Day 3990 - Thanksgiving

I've got a lot to be thankful for. Janet and I are still together after all these years. We have a wonderful dog even though we both swore we wouldn't get another dog after Dot and Dash died. I'm still healthy. This grows more important with each passing year. Too many classmates have already passed away. I've found several things that I really enjoy doing during my retirement years. Since one of those things is writing about astronomy and space travel and I'm actually getting published, I've managed to convince myself that I'm really still working. It's important to feel like you are still necessary. I don't know how many years I've got left, but I'd be happy to continue living like this for a while longer. Life is good when your expectations are low.

Life was certainly good today. The weather continued to be nice and we had a great walk with Dawn this morning. There was very little traffic on the roads and the park was quiet. I like it this way. After breakfast, I started reading the instruction manual for my new camera and Janet began preparing our Thanksgiving meal. Later in the day I put up the Christmas tree.

Dinner was delicious. We had smoked ham, bacon wrapped asparagus, candied yams, Italian sausage dressing, and cranberry sauce. I seldom drink wine, but a nice glass of Cabernet Sauvignon seemed to go perfectly with this meal. This was Dawn's first Thanksgiving with us. She got some tasty treats, but we made sure not to feed her anything that wasn't safe for dogs. We use to watch the Cowboys game on Thanksgiving, but lately that would spoil the day. The Cowboys are terrible this year.

I used to dread Thanksgiving when it involved going home to visit with family. Now that it's just Janet, myself and a dog, Thanksgiving has become one of my favorite holidays. What could be better than a lazy day, a delicious meal, and a chance to reflect on things. I really prefer Thanksgiving to Christmas now. Christmas has become far too commercialized. Birthdays should just be forgotten. I don't need to be reminded that I'm even older than I was last year.

Even though it was a holiday, it was still trash day. As I took the trash out to the curb this evening I looked up at the sky and wondered if there was any point in being interested in astronomy in Dallas. You can't see anything. It was a clear night but basically all I could see were Mars and the Moon. Light pollution is terrible here and I don't feel comfortable driving at night to a rural location where the sky is darker. I think my stargazing is going to be limited to periodic trips to the Davis Mountains.

I think our new dehumidifier might arrive tomorrow. I've still got to figure out what to do with the old one. In theory, I can get this unit replaced by the manufacturer if I can find an HVAC company who will write a diagnostic report that details what is wrong with the unit. Since the little dehumidifier is almost impossible to disassemble, this might be difficult. Oh, well. One more thing on my to-do list.

I hope that all of you had a nice Thanksgiving. Covid or not, there is still plenty to be thankful for.

Pepper is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3989

I think Dallas has decided the coronavirus is over. People cetainly weren't sheltering in place today. There were traffic jams everywhere and the stores were packed. I had to pick up some last minute items for tomorrow's Thanksgiving dinner and it seemed like the entire town had the same idea. The grocery store that I went to was so crowded that I had trouble moving from one aisle to the next. I got what I needed though. Janet and I will have a nice Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow.

The storm last night was intense, but it was over very quickly. The thin line of storms passed through town at about 50 miles and hour and within fifteen minutes it was all over. We got a lot of rain within a short amount of time and there were some momentary high winds, but we didn't have any damage. One thing we learned was that Dawn does very well during a storm. We all sat together in our pitiful little hallway "safe space" during the worst of the storm and Dawn was completely calm. She just lay down between us and waited until the coast was clear. Petey and Dash would have totally lost it and Dot wouldn't have done that well either. A lot of our former dogs have had severe storm phobias, but Dawn just takes the weather in stride. I think she's more fearful of men than she is of tornadoes.

I succumbed to temptation and got the camera. There was no real justification for this purchase, but I knew that six months from now when the camera was full price again, I would be kicking myself for not getting it when it was on sale. I have plenty of cameras, but this is something I will definitely use. There are several innovative features that will be very useful the next time I find myself at Kennedy Space Center. My next attempt at astrophotography might benefit from this camera as well. At any rate, the deed is done. Now I have to read the instruction manual and learn how to use this thing.

I got a reminder call about my eye exam on Monday. Once you see a doctor about anything, they make sure that you'll continue seeing them forever. My vision is still good, although I need readers now for close up work. My vision would probably be even better if I hadn't spent so many years staring at a computer screen. The eye doctor says that I am slowly developing cataracts, but I can't notice any changes yet. Eventually, I'll have to deal with this, but cataract surgery is still way off in the future as far as I'm concerned. My distance vision is still 20/20 and I want to keep it that way. Good vision is important to almost everything I do. Hopefully the eye doctor won't throw me a curve on Monday.

We had a really nice walk this morning. Last night's storm seemed to have cleared the air and I didn't have any allergy problems at all. Lately it's been a little chilly when we leave the house, but we warm up quickly. Dawn loves the cool Fall weather and has been eager to walk these days. There are days when it's hard to get her out of bed, but today she was waiting at the door for us. It's nice to see her back to her old self. That seizure last month really had us worried.

I hope that tomorrow's celebrations don't cause a big virus spike. I'm tired of listening to pundits attempt to pin the blame for all this on somebody. If there is a huge spike, we'll never hear the end of it. Have a nice Thanksgiving. Eat too much and watch footfall afterwards. Just don't sit grandma right next to your college age kids at the table.

Dot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3988

Today was an exercise in futility. I attempted to follow the instructions from the manufacturer for getting a warranty replacement for my dehumidifier. I called the list of service providers the manufacturer provided and asked about bringing the dehumidifier in so I could get the diagnostic report that was required for warranty replacement. All the repair shops I called said they didn't even work on dehumidifiers and none of them had heard of the warranty replacement program. One of the companies on the approved vendor list had already gone out of business. This was going nowhere, so I called the manufacturer again for some clarification. It appears that the replacement program is real and that my dehumidifier qualifies, but this isn't going to be easy. I think I have a Plan-B now that I'll work on after the holidays.

I also wrote the company that I bought my N-95 masks from and told them that the elastic bands on the masks I had purchased were so dry and brittle that the elastic straps were breaking when I tried to slip the elastic over my head. The only way I've been able to use these masks is to make holes on either side using a hole punch and attach new elastic. The company asked me to send pictures to back up my claim, which I did. They said they'd get back to me. These masks are genuine but I have a feeling that they've been sitting on a warehouse shelf for ten years. Rubber does not become dry and brittle overnight. Will my dehumidifier get replaced under the company's warranty replacement policy? Will the mask distributor send me a replacement for the bad batch of masks I received? Who knows. I don't have high hopes for either of these issues. It is 2020 after all and few things go according to plan. 

The weather forecast said it was going to rain today, so we got started on our morning walk earlier than usual in an effort to avoid getting wet. It never did rain, but it was damp all day. It felt like we were walking in a light mist. By the time we returned home our clothes were wet and we had to throw them in the dryer. Dawn didn't seem to mind the weather. For the most part, dog seem to like damp days. The moisture must make the smells more intense.

I'm still very tempted by the Black Friday camera deal I received a few days ago. I don't really need another camera body, but I'm spending way too much time trying to convince myself that this purchase is actually necessary. Trust me. It isn't. I still may get the camera although it would make more sense to save the money for something essential. I know my weaknesses. I tend to buy gear when I'm bored or have too much time on my hands.

Maybe I'll accomplish something tomorrow. I certainly didn't today. Jeez. I just looked at the radar and discovered that we're under a tornado warning. What else is next. I'd better post this now before the power goes out.

Maggie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3987

No big problems or revelations at today's doctor visit. Apparently my Vitamin-D levels are too high and I need to start taking a smaller dose. All my other lab results were right in line. My A1C levels keep decreasing, so diabetes continues to be less of a worry. All in all, I'm feeling pretty good for a senior citizen with all the usual aches and pains. 

I finally remembered to ask the doctor about my foot pain and my tendency to have coughing spells while I eat. I have referrals now to see a podiatrist and have some imaging done on my esophagus. The doctor wants me to take part in a swallowing study where I swallow a variety of liquids and solids while x-ray imaging is being filmed. The procedure is called fluoroscopy and it reminds me of of those machines they had at shoe stores when I was a kid where you could look through a viewing window and see the bones of your feet in real time. I asked the doctor what would happen if they found a problem. "Well, a speech pathologist will probably show you how to eat your food properly," he said.

We had time to walk Dawn before my doctor's appointment, but I didn't have time for breakfast.  This was a good thing because I wasn't supposed to eat anyway. Surprisingly, I wasn't even hungry when I returned home. I had a piece of toast and a cup of coffee and I was good for the rest of the day. I probably still eat too much, but I'm not gaining weight, so I'm not going to worry about it.

I called the manufacturer of our dehumidifier today and talked to their tech support guy. He told me that my problem was most likely a low refrigerant level in the compressor and encouraged me to take advantage of the company's five year warranty. He said that small portable dehumidifiers were hard to service and the even their own dealers didn't like to work on them. I told him when I bought the machine and he said all I need to do is get a diagnostic report from one of their authorized service centers and the company would send me a new dehumidifier. The only problem is that the closest service center is fifty miles away. The whole process takes a while, so Janet and I just ordered a new dehumidifier on Amazon Prime. I'll probably still do the warranty replacement procedure eventually. You can't have too many dehumidifiers.

Since it was Monday, we went and visited Charlie at the kennel this afternoon. He is always glad to see us and we enjoy playing with him and teaching him new tricks. Charlie is definitely not a calm dog. He's not very predictable either. This is probably why he's been at the kennel so long. Charlie is extremely smart and probably would excel at agility. He does have issues with other dogs however and would require a patient and careful owner. I'm convinced that the right person is out there. Charlie will make a great companion for the right person.

We will be doing Santa Paws pictures at the kennel in early December and I was surprised at how many people has already made reservations. It looks like we'll have a busy day. This wasn't what I expected. I thought traffic would be light because of Covid. Apparently few people are concerned about the virus in Texas even though infection rates keep rising. Oh, well. I've got my new N-95 masks. The chances are higher that I will get bitten by a dog than catch the virus at one of these photoshoots anyway.

Petey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3986

Another cold front must be moving through the area. The temperature actually fell as the day progressed. I only needed a light jacket when we took our morning walk with Dawn, but a warmer coat was required by the time I took my afternoon walk. I was surprised at how cold it was this afternoon. The rain we were expecting has been postponed until Tuesday as well. All this is fine by me. I do wish the weather was more consistent though.

I'm getting bombarded with Black Friday deals. This happens every year. These deals always make it extremely tempting to buy camera and electronic gear that I don't really need. Today I was tempted enough by deals on Panasonic GH-5 and Olympus OM-D E-M1X camera bodies to waste about an hour online  researching features while trying to convince myself that I actually needed another camera. I don't. That's never stopped me before unfortunately.

What we do need is another dehumidifier. The performance of our current dehumidifier continues to deteriorate. The symptoms I'm experiencing appear to be caused by either operating in too cold of an environment, a dirty air filter, or leaking refrigerant. The house is pretty warm, the air filter is clean, so it must be the refrigerant. This, unfortunately is expensive to fix and it's a lot easier to just buy a new unit. Maybe it's time to change brands. I have a Friedrich now but the online reviews say a Frigidaire might be the better choice. This is what I do on uneventful days. I don't watch Netflix movies or get distracted by politics. I methodically research my next purchase.

The only thing I bought today was socks. REI had the wool hiking socks I like for 30% off. I don't know why socks have gotten so expensive, but if you walk a lot you've got to have good socks. While I was at the store, I picked up a small LED headlamp. I've been meaning to do this for quite a while. This headlamp has a red setting that won't affect your night vision and will be very useful the next time I attempt astrophotography or photograph a rocket launch at night. It's harder than you think to adjust camera settings in the dark without a red light that won't ruin your night vision.

We got a late start on our morning walk, so I got to sleep in again. Janet and Dawn like to get up earlier than me, so I'm usually struggling to get ready in time. Maybe it would be easier to get up early if writing the blog wasn't the last thing I did every day before going to bed. Lately, these posts have been taking longer than usual. The writing is easy when something interesting happens. Uneventful days can be a challenge.

I have to remember not to eat breakfast tomorrow. I have a semi-annual physical at my doctor's office and I have to fast for the blood work. I need to remember to ask why I frequently have coughing spells while I am eating and why my feet hurt all the time. Neither of these conditions are new. I just forget to ask about them. Maybe I'll wear one of my new N-95 masks and see whether the doctor notices. I guess I should ask about my insect bites as well. They still haven't cleared up.

Dawn continues to have much more energy and enthusiasm than she did before her seizure. It's hard to believe that a simple course of antibiotics and Prednisone would make such a difference, but Dawn is definitely feeling better. Maybe the cooler weather helps as well. At any rate, it nice to see her enjoying life again. Now I just need to find a little more energy myself. I didn't hear a thing about Dealey Plaza or the Kennedy assassination on the news today. I think the world has forgotten about it.

Chelsey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3985

Good grief. People have started hoarding toilet paper and water again. Last week there were mountains of toilet paper at the grocery store and this week the shelves were completely empty. The water was almost gone as well. Customers were leaving the store with buggies filled with bottled water. Has anything changed? Nope. Stores and restaurants are still full. Roads are still crowded with cars. Apparently mass panic has returned however. People in Dallas may ignore the virus, but they will not be left without toilet paper.

Before starting on my weekly grocery run, we had a nice walk with Dawn and a leisurely breakfast. Neither of us work anymore, but we still sleep in on Saturday like we did during our working years. It was nice to get an extra hour of sleep. There was a light mist when we left the house and I thought it might rain for a while. My jacket felt a little damp when we returned home, but it was just the humidity. I don't think the rain will arrive until tomorrow.

I just noticed that when I get gas now, I get charged an extra dollar on my credit card. When did this start? The mysterious charge isn't added to the gas transaction, it is totally separate. Janet says she gets charged the extra dollar when she gets gas at a grocery store too. I wonder if this has anything to do with using an app to pay for gas? I'll probably never figure out what is going on, but I suspect the charge is here to stay. Somebody in government has decided that they need more money.

I watched the launch of the Sentinel-6 satellite from Vandenberg Air Force Base on NASA TV this morning. I remember going to Vandenberg several years ago for the SMAP launch. It seems so long ago now, but that launch was what got me interested in following launches and becoming a space journalist. Like Sentinel-6, SMAP was also a meteorological satellite designed to learn more about the climate. Vandenberg Air Force is located right near the Pacific Ocean and I recognized a lot of the scenery near the base as I watched this morning's broadcast. Good times, even though I had an accident in my rent car on that trip.

I got Chinese take-out for dinner tonight and when I went to pick up my order I was surprised to see that it was completely dark. It is usually still light outside when I pick up take-out from this restaurant. I couldn't figure out what was going on until I realized that this was the first time we'd had Chinese since the time changed. I can't say that I like the shorter days that come with Winter. It should still be daylight at 6 PM.

Florida mosquitoes seem a lot nastier than Texas mosquitoes. It's been almost a week and my bites still itch like crazy. I've been to night launches in Florida before and never gotten bitten this bad. Maybe it was the weather. I was wearing a t-shirt on Sunday night and was always wearing a jacket on previous trips. That's one nice thing about staying out at night in the Davis Mountains. No bugs.

I wish my gym would reopen on weekends. Sunday is still the best day for me to go to the gym. I shouldn't be choosy though. If Covid cases continue to spike, gyms might close down completely again. It is almost inevitable that millions of Thanksgiving dinners are going to cause another surge. No problems here. It's just going to be the two of us, plus one dog eagerly looking for table scraps.

Ranger is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3984

My editor likes the story and photos I submitted. I think my article will appear in the January issue of the magazine. Now it's on to the next adventure. I'd like to attend the static fire test of the Artemis 1 rocket that's scheduled to take place at Stennis Space Center in December, but that will require NASA approval. We'll see what happens. I applied for credentials months ago but almost forgot about it because the Artemis 1 Green Run tests have had many delays. This static fire would have have already taken place if it weren't for the recent Gulf hurricanes that I believe caused some damage to the test stand. Hopefully I will be approved. This is an easy trip that is much less expensive than going to Kennedy Space Center. I could even drive there is I needed to.

The only place I drove today was to the post office. It was time to mail another letter to my sister who refuses to use the Internet. Now that I pay all my bills online, mailing this periodic letter is the only reason I have to go to the post office at all. On the way home I stopped at the smokehouse again and got a small ham for Thanksgiving. Now I know what to ask for. The little hams are called "chops" because they are cut from the end of a larger bone-in ham. The smokehouse uses them to make sandwiches for customers in the restaurant section of the store. At any rate, I now have a holiday ham that is perfect for two people without a lot of leftovers.

I'm having a hard time getting up lately. We walk at the same time every morning, but it seems like I should be sleeping at least an hour longer. You don't keep Janet and Dawn waiting, so I stumbled out the door and woke up along the way. Our Fall colors are already fading. There are lots of leaves on the ground now, and the ones still on the trees are turning brown. I found a few colorful leaves this morning, but even these will be gone soon.

I've stopped looking at Sprinter Van websites. I have no desire to get an RV anymore. Hotels are much nicer. You can take long showers and you don't have to deal with the dreaded black water tank. I'm no longer looking at Ford Bronco sites much either. The new 4x4 is already sold out through the end of 2021. I wonder why I'm still looking at telescope sites? A good telescope is expensive, quite heavy, and there is nothing to see in Dallas anyway. It probably makes more sense to save my money and make a trip out to the Davis Mountains whenever I need a dark sky fix. 

Old habits are hard to break. I really need to curb my desire to acquire new gear when I'm still trying to get rid of old gear. I had to go to the storage warehouse the other day and the thought of cleaning that place out seems almost impossible. The office is just as bad. I'm a borderline hoarder and get no pleasure out of throwing things away. On the other hand, I'm the first to admit that life would be better if all the clutter was gone and I was just surrounded by things I actually use.

It's time to make a grocery list again. I wonder if I'll ever be able to go to a grocery store without feeling like I'm making a journey into the heart of Chernobyl? The weird thing about living through a pandemic is that you gradually get used to things that would have seemed unthinkable a few years ago. I hope the "new normal" never becomes something we just take for granted. We need to remember that life used to be better than this. I'm still hoping that those days will return.

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3983

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jasper is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3982

My American made 3M N-95 masks arrived today. These are definitely a step above what you can find at the grocery store. The masks arrived a little late for my trip to Kennedy Space Center, but I will use them when Dalmatian Rescue does Santa Paws Christmas Pictures. It's hard to believe it's that time of year again, but it is. We're only doing pictures at a single venue this year. This one is large enough where we can do everything safely. That's fine by me. One day of pet photography is enough. Every December I keep saying that I'm getting too old for this. The show must go on however. It's been a tough year for fundraising and the Dalmatians still need to eat. I hope we do well.

I'm beginning to think that I got bitten by fire ants instead of mosquitoes while I was watching the Crew-1 launch. These bites are starting to look and feel suspiciously like fire ant bites. I've been bitten by fire ants before and they make hard little welts that itch intensely. Also, fire ants are everywhere in Florida. Maybe this is why I got bitten even though I sprayed myself liberally with mosquito repellant. I forget how long it takes for these things to go away, but it can't be soon enough.

I finished my story for the magazine this afternoon and will start sorting through the pictures tomorrow. I will easily meet the new deadline and then will eagerly await publication. This will be the fifth article I've gotten published since I decided to reinvent myself as a space and astronomy journalist. The whole process has been very rewarding. It's nice to know that you can do something new at any age. I'm glad I didn't start out as a space journalist and then decide to get into advertising after I retired. That wouldn't have worked at all.

I wish I could get a mulligan on that one day I missed my Fitbit goal in Florida. It hardly seems fair. Now I have to start all over again and it's going to take a long time to beat my 422 day record. Oh, well. I was just too busy to take a long walk on launch day. This obsession I have with continuity is why I continue to write the blog even though very few people are reading anymore. After 3982 days, you can't just stop. 4000 days is easily within reach and I may live long enough to reach my 5000 day goal after all. Sometimes I get a little jealous when I see a picture of a puppy that has hundreds and hundreds of likes while I only have about ten readers, but I need to remind myself that I'm doing this for me, not you.

We had another very nice walk with Dawn this morning. I still don't understand Dawn's behavior. She's very friendly with me in the morning. She comes up to me wagging her tail and can't wait for me to put on her harness so we can walk. Early in the day I can't detect any difference in the way she reacts to me and the way she reacts to Janet. As evening approaches she typically becomes wary and will often run away if I make any type of sudden movement. She does come out to the kitchen with me when I fix her dinner now. I guess this is progress. She wouldn't leave the bedroom without Janet a month ago.

I guess peaches are gone until next season, but I did get some more strawberries for tomorrow morning's smoothie. I also looked for a smoked ham for Thanksgiving. I guess we're going to eat at home this year. There is a small batch custom smokehouse in the neighborhood that prepares amazingly delicious smoked meats. They had several large hams available, but nothing small enough for two people. They told me to come back Friday. I'll give this a try, but I'll still miss going out to the Melrose for a Thanksgiving buffet.

I'm already getting invited to future launches by Space X and ULA. Unfortunately, I can't afford to travel very far for a while. I'll have to skip a few launches in the months ahead. I'm counting on there being something interesting on the horizon when my bank account recovers.

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3981

My editor wanted a longer article than I had anticipated, so he gave me an extension. This was good news because it was a very busy day. I think I could have finished the assignment, but I definitely wouldn't have gotten anything else done today. The day after I return from a trip is always busy. I had phone calls to return, a stack of bills to pay, files to organize, and a pile of gear to put back in its proper place. I also had to make an appointment with the dermatologist who kept texting me with reminders while I was in Florida. Finally, I made a trip to the grocery to the store to get enough fresh fruit so I could make smoothies for the rest of the week. I washed my dirty laundry from the trip last night, but it was still sitting in the dryer. All these simple tasks took me forever because I am slow and forgetful.

Although I didn't finish my article today, I made good progress. I'm happy with the draft so far and think the finished article will be interesting. With any luck, I can wrap things up with the text tomorrow and move on to photo editing. Working with the photos will take me longer than writing the article. I'm still trying to figure out why some of the other photographers pictures look better than mine. It's rare that any of the launch photographers use pictures straight out of the camera on a night launch. Lighting is difficult and everyone seems to have their own processing tricks. I'm still learning. That being said, I'm happy with the pictures I took. They definitely look better than the ones I took on the ESA Solar Orbiter launch last February.

The day started as usual with a nice walk with Dawn and Janet. The weather was crisp and cool. Morning temperatures were in the 80's while I was in Florida. It was only 46 degrees here in Dallas when we left the house this morning. Dawn loves these cooler mornings and was eager to get going. She was waiting at the door for me to put on her harness while I was still putting on my shoes. Dawn seems to have finally remembered who I am. She has warmed up to me considerably. Let's hope we are friends again.

I called the rental car company this morning because I saw a big discrepancy between the receipt I got in Orlando and the bill that showed up on a credit card statement that arrived today. I felt pretty stupid a few minutes later when I realized that I was looking at the bill from my previous trip to McDonald Observatory on the credit card bill. The current trip hadn't even been posted yet. That's the trouble with traveling. Some bills arrive instantaneously and others languish for weeks, only to arrive when you have totally forgotten about them.

I didn't have problems with allergies or heartburn at all while I was in Florida. I didn't have random coughing spasms while eating either. It certainly didn't take long for all these problems to return. Is Florida really that different? There are different types of trees in Florida and maybe there isn't as much pollen in the air. I don't know why my heartburn symptoms disappeared. Maybe it was because I mostly just ate Chicken Caesar Salads at dinner. There is a flip side to this coin unfortunately. I am covered with mosquito bites. How did I get all these bites? New one are still appearing. I even used mosquito repellant provided by a nearby photographer while we were all waiting for the launch. Somehow the mosquitoes still prevailed.

Janet and I still don't know what we're going to do for Thanksgiving. Our long standing tradition of going to the Melrose for a huge Thanksgiving brunch may never be an option again. I bet those big buffets at the hotels in Las Vegas won't be an option again either. What a shame. I've learned to navigate the new normal pretty well, but that doesn't mean I like it.

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3980

Sadly, I had to say goodbye to Kennedy Space Center today and return to Dallas. As I made my journey home, the four Crew-1 astronauts were also making their way to their new home for the next six months. Oddly, my return to Dallas took about the same amount of time as the astronauts much longer journey to the International Space Statioon. I'm watching them approach the ISS now on NASA TV. They've been in the capsule over twenty four hours by now. When the launch was postponed for a day, the time required to reach the ISS increased dramatically. If they had launched a day earlier, they could have made the trip in around seven hours. It's all orbital mechanics. If I really understood how this worked I might have been a rocket scientist instead of a guy who wrote jingles for fast food chains.

My own journey home was much simpler. I returned the rent car after a short 40 mile drive from Titusville to the Orlando airport. It takes a little less than three hours to fly from Orlando to Dallas. It's almost always a very uneventful flight. I guess I'm still a little amazed at how many people are flying these days. If you listen to the business channels you'd think that the airline industry was on the verge of death. It doesn't look that way to me. There were lots of people at the airport. The food court was open. And our plane was technically "full" by the new Southwest Airlines standards. They're still keeping all the center seats open, but I think that's going to end in December. 

This actually seems like what air travel should be like. You can find a parking place at the airport. The lines at the TSA checkpoints aren't horrendous anymore. Best of all, you don't feel like you are packed inside a sardine can on the plane. Having the center seat empty makes a huge difference. Everyone seems to have room for their bags in the overhead bins. It doesn't take as long to enter and exit the plane. And that annoying center seat person who is always making you move so they can go to the bathroom is gone completely. I wish we could keep flying like this forever.

I really enjoyed my trip. I got to see two significant launches within a span of several days. I renewed friendships with members of the space press that I had met on earlier trips. I actually interviewed people on this trip and attended a press conference where I was able to ask questions just like any other reporter. My photos were better this time too. I'm already looking forward to my next launch. It's too bad this is so expensive. I need to find a magazine that pays for travel.

It looks like I'll have to win Dawn's confidence all over again. She appeared frightened when I returned home, just like she did a year ago when I met her for the first time after returning from another launch in Florida. It's kind of sad that her fear of men may never go away. We're convinced that she was mistreated by her former owners. I think we were making real progress before I left for Florida, but this is going to be a very slow endeavor. 

Tomorrow will be busy. I've got to finish my article and send it to the magazine. There are pictures to edit and a lot of laundry to do. I found three new bills to pay in the incoming mail and I've got to go to the store and get some fruit for my morning smoothies. The Resilience capsule just docked with the space station as I write this. It's been quite a year. I wonder what the world will look like six months from now when the astronauts return home. 

Alvin is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3979

The Crew-1 launch was amazing. I was apprehensive about the weather at first, but the chances of rain gradually decreased as the day progressed. By the time the launch took place at 7:27 PM, the skies were clear enough to see a bit of the Milky Way between patches of broken clouds. It really was a beautiful night for a historic launch. The Resilience capsule held four astronauts instead of the usual three. The trip to the International Space Station will be the longest any astronaut has ever taken due to the nature of the orbit. This was also the first time a private company had contracted with NASA to take a crew into space. A lot was riding on this launch to say the least.

Since NASA no longer takes the  press to launch events like this in busses, the media folks gathered at Patrick Air Force Base to form a convoy that would travel to the viewing location using our own cars. There were quite a few people in our group and our convoy looked like a parade. We were all flashing our blinkers behind a lead Air Force car. Our host found us a perfect viewing location directly across the water from Pad 39A. There's usually a lot of waiting prior to a launch, which is kind of ironic because the launch itself is over in a matter of minutes. We typically arrive at the designated location at least an hour or two before the launch. This leaves plenty of time for photographers to fret about their cameras and tell war stories about launches where none of the equipment worked. 

I'm always worried that I'll do something wrong and all my photos will be out of focus. It's harder than you think to focus on something in the dark. I take a lot of practice shots as the rocket is fueling but this doesn't even get you close to the exposure you need for the launch itself. The flame from the engines is so bright that if you expose for the flame, you can't see the rocket and if you expose for the rocket, the bright flame overexposes your entire shot. There is a lot of guesswork involved and I learn new techniques from the other photographers very time I visit the Space Center. I'm beginning to feel like a regular now. This is the fourth launch I've attended at Kennedy Space Center. I've been to an additional launch at Vandenberg Air Force Base too. That being said, I've still got a long way to go. Many of the other photographers have photographed hundreds of launches and a few of the older guys have photographed thousands.

While I was waiting to leave for Patrick Air Force Base this morning, I started writing my article for the magazine in my hotel room. I made good progress and probably have about a third of the article completed. It's probably a good thing that I did this. I forget things quickly and I promised my editor a first draft by the end of the day on Monday anyway. It's rare to meet another writer at these events. Most of the media people I've encountered are either photographers or videographers. Some of the writers work for space oriented websites. I'm old school. I'm pleased to have the opportunity to write for a real magazine that you can hold in your hand. Probably the people who do podcasts get ten times the exposure that I do. Who cares. I still like magazines. Sky and Telescope is a real magazine too. I used to read it when I was in high school.

I was hungry when I returned from the launch, but the restaurant in the hotel was closed. The manager at the front desk said most restaurants close early on Sunday. I'm sure there were still restaurants open somewhere in Titusville but I didn't feel like driving any more. I had a bag of chips for dinner. I was surprised at how many cars were on the road while I was driving back to my hotel. There was bumper-to-bumper traffic for at least thirty miles. Evidently 250,000 people watched this launch and a lot of them were aparently still on the road. 

My coach turns back into a pumpkin tomorrow. As soon as I finish writing this, I've got to start packing my bags. I actually don't mind living out of a hotel room. It's simple and relatively painless. Nobody makes up your room anymore because of Covid, but I know how to make my own bed. I also feel safer leaving my electronic gear in the room, knowing that it will be untouched until I leave. The only thing bad about this new normal is that I'm a bit of a hypochondriac. Every time I end up talking to someone without a mask, I feel like the end is near. My waitress at breakfast this morning wasn't wearing a mask and was handling food and talking to everybody. I don't think I'll have to worry for the rest of the year though. I can't afford to go anywhere else.

Honey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3978

Today was more interesting than I anticipated. It was a scrub day so there was nothing to see at Kennedy Space Center. I'm sure there was lots of activity at Pad 39A, but folk like me weren't allowed anywhere near the place. After breakfast I looked for something to do in Titusville and discovered that the American Space Museum was open. This little volunteer run museum had always ben closed when I've been in Titusville before. The museum is full of rare artifacts from the early days of space travel and the docents are full of interesting stories about the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs they worked on. Several of the docents had been at the same launch I attended last night. I enjoyed talking to these people although I will never recognize them if we happen to meet again. We were all wearing masks. This little museum seems to take Covid much more seriously than my hotel or the airlines. I even had to sign a contact tracing form so they would know how to find everyone if somebody became sick. It's weird talking with strangers these days. You just never know where they've been or what they've been exposed to.

After visiting the museum I thought I'd go to Playalinda Beach. I'd heard that this was a good place to watch a launch and wanted to take some pictures. The beach is actually part of the Canaveral National Seashore which is run by the National Park Service. I had to buy a pass to get in, but now I can go to any National Park in the country for the next year. The National Seashore is quite beautiful with unspoiled dunes and a very clean sandy beach. There was no easy access to where you could see the launch pads, but I needed some exercise anyway. I took a four mile walk along the beach, taking pictures of seabirds along the way. Walking along an empty beach is quite peaceful. The sound of crashing waves and the smell of salt water was just what I needed today. I never did get the pictures of Pad 39A that I was hoping for because NASA had recently expanded the restricted zone and there were no longer clear views of the Space Center. I did get a few pictures when I encountered a really tall guy who climbed on a dune and held my camera over his head. Why didn't I do this myself? Sadly, I can no longer raise my hands all the way over my head. That's what happens when you've got a bad shoulder.

I wish my good masks had arrived in time. Florida will make you a believer in wearing a mask. Floridians are the only people who make Texans seem sane. If you look long enough you can see just about anything down here. What you don't see are a lot of masks. Actually, it probably the same everywhere. I just don't get out much. It's pretty clear though that if anyone tried a complete lockdown again there'd be a rebellion. People are tired of Covid and just want to go back to normal.

The launch is still on for tomorrow evening. There's still a good chance of rain as well. Do you hold them or fold them? Nobody really knows what will happen. If the launch doesn't take place tomorrow, I will have to come home. I've heard that if Space X can't launch on Sunday there could be a delay of up to a week. I definitely can't afford to stay down here that long. I've got my fingers crossed. I've got everything I need for a good story except the launch itself.

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3977

One launch down, one to go. The United Launch Aliance NROL-101 Mission lifted off right on schedule, but tomorrow's Crew-1 launch hit a snag. The launch got postponed until Sunday night because what remains of tropical storm ETA is headed towards the drone ship that will recover the Falcon 9 booster. For a while today we all thought the delay might be a lot worse. Rumors were swirling that Elon Musk had wasn't feeling well and had tested positive for cronavirus. The fear was that when contact tracing was finished it would lead all the way back to the astronauts. This seemed unlikely to me, but you never know with Elon. He could have had dinner with the astronauts recently.

Today was busy. After a light breakfast I drove to the NASA Accreditation Office and picked up my credentials. There are always lots of badges at these events. Everyone wears a lanyard around their neck with the badges they need. I had an orange badge and a green badge today. I had two one-on-on interviews with Commercial Crew mission specialists and went to a press conference with NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine and other dignitaries. I was going to ask a question at the press conference but someone from a television network beat me too it. Hey, at least it was a good question.

Tonights's launch was a classified mission for the National Reconnaissance Office. Since this was an Air Force mission, the press group I was a part of viewed the launch from Patrick Air Force Base. The weather was good and we had a spectacular view. The Atlas 5 rocket lifted off just after sunset and as it rose in the sky you could see it break into sunlight again. I was expecting a night launch and had a little trouble with the constantly changing exposures right around sunset. I got a few good pictures though. Doing this is definitely a learning experience.

I decided to extend my stay in Florida in hopes that Space X can resolve its problems with the drone ship in the next 24 hours. I can't stay here forever, but it would be a shame to miss what I came here for. Some launches get delayed again and again. The Crew-1 mission has been delayed several times already. It's a shame that tomorrow's launch got scrubbed. The weather looks perfect tomorrow. On Sunday the chances of rain start increasing again. We'll see what happens. Hey, I'm on assignment. I need to get the story.

I'm not sure what I'll do tomorrow. Nothing's happening at the Space Center. I don't want to stay in the Hoel all day, but Covid has certainly curtailed a lot of what you can do around town. Since I arrived at Patrick Air Force Base early today I went to a neat little museum on base while I was waiting for the launch. I know there's a space museum in Titusville, but I think it is closed. Maybe I'll go back to the KSC Visitor Center. I've been there twice but there's still a ton of stuff I haven't seen yet.

I think I'll sleep well tonight. It's been a long day. Covid has certainly changed the way we cover space launches. Some of the people I interviewed today are still working at home. If Elon Musk actually does have Covid he won't be allowed back at the Space Center until he has completed a fourteen day quarantine. I wore my mask outdoors all day today. NASA is pretty strict. It made me appreciate our ability to walk Dawn in the park every morning and pretend that the world is normal.

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

3976

I made it to Titusville. The weather has improved quite a bit. I didn't even encounter any rain on the drive from Orlando, although I could see lightning off in the distance. The forecast looks good for Friday and Saturday. I'm hoping that the launch takes place exactly as scheduled.

This was my first flight since the pandemic started. Things are a lot different now. It was easy to find a parking place at the airport. Going through security was a breeze. I don't think I've ever spent less time in the TSA line. There were still a lot of people at the airport, but the place definitely wasn't crowded. There were lots of empty seats in the waiting areas and even with the center seats empty, there was still plenty of room on the plane. I think there were thirty empty seats when we took off.

If this is the future of flying it's OK by me. I'll trade wearing a mask for uncrowded planes any day. There are lots of new rules at the airport and not surprisingly, many of them made no sense whatsoever. There were many signs that told people to wear a mask at all times. There were also many places selling food. What can't you do wearing a mask? Well, you can't eat for starters. People love to eat at airports, so I saw a lot more masks off than on.

They still served snacks and beverages on the plane as well. As soon as the snack cart came down the aisle, the masks came off. Water was also served, but no alcoholic beverages. I thought they'd pass out little bottles of water, but the water arrived in plastic cups instead. There was even an announcement that if you brought your own alcohol, you wouldn't be allowed to drink it. None of this made a lot of sense. If the airline was worried about the virus, they wouldn't have served snacks at all. 

I'm still amazed at how many people wear their mask below their nose. A lot of the cloth gaiters I saw today were completely worthless. I don't know why guys with thick beards bother at all. The mask just sits on top of their beard. I'll wear a mask and try to wear it correctly because I have absolutely no faith in the people around me. I didn't even eat any snacks on the plane. I kept my mask on the entire time. Oddly, just as I was leaving for the airport this afternoon I got an e-mail saying that my high quality 3M N-95 masks had shipped. A little late guys. They'll probably arrive while I'm down here in Florida.

I still managed to get my steps today. We took a long walk with Dawn before breakfast. I didn't have my smoothie this morning because I knew it would take too much time. I still had last minute packing to do. All in all, the day went very well. I didn't get a good deal on my rental car this time, but I did manage to find a car with in-dash GPS and blind spot indicators. There seems to be a lot fewer cars to chose from now. I noticed the same thing when I was going out to McDonald Observatory. Maybe they don't want a lot of idle cars sitting around.

Another strange thing was that the plane was unnaturally cold. The flight attendants aren't allowed to pass out blankets and pillows anymore either. Everyone on the plane was searching for their coats. I'm guessing that they were adding more fresh outside air to the circulation system to keep contamination to a minimum.  I was cold but felt pretty safe. I think you're in a lot more danger by going to Home Depot.

Tomorrow looks like a very busy day. I've got to get my credentials at the badging office. Then there is a briefing to attend with Jim Bridenstine and a one-on-one interview with a Crew-1 mission specialist. If all goes well, tomorrow evening I watch the Air Force launch a classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office. The main event is Saturday when four astronauts head for the International Space Station in the first official crew rotation mission for Space X. Hope the weather hold up. It ought to be an interesting few days.

Jada is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 3975 - Veterans Day

Mom and Dad were both proud Navy veterans. Mom came from a military family with a father who was an Army Colonel and two brothers who were Air Force pilots. I didn't carry on this heritage of service. I never served at all. I had a low draft number during the Vietnam era, but got an exemption because of a knee injury. I'm glad I didn't get drafted. Even back then I thought the Vietnam War was needless. Today I feel that every war the United States got involved in since World War II was an unnecessary war. We certainly didn't need to get involved in the Middle East. Far too many people died or were injured for nothing. Are things any better in Iraq or Afghanistan now? I don't think so. People have been fighting in the Middle East for thousands of years. They will still be fighting long after the last American troops have returned home. We need a strong military, but we also need to learn to mind our own business.

Today was kind of stressful. I'm still not finished packing because there have been so many changes to the launch schedule. I've been on the phone and answering e-mails all day. Nobody knows where tropical storm ETA is headed. Yesterday it was traveling toward the Florida Panhandle. Today the storm has reversed course and is headed back toward the Florida mainland. I still don't know if the storm will be gone by the time I arrive or if I will land right in the middle of it.

Today's schedule changes weren't all bad. A ULA launch that was supposed to take place today got postponed until Friday evening. This means that I will get to see two rocket launches while I'm at Kennedy Space Center. I had to reschedule an interview with a Crew-1 mission specialist so I could attend the additional ULA NROL-101 launch on Friday evening, but I think I've finally got everything worked out.

The elephant in the room is still the weather. Where is this storm going to be when I wake up tomorrow? Will it strengthen to become a hurricane in the next few hours? Who knows. I guess I'll just have to wait and see. Southwest Airlines has canceled flight to Tampa but they are still flying to Orlando. I guess that's a good sign.

It's much easier to walk your dog than it is to travel to another state in the path of a hurricane. We had a great walk with Dawn this morning. The temperature was much cooler today and it was right in Dawn's comfort zone. It's amazing what a difference a few degrees can make. Dawn was frisky and full of energy this morning because the temperature was in the fifties. If it was 15 degrees warmer, you'd see a different dog. I'm glad Dawn likes the cooler temperatures, but I wish the weather was a little more consistent. It's hard to decide what to wear in the morning.

I'd better wrap this up soon so I can return to packing. Did I tell you that I hate packing? I'm always forgetting things because of my tendency to procrastinate. It's hard to remember all the details when you are doing everything at the last minute. I also still have to make a list of question for my interview with the Commercial Crew mission specialist. Jeez. Why didn't I do that earlier today? Don't worry. Everything will get done. I haven't missed a deadline yet.

Dolly is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3974

I got an e-mail today saying that NASA was providing a limited number of one-on-one interview opportunities with Crew-1 mission specialists prior to the launch. I signed up to interview the Commercial Crew Program Launch Integration Manager and was subsequentially approved. Good grief. Why did I do this? I guess I'm really a reporter now. I'll have to think of some intelligent questions to ask before I leave. Do I record the interview or make notes in a little reporter's notobook? Personally, I'd rather just listen and write down what I remembered later. That would probably look very unprofessional though. A lot of reporters I saw the last time I was at the Space Center carried little notebooks with them. Maybe I'll do that. I'd better remember to take something to write with too. I forgot to take a pen with me when I went to McDonald Observatory. A pen is definitely simpler than a tape recorder. Somehow I hate to add audio equipment to the camera gear I'm already taking.

I found a raincoat I liked at REI. I took a coupon with me that I got in the mail a few days ago which said I could save 20% on any item in the store. When I tried to use the coupon the clerk said it wasn't valid until three days from now. I bought the raincoat anyway, but I kind of felt cheated. If someone sends you a coupon you ought to be able to use it as soon as you receive it without reading a bunch of fine print with a magnifying glass. Janet said that maybe I should have bought a larger size, but the coat looked good in the store mirror. It's going to be warm at the Space Center anyway. It might be wet, but with temperatures in the 80's I don't think I'll need a sweater under the raincoat.

I didn't feel like getting up this morning. I'm definitely not a morning person. I usually wait until I hear Janet call out "thirty minutes" before I get out of bed. Dawn and Janet are always up before I am, but thirty minutes gives me enough time to make the bed and get dressed before we leave on our morning walk. It was pretty warm this morning. I'm always surprised at how different each day begins. Yesterday I needed a warm coat. Today a t-shirt was fine.

I got Emma up on the Dalmatian Rescue website today. It wasn't really necessary to add her to the site since she is already adopted, but people are always interested in learning about new dogs in the program. I used to work on several animal rescue websites, along with my regular clients, but the Dalmatian site is the only one I've got left.  I think if I didn't update this site periodically, I would forget how to work with HTML documents entirely. It's kind of alarming how much I've forgotten already.

I'm not going to get my special N-95 masks in time for my trip. The company said that they would refund the fee I paid to expedite my order, but that they were running behind and wouldn't be able to ship for at least another week. Why did I not anticipate this? I thought I ordered in plenty of time, but I should have known by now that nothing goes smoothly in 2020. Oh, well. I have other masks. We bought a ton of them back when toilet paper was in short supply.

Tropical storm ETA is less of a worry now, but I'm sure I'll find other things to worry about. Lets face it, I'm just not a good traveler. Hey, what are you going to do? You can't see many stars in Dallas and they definitely don't launch rockets here.

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

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