Day 4704

Another slow day. I ate, I walked, I did all the usual things. The carpenter who was supposed to come over and give me an estimate couldn't make it and said he'd stop by tomorrow. I signed up for another patient portal so I could view the lab results from Tuesday's exam. Medical websites seem a lot more concerned about security than banks. Thats always seemed strange to me. Doctors never share information either. I've bookmarked half a dozen patient portals and they all have basically the same information. 

When I took my long walk today, I saw the bald eagles again. When I returned home I searched the Internet for news about whether the Artemis rocket survived the hurricane. I didn't learn much. For a significant part of the day I thought it was Friday. It was that kind of day.

Something scared Dawn this morning and she wouldn't come back to the bedroom. The power didn't go out and I didn't hear anything, but Dawn was definitely alarmed. I delayed my walk until she calmed down a bit. I wonder what was bothering her? She's very alert and is a good little watchdog. I kept looking for the source of the problem but couldn't find anything. Dawn certainly wasn't talking. Eventually I noticed that she was asleep on the bed again and I took my walk.

Janet and I spent some time today looking for a new photo backdrop for this year's Santa Paws pictures. We couldn't find anything as nice as the backdrops we've used before. Maybe we'll just use a previous backdrop for this years pictures. Since we've been doing these Christmas pictures since 2012, I've got quite a collection of backdrops by now.

The November issue of SpaceFlight with my first Artemis article came in the mail today. The article and pictures looked good. I'd already seen the issue in PDF form, but I still like a real magazine you can see and touch. I keep telling my accountant that these articles constitute a real business for me, but his answer is always "show me the money." For practical purposes, there isn't any. You're not going to get rich writing about astronomy and space. I still feel like a journalist though. I get to hang out with other journalists at Kennedy Space Center and I've amassed quite a collection of press credentials by now. As hobbies go, this certainly beats collecting model trains.

I hope that the carpentry work I need isn't too expensive. The repairs need to be made, but I've still got another trip to Florida to pay for. It's a shame that old web designers aren't in demand. One or two websites a month would make a big difference in my income. The kids working at ad agencies don't want to hire someone older than their grandfather though. I've come to the conclusion that it's better to just accept this graciously. I manage to stay busy and I'm not broke. It's probably better that I don't have young clients driving me crazy.

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3994

Brrr. It was 34 degrees when we woke up this morning. We didn't let the cold deter us. We bundled up and took our walk anyway. I'm not sure that Dawn liked her hat, but it had to keep her head warmer and everybody we passed said she looked cute. We actually didn't pass many people at all on the trails. The park was virtually empty. You have to be dedicated or a little crazy to leave the house on a day like this.

I had my appointment with the eye doctor today.  This is basically just a yearly check up to make sure that I don't show any signs of diabetic retinopathy. I still think my eyes are fine because I have 20/20 distance vision. There are problems though. Too many years of staring at a computer screen have ruined my close up vision and  according to my doctor, I am developing cataracts. I still can't detect any obvious signs of the developing cataracts, but they are apparently getting worse. "When will I have to start thinking about surgery," I asked the doctor. "Probably next year," he replied. Yikes. I was hoping he'd say ten years from now, or something else in the distant future. " How can these cataracts be getting worse," I asked. "I don't notice any changes in my vision at all." "You will by next year," the doctor replied.

I really don't like going to the doctor during a pandemic. Even though half the chairs in most medical waiting rooms have been removed to keep people apart, I still keep looking at all the other people with suspicion. "All these other people have got to be sick," I think. "Get me out of here."

The worst thing about going to the eye doctor is driving home after your eyes have been dilated. Everything seems so bright and even sunglasses don't help that much. Dilation doesn't just make things brighter, it also makes it harder to focus on anything. I squinted to reduce the glare and tried to avoid all the fuzzy cars in front of me. When I made it home safely, I spent the rest of the afternoon sitting in a darkened room waiting for my eyes to readjust.

If it was thirty degrees warmer, today would have been perfect. The sky was clear and seemed to be completely free of pollen. I had no allergy problems today at all. Since it may freeze tonight, I remembered to set some of the outside faucets to drip. Some of the faucets are insulated, but others freeze almost instantly when the temperature dips below freezing. Tonight would have been a good night to take the telescope out, but I really don't like the cold. The stars will still be there tomorrow. It isn't that surprising that I am a little more familiar with the Summer skies.

I guess I'll go back to the storage warehouse and get the rest of the photo gear tomorrow. I need to wash the backdrop as well. Maybe I washed it after the last of 2019's events but I can't remember. One of the main reasons I got this new 10' x 20' backdrop is that it is machine washable. You couldn't wash my older hand painted muslin backdrops and after a few years they all began to smell of dog pee.

Hard to believe it's going to be December tomorrow. This has been one of the weirdest years I can remember. Everybody I know can't wait to get back to normal, but I think what constitutes normal is changing. The world is never going to be the way is used to be. The virus will eventually disappear, but a lot of our new habits and routines will remain. I'm pretty adaptable, but I'm not really looking forward to what lies ahead.

Belle is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3983

After making a few more edits, I sent my completed manuscript to the magazine today. A few hours later I sent the accompanying photographs. I selected eighteen of the best images from the hundreds I took at the launch and did my best to clean them up for publication. It's weird that after all these years I'm still discovering new things you can do with Photoshop. I used to wonder why other launch photographer's images always looked better than mine. Sometimes it was just using a better tripod to keep the camera steady. Every photographer seemed to have their own secret sauce. Some like to shoot in manual mode. Others like aperture priority. Almost everyone does some sort of post-processing because the lighting is so difficult on  night launches.

I discovered that by changing the contrast and color temperature of an image I could often bring out more detail. You want everything to look natural, but there is nothing natural about an insanely bright flame surrounded by darkness. I wanted to make sure that you could at least see the rocket that was creating all the flames. My images might improve a bit with better equipment, but I think I did pretty well. Hopefully, the magazine will find something they like. When you send eighteen images, they'll probably only use three.

I must have fallen back to sleep after Janet said it was time to get up this morning. When I realized I was late, I stumbled around getting dressed as quickly as I could while Janet and Dawn waited at the door. It was cloudy this morning, but we still had a pleasant walk. Fifty degrees seems to be an ideal temperature for everyone. We have all settled into a predictable routine. Dawn has specific trees and rocks that she always smells. Janet checks out the progress of new construction in the neighborhood. We both count the ducks and geese to make sure they are all there. Our long walk takes about two hours and the slightly shorter route we sometimes use takes about an hour and a half.

It was a slow day, although I did spend a considerable amount of time preparing my launch photo for publication. Since photography was already on my mind, I went over to the storage warehouse to look for the backdrop we'll be using for Santa Paws pictures. I have lots of photo backdrops, but one is washable and is much lighter than the rest. That's the one I wanted. My storage space is so full that it always takes me a while to find anything. Lots of stuff brings back memories, but there is very little that I'll actually use again. While looking for the photo backdrop, I stumbled across some nice leather coats that don't fit anymore. There was a brand new outboard motor that belonged to my Dad. That's not much use without a boat. The only thing that resembled a boat was a windsurfing board that I'll never be able to use because of my bad shoulder. The guitars and most of the model trains are gone now, but there are still a few vintage synthesizers gathering dust. I diod find the backdrop, but was in no mood for decluttering today. That will have to wait.

My insect bites itch like crazy. I still don't know if I was bitten by mosquitoes or fire ants. I guess it doesn't matter at this point. They will eventually subside and while I wait, I've just got to keep from scratching them. The next time I go to a night launch, I need to remember to bring some industrial strength  insect repellent.

It was one of those days where I kept forgetting what day it was. I did remember it was Thursday just in time to take the week's trash out to the curb. You never want to forget the trash when the city only picks it up once a week. It's hard to believe that it's already been a full week since I left for Titusville and Kennedy Space Center. I wonder how many weeks or months it will be before I pack my bags again?

Jasper is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3647

I got my first call for volunteers from McDonald Observatory. They need help during Spring Break. Hmmm. Do I really want to go out there during Spring Break? Maybe the kids who choose to go to an observatory during break are better behaved than the kids who go to Fort Lauderdale. I'm not sure about the weather in March either. I have visions of icy roads and jackknifed eighteen wheelers. The letter made me realize that I really am an on-site volunteer now and I need to figure out what to do about living arrangements. I'm still hoping that they'll let me stay at the astronomer's lodge during my initial volunteer trip. I'm not quite ready for the idea of living in an RV yet.

What a difference a year makes. Last year at this time, the roof was leaking badly and Dash had become incontinent. Every day I was cleaning up water and pee while watching Dash grow weaker. It's much quieter now, but sometimes it seems too quiet. I miss having a dog around the house. I don't miss watching a friend fade away. It seems like a long time since Dash died, but the memories are still vivid. Dealing with illness is hard. At this point in my life I just hope that Janet and I stay healthy.

I'm doing my part by walking every day. I could probably do more, but I could certainly do less. I actually think I'm walking more now than I was when Dot and Dash were healthy. Walking seemed easier back then, but I was a lot younger. I wish aging wasn't such an uphill battle. I've come to the conclusion that I can't turn back the clock, but maybe I can manage to slow it down a bit. Hey, walking and exercise have got to be better than just sitting around.

I saw a TV ad today about Season 4 of The Expanse. I'd almost forgotten about that show. I guess it's on Amazon Prime now. I'd prefer watching the show on TV, but Janet has Prime, so I guess I can still see the show if I want. It just doesn't seem as important now. There were all these shows like Babylon 5, Farscape, Lexx, Battlestar Galactica, and Firefly that I used to watch religiously. I rarely watch TV at all anymore. I wonder what has changed? Maybe I just don't sit around as much.

I washed the new photo backdrop and Janet helped me fold it up to put away for another year. I was amazed at how easy this 10 foot by twenty foot piece of cloth was to wash. It was light enough to fit in our home washing machine and the colors didn't fade or bleed at all. Having a washable backdrop for taking Santa Paws photos is a game changer. I never could wash the old hand painted backdrops and over time the smell of dog pee became overwhelming.

What are these purple berries I'm seeing everywhere in the park? A quick Google search told me that I was looking at a White Fringe Tree. That couldn't be right. I'm thinking that these are just Common Privet Bushes. Privet is an invasive species and that would explain why these little trees are everywhere in the park.

This week has gone quickly.  I've taken this week's trash to the curb and am deciding what to do for breakfast tomorrow. Breakfast has become like those science fiction series I used to wait for. I've got a whole city full of restaurants to try and I'm not even hungry.

Ranger is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3632

I got detailed instructions for the Artemis Day event today. The instructions covered what to wear, when to arrive, and how to find the place. Among the detailed instructions was a disconcerting note that said "Your GPS may try to route you onto Chef Highway or Almonaster Blvd. These routes should be avoided." Jeez. I depend on GPS. If I'm told to ignore it, I'm lost. I also learned that it will probably rain when I'm in New Orleans. Should I take a raincoat? Do I even have a raincoat?  I got the impression that umbrellas aren't allowed in the building. Evidently food will be available at the Michoud Assembly Facility, but you must bring cash. No credit cards accepted. The instructions were much more detailed and complicated than the ones I received before going to Vandenberg Air Force Base and Kennedy Space Center. I'm a little apprehensive, but this should be interesting.

I couldn't remember whether I took my evening meds last night. I never forget my morning meds, but  sometimes I forget what I'm doing in the evening. I guess my morning routine is much more regimented. There's a difference between forgetting to take a pill and forgetting whether you took a pill. I figured that it's better to skip a day than to take a double dose by mistake. No harm was done but it is frustrating to have these memory lapses. I still don't know if I took the pills last night. Don't worry. I'll remember tonight.

I took my walk a little earlier today. I like seeing the stars start to appear as the sky grows darker, but I think that I'd rather have my dinner at a decent time. I wish I could think of a more compelling reason for taking these walks. I'm sure that walking is good for my health, but I mostly do this just to make the days seem shorter. With no work deadlines and few strong desires, uneventful days can seem really long.

The photo backdrop has almost completed its long journey from China. It is in the DFW area now and I think it will be delivered tomorrow. DHL doesn't seem to have a "signature required" policy like UPS and FedEx. I don't know whether I need to stay around and wait for the package or not. I hate signature required packages. You wait around all day and then the package isn't delivered until 8 PM.

I hope your favorite charity did well during yesterday's Giving Day. I'm still not sure how these Giving Days work. Does everybody get matching money, or are only some groups eligible? I think Dalmatian Rescue did well. I hope we got the matching money. We certainly could use it. There are more dogs in the program right now than we've had in a long time. I just heard that six more Dalmatians will be coming to us soon as well.

Our first Santa Paws photo shoot is this Saturday. It's time to start charging batteries and checking the cameras. Maybe if I get more sleep for the rest of the week, I'll have lots of energy on Saturday. Sure. That's going to happen. Maybe I'll win the lottery too. I have a feeling I'd better get used to being perpetually tired.

Camp is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3630

We took Ginny back to the kennel today. She should go to her forever home this week. It was hard to say goodbye. Ginny is a very sweet dog who really seemed to enjoy her Thanksgiving vacation. She followed me everywhere during her stay with us and I know she was disappointed with me today. I could tell by the look she was giving me. I hope her happiness quickly returns when her new family takes her home with them.

I finally got organized and made my travel plans for the upcoming NASA trip. I've been putting this off because I couldn't make the arrangements I wanted. There are no hotels near the Michoud Assembly Facility and I'll be taking a night flight to New Orleans because we have a Santa Paws event the same day that I'm leaving town. I'm not looking forward to driving at night in a strange city. It can't be helped though. I definitely need a rental car with GPS.

I always really enjoy these special NASA events, but getting there is like pulling teeth for me. I'm not a natural traveler. I wonder if this will ever change? Once I'm airborne, I'm fine. It's just the planning that drives me crazy. I don't like airports. I don't like packing bags. I'm kind of nervous about Uber drivers. My idea of fun is taking a nap with a dog in my own house. Doing something adventurous seems crazy to me. The only reason I keep doing these things is that when it is all over, I'm usually glad I made the effort. Nothing ventured, nothing gained is not an easy truth, but it is true.

By the time we returned from taking Ginny to the kennel it was getting late. I still took my walk though. It was really dark when I got home today. These long walks are a source of stability. I like doing the same things day after day. Sometimes I think about the future on these walks, but I never think about the past. I don't even remember the past very well. I think this is on purpose. There are enough problems with the future. You just can't worry about the past.

I guess it's time to put up a Christmas tree. We didn't do anything while Ginny was here because we didn't know how she'd react to having a tree in the house. Some of our dogs have completely ignored the tree, while others have liked to sneak off with ornaments. Ginny did like to walk off with small pillows and rolls of toilet paper, so it's just as well that she didn't have the temptation of a tree.

It's hard to believe it is December already. I haven't heard anything about attending the Starliner launch in Florida so I assume that I never got off the wait list. It's just as well. The month is already too busy as it is. We're got two Santa Paws photo shoots this weekend and then I go to New Orleans. There's another Santa Paws event the following weekend and then Janet leaves to visit her relatives. I think the photo backdrop is going to arrive on time though. It has cleared customs in Hong Kong and is on its way.

Greta is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3626 - Thanksgiving

It was a nice relaxing day. We stopped cooking on Thanksgiving years ago and just go out to a nice restaurant. It's a no dishes, no stress holiday for us. I think we finally found the best Thanksgiving buffet in Dallas and we've been returning to the same place for the past four years.

Eating out on Thanksgiving is more popular than you might think. We see young couples, families of all sizes, retired people, and today there was a large family gathering of at least thirty people. The food is delicious. I just had a bagel and a cup of coffee this morning so I'd have room to try everything that looked good. Janet and I eat healthy all year long. This is probably the one time where we overindulge. We start with a salad plate of interesting salads, move on to a seafood plate, and then have a big plate of traditional Thanksgiving fare. You've got to have sweet potatoes with marshmallows on top at Thanksgiving. I finally decided that you don't have to eat turkey though. In recent years I'll have prime rib instead. There's something old fashioned about prime rib. It reminds me of going to Lawry's when I was younger.

We checked on Ginny using the iCam app while we were out. She was fine. She actually did better than Dot or Dash tended to do when left alone. As soon as we left the house, Ginny immediately went to her Kuranda bed and went to sleep. She was glad to see us when we got home though. I think she smelled that we had a treat for her almost immediately. We gave her a little bit of turkey and prime rib and she loved it. Ginny is such a sweet dog. It will be sad to see her leave, but I know she is going to a great home.

It was a lot warmer last Thanksgiving. This year it was pretty cold and nasty. It rained a lot last night and I got the pumps on the roof running as soon as I got up. I should have just taken a nap when we returned from dinner, but I decided to walk it off instead. This was probably a mistake because the light mist was still enough to get me quite wet after the first three miles. There was nobody in the park except for a few dedicated runners. It was very cold so I was wearing two coats. After an hour the outer coat was soaking wet and felt twice as heavy. My shoes were wet as well. I decided to cut the walk short so I could come home and warm up again. I guess the walk did me a little good. I don't feel as lethargic as I usually do after a huge meal.

Our backdrop for the Santa Paws events is coming from Singapore. We'll see how long it takes to get here. I think it shipped today. I have a feeling that it will arrive before our first event. DHL is usually pretty fast. I used to have to ship things internationally and was often amazed at how quickly air freight arrived. Hey, if it doesn't get here on time, I've still got plenty of backdrops from prior years.

Tomorrow, I'll make my travel arrangements for the NASA event at Michoud Assembly Facility. It's going to be a busy December. I definitely won't be going out to breakfast tomorrow. I'm so full I may not eat breakfast at all.

Scooter is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3624

There's a dog in the house again. So far, Ginny seems to be enjoying her vacation. We picked her up at the kennel this afternoon and the place was already filling up with holiday boarding customers. She definitely rides better in the car than Hank or Jasmine. We made it home without any vomiting or frantic barking. It didn't take Ginny long at all to relax and make herself at home. She's definitely a Dalmatian. Within an hour she was taking a nap on our bed. She's a counter surfer too and took a great interest in the way I was fixing my dinner this evening.

I think a few days of peace and quiet will be good for Ginny. When the kennel is crowded, she barks a lot. This is pretty normal. When one dog starts barking they all start barking. We haven't heard a peep out of her at the house. She's curious and follows us around like glue but she is very gentle and well behaved. Ginny has already found her forever home but she can't join her new family until she finishes her heartworm treatment because they have other dogs. She needs to remain quiet for a while longer as the remaining worms continue to die. It won't be long though. In just two more weeks she'll be ready to run and play with her new friends. I hope she enjoys her new life. The family who adopted her certainly got a wonderful dog.

I took my walk today before we went to the kennel. What happened to our nice weather? It was still warm but very humid and overcast with a few light showers. I got wet but it was OK. I'm used to walking in the rain. The roof got wet as well, but I think the repairs I made the other day had plenty of time to dry. We'll see if there are any problems. I think more rain is expected later in the week.

I need to start making my travel plans for the trip to the Michoud Assembly Facility and Stennis Space Center soon. I'm not wild about arriving in New Orleans at night, but that's the way it's got to be. I'll try to find a hotel near the NASA facility. As long as I get a rental car with GPS navigation, I'll be fine. I still wish this event didn't start at 7 AM, but what are you going to do? I'm not going to complain. I feel lucky that I got selected to attend this special event.

I think our new photo backdrop is going to ship tomorrow. I'm real curious where this is coming from. I'm pretty sure these backdrops are printed on demand in China when you order them, but there is no address for the company on their website. The website is well designed and the shopping cart storefront works well. Customer service is responsive too, even though you can tell that English is clearly a second language. They must ship the backdrops by air freight. They promised to meet a very tight deadline that some companies here in the states couldn't deliver on. I hope this works out. Just having a lightweight backdrop that you can throw in the washing machine if a dog pees on it is a game changer.

It's too bad Ginny can't take a walk with me tomorrow morning. She'd enjoy it. You've got to be real careful when dogs are recovering from the heartworm medication though. They need to stay very quiet until all the worms are out of their system. One squirrel could ruin everything.

Pepper is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3619

It looks like December is going to be very busy. We have three Santa Paws photo events scheduled in December and I just learned today that I got accepted to attend Artemis Day at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. I'm still waiting to hear about the Starliner launch at Kennedy Space Center. If I get accepted for that as well, it's going to be a really busy month.

I ordered a new photo backdrop this afternoon and am hoping it gets here in time for our first Santa Paws event. I didn't think this would be a problem until I completed the order and realized that the backdrop was being shipped directly from China. I should have known. The last backdrop I ordered was made in Mexico. I don't think anyone in the United States makes these things anymore. These photo realistic backdrops are produced on demand. The website said to allow six days for production and another six days for shipping. That's cutting it close, but if these are realistic times, we'll be fine.

It looks like the process to get me clearance to spend time at McDonald Observatory is finally underway. Some of the delay has been my fault. For some odd reason some of the forms I need to fill out have been sent to my regular e-mail address and others to a seldom used Gmail account. I hardly ever check the Gmail account. The only reason I even have it is that some places demand an alternate e-mail address for security purposes. I don't know why I checked the Gmail account today, but it was a good thing I did. The form that starts the whole approval process has been sitting in my in-box for two weeks.

I'm trying to learn to identify trees by the shape of their leaves. This is a good time to do this since the  park is littered with falling leaves. The Oak, Elm, and Pecan trees were easy to identify, since we have these in our yard. The Live Oaks were pretty easy too. This left dozens of mystery trees. I think I identified the leaves from Cottonwood, Bald Cyprus, Bodark, Flameleaf Sumac, and Sweetgum trees today. Hey, I need something to do now that all the wildflowers are gone.

This week has gone quickly. Basically I've just spent my time walking through the park, but I've got a lot of irons in the fire. Can I come up with an interesting article about a visit to the moon rocket factory? I still really want my space adventures to be published. Is my Christmas photo backdrop going to arrive in time for the first Santa Paws event? Where am I going to stay if I get credentials to stay at the observatory for an extended time? I don't have an RV and am unlikely to get one. Do I really need to see an orthopedic surgeon about my shoulder? Where are all these stupid ants coming from? I think about these things while I walk thought the woods looking at leaves.

Ranger is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3618

I stopped and talked with a guy who owned a Sprinter van while I was on my walk this morning. I've seen this guy in the park before and was curious how he liked his truck. After hearing tales about expensive Mercedes repairs and difficulties in driving around town, I had second thoughts about ever getting one of these things. He said he couldn't make u-turns because of the wide turning radius and couldn't use a lot of city parking areas because the truck was too tall to fit under the height restriction gates. A lot of these gates are pretty low. I had trouble getting the Defender under them. There were a lot of other little problems I never anticipated as well. So much for the idea of using a big van as a daily driver. The guy said he loves his truck for camping trips but drives his wife's Subaru whenever he can. I guess I'll put this idea on the back burner for a while.

Before taking my walk, I took some mail to the post office and stopped at the grocery store to get a Cadence Kitchen flash frozen meal for dinner. I thought I would pick the meal with the lowest salt content and ended up getting prime rib with mushrooms and onions. It was definitely milder than the spicy selections I usually choose. I guess if I was really worried about sodium, I would skip these easy to prepare meals and just cook something from scratch. Somehow, I don't think that's going to happen.

Don't let today's picture confuse you. I took it yesterday. Today the weather was overcast and dreary. I kept expecting it to rain, but luckily it never did. I think my roof repairs will be OK. It's weird that the weather makes such a huge difference in my attitude. Yesterday I was feeling good. Today was pretty dismal and it was all because of the weather. I'm hearing thunder now as well. Thunder is never a good sign.

I was wrong about photo backdrops. It turns out that there are still lots of different types of backdrops available. I was just looking in the wrong places. The technology is different now. Instead of hand painted muslin backdrops, there are lots of photo realistic designs that are printed on fabric that is wrinkle free and easily washable. These new designs are more expensive than the backdrops I used to buy, but if you can wash them they might actually save money in the long run. It's interesting that even in a weird little category like this, everything changes.

Will I ever become comfortable with change? Probably not. I could live comfortably in a world with typewriters instead of computers, carburetors instead of fuel injection, film instead of SD Cards, and wall phones instead of cell phones. I'm old school. I use my high speed fiber optic network to watch Perry Mason movies.

I am glad that someone invented the Vitamix blender and the Keurig coffee maker though. My breakfast wouldn't be nearly as enjoyable tomorrow without these handy gadgets.

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3617

I didn't really expect that it would be 75 degrees today. Just a few weeks ago I could have sworn that winter had arrived. I doubt that this unseasonably warm weather will last very long, but I was happy for the reprieve. I'll take a beautiful Indian Summer day any time I can get one.

The nice weather certainly didn't inspire me to do anything useful. I fixed my morning smoothie, checked my e-mail, made a few minor updates to an animal rescue website, and took my walk. That was about it for the day.

It wasn't surprising that there were a lot of people out in the park. There were no jackets and wool hats today. Everybody was wearing shorts. I wish days like this were more common in Dallas. I finished my entire walk without freezing or sweating. This is the way is should be. Unfortunately, there is rain in the forecast for later in the week.

The spare bulbs for my Norman strobes arrived this morning. We still can't decide whether to buy a new backdrop for this years Santa Paws photos. I have a ton of Christmas themed muslin backdrops from previous years, but since we get a lot of the same customers year after year, it's always nice to have something new. There used to be an abundance of hand painted muslin photo backdrops available, but that's not the case anymore. More and more photographers just use a green screen and insert a backdrop electronically using compositing software. Call me old fashioned, but I still prefer a real hand painted backdrop. I guess it's time to go to the storage warehouse and see what I have. We've been doing the Santa Paws pictures for a long time and there are a lot of old backdrops to choose from. Janet and I only found one interesting new pattern this year and after looking at it for a while, realized that we already had it. Like I said, nobody makes these things anymore.

I keep hoping to hear something from NASA, Sky and Telescope, or McDonald Observatory. I have lots of travel plans floating around in my head, but so far everything is still in limbo. I guess it's OK that things are moving slowly. It gives me something to think about on my walks. I still don't know where I'd live if I get approved to stay at the observatory this Spring. I'm not sure what I'd write about if I attend the Starliner launch either. Is there a story here? I guess I can't call myself a space journalist unless I can prove that there is.

I still can't figure out where the ants are coming from. These little sweet ants are so small you can barely see them, but there are everywhere. I've been bitten at night while I sleep and I found one inside my sock today. It really doesn't do much good to use bug spray if you don't know where they are coming from. You can't kill ants one at a time.

I hope that the weather stays nice tomorrow. One more dry day and I'll feel a lot more confident that my roof patches have fully cured. A dry day won't make me confident about anything else, but you've got to take what you can get.

Jasper is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2897

I haven't tested the cameras yet, but at least the strobe lights and power packs work. Janet and I picked out a backdrop too. One way or another, I'll be ready for this weekend's photo shoot. When we were looking at backdrops this evening it became obvious that my wrist is in worse shape than it was last year. I had difficulty folding the bulky muslin cloth. Every time I managed to fold the heavy 10' by 20' sheet into a square, it was too big to fit in its carrying sack. Eventually I folded each backdrop tightly enough to fit, but my wrists weren't happy. Testing the lights was much easier. I plugged  each lamp into the power pack one at a time and hit the test button. If the strobe fired, it was good.

I was glad to work on the website today, because there was no physical labor involved. I'm not finished yet, but things are looking good. I'm sure the client will want to change some of the photos, but the structure is in place. The Wordpress template is no longer a mystery. Basically, you can change anything you want on the dashboard if you are willing to wade through layer after layer of ambiguous menus. I still don't like Wordpress though. To make the design process easier, these templates severely restrict your options.

I got an e-mail from my new doctor today reminding me to complete the registration process for their patient portal. A lot of doctors use these type of websites now so patients can see their medical records online. For the most part I find these patient portals irritating because each doctor or hospital has their own and there is no way to consolidate your information. This patient portal was different though. Most of these websites allow you to view information provided by your doctor. This one let me send information to the doctor. I could link the bluetooth medical devices I have at home and the information is automatically sent to the doctor. This is the future. Right now I can send weight, pulse rate, blood pressure, pulse wave velocity and body mass information directly to the doctor. There are already inexpensive wireless devices for do-it-yourself electrocardiograms and blood sugar measurements if I feel the need for more information. What's next? Someday, people will probably have inexpensive MRI machines build into their beds that send the doctor a scan while you sleep.  For the most part, I'm all for this intrusive technology. The sooner the doctor knows that something is wrong, the sooner I can take corrective action.

Dash didn't want to walk today. Actually, we did take our two walks, but it was not on my schedule. When it was convenient for me to take a walk, Dash refused to budge. When I had other things to do, Dash would suddenly decide he was ready. This stubborn behavior wouldn't be a big deal if Dash didn't have to wear his protective gear. It's frustrating to put on his socks, shoes, and knee brace and then have to take them off again a few minutes later because Dash won't go outside. Eventually everything gets done but it makes for a very long day.

I was going to pick up some Thai food for dinner, but I ran out of time and ate a very old slice of ham and a few beans instead. That's all I could find in the refrigerator. I did pick up Dash's phenobarbital though. I don't have time for everything, but I do have my priorities straight. If I want to eat dinner tomorrow, I'll definitely need to do some grocery shopping. I've got a lot more work to do on the website tomorrow, but there's always time for food. I think Dash would agree.

Petey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2885

I went to the storage warehouse and got some of the gear we'll need for the Santa Paws photo shoots. We've accumulated a lot of Christmas themed muslin backdrops over the years. Probably the best way to select a backdrop at this point is to smell them all and pick the one that doesn't smell of dog pee. The equipment is getting so old that I need a backup for everything. I take extra power packs for the strobes, extra camera bodies, and lots of extra camera batteries. What I really need is an extra me.

I wanted to walk Dash early this morning so I could go out for breakfast at a reasonable hour, but it wasn't meant to be. We all got up late and even though Dash was eager to walk, we didn't return home until almost 10 AM. I went out for breakfast anyway, although I should have just had an early lunch. I think I'm losing my touch at picking new restaurants. For the second week in a row I had a meal that was way too heavy on a plate that was way too large. Maybe I should just start ordering from the children's menu. Something has changed. I'm just not as hungry as I used to be.

As I suspected, I'm going to have to learn how to use a new Wordpress theme before I can start my latest website project. I don't even try to argue against Wordpress anymore. Everyone but me seems to love it. The Divi theme the client has selected is supposed to be powerful, versatile, and easy to use. Piffle. I still like HTML better. At any rate, my assignment over the weekend is to learn to be a Divi expert as quickly as possible.

Dash is acting weird again today. He'll go outside and then just stand frozen in place like he's lost or confused. He's done this before and I think it must have something to do with his vestibular disease. If you give him time, he usually returns to normal in an hour or two. Our morning walk was pretty normal, but our afternoon walk took forever because Dash would stop about every twenty feet and just stand there looking confused. It usually works best if I am patient and let him set his own pace. We eventually made it back home and now he's back to normal again. Go figure. I worry about this behavior but there is not much I can do at this point. The vets don't have an answer. The vestibular disease might be giving him a sensation of vertigo from time to time. Maybe his eyesight is going bad and he has trouble seeing in some situations. The truth is that Dash is just getting old. It's probably just a matter of time before I start standing around looking confused too.

The weather forecast convinced me that it was going to rain this week. Now the week is over and the rain never appeared. I could have finished my repairs on the roof if I just ignored the weather forecast. That's always risky though. When I ignore the forecast, it always rains.

I just saw a cockroach walking across the office floor. I went to get a fly swatter so I could kill it, and by the time I got back, the bug was gone. I'm sure it's still around here somewhere. We don't have a big problems with bugs anymore since we've gotten the humidity in the house under control. I still see them occasionally though. I hate these bugs, but I've resigned myself to the fact that if you live down South, you're never completely free of them. They're everywhere outside. It's inevitable that some will get inside.

I have no plans for the weekend at all. This usually means I'll end up cleaning on Saturday and going to the gym on Sunday.

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day