Day 4645

Today was pleasant but uneventful. I wore a light jacket on our sunrise walk with Dawn this moring. The weather is definitely getting cooler. It's not surprising that Dawn is enjoying the cooler weather. I'm enjoying it too. After returning home for breakfast, I decided to take my long walk in the park instead of going to the gym again. My feet still hurt, but the walk was pleasant. Construction on the new bike path is finished, but now crews are building a series of stone gates. I'm assuming that these gates will be used to control traffic, but that still doesn't explain their purpose. There isn't much traffic to begin with.

The missing Muscovy Duck has returned, but there are still only five geese at Sunset Bay. I only report on these things because nothing else is going on. It seems so long ago now that everyone was looking for eagles in the park.

I wrote a letter to my sister today but haven't gotten around to mailing it. I'm glad I haven't put a lot of effort into finishing my article about the trip to Kennedy Space Center. I got a message from my editor at SpaceFlight Magazine this morning that indicates I will have to make major changes anyway. I thought they would postpone their articles about Artemis until the rocket eventually launched, but they seem to want to keep their original production schedule whether the rocket launches or not. Basically my article will be about making a long trip to see nothing happen.

I have no idea when Artemis will eventually launch. Yesterday the next launch attempt was scheduled for September 23rd. Today this date was changed to September 27th, with a back up attempt scheduled for October 2nd. I fully expect these dates to keep changing. It's not going to be easy to make travel plans, even if I do decide to travel to Titusville again for the next launch attempt. I kind of like the idea of an October 2nd. launch. The Crew 5 mission is supposed to take place a few day later. Maybe I might be able to see both.

I guess my phone is officially obsolete. IOS 16 was released today but all I got for my phone was a minor security update. I will probably be stuck at IOS 15.7 forever. This is not a good reason to update the phone however. My phone works just fine. Apple doesn't even make the smaller phones I like anymore. My phone will join the other obsolete Apple products I currently use. It used to be important to me to have the latest model computer available. Not anymore. When I eventually finish my 5,000 day blog quest, I can't see many reasons to even turn a computer on.

I need to remember that I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow. It's time for my annual visit to see the dermatologist. There's nothing seriously wrong with my skin, but once you get on a doctor's patient list, you're there forever. The visit is usually quick and painless. I have a few actinic keratosis patches on my face and scalp. the dermatologist zaps these with liquid nitrogen. Sometime they come back and other times they don't. I only continue to go to these appointments because occasionally actinic keratosis turns into squamous cell carcinoma. My keratosis has always been benign but it's better to be safe than sorry.

I guess I'll rewrite my Artemis article tomorrow. The first draft I wrote in Florida isn't going to work now.

Marcie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4644 - 9/11

Has it really been 21 years since the towers fell? It seems like yesterday. I was sitting at the same kitchen table and heating up my breakfast in the same microwave I used this morning when I heard the news on TV. I spent the rest of the day mesmerized by what was unfolding. Could this even be happening? I had ridden the elevator to the top of the South Tower several times and The World Trade Center was a familiar sight when I went to New York on business. The world definitely changed that day and it did not change for the better.

Things may seem normal now, but I think we've just gotten used to all the changes. We are all more suspicious now. I don't remember going through security checkpoints when I used to fly to New York. You just went to the airport and got on a plane. You could even use your ticket to fly on a different airline if you found something that was more convenient. Hotels were much more affordable and I felt safe riding on the subway. Sadly, all that is gone.

When I go to the mall before the stores open on Sunday, a policeman opens the door for me and asks what I am doing. We almost always see police riding the trails on bicycles when we take Dawn on her sunrise walks. Most people in the neighborhood have security cameras now. I've grown to appreciate the added security although it doesn't really make me feel safe. 9/11 put an end to innocence and trust. I'm suspicious of everything these days. If the twin towers can fall while you are sitting at the kitchen table eating pancakes, what else can go wrong?

Luckily, nothing went wrong today. We had a pleasant sunrise walk with Dawn, followed by an equally pleasant breakfast. I went mall walking again and am slowly memorizing the names of the artists on display as well as the contents of the store windows. The mall is filled with things that nobody really needs. The objects on display all seem desirable though. I like looking at window displays. It beats watching squirrels chase each other in the park. 

The temperature was still cool when we took Dawn on her Sunday outing, so we went on a real walk instead of just letting Dawn out of the car to pee. Dawn enjoyed the walk, although I was lagging behind by the time we returned to the car. I guess I had an excuse. I'd already finished walking around the mall five times. On our way to get ice cream we stopped at the neighborhood Chinese restaurant to see what was going on. There was a sign on the door saying that the restaurant was closed due to an inability to find staff. This was sad. The young owners of this place had really put a lot of effort into making the restaurant successful. At least the ice cream store seems to be doing well. There is always a line at the drive through window when we go to get our cones.

When I was getting up this morning I found a tiny snake on our living room floor. How did a snake get in our house? The snake seemed harmless and I took it outdoors, but it was still unsettling to find a snake in your house. I found a very small lizard in the shower last week. I hope this isn't a trend. The ants are bad enough. I definitely don't want to be dealing with reptiles.

After the kennel change we no longer visit the Dalmatians on Monday. The dogs are doing well though. I don't know what's I'll do with the extra time. I guess I'll just go to the gym.

Shadow is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4643

Just a normal Saturday doing normal Saturday things. I wished I'd worn a jacket on our sunrise walk with Dawn. It was the first time I've felt chilly outside for a long time. It was a beautiful morning with clear skies and temperatures in the mid 60's. When we returned home, we had our weekend breakfast of bacon, eggs, and toast. I made the bed, checked my messages, and got ready to go grocery shopping again.

I still can't get used to how expensive everything has become. It's not just food either. Even furnace filters have doubled in price. At least gas is more reasonable now. I filled my tank for quite a bit less than what I was paying two months ago. Strawberries are expensive again. The price goes up and down throughout the year depending on where they are imported from. I've got to have strawberries though. They have become an essential part of my morning routine.

It's weird how quickly it heats up during the day. I was thinking of walking in the park today, but by the time I was ready it was already too hot. Mornings feel like Fall has arrived, but by noon it is obvious that Summer is still hanging around. The leaves haven't started to fall yet, but that is coming soon. It's a shame that the yard will be covered in Oak leaves in a month or so. Our yard is finally looking nice for the first time all summer.

I went back to the gym this afternoon since I didn't feel like dealing with the heat. We seem to have a thirty degree temperature swing every day. My gym is always nice and cool. You can have a pretty good workout without even working up a sweat. I completed my usual routine and went home again. I'm still slower walking on the indoor track than I am outdoors. This remains a mystery to me. Logically, I should be faster walking indoors in a nice climate controlled environment.

I hope that my favorite Chinese restaurant hasn't gone out of business. I was going to get take-out tonight, but the website wasn't working and when I called to place an order, no one answered. The last time I picked something up at this restaurant nobody was there. It was sad seeing the place completely empty and I wondered if they were having trouble. I should have driven over to the place to see what was going on, but I just ordered a pizza instead. The pizza place changed their menu and prices have gone up, but the pizza was still good.

There were lots of things on my to-do list that got ignored this afternoon. I just didn't feel like doing anything. The rest of the world was watching shows about the queen, but I watched another Starlink launch on the Space X live stream. Why do I keep watching these things? All these Falcon 9 launches are identical.

These weeks really go quickly. It's already time for Dawn's Sunday outing and another walk at Northpark mall. Didn't I just do this a few days ago? You'd think I'd get bored with such a repetitive, regimented routine, but I find the monotony strangely comforting. Don't expect me to be spontaneous. It's just not going to happen.

Cleo it today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4642

There's a hint of Fall in the air. The temperature was in the high 60's when we took our sunrise walk this morning. It's almost jacket weather. It's amazing how quickly the world turned green again. All it took was a little rain. Dawn enjoys these cooler mornings. So do I. We had a long, hot summer this year and I'm glad it's over.

I got a message from NASA today asking if I planned to attend the next Artemis launch attempt. I answered yes, even though I think September 23 is way too early. I was afraid that if I answered no, I would get taken off the approved list and my place would be given to someone else. There are still way more people who want to cover this launch than there are places available. We'll see what happens. I fully expect that the launch will get postponed again. We won't even know until the 17th. if the repairs they are making now will work.

I took another walk in the park today. It was actually even cooler than yesterday. I keep wondering where the missing ducks and geese have gone. For years there were ten resident geese that always hung out around Sunset Bay. Now there are only five. This gaggle of geese were always together, so I doubt that five just wandered off. I hope nobody snatched them to eat for dinner. The geese were very tame and would have been easy to catch. One of the Muscovy Ducks is also missing. There have been a pair of Muscovy Ducks living in the park for many years. This week was the first time I have only seen one and it appears to be lonely.

According to my Fitbit, I get a lot more exercise walking in the park than I do at the gym. I guess this makes sense. I spend over two hours walking in the park vs a little more than one hour at the gym. There are a lot of hills to climb as well. I guess it shouldn't come as a surprise that I'm usually tired when I return from these walks. It's an enjoyable way to get my steps though, so I'll continue as long as the weather stays nice.

I'm always surprised at how many flowers I see in the Fall. There is an explosion of white Clematis vines along the shoreline now. I'm also seeing a lot of Water Primrose flowers. Both of these plants are considered invasive, but they are very pretty. I'd much rather see these plants than Poison Ivy, which is also very common in the park.

The "service required" light is really starting to irritate me in my car. This light appears every September. There is nothing wrong with the car, but the only way to turn the light off is take the car to a Land Rover service center and do the required service. I thought the independent Land Rover garage I discovered might be able to help me out, but they insist on doing the service as well. Oh, well. I'll probably learn to live with the irritating light for a while. I may still need to go to Florida to cover the next Artemis launch attempt. A trip to Florida and a Land Rover service visit cost about the same thing. It's one or the other this month.

This week has gone quickly. It's hard to believe that it's already time to make a grocery list again. I'd like to see something actually go down in price at the grocery store, but this is probably wishful thinking. Nothing has gotten cheaper on my grocery list for a long time.

Chief is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4641

It was nice and cool this morning. The days are definitely getting shorter. We leave at the same time on our sunrise walk, but it seems darker now. Pretty soon we'll have to start taking a flashlight with us again. I'm glad that the worst of summer appears to be over. I was getting tired of 100 degree days.

I had nothing planned for today. The temperature was still cool after breakfast, so I decided to take a walk in the park instead of going to the gym. I think I could take this walk blindfolded now. Every step is so familiar. I see the same ducks and geese while I watch the same plants progress through the seasons. Fall isn't that far away. A few leaves are already starting to drop from the trees. There is nothing exciting about this daily walk, but it is still more interesting than walking 28 times around a small indoor track at the gym.

I did a little yard work after I returned home. There were some dead branches that needed to be trimmed from the Photinia bushes. The Asian Jasmine was getting out of control and was covering up the path to the back gate, so I trimmed that up as well. Sometimes Dawn likes to sit outside with me while I work in the yard. Today she had no interest and just wanted to go back inside again. I finished my work and joined her. Pruning trees wasn't that interesting.

I heard today that NASA is now aiming for a September 23 launch date for Artemis. This was a little disappointing, since it is too early for me to return. I was hoping that they would wait until the end of October. Of course the launch could still take place at the end of October or even later. It's hard to say how long it's going to take to iron out all the problems. Will I try to attend the next attempt? It's too early to say at the point.

My article about the launch remains unfinished. It's seems kind of pointless to submit the article if nothing has happened. I probably need to talk to my editor. It would make more sense to extend the story until the launch actually takes place. This kind of reminds me of the first article I wrote about visiting McDonald Observatory. It rained when I got there so no observing actually took place. The magazine thanked me for the article and told me to try again when the weather was better. I probably need to try again on the Artemis article as well. So far, it is not very interesting.

I've finished my dinner and have taken this week's trash out to the curb. There are lots of little things that need attention around the house, but it is hard to get interested. I'm not sure what I'll be doing tomorrow, but if something comes up I'll probably try procrastinating.

Camp is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4640

I got the grass mowed in the front yard this morning. The yard looks good now and I can move on to other tasks. This mower has seen better days. The batteries don't last very long anymore. I can only mow half the yard at a time now because I have to let the batteries recharge. This plan works though because I've seen better days myself. Mowing half the yard at a time is about all I can handle.

It's weird how quickly the temperature rises. It's always nice when we take Dawn on her sunrise walk, but it can be thirty degrees warmer by noon. If I'm going to do something outdoors I need to do it early in the morning. I usually spend afternoons indoors where it is air conditioned.

I picked up some prescriptions on my way to the gym this morning. Once again, GoodRx was much cheaper than my Part-D prescription drug plan. I don't understand this at all. Why am I paying so much for a plan that isn't saving me any money? I hesitate to drop Part-D though. What if GoodRx only covers certain medications. Some medications are incredibly expensive. You definitely wouldn't want to be paying retail if you needed cancer medications. 

I'm always surprised at how empty my gym is. It's a huge building, but there are seldom more than ten people exercising. I like it this way, but I wonder how the place stays in business. Maybe it's just the time of day I go. I have a feeling that the place is a lot busier before and after work. In the middle of the day, it's just retired people like me.

I vacuumed this afternoon. It's pretty pitiful when you vacuum the house just to have something to do. There just isn't much that interests me these days. I haven't turned on the tape machines in the edit suite for years. The large production printer has sat idle for so long that I'm sure it is hopelessly clogged. I sold most of my guitars, but the one that remains sits idle as well. I definitely don't collect things anymore. That's where most of the clutter came from. I'm glad I still enjoy viewing rocket launches and spending time out at McDonald Observatory. I didn't have these interests earlier in life, but they're here now. I guess it doesn't really matter what you end up doing, but I think that everyone needs something that captures their interest.

I'll probably do some more yard work tomorrow morning before it gets hot.  I keep checking for news on the Artemis rocket, but there is no new schedule yet. They are going to try to fix the leak out on the pad, but it looks like they'll have to roll the rocket back to the VAB anyway to check some safety systems. The longer they wait, the more I'll probably feel like going back to Florida for the next attempt. Until then, it's just walking Dawn and going to the gym.

Bailey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4639

The skies were clear when we took Dawn on her sunrise walk this morning and it rained during dinner. Just another normal Texas day. I'm trying to be a bit more industrious. Today I took care of a chore I've been putting off for years. I cleaned out the air return plenum for the HVAC system. It's easy to forget that this even exists, but it gradually fills with dust over time. I usually start to realize that it's time to clean this thing when I start to hear a whistling sound coming from the air intake grill in the wall. For some reason it's a lot of trouble removing this grill, which is another reason I can ignore this chore for years.

When I removed the large, heavy grill this morning I was astounded at how much dust was inside the plenum. There was so much dust caked on the back side of the grill that I wondered how air was even being circulated. I took the grill outside and cleaned it with a power washer and then vacuumed the inside of the plenum. The Dyson wasn't really up to the job. It jammed with dust three times. Eventually I got everything clean and the AC runs much quieter now. I need to remember not to wait so long to do this next time.

It was cool outside when we took our sunrise walk, but by the time I'd finished my chores, it was already hot and humid. I didn't want to deal with the humidity, so I went back to the gym. I've gotten very predictable at the gym. I shoot twenty-five free throws on the basketball court, walk two miles on the indoor track, and spend a little time working with free weights. That's it. The best part of going to the gym for me is that it's nice and cold inside. These guys much have an enormous electric bill to keep this large space so cold.

I had to activate a bunch of prescriptions I had on file at the pharmacy today. My doctor renews all my prescriptions when I have my annual exam, but this year I still had plenty of pills, so I told the pharmacy to just hold on to the renewals until I needed them. I noticed last night that I was almost out of everything, so I guess I need them now. I'll pick all these up tomorrow and it will be one more bill that is larger than I'd like.

The Artemis launch seems largely forgotten already. The story is no longer on the news and most of the other journalists have already submitted and published their articles about the event. My story wasn't scheduled to run in SpaceFlight Magazine until November, so I suspect that there will be a change in plan. I have a feeling that I'll need to re-write the entire article when the rocket eventually launches. I still can't decide whether to return to Florida for the next launch attempt. It will probably depend on how many bills there are to pay when NASA announces a new schedule.

I pruned a few dead branches from shrubs in the back yard this afternoon, but cleaning the air return plenum used up most of my energy. Since I didn't feel like fiddling with the star tracker again, I just took a nap. I guess I need to mow the front yard tomorrow so I can forget about mowing again for a while. It's almost Fall so I don't think I'll replace the mower batteries until next Spring. I've grown tired of continually replacing batteries. I did manage to get my power drill batteries to accept a charge though That's one battery I can keep a little longer. I certainly needed that drill today. I couldn't have removed the grill to the air return plenum  without it.

I don't have any plans for tomorrow. I didn't have any plans for today either and still managed to stay busy. I imagine that tomorrow will be the same.

April is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4638 - Labor Day

I wouldn't say summer is over yet, but I don't think we'll see many more hundred degree days. It's very pleasant when we take our sunrise walks with Dawn now. It was only 71 degrees when we left the house this morning. It warmed up as the day progressed, but it was still nice enough to take a walk in the park instead of going to the gym this morning.

It was pleasant walking outdoors for a change. The park is green again. A week of rainy days has made a huge difference. The ducks and geese are still here, but the construction workers are gone. I think the fancy new trail they've been building all summer is finally finished. There must have been a really strong wind accompanying yesterday's storm.  I saw a lot of downed trees. I'm glad our own trees withstood the storm. The last thing I need right now are more tree problems.

I mowed the grass in the back yard this afternoon and the yard looks a lot better. The batteries on the electric mower really need to be replaced. I was barely able to get the back yard mowed before the batteries died. I used to be able to mow both the front and back on a single charge. There seems to be a never ending list of batteries to replace. I've got to find new batteries for a power drill and circular saw as well. In the future I think I'll just buy power tools with a cord that plugs into the wall. Batteries that constantly need to be recharged or replaced have become a huge nuisance.

I got started on my article about Artemis-1, but I didn't get very far. I still can't decide whether to take a "practice makes perfect" point of view, or a slightly more pessimistic "billion dollar boondoggle" angle. Personally I think this rocket is a huge waste of money when Space X already has a better idea, but what do I know. Obsolete or not, I'd still like to see this thing fly.

I updated the star tracker again. I guess that's what you do with this thing. I've lost track of how many updates and firmware installations I've already done. The good news is that the tracker still works after today's update. The bad news is that I doubt that I'll be using it to photograph stars anytime soon. Lord knows when I'll get out to the observatory again. My memory of the terrible drive out there is starting to fade, so maybe I'll start planning something for the Spring.

I feel perpetually tired these days. A walk in the park and mowing half the yard shouldn't have worn me out, but it did. I just don't have the energy that I used to. I should finish mowing the grass tomorrow, but we'll have to see. Right now a nap sound much more appealing.

Allie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4637

It was just a normal Sunday until the severe weather warnings started to appear later in the afternoon. We got up early and took Dawn on her sunrise walk. It seemed like it was going to be a nice day. The weather was cool and the humidity was low. We had breakfast when we returned and then I got ready to go mall walking. It was certainly cool enough to go walking in the park, but the ground was very wet. I'm not fond of walking with wet feet.

I make five circuits of the Northpark Mall to give me the steps I need. Nothing much to look at this time. The store windows haven't changed and the display of new cars is gone. There was a display of sculptural objects made using stacks of tin cans. I think this was a benefit for a local food bank. There were lots and lots of cans. I wondered if participants had to buy them or if they were donated. I also looked inside the new Eataly store. It was pretty impressive and seemed like a great place to buy overpriced food. 

Dawn got her Sunday outing today. We didn't walk far because it was already getting hot by the time we left the house. Dawn did get a little walk though and then we went for ice cream. I wish they hadn't raised the price for ice cream, but I'm not surprised. The price for literally everything has gone up dramatically this year.

I keep checking the Internet to see if there is any news about the Artemis launch. So far it looks like another launch attempt won't take place until October. Will I try to go see this again? I'm not sure at this point. I'm not even sure if my credentials will still be good. I know that there's a Falcon Heavy that is supposed to launch in October. It would be cool if the timing was right and I could see both. 

It was an uneventful afternoon until it started raining again. This was quite a storm. Our lights flickered but we did not lose power. We just got lucky. Several areas nearby did lose power. The flickering lights did scare Dawn. She decided that her dog bed in the kitchen was a safer place to be. We definitely needed rain after a long hot summer, but I think we've had enough. Every time it rains I start to worry about roof leaks.  Nothing today, but that was only because the rain didn't last very long.

I'll start working on my SpaceFlight Magazine article tomorrow. I'm not sure if they want the article to be just about these first two launch attempts, or if they want the story to continue until a launch eventually takes place. I didn't get many good pictures this time. I had camera problems and there was no launch. I bet they will just postpone the story until a later edition. 

We don't visit the rescue Dalmatians on Mondays anymore. It's a shame that the old kennel closed and the dogs had to be moved. Visiting the dogs was always a pleasant way to spend Monday afternoon. Oh, well. Life is always full of changes. The dogs are still well cared for and that's what matters.

Domino is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4636

I feel somewhat vindicated now. Looks like I made the right decision to return home on Wednesday. Artemis scrubbed again this morning with 2 hours and 28 minutes remaining on the countdown clock. They didn't even get as close to launching the rocket as they did on Monday. This time the problem was a hydrogen leak that could not be controlled. They'll have to roll Artemis back to the VAB for repairs and another launch attempt probably won't occur until October. Something just didn't feel right when I made the decision to return home. When you repeat a procedure that failed and expect different results, you usually aren't successful.

I repeat my routine every Saturday, but usually I succeed. Grocery shopping isn't rocket science. We took Dawn on a nice sunrise walk and then had our weekend breakfast of bacon, eggs, and toast. I had a longer grocery list this morning, but found everything easily. Prices are still sky high, but I don't think anything was more expensive than last week. Jeez. I could have done all this yesterday when I was at the store. I wonder why I didn't.

When I returned home from grocery shopping, I turned on NASA TV and learned that this morning's launch attempt had been scrubbed. This isn't a good look for the Artemis program. NASA is trying to put a positive spin on things by reminding people how many failed launches there were during the Apollo and Space Shuttle era. I think they are missing the point. People aren't accustomed to failures anymore. Space X launches rockets like clockwork and not only do they not fail, they can be used over and over again. Artemis is 1970's technology, brought back to life. For some reason, NASA is simply unwilling to admit that the entire program is obsolete.

Even though it was nice outside when we took our sunrise walk, the temperature climbed quickly. I wisely decided to go to the gym again. There was nothing new about my exercise routine, but there was a new basketball. I'd never seen a black and green basketball before, so I had to try it. It bounced higher and seemed to go in the basket a little easier. Maybe I was just imagining things though.

There still seems to be a lot of rain in the area, but we didn't get any at our house. I don't think we need any more. I'm still waiting for the grass to dry out so I can mow. It's going to be a few more days. The ground seems saturated now. Strange that I was writing about a drought just a few weeks ago and now everything is soggy and wet. Texas weather again. You can never take Texas weather for granted.

I'll probably go walking at the mall again tomorrow morning. This has turned out to be an enjoyable way to get my steps. Dawn will get her Sunday outing as well. We'll definitely get ice cream, but if the weather stays cool we might try a Sunday walk as well. It's too early to decide whether I'll return to Florida for the next Artemis launch attempt. I'm sure I'll go back sometime. I'm kind of drawn to the space center like a moth to a flame. 

Domino is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4635

Another rainy day. We were able to walk Dawn this morning before the rain started, but we returned home just in time. If we'd started our walk five minutes later we would have gotten soaked. This is typical Texas weather. It was bone dry all summer and then we get a year's worth of rain all at once. At least it's much cooler now. If it wasn't so wet, this would have been a perfect day.

I did some grocery shopping after breakfast and continued to be amazed at how much prices have gone up.  Many things I regularly get have literally doubled in price in just a few years. These price increases are much more apparent when you are living on a fixed income.  A lot more money is going out the door, but no more money is coming in.

The troublesome "service required" light has come on in my car again. It does this every September. I called the folks who replaced my catalytic converter recently and asked if they could just turn the light off for me  since the car didn't appear to have any other problems when they ran their diagnostic check. Nope. They said I still need the annual service. I thought I'd have a lot fewer problems when I stopped going to the dealership. Nope again. It's the car that's the problem, not where I take it to be serviced.

It would have been a good day for a walk in the park if it wasn't raining. It was nice and cool outside, but unfortunately it was very wet. I went back to the gym instead. I'm not wild about driving in the rain, but it sure beats getting wet myself on a poorly planned walk in the park. I didn't do all that well today. It took a lot longer than usual to shoot twenty-five baskets and I was definitely slower on the indoor track. I got everything done though and drove home in the rain again.

There was a break in the rain around 3 PM so Janet and I took Dawn on another short walk. She didn't poop on her sunrise walk because she doesn't like walking on wet ground. Dawn enjoyed getting a second walk, but she still didn't do her business. The ground was still just as wet as it was this morning. I guess she'll go when she needs to go.

I'm trying to stay current with developments down at the space center. So far, everyone seems very confident. The weather seems to be improving and most of the problems that occurred on Monday have been fixed. The launch is still scheduled to take place at 2:17 PM tomorrow afternoon. Although I'm glad to be home, I'm still second guessing my decision to return. I really did want to see this, but the rational side of my brain keeps telling me that I didn't have much of a choice. Since the launch now is going to take place on a big holiday weekend, they expect twice as many people to converge on Titusville this time. Up to 400,000 visitors are predicted now. I did make an effort to find a hotel when I lost my Airbnb. It wasn't meant to be. I think all the hotels between Orlando and the coast are completely booked.

I forgot to get berries and beer when I was out this morning, so I'll make another grocery store run in the morning and then come home and watch the launch on NASA TV. I hope the launch is a success and that the launch photographers who stuck it out get some good pictures. I got a notice today that it's time to apply for credentials for the Crew-5 launch to the International Space Station in October. Too soon for me. I'm not going anywhere for a while.

Daisy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4634

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Spot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 4633

I said goodbye to Florida today. I still have mixed feelings about missing the launch, but I don't think I had much of a choice. When the Artemis team moved the second launch attempt from Friday to Saturday afternoon I lost my Airbnb because my host had new guests arriving. 

Truthfully, they weren't wild about me even staying until Friday because they need to clean between guests. I promised to check out super early. I was going to check out before the Friday attempt and then drive straight to the airport afterwards. 

Since the launch is now scheduled to take place on Labor Day weekend, there are no hotels either. Lots of people are traveling. The hotel situation definitely hasn't gotten better since Monday's launch attempt. The guests may have changed but the hotels are still booked solid. I didn't think sleeping in the rent car was a good option. It gets quite expensive to spend this much time away as well. Too bad I can't find a magazine that pays my travel expenses.

I enjoyed returning to the space center, but I didn't really feel like I belonged with the journalist crowd. Usually I just hang out with the local rocket photographers when I'm attending a launch. The national reporters and journalists who came down for this high profile launch were from a completely different world. It was a world I had little interest in joining.

Maybe I'll see a future Artemis launch if they can ever get this one off the ground. Yesterday's readiness briefing didn't give me a lot of confidence. The launch team was going to tweak a few things but were basically going to go through exactly the same procedures they attempted on Monday while hoping for better results. If they succeed this time, I'm going to regret my decision to return home. Did I make a mistake? Hey, quite a few people I met this week actually did sleep in their car. 

I did enjoy my Airbnb experience. My hosts were extremely nice, the place was spotless and was located in a nice quiet neighborhood. It made the Holiday Inn I used to stay at look pretty shabby. After I checked out this morning, I drove to Orlando, returned my rent car, and followed my normal airport routine. I got a banana and strawberry smoothie at the food court and then got my 10,000 steps for the day walking up and down the concourse. You can learn a lot about America by spending time at an airport. We are definitely overweight as a nation. The only skinny people I saw were from other countries. We are also an affluent country. There were lots of people taking their entire family to Disneyworld. If you've got four or five kids, that's an expensive vacation. There are a lot more wheelchairs in airports these days. When did this change? Do these wheelchairs mean that the country is getting sicker, or that the disabled are regaining their mobility? Probably a little bit of both.

Dawn was glad to see me when I returned home. She did well at training class tonight too and came home with another blue ribbon. Tomorrow she gets her teeth cleaned. We take her to the vet right after her morning walk. I'm tired. I'll unpack tomorrow, maybe start to write my article and keep wondering why I came home so early.

Domino is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 4632

The launch has been rescheduled for Saturday afternoon. This wasn't even one of the three original launch opportunities, so this new date came as a surprise to many. It certainly came as a surprise to me. Some of the local photographers liked the idea of a weekend launch because they wouldn't have to miss work. For the out-of-town folks it complicated travel arrangements even further. After listening to the readiness review teleconference this evening, I reluctantly decided to cut my losses and come home tomorrow. 

There is already a 60% chance that the Saturday launch attempt will be canceled because of a weather violation. It almost always rains during the middle of the day in this part of Florida. It didn't really feel like they had solved the problem either. The launch team felt like the problem with engine 3 was caused by a bad sensor, but they didn't want to roll the rocket back to the Vertical Assembly Building so they could remove and examine the sensor. They kept saying that they felt the system was working because their data showed that liquid hydrogen was flowing at the proper rate to engine 3. I'm no rocket scientist, but it sure seemed like they were just guessing at some of these things.

I suspect the real reason I decided to return to Dallas tomorrow was when the launch director said that the Saturday launch date was still subject to a final readiness review to be held at some uncertain time between now and Saturday. There's a good chance that they'll decide that Saturday no longer looks good while I'm sitting down here waiting. At this evening's teleconference, someone on the launch team mentioned that it wasn't a big deal if they missed the Saturday launch window because they could turn things around in 48 hours and try again on Monday. Maybe the people on expense accounts from The New York Times and National Geographic can afford to stay down here forever, but I don't have that luxury.

Truthfully, I'm ready to come home. I'm getting eaten alive by mosquitos and there isn't much to do while waiting for another launch attempt. I went out to the Press Site again today and the place was virtually empty. There was no traffic on the roads either. What a difference a day makes. I'm even starting to feel weird on my evening walks through the neighborhood. Dogs bark at me and I occasionally set off alarm systems as I walk past people's houses. The entire neighborhood seems empty. This definitely isn't a place where people take walks. I have a feeling that I am being watched through venetian blinds though. 

This trip feels a lot like one of those trips out to McDonald Observatory where I drive all day only to discover clouds or rain at my destination. I knew from the beginning that there were no guaranties that this launch would take place on schedule. I was hoping that it would though. I think everyone was hoping that the Monday attempt would be successful.

I'm fairly certain that Artemis will launch eventually. It might even happen on Saturday. I'm not so sure the program will survive though. The Space Launch System is already obsolete and the entire program is hugely over budget and years behind schedule. I'd still like to see this thing launch though. Maybe someday. For now I'm going to cut my losses and head back home.

Tessa is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4631

Bummer. Today's launch scrubbed with only 40 minutes left on the clock. There were lots of problems this morning but the engineering team was able to resolve most of them. The problem that shut down the launch was that one of the four main engines wasn't able to pre-chill properly during the engine bleed proceedure. The other three engines were fine, but you need all four to launch. Evidently these engines have to be super cold prior to launch so the liquid oxygen and hydrogen will flow through them. Pre-chilling the engines with liquid hydrogen prior to launch is very important.

I'm hoping that the engineering team can resolve the problem in time for a second attempt on Friday, but there are no promises. Nobody know what caused the problem yet. If they can't fix the rocket out on the pad, they will have to roll it back to the Vertical Assembly Building again. This could put the launch weeks or even months behind schedule. There will be a briefing tomorrow evening that hopefully will provide some answers.

I decided to stay an extra day to see if the launch team can make a decision about how to proceed tomorrow. I can't stay down here forever, but I'd hate to fly home and then discover that the launch was successful on Friday. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised at what happened today. This is a new rocket and scrubs are quite common for any number of reasons. I overheard one of the astronauts tell someone that his Space Shuttle flight was s scrubbed four different times before it eventually got off the ground.

There were more people at the press site this morning than I've ever seen before. They all disappeared quickly after the launch got scrubbed though. I hung around for the rest of the morning hoping to hear something about rescheduling the launch. There was a final press conference where the NASA officials basically said to stay tuned because they didn't know what went wrong yet. I could have asked a question myself, but didn't. The reporters who did ask questions pretty much covered all the bases anyway. I went and had lunch at the space center cafeteria before heading back to Titusville, and was surprised to see an astronaut sitting at the next table. There was a lot of disappointment in the air this morning but nobody seemed terrible surprised that the launch got scrubbed. 

I drove over to the Canaveral National Seashore before returning to my Airbnb. It is very pretty out there but the mosquitos were biting and it was getting hot. I took a few more pictures and called a day. It took a while to reschedule my flight, car rental, and Airbnb, but I'm all set now. We'll just have to see whether I'm staying one more day or four more days. If the launch gets delayed any longer than this, I'm out of luck.

I have no idea what I'll end up doing tomorrow, but it probably won't involve going back to the press site. I doubt that much is happening out there tomorrow. The press conference tomorrow is virtual and I'll need to call in to find out what the Artemis team has decided about rescheduling the launch.

I think it's time to call it a day. I haven't been getting a lot of sleep lately and I'm feeling tired. Maybe I'll just get some rest tomorrow. I'm still really disappointed that the launch didn't take place today, but hopefully I'll still be able to see Artemis fly when all the problems get sorted out. Eventually this rocket will get us back to the moon, but maybe not as soon as I'd hoped.

Duke is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4630

I ended up seeing the Space X Starlink launch last night. It was still raining when I drove to the Press Site. There weren't a lot of people setting up cameras and most of them thought that the launch would get scrubbed. It did get delayed, but eventually the skies started to clear and the launch took place around 11:41 PM. I'm glad I stayed optimistic and didn't drive back to town. It was another spectacular launch. Unfortunately, I didn't get any good pictures. The remote shutter release I use locked up just before the launch and I didn't have time to reboot everything. It's no great loss though. I already have plenty of pictures of Falcon 9 rockets launching at night.

I spent a lot of time today trying to figure out what went wrong so it won't happen again when the Artemis rocket launches tomorrow morning. I suspect the problem was user error. It's really hard to see the camera controls in the dark and sometimes I press the wrong buttons by mistake. At least tomorrow morning the skies will be getting brighter as we approach launch time.

My interviews didn't go well today. Basically, I didn't get any interviews. The Italian astronaut had a flight delay and couldn't make his Sunday morning interviews. The German astronaut decided at the last minute to skip his last interviews of the day and go on a tour of a NASA clean room facility instead. It's just as well. I never look forward to interviews because I don't think I'm very good at it. I do much better as a fly on the wall, just quietly observing things and sharing my thoughts.

The journalists who were doing interviews were having a feeding frenzy. On air media people seem pretty aggressive. They all have deadlines to meet or are on the air live and don't have time for slow moving people like me. I saw some of them even filming other people's interviews. I actually learned a lot by just wandering around and listening to other journalists interview people. I don't think I'm cut out to be a broadcast journalist. I forgot to pack two of journalism's most important tools: a pen and a notebook. I didn't even take a recorder, although I guess I could have used my phone to record an interview. Before my astronauts canceled out on me, I was looking everywhere for a ballpoint pen. There were lots of free hats, but no pens. 

I've been eating at my Airbnb instead of going to restaurants. Every day I stop at a grocery store on my way back from the space center and pick up a few things. I've discovered single serve cereal packages where you just pour milk in the little plastic cup the cereal is packaged in. I thought about getting single serve beer and soft drinks but they are much more expensive than getting a six pack. Anything with organic on the label is more expensive too. I don't want a lot of food left over when I leave, but I still don't know how long I'm going to stay. It all depends on what happens tomorrow morning.

I think I like staying at an Airbnb. The house I'm staying at is located in a nice quiet residential neighborhood. I took my daily walk through the neighborhood this afternoon and kept thinking that this would be a nice place to live. Titusville is a pleasant little town. There are lots of retired people and many of the younger ones work for NASA. Actually my Airbnb host is an engineer on the Orion program. I met he and his wife today and it looks like we'll both be heading to the space center in the middle of the night for tomorrow's launch.

I really hope that this launch goes off on schedule. This mission is so complicated that it seems like a miracle to me if everything works as planned. Ill just be watching tomorrow, but some of the people I've met down here have spent their entire careers working on Artemis or the Orion capsule. Good luck guys.  I hope your efforts are successful.

Mandy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4629

I made it to Kennedy Space Center. So far, so good. My flight was on time. I managed to find a rental car with GPS. I got my press credentials and checked into my Airbnb. Now all I've got to do is wait for the rain to stop. The weather's not looking good, but hopefully it will improve by Monday morning.

I wasn't looking forward to such an early flight this morning, but it turned out to be a pleasant surprise. There were no crowds at the terminal and the plane was only half full. I went through the TSA line in record time. Love Field has really improved the way you go through security. You don't have to take your computer or liquids out of your bag anymore. You don't need to remove belts or watches either. The whole process is much faster now. I wish all airports would upgrade their equipment like this. The Orlando airport is still impossibly slow.

The Airbnb is a lot different than a hotel. It's basically a small apartment with a full kitchen. I could cook all my meals here if I wanted. There are pots and pans to cook with and plenty of dishes. I went to a nearby grocery store and got some things for breakfast. I'll just eat cereal like I usually do. This seems a lot easier than looking for a restaurant every morning. The place is clean and in a very convenient location. Who knows. I may become a believer in this type of travel. Airbnb definitely offers some real advantages.

There is a Space X Starlink launch scheduled for tonight. The weather doesn't look good and the launch is very late, but I think I'll go out to the press site anyway and see if I can get some pictures. Space X has been known to launch in less than optimal weather before, so if the rain stops before launch time there's a good chance the launch will take place. It's hard to pass up a chance to see two launches in a single trip, so I'll give it a shot even though things look 50/50 at this point.

One of my astronaut interviews got canceled tomorrow. The Italian astronaut had a flight delay and won't be here in time for the interview. I think the interview with the German astronaut is still on though. I wish I'd signed up to set remote cameras. This was going to take place on Friday before I arrived, but there was a thunderstorm and everything got postponed. Now there is a bus taking photographers to the pad tomorrow morning. Unfortunately, it's too late for me to sign up. I'm not sure I could go anyway, since I don't have any remote cameras to set. Space X often lets me ride on the bus and take pictures even if I don't place any remote cameras. NASA is more strict about this though. If you don't have remote cameras to place, they usually won't let you on the bus.

Dot has been gone for quite a while, but it would have been her birthday today. We had great birthday parties for Dot and Dash. We'll have to continue this tradition with Dawn. I remember that I even took a cake decorating class once just so we could make elaborate birthday cakes for the dogs. I don't think either of us has that much energy anymore, but Dawn definitely deserves something special.

I'm going to post this early tonight because I don't feel like blogging after a late night launch. I'd much rather get a little sleep. It's going to be a busy day tomorrow.

Dot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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