Day 4894

We have a new roof. We won't be able to tell if this was all worth it until we've had a couple of hard rains, but I'm pretty pleased so far. We've lived here a long time and this is the third roof we've had to put on our house. This crew was by far the most professional I've encountered so far. I guess if you count the condo I owned before I bought our current house, I've been through a total of five roof replacements. Why so many? Well, if you are an architect or live in a house designed by one, chances are it will have a flat roof. I think it's a rule that architects, or former architects like myself, must live in houses with flat roofs.

I hope the new roof holds up well when we get our next big storm. I also hope it drains well. If I never have to climb up on the roof again to sweep away standing water, the cost will be well worth it. We certainly didn't have to wait long for rain. Literally less than an hour after the roofers finished working today it started raining. This was only a light shower. It's going to take a lot more to put the roof to the test.

I thought I'd be packed by now, but of course I haven't even started. I guess I had an excuse since I've been dealing with the roofers most of the day, but I could have been packed if I was more organized. I always seem to wait until the last possible minute to get ready for a trip. I'll probably end up packing first thing tomorrow morning. My flight doesn't leave until the afternoon. I always take the same things with me whenever I go to Florida. I could save time if I just left a suitcase permanently packed.

I got a haircut after breakfast this morning. I almost always get a haircut before I travel anywhere. There was a long list of other things I needed to do, but they will have to wait until I return from the launch. I needed to get home quickly today, so Janet could do her grocery shopping. Dawn doesn't like the noise of the roofers overhead and we didn't want to leave her alone. While I was waiting for Janet to return I decided to do some yard work and take advantage of the big dumpster sitting in our driveway. By the time I finished moving dirt around, I was too tired to take my long walk. Hey, I got my 10,000 steps, so that was enough for me.

I finally enabled e-mail on my phone. The last time I was at Kennedy Space Center I felt kind of helpless sitting in my car during a violent tornado warned thunderstorm without the ability to communicate with anyone locally. I had some of the other rocket photographer's e-mail addresses but I didn't know their phone numbers. Also NASA communicates with everyone using e-mail. I couldn't remember all the passwords and IP addresses for my mail host, so I couldn't set up my e-mail on the spot.  That's all been fixed now. I can't believe that I've been using an iPhone for dozens of years and have never used it to get e-mail before.

I hope that the AX-2 launch doesn't get postponed. I've got a busy week when I return. I've got a doctor's appointment that was scheduled months ago and I need to get my driver's license renewed as well. This is the first time I've had to go down to the DMV in many years. I think I've renewed online for at least ten years, but I guess they want to see you in person every once in a while. I didn't have the option to renew online this time. I hope they don't make me take a driving test again. I was surprised to learn that several people my age had to take a driving test to get their license renewed. My license is more for travel than driving these days. I have to show it everywhere when I'm down at Kennedy Space Center. You need a license to get on a plane as well.

I'd better call it a day so I can get up early tomorrow and pack for my trip. It was a good day today. I think I made the right decision to get a new roof and even managed to pick a good roofing company. Hopefully, this is the last roof we'll ever need. The roof has a ten year warranty. That's pretty good for a flat roof. I think the warranty on my own body expired years ago.

Holly is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 4628

I'm feeling a little more organized now. I'm almost packed and am starting my blog post early this evening in hopes of getting some sleep tonight. I'm really terrible about travel planning. I procrastinate. I can never decide what to take. And I always end up forgetting something important. I've finally learned to always take a raincoat and spare batteries, but there's always something that gets overlooked. In the past I've forgotten toothpaste, cables to recharge my phone, and insect repellant. You'd think this would be a piece of cake by now. I've been to Titusville many times before. It always seems like a totally new experience though. I enjoy attending rocket launches. I just hate to travel.

Packing aside, it was just a normal Friday. Dawn got a nice sunrise walk. I picked up a prescription at the pharmacy, And I took my long walk in the park. The weather was warmer today, but it was too much trouble to go to the gym. There is little evidence that we had a record rainfall last week. The ground was so dry that it immediately sucked all the water up. When the ground is wet, some of the meadows in the park stay waterlogged for weeks after a big rain. This time was different. The ground is already dry again.

So far, my Airbnb experience has been good. My hosts have been very responsive and have answered all my questions. I can't say the same for hotels I've stayed in. I've arrived at destinations where they totally lost my reservation and I was left wondering if I had a place to stay for the night. There have even been mixups at the Astronomers Lodge, which is one of my favorite places. We'll see what happens this time. I hope I like staying at an Airbnb. If it works out, I may do this again.

The weather still looks iffy for the launch. Of course the weather is always iffy in Florida. You've got to take an afternoon shower in stride. I've driven from Titusville to the space center in heavy rain only to have the skies clear and the launch take place right on schedule. Let's just hope that everything works out. Somehow it usually does. I'd really hate to make this long trip for nothing.

There's a Space X launch tomorrow night, but I'm not sure if my Artemis credentials will get me in. The launch is so late that the Press Site might be closed. I guess I'll find out when I get there. The Artemis-1 launch is so different than others I've attended that I really don't know what to expect. It's pretty safe to expect crowds. I've been warned about large crowds again and again in NASA messages. They tell me now that to avoid traffic delays I should be at the Press Site by 2 AM on Monday morning. The launch doesn't take place until 6:33 AM. The Space X launch tomorrow night takes place somewhere between 10:30 PM and midnight. Am I ever going to get any sleep? 

I probably won't get a lot of sleep tonight since my flight leaves very early in the morning. I have a feeling that I'm getting too old for this, but I'll give it my best shot. Hopefully, I'll get a burst of energy. There are a lot of interesting launches in the future and I"d hate to think that I'll miss them because I'm home taking naps with Dawn. Don't get me wrong. I love taking naps, but long naps don't make much of a story. There are still stories I need to write.

Cammy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 4154 - Mother's Day

I couldn't find a good picture of my Mom, but she would have liked this picture of Dot. Dalmatian Rescue used to do pet photo events for every holiday under the sun. Our Mother's Day events were surprisingly popular. You didn't have to have children to be a pet Mom and everyone wanted a picture with their dog. Dot was the poster child for many of our photo events. She wore her pearls well.

Dawn expects her Sunday car ride now. She got so excited when she saw we were getting ready. She still doesn't seem to like riding in the car, but she loves going somewhere new. Dawn walks a little faster on Sundays. She seems to know that we are doing something special just for her. As always, we finished this morning's outing with an ice cream cone. When we returned home, Dawn was content for the rest of the day.

I had more energy than usual today. It was an increasingly rare 20,000 step day. After a short nap on returning from our outing with Dawn, I decided to mow the grass. I tracked the activity on my Apple Watch and discovered that I burned twice as many calories mowing the grass as I did walking Dawn a little earlier. Mowing without a self propelled mower on a sloping lawn can be pretty strenuous for an old guy like me. I really need to ask one of the neighbor's lawn guys how much they'd charge to mow my lawn too while they were doing the neighbor's yards. My yard is so small that it would only take them a few extra minutes. If the cost was even remotely reasonable, it would be worth the money. Pushing this mower is wearing me out.

I needed a little longer nap after this much activity, but I still wanted to take my regular long walk today. It was very windy today, but the rain that was forecast never arrived. Actually the wind helped cool me down. It would have been hot and muggy outside without it. It was a nice day for a walk, but by the time I'd completed my normal five mile route, I'd had enough. 20,000 steps seems to be my limit these days. There were times when I completed as many as 24,000 steps a few years ago. I don't know how I did it.

I should have gotten a big bag of party ice today and used it to fill the ice maker bin. The ice maker is still broken, but I'm not going to have time to deal with an appliance repairman until after my trip. It would be easier to just replace the entire refrigerator, but nobody makes the correct size anymore. Kitchens have gotten larger over the years and today's refrigerators are huge. None of them will fit in the small slot where our current refrigerator goes. It looks like the only way to get a new refrigerator is to keep replacing components on our current one whenever something breaks. We are gradually getting a new refrigerator, part by expensive part.

I'm going to have to get serious about packing soon. I hate to pack and am a terrible travel planner, so I always wait until the last possible minute. I thought I'd be better prepared this time, but it looks like procrastination wins again. I just hope that it doesn't rain when I'm out at the observatory. It's a long, hard drive just to end up with cloudy skies or a thunderstorm when I get there. This will be my fourth trip out to the observatory. I've gotten rained out before, but I've also had clear skies and beautiful weather. You just never know.

I'm curious whether Cooper got adopted this week. I guess we'll find out when we visit the kennel tomorrow. Last week we thought that Cooper would be going to his forever home very soon, but things can always change. It's a pretty safe bet that Charlie will still be there though. Charlie is always there.

Spot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 3695

We escaped the ice and snow forecasters were warning us about. We must have gotten some rain overnight though because there was water on the roof again when I woke up. I decided to act quickly this time. For the second time in two days I went up on the roof and swept the water away. I guess I did the right thing because the leak hasn't reappeared.

It was definitely cold enough for snow today. A strong wind made things even worse. Even though I dressed warmly, I was freezing on the roof. It was not the best day to be getting wet. When the roof was dry, I went inside to get dry myself. We've got a lot of winter left, but I'm definitely ready for summer.

After breakfast this morning I continued to get organized for my trip to the Space Center. I'm always torn between a need to plan for contingencies and a desire to travel light. It's easier to travel in the summer when you don't have to consider whether to take sweaters and coats. An extra coat takes up a lot of space. I can't decide which cameras to take either. Usually a little pocket camera is fine, but I don't want to humiliate myself if I do manage to make it on the press bus to the launch pad.

Basically, I'm a terrible traveler. I continue to go back and forth about what to take and usually just end up throwing a bunch of stuff in a bag at the last minute so I won't miss my flight. I'm fine when I arrive, but getting there is like pulling teeth.

Taking my long walk today seemed like pulling teeth as well. It was very cold. The wind was so strong that the windchill made me wish that I'd gotten my old Alaska coat out of the storage warehouse. The coat is very heavy and probably needs to be dry cleaned, but it does a great job of protecting you from the wind.

I've pretty well decided not to view the launch rollout from a boat. It wasn't even that hard of a decision. All I needed to do was remember all the times I've gotten seasick on ships in the past. I'm usually OK on a calm lake, but the ocean is not my friend. Don't ever invite me to go deep sea fishing with you. Hey, I'm going to stay optimistic though. I'm still on the waitlist for the press bus to the launch site. Maybe if I just hang around where the bus is boarding, they'll be able to squeeze one more person onboard.

Sometimes I wish social media didn't exist. If it weren't for all the alarmists on my Facebook feed, I probably wouldn't even be thinking about the coronavirus. Jeez, the common cold is a type of coronavirus. Tons of people die from the flu every year. Is this really something to panic about or not?   You just don't know what to believe anymore. I'm generally really healthy, but I sneeze a lot because of seasonal allergies. I don't want to get thrown off the plane just because I sneezed.

Maybe everything will be fine. Usually I think "maybe everything will be fine" each morning when I wake up. My day is filled with irritating small problems but almost all of them get resolved. Life goes on. At the end of the day, I feel foolish for making a mountain out of a molehill.

Zorro is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 3671

There was an indoor triathlon underway when I went to the gym this morning. The cycling segment took place on stationary bicycles set up on the basketball court. The swimming segment took place in the indoor pool. Finally, the running segment took place on treadmills. Somehow, this didn't seem like a real triathlon at all. Contestants only spent ten minutes in the pool and twenty minutes on treadmills. Most of the people I see at the gym do a much more strenuous workout than this anyway. I think the contestants did get a special t-shirt though. Unfortunately, I didn't get to shoot baskets today since the court was filled with stationary bicycles. I spent my hoop time on the rowing machine instead.

I looked for winter coats at REI on my way to the gym. I wasn't impressed. Most of the coats looked like they were made of plastic. These high tech materials were supposed to keep you warmer than down, but they didn't look like they'd last more than a single season. I wish the old Eddie Bauer coat I wore while we were living in Alaska wasn't so heavy. That very old monster of a coat still keeps me warmer than anything I've purchased recently. I guess I could take this coat to the Davis Mountains, but it would double the amount of luggage I need to take.

Luckily, I didn't need a heavy coat on my walk today. It was only 34 degrees when I woke up, but the sun was out and it warmed up rapidly. I got my 20,000 steps, but I wasn't winning any races. Even young mothers pushing baby strollers were passing me today. The park is really popular on weekends. During the week the place can still feel like a nature preserve. On a weekend when the sun is out, it feels more like going to the state fair.

Although I managed to keep moving, I certainly didn't accomplish much today. My one household chore was changing the sheets on the bed. There is so much that needs to be done around the house but none of it is appealing. There is nothing pleasant about painting or repairing sheetrock. We haven't even finished raking all the leaves. I guess it will all get done eventually. Maybe not the sliding glass door though. I can't find anybody to fix that thing.

This week has gone quickly. It's almost time to visit the Dalmatians again. We need to take Larry to the vet while we're up at the kennel. It's just a routine exam, but it will be interesting to see how he rides in the car. Hopefully, all the dogs are doing well. I really enjoy seeing these guys.

I'm debating whether to take a better camera with me to Florida. It's a battle between my desire to up my photography game and my aversion to taking a lot of luggage. I usually take a little pocket camera with a long optical zoom. It's great for website pictures, but not so great for magazines. If I take a DSLR, I have to take multiple lenses and all the sudden I'm taking twice as much luggage. I'd rather take no camera at all, but I am a photographer. A camera is expected.

Suzie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 3466 - Summer Solstice

Today was the longest day of the year. It wasn't long enough however. I've felt way behind all day. I'm trying to get ready for my trip to Florida and as I often do, I didn't leave myself enough time. I did a bunch of stuff today that I should have done last week. I decided at the last minute that I needed to get a haircut. Then I decided that I needed a small backup battery I could use to recharge my phone. I already have something like this but it is too big to carry around with me all day. I wanted something I could put in my pocket. After getting a haircut, I found a slim phone recharger at REI that would fit in my pocket. Unfortunately, when I returned home I couldn't figure out how to hook the thing up to my phone. Back to the store. This time I picked up a pizza for dinner on my way home. I also paid a few bills and took them to the post office. There were no long walks today. There just wasn't enough time.

I still haven't packed my bags or decided what shoes to wear. This shouldn't be much of a problem. Some clean underwear, clean socks, black t-shirts, and an extra pair of jeans ought to do it. I need to remember to take a very small tube of toothpaste and little bottles of other liquids. I forgot last time and had to throw some stuff away. I need to take some slip on shoes too. Lace up boots are way too much trouble to take off for the TSA folks.

My exercise today was running errands and getting the remaining water off the roof. It's been so hot lately that most of the water from recent rains had already evaporated. I don't want to take any chances though. Last week I bought some of that Liquid Rubber in a Can that you always see advertised on TV.  Maybe this will work for sealing small tears in the elastomer material. If it works, it would sure beat calling the roofers over and over again and begging them to come out.

I didn't bother to go our for breakfast this morning. I just had a peach, a banana, and a cup of coffee. I thought this would save me some time, but it really didn't. You have to have a plan before time management actually means anything. Inch by inch I'm getting things done, but it's almost a certainty that I will forget something important. I always do.

Tonight I will put my meds in one of those flat plastic boxes with little bins for each day of the week. My parents used these pill containers when they traveled. I never thought I'd be doing the same thing. The little compartmented container certainly beats carrying a big sack filled with prescription bottles though. The compartments make it easier to remember if I've taken my pills too. Are there still pills in the Tuesday compartment? Oops. I'd better take them.

I wish I was a better traveler. I like being there. I just don't like getting there. I guess I've accomplished something. I've got new tires even though I'm not going to drive to Florida after all. I finally know my sister's phone number. I got a haircut. I've got a clever little gizmo that will let me recharge my phone in the field. Now all I need to do is pack my bags.

Barley is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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