Day 4771

I said goodbye to Florida today. For a while I didn't think I'd be able to say hello to Texas though. In less than a month, Southwest Airlines seems to have gone from being one of the best airlines in the country to one of the worst. My flight was delayed before I even left Titusville. When I got to the airport, I discovered that it had been delayed even further. I also discovered that my plane was at a Delta terminal gate instead of at the regular Southwest terminal. Nobody ever explained why. 

Evidently my flight had arrived from Jamaica before heading on to Dallas. They wanted everyone from Jamaica off the place to go through customs in Orlando before getting back on to continue their flight to Dallas. Not surprisingly this took a while and caused the second delay. A third even stranger delay occurred after we were already on the plane. Two gay guys and a woman with kids were fighting over a group of seats toward the back of the plane that they both claimed were theirs. Neither party wanted to give an inch. The plane was completely full, so there weren't a lot of seating options available. The rest of the passengers kept wondering why the airline didn't just kick these unruly people off the plane so we could be on our way. Nope. They brought in some kind of negotiator to reason with them instead. This took a while too. We were on the ground for an additional 45 minutes. I imagine that they promised the squabbling passangers free vouchers if they would just shut up and sit down.

I wanted to return to Dallas earlier, but when the USSF-67 Mission was delayed for a day and I had to reschedule my reservation, tonight's Monday evening flight was the best I could do. My Airbnb host was extremely nice and let me check-out at 3 PM instead of their normal 11 AM departure. This was great and meant that I didn't need to spend all day sitting at the airport. You might have thought that I would have wanted to go to a museum or do something fun with my extra time. Unfortunately my rental car was an SUV with no trunk and I didn't want to leave my cameras and luggage in plain sight while I was doing something else. Staying at the Airbnb a little longer turned out to be a good idea. I had time to finish my article for SpaceFlight Magazine and get some additional exercise walking around the neighborhood.

I had the time, so I decided to explore the nature trail I discovered yesterday. I didn't encounter an alligator, but I'm pretty sure that a few saw me. The trail wandered through a heavily forested area with swampy lagoons, lots of native palm trees, and some huge cypress trees with lots of Spanish Moss hanging from the limbs. I heard lots of strange bird sounds I'd never encountered before, but saw very few birds. They were well hidden in the tall trees. I'm sure there were snakes, but luckily I didn't see any.

I tried my best to sleep in late today, but I woke up early like I always do when I'm traveling. I didn't get a lot of sleep last night, but once you are awake you might as well get up. I think one reason I don't sleep well is soft beds. Hotels almost always have soft beds and apparently so do Airbnb rentals. Some people find a soft bed comfortable, but I like an extremely firm mattress. Sometime I feel like sleeping on the floor, but lord knows what lurks on strange floors. I'll get a lot more sleep now that I'm home. We'll still have to get up early to take Dawn on her sunrise walk though. 

I'll probably spend most of the day tomorrow unpacking, doing laundry, and sorting through all the pictures I took. There are some interesting launches this year, but I don't know when I'll be down at Kennedy Space Center again. These trips are getting more expensive and I'm definitely not becoming wealthy. My left hand starts to go numb on long drives too. Maybe I grip the steering wheel too hard. Who knows? This isn't much of an issue when driving between Orlando and Titusville, but I seriously wonder if I could make the drive out to McDonald Observatory anymore.

As soon as I post this I"m headed straight for bed. It's been a very long day and I'm tired.

Shelby is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4770

Today's Falcon Heavy launch was a resounding success and ended up being one of the most beautiful launch events I have ever witnessed. What a difference a day makes. It was warmer today, the skies were clear, and there was no wind. The timing for this mission was perfect. The launch took place right at sunset, and as the rocket rose through the atmosphere, the exhaust plumes from the three boosters glowed with fantastic sunset colors. 

You could see the two side boosters detach from the center core high in the atmosphere and begin the boost back burns that would return them to landing zones LZ-1 and LZ-2 at Kennedy Space Center. Shortly after the side boosters landed we heard the two very loud double sonic booms that have become a signature of Falcon Heavy launches. From our vantage point at the NASA Press Site, you could hear these sonic booms ricochet off the nearby Vertical Assembly Building making a strange high pitched ringing sound each time the sound hit the building.

It was worth waiting an additional day to see this launch, but I'll be glad to be back in Dallas tomorrow. Traveling is tiring for me. I never sleep well while traveling and according to Fitbit my resting heart rate goes way up along with my heart rate variability. Not good. I'm sure a lot of this is caused by the lack of sleep, but my poor travel diet might have something to do with this as well. It's nice to see rocket launches and look at stars under dark West Texas skies, but I think I do better in familiar surroundings, leading a somewhat dull predictable life. I eat much healthier meals when I'm home and certainly sleep a lot better. All in all I think I prefer my simple life of long walks and predictable days to unexpected surprises and excitement.

I certainly had a few unexpected surprises today. I found myself locked out of my e-mail account because the laptop reverted to the old passwords I used to use before I updated everything recently. I couldn't access the new passwords on my desktop computer at home and much to my chagrin I discovered that I never bothered to set up e-mail on my phone. Since Space X only communicates with me using e-mail, I drove out to the NASA Press Site this afternoon not knowing whether the launch had been canceled or not. 

Luckily the launch was right on schedule. The iPhone app I use to remotely trigger my cameras is such a battery hog that my phone completely died shortly after the launch. I did get the photos I need though. When I was putting my equipment away I thought my phone was broken, but then I remembered that the battery was probably dead. It did feel a bit weird to drive back to Titusville realizing that I had no way to communicate with anyone. I had a brief scare when the rental car automatic transmission wouldn't go into gear at the Press Site and then I noticed that I hadn't closed the driver's side door completely. Strangely, the warning light on the dash didn't say "door open" or anything remotely understandable. It just said "transmission not engaged." That seemed alarming, but everything ended well and I'm back at the Airbnb now.

Even though it was a busy day out at the Press Site, I still managed to get my Fitbit steps and close all three rings on my Apple Watch. I even found time to get started on my article for SpaceFlight Magazine. I kept wondering why I was seeing other people out walking today and then I remembered it was Sunday. The last time I stayed at this Airbnb during the middle of the week and didn't see anymore. They were all at work. I just walked around the neighborhood today, even though there was a hiking trail nearby. I was curious about the hiking trail but was afraid I'd run into an alligator. 

I was determined not to eat any more restaurant food, so I got a chicken Caesar salad and a small quiche for dinner at the grocery store and ate in my room after I returned from the launch. I often forget how lucky I am to live in Texas. Food and gas prices are higher in Florida and I hear that Florida prices are still much better than the rest of the country. It's hard to buy for one. Most portion sizes are too large and when you can find a single serve size of just about anything, the price is always $4.99. It's easy to spend more than you think on a simple meal. Picking up something at a grocery store is still much cheaper than going to a restaurant though. What ever happened to $5.00 hamburgers? A burger and a beer will cost you more than twenty dollars these days.

I'm ready to come home and resume my simple life. Hopefully Dawn will be glad to see me again. You never know with that dog.

Betty is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4769

No launch today. The USSF-67 Mission was scrubbed right after lunch and will be rescheduled for tomorrow. I began to suspect that something might be wrong when we went out to the launch pad and the rocket wasn't vertical yet. There's a lot that still needs to be done once the rocket is vertical on the pad and they were running out of time. Space X had no real explanation for the delay. They just said that the rocket wasn't ready yet.

These type of delays happen surprisingly frequently. They are frustrating but there is nothing you can do when a launch is scrubbed. I scrambled quickly and changed all my reservations. I got the last seat on a Monday flight to Dallas and was able to extend my stay at the Airbnb as well. I've got plenty of time, but the trip will be more expensive than I was planning on.

At least the weather is still good for tomorrow. The wind is dying down as well. Hopefully these are good omens. It will still be very cold unfortunately. The weather forecast says it will be 34 degrees at sunrise tomorrow morning. Yikes. I was already freezing this morning when the temperature was 37 degrees. This is two coat weather for me and unfortunately I only brought one coat with me. Temperatures this low are rare for this part of Florida. I guess the weather is crazy everywhere these days.

Since there was no launch today, I went out to the Canaveral National Seashore instead. It's a beautiful place and I always like to visit when I've got the time. You can see the space center from the beach and I noticed that the Falcon Heavy rocket is vertical now. That's another good sign. There were a few brave souls swimming in the ocean today. This seemed strange since a lot of people on the shore were wearing parkas. Who knows. Maybe the ocean water was warmer than the air.

My diet always suffers when I travel. I had barbecue for lunch and a hamburger for dinner. I have no willpower. I guess I could have ordered a salad, but restaurant salad dressings are full of fat as well. I'm really glad that Janet fixes healthy meals. She's probably added years to my life. My original plan was to fix all my own meals at the Airbnb, but boredom set in and I went to a restaurant instead. We'll see if I can stay more disciplined tomorrow and Monday. Probably not.

I'm always surprised at how many changes take place between my trips to Kennedy Space Center. They've moved the Artemis mobile launch platform outside and are beginning to refurbish it for the next Artemis flight. Space X has almost finished the giant Starship launch tower standing next to launch complex 39A. There are rumors that they are planning on building a second Starship launch site as well. Blue Origin keeps adding to their huge manufacturing facility near the visitor center, but I'm not sure if they're actually making anything yet. It may not be like the Apollo days, but there's a lot going on down here.

I'm glad I don't have to get up early tomorrow. I'll probably sleep in. I'm not sure what I'm going to do tomorrow morning, or Monday after the launch for that matter. It's really quiet here at the Airbnb. I'll probably end up going to the Press Site way too early tomorrow and end up sitting in my car again to stay warm. I still can't get over how cold it is in Florida. I hope the launch is successful tomorrow. This is a long trip to make if nothing happens.

Kasey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

 

Day 4768

It's been a very busy day. I made it to Florida and am looking forward to getting a little sleep before leaving early tomorrow morning to pick up my press credentials. The day started normally enough. We gave Dawn her sunrise walk and then I had my regular breakfast of shredded wheat and fruit. It didn't take me too long to finish packing, so I even had time to take a short walk in the park before leaving for the airport. Dawn is a smart dog and she knew something was different today. She seemed a little nervous when I left, but I talked to Janet later and she said Dawn was fine. Friday is grocery day, and when Janet got back to the house with groceries Dawn was a happy camper again. She'll probably be even happier when she grabs my spot on the bed tonight.

I can't say that Southwest Airlines is fine yet. They've still got some work to do to get back to normal. I wish they'd told me that they'd closed a big section of the parking garage. I didn't discover this until I was already inside the garage and couldn't get out again. It took me forever to find a parking place. I had to park in a completely different area and I'll probably have a hard time finding my car when I return.

Flights to Orlando are always completely full. It takes a long time for people to board and even longer for them to find a place for their luggage. There are usually tons of kids on the plane and I ended up sitting next to a very talkative teenager today. The kid seemed scared of flying and every time he heard a strange noise he kept asking me what the noise meant. His Mom gave him something to eat before going to her seat in the back of the plane and within ten minutes the kid had dropped his sandwich on the floor and managed to spill a big Diet Coke all over himself. Luckily the bottle wasn't pointed toward me or I would have been a sticky mess.

Even though we left Dallas late, we arrived in Orlando right on time. The pilots must have just flown a little faster while they were in the air. I always try to get a rental car with in-dash GPS but these things don't seems to exist anymore. I didn't feel like messing with CarPlay, so I just drove to my Airbnb by memory. I found the place just fine even though it was dark when I arrived. I've been to Titusville enough times now that it's beginning to seem more familiar to me than Dallas.

For some reason I've only got a one hour window to pick up my credentials early tomorrow morning. I need to be sure to set an alarm tonight because I'm tired and it would be easy to oversleep. After I pick up my badge, I will head over to the Press Site where a bus will take the launch photographers to the pad to set remote cameras and get some close up photos of the rocket before launch. These trips out to the launch pad are always my favorite part of a trip to Kennedy Space Center.

The Falcon Heavy launch itself is early tomorrow evening. It looks like it is going to be a clear day, but it will be very cold by Florida standards. The weather forecast says it will only be 36 degrees in the morning. That's colder than it is in Dallas right now. I brought some extra sweaters, but I'm beginning to think I didn't dress warmly enough. I went to a nearby grocery store after I arrived to pick up some food for my stay and it is already pretty chilly outside. This isn't like Florida at all.

I"d better post this and get some sleep. It's going to be a long day tomorrow.

Taylor is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4767

Today was very busy. Dawn got a bath. I went out and got ink for both printers and got them working again. All the batteries for my devices have been charged. The laundry has been done. I've answered my e-mail and caught up on all my messages. Of course Dawn got her early morning walk and I took a longer walk later in the morning. I still haven't finished packing, but there's still time. Hey, I've got to save something for the last possible minute.

I was surprised at how cold it was this morning. It was over 80 degrees yesterday, so I expected that it would be warm today as well. Nope. Texas weather is never predictable. The temperature was in the low 40's and there was a stiff wind. I was chilly on our early walk, but Dawn seemed to love the brisk weather.

Everything I did today seemed to take twice as long as I expected. The shower drain was clogged when I took a shower. Every towel we own seemed to be in the laundry. I wanted to switch to using Firefox on my laptop, but I had trouble importing my desktop settings. I still can't decide what clothes to take to Florida. Right now it's colder down there than it is here.

I felt like skipping my long walk today, but I went ahead and got my steps. I was reasonably fast today. I had to be. I doubt that I'll have time to take a long walk tomorrow, but Dawn will still get her early morning walk. Today I walked my regular route, counted all the ducks, and made it home in time to help Janet get Dawn ready for her bath. We go to a self bathe place in the neighborhood and Dawn always gets her nails clipped and her anal glands expressed while she's there. Needless to say, bath time is not one of Dawn's favorite activities. She looks so much better though. Her coat is actually white again. It's hard to keep Dawn clean after a bath because she loves to roll in the grass. Oh, well. She'll look good for a couple of days anyway.

I guess I'll finish packing after I complete this blog post. I hate packing. No matter how hard I try, I always forget something. Sometimes it's reading glasses and toothpaste. Other times it's a raincoat, or a sweater for cool mornings. At least I'm pretty good at getting the computers and cameras ready. I can spend hours transferring information from the desktop to the laptop and then just spend a few minutes throwing some clothes into the suitcase. True luxury would be having a Titusville apartment stocked with a full complement of everything I need. That's never going to happen, but it's something to daydream about on my long walks.

I've got my writing assignments now. The article the magazine wants isn't going to be as easy as some I've written in the past, but I'm pretty sure I can deliver what is needed. I've downloaded my boarding pass on my phone, so I guess I'm ready to go. Oops. My suitcase is still empty. I guess I've still got some work to do.

Suzie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4766

Another unseasonably warm day. It got up to 80 degrees again and the air conditioner kicked in during the afternoon. This is very strange for January. It was a pleasant day though. The sky was clear and there was very little wind. Dawn definitely enjoyed her walk this morning.

I've finally managed to catch up with almost everybody I've been trying to reach. SpaceFlight is sending me author copies of the issues with my Falcon Heavy and Artemis articles. My editor has contacted me with article suggestions and I now have all the info I need from Space X for the upcoming Falcon Heavy launch. I still haven't heard back from the contractor I'm trying to reach about fixing the house, but that's an entirely separate matter.

I think the older I get the stupider I get. I had real problems today transferring information from my desktop computer to the laptop. I always do this before I travel. I recently updated all my passwords on the desktop computer to more secure versions, but I forgot that I hadn't updated the laptop. Initially, I couldn't check mail on the laptop or open several websites. I can never remember these new passwords because they are long and complex. Some passwords were easy to retrieve, but others were maddeningly frustrating. All I could see in the password field was a series of dots. Janet says I should write these things down, but I never do. I just depend on password managers. I eventually got everything on the laptop to work, but I ended up having to change a few passwords. I miss the old days when you could just use one simple password for everything.

When I was trying to print out all my travel information I discovered that both of our printers were out of ink. I hate it when the printer won't work just because your Cyan cartridge is low. Printers ought to have a black and white mode where you can just bypass the low colors. Now I've got to go out and buy more printer ink in the morning because I have to have all my contact and reservation information printed out so I can put it in a little manilla envelope that I carry with me everywhere. Just a quirk. I could probably find most of this information on my phone, but I prefer paper.

I was actually hot on my long walk this afternoon. I just wore shorts and a t-shirt and it felt like summer. We might have set another record today. I think it's colder in Titusville than it is in Dallas right now. I shouldn't complain though. 80 degrees is very pleasant even if it happens to be January. At least we aren't having torrential rain and flooding like they are in California now.

Tomorrow is going to be a busy day. I need to pack, go get the printer ink I need, make sure all my photo equipment is working properly, wash the clothes I will be taking with me, and take my long walk. I'm sure I will forget something important on this trip. I always do. I don't think Dawn will miss me while I'm gone, but hopefully she will be glad to see me when I return.

Pepper is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4765

I received a notice today that my application for press credentials was accepted, so I will be heading to Kennedy Space Center soon to attend the USSF-67 Falcon Heavy launch. These last minute notices make me nervous, but the Space X folks are probably doing the best they can. Things change rapidly with almost any launch and they probably weren't even sure the launch would take place until today's successful static fire. Hey, at least I got credentialed. The weather looks good so far as well. Airfares look terrible though. I thought Southwest would be offering some deals to win back customers after all the problems they had a few weeks ago. Nope. The current fare to Orlando was the highest I've ever seen. The Airbnb I like was open though, so that's good. I've really got to stop fretting about this stuff. There are many launch opportunities and I can only afford to go to a few of them anyway. It wouldn't have been the end of the world if I missed this one.

The laser pointer accessory I ordered for one of my star trackers arrived today but I couldn't figure out how to assemble it. I wrote the company a letter saying that I thought a part was missing. A few hours later I noticed a video on the company website with operating instructions. My bad. I just needed to unscrew the top of the unit so it would fit on the star tracker adapter. I felt kind of stupid, because after looking at the video I felt that I should have been able to figure this out myself. These type of things are going to happen more frequently now. Growing old isn't pretty.

It was foggy outside when we took Dawn on her early walk this morning. Ground fog in the park is often very pretty, but cameras and dogs don't mix well, so I didn't get any pictures. We had a nice walk though and since we started a little later, we didn't even need our flashlights.

I got a late start on my long walk today because I needed to make all my reservations for the Florida trip. By the time I left the house it was warm enough to wear shorts again. I think we set an all time temperature record today. It got up to 83 degrees. I'm sure it will get cold again, but I'll take this warmer weather whenever we can get it. It didn't feel like January at all today. It felt more like April.

I hope all these long walks are actually helping me. Sometimes I wonder. I'm certainly not building any muscle. They say building muscle mass is much harder as you grow older. I'm probably going to have to get serious and spend more time lifting weights. I'm thin enough as it is. I wish I enjoyed going to the gym, because I've certainly got the time. I prefer walking though because I can daydream and let my mind wander. I'd never make a good gym rat.

I can't decide what to write about on this trip to Florida. The USSF-67 Mission is almost identical to the USSF-44 Mission which I've already written about. I doubt that the magazine is going to be very interested in another article about the same thing. I already have a Falcon Heavy article in the January issue. Hopefully, I can think of something interesting in the next day or so because I'd like the magazine to stay interested in me.

Dawn is finally starting to relax around me. It's about time. Maybe we'll eventually end up being best buddies after all.

Murphy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4764

I finally tried to remove the brown water leak stains in the ceiling this morning. I've done this before and I tried not to make the same mistakes I usually make. The proceedure involves using a spray bottle to soak the affected areas with bleach and hope that the stain disappears. The problem is that tiny droplets of bleach sometimees go where they are not supposed to. This time I knew to wear a hat and not to wear my usual black t-shirt. I also moved everything under the stained area out of the way. I did a pretty good job. The ceiling looks much better now although a few small stained areas remain. A few droplets of bleach got on some furniture, but I cleaned them up quickly before the bleach discolored anything. Since the house smelled of bleach anyway, I also cleaned out the tubs of both dehumidifiers with bleach. These water tubs get pretty nasty after a while. I still need to replace the sheetrock in the ceiling, but I'm not going to do that until we get a new roof. The next really heavy rainstorm we get will make the leaks appear all over again. These water leaks really make me feel like Sisyphus pushing the rock up the hill.

I still haven't heard anything about the Falcon Heavy launch, but I talked with one of my launch photographer friends and the Florida folks haven't heard anything either. Who knows what is going on. I may or may not end up going to this launch and I'm beginning not to care. I do know that the launch has been postponed until Friday which is too bad because airline flights are more expensive on the weekend. Maybe I'll find out something tomorrow.

We walked Dawn in the dark again this morning. Janet likes to keep a regular work schedule even though we have both been retired for quite a while. We always get up earlier on weekdays. I could sleep until 8 AM every morning, but it's not so bad getting up early. I've got to get up at some point anyway. Dawn loves these early walks. She spends most of her time zig zagging around smelling things. At first I thought she was smelling other dogs, but we're usually the first to walk every morning, so I think she is smelling wild animals now. There are tons of animals in the park and they probably spend all night peeing on things.

Every morning I contemplate going to the gym and then end up taking my walk in the park instead. I kind of like shooting baskets at the gym, but that doesn't overcome my dislike of driving. Usually it's just general laziness that makes me choose a walk in the park. It's easy to just head out the back door and start walking. Today's walk was completely uneventful. There is no construction activity to watch anymore and lord knows where the eagles have gone. I haven't seen them in over two weeks now.

I still can't decide whether to attempt a trip out to the observatory this year. I'm pretty sure there will be events where they will need volunteers in the Spring. I'm not at all sure about the long drive though. The last time I returned home from West Texas I kept thinking that this was my last trip. The drive was very tiring. I hate to give up though. I'm determined not to wind up like my Dad, sitting on the couch and watching television all day. It's a shame that the two things I like are so far away. I do enjoy my time at the observatory though. Maybe I'll send a letter and see if they are looking for volunteers.

Tomorrow will probably be very much like today. I should make an effort to go to the gym just to do something different. We'll see.

Mack is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4763

I often think about the past as I drift off to sleep. Increasingly, much of it is a mystery. How did I find so many jobs when I was younger? I didn't know anybody and wasn't a particularly good worker. Nevertheless, I got hired again and again by some of the best ad agencies in the country. How did I live? I remember one particularly nice apartment on Capitol Hill in Seattle with a great view of a park where the art museum used to be. I remember buying art for the walls and some nice living room furniture, but I have no idea where I kept my clothes. I didn't own any cabinets and I can't even remember if there were closets in the house. I do remember that the bedroom was completely empty except for a low platform bed in the center of the room. I must have had a place to store clothes because I wore them to work every day. Where was it though? I also can't remember ever cooking meals. I must have cooked, because I can't remember going out to restaurants either. Memory gets tricky as you grow older. It's probably good that I have forgotten a lot.

It's pretty easy to remember what I do now, because I do the same things over and over again. We sleep in about a half hour later on weekends, so there is no need to walk in the dark. Weekends are the only time Janet and I eat breakfast together. We usually have bacon, eggs, and toast. Dawn gets real excited about these weekend breakfasts because she gets to have a little bacon. 

I used to go to the gym on Sunday, but since they are closed now I go walking at the mall instead. The mall is built around a big central outdoor courtyard and the distance around the perimeter stores is a little over a half mile. I make five trips around the perimeter, looking at all the window displays as I walk. The stores aren't open yet, so the only people inside are other walkers. Lots of young couples bring their children with them. This seems to be a popular place to take young children. Small kids are pushed around in strollers and slightly older kids have their own little strollers that they push around filled with dolls. More people are still wearing masks inside this mall than any other place in town. I really have no idea why. 

Once the stores start to open I have no reason to be there anymore. I try to time my walk so I'm done by the time the stores open. It's weird that the stuff in the windows seems interesting to me, but I have no desire to buy anything. Looking in the windows is kind of like listening to the radio in the car. It just gives me a little more insight into what is going on in the world. I lead a fairly isolated life, so it's good to have a clue what the rest of the world is doing. 

When I returned from mall walking today, Dawn was ready for her Sunday outing. She definitely knows when everything is supposed to happen around the house. I'm kind of amazed that her internal clock is much better than mine. The weather was nice today and we had a pleasant walk. Our Sunday walk is almost exactly the same distance as our early morning walk, but we always finish about two minutes earlier. Dawn is either excited and walks faster on these Sunday outings or doesn't stop as often to smell things. It's probably a little bit of both. 

Today the ice cream store gave Dawn a free pup cone. I don't know why they don't always do this. Dawn is always with us and it's pretty obvious that she likes ice cream. I guess it just depends on who's serving. If they like dogs, you get a pup cone. 

I still haven't heard anything about Thursday's Falcon Heavy launch. This is kind of strange, since they usually let you know even if you don't get credentialed. It looks like I'll either have to make all my reservations at the very last minute, or that I won't be going at all. I should probably just quit fretting about this. It's not like it really matters if I attend these launches or not. I'm just trying to make my life a little more interesting.

Tomorrow we start all over again. I've got a new box of shredded wheat for the week and plenty of strawberries. I'll take my walks in the park and wonder where the eagles are. If I'm lucky I may even hear something about that launch.

Jordan is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4762

Another week of being amazed at how grocery prices keep going up. The price increases aren't dramatic, but they are relentless. I don't think I've seen prices go down on the things I routinely buy for several years. Oh, well. It is what is is. Price inflation doesn't seem very fair for seniors. When you're living on a fixed income you get a little further behind with each passing year.

I still haven't heard anything about next week's falcon heavy launch. This doesn't look good. I have a feeling I won't be going to this thing. I suppose it's no great loss. I've already been to several falcon heavy launches. My bigger worry is that my magazine has abandoned me. Without this connection it would be a lot harder to get press credentials. We'll see what happens. There are still a few day for everything to come together.

We had a nice early walk with Dawn this morning. The weather was warmer and we waited until after sunrise to walk today. I prefer sleeping in, but Dawn and Janet are morning people. I get out of bed when I get my ten minute warning and I know not to be late. Sometimes I'm still sleepy, but there's plenty of time to take a nap later. 

I had plans to go to the gym today, but ended up taking my regular walk in the park instead. The traffic was heavy when I did my grocery shopping and I just didn't want to get out on the roads again. I think I could take this walk blindfolded now. The route is so familiar now that I practically have every step memorized. Frequently people will wave at me as I walk by. I don't know who these people are, but I guess I've become a familiar face. I can guess my pace fairly accurately now, but I still don't know why I'm faster or slower on any given day. I was slow today even though the temperature was pleasant and there was no wind.

I haven't received any updates to the star tracker in over a month. I've noticed that this unit is available in stores now, so maybe Benro is finished with the development phase. I guess I got a good deal for all my efforts with Beta testing. The retail price for the tracker is almost double what I paid. Am I ever going to use this equipment? I'd like to think so, but it probably won't be in Dallas. I don't feel safe in this town after dark anymore.

I'm getting frustrated with my computers. Neither my desktop or laptop will run the latest Apple system files. The machines are too old, even though they both still work fine. Since I'm running an older system I can't update Safari and Mail anymore. Safari crashes a lot now since my version doesn't incorporate the latest security updates. It's gotten so bad that I've had to switch to using Firefox, which I never particularly liked. I've been a huge Apple fan for decades but Tim Cook's Apple is not the same as Steve Jobs Apple. I miss the old days.

Tomorrow it's time for a walk through the mall and Dawn's Sunday outing. I wish my gym would start opening on Sunday again, but that's probably not going to happen. Sunday hours are just another Covid casualty. I guess mall walking is a good substitute. I actually enjoy looking in the store windows.

Misty is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4761

I think I'm becoming invisible. I've sent numerous messages to people who could potentially help me fix up the house and have received no replies. Nothing. I have a feeling that contractors just don't want to mess with this small house, but at least they could send me a polite letter saying that they're too busy or something. I guess it's easier to just ignore me. I found out that the falcon heavy launch is next week, but I still don't know if I'm going to be credentialed or not. I've heard nothing yet. This is cutting things pretty close for someone who has to make travel arrangements. The magazine I write for has dropped off the radar too. I don't even know if they want me to write an article about this launch. This is all frustrating for me, but it's probably a sign of the times. People just don't want to be bothered these days. Lord help you if you actually want to talk with someone on the phone. You have to send a text message now. Talking is apparently socially unacceptable.

This is a strange complaint from someone who rarely talks anyway, but I do wish it were easier to get things done. I've almost given up on calling customer service. You just get a call center in a foreign country and end up talking with someone you can barely understand. I have resolved exactly zero problems talking with customer service people. Lately, it's hard to even make a hotel or restaurant reservation with a phone call. Everyone just wants you to use their mobile app, which half the time doesn't even work. Maybe I'm just a grumpy old man, but I don't think younger people even realize how much better life used to be. We're going backwards. Life in the 60's, 70's and even parts of the 80's was great.

It's kind of pointless to dwell on these things. The world has changed. All you have to do is turn on the television and it is apparent that we are living in some sort of dystopian alternate universe. I blame a lot of these problems on drugs. If we could just get rid of all the drug users, so many problems would just disappear. Crime would go down dramatically if there were no drugs to sell or traffic. Problems at the border would disappear. A lot of mental health issues would be alleviated. It would be an uphill battle though. Everyone seems to be high on something. People on the street are taking heroin, often at government sanctioned safe injection sites. People in offices and warehouses are smoking pot. Anyone with the least bit of anxiety is taking Xanax. It all seems so wrong. Would it really be so hard to do without this stuff? I don't know why anyone is taking Fentanyl? I can't imagine taking any pill that wasn't prescribed by my own doctor for a very specific reason.

I would suggest long walks as a solution, but I don't think I'd get many takers. A contemplative life appears to be a luxury. Life is far too hectic for most productive people and the stoners just don't care. It's probably no surprise that I see a lot of older people walking in the park. When you reach my age you're just happy to be alive and staying healthy takes on a whole new meaning. When I was in my 20's and 30's I never thought about my health. I didn't think I was invincible or anything. It just wasn't an issue. Getting high was never an issue either. I've never liked taking drugs or understood why others depend on them. 

I'm not going to change the world, but I'm going to try to enjoy the time I've got left. For me this means living a peaceful and largely uneventful life. When I finish my blogging goal I'll probably disappear from social media. Who needs it? Long walks are good. Maybe I'll spend more time looking at the stars. I'm lucky to have a friend like Janet. Even loners need someone to talk to.

Nellie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4760

These uneventful days are even becoming too uneventful for me. I'm very comfortable with boredom, but this is getting ridiculous. Every day is exactly the same. I really can't blame anyone but myself. I've got the time to do practically anything. I just don't have the desire. I'm reluctant to even get in the car and drive across town these days. A predictable routine close to home is much more desirable.

It's not a bad routine when you think about it. I get plenty of sleep when you count naps. I eat healthy meals that I actually enjoy. I certainly get plenty of exercise. Just so I don't get too comfortable in my little cocoon, I try to travel to Kennedy Space Center every couple of months and cover a launch. I'm not a real journalist, but my articles do get published.

I used to spend a lot of time having lunch with people. A lot of this was just maintaining business contacts, but I suppose it was fun as well. I do remember some lively discussions. I don't do this anymore. I keep up with people by scrolling through my Facebook feed every morning. Occasionally I'll hit the like button but that's about as engaged as I get. If you're not on Facebook, I've probably forgotten your name.

Is this healthy? Who's to say. I certainly feel more balanced and content than I did during the ad agency days when life was a cacophony of ambition and conflict. I'm no Henry David Thoreau, but there is a beauty in solitude. To be alone with your thoughts is fairly rewarding when you are actually thinking.

So there you have it. I get up every morning and take an early walk with Janet and Dawn. I eat my bowl of shredded wheat and do a few chores around the house. My long walk is almost always the same, but I'm never thinking the same things. I daydream a lot. These conversations with myself feel more rewarding than the lunchtime arguments I used to have with friends over a bowl of Pad Thai.

I do wish my feet didn't hurt. I vaguely remember four day hikes I used to take in the summer when I lived in Aspen. I couldn't do that anymore. Six miles a day on very familiar trails is plenty. I used to take more pictures, but I think I've photographed everything in the park by now. Sometimes I'll just use an old photo for the blog when I see something on my walk that I've already photographed. One year I decided that I was going to learn the names of every tree and flower in the park. I brought home leaves and photographed flowers and then looked them up in books. There were hundreds of different species. It was interesting for a while, but I've already forgotten the names of a lot of the plants I spent so long trying to identify. Now I just count ducks.

It's probably a blessing that Dawn doesn't want to walk with me. I used to walk our other Dalmatians twice a day and unpredictable things would happen. It was stressful. Over the years several dogs got stung by bees or cut by broken glass. Dot ripped out a nail when thunder scared her and she started running back home. Dash got out of his harness once and I was afraid he was going to run away. Later Dash was almost killed when he was attacked by a very aggressive dog in the neighborhood. A stranger drove Dash and I to the vet and it took him months to fully recover. This is still one of my very worst memories. I try my best to avoid conflict and danger but you never really know what's going to happen next. I really hope my life stays uneventful.

Lucy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4759

I must have done something today. There are days when it's really hard to tell. It was definitely a slow day. I still haven't heard anything about the upcoming Falcon Heavy launch. That's probably not a good sign. My friend who is selling my train collection made a minor sale today. That was a surprise. Most of the good pieces in the collection are already gone, so sales have slowed down considerably. I probably should have started selling the collection a few years earlier. Nobody is interested in model trains anymore.

We had to wear our warning lights again on our morning walk with Dawn. I'll be glad when the days start getting longer. I can't say that I'm a fan of walking in the dark. Dawn enjoyed herself though. We had a good walk. I'll have to admit that these early walks are good for me. It's hard for me to get out of bed, but I'm always wide awake by the time we return home.

I thought about going to REI today because they are having a big sale. I looked on their website and there was absolutely nothing that interested me. I used to always be able to find something at this store. I still had an itch to buy something, so I ended up ordering some more astrophotography gear. Today's purchase was a little green laser that attaches to one of my star trackers. You just point the laser toward Polaris and you are aligned. Never mind that I can't even see Polaris from my house. I probably couldn't use something like this in the city anyway. It will be useful if I ever go back to McDonald Observatory though. The attachment wasn't very expensive and I don't feel like buying things anymore. Mission accomplished.

I'm still wondering where the eagles go when they aren't near their nest. Occasionally I'll see them and then they'll disappear for two weeks. They were gone today. The new female Muscovy duck has disappeared as well. Now we are back to three ducks again. There isn't a lot going on in the animal world. I haven't seen a bobcat or coyote in months.

The construction in the park is finally finished. All the construction equipment is gone and the last piles of debris have been cleaned up. The six stone gates were the last things to be finished, but they are done now.  Yesterday, custom metal posts were installed between each of the gates to prevent cars from driving on the trails. These gates are pretty elaborate, so the park department must have had some extra money lying around. 

Dawn did well in training class tonight. She's not winning ribbons anymore, but Janet is pleased with her progress. I'm not so pleased with my own progress. I'd like to find something that interests me that doesn't involve traveling halfway across the country. I shouldn't complain though. Chasing rockets is really quite interesting even though you can't do it in Dallas.

Hunter is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4758

I stayed surprisingly busy today. Janet had an early class at the gym, so we took our early walk in the dark again. Walking in the dark doesn't seem to bother Dawn at all. She uses her nose more than her eyes anyway. It was a little chilly early this morning, but it warmed up quickly. I could tell it was going to be a nice day.

I always think I'm going to do something different for breakfast, but I never do. When I have my shredded wheat and fruit I don't have to think and I don't have to cook. It's always the easy way out. After breakfast, I changed the sheets on the bed, did three loads of laundry, and paid some online bills. With bad knees and a dislocated shoulder it's harder to change the sheets than it used to be. Somehow lifting up the mattress to tuck in the fitted sheets is always a problem. I'm starting to understand why my Dad decided to just sleep on top of the bed in his latter years. It saves a lot of trouble if you don't have to make the thing every day.

I had to trick Dawn to get her off the bed so I could change the sheets. She wasn't very happy about that but we survived. Everything is clean and fresh again, but it will be covered in dog hair in a matter of days. I won't give this chore another thought until Janet reminds me that it's time to do it again.

When I finished my household chores, I went to the bank and took some stuff back to my storage warehouse. There was a long line at the drive up window today. The bank probably need to hire some more staff. There was just one guy handling both the inside and outside transactions. He seemed very busy.

It was a good day for a walk, but my heart wasn't really in it today. I felt tired and my pace was slower than usual. It is discipline, not a love of the outdoors that keeps me walking. Sometimes I see interesting things, but often the long walk is boring and just hurts my feet. There were no eagles today at the nest site.   There weren't many people on the trails either. I guess everybody is returning to work.

I don't know what I'm going to do about the house. I still can't find a carpenter or a contractor I like to undertake the needed renovations. I've got a long list of roofers, but I don't like any of them. The house isn't going to fix itself though. I've got to do something. I wonder why it's so much easier to find a good appliance repairman or plumber than a carpenter? Is carpentry becoming a lost art? 

I made no New Year's resolutions this year. My old resolutions to write 5000 consecutive blog posts and walk at least 10,000 steps every day are keeping me busy enough as it is. It's amazing what a little discipline can do. I'm basically a very lazy person.

Petey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4757

I took down the Christmas tree today. If memory serves, it will be a long time until the next major holiday. It's usually warm around Christmas here in Dallas. It's easy to get lulled into thinking Winter is over. Then comes February and you realize that you've still got a long way to go until Spring. I'm not a big fan of Winter, but I do like the holiday season. I turn on the Christmas lights every evening and they add a festive tone to our otherwise austere house. 

Food at the grocery store is a lot more interesting during the holidays. I frequently pick up something to eat at the Central Market deli counter and the selections are always much better around Christmas. As I put the tree away, I was glad that Janet, Dawn and I had survived another year. At our age you can't take anything for granted. Hopefully, when it's time to unpack the Christmas decorations again, life will still be treating us well.

We were under a severe weather watch today, but the storms never materialized. It rained for about five minutes right after breakfast and that was it. Maybe people living to the East of us got some bad weather, but I doubt that it was too bad because I've heard nothing on the news. Once I was sure that I wasn't going to get wet, I took my long walk. It was so warm today that I didn't even need a jacket. This is Texas weather at its finest. One week we are freezing and making sure that all our outside faucets are set to drip. The next week I'm wearing shorts and a t-shirt on my daily walks.

I saw both eagles on my walk today. It would have made a great picture, since they were sitting close together on a tree limb near their nest. Later, I saw one of he eagles flying low over the lake. It was probably looking for fish. I didn't see many white pelicans today. I still think they don't like it when the eagles are nearby.

I made pretty good time today, but I didn't set any records. I usually keep a steady pace during my first two miles. I start to slow down a little on the third mile and by the fourth and fifth miles I've slowed down considerably. The last mile is always the hardest because I'm tired and a lot of it is uphill. You'd think I'd be in great shape doing this day after day, but I'm just hanging in there. These long walks are great for my heart and maintaining bone density, but I'm not building any muscle mass. If I want that I'm going to have to work a lot harder and start going to the gym every day.

I seldom watch television, but Janet was cleaning and wanted me out of the way so I started watching a Las Vegas marathon that was already on the bedroom television. I'd never heard of this show even though it starred James Caan, ran for five seasons on NBC, and was apparently fairly popular. I watched two episodes before I became bored and went back to the computer. The show was mildly entertaining, but I just can't watch TV for very long. It still seems strange that I was totally unaware of this big budget show, even though I used to like to go to Las Vegas myself. There are probably a ton of things that I'm totally unaware of.

Tomorrow the holidays are officially over. I need to run some errands and take a few things back to the storage warehouse. I'm sure I'll find time to take another long walk and then start complaining about my feet hurting. Somehow I feel like 2023 is going to look a lot like 2022.

Dash is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4756

Not a lot happened today. I still can't get over how different Dawn seems when everyone is home. She is a happy dog again. After an energetic early morning walk, I made the bed and ate my breakfast. I went back to my weekday breakfast of shredded wheat and fruit because Janet left early to catch up on her grocery shopping.

I returned to mall walking today. I was actually a little surprised the mall was open on New Year's Day because it was closed on Christmas. Most of the Christmas decorations had already disappeared and all the store windows displayed large sale signs. If you were in the market for overpriced clothes, this would be a good time. I was surprised to see a huge line outside the Lego store. Something big was happening, but there was no indication in the store window. I have seen similar lines outside the Swatch and Nike stores in the past and didn't know what was going on there either. Clearly I am not on the need to know list for these type of events. Lots of adults seem to be interested in Lego products. I had always thought this was a store for kids.

On the way home I listened to a program on NPR about how a largely unknown hockey player named John Scott was voted by fans to be a team captain on the 2016 all star team. This vote angered the NHL and they asked him to decline the honor. When he refused the league orchestrated a trade to a minor league team in Canada where he was ineligible to play on the all star team. I had never realized that there was so much intrigue and pettiness in the world of hockey. Not surprisingly there was a big fan backlash and the league was forced to reinstate Scott as a team captain. I don't know what happened after that, because I had arrived back home.

When I returned from mall walking, I found Dawn waiting to go on her Sunday outing. She definitely hasn't forgotten her normal routine. I didn't even need a jacket for this walk. It was a surprisingly warm day, especially considering that we were all freezing just a few weeks ago. Dawn definitely had more energy than I did. By the time we returned to the car, I was walking well behind Dawn and Janet. Of course we all had to have an ice cream cone before we returned home. Dawn hasn't forgotten about ice cream cones either.

I had vague thoughts about doing something productive when I woke up this morning, but that never materialized. Sundays are seldom productive. I basically just walk on Sundays although I don't really accumulate that many steps. I am still fascinated by Fitbit results. My heart rate is remarkably consistent when I walk at the mall. This is probably because I am walking in a flat, climate controlled environment. When I walk outside in the park, my heart rate is all over the place. My outdoor walks are clearly better exercise, but it gets boring sometimes. I was glad I went to the mall today.

I wonder when I am going to hear something about the upcoming falcon heavy launch? I thought I would have received my credentials by now, but I have heard nothing. My connections to the world of rocketry are tenuous at best and I'm always worried that I'll fall off the approved list. I don't think that NASA or the magazine I write for care nearly as much as I do about this. Old retired guys like me still need some legitimacy and validation.

I have no idea what I'll be doing tomorrow. Hey, it's a new year, so I guess anything is possible.

Jasper is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4755 - New Year's Eve

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day