Day 4841

Another day when I didn't really accomplish much. We woke to blue skies again, but surprisingly it was raining again by dinner time. Dawn got a nice walk while the weather was still nice and so did I. It was a bit disorienting to hear thunder late in the day. I wasn't expecting this.

After my usual weekday breakfast of shredded wheat and fruit I wrote a letter to my sister and took it to the post office. Even at odd times during the day the traffic is always heavy now. Even a short trip to the post office can end up being a hassle.

It was starting to get cloudy when I took my long walk, but I definitely wasn't expecting rain. There are still people out looking for the eagles, but I haven't seen them in a long time. I'm also wondering what has happened to our resident geese. Three or four years ago there was a large flock of the honkers. Then the birds moved to the other side of the lake and I only saw ten. I saw the ten geese every single day for a long time and then they began to disappear one by one. Now there are only four. Oddly there are more Muscovy ducks these days. For years there were only two large males. Now there are two females as well, I don't even try to count the Mallards. There must be hundreds of Mallards who call the lake home.

I called the owner of the music store again to see if he had located my equipment. He found a synthesizer and some rack mount gear, but hasn't been able to find a mixer I consigned. When he asked for details about the mixer I wasn't very helpful. I couldn't remember the brand name or even how many channels it had. I think it was British, which means it was probably a Soundcraft or Studiomaster, but I really can't remember. All I remember is that it was housed in a big square brown flight case. We used it briefly with the band I was in, but it was too much trouble to lug around. I'm not sure which is worse: losing the mixer or my memory.

I learned this morning that Miley, the Dalmatian who was in the Paypal ad with me, passed away today. Considering that I'd only really seen the dog once at a photoshoot in San Francisco for the ad, this made me very sad. I've been following Miley's adventures on Facebook for many years and he was a very special dog. RIP Miley. A lot of people will miss you.

Our own Dalmatian continues to get better every day. I hesitate to say that Dawn's troubles are over since a bulging disc in the spine is a serious thing, but she is acting normally again. We have reduced her medication and will discontinue it entirely in a few days. Hopefully Dawn will continue to do fine in the days ahead. Like many Dalmatians she loves to run and jump and this might be her undoing. We've got to convince her that staying calm is for her own good.

It would be nice if I'd hear something about the upcoming launches where I've applied for press credentials. All I know is that they're supposed to take place sometime in April. This is also when the roofers want to start replacing the roof. I definitely don't want to be in Florida when the roofers start tearing off the roof. I don't think I deal well with uncertainty anymore. I'd feel more comfortable if everything was mapped out for the rest of the year and I could just follow a schedule. Actually, working was a lot easier than retirement.

Chloe is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4739

It was clear and cold this morning. I made sure to dress warmly this time for our early walk with Dawn. Even Dawn wore a sweater today. There aren't nearly as many people out on cold mornings but we did encounter a few hardy souls. I was just glad to see the sun again.

The leaks have finally stopped at the house. I put the buckets aways again and tried not to look up at the ugly stained ceiling. I still haven't found anyone who can fix everything but it's not for lack of trying. The world has changed and the suppliers I have relied on for years are no longer around. I'm not a big fan of online resources. Recommendations from friends are much better. Of course you have to have friends with similar problems for that to work.

I think I continue taking my long walk every day because it's a great way to kill time. I'm usually out for over two hours and that's two hours that would be totally wasted if I was sitting around the house. These walks are hard on my feet but are probably great for my heart. I've been doing this for so long that people wave at me as I go by. I don't know who they are, but I suppose I've become a fixture in the neighborhood. We've lived here for thirty years and I've always walked in the park. Spot, Petey, Greta, Dot, Dash, and now Dawn have all gotten daily walks in the park. People often stop me to ask about the dogs but often I find that they are thinking about the wrong dog. I guess if you don't own one, all Dalmatians look alike.

I still wonder where the eagles go when they are not near their nest. Sometimes I will go weeks without seeing them, but I know they are around here somewhere. I don't know where the White Pelicans go when they aren't at Sunset Bay either. It's hard to hide a hundred pelicans. The only birds I see consistently are the five domestic geese and three Muscovy ducks that live near Sunset Bay.

I paid a few more December bills today but that was about it. I wonder if something has happened to the price of natural gas? Our gas bill went up dramatically this month. It has been colder than usual but there have been plenty of cold months in the past where our bill was much lower. I guess this is to be expected. The prices for everything are becoming ridiculous.

It's hard to believe that it's already the middle of December. Where has this year gone? I did get to see Artemis launch and spent several days out at McDonald Observatory last Spring, but all in all it's been an uneventful year. I kind of miss working. A steady stream of writing jobs provided a structure to my life that is missing these days. There just isn't that much that interests me.

I've taken this weeks trash out to the curb and am already wondering what I'm going to do tomorrow. I keep thinking about restarting my Friday breakfast restaurant tradition but I'm not as hungry as I used to be. Some of my favorite restaurants have closed too. Maybe I'll get in the car and try something new one of these days, but for now a bowl of shredded wheat and fruit is just fine.

Jasper is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4475

Every Saturday I rejoin the world for a little while. I'm not sure I like what I see. The roads are crowded. The shelves at the grocery store seem emptier than they used to be. Gas actually seemed a little less expensive than it was the last time I filled my tank, but there was a line of cars behind me at the pump and you could tell that people wished I would hurry up. 

I don't know why the beer I like is getting harder to find. I bought the last 12 pack in the store today. The ginger ale I like is getting harder to find as well. On the plus side, strawberries are less expensive. They must be back in season again. I'm glad I do this only once a week. I don't enjoy shopping anymore.

Today was even warmer than yesterday. Even our sunrise walk with Dawn was fairly warm. By the time I took my long walk later in the day, the temperature was almost ninety degrees. I took my time, but I was tired. I don't know why I keep doing this. A long nap would have been preferable. I do need the exercise though. Without a long walk today, I probably would have gone back to bed after I finished grocery shopping.

I think I've been approved for the Axiom-1 launch although I haven't received any notification yet. I've started receiving mail from Axiom Space about pre and post launch press opportunities and I don't think I would be on this list if I wasn't approved. Hopefully I will get the official word soon. It's time to start making travel arrangements.

The rescue group is taking part in a shoe drive for charity and Janet keeps asking if I have any shoes to donate. Do I have shoes? I looked today and was amazed at how many shoes I've never even worn. Where did all these shoes come from? I guess I used to like to buy shoes. Many of these shoes are really nice, but I doubt that I will ever wear them. Foot pain has really limited my choice of footwear. I should be able to make a nice donation. If I don't get rid of these things now, I'll have to face the fact that I've become a hoarder. I don't like the idea of being a hoarder, but I do have tendencies in that direction.

Dawn definitely seems friendlier toward me now. Maybe that week we spent together was good for us. I don't think that Dawn will ever be completely comfortable with men, but I'm glad she's finally starting to trust me. The puppy mill dogs must have had a terrible life, because Dawn isn't the only one who has taken a long time to adjust. I think Dawn has finally realized that being a little Diva isn't a bad life. This evening she barked at me to hurry up and fix her dinner even though Janet wasn't home. For Dawn, that's getting pretty bold.

I think the eagles have gone for good. I look for them every day but I haven't seen either of the birds in weeks. Probably losing a nest with eggs in it was a traumatic event. I've noticed that a lot of the pelicans have disappeared as well. It's probably time for them to migrate wherever they go in the Summer. When the pelicans leave the purple martins start to arrive. Now that it is officially Spring, I'll probably start seeing baby ducks soon. I'll never be a birder, but becoming familiar with the birds in the park has made my walks more interesting.

It's time for Dawn's Sunday outing again. I'm really comfortable doing the same things over and over again. It's the new stuff that bothers me. 

Bubba is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day