Day 4931

We've had hotter summers before, so why does this one seem so bad? I'm probably just getting older and can't handle these temperatures as well. Social media didn't exist during some of our previous heat waves either. I think being constantly reminded of something tends to make it worse. Being immersed in bad news isn't limited to the weather either. I can't excape from bad news anymore. Life actually seems pretty good until I turn on the TV or fire up my computer. Maybe the heat would be more bearable if I wasn't wondering what it all means.

I like our early morning walks with Dawn. Nothing bad has happened yet and simple things like seeing a rabbit bring pleasure. The temperature is much cooler just before sunrise and there is usually a nice breeze. Dawn loves her morning walks and is very serious about smelling things. Let's face it. Dogs are easy to please. I wish this illusion of peace and tranquility would last a little longer. I could probably extend the spell for an extra hour or so if I just didn't turn on the TV while I was eating breakfast.

We didn't have our usual big breakfast today because Janet had a class to go to. I ate my shredded wheat and fruit and then got ready to go mall walking. I go earlier now because I only recently realized that the mall is open for walkers sooner than I thought. Mall walking is actually very similar to walking around the indoor track at the gym. It's flat, the temperature is controlled, and I usually walk about the same distance at either place. Walking around the mall is more interesting though. I find looking in overpriced store windows more interesting than watching old people get their physical therapy at the gym.

There were not a lot of changes this week. Only one new store opened and very few of the window displays changed. These windows are becoming very familiar now and I notice very small changes. Only a few stores change their displays every week. Some never change them at all. I'm starting to recognize other walkers. I think the same people walk every week. The older people are easy to recognize, but the young women pushing kids in strollers all look the same. Men take their little kids to the mall too, but they never push strollers. I kind of wished the Apple Store opened early. I might have bought a new phone this morning.

We didn't take Dawn on her Sunday outing walk this morning because it was too hot outside. She still got to go for ice cream though. We just drove to the ice cream store, ate our cones in the car, and then came home. This is probably all Dawn really wanted anyway.

Lately I haven't been very active in the afternoon. Most of my activity seems to take place in the morning. I think I like the notion of the siesta. In some hot climates the typical siesta lasts from 2 to 5 PM. Seems about right. There are plenty of things that need attention around the house, but it's hard to get interested. I look at these things and realize that the task will still be around tomorrow. I'll eventually get around to these things. All in good time. Hey, we did finally get a new roof didn't we.

I'm not sure what I'll be doing tomorrow. There is no rain in the forecast for the next week, so it's a safe bet that it will be very hot outside. If I want to take care of any outdoor chores, it's going to have to be very early in the morning. I'll probably just go to the gym again and call it a day.

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4194

I'm getting used to the new schedule. Dawn likes the early morning walks. Maybe she's always been an earlybird. I wouldn't know, because I'm definitely not. I'd sleep till noon if I could, but it's definitely worth the effort to get out of bed if it helps us avoid the heat. Dawn walks briskly before sunrise and then waits patiently for me to make the bed when we return home. She used to just hop on the unmade bed and refuse to leave. We're making progress.

I went back to the gym after breakfast. I think I prefer my long walks, but that really isn't an option until it cools down a bit. I try to add a few extra repetitions to my routine every day. I'm not getting as many steps as I used to, but I'm still burning the same amount of calories. I've still got a lot of work to do, but hopefully I'll be back to where I was a year ago in a reasonable amount of time. I'm surprised at how much stopping going to the gym for a year has affected my overall strength. Snooze, you lose I guess.

Janet and I went out to dinner to celebrate my birthday this evening. My birthday isn't until tomorrow, but it worked out better to go out to eat tonight. I was surprised to see that my favorite item wasn't on the menu anymore. I asked the waiter what had happened and she gave some sort of a Covid related excuse. This made no sense at all, but luckily everything on the menu is delicious. I ordered something else. We had a nice relaxing meal and pretty soon I will be one year older. The restaurant was full and everyone was acting normally. It was almost as if Covid never happened. The disease may still be an issue in some parts of the country, but it basically seems to be over in Dallas.

The replacement for my damaged iPhone case arrived today. It's been so long since I ordered this thing that I'd almost forgotten about it. I think the package came directly from China. That's the only way I can explain the excessive amount I paid for postage. I'm still using the damaged case. I don't think it's waterproof anymore, but I seldom get near water anyway.

I noticed that Dawn was limping when I took her outside after breakfast. I tried to look at her paw, but she wouldn't let me get close to it. It's a shame that Dawn is still frightened of me. Janet examined the paw when she returned home and found nothing wrong. Dawn isn't limping anymore, so I suspect that she got an acorn stuck between her paw pads. This happened frequently with Dot & Dash. If you have large Oak trees, your yard is usually filled with acorns.

I'm not wild about doing yard work on my birthday, but I've still got to cut down the remaining dead Photinia trees before the bulky trash trucks arrive to haul everything away. It's about time to mow the grass again as well. I have a feeling that I'll just wait until Sunday to tackle these chores. I seldom have a good excuse to avoid work, so I might as well take advantage of it. 

Rugby is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4190

Riggs has left the building and gone to his new forever home, but we got a chance to meet Penny today. This sweet young girl is a bundle of energy and is even more of a puppy than Riggs was. We suspect that she is less than a year old. I had trouble getting a good picture of Penny because she wouldn't stay still. She loved her toys and would leap high in the air to catch a ball. I hope whoever adopts Penny understands how energetic a young Dalmatian can be. She is friendly with everyone and like any young dog could use a little training. I suspect that this happy pup is going to be adopted very soon. She's a wild child, but it's impossible not to love her.

None of the dogs wanted to play in the outdoor yard today. I can't blame them. It was not only very hot today, we were also under an air quality advisory. Cooper and Charlie did their business very quickly and ran back indoors. Penny just peed indoors. Hey, she's a puppy.

The heat won today. After reading the heat advisory on my phone, I decided that I wouldn't even attempt to walk in the park. For the first time in over a year, I returned to the gym. It was a wise choice. The air conditioning kept the place nice and cold. There was also a nice running track. It can get boring walking or running on an indoor track. At my gym there are 14 laps to a mile. After a while you get tired of going around in a circle. I thought I would be faster on the indoor track, but actually I was slower. I also burned fewer calories. I guess it makes a big difference when I am walking up and down hills outdoors. Maybe sweating burns energy too.

I was surprised that the gym seemed exactly the same after a year. A lot of the same people were still there doing the same exercises they were last year. I'm almost sure that the same music was playing on the sound system. I miss the water cooler though. You have to bring your own water now. You also have to bring your own basketball if you want to use the basketball court. You have to wear a mask when you check in, but you can immediately take it off again when you get on the gym floor. These remaining Covid restrictions are beginning to look silly, although I suspect they will be around for a while. They probably made the three or four people who were still wearing masks while exercising happier. 

It looks like this heat wave isn't over yet, so I will definitely be back. The next time I go to the gym, I'll probably resume my old exercise routine. It was a good routine and I have to admit I felt stronger than I do now. Today I just walked around the track. I did carry hand weights while I walked though. I thought this would give me a little bit of an upper body workout, but I don't think I accomplished much. The weights were light and my arms aren't even sore. Well, actually they are a little sore, but it had nothing to do with my workout. Penny scratched me pretty bad with her sharp little puppy claws when she gave me an exuberant greeting this afternoon.

The power company sent out a notice urging people to conserve energy this week. This sounded a little ominous after all the problems the power company had last winter. I'd hate to have a power outage with these kind of temperatures. We have a small house and aren't big energy users anyway, but our air conditioner is already having trouble dealing with the heat. Basically the best most HVAC systems can do is keep the indoor temperature twenty degrees colder than the outdoor temperature. This works fine most of the time. When the outdoor temperature gets over one hundred degrees you might have a problem. During a heat wave you have to cool your house down a night and hope it doesn't warm up too quickly during the day. 

We're going to have to start walking Dawn early in the morning again. We'll give this a try tomorrow. If we walk before breakfast, it should still be cool outside. At least I don't have to worry about water on the roof for a while. If there was any standing water left from our early June rains, I'm sure it evaporated several days ago.

Daisy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3919

Zoom must be really popular. During the past month I have received a number of invitations to join Zoom meetings, conferences, or reunions. I've never been a big fan of meetings. Most of my experience having meetings remotely has been limited to the occasional conference call and a few test drives with GoToMeeting. I might have had GoToMeeting installed on my computer at some point. It's not there anymore. As useless as most meetings are, I still think I prefer the in person variety better because there are always donuts.

At any rate, it's hard to ignore Zoom these days. After receiving another invitation to join a Zoom meeting, I finally became curious enough to download the app. I'm not sure how to use it yet, but it couldn't be that hard if school kids are using it.

Dawn was reluctant to get up this morning. Was she trying to tell us something? Sometimes I think these long walks we've been taking are too much for her, but she seems to really enjoy herself once we arrive at the park. She had lots of energy today and wanted to stop and smell every tree. Maybe Dawn is just fine and the walks are too much for me. I always seem to be the tired one when we return home.

It's hard to believe it's the middle of September already. I'm still uncertain about what to do for the rest of the year. A few astronomy groups are starting to have star parties again. I've thought about attending one, but there are all sorts of restrictions about masks and distancing. There are several interesting launches at Kennedy Space Center in October as well. I'm still not sure how my Air Force media accreditation actually works. I'm supposed to be on a list to receive information about upcoming events I might want to attend, but I haven't received any messages yet. I hope they give me some advance warning. It takes time to plan these trips. A trip to Boca Chica seems very intriguing, but how do I get someone to invite me? So many things to think about while I'm sitting here doing nothing.

I got the low-rez images of my visit to McDonald Observatory prepared to send to Sky and Telescope. I hope I haven't overpromised on these pictures. They seemed a lot more interesting when I took them last March than when I reviewed them again this morning. Oh, well. It is what is is. I'm sure the magazine can find something they like.

Janet wants to get an early start on our walk tomorrow morning. I hope the skies are clear. Walking in the dark is more enjoyable when you can see stars. I still need to go to REI and buy a headlamp. The days keep getting shorter and there will be many more pre-dawn walks. You've really got to watch out for bicycles in the dark. Cyclists get up early and they like to go fast. We saw a bicycle almost run into a jogger early this morning. Lots of swearing in the dark.

I'll see if I can figure out how to use Zoom tomorrow. If I get bored enough, I might even join a meeting or two.

Phantom is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3901

Another hot summer day. It got up to 106 degrees this afternoon. This is one reason why we got a really early start this morning. I don't think Dawn likes the idea of walking so early, but we are doing it for her. These pre-dawn walks are the only way to beat the heat.

Even though the skies were clear for most of the day, we've under another thunderstorm watch now. It's hard to keep up with Texas weather. It looks like the storm is starting to dissipate, but I'm going to continue to watch the weather radar until the fast moving front passes over us. I hate the thought of losing power in the summer. It doesn't take long for the house to become impossibly hot and humid.

I managed to find most of the items on my grocery list this morning. Grocery shopping has become like a scavenger hunt. You never know what you are going to find on the shelves.  There seems to be plenty of bottled water and toilet paper now. It's common everyday items that seem to have disappeared. I managed to find peaches by going to a different store, but I still can't find my favorite cheese.

I forgot to update my credit card information on the shopping app I always use to avoid the checkout line and it wouldn't process my transaction. I couldn't seem to enter new information at the store, so I had to start over and go through the checkout line after all. I finally figured out how to empty my shopping cart in the app so I wouldn't be charged twice, but it took a while. Technology is always easy until it isn't. I think I'm better at figuring these things out when I'm at home.

The little red light we clip on Dawn's collar wouldn't work this morning. I thought the batteries might be dead, but the light seemed to work perfectly later this morning when the sun was up and we were back home. It's easy to find a bargain these days, but nothing seems well made anymore. We got some solar powered patio lights for the back yard a few months ago and some of the lights are already starting to fail. I suspect this is because we got the lights at the Dollar Store. What can you expect from a solar powered light that costs a dollar?

The launch I'd been wanting to attend all summer got aborted right when the count reached zero early this morning. Just as the rocket started to fire, everything shut down. Now the launch is delayed at least another week while ULA tried to determine what the problem was. If I had traveled to Florida, I would have incurred three extra days of hotel bills and then had to return to Dallas anyway without seeing anything. I think someone is trying to tell me to just lay low for a while. Travel is complicated and filled with uncertainties. Walking your dog every morning is pretty simple.

I hear thunder but it still hasn't rained yet. As much as I hate the idea of rain, maybe it would cool things down a bit. The temperature is still hovering around 100 degrees.

Duke is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3899

It took me a long time to figure out why today was a special day. One year ago today Janet and I were out at McDonald Observatory. That was kind of special. Nope. That wasn't it. I kept wondering and finally realized that it was Dot's birthday. We used to have big birthday celebrations for Dot and Dash. It all seems so long ago now. I hate it when memories start to fade. It's inevitable though. I guess that's why it's important to replace old traditions with new ones. We'll have to make sure that Dawn has a special birthday celebration this December.

My Apple Watch notified me that I've met my daily move goal for 365 consecutive days. I wondered why I'd missed a day a year ago and then I remembered that we'd spent August 26 last year in the car driving to Fort Davis. I didn't make the same mistake when I returned to the observatory the next March. I took a long walk as soon as I arrived. I've been routinely closing all three activity circles on the watch for months now. I wonder how long this will continue. At some point it seems like I might find something else to do.

The crystal popped off Janet's Apple Watch today. How was that possible? I wonder if this will happen to my watch as well. I did a little research on Google and discovered that this was fairly common. When the battery goes bad, it can swell and push the crystal out. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised. I've had swollen lithium batteries make a mess of laptops, a baby monitor, and a little WiFi hotspot. Why can't everyone make their batteries like Tesla? Tesla guarantees the batteries in their cars for ten years. You're lucky to get two years out of anything else.

We got an early start on our walk this morning. I think Dawn might be a little scared of the dark. She seems more comfortable when the sky lightens up a bit. I still enjoy these early walks, but it isn't always easy to get up in the morning. I still need to get more sleep. We were back at the house by the time the sun rose this morning. You'd think this would give me a lot more time to do other things. Usually it doesn't work out that way. I often feel like the day is finished by 9 AM.

I tried to do a few useful things today. I managed to open the sliding glass door enough to squeeze inside and clean the atrium. I've given up on getting this door repaired. Nobody seems to have the skills anymore. I swept some leaves off the porch, cleaned the car, and then called it a day. I should do more, but it's almost impossible to get motivated.

I'm trying to stay motivated about writing. That's getting harder too. I wrote some letters today trying to set up a visit to the Space X Boca Chica facility. I wrote a launch photographer asking for advice on how to reestablish contact with the Air Force. All this is kind of like putting a note in a bottle and throwing it out in the ocean. You've got to do something though.

We'll see what tomorrow brings. It doesn't look like we'll get any rain after all. I'm glad it is gradually getting a little cooler. Maybe we'll survive this summer after all.

Dot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Dayu 3897

Every once in a while I make an effort to get motivated. It usually doesn't get very far. I haven't had much luck sending e-mail to my Air Force contact, so today I thought I'd call instead. I tried five different numbers at Patrick Air Force Base and each of them gave me a "mailbox full" message. I couldn't reach a real person at all. I couldn't even leave a message. Why did I think getting media credentials through the Air Force would be easier than getting credentialed by NASA? I'm beginning to realize that I just might be out of luck until the pandemic is over. I know a few people who are still getting launch access at Kennedy Space Center, but they are all well-known Florida locals. It's kind of a shame to realize that I am one of the "non-essential" people. I might still want to do certain things, but nothing grinds to a halt when I'm not there. I guess this is the essence of being retired. Nobody is depending on you. My interest in space and astronomy is just an indulgence. I'm reluctant to call it a hobby, but that's probably what most people think.

We got an early start this morning. Sometimes Dawn gets spooked by things we can't see in the dark. She is very alert. It's weird that I can identify all the stars in the pre-dawn sky. It isn't hard when there are only a dozen of them. Light pollution is really this bad in Dallas. I know there are thousands of stars up there. I just can't see them. Despite the city lights, dawn is still a magical time. I love seeing the sky lighten as daylight arrives. Birds start to sing as sunrise approaches. I've learned to identify many of them. We often hear owls and hawks. Lately, we've been hearing Egrets and Herons. The ducks and geese are always noisy, but we haven't heard the Monk parrots in a while. I wonder where they went?

Facebook looked different today. I hate the new layout. I immediately switched back to the 'legacy" view which I guess will disappear forever on September 1st. Why do people feel compelled to change things? Everybody does it. I'm still mad at Apple for taking the DVD drive out of all their computers. I like the old Land Rover Defender a lot better than the new one. Truthfully, I still like film cameras better than digital cameras, but that ship sailed a long time ago. There's not much you can do about change. You certainly can't stop it. I try to go with the flow and accept change gracefully. It's sad though when you realize that certain aspects of the past were measurably better and you're never going to be able to convince anyone to turn around and go back.

I "drove" around Boca Chica today using Google street view. It's weird to think that the Google camera car has even been here. The landscape is pretty bleak down here. There are very few trees and  a lot of dirt. It makes me wonder why those people in Boca Chica Village decided to live there. There are no shops, no restaurants, and no gas stations. The place is certainly no luxury resort. The houses are very modest. Space X moved here because Boca Chica is the southern most point in the United States and this helps when you are launching things into orbit. I'm still not sure why the other residents moved there though.

I think that Hurricane Laura is going to bring some rain to our area tomorrow and Wednesday. The heavy rain is expected to be East of us, but we'll probably still get wet. I should have gone up on the roof today and made a few repairs while things were still dry. There's a lot of things I should have done today. I guess that's why there's always tomorrow.

Pinky is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3892

Every once in a while I get so frustrated with telemarketers that I'm tempted to discontinue my landline service entirely. Very few legitimate callers use the landline anymore, but telemarketers and scammers seem to love it. I must get twenty telemarketing calls a day. I never answer these calls, but they are still very irritating. I signed up for Nomorobo a long time ago and thought it would take care of the problem. You can always tell when a telemarketer has been detected by Nomorobo because the phone only rings once.

Telemarketers seem to be getting smarter though because more and more of them have discovered ways to bypass this blocking service. They spoof your local exchange, so calls appear to be coming from a neighbor. Some telemarketers just use their real names because they know you won't pick up the phone when it says "Invalid Number" on the Caller ID. The older you get, the more you feel like you are under siege by these people. There must still be people who answer their phone or there wouldn't be so many telemarketers. My Dad was a sitting duck for these people. He knew nothing about technology and always picked up his phone.

I have the option of designating up to twenty numbers as "safe" on my landline and blocking everything else. What numbers do you choose though. About the only people who still use the landline are doctors and suppliers who never bothered to update their old office database. Doctors and vets never call you using their main office number though. Sometimes they use their cell phone. Other times they use an extension in a lab or exam room. I still might give this a try though. Anyone who really needs to reach me just sends me a text anyway.

We got another early start this morning. When we walk in the dark, I realize how bad light pollution is in Dallas. You can see bright stars like Sirius and Procyon, but the only constellation that is clearly visible in the morning sky is Orion. Orion is easily the brightest constellation in the sky, which is why it is the only one most people can identify. The sky looks so different in Fort Davis. There's nothing like a velvet black sky dotted with thousands of stars that have been bisected by the Milky Way. Dark skies are peaceful and incredibly beautiful. I can't say the same about city lights.

It was another slow day. I looked up the number of a company that can repair my large printer, but I didn't bother to call. Is the printer even worth fixing? I've already fixed a lot of electronic gear that I've never used when it came back from the repair shop. Maybe I'll get the urge to make large Giclée prints again, but I doubt it.

I'm discovering that it's easy to pay bills online, but much harder to keep track of things in Quickbooks Pro now. I have to manually recreate all the transactions I have already done online. That's what I did this afternoon. My accountant says Quickbooks is obsolete and that I should switch to a modern cloud-based accounting program. Maybe he's right.

The week's trash has been taken to the curb and I'm ready to start a new week. Maybe your week doesn't start on Friday, but it works for me.

Blackjack is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3890

I think watching the sunrise on our early morning walks is the favorite part of my day. You could still see quite a few stars when we left the house this morning. Orion was rising in the East and below it near the horizon was the constellation of Sirius. Historically, the phrase "Dog Days of Summer" refers to the time of year that Canis Major begins to appear again in the morning sky. The Greeks thought that when the dog star appeared, it signaled heat, drought, sudden thunderstorms, lethargy, fever, mad dogs, and bad luck. Sounds about right.

It was another slow day today. It's usually a bad sign when the only thing I can think of to do is get the water off the roof. This is a terrible chore in the summer. It's very hot on the roof and you have to be careful what you touch. Before I could sweep the water away, I had to remove a few low hanging limbs from a nearby Pecan tree. One branch was drooping so low that it was touching the roof. There was still quite a bit of water on the roof from our recent thunderstorm, but luckily I'm still not seeing any signs of leaks. Hopefully, it won't rain again until the weather gets cooler. Clearing today's water away was tiring. Something is wrong with one of the pumps too. I'll have to deal with that later.

The highway department has been building a new bridge near us for a long time. The bridge was supposed to be finished in March. Now that we are halfway through August, the bridge is finally nearing completion. I think it will be finished before the end of the month. Oddly, nobody in the neighborhood was very surprised by the delays. Things always take longer than expected. I have a feeling that the same sort of thing is going to happen with the virus vaccine. Everyone is talking about having a vaccine ready before the end of the year. Somehow, next August seems a little more realistic.

I wrote a letter to my sister today and took it to the post office. I bought a new roll of stamps a few weeks ago and I bet this roll of first class stamps will last me the rest of my life. These periodic letters to my sister are the only reason I have to go to the post office anymore. Now that I've gone paperless and made the transition to paying all my bills online, there aren't many reasons to mail anything. I find the current controversy about the post office kind of strange. The post office has actually been removing those blue mail boxes and decommissioning sorting machines for years. There was a good reason. Nobody sends letters anymore. Even the greeting card stores are going out of business. The next time you go to the post office look at what people are doing. They are all mailing packages. eBay and Etsy sellers depend on those low cost flat rate boxes. Actually, I think the post office has improved their package handling capabilities in recent years.

I've been hearing rumors that the Dalmatian Rescue golf tournament is going to be canceled this year. I thought that golf was going to be one of the few survivors of the pandemic, but this doesn't really surprise me. Absolutely everything is being canceled this year. I don't have much hope of returning to Kennedy Space Center or McDonald Observatory in the foreseeable future. If I'm going to go anywhere, I'm going to have to come up with a plan on my own. Jeez. Where do you go when so many things are closed and people are becoming increasingly suspicious of strangers? It's a strange new world. Who would have thought that you'd wake up one morning and discover that everyday life and Black Mirror had merged.

Lucy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3885

I saw a meteor this morning. It was just a brief streak in the pre-dawn sky, but now I can say I saw the Perseid meteor shower without having to stay up all night. Even though we started our morning walk early enough to see meteors, it was still pretty hot. There wasn't much of a breeze this morning and it makes a big difference. The Muscovy ducks startled us today. They were sitting on the railing of a bridge we cross every morning and we almost bumped into them in the dark. Dawn didn't even seem to notice the ducks. Apparently she is only interested in rabbits. Once again we had to shorten our walk because of the heat. I'm not getting 20,000 steps anymore, but I guess it doesn't matter.

When I watch the news while I'm having my breakfast smoothie, I couldn't tell you whether I was watching something live or a tape from last month. It's all the same. Surely there must be other things going on in the world than Covid and the election. Nobody is even spending much time talking about that big explosion in Lebanon. Even the business channels are mostly about Covid and the election these days. No wonder I've started watching the live feed from the Space X facility in Boca Chica.

I went out after breakfast and got a new vehicle registration sticker to put on my windshield. The computers were down at the first place I went, so I had to search for a new location that sold the stickers. At least you can get these things in grocery stores now. It's much easier than driving downtown to the county records building. Hopefully my car related chores are done for the year. I'll just fill my tank once a month and wait until there is someplace to go again.

We see lots of runners and cyclists on our early morning walks, but the park is virtually empty in the afternoon. I enjoy the solitude, but I don't enjoy the heat. It was well over one hundred degrees when I took my afternoon walk. You'd think I could find something worthwhile to do indoors where it's cool, but I continue walking. Walking is a lot like blogging. Both are a way to reflect on life while using up a lot of time. I'll be glad when it starts getting cooler. These afternoon walks are murder. We've got another month or two of Summer, but I'm almost certain that the heat will subside before the virus does.

When I was taking the week's trash out to the curb this evening I noticed that a large lizard was along for the ride. I don't know how he got in the can but I helped him get back on the ground before leaving the can on the street. I don't think I would have done the same thing for a spider. We have lots of lizards in our yard. Maybe they'll eat the spiders.

I wonder when I'll start going back to restaurants for breakfast? It seems kind of pointless now. Oh, well. I've still got enough fruit left for another smoothie.

Emma is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3884

Another starlit start to our morning walk. You can tell what kind of day it's going to be the moment you step out the back door. When the air is stifling and you can smell the humidity, you know it's not a good sign. It was a pretty morning though. I could still see the constellation Orion just below Venus. I kept hoping to see a few meteors, since the Perseid meteor shower was supposed to peak this morning. No such luck. The sky wasn't dark enough.

We've decided that the ducks and geese stay on the water at night to stay safe from the coyotes. They are always out in the lake on the outbound leg of our walk and have returned to the shore when we see them again on the way home. All the animals we see are very predictable. I guess they probably think the same thing about us.

After breakfast I went to the Land Rover dealer so I could get my car safety inspected for another year. The state sets the price for these inspections, so this is just about the only time I can escape a huge bill when I take my car to the dealership. Safety inspections are a bargain at Land Rover. One of the sales guys I know keeps trying to get me interested in buying a new Defender. I have to admit that I like the car, but I bet I could get a pretty nice Bronco for half the price. There is going to be lots to choose from in the next year or two. A Bronco with the Sasquatch package sounds intriguing. If I really want my old Defender back, there's the new INEOS Grenadier. This new 4x4 is almost a direct copy of the Defender design with a BMW engine. There's always the Tesla Cybertruck too. For someone who doesn't really like to drive and seldom ventures off of paved roads, I'm way too interested in rugged four wheel drive vehicles. Maybe I just want to get ready for the apocalypse.

I don't know how I got started watching the 24/7 Boca Chica cam, but I look at it every day now. It's amazing how quickly things change at this Space X facility in South Texas. They've already got a new Starship prototype on the launch pad and are are preparing for another hop test. These guys are working 24 hours a day. I still have a feeling that they are going to beat NASA to Mars. At the rate they are going, they might even beat them back to the moon. I keep wondering how hard it would be to get access to this facility? This would make a good story for SpaceFlight Magazine. Unfortunately, Covid is spreading like wildfire near the border in South Texas. Maybe I ought to wait a while.

Now that I've gotten my car inspected, I can go get the new window sticker. Maybe I'll do that tomorrow. You used to need two stickers on your windshield, but the state scrapped the inspection sticker a few years ago. When you go to get your registration sticker, they already know whether you've had the car inspected. There is no need to take care of this immediately, but I do need something to do.

I'm sure we'll get up early again tomorrow. The temperature is supposed to reach 103 degrees. We've already shortened Dawn's walks. I have a feeling that we'll need to shorten them even further. I don't know about you, but I'm ready for Fall.

Ellis is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3876

We got such an early start this morning that we had to take a flashlight with us. Venus, Mars and a full Moon were still bright in the sky and there was a cool breeze. We kept an eye out for coyotes. They are often on the move at this time of day. I'm not typically an early riser, but the hour before sunrise is definitely the best part of the day. The sky changes from darkness to daylight remarkably quickly and if there are clouds in the East, you often get to enjoy a beautiful sunrise. I just need to go to bed a little earlier to fully enjoy the experience.

Our walks were the main event of the day. Our morning walk is for Dawn and the afternoon walk I take by myself is basically just a substitute for going to the gym. Eating, sleeping, and walking. That's pandemic life for you. I paid some bills after breakfast and did a little bookkeeping, but spent most of my time watching the Space X Starship's first test hop down at Boca Chica. Coverage of events at Boca Chica is strictly a volunteer affair. A couple of Space X fans have set up cameras outside the perimeter of the Space X compound and provide a running commentary whenever something is going on. Often hours go by and nothing happens at all. If there is a puff of smoke or even a bird flying by, there will be a lot of speculation about what it all means.

Boca Chica is the exact opposite of Kennedy Space Center. There are lots of tents and temporary buildings. The place is a mess. Rocket parts and construction equipment are strewn around everywhere. After seeing all the high tech equipment and precision engineering at Michoud Assembly Facility, this place seems more like a bunch of oil field workers decided to weld together a rocket out of scrap steel. The SN5 prototype that was being tested today looked exactly like a huge grain silo. It certainly didn't look like it could fly. The first attempt today got scrubbed, but everything went perfectly the second time. The flying grain silo slowly rose over 150 feet in the air and then descended again to land safely at a nearby landing pad. Probably in less than a year, a more refined version of this rocket will be launched into into orbit from this same Boca Chica site. It doesn't look like much now, but if Elon Musk has his way, this barren strip of land on the Gulf Coast will be where we depart for Mars. Hope I'm still around to see the journey begin.

I wish people could make up their minds about the virus. In less than ten minutes this morning I heard that things are getting better, that conditions are getting worse, that the virus will be with us forever, and that we are getting ourselves in a panic for nothing. Wait a few minutes or flip the channel and you will hear something completely different. Who do you trust these days? Even the scientists don't seem to agree on this one. I have no doubts that this is a serious disease, but I'm equally convinced that the media is stirring the pot.

I think we're going to try to get up real early again tomorrow. It's a little strange walking in the dark but it's the only way to beat the heat. The only downside to these early walks is that too much of the day remains after you return. What do you do next? Tomorrow I'll attempt to answer this seemingly eternal question again.

Pebbles is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3871

We knew it was going to be a hot day so we got an extra early start on this morning's walk. You could still see a few stars and several planets as we left the house. Mars was almost directly overhead, reminding me that the Mars 2020 launch would take place while we were walking. I watched it all on video later after I finished my breakfast. Watching a launch on the computer makes it seem kind of weird that I used to travel so far to see these launches in person. The entire event was over in just a few minutes.

Our timing was good this morning. We reached the halfway point in our walk before the sun rose and there was a nice gentle breeze the entire way. Things heat up quickly once the sun is above the horizon unfortunately. It quickly became warm enough for Dawn to choose the shorter route home.

When I was watching the launch coverage on my computer this morning I looked for familiar faces in my Facebook feed. I recognized a couple of launch photographers I'd met earlier who still seemed to have media credentials. There always seems to be a race to see who can get their pictures on the Internet first. These guys were definitely fast. I wonder who you have to know to maintain media accreditation these days? I'm definitely not in the loop. Oh, well. Maybe some day things will return to normal.

After breakfast I decided to go up on the roof and remove the standing water from the rain we got a few days ago. It was so hot that I was surprised that the water hadn't evaporated yet. The metal handle of the push broom I keep on the roof was almost too hot to touch. The white surface of the roof itself was hot enough to burn your hands. I had to bring a wet rag with me to place on the edge of the roof that I use to steady myself when I lower myself down after I'm done. There was no rain in the forecast when I cleared the water away this morning, but ironically there is a thunderstorm headed our way right now. This always happens. We'll have rain again before I go to bed tonight.

It doesn't look like I'll be getting a Bronco any time soon. I read an article today that Ford already has well over 200,000 reservations for the new 4x4 and the entire 2021 production run is sold out. Seems weird that so many people would decide to buy a car based entirely on pictures and reviews they see on the Internet. What happened to kicking the tires? It's probably just as well that there will be nothing to tempt me at a dealership for a while. At the rate I'm driving these days, my current car will last forever. Eventually, I'd still like something reliable and easy to service for trips to West Texas. Hey, a guy can dream.

My days are still extremely slow. I've got to think of a project for now instead of for later. Right now I occupy a lot of my time thinking about telescopes I might buy for future dark skies, cars I might buy for future travels, and future launches I'd like to attend when I can get my media credentials restored. Nothing wrong with this of course. I guess it just tells me that there is very little about Dallas that intrigues me anymore.

Penny is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3868

It's Dalmatian Day again. We have a new boy named Marshall on the way, but for now there are still just three dogs at the kennel. Luckie is really making progress. She trusts the kennel staff now and didn't seem nearly as shy as she did last week. She loves treats and Janet and I were both able to get her to come over to us for a cookie. Luckie might even have a forever home in the near future. We learned today that someone is looking at her this week. Charlie and Hank seemed quieter than usual. Maybe it was the heat. They played with their toys for a little bit, but mostly they just wanted to sit next to us. Not surprisingly, the two boys were just as interested in treats as Luckie. Hank has learned to sit for a treat and Charlie has a whole repertoire of tricks to impress us with.

We managed to get an early start on our walk with Dawn this morning and it was definitely worth the effort. The combination of an overcast sky with a nice breeze made the walk fairly pleasant for late July. Dawn seemed to agree. She had lots of energy today and we completed our full five miles. The park is much less busy on a weekday, but we still encounter a lot more people than we would have at this time last year. I used to remember the park being completely empty on a Monday morning. Those days are gone. There are too many folks who are still out of work and looking for something to do.

I wrote one of my Air Force contacts today to ask about the status of my media accreditation request for upcoming military launches at Kennedy Space Center. I imagine that everything has been delayed because of the coronavirus, but I would have thought I'd have an answer by now. I submitted my application months ago. It's hard for me to be patient when so many things have been put on hold. I'm very polite because I don't want to burn any bridges, but I wish I could figure out a way to move the ball forward. I'm ready to resume writing about rockets and astronomy.

I'm doing a better job of maintaining contacts with my friends out at the observatory. I got a letter from one of the astronomers today. I'm pretty sure that I'll be welcome back as soon as the place opens up again. Lord knows when that will be though. There are certainly no plans at the moment. I don't think anyone is welcoming visitors now. Even the National Parks are starting to regret opening up again. I imagine Disneyland is having second thoughts as well. Until the situation changes, I'll have to be content with making travel plans in my head while I watch the ducks and geese at the park.

I wonder if anyone realizes the true extent of the mess we have managed to create? Some say that at least half the jobs lost during the pandemic will never return. People are leaving big cities in droves. Why live in a city when the stores are boarded up and you've lost faith in public transportation. Now that they're saying the virus can be transmitted through air conditioning systems, is anyone ever going to want to come back to work in a high rise? I doubt it.

With bad news everywhere you look, this is starting to look a lot like the fall of the Roman Empire. Civilizations come and go but I never thought I'd witness something like this during my lifetime. It's easy to focus on what is happening in the United States, but the changes I'm seeing are global. I sure hope the world can manage to get it's act together. When Rome fell, it wasn't followed by the Renaissance. The Middle Ages lasted for a very long time.

Deuce is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3865

I wrote some letters today and took them to the post office. I still like the slower pace of letter writing. Too bad other people don't feel the same way. Very few people I know will actually reply to a letter with another letter. I keep thinking that the world would be a better place if we all just slowed down a bit. Writing letters is a good way to slow down. I initially thought that the pandemic might be the reset button we all needed and life would resume at slower pace. Nope. I was wrong about that. The minute that businesses started to reopen, everyone rushed to get back to their old ways. Traffic is back to normal here in Dallas and shopping center parking lots are full. This is one reason why we are seeing a spike in new coronavirus cases now. I don't get it, but then I don't get a lot of things about modern life.

We got started on our walk so early this morning that I was able to see several planets in the morning sky. In addition to Venus to the East, Mars was directly overhead. I should have been able to see Jupiter and Saturn as well, but they were hidden my clouds along the Western horizon. There always seem to be clouds along the Western horizon these days. I wish they would go away. They've certainly spoiled my chances for getting a good view of the rapidly fading comet.

Wildflower season is over for the year, but there are still a few surprises. After Halloween there are people in the neighborhood who dump their old pumpkins in the park for animals to eat. Many of these discarded pumpkins have taken root and started to grow. About this time of year, the vines start to flower. I spotted my first pumpkin vine this morning. It wasn't that exciting, but it was something new.

I was supposed to get a haircut today, but my appointment got canceled. Scheduling things in the coronavirus era is complicated. No great loss. I've gotten used to looking scruffy. I'm sure I'll get a haircut eventually, but it's probably best to wait a little while anyway. Dallas needs to get its act together again. We were doing so well and now we've become a hotspot.

I was missing a few ingredients for my smoothie this morning, but it still tasted the same. Sometimes I think it doesn't even matter what I dump in the blender. These smoothies always taste pretty much the same. The news on the TV while I'm eating breakfast is always the same as well. Life really is starting to feel like that Ground Hog Day movie.

Hard to believe it's already time to venture out for groceries again. Time flies when you are doing nothing. I'll be glad when the supply chain completely returns to normal. Every time I go to the store there are always one or two very common items that have completely disappeared. I hope my favorite coffee is there tomorrow. I'm set in my ways. I don't know if I can handle a new type of coffee.

Molly is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3812

One of the best ways to make the world seem normal again is to visit the Dalmatian kennel. There were fewer dogs this week. Cinder has gone to her forever home. Her new owners renamed her Cinderella and from all we've heard she's enjoying her new surroundings. Murphy, Hank, and Charlie were all glad to see us. Each of these boys has their favorite toys and loves to play. They all seem remarkably well adjusted to life at the kennel, but I'm sure they look forward to finding their forever homes as well.

As usual, the day started with an early morning walk. It's always quiet and peaceful right around sunrise. We've started seeing lots of baby ducks near the lake. We also saw a young coyote running down a neighborhood street. Hopefully Mom can keep her ducklings safe until they learn to fly. The young owls I saw a few months ago have all learned to fly. I never see them any more, although I know they are nearby. I often hear them deep in the woods. This cycle of life repeats every Spring in the park. It's reassuring to see the wildflowers return right on schedule and a new generation of animals repopulate the park. If only civilization was as predictable as nature.

I continue to be amazed that nobody is talking about the virus anymore. Almost overnight we have gone from staying six feet apart to huge crowds milling about on city streets. It's almost as if the entire population has Attention Deficit Disorder. Apparently, we can only concentrate on one crisis at a time. The media certainly isn't helping. Everyone is still pushing their own narrative and suddenly all this unrest becomes about identity politics again. At any rate, it will be interesting to see if Dr. Fauci was right. If the virus is as contagious as he says it is, there are going to be a lot of sick people three weeks from now.

I think Dallas is still under a curfew. I wouldn't know. I haven't gone out at night in years. It's a shame to be nervous about going out at night when you are interested in astronomy. The park is a good place for star watching, but it also a popular place for drug deals. I'd be crazy to wander around in the park late at night. Police sirens routinely wake us up at night as they race down our busy street to deal with things that go bump in the night. All this is routine in a big city. One of the things I liked so much about Fort Davis in West Texas is that you felt completely safe walking down city streets at 11 PM. I can't say this about Dallas. Maybe I'm just a rural person at heart.

It's hard to believe it's June already. In early May, I thought that things wold be better by June. Now, I'm wondering what's next. At the rate we're going, there will be an alien invasion by August. I do wish that things would settle down. I'd like to go to the Mars 2020 launch at Kennedy Space Center in July and maybe head back to McDonald Observatory this Fall.

For now, travel is limited to visiting the Dalmatians on Monday afternoons. That's OK though. Murphy, Hank, and Charlie are all great dogs and we enjoyed spending time with them today.

Charlie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3264

One down, one to go. Today's photo shoot went well. All the dogs were friendly. The owners were happy with their pictures. And nobody peed on the set. One dog threw up on Santa, but it was a minor mishap. Basically, everything went like clockwork today. We were busy all day long, but I don't think the crowds were as big as they were last year. Maybe we were just better organized this year. We never got behind schedule. No equipment malfunctioned. And we even had time to eat lunch.

The day started early. Dash got me up at 4 AM, but he managed to make it outside and there was no poop to clean up. I actually got more sleep than usual last night since I went to bed early and Dash slept soundly until he needed to go outside. I wish he would do this every night. There was actually plenty of time to take a shower and complete our morning walk before I had to leave for the photo shoot.

There were no exotic animals today. We did photograph two cats, but today's event seemed tame compared to several weeks ago when I spent the day photographing children holding snakes. I wonder why Santa pictures are important to people? Some folks come every year and have entire albums devoted to these pictures. Our own dogs would never sit still for Santa pictures, but I'm glad that other people's dogs do. Santa Paws has always been a good fundraiser for Dalmatian Rescue.

We've got another Santa Paws event scheduled for tomorrow and then we're done for the year. This is much easier than when we used to do these events every weekend during the holiday season. I keep saying that I'm too old for pet photography and this will be the last year, but I always reconsider. It's such a good cause and I enjoy working with our team. Even though I'm a grumpy person with bad knees, it's nice to know you can still do something useful.

Dash did fine today. He got his morning and evening walks and all of his regular meals. Janet came home at noon to check on him and take him outside to pee. He spent most of the day sleeping, just like he usually does. I always worry about leaving Dash alone, since he is so unpredictable these days. We did fine though. We'll repeat this routine tomorrow and then it's back to drinking smoothies for the rest of the year.

Every year I photograph a few dogs who are nearing the end of their life. I always wonder if I'll see them again next year. Pet owners almost universally agree that dogs don't live long enough. They become indispensable members of the family and then they're gone. Maybe this is why the photographs are so important. I try to give people good memories. That's kind of what it's all about.

The weather was beautiful this morning. I was inside most of the day, but I got to watch the sunrise as Venus gradually disappeared in the Eastern sky. There was a thin crescent moon overhead, a gentle breeze, and not a cloud in the sky. Dash was steady on his feet and was enjoying himself. I had a feeling that it was going to be a good day.

Jada is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day