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 4690

The dryer is fixed. Now it's on to solving other problems. The repair took longer and was more expensive than I expected because the broken exhaust fan was permanently attached to the motor that turned the drum. This was frustrating. I ended up having to get a new motor, even though there was nothing wrong with the old one. After also replacing the roller bearings and dryer belt, I could have bought a new dryer for less than the cost of these repairs. It would have been an inferior bottom of the barrel dryer though. Oh, well. I like our dryer and now it works again.

Dawn is totally indifferent to having repairmen in the house. Our other dogs would have been barking nonstop, but Dawn just ignores these people. She also ignores the vacuum cleaner, which is definitely unusual with any dog. I vacuumed the bedroom today and Dawn just sat on the bed watching me. Some things do bother Dawn though. I could tell that she was upset that Janet was out of the house too long today. Hey girl, I'm still here.

I didn't take a long walk today. Dealing with the dryer repairs took too much time. I did get outside for long enough to get my 10,000 steps. That was enough. My feet hurt and I was unusually tired. I'll try to take a decent walk tomorrow, unless by some miracle the tree guy decides to show up and remove the tree from my roof. He's never called me back with a schedule yet. I wish it wasn't so difficult to get things done. Maybe I'm just getting old and cranky.

I got credentialed for the Falcon Heavy USSF-44 Mission. Now I've got to decide whether to go to this launch instead of the Artemis launch later in November. I guess I could splurge and go to both, but that's getting really expensive. I still don't know how much it is going to cost to remove the tree on the roof. I'll think about this tomorrow. I'm not sure I could find a hotel for the Falcon Heavy launch anyway.

I need to find time to go vote soon. I used to vote on election day, but early voting seems so much easier these days. Our polling place is right across the street from Home Depot. Maybe I need something from Home Depot as well. I always seem to need something from Home Depot.

Our Fall weather is still quite pleasant, but there is rain in the forecast again. Boo. Unless we get up really early, we might not even be able to take Dawn on her sunrise walk. If we get a lot of rain, I'll have to rethink my plans. I hate driving in the rain.

Dash is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4668

I surprised myself with how much I got done today. I took care of a bunch of small, insignificant chores that I'd been ignoring for far too long. I cleared away the spiderwebs that have been collecting under the eaves. I cleaned the living room windows. I watered the plants inside the atrium which is actually harder than it sounds. I cleaned the toilet. I did a load of laundry. And finally I vacuumed all the carpeted rooms in the house. The house still looks about the same, but all these things really did need to be done.

There was still plenty of time for walking. We got a later start on our sunrise walk today so it wasn't quite as dark outside. It wasn't quite as cold either, although I still needed a light jacket. After breakfast I took my long walk and actually made pretty good time. I've done this walk so many times now that I can pretty accurately guess what my time will be at each mile marker. I'm only off by four or five seconds these days. I can usually tell how fast I'm going by the sound of my footsteps. It's amazing that my brain can do all these little calculations while I'm just daydreaming. Truthfully, the walk isn't that interesting anymore, but I burn a lot more calories walking outdoors than I do at the gym.

I was out walking in the park when the Crew 5 mission launched and I didn't really care. I watched a replay of the launch on my computer later in the day. I have attended a number of manned launched down at Kennedy Space Center and they are all more or less the same. A few hours before the launch the astronauts get in Teslas and drive out to the launch pad. Sometimes I've been invited to watch the astronauts leave the iconic NASA crew quarters and say goodbye to their families but other times I've been excluded from this small group. Everyone sets up their cameras near the countdown clock and waits for the launch and then ten minutes later it is all over. Actually you get a lot better view of things watching the Space X live stream, but it is still nice to be there in person.

Dawn still doesn't like to nap with me. Whenever I come in the bedroom during the day, Dawn leaves the room and goes out to her dog bed in the kitchen. I'm sure Dawn has her reasons, but this just seems rude to me. If Janet is home Dawn is much nicer to me, but she is uncomfortable being in the house alone with me. Oh, well. It is what it is. Strangely, when I vacuumed the bedroom this afternoon, Dawn stayed on the bed. She didn't mind the vacuum at all. She just doesn't like sharing the bed with me during the day. Nighttime is fine. I often wake up with Dawn right next to me. All this seems very strange, but no stranger than most aspects of modern life. It's a weird world we live in these days.

We've got to get up extra early tomorrow morning. I need to drive Janet down to Baylor for some medical tests. There should still be time to give Dawn her sunrise walk, but it depends on how organized we are. It doesn't matter if it's dark outside. We are prepared with plenty of lights now. Dawn even has a spiffy new green lighted collar now. 

Lightning 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 4504

We went and saw Sammy's puppies today. I'd almost forgotten how cute Dalmatian puppies are. Sammy had a large litter. There were eleven puppies and they were all adorable. The puppies were eight weeks old and in a few weeks they will be going to their new homes. As you might expect, there was a lot of demand for these pups. Potential adopters were carefully screened and most of the puppies will be going to people who have adopted from Dalmatian Rescue before. We met some of these people this afternoon. They were so excited to see and hold their puppies for the first time. These dogs are all going to have a great life. Even Sammy, the Mom, got adopted.

It was supposed to rain today but the rain never materialized. We were able to have a nice walk with Dawn early this morning and then take her on a Sunday outing after we returned from visiting the puppies. Dawn could tell we'd been around puppies. She smelled us a lot more than usual when we returned. It was hard to tell whether she missed being around puppies or was alarmed that we might bring one home with us. I suspect that Dawn is happy that she will never have to nurse another litter. Sammy's pups are almost weaned, but the family that is fostering Sammy and the puppies say that the pups are trying to have the best of both worlds. They are all eating solid food now, but still try to nurse occasionally. 

Dawn enjoyed her Sunday outing today. She definitely prefers cooler weather. We're going to have to start watching out for poison ivy now. I'm starting to see the stuff everywhere. There are huge patches of poison ivy on the hill where we take Dawn on Sundays. Most dogs don't seem to be bothered by poison ivy. Janet isn't bothered by it either. I'm not this lucky. I think I can catch poison ivy just by looking at the stuff. 

The ice cream shop seems to be doing well. There was a long line of cars at the drive up window when we went for our cones today. They call this stuff frozen custard, but I still call it ice cream. It definitely is a tasty treat after our Sunday walk. It's not quite as sweet at the ice cream you typically get in stores and is a huge improvement over Dairy Queen soft serve. Dawn likes it too. I think getting ice cream is the only thing she likes about riding in a car.

It was very windy with dark clouds everywhere when I took my long walk later this afternoon. I didn't end up going very far because the wind was terrible and the air was full of pollen. My eyes were watering the entire time I was outside. I also didn't want to end up getting caught in the rain. I got a respectable number of steps, but I've done a lot better on Sundays.

Since I didn't walk as far today, I had time to vacuum the carpets when I got home. This is another chore like mowing the grass that I tend to put off too long. I wanted to get this done before I left on my trip though. I also wanted to test out the star tracker camera for regular photography before I left, so I took it with me when we visited the puppies. This camera was a pleasant surprise. It was actually easier to use than my regular camera.

We're finally starting to get some rain. It's supposed to get heavier during the night, but the worst weather is quite a ways North of us. I'm not sure if we will visit the kennel tomorrow. It all depends on the weather.  We'll see what happens. Forecasts around here are often wrong.

Sadie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4478

We had a short power outage last night. The beeping noise one of the battery backups for the computer made when the power went out got Dawn upset and she wouldn't go back to sleep. I turned the noise off but it seemed like Dawn was on high alert for the rest of the night. I had trouble getting back to sleep because she wouldn't sleep and woke up tired this morning. I probably would have woke up tired anyway. That's been happening a lot lately.

The weather changed again overnight. It was still warm, but extremely windy. The wind didn't seem to bother Dawn. She was eager to walk this morning. The walk woke me up, but I was eager to go back to bed when we returned. I made myself stay up, made the bed, and finished my breakfast, but my heart wasn't in it today. I really shouldn't be feeling this tired.

I made my travel arrangements for the Axiom-1 launch after breakfast. I was surprised and a bit disheartened at how much more expensive everything was than when I planned a similar trip about a year ago. Airfare, hotel rates, and rental cars were all significantly more expensive. Why? Are company costs that much higher, or do these guys just think they can get away with it? At any rate, I don't think I can just travel on a whim anymore. Making too many of these trips to Florida could put a serious dent in my budget.

I was determined to do something useful today, so I got the vacuum out and cleaned the carpets. The carpets are worn and need to be replaced. Somehow this seems impossibly hard to me, since so much stuff would need to be moved. The office is full of heavy stuff that would need to be moved out of the way.  It took over twenty years to fill this room up, so clearing it out in a day for the carpet installers wouldn't be easy. The master bedroom isn't as cluttered, but that seems daunting as well. There is a large, heavy king sized bed and I would have to hook up the television and all the home network stuff all over again. I'm beginning to understand why every room in my Dad's house was piled to the ceiling with stuff when he passed away. It's easy to accumulate stuff. A lot harder to make sense of it later.

I tried to walk a little further this afternoon, but was only able to add one additional mile to yesterday's pitiful total. I think the wind did me in today. The wind was so strong when I was down near the lake that it almost blew me off the trail. There was a news story recently that a body had been discovered in the lake on Friday. Yesterday someone discovered a dead dog in the lake. It's sad that this idyllic place is really just a part of a very big city with all of the problems that big cities typically have. Police patrol the park a lot more frequently now. I guess that's a good thing, but this is definitely not West Texas. I miss the empty, wide open spaces but I do worry about falling more than I used to. At least Dallas has good hospitals.

It's supposed to rain later tonight. I dread the thought of rain these days. I don't like to go up on the roof anymore and the longer standing water sits up there, the greater the chance of a leak. I really need to call a roofer and get started on a new roof. I'm just procrastinating now. I guess I know I'm going to be disappointed whoever I choose. I'll be even more disappointed if I do nothing though. 

Now that I've take care of my Florida trip, it's time to decide whether I'm going back to the observatory at the end of April. I probably will, but I dread that long drive. I seem to dread everything these days.

Elliott is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4388

We've basically had all four seasons in the span of a week. Today was warm, but it was rainy. I'm not accustomed to these huge day-to-day changes, so I didn't even check the weather before we left on our sunrise walk with Dawn. Big mistake. I thought it was just going to be another cloudy, foggy morning, but as soon as we entered the park, the skies opened up. We all got soaked and Dawn was indignant. She hates getting wet. We turned around and headed for home as soon as the rain started but it didn't help much. All our clothes went in the dryer as soon as we got home and it took several towels to get Dawn dried off.

It only rained hard for about an hour, but I was in no hurry to take my long walk. I didn't want to get caught in the rain again. I vacuumed the house and did a load of laundry while I was waiting for the skies to clear. I thought I'd read the manual for my new star tracker, but when I clicked on the PDF file, it was blank. The short quick start guide that came with the tracker is basically useless. I did a quick Internet search for the Benro Polaris manual, but I kept getting instruction manuals for Polaris ATV's instead. 

We could tell that Dawn felt cheated out of her morning walk, so we regrouped and tried again as soon as the skies cleared. This time Dawn was able to complete her one mile loop with no problems. It was time for my long walk anyway, so I continued walking. I walked a long way today, but I probably shouldn't have. This was a terrible day for foot pain. I was limping home by the time I finished my six miles for the day. I need to see if there is a correlation between humidity and foot pain. I kind of think that my feet hurt more on wet or high humidity days, but I haven't been keeping records. I might just be imagining things.

I only saw one of the Muscovy Ducks today. There might have been only one yesterday as well. When I saw the pair the other day, one of the ducks just seemed like a flat lump. It didn't seem to be sleeping normally. Now I'm thinking that this duck might have been dead. It was gone today, but the other duck hasn't moved. I don't know if a duck can be depressed, but this duck certainly seemed that way. I hope his companion is just off exploring somewhere else. These two Muscovy Ducks have been inseparable for well over five years. There were a bonded pair that did everything together.

I have tons of SD cards lying around the house. All my cameras use them. As luck would have it, my new start tracker requires a Micro SD card to operate. I don't have any of those. It's a shame that Fry's went out of business. There was a large Fry's store near my house and it was always easy to run down there whenever I needed a computer cable, printer ink, a memory card, or a spare battery. Now I have to venture farther away to find these things and there isn't a single store that has everything anymore. Fry's is the latest in a long line of my favorite stores a that seem to disappear as soon as I grow to depend on them. Stores that I hate like Walmart flourish. Stores that I like always go bankrupt and disappear.

My Fall allergies have returned with a vengeance. If these seasonal allergies weren't so predictable, it would be easy to convince myself that I had Covid. I've certainly got the runny nose. My nose runs so bad when I'm out in the park that I have to stuff a bunch of those Scott blue shop towels in my pocket. Regular Kleenex just doesn't do the job anymore. I've lost track of when the Fall allergies end and the Spring allergies begin. There only seems to be about three months out of the year where there isn't a problem. At least the allergies aren't bad indoors. HEPA furnace filters work wonders.

I don't have any plans for tomorrow, but it's supposed to be clear and warm. I ought to try and take advantage of the nice weather while it's here because a cold wave is on the way. They say freezing weather will arrive this weekend. Freezing temperatures aren't the way I'd like to start the new year, but I don't think I've got a choice.

Petey & Greta are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4310

I spent the day trying to stay ahead of the rain which still hasn't arrived. They say it's supposed to rain later this evening. I don't know why I put so much faith in weather forecasts because they are seldom right. At least getting an early start allowed me to get some things done today. I wasn't really trying to get things done, but I had so much time on my hands that boredom set in and I actually did some vacuuming and house cleaning.

I'm not going to be able to wear shorts much longer. It was a little chilly on our morning walks. Dawn reverted to her short one mile loop and I took my regular long walk high after I finished breakfast. There was a light mist in the air, but I didn't really get wet. This was a far cry from the hundred degree walks I was taking earlier this summer. It's pleasant to walk without getting hot and sweaty, but my feet are starting to hurt again. Probably my special running shoes are starting to wear out and it's time to break in a new pair. I keep thinking that I just got these shoes but the soles tell another story. I've put a lot of miles on these puppies.

Tuesday is cleaning day at our house. Personally, I don't mind a little dust. It's easy to convince myself that dust protects things. Janet sees things differently. I'm sure she'd rather I'd just get out of the way, but I'd already taken my walk and I thought it was going to rain. I did the vacuuming today. I'm no better at vacuuming than anybody else but I am better at cleaning the vacuum cleaner. I don't know why we got a Dyson. Our old vacuum was so much easier to use. All the dust just went in a bag that you threw away when it got full. The Dyson has no bag and you practically have to take the thing apart to get it clean. I have to take the canister outside and use the leaf blower to get the leftover dust out of the canister after I have emptied it. You shouldn't have to use a leaf blower to clean your vacuum. This is typical of me. I'm more worried about dust in the vacuum cleaner than dust in the house.

I got a letter from Medicare today detailing the charges for my hospital visit. Some things were more expensive than I thought they'd be and other things were less. I was a little surprised that the anesthesiologist seem to make more money than the surgeon. A lot of labs test seemed relatively cheap. Medical billing is a complete mystery to me. The initial charges are always quite high. Medicare seems to pay surprisingly little. Always at the end of the day the whole thing just goes away. Maybe my supplemental insurance picks up the rest. Maybe all these numbers are just imaginary. Hospitals seem to know how it all works. Most patients don't.

I wish dogs had health insurance. The only time I get a true picture of what things actually cost is when one of our dogs has become seriously ill. Our dogs have had MRI's, CAT scans, ultrasound imaging, neurosurgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and much more, all using the same machinery and medications that humans use. It can get expensive.

There is a crew behind the house tearing up the alley again. They are destroying the work they did just a few weeks ago. These guys dig a big hole with a backhoe, no pipes of leaks seem to be uncovered, then they fill the hole in again. Today they ripped out the concrete they poured  earlier, dug an even bigger hole, and then filled it in with new concrete. They seem to make a lot of phone calls to their supervisor. I may be wrong, but I don't think these guys know what they are doing. Luckily we don't use this alley for anything. Our neighbors who use it as a driveway are probably pretty mad.

The weather app on my phone says we will have all day rain tomorrow. I don't know whether to believe this or not.

Kuuipo is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4112

Today was busy. I helped Janet clear away more of the dead Asian Jasmine in the back yard. It's becoming more and more apparant that this stuff is not going to turn green again. My only hope is that the roots are still alive and that we might get some new growth next season. I ran the vacuum cleaner because I promised Janet I would start doing this every week again. I've always thought of dust as a protective coating, but apparently most people don't think this way. The hardest task today was giving the atrium a spring cleaning. It's is almost impossible to pry the broken sliding glass door open wide enough to get inside the atrium these days. If I'm lucky, I can just manage to squeeze through the narrow opening. I'm always afraid that I won't be able to get the door closed again, but with enough pushing and shoving, I"ve been successful so far. I've tried for several years to get the door fixed but parts are no longer available. Nobody makes a replacement for this oversize door either. I never realized how much trouble I was in when the last guy in town who worked on these things died.

The saga of old impossible to replace things continued when I discovered that the video component that I accidentally threw away is no longer manufactured. It's not available anywhere. I even looked on the eBay used market and couldn't find it. Come on guys! It hasn't been that long. It really is frustrating that everything becomes obsolete so quickly now. I've stopped upgrading the system on my computers so I can still run the last stand alone versions of Microsoft Office and Adobe Creative Suite. I'm old school and don't want to pay for subscription software or save my files in the cloud. As a result, I can't use a lot of new software. The industry standard for processing astrophotography files won't run on any of my computers. 

We thought we'd do something different with Dawn today, so we drove her to a different park for her daily walk. This actually worked out pretty well. Dawn is a strange traveler. She is terrified of riding in the car, but is always excited when she arrives at her destination. We had a nice walk. Dawn had lots of energy and wasn't interested in eating grass at all. Janet walked Dawn, because I can never keep up with her when she is excited. I walked along behind and Dawn and Janet were kind enough to wait in the car for me when they were finished. To make the ride home less traumatic, we stopped for an ice cream cone along the way. Dawn loves ice cream.

I didn't take my own longer walk until later in the afternoon. The park was even more crowded today than it was yesterday. On a nice Spring day, it feels like I'm the only one who doesn't believe that Covid is over yet. Luckily, the park is huge and it is quite easy for me to keep to myself. I just don't understand why people like to gather in large groups. I can see getting together with a friend for coffee, but the whole concept of parties has always seemed strange to me. I never had to give up parties for Covid. I never liked them in the first place.

I keep getting messages that time is running out for me to use my 20% off coupon at REI. Today I got an e-mail saying that my discount expires tomorrow. In the past, messages like this would send me directly to the store. Not anymore. I don't need anything from REI. I think it is an encouraging sign that I'm slowly learning to resist the urge to buy. I did get a camera earlier this year and I got that start tracker recently, but I know I'll use these things. The star tracker is practically a requirement for attending the advanced astrophotography workshop later this Spring.

It's going to be a busy week. We'll go visit the rescue Dalmatians tomorrow and then go to the arboretum later in the week. One of these days I'm going to have to go up on the roof. The catkins have started falling from the Oak trees and they can make a huge mess on the roof when it rains if I don't remove them. The catkins are also responsible for the thin layer of sticky yellow dust that covers everyone's cars at this time of year. I like watching all the wildflowers bloom, but a lot of other things associated with Spring are a nuisance. What's the biggest nuisance of all? It's time to mow the grass again.

Doc is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4091

I'm still fighting these allergies. The Flonase works pretty well at clearing my nasal passages, but I've still got the runny nose. I did sleep better last night because I didn't wake up several times completely congested and breathing through my mouth. I guess this is progress, but I still feel like I've got pepper up my nose.

I vacuumed and did some small chores around the house, but it was hard to get motivated. I successfully repaired Dawn's collar although I still don't know how it became damaged. When a dog gets used to wearing a collar, they become very nervous when you take it off. All our dogs have been this way. Dawn didn't look pleased when I took the collar off to glue it back together and seemed quite relieved when I put it back around her neck a few hours later.

Janet joined me on my long walk today. I've noticed that I walk a little faster when we walk together. Usually each mile I walk is little slower than the last, but we kept a pretty steady pace today. Neither of us is setting the world on fire, but I think we're doing pretty well for 72. We're both in better shape than a lot of 40 year olds.

I never did have any reaction to the Covid shots. Even the minor soreness at the injection site is gone now. It still seems strange that people react so differently to this disease. Some people get infected and die. Other people get infected and aren't even aware they have the disease. So far, I've only known two people who have gotten sick and both recovered quickly. Nobody in my immediate circle of friends has gotten sick. It pays to be careful though. Our house has never been struck by a tornado either, but I know it could happen at any time.

The Starliner launch I've been hoping to go to in Florida has been postponed again. This is probably a good thing. I'm hoping that the closer we get to Summer, the more relaxed that current Covid restrictions are going to get. It's going to be a lot easier for me to get press accreditation for my small, obscure magazine when the world returns to normal. I'm pretty confident that I'll be going somewhere this year. I just don't know when or where.

Maybe by the time I start traveling again my seasonal allergies will be over for the year. That alone would make any trip a lot more enjoyable. Last March when I went out to McDonald Observatory I thought I would leave my allergies behind. Nope. They followed me out there and I ran through two rolls of blue Scott shop towels blowing my nose. Every single year this happens. You can look back through the blog archives and see for yourself.

This weekend really went quickly. We had a wonderful dinner tonight, but tomorrow it's back to fruit smoothies and leftovers. I guess I'll take my tax files over to the accountant tomorrow. You never get a refund when nothing has been withheld, but hopefully I won't get hit too bad this year. I wouldn't mind paying taxes if I could choose where the money went. As it stands now, I'm convinced that anything I give to the government will just be wasted.

We won't be going up to visit the Dalmatians tomorrow because the kennel is too busy with Spring Break boarders. Spring Break is still a mystery to me. I don't ever remember getting off for Spring Break when I was in school.

Connor is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3908

No rain today. Luckily, it was still cloudy and cool. We had a nice walk before breakfast this morning, although the park was already filled with weekend athletes. I don't know if there is an increased interest in fitness or if people just haven't returned to the gym yet. Janet says her gym is still pretty empty. I've never seen so many people jogging and cycling in the park before. Maybe one hidden benefit of the pandemic is that people are finally starting to realize that it's a good idea to be healthy.

I found almost everything on my grocery list this morning. They even had rubbing alcohol today. Strangely, peaches have returned to the produce section less than a week after I received that notice from the store to throw mine away. Maybe they realized what I've known all along. There's nothing wrong with most of these peaches.

It was long past time for some serious house cleaning. I hate changing the sheets now because it hurts my dislocated shoulder to remove and replace the fitted bottom sheet. Like getting up on the roof, this is something that still needs to be done unfortunately. I also washed the comforter and all the dog blankets. Dawn sheds a lot. Actually all Dalmatians shed a lot.

Dog hair means I need to vacuum more often than I'd like as well. I did a lot of vacuuming today. My part of the cleaning duties are done for a while. I try to do my share, but Janet actually does a lot more cleaning than I do. She still cares about a clean house.

I didn't bother to take an afternoon walk today. Even though it never rained, I kept hearing thunder in the distance. We were able to complete our full five miles this morning and I got plenty of exercise cleaning the house this afternoon. I still haven't removed the standing water from the roof. No sense in overdoing things. Maybe I'll take care of the roof tomorrow. It looks like we've got several days of clear weather ahead and I still don't feel like going back to the gym.

When I looked at the Boca Chica cameras today there was a torrential rainstorm going on. The rain knocked out several of the remote cameras but it didn't seems to stop work at the facility. Nothing seems to stop these guys. It's fascinating to watch how quickly this brand new spaceport is developing. They're still making the rockets in tents, but that's about to change. By the time the real Starship makes it's debut next year, this place will look a lot different. I've got to figure out a way to get down there and do a story. This dusty little strip of land is definitely where the future is happening.

There's not much happening here. Whenever I venture out on my shopping day, I'm appalled at how everyone seems to be totally ignoring the virus. Restaurants are full. Masks are required everywhere, but nobody wears them correctly. Almost half the people I saw today were wearing their mask below their nose. A lot of people take their mask off to talk to store employees too. It must be frustrating to be a store employee. I'm still doing my part, but it's mostly because I don't like people anyways. It's easy to stay six feet away. I'll be keeping my distance long after this is over.

Allie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3877

Wednesday has turned into house cleaning day. Don't look at me. I have lost all interest in cleaning, but I don't want to be a slacker. I still try to do my part. Today I vacuumed the house. I used to think the Dyson was amazing because it appeared to pick up so much dust. Now I suspect that the clear plastic cylinder is just a marketing gimmick to make you notice the dirt. The house doesn't seem any cleaner than it did with our old fashioned vacuum. It certainly was easier to empty a paper vacuum cleaner bag than it is to clean the Dyson. I have to go outside and use a leaf blower to get all the residual dust out of the canister after I empty it. Oh, well. The carpets and the Dyson are clean again until I have to repeat this exercise next Wednesday.

We got a later start on our morning walk today, but we got lucky with the weather. There was heavy overcast and a nice breeze that kept things cool. It didn't seem as humid today either. If you can manage to avoid the sun and the humidity, even August isn't quite so bad. We must be having a hot summer though. Our August electric bill hit an all time high. Something was fishy about that bill though. I know we have had hotter summers. I think the electric company just raised our rates.

At first it was baffling to me why the stock market was doing so well at the same time there was record unemployment and well known companies were going bankrupt every day. Now the answer is becoming clearer. The economy didn't shut down at all. It just changed. Some companies lost, but other companies were big winners and are doing better than ever. It seems like the pandemic just accelerated the rate of change that was happening anyway. Even Luddites like me have gone digital now. A wide varieties of companies have been urging me to use their mobile app, go paperless, and try online payments for years. All it took was a global pandemic to get me to change my ways.

I'm always curious about long-term trends. I think it will be five years before we realize how much has changed. I used to think everyone would revert to their old ways as soon as the lockdown was lifted. New habits are emerging though. We aren't going to be comfortable around strangers for a long time. Nobody even wants to ride in an elevator with me anymore. Handshakes are no longer going to be a common ritual. Ghost kitchens will become more popular than restaurants. Sports fans are going to have problems with the new normal, but ticket prices were becoming exorbitant anyway. Fewer and fewer people could even afford to go to a professional football game. Maybe fans will learn to love players in empty stadiums. I guess the big question is whether schools can safely reopen. If the kids have to stay home indefinitely, we are in for a world of hurt.

I guess we're just going to have to learn to live with the changes. Some of these changes were going to happen anyway. Just not as fast. Change is never easy and it is seldom fair. I'm certainly having problems dealing with all this. I need to remember the importance of staying flexible. Youth was all about staying flexible and seizing opportunities. It was only when I became older that I became set in my ways. We'll see how it goes. There will be winners and losers in the days and months ahead. It would be nice to be a winner.

Tomorrow we're going to try to get up early again. The flashlights are ready. I don't know how ready I'll be. I was never a morning person and it's not easy to change old habits. I'm convinced that the future will be all about changing old habits. I might as well get good at it.

Morgan is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3663

I discovered augmented reality glasses last year when I went to Johnson Space Center. I got a chance to use these things again when I was at the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. These glasses are pretty cool. You can look through them like any pair of glasses, but 3D information can be superimposed in your field of view. Every time I go outside to look at the night sky, I keep thinking that a sky map combined with a pair of these augmented reality glasses would be a great idea. As you looked around, everything you see would automatically be identified.

Tonight as I tried and failed again to find the planet Uranus, I wondered if something like this already existed. Of course it does. A quick Google search revealed that you can already download a sky chart app for Google Glass. Forget that. I'm not paying $1500 for Google Glass. There is a less expensive AR viewer that uses your phone called Universe2Go. I'm not sure it works very well. National Geographic makes something like this as well, but they don't sell it to individuals. You can buy tickets for the 'experience' at select planetariums. I wonder why I've never heard of these things before? Probably because they are either very expensive, or don't work as promised. This is the future though. I'd definitely buy some augmented reality star chart glasses once prices come down to earth.

My purchases today were definitely down to earth. I got strawberries, blueberries, and cheese. I filled up the car with gas and was home again in plenty of time to take a walk before noon. This winter has definitely gotten off to a better start than last winter. Today was beautiful. The park was full of people and there were dozens of small sailboats on the lake. One thing was missing though. All the porta-potties in the park had vanished. I didn't even notice this until several people stopped me to ask where the bathrooms were. Strange. Why would the city remove all the bathrooms from a busy city park? When I first moved here there were nice clean restrooms with running water and real toilets. These buildings were built by the CCC during the 1930's and served the city well for over 60 years. At some point the city padlocked all these buildings. They still stand, but nobody can use them. Now all the porta-potties are gone as well.

I got a lot more done today than I had planned. I changed the furnace filters, cleaned up the utility room, vacuumed the house, and attempted to clear away all the leaves in the back year with the leaf blower. The leaves will require a lot more work, but at least I cleared them away from the house and the back porch. I didn't go up on the roof though. Maybe tomorrow. I think the weather is going to be even warmer tomorrow.

This week has gone quickly. It doesn't seem like it is already time to go back to the gym. I'm beginning to think all my activity has been beneficial. I have more energy now. It's not a lot, but it is noticeable. I'm finishing my five mile walks a few minutes earlier than I used to. These are small steps, but they are in the right direction.

Hunter is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3576

Today was busy. I didn't sleep well last night, so I got up earlier than usual. Yesterday's cold front is already a memory. I was glad to get an early start on my walk, because the temperature was headed for the nineties again. Today, I took a better camera with me, hoping to see the water turtles. No luck finding turtles, but I did get a few pictures of a Great Egret. The Pelicans were too far away to get a decent shot. Maybe soon. There there are a lot of them now. I wish it wasn't so much trouble to pack a heavy camera. I always see the most wildlife when I don't have it with me.

I knew the temperature was only going to get warmer, so I decided to mow the grass as soon as I returned home. A lot of the grass has already gone dormant for the year, so there wasn't that much to mow. Maybe I can finally put the lawnmower away for the season. With the outside looking better, it was time to tackle the inside. I vacuumed the house and then decided to call it a day. I certainly had accumulated enough steps to keep Mr. Fitbit happy.

I started filling out a boatload of forms to send to McDonald Observatory. It seemed weird to give somebody so much information, but Janet assured me that these forms would seem completely normal to any working person. I've been on my own for so long that the whole idea of human resources is a foreign concept to me. I should be able to complete the forms tomorrow. I'm confident that I'll pass the background check. I'm not so confident that I'll actually have to nerve to spend several weeks to a month at the observatory. We'll see what happens. The earliest I could go would be next Spring anyway.

I got an invitation to apply for credentials to cover the launch of Northrop Grumman's CRS-12 resupply mission to the International Space Station. I think I'll pass on this one. I've explored the idea of going to Wallops Island before. I even got approved to go there once. The facility is small and it's hard to fly directly to this area. Maybe the Antares rocket just doesn't seem that interesting. These trips can get expensive and I need to save my money for something that might make a better story. Resupply cargo missions to the space stations are pretty routine. I'm thinking of going down to Boca Chica to view one of the upcoming Space X Starship launches. I have a feeling that Spaceflight Magazine would get me a press pass for a Starship flight. The first Crew Dragon and Boeing Starliner launches sound interesting too.

I got some bad news from the vintage guitar store today. Some Japanese collectors were interested in one of my guitars. These guys were very particular so they got the store to take the neck and pickups off to examine for signs of alterations. The collectors say there are signs that the guitar has been refinished at some point. This lowers the value. It's possible that the guitar was refinished at the factory or that the different color stain under the neck was normal for that model. I doubt it though. The store sent me some pictures and the wood under where the neck attaches is a Mocha color instead of the natural finish of the guitar body. If the guitar has been refinished, it was a very good job. Neither I or the store had any idea until the collector had the guitar disassembled. It is still a desirable guitar and will sell but it will go for a lower price now.

I wish I had more things to sell so I could buy an Airstream Interstate van. That's not going to happen. Unless the stock market does really, really well next year, I'll probably be sleeping in a tent at the observatory.

Maverick is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3520

It rained this morning. The temperature was noticeably cooler and I should have taken my morning walk as soon as I got up, but of course I didn't. I slowly drank my smoothie as I always do while watching the morning news. The news was pretty dismal. The stock market was crashing. Police were in the streets in Hong Kong. And there were predictions that a recession was on the way. None of this was all that surprising, but it would be nice to have some good news for a change.

There was a light rain when I started my walk. It was actually kind of pleasant. Instead of being drenched in sweat, I was covered in rainwater. The morning shower didn't last long. As soon as the sun peeked from behind a cloud the water turned to steam. For the rest of the day it was extremely humid.

There were a ton of things I needed to do today, but I had an excuse for most of them. It was too wet to mow the grass. There wasn't much point in going up on the roof, since there was still rain in the forecast. I finally ended up vacuuming the house because I felt guilty for doing nothing. The carpets were certainly dirty. I haven't vacuumed in a while.

I'll be glad when the new dehumidifier arrives. For a while last night I thought that the old dehumidifier had turned into a humidifier. I turned it off for a few hours and watched the humidity in the house actually become lower. The only thing that I can think of is since the defrost circuit is coming on frequently now, the dehumidifier must be blowing moist air back into the room.

I took another bill to the post office today. Seems like I just did this yesterday. I could easily save these bills and pay them once a week, but going to the post office gives me something to do between my walks. I've lost interest in shopping and I don't eat lunch anymore. I guess this is all the reason I need to go to the post office.

I should be getting more sleep. In theory I could sleep till noon, but I keep waking up early. Maybe it's the weird dreams. I woke up last night when I found myself being chased by the neighbor's dog. I went back to sleep and woke up again when I found myself lost in a huge hotel again. When I eventually found my room, it was filled with strangers. Somehow in a dream this all seems normal.

I was hoping for some cooler weather for tomorrow, but it looks like we're going to have triple digit temperatures for the foreseeable future. Oh, well. At least the water on the roof will evaporate.

Elliott is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3286

There were only two people at the gym when I arrived this morning. This is a huge facility with a basketball court, a running track, and an Olympic sized swimming pool, so it's always weird to see the place so empty. Maybe everybody had Christmas plans. My own plans seldom change, so I hope this gym is still around five years from now. The giant hospital chain that owns the place could easily decide that it wasn't worth keeping the lights on for two people.

The weather was clear and cold today. There wasn't a cloud in the sky. There wasn't even much dew on the ground when we walked Dash this morning, so I felt like the the silicon coating on the roof might actually have a chance to dry properly. After breakfast, I went up and took a look and was mildly disappointed that falling leaves had become stuck in the elastomer as it was drying. The crew also missed a spot, but it wasn't in a critical location. Hopefully, we'll be ready for the next band of thunderstorms that are headed our way.

A spring broke in my Aeron Chair today and the back no longer stays upright. Damn. When I bought this chair many years ago, they were guaranteed for life. I've had the chair repaired twice by Herman Miller, but the last time was well over ten years ago. Even back then, the lifetime guarantee was becoming the stuff of myth. It was kind of like the legendary JC Penny battery. A few people knew of the guarantee, but nobody had actually seen a chair that qualified. I think my serial number is low enough, but I lost my purchase receipt long ago since I bought the chair right after it was introduced in the early 1990's. I wonder if it is even worth the effort to try and get another free repair?

Dash's poop stayed on the puppy training pads last night, but then later in the day he pooped on the carpet in my office. I don't know why it never even occurred to me that the danger of an accident was just as real during the day. I guess I'm going to need to place a puppy pad under him at all times now. When he wakes up from a nap, it seems to take a lot more effort for him to get up. Sometimes this extra effort causes him to poop. There are different techniques to cleaning the bricks, the carpet, and the bedding. I'm becoming an expert at all three.

I listened to a show about big data on the way to the way to the gym where a researcher had compared the results of large scale surveys with Google searches during the same period of time. His conclusion was that everyone lies when taking a survey because we lie all the time. Even though the surveys were anonymous, people want others to think well of them. We tend to say we voted even when we didn't and tend to say we care even when we don't. Conversely, there is no incentive to lie when you are looking for something on Google. If you lie, you won't find what you were looking for. So, I guess Google knows what we are really thinking, but the politicians don't. Sounds about right to me.

I felt like taking a nap when I came home from the gym, but I vacuumed the house instead. Hey, I put a few more steps on the Fitbit that way. Sundays are often 20,000 step days. I wonder if staying active just to get a higher Fitbit number is a subtle form of lying? Who am I kidding? Everybody knows I prefer napping to vacuuming.

Ziggy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3272

I didn't make it to the gym today. I certainly got plenty of exercise though. Dash was eager for a walk this morning after yesterday's all day rain. We walked along the shoreline and watched as volunteers prepared a relay station near the lake for today's annual Dallas Marathon. Traditionally, this marathon has been held when the weather was horrible, but today looked perfect for runners. Dash liked the cold, clear weather too.

After breakfast, I went back up on the roof and cleared away the water again. There must have been a lot of rain last night, because there was just as much standing water today as there was yesterday. No wonder the leak returned. I think I finally figured out what is happening. The high-tech coating that is supposed to protect everything is not adhering to the substrate properly. Whenever there is a tear in this coating, often caused by a dead tree branch falling and hitting the roof, water seeps in and gets under the coating and eventually finds a path inside. If the coating was bonded to the substrate, small rips or tears wouldn't be a problem. As it is, the elastomer coating isn't much better than placing a giant tarp on the roof during rainstorms.

When I removed all the water, the sound of water dripping into buckets gradually subsided. I'll let the sheetrock on the ceiling dry for a few days and then I'll try to bleach the stains again. This won't fix the problem though. The next time we have a long, sustained rain I'll have to deal with this mess all over again. Adding a few more patches won't really fix anything. There is already water underneath the supposedly waterproof coating, so it won't evaporate. I don't really thing this is fixable. I need an entirely new roof.

There wan't much point in going to the gym today. I had a long list of chores that needed to be attended to. This was a good day to do them. I started by going out and finding strawberries so I could make my smoothies this week. Oddly, the store that had nothing but grapes in the strawberry section yesterday had a ton of strawberries today. I wonder who bought all the grapes?

It was long past time to vacuum the house as well. I'm always amazed that I can quickly fill the Dyson canister with dust and dog hair, but the carpets never look any better. Whenever we get a new rood, we're going to need new carpets as well. It sucks that the house is falling apart. I've got a new car fund, but I bet it's going to get used up just fixing things around the house.

According to Fitbit, I burn up a lot more energy doing household chores than I do at the gym. I guess the whole point of going to the gym is to get me out of the house. It's a lot more enjoyable to shoot baskets at the gym than it is to push a broom on the roof.

I need to start interviewing roofing contractors and ask a few architect friends for suggestions on how to restore this place. We might be here for a while. I thought we would have moved by now, but there's one thing about growing older that you never consider when you're younger. Once you start falling apart and doctors become important, the last thing you want to do is start over in a new state with a brand new batch of doctors. Janet and I both have doctors that we like. We may be here forever.

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day