedule months in advance. The editor said they are still trying to determine an appropriate slot for my article to appear. I hope I don't have to wait too long. Like most of you, I could use some good news in the months ahead.

Dawn had to go to the vet today to recheck the urate crystals that were found in her urine at her last exam. She's been taking Allopurinol for a month and we were hoping that this would eliminate the crystals and reduce her chances of getting bladder or kidney stones. Sadly, she still has crystals and has a low grade bacterial infection as well. The vet did a culture and we should know more early next week. I hope we don't need to change Dawn's diet. She really likes the food we are feeding her now.

Dawn is getting better at riding in the car. She is still nervous, but she doesn't appear terrified anymore. She was very well behaved at the vet, although we didn't get to go with her in the exam room this time. The virus changes everything. Everyone, including Janet and I, were wearing masks and a vet tech took Dawn back to a room for her exam while we waited for her in the lobby. The vet did come out to visit with us when she was done and we all kept our distance. It's weird. I know all these people well, but I had trouble recognizing some of them while they were wearing masks. These are very surreal times. I wonder how long we can continue like this before everyone cracks?

We are continuing to take our walk with Dawn before breakfast. This works out well, although it kind of turns my morning smoothie into lunch. It's nice walking early in the morning. The weather is cool and the park is almost empty. Dawn seems to really enjoy the walks as well. She's not a young dog, but has no problems walking five miles. I don't know what we are going to do later in the summer though. Dawn really doesn't like the heat.

I tried online banking today. Actually, I think it's easier to just go to the post office and bank. Hey, I'm trying to adapt to this strange no contact reality, even though it totally sucks. Even a loner like me needs to get out occasionally. I can't wait to get back to Kennedy Space Center.

Dolly is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3782

I finally heard from Sky and Telescope. Their message was similar to many business messages these days. Basically it said: "Sorry for the delay. We're all working from home and everything is screwed up." I still don't know if my McDonald Observatory article will be published, but I feel better knowing that I'm back in touch with these guys. You don't want to fall into a black hole when you are dealing with an astronomy magazine.

Today was my day to get supplies for the week. I was curious to see if anything had changed since Texas is officially now in the first stage of reopening. There was a lot more traffic on the roads, but I'm not sure where everyone was going. With the exception of Lowes, Home Depot and the grocery stores, most places are still closed.

Every week there is a new item in short supply. When I went to Sam's Club this morning, people were filling their buggies with meat. Now that there are stories of the meat processing supply chain being disrupted, fresh meat has become the new toilet paper. Ironically, the store had a ton of toilet paper. There was a huge display featuring all the popular brands along with a small sign that essentially said: "As you can see we've got plenty, but due to a silly city regulation we are only allowed to sell you one package of this stuff."

There are plenty of silly regulations. They seem to change daily. They city's park system seems to be back to normal. All the blockades have been removed, the police are no longer monitoring group sizes, and people have returned to enjoy the Spring weather. We tried to get an early start on our walk with Dawn this morning, but we should have started even earlier. There were a lot of people in the park today. I guess it shouldn't have been surprising. The weather has been really nice this week.

I have no worries about being outside in the fresh air, but apparently some people do. We see quite a few masks in the park, even though nobody is close to each other. The only folks who ignore the social distancing rules are teenagers. They've been hanging out with their friends since the very beginning of this mess. If we all die, I'm going to blame it on the teenagers.

I've completed an entire week of 20,000 step days. My best day this week was over 23,000 steps. I may have gone too far though. For the first time in a long time, my knee hurts. I had a knee injury back in college and ever since, my right knee has been a bit shaky. I had an operation called Slocum's Procedure that was popular at the time but has since fallen out of favor. ACL injuries are common in both people and dogs, but I think dogs often have better outcomes. My knee has been unstable ever since the surgery. I definitely don't want a second surgery though. I've learned to compensate.

We've been eating well during the pandemic. Janet is a really good cook. Dawn has been getting a lot of attention as well. She's going to be disappointed if life ever returns to normal. I think we're going to take our walk around sunrise tomorrow morning. The park is much more enjoyable when it's empty.

Bogart is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3746

I finally heard from Sky and Telescope today. As I suspected, my manuscript wound up in the editor's spam folder again. I don't know why this happens so frequently, but it does make it difficult to communicate. At least the manuscript is in the right hands now and will be reviewed shortly. I really hope the editors like my article. I'll feel a lot more like an astronomy writer after I get a few things published.

Life still consists mostly of meals and long walks. It's easy for me to forget that it's been that way for a very long time. All I have to do is turn on the television and I'm easily convinced that I'm under a very restrictive quarantine. Maybe I'd go out to eat a little more often or wander around local shops when I'm bored, but basically I'll be living exactly the same way when the world returns to normal.

The pandemic has made me wonder about a few things. Why aren't they fixing the roads now? Traffic may never be this light again. I can't imaging that the construction workers would be in much danger. Most of them would be working alone inside their own excavators and bulldozers. This seems like a perfect opportunity to get some much needed work done without disrupting anything.

I also wonder whether we've gotten everything wrong about the virus. What if it was actually spreading around the globe much earlier than we currently believe. Maybe it spreads incredibly easily, but takes much longer than we think to register positive on current tests. Maybe all of us already have the virus but just don't know it. We really need to develop a reliable test to measure whether some of us already have antibodies to the virus. Right now we don't have a clue who actually is infected until they show up at the hospital. It's all about statistics. If a lot more people actually have the virus than we think, the mortality figures start to look less alarming.

I felt more comfortable walking Dawn in a harness today. She's actually learning to heal and walks very well on a leash, but she has a smaller head than our previous Dalmatians. In retrospect, it was pretty easy for her to slip out of her collar. Maybe we should investigate those wide collars that Greyhound owners often use.

Most of the people I see in the park are doing an excellent job of social distancing. The one exception seems to be young people who are still hanging out with their friends. I still see them walking in fairly large groups that are clearly not family members. It's still hard for me to understand people who don't enjoy being alone. It's peaceful being alone. I'm not going to judge, but I don't need a hug.

I will concede that petting a dog might be good for you. I'm enjoying having Dawn around. She is a difficult dog to get a urine sample from though. We've been following her around with a ladle every morning and haven't succeeded yet. Dawn squats very quickly and we haven't been quick enough to capture a sample. It's much easier to get a sample from a male dog. We do need another urinalysis though to figure out whether she has crystals.

I'm not looking forward to going to the grocery store tomorrow, but it's time to look for more fresh fruit. All I really need are strawberries and blueberries. I'll try to be quick.

Chloe is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3742

If we all die it will be because of a basic lack of common sense instead of the coronavirus. I really wonder about people. We are not running out of food. If we all just started shopping normally again, there wouldn't be shortages of anything. You don't have to stay indoors either. Just stay away from other people. I could be wrong, but I still think outdoor air and lots of exercise is good for you. And couldn't the people we elected just quit fighting for a while? Is it really that hard to pass a bill that would give hospitals and first responders what they need without trying to pack it with a long wish list of pet projects? Democrats and Republicans are equally guilty of this. I don't understand why quarantined senators and representatives aren't allowed to vote. Do you really have to physically be on the floor of the senate to vote? This is silly. It is just political gamesmanship with one side trying to gain an advantage over the other. There ought to be a way to test for antibodies, so people who have developed an immunity to the virus can get back to work. A complete shutdown just isn't sustainable for very long. The deaths ought to be put in context too. I suspect that a lot more people are still dying from auto accidents and gunshot wounds than from the virus here in the United States.

I went to the audio repair shop to pick up my Sequential Circuits synthesizers this morning. The employees were all wondering how long they could stay in business without musicians. Live music venues throughout Texas are all closed. There are no concerts either. Working musicians aren't thinking about repairing their equipment these days. They are more likely to be thinking about pawning something.

The head electrician who owns the company came over to look at my switch today. He said a lot of his younger employees didn't want to go into people's homes anymore because they had young children at home. I guess that's understandable. I have no desire to go into other people's homes these days either. The electrician did figure out what was wrong with my switch and said he could order a part to fix it. You can always depend on the old guys to actually fix things.

The baby owl has been gone from its nest for several days now. I'm thinking now that I may have seen the owl on the day it finally decided to fly. It was tentatively flexing its wings when I was photographing it. I suspect that both baby owls are still in the area. I hope they stick around. Since owls have taken up residence in our neighborhood, there has been a noticeable decrease in the number of mice and rats we see in the yard.

I finished my article about McDonald Observatory and sent it to the editor at Sky and Telescope. Now I wait. Unfortunately, I'll probably have to wait a long time. This magazine is not terrible responsive. I often wait weeks, wondering whether my e-mail has wound up in someone's spam folder. Since this has happened before, it is a concern. I think my article turned out pretty well. I hope the editors agree.

Dawn got another long walk today. Luckily, walking your dog is still acceptable under the new citywide lockdown. I see more people in the park lately, but social distancing isn't a problem. Most of the people we saw today were several hundred yards away.

Ariel is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3738

The Crane Flies are back. I hate these things. They are like spiders with wings and every Spring thousands of them seem to gather by the back door, just waiting to get inside. I'm finding Crane Flies in every room of the house. They're slow and easy to catch, but they are a big nuisance. I've even found them inside the refrigerator.

The electrician came over today to fix the light switch in Janet's bathroom. As luck would have it, the switch wasn't made anymore and the replacement that the electrician thought would work wasn't compatible with the house wiring. Simple things always seem to turn into complicated things with this house. The electrician got the bathroom light and the exhaust fan working again, but a third switch on the receptacle that controls some exterior lighting is still inactive. I told the electrician to come back if he could figure out how to control all three circuits with a modern switch. It isn't critical though. The light works again and that was all that really mattered. Apparently, there are backflow problems with my house wiring. I'm not sure what that means at the moment, but it's one more thing to learn about.

Dawn was scared of the electrician. She didn't bark or anything. She just sat in the center of the bed and shivered. It's sad to see her frightened of anything new. It's understandable though. Dogs remember things and I'm sure she's had some very bad experiences in her life. At least she trusts Janet and I now. It's going to be a long, slow learning process to get her to trust the rest of the world.

I asked the electrician how he was coping with the virus and his reaction was about the same as mine. If everything you know is delivered by a media you don't entirely trust, how can you know what is true? I'm definitely keeping my distance from people, but I would be doing that anyway. The weird thing is that nothing has changed in my life. Nobody has sent me home from work. I have no children or older parents to worry about. If I don't show symptoms in another week or so, it's a pretty safe bet that I didn't catch anything from star party guests at the observatory. It's unlikely that any of these people were infected anyway, but anything is possible.

I got a notice that NASA was taking applications for media accreditation for the first Crew Dragon flight to the ISS in mid-May. Will the virus have subsided by then, or will things be even worse? It's impossible to tell at the moment. I think I'll apply anyway. A lot can happen in two months. I'll have to ask the British magazine that has been publishing my articles to send me to Kennedy Space Center, but I have a feeling that this won't be a problem. The real problem will be whether I have the nerve to get on a plane again after the pandemic runs its course.

I finished the first draft of my Sky and Telescope article today. I'll still need to do some editing, but I'm pleased so far. It's been so long since I initially proposed the McDonald Observatory article that I'm not sure the magazine is still interested. It doesn't hurt to be optimistic though. I think the article is pretty good.

I took the trash out to the curb, but it doesn't look like I'll be going out to breakfast tomorrow. All the restaurants in town are closed.

Pringles is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3737

It's going to be a very long Spring. They say that new cases of the coronavirus won't begin to peak for another 45 days. Even if infections begin to decrease after that point, it's going to be mid-Summer before life returns to normal. I hope the experts are wrong. I'm not really prepared for toilet paper riots at the grocery store.

So far, nothing has changed for me. The only time I left the house was for my long walk. Janet and I walk Dawn three miles every day and then I continue walking another two miles by myself. Janet has started jogging, since she can't go to the gym anymore. We may be bored, but we're going to be in good shape.

I started writing my Sky and Telescope article today. The first draft is almost done, but the article will need considerable editing before I'm ready to submit it to the magazine. So far, so good. I've got some human interest stories about life at the observatory. There are descriptions of the astronomical targets I viewed through the 36-inch Dall-Kirkham telescope. There are side trips to the Tull Spectrograph and the Hobby-Eberly Telescope. I think this will be interesting to other amateur astronomers, but what do I know. I hope the article gets published. Sky and Telescope actually pays for articles.

The house continues to deteriorate. A light fixture in Janet's bathroom quit working today. I can't decide whether to problem is in the wiring or in the switch that controls the light. I just finished paying the electrician for his last visit to the house, but it looks like I'm going to have to call him again. The problem isn't a bad bulb and I'm not all that good with wiring. I took the fixture apart and couldn't find any loose or burned wiring. Anything beyond that and I'm likely to electrocute myself.

My taxes are done. Once again I owe money. It doesn't seem fair that I'm paying more now than I was when I was working. It makes a big difference when you have nothing to deduct. I sure wish I had converted my IRA to a Roth IRA a long time ago. The mandatory distributions all count as earned income. It would have made a lot more sense to pay the taxes upfront when I was making a good income rather than now when I am living on a fixed income.

Dawn becomes more relaxed with every passing day. It is clear that she calls our place home now. Sudden movements still spook her, but that's understandable. After the way she was attacked, I don't think she will ever be completely comfortable approaching strange dogs again. She's certainly got a personality. I've never seen a Dalmatian smile quite as often as Dawn does.

I certainly hope the medical experts are right. Shutting down the entire country is pretty drastic. I've been around a long time and have never seen anything like this. Our collective reaction to 9/11 wasn't nearly this severe. I guess this is a perfect storm. What we have is a fear of financial ruin combined with a fear of dying. That pretty much covers all the bases. A lot of senior citizens are going to lose their savings. A lot of younger people are going to lose their jobs. Some people are going to lose their lives. Any way you look at it, this pandemic is not good.

Luckily, we're not running out of toilet paper and there's enough food in the freezer to last for quite a while. I'm going to take things one day at a time.  What else can you do.

Nick is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3735

I'm glad I went to the gym yesterday. I got an e-mail this morning saying that they were closing until further notice. Stores are closing. Restaurants are closing. The world as we know it is starting to disappear. No wonder people are buying everything in the grocery stores. Things are changing so rapidly that it's hard to tell what is going to happen next.

Janet and I both went back to get more groceries today. I think we've got plenty of food for at least a month. As luck would have it, they were restocking the bottled water when I went to the store, so I added to our supply. Janet got extra food for Dawn and lots of things we can freeze. We've got plenty of food, water, medicine, and household supplies now. Eventually we'll use all these things, but I hope our lives don't depend on them.

It's weird that everything is closing to keep people from congregating, but the grocery stores are still full. There was no social distancing at the store I went to today. The place was packed and people were buying like there was no tomorrow. It's hard to know what to buy for the apocalypse. If things really do get bad, I imagine that most of us will realize that we bought the wrong things.

I heard that the stock market had it's worst day in history, dropping 3,000 points in today's session. This is not good. A lot of small businesses will be wiped out. It's sad to see so many restaurants closing. Owning a restaurant is not easy during the best of times. I hope all my favorite places survive. When this all blows over, there is going to be a huge desire to go out to eat again. Canned beans and tuna fish are going to get real old after a while.

This is a bad time to lose faith in the media. There is so much information floating around and it's almost impossible to tell which of it is true. I was feeling pretty good when I read that if you could hold your breath for ten seconds, your lungs were in good shape and it was unlikely you had the virus. On a good day I can hold my breath for thirty seconds. Later, I was disappointed to read that this test was bogus and had nothing to do with the coronavirus. The theory that drinking lots of hot tea or other hot liquids will kill the virus turns out not to be true either.

It looks like I'll have plenty of time to write my Sky and Telescope article. I'll start writing tomorrow before the memories begin to fade. Even though my trip to McDonald Observatory was cut short, I had some very memorable experiences. It was an amazing week. If I can manage to turn my time on the mountain into an article worthy of publication, a little home quarantine might even be worth it.

I wonder if society is going to fundamentally change after this pandemic runs its course and things return to normal? I can't remember a time where we were all actively encouraged to stay away from each other. It would be ironic and even a little funny if a lot of people started living like me. What if people discovered that living in relative isolation wasn't all that bad? It's been my little secret until now. If you stay away from people, you automatically remove most of the things that cause you stress.

I don't think my life will change all that much, even if we are in a lockdown. I've been known to go weeks without leaving the house even when things were normal. I doubt that anyone will ban walks in the park. Outdoor air and exercise are good for you. I guess we'll all just have to wait and see what happens. This is all new. I have no idea what will happen next, but I hope it ends well.

Ruthie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 3693

We had a lot of fun with the Dalmatians today. They know us now and are all eager for their play time. Each of them wants to be first. The big news this week is that Sock has gone to a home. The rescue program has taken in a large number of dogs recently and currently only five of them are still waiting for homes. It's really encouraging to see these dogs find their forever homes so quickly. The dogs we visited with today are all delightful. I can't imagine that they will be here long.

So much for working on the roof today. It rained again. This came as a total surprise to me. There was blue sky when I woke up, but by the time we arrived at the Dalmatian kennel, it was raining again. I sure wish the roof was dry yesterday. Now I don't have any idea how long I'll need to wait for dry conditions again. I know in the short tern, the weather is only expected to get worse. There is still a chance of snow or sleet on Wednesday.

Today was full of surprises. I got a long awaited letter from Sky and Telescope and they are apparently still interested in an article about my visit to McDonald Observatory this Spring. It has been so long since I've heard anything from the magazine that I'd almost given up on them. I just assumed that they weren't interested anymore. Maybe I just need to learn to be patient.

Due to the many changes in the Solar Orbiter launch schedule the social media mavens have lost access to the launch pad on the day the rocket is rolled out. This apparently hasn't deterred some in our group. I found out today that someone is going to charter a boat to get close to the pad by water. This sounds interesting. It would be even more interesting if I didn't tend to get seasick. I'm still on the waitlist for the press bus, but so far my chances of getting on the bus don't look promising. I'd really like some good pictures. I may throw caution to the wind and join the group on the boat. We'll see. I keep waiting for an e-mail saying that NASA has found one more seat on the bus.

Do I need to go buy a box of surgical masks? I don't think so, but I'd hate to be the only person on the plane not wearing a mask. Social pressure can be quite powerful at times. Southwest doesn't even fly internationally so there shouldn't be a problem. I lived through the ebola scare and there were ebola patients at a hospital only a few miles away from me. My gut feeling is that there is a much higher risk from the ordinary flu here in Dallas than from the coronavirus. That could change overnight though. All it would take is a single case of the coronavirus and the whole town would be in a panic.

I'm so hooked on filling all three activity rings on my Apple Watch and getting at least 10,000 steps on the Fitbit that I went on a walk today even though it was raining. Hey, it wasn't raining that hard. Weird, I never would have done this before I started wearing the Fitbit tracker. I guess being a slave to an activity tracker isn't inherently a bad thing. I do feel like I'm in better shape than I was last year.

I got a little good news today. Maybe I'll get some more tomorrow. I don't need a lot of encouragement, but it's always nice to know you're headed in the right direction.

Casey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 3672

The Dalmatians were in fine form today. Hank seems back to normal. Lord and Sock have learned how to play. They both love soft plush toys. I've never seen Lord this playful before. Dawn and Lake both give you a big smile when you approach them. Best of all, Larry was very calm and rode well in the car when we took him to the vet. None of these dogs have spent much time riding in cars. Some are calm like Larry. Others bark constantly. And one or two have gotten car sick and thrown up on me. All Larry needed today was a booster shot and we were back at the kennel in thirty minutes for a little more play time. These dogs seem better socialized every time we see them. Sock and Dawn have potential adopters looking at them now. It's only a matter of time before they all find good homes.

I received a notice from NASA saying that SpaceFlight Magazine has verified my request for media credentials and that I have passed the security check. Does this mean that I'm a member of the working press? Not quite yet. NASA still has to approve the completed application. I noticed that the clearance for traditional media lasts longer than the one for social media. Social media gets two days at the space center and traditional media gets a week. It would be weird if I manage to get credentials for both on the upcoming Solar Orbiter launch. In the long run I think a real press pass would be more valuable than social media credentials. I could be wrong though. Social media might actually be more important to NASA these days. Either way, I'm slowly but surely establishing my credentials. This won't be the last launch I'll be attending.

I'm still trying to get back in touch with Sky and Telescope. I received a really encouraging letter back in October after submitting my initial article but since then it's been crickets. Does my contact even work for the magazine anymore? Have they decided that they're not interested in the observatory after all? It would be nice to get some answers.

It would be nice to get some answers about the house too. I'm not having much luck here either. I struck out with the sliding glass door company. I learned today that their telephone has been disconnected. This is a pretty sure sign that the company has gone out of business. The one roofer who hasn't completed his bid still isn't able to give me a price. He says that the framer he wants to use to add a pitch to the roof is still too busy and wants me to wait another month or so. The tree guy wants to postpone things too. I'd be really mad at these developments if I wasn't a procrastinator myself.

We're spending longer at the kennel now, so I wasn't able to take my full walk when we returned home. No great loss. I was on my feet most of the time at the kennel. I still managed to get 14,000 steps on an abbreviated walk before it got dark. I was surprised at how cold it felt today. Just looking at a thermometer won't give you the whole story. If it's damp or windy outside it will always feel a lot colder.

It doesn't look like a particularly busy week. The only thing still on my agenda is getting a haircut. Oops. I forgot about the leaves. We've still got to move all the big bags of leaves out to the street as bulky trash day approaches.

Taylor is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3585

I was determined to get something done today. I've eaten all the leftovers, so I went to the grocery store right after breakfast. Actually, I went to two grocery stores. You can never find everything you need at a single location these days. After taking some bills to the post office, I took my daily walk. It was a good thing that I ran my errands first today, because the weather was just about perfect around noon. I didn't need a jacket and I didn't sweat. You can't get any better than that.

I've been seeing a lot of Monarch butterflies lately. They're headed back to Mexico for the Winter. Next Spring I'll see the Monarchs again as they migrate north. It's amazing that these tiny creatures can travel such incredible distances. When I see these butterflies fluttering around in the park it's hard to imagine them traveling to Fort Worth. How do they make it all the way to Mexico?

I promised Janet that I'd trim the overgrown Photinia Bushes in the back yard. You couldn't even call these Photinias shrubs anymore. They've grown into large trees. Next week is bulky trash pickup in our neighborhood, so I knew that I couldn't postpone this task much longer. If I don't get the Photinias trimmed this weekend, I'll have to wait another month. I wish I could have gotten the tree guy to do this for me while he was taking down the Elm tree, but he wasn't interested. I can't say that I'm very interested either. The reciprocating saw is very heavy and I have trouble lifting it with my bad shoulder.

It took hours to cut the bushes back to fence level. Instead of fifteen to eighteen feet high, the Photinias are now a more manageable six feet high. It will be several years before they fill in and start to look like a hedge again, but at least the job is done. Large branches are quite heavy. Trimming the trees was only part of the problem. I also had to drag everything I'd cut out to the curb. By the time I finished I was very tired. Hey, I did get 24,000 steps today though.

I finally got a letter from Sky and Telescope. Basically, the letter just thanked me for being patient and said the magazine would be back in touch with me soon. Even though this short, somewhat ambiguous letter didn't say much, it was encouraging. I'd been thinking they might have forgotten about me. Maybe they will help me with future plans after all. One can hope anyway.

The new Dalmatians have arrived at the kennel. I'm going to go meet them tomorrow and photograph each of them for the website. I think there are six new dogs, but I'm not sure. I guess I'll find out when I get there. I need to do the photography soon because I think one of the dogs is being adopted this weekend.

It's been a long day. The utility bills have been paid. The refrigerator is full again. The Photinias have all been trimmed and the debris has been hauled to the curb. I even fixed myself a tasty dinner. I need to get a good night's sleep, because I think tomorrow will be just as busy.

Little Petey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3571

We spent the morning moving dogs around. Jelly Bean needed a distemper booster shot, so we took her to the vet. Jasmine was already at the vet finishing her heartworm treatment, so after Jelly Bean got her shot, we took both dogs back to the kennel. Jelly Bean didn't like riding in the car on the way to the vet. She was just fine on the way back however. The two girls have bonded and feel more secure together. It would be nice if they could find a home together. I think we'll be back at the kennel tomorrow. Someone from Houston wants to look at Sock.

I might have to go back to making my own breakfast on Fridays. Nobody seems to be able to make anything consistently anymore. Even simple things like pancakes and omelets seem to change from week to week. I had my favorite omelet this morning and it was completely different than the same thing two weeks ago. It's frustrating. There was a time when I was able to order the same thing for almost three years and know exactly what I was going to get. Those days are gone. When the chef finally left at this particular restaurant, the whole place folded. Family owned restaurants with a permanent staff are becoming a thing of the past. Turnover seems very high these days. Some places seem to have a completely new staff every time I visit. I shouldn't complain. I wouldn't want to work at a restaurant and I could always stay home.

I keep hearing that a cold wave is on the way, but it never seems to get here. I was expecting rain today, but it was just hot and humid again. It must be raining somewhere in Dallas because I heard thunder around dinnertime. Nothing yet though. As soon as it does rain I'll be complaining about it. I want to live in a place where it is 72 degrees all the time with very low humidity. It would be nice if the place had no snakes, mosquitoes or ticks either.

I wrote the editor of Sky and Telescope today, outlining my future plans to visit observatories. They sounded so positive about my writing when they rejected my initial article that I'm hoping the magazine might be able to help me get access to some places I'd like to visit. This is all going to take a long time. It's hard for someone like me to get access to large telescopes in the first place and then there's the weather. At least I have a bucket list now. Every old person needs a bucket list.

Thoughts of going to rocket launches, large observatories, and dark sky viewing areas have got me interested in buying a van. It's not time for a new car yet, but a Mercedes Sprinter van converted into a camper would be a lot more practical than buying another Land Rover. These vans are small enough to drive in the city and large enough to live in for several weeks at a time. I could go to Boca Chica to watch Space X Starship launches. I could apply to be a Star Party guide at McDonald Observatory and stay on the mountain for several weeks at a time. I could visit places like Joshua Tree and The Badlands to take pictures of the Milky Way. It's something to think about. If I can manage to establish my credentials as a space journalist, I might even get magazines to pay for these trips.

Until then, I'll continue walking around the lake and complaining about my roof. When I'm tired of complaining, I'll go visit the Dalmatians. It's very hard to complain about a Dalmatian.

Jersey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 3570

We went to the State Fair today. I haven't been to the fair in years, but it hasn't changed much. The main difference I noticed was that everything was much more expensive. We did a lot of the same things we used to do. We visited the auto show building and looked at new cars. We went to the building where they usually have pig races and watched the Amazing Trick Dogs. The dogs were basically well trained agility dogs and it was fun to watch them catch frisbees, jump over hurdles, and run through an agility course. I wasn't very interested in sitting in a vibrating chair or eating a deep fried pickle, but a talented dog can always make me smile.

One of the weirdest things we saw today was a booth called Shrink Yourself. These people would make a full body scan of an individual or even a small group and then turn it into an amazingly realistic small doll that was 3-D printed. The whole process was fairly expensive and it took three weeks to get the finished doll, but people were lining up to be scanned.

As we were walking around today we found ourselves walking on a brick walkway paved with memorial bricks. This immediately brought back memories. We used to take Spot, our first Dalmatian, to Fair Park every Sunday. After he died we bought him a brick with his name on it to be placed on this walkway because Fair Park was one of his favorite places to walk. We spent a long time this afternoon trying to find Spot's brick and eventually found it. I had forgotten that we had also bought a brick for ourselves to be placed on either side of Spot. There we were thirty years later, John, Spot, and Janet, memorialized on some old bricks right in the middle of the State Fair.

Instead of having fried food on a stick, we had dinner at the Old Mill. This restaurant, located on the fairgrounds, has been around as long as I can remember. This place was built as a flour mill for the 1936 Texas Centennial Exposition and hasn't changed much since. The menu is exactly the same as it was when we used to bring Spot here to share fried chicken with us at an outdoor table on Sunday afternoons. Some of the old waiters seemed to be the same as well. The place that used to give Spot a free burger every year still exists at the fairground too, but none of the people we knew are still around. I imagine that many of them have died. It's been a long time.

I heard from Sky and Telescope today. They rejected my article. I was disappointed, but this was actually the most positive rejection letter I've ever received. The editor told me that everyone at the magazine loved my article. They thought the article was interesting, well written, and encouraged me to submit to the magazine again. The magazine would have loved to publish the article if I had actually seen anything through one of the telescopes. This is understandable. Sky and Telescope is an astronomy magazine, not a travel magazine. The editor liked my writing style and encouraged me to pitch other articles to the magazine in the future. I got the impression that they would like me to become a contributor. I just can't write about rainy nights at an observatory. What I need now is a plan to guarantee clear skies the next time I visit the Davis Mountains.

I walked over 25,000 steps today. This is a new Fitbit record. I'm a little tired, but I enjoyed our time at the fair. It was nice to rekindle some old memories of Spot. Sometimes it feels like my life has always been about Dalmatians. It probably always will be.

Hobbs is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3556

For the first time in months I got caught in the rain on my morning walk. It actually felt kind of nice. For a little while it felt like Fall had finally arrived. There was a cool breeze and I noticed that a few leaves were already blowing in the wind. I should have taken a good camera with me since I saw several large Great Blue Herons. Maybe some other time. Rainy days are good for photography, but not so good for cameras.

I heard from one of the editors at Sky and Telescope today. My submission had wound up in somebody's junk mail folder and wasn't discovered until today. The article still has to go through the review process, but I was encouraged that the magazine took the time to write me. They also seemed pleased that I had photos to accompany the article. We'll see what happens. At least for today I'm feeling optimistic.

I lied about not watching last night's episode of the new Ken Burns documentary. As I was going to bed I noticed that PBS was rebroadcasting the fourth episode again and I ended up watching the entire thing. Is the show over yet? Nope. There are eight more hours to go.

I had to pick up another prescription this afternoon. For some reason all my prescriptions are getting renewed automatically now and they are being filled weeks before the old pills run out. I guess I could fix this problem, but it's easier to just ignore it. I'll use all the pills eventually.

Today went quickly, considering that nothing really happened. It's amazing that I managed to get so much done during my younger years. Now, a few simple things can take up the entire day. I guess all the important things have been taken care of. This week's trash has been taken to the curb. I'm up to date on my prescriptions. All my bills are paid. I guess I'm ready to go out for breakfast tomorrow morning.

It rained enough today that I'll probably have to go up on the roof tomorrow and remove the water. It never ends. I sure hope my Sky and Telescope article gets published. I need some little victories every now and then to keep me moving forward.

Rhett is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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