Day 4952

Life is back to normal. Dawn was so happy to take a walk again this moring. She could have taken a walk with me every day last week, but she's a strange dog. Unless we're both around, she just retreats to the bedroom. It was surprisingly cool this morning. The temperature was still in the 70's when we woke up. If it wasn't for the sporadic rain showers it would have been a good day for a long walk in the park.

After our walk with Dawn we had a big weekend breakfast and then I got ready to go mall walking. Dawn didn't hide in the bedroom today She joined us for breakfast and even got her own egg. It was nice to be back on schedule again. The long list of daily tasks was gone. All I have to remember now is to feed Dawn her dinner and bedtime snack.

I go to the mall earlier now. This leaves more time later in the day for whatever needs to be done. There were very few changes this week. No new stores opened and almost all of the window displays were he same. I'm still surprised at how popular mall walking seems to be. There are almost as many people circling the perimeter before the stores open as there are later in the day. I really prefer mall walking to walking around the indoor track at the gym. You can only really do this one day a week though when the mall opens for business at noon. On most days the stores open too early to make mall walking feasible.

Dawn got her Sunday outing today. There was a light mist when we left the house, but Dawn still got a chance to walk around her Sunday park a bit before we went for ice cream. There was a big line at the ice cream store drive thru this morning. I guess this is what you do on a rainy day. The cones have gotten more expensive, but I still can't think of a better alternative. This definitely beats getting a soft serve cone at Dairy Queen.

The big pile of stuff in the living room is gone. Janet is a wizard at getting rid of things. Some stuff got thrown away. Other things got bagged up to take to a charity resale shop. The few things that remained all found a new place to reside. It's weird. I would have had a much harder time getting rid of this stuff, but I don't miss any of the things that got thrown away.

Since it was much cooler than I expected today, it seemed like a good time to mow the grass. I almost never mow during the afternoon in the summer, but I knew the temperature was going to be much warmer next week. Luckily the mower still had a charge and I was able to finish the front yard before dinner. The back yard is easier. Maybe I'll do that right after breakfast tomorrow.

I don't have any plans for Monday. I need to take a few things to the storage warehouse and fill the car with gas. I'm sure I'll go to the gym. The temperature is supposed to reach 105 tomorrow.

Laura is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4939

It was a little cooler today. It's surprising what a difference a few degrees can make. We had a very pleasant sunrise walk with Dawn this morning. For the first time in weeks we even saw a bunny again. Dawn loves these early walks but is not a very active dog. After we return home she usually spends the rest of the day sleeping.

After finishing breakfast I thought I'd take advantage of the slightly cooler weather and mow the grass. After mowing the front yard I realized that the temperature was a bit warmer than I'd thought. I was hot and tired. The back yard will have to wait. As long as this hot weather continues, I'll probably be limited to one outdoor task a day. Early mornings are OK, but it warms up quickly.

Janet had volunteer work today so we got an early start. When I finished mowing the grass after breakfast it still wasn't even 9 AM. I answered a letter from my editor at Spaceflight, paid a few bills, and then got ready to go to the gym. I haven't been to the gym this early before and it was probably a mistake. There must have been classes or meetings going on because the parking garage was completely full. I had to park outside which guaranteed a very hot car on the drive home.

For the third day in a row I did exactly the same things at the gym. I walked three miles on the indoor track and shot free throws on the basketball court for fifteen minutes. I could have stayed a lot longer because I had no plans for the afternoon. I just didn't feel like doing anything else. Fitbit is getting on my case, telling me that I'm not exercising as much as I used to. Sorry. Three miles just isn't the same as six miles. I can't imagine walking six miles on that indoor track. Even three miles is incredibly boring. My pace was slower today. I guess mowing the grass tired me out more than I thought. Maybe I'll do better tomorrow. The gym will be open on Independence Day and I'm almost certain I'll be back. It's still way too hot for a daytime walk through the park.

I don't think I'll go to the gym this early again. It leaves too much of the day to fill when I return home. I've started eating lunch again just to kill time. There are definitely things that need attention around the house, but I loathe doing sheetrock repairs and I'm kind of afraid the screen door will fall apart if I attempt to put on a new screen. I have a feeling that my desire to avoid difficult tasks is why I do the laundry so often. Doing the laundry is marginally useful and it is very easy.

The July issue of SpaceFlight with my article about the Viasat 3 launch came in the mail today. The article about the Axiom 2 Mission will be in the August issue. Writing these articles is something I actually do enjoy doing. I've always enjoyed writing. I used to have a ton of writing jobs when print magazines were still popular. Most of these magazines and the ads they used to contain are gone now. Somebody still creates advertising but I'm definitely out of the loop. Most of the ads I see these days are absolutely terrible and the millennials who create them would never hire their grandfather anyway.

I don't know what I'll be doing tomorrow but it definitely won't include watching fireworks. We have no interest in fireworks anymore. Fireworks are just something that needlessly frightens dogs. I probably will go to the gym. Hey, you've got to do something.

Bob Hope is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4925 - My Birthday

I turned 75 today. Any way you measure it, that's getting old. I think I'm hanging in there though. We started the day early to avoid the heat. Dawn got a nice sunrise walk and then I had my regular breakfast of shredded wheat and fruit. Right after breakfast I mowed the grass. I did both the front and back yards and was finished before 9 AM. The temperature was already in the mid-eighties, but it was still overcast so I decided to take a short walk and get my steps before it got really hot.

I'm definitely slowing down and am not as fit as I used to be, but I felt good that I was still able to do this much on what turned out to be the hottest day of the year. My Mom had already passed away before she reached 75 and my Dad had been diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease and a host of other ailments by his 75th birthday. I'm basically still reasonably healthy. I try to walk six miles every day and am staying active. Who knows how long I can continue this, but nothing is stopping me at this point. I still hope to be attending launches at Kennedy Space Center when I'm 85.

I'm glad we walked Dawn really early this morning because it was way too hot for her to be outside later in the day. It looks like this heat wave is going to continue for the rest of the week. Luckily our air conditioner is working well and I think the insulation we added to the roof is helping keep the house cooler. I'm glad we didn't have to deal with the power outages that plagued other parts of the community after last week's storms. This is not the time to be dealing with power outages.

It was a low key and largely uneventful birthday, but I felt good about it. I didn't do much during the afternoon. I took a shower and looked at my birthday messages on Facebook. I'm not a big fan of social media anymore, but I still think these birthday messages are a nice thing. Nobody sends cards anymore. I got one birthday card from my Luddite sister who has probably never even looked at Facebook. Later in the afternoon I tried to take a nap with Dawn but she wasn't in a celebratory mood. As soon as I went in the bedroom, Dawn went out in the kitchen.

Janet and I went out for dinner at our favorite Italian restaurant. We've been there for birthdays before and the food is always good. The prices were a bit higher and the portions were slightly smaller, but what else is new. All restaurants are doing this. At least the place was still in business. A lot of our favorite restaurants didn't survive the pandemic and are no longer here. Our waiter seemed disappointed that we weren't having dessert, but we had cake at home. We wanted to include Dawn in the birthday celebration.

After some cake and a glass of champagne, I did what I always do every evening. I wrote a blog post. Since I will have reached my 5000 Day goal before my next birthday, this might be my last birthday post. We'll see what happens.

Inky 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 4900

There are only 100 days left before I reach my goal. I've thought about continuing the blog after I reach my 5000 day goal, but I probably won't. Writing something even halfway coherent for 5000 consecutive days is a long time and I'm running out of things to say. It's probably time to put this thing to bed. I have surprisingly few readers after all this time, but a large audience was never my goal. I just wanted to see if I could do this and it looks like I can.

I was finally able to renew my driver's license today. It took two pairs of rather expensive glasses and a new eye exam, but I'm good for another five years. I ordered new glasses yesterday, but the prescription I had on hand was for progressive lenses and the Lencrafter store couldn't fill it in-house. This pair of glasses won't be ready for ten days. I got a second pair of simple distance-only glasses today and took them with me to the DMV. 

Before I could take a new eye test I needed a doctor to fill out a one page DMV form. Seems easy enough, but I couldn't get an appointment with my regular doctor for over a month. My license would have expired by then. I found another eye doctor at the mall and was able to get a same day appointment as a walk in patient. I actually liked this doctor better than my regular doctor. She said my eyes weren't really that bad and that I should have been able to pass a DMV eye test without glasses. I already knew this, but a lot of good that does me now. 

I guess I needed glasses anyway, but truthfully I can't tell any difference wearing them. Maybe things look a little sharper, but I could be imagining things. I kept looking at signs, taking the glasses on and off and the signs all looked the same. I passed the eye test easily when I returned to the DMV. Oddly, the line of letters they had me read today was larger than the ones on the test I failed yesterday. When I asked about this the examiner said that they always have people without glasses read a smaller line. Made absolutely no sense to me. Oh, well. I'm done now and ready for my next encounter with government bureaucracy. As long as my new license doesn't get lost in the mail, I'm good to go.

All in all, it was a very busy day. I finished mowing the grass in the front yard after breakfast this morning. The new mower batteries make a big difference. My fear was that the new batteries wouldn't last any longer than the old ones and I'd have to buy a new mower anyway. I guess I'm good to go on the mower for a while as well.

I still found time for a long walk today. I kind of wish I had a 5000 day goal on long walks as well. I'm getting tired of walking six miles a day. The walks make a difference though. I'm in a lot better shape than many people my age and long walks are conducive to daydreaming. Walking is exercise for lazy people. I still prefer long walks to going to the gym, even though it would do me a lot of good to start lifting weights again. Maybe one of these days I'll be motivated enough to do both.

Tomorrow I need to write my article about the AX-2 launch. If I wait much longer I'll forget everything.

Ranger is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4898

Since I had to fast for my physical exam this morning I couldn't have my morning coffee or breakfast. It showed. I felt like I had no energy for the rest of the day. Of course this might have been some sort of jet lag effect from my trip. I never get much sleep on these launch trips. The exam went well though. The doc thinks I'm in great shape for my age. Of course "for my age" probably just means that I can still move around without using a walker.

I wish now that I'd asked the doctor about all the bug bites I've got. They're horrible. I think Florida mosquitos are much worse than Texas mosquitos. I get bites like this every time I visit Kennedy Space Center because I'm outside a lot. Since the bites don't go away quickly and I'm a terrible hypochondriac, I always worry that I've caught some strange disease. Were there bedbugs in the hotel? Did I eat tainted food? Did I sit next to the wrong person on the plane? Of course not. These almost have to be mosquito or chigger bites because I've experienced the same thing every time I go to Florida. The bites usually go away in about a week.

On the way back from the doctor I had to stop at the bank and get some documents out of my safe deposit box for tomorrow's driver's license renewal. Something must have changed in the law because I've never needed so much documentation before. I used to just renew my license by mail. The weird thing is that I already have a Real ID, so DPS should know exactly who I am. The letter I got for my appointment said to bring two forms of ID to prove I'm a US citizen, two forms of ID to prove I'm a Texas resident, an original Social Security card, and the title to my car. I've had numerous background checks run on me since I visit military bases to watch launches. Seems very strange that it's easier to visit high security areas at Kennedy Space Center than it is to get a Texas driver's license. At any rate, I've got a pile of documents now and hope I have everything I need. I definitely don't want to have to do this again.

When I returned home I mowed the grass in the back yard and then I took my long walk. The yard looks much better now, although there are still a few dead spots where the roofers left pallets of material while they were working. The grass will grow back quickly and I'll have to mow again pretty quickly as well. At least the new batteries I bought for the mower worked. I'll try to mow the front yard tomorrow.

I finally threw away my worn out Hoka shoes and broke in a new pair on my long walk today. These shoes are comfortable and help with my foot pain, but I sure wish they lasted longer. I've had hiking boots that can be resoled for a lifetime, but any type of sneaker is basically a throw away item. If you're active, you're lucky if they last a year. I was exceptionally slow on my walk today. I got started late and the  weather was hotter than I expected. My feet bothered me as well, but mostly I was just tired. I mentioned to the doctor this morning that I don't have as much energy as I used to. He just laughed and told me I was getting old.

Maybe Dawn did miss me while I was gone. She seems a little friendlier toward me now. One of these days we'll finally be friends. Hopefully there will be no problems with my driver's license renewal tomorrow. I need that license to travel. I also need to get started on my Axiom-2 article soon. There is no rush deadline this time, but I promised my editor that I'd get him something by Friday. Right now I just need to get some sleep.

Willie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4877

I stayed busy today although I don't think I accomplished much. I signed the contract with the roofing company and paid my early May bills. I attempted to mow the grass in the front yard, but the mower wasn't up to the job. I either need to replace the battery pack again or just get a new mower. I used to be able to mow both the front and the back yard on a single charge. Today the batteries died before I could even finish the front. I guess I could recharge the batteries and finish things up tomorrow but my heart isn't in it. I've lost all interest in household chores.

The weather continues to be really pleasant. We had a nice early walk with Dawn this morning. Nobody was photographing the baby owls this morning, but we did see a bunny. Dawn was so busy smelling things that she didn't even notice the rabbit.

I mowed the grass before taking my long walk today, which probably explains why I was so slow. Some days these walks really seem like a chore. My feet hurt and I didn't have a lot of energy, but I did manage to finish my six miles. It's weird that I continue to do this day after day even though it is not always enjoyable. I'm a big believer in discipline. If you set a goal, you need to accomplish it. I'm slow and have my share of aches and pains, but I still think I'm in better shape than many people my age.

I don't know why I'm dreading having the roof replaced so much. We definitely need a new roof, but I keep expecting all sorts of surprises when the work begins. I want to schedule the job when there is no rain in the forecast, but that won't guarantee that it won't rain. Texas weather is full of surprises. Old houses are full of surprises too. The roofers will probably discover something that will end up making the job even more expensive. Having strangers around the house making lots of noise will scare Dawn too. In theory this will all be worth it if the roof stops leaking and I no longer have to sweep the standing water away after every heavy rain. Maybe I won't even need the pumps anymore. 

My expenses on the Viasat-3 launch trip were higher than I expected. The cost of these trips has almost doubled since I started doing them about seven years ago. Airfares have increased the most, but hotels and rental cars have gone up as well. Even meals are more expensive. I really wonder how long I can continue doing this. The magazine I write for doesn't pay expenses, so the trips just end up being a weird kind of vacation. I guess it is no surprise that most of the other launch photographers are local and live near the space center. There are several other launches I'd like to attend this year, but we'll just have to see. I'm a realist and realize that it doesn't really matter if I'm down there or not. These launch trips are just an indulgence.

There's a laundry list of things I need to do this week. I still need to apply for TSA Pre before I travel anywhere again. I need to get some gravel to fill in a big pot hole in the driveway. It's time to write my sister again since I got a letter from her. Do I buy a new mower or just fix the old one again? I need to finish my SpaceFlight Magazine article about the Viasat-3 program. None of these things are all that important but they will nag at me if I don't get them done. 

I'm sure that tomorrow will be a lot like today, but you probably know that already.

Bogart is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4875

It was a beautiful day. When we took Dawn on her early walk, the sky was clear and there was no pollen in the air. I'm glad the allergy season appears to be over. I'm seeing FIrewheels in the park now. These are usually the last of the Spring wildflowers to appear. Like it or not, Summer is not far away.

We had another big weekend breakfast this morning and then I got ready to go to the mall. Mall walking on Sunday has become a regular part of my routine. The mall was surprisingly quiet today. For some reason there were no small children. Why would everyone decide not to bring their kids to the mall on this particular day? Maybe it was the weather. It was so nice outside that going to a playground was probably a better alternative. 

I'm still surprised to see something new almost every single week. One new store opened today and another moved to a different location. Many of the window displays have changed. Virtually everyone is featuring summer clothes now. I try to notice little changes in each window. I guess I do the same thing when I am walking in the park. I think being observant keeps the mind sharp. Some people do puzzles or play Sudoku. I try to remember the names of wildflowers I see and make inferences about the state of the world based on store window displays.

When I returned home, Dawn was ready for her Sunday outing. It was a perfect day for a walk. I was a little worried that the ground would be muddy, but everything had already dried out. We had to keep Dawn away from patches of poison ivy. This particular park is filled with poison ivy. You're pretty safe if you stick to the areas that the park department mows. We stay away from the tall prairie grass anyway because Dawn would become covered with ticks. There are also plenty of snakes. 

Dawn had lots of energy today. Janet walks her on the Sunday outing because I can't keep up with Dawn when she's having a good time. Luckily Dawn and Janet wait for me at the car when our walk is finished. As always we ended our outing with ice cream cones. Dawn loves ice cream and it tends to calm her down. She's usually pretty quiet on the way back home. As soon as we return to the house, Dawn hops on the bed and takes a nap.

I like naps too, but I actually felt like doing something useful this afternoon. I got out the vacuum and cleaned the carpets in the bedroom and office. The carpets don't look that dirty to me, but they must be filthy judging from the amount of dust the Dyson picks up. Our other dogs were scared of the vacuum cleaner but Dawn could care less. She just sits on the bed and watches me while I clean the bedroom.

It was also time to mow the yard. I really need to get new batteries for the mower, but I was able to charge them just enough to mow the back yard this afternoon. I'll do the front yard next week. Should I buy a new mower or just hire a lawn service? I'm still debating these options. I'm not a big fan of mowing the lawn, but that doesn't mean much these days. I'm not a big fan of doing any type of chore. I think Dawn has the right idea. Walks and naps are all you need.

I watched the Viasat-3 launch after dinner this evening on the Space X live feed. The launch was a success but I'm not really sorry that I missed seeing it live. I couldn't have afforded to spend almost a full week in Titusville and the launch was at night anyway, so it would have been harder for me to get good pictures. There will be other launches in the future. For now, I'm happy enough following my admittedly dull routine here at home.

Bea is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4864

We are getting closer to pinning down a start date for the roof replacement. I think the roofers will be ready to begin sometime in early May. Unfortunately, I'm not getting any closer to pinning down anything else. I have no idea if or when I'll be going to Kennedy Space Center again. The launch date for all the missions originally scheduled for April keeps changing. In theory I'm still going to the Viasat-3 launch, but I haven't received my credentials yet. I have a feeling that Space X is preoccupied with the Starship orbital launch and I won't hear anything until that takes place. I guess all this uncertainty should teach me to just chill out and carry on. Life won't change much whether I go to these launches or not.

It was quite warm today, but it was overcast, so it was still reasonably pleasant walking weather. The days are getting longer now and it is almost always daylight when we take Dawn on her sunrise walk. This morning we saw no photographers surrounding the tree with the baby owls. Have the owls left the tree or have the photographers become bored with taking endless pictures? Maybe I'll have to visit the tree tomorrow and see if the owls are still there.

I got a late start on my long walk today, but I guess it didn't matter. There was certainly nothing else on my schedule. I see a lot fewer birds these days because the seasonal migrations have taken place and the migratory birds have left the area. There are still Purple Martins fighting with Starlings over the Martin houses in the park and a handful of Great Egrets and Blue Herons but that's about it. I don't even see many Mallards this Spring. The resident geese and Muscovy Ducks are always at Sunset Bay, but that's because they just hang around and wait for people to feed them. I haven't seen the Monk Parakeets in ages. I wonder where they went? I did see one of the Bald Eagles today. It was flying and I didn't get a great view, but the bird definitely was an eagle.

It bothers me that even though I walk six miles a day, my Apple Watch still says my fitness level is low. This is because the watch can estimate the amount of oxygen your body can consume during exercise. Unfortunately, certain blood pressure medications can throw the measurement way off and make it seem artificially low. There's nothing I can do about this, but it's irritating that I do so much exercise and still get a low score. I'm pretty sure that the Apple Watch and Fitbit don't make me any healthier, but I do like to measure things.

I should have mowed the grass today but I did a load of laundry instead. I've grown to hate mowing the lawn. I need to either buy a self-propelled lawn mower or hire a lawn service. Pushing that old mower around is getting harder and harder. I try to convince myself that this is good exercise, but it just feels like a giant nuisance. Too bad I can't just let the weeds grow and call the yard a small "native prairie."

Janet said that Dawn did well at training class tonight. Since we no longer use a leash around her neck because of the bulging disc, it's a little harder to get her to heal. Dogs tend to pull more when they are wearing a harness. A harness isn't typically allowed in the training class, but Dawn has a doctor's excuse. She still does all the other exercises well, but if she doesn't heal properly she's not going to be winning any more ribbons. I'm sure Dawn could care less. The reason she likes the class is that she gets to see other dogs.

Marley is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4848

The weather continues to follow its unpredictable ways. It was over 90 degrees this afternoon. Yikes. That just doesn't seem right. Even though there were clear skies for most of the day, we are under another severe weather alert. It's supposed to start raining pretty hard in about an hour from now.

I tried to finish mowing today but the mower's battery died again before I could complete the back yard. I can't decide whether to replace the 24 volt batteries or replace the entire mower. Mowing the grass is one of my least favorite things, but it is good exercise and I still don't like the idea of paying a lawn service. At least our yard is small. Pushing the mower still feels tiring although it doesn't take all that long. I'll charge up the mower again and finish the rest tomorrow.

It was too hot to give Dawn an afternoon walk, but she did get a nice early morning walk. It's hard to keep her from eating grass in the park. I don't know if this is a nervous habit or if she really likes the taste. Sometimes she gets a blade of grass stuck in her throat and starts coughing. Usually a drink of water solves the problem but she doesn't seem to understand that eating grass is a bad idea. I guess it could be worse. Petey, one of our earlier Dalmatians, was obsessed with eating other dog's poop.

I went to the bank and then came home and paid the early April bills on my computer. After the mower died and put an end to my lawn care efforts I did a load of wash. Next came the day's real chore: a long walk in 90 degree weather. I completed my six mile route and even managed to get over 20,000 steps today but it was an effort. How did I do this last summer? I guess I was younger then.

All the White Pelicans in the park are gone. Their numbers have been decreasing for over a week, but I didn't see a single bird today. It seems like they stayed a little longer last year, but it's been a warm Winter. The birds spend the summer in North and South Dakota and then return the following Winter. They've been doing this for as long as I can remember. I think birds are a lot more predictable than people.

I've been wondering why I haven't heard anything about my credential request for some upcoming launches at Kennedy Space Center. Today I discovered that my only media contact at Space X no longer works there. Now who do I ask about Space X launches? People move around a lot these days. My contact list is basically worthless. Every time I try to contact someone, they are no longer there. Hopefully I will still get credentialed, but you never know. 

Nothing is very predictable anymore. In the time it has taken me to write seven paragraphs, tonight's severe weather alert has expired and the storm headed our way don't look nearly as bad. I think we're still going to get some heavy rain but we'll have to wait and see. I don't have a lot of faith in the weather forecast anymore. Whatever happens, we still need to get Dawn outside and pee before we go to bed.

Lexi is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4844

There are critters everywhere this Spring. Last night there was a bunny in the yard when we were taking Dawn out to pee. It took me forever to get the bunny to leave because I didn't want Dawn to get it. Finally, I got it to go out an open gate and then we let Dawn outside. I did close the gate again after the bunny left. 

We've never had a dog with a really strong prey drive, but Dot killed a squirrel once and Gretta killed a bird. Dogs will be dogs. I've always been worried that our dogs would want to tangle with a possum. We see possums in the yard almost every week. There have also been racoons, armidillos, and the ocassional snake. Dawn pretty much ignores the squirrels. There are so many of them that they aren't interesting anymore.

This weather is driving me nuts. It's cold. It's hot. It's wet. It's dry. You never know what to expect. It was really chilly early this morning, but by mid-afternoon it felt like summer. When I wear a jacket on my walks I try to pick something that is easy to take off and tie around my waist. I'm usually cold on the outbound leg of the walk and hot on the return.

I still haven't gotten the grass mowed. My long walk always takes priority and by the time I get home I'm too tired to push the mower. I need to ask my neighbor's landscape crew how much they'd charge to mow my front yard while they are at her house. It's a very small yard and it would only take them a few minutes. Whatever they'd charge, I'd probably think it was too much. I've taken care of the yard for decades and am not used to paying for lawn care. Something's got to change though. I just don't have the energy that I used to.

Yesterday I tripped and fell while I was walking Dawn and now my back hurts along with everything else. Sometime I don't know how I manage to keep walking six miles a day. I've got bad knees, a dislocated shoulder, and some pretty nasty foot pain. I don't think the fall did any damage, but I've really got to watch my balance on uneven ground. Truthfully, I've got to watch my balance walking around the house. This is probably one more reason that it isn't a great idea to go back to the observatory and spend the night outdoors photographing the stars. There are a million ways to fall out there.

Very little happened today. I walked the same route I walk every day and then came home and charged camera batteries and backed up the laptop. There is very little need to back up the laptop since everything gets transferred to the desktop computer anyway. I hate seeing that little message saying "no backups in 208 days" and I guess today was the day to make it go away for a while.

There is more rain in tomorrow's forecast. Hopefully we will be able to get Dawn walked before the rain starts. Hopefully the roof won't leak either. I'll probably miss the rain when the ground is parched and dry this August. Right now I've had enough of the stuff. This has been a very rainy Spring.

Sparky is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4842

Even on days where nothing happens, I still wonder about things. Why are the airwaves filled with commercials from pharmaceutical companies advertising pills with side effects so serious they can kill you? Why do small SUV's from every manufacturer look exactly the same? Why do people stop at McDonalds on the way home from the gym? Who are they kidding? Why are roads perpetually under construction? I could go on and on. The world just doesn't make sense anymore.

I think the secret to good health is as simple as eating fresh healthy food every day and getting lots of exercise, but people continue to spend billions on dubious supplements and weight loss plans. The secret to financial stability is as simple as never spending money you don't have. Credit cards are just an illusion. I don't know the secret to happiness, but I bet it has something to do with following your own internal compass instead of constantly comparing your situation to others around you. It shouldn't matter what others are doing.

This new desire to be part of a hive mind is a curse. I think social media is one of the worst inventions in the history of humanity. It's definitely not making us smarter. Every day I see people walking through the woods in the park with their face glued to their phones. They're not even aware of what is going on around them. The same thing happens when they are in the car. A majority of traffic accidents in the city are caused by people who are texting when they should be watching the road. When I used to hear people talking to themselves, I always though they were mentally ill. Now I know they're just carrying on a conversation using earbuds. Where does this desire to constantly talk to someone else come from? Is it really that bad to be alone with your thoughts?

It's not surprising that I'm not much of a talker. Dawn finds male voices threatening, so she doesn't like to hear from me. Janet thinks I'm too negative, so unless I have something positive to say, she agrees with Dawn. I can spend several days down at Kennedy Space Center without hardly talking to anyone. I still really enjoy the trip though. One of my favorite visits to McDonald Observatory was when I was the only one staying at the Astronomer's Lodge. When you are alone with your thoughts, you aren't really alone at all. Truthfully, I wish I could turn off my thoughts the same way I turn off the TV at night. It would be easier to get to sleep.

Our pleasant weather continues. Dawn loves her early morning walks now and spends even more time smelling things than she did before. Unfortunately, she also loves to eat the new grass that is coming up everywhere. All our Dalmatians have loved to eat grass in the Spring. I had vague thoughts of doing something productive today, but I didn't get very far. I charged up the battery to the lawn mower, but by the time I finished my long walk, I was too tired to mow. I'd better do this tomorrow though. Weeds are starting to grow in the front yard and more rain is on the way later in the week. My little electric mower is not motorized, so it's getting harder to push. Maybe I'm just getting weaker.

The park is looking green and lush now. Pretty soon I'll start seeing baby ducks. I see the Mallards looking for nesting sites now. I'm going to have to start looking out for snakes again. It's getting warm enough for snakes. All is good though. I'm trying to enjoy the Spring weather while it lasts. Aside from the rain, it is the nicest time of year in Texas. I still try to complete my six daily miles in the middle of August, but it's not very fun. Summers in Texas can be brutal.

Doc is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4837

I attempted to check a few small things off my list today with even smaller results. I called a music store to check on some gear I still have on consignment and discovered that nobody I knew still worked there. The guy who answered the phone said he wasn't familiar with my stuff but that he would look for it and to call him tomorrow. It's probably my fault for not having called the place since before Covid, but I wasn't expecting the gear to be lost. Hopefully they can find this stuff. The synthesizer and mixing board are old and probably obsolete, but they were still working fine when I consigned them three or four years ago. They'll make a great addition to the storage warehouse if they can be found.

I've been wanting to repair my large format printer, so I called the company I used to use and discovered that their printer technician had retired and they no longer service printers. I called a second company that was recommended and they lost their printer technician too. Evidently fewer people repair their printers these days. They just buy new ones because it is often cheaper than the repair. I finally found someone who still works on my type of printer. He seemed knowledgable, but he had bad news. Many parts are no longer available for the printer and the ink has gotten really expensive. A set of eight cartridges costs over $800 these days.Yikes.  Janet says it is stupid to buy a large format printer if all I want to do is print three or four photos. I'm sure she's right, but I always liked that printer. Making huge prints is awesome.

Today was even warmer than yesterday. I can't imagine that we will get any more freezing weather at this point. We will get more rain though and that means I'm going to have to start mowing the grass soon. I'm one of the few people in the neighborhood who still mows his own grass. Just about everyone else uses a lawn service. I've grown to hate these services because they are always around with their loud leaf blowers. The neighborhood just isn't very quiet anymore. One of these days I'll probably have to start using a lawn service myself. It's getting harder and harder to push the mower up the hill in the front yard.

Dawn is almost back to normal. We took her on a longer walk this morning and she did fine. She's getting better at going up and down her step to the bed as well. Her front legs are still a little shaky, but she's definitely getting better. We thought she was well enough to get a bath today, so we took her to our local self bathe place. I still have to ride in the back seat with her to keep her from sliding off the seat, but probably by next week she'll be ready to return to her training class. At least she's clean with trimmed nails again.

Even though I wore shorts, I still got hot on my long walk. It felt like summer this afternoon. I think I saw one of the bald eagles again. It was flying overhead and I didn't get a good look, but I suspect that it was an eagle because there were a number of photographers with long telephoto lenses in the area. There must be some sort of network among birders for eagle sightings because every time I see the eagles I also see photographers. I made terrible time on my walk today, but I'll give myself a pass. I was very tired.

Janet and I are both thinking of getting new phones, but the whole process is frustrating. All the major phone companies seem to get horrible reviews. Nobody seems to like their service provider. I don't want an iPhone 14, but the 12's and 13's seem to be in short supply. I still like a SIM card that can be removed from the phone. My current phone plan has been discontinued and I'm kind of grandfathered in at a ridiculously high rate. I guess there are better plans, but when I read the fine print, there's always something I don't like. Why do I even need a phone? I hardly ever call anyone. I just use the thing to take pictures and check on the weather.

Ariel is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4738

I totally misjudged the weather today. I put away the buckets because the rain has stopped and then one of the leaks started again. What a mess. I need to start looking at the wind chill index instead of the temperature. I glanced at the temperature before we took Dawn on her early walk and thought it was pretty warm. There was a brisk wind though and I was freezing by the time we returned home. I didn't learn my lesson either. Later in the day when I took my long walk the temperature was even warmer so I only wore a light jacket. Wrong again. The same cold wind was blowing and I ended up freezing all over again. I did learn one thing. Being cold makes me walk faster. I completed my long walk in record time today.

I took the letter I wrote yesterday to the post office after breakfast, but came right home again. I have no interest in shopping or doing things around town these days. Everything is too expensive and I don't really need anything anyway. I hope this new sense of frugality continues. Property taxes are due and I need to start saving for my next trip to Kennedy Space Center.

I've been trying to avoid mowing the grass, but the front yard looks terrible to I decided to get it over with this afternoon. Unfortunately the lawn mower battery won't hold a full charge anymore and the mower died before I finished the job. The yard does look better, but it looks like I've got to mow at least one more time I can call it quits for the year. Now that the weather is cold I have to remove the heavy 24 volt battery pack from the mower and bring it inside when I'm finished. What a pain. No wonder all the other neighbors use a lawn care service.

The stains in the ceiling from the latest series of leaks are really looking bad. I'm not even sure I can bleach them out this time. I've contacted a contractor who came highly recommended to give me a bid on fixing everything in the house. Restoration work will be expensive but something needs to be done. Unfortunately, I don't think I'm very high on anybody's list these days. We've been trying to get together for over a month now and nothing has happened yet. I have a feeling that I'm not demanding enough. Thats not going to change though. I'm not a pushy person.

I wish I was down at Kennedy Space Center this Friday. Space X is launching two rockets on the same day. The launches are only a few hours apart. I can't recall that ever happening before. It ought to be interesting. I'm still a bit envious of the launch photographers who seem to never miss a launch. They all live in the area though. I don't know how they find the time because most of them have other jobs. It's probably good that I can only afford to go to Florida several times a year. If I was trying to cover every launch I'm sure I would have lost interest by now. I get bored quickly.

Dawn and Janet did well at training class tonight. I was surprised that they went to class because it was pretty cold outside. I was reluctant to even take out the garbage. I guess we'll have to deal with this cold weather for quite a while. Winter Solstice is almost here and it will be officially Winter soon. I don't know about you but I'm ready for Spring.

Lance is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4652

I've got several hours every morning to do something outside before it gets too hot. Sometimes I take a long walk. Other times I try to do something useful. Today I decided to mow the grass. Well, at least I decided to mow half the grass. That's all my aging electric mower will do now on a single charge.

I thought Summer was over. As usual I'm almost always wrong about Texas weather. It actually got quite hot today. Dawn got the best of the day. Our sunrise walk was pleasant, although the humidity was higher than I'd like. It was certainly quiet this morning. There were no police or fire sirens and only one aircraft flew overhead. I always enjoy a quiet walk but sadly they are becoming increasingly rare. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. The park is just a small oasis inside a large city.

Since the weekend is over, it's back to shredded wheat and berries for breakfast. I watched the Queen's funeral while I was eating. The carefully choreographed ceremony was mesmerizing. It made me realize that there is value in heritage and tradition. Respect for the queen has at least temporarily unified the British people. Today they seemed proud to be British. I don't think anybody in the United States could command anywhere near the same degree of respect. We all seem to hate each other. We are a young country without a long history, but we don't seem to value what we have. History is important. It seems fashionable today to repudiate history and deconstruct the past. I watched a funeral this morning, but it was strangely uplifting. A reverence for history and tradition is so much better than tearing down statues in an infantile rage.

By the time I finished breakfast and mowing the back yard, it was already way too hot for a walk in the park. I checked my messages, took Dawn outside to pee, and then headed for the gym. It's interesting that I'm not the only one at the gym who follows a set routine. Most of the regulars do exactly the same thing day after day, just like me. There aren't many spontaneous gym rats. It takes a lot of effort to stay in shape and working toward a goal often involves a lot of repetition. I rarely speak to anyone at the gym, but I probably have a lot more in common with these folks than with people who think of themselves as free spirits. No happy hour drinks for me. No impromptu weekend getaways. I've got a Fitbit on my arm and lots of steps to take before the sun sets.

Janet thinks I get in her way when she's cleaning, so I thought I'd hole up in the office this afternoon and balance my checkbook. I don't know why it always takes so long to get my Quickbook Pro records to exactly match my bank statements and credit card receipts. It always ends up being my fault. A single misplaced Quickbooks entry can throw me off for hours. It's easy to make errors while transcribing things but it can be devilishly hard to find them later. Everything is in balance now and I managed to stay out of Janet's way all afternoon.

I guess I'll need to mow the front yard tomorrow morning. The front is harder to mow because it's on a hill. The mower battery doesn't seem to last as well in the front yard either. The job needs to be done though. The yard looks terrible now. I can always go to the gym tomorrow afternoon. I'll probably be going to the gym more often now anyway because my seasonal allergies are starting to act up again.

I wish I'd hear some definitive news on the next Artemis launch attempt. It's getting on my nerves that nothing is settled yet with a scheduled trip to Florida less than a week away.

Rhett is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4640

I got the grass mowed in the front yard this morning. The yard looks good now and I can move on to other tasks. This mower has seen better days. The batteries don't last very long anymore. I can only mow half the yard at a time now because I have to let the batteries recharge. This plan works though because I've seen better days myself. Mowing half the yard at a time is about all I can handle.

It's weird how quickly the temperature rises. It's always nice when we take Dawn on her sunrise walk, but it can be thirty degrees warmer by noon. If I'm going to do something outdoors I need to do it early in the morning. I usually spend afternoons indoors where it is air conditioned.

I picked up some prescriptions on my way to the gym this morning. Once again, GoodRx was much cheaper than my Part-D prescription drug plan. I don't understand this at all. Why am I paying so much for a plan that isn't saving me any money? I hesitate to drop Part-D though. What if GoodRx only covers certain medications. Some medications are incredibly expensive. You definitely wouldn't want to be paying retail if you needed cancer medications. 

I'm always surprised at how empty my gym is. It's a huge building, but there are seldom more than ten people exercising. I like it this way, but I wonder how the place stays in business. Maybe it's just the time of day I go. I have a feeling that the place is a lot busier before and after work. In the middle of the day, it's just retired people like me.

I vacuumed this afternoon. It's pretty pitiful when you vacuum the house just to have something to do. There just isn't much that interests me these days. I haven't turned on the tape machines in the edit suite for years. The large production printer has sat idle for so long that I'm sure it is hopelessly clogged. I sold most of my guitars, but the one that remains sits idle as well. I definitely don't collect things anymore. That's where most of the clutter came from. I'm glad I still enjoy viewing rocket launches and spending time out at McDonald Observatory. I didn't have these interests earlier in life, but they're here now. I guess it doesn't really matter what you end up doing, but I think that everyone needs something that captures their interest.

I'll probably do some more yard work tomorrow morning before it gets hot.  I keep checking for news on the Artemis rocket, but there is no new schedule yet. They are going to try to fix the leak out on the pad, but it looks like they'll have to roll the rocket back to the VAB anyway to check some safety systems. The longer they wait, the more I'll probably feel like going back to Florida for the next attempt. Until then, it's just walking Dawn and going to the gym.

Bailey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4639

The skies were clear when we took Dawn on her sunrise walk this morning and it rained during dinner. Just another normal Texas day. I'm trying to be a bit more industrious. Today I took care of a chore I've been putting off for years. I cleaned out the air return plenum for the HVAC system. It's easy to forget that this even exists, but it gradually fills with dust over time. I usually start to realize that it's time to clean this thing when I start to hear a whistling sound coming from the air intake grill in the wall. For some reason it's a lot of trouble removing this grill, which is another reason I can ignore this chore for years.

When I removed the large, heavy grill this morning I was astounded at how much dust was inside the plenum. There was so much dust caked on the back side of the grill that I wondered how air was even being circulated. I took the grill outside and cleaned it with a power washer and then vacuumed the inside of the plenum. The Dyson wasn't really up to the job. It jammed with dust three times. Eventually I got everything clean and the AC runs much quieter now. I need to remember not to wait so long to do this next time.

It was cool outside when we took our sunrise walk, but by the time I'd finished my chores, it was already hot and humid. I didn't want to deal with the humidity, so I went back to the gym. I've gotten very predictable at the gym. I shoot twenty-five free throws on the basketball court, walk two miles on the indoor track, and spend a little time working with free weights. That's it. The best part of going to the gym for me is that it's nice and cold inside. These guys much have an enormous electric bill to keep this large space so cold.

I had to activate a bunch of prescriptions I had on file at the pharmacy today. My doctor renews all my prescriptions when I have my annual exam, but this year I still had plenty of pills, so I told the pharmacy to just hold on to the renewals until I needed them. I noticed last night that I was almost out of everything, so I guess I need them now. I'll pick all these up tomorrow and it will be one more bill that is larger than I'd like.

The Artemis launch seems largely forgotten already. The story is no longer on the news and most of the other journalists have already submitted and published their articles about the event. My story wasn't scheduled to run in SpaceFlight Magazine until November, so I suspect that there will be a change in plan. I have a feeling that I'll need to re-write the entire article when the rocket eventually launches. I still can't decide whether to return to Florida for the next launch attempt. It will probably depend on how many bills there are to pay when NASA announces a new schedule.

I pruned a few dead branches from shrubs in the back yard this afternoon, but cleaning the air return plenum used up most of my energy. Since I didn't feel like fiddling with the star tracker again, I just took a nap. I guess I need to mow the front yard tomorrow so I can forget about mowing again for a while. It's almost Fall so I don't think I'll replace the mower batteries until next Spring. I've grown tired of continually replacing batteries. I did manage to get my power drill batteries to accept a charge though That's one battery I can keep a little longer. I certainly needed that drill today. I couldn't have removed the grill to the air return plenum  without it.

I don't have any plans for tomorrow. I didn't have any plans for today either and still managed to stay busy. I imagine that tomorrow will be the same.

April is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day