Day 4638 - Labor Day

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

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

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

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

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

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

Allie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4637

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Domino is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4636

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

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

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

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

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

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

Domino is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4635

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Daisy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4634

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Spot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4633

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Domino is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4632

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tessa is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4631

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Duke is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4630

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mandy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4629

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4628

I'm feeling a little more organized now. I'm almost packed and am starting my blog post early this evening in hopes of getting some sleep tonight. I'm really terrible about travel planning. I procrastinate. I can never decide what to take. And I always end up forgetting something important. I've finally learned to always take a raincoat and spare batteries, but there's always something that gets overlooked. In the past I've forgotten toothpaste, cables to recharge my phone, and insect repellant. You'd think this would be a piece of cake by now. I've been to Titusville many times before. It always seems like a totally new experience though. I enjoy attending rocket launches. I just hate to travel.

Packing aside, it was just a normal Friday. Dawn got a nice sunrise walk. I picked up a prescription at the pharmacy, And I took my long walk in the park. The weather was warmer today, but it was too much trouble to go to the gym. There is little evidence that we had a record rainfall last week. The ground was so dry that it immediately sucked all the water up. When the ground is wet, some of the meadows in the park stay waterlogged for weeks after a big rain. This time was different. The ground is already dry again.

So far, my Airbnb experience has been good. My hosts have been very responsive and have answered all my questions. I can't say the same for hotels I've stayed in. I've arrived at destinations where they totally lost my reservation and I was left wondering if I had a place to stay for the night. There have even been mixups at the Astronomers Lodge, which is one of my favorite places. We'll see what happens this time. I hope I like staying at an Airbnb. If it works out, I may do this again.

The weather still looks iffy for the launch. Of course the weather is always iffy in Florida. You've got to take an afternoon shower in stride. I've driven from Titusville to the space center in heavy rain only to have the skies clear and the launch take place right on schedule. Let's just hope that everything works out. Somehow it usually does. I'd really hate to make this long trip for nothing.

There's a Space X launch tomorrow night, but I'm not sure if my Artemis credentials will get me in. The launch is so late that the Press Site might be closed. I guess I'll find out when I get there. The Artemis-1 launch is so different than others I've attended that I really don't know what to expect. It's pretty safe to expect crowds. I've been warned about large crowds again and again in NASA messages. They tell me now that to avoid traffic delays I should be at the Press Site by 2 AM on Monday morning. The launch doesn't take place until 6:33 AM. The Space X launch tomorrow night takes place somewhere between 10:30 PM and midnight. Am I ever going to get any sleep? 

I probably won't get a lot of sleep tonight since my flight leaves very early in the morning. I have a feeling that I'm getting too old for this, but I'll give it my best shot. Hopefully, I'll get a burst of energy. There are a lot of interesting launches in the future and I"d hate to think that I'll miss them because I'm home taking naps with Dawn. Don't get me wrong. I love taking naps, but long naps don't make much of a story. There are still stories I need to write.

Cammy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4627

Today was uneventful. The weather was a bit warmer this morning, but it was still a welcome relief from the heat wave we were having just a few weeks ago. Maybe the worst of this summer is finally over. I could definitely live with no more hundred degree days this year.

I'm still making slow, steady progress getting ready for the trip to Kennedy Space Center. So far this mostly involves checking equipment and making sure that it works. I renewed a prescription that might run out during my stay, but I haven't gotten around to packing clothes yet. This usually doesn't take long. I travel light.

It was quiet during our sunrise walk with Dawn. Some days the park is empty on our early morning walks and other days there is lots of activity. I still haven't figured out what draws people to the park on specific days. There are a few people we see every single day. They are obviously on a schedule, just like we are.

I probably should have gone to the gym today, but I decided to take another long walk in the park. The outdoor walks aren't any easier on my feet, but they are more enjoyable. Today was humid, but it was still quite pleasant. 80 degree days are much nicer than 100 degree days. 

My Airbnb hosts told me that it would be OK to extend my stay if the Artemis rocket fails to launch on Monday. This was good news, but I'm still not sure if I would want to spend an entire week in Titusville just waiting for another launch attempt. Mostly it's the additional cost that bothers me. The magazine I write for doesn't pay any travel expenses and the bills add up quickly. I still can't decide whether I have a second career or an expensive hobby. I guess it doesn't really matter. I enjoy covering these rocket launches and in a world where joy is a rare commodity, I guess this counts for something.

Sometimes I envy the rocket photographers who actually live in Titusville. There are quite a few of them and many seem to be at every single launch. Would this get boring after a while? I'll probably never find out. It does feel like you are witnessing something important when you are at the space center. History is being made. The actual photography is just a task though. It isn't that different from photographing dogs or the night sky out in West Texas.

I told my magazine about the interviews I set up with the two European astronauts and my editor wants me to do an article about them as well. It's a good thing I enjoy writing. Print writers seem to be a dying breed. Almost everyone I've met out at the space center seems to have a podcast, works for a TV station, or has some connection with a website. There are very few writers.

I've already taken this week's trash out to the curb, which always marks the end of the week for me. I guess I'd better pack my bags tomorrow. I'm running out of time.

Pinky is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4626

I made some progress with my travel plans today. I didn't make as much progress as I'd like but at least I've checked a few more things off my list. I'm not a great traveler. I procrastinate. I overthink things. I concentrate on cameras and computers and forget to take the clothes I need. I'm sure I'll be ready in time, but I'm equally sure that I'll forget something important.

We had a nice cool day again today. There was a beautiful sunrise on our early walk with Dawn and the park was pleasantly quiet. Dawn really loves these sunrise walks. I'd prefer to sleep in a little longer, but the walks do help to wake me up. I'm usually ready to start the day when we return to the house.

It was cool enough to take another long walk in the park after breakfast. I don't think summer is over yet, but it's great to get some relief from the constant string of 100 degree days we've been having. It kind of irritates me that my Fitbit doesn't think I'm exercising enough when I take these long walks. It doesn't think you've had a real workout unless your heart rate becomes elevated. I walk at a nice steady pace and my heart rate is very low. Who cares what Fitbit thinks. I think I'm doing pretty good to walk six miles a day.

I printed out all the documents and maps I think I'll need for the Florida trip and put them in a manilla folder. I do this every time I travel. Most of this information is available on my computer or phone, but it seems so much easier to just pull a piece of paper out of my folder. I did add the Airbnb app to my phone though and saved my destination in Google maps. I need to remember to copy the NASA e-mails to my laptop. I may need those as well.

I got another message today saying to arrive very early for the launch and any pre-launch activities. These messages always end with a disclaimer saying that NASA can't be responsible for journalists missing an event because of bad traffic or congestion on the roads. They are still expecting huge crowds for this event. Now there is a chance of rain in the forecast as well. I read an article yesterday about all the hundreds of things that could go wrong with the Artemis rocket from now until the launch. It didn't sound promising. It will be a miracle if this launch takes place on schedule. The only thing that would guarantee a perfect launch is if I wasn't there. I can't take that chance, so I'll go. I'll probably stay up all night on launch day, get eaten alive by mosquitos, and end up watching the launch get scrubbed at the last minute by an unexpected morning thunderstorm.

I wish I could be more positive about this trip, but I'm not very positive about anything lately. Traveling makes me nervous, but I usually end up being glad I went. Let's hope this continues. I don't want to end up being one of those old people who never leaves the house. Dawn didn't win any ribbons at training class tonight, but Janet said she did well. Tomorrow we'll take another sunrise walk and I'll continue getting a little closer to being ready for my flight. I'm so slow these days, but luckily I still manage to reach the finish line.

Hero is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4625

We got more rain overnight, but it was over by morning. Dawn was able to get her sunrise walk and the temperature was nice and cool. I was surprised that the water level in the lake looked normal even though we've had an enormous amount of rain in the past few days. We must have timed things right this morning because we encountered no bicycles and very few runners. We did see a lot of ducks though. I wish every morning was like this. It was a very pleasant walk.

Since the weather was so nice, I decided to take a walk in the park instead of going to the gym. I left the house right after breakfast because I knew how quickly the weather could change if the sun came out. It was heavily overcast and there was a light mist, but even that was nice. It seemed like a treat to be able to walk without immediately getting hot and sweaty. It was surprising how quickly the meadows have turned green again after a few days of rain. There was very little standing water though. The ground was so dry that it probably immediately just absorbed all the water.

I was determined to get something done today. After a light lunch I went to the T-Mobile store and tried to update my non-functional Internet hotspot. The little hotspot quit working about a month ago because it was very old and still used 3G for connectivity. The phone company warned me that the unit was obsolete and would quit working when they pulled the plug on their 3G network. I've been avoiding having yet another expense, but I hate to travel without an Internet hotspot. The hotspot has been great when there are power outages at the house as well. 

The new 5G hotspot is a little bigger than my old companion but it still fits in my pocket. It took a lot longer for the T-Mobile guys to get me hooked up than I though, but everything is working now. It took a long time for them to find my account because they look for a phone number to find your records. The old hotspot has a phone number but I had no idea what it was. I just turn it on and connect whatever device I want to use to the hotspot WiFi. Eventually they found my account by taking out the SIM card and using the SIM card ID to find my account. Oddly the new hotspot uses the same phone number as the old one. The guys told me to write this number down in case I need it in the future.

On the way home I stopped at Home Depot and got a new extension cord so I could get the second pump on the roof working again. I got a heavier gage cord this time because maybe the old cord was too light to handle the pump's amperage. The heavier the cord, the more expensive it is. It's probably directly related to the price of copper. There was a display of electrical wire next to the extension cords and I was amazed at how expensive copper wire has become. I don't know why I was surprised. Everything is a lot more expensive now.

Hopefully I won't need to climb up on the roof again for a while. Both pumps are working now. It's amazing that doing one or two things can use up an entire day. Tomorrow I'll try to check a few more things off my list. The Artemis rocket is waiting for me and I've still got a lot to do.

Mickey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4624

What a lot of rain. It rained more in one day than it has during the entire summer. I think we got over ten inches today. This wasn't a gentle rain either. It was a downpour. Not surprisingly, the roof leaked. I put a bucket under the leak before I went to bed last night but I underestimated how fast the water was dripping. When I woke up this morning the bucket had overflowed and the carpet in the office was soaked. Such a mess. I guess I should consider myself lucky that only one area in the house had a leak. It could have been worse.

Dawn didn't get a walk this morning. She got a trip to the vet instead. This visit was for lab work she needed before getting her teeth cleaned. Dawn is a healthy dog but she has a lot of anxiety. She definitely didn't like being at the vet. It's kind of embarrassing how she acts in the exam room. As soon as we returned home Dawn headed straight for the bedroom and took a long nap. I felt like doing the same, but I had lots to do.

After I finished breakfast I went up on the roof. This wasn't a pleasant job since it was still raining, but I needed to get the pump working. I also trimmed some of the low hanging branches on the pecan tree that were interfering with the pump. I don't know how much this will help, but at least I eliminated one source of problems. I didn't even bother to sweep the water off the roof since it was still raining. I must have done something right because eventually the leak in the office roof stopped. I still need to go buy a very long heavy duty extension cord so I can put the second pump back in operation. 

The combination of roof leaks and ants has made me totally disgusted with the house. The running toilet in the second bathroom doesn't help either. It's definitely time for a new roof. I've interviewed lots of roofing companies over the years and haven't really liked any of them. Companies that specialize in flat roofs tend to only want to do commercial work. Our house is too small for them to bother with. Everyone is too expensive. The problem with our house is that is has settled over the years and the roof no longer drains properly. There are always puddles and duck ponds on the roof after a big rain. Nobody seems to have a great solution for this problem.

Even though I hate to drive in the rain, I went to the gym this afternoon. I needed to get my steps. The gym was fairly empty today and was even colder than usual. I was terrible on the basketball court and slower than usual on the indoor track. Basically, I just felt tired. Trimming branches on the roof in the middle of a rainstorm was hard work this morning.

It didn't even get up to 80 degrees today. For the first time in months it's colder outside than it is inside. There's still a chance of rain tomorrow, but I don't see anything ominous on the weather radar. Who knows. We may even be able to take a sunrise walk with Dawn tomorrow morning. I don't think it is going to rain tonight but I'm going to leave the buckets out just in case. Be careful what you wish for. I've been wishing for rain for weeks, but this was too much.

Lance is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4623

You can learn a lot about society by walking around a shopping mall before the stores open. Cooking hasn't changed much. I see exactly the same Cuisinart food processers, Vitamix blenders, and Le Creuset cast iron pots in store windows as I did fifteen years ago. On the other hand, what people put on their feet has changed a lot. Everyone wears sneakers now. Even the mannequins in high-end men's stores show men wearing sneakers with suits. Every clothing store has some sort of sneaker in the window. That's all you see on the feet of people walking around too. Not a leather shoe in sight. 

The expensive boutiques still display clothes for impossibly skinny people, but middle of the road stores now proudly display larger sizes in their windows. There are even fat mannequins now. There must be a large market for purses. I counted at least a dozen stores that sold nothing but very expensive purses. Jewelry stores don't put jewelry in the windows anymore. There are just posters with pictures of jewelry. The Apple store has a policeman inside the store even when it is closed. Times have definitely changed. Truthfully, there is very little you actually need in most shopping malls. You get that stuff at Walmart.

We got more rain today. I knew the rain was coming so I went up on the roof and fixed the pumps. A low hanging limb from the neighbor's pecan tree had knocked over one of the pumps and it had become unplugged. The other pump had a bad extension cord that started to smoke every time I plugged the pump in. That pump will stay unplugged until I can buy a new extension cord. Oh, well. At least I got one of the pumps working again. I swept the remaining water and a ton of pecan shells off the roof before I called it a day. I really hate going up on the roof these days. My balance isn't as good as it used to be.

At least the rain has cooled things down a bit. It was quite pleasant outside on our sunrise walk with Dawn  and we were even able to take a short walk later in the day on Dawn's Sunday outing. It's still quite humid though. A succession of rainy days makes things uncomfortably humid outside. The humidity didn't stop us from getting ice cream though. You can eat your ice cream cones in the car with the air conditioner running.

I vacuumed the can light sockets in the bathroom ceiling this afternoon in an attempt to get rid of the ants. This was a wasted effort. Even though the dead ants are falling directly below the can lights, there were no ants to be found when I removed the bulbs from the light sockets. Ants and debris are still falling from the ceiling. My success with the pumps was short lived as well. It just started raining again and my one remaining pump is no longer working. It's probably that same pecan tree again. When the limbs get wet they droop down and some even touch the roof. The moving limbs probably knocked over the pump again. This house can be very discouraging at times. I think I just heard the ominous drip of a roof leak.

I charged the laptop and installed security updates this afternoon. I think I'm ready for the trip now. Working with computers is much easier than dealing with household problems. The computers are old but not nearly as old as the house. 

We need to take Dawn to the vet tomorrow morning for pre-dental lab work. It's time to have her teeth cleaned again and they want to make sure she is OK for anesthesia. Getting her teeth cleaned is probably a big reason why Dawn doesn't like the vet. Healthy teeth are important though. For people and animals. 

Sure wish the pumps were working this evening. We're getting a lot of rain.

Cookie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4622

Just a normal Saturday. We got up early and took our sunrise walk with Dawn. The park was even busier than usual. We must have caught the tail end of a 5K race because we saw lots of people walking rather than running with race numbers attached to their clothing. I don't know how early you'd have to get up to beat the crowds on weekends, but it's probably too early for us.

When we returned home we had our usual weekend breakfast of bacon, eggs, and toast. You can't eat shredded wheat all the time. I did a few small chores around the house after breakfast and then did my grocery shopping and went to the gym. I briefly thought about walking in the park again, but it was too humid today. 

The stores weren't crowded today because I remembered to go shopping early. I went to the gym earlier as well. Nobody seems to go to the gym on weekends. The place was practically empty this morning. Often this seems like a private gym for twelve people. Since this place is run by a large hospital they probably don't need the LA Fitness customers. I'm sure they do just fine with all their physical therapy patients.

I think I figured out why I don't get the same Fitbit results walking indoors as I do outdoors. I noticed today that I take shorter steps when I'm walking on the indoor track. Fitbit doesn't count the length of your stride, just the number of steps. This probably explains why I can accumulate 10,000 steps in a shorter distance at the gym than I do when walking in the park. Why do I have a longer stride when I'm walking outdoors? One of life's mysteries.

I looked at the long range weather and there appears to be a good chance of rain while I'm in Florida. It actually always rains at some point during the day in Titusville, so this doesn't actually mean much. The passing showers usually don't last long. I've seen thunderstorms at 5 PM and then watched a launch take place right on schedule at 8 PM the same day. That being said, I'd still rather see a forecast of clear skies for the entire week. There's already enough that could go wrong with the rocket. We don't need bad weather to screw things up even further.

I had a long list of things to do this afternoon and didn't do any of them. I did do a load of laundry. Laundry is my go-to activity when I don't feel like doing anything. Janet dusts, I do laundry. I'm trying to adjust my schedule so I get to bed and get up earlier. So far, this effort has been a total failure. I never seem to be able to get to bed before midnight. With a very early flight and an early launch next week, I need to do something. I'm usually so tired on these trips because I never get any sleep.

Ants have invaded the house again. I've noticed that they are falling out of the can lights in the bathroom ceiling. Most of the ants are dead. I guess the heat from the light bulbs kills them. I wish the ants would move on. It's way too late in the season for an ant invasion. At least it's just ants living above the sheet rock in the ceiling. Once we had a colony of bees up there and had to get a beekeeper to come remove them. The beekeeper didn't kill the bees. He just found where they were entering the house and put something with a smell the bees didn't like at the entrance to the hive. The entire colony of bees left and moved somewhere else the same evening.

There is rain in the forecast for tomorrow, but Dawn will get her Sunday outing rain or shine. We can still go for ice cream cones in the rain. I can go mall walking in the rain as well. It doesn't matter what the weather's like when you're walking in an indoor mall. I'd probably enjoy walking at the mall every day if it weren't for all the shoppers. The mall is much more enjoyable for me when the stores are closed.

Blackjack is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day