Day 4092

I took my tax files over to the accountant today. It's weird walking around in a large office building these days. This building seemed empty as a tomb. A lot of people must still be working from home, because only about one in four offices even seemed open. My accountant's office was open though. This is his busiest time of the year. I'm glad that tax preparation is behind me now. It's never a pleasant task.

It was a nice day, so we resumed raking leaves. I wish I could convince Janet that the leaves will eventually just blow away, but she likes a nice looking yard. Dawn probably does too. We made good progress today, but there is probably another day of work ahead before the leaves are all gone. The freeze killed more plants than I initially thought. I'm going to have to cut back all of our Asian Jasmine and hope that it starts to grow again in the Spring. For the first time ever, the Live Oak trees in the back yard have lost all their leaves. I'm pretty sure these trees are fine, but it's odd to see a Live Oak without any leaves.

My feet weren't kind to me today. I still can't figure out why some days are worse than others. I started out pretty well, but after the fourth mile I was practically limping. Maybe I should give it a rest, but I don't think it would make any difference. I walk slowly anyway and if I didn't spend so much time walking, I would just be faced with more household chores.

I received a residual value refund for my dehumidifier from the manufacturer today. This was basically a nice way of saying "please don't bother us any more about this thing." The dehumidifier still works. It just doesn't have an automatic shut-off switch. As long as I use it in a small room and remember to turn it off before I go to bed at night, it works fine. It's hard to tell if I came out ahead on this deal or not. I got a refund on a machine that I didn't buy in the first place. The free dehumidifier was a warranty replacement for a dehumidifier that I actually did buy however. I won't purchase this brand again. I've had three identical dehumidifiers now, and two out of three were faulty.

I'm trying to decide whether to apply to attend the Crew-2 launch in late April. This one will probably exactly the same as the Crew-1 launch which I did attend, but I'd like to be doing something. Applying for press credentials for these launches is kind of like buying a lottery ticket. A lot of applications doesn't really improve your chances that much, but you can fool yourself into thinking it does. I'm beginning to wonder why I like watching these launches so much. It takes a lot of planning and then you end up standing in a field and getting eaten alive by mosquitos while the rocket you've been chasing quickly disappears overhead. It's all over in less than five minutes.

We missed seeing Charlie and Cooper today, but I'm sure they are fine. We'll be back as soon as Spring Break is over. The fact that Spring Break trips are still happening at the same time we continue to receive daily warnings about Covid seems very strange to me. There won't be any Spring Break activities out at the observatory this year, so my services might not be needed again until 2022. I don't think cancellations are going to stop people from traveling this Summer though. Everyone seems to have a bad case of cabin fever and there is a lot of pent up demand. This might be a good time to invest in airlines and cruise lines.

I have no idea what I'm going to be doing tomorrow. I hope it isn't raking leaves though.

Bacardi is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4079

I tried to get organized today. I applied for press credentials to attend the Boeing Starliner launch in April. I made an appointment to get a haircut. I wrote the Air Force, asking how to renew my 45th Space Wing credentials when they expire in March. Amazingly, I was finally able to reach a real person at the dehumidifier company and asked if they could send me the part I need to get my replacement machine working properly. I thought this would be easy since I was talking directely to the manufacturer. Apparently, nothing is easy. 

I learned that I had reached the corporate headquarters here in the United States, but that the dehumidifiers were actually made in Mexico and that it was impossible to get the part I needed. "We can prorate your machine based on use and give you a refund," the technical support guy told me. This made no sense to me because the machine was brand new and I had paid nothing for it in the first place. "Wouldn't it be easier to just send me the inexpensive part I need," I asked? Nope. I guess if they want to send me money for a machine they just gave me, I'll take their money. I just need to remember to empty the collection bucket more often because this dehumidifier will overflow if it gets too full.

I hope that I haven't fallen out of the loop with NASA and the Air Force. It wasn't easy to get credentials to cover launches in the first place, and now it appears I will have to start all over again. Covid changed everything and there are new rules and restrictions now. Oh, well. It will give me something to do this Spring. It is frustrating how rare it is to be able to do something once and be done with it. People change jobs frequently. Rules change. I guess it has always been this way. I had to make new contacts frequently during my working days, but I was younger then and had more patience for this sort of thing.

Dawn is eager to go on her walks again. She seemed so happy to be outside this morning that we thought we'd see if she'd walk in a different direction. Nope. Every time we tried to get her to turn left, she insisted on turning right. The one mile loop she has chosen as her daily walk consists of a series of right turns. Dawn knows exactly where she wants to go and won't turn left at all. While I took my longer walk, Janet took Dawn in the car to a different park to get her used to different surroundings. As usual, she hated the car ride but was happy enough to walk around and smell things at the new location. I don't think we will ever know what is going through Dawn's head. She's made it pretty clear what she wants though, so we'll just go with that.

My feet didn't hurt as much today on my long walk. I walked the same distance at my usual pace, but it wasn't nearly as much of a struggle today. I didn't use any of the anti-inflammatory gel on my foot either. One more mystery to think about. I have no idea why the foot pain varies from day to day. I am very consistent about my activities. The weather has been pretty consistent for the past several days as well.

The weather has definitely not been consistent for the past several weeks. The temperature got up to 80 degrees this afternoon. At some point during the day, our air conditioner came on. It's pretty weird to go from -2 degrees to 80 degrees in less than a week, but that's what happened today. Texas weather is full of surprises. I guess I should have learned that by now.

I need to start raking leaves tomorrow. The leaves are dry again and we've got plenty of large leaf bags to put them in. Since we're looking at a solid week of rain on the horizon, tomorrow might be the best day to start this odious chore. I wish the leaves would just disappear on their own, but that's not going to happen.

Joey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4066

Today was all about the weather. I woke up cold and never really got warm. It looked and felt like it could snow at any time, but I think that comes later. One forecast I heard today said that we could get up to 11 inches later in the week. I dont think Dawn likes the cold any more than I do. On cold nights she makes a nest out of the blankets and they end up piled around her instead of on top of me. Maybe that's why I woke up cold.

I should learn to dress warmer in Winter like Northerners do, but I tend to turn up the furnace instead. This is probably why I am always so concerned about the furnace going out. A warm house is essential. One Winter our power was out for several days after an ice storm and it got so cold we had to go stay in a hotel for a while. Luckily, Janet still worked then and we would go down to her office during the day to stay warm. Dot and Dash thought that this was a big adventure, but I couldn't wait for the weather to get warmer. It's no surprise that old people retire to Florida. You never hear old people saying "let's move up to Minnesota when we retire."

Today was uneventful. My arm hurt a little at the injection site when I woke up this morning, but it wasn't bad at all. I think getting the shingles vaccine was much worse. We walked Dawn earlier today because Janet had things to do in the afternoon. It wasn't going to get warmer in the afternoon anyway. The temperature hovered around freezing for most of the day. I dressed warmly and was able to finish my longer walk after Dawn and Janet returned home, but it wasn't long before I began to question my sanity. There was nobody on the trails today. I only saw two other joggers during my entire walk.

I had been planning on watching the latest episode of The Expanse this afternoon, but when I opened Amazon Prime on my computer I discovered that Season Five of the show was already over. What? The episode I watched last week didn't feel like a season finale at all. There were hundreds of other shows I could have watched, but I closed my browser and took a nap with Dawn instead. Dawn didn't look entirely happy sharing the bed with me, but she didn't leave this time. I'll call that progress.

I should have gone to Home Depot today and gotten some of those foam tubes that you wrap water pipes with. I put the foam around the exposed outdoor water faucet pipes every year, but it doesn't seem to last long. I think that rats eat the stuff. I remember seeing an exposed copper pipe coming out of the ground recently, so it's time to do this again. Actually, it's past time. I hope nothing freezes tonight. I'll set the faucets on drip and hope for the best.

I haven't heard anything further from the dehumidifier company. They've probably gotten sick of me, just like the roofer did. I really wished that I'd saved the broken dehumidifiers now because I know that I could have salvaged parts from them. I have discovered how to stop the rattling noise. If I lift the dehumidifier 1/2 inch off the ground and then drop it, the rattling stops for several days. I doubt that this is a factory approved solution, but it works. I'm sick of fixing things.

Tomorrow looks like a repeat of today with even colder temperatures. I need to come up with a better plan for dealing with Winter. It's going to be a long time until Spring.

Landry is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4051

I haven't taken any pictures yet, but I did get the new lens. There was actually some method to my madness. A 24-200 zoom is perfect for travel and will allow me to get the shots I need with less gear. I always like to travel light. Of course there are no trips planned. Covid is still raging and there is no place to go. Hey, you've got to start somewhere. I imagine by this summer Janet and I will both have been vaccinated and there will be plenty of safe places to go. Who knows, the observatory might even be needing volunteers again later this year.

If Facebook posts are any indication, everyone I know has already been vaccinated. How can this be? I keep reading that the vaccine is still in short supply and that it is hard to get an appointment. I know that my own pharmacy and doctors haven't gotten their supply yet. Maybe your chances of getting vaccinated depend on how badly you want the shot. Most of my friends who have gotten vaccinated are much more social than I am. They were probably willing to stand in line for hours. I imagine that many of them really, really want to return to their former lives. I'm still walking alone in the woods and happy enough to stay isolated. If I could go back to the observatory and Kennedy Space Center whenever I wanted, I could stay socially distanced forever. Masks are no problem. I'm starting to like masks.

Dawn took another afternoon walk today. Two short walks seem just fine to her. It's still a mystery why she lost interest in taking long walks in the morning, but many things are a mystery to me. If two shorter walks work for her, it's fine by me. My ongoing foot pain is equally mysterious. Yesterday, I could barely move. Today I was fine. I wore the same shoes, walked the same route, and enjoyed the same pleasant weather as I did yesterday, but what a difference. I had very little pain in my left foot today.

I finally heard from the dehumidifier folks. They said that they didn't receive my earlier messages and that the pictures I sent did indicate that there was a missing part. They suggested that I take the machine to a repair shop. I had to write them again and tell them that these pictures were of the supposedly brand new dehumidifier that they sent me just a few weeks ago. This machine should not have had missing parts in the first place. This situation is still not resolved, but I've got plenty of time. That's one good thing about being retired. I can keep writing these guys forever until I get results.

While I was at the camera store I got a new Lithium Ion battery for my audio recorder. Hopefully, this battery will hold a charge a little longer. I'm getting tired of reentering the time and date every time I turn the machine on. I've been faithfully keeping this machine ready to go for years but have only used it twice. I think the last time I used it was on a corporate video I was shooting in Las Vegas quite a few years ago. I'm always all dressed up with no place to go. Maybe I'll take this machine with me on my next rocket launch. The sound of a launch is really pretty awesome.

I need to get started on my Sky & Telescope idea again. I guess I was shocked when I started doing research and discovered that so many people were already writing about this stuff. The article I was planning has already been written dozens of times. Jeez. Amateur astrophotography is a much more popular hobby than I ever imagined. Some of these people are really excellent photographers. It's a bit intimidating. I need to remember that I have a secret weapon. My pictures of distant galaxies may not be that great, but I'm a pretty decent writer. I can describe my lousy pictures well and maybe even make you laugh.

Jazz is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4044

Dawn has clean, white teeth again. She had quite a bit of tartar build-up and really needed a cleaning. Dawn of course had other ideas. She always goes into panic mode when we take her to the vet. She was so upset this morning that she had an irregular heart beat when they tried to sedate her. The vet took things slowly and gave her a mild sedative and waited for her to calm down before giving her anesthesia for the cleaning procedure. 

We were afraid that she might need some teeth extracted because she'd spent so many years biting at the bars of her crate when she was used as a breeding dog. Her front teeth have been worn down, but luckily what remains is still strong and she has no cavities. No teeth needed to be removed today and her gums are in good condition too. Dawn didn't enjoy her day at the vet, but we feel better knowing that her teeth are healthy and in good condition.

The forecast called for rain today, but predictably it was wrong again. I was able to take my long walk after all. I haven't gone anywhere new for a while and continue to follow the same well-worn paths. I feel like I should name the ducks I see along the way because most of them have become quite familiar by now. Apparently ducks are no more adventurous than I am. My walks may be boring, but I still occasionally see something new and I'm definitely getting more exercise than I'd get staring at this computer for an additional two hours every day.

The replacement dehumidifier has started rattling again and it's driving me nuts. I know the manufacturer sent me a refurbished model even though I can't get them to admit it. The customer support folks won't even answer my questions now. This is a bit baffling to me, since they were so responsive when I was initially trying to get a warranty replacement. It kind of feels like they have a policy that if the manufacturer sends you a replacement, they can never talk to you again.

As I continue to learn more about astrophotography, I'm becoming increasingly tempted to buy a tracking mount. This is the only way I'll be able to take longer exposures of the stars. There is no need to rush things though. A tracker would be a total waste of money until I can start visiting dark sky sites again. Even the best tracking mount wouldn't help me much out in my back yard. I keep hoping that eventually Covid will be over and I can pick up where I left off at the astrophotography workshop last October. It would be nice to start visiting Kennedy Space Center again too. When is this all going to happen? I have no earthly idea.

I keep getting messages from my doctor encouraging me to get vaccinated at one of those mega-sites where you have to stand in line all day. Don't think I'm going to do that. I'd rather just stay away from other people for a while longer. Apparently my doctor's office gets a small supply of the vaccine every month, but so far it's being used on patients who are in a lot worse shape than I am. I'm in the 1B priority group, but so are millions of other people. I'm sure I'll get a call one of these days telling me that it's my turn. Take your time guys. I still have lingering fears that this vaccine will turn out to be a horrible mistake like Thalidomide and other drugs where the side effects weren't discovered until years later.

Dawn is unusually quiet tonight. I don't think the drugs have worn off yet. When she came home, she immediately drank a ton of water and then threw up on the bed. We're still washing all the bedding. Hopefully, life will be back to normal in the morning. 

Daisy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4038

Janet walked Dawn by herself again today. She said that Dawn was more enthusiastic this time and didn't freeze at all. They still only walked about a mile, but I guess this is progress. We'll continue this routine for a few more days and then I'll start walking Dawn again and see if it makes any difference. It will be very disappointing if it turns out that I'm part of the problem, but I'd like to know.

I thought I would have heard something from the dehumidifier company by now, but so far nobody has replied to the letters I've sent. This is disappointing as well. There is something wrong with the replacement unit the company sent and they are basically the last resource I have. I've already discovered that there are no repair shops in town who will work on these things.

I wish I wasn't losing interest in walking because I need the exercise and can't think of a better way to stay active. My Fitbit says that I'm not doing as well as I was this time last year. I have a feeling that this is because I stopped going to the gym. I didn't go that often, but my workouts were fairly strenuous compared to walking in the park. I guess I could walk faster. Nope. I actually can't walk any faster.

I wait for the mail every day, but I don't think I'm ever going to get my author copies of SpaceFlight Magazine. Everything in London is so chaotic right now with all the severe virus lockdowns that I think sending out these magazines is the last thing on anyone's mind. Nevertheless, I would still like to receive the magazines someday. It's still hard to believe that my articles have been published until I can hold the magazine in my hand.

Janet was gone a lot this afternoon and I had to put Dawn on a leash to get her to go outside and pee. She would also not eat the dinner I fixed until I left the room and went back to the office. Maybe I'm wrong, but it feels like she has reverted back to being a kennel dog and I am the kennel attendant. Could it be that she experimented with freedom for a while when she joined our family and then decided that she felt more comfortable in a kennel environment with strict rules? I have no idea. It does feel like the bedroom has become her kennel run though. This is where she feels safe and comfortable.

I watched the Boca Chica live feed for a while today. The SN9 Starship prototype had three static fire tests in a single day. Clearly they are getting ready to fly this thing. I don't think anyone has done three back to back static fires before. Elon must be getting confident. Meanwhile, the Artemis-1 rocket has been waiting for over a year for it's static fire test. I still wish I was going to Stennis Space Center for this, but NASA had other plans.

I watched the latest episode of The Expanse later this afternoon. I have to admit that watching the show was a little more interesting when watching a static fire test, but episodic television is pretty predictable as well. It's something to do though and gets my mind off obsessing about dehumidifiers and wondering about Dawn.

Taylor is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4029

Good grief. My watch dialed 911 in my sleep last night. That was a surprise. I woke up to this voice saying "This is Dallas 911, can we help you." What? It took me a moment to realize what was going on, but when I noticed that the voice was coming from my watch, I knew. I spoke into the watch and told the lady that I was sorry, but the call was a mistake. "That's OK," the dispatcher said and hung up. How did this happen? I didn't even know that my watch had this capability. I definitely didn't want this to happen again, so I took the watch off and put it in the office before I went back to bed.

This morning I opened up the Apple Watch app on my phone and looked carefully at all the settings. Sure enough, there was an SOS setting that would summon an emergency response if you fell and didn't immediately press the "I'm OK" button on the watch face. You could also place an emergency call if you held down the flat side button on the side of the watch for a certain length of time. Maybe this button got pressed in my sleep. I certainly didn't fall, although this watch has done strange things before. I disabled the SOS function because I didn't want to wake up later this week with an ambulance in the driveway and EMT technicians knocking on my door. I guess it's a good thing that your watch can call 911 in an emergency, but I wouldn't call having a dream much of an emergency. It wouldn't take long to get classified as a nuisance caller if your watch did this very often. Nice idea Apple, but I don't think this feature is quite ready for prime time.

The watch incident reminded me that I still had a free offer to upgrade to Fitbit Premium. My health insurance provider recently added Fitbit integration to it's gym membership program. The letter that explained the offer had been sitting on my desk for weeks, but I'd never bothered to follow the instructions for the Fitbit upgrade. Fitbit Premium seems harmless enough. I like tracking fitness stats and I don't think there is any way that my Fitbit will call 911 in my sleep. The Fitbit upgrade is probably like that sensor that monitors our electric wiring. A year from now I'll probably regret signing up for both services.

I tried to call the dehumidifier manufacturer and ask some questions about the strange behavior of the replacement unit I received. The company still seems to be closed for the holidays. Nobody answered my call or the e-mail I subsequently sent. Something is clearly wrong with the replacement dehumidifier. I still think they sent me a refurbished unit instead of a new machine.

Since it's Monday, Janet and I went up to visit the kennel Dalmatians this afternoon. The kennel was quiet and most of the holiday boarding dogs were gone. There are currently three Dalmatians at the kennel and I think a fourth might be coming next week. I still need to take pictures of Cooper, but since he is still dealing with a few health issues, he is not ready for adoption yet. I'll take my camera when we visit next week. There might be two dogs to photograph.

When we walked Dawn this morning, she only walked one mile, just like yesterday. We wondered if she'd like to try another walk when we returned from the Dalmatian kennel. She seemed enthusiastic, but froze again after she had traveled one mile. One mile seems to be her limit these days. Nothing is wrong with Dawn. As soon as she sees that we have turned around and are headed home, she resumes walking briskly toward the house. Instead of training Dawn, I think she is training us.

I'm curious when Janet and I will get the vaccine. Several people I know have already been vaccinated. Since we are older and in a high priority group, I don't imagine that the wait will be all that long. I'll take the vaccine, but I'm in no hurry. I'd like to see if the people ahead of me in line have any serious side effects. Will life return to normal when Janet and I have been vaccinated? Somehow, I doubt it.

Hunter is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day