Day 3682

I saw a little blue sky today. Things are looking up. I guess the big news is that I got my press pass. NASA sent me a notice today that my application has been approved. I'm a space journalist now. I'll be covering the Solar Orbiter launch for a little British magazine few people have even heard of, but it's still a big deal to me.

The good news about getting real press credentials inspired me to get my butt in gear and make my reservations for the trip. Since I've started traveling more, I've joined several airline, hotel, and rental car loyalty programs in hopes of getting a better deal. All I've gotten so far is a lot more spam e-mail. It's not so easy to get a great deal. What I've discovered is that when you tell an airline or hotel when you want to travel, there are seldom any deals. You get the bargains when you let them tell you when to travel. Discounts aren't really meant to help you. They exist to fill empty seats and rent rooms on slow days. Needless to say, I'm not getting any deals this trip, but I do have my reservations now.

I spent a lot of time up on the roof today. Truthfully, I still have no idea where the leak is coming from. After I removed all the standing water, I took a tape measure and found the spot on the roof directly above where the leak occurred. Everything looked good to me. I couldn't find any holes or tears in the silicon coating at all. The water is getting in somewhere though. I just don't know if I'll ever find the source. The problem is that once that water manages to get under the protective coating, it can travel almost anywhere. The leak might be nowhere near where it is actually entering the house. Luckily, this was a very small leak after a very heavy rain. Maybe if I'm more careful about using the pumps, it won't happen again.

Since the rain has moved on to the East, I was able to take my walk today. It was definitely easier walking on an indoor track, but time seems to pass much more quickly when you are outdoors. It's easy to let your mind wander and daydream when there are interesting things to look at. Walking the same distance on a small indoor track is mind numbing. I totally lost track of time yesterday and was just waiting for my Fitbit to tell me that I'd gone the distance. I'll admit it was warmer though. There's definitely something to be said for staying warm. It was nice to see blue sky this afternoon, but I was still cold.

This week has gone quickly. I even managed to get a few things done. Now it's time to take this week's trash out to the curb and start thinking about where I want to go for breakfast tomorrow. Shrimp grits sounds pretty good. If the weather stays nice, I might start thinking about visiting the little observatory north of town as well. I still need to do this before leaving for the Davis Mountains. Did I mention that the weird rattling noise in the washing machine has disappeared. The machine sounds normal again. All in all, it's been a pretty good day.

Chloe is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3681

All day rain. Ordinarily, that's all you'd need to say about a day like this. Today, I'll add two more words. Roof leak. Yes, the roof is leaking again. It's been so long since we've had a leak that I didn't initially recognize the ominous dripping sound I heard early this morning. The leak didn't last long, but it destroyed any notions I might have had that the roof had been fixed.

This leak was in a new location that I'd thought was pretty safe. I'll have to check when things are dry again, but I can't remember any questionable areas above the kitchen. I guess I should have turned on the pumps last night, but I was asleep. It's unfortunate that it rained so hard while we were sleeping. You can't turn the pumps on ahead of time because they get hot if they run dry and it's easy to burn out the motor. By the time I woke up, it was too late.

Things didn't really get better as the day progressed. I was going to make my reservations for the Florida trip and discovered that the hotel where I wanted to stay was completely full. I wasn't expecting this either. I still thought I had plenty of time. I looked for other hotels in the vicinity, but they were either twice as expensive or had terrible reviews. You really don't want to stay at a place where reviewers say "If you like threadbare towels and roaches in the shower, this is your place."

I'll have to find some place acceptable tomorrow and wrap this up. If I wait much longer to make my reservations, I'm afraid that the most convenient flights might be booked as well. I guess the days of traveling without a plan are long gone. When I was young, I remember driving until I felt like stopping and there were never any problems finding a room. I've gone to the airport without reservations too, but I'll admit that was a long time ago.

I kept waiting for the rain to stop so I could take my walk, but it never did. Finally, I gave up and went to the gym. As much as I hate driving in the rain, I hated having a day without 10,000 steps even more. At least it was warm and dry at the gym. I was going to enroll in my healthcare plan's new  free membership program, but I discovered that my current membership was automatically upgraded to the new plan at the first of the year. No more gym membership bills. At least there was some good news today.

I hope this rain moves out of the area by tomorrow. I need to go up on the roof and see if I can find where this new leak is coming from. I am not optimistic. I have a feeling of hopelessness about this whole situation. I have gotten bids from reputable companies and they all say that because of the way the house has settled over the years, there will still be standing water even after a new roof is installed. Give me a break. I don't want to spend a ton of money on a roof and still have to climb up and sweep the water away after every rain.

This day needs a do-over. I'll see if I can get a fresh start on things tomorrow. If I look up and see a little blue sky, I can almost guarantee that the day will end better.

Raider is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3680

I'm glad I decided to trim trees and rake leaves this morning. Less than an hour after I bagged up the leaves and hauled the branches I'd cut out to the curb, the bulky trash trucks arrived and hauled everything away. I thought the trucks were coming tomorrow, but I guess I got lucky.

About three months ago I heard something about a new free gym membership plan that was going to be added to my health insurance coverage. I've been waiting for a letter explaining the program ever since. I never heard anything, so I finally went on the healthcare website to see if there was any informations there. The plan has already been in place for several months. Hmm. I wonder when they were going to tell me about it? Since my current gym supports the plan, all I have to do is sign up. This will be the third gym membership plan I've joined since turning 65. Hey, even the government wants me to keep moving. All these plans for seniors have been pretty good. I just wonder why they keep changing.

I got an e-mail today saying that my social media press accreditation for Kennedy Space Center has been officially approved for the Solar Orbiter launch. I can make my reservations now. A few hours later I got another e-mail saying that my traditional media press accreditation for Kennedy Space Center has been verified and submitted for approval. Hmm. I wonder if I will ultimately get both of these applications approved? I'm still hoping to get a real press pass. I suspect that both types of media accreditation provide pretty much the same access. Often when I go to these events, the social media folks are on the same bus with the magazine and television journalists. In my own mind, a real press pass is better because it makes me a working journalist. Instead of having an expensive hobby, I would be embarking on a second career. Here's hoping anyway. There's no real money to be made following space launches, but there's no money to be made sitting at home watching Netflix either.

Another cold front must have rolled through town last night. This is probably why I have a continually runny nose. We keep going back and forth between warm and cold weather on a 48 hour basis. There's no time to get used to anything. Now it looks like it's going to start raining again around midnight. I'm tired of this, but I guess it has always been this way. When I look back at old January posts, it is always a story of cold, wet weather. Last January it was much worse because I was still trying to keep Dash walking. His rear legs were weak and he dragged them while walking, so he needed three layers of protective socks and boots to keep his paws from bleeding. On cold days it took forever to get Dash dressed. He has a sweater under his Help 'Em Up harness, a leg brace, and the protective socks and booties. It was worth the effort though because Dash still loved to walk. It was his favorite time of the day.

I was surprised to see a patch of Pink Phlox blooming in the park today. Aren't these plants supposed to bloom in the Spring? They were definitely the only wildflowers to be seen. I was glad to have something to photograph. The park can look pretty bleak during these cold winter months. There are always birds to photograph, but I would need to bring a better camera. On a cold day, these walks are purely for exercise. I just want to get back to the house so I can get warm again.

Maybe tomorrow I can finish all the things I meant to do today. I did manage to get some leaves raked, but it's hard to get motivated on a cold winter day.

Molly is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3679

Every week there are fewer Dalmatians at the kennel. The new dogs are getting adopted quickly. Lake went to his new home over the weekend. Hopefully, the remaining dogs will be finding homes soon as well. Hank is looking great now. He's put on a few pounds and doesn't look so skinny now. He's happy and playful as well. We' ve discovered that Larry and Lord enjoy being together and the time they spend with each other seems to be helping both dogs with their shyness. They were both having a great time running around in the outdoor yard today. All Dawn wanted to do was sit in the sun and be petted. We were happy to oblige. It was a nice day and all the dogs except Sock loved being outdoors. Sock still prefers staying inside for some reason.

My memory is shot. I was getting ready to go on my walk this morning when Janet reminded me that it was our day to go up to the kennel. That wasn't the first time I forgot what day it was either. Right after I woke up I heard a big truck stopping and starting on the side street. It sounded like a garbage truck and I almost went out to retrieve the trash can. Jeez. It's not even close to Friday morning. Oh, well. At least I remembered to fix my smoothie for breakfast.

I still haven't received any information about the time and place I'm supposed to meet the NASA folks for the Solar Orbiter launch. Usually, all these details are finalized by now. I haven't heard whether I'll be receiving a press pass either. Hopefully, I'll hear more before the end of the week. If not, I'll have to go ahead and make all my reservations anyway. I've already heard that I've been accepted for this event, but it's always nice to have all your ducks in a row.

My plans to visit the little observatory north of Dallas are also up in the air. Now that the moon is rising much later, this would be a good time to go if the weather could ever make up it's mind. I was hoping for a week of good weather so I'd have time to coordinate with the owner of the observatory. So far, every day is different. Hot, cold, sunny, rain, you never know. It's kind of like weather roulette. It was nice today, but there is already more rain in the forecast. Maybe we'll get several nice nights before the moon returns again.

It's still a long time till Spring, but the days do seem to be getting longer. I got a late start on my walk this afternoon after we returned from the kennel, but the sun still hadn't set yet when I returned home. A month ago, I would have been walking in the dark. I'm walking a little faster than I was a year ago, but the changes haven't been dramatic. I guess I should be happy that I still have the energy to do this every day. Five miles is no marathon, but it's a lot better than sitting around the house.

Tomorrow is probably the last day to rake more leaves before this month's bulky trash pickup. I need to do this, but I'm already looking for ways to avoid the loathsome task. Will I find something better to do? Probably not.

April is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3678

Another 20,000 step Sunday. Before starting a long day on the move, I sat still for a while and watched the Space X Crew Dragon launch abort test on my computer. Everything went well on the test and it looks like the next time the Crew Dragon capsule launches, there'll be astronauts onboard.

When I went to the gym a few hours later, things didn't go quite so well on the basketball court. I was terrible today. I can't figure out why I'm not completely consistent by now. I've been shooting free throws on this court for years. Some days I sink baskets routinely and other days I can't seem to hit anything. I'm not very consistent about sleep either. You'd think I'd be able to sleep eight hours every night. My days aren't very stressful and I have no reason to get up early. Sleep is very inconsistent though. Some days are good and other days aren't for reasons that are still unknown to me. Have I mentioned that I like consistency?

I definitely wish that cars were consistently reliable. It doesn't matter what kind of car you have. Things always break when you least expect it. I still can't decide whether to take my own car to the Davis Mountains this Spring. It would be more convenient and less expensive than renting a car as long as nothing breaks. If something does go wrong, it will be a nightmare. There is no Land Rover service for hundreds of miles. I thought that there might be some independent garages in the area who could work on my car. A Google search today didn't do much to fill me with confidence. Mostly what I found were horror stories from people who had car problems while on vacation in Big Bend. I guess there's a reason I saw very few imported cars while Janet and I were out at the observatory last Fall.

I think everyone in town was walking their dog today. There must have been hundreds of dogs in the park this afternoon. It was still chilly outside, but it was a perfect day for a walk. Most of the dogs were very well behaved. I think they appreciated the chance to be outside on a crisp, clear January afternoon. I can remember so many times when the weather was much worse than this in January. It's kind of nice to have a mild winter.

I did go to REI today but wasn't very impressed by the stuff on clearance. I guess there's a reason why things wind up on the clearance racks. Coats just aren't as well made as they used to be. I think my best bet is just to have my old Eddie Bauer Alaska coat dry cleaned and wear that on the mountain. I could wear that coat at the South Pole. I might not be able to move, but I definitely will be warm.

Tomorrow we visit the Dalmatians again. When I was working, I always used to hate Mondays. Now, this has turned out to be my favorite day of the week. These are all such great dogs. It's nice to have a chance to get to know each of them a little better.

Daisy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3677

It was nice to see the sun again. Although it was still cold and windy, the sunlight made a big difference. I ran my Saturday errands before going up on the roof in hopes that it would warm up a bit. By the time I filled the car with gas, got groceries, and took a few bills to the post office, I was ready. I wish I could get all the water off the roof using the pumps, but that would take at least five pumps. I've only got two now. I put one on the carport and the other over the lowest spot on the roof, which happens to be over the living room. The pumps do a good job of lowering the overall water level, but there are still a lot of big puddles when they stop working. I wonder how much longer I can continue sweeping all this water away by hand? It's pretty tiring. I'm going to be too old for this one of these days. Maybe I'll finally have a new roof by then.

When I was walking in the park today, I saw a guy who appeared to be out cold on the pavement ahead. As I approached, some EMT guys arrived in an ambulance and began working on the man. I wonder if he had a heart attack? I didn't see any blood or sign of injury. A lot of people overdo it on exercise and heart attacks in the park are not uncommon. Drownings are common too. I see the fire department boat searching for people several times a year.

Accidents and injuries always make me nervous. I'm probably careful to a fault, but things can happen when you least expect it. I see accidents on the road almost every time I'm out and about. There seem to be an enormous amount of car accidents in Dallas. Is this common for any big city or are the people here just bad drivers? It's probably a little bit of both.

I got a notice from REI saying they were having a Winter clearance sale. Maybe I'll stop on my way to the gym tomorrow and look for winter coats again. I probably need an ultra wide angle lens more than a coat though, so I can take pictures of the Milky Way while I'm out at the observatory. You need a wide angle lens for those cool time exposure pictures of rocket trails too. Actually, I've already got an ultra wide angle lens. It's for the wrong camera though. I don't use heavy, bulky cameras anymore. I guess I've got a heavy winter coat too if I want to use my old Alaska parka. The older you get, the lighter you want everything to be. A few pounds can make a big difference when you're feeling tired.

Maybe it's a good thing that I'm interested in buying something again. I haven't had the urge for a long time. It's too bad I'm not still working. I'd feel less guilty about spending money if I was still making money. Of course if I was working, I wouldn't have time to go to rocket launches and distant observatories. That's the big irony of retirement.

If the weather stays nice, I might rake some more leaves tomorrow. We've already bagged a ton of leaves and taken them out to the curb for bulky trash day. There are still plenty on the ground though. If I need another reason to remove the damaged Oak tree in the back yard, this might be it.

Dovey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3676

Another dismal day. I think it rained more today than it did yesterday. I wasn't that hungry, but I went out for breakfast anyway because I thought it would make the day go faster. Rainy days have a tendency to be long days. I wanted something cold but I didn't feel like cereal, so lox and bagels sounded good. This used to be my go to breakfast when I traveled a lot, but it's been a while. Lox and bagels turned out to be a good choice. It brought back memories and made me forget about the rain for a while.

After picking up something for dinner at the grocery store, I came back home and got the pumps working. I'm not sure the pumps on the roof even help that much, but seeing water exit through the garden hoses attached to the pumps makes me feel better. If the rain ever stops, I'll need to go up on the roof and finish the job.

A few days ago Janet got some solar powered pathway lights at the dollar store and to my surprise they actually worked. A dollar for a solar powered light is a pretty good price. Nothing lasts long at the dollar store, so I went back today and got some more of these lights. Like the rubber snakes I once found here to keep birds from pooping on my car, I knew I would never see these things again. During a break in the rain, I placed the lights along the gravel path leading to the alley. I don't expect them to last very long, but for now they are working and actually look pretty good. So much for landscaping on a rainy day.

During the next break in the rain, I decided to take my walk. This worked for a while, but it was a long walk on a rainy day. Before I returned home I was pretty wet. I was really on my own today. Even the joggers and dog walkers opted to stay dry this time. I don't know why it has become such a big deal to keep moving. Probably just because there is little else to do and it is easier than going to the gym.

When I woke up last night I noticed that I was seeing ghost images of the little LED lights on the network router through my left eye. I only saw a single point of light from each bulb with my right eye. My eye doctor warmed me this would happen when cataracts started to develop. I sometimes saw ghost images when I looked up at the moon, but this was more pronounced. When daylight returned, my vision seemed more or less normal, but double images are still not good. For several years my eye doctor has told me that I was developing cataracts. At some point I will need to deal with it. The doctor says I've got five years at best. Cataract surgery is pretty safe and is usually successful, but I'm not looking forward to the day when I need to make this decision. I depend on my eyes and hate to mess with them. I'm also seeing signs of keratosis on the skin under this eye. I guess I need to deal with this too. Jeez. I hate growing old.

I think the weather is going to clear up tomorrow. I certainly hope so. The sooner I get the water off the roof, the less I have to worry about leaks.

Chief is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3675

What a difference a day makes. It was 85 degrees yesterday and 45 with rain and wind today. A line of thunderstorms rolled through town and woke me up around 5 AM. The rain slowed to a drizzle at times, but it was basically a very cold, wet day.

So much for raking more leaves before bulky trash pickup day. The remaining leaves are all wet and soggy now. I did get the pumps running when I got up this morning, but one of them doesn't seem to be pumping well. It's probably clogged again. At least the leak hasn't returned. I think we're doing a lot better than we were this time last year.

I took my walk after breakfast when I saw a break between the moving line of showers on the weather radar. I got a little wet, but it was a lot better than sitting in the house doing nothing. Yesterday, the park was full of people. Today it was just me. Spontaneous people will go to the park on a nice day. People like me who depend on a regular routine go everyday. The only people I ever see in the park on nasty days like today are really disciplined joggers and people who know their dog will poop in the house if they don't take them on their daily walk. Dogs like a routine. I'm sure this is one of the reasons I like dogs so much. We think alike.

I don't know whether I have allergies or a low grade cold. I've had a runny nose for the past two days and am sneezing a lot. The constantly changing weather probably has something to do with this. I wish the runny nose would stop. I don't like to take antihistamines but I don't like to pack my pockets with paper towels before I go anywhere either. Being outside in the damp weather seems to make things worse. I ran through quite a few paper towels on my walk today. I hope this clears up quickly. I read an article recently that if you cough or sneeze on a plane, the whole plane instantly hates you.

I need to quit fretting about my upcoming trips. There are still a lot of little details to work out, but I've got plenty of time. I hate surprises and try to avoid them whenever I can. The problem is that any type of travel is full of unknowns and surprises. Some people find this exhilarating. Not me. I like to know the outcome ahead of time. Sadly, you can't avoid surprises even if you stay home and do nothing. The roof could start leaking five minutes from now.

I've taken this week's trash out to the curb, which is always the symbolic end of the week for me. Now I've got to decide whether to go out for breakfast tomorrow. I guess it depends on the weather. There isn't a lot of food in the refrigerator, but there is always a box of cold cereal for emergencies. Rain or shine, there's still stuff I need to do tomorrow. I need to reschedule with the tree guy. Who knows when it will be dry enough to cut down a tree though? I'm also waiting on my final paperwork from NASA. Hope they don't wait until the last minute again. It always makes me nervous.

Shelby is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3674

When I went to get a haircut today, I was intrigued by some oddly colorful plants I saw at the mall. Northpark is known for it's landscaping, but I'd never seen anything like this before. The plants looked like green sticks with brightly colored tips. Was this a weird exotic cactus? Was it a new type of succulent or bromeliad? The plants weren't labeled, so it took me forever to find the answer. The reason that the plants were hard to identify was that they don't exist in nature. A grower has learned how to take young sansevieria plants and dip the tips in felt. Since these plants grow from the base, the colorful tip stays the same as the plants grow. Who knew?

It was really warm today. I think we hit a new all time record for temperatures in January. It was 85 degrees this afternoon. When I went to get a haircut, it was colder inside than it was outside. It was also extremely humid. Everything looked wet and damp, but there was no rain. The thunderstorms that had me worried yesterday never materialized. So far, this has been a very strange winter.

Almost every store at the mall was having a big after Christmas clearance sale, but I wasn't even interested enough to take a look. I should have gone in the North Face store and looked for a winter coat, but how can you look for a winter coat when it is 85 degrees outside? I just went straight home after my haircut and did a Google search for the strange plants I'd seen earlier. I can usually find almost anything on Google in a matter of minutes. This took a while though. I didn't know the type of plant I was looking for. And I certainly didn't know that the colors I was seeing weren't natural.

I'm torn about making hotel reservations for my Florida trip. If I make the reservations right now and pay for them in advance, I can save some money. If the Solar Orbiter launch date changes though, I'm out of luck. I did save a little money by paying in advance when I went to New Orleans, but I knew the date for Artemis Day wasn't going to change. Launch dates always seem to change. Since today was the last day to take advantage of this holiday sale, I guess I lose. I don't have the nerve to get nonrefundable airline tickets or hotel rooms when I'm going to a launch.

The porta-potties have returned to the park. I guess the city didn't remove them after all. Probably the vendor's contract ran out and the city just decided to get a new supplier. I never even used to wonder where the restrooms were when I was younger. It's something to think about now though. There are days when I need these things on a long walk.

I don't think I escaped the rain entirely. It looks like it just got delayed until tomorrow. Oh, well. At least I managed to get a good walk today. Rain is totally normal at this time of year, but it always catches me by surprise. I still wake up every morning expecting a nice day.

Betty is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3673

I got a notice today that a few more of my trains have sold. It seems so long ago that I decided to sell my collections. The guitars have been sold. Most of the art has been sold. The train collection still lingers however. I guess this makes sense. Younger people have no interest in model trains. When Janet and I traveled to Palestine, Texas recently to see the Union Pacific Big Boy steam through town, most of the onlookers were even older than we were. The only young people in the crowd were people's grandchildren.

I still like trains. I haven't traveled on one in years though. Who has the time to take a train anymore? We briefly thought about taking Amtrak to McDonald Observatory last Fall since there is still a stop in Alpine, but the trains frequently run late and are quite expensive. It made more sense to rent a car.

Today was slow. I paid a few bills and took them to the post office, but that was about it. I wish the weather would make up its mind. It was so warm today that I didn't even need a jacket on my walk. The temperature actually got up to 75 degrees this afternoon. It's weird to be thinking about wearing shorts and a t-shirt for a walk in the park at the same time I'm thinking that I need a warmer winter coat for my trip to the observatory.

I still haven't made any reservations for my trip to Florida. Airlines, rental car companies, and hotels all have these loyalty programs that promise big savings if you book now. When you read the fine print, you discover that the only way you get the savings is to make a non-refundable payment in advance. Never mind. I don't think I'm ever going to save a dime because launch schedules frequently change at the last minute and you have to stay flexible. I thought I was going to save 25% on my hotel in Florida until I read that fine print.

I made an appointment to get a haircut tomorrow. At my age, I'm glad I still have hair, but I wish it didn't grow so fast. Thinning hair that grows quickly doesn't look nice for very long. It doesn't seem like I should need a haircut this often. I don't understand hair styles at all. Old guys are looking like Willie Nelson and young guys are shaving their heads. I'm just starting to look like my Dad.

There's a chance of thunderstorms tomorrow. Didn't we already have thunderstorms? Since I've already committed to leaving the house, it's almost guaranteed to rain. Rain shouldn't bother me so much, but it does. You could pick a random blog post from almost any year and chances are it would mention rain. We'll see what tomorrow brings. One way or another, I'm sure I'll survive.

Kasey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3672

The Dalmatians were in fine form today. Hank seems back to normal. Lord and Sock have learned how to play. They both love soft plush toys. I've never seen Lord this playful before. Dawn and Lake both give you a big smile when you approach them. Best of all, Larry was very calm and rode well in the car when we took him to the vet. None of these dogs have spent much time riding in cars. Some are calm like Larry. Others bark constantly. And one or two have gotten car sick and thrown up on me. All Larry needed today was a booster shot and we were back at the kennel in thirty minutes for a little more play time. These dogs seem better socialized every time we see them. Sock and Dawn have potential adopters looking at them now. It's only a matter of time before they all find good homes.

I received a notice from NASA saying that SpaceFlight Magazine has verified my request for media credentials and that I have passed the security check. Does this mean that I'm a member of the working press? Not quite yet. NASA still has to approve the completed application. I noticed that the clearance for traditional media lasts longer than the one for social media. Social media gets two days at the space center and traditional media gets a week. It would be weird if I manage to get credentials for both on the upcoming Solar Orbiter launch. In the long run I think a real press pass would be more valuable than social media credentials. I could be wrong though. Social media might actually be more important to NASA these days. Either way, I'm slowly but surely establishing my credentials. This won't be the last launch I'll be attending.

I'm still trying to get back in touch with Sky and Telescope. I received a really encouraging letter back in October after submitting my initial article but since then it's been crickets. Does my contact even work for the magazine anymore? Have they decided that they're not interested in the observatory after all? It would be nice to get some answers.

It would be nice to get some answers about the house too. I'm not having much luck here either. I struck out with the sliding glass door company. I learned today that their telephone has been disconnected. This is a pretty sure sign that the company has gone out of business. The one roofer who hasn't completed his bid still isn't able to give me a price. He says that the framer he wants to use to add a pitch to the roof is still too busy and wants me to wait another month or so. The tree guy wants to postpone things too. I'd be really mad at these developments if I wasn't a procrastinator myself.

We're spending longer at the kennel now, so I wasn't able to take my full walk when we returned home. No great loss. I was on my feet most of the time at the kennel. I still managed to get 14,000 steps on an abbreviated walk before it got dark. I was surprised at how cold it felt today. Just looking at a thermometer won't give you the whole story. If it's damp or windy outside it will always feel a lot colder.

It doesn't look like a particularly busy week. The only thing still on my agenda is getting a haircut. Oops. I forgot about the leaves. We've still got to move all the big bags of leaves out to the street as bulky trash day approaches.

Taylor is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3671

There was an indoor triathlon underway when I went to the gym this morning. The cycling segment took place on stationary bicycles set up on the basketball court. The swimming segment took place in the indoor pool. Finally, the running segment took place on treadmills. Somehow, this didn't seem like a real triathlon at all. Contestants only spent ten minutes in the pool and twenty minutes on treadmills. Most of the people I see at the gym do a much more strenuous workout than this anyway. I think the contestants did get a special t-shirt though. Unfortunately, I didn't get to shoot baskets today since the court was filled with stationary bicycles. I spent my hoop time on the rowing machine instead.

I looked for winter coats at REI on my way to the gym. I wasn't impressed. Most of the coats looked like they were made of plastic. These high tech materials were supposed to keep you warmer than down, but they didn't look like they'd last more than a single season. I wish the old Eddie Bauer coat I wore while we were living in Alaska wasn't so heavy. That very old monster of a coat still keeps me warmer than anything I've purchased recently. I guess I could take this coat to the Davis Mountains, but it would double the amount of luggage I need to take.

Luckily, I didn't need a heavy coat on my walk today. It was only 34 degrees when I woke up, but the sun was out and it warmed up rapidly. I got my 20,000 steps, but I wasn't winning any races. Even young mothers pushing baby strollers were passing me today. The park is really popular on weekends. During the week the place can still feel like a nature preserve. On a weekend when the sun is out, it feels more like going to the state fair.

Although I managed to keep moving, I certainly didn't accomplish much today. My one household chore was changing the sheets on the bed. There is so much that needs to be done around the house but none of it is appealing. There is nothing pleasant about painting or repairing sheetrock. We haven't even finished raking all the leaves. I guess it will all get done eventually. Maybe not the sliding glass door though. I can't find anybody to fix that thing.

This week has gone quickly. It's almost time to visit the Dalmatians again. We need to take Larry to the vet while we're up at the kennel. It's just a routine exam, but it will be interesting to see how he rides in the car. Hopefully, all the dogs are doing well. I really enjoy seeing these guys.

I'm debating whether to take a better camera with me to Florida. It's a battle between my desire to up my photography game and my aversion to taking a lot of luggage. I usually take a little pocket camera with a long optical zoom. It's great for website pictures, but not so great for magazines. If I take a DSLR, I have to take multiple lenses and all the sudden I'm taking twice as much luggage. I'd rather take no camera at all, but I am a photographer. A camera is expected.

Suzie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3670

It snowed this morning. This was no winter wonderland, but it was snow. Less than two days ago it was 70 degrees. Where else could you go from a warm Spring day, to tornados, to snow in 24-hours? That's Texas weather for you. I'm not even going to predict what's going to happen tomorrow.

It seemed harder than usual to get the water off the roof today. Maybe it was just because it was so cold. I kept the pumps running all night, but they must have gotten clogged. There was still a ton of standing water to remove when I got to work. I'm way beyond tired of doing this loathsome chore, but it's got to be done. Left to its own devices, standing water will always find a way inside.

Batteries were on my shopping list today. Unfortunately, the store had moved the battery display again. I knew they were somewhere, but it took forever to find them. Why do stores do this? Almost every week I'm looking for something that is not in its usual place. I know that stores are trying to get you to explore new aisles and end up buying more but this tactic of constantly moving the merchandise around seems almost diabolical.

It's hard to know how to dress at this time of year. When I take my walk I'm almost always too cold when the wind blows and too hot when the sun come out from behind a cloud. It seems ten degrees colder when I walk along the shoreline and is always warmer away from the lake. I was a little cold today, but that's still better than being too hot. At least when I go to the gym, I know exactly what to expect.

I'm wondering whether I should go buy a warmer coat. On cold days like today I wonder how much colder it is going to seem when I'm outside helping with star parties on Mount Locke. Brrr. I was already cold when we went out there last Summer. I have a feeling that I just can't handle cold weather anymore. I'm always dressed warmer than most of the other people I see on my walk. Today, several joggers dressed in shorts and t-shirts passed me again. Are these people insane? It was barely above freezing.

We got some pictures of Selena in her new home. She already seems more relaxed than she was at the kennel. I think these dogs know when they have found their forever home. It is amazing how quickly some of them adapt. Sooner or later they are sitting on the couch or sleeping on the bed. Dalmatians can be very persuasive in getting what they want.

Time just flies by now. It's already the middle of January. So much to do. I need to make reservations for my trip to Florida. I need to schedule some telescope time at the little observatory north of Dallas. I want to be a knowledgable star party guide when I head for the Davis Mountains. I need to find out if Sky and Telescope is still interested in an article. I hope they are. First things first though. Tomorrow, I just need to go to the gym and see if I can still shoot free throws.

Pepper is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3669

The weather could have been better, but it was still a very good day. Selena went to her forever home this morning. I think Selena hit the jackpot. The couple who adopted her were wonderful. They were very patient and understood the challenges of building a shy dog's confidence. Selena liked their dog too. She even hopped into their car on her own for the journey back to Houston. A few hours later, Janet and I were happy to hear that Selena and her new family had safely arrived at her new home without getting getting caught in the severe storms that were traveling through Texas today. We were also happy to hear that Lake will be going to his new home tomorrow. There are still a lot of dogs in the rescue program, but Dalmatian Rescue has been doing a great job of finding them good homes.

When we returned home from the kennel, I discovered that I will be going to the Solar Orbiter launch after all. NASA has taken me off the waitlist and given me social media credentials. I wasn't expecting this. These events for social media influencers have become so popular that very few people cancel after they have been accepted. When you are waitlisted, it is usually the end of the line. I actually though I had a better chance of getting traditional media accreditation through SpaceFlight Magazine. That still could happen, but it doesn't really matter now. I will be going to the launch.

All day we've been hearing that severe weather was on the way. There were prediction of extremely high winds, large hail, and a possibility of tornados. One reason we met the couple who adopted Selena so early this morning was so they would have plenty of time to get back to Houston before the storms hit. I'm sure somebody experienced storm damage today, but luckily we were spared. We got a lot of rain, but that was about it. There were no high winds and all the trees are still standing. The storm has already moved to the East and the rain has almost stopped. The weird weather isn't over though. Another cold front is on the way and we have a chance of snow by morning.

Since the weather wasn't as bad as it was predicted to be, I was still able to take a walk today. The walk was shorter than usual and I got a little wet, but I did walk several miles, got my 10,000 steps, and closed all three activity rings on my Apple watch. When I got home I managed to get the pumps working as well, so there shouldn't be a huge amount of water on the roof tomorrow morning.

I always expect the worst when severe weather is in the forecast. I guess today proves that when there is rain, there is often a rainbow as well. It looks like I am going to have a very busy Spring. I have two very interesting trips to plan and one by one all the rescue Dalmatians are finding homes. It would be uncharacteristic of me to say that life is good, but occasionally even I feel this way.

Murphy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3668

I thought I'd do what the tech-support guy told me to do yesterday, so I took my phone to an AT&T store and asked them to change the SIM card. The guy at the store said the SIM card had absolutely nothing to do with WiFi calling and tried his own solution instead. It didn't work, so he put a new SIM card in the phone. This didn't work either. He told me to call tech support and I told him that I already did and they told me to come here. We both gave up. When I got back home, I looked on the Internet and found out that hundreds of people were having the same problem. Some blamed AT&T. Some blamed Apple. And some blamed their network router. Nobody appeared to have a solution, although many claimed that this feature used to work. I have a feeling that in some future IOS upgrade the 'WiFi Calling' feature will just go away.

I wasn't really surprised that I wasn't able to solve this problem today. It was one of those gray, dismal days where nothing wants to go right. Even though the weather app on my phone said there would be no rain for the next hour, I knew I was going to get wet. I went on my walk anyway because you don't get many steps sitting at your desk and staring at a screen. At least it wasn't cold today and the rain was only a light mist. I think the really bad weather isn't supposed to start until tomorrow.

I wasn't feeling very productive today, so I wrote a letter to my sister and took it to the post office. I think the world would be a better place if we all wrote letters on paper, took pictures with film that had to be sent off to be developed, and went to a movie theater when we wanted to see a movie. Instant gratification is ruining everything. Nobody has any patience anymore. I may be wrong, but slowing the world down a bit seems like a good idea to me.

I practice what I preach and do almost everything slowly. It takes me most of the morning just to eat breakfast. Usually there is time for only one new activity each day. The one thing I can usually do quickly is go to sleep. Not last night unfortunately. Maybe I was worrying about my upcoming trip to the observatory. Maybe I was worried about catching the flu. Whatever it was, by brain wouldn't slow down. It was irritating. Eventually, I got to sleep, but I've been tired all day.

I hope the weather forecast improves overnight. Right now, everyone is predicting severe weather in the afternoon with straight line winds, large hail, and even the possibility of tornados. It doesn't sound good to me. Luckily, these forecasts are often wrong. Even if it doesn't rain, I doubt that I'll go out for breakfast in the morning. That ship has sailed.

Mack is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3667

Things are starting to come together. I heard from the observatory today and they told me that I'll be able to stay at the Astronomer's Lodge this Spring. This is pretty cool. A long list of well known astronomers have stayed here while they were using one of the big telescopes on Mount Locke. I'm relieved that I won't have to worry about renting an RV any longer. I also won't have to worry about food. Apparently, there is a cook on the mountain and two hot meals a day are included with my stay. It looks like I will be very busy as an on-site volunteer, but I'm really looking forward to this. It will definitely be something that few non-astronomers get to experience.

I still haven't heard whether I'll be attending the upcoming Solar Orbiter launch at Kennedy Space Center. SpaceFlight Magazine has told me that they'll verify my application to be a photographer for their publication. What remains to be seen is whether NASA will approve their request to cover the launch. It looks like getting a press pass is more complicated than I anticipated. There is still time for all this to be resolved, so there is no reason not to be optimistic. Even if a trip to Kennedy Space Center isn't in the cards, I've still got plenty on my plate with a trip to McDonald Observatory in the planning stages.

I had a meeting with my financial adviser this afternoon. I've been doing these periodic meetings over the phone for the past several years because I had sick dogs to take care of. I couldn't think of a good reason not to visit in person today. I guess I wasn't thinking clearly, because I should have stayed home. When I arrived at the guy's office he told me that he was recovering from the flu. He looked terrible. Yikes. I've always had a terrible phobia about being around people with colds. I seldom get sick, but I think the main reason is that I spend very little time around other people. I get nervous when I'm around someone with a cold. Oh, well. I did get my flu shot this year.

It's getting harder and harder to do more than one thing a day. When I got home from my meeting there was barely time to take my long walk. I initially thought I might be able to increase the distance I walk after a few months. I'm not so sure now. I've probably got the energy to go another mile on most days, but it just takes too long. Walking is a fairly time consuming way to get your exercise, but it still seems like a good idea. I don't think I'd want to spend this much time at the gym every day.

It looks like it's going to rain tomorrow. It may rain Friday as well. I wonder if I'll ever become comfortable with the idea of rain. Even though I've done a good job of patching the roof, I'm convinced that it is going to start leaking again. I need to make a decision about replacing the roof, but I haven't been happy with any of the bids so far. I don't want to spend a lot of money on a new roof and still be dealing with standing water after I'm done. Adding a slight pitch to the roof so that it will drain properly seems to double the price. I don't care how much you might love mid-century modern homes, don't ever buy a house with a flat roof. They are nothing but trouble.

I've wondered for a while why I wasn't able to enable WiFi calling on my phone. It turns out that my SIM card is too old. Usually when I get a new phone I just take the SIM card out of the old phone and put it in the new one. Looks like I can't do this any longer. If I want to be able to make WiFi calls on my current phone, I'll need to exchange the card for a current model. Who knew that these little chips had changed over the years. One more thing to add to my to-do list.

I hope I don't get the flu. I hope it doesn't rain tomorrow either. I probably should just hope I can eventually learn to quit fretting about stupid things I have no control over.

Jordan is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3666

Janet wanted to rake leaves today. It's not my favorite activity, but we did get a lot done. I'll have to admit that the yard looks a lot better now. In prior years we just hired a yard guy to do this sort of stuff. I guess things have changed. When you're living on fixed incomes, it becomes almost instinctual to save money whenever you can.

The weather is still exceptionally nice. After finishing our yard work, I took my long walk and didn't even need a jacket. I hope this weather continues. So far, it doesn't feel like January at all. Things can change quickly in Texas, but somehow I don't feel we are going to get much snow this year. A winter without snow is fine by me. I'd be content to never see snow again.

I re-applied for NASA media accreditation as a photographer today. I hope this doesn't confuse everybody since I already applied several weeks ago as a writer. The magazine's editor says this is the way to go though. Who am I to argue. If this move gets me the press pass I want, I'm good. We'll see what happens. I have a feeling that nobody else is thinking nearly as much about this as I am.

I also wrote a letter to McDonald Observatory in an effort to clarify some things about an upcoming trip to the Davis Mountains this Spring. I've been having a hard time reaching the people I need to talk with by phone. Truthfully, I have a hard time reaching anyone by phone these days. Nobody wants to talk anymore. Apparently, the only way to communicate now is with a text message.

Treasure got adopted today. Janet showed me a picture of Treasure with her new family and everyone looked happy. I'm glad that Treasure finally found her forever home. She'd been at the kennel way too long. Since Treasure was a Dalmatian-mix, she often got overlooked. All is well that ends well though. I think this sweet girl found the home she deserved.

There's not a lot of good news these days. Most people seems to be worried about the news coming out of Australia and Iraq. I was horrified to read about a man who almost died from a rare blood disease after trying to remove a piece of popcorn that had gotten stuck in his teeth. I guess he shouldn't have used a nail to try to remove the popcorn, but everybody gets things stuck in their teeth. I've probably got a piece of popcorn stuck in my teeth right now. This story was almost as bad as the story about the guy who lost his arms and legs after his dog licked his face. There's way too much to worry about these days.

I have a rare meeting tomorrow. I hope I can remember it. I have a hard time even remembering what day it is. I also need to remember to inspect the roof before it rains again. I think we've got one more nice day before thunderstorms arrive on Thursday or Friday. Actually, the threat of rain is why we raked leaves today. Dry leaves are much easier to rake and bag than wet ones.

Misty is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day