Day 4914

I spent way too much time today trying to decide whether to abandon U-Verse and go to a streaming service instead. I don't know why I even care, since I don't watch TV much. It seems like something I need to do though. U-Verse is on the way out and AT&T doesn't want to support it anymore. I'm pretty sure our TV and home network will support streaming, but I'm always wary about doing anything new with electronics. There's always something they don't tell you about and you end up spending hours talking to a customer support person who doesn't really understand your problem. Streaming is a lot cheaper than U-Verse, but like everything else, the price is just an illusion. The price will keep going up year after year and then one day I will discover that it is actually more expensive than U-Verse.

My main reservation about streaming services is that they depend on my Internet connection which is never as fast as it claims to be. At least the U-Verse TV doesn't depend on WiFi or my network router. It just hooks up straight to the fiber optic cable. First world problems, I guess. I'm sure I'll end up getting some sort of streaming service and then end up hating it.

I had to pick up a prescription today and I still can't figure out how GoodRx works. The pills I picked up today had a list price of $113. On my Part-D prescription drug plan the Co-Pay was $18. On GoodRx the price was only $5.00. What is their business model? I don't see how they can offer prescription medicine so cheap, especially when the app is free to use. It does seem weird and more than a bit wrong that a prescription price could vary so much. $113 vs $5 is quite a big difference.

Not much happened today, but what else is new. We had a very pleasant early walk with Dawn and then I had a not so pleasant longer walk later in the day. The warmer weather still hasn't forced me to go to the gym, but I'm thinking about it more. Did I really walk in the park all last summer? I do remember some very hot days last year, but I don't remember fighting the heat every single day. I did used to go to the gym a lot more, although I can't remember why. One of these hot days will be a tipping point for me though. I'll go back to the gym and wonder why I didn't go sooner. The best thing about my gym is that it is always cold. When we start having triple digit days, it will be worth the drive just to stay cooler.

I'm still having trouble sleeping because of the pain in my shoulder. I'm pretty sure I just pulled a muscle mowing the grass, but Janet says I should see a doctor. I'll wait a while. If I went to the doctor for every ache and pain I had, I'd be going every day. If I went to an orthopedic guy about this, they would take an x-ray, tell me nothing is wrong, and then tell me to use Voltaren when I'm uncomfortable. Been there, done that.

This week has gone quickly. Tomorrow is grocery day for Dawn. It is her favorite day of the week. I'm not sure if I have a favorite day of the week. They all seem pretty much the same to me.

Lacey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4904 - Memorial Day

Today was a two part day. I walked in the morning and wrote in the afternoon. It didn't feel like I accomplished much, but my article is basically done. I just need to wait until the AX-2 astronauts return on June 1 and then I'll finish things up and send the article to the magazine.

I was sleepy this morning and didn't feel like getting out of bed, but you can't procrastinate when you've got a dog waiting for a walk. These early morning walks are nice, but it warms up quickly. By the time I was ready for my long walk after breakfast it was already too hot.

I'm going to have to go out and find some more shredded wheat soon. I'm almost out and it's only Monday. There's still plenty of fruit though. After breakfast I thought about fixing the screen door, but I didn't have enough staples for the staple gun, so that gave me an excuse to put the job off for another day or two. I quickly reverted to my regular routine of checking my messages and getting ready for my long walk.

If I ever needed an excuse to return to the gym it will be summer temperatures. It really wasn't bad today but the warmer weather gave me a feel for what is coming. I don't think I can handle being outside in triple digit temperatures anymore. The gym is air conditioned and has a nice indoor track. It also has everything I need to work on rebuilding muscle mass. All I need to do is get motivated.

The park was busy today. There were more bicycles and joggers than on a typical weekend. At first I was confused and then remembered it was Memorial Day. Everyone must have gotten the day off. I completed my six miles, trying my best not to get mowed down by speeding cyclists. I think I prefer walking on winter days when nobody is out and about.

I was wondering when the roofers were going to call wanting the rest of their money. They called today and apparently want to be paid tomorrow. That's fine. I'm ready to put the new roof behind me and move on to other things. The new roof still hasn't been tested by a heavy rain, but that's bound to happen soon. Lots of people in the area got rain today, but it was all to the north of us. I hope the roofers come back to inspect things after the next big storm. They promised that the new roof will drain well. I'm a bit skeptical but am hoping for the best. I really don't want to be climbing on the roof to remove standing water ever again.

I spent the afternoon writing my article about the AX-2 Mission. The article is basically done unless something surprising happens on the final days of the mission. I had to look at my old article about the AX-1 Mission to make sure that I wasn't duplicating the previous article. The two private missions to the space station are basically the same. This new article was a little shorter than I anticipated, but I think I mentioned everything important. I'll edit some of the pictures I took tomorrow and then submit the article and pictures to SpaceFlight as soon as the astronauts return to earth.

I hope my new driver's license comes soon. I hate loose ends and won't feel comfortable traveling until the license arrives. I have a temporary license, but it's just a piece of paper and doesn't look very official. I doubt that the temporary license would open any doors at Kennedy Space Center. I dread renewing my passport. That's going to make renewing the driver's license look easy. They say it can take up to a year to renew a passport now. Why? I've got some time, but I imagine that conditions will be even worse when it's time for me to renew. It's hard to get used to the fact that nothing works smoothly anymore. 

Emmitt is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4781

I really thought the leaks had finally stopped when I woke up this morning. Not so fast. Around mid-morning when I was checking my e-mail, I heard the sound of dripping water again in the office. Luckily I was home at the time. I placed a bucket under the new leak and realized that I was going to have to go up on the roof and remove the remaining standing water. Damn. There is typically a lot of standing water that the pumps can't remove after a heavy rain. If I did nothing, these leaks might continue for weeks.

I don't use a ladder to get up on the roof. There is a decorative brick wall in the front of the house with protruding bricks that provide a toehold that allows me to climb to the carport. From there it is easy to access the rest of the roof. The whole process is kind of like urban rock climbing. When I was younger it was a piece of cake to climb up on the roof. Now, not so much. With bad knees, a dislocated shoulder, and deteriorating upper body strength the short climb is a bit daunting. I made it up today, but I really need to avoid making this a habit.

The roof was a mess. One of the pumps had clogged and I found several tears in the elastomer coating that seals everything. After surveying the damage, I wasn't surprised that the roof was leaking. I swept all the standing water over the edge of the roof with the big push broom that stays up there permanently. This stopped the leaks inside the house, but the bad news is that there is more rain on the horizon. If I was a rich man I would just walk away from this house. It has become an evil entity that mocks me.

Aside from dealing with the troublesome leaks, it was a fairly normal day. It was warmer than yesterday, so walking was a bit more pleasant. We slept in a bit later this morning so we didn't need flashlights when we took our early walk with Dawn. The ground was surprisingly dry, considering what I was dealing with at the house. Dawn had a nice walk and I had a nice breakfast after we returned home. 

I waited until it warmed up a bit before taking my long walk in the park. It was still a little chilly when I left the house, but it was a beautiful day. Walking is still a great way to kill time. I probably got more exercise clearing the water off the roof, but walking was a lot more fun. As an added bonus, I didn't have a lot of foot pain today.

Against my better judgement, I ended up applying for the Crew 6 NASA Social today. I probably won't get accepted, since I have already been to several of these events in the past. It's hard to pass up an opportunity to return to Kennedy Space Center though. These periodic social media events often provide better access to normally off limits parts of the space center than a regular press pass, so if I do manage to get accepted it will be an interesting trip. I attended the Crew 1 launch, as well as the private Inspiration 4 and Axiom 1 missions. These crewed missions are never routine and are always exciting. Wish me luck. We'll see if I get accepted.

This week has gone quickly. I actually forgot is was Thursday until Janet told me it was time to take the trash out to the curb. I'm glad the leaks have stopped but I'm not looking forward to next week at all. Right now the forecast is showing a strong probability of rain for the entire week.

Jazz is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4755 - New Year's Eve

Well, 2022 is a wrap. It was a pretty good year all things considered. There were no medical emergencies. Dawn is healthy. Janet and I are healthy. I got to take a few fun trips this year. I'm still writing and I'm still managing to take at least 10,000 steps every day. Hey, today I got 20,000 steps. Not bad at all. I have no big goals anymore, but life has been good. If next year is more or less the same, I'll be happy enough. There's not a lot to prove anymore.

Dawn was excited to take a walk today. I don't think she will ever understand that she could have taken a walk every day last week. Dawn wanted to keep going this morning, so we walked an extra mile. She is happy again, since her world has returned to normal. Instead of our usual weekend breakfast, I fixed french toast this morning. It was a nice change of pace.

My grocery list wasn't large today, but I had to go to several stores. All the stores were crowded and food keeps getting more expensive. It seems strange to me how much simple things like bottled water, cheese, and strawberries have gone up in price. I wonder where this will end. I still believe that everything that goes up must eventually come down, but I've been waiting a long time. I'm glad I had some good years when I was younger, or things would be looking pretty bleak.

When I took my long walk this afternoon, I saw the eagles again. The birders in town must have some kind of secret network where they immediately tell each other whenever the birds are in the area. I've never seen the birds without a large contingent of people with cameras nearby. It only seems to take minutes for a large group to assemble. Most of them have huge telephoto lenses and tripods, so it's not like they were just wandering through the area. When the eagles are gone, the cameras are gone. It's still a mystery how these people find out about the birds so quickly.

It's amazing how quickly the weather changes around here. I've still got freeze covers over all the outdoor faucets, but the temperature got up to 70 degrees this afternoon. That's quite a change in less than a week. I wore shorts on my walk this afternoon and wasn't cold at all.

Dawn is definitely a weird dog. All our other dogs have been scared of the vacuum cleaner. When I vacuumed the bedroom this afternoon, she just sat on the bed like a little diva and looked at me. She wasn't scared at all. Of course when I finished with my chores and sat down on the bed to take a quick nap, Dawn immediately left the room. The fact that I'm more scary than the vacuum cleaner just isn't right.

People are already shooting off fireworks in the neighborhood. Fireworks are another thing that doesn't seem to bother Dawn. She just ignores the noise. I have no interest in fireworks myself. It just seems like a strange way to celebrate. We'll stay up till midnight and ring in the new year with a glass of bubbly. It seems like eons ago when I was always playing at someone's New Year's Eve party when the band was together. I won't be doing that again. It probably won't be that long until we don't even bother to stay up until midnight anymore. The older I get, the more one year starts to seem exactly like the next.

Dot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4751

Dogs love consistency. As luck would have it, so do I. Dawn and I do exactly the same things at the same time every day and this consistancy seems to help us both. I've turned off Janet's alarm clock and we sleep until 8 AM now. I've learned how to make the bed while Dawn is still in it because she refuses to leave her spot on the bed. I get dressed, fill Dawn' water bowl with fresh water and then make her breakfast. I take it back to the bedroom and then go out to the kitchen and start fixing my own breakfast. I can hear her eating because the tags on her coller jingle on the ceramic dog bowl. When I'm sure she has finished eating, I put on a coat, and grab her blue training leash. When she is wearing this leash, she will follow me down to the park. Without the training leash, she won't leave the yard. I always make sure I have poop bags in my pocket before we leave the house. Dawn usually does her business very quickly and then immediately wants to return to the house.

I take my time eating my own breakfast, because a day is a long time to fill and I don't have that much going on. After breakfast I give Dawn her morning meds. She likes to take them in cream cheese. Since it's been very cold lately, I try to wait a few hours before taking my long walk. The walk is more pleasant if I leave around noon. Before I leave I'll take Dawn out to the back yard to pee. She always returns to her place on the bed. That's where she likes to spend her day. When Janet is home, Dawn will follow her around like glue. She doesn't follow me around.

My long walk is always the same. I know where the birds and animals live and keep an eye out for them. Some days I see lots of wildlife. Other days I see none. I always see joggers, dog walkers, and cyclists. The park is a popular place to exercise. For me at least, my walk is a lot better than going to the gym. There are lots of elevation changes and if you keep up a decent pace, the walk is great for cardio health. It's also a great way to kill time. I spend several hours each day walking and usually travel at least six miles. I'm about a mile short now that Janet is gone however, because there is no early morning walk with Dawn. Dawn does not want to go walking with me unless Janet is nearby and I'm not going to make an issue of it. 

The parts I ordered for my broken Waterpik arrived today so I took the unit apart and fixed it this afternoon. I guess I could have just ordered a new Waterpik, but why bother? I'm pretty good at fixing things and I knew that this could be fixed. It's hard for me to give up on something, and the computers, the refrigerator, washer, dryer, my phone, and one of the dehumidifiers have all been repaired. The toilet in the office bathroom need work, but I can't find parts. I have been unable to fix the large sliding glass door in the living room as well. It's way too heavy for me to take off its track by myself and nobody seems to repair these things anymore. I wish I was a better carpenter. I have the tools, but the repairs the house needs are way beyond my modest abilities. I do what I can. For now, it's fixing a broken Waterpik.

Our arctic freeze appears to be over. It was still a little chilly this afternoon, but tomorrow the temperature is supposed to climb back to seventy again. That's fine by me. A week of freezing weather was about all I could handle. I keep thinking that the past few days have been the worst ever, but that's just not true. I remember one winter when our lake completely froze over. No frozen lake this year. Not much snow either in recent years. When I first moved to Texas there were some huge snowfalls along with ice storms that knocked down large trees all over town. All in all, the climate does seem to be getting warmer.

Dawn won't be going to her training class tomorrow. That's fine by her. She and I are getting along fine and she seems to enjoy having a lazy week with nothing on her agenda. I'm sure she will be delighted when Janet returns, but so far things are going better than I expected.

Taylor is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4729

All the Santa Paws gear has been stored away for another year. I literally only use this stuff once a year, but I'm glad I never threw it away. This year's backdrop has been washed and folded. The poles and crossbar have seen better days, but will survive to be used again. The boxes of bandanas and bows for the dogs have been washed and cleaned. My Norman strobe lights still work and all my camera batteries have been recharged. Next year I will probably start complaining again that I'm too old to be doing this, while secretly being pleased that I still can. Back in my studio days I never thought of photography as a physical activity, but it definitely is.

I try not to visit my storage warehouse very often. It's depressing. There are too many things that have memories attached to them that I don't really need. Do I really think I'm going to use a wind sailer again? The fiberglass board and sail take up a lot of space. I have several shelves filled with old Macintosh computers that are worth absolutely nothing. Maybe I should save one as an emergency backup, but do I really need seven? I still have a lot of my Dad's fishing gear, including an almost new outboard motor. I don't even like to fish. For the time being, it's easier to just forget about this stuff.

It was much warmer today. I overdressed for our sunrise walk with Dawn, but that's better than being too cold. Janet had plans so we walked in the dark again. I'll be glad when the days start getting longer. I'm not a big fan of Winter. Since I wasn't able to do my grocery shopping this weekend, there was no fruit to go with this morning's shredded wheat. That won't be a problem tomorrow. I went and did this week's grocery shopping right after breakfast.

I buy the same things over and over again. Almost everything keeps getting more expensive. The weekly price increases aren't dramatic but they are relentless. Maybe they think I won't notice. Over time the increases are getting ridiculous though. Some things I buy regularly have literally doubled in price. Is all this really necessary? The stores definitely aren't spending as much on labor anymore. Self checkout is the norm these days. I don't even use self checkout since I have an app on my phone that lets me bypass the checkout line. Even with all these high-tech innovations, I still miss the way life was in the 70's and 80's. You'd have a hard time convincing me that anything has actually improved over the years.

I should have gone to the gym today, but took another long walk in the park instead. I need to do something different because these walks are getting boring. I used to walk on the other side of the lake when things started to seem monotonous, but I can't be bothered anymore. It's still the same lake. The best incentive I have to keep walking is my Facebook feed. I'm amazed at the number of people I know who have already died. I don't think of 75 as old, but it's definitely not young. Oh, well. I guess I'll keep walking.

Tomorrow I need to take Janet to the dentist for dental surgery. On Friday I go to the eye doctor, who will probably want to schedule me for cataract surgery. It seems like there is always something medical on our calendar these days. Dawn has a birthday coming up soon. At least Dawn is still healthy.

Emmitt is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4461

Well, the return of Winter only lasted one day. The cold front has moved east, clear skies have returned, and by the end of the day the temperature was back in the high fifties. I think we're finally ready for Spring. The forecast shows clear skies and temperatures in the seventies for the rest of the week. It was still very cold when we woke up this morning so we didn't bother to take Dawn on a sunrise walk. She does much better when it is warmer. Later in the day she had a very enjoyable walk.

My shopping list was small this week and I was back home in less than an hour. Even though Janet's doctor says she still treats Covid cases every week, the pandemic appears to be over in Dallas. I saw very few masks in the stores today. I didn't notice any big price increases either. Actually strawberries went down in price. Since I didn't need gas today, I'll deal with prices at the pump later. I hear they have gone up dramatically this week.

Since the weather was nice, I walked my entire route today. My feet were bothering me so I was pretty slow, but who's counting. I'm still pretty slow on a good day. The Hoka boots I've been wanting have been in short supply all Winter, so I'll probably just get another pair of the Bondi 7 shoes I'm wearing now. Too bad these shoes don't last longer, but they're the only things that keep me on my feet.

Sammy, the new mama dog in the rescue program, had her puppies today. Six males and three females. From what I've heard, Mom and the pups are all doing well. They are not at the kennel. Sammy left to be with her foster parents shortly after we took her picture last week. I still think that Sammy might be related to Dawn in some way. Several of the puppies have black ears just like Dawn's.

There is already a new version of the star tracker software. I haven 't even figured out how to use the previous version. I haven't bothered to install the new software yet. It will give me something to do the next time I have a really boring day. I'm beginning to question my interest in astronomy. I see all these pictures on my Facebook feed of people setting up their telescopes in the snow. I would never do that. It's got to be a really nice night before I'll even consider going outside.

I picked up take out for dinner from a new Chinese restaurant in the neighborhood. This was so much easier than going to PF Chang's in Northpark and spending forever looking for a parking place. Our tasty meal was more affordable too. Neighborhood restaurants are a win win. Luckily we appear to be getting a lot more of them. There are quite a few other new places in the neighborhood I'd like to try.

Daylight Savings Time starts tomorrow. I've always preferred Standard Time. I like to wake up to sunlight and not have to wait until past my bedtime to go out and look at the stars at night. Now it will be dark in the morning when we get up and it will be harder to get Dawn to walk in the morning. I wish we could just leave the time alone. Nobody seems to like these twice a year time changes. It's hard to change something once it has become established though. We'll probably be dealing with Daylight Savings Time forever.

It looks like tomorrow will be a good day for Dawn's Sunday outing. The native prairie is turning green again and I'm hoping we'll see some wildflowers. So far, there haven't been many Spring flowers this year. There will always be ice cream though. A nice walk with Dawn and some ice cream is always something to look forward too.

Lance is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4430

We got Dawn to walk this morning by doing our regular route backwards. She didn't want to go down the street first. When we turned around and went toward the field behind our house first, everything was fine. Maybe we should just let Dawn choose where to walk every morning. It would probably make life a lot easier.

I suspect that Dawn was more enthusiastic this morning because it was much warmer than yesterday and we got off to a late start. Dawn doesn't like the cold and I think she'd like to sleep in a little longer. I wouldn't mind sleeping longer myself, but Dawn refuses to walk with me alone, so we walk when Janet has the time. She's the busy one in the family.

After breakfast I went and got a haircut. My hair is a lot thinner these days, but it still grows fast. I always know it's time for a haircut when my eyebrows start getting bushy. I rarely see people and there isn't a pressing need to look presentable, but I still enjoy getting a haircut. It's relaxing in an odd sort of way. I catch up on things with my stylist, who Janet and I have both known for years, and when I walk out the door, life feels a little more organized. A good haircut doesn't make me look any younger. I feel a little younger though.

I think I walked way too long this afternoon. At least that's what my feet are telling me. It was such a nice day that it was easy to keep putting one foot in front of the other. By the time my feet started to hurt, I was already a long way from home. It is hard to believe we were in the middle of an ice storm a week ago. Today the temperature was over seventy degrees. It definitely felt like Spring today even though all the trees were bare.

I've been wondering what happened to the two Muscovy Ducks I usually see on my walk. I haven't seen them for quite a while. Imagine my surprise when I returned home and found a Muscovy Duck in our backyard. I thought this was the female of the pair I see in the park, but Janet thinks it is a different duck because it doesn't have quite as many white feathers. She's probably right because she's much more observant than I am. I wonder where this duck came from? In all the years we've lived here, we've never had a Muscovy Duck in our yard. There have been plenty of possums, a few raccoons, and the occasional armadillo, but we've never had ducks. This duck had no fear of us and didn't want to leave. Oddly, Dawn wasn't even interested in the duck. Some of our other Dalmatians would have been obsessed with a duck in the yard. The duck stayed around for hours but eventually I shooed it away. I knew that if the duck became a permanent resident, it wouldn't take long for Dawn to develop a taste for duck poop. 

I continue to see crowds watching the eagles while I walk. Predictably, there are divided opinions about what to do about these birds. I hear people in the park talking about how exciting it is to see them up close while others whisper that everyone should just leave the eagles alone. The two eagles haven't made it easy for people to leave them alone. They built their nest right alongside one of the busiest streets in town. Everyone knows where these birds are now. I predict that the crowds are going to be around for a while. 

When Dawn and Janet came back from training class tonight I asked how Dawn did. Janet didn't say anything, but pulled out a best in class trophy from behind her back. I couldn't believe it. Dawn has really come a long way. None of our other dogs have ever won the trophy on trophy night. Dash won a few ribbons before he got bored with training class, but he never came close to winning the trophy. I'm not sure that Dot ever won anything. At any rate, even though Dawn is consumed with fears and phobias, she is a very smart dog. We are proud of her.

Jazz is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4427

Lots of walking today. The sun was out. The temperature was much warmer. It was just a nice day. Dawn enjoyed her sunrise walk. We had our usual Sunday breakfast of bacon, eggs, and toast. We waited a while for the ice cream store to open and then we took Dawn on her Sunday outing. I thought the fields we typically walk in might still be muddy, but everything has pretty much dried up. The only evidence that there ever was an ice storm is lots of sand on the city streets and a few small pockets of snow in deeply shaded areas.

Dawn is completely predictable. She's excited to go in the car, scared of the ride itself, and really enjoys 80% of our walk in the park. There's one small section of the park she doesn't like. Unfortunately we have to cross this area to return to the car. I guess we could just turn around at this point, but then she wouldn't get much of a walk at all. Once we're past the dubious area and make a right turn to head up a small hill, Dawn is fine again. The area that Dawn doesn't like looks exactly the same as the rest of the park to Janet and I. Dawn obviously knows something we don't.

The ice cream store still has lots of help wanted signs. They're even offering a signing bonus now. It seems like this would be a nice place to work for a high school kid. It's not hard to serve ice cream and the place is a lot safer than your typical restaurant, since all the customers are drive through and never get out of their cars. What do I know though. Maybe there's some reason that it's a horrible job. The ice cream is good however and it certainly calms Dawn down. 

The park was crowded today. When I passed the eagle's nest on my long walk I noticed that there were two police cars protecting the eagles. I guess each eagle got their own police escort. Why can't regular people get this type of protection? You can get fined up to $100,000 if you mess with an eagle. People mess with each other all the time with no penalties at all. Shoplifters aren't even prosecuted anymore if you steal less than $750. It's a weird world we live in where birds get more respect than your average citizen. 

It's good to be an eagle. I'm not sure how smart these birds are though. They couldn't have picked a worse spot to build their nest. It's right next to a very busy road and large crowds are starting to form on the other side of the road as word spreads about their location. These birds could have had more privacy if they had decided to build their nest at the city zoo. People are going to have to be real careful driving down this road after the eggs hatch. If a baby eagle falls out of the nest and you happen to hit it with your car, you are in a world of trouble.

I'm glad the roof leaks have stopped. If I was younger and more nimble, I would have been up on the roof today, removing the remaining water. I've spent a considerable amount of time up on our roof, but I hesitate to do this anymore. If I do anything on the floor in the house these days, I have to have a plan for how to get up again. Every morning when I wake up, there are so many minor aches and pains that my first thought is always "I'm toast," followed by "How am I going to make it out to the kitchen?" I seriously wonder if I'm going to be able to travel to the observatory at all this year. There's a lot of rough ground out there and no hospital for hundreds of miles.

It looks like a busy week ahead. We'll probably visit the rescue Dalmatians tomorrow. I need to get a haircut soon. And Dawn has her annual exam at the vet later in the week. Three events in one week is a lot for me. Sometimes three events in a month is a lot. How did I ever get so much done when I was younger? It's a mystery.

Landry is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4426

Life is back to normal. It was much warmer today and the snow and ice has virtually disappeared. Dawn was happy to get a morning walk again. It was still chilly early this morning but the temperature was above freezing for most of the day. 

The roads are no longer empty. When I did my grocery shopping this morning the traffic was as bad as it ever was. The only thing strange today was that the grocery store shelves were surprisingly empty. I guess there was a lot of panic buying before the storm and nobody has had time to restock yet. I did manage to find what I needed though. All in all, this winter storm wasn't nearly as bad as everyone expected. We've seen a lot worse. Hopefully this is as bad as it gets this year. I have my doubts though. We've seen a lot of nasty weather later in February.

The leak in the office finally stopped. The leak stopped for a while last night when everything refroze, but started dripping again this morning. Luckily, this was the only leak this time. I can see a little staining in the living room ceiling where I carefully bleached everything clean just last week. This means that some moisture is getting in, but not enough to actually cause a leak. I'm glad I didn't attempt to repair the sheetrock yet. Now I'm going to have to bleach the ceiling all over again. I knew this was going to happen. Leaks always occur when the roof freezes over. I actually think the roof leaks started many years ago when a thick canopy of ice covered the roof for weeks during an extended cold spell. At least the pumps are working again. I pumped quite a bit of water off the roof today. I'm not climbing up there though. With my foot pain, a bad knee, and a poor sense of balance, it wouldn't be a wise thing to do. I'm really hoping to replace the roof this Spring. Still got to find a good contractor though.

Janet has returned to the gym, so I walked by myself today. Most of the roads and trails were dry and I was able to wear my Hoka shoes again. I'm sure this helped, but my feet still hurt. I'm still walking the same distance, but my pace has really slowed down. It's really pathetic how slow I'm walking lately. Just about anybody can pass me now. At least I'm still moving. That's the important thing.

The two eagles that have taken up residence in the park have become quite the local attraction. People call them Nick and Nora now. There was quite a crowd watching the nest today. There are always a lot more people in the park on weekends. I didn't bother to join the group this time. I've already seen the two eagles many times and once I managed to get a few good pictures my interest has started to wane. I'll probably get a few more pictures in the days ahead. There's no hurry though. The pair is expected to remain in the area until Summer.

I didn't bother to monkey around with the star tracker today. The next step will be to take it outside at night and actually try to track and photograph something. It's still too cold for that though. I don't expect any dramatic results because there is so much light pollution in Dallas. Orion is bright enough to see from our back yard though. That's a good place to start. 

I think it's going to be even warmer tomorrow, so it looks like Dawn will get her Sunday outing. Even though Dawn is a lazy dog who loves to lounge on the bed, I could tell that she missed her walks the past several days. It will be good to resume our regular routine again. The regular routine definitely includes ice cream. We all love ice cream.

Zorro is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4382

Thanks for nothing Fedex. My package still hasn't been delivered. When I didn't receive a message this morning saying that the package was on the truck for delivery, I called Fedex again to see what was going on. Jeez. Just yesterday the Fedex guy who called me promised that the lost package had been found and that it would be delivered to me today. The representative I talked to today told me that yes, the package had been found, but that it was still in Oklahoma City. The agent I talked with yesterday had been overly optimistic about getting it the rest of the way to Dallas. 

What? How could this even be possible? Contrary to what every other Fedex customer service representative has been telling me for the past two weeks, my package apparently never even reached Dallas. This seemed hard to believe, especially since I've been hearing stories about exactly where the package was for over a week. Apparently, everything I've been seeing on my Fedex account was a lie. The lady I talked with today said that Fedex doesn't even bother with scanning individual packages while they are in route. All packages headed to the same destination are put in a large container together and only the container is scanned. If your package wound up in the wrong container for some reason, all the subsequent information generated by the system would be wrong.

This far fetched story may be true or it may be one more in a long list of fabrications created by people who know nothing more than what they are seeing on their computer screen. All I know is that the last time I looked at my Fedex account all references to the delivery date had been erased and it just said "Delayed, no delivery scheduled." This is beyond frustrating. It is madness. I'm beginning to think that the only people who work for Fedex are drivers, people with bar code scanners, and offshore customer service agents who just make up answers to customer questions. Absolutely nobody seems to know what is really going on.

I didn't get my package today, but I did get my tooth filled. I knew I was in for trouble when I overheard the dentist tell his assistant, "Hmm, this cavity is interesting. It's not what I expected." Thats when I knew my bill was going to be higher than expected as well. I sat in the chair for a long time and although I couldn't see what the dentist was doing, it felt like I was getting three fillings instead of one. When the dentist was finished, he told me that the cavity was much deeper than it looked on the x-ray. The cavity traveled all the way down the root almost to the bone. "So, I guess if you hadn't caught this now, I would have had to have a root canal," I said to the dentist. "No," he replied, "you would have had to have an implant." The dentist assured me that the tooth was stable now, but my mouth still hurts for some reason. I've had enough dental problems for one year. 

Even though my trip to the dentist and an extended conversation with the Fedex agent took a lot of time, I still managed to get a lot of walking in. Dawn got her sunrise walk. I took another short walk after breakfast, and then two more walks after I returned from the dentist. It wasn't my best day, but I did get 20,000 steps. The temperature was pretty warm today. I was able to wear shorts on both of my afternoon walks.

The traffic was terrible today. I thought everyone would be on their way to grandma's house by now but apparently not. My drive to the dentist's office took almost twice as long as it usually does. Hopefully things will be a little calmer tomorrow. I'm going to do my grocery shopping on Friday, since Saturday is Christmas Day. I don't expect to see my package tomorrow and I can't imagine that it will arrive on Christmas Day. Was today's Fedex customer service story true or just another fabrication? I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

Ziggy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4381

I got a call from Fedex today. The guy told me that they had found my lost package and that it would be out on the truck for delivery tomorrow. This was great news, but I am still a bit apprehensive. The Fedex representative said that it was impossible to change the delivery address back to my home and that the package would still be going to the same Fedex Print and Ship Center where it became lost on the first delivery attempt over a week ago. The Fedex guy assured me that everything would go smoothly this time. We'll see. I really hope this long saga has a happy ending.

I'll have to admit that I was surprised to actually get a call from the Fedex case manager. I've made so many calls about the lost package with no results whatsoever that I was beginning to think the situation was hopeless. Since I am a skeptical person by nature, I'll need to have the package in my hands before I'm willing to concede that this long series of mistakes is over. It would be a nice little Christmas gift though. I really need to move on to and start worrying about something else.

Aside from the surprise call from the Fedex representative, today was pretty routine. I made the bed, ate my regular breakfast and dinner, all while doing a whole lot of walking. I had another 24,000 step day. My feet continue to hurt but I keep soldiering on. I actually made an effort to find some new Hoka hiking boots today, but the shoe I was looking for was out of stock everywhere. This had to be a supply chain problem. Shoes just aren't made in the United States anymore and the boots I want are probably stuck on a ship somewhere. They aren't supposed to be available again until February. I can get a different style of Hoka boot directly from the Hoka company website, but then I'll have to deal with shipping issues again. I'm a little gun shy about delivery services right now.

Several of the people I've gotten to know at Kennedy Space Center are traveling to French Guiana for the James Webb Telescope launch. Must be nice to have someone cover your expenses for a trip like that. I'd have trouble getting a publication to cover cab fare across town. I'm not jealous though. I've become so reclusive that I'm not even sure I'd have the nerve to go to South America. I'll be lucky if I can convince myself to keep traveling to Florida and West Texas.

I think our cold spell is over. The temperature will be in the 70's tomorrow and will climb to the mid 80's by Christmas Day. This might be the warmest Christmas on record here in Dallas. The warmer weather is certainly fine by me. I'm tired of deciding what coat I need to wear every time I go outside. I would never make it as a Northerner. I've experienced some very cold Winters in my younger years, but I've become accustomed to living down South. I'd be happy wearing shorts and a t-shirt all year long.

Tomorrow I have a dental appointment. The dentist says I have a cavity in one of my lower front teeth. I was supposed to have this cavity filled a long time ago, but my hospitalization and gallbladder removal intervened. Usually you feel a little discomfort if you have a cavity, but this tooth feels absolutely normal. I keep wondering if the dentist made a mistake. I guess I should be a little more trusting. There were x-rays taken of this tooth.

I hope my package arrives tomorrow and that the star tracker inside isn't broken. This package has been kicking around the Fedex system for so long that I'm expecting it to have a few bumps and bruises.

Two sisters are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4344

If you've seen one Monday post, you've probably seen them all. Monday's are always the same. That's not a bad thing though. We get everything out of the way in the morning, so we have the afternoon to spend with the Dalmatians at the boarding kennel. It felt warmer when we took Dawn on her sunrise walk. We left the house a little earlier than normal because Janet had a morning meeting. It kind of felt like one of those mornings before the time change. I always watch for coyotes when it is dark outside. I don't want Dawn to tangle with a coyote.

When we returned to the house I tried a wide, flatter cereal bowl instead of the deep one I've been using lately. Sometimes experimentation doesn't work. My shredded wheat kept falling out of the bowl. By the time I was ready for my long walk, it had warmed up enough so that I didn't even need a jacket. I keep looking for the eagles, but they are pretty illusive. Maybe I just don't look up enough. I'm usually looking down when I walk so I don't inadvertently step in a hole. I'm sure I'll see the birds again. There's still a lot of walking to do before the end of the year.

The same three dogs are still at the kennel. One of the kennel attendants told us that someone had been looking at Pepper but that she hadn't been adopted yet. Charlie, Oliver and Pepper are all so active that it makes me glad that we ended up adopting Dawn. I don't think I have the energy for a younger Dal anymore. In fairness, I think that Charlie, Oliver and Pepper would all be a lot calmer in a home environment. There's something about comfy furniture and a big king sized bed that brings out the laziness in almost any Dalmatian. The kennel Dalmatians all seem to love the time we spend playing with them. It is time well spent. Each of these dogs seems to get smarter every time we visit.

The kennel is one of our locations for the upcoming Santa Paws photo events. I noticed that the kennel already has sign up sheets out in the lobby. This is a good location because there is plenty of room to set everything up. Some of the places we've been are so small that it is difficult to squeeze all the gear in. I keep thinking that I'm going to have to add a cane to my growing pile of photo gear. My knees are terrible now and it's not that easy to get up off the floor these days. When you are photographing dogs, you spend a lot of time on your knees.

Thanksgiving dinner and the Santa Paws fundraiser events will be here before you know it. I don't know where this year has gone. It seems like yesterday when we started 2021 thinking that the world was finally getting back to normal. I was sure wrong about that one. Maybe we can finally put Covid behind us soon. I've noticed that the drive-thru Covid testing site that we always pass on our way to the kennel is looking pretty empty these days. A few months ago cars were wrapped all the way around the block at this place.

We got a notice from the electric company that they would be in the neighborhood trimming trees around the power lines later this month. This was always a traumatic event for us because they would butcher our trees. This year we are thinking of asking the crew to just cut the trees down. The trees near the alley where the power lines run would need to come down anyway if we ever move our driveway to the rear of the house. I'm always scared that a big storm is going to blow the trees over anyway. We've lost two large trees to straight line winds already. I loved all the big trees in our back yard when we bought the house. Times change though and I think I'm finally ready to give up on the trees. Janet was ready years ago.

Maybe I can get something productive done tomorrow. I still need to make appointments with the dermatologist and the dentist. I need to write NASA and ask how I can apply for long-term credentials. Some photographers I know only have to renew their credentials once a year. It would be so much easier to plan ahead if I didn't need to worry about getting overlooked or rejected for every single launch. I need to find a carpenter too. I'm tired of looking at the rotting wood on the side of the house.

Honey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4077

I hate getting old. It was a lot warmer today, so I thought I'd inflate my tires and get rid of the annoying warning light on my dash. I struggled to get the heavy air compressor out of the storage shed next to the carport. I'd put the compressor up on a shelf when I was younger and much stronger. Why didn't I put this thing on the floor like a sensible person? When I got the machine going and sat on the pavement to inflate the first tire, I realized that it was very hard to get up again. I went to the kitchen and brought out a chair to sit in while I was checking the tire pressure and inflating it to to proper specifications. I don't know why I never thought of this before. It's much easier to inflate tires sitting in a chair. These tires are supposed to be inflated with nitrogen, but who cares anymore. I'm tired of going to the Land Rover dealer and waiting around for an hour just to get my tires checked. All is well now. The tires were pretty low and they never would have inflated themselves.

The temperature got up to 70 degrees today which just shows you how weird Texas weather is. I thought for a while this afternoon that the air conditioner was going to come on in the house. I'm glad to have the warmer weather back. No more worries about frozen pipes and setting all the faucets to drip before I go to bed at night. I was expecting a lot of mud after the snow melted, but it seems to have just evaporated. The ground was surprisingly dry today.

The roads and trails were dry too, which allowed me to wear my good shoes on my walk today. The shoes made a big difference. My feet still began to hurt after about four miles, but I felt so much better than yesterday. Janet joined me today as well, which helped me to pick up my pace. She tends to walk a lot faster than I do. I'm sure this is because she is in better shape than I am.

I saw a huge possum on the back porch before I went to bed last night. This explains why Dawn has been so interested in smelling things in the yard lately.  We had to watch her carefully when she went out to pee this morning. Possums are beneficial animals, but I don't want our dogs to tangle with one. I have a feeling that the possum is probably living in our damaged greenhouse. There are probably a lot of critters living in that greenhouse.

Dawn is back to taking two walks a day again. She seems happy taking these two short walks. Maybe that all she ever wanted to do. She enjoys smelling things in the park and occasionally gets to greet another dog. She is very particular about other dogs. Some she clearly likes and others she tends to avoid. I'm always careful when we approach another dog, because it's hard to predict how she's going to react.

I wonder if we're ever going to get mail again? We haven't had any deliveries in over a week. Ordinarily, I wouldn't care, but I'm waiting for some copies of SpaceFlight Magazine to arrive from England. These copies with my articles in the October and February issues were mailed just before the big storm hit. I know there are sitting in a bin at the post office somewhere, or maybe in a mail carrier's trunk. I hope they arrive eventually because I know the magazine is getting tired of me asking about the October issue. At least I don't worry about bills getting lost anymore. It's so much easier to just pay everything online.

I'm running out of time to get my tax material prepared for the accountant. I have no interest in doing this anymore. You know what they say about death and taxes though. I'd better get busy. I was always very meticulous about keeping accurate records when I was working. With each passing year I care less and less. I know there have been a lot of tax law changes because of Covid. I hope my accountant knows what they are, because I certainly don't. I still think old people should be exempt from all this stuff. It's hard enough to remember to take my pills every day.

It looks like everything will be back to normal tomorrow. I've got fresh fruit ready for my morning smoothie. The only thing on my calendar is my second Covid shot.

Lizzy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3999

We walked a little later this morning and it made a big difference. I only needed one coat and Dawn didn't need a coat at all. It's amazing how quickly the temperature rises as soon as the sun comes up. We see a lot fewer people now that Winter has arrived. Often it seems like we have the park to ourselves. It's still not easy for me to get up in the morning, but I really need the exercise. Whenever I hear Janet say "thirty minutes" I always get out of bed and get ready to walk. The older I get the more I realize that staying healthy is my responsibility.

There wasn't much on my grocery list this week, so shopping didn't take long at all. People still seem to be hoarding toilet paper and bottled water, but we have plenty. All I really needed this week was fresh fruit. I wish peaches weren't a seasonal product. I always think my smoothies taste better with peaches in them.

I think I've got all my equipment ready to load in the car early tomorrow morning. Janet says that we've been doing these Christmas pictures since 2004 and I've been using the same equipment the entire time. I'm amazed that it still works. I have upgraded cameras over the years, but the strobe lights, the power packs, and all the umbrellas and stands have been used every year. We have quite a collection of Christmas themed backdrops by now, but I can't even find some of the older ones. I like the new, lighter washable backdrops better anyway.

Hopefully, everything will work well for one more year. We only have a single venue this year. Covid has changed everything, including the ways that Dalmatian Rescue is able to raise money for the dogs. I'm kind of dreading wearing a mask all day, but if people working in grocery stores can do it, so can I. I've already discovered that photographers have some of the same problems with masks as people wearing glasses. Your viewfinder tends to get fogged up when you breathe. I was thinking of using my new camera tomorrow, but I decided to stick with something I'm more familiar with. Maybe I'll use the new camera next year.

It's a shame that the virus is spiking again. I never thought that the pandemic would last this long. I think the real problem is human nature. I'm a loner, but a lot of people really like to mingle and socialize. Masks won't help if help the people continue to wear them below their nose. I still see a lot of people pull their mask down whenever they talk to someone. Jeez. That defeats the whole purpose. Lockdowns don't work if people are still having weddings, going out to dinner with friends, and planning holiday celebrations. I never got the regular flu because I always stayed away from children in the Winter. It's probably that simple. Just stay away from other people and you are safe.

I'm mostly just going to be around dogs tomorrow. It's much more likely that my knee or shoulder will go out than I'll catch the virus. Photography isn't really kind to old people. Pretty soon I'll have to just sit in a chair like Santa when I take these pictures. Since dogs come in all shapes and sizes I do a lot of kneeling and even lying on my belly to get the best angles. Hey, staying active keeps you young. I guess I've got to practice what I preach.

I think it's supposed to rain tonight. I hope it's all over with before morning. The last thing we need tomorrow is a bunch of wet dogs.

Emmitt is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3963

What a difference a day makes. Yesterday I was wearing a down jacket and a wool hat on our walk with Dawn. Today I wore a t-whirt. The weather changes quickly here and today was exceptionally nice. I didn't even have allergy problems today. Hopefully this nice weather will last a while, but who knows. This is Texas. Tomorrow it could snow.

We don't even bother walking early in the morning anymore. That was mostly to avoid the heat during the Summer and early Fall. Now even the warmest days are cool enough for Dawn. As a result of this change of schedule, I've been sleeping better. My sleep tracking app says I'm getting more deep sleep now and I'm slowly erasing a long standing sleep deficit. Oddly, I sleep more soundly when there's a blanket on the bed. I don't know the reason for this, but I'll take what I can get.

All things considered, today was fairly productive. I got Colt added to the Dalmatian Rescue website and removed all the standing water from the roof. Updating the website was a pleasure, while working on the roof was a tiresome chore. I don't know how long I can continue doing this. It's exhausting. You just don't see many 70 year old men up on their roof in our neighborhood. I guess I could say the same about mowing my own grass.

The bad thing about colder weather is that the water on the roof doesn't evaporate after it rains. The pumps remove a certain amount, but the rest will remain forever until I clear it away. I always complain about the heat in the summer, but the cold isn't so great either.  I have to remember to wear waterproof boots so my feet won't freeze. It took me several hours to dry the roof off today, but the forecast looks good, so maybe I won't have to do this again for a while.

I think I did a good job repairing the furnace. It's still working normally today. I wish I could say the same about our dehumidifier. It's not working normally at all. The condensation coils keep freezing and the dehumidifier spends most of its time in the defrost cycle. I tried to fix our old dehumidifier, but after spending hours disassembling the thing, I discovered that there were no user serviceable parts. The only service center is about forty miles away. It's a lot easier to just buy a new dehumidifier than to fix a defective one. We live in a disposable society and I've learned the hard way that fixing almost anything these days has become very expensive.

My dealer told me that he sold another train from my collection. What remains of the collection is selling very slowly. There used to be sales every month but now I'm lucky if a buyer shows up several times a year. I may need to make a provision for the collection in my will. I kind of doubt that the entire collection can be disposed of in my lifetime. It's always good to hear about a sale though. This will probably pay for my hotel when I go to the Crew-1 launch.

It's time to make a grocery list again. They say we might have shortages again because Covid cases are rising. I hope this isn't true. I don't think the shortages ever stopped. You can find toilet paper easily now, but a lot of things are still in short supply. I wonder what the end game is? Our whole society wasn't designed to work well in a pandemic. You can put things on hold for a while, but you can't do it indefinitely. I think we're starting to see that now. 

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3953

The weather was warmer today. You can almost tell what temperature it is by how fast Dawn walks in the morning. She seems very sensitive to temperature and walked a little slower this morning. I'm equally sensitive to changes in the pollen count. My allergies have returned with a vengeance. I'm blowing my nose constantly again. It's hard to know what to wear on our morning walks. Sometimes the temperature remains constant. Other times it is ten degrees warmer by the time we return. The only thing constant about Dallas weather is that it is constantly changing. Needless to say, I liked the cool, dry, and allergy free air in the Davis Mountains a lot better.

Today was uneventful. I unpacked my bags, put my stuff away, and set then up a few more accounts for online payments. I guess I'm done with writing checks and paying for things in person. I've even set up an online account for the storage warehouse. I used to pay for my storage space a year at a time. I'm paying month to month now in hopes of getting rid of enough stuff to move to a smaller, cheaper unit later this year. Janet loves to throw stuff away, so she said she'll help.

I got a bid for taking down the big Oak tree in the back year. The bid seemed horrendously high, so I guess I'm get another bid. I wish this tree was healthier, because one of my favorite things about the yard when I bought the house years ago was all the big mature trees. Sadly, these tree are nearing the end of their life. I see trees just like our own trees fall in the park for no reason at all there doesn't even need to be a storm. Every time I see one of these huge trees fall, I wonder if one of our trees is going to be next. I'd hate to have a tree fall into the house, or even worse into the lawyer's house next door.

I have all these cool pictures from my trip, but I decided years ago that I would always include a single square picture taken on the same day as my latest blog post. All I could find today was some pathetic leaves trying their best to show some Fall color. Most of the leaves just turn brown here, but occasionally we get a little color. I guess I could always add more pictures, but I won't do it for the same reason that I always drink a large fruit smoothie every morning. Consistency is everything to me. It drives some people nuts, but I find comfort in doing the same things over and over again. Maybe I'm really a dog. All our dogs have been nervous of changes in their schedule and wanted a very consistent life.

I'm glad I already voted. It looks like the lines are getting longer now. The trouble with social media is that there are no secret places anymore. If there is a polling place without much of a line, everyone takes selfies and brags about how quickly they voted. The next day the place with no line has a huge line. I think life would be so much better if social media didn't exist. We don't really need to know what everyone else is doing.

I wonder when NASA is going to reschedule the Space X Crew 1 launch? I was feeling pretty good about making the trip to Florida when Covid cases seemed to be declining. Now, cases are spiking again almost everywhere. I wonder if we're ever going to get a handle on this thing? I'm pretty good about wearing a mask and keeping my distance, but there's that pesky airline flight to Orlando. I learned recently that a Dallas woman actually died of Covid while she was on a plane returning from Arizona. That's a little unnerving.

Emily is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day