Day 4663

Today was busy. It was chilly this morning on our sunrise walk. It was only 63 degrees and I definitely needed a light jacket. I also needed a stick to brush the web worms away as we made out way down toward the lake. I'll be glad when these little green worms disappear. They've really become a nuisance.

After breakfast I did a few minor chores around the house while I was waiting to leave for my haircut appointment. My hair is thinner now but it still grows fast. It doesn't seem that long since my last haircut. I usually get a haircut before any major trip, but I won't be going anywhere for a while. There are several interesting launches next month, but I didn't apply for credentials. It's just as well that I won't be going anywhere soon. I've got too many bills to pay.

On the way home from my haircut appointment I stopped at the gym. It was cool enough to walk outdoors today, but the gym turned out to be more convenient. I was fairly terrible on the basketball court, but I was actually faster on the indoor track today. It still seems like my performance should be more consistent, but it never is. Some days I do well and other days I don't.

I did some of my grocery shopping today because I'm not sure how long the washing machine repairs will take tomorrow. I hope that no parts are needed for this repair because that always requires a second visit. I really want to avoid going to the laundromat. Hopefully, the problem is minor. According to the error code on the machine there is just a clogged drain filter.  I need to learn how to fix this myself. I'm tired of paying technicians to do things that turn out to be very easy.

The State Fair of Texas opened today. We usually go to the fair, but I'm not sure if we'll go this year. I can't even remember if we went last year. It might have still been closed due to Covid. Somewhere on the fairgrounds there is a brick walkway where you can purchase bricks with your name on them. Years ago we bought some bricks in memory of our first Dalmatian. Whenever we go to the fair, it is always a challenge to find these bricks. They're still there but it is surprisingly difficult to locate them. We used to walk Spot in Fair Park every weekend, but the city was different then. The city felt much safer twenty years ago. I'm not sure I'd want to walk in this park during off season anymore.

I hope the appliance technician is on time tomorrow. I hate waiting for repair people. They usually give you a four hour window and then show up about an hour after the window has expired. The utility room where we keep the washer and dryer is very small. I always have to move a ton of stuff out of the room before a service call to give the technician room to work. I'm not even sure how we got these appliances into this room now. It doesn't seem like they should fit.

I hope the rescue Dalmatians are doing well. We haven't seen them in quite a while. I think they will be moving to another kennel later this Fall where we can visit again. I wonder if they will remember us?

Thelma is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4592

I never imagined that summer would be a never ending string of hundred degree days. This is getting old. The temperature was a bit cooler this morning since it was overcast. The skies were dark and it looked like it was raining somewhere. Unfortunately we didn't get any. The cloudy skies did knock the temperature down a bit though. It stayed below 90 until mid afternoon. It's weird when 90 degrees feels like a cold wave.

It's so dry out that we put some water out for the squirrels. I'm not fond of squirrels, but they deserve water too. Watering outdoor plants had become a daily necessity. It's amazing how quickly everything dries up. A patch of Asian Jasmine out of reach of our sprinkler is already dead. I just paid the July water bill and it has gone up considerably. I'm sure the August bill will be even worse.

It was back to the gym again after breakfast this morning. I was terrible on the basketball court today. Weird. I was pretty good yesterday. Getting my steps on the gym's indoor track is boring, but it still beats walking outside. Each time I complete a lap, I calculate how much time I have left in my head. I'm surprised at how much time people spend talking at the gym. At times everyone seems to be chatting with someone except for me. You probably have to be able to carry on a good conversation to get hired as a trainer at this place. If people aren't talking, they are looking at their phones. Even when I'm walking in the park, I see people who are constantly looking at their phones. I don't get it. I still prefer solitude. The voices in my head are just fine.

The Land Rover dealership called today to remind me of my Saturday appointment. Unfortunately, they had totally forgotten what I was coming in for. I wanted to confirm that I'd be able to pick my car up the came day and the service representative said, "No, you'll have to leave it here for seven days before we can get to it." Wait a minute. You guys told me that it would be ready in two hours. We finally got it straightened out that I was coming in for a scheduled factory recall instead of an engine repair. They eventually confirmed that the car would be ready by the end of the day Saturday, but I have no faith in these guys. I wish I could just take the car to the other repair place, but the dealership is the only place that deals with factory recalls. 

I've got an appointment for a haircut tomorrow. I usually get a haircut before I travel somewhere, but there are no travel plans this time. Finally there are firm dates for the Artemis-1 launch and Special Viewing nights at the McDonald Observatory's historic 82" telescope. These are both events that I've been waiting for, but I'm losing my interest in going to either of them. There are three tentative dates for the Artemis-1 launch, all two or three days apart. If I go down to Florida for the first launch opportunity, it would be just my luck that the launch would be delayed until the last scheduled date almost a week later. This could be very expensive and hotels are booking up already. Covid restrictions are returning too. Is this even worth it?  I'm putting the cart before the horse though. My press credentials haven't even been approved yet. The trip out to the observatory is a little different. I'm not sure I want to make that long drive ever again. Each time I make the drive it seems a little worse. 

It's kind of sad that taking a nap with Dawn is right up there with rocket launches in terms of my priorities. That's where I'm headed though. I'm tired and have nothing to prove anymore. After a while one rocket launch begins to look exactly like the next one and the night sky always looks more or less the same. I'm starting to question what fun actually is. These days I think getting a good night's sleep is fun.

It looks like another triple digit day tomorrow. I've taken the trash out to the curb and watered the lawn. It's time to get some sleep.

Katie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day