Day 4596

I made my reservations for the Florida trip today. When I was finished, I turned on the radio and discovered that there was an active shooter inside the airport I will be flying out of. Jeez. Nothing appears to be safe these days. The entire airport was evacuated and flights were delayed for hours. The story probably didn't even make the national news because nobody got killed. Events like this have become entirely too common.

Even though my travel arrangements for the Artemis-1 launch have been made, I will probably have to reschedule everything several times before I leave. Even worse, I might have to reschedule after I'm on my on my way. Launch schedules are notoriously unreliable. There are too many variables and something is almost guaranteed to change. The good news is that I have finally learned to expect these things. One way or another the launch will eventually take place and I will be there.

It was another hot day in a long string of hot days. Our sunrise walks with Dawn always give us a preview of what the day will be like. I really wish I was more of a morning person and didn't stay up so late writing this blog. It is warm just before the sun comes up, but temperatures in the mid-80's are still tolerable. If there is a breeze it actually feels nice outside. Dawn enjoyed her walk this morning and had a lot more energy than I did. I felt like going back to bed.

Janet and I visited the rescue Dalmatians this afternoon. Nobody got adopted this week, but all the dogs were in good spirits. We got a new football toy for Charlie because he was starting to chew the cover off the old one. He seemed to know that this toy was for him and got very excited. We have learned all the dogs personalities by now. Each of the boys are completely different, but all are a lot of fun. JoJo still likes to spend his time outside in the sweltering heat. Willie initially jumps around like a bucking bronco before he settles down and just wants to be petted. Rocket has become quite the gentleman. He has overcome his fear and like to play now. Spot is very gentle and we predict that he will be the next to get adopted. He was still wearing a cone today because he was neutered recently. Cooper was back at the kennel today. He still remembered us. Cooper has already been adopted, but was boarding at the kennel for the day. Did I forget anybody? Probably. I'm always forgetting something these days.

I went to the gym this afternoon after we returned from the kennel. The place was surprisingly crowded and I had trouble finding a parking place. I guess I'm not the only one looking for an escape from the heat.    Usually the younger people are still at work when I tend to go to the gym. The place is typically filled with folks a little older than I am. Some of these people can barely move while others have much more energy than I do.  There is a lot of determination in the room. I guess this is encouraging. I'd like to think that I could still go to the gym ten years from now.

I still can't decide whether to put my name on a wait list for the Otto Struve special viewing night at the observatory. People often need to cancel when making plans so far in advance. I wish I'd gone ahead and made a reservation last week. There aren't many opportunities to look through this telescope. I don't know if I need another opportunity to make the long drive to West Texas though. It was my turn to drive to the kennel this afternoon and even that short drive seemed long to me. Basically, I just don't like to drive anymore.

I hope I receive a schedule from NASA soon. All I have now is a very short note saying that I have been accepted to attend the launch. I like certainty and it makes me nervous when things are up in the air. Maybe I was flexible once, but those days are long gone. I like having a list I can follow. If someone doesn't provide me with a list, I will usually end up making one myself. 

Smokey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4595

After failing again to find a hotel anywhere near Kennedy Space Center, I thought I'd try Airbnb. I've never used Airbnb before and had no idea what to expect. So far it's been a pleasant surprise. I was able to find a nice place in a convenient location for less than I've been used to paying at Titusville hotels. The host is very friendly and has been able to answer all my questions. The website provides lots of pictures of the property and there are informative comments from previous visitors. I hope this works out. It might be a whole new way to travel.

Our heat wave continues unabated. We had a nice sunrise walk with Dawn because there was a breeze this morning. The park was busy even though it was very early. I think everyone has finally learned that this is the only decent time to be outside. Janet and I had a big weekend breakfast and then I took my long walk. I would have preferred going to the gym, but it isn't open on Sunday. Even though I got started before 9 AM, it was already getting hot. I was able to complete my entire route, but I was slower than I was yesterday. By the time I returned home the temperature was almost 100 degrees. I don't know when this is going to end. The forecast shows a long string of 100 degree days for the rest of the month. By the time this summer is over, I'm almost certain that we will have set an all time record for sustained high temperatures.

Despite the high temperatures, Dawn got her Sunday outing. We still take her to the Sunday park, but we only get out of the car for a few minutes to let Dawn smell things. The Sunday outing is mostly about the ice cream now. The ice cream store has raised their prices recently, but the cones certainly aren't any bigger. The place does a good business so you wouldn't think they'd need to raise prices, but what do I know. I'm sure their cost of supplies has gone way up. You've got to do what you've got to do to keep your doors open these days. I'm just glad I'm retired. This isn't a great time to be running a small business.

I hope that NASA provides me with a schedule soon. It's really hard to make reservations when I don't know when I need to arrive. Sometimes you pick up your credentials the day before the launch. Other times it is several days before the launch. Usually there is only about a three hour window to pick up press badges, so if you miss the designated time slot, you are out of luck and you aren't going anywhere. Right now, the only thing I know is the scheduled launch date. Of course there is no guarantee that the rocket will actually launch on this date. The weather could change or there could be any number of technical problems that could delay the launch. I'm trying to stay optimistic, but given the history of this rocket the launch might not take place until Christmas.

Snooze you lose. I waited too long to make a decision about the special viewing night at McDonald Observatory and when I looked this evening the special viewing night was no longer available. The event has sold out. Jeez. Last night there were still spaces available and today they are gone. I need to be more decisive. I wouldn't have had problems finding a hotel in Titusville if I'd made my reservations before learning whether I'd get press credential. I could have always canceled the reservations if NASA didn't accept my request. I'm sure other people do this all the time. I could have also made reservations for the special viewing night at the Otto Struve telescope and canceled them if I decided later that I wasn't up for the long drive. I have a hard time doing things like this though. I'm not a competitive person and hate the idea that I have to compete with other people who might want to do the same things as me. I also tend to procrastinate on everything I do. Oh, well. It is what it is. I would have had a hard time affording back to back trips to Florida and West Texas anyway.

It looks like we'll be visiting the rescue Dalmatians again tomorrow. I don't think anyone got adopted this week, but we'll find out when we get there. I'll probably go to the gym after we return from the kennel. It's just too hot to try another walk in the park. Have I learned my lesson about being indecisive and waiting too long to make decisions? Probably not.

Molly is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4587

I wonder how long this heat wave is going to last? We've got to be setting some new records here. We probably should start taking our sunrise walk a little earlier. It's already pretty warm when we leave the house. These early walks are still the only nice part of the day. It gets hot very quickly.

I did my grocery shopping right after breakfast. It was nice to have a car again. Ordinarily, I would have gotten gas today, but I have to let the tank get down to less than a quarter full before I can get the factory recall work done on my fuel system. My shopping list was a little longer today, but I still managed to get back to the house before 11 AM. 

I went back to the gym today because who wants to walk in this weather. I still can't figure out why I walk slower on an indoor track than outdoors. It's counterintuitive. I got my steps and spent a little time on the basketball court, but that was it. I had no real desire to complete an extensive exercise routine today. Actually, I thought the gym was closing at 1 PM but I was wrong. I checked later and it is open until 4 PM on Saturday. If this weather continues, I'll be going back to the gym all next week. That should drain my gas tank fairly quickly. My car gets terrible gas mileage.

This afternoon was uneventful. I did a load of laundry and charged some batteries. It seems like I always have batteries to charge. There are laptop batteries, camera batteries, audio equipment batteries, watch batteries, power tool batteries, as well as the lawn mower battery and several large uninterrupted power supply batteries. I don't think I will ever get an electric car because batteries have become my nemesis. I'm always forgetting to charge the ones I really need.

I thought that Dawn would return to normal as soon as Janet got back from vacation. She's still acting weird though. For the past several days she won't come out to the kitchen and eat her dinner until Janet returns to the house. When Janet does come back, she doesn't even greet her. She races right out to the kitchen and eats her dinner. This seems very strange to me. At least she's still eating. She ate normally when Janet was gone too, although it took a few days.

I'm trying to decide whether to go back to the observatory later this Fall for a Special Viewing Night at the large 82" telescope. The observatory has resumed these special viewing opportunities that had been canceled during the Covid lockdowns. I'd really enjoy looking through this historic telescope, but I hate the long drive and I have pretty bad luck about arriving on a rainy day. Artemis-1 is supposed to launch this Fall as well. I would definitely go see the Artemis-1 launch first. I have a feeling that I'll probably sign up for a Special Viewing Night though. By Fall, I'll be bored to tears. I really need to find something I enjoy doing in Dallas. It's too complicated and expensive to always have to go to Florida or West Texas for a little fun.

It's going to be too hot for Dawn's regular Sunday outing tomorrow. We'll take her to the alternate park anyway, just so she can sniff around a little before heading for the ice cream store. I'm sure she won't miss a walk in the hot sun. She does like her ice cream though.

Laura is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3643 - Blogiversary

I wonder why strawberry prices have doubled? They look exactly the same and they're still grown somewhere in Mexico. I usually don't even look at the price but a woman near me looked at the berries, told me they were way too expensive and put them back. I looked too. Yup, they actually were too expensive. It used to be that only gasoline changed price regularly. Now everything seems to fluctuate. I went ahead and bought the strawberries because they are an essential ingredient in my morning smoothies. I hope they don't become like peaches and disappear entirely during the winter.

I got most of the photography gear moved back to the storage warehouse this morning. I thought this might make the house look tidy again, but it really didn't change much. At least the house looks better than the storage warehouse. I know I need to do something about all this clutter, but I don't even know where to start. There is a reason why this stuff is being saved, but not a good reason. I still use the photo equipment from time to time, but I never use all the old computers and typewriters I've accumulated. Why is there a windsurfing board in the warehouse? Jeez. I'll never use this. With a bad shoulder, it would be insane to go windsurfing. I doubt that I'll ever use my old band's PA system again either. So much clutter. I just don't have the energy to deal with it.

I barely had the energy to take my walk today. Truthfully, going to the gym was plenty of exercise for one day, but I'm addicted to those steps. I wanted my 20,000 Fitbit steps and the only way to get them was to keep walking. At least it was a nice day. It was warm enough that I could wear shorts again. This won't last long unfortunately. Another cold front is on the way. They say temperatures could get down to freezing by tomorrow night.

McDonald Observatory just announced a new batch of Special Viewing Nights for the winter months. They say the chances of clear skies are higher in the winter, but I don't think I have the nerve to drive to West Texas when the weather could change for the worse overnight. I've seen too many videos of nasty snow storms that sweep across the plains and bring traffic to a crawl. I definitely don't want to find myself on an icy freeway surrounded by eighteen wheelers sliding off the road.

I heard that Hank got adopted this weekend. I'm glad I got a chance to see him again at one of the Santa Paws events. Janet and I will be visiting the dogs tomorrow, but I think Hank has already gone to his forever home. I'm hoping a few more dogs might find a home before Christmas as well. You never know. There are five new dogs in the program now, but they will be spending the holidays at the vet. It's quieter there. A boarding kennel can be pretty hectic during the holiday rush, so we'll get to know the new guys a little better after the first of the year.

I'm going to try to get started on my new article about the Artemis program tomorrow. It all depends on how much time we spend tish the dogs.

Jasper is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3622

It was a typical busy Sunday. I got my 20,000 steps with a few extra to spare. It was a nice day so I went to the gym early to give myself time to make some more roof repairs when I returned. Sometimes I wonder if going to the gym on Sunday does me any good at all. I've noticed that walking for an hour and a half burns more calories than an hour and a half at the gym. I guess a little variety doesn't hurt. My workout at the gym is certainly different than a long walk.

It took a while to find additional worn spots on the roof. I'm gradually getting them all repaired. I didn't apply a lot of silicon today, but hopefully the strategic small repairs I made will help. I don't think I will ever have faith in this roof, but if I can keep it from leaking until I can find a reasonable bid from a reputable roofer, that's good enough for me. It looks like I have a little less than a gallon of the silicon material left. I'll save the rest for emergencies. Hopefully, there won't be any.

I sent my acceptance letter to NASA today, so I will definitely be attending the Artemis Day event at the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. I've seen pictures of this enormous rocket factory and it will be interesting to see the next moon rockets being assembled. The first one is almost ready to be shipped to the Stennis Space Center in Mississippi for live fire tests. Hopefully, I will find a way to see it again when it eventually launches from pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center sometime in 2021.

Our road is open again. I was amazed at how much the construction crews were able to accomplish in a single day. All the beams that will support the roadway on the first half of the bridge are in place now. It looks like there will be no support columns between the Northbound and Southbound lanes anymore. The long steel beams span the entire length of the bridge. There must have been a huge crane to lift these beams in place but I didn't see it. I was asleep. Most of the work must have taken place last night.

It looks like we will be keeping one of the rescue dogs over the Thanksgiving holiday. Boarding kennels are typically booked to capacity over the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays so we are trying to find temporary short-term fosters for some of the Dalmatian Rescue dogs. Hopefully, this new experience will be good for the dogs. I'll have to go pick up kiddie gates, dog beds, water and food bowls, and other paraphernalia from the storage warehouse tomorrow.

I'm kind of dreading my appointment with the eye doctor. My doctor is kind of old school and doesn't have an Optomap camera to take pictures of the retina. He still dilates my eyes which I hate. It takes me about six hours for the effects of the eye drops to wear off. They give you a pair of paper sun glasses but they don't help much. I never enjoy driving home after an eye exam.

McDonald Observatory has scheduled a Special Viewing Night for the 82" Otto Struve Telescope on December 16. It's tempting. That's when the Starliner launch is supposed to happen at Kennedy Space Center too. What are my chances of getting off the wait list and invited to the launch? Honestly, chances are slim but it could easily happen. It also snows in West Texas in December. There's that too. I'll probably just fret and end up doing nothing.

Maggie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3527

I got a letter from the Editor at Sky & Telescope today saying that the magazine was interested in my proposal for an article about the McDonald Observatory Special Viewing Night program. The Editor didn't promise to publish anything, but did encourage me to write an article about my trip to the observatory and submit it to the magazine on completion. This was encouraging. A personal letter from the Editor saying "your proposed article sounds interesting" is definitely a step above those little "thank you for your submission" postcards I used to get from magazines when my articles were rejected.

It was another slow, very hot Summer day. I only took one walk today, but that was enough. Instead of an afternoon walk, I went to Northpark and got a haircut. The mall was having their annual auto show and it was amazing how many cars on display were over $100K. I wasn't surprised that prices for the Rolls Royce Wraith and the McLaren 720S Spider were in the stratosphere, but a lot of ordinary cars were out of reach as well. When I bought my first car, you could get a nice Ford Mustang for under $2500 and a VW Beetle for $1800. Jeez, a new Porsche 911 only cost around $6000. This would be one of those out of reach 100K+ cars today. And they say inflation isn't a problem.

Of course haircuts, food, clothing, and just about everything else are more expensive as well. You notice these things when you're living on a fixed income. Hopefully the economy stays strong. I'm too old for another financial crisis like we had in 2008.

My stylist asked me about the new breakfast restaurant I've been going to lately. Several other people have asked me about this place as well. Probably as soon as I tell everyone how much I like this place, they'll get a new chef and everything will fall apart. Nothing seems to last very long in the restaurant business. Hopefully this restaurant will continue to do well. I like having good food in the neighborhood.

I always feel better after a good haircut. Anything that makes you think you've got your act together is a plus. I didn't feel like shopping after my haircut was finished. I just returned home and did nothing. Apparently I don't have my act together after all. Basically it's too hot to embark on any sort of a major project. Sometimes just getting through these hot days is a major project in itself.

I don't think there'll be any major projects tomorrow. I need to clean out the greenhouse before repairs can start, but I think I've already missed this month's big trash day. I guess this task can wait another month. I don't want to attempt to take the old dehumidifier apart unless I've got a lot of time. I'm bound to encounter some surprises and the job will probably take three times as long as I expected. I can always think about what type of article I'm going to write. That's something I can do indoors. I can even think about writing lying on the bed. I might fall asleep, but it's worth the risk.

Cookie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3501

Maybe I'm getting too much sleep. I woke up early and couldn't get back to sleep. Since I wasn't tired, I took this as a sign that I should walk early. Not that it made any difference but it was surprisingly cool outside. The air quality was terrible though. My new watch told me so.

I had thought the water level at the lake was so low because of the Summer heat. I guess I was wrong. I saw something on the news today that said a piece of the dam that regulated water level had broken. The dam had sprung a leak. This wasn't a piece of high-tech equipment that broke. It was just a big piece of wood. That doesn't seem hard to replace. Maybe I'll see the water level rising again soon.

I didn't see much on my walk today. I took a better camera with me to photograph Egrets but they were too far away. Yesterday they were close to shore. Birds are unpredictable. Today the only thing I could find to photograph was a small lizard.

Instead of going out for breakfast this morning I stayed home and finished off the fresh fruit. I should have gone out. I think the breakfast restaurant tradition started in the first place because four smoothies in a row was all I could handle. While I was eating I tried to figure out some of the new functions of my watch. In addition to providing air quality warnings and electrocardiograms, it also did a lot of other cool stuff. Maybe it wasn't such a bad purchase after all.

I noticed that some new viewing dates have opened up at McDonald Observatory, so I started investigating a trip out there in more detail. Planning a trip was more complicated than I anticipated. Special viewing nights at the big telescopes are limited to eight people and even thought viewing dates for the Fall were just announced a few days ago, they were already filling up fast. Since astronomy trips are fairly worthless unless you have clear skies, I tried to see if there were special long range weather forecasts for astronomers. Surprise. Actually there are. I looked at several potential observing dates in September at the 82" telescope and there was a high probability of thunderstorms. Not good. It looked like there was going to be a clear day in August when there was an opportunity to visit the smaller 36" telescope, but there was only one opening left. I think Janet wants to go on this trip, so that wasn't good.

Were all these forecasts event even remotely realistic? Usually the weather forecasts for tomorrow are wrong in Dallas. How can you accurately predict the weather for September? It's a mystery to me. Every day in September had a specific prediction though. Forecasts for August were even more specific. Can I trust these forecasts? I'd hate to drive all the way out to Alpine, Texas and have it rain on my viewing night.

Planing the trip was so complicated that I decided to think about it for a while. Do I drive or take Amtrak? Oddly, you can take the train to this small Texas town. Which telescope is the best? There are three to choose from: the 102", the 82", and the 36". At first glance you'd think that the biggest one would be the best, but that isn't always the case. Viewing nights for the 102" inch telescope are only offered when there is a full moon. The smaller 36" telescope is available on a few select nights where there are dark skies. Also, tickets are not refundable if it rains at the last minute. You just go listen to an astronomer talk instead of looking through the telescope. It's all kind of a crap shoot. You just have to pick a day and hope you get lucky.

So far, I haven't been very lucky with my U-Verse service. The fiber optic line still goes down periodically throughout the day. A technician is coming over on Sunday, but I bet he isn't going to have the patience to diagnose an intermittent problem like this. I bet he just replaces all the equipment instead.

Smokey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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