Day 4999

I woke up with a terrible stomach ache this morning. I must have eaten something yesterday that had gone bad in the refrigerator. It happens ocassionally. I felt better as the day progressed but I need to be more careful about eating old food.

We had a nice sunrise walk with Dawn and then I made the bed and ate my breakfast. The good thing about eating shredded wheat for breakfast is that it never goes bad. I could probably open a two year old box and it would still be fine. After breakfast I checked my messages and went to the bank. I got stuck behind someone making a long transaction at the drive up window, but I wasn't in any hurry. The only thing on my schedule was a trip to the gym.

I didn't complete my routine today. All I did was walk three miles around the indoor track and come home again. It seemed strange that I did so well yesterday, but I just didn't feel like exercising today. When I returned home I let Dawn out in the back yard so she could sun herself. She loves to sit out in the sun, but I bring her back inside after about ten minutes. When I start getting really hot, I figure she's had enough.

It's still hard to believe that tomorrow is the last day of the blog. I've been doing this for a very long time. I still have mixed feelings about ending things but I think it's time. I don't enjoy writing these daily posts as much as I used to and often feel like I'm running out of things to say. Sometimes I'm amazed that anyone still reads this. In the early days of the blog my readers seemed amazed when I posted something every evening for 500 consecutive days. Now that I'm approaching 5000 days there are few readers left. Blogging just isn't as popular as it once was. My plan was always to take long walks in the morning to keep my body in shape and write something every evening to keep my mind in shape. Not a bad plan actually, but it probably would have worked just as well if I did Sudoku puzzles instead.

This afternoon was uneventful. I hope things finally start to cool off in September. The weather app on my phone still shows clear skies and triple digit temperatures for the next two weeks, but this has got to end sometime. I need to think of something to occupy my time but I'm in no particular hurry. Until something captures my interest I can just watch old Seinfeld and Everybody Loves Raymond episodes on TV.

It's time to make my grocery list again. Janet did her grocery shopping today and Dawn was just as excited as ever when she returned with lots of bags of food to put away. Grocery day is a big deal to Dawn. I'd like to post something meaningful tomorrow, but I suspect that it will be another ordinary Saturday. There has certainly been some excitement during the past fifteen years, but life isn't like that always. Maybe that's the charm of this blog. I make the ordinary and uneventful seem OK.

Spot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4992

We keep setting record high temperatures every single day. I'm beginning to think this heat wave will never end. They say a cold front will arrive next Monday though. For a few days the high temperature will only be in the 90's. We got a late start on our sunrise walk this morning, but very few people were out on the trails. I think the entire city has retreated indoors.

Dawn had lots of energy this morning. She wanted to take a longer walk than usual. She's still coughing a little but seems to be feeling much better. One thing we learned from the x-rays they took at the vet yesterday was that Dawn has hip dysplasia. She doesn't show any signs of discomfort yet, but this is troubling. One of our earlier Dalmatians had hip dysplasia and had to take Rimadyl for years. There is always a danger of liver or kidney damage with this drug.

After breakfast this morning I tried to do a few useful things around the house. I deep watered some trees in the front yard that were starting to look dry. Then I attempted to bleach away some of the water stains in the ceiling. This was more or less a failure. When I got a ladder out so I could inspect the damaged areas more closely I discovered that the sheetrock around the cracks was more of less ruined. It was all powdery and probably spreading a coat of mud over the cracks isn't going to help much. I need to find a tape and bed guy to completely replace the damaged sheetrock. This is going to create so much dust and mess in the house that I'm reluctant to do this yet. Maybe the solution is just to not look up at the ceiling.

I'm beginning to regret that I didn't apply to attend either the Crew 7 or Silent Barker launches. Since there is a Starlink launch as well, there will be three different rockets launching within a few days of each other at the end of the week. It would be a good time to be down at Kennedy Space Center. Oh, well. Snooze, you lose I guess. There will always be other launches later in the year.

I didn't do well at the gym today. I was slower walking around the indoor track and I was definitely off my game shooting baskets. It's weird how much things can change from one day to the next. I have a hard time telling whether it's my body or my mood that affects my performance. I got a good night's sleep last night and wasn't all that tired. I wasn't in a good mood though. Maybe that was it. Since I go to the gym every day now, maybe there's a chance to redeem myself tomorrow.

I don't think I like my new phone as well as my old phone. The touch screen seems way too sensitive. Several times the camera or flashlight apps have opened on their own while the phone was in my pocket. If the flashlight app is running in your pocket the battery can be drained in just a few hours. I guess I could always go back to using the old phone, but this new one is so much faster.

This day was more exciting for Dawn than for me. It was grocery day again. She always gets so excited when Janet returns with groceries. I need to make my own grocery list soon because I always complete the week's grocery runs tomorrow. There will be triple digit temperatures again this weekend, but I'm looking forward to Monday. The prospect of a cold front arriving sounds appealing.

Pinky is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4978

Today was busier than usual. As always we started with a sunrise walk with Dawn. The temperature was in the high 80's and it felt muggy outside, but this was still the nicest part of the day. We walked earlier than usual because Janet had plans. The days are getting shorter and it was still kind of dark outside. If we continue walking this early, we're going to have to bring out the flashlights again soon.

After my regular breakfast of shredded wheat and fruit, I checked my messages and started a load of laundry. Since it was a little cooler today I decided to cross a few outdoor chores off my list. I've been trying to avoid removing the spiderwebs from the house for a long time, but it really had to be done. The spiders make big webs under our eaves and on the West facing windows. It's really a mess removing the spiders and their webs using a big broom. I wear a hat and a long sleeve shirt because spiders are falling everywhere. After you've had a few spiders in your hair, you learn to take precautions.

It took quite a while to clean everything up, but the windows look much better now. Maybe I'll clean them all with Windex tomorrow. I need to go to Home Depot and get some spider spray as well.  If I don't spray under the eaves, the spiders will all return soon. There are a ton of spiders and wasps in our yard. It's kind of amazing that more don't find their way inside.

After I cleaned up all the spiderwebs, I watered the plants in the atrium. This used to be easy, but is much harder now that the sliding glass door won't open properly. There is a water faucet inside the atrium but I haven't used it for years. The faucet is in a brick bearing wall that is also the wall to our bedroom on the other side. Once a long time ago this faucet broke and caused a plumbing emergency. I was really afraid that the house was going to flood. A talented plumber managed to fix the leak without tearing down the brick wall and I haven't used the faucet since. I water the plants from the outside now through the screened in western wall of the atrium.

After I folded the laundry and put it away, I went to the gym. I wondered if it was some kind of holiday because there wasn't a lot of traffic on the roads and the gym wasn't full at all. There were lots of parking spots in the garage. Getting rid of the spiders must have tired me out because I did terrible on my three mile walk today. I had the slowest time I've had all month. Oddly, I did much better on the basketball court. I completed my ten free throws in seven minutes today. It used to take me eleven or twelve minutes to do this. I'm adding additional weights on my upper body exercises now. I'm only adding a few pounds at a time, but any kind of progress is a good thing.

Friday is Dawn's favorite day of the week because that's when Janet does her grocery shopping. Dawn starts listening for the car at least an hour before Janet returns. I have to gate her in the bedroom while we bring the grocery bags inside and then as soon as I open the gate, Dawn races to the kitchen. She seems to love being Janet's kitchen helper. It probably helps that she get a little sliced turkey and a bit of cheese for her efforts.

This heat wave seems like it will never end. Each weeks feels a little hotter than the last. I think the temperature is supposed to reach 110 degrees sometime next week. I've kind of resigned myself to a miserable summer and keep hoping that the air conditioner doesn't break.

Hannah is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4971

The heat wave continues. It's easy to see the changes the heat has brought on our sunrise walks. The grass in the meadows has turned dry and yellow. Some of the trees that aren't heat resistant are turning yellow and losing their leaves. Giant cracks are appearing in the soil as well. I've seen this before during hot summers and am always worried that a dog will step in one of these cracks and break a leg. It's going to take a lot of rain to reverse this damage. Unfortunately the rainy season doesn't return until October. It always seems to rain a lot during the State Fair.

Today was a bit different. After breakfast this morning I went to get a haircut. I guess I ought to be glad that I still have hair at my age. It's slowing turning white but it's still all there. I always feel better after a haircut and don't understand men who like beards and longer hair. I wore my hair a lot longer during my college years and early thirties but that was another universe. I can't even remember why I liked the things I did back then.

My stylist likes to chat, so I talk more during haircuts than I do for the rest of the month. Janet and I talk during our morning walks, but I'm usually silent for most of the day. This is a big change from my ad agency days, or even the early days of my company. I like it this way though. I find silence peaceful.

I went to the gym on the way home from my hair appointment. The gym is not very silent. It seems to be a social occasion for most people. Other people on the floor always seems to be chatting with each other. I think some of the older people hire a personal trainer just to have someone to talk to. To each his own I guess. I doubt that I will ever be a chatty person again. Janet and I are both quiet people.

The demolition crew is still causing a big racket down the street. I don't think this house wanted to be removed. They even took out the pool today. If the original owners were still alive they would have been horrified to see what happened to their home. The street is definitely changing. I hate to even think what it will look like twenty years from now.

Dogs are easy to please. Dawn remains excited when Janet comes home with groceries on Friday. She won't get excited at all when I do my own grocery shopping tomorrow. I'm sure Dawn knows that Janet always brings home the good stuff like cheese and sliced turkey. I tend to bring home garbage bags, Swiffer dusters, and beer. Maybe I can find something interesting for Dawn when I go to the store. 

Pebbles is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4964

I got a message from my editor asking if I'd be interested in getting a tour of the ship that will be used to retrieve the Orion astronauts after the next Artemis mission. I had to say no. The event is being held at the Navy base in San Diego and I'd have to pay for the trip myself. Jeez. I can barely afford an ocassional trip to Titusville and this would be much more expensive. I'm also a bit superstitious. The last time I went to California on a NASA related event, I had a wreck in my rent car.

Today was another day with triple digit temperatures. We still had a nice sunrise walk with Dawn though. I knew it was going to be a bad day when we walked out the door before sunrise and the temperature was already in the high 80's. We've definitely had hotter days in Texas, but I can't remember this many 100 degree days in a row. I seldom wish for rain but we could definitely use some. Sadly there is no rain on the horizon. My Apple weather app shows triple digit weather and clear skies for the next ten days.

Today was just like yesterday. I had my breakfast of shredded wheat and fruit, made the bed, checked my messages, and headed for the gym. I wish there was something that would capture my interest, but there isn't. I'm not even as excited about launch trips anymore. I certainly have no regrets about skipping the EchoStar Jupiter 3 launch. The weather has been stormy in Titusville this week and even if the launch does take place tonight, I would have ended up spending most of my time sitting in a hotel room. 

I've got to start doing something else at the gym. The place is very well equipped, but all I do is walk around the indoor track and shoot a few baskets afterwards. I've been going to the gym for a long time and have used most of the machines, but I'm not very interested. This is just a poor substitute for walking in the park. I've managed to convince myself that it's important to get my steps every day. Somehow it doesn't seems that important to build up my strength.

As usual I did very little this afternoon. It's too hot to take a walk or even take Dawn outside for long. The house needs lots of work but it's discouraging to even think about it. There are no movies I want to watch or books I feel like reading. I must be doing something though, because the afternoons usually go quickly. I guess I'll watch the Falcon Heavy launch on the Space X feed later tonight. Dawn did get excited about grocery day, but even she seemed a bit subdued today. The dogs days of summer have definitely arrived. I'm ready for Fall. Even Winter would seems like an improvement right now.

Queenie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4963

I'm glad I didn't go to the Falcon Heavy launch. Last night's launch got scrubbed with one minute left on the countdown clock. The launch was rescheduled for tonight and then subsequently postponed again until tomorrow night. It happens. This would have turned a quick one day trip into a three or four day trip. I'm sure I'll get a chance to be surprised like this again. Quite a few launches I've attended have gotten delayed.

There were no delays or surprises in today's schedule. Basically today was just like yesterday. We had a nice walk with Dawn before the sun came up. I made the bed, ate breakfast, and went to the gym. It's weird how every day seems the same. We see the same people every morning on our sunrise walks. The same people are at the gym too. Usually they are even using the same machines. Today I even got the same parking space that I got yesterday.

I visited Twitter today to see if there were any differences now that the blue bird is gone. I was surprised that I had lots of messages and post comments that I had never answered. The blog gets posted automatically to Twitter, but I never go there anymore. I never go to Instagram anymore either. The only place I visit these days is Facebook and I'm losing interest in that as well. When I reach my 5000 day blogging goal it might finally give me the incentive I need to leave social media entirely. We'll see. I wonder whether I can really quit blogging. I've been doing this so long that it just seems like an integral part of my day.

I'm beginning to wonder whether this oppressive weather is ever going to end. Never ending triple digit temperatures gets old quickly. The air conditioner is running constantly now and I keep hoping that nothing breaks. The electric company probably loves this. When we walk down the street returning from our sunrise walk, all you hear is the sound of everyone's air conditioner compressors. I dread next month's electric bill, but I'm still unwilling to spend the day in a hot house.

I have no plans for tomorrow. I imagine that I'll do the same things I did today. I keep looking at the ceiling and wondering if I can do the sheetrock repairs myself. I haven't gone to Home Depot and gotten supplies yet though. I'll probably just keep thinking about this for another month or so. I did take this week's trash out to the curb. It was probably the only useful thing I did all day. Dawn is probably already thinking about grocery day tomorrow. Waiting for Janet to return with the week's groceries is her big excitement for the week.

Deuce is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4957

There's a Falcon Heavy launch next week that I'll almost certainly get credentialed for. I don't think I'm going to go. Hmmm. This is new. I never turn down a chance to go to a launch. I just don't feel like it this time. Florida in July is not pleasant and I get eaten alive by bugs on night launches. That's not a good excuse though because Texas in July is not pleasant either. Flights are always fully booked now and I always have to pay a lot more to get a seat when approval notices go out at the last minute. Sometimes it's hard to find a hotel as well. I've already been to a bunch of Falcon Heavy launches and it's getting harder and harder to come up with something to write about. I'm also feeling poor. I've had a lot of large expenses this summer and these launch trips aren't cheap. Do I even really need an excuse? I started doing this for fun, and if it doesn't seem fun anymore, why bother.

When I'm sitting here doing nothing next week I might regret my decision, but there are plenty of other launches to think about. I'm sure I'll return to Kennedy Space Center again. I still kind of envy the guys who live in the area and can easily go to any launch they want on very short notice.

Hey, I can still go to the gym on very short notice. It's open seven days a week now. Unless the temperature cools down a bit, a daily trip to the gym is going to be my summer. No complaints though. I'm staying in shape inside an air conditioned building and keeping the car filled with gas is a lot cheaper than a plane ticket. 

Today was uneventful. The only thing that happened out of the ordinary was that Dawn threw up on the bed and we had to wash all the bedding. She wasn't sick. Sometimes when Dawn drinks a lot of water right after she eats, she regurgitates things. This certainly isn't the first time this has happened. It would be nice if she threw up on the brick floors where it is easy to clean things up. She prefers the bed for everything though. It is her safe space.

I prefer the bed too for afternoon naps. It's more comfortable than napping on the sofa. Dawn must have been in a good mood because she seemed happy to share the bed with me this afternoon. It's supposed to be a bit cooler tomorrow. That would be nice. It's already time for me to make a grocery list again. Janet did her grocery shopping today and of course that made Dawn happy. Dawn loves grocery day.

Katie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4943

During the past week I've gotten three invitations to apply for launch credentials. So far I haven't replied to any of them. This isn't like me. I'm a little worried about the malaria mosquitos in Florida. I always get eaten alive by bugs when I'm down there in the summer. Airfares keep going up as well. It's getting ridiculous. I keep hearing that Southwest pilots are threatening to strike as well. Instead of looking for opportunities, I'm looking for excuses. This same thing happened the last time I had an opportunity to go out to McDonald Observatory. In that case the excuses won and I didn't go. I've always been a bit reclusive but I need to watch this. Pretty soon I'll be just like Dawn and be reluctant to leave the bed.

Truthfully there isn't a compelling reason to get up in July. It's terribly hot outside and a relaxing walk in the park is out of the question. Outdoor chores like mowing the grass have to be done very early in the morning. Summer has never been my favorite season, but this summer is even worse than most. I've been driving to the gym every day to avoid the heat, but getting my steps walking endlessly around the indoor track is proving to be very boring. When I got my new phone I accidentally broke my multi-year move streak too. The default settings for the Apple activities app were different than they were on my old phone and I failed to close all the rings on the first day I used the phone. This kind of took the wind out of my sails. When a long streak has been broken, the whole idea of tracking everything starts seeming a little silly.

We got up earlier than usual this morning because Janet had an appointment. The earlier we get started on our sunrise walk, the nicer it is outside. It was pleasantly cool this morning and there was a nice breeze as well. Dawn had a good time smelling things and we all arrived home in a good mood. I'll try to keep giving Dawn walks while Janet is on vacation but this has never worked in the past. Dawn immediately goes into panic mode while Janet is away and hates to leave the house. She'll make a brief trip to the edge of the park behind our house to poop in the morning but that's about it.

I usually watch the news while I'm eating breakfast, but I left the TV off today. I'm getting sick of the dismal state of the world. It really seems like we are living in some sort of dystopian science fiction novel. I don't think we're heading in the right direction. Maybe I'm imagining things but it feels like we're living in some modern day version of the fall of Rome.

I try to go to the gym around the lunch hour because it is the least crowded then. There were very few people on the floor today, but there were still two guys playing Pickleball on the basketball court. Luckily they finished their game before I finished my three mile walk around the indoor track. I always like to finish my trip to the gym by shooting baskets. There's really no reason I couldn't walk four miles around the indoor track. That would bring my Fitbit stats closer to my walks in the park. I've got the time to do this, but I don't think I could stand the boredom. It's a lot more interesting looking at things in the park while I walk. Sadly, it's going to be a while before I return to walking in the park during the day. We're in the middle of a long hot summer.

It was an ordinary day for me, but this was grocery day for Dawn. I don't know why she gets so excited helping Janet put away the groceries, but it's become one of her favorite things. I'm glad there are still a few things than make Dawn happy. She doesn't like to fetch a ball and won't play with toys. She spends way too much time sleeping on the bed, but in her defense it is a nice bed. I wouldn't mind spending a little more time napping there myself.

Delaney is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4936

I've got to start getting more sleep. After finishing my blog post I usually watch TV in bed for a while. I immediately fall asleep and don't wake up again until after nmidnight. I realize that I still have to run the dishwasher, empty the dehumidifier, brush my teeth, and get ready for bed. By the time I'm actually ready for sleep it is often 1 AM. We get up early too, so we can walk Dawn before it gets hot. There's probably an easy solution to this problem. I just need to write my blog post earlier. Easier said than done though. I'm a creature of habit and I've been doing this for a long time. I'm actually kind of glad that my blogging days are winding to a close. I'm running out of things to say.

It certainly doesn't help matters that every day this summer has been exactly the same. Today was no exception. We got up, took Dawn on her sunrise walk, looked for rabbits and critters along the way, and then returned home for breakfast. I made the bed, ate my shredded wheat and fruit, listened to the morning news for a while, and checked my messages before going to the gym. 

My routine at the gym was the same as yesterday as well. It's been the same all week. I walk three miles at a brisk pace on the indoor track and then shoot free throws on the basketball court for a while before heading home again. I always briefly think about doing more but seldom do. An hour and a half at the gym is usually enough for me.

The first thing I do when I return home is let Dawn outside to pee. Lately she doesn't pee, but just rolls in the grass instead. So much for that bath we gave her yesterday. Dawn like to lie out in the sun but I have to be careful that she doesn't stay out too long. I don't think Dawn realizes how dangerous this heat can be.

I never used to eat lunch, but I've been having a toasted ham sandwich lately. I melt some sharp cheddar cheese on the toasted bread and then put thin strips of ham on top. I'll usually drink a can of sparkling water with the sandwich. It's a tasty little lunch and I try to eat a little less for dinner to compensate. My weight has remained constant for years and I don't want that to change.

In the winter I might start on some sort of project in the afternoon, but this summer it is just too hot. I don't feel like doing anything and usually end up taking a nap. Probably I actually get plenty of sleep. It's just spread out throughout the day. I've noticed that Dawn often stays on the bed with me now when I take an afternoon nap. That's progress I guess.

Today is Dawn's favorite day. It's always grocery day on Friday and Dawn waits for Janet to return for at least an hour before she arrives with the groceries. Putting the groceries away seems to be a very big deal for Dawn. She gets very excited and follows Janet around until everything is in it's place. Oddly, she shows no interest at all when I do my own grocery shopping on Saturday.

Tomorrow's schedule will be a little different since I do my grocery shopping in the morning. Dawn will still get a sunrise walk. I'll go to the gym. And I'll end the day with a blog post. Pretty much the same thing as today. It's always Groundhog Day around here.

Tucker is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4929

It's going to be a long summer. It's only June and I don't think the temperature is going to get any cooler in July and August. The heat makes it even harder to stay optimistic. Every time I turn on the television I feel like I'm watching society crumble around me. There seems to be this desire to deconstruct everything that has worked in the past and start over. Lots of luck with that. I'm not inherently against change, but I think we are headed in the wrong direction. Western Civilization wasn't all that bad. So, are these the end times we are living in? I'm not a terribly religious person, but it certainly feels that way.

To stay sane I just focus on day-to-day life. I don't get involved in politics or grand causes. I do read history though. Humans seem to make the same mistakes over and over again. I think it's a safe bet that we won't be here nearly as long as the dinosaurs were. It may seem simplistic, but I think the world would be a better place if we all just minded our own business.

I try my best to mind my own business. When I was renewing my gym membership yesterday they seemed surprised that I wasn't interested in having a personal trainer. That's the last thing I'd want. One of the reasons I go to the gym is that it is very peaceful to walk around the indoor track in silence. I feel the same way about my walks in the parks. I almost never talk to anyone but I am very observant. Over the years I've learned the names and characteristics of virtually all the plants and animals in the park. Almost anything can be an educational experience. I have no interest in taking classes, but I'm always downloading instruction manuals and trying to figure things out on my own. Trial and error is often the best teacher.

I can't say that I've learned anything today, but you've got to play the long game. I did learn a few new things yesterday. Today started out as it always does with a sunrise walk with Dawn. We always look for bunnies, but we didn't see any today. We often see a mother duck taking her ducklings down to the lake from where they spend the night in the tall prairie grass. Less than a month ago the ducklings were tiny. Now they are almost full grown. They still follow the mother duck down to the water though.

The temperature was in the eighties this morning but I still went to the gym because it was humid outside. I didn't shoot baskets today because people were playing pickleball on the basketball court. I don't understand the fascination with pickleball. It seems like a cross between tennis and ping pong, played with a green plastic wiffleball. I did walk three miles on the indoor track. I am able to walk faster on the indoor track than I do in the park and my speed is more or less constant. This was initially surprising to me, but I guess it makes sense. I'm not fighting steep hills and humidity. The track is even cushioned against impact so it is easy on your feet. The only downside to going to the gym is that I'm driving a lot more. My car gets terrible gas mileage.

I've started eating lunch again and fixed myself a ham and cheese sandwich when I returned from the gym while Dawn waited for Janet to return with the groceries. Dawn gets very excited on grocery day and is always nearby when Janet is putting away the groceries. I just try to stay out of the way.

I do my own grocery shopping tomorrow. I'll probably go back to the gym as well. It's certainly not getting any cooler outside.

Boo is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4922

The weather was a little better today. When we took Dawn on her early morning walk the oppressive humidity was gone. There was a nice breeze and the temperature was in the mid 70's. Of course this didn't last long. By 10 AM it was just another hot summer day. At least Dawn got a nice walk. She's only been getting one walk a day lately since it is too hot in the afternoon.

After breakfast this morning I hauled some brush out to the curb for bulky trash pickup. I wasn't outside long, but it was enough to convince me not to bother with my long walk. Oh, well. I need to make a habit of going to the gym anyway. I'm not good at making resolutions, but I really need to work on improving my upper body strength.

I feel like I'm getting a decent workout at the gym, but both my Fitbit and Apple Watch say that I'm actually getting more exercise on my long walks. It's probably just the amount of time I spend walking. Twenty minutes on a treadmill really doesn't equate to several hours on the trails. I like walking, but I'm probably going to be spending a lot of time at the gym for the next several weeks. According to the weather forecast, the temperature is going to be in the high nineties for the next ten days.

Walking is probably better for me. The rowing machine is hard on my shoulders. When I'm using the treadmill I worry that one of my knees might go out. I'm not terribly strong at this point. Whenever I use a machine, I usually have to subtract some weights from what the previous person used. At the time of day I usually go to the gym it feels a lot like a geriatric physical therapy center. Most of the people on the floor seem even older than I am. Some of them do pretty well though. I've got a long way to go before I could keep up with some of these old codgers.

My editor at SpaceFlight Magazine wants me to attend a media day for the Orion Spacecraft program at Kennedy Space Center. I told him I'd think about it. There is no launch involved, but media would have access to the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building where the Orion capsules for Artemis II through IV are in the process of being assembled. I applied for credentials to this event, but NASA hasn't set a date for the Media Day yet. We'll see what happens. I guess I'm always looking for an excuse to go back to the space center.

I also keep looking for an excuse to avoid mowing the grass. It's definitely time to mow again. I'm going to have to do this very early in the day, because it's just too hot once the sun is high in the sky. Maybe sometime next week. Tomorrow I do my grocery shopping and Sunday I always go mall walking. Monday isn't good either. I don't like the idea of mowing grass on my birthday. 

Janet does her grocery shopping on Friday and Dawn spends the entire morning waiting for her to return with the groceries. The ritual of putting away sacks of groceries seems very special to Dawn. She only gets excited about Janet's groceries though. When I return from my own grocery shopping Dawn doesn't even get off the bed.

My trips to the gym must be working because I feel sore in brand new places. My goals in life are simple now. I've just got to keep moving.

Hershey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4902

Just another grocery day. The day started as always with Dawn's sunrise walk. It was nice and cool this morning. I wish the temperature would stay in the low 70's for the rest of the summer, but of course that's not going to happen. I'd better enjoy this weather while it lasts, because in a month from now it's going to feel a lot different.

When we returned to the house we had a big weekend breakfast. I couldn't eat like this all the time, but it's nice to have a change of pace from my shredded wheat and fruit. Shredded wheat was on my grocery list today, but I still couldn't find any at HEB. Hopefully they'll have my favorite brand back in stock before I run out. I found everything else easy enough and was back at the house by 11 AM. I've discovered that the stores aren't nearly as crowded if I go shopping an hour earlier. Probably a lot of things would be easier if I did everything an hour earlier.

By the time I was ready for my long walk it had warmed up quite a bit. It wasn't uncomfortable though because it was still overcast outside. It always feels cooler when there is no direct sunlight. There were no ducks to count today. The Muscovy Ducks have been gone for several weeks, but the geese were gone today as well. I have no idea where the geese went. I'm not even sure that these domestic geese can fly. I thought that breaking in a new pair of Hoka shoes would ease my foot pain, but the new shoes haven't made much difference. Some days are good and other days are terrible. There's no point in going to a doctor about this. I've seen the orthopedic specialist several times and it's pretty obvious that I have arthritis.

I was going to work on my AX-2 article this afternoon, but never got around to it. I've managed to convince myself that there is no point in finishing the article until the eight day mission is complete and the Dragon capsule splashes down in the Gulf of Mexico on June 1st. Hey, I've still got plenty of time.

I resisted the urge to do another load of laundry this afternoon. I think my obsession with doing laundry is why our water bill has gone up. I hate to think what the water bill is going to be like in July when we are watering the lawn again. Actually, all the utility bills have gone up this year, but what else is new. It's just another sign of the times.

It's supposed to rain tomorrow, but I think we'll still be able to take Dawn on her Sunday outing. The rain isn't supposed to start until later in the afternoon. There has been no appreciable rain since the new roof was completed. I'm curious to see how well it drains. I'd be real disappointed if there is still standing water up there after all this trouble. I'll go to the mall again in the morning. Mall walking is another thing that would benefit from starting an hour earlier. I went earlier last week and the place was almost empty. 

I really need to make an effort to work on my article tomorrow. I need to put a new screen on the screen door at the back of the house as well. I've got a roll of screen wire. I just don't have the energy to do this anymore. Usually after my walks all I want to do is take a nap.

Libby is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4817

There was very little evidence that we'd had a huge storm last night. The sky was clear this morning and the ground was even relatively dry. We noticed a few downed trees in the park when we took Dawn on her sunrise walk this morning and a new leak appeared in the office, but that was about it.

We're getting better at putting on Dawn's head wrap in the morning after we get up, but so far it doesn't seem to be helping much. The hematoma on her left ear actually seems to be getting larger. Hopefully the No Flap Ear Wrap will help over time because the only other option is surgery. The hematoma doesn't appear to be liquid enough to just drain it.

My morning routine now includes turning on the roof pumps before I start breakfast. I thought I had cleared most of the water away before I went to bed last night, but there was lots more this morning. Did it start raining again during the early morning hours or was standing water on the roof just migrating to the low spots where the pumps are located? It didn't really matter. I knew that I was going to have to crawl up on the roof again and sweep away the remaining standing water if I wanted the leaks to stop.

Construction is finished on the service road through the park and I've gone back to my old walking route. Even though this walk has become monotonous and a little too familiar, I still find it enjoyable. I always do great on the first two miles, start to slow down a little on the third mile, and am really starting to drag by the time I've finished my fourth mile. I guess I could make my walk a little shorter, but I've gotten used to this. I see the same ducks and geese every day along with a lot of familiar people walking their dogs or cycling. It's too bad that Dawn doesn't feel comfortable walking with me. She could use the exercise.

After lunch I went up on the roof and removed the rest of the standing water. The weather looks nice for the rest of the week, so I won't have to worry about leaks for a little while. I had really hoped to end these frequent trips up on the roof, but necessity prevails. It always rains a lot during the Spring and I'm going to have to continue sweeping away the standing water until we get a new roof installed. I'll try to be careful. I've investigated getting landscapers and yard crews to do this job for me, but nobody seems interested. It's probably best that I continue doing this myself. The Armor Flex coating is fragile and if you don't know what you are doing you could easily make the situation worse. I've resigned myself to paying for a new roof, but I'm going to be really mad if these leaks continue after it is installed.

Today is Janet's grocery day and Dawn spent over an hour before she arrived barking at the front door. Grocery day seems very exciting for Dawn. My own grocery day is tomorrow and Dawn could care less. I guess the things I buy aren't as interesting for a dog. Janet and I have both gotten tired of grocery shopping because the stores and roads are so crowded now. I don't know where all these extra people came from but the city doesn't feel the same as it did several years ago. It would be nice to live in a small town.

The leaks have stopped and I need to put all the buckets away. I've made my grocery list and I guess I'm ready for the weekend. We will have a big breakfast tomorrow instead of my usual shredded wheat and fruit. Everything else will be the same. It's no surprise that I need a trip to Florida every once and a while. This routine can become pretty monotonous. 

Maggie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4803

Another very cold morning. I guess I shouldn't be surprised since it is technically the middle of Winter. It's hard to tell what season it is in Texas. It might be cold today, but next Tuesday it is supposed to get up to 80 degrees. Go figure. The cold didn't stop us this morning. We bundled up and took Dawn on her sunrise walk. One benefit of the days starting to get longer is that we aren't walking in the dark as often anymore. The skies were clear this morning and I had hopes that it would warm uyp later in the day. It didn't. It got a little warmer but I was still cold on my long walk.

After breakfast this morning I went to Home Depot and got some spare halogen bulbs for the living room lamps. These bulbs burn hot and don't last very long. I always have to remember to have spares handy. The two lamps in the living room are the only lights in the house that haven't been converted to LED bulbs. I called in a prescription and hoped to pick it up while I was out. The pharmacy said it wouldn't be ready until tomorrow. Sign of the times I guess. Prescription renewals used to be ready in two hours. Now it often takes two days.

Every morning when we walk Dawn I think it's too cold to walk in the park and that I should go to the gym instead. When the time comes, I just put on a warm coat and keep walking in the park. I don't go to the gym as often as I used to mostly because I hate all the traffic. It seems like traffic has doubled in Dallas in recent years. It's not pleasant driving in this city anymore. I'm glad the city was smaller and a little more sane when I had to drive to work everyday. After thirty years of working from home I've totally lost my patience with city traffic.

It's nice living next to a huge and still somewhat wild city park. When I take my long walks it's easy to forget I'm living in a large and very busy city. I do have to watch out for bicycles, but for the most part the park is a very peaceful place. Today a couple stopped me and asked where the eagles were. They seemed disappointed when I told them that I hadn't seen them in several months. It's strange that people have become obsessed with the bald eagles. There are lots of other interesting birds. The white pelicans are almost as large as the eagles and look majestic when flying. The Blue Herons and Great Egrets are pretty spectacular too. My favorites are the Muscovy Ducks. They are kind of ugly but have a lot of personality. I always look for them when I pass Sunset Bay on my walk.

Friday is Dawn's favorite day. She gets all excited when Janet returns with the groceries and starts waiting for the car at the front door up to an hour before she returns. Dawn seems to know that it is Grocery Day as soon as she wakes up on Friday. I don't know how this got to be such a big deal, but as soon as the groceries are in the house Dawn races out to the kitchen and stays with Janet until everything has been put away. Needless to say, she had a good time today.

It's my turn to get groceries tomorrow. We each have different things on our lists and it seems to work out well. I'm getting used to the rising prices, but I can't figure out why a lot of things are in short supply now.  I used to be able to find everything I need at a single store. Now I routinely have to visit several stores. I guess this is the new normal. Truthfully, nothing really returned to normal after Covid. The definition of normal just changed. Was life really easier in the 70's and 80's? It certainly seemed that way to me.

Lexi is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4740

I often have trouble remembering what day it is. It's understandable. I do the same things every day. I get up when Janets says "We'll be walking in twenty minutes." I dress warmly for these early walks and then change back into indoor clothes as soon as we return. I make the bed and then eat my breakfast when Janet and Dawn are finished in the kitchen. I fix my coffee and have a bowl of shredded wheat with fruit. Lately the fruit of choice is strawberries, but I enjoy peaches in the summer. I've tried blackberries, blueberries and raspberries, but didn't like those as much. I've gone through periods when I've fixed myself an omlette, made french toast, or eaten a grapefruit. I even got my special omlette recipe featured in a cookbook once. Now shredded wheat seems to do the trick. They have to be mini-wheats without a sugar coating though. I don't like the old fashioned full sized shredded wheat either.

I usually watch television while I'm eating breakfast. This does little to remind me what day it is. I'm a channel surfer and find all the channels equally bad. Fox is the pillow guy every five minutes. MSNBC is non-stop January 6. CNN is the Ukraine channel. Business is looking up on CNBC. A recession is just around the corner on Fox Business. I only watch the local channels if there is a tornado warning. It's all basically worthless, but it's better than eating in silence.

I try to wait until it warms up a bit before I take my long walk, but usually I get bored and leave right after I check my e-mail for messages. When I was working there were a lot of messages. Now my inbox is mostly spam. Walking is even more boring than watching cable news during breakfast, but I've convinced myself that I'm doing this for my health. I'm sure the long walks do some good, but I'm a long way from becoming a gym rat. I still walk pretty slow and occasionally fat people pass me on the trails. 

To amuse myself I try to keep track of what the local birds and waterfowl are doing. There is a lot of activity. We've got a colony of very noisy green monk parakeets. There are tons of mallards, coots, and ruddy ducks. Occasionally I will see some very colorful wood ducks. A large group of American White Pelicans spend the Winter at the lake along with an even larger group of Double Crested Cormorants. I frequently hear owls but rarely see them. I do see lots of Great Egrets, Cattle Egrets, and Blue Herons. Hawks are pretty common too. I always see the five domestic geese and the three Muscovy ducks near Sunset Bay because they are always looking for handouts from the people who feed them. Of course, now we've got two Bald Eagles as well. Everyone is interested in the eagles.

Monday is Dawn's favorite day because that's when Janet does her grocery shopping. Grocery day is a big deal for  Dawn. She's waiting at the front door at least an hour before Janet returns. For some reason Dawn seems to get great pleasure watching all the groceries being put away. She certainly knows what food is. I think her favorite words are turkey and bacon.

On slow days I recharge batteries. That's what I did today. Phones, laptops, recorders, cameras and much more all rely on batteries. These batteries go dead whether you use the equipment or not. It seems like I'm always recharging or replacing batteries. This is probably why I will never buy an electric car. Batteries are a giant pain. They're expensive, they don't last long enough, and they perform poorly in cold weather. I've had to replace the lawn mower batteries several times because I forgot to bring the battery pack inside during cold weather. These batteries are inside now because the temperature will dip below freezing soon.

Hannah is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4677

It's that time of year. The furnace came on this morning for the first time this season. This afternoon the air conditioner came on. This happens every year. We go back and forth like this for a while while the seasons sort themselves out. Even though it still gets warm later in the day, you can tell the days are getting cooler. It was chilly on our sunrise walk with Dawn today. I had a jacket on, but I wished I'd worn long pants.

I didn't even think about going to the gym today because it was quite nice outside. I got started on my long walk right after breakfast and ended up getting a surprise. I saw one of the eagles again. I'd heard the eagles were back in the area, but this was the first time I've seen one this year. I suspect that these are the same eagles that made a home in the park last year, but I'm just guessing. Now that I think about it, the eagles arrived about this same time last year and started making their nest a few months later. We'll see if they attempt to make another nest. They weren't very lucky last year when they built their nest in a dead tree and a limb broke off and destroyed it.

The Double-Crested Cormorants are back as well. All we need are a few more Canadian Geese and the lake's winter waterfowl will be in place. I'm looking forward to winter walks. You don't have to worry about snakes and the mosquitos subside as well. Winter walks are better unless it is snowing. I've got plenty of warm coats but there is only so much you can take off in the summer.

I was wrong about shoddy road construction in the area. I've been reading about the aphid infestation and it turns out that the aphids love pecan trees. Sure enough, the sticky areas on the roads are all directly under pecan trees. It wasn't road tar coming to the surface I was seeing, it was aphid poop dripping from the pecan trees. They call the stuff honeydew but it's still aphid poop. There must be millions of the little critters in the area this year because the sticky stuff is everywhere. The aphid infestation might also explain why we've been having problems with ants this Fall. Ants apparently love to eat the honeydew and our neighbors have a large pecan tree right next to our house. I hate to even think what the roof looks like right now.

I watched the reentry and recovery of the Crew-4 capsule on NASA TV this afternoon. It still amazes me how accurate they can be with these rockets. The Dragon capsule landed exactly where it was supposed to and the recovery ship was right there waiting for them. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised by this. Last week we managed to score a direct hit on a small asteroid and knocked it out of orbit. Orbital mechanics has always been a mystery to me. Isaac Newton formulated the laws of motion and universal gravitation that make space navigation possible hundreds of years ago and I'm still sitting here counting my steps. I guess that's why I'm a writer. I was always terrible at math.

It's hard to believe it's the middle of the month already. Time flies as you grow older. I'm sure Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas will all just go by in a blur. Today was grocery day for Janet and tomorrow is grocery day for me. I wonder how expensive things will be this week? We are living in a dystopian world where absolutely nothing is getting easier or less expensive. I'm glad I grew up and spent my working years when times were a lot better.

Abby is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4670

Today was uneventful for me, but it is Dawn's favorite day. Janet does her grocery shopping on Friday and Dawn loves to supervise in the kitchen while she puts all the food away. All I have to do is tell Dawn that it's "grocery day" and she gets all excited.

We started the day with our usual sunrise walk. We got started a little later this morning so it wasn't quite as dark. Unfortunately, the days keep getting shorter. The sun was already up when we did this walk in the summer. Today a few stars were still shining at 6:45 AM. 

The weather was cool and there was a nice breeze, so I decided to walk in the park again instead of going to the gym. I've definitely had better days. My pace was slower this morning and I felt tired when I returned home. I have no idea why my performance varies so much from day to day. Maybe I didn't get enough sleep last night.

I decided to apply for credentials to attend the next Falcon Heavy launch. The timing isn't ideal, since the USSF-44 Mission is supposed to take place at the end of October, only a month away from the next Artemis attempt. I attended the last Falcon Heavy launch three years ago and always wanted to see another. I'm not sure I can afford two trips to Florida so close together, but we'll see what happens. When I apply for press credentials, I'm never sure if I'll get approved.

I'm thinking about getting a new phone. My old phone works just fine, but it's hard to ignore all the promotional advertising I get on an almost daily basis from AT&T and T-Mobile. I guess it would be nice to have a better camera. I use my iPhone camera a lot more than my professional cameras. I probably wouldn't get the new iPhone 14. An iPhone 13 on sale sounds a lot more attractive. Maybe I won't get anything at all. I always think about buying stuff I don't need when I get bored.

Dawn is still leaving the room when I want to take a nap during the day. This is unfortunate, because I enjoy taking a good nap. I feel guilty when Dawn leaves the room though. It is her room. She spends most of the day in the bedroom and it's the one room in the house where she feels completely comfortable. I'm just going to have to get used to the fact that Dawn was treated very badly by men when she was used as a breeding dog. She has had a hard life and there's no particular reason why she should trust me. 

The failing dryer belt seems to be getting worse. I was hoping that it would last for a while, but I'll probably have to call the appliance repairman again soon. I'm really tired of things breaking or wearing out. Something around the house always seems to be on its last legs. I need to take my car in for a service appointment pretty soon as well. It's always something. I'd much rather spend my money on trips to the space center.

Tomorrow is my grocery day. Dawn is not nearly as excited when I return with groceries. I tend to get unexciting things like bottled water and laundry detergent. Janet brings sliced turkey and cheese.

Harshey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day