Day 3585

I was determined to get something done today. I've eaten all the leftovers, so I went to the grocery store right after breakfast. Actually, I went to two grocery stores. You can never find everything you need at a single location these days. After taking some bills to the post office, I took my daily walk. It was a good thing that I ran my errands first today, because the weather was just about perfect around noon. I didn't need a jacket and I didn't sweat. You can't get any better than that.

I've been seeing a lot of Monarch butterflies lately. They're headed back to Mexico for the Winter. Next Spring I'll see the Monarchs again as they migrate north. It's amazing that these tiny creatures can travel such incredible distances. When I see these butterflies fluttering around in the park it's hard to imagine them traveling to Fort Worth. How do they make it all the way to Mexico?

I promised Janet that I'd trim the overgrown Photinia Bushes in the back yard. You couldn't even call these Photinias shrubs anymore. They've grown into large trees. Next week is bulky trash pickup in our neighborhood, so I knew that I couldn't postpone this task much longer. If I don't get the Photinias trimmed this weekend, I'll have to wait another month. I wish I could have gotten the tree guy to do this for me while he was taking down the Elm tree, but he wasn't interested. I can't say that I'm very interested either. The reciprocating saw is very heavy and I have trouble lifting it with my bad shoulder.

It took hours to cut the bushes back to fence level. Instead of fifteen to eighteen feet high, the Photinias are now a more manageable six feet high. It will be several years before they fill in and start to look like a hedge again, but at least the job is done. Large branches are quite heavy. Trimming the trees was only part of the problem. I also had to drag everything I'd cut out to the curb. By the time I finished I was very tired. Hey, I did get 24,000 steps today though.

I finally got a letter from Sky and Telescope. Basically, the letter just thanked me for being patient and said the magazine would be back in touch with me soon. Even though this short, somewhat ambiguous letter didn't say much, it was encouraging. I'd been thinking they might have forgotten about me. Maybe they will help me with future plans after all. One can hope anyway.

The new Dalmatians have arrived at the kennel. I'm going to go meet them tomorrow and photograph each of them for the website. I think there are six new dogs, but I'm not sure. I guess I'll find out when I get there. I need to do the photography soon because I think one of the dogs is being adopted this weekend.

It's been a long day. The utility bills have been paid. The refrigerator is full again. The Photinias have all been trimmed and the debris has been hauled to the curb. I even fixed myself a tasty dinner. I need to get a good night's sleep, because I think tomorrow will be just as busy.

Little Petey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3584

When I was walking today, I encountered a Red-shouldered Hawk at the edge of the path. The bird stood its ground as I approached. This was odd. Usually when I see Raptors, they are either flying overhead or sitting on the top branch of a nearby tree. I'd never seen one so close before. When I got within three feet of the bird I could see what it was doing. The Hawk had just caught a lizard and seemed to be finishing it off with its talons. It was actually hopping up and down on the hapless lizard. I didn't have a good camera with me today, but was close enough to take a few pictures with my phone. I didn't scare this Hawk at all. I thought about getting a little closer so I could get a better picture but thought better of the idea. The Hawk really wanted that lizard and didn't want me to get closer. I definitely didn't want the bird attacking me. Those talons could do some damage. If I'd had a decent camera with me today, I could have gotten some amazing pictures. Oh, well. I've got the memories.

The Hawk wasn't the only bird I noticed today. The rest of the American White Pelicans have arrived.    There must have been fifty Pelicans swimming in the lake this morning. The birds weren't here yesterday. They seems to have followed the cold front to Dallas, just like the previous batch of Pelicans did last week. If I knew more about birds or the weather, all this strange avian behavior might make sense to me. I don't know when I'll see a Red-shouldered Hawk stomping a lizard to death again, but I'll be seeing the Pelicans for the rest of the winter. I think they are here to stay.

I went back to the dentist this afternoon and got new impressions made. The putty the dental assistant squirts in your mouth with a syringe is called Vinyl Polysiloxane. It's definitely not something you'd want to swallow. A metal plate is placed in your mouth and pressed firmly against the putty which hardens in a minute or two. I'm always afraid that when the hardened impression is removed it will take a few teeth with it. The stuff pulls away cleanly though. Hopefully the mold won't break this time. I don't want to go back and do this again.

I thought about going up on the roof when I returned home, but washed the car instead. It looks like we are going to have at least six days of clear dry weather before it rains again. I'm going to give the roof as much time to dry as I can. If I make the repairs on a completely dry roof they are a lot more likely to succeed.  When I was at the dentist today, I kept wondering how similar the roof coating is to the putty the dentist used to make my impressions. They both contain silicon.

I read an article today that said excessive brain activity has been linked to a shorter lifespan. If this is true I should live forever. I kind of like this idea that a quiet brain is good for you. I'd like to think I've got a quiet brain. I can go for long periods of time without thinking about anything. Actually, I guess I do think about things. I just don't fret about them.

Maybe I'll take a good camera with me tomorrow. Maybe I'll have pancakes for breakfast. Actually, I have no idea what I'll be doing in the morning. My brain is quiet.

Lucky is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3583

I've got to go back to the dentist. They broke the impression of my teeth while they were making my new retainer, so I need to go back and get another set of impressions made. They're going to make two sets of impressions this time, in case they break something again. No wonder I hate to go to the dentist. Now, I've got to have that yucky putty like substance put in my mouth twice.

Ever since I lost my last website account, it's been bothering me that the client told me his website wasn't working correctly. The thing that bothered me most was that the client was right. I finally figured out why his site wouldn't scroll properly on some devices. I fixed the problem and uploaded the site for a final time. This little gesture wont get me the account back, but at least now I won't have to think about the whole thing any longer.

I guess a new cold front rolled through town last night because it was chilly when I woke up this morning. I had to turn on the furnace while I was eating breakfast. It was actually a nice day, but I wish it was a little warmer. I need the roof to dry out before the next rain arrives. I'm not sure my repairs will even work because the silicon coating doesn't tend to adhere to the roof very well. That's the main reason I've been having problems for several years. There aren't many alternatives unfortunately. Conventional patching materials won't stick to the silicon coating at all and the bids I've been getting to completely replace the roof are horrendously high.

As I continue to research conversion vans, the whole idea of living off the grid exploring observatories, launch sites, and dark sky areas is starting to seem a little less appealing. From what I've been reading, RV toilets are notoriously messy and prone to leaks. Cargo area air conditioners typically use too much electricity to to be powered by roof mounted solar cells. Fresh water tanks tend to develop a bad taste after a while. Grey and black water tanks can only be emptied at designated disposal stations. I could go on and on. It's all very complicated for a guy who prefers luxury hotels. A lot of van conversions just seem messy and poorly designed to me. I do like Airstream vans and trailers. Of course they would have to be the most expensive. I always seem to be attracted to the most expensive things. Too bad I can't afford them.

If I get approved to stay at McDonald Observatory for an extended length of time, I think I'll just rent a van for my first visit. Renting an RV is actually more expensive than staying in a nice hotel, but it is a lot less expensive than actually buying an RV. Renting a vehicle for several weeks is probably a good way of seeing if I actually like the whole experience. I already know that I like astronomy and looking at stars. I'm not so sure about living on a remote mountain in somewhat primitive conditions however.

I'm sure I've got plenty of time to think about all this. Opportunities to view rocket launches up close are few and far between. The whole process of getting clearance to stay at the observatory is fairly complicated too. It's hard to be patient when things take place slowly like this. At least it gives me the time to save for future adventures. I couldn't afford to go anywhere tomorrow anyway.

Lucky is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3582

I went to the dentist today and got impressions made for my new retainer. It actually took longer to drive to my appointment than to make the impressions. I was in and out in fifteen minutes. It always seems weird when the dentist fills your mouth with what looks like bathroom caulk and has you bite down on a spacer that presses the stuff into your teeth. I'm always convinced that this mess will stick to my teeth and be impossible to remove. After two minutes the goop hardens and pulls away cleanly though, making a perfect impression of your teeth. This will serve as a mold to make the actual retainer which should be ready on Thursday. I asked if they could just mail it to me, but the dentist needs to make sure the retainer fits properly. Looks like I'm going to have to drive all the way up to the dentist again.

It rained again during the night and this morning I noticed what appeared to be a small leak in the office. The water looked like it was coming through a can light in the ceiling. I've never had a leak in this spot before, so this was very disappointing. It's too bad it rained on the same day I got the silicon roof coating. Due to the weather, I still haven't been able to make any repairs. I cleared away all the standing water after I took my walk today and am hoping for the best. The long range forecast says it's not going to rain again until next Monday. Hopefully I can patch things before then.

This weather is driving me nuts. This Fall we have already had two cold fronts that only lasted one day each. Yesterday it was back to ninety degrees and today was super muggy. The humidity was so high that my shirt was drenched before I even finished my first mile. Tomorrow it is supposed to be cold again. I think the temperature at sunrise is expected to be fifty-five degrees. At least it isn't going to rain tomorrow. I've really got to get this roof fixed.

My allergies have been terrible this week. The windy days and swiftly changing weather probably have something to do with it. I was afraid I was going to be blowing my nose and sneezing on the dentist while he was making my impressions, so I took an antihistamine this morning. I rarely take antihistamines because they make me feel terrible. My nose stops dripping, but my entire head feels like it is wrapped in a blanket. I get an odd buzzing feeling that is hard to describe. I didn't want to sneeze on the dentist today, but generally I'd rather go through a box of Kleenex every hour than feel this way.

Janet is traveling again. This means I have to start cooking for myself again. Cooking to me generally means just heating something up in the microwave. I still like those Cadence Kitchen flash frozen meals though. You just heat them up in a skillet on the stove and ten minutes later you have a tasty and reasonably healthy meal. I like their Mexican Style Pulled Pork and Chicken Tikka Masala. I think they make a Paella Valenciana now too. There is a little too much salt in these meals, but not as much as I'd get if I went to a restaurant.

I can't decide whether to write the roofer again. He'd probably just ignore me. The gift of a $250 bucket of liquid silicon is his way of saying "don't bother me anymore." It's irritating to still have a leak though. The roof shouldn't be leaking. If he'd gotten me the silicon coating back in July, I probably wouldn't be having this problem.

Camp is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3581

The Dalmatians are all doing well. We spent some extra time with Sock today, trying to help him become more comfortable outside his kennel run. He's relaxed a lot since he initially entered the rescue program, but he still doesn't like to go outside like the other dogs. The large play areas at the kennel make him feel nervous and the only place he seems to feel safe and secure is in his own bed. We're making progress but it takes patience. Each time we visit we try to get him comfortable with being in a slightly larger space. Sock is a very sweet dog and over time he'll learn that nothing bad is going to happen to him again.

Jasmine and Jelly Bean were fearful like Sock in the beginning, but they are both playful and trusting now. What a transformation in less than a month. Now that Treasure's stitches are out, she's is back to her normal happy self and doesn't need to wear a cone anymore. Hank continues to slowly gain weight and Charlie is becoming much more predictable. Some of these dogs have had a hard life and we want them to be relaxed and well socialized before they go to their forever homes. The nice thing about dogs is they almost always respond well to being treated well. If only people were this way.

I wonder how long it's going to be before I'm able to get the roof patched. This is usually the rainy season and from now through the end of the year it's going to be difficult for the roof to dry out enough to apply the coating before it rains again. Two days isn't enough time, especially when the weather is turning cooler. The roof was almost dry enough yesterday, but I knew it was going to rain today. Sure enough, the rain arrived right on schedule. All I can do is keep the pumps running when it rains and try to keep things as dry as possible. I knew this was coming. That's why I kept begging for the silicon product all Summer.

I took a shorter walk this morning because I knew we were going to visit the Dalmatians. I thought I'd continue my walk when we returned home, but it was raining by then. When the rain subsided to a gentle sprinkle, I decided to walk anyway. There really isn't much difference between being rained on and getting sweaty on a hot day. I didn't really need to walk this afternoon, but there wasn't much else to do. I'm addicted to the Fitbit steps as well. Given a choice, I'd much prefer being active to watching Netflix movies.

Tomorrow I'm going back to the dentist. I've grown tired of wearing the two broken halves of my old retainer every night so I'm going to have the dentist make me a new one. The retainer is supposed to keep my upper wisdom teeth from continuing to grow downward after I had the lower ones removed. Is this flimsy piece of plastic effective? Who knows.

I wish I didn't wake up tired all the time. I get plenty of sleep now, but I still hate to get out of bed in the morning. Maybe tomorrow will be different. Nah. Who am I kidding.

Abby is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3580

I needed to install a copy of Microsoft Office on a different laptop today. Luckily, I still had the install disk. The last version of this software I bought was in 2011. The install went smoothly enough, but it took me forever to activate. The install wizard kept saying I wasn't connected to the Internet when I knew I was connected. I tried AT&T and T-Mobile but neither worked. Then I noticed a button that said activate by phone. I pressed the button and called the number expecting to be talking to a customer service representative. Nope. I was talking to a robot. I was asked to read a long list of numbers I saw on my screen. The robot couldn't understand my voice, so I had to enter the numbers using the keypad on my phone instead. This took a while. When I had completed this task, the robot voice read me a huge fifty digit number that I was supposed to type into a box on the install wizard. The voice read the numbers too fast and I couldn't keep up with it. I had to ask the robotic voice to repeat the number fifteen times before I finally had it typed it correctly. Eventually the software was officially authorized and it now works correctly. Why does Microsoft even care about ancient versions of Office? Unfortunately, I have to remember to never upgrade the system on this computer. Old versions of Microsoft Office are not compatible with Catalina.

When I was walking today, I noticed that the little circus has returned to the park. Almost one year ago to the day, this same little circus was underwater after an unusually heavy rainfall caused lake levels to rise near their tent. These guys must either be fools or incredibly optimistic. They were setting up their tent in exactly the same place where they got flooded out last year. Sure, it was a beautiful, clear day today, but if memory serves, it was a nice day when they were setting up last year as well. I guess they haven't learned that the weather can change quickly in Texas.

The weather was perfect today. Unfortunately, I still wasn't able to patch the roof. Most of the roof was dry, but the damaged areas were still damp. Water had seeped under the coating where the silicon had been damaged and it was still seeping back out again. I've been through this before. At least the roof isn't leaking. Last year when the little circus was underwater, I was having some serious roof leak problems as well.

Shooting baskets at the gym is humbling. You'd think that after all these years I would have perfected the process. Nope. Sometimes I can sink five or six free throws in a row, but all it takes is the slightest deviation and the ball won't go through the basket. I love consistency, but it is so elusive. I never get the same amount of sleep on successive nights. Some days I'm hungrier than others. For the most part I do the same things every day, but I always get different results.

I doubt if I'm going to get the roof patched tomorrow. It's supposed to start raining again in the  afternoon. I need at least 48 hours for the silicon to cure after the roof is completely dry. Lord knows when that is going to happen. We've entered the rainy season. I'm not making a lot of progress with the house, but at least we will see the Dalmatians again tomorrow. Visiting these dogs always brightens my day.

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3579

When I was buying groceries this morning, the produce guy was putting out new strawberries. "These look terrible," I said. "Are you going to sell these?" The guy laughed. "They come from the grower like this," he told me. "Sometimes they're so bad we throw them away. Sometimes we use them for pies. People still buy these things though." At least the guy was honest. He helped me find a few good packages of berries and I continued my shopping.

You've got to be careful what you buy these days. Janet has taught me to always look at the expiration date. The freshest milk is often at the back of the display. I often buy stuff from the deli case because I don't like to cook. A lot of these easy to prepare items are made from things near their expiration date. Supermarkets hate to waste food.

It was a beautiful day but the roof still isn't dry enough to apply the coating that the roofers left me. I guess there's no hurry. I still can't figure out how to transfer the silicon from the big drum to small containers that I can carry to the roof. They make pump lids for five gallon containers, but these things are meant to pump liquids like motor oil and paint. The silicon liquid is so thick that it would quickly clog most of these pumps. I've started reading roofers forums on the Internet, hoping to get a few pointers. When roofers talk to other roofers most of them say that working with silicon is a disaster. Silicon is a natural release agent and won't adhere to anything except silicon. This is the problem I've been having since the beginning. The silicon won't stick to the roof.

It was cold last night. I slept under a blanket for the first time since last winter. Surprisingly, I slept very well. Maybe having the extra weight of a cover over you helps you sleep. Who knows. Cold weather changes a lot of things. The security light in the back yard stays on all night now. Apparently the light sensor doesn't work when temperatures are really high. It's weird hearing the furnace come on at night. It's also weird wearing a coat on my morning walks. I definitely need a coat when I left the house this morning, but after a few miles I felt warmer and tied the coat around my waist.

I've had my new storage warehouse almost a year now. The annual rent is due again in November. My plan was to get rid of a lot of stuff during the year so I could get a smaller space when it was time to renew. That didn't happen. My room is full and I really need a larger space. None of this stuff is all that important. I wish storage warehouses provide easy assess to a large dumpster. None of them do. They don't even let you use a trash can these days. It makes it hard to get rid of stuff.

I've looked at enough motorhome websites to realize that it will always be less expensive to just rent these things when I need them. Actually, I'd save money by renting everything. I just don't do that much. I'd even save money renting things I consider tools of the trade. How often do I actually use my cameras these days? Not that much. How often do I use my recording gear. Never. I just like gadgets. I like the idea of having something when I need it. Most stuff just gathers dust though. I do need a computer. That's something I use everyday. I'm using it right now.

Kuuipo is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3578

We literally went from ninety degrees to sweater weather overnight. It was cold when I woke up this morning. The furnace was running and it was still raining outside. We must have got a lot of rain last night. Thunder and lightning woke me up several times during the night. I turned on the two pumps on the roof and fixed myself a bowl of cereal. It definitely wasn't worth going out for breakfast on a nasty day like this.

Eventually, the rain stopped and I got ready to take my walk. For the first time in months I wore long pants and a jacket. I guess this is a preview of what it's going to be like this winter. It's hard to say which is worse: heat and humidity, or a biting cold wind. I was cold this morning. My knees and shoulder felt even worse than usual. After the first mile, my body started to warm up and I began noticing all the changes at the lake.

The Egrets and Herons have been replaced by Double-Crested Cormorants. The Cormorant population seems to have tripled overnight. The Raptors have returned as well. I saw three large hawks this morning. I think these birds were Red-tailed Hawks but at least one of them could have been a Red-shouldered Hawk. I haven't seen any Kestrels yet, but as the weather gets colder they become plentiful. It's amazing howe quickly birds adapt to changing weather. I wish I adapted as quickly. I'm still wondering where yesterday's warm weather went.

I was disappointed to see how much water was on the roof. Even with the pumps running, it took me over an hour to sweep it away. This is probably why my shoulder hurts. If only the roofers had been able to bring me the silicon material a week earlier. There was so much rain last night that some of the water managed to get under the elastomer coating again. This is going to make my repair job a lot more difficult. It's frustrating. You can't apply the coating unless the roof is completely dry. Now that the weather has turned colder this drying process is going to take longer. Since there is already rain in the forecast for next Monday and Tuesday, this doesn't look good.

I kept wondering why the roads seemed so crowded today The stores were crowded too. When I went to the grocery store to pick up something for dinner, I had trouble even finding a parking place. Then I remembered that it was Texas OU Weekend. This annual football rivalry between the University of Texas and Oklahoma is hugely popular in Dallas. Personally, I don't think tomorrow would be a good day to go to the state fair since the game is at the Cotton Bowl. Probably not the best time to go out to dinner or a bar either. I had enough trouble buying groceries today. I'm just going to lay low until the crowds subside.

I felt unusually tired today. Somehow the thought of traveling around the country attending rocket launches and visiting observatories seemed exhausting. Maybe I'm just getting used to the changing weather, but all I really wanted to do today was take a long nap. I'll try to get a good night's sleep tonight. I can't be tired. There's a lot I need to do this weekend.

Katuy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3577

The roofers finally delivered the silicon coating they've been promising. Literally five minutes after the large container appeared on my front porch, it started to rain. I guess I should have expected this. Nothing is ever easy. I've been waiting all summer for this stuff. It's been a hot, dry summer and conditions have been almost perfect for repairs. Now that severe thunderstorms and another major cold front is on the way, I'm good to go. I guess there is a silver lining to this mess. The roofer left me a lot more of the silicon material than I anticipated. This was probably just because he doesn't want to hear from me again, but I'm always glad to have more of the material on hand. If history is any guide, there will be more leaks in the future.

I filled out all the paperwork I got yesterday and returned it to the observatory. Unfortunately, I left one of the form fields blank by mistake, so I had to do everything all over again. The forms are done now. I'll just have to wait and see what happens. Some of the forms I submitted today were requests for medical information. It was a bit sobering to provide this much detail. I know there have been accidents on the mountain. Astronomers have fallen off viewing platforms. Cars have driven over cliffs. There is concern about bears and mountain lions in the area as well. I am very risk adverse, but I don't want to be house bound either. I guess the bottom line is that I'd like to do this, so I'd better be careful.

I lost my last client today. Once again the business went to some much younger folks who claim to be on the cutting edge of Internet technology. The client claims his site is no longer mobile friendly. What? I completely revamped the site several years ago specifically to make it mobile friendly. The site worked and everyone was happy. Maybe the client is right though. When we concluded our phone call I looked at his website on my phone and there definitely were problems. I hadn't changed anything, but maybe the way modern phones interpret HTML code has changed. I'm sure that I could fix the problems after doing a little research. Do I even want to make the effort? Probably not. I told the client that I've enjoyed working with him all these years, but that he probably did need someone younger to manage his website. I'm really tired of keeping up with constant change and nothing changes faster than the Internet. It's time to pass the torch. There is no pretending anymore. I guess I'm stone cold retired now.

This weather is driving me nuts. We has our first cold front a few days ago. Then it got hot again. Now, another cold front is on the way and temperatures are supposed to be in the forties tomorrow. That's quite a change, since it was over ninety degrees this afternoon. I hope we have a little more warm weather before winter arrives. I really do need to get the roof patched.

For me, the week always ends on Thursday evening. The week's trash has been taken to the curb and I'm already thinking about where to go for breakfast tomorrow. If it's raining when I wake up, I'll probably just stay home and have a bowl of cereal. I've used up all the fresh fruit, so having another smoothie isn't an option. Driving in a thunderstorm isn't much of an option either. Breakfast just isn't that important.

Neo is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3576

Today was busy. I didn't sleep well last night, so I got up earlier than usual. Yesterday's cold front is already a memory. I was glad to get an early start on my walk, because the temperature was headed for the nineties again. Today, I took a better camera with me, hoping to see the water turtles. No luck finding turtles, but I did get a few pictures of a Great Egret. The Pelicans were too far away to get a decent shot. Maybe soon. There there are a lot of them now. I wish it wasn't so much trouble to pack a heavy camera. I always see the most wildlife when I don't have it with me.

I knew the temperature was only going to get warmer, so I decided to mow the grass as soon as I returned home. A lot of the grass has already gone dormant for the year, so there wasn't that much to mow. Maybe I can finally put the lawnmower away for the season. With the outside looking better, it was time to tackle the inside. I vacuumed the house and then decided to call it a day. I certainly had accumulated enough steps to keep Mr. Fitbit happy.

I started filling out a boatload of forms to send to McDonald Observatory. It seemed weird to give somebody so much information, but Janet assured me that these forms would seem completely normal to any working person. I've been on my own for so long that the whole idea of human resources is a foreign concept to me. I should be able to complete the forms tomorrow. I'm confident that I'll pass the background check. I'm not so confident that I'll actually have to nerve to spend several weeks to a month at the observatory. We'll see what happens. The earliest I could go would be next Spring anyway.

I got an invitation to apply for credentials to cover the launch of Northrop Grumman's CRS-12 resupply mission to the International Space Station. I think I'll pass on this one. I've explored the idea of going to Wallops Island before. I even got approved to go there once. The facility is small and it's hard to fly directly to this area. Maybe the Antares rocket just doesn't seem that interesting. These trips can get expensive and I need to save my money for something that might make a better story. Resupply cargo missions to the space stations are pretty routine. I'm thinking of going down to Boca Chica to view one of the upcoming Space X Starship launches. I have a feeling that Spaceflight Magazine would get me a press pass for a Starship flight. The first Crew Dragon and Boeing Starliner launches sound interesting too.

I got some bad news from the vintage guitar store today. Some Japanese collectors were interested in one of my guitars. These guys were very particular so they got the store to take the neck and pickups off to examine for signs of alterations. The collectors say there are signs that the guitar has been refinished at some point. This lowers the value. It's possible that the guitar was refinished at the factory or that the different color stain under the neck was normal for that model. I doubt it though. The store sent me some pictures and the wood under where the neck attaches is a Mocha color instead of the natural finish of the guitar body. If the guitar has been refinished, it was a very good job. Neither I or the store had any idea until the collector had the guitar disassembled. It is still a desirable guitar and will sell but it will go for a lower price now.

I wish I had more things to sell so I could buy an Airstream Interstate van. That's not going to happen. Unless the stock market does really, really well next year, I'll probably be sleeping in a tent at the observatory.

Maverick is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3575

I got a request to make a minor change on a website this morning. Not a problem. I made the changes and got ready to upload them to the server. I couldn't connect. Was the server down? Had the client changed their password again? Was my version of Dreamweaver so old that it had finally stopped working? I did some checking and discovered that some other accounts on the same server still worked fine. Somebody had changed the password. I called the client and got transferred to voicemail. Eventually I got a text with a new password and ID. I tried the new login information and still couldn't connect. Finally, after a long call with customer service we determined that the information the client sent me was only partially correct. The magic combination that let me connect was a mix of old and new information. My ten minute fix took me three hours. Is it any wonder that I have little interest in doing websites anymore. Very few people want me to design anything these days but there are still a lot of lost passwords.

Today was a catch up day. I made an appointment to see the eye doctor. I called the people who fix sliding glass doors again. I wrote another letter to the roofer asking when I was going to get my container of silicon elastomer. The weather is very nice so thought about calling the carpenter about greenhouse repairs. I chickened out at the last minute. I'm still not ready to spend the money.

The most significant thing I did today was call McDonald Observatory to ask some questions about their on-site volunteer program. I had a nice conversation with the director of the visitor center and I'm definitely still interested in living at the observatory for several weeks. I told them to go ahead and begin the background check process. If I am approved, I may return to the observatory to help with Star Parties and other events this Spring. They still prefer people who own an RV or travel trailer, but I could stay at the astronomer's lodge if space was available. The director seemed interested that I now have connections with Sky and Telescope and had been working on an article. I'm going to see if I can interest him in doing some communications projects for the observatory as well. Working out the logistics for an adventure like this is going to take some time, but it will give me something to do over the Winter.

The furnace came on for the first time last night. I guess Fall is officially here. I'm glad that the furnace seems to work perfectly. There were no problems lighting the burners at all. Now that the heat is back, on my gas bill is going to be higher. The electric bill is going to be a lot less though. Air conditioning is the bulk of the electric bill during the Summer.

Not only are things changing at the house, they are changing at the park as well. As soon as the temperatures became cooler, the Pelicans returned. There are at least a dozen of them now. I think a group of Pelicans are called a pod. The birds always return to the same spot, which is now called Pelican Bay. Turtles seems to like the cooler weather as well. When I was walking today I saw water turtles basking on almost every submerged log. I even saw a Hawk swoop down and pick up an unlucky mouse today. You don't see many raptors in the Summer but they are abundant at the lake during the Winter.

Life goes on. The security light stayed on all night yesterday. That hasn't happened in a while. The problem with the light sensor must be temperature related.

Madison is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3574

Treasure got her stitches out today. Hopefully she won't need to wear the cone of shame anymore. Nobody rides better in the car than Treasure. Some of the rescue dogs bark at everything and others won't stay still, but Treasure just sits quietly and looks out the window during the trip. She's curious about her surroundings, but never seems alarmed. I think she just likes car rides.

Charlie likes playing with a ball so much that we thought we'd see if he liked catching a Frisbee. He was good at chasing after the disc and caught it a few times, but he didn't want to give it back so we could throw it again. All he really wanted to do was chew it up. We'll have to work on this for a while. Maybe we can find an indestructible Frisbee. Hey, at least Charlie was interested. The Frisbee scared Jelly Bean and Hanks had no idea what to do with it.

All the dogs were in good spirits today. They're all getting healthier too. Hank is finally starting to gain weight and as soon as Jasmine finishes her heartworm treatment, she'll be good to go as well. There is a new group of dogs that are still being evaluated at the vet. A few have bad skin conditions like Sock did when he first entered the rescue program, but so far the vet hasn't found any serious problems. As soon as the new dogs have been spayed and neutered, they will join the others at the kennel.

Our long awaited cold front arrived last night. The temperature was still in the nineties when I finished dinner, but had dropped to seventy eight degrees by the time I went to bed. Some parts of town saw rain when the front passed through, but we stayed dry. This morning the weather really felt like Fall. It was crisp and cool with a light breeze and blue skies. The temperature was only sixty nine degrees at sunrise.

The weather stayed nice all day. I didn't take my five mile walk until later this afternoon because we were visiting with the dogs, but it was still very pleasant. This was the first time I wasn't drenched in sweat for a long time. I'm not sure how long this is going to last, but I'm calling today the first day of Fall.

If our cooler weather is here to stay, I'm going to need to call the carpenter and tell him to get started repairing the greenhouse. He didn't want to start the repairs during the hottest part of the Summer. That was fine by me because I wasn't ready to spend the money yet. I can't see any reason to delay things much further. The greenhouse is a wreck and it's time to get this fixed.

I wonder how long it's going to be before we need to use the furnace again. Sometimes it starts up just fine and other times I have to clean it first. It's always a guessing game. I used to have to call the HVAC guys every Fall to get the furnace running. Now I know to check the flame sensor first. If the flame sensor is dirty, the furnace won't light. I spent a fortune on needless repairs before a friendly technician showed me how to clean the furnace myself.

As usual, I have no plans for tomorrow. I'm busy planning imaginary trips to visit the darkest skies in America.

Hershey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3573

Is today the day our long awaited cold front arrives? Some say yes, others say no. The weather radar seems to indicate that a big change is coming, but it's still 93 degrees outside. I don't know how I feel about the weather anymore. We could certainly use the rain, but I hate dealing with roof problems. We'll see what happens. There are still two big trees in the backyard that could fall in the next big windstorm. Our power can go out at any time. It often does when it rains. The roof probably won't leak, but it always could. My pumps are far from reliable.

This morning I wasn't even thinking about rain. I slept in late, so I got a late start at the gym. Everything seemed a little harder this morning, so maybe I should have slept in even longer. I wish it was easy for me to get eight hours of sleep, but that's not going to happen. Even without dogs to wake me up at night, I still wake up early. I was certainly wide awake by the time I got home and prepared to take my five mile walk. Too bad it was so hot. I'm hoping that the cold front everyone is talking about is real. October is way too late in the year to be having July temperatures.

I've been visiting websites about how to outfit a van. It's much more complicated than I thought. Marine toilets vs Porti Potties? Propane vs Electricity? Diesel vs gas engines? Solar power vs a second alternator? Options are almost unlimited and usually quite expensive. This type of complexity puts a live-in van squarely in the daydream category. I can't imagine making a decision anytime soon.

Truthfully, it's hard to make a decision about anything these days. Decisions that open doors are OK. Decisions that lock you into something and might close some doors are to be avoided. Any decision that involves a lot of money is especially tough. I always start with easy things. I think I'm going to have McDonald Observatory go ahead an start a background check on me. That's a pretty open ended decision. If I get certified as a star party assistant, it becomes much easier for me to become a volunteer and stay at the observatory for extended lengths of time. I don't have to do anything though. I could just continue thinking about this for another year.

We take Treasure back to the vet tomorrow to get her stitches out. Hopefully, she is good to go now and won't have any further problems. Treasure is currently our only mix in the rescue program and often gets overlooked because people are usually looking for a purebred dog. There is nothing wrong with this. People go to breed rescue groups because they are looking for a particular type of dog. There are tons of rescue groups that specialize in finding good homes for mixed breeds. There's basically something for everyone out there. That being said, I wish more people would look at Treasure. She's really a great dog.

I used to dread Mondays. They aren't so bad when you're retired. Sure, there are still bills to pay and appointments to make, but there are also dogs to visit. Visiting the Dalmatians on Monday has become a regular part of our week. Everything else can wait until Tuesday if needed.

Cassie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3572

Rolly went to his new home today. The family that adopted him brought their two dogs to the kennel to make sure that everybody got along. All three dogs were very calm and relaxed so we said our goodbyes and Rolly began the long journey to his new Houston home. I was a little apprehensive about the long trip, but we just received pictures of Rolly curled up in a comfy bed at his home and he looks happy. It's nice when things end well for these dogs.

We also met two other couples who were looking for Dalmatians this afternoon. One family was interested in Sock and the other was interested in Jelly Bean. It usually takes several visits before an adoption becomes final. The rescue group always checks with the family's vet to make sure the dog will be well cared for and often we do a home visit as well. We'll see what happens. I still hope that Jasmine and Jelly Bean can be adopted together since they are so fond of each other, but they will do fine on their own. It would be much better if they each got a good home separately than waiting forever in the kennel for someone to adopt them together. We're never certain how each dog's story will end until they are adopted, but we make sure it's a happy ending.

I went to the grocery store early this morning so we'd have plenty of time to visit with the families who were looking for dogs. For the past several weeks I've been noticing that there are fewer and fewer peaches. It looks like the peach season is almost over. I bought some nice looking peaches today along with the usual strawberries and blueberries, but it looks like there won't be many more peach cobblers this year. Have I mentioned that I love peaches?

We spent a lot of time up at the kennel, so I didn't get started on my walk until late in the afternoon. Mornings are much more pleasant. Late in the day heat just radiates off the roads and pathways. You feel like you are inside an oven. It was a lot cooler yesterday, but I don't think it was our long awaited cold front. It is still predicted to get much colder later in the week. We'll see. There's been talk of cooler weather for a long time and it never seems to materialize.

After walking 27,000 steps the day we went to the fair, my Sunday's don't seem as daunting anymore. I still don't look forward to going to the gym, but I don't dread it either. Physically, I'm actually in pretty good shape. I just need to find something to keep my mind engaged.

Lightning is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3571

We spent the morning moving dogs around. Jelly Bean needed a distemper booster shot, so we took her to the vet. Jasmine was already at the vet finishing her heartworm treatment, so after Jelly Bean got her shot, we took both dogs back to the kennel. Jelly Bean didn't like riding in the car on the way to the vet. She was just fine on the way back however. The two girls have bonded and feel more secure together. It would be nice if they could find a home together. I think we'll be back at the kennel tomorrow. Someone from Houston wants to look at Sock.

I might have to go back to making my own breakfast on Fridays. Nobody seems to be able to make anything consistently anymore. Even simple things like pancakes and omelets seem to change from week to week. I had my favorite omelet this morning and it was completely different than the same thing two weeks ago. It's frustrating. There was a time when I was able to order the same thing for almost three years and know exactly what I was going to get. Those days are gone. When the chef finally left at this particular restaurant, the whole place folded. Family owned restaurants with a permanent staff are becoming a thing of the past. Turnover seems very high these days. Some places seem to have a completely new staff every time I visit. I shouldn't complain. I wouldn't want to work at a restaurant and I could always stay home.

I keep hearing that a cold wave is on the way, but it never seems to get here. I was expecting rain today, but it was just hot and humid again. It must be raining somewhere in Dallas because I heard thunder around dinnertime. Nothing yet though. As soon as it does rain I'll be complaining about it. I want to live in a place where it is 72 degrees all the time with very low humidity. It would be nice if the place had no snakes, mosquitoes or ticks either.

I wrote the editor of Sky and Telescope today, outlining my future plans to visit observatories. They sounded so positive about my writing when they rejected my initial article that I'm hoping the magazine might be able to help me get access to some places I'd like to visit. This is all going to take a long time. It's hard for someone like me to get access to large telescopes in the first place and then there's the weather. At least I have a bucket list now. Every old person needs a bucket list.

Thoughts of going to rocket launches, large observatories, and dark sky viewing areas have got me interested in buying a van. It's not time for a new car yet, but a Mercedes Sprinter van converted into a camper would be a lot more practical than buying another Land Rover. These vans are small enough to drive in the city and large enough to live in for several weeks at a time. I could go to Boca Chica to watch Space X Starship launches. I could apply to be a Star Party guide at McDonald Observatory and stay on the mountain for several weeks at a time. I could visit places like Joshua Tree and The Badlands to take pictures of the Milky Way. It's something to think about. If I can manage to establish my credentials as a space journalist, I might even get magazines to pay for these trips.

Until then, I'll continue walking around the lake and complaining about my roof. When I'm tired of complaining, I'll go visit the Dalmatians. It's very hard to complain about a Dalmatian.

Jersey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3570

We went to the State Fair today. I haven't been to the fair in years, but it hasn't changed much. The main difference I noticed was that everything was much more expensive. We did a lot of the same things we used to do. We visited the auto show building and looked at new cars. We went to the building where they usually have pig races and watched the Amazing Trick Dogs. The dogs were basically well trained agility dogs and it was fun to watch them catch frisbees, jump over hurdles, and run through an agility course. I wasn't very interested in sitting in a vibrating chair or eating a deep fried pickle, but a talented dog can always make me smile.

One of the weirdest things we saw today was a booth called Shrink Yourself. These people would make a full body scan of an individual or even a small group and then turn it into an amazingly realistic small doll that was 3-D printed. The whole process was fairly expensive and it took three weeks to get the finished doll, but people were lining up to be scanned.

As we were walking around today we found ourselves walking on a brick walkway paved with memorial bricks. This immediately brought back memories. We used to take Spot, our first Dalmatian, to Fair Park every Sunday. After he died we bought him a brick with his name on it to be placed on this walkway because Fair Park was one of his favorite places to walk. We spent a long time this afternoon trying to find Spot's brick and eventually found it. I had forgotten that we had also bought a brick for ourselves to be placed on either side of Spot. There we were thirty years later, John, Spot, and Janet, memorialized on some old bricks right in the middle of the State Fair.

Instead of having fried food on a stick, we had dinner at the Old Mill. This restaurant, located on the fairgrounds, has been around as long as I can remember. This place was built as a flour mill for the 1936 Texas Centennial Exposition and hasn't changed much since. The menu is exactly the same as it was when we used to bring Spot here to share fried chicken with us at an outdoor table on Sunday afternoons. Some of the old waiters seemed to be the same as well. The place that used to give Spot a free burger every year still exists at the fairground too, but none of the people we knew are still around. I imagine that many of them have died. It's been a long time.

I heard from Sky and Telescope today. They rejected my article. I was disappointed, but this was actually the most positive rejection letter I've ever received. The editor told me that everyone at the magazine loved my article. They thought the article was interesting, well written, and encouraged me to submit to the magazine again. The magazine would have loved to publish the article if I had actually seen anything through one of the telescopes. This is understandable. Sky and Telescope is an astronomy magazine, not a travel magazine. The editor liked my writing style and encouraged me to pitch other articles to the magazine in the future. I got the impression that they would like me to become a contributor. I just can't write about rainy nights at an observatory. What I need now is a plan to guarantee clear skies the next time I visit the Davis Mountains.

I walked over 25,000 steps today. This is a new Fitbit record. I'm a little tired, but I enjoyed our time at the fair. It was nice to rekindle some old memories of Spot. Sometimes it feels like my life has always been about Dalmatians. It probably always will be.

Hobbs is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3569

I used to go for years without seeing the dentist. Now, I never miss an appointment. Every six months a dental hygienist cleans my teeth and once a year I get new x-rays and the dentist gives me an exam. I've always had good teeth, but it's not worth tempting fate anymore. Life is full of problems as it is. I don't need to add dental work to the list.

There were no problems today. The dentist thinks I'm doing a good job of taking care of my teeth. I use a Sonicare toothbrush and a Waterpik everyday and do my best to avoid sugar. The only thing that needed attention today was the retainer I wear at night. I broke it in half about a year ago and have just been wearing each half at night. The dentist said this was fine, but I think my teeth are shifting a bit. Getting a new retainer was more reasonable than I thought, so I'm going to go ahead and have them make me a new one.

There was no time for a morning walk today. As soon as I finished breakfast it was time to go to the dentist. This didn't mean I skipped the walk. It just meant I was outside during the hottest part of the day. Jeez. When are we going to get some Fall weather? It was really hot this afternoon. Temperature really does make a difference. These walks are much easier when it's cooler.

I can't figure out what is going on with the security light in the back yard. This weekend the light stayed on all night. Yesterday it didn't work at all. Now it's back on again. I've had this problem before and every time the light eventually seemed to fix itself. I'm hoping that it will start to work normally again. The light itself is inexpensive, but I always have to call an electrician when there is a problem. In theory I could easily install a new light myself, but it is located very near our power line and I'm clumsy at times. I don't want to get myself electrocuted. I'm trying to convince myself that it's easier to look at the stars at night when the yard is dark, but I like a little light coming in through the windows at night. Somehow it is easier to sleep when the security light is working.

I'm still eating leftover sandwiches from the golf tournament for dinner. If I'd thought to take a few more, I wouldn't have to go to the store at all this week. I ate the last sandwich tonight, but I doubt that I'll be very hungry tomorrow anyway. We're planning on going to the fair on Thursday. There's so much junk food at the fair that you seldom want to eat when you get home. You can get virtually anything deep fried on on a stick at the fair. I know it's not good for you but that's why the fair is only once a year. Whatever I eat tomorrow, there's a virtual certainty that it will give me heartburn.

I recharged my laptop batteries and applied a security patch this afternoon. With all the power outages we have around here, you never know when I'm going to need this thing. I used to ignore the security updates but you can't really do that anymore. Apple is no longer immune from hackers and malware. My laptop seems very slow, but that's probably just because it's old. I hate to retire this thing. It's the last laptop Apple made that came with a CD/DVD drive and full size USB ports. There's a slot for camera cards too. New laptops don't have any of this stuff.

Last year at this time, Dash was having seizures and I was getting nervous about an upcoming art auction in New York. That all seems so long time ago now. The only thing that hasn't changed are the telemarketing calls. We're still getting a ton of telemarketing calls.

Bailey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day