Day 4609

I think I like mall walking. The air is clean, filtered, and just the right temperature. No seasonal allergy problems at all. There are also no bugs. The place is well lit, but you don't get sunburned. I don't hear constant police and fire sirens like I do when I'm walking in the park. I actually like that the stores are closed. The latest trends are on display in every window, but there are no irritating salespeople asking if you need help. If you did see something you liked, you could just buy it online. Every store in the mall has a website. 

I used to hate malls because they were so crowded, but there are relitively few walkers before the stores open. The walkers all seem like nice people too. There are no pan handlers or crazy people wandering around trying to harrass you. It's also really easy to find a parking place before the stores open. Granted, this is not real life, but I'll take it. Real life is ugly and messy these days.

Northpark has a great art collection. I try to learn a little about the artists as I'm walking. Most of the art on display is sculpture, but there are a few large scale paintings as well. Each piece has a little plaque with information about the artist. This stuff has always been here but I never paid much attention before. It's interesting. Today the mall had new cars on display. I think they do this every year before the new model year begins. Cars have really gotten expensive. Luxury cars are around $100,000 now and regular cars seem to start around $50,000. The real expensive cars are always displayed near Neiman Marcus and the cheaper cars are down at the other end of the mall around Macys. There are a ton of police patrolling the mall. It feels pretty safe. I wish the park had half as many police. I've seen some pretty strange things in the park.

Since I did my mall walking early, there was still plenty of time for Dawn's Sunday outing. It was a little cooler this morning, so we thought she might like to spend a little more time outside. Nope. It was still too hot for her. She peed quickly and headed straight back to the car. I think she knows that the Sunday outing is all about the ice cream now. For the second week in a row we tried to buy a pint of our favorite flavor to take home with us and the store was out of it. The cones were good though.

I did a bunch of little odds and ends around the house this afternoon, but didn't really accomplish much. I watered plants, swept the porch, recharged device batteries, made another attempt to fix the leaking toilet, and oiled some sticking locks. Dawn doesn't mind when I nap with her now. I don't think we're best buddies yet, but she's not frightened of me anymore. I think that week we spent together while Janet was on vacation turned out to be quality time. This is all good news to me. I like to take naps and it's much easier if your dog approves.

It's back to the gym tomorrow. There's no point in mall walking when the stores are open. I hope I hear something from NASA this week. The launch is getting closer and I still know virtually nothing. All I have is a short cryptic note saying that my request for press credentials has been approved. I guess it wouldn't be the end of the world if I didn't make the trip at all. So far, this event has caused me a lot more stress than joy. I do have an article to write though. The magazine would be very disappointed if I wasn't there at the launch.

There is a 40% chance of rain next Wednesday. Usually the rain seems to miss our house even when there is a 100% chance of rain, but one can still hope. We really need the rain.

Lou is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4608

The only thing I can say about today was that I got everything done. This never ending heat wave has taken away any vestige of enthusiasm I might have had. The park has become way too crowded on our sunrise walks. We have to watch out for bicycles, large groups of runners, unleashed dogs, and even cars. At least the temperature is still tolerable at this time of day. Dawn enjoyed herself this morning and even followed a new path for a while.

I did my grocery shopping before going to the gym this morning. We had our big weekend breakfast first though. There is no shredded wheat on the weekend menu. It's Hatch Chili month at Central Market and since Janet and I don't really like Hatch Chilies I had to look carefully to make sure that the popular peppers weren't included in the ingredients of anything I bought. Everything in the store seems to have a Hatch Chili component this month. There is Hatch bread, Hatch desserts, Hatch Mac & Cheese, Hatch Salads. The list goes on and on. Apparently, most people in Dallas like these peppers because Hatch Chili month is always a popular promotion. 

The gym was almost empty today. I followed my usual routine of shooting free throws on the basketball court, followed by a long walk on the indoor track. I'm getting better at both activities, but progress is slow. For the time being I'm not very interested in all the machines on the floor. I just want to get my steps and go home. The big event of the day was that the gym finally filled the basketballs with air. Most of them have been under inflated for weeks.

I still haven't heard any further information about the Artemis-1 launch. I don't know why I'm worried about this since the event is still almost a month away. I like to have all my ducks in a row. though and always anticipate problems. My big fear is that the launch will be delayed after I'm already in Florida and I won't be able to stay until the next launch opportunity. Typically a launch can be rescheduled for the next day, but the first three Artemis launch opportunities are almost a week apart. I definitely can't afford to stay in Florida for three weeks. I'm not sure I'd want to stay that long even if I could afford an extended trip. Oh, well. Let's just hope this thing gets off the ground on the first attempt.

This afternoon was uneventful. I really don't feel like doing anything in this heat. I need to decide whether to try mall walking again tomorrow. I probably will but I don't want to interfere with Dawn's Sunday outing. I guess she can wait until I return for her ice cream cone. I wish my gym would open on Sunday again. They used to be open on Sunday but that was one of the many things that were changed by Covid. 

Margo is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4607

Another slow day. Every day seems like a duplicate of the day before. I get up when I hear Dawn eating her breakfast. We all take a sunrise walk and wonder if it is ever going to rain. The days are noticeably shorter now and often we have returned home before the sun crosses the horizon. 

Janet watches out for bicycles as we walk and I keep a wary eye out for the neighbor's dog. They are on vacation now and we see a dog walker with the dogs almost every morning. She probably doesn't know that the dog has bitten me before and probably thinks we are being antisocial when I move well out of the way when we cross paths on the trail. I'll be glad when the temperature gets cooler. There is way too much activity in the park on these early walks now. There is a little window of time where it is still enjoyable to be outside and a lot of people try to take advantage of it. Later in the day the park is empty.

Not surprisingly, I didn't go out for breakfast this morning. I'm content to just stay home and have my bowl of shredded wheat and berries. I keep hoping for further news from NASA when I turn on my computer in the morning, but so far I have received nothing. Before leaving for the gym this morning I watered the front lawn and attached the inspection sticker I got yesterday to my windshield. It doesn't seem like it's been a year since I last did this, but time seems to be moving faster now. I lot of things I did a year ago seem like they happened yesterday.

I still can't figure out why the parking garage at the gym is so full when there are so few people on the gym floor. I see the same people everyday. There are probably less than a dozen people working out at any one time. They all have their routines and so do I. It's amazing how predictable everything is. On our sunrise walks we pass the same people on the trail every day. At the gym I see the same people working out on the same machines. There is nothing wrong with this. I guess I'm not the only person who leads a very predictable life.

I think Friday is Dawn's favorite day. Janet does her grocery shopping on Friday morning and Dawn gets really excited when she returns with the groceries. All I have to do is tell her it's "grocery day" and she starts barking. Dawn, like most Dalmatians, is very food motivated. She knows exactly when she is supposed to be fed and if I am even five minutes late in fixing her meals, she lets me know. 

It's time to write my sister again. I have very little to say these days, but that doesn't stop me. After all these years of writing the blog, I've gotten good at saying nothing. I guess it's time to make a grocery list as well. I need to remember to go shopping early tomorrow. There is a much better selection if you arrive before the crowds. I'll go to the gym later in the day but the same people will probably still be there. I'm beginning to think that some of these folks live at the gym.

Morgan is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4606

I always try to do at least one thing every day. Today I got my car safety inspected. I used to do this at the dealership, but they always used the opportunity to find other things to charge me for. Now I take the car to a litle neighborhood garage. They are so fast that sometimes I think they aren't doing anything at all. It works for me though. As long as I have the paperwork, I'm good for another year. 

Safety inspection is always a two step process. You get the car checked at one place and then go to another place to get the sticker to put on your windshield. I used to have to go downtown to the courthouse to get this sticker but now you can pick it up at just about any grocery store. At any rate, the car passed inspection and I can cross one more thing off my to-do list.

There was a nice breeze on our sunrise walk this morning, but you could tell it was still going to be another hot day. The park is pretty busy on these early walks. People have discovered that this is the only way to beat the heat. I think 7 AM is the coolest time during the day and 7 PM is the hottest.

After breakfast I went to the gym again. It turned out to be convenient to take care of the safety inspection while I was on my way. My trip to the gym is as methodical as any other part of my day. I always do the same things. I'm more consistent on the basketball court now and I've picked up the pace on the indoor track a bit. I'm definitely not setting the place on fire though. There are lots of people on the floor who are in better shape than me. I've noticed that all the televisions at the gym are turned to either a cooking channel, a home improvement channel, or a sports channel. No news here. It's probably for the best. Listening to the news would probably upset anyone's exercise routine.

I still haven't heard anything more about the Artemis-1 launch. I wish I'd receive a definite schedule soon. With so many people converging on Titusville there is going to be a point where it is impossible to change airline reservations or extend my stay. I'm already hearing rumbles in the space community that it's almost impossible to find a hotel room. Even campgrounds have filled up. At least I have a plan, although it might be hard to change it at this point. I hope the trip goes smoothly, but I'm starting to get a little nervous.

I paid a few bills this afternoon, but that was about it. Keeping the yard looking green seems hopeless now. I still water things that look dry but it doesn't seem to do any good. The heat and drought have won this battle. This week's trash has been taken to the curb and I'm ready for another day more or less like today. Somehow I don't think I'm ever going to resume my restaurant breakfasts on Fridays. Why did I do this for so many years? A lot of things I used to do seem strange now.

Pebbles is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4605

Modern life is weird. The phone seems to ring constantly now but I never answer it. All the landline calls are spam. The phone company even knows the calls are spam but still puts them through. Typically, there is a message on the caller ID that says "Suspected Spam" or "Telemarketer." Why are these spammers so relentless about attempting to contact you? I suspect that virtually nobody answers these calls. If someone really wants to contact you these days, they send you a text message. It probably all just comes down to money. Spammers are probably the phone company's best customers.

Nobody knocks on your door anymore. If they did, you definitely wouldn't answer it. If you go out for dinner, you have to be careful where you go. Some places are no longer safe after dark. If your car breaks down on a busy road, you lock the doors, call AAA on your phone and wait for the service vehicle to show up. You can't depend on a friendly stranger for help anymore. When did the world change? It definitely wasn't this way when I was a kid. My friends and I never worried about being kidnapped and half the time our parents never knew where we were. Even when I was in college the world seemed relatively safe. I hitchhiked all over the country during my college years without a care in the world.

I feel like movies like Mad Max and Bladerunner were just preparing us for a dystopian future. Sadly, that future is here. I hate to even turn on the TV anymore because there is nothing but bad news. At least there are dogs. I find solace in dogs and am convinced that they are nicer than most people. I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this way. There are a lot more pictures of dogs on my Facebook feed than there are of people enjoying each others company.

I may not go out at night anymore, but I still go to the gym during the day. There is nothing threatening about my gym. Most of the members are older like me. They seem quietly determined not to let themselves fall apart. It is somewhat inspirational to see a person even older than I am lap me on the indoor track. I doubt that there are many drug users in this group. I don't know these people but they seem like confident self starters. Even the people in physical therapy seems like they are really trying. Am I slowly becoming a gym rat? I doubt it, but there are definitely worse groups of people to hang out with. The Gym is OK.

Our heat wave seems never ending. It seems strange to read about floods in other parts of the country. We haven't had rain in so long that I've almost forgotten what it feels like. One of the smaller trees in our front yard is dying. I've been watering it, but it seems beyond hope. The asian jasmine ground cover that is out of reach of the sprinkler is dying as well. Almost all the grass in the park is dry and brown. This is not good. The drought will end eventually. Fall is usually our rainy season. Often is seems to rain continually during the State Fair. When the rain begins, there will be a sigh of relief, some temporary joy, and then we'll all start complaining about the rain.

I was surprised that Janet and Dawn went to training class tonight. It was still very hot around sunset. Janet said that Dawn was the only dog in her class and that she got a private lesson with the trainer's dog. The class was short and Dawn didn't get too hot. You can't be too careful in this weather. It will be nicer when we take our sunrise walk tomorrow morning. Sunrise walks are still the best part of the day.

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4604

Everything went well at the dentist this morning. No new cavities or root canals. There was a new dental hygienist today. I don't like anything new at the dentist office, but she did a good job. My teeth are clean now and I'm good for another six months. Like everything else in life, the price for the exam, x-rays, and cleaning went up. I wasn't surprised though. I'm getting used to the price for everything going up.

The day started normally enough. We took a sunrise walk through a parched and very dry park. The city has mowed the native prairie grass to reduce the risk of fire. The water level of the lake is noticeably lower. We don't see many ducks or animals now. I wonder how they are managing in this drought?

I had to get gas today. There are no lines at the pump when prices are coming down, but long lines when prices are doing up. Go figure. Human behavior is weird. You'd think that people would want to take advantage of lower prices, but usually fear kicks in when prices start rising. Somehow my car seems to get even worse gas mileage since I took it in for the recall repair. This doesn't make sense though. I'm probably just imagining things.

I went back to the gym this afternoon. I don't think mall walking will work during the week. I drove by Northpark on the way to the gym and the place looked packed. I guess I'll just do this on Sunday before the stores open. The gym was crowded too, but I did manage to find a parking place. At least half the people who come to my gym seems to be having physical therapy. It's an eye opener watching what they have to go through. Yikes. I need to be careful not to fall or injure myself. This is going to be harder than it seems. My balance isn't as good as it used to be and life is full of hazards. Even today, I noticed that my shoulder hurt after I got home. I have no idea what I did.

I got a bill from my HVAC supplier today for work done back in May. This was a surprise. I was sure that I'd already paid this bill because the technician told me that both service calls would be rolled into the final bill. Evidently he was wrong and my AC repair was even more expensive that I thought it was. The first call to diagnose the problem was never added to the final bill. I paid this bill over the phone and then noticed later in the fine print on my invoice that there was a 3% convenience fee for paying bills over the phone. You really can't win these days.

I'm apparently not the only one nervous about travel arrangements for the Artemis-1 launch. Hotel rooms are already drying up in Titusville and the launch is still a month away. I'm glad I already made my reservations because other people are already having problems. This is not normal. I've made last minute decisions to travel to Titusville before and never had any problems finding a room. There are three launch opportunities in late August and early September that are spaced four or five days apart. I'm hoping that everything goes smoothly on the first attempt. I can't afford to stay in Florida for two weeks and I probably couldn't extend my stay anyway with hotels rooms in such short supply. My editor at SpaceFlight is really happy that I will be attending the launch. I see no reason to burden him with all the problems that might occur.

I'm hearing that we should expect our hot weather to continue all the way through the end of August. That sucks. They say that the summer of 2011 was even worse, but you couldn't prove it by me. This seems like the worst summer ever. I shouldn't complain though. Our air conditioner is still working and I certainly don't have to worry about roof leaks for a while.

Scout is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4603

Such a long, hot summer. Every day is more or less the same. We get up and take Dawn on a sunrise walk. I make the bed and then eat breakfast. It's always shredded wheat topped with peaches and strawberries. I do the breakfast dishes by hand even though we just got a new dishwasher. I check my messages on the computer, putter around the house for a little while, and then go to the gym. It's kind of a boring routine, but it's better than no routine at all.

My routine at the gym seldom varies either. If nobody is using the basketball court, I always try to shoot 25 free throws before taking my walk on the indoor track. I used to just try to get 15 baskets, but I'm getting a little better. The direction people walk or run on the track changes every day, so I usually have to check and see if it is an odd or even day. It takes fourteen trips around the track to walk a mile. I always walk two miles and occasionally I walk three. Often I go home after I finish walking, but sometimes I stay and work with free weights for a while. The same people seem to be at the gym every day. I guess I'm becoming one of them.

As soon as I get home I let Dawn out to pee. Usually she likes to lounge in the grass for a while, but lately she wants to go right back inside. It is just too hot to lounge in the sun. If I'm hungry I'll fix myself a sandwich, but I don't always eat lunch. Afternoons are when I miss being employed. I used to always have writing jobs to keep me busy. Now there is very little that captures my attention.

Today I upgraded the firmware on the star tracker again. I'm always a little apprehensive when doing this, but the tracker still works. I point the tracker at various planets and galaxies using the app on my phone, but all I get are pictures of my office ceiling. I seldom take the tracker outside. Again, it is just too hot. I am getting better at using the thing though. I'm pretty sure it is pointed where it is supposed to be pointing and occasionally check for accuracy using other astronomy apps on my phone.

Dawn is still not wild about sharing the bed with me, but she doesn't get up and leave the room when I take an afternoon nap these days. I guess that's progress. Dash used to follow me around the house all day long. Dawn follows Janet around and tries her best to ignore me when I'm home alone with her. I doubt that this will ever change. Dawn is just not comfortable around men. 

I still wish that NASA would hurry up with a schedule for the Artemis-1 launch. I'll feel more comfortable when I know I don't have to change my airline reservations. I got a notice today that I could apply to attend the next crewed launch to the ISS. I think I'll pass on the Crew-5 mission though. I have a feeling that the Artemis launch will be my last trip to Florida this year.

I've got a dentist appointment tomorrow. Hopefully I don't have any cavities. It doesn't seem like six months since I've been to the dentist, but time flies when you are doing nothing. 

Snoopy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4602

We got all the dogs moved to the new kennel this morning. The move went smoothly and everyone seems happy in their new home. All of us thought that Charlie would probably be the hardest to move but he turned out to be the easiest. JoJo, who is usually laid back and calm, was the one who hated to get in the car. The new kennel runs are smaller than what the dogs were used to previously, but they are clean and I think the dogs will be OK. 

There is a nice outdoor yard at the kennel that will be even nicer when the weather cools down. The staff takes each dog out to pee every few hours so they aren't stuck in their kennel runs all day. It took four of us to move the dogs this morning and the staff at the new kennel was very helpful. I thought this move would be a huge ordeal, but it turned out to be fairly easy. I suffered the only mishap when one of the dogs scratched my arm and it started to bleed. I've got to stop taking baby asprin. My skin is thinner now and I bleed easily. I didn't even notice the cut until I looked down at some point and saw dried blood all over my arm. I still don't know which dog scratched me. I didn't feel a thing.

On the way home from the kennel I stopped at Northpark Mall to give mall walking a try. I wish I'd thought of this earlier. It's an enjoyable place to walk a few miles. The stores open at noon on Sunday, but the mall itself opens an hour earlier. If you come at 11 AM there is plenty of parking and no big crowds inside. There were plenty of mall walkers, but the place wasn't as crowded as the park on a typical Sunday. I hadn't been to Northpark in over a year and was surprised at how much the place had changed. There were a ton of new stores and many of the existing stores had moved to new locations. Somebody must still have money in Dallas. There were no low end stores left. The place seems like a climate controlled Rodeo Drive now. As it got closer to noon I began to see lines form in front of some stores. The largest line was at the Apple Store. Some if the restaurants had big crowds as well. When I returned to my car after walking several miles, the parking lots were completely full. I'd have to conclude that shopping is still much more popular than mall walking in Dallas.

Dawn still got her Sunday outing. When we stopped at the Sunday park to let Dawn smell things, she immediately peed next to the car and then wanted to hop back in. She had no interest in being out in the hot sun. She was interested in an ice cream cone though. Dawn is always calmer on the ride home after she's had her ice cream. All the rescue dogs were much better in the car than Dawn is. Dawn wins the prize for worst dog to take on a road trip. All the kennel dogs rode calmly to their new home with no issues at all this morning. Even JoJo rode well after we finally managed to get him in the back seat. He just didn't want to get in the car. This is probably where I got scratched. JoJo is a strong dog.

The rest of the day was uneventful. I thought about upgrading the star tracker, since the new firmware is available now. A nap sounded better though. I'll wait until I'm really bored to mess with the star tracker again. It's hard to believe that it's going to be August tomorrow. Where has this year gone? It looks like August is going to be a busy month for me. I have a dental appointment on Tuesday and several doctors appointments later in the month. I need to get my car safety inspected and I think it's time for an annual maintenance visit as well. The Artemis-1 launch is getting closer too. Honestly, I'd rather take a long nap and have someone wake me up in September. Our extreme weather is really getting old.

Shelby is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4601

There have been rain clouds around us all day. I even heard thunder at one point. We didn't get a single drop of rain. This was the one day where we might have had a chance. It didn't even get up to a hundred degrees today. Now we return to another never ending string of triple digit days in the weeks ahead.

I got the electric bill today. It was literally double what it was this time last year. Last month was high. This month was a lot higher. This is not good. The cost of everything has gone through the roof. Grocery bills are ridiculous now. So are utility bills, insurance bills, gasoline, and just about everything else. It makes you wonder where all this is going to end. It doesn't help that we are in the middle of an almost unprecedented heat wave. I'm just waiting for water shortages.

Our sunrise walks with Dawn are getting uncomfortably warm. The temperature was in the high eighties this morning and the sun wasn't even up yet. Dawn was panting when we returned home and I was starting to sweat. You really don't expect this before breakfast. I keep hoping that nothing goes wrong with the air conditioner. It could get dangerously hot very quickly.

We had a nice weekend breakfast and then I went to the gym again. More people are wearing masks on the gym floor now. Sign of the times I suspect. I'm getting a lot better on the basketball court. I'd probably get some real exercise if I'd start dribbling and shooting from other points on the court. So far, all I'm doing is shooting free throws from the free throw line. I've got really bad knees though. The last thing I want to do is screw up my knees running around on the basketball court.

I'm walking at a faster pace on the indoor track as well. Practice makes perfect I guess. This is a lot better than walking in the park. They keep my gym really cold. Sometimes I feel like I need a jacket. I won't be able to go to the gym tomorrow since it is closed on Sunday, but I will be busy anyway. Tomorrow is the day we move the rescue Dalmatians to the new kennel. Hopefully the dogs will like their new home. I haven't seen the place yet, but I hear it is a little smaller than the current kennel.

I'm beginning to get apprehensive about my trip to Florida. I'm hearing that up to a million people might converge on Titusville for the Artemis launch. This can't possibly be true, but locals say that this many people used to come to watch the Apollo launches. I am told to expect huge traffic jams on the roads leading to the space center on launch day. Yikes. Maybe I should have gone out to the observatory instead. There certainly aren't many people out there.

I did my grocery shopping earlier today. I should do this more often. There really aren't a lot of people in the stores before 10 AM. There seemed to be a better selection of fruit as well. I don't know how I got such an early start today since I think we actually got up later. Gasoline was the only thing that was less expensive this week. The price drop was probably temporary, but I'll take what I can get. 

I don't know how long it will take us to move the dogs tomorrow, but hopefully Dawn will still get her Sunday outing. There won't be a walk, but there will be ice cream. I'm not sure how I will get my steps tomorrow. I definitely don't want to walk in the park, so I'll probably try mall walking. I always thought that this was something only old people did, but I guess I'm an old person now.

I wish life didn't feel so apocalyptic. I'd like things to return to normal before I completely forget what normal looks like. Tomorrow will be normal though. Dalmatians and ice cream are always good.

Penny is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4600

Only 400 days to go. Kind of a strange goal to write something for 5000 consecutive days, but I'm thinking I'm going to be able to do this. We're getting close now. Maybe a few more interesting and unexpected things will happen along the way, but probably not today. I got excited when it looked like we might get some rain this evening, but it missed us again. Still bone dry.

Today really was a lot like yesterday. Our sunrise walk with Dawn was warm but tolerable. My breakfast was boring but easy to fix. I made the bed, checked my messages and headed for the gym. I'm glad I have this option. It's been way too hot lately to take my normal walk in the park. 

Fridays are Dawn's favorite day. Janet does her grocery shopping on Friday morning and Dawn loves to watch as the food is being put away. She's not nearly as interested when I return from the store because I tend to buy the bulk items like laundry detergent and trash bags. Janet buys the sliced turkey which Dawn dearly loves.

I probably should stay at the gym longer. I always walk two or three miles on the indoor track and shoot free throws on the basketball court, but I'm seldom very tired when I'm finished with my workout. I should probably try a little harder to elevate my heart rate. My goal is mostly just to keep moving. Hey, I burn just as many calories as I did walking outdoors and I don't get sunburned. It's hard to argue with that. If I remember, I'm going to try mall walking this Sunday when the gym is closed. I have no desire to walk outdoors again until this heat wave is over.

I practiced using the star tracker again this afternoon. I was going to wait until the new firmware update was released, but boredom intervened. For the first time in ages there were no error messages today. Everything worked perfectly. I try to be consistent but I still can't figure out why I have good days and bad days with this thing. Even if I don't spend a lot of time doing astrophotography with the tracker, it was probably a good investment. It has already provided hours of entertainment. Although frustrating at times, testing the tracker is much more enjoyable than mowing the lawn.

I'm still waiting to hear more about the Artemis-1 launch. I've already made my reservations, but it would be nice to know whether I picked the right days to travel. I've been invited to attend several other launches in the interim, but I can only afford one more trip to Titusville this season. I need to just be patient and wait. Eventually, I'll get a schedule from NASA and I'll be on my way.

Tomorrow I do my share of the grocery shopping. I've got my list ready and expect prices to be higher again. It's probably time to fill the car with gas too. No shredded wheat in the morning. Janet cooks a big breakfast on the weekends.

Tink is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4599

I took care of a lot of little odds and ends today. Nothing important was accomplished but it was good to cross a few things off my list. The remote for the kitchen TV has been broken for a while. A few weeks ago I found a new unused remote in a box in my office but I couldn't get it to work. Today I remembered that you have to program the thing. This took a while since the cable remote and the kitchen television were old and there were no instruction manuals. I finally got the remote to turn on and off, but then I screwed up the TV and it wasn't picking up the signal from the cable box. It seemed like this whole process was easy when I initially installed everything years ago. I tried looking up information on the Internet but the results were inconclusive. Eventually I got everything working again through trial and error. Hopefully this remote control will last for another ten years. I'm tired of messing with this thing.

I did some laundry, cleaned some stains on the bricks in the kitchen, looked up how to change a few setting on my star tracker camera, and changed the head on my electric toothbrush. I was going to practice with the star tracker again, but decided to wait when I received an e-mail saying that another update would be available this Saturday. I wonder if they are ever going to stop upgrading this thing. I've lost track of how many firmware updates I've already installed.

The day itself was pretty much like yesterday. The sky was clear. The temperature was hot. And I followed the same routine I've been following all summer. We got started a little later on our sunrise walk this morning and you could immediately feel the difference in temperature. We should have started thirty minutes earlier because Dawn wasn't quite as eager to walk. We carry dog treats in our pockets now to get her moving again when she gets stubborn and refuses to move. 

After breakfast I went back to the gym. There weren't many people on the floor today, but the parking garage was still full. I had a good day on the basketball court. I think my hand eye coordination is getting better. I was slower on the indoor track though. Go figure. I am always surprised by exercise inconsistency. My routines are almost always the same, but the results are frequently very different. I didn't feel more tired this morning, but I guess I was. I'll have to check my Fitbit and see how I slept last night.

One of my contacts at Kennedy Space Center said that they expect over 10,000 people to descend on the area for the Artemis launch. The space center will need to charter over 70 busses to move people around. No wonder all the hotels were full. Why am I even going to this launch? I've never liked crowds or complicated logistics. Getting through the checkpoints on launch day is going to be a nightmare. I hope I get a schedule from NASA soon. At this point I don't even know if I made airline reservations for the right days. I always try to minimize my stay to save money, but it would be easier if you had an unlimited budget and arrived early and just stayed until the launch finally took place. I can't do that, so I just cross my fingers and hope that I've picked the right days for my stay.

I keep hoping for rain but the forecast doesn't look promising. It still looks like an endless string of hundred degree days as far as the eye can see. The sad thing is that August is usually even hotter than July here in Dallas. Oh, well. It's not going to be a fun summer. I just hope the air conditioner keeps working. This week has gone quickly. I've watered the back yard and taken this weeks trash to the curb. Tomorrow will probably be a repeat of today.

Queenie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4598

Another day just like all the other days. If we haven't already set a record for consecutive one hundred degree days, we will soon. We see lots of people in the park on our sunrise walks now. The runners and cyclists have realized that this is the only time during the day when it is still enjoyable to be outdoors. The temperatures don't stay in the mid-80's for long. As soon as the sun comes up, it's off to the races.

I had my usual breakfast of shredded wheat and fruit and then headed straight for the gym. I went earlier than usual today because I knew we were going to visit the rescue Dalmatians in the afternoon. I'm getting better on the basketball court and occasionally can sink five or six baskets in a row. I'm worthless shooting from anywhere other than the free throw line though. No three point shots for me. Maybe I should broaden my horizons and try something new. Never mind. I'm content just shooting free throws.

I tried walking faster on the indoor track today and managed to match my outdoor speed. This was encouraging because I felt exactly the same after walking two miles as I did when walking slower. After getting my Fitbit steps, I spent a little time trying to strengthen my shoulder. Regaining any sort of flexibility won't be easy but it's worth a try. I really want to avoid any type of surgery. There are lots of older people at my gym and I frequently see them going through physical therapy after a knee replacement. No thank you. I'd rather keep the aging joints I already have.

The Dalmatians enjoyed seeing us today. None of them seemed to have their usual energy, but it was understandable since it was so hot. The kennel has air conditioning, but just about everybody's AC system is having trouble keeping things cool in these insanely high temperatures. I'm sure we'll see the dogs again, but this was the last time at this particular kennel. I'm sorry to see things change, but I shouldn't have been surprised. Things always change. You've just got to adapt and move on.

I noticed that Twitter doesn't work on my computer anymore. It now requires a newer browser than I use. I don't really care about Twitter and seldom use it, but this is still a somewhat troubling turn of events. All my computers run older operating systems so I can continue to use my legacy software. I hate the subscription services that Microsoft and Adobe use now and refuse to use them. My older versions of Microsoft Word and Photoshop work just fine. They don't expire or require a subscription either. Now that malware, computer viruses, and hacking has become such a problem, manufactures just don't like dealing with older software. Increasingly, they are refusing to support anything other than their latest releases. This is not good news for me. I have no interest in upgrading my computers, software, or phone again. 

I found a giant spider in the office this evening. I hope it wasn't poisonous. I managed to kill the thing with a fly swatter, but it was troubling to see something like this inside. Where there is one bug there are usually more. I'm seeing more bugs inside this summer. I'm sure it has something to do with the heat. There have even been a few wasps in the living room. They fly in the back door when we let Dawn out. We've got bug spray for every type of bug now. There's one can for ants. Another for spiders. And a third for wasps and hornets. I'd like to live someplace where there were no bugs. I don't know where that would be though. Bugs are everywhere.

Dawn did well at training class tonight and won a ribbon again. I thought it would be to hot for her class, but Janet says it cools down after sunset and there is usually a breeze. All the dogs were fine. Dawn has finally learned to drink water from a water bottle too. Dawn really enjoys this class but I bet she'll enjoy it even more when the weather gets nicer.

I'm sure tomorrow will be very similar to today. I'm surprised that I can find enough to say for a blog post these days.

Deuce is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4597

It was a slow day. The big event of the day was giving Dawn a bath. She likes to roll around in the grass in the back yard and gets dirty incredibly quickly. It was a good time for a bath since we had just cleaned all the bedding on her favorite bed. Like most dogs, Dawn isn't fond of getting a bath, although she always seems to feel better after the ordeal is over. We gave up on bathing our dogs at home years ago and use one of those self-bathing places. It is much easier to bathe a large dog on one of those large raised tubs. After a bath and a nail trim, Dawn is good for another month. Sometimes I wish I only needed one bath a month. I've grown to hate getting wet

The day started as usual with a sunrise walk with Dawn. It was nice this morning. The humidity was low and there was a gentle breeze. It was so pleasant outside that I thought seriously about taking a walk in the park instead of going to the gym. That didn't last long. When I went outside to check on the weather after breakfast, it was already too hot. In just one hour the temperature had already gone up over six degrees.

Before going to the gym I wrote a NASA contact with some questions about the upcoming Artemis-1 launch. I was amazed that I got an answer later the same day. Although the trip is still over a month away, it seems like I will be leaving soon. I'm not a spontaneous traveler and it takes me a while to get ready. The trip to Titusville should be a piece of cake by now since I've been there many times before. Nope. I still fret about what cameras and clothes to take and wonder how everything will fit in a small carry on bag. I'm not a great traveler.

I went to the gym as soon as it opened. There wasn't much else to do. I still wonder why the gym parking lot is always full when there are typically very few people on the gym floor. There must be something else going on that I don't know about. I know they have classes in another nearby building. The cars could belong to employees, but I seldom see over five employees when I'm there. I guess I could ask someone. That's not my style though. I'll just wonder about this for years.

I thought about practicing with the star tracker this afternoon. There is already a new version of the iPhone app available. I ended up doing nothing. I'm already starting to tire of experimenting with this thing and wonder if I will ever put it to good use. I've had the tracker for many months and so far I have only taken one decent picture of the night sky. It's a useful tool to have around though. As long as the tracker is still under development, it always gives me something to do on a slow day.

Janet and I may go visit the rescue Dalmatians again tomorrow. The kennel is closing soon and we will be moving the dog to a new location. We're still not sure if we'll be able to play with the dogs regularly at the new place, so we wanted to see everyone again before the move. The rest of the day will be just like today. There will definitely be a sunrise walk with Dawn and a trip to the gym.

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4596

I made my reservations for the Florida trip today. When I was finished, I turned on the radio and discovered that there was an active shooter inside the airport I will be flying out of. Jeez. Nothing appears to be safe these days. The entire airport was evacuated and flights were delayed for hours. The story probably didn't even make the national news because nobody got killed. Events like this have become entirely too common.

Even though my travel arrangements for the Artemis-1 launch have been made, I will probably have to reschedule everything several times before I leave. Even worse, I might have to reschedule after I'm on my on my way. Launch schedules are notoriously unreliable. There are too many variables and something is almost guaranteed to change. The good news is that I have finally learned to expect these things. One way or another the launch will eventually take place and I will be there.

It was another hot day in a long string of hot days. Our sunrise walks with Dawn always give us a preview of what the day will be like. I really wish I was more of a morning person and didn't stay up so late writing this blog. It is warm just before the sun comes up, but temperatures in the mid-80's are still tolerable. If there is a breeze it actually feels nice outside. Dawn enjoyed her walk this morning and had a lot more energy than I did. I felt like going back to bed.

Janet and I visited the rescue Dalmatians this afternoon. Nobody got adopted this week, but all the dogs were in good spirits. We got a new football toy for Charlie because he was starting to chew the cover off the old one. He seemed to know that this toy was for him and got very excited. We have learned all the dogs personalities by now. Each of the boys are completely different, but all are a lot of fun. JoJo still likes to spend his time outside in the sweltering heat. Willie initially jumps around like a bucking bronco before he settles down and just wants to be petted. Rocket has become quite the gentleman. He has overcome his fear and like to play now. Spot is very gentle and we predict that he will be the next to get adopted. He was still wearing a cone today because he was neutered recently. Cooper was back at the kennel today. He still remembered us. Cooper has already been adopted, but was boarding at the kennel for the day. Did I forget anybody? Probably. I'm always forgetting something these days.

I went to the gym this afternoon after we returned from the kennel. The place was surprisingly crowded and I had trouble finding a parking place. I guess I'm not the only one looking for an escape from the heat.    Usually the younger people are still at work when I tend to go to the gym. The place is typically filled with folks a little older than I am. Some of these people can barely move while others have much more energy than I do.  There is a lot of determination in the room. I guess this is encouraging. I'd like to think that I could still go to the gym ten years from now.

I still can't decide whether to put my name on a wait list for the Otto Struve special viewing night at the observatory. People often need to cancel when making plans so far in advance. I wish I'd gone ahead and made a reservation last week. There aren't many opportunities to look through this telescope. I don't know if I need another opportunity to make the long drive to West Texas though. It was my turn to drive to the kennel this afternoon and even that short drive seemed long to me. Basically, I just don't like to drive anymore.

I hope I receive a schedule from NASA soon. All I have now is a very short note saying that I have been accepted to attend the launch. I like certainty and it makes me nervous when things are up in the air. Maybe I was flexible once, but those days are long gone. I like having a list I can follow. If someone doesn't provide me with a list, I will usually end up making one myself. 

Smokey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4595

After failing again to find a hotel anywhere near Kennedy Space Center, I thought I'd try Airbnb. I've never used Airbnb before and had no idea what to expect. So far it's been a pleasant surprise. I was able to find a nice place in a convenient location for less than I've been used to paying at Titusville hotels. The host is very friendly and has been able to answer all my questions. The website provides lots of pictures of the property and there are informative comments from previous visitors. I hope this works out. It might be a whole new way to travel.

Our heat wave continues unabated. We had a nice sunrise walk with Dawn because there was a breeze this morning. The park was busy even though it was very early. I think everyone has finally learned that this is the only decent time to be outside. Janet and I had a big weekend breakfast and then I took my long walk. I would have preferred going to the gym, but it isn't open on Sunday. Even though I got started before 9 AM, it was already getting hot. I was able to complete my entire route, but I was slower than I was yesterday. By the time I returned home the temperature was almost 100 degrees. I don't know when this is going to end. The forecast shows a long string of 100 degree days for the rest of the month. By the time this summer is over, I'm almost certain that we will have set an all time record for sustained high temperatures.

Despite the high temperatures, Dawn got her Sunday outing. We still take her to the Sunday park, but we only get out of the car for a few minutes to let Dawn smell things. The Sunday outing is mostly about the ice cream now. The ice cream store has raised their prices recently, but the cones certainly aren't any bigger. The place does a good business so you wouldn't think they'd need to raise prices, but what do I know. I'm sure their cost of supplies has gone way up. You've got to do what you've got to do to keep your doors open these days. I'm just glad I'm retired. This isn't a great time to be running a small business.

I hope that NASA provides me with a schedule soon. It's really hard to make reservations when I don't know when I need to arrive. Sometimes you pick up your credentials the day before the launch. Other times it is several days before the launch. Usually there is only about a three hour window to pick up press badges, so if you miss the designated time slot, you are out of luck and you aren't going anywhere. Right now, the only thing I know is the scheduled launch date. Of course there is no guarantee that the rocket will actually launch on this date. The weather could change or there could be any number of technical problems that could delay the launch. I'm trying to stay optimistic, but given the history of this rocket the launch might not take place until Christmas.

Snooze you lose. I waited too long to make a decision about the special viewing night at McDonald Observatory and when I looked this evening the special viewing night was no longer available. The event has sold out. Jeez. Last night there were still spaces available and today they are gone. I need to be more decisive. I wouldn't have had problems finding a hotel in Titusville if I'd made my reservations before learning whether I'd get press credential. I could have always canceled the reservations if NASA didn't accept my request. I'm sure other people do this all the time. I could have also made reservations for the special viewing night at the Otto Struve telescope and canceled them if I decided later that I wasn't up for the long drive. I have a hard time doing things like this though. I'm not a competitive person and hate the idea that I have to compete with other people who might want to do the same things as me. I also tend to procrastinate on everything I do. Oh, well. It is what it is. I would have had a hard time affording back to back trips to Florida and West Texas anyway.

It looks like we'll be visiting the rescue Dalmatians again tomorrow. I don't think anyone got adopted this week, but we'll find out when we get there. I'll probably go to the gym after we return from the kennel. It's just too hot to try another walk in the park. Have I learned my lesson about being indecisive and waiting too long to make decisions? Probably not.

Molly is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4594

It was a busy day. The good news was that I got the recall work done on my car without a lot of problems. They were ready for me when I arrived and the car was finished as promised by the end of the day. It is a shame that loaner cars seem to be a thing of the past. They sold them all when new cars were impossible to get from the factory. Now they just call an Uber for you and give you a ride home. Hey, it's better than nothing I guess. I have no idea what they actually did on the recall. The car was running fine before the recall work and it is still running fine.

The bad news is that I can't find a hotel for my upcoming trip to attend the Artemis-1 launch. I knew that hotels were going to be tight for this launch, but I had no idea that they would be sold out a full month ahead of time. I'll continue looking tomorrow. It looks like I'll be staying a lot further from Kennedy Space Center than I'd like. I really hope I don't have to stay in Orlando. I suspect that I'll have the same problem with rental cars. You can't really plan a trip like this too far in advance though. Truthfully, I didn't really think I'd get press credentials for this popular launch. Without credentials, there would have been no point in making the trip at all. I've always stayed at the same hotel on previous trips to Titusville. You'd think being a regular customer would help me get a room. Nope. Sold out just means sold out.

Since I didn't have a car for most of the day, I couldn't go to the gym. I took my long walk in the park again and almost instantly regretted it. It is still way too hot to take an enjoyable five mile walk. I soldiered on and completed my route, but I'm definitely going to return to the gym as soon as it opens again on Monday. There still seems to be no end in sight for these hundred degree days. The forecast is discouraging. It looks like triple digits as far as the eye can see.

I got my grocery shopping done later in the afternoon after my car was finished. It's a lot better to shop early in the morning. Everything disappears quickly. The first store I went to didn't have strawberries and the second store I went to didn't have my favorite beer. I didn't have a long list today, but it seemed to take an inordinate amount of time to find everything. Maybe it was the heat. I couldn't wait to get back home and take a nap with Dawn.

We had Chinese take out for dinner again. The restaurant I like had a coupon that said I'd save $8 on my order if I ordered online. I gave it a try and only saved one dollar because of some additional online charges. The food was still good though. I hope this little neighborhood restaurant manages to stay in business. It looked alarmingly empty today when I went to pick up my order.

I'm still trying to decide whether to go out to the observatory at the end of September. There is a rare special viewing night at the 82" Otto Struve telescope and it isn't sold out yet. Only one place left though. Is this worth the terrible drive out there? It's hard to say. The Otto Struve is one of the largest telescopes in the world that occasionally provides access to the general public. There is no guarantee that you'll see anything though. I've made the long drive several times only to find cloudy skies or rain when I arrived.

We'll take Dawn to get ice cream tomorrow, but her Sunday outing won't include an afternoon walk. It's just too hot outside. I'm sure I'll still take my walk in the park though. I'm closing in on completing a full year of meeting my step goals. I'd hate to blow it now just because of some hot weather. Wish me luck at finding a hotel in Titusville tomorrow. I should have been more optimistic and booked a hotel before I got my press credentials.

Jewel is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4593

Yay. NASA approved my application for press credentials and it looks like I will be attending the Artemis-1 launch later this summer. Forget everything I said yesterday. This launch definitely won't look like all the others. The Space Launch System is the largest rocket we've ever built and it's headed to the moon. Well, this first one is headed around the moon anyway. Hopefully, I'll get lucky about the launch dates. The trip could still get expensive if the launch gets delayed after I'm already in Florida.

All in all, it wasn't a bad day. I entered a few of my astrophotography pictures in a Dark Skies photo contest, went to the gym in the morning, and got a haircut in the afternoon. The weather was still very hot, but other than our sunrise walk with Dawn I managed to stay indoors. These sunrise walks provide a good preview of what the day is going to be like. It was humid this morning. I hate getting hot and sweaty before the sun even comes up. Sunrise walks are still tolerable though and Dawn likes them.

I haven't had the nerve to check airfare and hotel rates for my upcoming trip to Florida yet. I'm sure it will be more expensive than last time. I can't think of a single thing that has gotten less expensive this year. Sign of the times I guess. I think travel is still beneficial though. I don't do much, but it's good thing to have something to look forward to. Who knows. I may make it as a space journalist yet.

I got stung by a bee again this morning. This is the second time in a week. Technically, I guess I got stung by a wasp, but it still felt the same. These wasps are everywhere in our yard. It's hard to avoid them. I really hope that Dawn doesn't get stung. She's scared of almost everything already. I definitely don't want her to get scared of going out in the back yard. Lounging in the grass on a sunny day is one of her favorite things.

I always feel better after a haircut. I don't know why I spent my younger years wearing my hair longer. Shorter is definitely better. Especially in the summer. My hair is a lot thinner now, but it still seems to grow fast. It's funny. Yesterday I said I typically don't get a haircut unless I've got a trip planned. Well, now I've got a trip planned again. I still can't decide whether to go back to the observatory this year. One thing at a time is probably best.

I take my car in tomorrow morning for the factory recall. It seems like my car is a little old to still be getting recall notices, but you hate to ignore these things. Hopefully the dealership will do what they promised and won't keep my car over the weekend. They said the repair should only take two hours. I've heard that before. Two hours means about the same thing as two weeks to these guys. We'll see how it goes. I've got groceries to buy tomorrow and being without a car will complicate things.

Pongo is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day