Day 4351

It appears that people have forgotten about John Kennedy. November 22 used to get a lot of news coverage, especially locally. Tons of people used to converge on Dealey Plaza on this day, either to pay their respects to Kennedy or to trade the latest conspiracy theories. Back when I first moved here, I visited Dealey Plaza several times on November 22. I haven't been down there in years, but at the time it seemed like an interesting event to photograph. There were still a lot of old timers who had actually been there on that fateful day. Some of them had little booths selling pamphlets claiming to tell you what really happened. There was always a lot of talk about the Grassy Knoll and the mysterious second gunman. I imagine that most of these people are dead now. I also imagine that there weren't nearly as many people at Dealey Plaza today. A new generation of conspiracy theorists have bigger fish to fry these days.

We didn't visit the Dalmatians today. The holiday week has already started for many and that means a lot more people are boarding their dogs while they travel to visit relatives for Thanksgiving. The room where we typically play with the dogs is transformed into additional boarding space during the holidays and we would just get in the way. We'll be back as soon as things quiet down a bit. We'll be visiting the kennel a lot during the holidays anyway. It's also the location of our Santa Paws Christmas photo events.

With the Santa Paws events in mind, I went to REI today and got a trekking pole. Trekking poles are just a fancy high tech version of a cane. Usually they are collapsible so they will fit in a backpack when you aren't using them. I thought one of these poles in the collapsed position would be perfect for helping me get off the floor when I'm down on my knees photographing small dogs. We'll see how this works. It may turn out to be another stupid idea.

While I was at REI I saw a Fitfit on sale and got that as well. So much for yesterday's post bragging about no longer having a desire to buy things. Oh, well. I did need the Fitbit though. I'm hooked on tracking my activity and my old Fitbit is ready to give up the ghost. The battery is just about gone and I have to charge it every day now. One disappointing thing about the new Fitbit is that it expects me to be even more active than the old one. Give me a break. I move slow. I don't think I'll ever get my heart rate up to 180 BPM.

Today was another nice day, but it is very hard to dress for this type of weather. Typically it is quite chilly when we take Dawn on her sunrise walk. I always wear a ski jacket and a wool hat for this walk. It warms up quickly after the sun comes up, so I only need a very light jacket on my long walk. Usually after I've completed a few miles, I get hot and have to take the jacket off and tie it around my waist. It was easier to dress in the summer when I just wore a t-shirt and shorts, but of course then I was always hot.

I'm looking forward to going out for dinner on Thanksgiving. Covid put an end to the extravagant buffet/brunches that some restaurants and hotels served on Thanksgiving. We were actually surprised to find that a few places that have have resumed the tradition this season. It's about time. We've been to this place before but it's been a while. Hopefully the food is still good.

I keep hoping that Dawn will bond with me soon. Janet is going on a cruise with her relatives in about six months. Dawn and I need to be best buddies by then. We've still got a ways to go.

Chelsey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4350

Another Sunday with lots of walking. My feet held up fairly well today and my pace was back to normal. The weather seemed strange today. When we took Dawn on her sunrise walk it was warm and a little humid. It was still pretty warm when I took my long walk, but later in the day it suddenly became a lot colder. I've given up predicting the weather. Every day is a new day.

We discontinued Dawn's new meds. They actually seemed to be making Dawn worse instead of better. Janet and I both noticed strange changes in behavior that could only be explained by the new meds. I'm glad that Janet noticed the changes independently and was the first to want to discontinue the meds. I've tried to remain neutral since both Janet and the vet wanted to give the medicine a try. I've never been a fan of Prozac or any other anti-depressants. My Mom was manic/depressive and I've seen what these drugs can do. It's not good. You are playing with fire when you try to mess with the brain.

Dawn will never be completely normal, but she is back to her old self. I don't think any damage was done with the short trial of the drug. She was anxious in the car when we began our Sunday outing today, but quickly recovered when we arrived at our destination. She's always this way. Dawn doesn't like surprises and wants her life to be very predictable. I'm sure the drugs made her feel a little different and in her mind that was a big surprise that frightened her. I can appreciate this. For most of my life I've felt the same way. When I was in college in the 60's, I tried almost every mood altering substance you could eat, drink, or smoke. Once was enough for me. I hated being high. I don't like being out of control. LSD and Psilocybin were the worst, but I didn't even like weed. To this day I still think substance abuse is at the root of most of our nation's problems.

Every year about this time I'm inundated with ads for Black Friday bargains. This year for the first time I can remember, I have no desire to buy anything. I don't think I've reached the decluttering stage yet, but I've got all the stuff I need. Since I've always been somewhat of a gearhead, I can see how technology companies try to make you feel like what you are currently using is obsolete. There is this relentless desire to sell you new stuff because if you were happy with what you had, they wouldn't have a business. I think the fashion industry operates the same way. It's a shame that we are being programmed to desire cheap, disposable stuff that only lasts a few years, when what we really need are a few durable things that last a lifetime.

While we're on the subject of cheap, disposable stuff, I many need to get a new Fitbit soon. Why do they make these things with a battery that can't be replaced? When the battery wears out, you have to buy a whole new tracker. Would it have been that hard to design a tracker using a small flat easily replaceable watch battery for power? A lot of new technology is this way. It is not designed to be repaired, it is designed to be replaced.

While we were eating dinner this evening we heard the news about the Christmas parade in Wisconsin. What a shame. These kind of things keep happening over and over again. It's like humanity has become a bunch of wild, feral animals. Events that would have seemed impossible when I was a child are just considered normal now. It makes you wonder how low we can go? I don't think humans deserve this planet. We manage to screw up everything we touch.

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4349

I keep hearing that the shelves are going to be empty this Christmas, but that doesn't seem to be the case around here. When I did my shopping this morning, the stores were full of Christmas stuff. Nobody seems to be waiting until after Thanksgiving anymore. Christmas tree lots are already up and running. Stores are full of gifts. Some of our neighbors have already put Christmas lights up.

I keep worrying that Dawn might be having an adverse reaction to the new meds she's taking. She seemed slower on her walk this morning. She spit out the cookie I always give her before I leave on my own long walk. She certainly doesn't seem any friendlier toward me. I guess the real test will be tomorrow when she rides in the car to go on her Sunday outing. It's hard to evaluate Dawn's mood anyway. To me, she is always acting weird. 

It didn't take long to get my shopping done today. There were no lines at the gas pump. The shelves were well stocked. And I didn't have a long list anyway. It did take a long time to complete my walk unfortunately. The weather was nice but my feet hurt again today. My pace was pretty slow today. Even old, overweight people were passing me on the trails.

I was wrong when I said we weren't going to get any Fall color this year. The trees are just turning a little later than usual. I saw lots of reds and yellows today. I didn't see the eagles unfortunately. I didn't even see the regular group of ducks and geese. I am seeing Kestrels again and the White Pelicans have started to become active. I like it when the animals are active. They keep my mind off the human side of the equation.

I wonder why there are so many for sale and for rent signs in the neighborhood. The population seems a lot more transient than it used to be. Janet and I seems to be the only people who have been here forever. A lot of the older neighbors have either passed away or moved on to assisted living. I don't know what the young ones are doing. I don't know hardly any of them because they don't stay here long enough.

I also wonder why almost all modern cars look the same and why there are so many people walking babies in strollers? It's a different world now. I hear police and fire sirens constantly these days but I don't see as many airplanes overhead. I don't think that air travel has completely recovered yet. Maybe everybody is just out on the highways. I've never seen traffic this bad in all the time I've lived here.

My Fitbit battery ran out this morning. It bothered me a bit because I didn't get any credit for my long walk. I'm definitely hooked on checking my stats. Every morning I check to see how many hours of deep sleep I got and how long I was in a dream state. I dream a lot, but from what I can remember the dreams are never very satisfying. When I was young I had flying dreams. Now I seems to be constantly lost. I'm always looking for my car in a parking garage or riding up and down elevators looking for my room in a hotel. I think Dawn has lots of dreams too. She often wakes me up at night while barking in her sleep.

The vet called with Dawn's test results. Everything looks normal. I hope she enjoys her Sunday outing tomorrow. I'm not a big fan of her new meds but I do want her to be happy. If she is less anxious it's probably a good thing. 

Ranger is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4348

I did end up seeing the eclipse last night. Yep, I had to pee. When I went outside, the sky was crystal clear and Orion and Sirius were high in the sky. The eclipse was as near totality as it was going to get, taking on a characteristic reddish hue as the moon passed thru the earth's shadow. It was all beautiful and serene. The night was quiet with no barking dogs or police cars racing down the street with their sirens on. For about ten seconds I thought about staying outside and doing some observing. I quickly remembered that almost every house in the neighborhood, including ours, has a bright security light in the yard and that a huge tree blocks our view of the North, making it almost impossible to polar align a telescope. It was also very cold. I took one last look at the moon and then went inside and back to sleep again. I am glad I saw the eclipse though.

This morning when we took Dawn on her sunrise walk, the moon was on the horizon and just about to set. It always looks larger when it is on the horizon for some reason. The sky was still clear and it looked like it was going to be a nice day. All this put me in a slightly better mood than usual. It wasn't dramatic, but it was enough to keep me from wanting to go back to bed again.

I waited for an hour or so after breakfast to take my long walk. I wanted the temperature to warm up a little. I was surprised when a rather large bobcat crossed my path. The cat wasn't interested in me and apparently wasn't frightened of humans. I've seen bobcats in the park before, but never one this large. Too bad I didn't have a camera with me. I was glad that Dawn wasn't with me though. I have no interest in tangling with a bobcat.

Work crews were busy ripping out the old trail when I was walking this morning. I'm still disappointed to see this happening. When we first moved here, the park was neglected and largely abandoned. At some point, a large bond issue passed and the city began making improvements. I liked the old days better. There were a few bikers who used to hang out in the park, but it was mostly empty. It certainly wasn't a recreation destination like it is today.

My feet didn't bother me today and I was able to maintain a fairly good pace on my walk. I kept looking for the two bald eagles, but have no idea when I'll see them again. I guess I should be content with seeing the bobcat today. When I returned home I couldn't think of anything to do. I did a load of wash and ignored a bunch of "suspected spam" calls on the landline. I really need to call AT&T and see if there is a way to block these calls from coming through. There seems to be more bogus calls every day and they are becoming irritating.

The proton pump inhibitor pills I've started taking appear to have cured my heartburn. We had cheeseburgers for dinner and they caused no problem. I've taken a PPI before and they've always worked well. It's too bad these pills can have some nasty side effects. I wonder how long I can get away with taking these things this time. My gastroenterologist says yes and my primary care physician says no.

Hard to believe that it's the weekend again. It's time to go grocery shopping and fill the car with gas. I wonder how much prices have gone up this week?

Jasper is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4347

The weather has changed again. It was really cold this morning. Northerners wouldn't consider today's temperature cold, but it was pretty chilly to me. I just can't handle cold anymore. I'm wearing sweaters around the house when Janet is still in shirtsleaves. I'll turn the thermostat up and she'll turn it back down again. This is all kind of weird since I've spent plenty of time in cold climates. I went to high school in Alaska and lived in Idaho for a while right after college. I don't remember being cold then. Of course my memory may be fooling me. I don't remember a lot from 60 years ago.

Dawn seems to love the colder weather. She was full of energy on her sunrise walk and even took a second walk with Janet later in the day. I bundled up for my long walk and for the first time this season didn't feel like taking my jacket off after the first few miles. A brisk wind made it feel even colder, but I finished my six miles. My pace was better today. I must have been walking faster to stay warm.

I can't say that I did anything useful today. I did clear the leaves off the front and back porch, but that was a futile activity. It was a windy day and by the time I was finished, a new batch of leaves had already fallen from the trees. I have to sweep the front porch often. Prevailing winds push leaves against our front door and then when you open the door they blow inside. I think the fun part of Fall is almost over. Now comes months of leaf raking. The leaves used to just blow away, but now that all the neighbors have built those awful tall wood security fences, we don't get a breeze anymore and the leaves have no place to go.

There's an eclipse of the moon later tonight. It's supposed to be the longest eclipse in hundreds of years according to the media accounts I've read. Will I get up at 4 AM to look at the moon as it approaches totality? Maybe. There's a good chance I'll just sleep through the whole thing. I've already photographed a number of lunar eclipses and they are all pretty much the same. The only time I bother to go outside when astronomical events like eclipses and meteor showers are taking place in the wee hours of the morning is if I happen to wake up to go to the bathroom at the same time. I value my sleep. The last thing I want to do is get up in the middle of the night. Maybe I should write a book called The Lazy Astronomer. I love looking at the night sky between 9 and 11 PM. After that, it's bedtime.

It looks like there is a lot of construction going on in the park. The city is replacing some of my favorite trails with much larger concrete walkways. This isn't good news for me. The new walkways will be promoted as bike paths by the city and all the sudden there will be a new influx of bicycles from all over the place. Bicycles don't mix well with people walking dogs. Cyclists never slow down for anybody and dogs love to wander around and sniff things on both sides of the trail. For as long as I can remember I've had to be on the lookout for bicycles so the dogs and I don't end up getting run over. 

I filled out my application to attend the Artemis 1 roll out this morning. Will I get credentialed? Who knows. They haven't even set a date for the roll out yet, but it will probably take place toward the end of December. I kind of like Winter events in Florida because the mosquitos aren't so bad. If I don't get accepted for this one, it's not a big deal. I can still apply to attend the launch sometime in 2022. I'd enjoy seeing the roll out, but if I don't go, I'll save some money.

It was chilly when I took the trash to the curb this evening. The sky was clear and the moon was trying to tempt me. I still can't decide whether to get up for the eclipse. I will have to get up tomorrow morning and the temperature is only supposed to be 37 degrees. Brrr. It's almost time to set the outdoor faucets on drip and bring the lawnmower battery inside for the winter.

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4346

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4345

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

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

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

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

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

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

Alvin is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4344

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Honey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4343

I did a lot of walking today. We started with Dawn's sunrise walk. Even this early I could tell it was going to be a warmer day. Dawn is back to taking her short one mile loop. Any day now she could surprise us though. We never know when she's going to decide to be adventurous. 

Weekends are the only time I eat a big breakfast. Actually, it's the only time Janet and I eat breakfast together. We had a hearty meal of bacon, eggs, and toast and then I went out walking again. My feet still hurt but I am unwilling to quit walking. Basically the problem is just arthritis and I don't want to start taking pain pills on a regular basis. Aching feet slow me down though. I definitely didn't make good time today.

As soon as I returned home, Dawn was ready to go on her Sunday outing. It had warmed up enough at this point that I didn't even need a jacket. Dawn is weird about our Sunday ritual. She gets so excited as we get ready to leave the house and then as soon as we get in the car, she gets terrified. She has never liked riding in the car, but luckily it is a short drive to her Sunday park. As soon as we arrive at our destination, she is back to normal. Normal for Dawn actually isn't very normal, but we'll take what we can get. 

We had a nice walk with lots of new things to smell and then we went for ice cream. The ice cream place always has a help wanted sign out front. Either they have a big turnover or they are very picky about who they hire. We always get good service. Occasionally they even give us a free pup cone. The pup cones are very small. I think Dawn likes the regular cones better. Dawn is a noisy eater. It makes us laugh to hear her crunching on a cone. 

I didn't do much for the rest of the day. I got out the wet-dry vac and removed the water that collects between the tiles and the shower pan after I took a shower. I probably need to re-grout the bathroom tiles, but I've done this several times and it never worked for long. For whatever reason, the bathroom is where there are the most stress cracks in the sheetrock. Old houses move and shift with the seasons. Some of our doors stick in the summer but are fine in the winter. Since tile grout isn't very pliable, it always tends to crack when the house shifts. This is a minor problem compared to others we've had, but it does make me want to quit taking showers occasionally.

Janet was gone for most of the afternoon, so Dawn and I had plenty of time to bond. Dawn wasn't interested. When I would lie down on the bed to take a short nap, Dawn would always groan and move away to the far corner of the bed. Although Dawn clearly prefers that I stay in the office, she likes the bed so much that she reluctantly shares it with me. When Janet's home, Dawn follows her around like glue. I think Dawn thinks I'm a kennel attendant. I'm good for walks and fixing dinner. That's about it.

I read an article today about skyrocketing home prices and the difficulties new buyers are facing these days. Evidently in some cities there are multiple bids on almost every house that comes to market and buyers either get outbid or end up paying way more than the asking price. It makes me glad that we aren't going anywhere and are living in a home that was paid for a long time ago. The world isn't a friendly place anymore. I keep thinking that my parents lived in the best of times. There was no social media or fake news. Everybody trusted Walter Cronkite. Nobody made a lot of money, but things didn't cost very much either. I wasn't even aware of crime when I was a kid. Nobody even locked their doors in our neighborhood. Even much later when I started college it still felt safe to hitchhike. I hitchhiked all over the country. Times have definitely changed. It's not Mad Max at Thunderdome yet, but we are definitely headed in that direction.

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4342

Prices still seemed outrageous when I went shopping this morning. Inflation is real and I don't think it's going away any time soon. People will get used to the new prices and eventually they will seem normal. It's always been this way. Prices from everything from gasoline to butter routinely go up and down, but at the end of the day they always seem to be higher than they used to be. When I was in college, gasoline was 25 cents a gallon and a $40,000 house was considered expensive. I wish I'd bought a $40,000 house back in the day and held on to it. I could sell it for millions now. I wish I'd bought that 1956 300 SL Gullwing I saw on sale for $25,000 when I lived in Seattle. That car would definitely be worth more than most houses today. The problem was that when gas was 25 cents a gallon, I was young and had no money. 

Prices have always seemed to rise faster than wages and yet most people seem better off than they used to be. All the little frame houses in our neighborhood are gradually being replaced by McMansions. When I was grocery shopping this morning, the parking lots were all filled with shiny new cars. I guess I really don't understand economics. We complain about high prices, but as a country we appear to be doing really well. There will always be poverty, but I think it was a lot more prevalent when my parents were young.

It was only 39 degrees when we got up this morning. This meant we had to wear warm clothes when we took Dawn on her sunrise walk. Dawn, like most Dalmatians, appears to like the colder weather. I complain a lot, but I don't really mind it either. It's a lot easier to add clothes when you're cold than to subtract them when you are hot. 

When I took my long walk after I finished grocery shopping I saw one of the eagles again. It was more distant than it was when I saw it a few weeks ago, but it was still easy to tell the bird was an eagle. The size of these birds and the white head makes them pretty distinctive. I walked across an open field trying to get closer to the eagle, but all I managed to do was twist my ankle. My feet are a mess these days. I really need to stick to walking on pavement and well defined trails.

Grocery shopping and my long walk used up a big chunk of the day, so I didn't feel guilty about doing nothing for the rest of the day. I went out to pick up Chinese take-out for dinner and was amazed at all the traffic. Where were all these people going? It felt like the entire city was on the move. Heavy traffic is the main reason I don't like to drive anymore. Driving on empty roads out in West Texas is a completely different experience.

I watched the Starlink launch on the Space X live feed this morning. This would have been a really pretty launch to see in person. Kennedy Space Center was covered in a thick ground fog and only the top of the rocket poked through the cloud bank while it was on the launch pad. It kind of looked like a science fiction movie where the Falcon 9 was taking off from a different planet. I would have loved to photograph this one.

I would have loved to photograph the eagle I saw today too. I don't think I have the dedication though. Some of the local photographers hang around the area for hours, hoping to catch a glimpse of the bird. It's usually a photographer who points the eagle out to me. I would have missed the bird today if it weren't for a photographer crossing my path holding a camera with a long telephoto lens. "See the eagle over there," he gestured toward me as he raced to get his shot. Sure enough, there it was.

I guess people are still reading the blog. My niece sent me a picture of my Mom in uniform after reading my Veteran's Day post.

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4341

It's hard to dress properly for my walks at this time of year. It was really cold when I got up this morning. I ended up wearing long underwear and a sweater under my jacket on our sunrise walk with Dawn. After breakfast it felt considerably warmer, so I ditched the long underwear and just wore a light fleece jacket on my long walk. By the time I was on my last mile it felt so warm that I finished the walk in shirt sleeves. It was a nice day though. The skies were clear and the recent storm seemed to have cleared out all the pollen in the air. I don't think my seasonal allergies are over yet, but it's nice to have a day of reprieve from the watering eyes and dripping nose.

I always see something interesting on my walks. Today I saw somebody walking a ferret on a leash. This must have been quite a hike for the little ferret. The pair were at least a mile from any car or house. I also see a guy walking his cat in a harness from time to time. How do you even get a cat to wear a harness and walk on a leash?

I had no plans for today. I thought I'd buy another pair of Hoka shoes with a 20% off REI coupon that was going to expire soon. It turned out that the shoes were just about the only thing that the coupon wasn't good for. Oh, well. I searched the Internet and found the Hoka store, where the shoes I wanted were almost half price. When I went to check out on Paypal, it turned out that this wasn't a real Hoka store after all. It was some weird Chinese company that sold electromechanical equipment. Something seemed really fishy about this, so I canceled the sale. It's hard to trust the Internet these days. This place was probably selling counterfeit shoes or maybe they would just take your money and claim that the shoes were lost on a container ship in the Pacific. I guess I'll wait until the shoes go on sale in a real store here in Dallas.

It's hard for me to remember what day it is on Friday. I went through half the day thinking it was Saturday.  Maybe this is because Janet does her grocery shopping on Friday now. We both used to do our shopping on Saturday. I started thinking that I need to do my shopping too, but then I finally remembered what day it was. I think Dawn remembers what day it is better than I do. All I have to do is say "It's grocery day" and Dawn jumps off the bed and runs to the front door to greet Janet when she returns.

The Starlink launch I was going to watch this morning got postponed until tomorrow morning. These frequent changes aren't a big deal when you are watching a live stream on your computer, but they can make travel a real problem. I've had several launches get postponed after I made the trip to Kennedy Space Center or Vandenberg Air Force Base. Usually I can extend my stay a day or two, but occasionally I've had to come home seeing nothing. I've also driven all the way out to McDonald Observatory only to find clouds and rain when I got there. It makes me wonder why I've chosen these two frustrating activities as my favorite things to do. 

Tomorrow is grocery day. At least it's my grocery day. This is about the only time I use the car anymore. I'll get my shopping done early and then take another walk. You'd think I could find something more interesting to do on the weekend, but that's not going to happen. These days if I manage to get out of bed and get dressed, I consider the day a success.

Jada is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4340 - Veterans Day

Everyone usually posts pictures of their parents on Veterans Day. I only have a single picture of my Dad in uniform. My Mom was in the Navy during World War II as well, but I don't have any pictures of her service days. I never served myself, although many of my high school friends ended up going to Vietnam. I'm glad I had a medical exemption. Far too many good people have been killed or injured in pointless wars that didn't even serve our national interest. Vietnam is a trading partner and tourist destination now. We didn't win that war. Iraq and Afghanistan certainly aren't any better off after years of war. Both countries are as corrupt as they ever were. I think World War II was the last war that we actually won. I'm proud of my parent's service. Tom Brokaw was right in calling people of my parent's age the Greatest Generation. They had a sense of unity and purpose that just isn't here today. My parents gave me an amazing opportunity to grow and thrive. If you are anywhere near my age, your parents did too. I just hope we don't squander that opportunity as we appear to be doing now.

Last year at this time I was preparing to go to Florida to attend the Space X Crew 1 launch. Time flies. Crew 3 just launched yesterday and it appears that there will be many more missions like this to the ISS. I am pleased that we are finally getting serious about returning to space. We need to remain explorers. I think the Chinese understand this even if some Americans don't. If we don't go to the moon and Mars, they certainly will.

It's weird that I'm so interested in exploring the cosmos since I rarely even leave my own back yard. I took my long walk today, but that was about it. I did get an invitation from the Space Force this afternoon to attend tomorrow's Starlink launch. The invitation was a little late, since the launch is scheduled for early tomorrow morning. There is no way to make travel arrangements that quickly. I was pleased that I'm still on somebody's approved list, but I hope I will get a little more advance warning about future launches. I'm still hoping to return to KSC for next February's Artemis 1 launch.

I need to find something interesting to do in Dallas. It's too complicated and often too expensive to continually plan trips to Kennedy Space Center or McDonald Observatory. Almost every day I see photographers in the park patiently waiting to get the perfect bird picture. I don't have the patience for this. My reaction to birds these days is usually "Hey, I've already got that shot." I used to love to go to movies, but there hasn't been a new movie in a long time that has interested me. I could care less about another James Bond film, or anything in the Marvel universe. I probably wouldn't even like the movies I used to love anymore. I certainly don't like do it yourself projects anymore. I'm really tired of fixing things. Maybe I should volunteer for a sleep study. I do like sleeping.

I've taken the trash to the curb and had a cursory look at the night sky. Jupiter, Saturn and Venus are all really bright. There's a lunar eclipse coming up soon, but it takes place in the middle of the night. I'm not sure I want to get up at 3 AM to see something I've seen many times before. I don't know if I'm getting lazy or just have a bad case of "been there, done that." At any rate, I'm perfectly content to have a bowl of shredded wheat tomorrow and take my long walk. That's enough for now.

Dolly is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4339

When I was walking through the area where the eagles live this morning I was surprised to see a car flipped over on its roof on one of the small service roads that cut through the park. The accident must have just happened because a fire truck and EMS vehicle were arriving as I approached the car. The driver was an older woman who didn't appear to be seriously hurt. How could this have even happened? The speed limit is 20 miles per hour on these roads and I can't imagine that the woman was driving fast. My guess is that she was looking for those two eagles and inadvertently drove over one of the low barriers at the side of the road. Whenever I see something like this it makes me realize that life is full of surprises. The last thing I expected to see this morning was a car flipped on its roof in an empty section of the park.

Other than witnessing a weird car accident, it was a pretty uneventful day. I did manage to find the Reed's Extra Ginger Brew I've been looking for. I doubt that drinking more ginger ale and less beer will make me any healthier, but this stuff is real tasty. It's not as sweet as other brands and has a strong ginger taste. I should have done a few more errands while I was out of the house but I didn't feel like it. One task a day is plenty for me.

The new photo backdrop arrived today. I guess I'm ready for another season of Christmas pictures. It's probably time to buy some new photo umbrellas, but I think the two I've got will make it through one more season. My equipment is getting pretty old, but so am I. My knees are getting so bad now that I'm going to need an assistant to pull me up off the floor after photographing the little dogs. Maybe it's time to add a cane to my photo gear.

I watched the Crew 3 launch on the Space X live stream this evening. I wished I could have been there. Everything looks so familiar when I watch these launches on television. I'm getting to know Kennedy Space Center pretty well. I've asked my Florida photographer friends whether this ever gets old and the answer is always no.  There's something about watching a launch in person that is completely unique. I'm sure I'll return to Kennedy Space Center, but it might take a while. I'm hoping to be down there for the launch of Artemis 1 next February.

I just heard a severe weather warning on the television. Where did that come from? Its been nice out for most of the day. I just checked the weather radar and sure enough a big storm system is headed our way. I'm glad I didn't go up on the roof and clear the water away this afternoon. That would have been a wasted effort. I alway worry about downed or uprooted trees during storms. We've lost trees before and it's always a huge mess.

This week has gone quickly. Every day feels like Ground Hog Day, but that's OK. Tomorrow we'll walk Dawn at dawn. I'll brew some coffee and eat my bowl of shredded wheat. I'll take a long walk through the park and hopefully won't see any more auto accidents. I need to write another letter to my sister, but I really don't have much to say.

Puppies are todays Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4338

Today was quiet and uneventful. I woke up to a pretty sunrise. We took Dawn on her early morning walk and then I came home and ate a bowl of shredded wheat. After breakfast I took my long walk and was amused at how many people are out looking for the eagles with binoculars. The nest location hasn't been revealed, but everyone seems to know where it is. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been dispatched to protect the nest from foot traffic, but I don't think there will be a problem. By all indications, the nest is located in a swampy area that is not very accessible. That doesn't mean people won't try. Today I saw a helicopter circling the area. I'll bet the two eagles loved that. I'm not sure why a pair of eagles would choose Dallas as their home. Actually, I'm not sure why anybody would choose Dallas as their home.

Today's NASA teleconference was interesting. I wasn't terribly surprised to learn that the Artemis program was going to be a lot more expensive than expected and that the moon landing had been delayed for another year. They don't expect the Artemis III mission, which will land two astronauts on the moon, to take place until 2025 now. I had a couple of questions ready to ask, but by the time CBS News, The New York Times, The Discovery Channel, The Washington Post and other well know outlets had finished asking their questions, the moderator announced that they had run out of time and the event was over. Even The Verge, a very popular website, was at the very bottom of the question list. Before the first five minutes had passed I knew they weren't going to get around to my question.

DHL was supposed to deliver our new photo backdrop for Santa Paws pictures today, but it never arrived. So much for German efficiency. I thought the package would be arriving on Monday the 15th, but I got a message this morning saying that it was already out for delivery. I was kind of hoping that this delivery would be more reliable than FedEx or UPS, but apparently not. Oh, well. We've still got a lot of time. With any luck at all, the backdrop will still be here in time for Christmas pictures.

We may still get some Fall color after all. When I was taking my walk today I noticed that some of the Oak trees were starting to turn red. A few other trees have turned yellow, but I can't remember what species they are. The trees are turning a lot later than they did last year. Maybe it is because it has been warmer than usual. We often have a hard freeze by this time of year and occasionally we've even had snow. Personally, I'm pleased by the warmer weather. I was never a big fan of snow.

I've discovered that the extra strength Ginger Ale I've been looking for is available at Target. I never even thought of looking there. Maybe finding some Reed's Extra Ginger Brew will be my mission for tomorrow. At the moment I can't think of anything better to do. A lot of grocery stores will tell you  exactly how many items are available at specific stores on their websites now. This would be pretty amazing if it worked. In my experience, this inventory information is almost never accurate. The humans entering and updating the information are still the weak link in the chain.

Dawn comes out and watches me fix her dinner now. She barks at me like I'm some kind of servant, but I still consider this progress. Maybe by the time Janet starts to travel again, we'll be best friends.

Dot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4337

It only took one day to adjust to the time change. It seems more natural to wait until it gets light to get out of bed. It get dark earlier, but now that I've adjusted the timers on the lights in the house, I hardly notice the difference. Dawn wasn't demanding dinner at 4 PM today either. I guess we're all good to go for what will hopefully be a mild Winter.

Monday is always a very quiet day at the park. I encountered very few people on my walk today. It looks like the park department is getting ready to do some road construction. They were marking sections of the main road through the park for replacement. This is how they seems to do road repairs these days. Instead of repaving the entire road, they just cut out potholes and bad chunks and replace them instead. Most of the roads in the city look like patchwork quilts of concrete and asphalt. 

The ducks, geese, and pelicans were all in their regular places this morning, but I haven't seen the eagles in several weeks. They are still residing in the park because people report sightings just about every day. Maybe I'm just not taking my walks at the right time. I'll never be one of those people who hang out for hours with a camera or binoculars hoping to catch a glimpse. The eagles are certainly impressive, but they are not even as large as some of the pelicans. 

Since it was Monday, we spent the afternoon visiting the Dalmatians at the kennel. I thought Pepper might have been adopted by now, but she was still there, along with Charlie and Oliver. Sock, a Dalmatian Rescue alumni, was being boarded there this week as well, although he has a new name now. Somehow I always remember the dogs by the names they entered the rescue program with. Most owners rename the dogs after they adopt them. We've renamed some of our dogs, but not all of them. Dash was originally named Boomer and I think Petey had another name as well. We left Dawn's name alone, because she was older and already seemed to know her name. The change from life as a breeding dog to life as a spoiled pet was enough for Dawn. She didn't need a new name to remember as well.

On the way home from the kennel, Janet needed to stop at a Walmart to get some things. I try to avoid Walmart at all costs, but am always surprised when I step inside one of these stores. They are huge and seem to be so poorly organized that you have to aimlessly wander through every aisle in the store to find what you need. This is probably by design. Janet seemed to be able to navigate the store pretty well though. The only thing I tried to find was Reed's Extra Ginger Brew. This is the only soft drink I like and it is becoming impossible to find. The beer I like, Four Corners Local Buzz, also seems to be disappearing from the shelves. Grocery stores have become so computerized now that they only restock the popular items. If you like something that everybody else likes, you'll find entire aisles of the stuff. Otherwise, you are generally out of luck.

I need to remember the NASA teleconference tomorrow. I got the dial in number and passcode to join the conference today. I've participated in a couple of NASA press conferences before, but the other ones were in person. I guess this will be kind of like a Zoom meeting. I seldom end up asking questions at these type of things. If I even think of a decent question, some other reporter usually ends up asking it first.

I really need to go up on the roof and remove the remaining water. I know it's still up there, even though nothing is leaking now. I know that when the water in the back yard birdbath has evaporated, that the water on the roof is probably gone as well. I keep watching the bird bath and it's still full of water. Hopefully, I can find something more exciting than sweeping the water off the roof tomorrow. At least I'm going to try.

Spot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4336

I've been waiting for this day. It's daylight when we walk Dawn in the morning again. I've never really understood the time change anyway. Noon should always be when the sun is at it's highest point in the sky and we should just adjust our schedules accordingly as the days get longer and shorter. I don't think that Dawn would agree with this philosophy though. She seemed very indignant that I didn't fix her dinner at 4 PM today. Personally, I don't mind it it's dark when we eat dinner. I've usually finished all my outdoor activities by early afternoon.

It would have been another 20,000 step day if I had remembered to wear my Fitbit this morning. I always do a lot of walking on Sunday. Dawn enjoyed her sunrise walk and still had plenty of energy when we took her on her Sunday outing around noon. In between, I took my regular long walk in the park and added another five miles to my total. While I was out, I encountered some sort of marathon race. There were lots of people running, but none of them were going very fast. I must have encountered the stragglers at the end of the race. The winners had probably already finished before I entered the park. I suppose that running is excellent exercise, but all I saw today were a bunch of future knee replacements.

Since it was such a nice day today, I decided to mow the grass. At this time of year I always hope that this is the last time I have to mow and that I can put the mower away for another year. It seldom works out that way. If we get a lot of rain and there isn't a freeze, the grass just keeps growing. I'm going to remain hopeful though. Maybe I won't have to mow again until next Spring.

There seems to be virtually no Fall color this year. The trees seem to be going directly from green to brown. In previous years there would be a lot of reds and yellows in the park by now. Every once in a while we have a spectacular Fall. This year is kind of blah. I wonder why? It seems like the warm days and cool, crisp nights we've been having lately would be perfect for vibrant Fall colors.

The proton pump inhibitor I've started taking seems to be working. Last night's chili didn't give me heartburn. I haven't had acid reflux for several days now. I still have misgivings about taking a PPI though. Stomach acids are actually essential for digesting food and preventing bacteria from developing. You just don't want the acid escaping into your esophagus. We'll see how long my doctor wants me to continue this medication. If the answer is forever, we may have problems.

My watch winders are all starting to die. I guess they are getting pretty old. I keep thinking that a watch winder should last forever. It's just a simple motor that rotates the watch for a while combined with a circuit that turns the motor off for about 17 hours to let the watch unwind. I've never had a watch winder that lasted ten years. Some haven't even lasted five. I guess this shouldn't even matter since I seldom wear a mechanical watch anymore. The Apple Watch has replaced all the watches I used to wear. Watch collecting just seems like a strange hobby now. How did I ever get interested in the first place? 

At least I'm still interested in dogs and rockets. I'm interested in astronomy when I'm out in West Texas. Here in Dallas the light pollution is so bad that it's hardly worth the effort to look up at the sky. Most of my interests wind up in the storage warehouse eventually. Am I fickle, or is this just the way it works? The storage warehouse has become a museum of things I am no longer interested in.

Chase is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4335

I was surprised at how much prices had gone up when I went grocery shopping this morning. Janet had warned me that things would be more expensive, but this was fairly spectacular. A two pound tub of strawberries was over $10. Granted, these were the more expensive organic strawberries, but I've bought these things for $2.50 before. Gas has been creeping up in price as well. I've noticed that lines are starting to form at places where gas is the cheapest. I wonder where this will end? It's certainly not very encouraging.

As least my car starts easily now. Hopefully with a new battery and a recently completed scheduled maintenance, I will be good to go for another year. I don't drive much anymore so it doesn't seem fair to have car problems. I need to save my money and my energy for the house problems that are going to need attention soon.

We had no problems with loose dogs this morning, but Dawn wasn't interested in a long walk. It was a nice day and we tried to get her to try a new route, but she let us know that she preferred her short one mille loop.  We saw another Dalmatian on our walk this morning. It's rare to see a Dalmatian in the neighborhood these days. The owner lived on the other side of the lake, so she was either taking a very long walk or had driven her dog over here for a change of scenery. 

I probably need a change of scenery on my own long walk. My route has become so familiar now that I've practically memorized every step along the way. There are other routes I could take, but on most days it just doesn't matter. I'm not sightseeing when I take these walks. I'm just trying to stay active and get some exercise.

We'll see how good the new PPI I started taking is at controlling heartburn. We had chili for dinner tonight. Chili, spaghetti, pizza, and several other of my favorite meals have been pretty much off limits for the past year or so. Chili was generally number one on the heartburn register, so I'm a bit skeptical about whether a little green pill can change all that. It's worth a try though. If I still have heartburn tonight, it certainly won't be the first time.

My new editor at SpaceFlight must work all the time. I get messages from him on the weekends now. This never used to happen with the old editor, who was more my age. I guess there's a changing of the guard at the magazine. I miss the old familiar faces in my life. One by one they are all starting to disappear. My advertising friends are just birthdays to remember on Facebook now. Even some of the people I've met out at the observatory are starting to retire. I'm not terribly worried about being replaced by a younger writer at the magazine though. Writing is becoming a lost art. All the younger folks want to do podcasts and videos.

Where did this week go? It's almost time for Dawn's Sunday outing again. It's should be a nice day with a lot of walking. It's too bad my feet still hurt. Even with bad feet, I still prefer walking to lifting weights though. Walking is the perfect activity for daydreaming.

Spot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day