Day 4991

Dawn had to go to the vet for her dental cleaning today. She got her regular sunrise walk, but couldn't eat breakfast this morning. You aren't supposed to eat prior to having anesthesia. Dawn is always excited to ride in the car, but is so disappointed when we wind up at the vet instead of the ice cream store. She was not a happy camper when we dropped her off this morning.

The house was pretty quiet without Dawn today, but actually it is pretty quiet with Dawn as well. I ate my breakfast, took care of some correspondence, and then went to the gym.  It's still way too hot to do any outdoor chores and I don't feel up to fixing the cracks in the ceiling yet. My daily trip to the gym remains my only consistent activity.

I think these trips to the gym are starting to produce results. I'm faster on the indoor track now. It used to take me around 23 minutes to complete a mile. Now it only takes me 20 minutes. I'm gradually adding weights to my strength exercises and doing more repetitions as well. My biggest improvement is on the basketball court. I'm getting much more consistent about completing free throws. I'm certainly not bragging. Fat people still pass me occasionally on the indoor track and almost everyone can lift more than me in the weight room. I think I'm making progress though. My Fitbit agrees.

I have mixed feeling about missing tonight's Crew 7 launch. I didn't apply for credentials after the magazine told me that one of their staffers wanted to attend. Crewed launches are always a big deal down at the space center, but I'm not terribly sorry that I'm missing this one. It's still very hot in Titusville and the launch isn't until 3 AM. I've never been a fan of these late launches. It's very hard to get good pictures and 3 AM is way past my bedtime. I've been to several late night, or technically early morning, launches and I'm always very, very sleepy. I bumped the lens on one of these night launches and all my pictures were out of focus. I'm not even going to stay up and watch this launch on the Space X live feed. I'll be asleep by then.

We weren't able to pick Dawn up at the vet until very late in the day. She was there for most of the day. The dental cleaning didn't take that long, but she needed some x-rays as well. The vet always wants to keep dogs for observation at least two hours after having anesthesia as well to make sure they are stable. Dawn got a good report. There were no cavities and no teeth needed to be pulled. There were no longer signs of gingivitis either. We try our best to keep her teeth clean, but it's hard with a dog that doesn't like you messing with her mouth.

This week has gone quickly. I've taken this week's trash out to the curb and have finished watering the lawn. It would be nice if tomorrow were cooler, but the temperature is supposed to reach 107 degrees. That doesn't sound better to me.

Hero is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4977

The schedule was a little different today. We got up and took our sunrise walk at the regular time, but there was no breakfast for anyone. Dawn had an early vet appointment and she needed to fast for blood work, so we postponed eating until we got home. Dawn was excited to get in the car, but seemed very disappointed when we arrived at the vet. I think she thought we were going for ice cream.

We didn't learn anything today because it will be several days before they get the test results back from the lab. We did mention Dawn's strange behavior to the vet. No answers on that either. Janet and I think it is more likely that Dawn is having panic attacks rather than seizures, but we have no idea what is causing this. Usually the house is quiet and nothing is going on when Dawn becomes fearful and starts acting weird. Luckily Dawn seems to recover quickly, but it is still alarming to see her shivering and shaking for no reason at all.

When we returned home Dawn got her breakfast and so did we. By the time I finished my breakfast it just seemed like an ordinary day again. Hopefully all is well with Dawn. When her test results come back we'll schedule her annual teeth cleaning. Actually my teeth cleaning is coming up soon as well. I have a dental appointment next week.

I'm getting bored with going to the gym every day, but it's way too hot to even think about walking in the park. Even our sunrise walks with Dawn are feeling too warm now. I guess this is what happens when you get hooked on having a certain number of steps every day. I'm certainly not going to get my steps sitting at this computer.

I found a spot in the parking garage today, but my performance at the gym was nothing to brag about. I still can't bring myself to do anything different. I walked three miles around the indoor track again. This is between 40 and 45 laps, depending on which lane I'm in. I'm not the fastest person on the track, but I'm not the slowest either. I shot free throws until I completed ten. This took 9 minutes today. I finished by working with weights for a while and trying to build up my upper body strength. This is going to take a while, but I certainly don't have anything better to do.

The house up the street is gone and all that is left is an empty lot. There are two empty lots on the street now where people I knew well used to live. They both had nice houses that they were proud of. I think it's a shame that the neighborhood is changing, but it's probably inevitable. Living near the lake has become very desirable. The regular people who greeted us when we arrived years ago have all died by now. The folks who replaced them are much richer. Pretty soon the street will be nothing but lawyers and anesthesiologists.

I've finished taking this week's trash out to the curb and the temperature was still over 100 degrees an hour after sunset. I always think that things are bad until I turn on the news. It's hot an dry here, but wildfires haven't burned the place to the ground like is happening on Maui right now. We aren't being flooded like a lot of places in New England either. Even the tornados are developing elsewhere this year. I still wish it would get cooler though. We are setting the wrong kind of records this summer.

J-Lo is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4976

I'm starting to forget what day it is. If the day and date weren't on my watch, I wouldn't have a clue. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. August is almost always this way. By this time of year the rainy season is over and the days just blend together. It's a time where I've grown tired of Summer but realize that Fall is still a long way away.

Our sunrise walks are hot now. The good news is that I can tell the days are already starting to get shorter. Sooner or later it will rain again. Until then we keep getting up early to avoid the heat. Dawn still enjoys her sunrise walks. Even though it is way too hot, it is still the nicest part of the day.

There's a lot of construction going on in the neighborhood and I wonder how the workers can stand the heat. One of the neighbors is adding an addition to their house. The city is putting in new water lines and has made a mess of several nearby streets. The demolition crew still hasn't finished knocking down the house up the street either. Most tear downs only take a day or two. This one has taken over a week.

Watching the progress on this construction keeps the days from seeming identical. As soon as we return home, I forget what day it is again. I make the bed, eat my shredded wheat and fruit, check my messages, and head for the gym. It's always the same. I don't think I'm missing much though. At least from what I see on my Facebook feed, nobody else is doing anything interesting either.

I found a spot in the parking garage when I arrived at the gym this morning. That's always a good sign. When I start walking around the indoor track I always think I'm going home as soon as I finish my three miles. By the end of mile two I usually change my mind. I thought I wasn't going to shoot baskets today because people were playing pickleball on the court, but they finished just before I finished my third mile. I completed my ten free throws in record time today. I've started adding additional weights to the upper body exercises I do after I finish on the court. It's not much, but it's enough to make me feel like I'm making progress. I don't feel like I'm getting a lot stronger. My daily trip to the gym is just a way to pass the time and make a long summer feel a little shorter.

I fix lunch when I get home to pass the time as well. I think eating lunch again is making me gain weight but it's nothing to worry about. I never weighed much to begin with. It's amazing that the afternoons go so quickly because I never do much in the afternoon. Before you know it, it's time to fix Dawn's dinner and then eat my own.

Tomorrow morning Dawn has a vet appointment to get blood work done. She always needs new blood work before we get her teeth cleaned. Maybe we'll ask the vet about her weird behavior. This morning it seemed like she might have had another mini seizure. I'm just guessing though. She was acting normally and then all the sudden ran back to the bedroom and started shivering on the bed. Five minutes later she was fine. Was this a panic attack, a seizure, or something else? It's really hard to tell with Dawn.

I'm glad the week is going quickly, but it's still a long time until October. I'm done with Summer.

Nautica is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4820

Dawn had a setback today. She could hardly walk this morning and we had to help her off the bed. She was favoring her left front leg and her neck seemed puffy as well. Things didn't get better as the day progressed, so we took her to the vet. They took x-rays and gave her some pain pills, but we still don't really know what is going on. If I had to guess, I think she might have a slipped disk in her neck, but it could be anything. She was very stressed before we went to the vet, but the pain meds appear to be working and she is calm now. Hopefully we can find out what is going on soon. This is a strange set of symptoms with no apparent cause. Up till now she has been a very healthy dog.

Dawn didn't get a morning walk for obvious reasons and I didn't take my own walk until later this afternoon because I didn't want to leave Dawn alone in the house. Everything is more of less back to normal while we wait for a diagnosis, but it's going to be hard to keep her off the bed. Our bed is her favorite place, but jumping on and off is not going to be good while she has a weak front end. Her front legs aren't swollen and appear normal but she has already fallen twice. Something is definitely very wrong.

I made an appointment with the roofers to go over their bid and schedule getting the new roof installed. I'm not looking forward to this, but it has to be done. I hope I picked the right roofing company. These guys came highly recommended, but I've been disappointed by roofers before. I want this to be the last roof we have to deal with on this house. Janet and I are getting too old to be dealing with continual roof leaks. When the roof is fixed we will need to repair damaged sheetrock inside the house and then get new carpets and paint. First things first though.

It's time for a haircut again, so I made an appointment for later in the week. I also renewed some prescription that I will pick up tomorrow. I usually get a haircut before I travel, but there are no travel plans in the immediate future. There are interesting launches at Kennedy Space Center in April, but I may need to skip them. A lot depends on what is going on with Dawn. It wouldn't hurt to lay low and save some money either. I've already been to Florida four time in the past several months.

I got my steps today but didn't complete my full six miles. There was a lot going on. It's just as well that I didn't walk as far today because my feet were bothering me. I was slow on my long walk which was a shame because it was such a nice day for walking. It feels like Spring has arrived even though it's a little early. Spring flowers are already starting to appear and a lot of trees in the park are turning green. I hope we don't have a late March freeze, but it has happened many times before. Wildflowers this early in the year almost guarantees that we will have another freeze.

Tomorrow is my last day to attempt roof repairs before more rain arrives. I don't have a lot of the Armor Flex liquid silicon left, but there is enough to patch a few leaks. All I need to do now is find them.

Anne is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4806

Dawn had her annual exam today. The lab results haven't come back yet, but it looks like she is in good shape. Dawn, like many Dalmatians, has had problems with crystals in her urine, but hopefully changes in her diet have helped eliminate that problem. The only other problem was her ear. About a month ago we noticed that she had developed a hematoma on her left ear. She shakes her head a lot, which either caused or aggravated the problem. 

The vet recommended a special pet headwrap called the No Flap Ear Wrap that will help the hematoma heal without the need for surgery. The device actually seems to work, although she looks like a little babushka now. Dawn is still shaking her head, but her ears don't flap around any more. Hopefully this will help. I'm not sure how long she will have to wear this contraption, but she seems to tolerate it well. We're not sure why she shakes her head so much. Dash did this too and developed a hematoma as well. It's definitely not an ear infection. Her ears look good..

It took me a while to realize that today was a holiday. I kept wondering why we didn't get any mail and why the park was so full of people. President's Day is kind of a weird holiday, but if you're working and get the day off, I guess you'll take what you can get. Other than Dawn's vet appointment, the day was exactly the same for me. We took Dawn on a sunrise walk, I had my shredded wheat for breakfast, and then I took my long walk.

There was a pretty sunrise and sunset today. I should have taken more pictures. I've spent so many years documenting things in the park a that I'm not very interested anymore. I didn't even take a picture of Dawn at the vet today. I used to do that with Dot and Dash a lot. There's always a phone in my pocket, but I rarely carry a camera with me these days. I used to always carry a little Lumix DMC ZS40 with me. It was about the size of a pack of cigarettes and had a long Leica telephoto lens that collapsed flat when the camera was off. This was the perfect camera to carry while taking long walks in the woods but I can't be bothered anymore. I just spend my walking time daydreaming these days.

I was expecting to hear from the roofer today and was hoping to learn whether I'd been credentialed for the Crew-6 launch as well. I guess nothing happens on holidays. We'll see if anything happens tomorrow. I won't be that disappointed if I don't get credentialed for this launch. Life will be simpler without having to arrange a last minute trip to Florida. Life would be simpler if the roof didn't leak too, but you can't have everything.

I need to remember that it's time for bulky trash pickup this week. There are still leaves that need to be raked in the side yard. Raking leaves is not my favorite activity, but these leaves don't seem to be going anywhere on their own. There have been several really windy days and I was hoping that they would just blow away. No luck there. If anything, more leaves seems to be blowing into the side yard.

It was unseasonably warm today and almost got up to 80 degrees. I think it's supposed to be even warmer tomorrow. That's fine by me. As long as it doesn't rain, the weather can do what it wants.

Odie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4805

Has it already been a week since the Superbowl? Time flies. The football season may be over, but our Sunday was pretty much the same. I woke up wondering why it was so cold outside, we took Dawn on her sunrise walk, and then we had another big weekend breakfast. After I made the bed and checked my messages, I went mall walking again.

Each time I visit Northpark I notice that things have changed. It's a busy place. All the Valentines Day displays are gone now, but no new theme has emerged. I still see raincoats in a lot of windows. Sunday seems to be a day for staff meetings. You often see groups of people in the yet to be opened stores listening to some sort of presentation. In one store these people were all wearing white jumpsuits like they were at a hazmat scene. What was that all about? You see lots of people dusting things with Swiffer dusters. I never realized that retail stores were such a big market for Swiffer. Several stores used to have off-duty policemen sitting inside the store. They are all gone now. Was this a policy change, or is the mall actually safer these days? 

I have my favorite stores now and often think that I would buy my clothes at these places if I were still working in an office. I'd probably change my mind quickly if I actually went inside the stores and checked on the prices. There are no bargains at this mall. Truthfully, the last thing I need are more clothes. There are still things in my closet that I have never worn. Clothes are never a high priority when you work from home. When you retire, clothes become an even lower priority.

Dawn's priority today was her Sunday outing. We were a little late leaving today and she knew it. That dog has an amazing internal clock. She knows when everything is supposed to happen, right down to the minute. You'd better not be late. Especially when it comes to meals. It had warmed up quite a bit by the time we left the house and we all had an enjoyable walk. The ground is finally drying out from our recent rains and our shoes didn't even get muddy today.

There was a line of cars at the ice cream store today. This place advertises it's product as "frozen custard" even though it tastes exactly like ice cream. I've tasted custard before. This stuff is definitely ice cream.  It is more expensive than Dairy Queen, but is still pretty reasonable. Dawn certainly approves.

I didn't do much this afternoon. There are plenty of things that need attention around the house, but I didn't feel like starting anything new. The Crew-6 launch is next Sunday and I still haven't heard anything. This probably means I'm not going. It's no great loss if I don't get credentialed this time although I would like to go. Oh, well. There are still a few day left and plenty of launches in the future. We'll see what happens.

Dawn has her annual exam at the vet tomorrow. We think she's healthy but you never know what's going to turn up in the lab reports. Hopefully this will just be a routine visit.

Spot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4744

It's that time of year again. I'm blowing my nose constantly. This seems to happen every Winter and I usually chalk it up to seasonal allergies. This time I'm wondering if I've caught a cold though. It kind of feels like a head cold. Maybe it's allergies though. I could easily be allergic to falling leaves.

Janet had plans today, so we took our early walk in the dark again. Dawn has two lighted collars now. She got a second one at the training class Christmas party gift exchange. I continue to be surprised at how quickly night transitions into day. It is usually quite dark when we start these early walks and daylight by the time we return home. We only walk a mile, so we're not out all that long either.

Dawn went to the vet today for a bath, a nail trim, and her canine influenza booster shot. It was kind of weird not having a dog around the house this morning. Dawn mostly ignores me, but I'm still very aware of what she is doing. I always take her out to pee before and after my long walks and feed her lunch when she is in the mood. She looked very clean when she and Janet returned this afternoon. You'd think a Dalmatian would always look clean, but that's not usually the case. She likes to roll around in the grass, so I tend to forget how white her coat actually is.

I saw all the Sunset Bay birds today. It's weird that so many species call this place home. I saw several kestrels. The Muscovy ducks and geese were all there. The coots, mallards, and double crested cormorants were there as well. The female bald eagle was in her nest. Even about half of the white pelicans had returned. I don't think I will ever become a serious birder, but I am learning to recognize the various species that call the park home.

I didn't make good time today. I'm surprised at how much my pace varies from day to day. I'm obviously slower when my feet hurt. The temperature seems to have a lot to do with my pace as well. It was warmer today. I'm usually faster on really cold days. 

It's going to be a lot colder later in the week. If it is as cold as the forecast predicts I might not walk in the park at all. My gym seems to be a much better alternative when temperatures are in the teens. We'll see what happens. Southerners tend to get very alarmed about cold weather, but hopefully everything will be fine. I'm trying to get prepared. I put foam insulation around all the outdoor water pipes. Tomorrow I'll go to the hardware store and get some protective covers for the faucets. Indoors we should be fine, but Janet did bring a down comforter back from her storage warehouse in case the power goes out. I think everyone remembers the big statewide power outage in February 2021. We were one of the lucky ones that year. Our power didn't go out.

I just found out that there is going to be another falcon heavy launch in January. I wasn't planning on returning to Kennedy Space Center so soon, but I think I'll apply for credentials to attend this launch. The last time I tried to view a falcon heavy launch all I saw was heavy fog. I heard the rocket but it was completely invisible in the fog. Hopefully I'll be luckier this time.

I've got to remember my appointment with the eye doctor this week. I completely forgot my last appointment and if I did this two times in a row it wouldn't be good. I'll leave a big note for myself on the kitchen table. The note will say "Don't walk this morning, you have an eye appointment at 10:45 AM." That should work if I remember to write the note.

Lexi is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4723

I think we got a one day reprieve before Winter arrives. It was really nice today. It got up to eighty degrees with clear skies this afternoon and I was able to take my long walk wearing shorts and a t-shirt. That's about to end. A cold front just rolled through town and the temperature is already falling rapidly. Tomorow morning it is supposed to be twenty-eight degrees. I know Texas weather is unpredictable, but this is ridiculous.

We walked very early this morning and had to wear our lights again. I kind of thought that walking in the dark was over after the time change, but I forgot that the days are still getting shorter. I was a little wary when we entered the park this morning. I noticed that the were a lot of feathers but no bird in our front yard. This is usually a sign that coyotes or bobcats are nearby. We didn't see any critters this morning, but I wouldn't be surprised of something was watching us. Bobcats and coyotes are not uncommon in the park.

I took my long walk right after breakfast because I knew that Dawn had a vet appointment later in the day. It was really a pleasant day for a walk. It's hard to beat seventy degrees and a light breeze. I saw one of the Bald Eagles again today. I can't really tell the difference between the male and female eagle, but I just assume that if the eagle is in the nest it is Nora and if it is sitting at the top of a nearby tree it is Nick. The word seems to have gotten out that the eagles are back. I"m seeing a lot more people with binoculars and cameras every time I pass by the nest.

There is still a lot of work taking place on the five new stone gates the park department is building. There must have been some leftover money in their budget because these gates are very elaborate. I still have no idea what their purpose is although I'm assuming they will be used to regulate traffic. Maybe this is useful, but there isn't a lot of traffic in this section of the park anyway. 

After a quick lunch we took Dawn to the vet to get her flu shot. I didn't realize that this vaccine needs a booster in three weeks. All vaccines seem to require a booster these days. The shot was uneventful, but the vet said that Dawn was showing early signs of gingivitis and that we needed to do a better job of cleaning her teeth. This is easier said than done because Dawn hates getting her teeth cleaned. None of our dogs have enjoyed having their teeth brushed, but Dawn seems the most determined to avoid having anyone near her mouth. Brushing her teeth is a challenge.

We took Dawn to get a bath after her vet appointment. The groomer told us that canine flu was going around and tried to convince us that herbal remedies were the way to prevent it. When we mentioned that Dawn had just gotten her flu shot, she kind of rolled her eyes at us. She obviously didn't believe in vaccines. We didn't mention that we had both recently gotten a Covid booster. It is pointless getting into an argument about vaccines.

Dawn doesn't like getting a bath but she always seems to feel better afterwards. We've noticed that she doesn't lick her coat after a bath. She was probably itchy before her bath. It's Fall and there are a lot of allergens in the air. At any rate, Dawn's coat looks nice and white again and she smells good. This probably won't last long.

I'm not looking forward to sub-freezing temperatures tomorrow morning. I guess the cold weather had to arrive sometime. It's almost December. At least our furnace is working well and the roof leaks have stopped.

Petey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4634

Today was a catch-up day. I unpacked, put things away, and charged devices. It was nice and cool when we took Dawn on her sunrise walk but it was extremely humid. It made a lot more sense to go to the gym than to deal with all this moisture in the air. Janet dropped Dawn off at the vet to get her teeth cleaned when she left the house this morning. I finished my breakfast and checked my messages before leaving the house myself. It was a busy day by my low standards. I stopped at the bank on my way to the gym and then stopped at REI to pick up some shoes I'd ordered on the way home.

The gym was practically empty. I wonder where everyone was today. My gym is one of the few places where the employees all still wear masks. Even the staff down at Kennedy Space Center have quit wearing masks and they are usually pretty strict. Members don't have to wear masks while they are working out though. I walked two miles on the indoor track, shot free-throws on the basketball court for a while and came home again. I'm still tired and wasn't feeling very energetic today. 

We picked up Dawn at the vet later this afternoon. She did well and her teeth look great now. Dog dentistry is expensive. I had my own teeth cleaned recently for a lot less than Dawn's procedure cost. In fairness, I didn't need to go under anesthesia to get my teeth cleaned though. We've always had our dog's teeth cleaned once a year. Healthy teeth can prevent a lot of other problems.

They've restarted the Artemis countdown clock. I still kind of wish I was down there, but it would have doubled the cost of my trip. There is a good chance that Saturday's launch attempt will get delayed again as well. This is when I envy the local guys who don't have to worry about travel considerations. I didn't realize it until very recently, but there are already 12 potential launch attempts on the books. The three that were widely publicized were just the ones that NASA wanted to try first. This could go on for a very long time. I'm still skeptical that Artemis will actually launch on Saturday. The SLS is a very complicated rocket. There have already been four pre-launch dress rehearsals and not a single one of them was able to be completed yet. Something always went wrong. It's easy to forget that there is a long history of launch scrubs and aborts during the Apollo and Space Shuttle era. This is a brand new rocket and it could take a while to get everything working properly.

It rained pretty hard this afternoon. I'm glad I finished my errands and that we had already picked up Dawn from the vet before the bad weather started. At least the pumps on the roof are still working. When the pumps are working properly, the chances of a roof leak are much lower. Nothing is leaking so far. Knock on wood. I'm really starting to hate climbing up on the roof to fix things.

Now that everything has been unpacked and put away, it seems like I never even went to Florida. I kind of hope the launch does get delayed again just to justify my decision to leave early. If Artemis does launch on Saturday I certainly hope it is successful. It is astounding to realize how much effort has already gone into this thing and it is not even off the ground yet.

They are building more of these rockets, so the chances are high that I'll eventually get to see at least one of them launch. Until then, I will continue my regular routine. It's Thursday, so I've taken this week's trash out to the curb and I'm waiting for the rain to stop.

Spot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4624

What a lot of rain. It rained more in one day than it has during the entire summer. I think we got over ten inches today. This wasn't a gentle rain either. It was a downpour. Not surprisingly, the roof leaked. I put a bucket under the leak before I went to bed last night but I underestimated how fast the water was dripping. When I woke up this morning the bucket had overflowed and the carpet in the office was soaked. Such a mess. I guess I should consider myself lucky that only one area in the house had a leak. It could have been worse.

Dawn didn't get a walk this morning. She got a trip to the vet instead. This visit was for lab work she needed before getting her teeth cleaned. Dawn is a healthy dog but she has a lot of anxiety. She definitely didn't like being at the vet. It's kind of embarrassing how she acts in the exam room. As soon as we returned home Dawn headed straight for the bedroom and took a long nap. I felt like doing the same, but I had lots to do.

After I finished breakfast I went up on the roof. This wasn't a pleasant job since it was still raining, but I needed to get the pump working. I also trimmed some of the low hanging branches on the pecan tree that were interfering with the pump. I don't know how much this will help, but at least I eliminated one source of problems. I didn't even bother to sweep the water off the roof since it was still raining. I must have done something right because eventually the leak in the office roof stopped. I still need to go buy a very long heavy duty extension cord so I can put the second pump back in operation. 

The combination of roof leaks and ants has made me totally disgusted with the house. The running toilet in the second bathroom doesn't help either. It's definitely time for a new roof. I've interviewed lots of roofing companies over the years and haven't really liked any of them. Companies that specialize in flat roofs tend to only want to do commercial work. Our house is too small for them to bother with. Everyone is too expensive. The problem with our house is that is has settled over the years and the roof no longer drains properly. There are always puddles and duck ponds on the roof after a big rain. Nobody seems to have a great solution for this problem.

Even though I hate to drive in the rain, I went to the gym this afternoon. I needed to get my steps. The gym was fairly empty today and was even colder than usual. I was terrible on the basketball court and slower than usual on the indoor track. Basically, I just felt tired. Trimming branches on the roof in the middle of a rainstorm was hard work this morning.

It didn't even get up to 80 degrees today. For the first time in months it's colder outside than it is inside. There's still a chance of rain tomorrow, but I don't see anything ominous on the weather radar. Who knows. We may even be able to take a sunrise walk with Dawn tomorrow morning. I don't think it is going to rain tonight but I'm going to leave the buckets out just in case. Be careful what you wish for. I've been wishing for rain for weeks, but this was too much.

Lance is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4623

You can learn a lot about society by walking around a shopping mall before the stores open. Cooking hasn't changed much. I see exactly the same Cuisinart food processers, Vitamix blenders, and Le Creuset cast iron pots in store windows as I did fifteen years ago. On the other hand, what people put on their feet has changed a lot. Everyone wears sneakers now. Even the mannequins in high-end men's stores show men wearing sneakers with suits. Every clothing store has some sort of sneaker in the window. That's all you see on the feet of people walking around too. Not a leather shoe in sight. 

The expensive boutiques still display clothes for impossibly skinny people, but middle of the road stores now proudly display larger sizes in their windows. There are even fat mannequins now. There must be a large market for purses. I counted at least a dozen stores that sold nothing but very expensive purses. Jewelry stores don't put jewelry in the windows anymore. There are just posters with pictures of jewelry. The Apple store has a policeman inside the store even when it is closed. Times have definitely changed. Truthfully, there is very little you actually need in most shopping malls. You get that stuff at Walmart.

We got more rain today. I knew the rain was coming so I went up on the roof and fixed the pumps. A low hanging limb from the neighbor's pecan tree had knocked over one of the pumps and it had become unplugged. The other pump had a bad extension cord that started to smoke every time I plugged the pump in. That pump will stay unplugged until I can buy a new extension cord. Oh, well. At least I got one of the pumps working again. I swept the remaining water and a ton of pecan shells off the roof before I called it a day. I really hate going up on the roof these days. My balance isn't as good as it used to be.

At least the rain has cooled things down a bit. It was quite pleasant outside on our sunrise walk with Dawn  and we were even able to take a short walk later in the day on Dawn's Sunday outing. It's still quite humid though. A succession of rainy days makes things uncomfortably humid outside. The humidity didn't stop us from getting ice cream though. You can eat your ice cream cones in the car with the air conditioner running.

I vacuumed the can light sockets in the bathroom ceiling this afternoon in an attempt to get rid of the ants. This was a wasted effort. Even though the dead ants are falling directly below the can lights, there were no ants to be found when I removed the bulbs from the light sockets. Ants and debris are still falling from the ceiling. My success with the pumps was short lived as well. It just started raining again and my one remaining pump is no longer working. It's probably that same pecan tree again. When the limbs get wet they droop down and some even touch the roof. The moving limbs probably knocked over the pump again. This house can be very discouraging at times. I think I just heard the ominous drip of a roof leak.

I charged the laptop and installed security updates this afternoon. I think I'm ready for the trip now. Working with computers is much easier than dealing with household problems. The computers are old but not nearly as old as the house. 

We need to take Dawn to the vet tomorrow morning for pre-dental lab work. It's time to have her teeth cleaned again and they want to make sure she is OK for anesthesia. Getting her teeth cleaned is probably a big reason why Dawn doesn't like the vet. Healthy teeth are important though. For people and animals. 

Sure wish the pumps were working this evening. We're getting a lot of rain.

Cookie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4431

Dawn got a clean bill of health at her exam this morning. She's lost a little weight and all her lab reports looked good. Our appointment was very early this morning, but it left the rest of the day free. Basically Dawn is a very healthy dog with a lot of anxiety. She definitely didn't like going to the vet this morning. I think she knew right away that we weren't going for ice cream.

Against my better judgement, I went up on the roof after we got home from the vet and cleared away the remaining standing water and what was left of the Fall leaves. I was pleased to see that more water had evaporated than I anticipated, but not so pleased to discover a few new tears in the elastomer that will have to be patched. It was a little harder getting down from the roof than it used to be, but the job needed to be done. Now I can work on removing the stains from the living room ceiling again. I wish I could find someone to go up on the roof for me, but it's a weird job and if someone doesn't know what they're doing they could easily ruin the fragile roof.

Janet was determined to get Dawn to walk this morning. Eventually we made it around our short one mile loop. Dawn was fine after we got off the street that leads to the park. She just doesn't like that street early in the morning. I'm not looking forward to walking Dawn when Janet is on vacation. Maybe we'll just stay in the yard for a while. If Dawn freezes in place it often takes both of us to get her home again. At least she's a healthy dog. A little weird maybe, but that's a lot better than being sick.

I'm pretty healthy too, but I feel like a cripple when I take my long walks these days. I don't think there is much I can do about the foot pain. The cartilage that used to provide a cushion is mostly gone now and I don't want to resort to steroid shots. I don't want to do the fusion surgery either. It seems like having all the little bones in your feet fused together would make walking really awkward. Sometimes I think going back to the gym would be better, but using my other joints is no picnic either. Walking is still better than doing something that puts a lot of strain on my shoulders or knees.

I still got 20,000 steps today, but I'm walking really slow now. I guess that's OK. It gives me plenty of time to think about other things I might be doing. So far, I haven't come up with anything. Most things end up being like my experience with the star tracker. I like to learn new things, but as soon as I get reasonably good at something I lose interest. As soon as I get one really good picture using the tracker it will probably go back in the box. 

The duck hasn't returned to our yard, so I guess it was just passing through. I probably should have encouraged it to stay because it looks like it was eating grubs. We've always had problems with grubs in the backyard. They live underground and eat the roots of our grass. I think grubs are one reason it has always been difficult to get grass to grow in the yard. Ducks and dogs aren't always a good mix though. Most of our dogs would have tried to kill the duck. Dawn would have probably been scared of it.

This week has really gone quickly. I was going to wash the car today but that would have violated my one task a day rule. Surviving another trip up on the roof was plenty for one day. I'm sure Dawn would say that surviving a trip to the vet was plenty for her as well.

Landry is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4346

I think I've caught up on my to-do list. I've made my remaining medical appointments, paid my mid-month bills, and did some small chores around the house. There is a much longer list of things I'm trying to avoid. I don't think I'll ever complete that list because I'm better at avoiding things than I am at actually doing them.

Today's big event was taking Dawn to the vet. It was a short visit but it didn't feel that way. Dawn hates riding in the car. She's not wild about being at the vet either. All we had to do today was check her urine to see if she was developing crystals or bladder stones again. 

We don't have the test results yet, but hopefully the results will be good. Dawn certainly looks and feels healthier than she was before the stones were removed. The vet said that Dawn needed to lose some weight and he and Janet discussed meds to control her anxiety. I'm not a big fan of these type of meds, but you can't tell a dog to "just get over it," so I'll go along with what the vet recommends. Dawn definitely is a very anxious dog.

I'm getting tired of walking six miles every day. I'm actually getting tired of writing the blog too, but I've got to do something to keep the body and mind active. Most people would probably take a class at the gym, do some volunteer work, or join a group of like-minded people. Not for me. Walking in the woods and writing late at night when the house is quiet are perfect activities for a loner like me.

I have thought about walking on the other side of the lake for a little variety. There are different types of trees and different species of ducks over there. I've actually tried this several times and always return to my tried and true paths. My side of the lake is better. I think the eagles probably agree. I don't know exactly where their nest is, but it's definitely on this side of the lake. The White Pelicans always return to this side of the lake too. It's those obnoxious green Monk Parakeets who make their home on the other side of the lake.

I got a notice today that NASA is inviting journalists to apply to attend the Artemis 1 roll out in December. Should I do this? The rocket isn't actually going to launch in December, but seeing it moved out to the launch pad for final tests should be pretty spectacular. The Artemis rocket and mobile launcher are huge. I think the media is going to be allowed to get pretty close as Artemis is slowly moved to Pad 39B by the same giant crawlers that moved the Saturn V moon rockets to the pad. I have a feeling that I'll apply, now that I've convinced SpaceFlight that I'm their launch reporter for the Artemis program. Too bad these trips are so expensive. If I were rich, I'd be down there every month.

When I was channel surfing while eating breakfast this morning I noticed that there were two different trials being broadcast live on two different channels. I don't think trials should be broadcast at all. It just turns the whole thing into a circus. A lot of people love a circus though, so the practice will probably continue. I'm sure the broadcast networks have focus grouped live trials and realized that they get much better ratings than most daytime fare. Wouldn't you rather watch a murder trial than The Price Is Right? To me live trials are just one more reason to quit watching TV.

It's hard to believe that it's going to be Thanksgiving next week. Where has this year gone? It's kind of like 2021 never happened and 2020 was just an extra long year. Hopefully Covid won't still be a hot topic in 2022. I don't think the virus will ever go away, but maybe as hospitalizations continue to decline and the virus starts competing for attention with heart attacks, strokes, and Fentanyl deaths, people will just forget about it. 

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4345

I tried to repair a tear in the carpet with duct tape today. If that sounds just as pitiful as trying to repair body damage on a car with duct tape, it is. The tear was created years ago when one of our dogs tried to eat the carpet. I slapped some tape over the tear, thinking that I would replace the carpet soon. That never happened. Now the original tape has worn away and the tear is exposed again. I went to Home Depot and found some brown colored duct tape, since the carpet is brown. The colors didn't match of course, and I'm thinking now that my second repair looks even worse than my first one. We still need a new carpet, but a new roof comes first. I'd hate for a roof leak to ruin a brand new carpet.

I'm still frustrated by my apparent inability to get things fixed. I used to have a group of trusted repairmen who could fix just about anything. I knew really great carpenters, plumbers, electricians and more. One by one, all of them have either retired or died. Now, if I need something done I guess I'm going to have to use Angie's List or something similar. I hate having strangers in the house as well. They upset the dogs and make me nervous. It's hell getting old and having the world change on you. If this was still 1975, everything in the house would be fixed by now. 

My feeble attempt to get things done today also included sending a message to NASA to try and clarify my status for a number of upcoming launches I want to attend. I also wrote a letter to my sister and took it to the post office. I wish she would read the blog so I wouldn't have to repeat myself so often, but she is a confirmed Luddite and doesn't like to use the Internet. I also bought a new sink strainer for the kitchen sink while I was looking for colored duct tape. I've almost quit using the garbage disposal because I've convinced myself that debris in the pipes is what causes them to get clogged. I have no evidence that this theory is true, but I'm always looking for a better sink strainer.

My feet felt better on my walks today. I can't figure out why they hurt on some days and are fine on others.   I always wear the same shoes and follow the same paths. I usually get the same amount of sleep as well. A little more consistency would be appreciated. I've always disliked surprises and hate it when the car won't start or a toilet starts running. I wish everything would stay the same. This is probably why the weather is seldom my friend. The weather is always full of surprises.

Dawn has a vet appointment tomorrow to check and make sure she is not forming stones again. She seems fine since the bladder stones were removed a few months ago, but as with all medical matters it is better to be safe than sorry. We're hoping that we can get her off the special Hills Prescription Diet the vet suggested, but actually Dawn seems to like it. I don't know why I've never liked Hills. It's probably the ingredient list. The food seems way too processed. 

I'm trying to look up when I walk so I'll see the eagles more often. All I saw today was a lot of road construction on the main road through the park. I wish they'd just take all the roads out. The place would be a lot more peaceful without all the people.

Alvin is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4257

Dawn is fine. The vet was able to flush a large number of stones from her bladder and no surgery was needed. I was a little worried when the vet called while I was fixing breakfast and told me that Dawn's bladder was empty. He wondered if we had let her go pee before we brought her over. Nope. We did everything exactly as we were instructed. It turned out that Dawn had peed in her kennel run while they were getting ready to do the procedure. Plan B was to give her intravenous fluids and let her bladder fill again. This worked and a few hours later the stones were removed. Her teeth were cleaned as well while she was under anesthesia so she wouldn't have to be anesthetized again a few months later for her scheduled annual teeth cleaning. A sonogram after the procedure confirmed that all the stones are gone and Dawn was able to come home early this afternoon. The vet told us to expect blood in her urine for a day of two, but that the procedure had gone very well.

I'm sure today's events won't do much to alleviate Dawn's fear of riding in the car. Is she going for an ice cream cone at Andy's, or a trip to the vet? Both destinations are in the same general direction. Being anesthetized today certainly didn't ruin her appetite. Dawn was really hungry this evening and I had to feed her a little early.

I was planning to get my car safety inspected today, but the two places I tried both had long wait times and wanted me to leave the car. I used to be able to go to the Land Rover dealer and get an inspection done in fifteen minutes. Those days are gone. When I called Land Rover today they told me that a state inspection would take at least five hours. What this really means is that the dealership is short handed and there aren't enough mechanics. Apparently, nothing works smoothly in a post Covid world. So many things I used to take for granted just don't function the way they used to.

This morning was pleasant, but by the time Dawn was safely home again and sleeping on the bed it had become far too hot for a walk in the park. I went to the gym and discovered that even more treadmills had broken since my last visit. Another example of a dysfunctional world. Why is it proving so hard to fix these machines? There must be over a dozen broken treadmills now. Since we didn't take a sunrise walk with Dawn this morning, I had to work a little longer to get today's steps. Three miles inside always seems a lot longer than three miles outside.

Now that school is back in session, I've had to change my route to a number of locations. You definitely don't want to get stuck in a line of cars waiting to pick their kids up from school. If you are near a school zone, the right hand line is often completely blocked with cars and the other lanes become even more crowded. Drivers in Dallas are rude on a nice day. When school is in session they become even worse.

It would be hard to find someone less interested in politics than I am, but I'm horrified at what's happening in Afghanistan. Why won't Biden just admit that he screwed up royally? It was his decision alone to remove the military before protecting the civilians. He keeps doubling down, blaming everyone else, and looking befuddled and senile while he's doing it. If this is what 'having an adult in charge' looks like, we're all in big trouble.

It's time to make a grocery list again. Whenever I'm out and about, it's become increasingly apparent that merchants and their customers have grown sick of all the conflicting social distancing and mask mandates. It's a free for all now and everyone is just doing what they want. 

Blackjack is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4256

It was a busy day. When we took our sunrise walk this morning, Dawn wanted to do her one mile loop in reverse. This was surprising because she hasn't done this before. I thought she was just going to poop in the little meadow behind our house and come back home, but she found the trail and continued her regular walk backwards. I always think that Dawn is set in her ways, but she's probably more flexible than I am. She certainly does surprise us from time to time. I wonder what's going on in her head.

I went to the gym today because it was really humid outside and I needed to run some errands anyway. The place was fairly empty this morning. I did a perfunctory two mile walk on the treadmill and then came home again. On the way home I stopped at Sprinkles to get cupcakes for Janet's birthday celebration and then at Central Market to get some champagne. They have little bottles that are perfect if all you want is a single glass each. I discovered that 3 PM was the perfect time to go shopping. All the other shoppers were waiting in long lines wrapping around every school zone to pick up their kids. I was the only person in Sprinkles and Central Market was surprisingly empty. There were a ton of parking places today which is almost unheard of.

We went to a nice Italian restaurant for a birthday dinner this evening. We've been going to this restaurant for many years and it is one of Janet's favorites. Even though they've moved to several different locations over time, the menu is still exactly the same. We were around 43 when we discovered this place. Now we are both 73. Time flies. When we were younger we used to go out a lot. Then we got Dalmatians. Life is different now, but I think it is much better. I can't imagine not having a dog anymore. We tried, but Dawn quickly reminded us that dogs rule.

We always have cupcakes and a glass of champagne on birthdays. I can't remember when we started this, but it seems like we've been celebrating like this forever. I'm surprised that I can even write the blog tonight. Wine with dinner and champagne with dessert is a little rich for me. We'll sleep in later tomorrow. Actually, we need to sleep in later because as soon as we wake up tomorrow, we've got to take Dawn straight to the vet with a full bladder. This will be interesting because the first thing Dawn does every morning is go outside and pee. Apparently, a full bladder makes it a lot easier to flush the bladder stones out. I hope this plan works. The back up plan for tomorrow is still surgery.

We got some rain today, but not as much as yesterday. It was purely accidental, but we planned our sunrise walk perfectly. Five minutes after we returned home, the skies opened up and we got our heaviest rain of the day. I'm glad the pumps on the roof are still working. I'm not looking forward to going up there at all. At some point I'll probably have to go clear away all the residual water. The pumps help, but there's still a ton of water on the roof after the pumps can't remove any more. I'm hoping that the standing water will just evaporate again. A few more hot days and it probably will.

Tomorrow I'll probably just worry about Dawn a lot. Whatever happens, she'll be at the vet for most of the day. Rain is out of the forecast for now and it is supposed to be hot tomorrow. I'll probably go to the gym unless something unexpected happens with Dawn. I'm hoping that it will just be another uneventful day.

Spot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4255

More rain today. We didn't think Dawn would walk at all this morning, but she surprised us and did pretty well. The skies were dark and ominous looking all day, but by carefully watching the weather radar we were able to take our sunrise walk a little later than usual. I was also able to take my long walk later in the day, although I did get a bit wet.

I always watch the morning news while I drink my smoothie and today's news was as dismal as the weather. I felt foolish complaining about anything as I watched what is happening to those people in Afghanistan. Was this preventable? Probably. Will it get even worse? Definitely.

The people in Haiti aren't doing too well either. Janet knows some people from her home town who run an orphanage in Haiti. They keep hanging in there through one disaster after another. I wonder what gives people the resilience to deal with impossible conditions. I cope with prosperity fairly well, but I don't know how I'd deal with sustained adversity. A little roof leak is enough to send me over the edge.

With no work projects to speak of and little to do around the house, I depend on daily walks. I set out on today's walk without waiting for the rain to stop. There was a light drizzle for the first few miles, but it actually felt pretty good. It is almost unheard in Dallas of to have temperatures in the 70's in August. This was the first time in ages that I was able to complete my long walk without getting hot and sweaty. I did get wet though. The local ducks and geese were all in their usual places, but they looked pitiful today. Some of them looked too wet to fly. It makes me wonder where animals go during a bad storm. They must have a place to hide.

I'm glad the pumps are still working. I just don't have the energy to climb up on the roof and monkey around with them anymore. I can't believe that I used to occasionally go up on the roof during a storm. In a few more years I probably won't be able to go up there at all. It's not that safe on the roof and my balance isn't as good as it used to be. It would be nice to live in a brand new house without any problems, but that ship has sailed. It's not going to happen. I don't think a problem free house exists anyway. It's a fantasy.

I made reservations for dinner tomorrow. We don't do much these days, but we do still celebrate birthdays. Time passes so quickly. We were the youngest people in the neighborhood when we moved here and now we're the oldest. We're both still fairly healthy though and have a lot to be thankful for. Janet is two months younger than me but often seems years younger. I guess a positive attitude is beneficial after all.

I'm still a little worried about Dawn's vet appointment on Friday. If they aren't successful at flushing out her bladder stones, I think they are going directly to surgery since she will already be under anesthesia. The surgery is considered very safe, but I always worry about surgery. It would take a lot to get me to consider any type of elective surgery. I think I'd rather live with a bad knee than have a knee replacement.

Hopefully the weather clears up a bit tomorrow. We've definitely had enough rain.

Lucy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day