Day 3713

I must have forgotten the letter B at the grocery store yesterday. I had to go back to the store this morning for blueberries and beer. I didn't make this mistake at the gym. My regular routine always includes some time on the basketball court and at least twenty minutes on the arm bicycle.

I try to keep moving on Sunday. A good workout is just the start. When I returned from the gym, Janet and I took Dawn on a walk. Today, I tried to teach her to sit whenever we come to a street or crosswalk. She actually did pretty well. She doesn't sit automatically yet, but it only took a small correction for her to get the idea. Teaching her to heal might be a little harder. She still likes to follow her nose wherever an appealing smell takes her. I'm glad Dawn enjoys walking. The exercise is just as important for her as it is for me.

Our early Spring has disappeared again. Every nice day seems to be followed by a dismal, rainy day. We didn't get a lot of rain today. Just enough to be irritating. It stayed dry while we walked Dawn, but a little later when I went out to walk again, I got wet. I thought the light sprinkle would stop, since there was nothing on the radar, but I was wrong. The light showers continued and by the time I returned home I was very wet. I got my steps though. It was a 24,000 step day.

Spring is getting closer. I'm starting to see lots of Daffodils in the park. These usually appear right after the Grape Hyacinths bloom. I think the Wild Iris blooms next. After that, all bets are off. There are over 5,000 different flowering plants in Texas. It looks like we're going to have a good wildflower season this year. It's amazing that these flowers continue to appear year after year. I used to think that all wildflowers were perennials, but many of the most popular Texas wildflowers are actually annuals. Both can come back year after year, but annual wildflowers are a brand new plant that grows from the seed of a plant that died. Perennials don't die. The roots stay alive over the Winter and begins growing again the next Spring.

I think I will buy that wide angle lens. I guess I really do want to take spectacular night sky pictures. It would be a shame to go to a place that has some of the darkest night skies in America and not take pictures. It's probably a little late to become a world class astrophotographer, but I can certainly learn to take better night sky pictures than I have in the past. Occasionally, I try this in Dallas, but the light pollution is so bad that the pictures are pitiful.

I started the pumps after dinner tonight, but no water came out. Hopefully, this means there isn't much water on the roof. It also might mean that the pumps aren't working correctly. I'll probably find out tomorrow morning. There is no roof leak now, but it would probably be smart to put a bucket under the suspicious spot before I go to bed.

It's supposed to be clear tomorrow. I hope the forecast is right. On a nice day I get a lot more done.

Joey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3712

Today has been uneventful. Dawn is learning our routines and acts like she's been here for years. I don't feel bad when I have to run errands now because I feel confident she'll be fine in the house. We still gate her in a safe area like we always did with Dot and Dash, but since this area includes the bedroom and the big bed that she loves so much, Dawn has no problem with being somewhat confined. She's always sitting on the bed when I return.

I got a letter from the observatory today confirming some travel arrangements. These people always seem so friendly and inviting. I'm really looking forward to joining them on the mountain. The trip isn't imminent, but it's on my mind. I still have a lot of decisions to make about what to take with me. Do I need a lot of clothes? I wonder whether I'll have laundry facilities on site? I'm sure the people who live on the mountain have washers and dryers in their homes, but I'm not so sure about the Astronomer's Lodge. I'm not so sure about WiFi either. WiFi access is important so I can continue blogging. I'm thinking about buying an ultra-wide angle lens so I can take good pictures of the Milky Way. It seems a bit extravagant for a picture I've already seen over and over again. Maybe I just want to take one of my own.

I can't even decide whether to rent a car or take my own. A rental car would add to the expense, but there is no Land Rover service even remotely nearby. I didn't see a single Land Rover when I was out in West Texas. I don't think snakes will be a problem in the Winter, but I always worry about snakes. I probably should worry more about shoes. I'll be on my feet a lot and will need some comfortable shoes. I don't think comfortable shoes even exist for my feet. Shoes are always a problem. A normal person would just get in the car and go. Not me. I'll fret about all this for weeks.

I need to remember how we taught Dot and Dash to heal. Dawn loves her daily walks but she's all over the place. One of these days I'm going to trip over her. It's understandable that Dawn is still nervous about other dogs. Dash was nervous about other dogs for the rest of his life after he was attacked. Hopefully, memories of the attack will fade and be replaced by memories of our big soft bed.

My walking schedule has changed a bit. Janet and I take Dawn on a walk together and then later I take another walk on my own. I walk about the same number of miles as I did before. It's just divided up differently. Today was certainly a good day for a walk. Dawn thought so too. It was a little chilly but the sun was out and the result was just a nice, brisk day. I could use a few more days like this.

Janet is at a Dalmatian Rescue fundraiser this evening. I don't think Dawn is much of a blogger. I can tell she'd rather have me sitting on the bed with her. Hey, I'll be there soon enough. It's been a long day.

Maggie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3711

Dawn got her stitches out this morning. The vet examined her and said that all her wounds were healing nicely. We were worried that she might have an ear infection, since she keeps trying to scratch at her ear. It was probably just the stitches though. The ear looks fine. Hopefully, she feels more comfortable now. She had a lot of stitches.

I kept thinking it was Saturday today. Friday and Saturday seem virtually the same. I wrote a letter to my Luddite sister, took it to the post office, and then went to the grocery store to pick up some things for dinner. I'll go back to a different grocery store and do the same thing tomorrow. Maybe that's why it felt like Saturday.

I wish I had more of the silicon material. This would have been a good day to re-coat the entire area above where the leak appeared. Unfortunately, there aren't many places that carry the special silicon coating. When I can't get the roofer to give me some, I usually have to special order the stuff. Janet wants me to hurry up and put on a new roof, but all the bids I've gotten so far leave a lot to be desired. Most roofers don't have a good plan for adding a slope to the roof and I don't want to pay a lot for a new roof that is still going to have standing water after every rain. Basically it's all a complicated mess.

The weather looks like it is getting better. Maybe I'll get a chance to schedule a night at the little observatory north of town after all. I'd really like a refresher course on Winter galaxies before I leave for McDonald Observatory. It might be nice to know how to correctly set up an equatorial mount telescope in a hurry as well. I want to be familiar with the night sky and learn how to find objects quickly before I start helping with star parties. Basically, I just don't want to look like an idiot.

Dawn is a smart dog. She's only had a few walks and she already knows the way home. It was fun watching her lead the way home. She knows exactly where our house is now and goes straight to the back gate. She seems to know where the vet is too. She was shaking and shivering in the car on the way to the vet this morning, but was very calm and went to sleep on the way home.

My seasonal allergies are terrible this year. I've had watering eyes and a runny nose for weeks now. It seems like the allergy season starts a little earlier with each passing year. I shouldn't be having Spring allergies until it is actually Spring. Today was nice, but it is definitely still Winter. I wish this would stop. I'm running through a lot of Kleenex.

I don't know what I'm going to do tomorrow. I've finished my Solar Orbiter article and received an acknowledgment that it will be published. I've sent my best pictures to the magazine. Dawn is getting better and doesn't need as much supervision. It's too early to pack for the observatory as well. Dawn is scared of loud noises, so I'm definitely not going to vacuum. Sounds like a day for a long walk.

Lizzy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3710

Things are looking up. When I woke up this morning the rain had stopped and I was seeing patches of blue sky. The first thing I did after breakfast was go up on the roof and clear the water away. This stopped the leak. Hopefully the weather will stay dry enough for me to figure out where the leak originates before the next storm arrives. The source of the leak certainly isn't obvious. I looked again today and couldn't find anything suspicious.

It looks like the magazine is going to publish my article about the Solar Orbiter. This was a pleasant surprise. When I was in Florida I thought the only thing they wanted were photos. I have no idea when the article will be published. My previous article about Artemis Day in New Orleans hasn't even been published yet. I'm three for three though. My last three NASA trips have all resulted in published articles.

Early voting has started in Texas so I stopped by a local library and voted on my way home from the post office. Dallas has changed all its voting machines. Now you are handed a blank paper ballot which you insert into a machine. You make your choices using a touch screen and then when you are finished the machine prints a paper ballot with your selections. You place this ballot into another machine on your way out of the building. It all seems pretty complicated to me, but I guess there's a paper trail now if the machines go haywire.

Janet and I took Dawn on another walk today. We walk her a little longer each day and she is doing very well. She doesn't know how to heal yet, but does pretty well on a leash. I have to keep my eye on her because she can't decide whether she wants to be on my right or my left and often has a tendency to walk directly in front of me. I have to stay alert because I don't want to trip over her. There's no daydreaming with this dog.

I've paid my credit card bills and now I don't have the Florida trip hanging over my head. I wish I could figure a way to lower the cost of these NASA trips. The fixed costs are always the airline, hotel and rental car. You really can't save any money on these things if you have to change your reservations frequently. I think I had to change my reservations four times on the Solar Orbiter trip.

Now that my trip to Kennedy Space Center has concluded, It's time to get ready for my next big adventure. I wrote the observatory today and asked if I could change my arrival time. I was going to arrive on a weekday, but it occurred to me that there would be much less traffic if I drove to West Texas on a Sunday. Since the Astronomer's Lodge isn't a regular hotel, I need to find out whether I need to bring things like towels and bedding. I wonder if they have laundry facilities? I'm going to be there a while.

Tomorrow morning we take Dawn to the vet to get her stitches out. She'll probably have a few scars for the rest of her life, but her wounds are healing nicely. She's almost finished will all her meds too. Hopefully, her memories of the attack will fade. I want her to have a happy, normal life.

Odie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3709

Another rainy day. I kept the pumps running and for most of the day I thought my repairs were working. Late in the day the leak returned unfortunately. I'm back to square one. This is not a good situation since we're right in the middle of the rainy season. The roofer who is experienced with the silicon material is still not responding and the other roofers just want to start over and put on a new roof. For now, all I can do is put a big bucket under the leak and wait for the rain to stop.

At least I stayed busy today. I edited the pictures I took at the Solar Orbiter launch and sent the best ones to the magazine. A few hours later the editor wrote me back and said he might be interested in my story after all. This was a surprise. They already had another correspondent writing about the launch, but it was nice that they wanted to take a look at my article. I kind of doubt that they will run two articles about the same launch, but who knows. They did like my pictures though.

Although it was a dismal, wet day, it didn't rain for the entire day. There was a dry enough period around mid-day that we were able to give Dawn another walk in the park. She seems to love walking, so we took her on a longer walk this time. It's been so long since I've walked a young, healthy Dalmatian that I've forgotten how fast and strong they are. Dawn walks well on a leash, but she definitely wanted me to pick up the pace.

Although it is definitely still Winter, I'm starting to see the first signs of Spring. There are Grape Hyacinths blooming in the meadow behind our house now. There are only a few now, but in a few weeks the meadow will be a sea of purple. Grape Hyacinths are usually the very first of the Spring wildflowers. Daffodils come next, followed in late March and early April by an avalanche of colorful blooms. Spring can't come soon enough. I'm tired of this dreary weather and I've got to do something about this roof leak.

It looks like this dismal weather is going to continue tomorrow. It's actually raining harder now. Dawn is curled up on the bed watching TV with Janet. I'm listening to the drip, drip, drip of water hitting the bucket in the kitchen. It's discouraging that my repairs didn't work. I have no idea where this leak is coming from. Eventually, this rain will stop. Maybe someday I'll even get this problem under control.

I'm not going to lose any sleep over this. It seems like I've been dealing with a leaking roof forever. Tomorrow morning I'll make my smoothie and try to think of something useful to do until the rain stops. Right now taking a long nap with Dawn sounds pretty good.

Spot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3708

I woke up in plenty of time, but failed to see the moon pass in front of Mars this morning. The sky was overcast and it was starting to rain. I kind of expected this but I had to give it a try. I turned on the roof pumps and went back to bed.

It rained pretty hard for several hours, but so far there have been no additional leaks. It's far too early to say whether my recent repairs were successful. If a leak is small, it can take several days for the water to find its way inside. I discovered that Dawn doesn't like rain any more than I do. It's hard to get her to go outside and pee in the morning when the yard is wet. This morning, some water fell on her from the trees when the wind blew and it sent her racing for the back door.

After breakfast Dawn and I took a long nap while Janet was at the gym. It seemed like the right thing to do. The house was warm and there was no point in getting wet. I've learned that when a dog feels like napping, it's often best to join them. There's always time to be productive later.

I actually was fairly productive today. I finished my article about the Solar Orbiter launch. It wasn't the best article I've ever written, but it was far from the worst. Maybe I can still find a publication that is interested in publishing it. I've sent query letters to a few magazines, but interest in these types of things fades quickly. We'll see. It's too bad that SpaceFlight Magazine only wanted pictures this time. They're still my best hope for stories about rockets.

Dawn loves a walk. When the rain eventually stopped, we got out her harness and leash. As soon as she saw these things, she immediately started smiling and wagging her tail. She was ready. Dawn is wearing Dot's old harness and it fits her perfectly. It's nice to know that a simple thing like a walk in the park can give a dog such pleasure. I have a feeling that Dawn never got taken on many walks before. Those days are over.

I've got to keep moving, so I put on an extra coat and headed out again after we returned home with Dawn. We didn't want to walk her too far, since her injuries are still healing. There's nothing wrong with me, so an extended walk still sounded better than staring at the ceiling and waiting for the roof to leak. I needed my steps as well. I do wish that we could just fast forward to Spring. I'm really tired of all this rain.

It looks like the weather is going to be even worse tomorrow. I hope the forecast is wrong because cabin fever is real. Even though I spend most of my time around the house anyway, I always feel trapped on a rainy day. Blue sky improves my mood enormously. At least I've got a dog to curl up with on a rainy day. Dawn has her priorities straight. According to Dawn, on a rainy day you just don't get out of bed.

Bailey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3707

Everyone got some attention today. I went and visited the Dalmatians at the kennel while Janet stayed home and gave Dawn another walk in the park. Since I've been traveling, it's been a while since I've been to the kennel and I was pleased to see that everyone was still doing well. Charlie was playful and full of energy as usual. Hank's behavior makes a lot more sense now that I know he is deaf. In the beginning I just thought he didn't listen. Larry and Lord have become best friends and enjoy playing together. I had fun with these two today. All these boys could learn a few manners from Dawn. It's amazing how gentle and polite our new houseguest is. It's been a real joy having her around the house.

I was busy today. In addition to visiting the rescue dogs at the kennel, I finally started making some headway on my Solar Orbiter article. I finished the first third of the article this morning and now that I have a plan, the rest should be easier. With any luck I might be able to finish the article tomorrow, but there is no hurry. I'm still not sure where I'm going to send this piece. A lot has been written about the Solar Orbiter already and not everyone is interested in my first person narratives.

I was planning to inspect my roof repairs today but I ran out of time. I'm going to hope for the best, since it looks like rain tomorrow. It's a shame that it probably won't be clear just before sunrise tomorrow morning. There is a rare occultation of the moon and Mars that I'd love to see. Mars will disappear behind the moon around 5:45 AM and then reappear again around 7:20 AM. Unfortunately the rain is supposed to start around 6 AM. Oh, well. I'll set an alarm anyway. If clouds cover the moon, I can always go back to bed and fret about the roof leaking.

I got a late start on my walk this afternoon. Since the days are getting longer, it's rare that I walk in the dark anymore. It was still quite warm and I didn't need a jacket, but it was very humid. It feels like rain is on the way. Jeez. What happened to yesterday's beautiful weather? Every day is a new day as far as the weather goes. I could use a little more consistency. You just never know what to expect.

I hope the roof doesn't leak tomorrow. I've run out of the silicon material and the roofer is still ignoring me. When the rainy season is over, I can consider making some more serious repairs, but for now it would be pointless. When it rains every few days, the roof just doesn't get dry enough. I'd like to feel confident about the roof before I leave for my trip to the observatory, but right now I'm not very confident about anything.

Rain or shine, I'll probably continue writing tomorrow. Once I've started something, it's hard to stop. I hope I can find someone who is interested in the Solar Orbiter article. This trip to Florida was very interesting and there is definitely a story worth telling. The main problem with the Solar Orbiter story is that it will be three to five years before it starts returning useful data. The anticipation of the launch is already over, but it's going to be a long time before we know if this thing works.

Will I see the moon and Mars tomorrow morning? Will I even wake up in time? It all remains to be seen

Lexi is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3706

Dawn got her first walk in the park today. She loved it. Before Dawn entered the rescue program, she had been used for breeding. We think she is about six years old and Lord knows how many litters of puppies she's had. She hasn't really had a chance to be a normal dog. You can tell she's trying to make up for lost time. It's been a joy to have this gentle girl around the house. Her wounds are healing nicely and every day she discovers something new.

Today was beautiful. The sky was clear and the temperature was around seventy five degrees. It was definitely not your typical Winter day. It wasn't surprising that the park was full of people today. Dawn encountered lots of other dogs on our walk and wasn't reactive to any of them. She just minded her own business and continued exploring new smells. This was really encouraging. Despite her recent attack, she appears willing to forget the past and move forward with her life. A person could learn a lot from this dog.

I stayed pretty active today. As far as I can remember, this was my first 25,000 step day. According to my watch, I set a personal best for exercise and activity. I might do this more often if every day was as nice as this. I had a good workout at the gym, came home and walked Dawn with Janet, then mowed the grass and took my regular five mile walk. You might wonder why I'd be mowing the grass in February. It wasn't really grass. Just a lot of Winter weeds. Weeds are a year round problem here in Texas.

I wish I had more silicon material because this would have been a great day to spread the stuff everywhere. It's still Winter and there are a lot more cold, wet days to come. I hope that I fixed the worst areas yesterday, but it's better to be safe than sorry. I probably should go to the roofing supply store and buy another bucket of this stuff in case we get a nice day like this again.

There were lots of small sailboats on the lake today. I think one of the sailing clubs was having a regatta. When we first moved here, I thought of getting a small sailboat. I'm glad I didn't. I doubt that I would have used it much. I rarely even use my kayak. It's nice living near the water, but I don't have a strong desire to be out on the water. I've seen too many large snakes swimming in the lake and I tend to believe the people who say the water is polluted. No thank you to water sports. I'll just stay on the shore and photograph pelicans.

Monday is our day to visit the kennel dogs but I'm not sure what we'll be doing tomorrow. Maybe Janet can go to the kennel while I stay home with Dawn. If Janet wants to stay home and have me go to the kennel, that would be fine too. We just don't want to leave Dawn for a long time before her stitches are removed. She could still make a mess of things if she started to scratch at the stitches and try to pull them out.

I've got a title for my Solar Orbiter article now. That's as far as I've gotten. No apologies. Did you really expect me to write on a day like this?

Joshua is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3705

Have you ever tried to change a password and gotten a dialog box that starts with "enter old password" before letting you enter a new one? Jeez. If I knew my old password, I wouldn't be needing a new one. We stopped using our petcam after it seemed to acquire a mind of it's own one evening. Now, we want to use it again with Dawn, but can't remember the password. The only alternative was to restore the camera's factory settings and install it all over again. This was a difficult process the first time and seemed even harder today. I guess I've lost a few more brain cells.

When I finally got the IP camera working again, I went up on the roof to see if it was dry enough to do some more repairs. Everything looked good. I took a tape measure and found the exact spot where the water was leaking in the kitchen. Now that everything is dry, I did see a small tear that could be causing the problem. I used the remaining silicon to cover this area and hoped for the best. The entire five gallon container is gone now. If this doesn't work, I'm going to have to buy another container of this expensive stuff and keep trying. The roofer has gone radio silent and doesn't answer the phone or e-mail. I have a feeling that I'm on my own now.

Dawn is doing so well now. She's become a member of the family. She's very comfortable around the house now and isn't bothered when we have to leave. Because she's a curious Dalmatian, I went to the storage warehouse and retrieved some more gates. We always gated our other dogs in a safe area when we had to leave. This gave them more space than keeping them in a crate and kept them from eating little things that would require a trip to the emergency vet. I'm never gone long, but it doesn't take a lot of time for a dog to get into trouble.

By the time I finished all my Saturday chores, I was surprised that I still had time for my walk. It was windy today, but the temperature was much warmer. I was tired by the time I returned home, but it was a nice day to be outside. All in all, I felt pretty productive today. I went grocery shopping, filled the car with gas, paid a few bills, reinstalled the petcam, and made some roof repairs.

I also watched the launch of the 13th Cygnus resupply mission on NASA TV this afternoon and wondered about traveling to Wallops Island. It's one of the few NASA launch sites I haven't visited yet. Wallops Island is pretty remote with few nearby hotels. There are no convenient airports either. Everyone I know who has gone to Wallops has loved the experience though. It's not high on my list, but one of these days I'll probably go there myself.

One thing I didn't do today was write. I still haven't started my Solar Orbiter article. I'm a procrastinator who is at his best staring at a deadline. With nobody demanding a finished article immediately, it's easy to keep saying "maybe tomorrow." The article will get written. I just don't know when.

One thing I'm sure I'll be doing tomorrow is going to the gym. Those 20,000 steps on Sundays don't walk themselves.

Lucky is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3704 - Valentines Day

I wasn't going to go to Sprinkles this year, but then I remembered that Dawn had never had a Pupcake. I had to go. Pupcakes for the dogs has been part of our Valentines Day tradition for a very long time. It was nice that we have a dog around the house so we can continue this tradition for another year. I got some cupcakes for us as well, but this year the day was about Dawn. Janet and I are both really happy to have her as a houseguest.

It was a beautiful day, but the temperature was only in the twenties when I woke up this morning. No pipes froze and it was back above freezing by mid morning, but this was still very cold by Dallas standards.  I'm glad I removed all the water from the roof a few days ago. It would have all turned to ice by now.

I tried the new neighborhood restaurant this morning and it was terrible. I like a good breakfast taco as much as the next guy, but this wasn't the place for me. There was certainly plenty of food. I got my meal in one of those tin foil pie pans piled high with Chorizo, breakfast potatoes, and refried beans. There was a stack of flour tortillas so I could roll my own breakfast tacos, but the food got cold before I could finish it. I'm sure this gutbuster of a meal was exactly what most people wanted, but I should have gone back to the hotel and had French Toast. I wish I knew I was in the mood for a soothing meal before I had consumed a huge plate of Chorizo.

Janet had already left for the gym by the time I returned home. We've been leaving Dawn at home for short periods of time so she will gain some confidence about being alone. Dawn was fine, but I could tell she was glad that her people had returned. She gave me a big Dalmatian smile and started wagging her entire body. I waited until Janet returned to go on my walk. There was no sense in leaving Dawn alone again.

It didn't take me long to realize that this morning's breakfast was going to give me a major case of heartburn. When will I ever learn? I need to be eating cottage cheese and peaches for breakfast instead of  chorizo and refried beans. I thought that a long walk might settle my stomach, but all I got was sore feet. I should have listened to Dawn. I could tell she wanted me to take a nap with her.

I never did get started on my Solar Orbiter story today. I'm so slow that I ran out of time. I guess I was busy enough. I just didn't do what I intended. I paid some bills and took them to the post office. I went to Sprinkles and got cupcakes. I picked up some things for dinner at the grocery store. And I tried with limited success to bleach the stains from our recent roof leak out of the kitchen ceiling.

I'm sure my story would be easier to write if I had a deadline to meet. Deadlines motivate me. My recent trip was fascinating and there is definitely a story here. I just need to get it done before the Solar Orbiter becomes old news. Maybe tomorrow. The only thing that could stop me from writing tomorrow is roof repairs. The roof repairs do have a deadline. I need to find this leak before the next rains arrive.

Dot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3703

I felt foolish today when I got a letter from one of my editors, saying that he didn't always have time to respond to my mail because he gets 200 to 300 e-mail messages a day. Oops. I guess I've forgotten what it's like to be busy. I probably get 2 to 3 messages a day. I'm sure I still get tons of spam, but I don't even look at my spam folder anymore. Messages of any importance are few and far between. OK. Lesson learned. I guess I don't need to send long chatty letters to busy people.

I do need to get started on my article about the launch. I started editing pictures today and reviewing my notes. It usually takes me three or four days to finish an article. I don't think there is any hurry. I'm not even sure at this point if anyone wants the article. The magazine that sent me to Kennedy Space Center just wanted pictures this time. Writing is always good practice though. The more you write, the better you get.

Dawn still seems to be doing well. She seems a lot more comfortable now that the drainage tube has been removed from her neck. She's finished some of her meds as well and her pill schedule is less complicated. With every passing day Dawn gets a little closer to returning to her normal self. Dawn is a quiet, gentle girl. A lot of Dalmatians are constantly getting into trouble, but Dawn is a model of good behavior. This dog is the perfect companion for a solitary writer like myself. I like peace and quiet just as much as she does.

We're finally starting to see some blue sky again, but it still seems very cold. I think we're supposed to get a hard freeze tonight. I don't have to worry as much about setting the outdoor faucets to drip before a freeze anymore. They all leak anyway. I checked a few faucets in the back yard this evening and they were already dripping.

The roofer hasn't responded to my letter. I'm not really surprised. I have to be persistent to get any sort of response from the guy. The current forecast says it is supposed to get up to to 75 degrees this weekend. I hope this is true. If the weather gets warm enough, I'll use the last of the silicon material I have and do my best to stop the leak myself. I wish the roof wasn't such a problem but everyone has problems. This one just happens to be mine.

I just noticed that there's a new restaurant in the neighborhood. Maybe I'll give it a try tomorrow morning. I looked at the menu online and a brisket breakfast taco sounds pretty good right now. Dawn is getting comfortable around the house, so I think it will be fine to leave for an hour or so. I'm going to start writing my article tomorrow as well. I won't bother any editors though. I promise.

Tessa is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3702

We took Dawn back to the emergency vet today to get the drainage tube removed from her neck. She was nervous in the car because she knew where she was going but was a lot more relaxed on the way home. She had to feel better without the plastic tube protruding from her neck. We'll have to go back again in about ten days to get her stitches removed, but so far everything is looking good. The vet said her wounds were healing nicely.

Dawn has been the perfect houseguest. She has adapted so quickly to her new routine that it seems like she has been living here for years. The family who adopted her couldn't have found a better dog. Dawn is one of those Dalmatians who smiles, but I haven't been able to get a picture yet. When you point a camera at her, she quits smiling. We have a low platform bed, which probably seems like the world's biggest dog bed to Dawn. It's easy for her to get up and down and she loves to take naps on the bed. We haven't been able to walk her because the location of her wounds makes it difficult to use a collar or harness. She likes our yard though and is completely housetrained. Just like Ginny, it's going to be hard to see her leave.

I miss having a dog, but I still think fostering is the right thing to do. Since we're experienced with Dalmatians, but don't have a dog of our own now, we're the perfect place for dogs like Hank, Ginny, and Dawn who temporarily need a quiet place to rest and recuperate.

The rain finally stopped around noon today. I was able to get up on the roof and remove all the water. A few hours later the leak in the kitchen stopped. I noticed that there is another leak on the back porch as well. I wrote the roofer a very polite letter asking for help. He's done so many repairs already that I know he doesn't want to hear from me again, but I don't think I can fix this leak myself. I can't really call other roofers either, because he's the only one locally who specializes in these silicon roofs. I think I've found where the water is getting in, but I could be wrong. I definitely don't want to make the situation worse.

I sent my pictures of the launch to the magazine but still haven't received a response. This is a little troubling but it has happened before. The magazine is based in London and the editor is often away from the office for days at a time. Oh, well. I've done my part. I hope they like the pictures. I offered to write a story, but since the Solar Orbiter was a European mission I think they already had a European writer working on an article. I'll probably write an article anyway and try submitting it to other publications.

Janet wanted to see how Dawn would do alone in the house, so I took a short walk while she was out running errands. Dawn seemed a little nervous when I gated her in the bedroom but quickly warmed up when I gave her a few treats. When I returned home, she was sleeping comfortably in the center of the bed. I'm usually here, but it's nice to know that it's safe to leave her if we need to be somewhere else.

It's hard to believe that it's almost the middle of the month already. I need to start working on my taxes and do some more planning for my upcoming trip to McDonald Observatory. Retirement is starting to feel busier than when I was working. That's probably a good thing.

Lucy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 3701

An all day rain reminded me that life has returned to normal. I've traded rockets for roof leaks. Even though it's hard to get me out of the house, I'll have to admit that life on the road does have its advantages. The problems of day-to-day life fade away temporarily. I don't worry about plumbing problems and having trees removed when I'm away. I've never had my hotel roof leak either. It's nice to have someone clean your room and make your bed every day as well. Rental cars never have to be taken to the dealership for expensive repairs. This is all an illusion of course. A month after your trip ends the credit card bills arrive and you realize that all this freedom can get pretty expensive as well.

Today was definitely a day to stay home and get to know Dawn a little better. What a sweet, gentle girl. It's sad that she was attacked by another dog, but she is doing well and we all think she will make a complete recovery. Dawn seems much more mature than the male Dalmatians we currently have in the rescue program. I guess this makes sense. Dawn is older than the boys. She is completely house trained and doesn't chew or tear things up. She can't wear a cone because of the injuries to her neck, but she probably doesn't need one anyway. So far she hasn't tried to pick at her stitches or pull out her drainage tube.

We go to the vet tomorrow for a checkup and hopefully they will remove the tube in her neck. I think there's a good chance that the tube will be removed since there is very little bleeding or drainage. Dash had to have drainage tubes inserted for almost a month, but his wounds were much more severe. We will keep Dawn until she is healthy again. She already has a forever home, but her new family has other dogs and it's easier for her to heal in a quiet environment.

I don't know what I'm going to do about this roof. We're in the middle of the rainy season and it hasn't gotten dry enough for me to attempt new repairs or even make a decent inspection. I keep the pump running but there is still plenty of water on the roof every time it rains. It's kind of a losing battle to keep the water out. Traditional repair techniques don't work with a silicon roof, so I'm going to be forced to call the roofer again. I know he's sick of hearing from me by now, but what choice do I have? This company is the only one with experience in applying silicon roofs. Architects recommend these guys, but unfortunately I don't think they had enough experience to realize that I wasn't a good candidate for this type of roof. A silicon membrane might be great for new construction, but it doesn't work well in old houses that have settled. New flat roof are designed to drain properly. Basically, all roofs need to drain properly or they are eventually going to leak.

I hope it quits raining tomorrow. It was cold and wet all day. I thought I had found an hour or so when I would be able to take a walk, but unfortunately I miscalculated. About two miles from home, it started raining again. By the time I returned to the house I was soaking wet. I put on some dry clothes, put my wet coat and hat in the dryer and took a nap with Dawn.

I should have just stayed home and taken a longer nap with Dawn. She is definitely a good dog to curl up with on a cold winter day.

Lady Gogh is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3700

At 12:01 this morning I was packing up my camera gear 526 feet above Kennedy Space Center on the roof of the Vertical Assembly Building. I had just witnessed the launch of an Atlas 5 rocket that will carry the ESA Solar Orbiter toward a rendezvous with the sun. It was a beautiful night for a spectacular launch. I could hardly believe where I was standing. Only fifteen photographers were granted access to the VAB roof for this launch and I was one of them. To say this was a bucket list moment would be an understatement.

There aren't many people who routinely cover rocket launches. The photographers on the roof with me early this morning all knew each other long before this launch. Some had been covering space ever since the Apollo program. With such a small tight knit group, I was immediately recognized as a newcomer. I wasn't ostracized though. These guys couldn't have been nicer. They shared stories with me and gave me tips on how to get the best photos during a launch. I immediately felt welcomed.

Photographing rockets at night is more of an art than a science. It is dark and it is hard to check your camera settings. When the countdown reaches zero, things start to happen so fast that there are no second chances. You either get the shot or you don't. I was amazed that my photos came out as well as they did, because I didn't bring a tripod on this trip. Luckily, there was a heavy steel rail around the edge of the roof. I placed my camera on this rail and held it firmly in place. I'm glad I didn't drop it.

When I returned to Orlando this morning I was pretty sure that the airport would be on the rental car's  list of "recent destinations" in the GPS menu. Orlando International Airport was on the list, but it wasn't until I reached my destination that I realized that the person who rented this car earlier wasn't headed for the rental car return. I blindly followed the GPS and wound up at a Southwest Airlines maintenance facility in an obscure corner of the airport. When I tried to find my way back to the rental car return, I became hopelessly lost. Since I was off the beaten path, there were no signs to the rental car area. I found myself going round and round in circles with no place to stop and get my bearings. For a while I was afraid I would miss my flight, but I eventually stopped to ask someone for directions. I made the flight.

When I got on the plane I discovered that I was sitting next to someone who had also gone to the NASA Social event. This was really a strange coincidence. We both agreed that the launch was amazing  and were determined to come back to the Space Center again. I could easily become a launch rat. Going to these events can become addictive.

We had a new houseguest when I returned home. Dawn is settling in very well. I wasn't a bit surprised when Janet told me she was already sleeping on the bed. Dawn's injuries were serious but we think she will make a full recovery. The vet thinks they will be able to remove the drainage tube in her neck by Wednesday. I hope everything goes smoothly. Dawn is such a sweet dog.

Landry is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3699

It's launch day. I got really close to the rocket this morning. I went out to Pad 41 with a group of photographers who were placing remote cameras near the launch pad. I was amazed at how close the United Launch Alliance people allowed the cameras to be placed. Some were less than the length of a football field from the rocket. The smart photographers stayed a little farther away. I heard all kinds of tales about remote cameras being destroyed during a launch. Almost everyone protected their cameras in some way. Many used plastic bags. Others created special containers from Tupperware. They would usually cut a round hole for their lens in the Tupperware lid. I saw some photographers set as many as six cameras, but most only left one of two near the launch pad.

The reason remote cameras are so popular is that this is the only to get a close up view of the rocket during lift off. There is always such a danger of explosions and hazardous fumes that people are kept at least 2-3 miles away during a launch. Remote cameras can get closer, but a lot of them have been destroyed over the years. Wind and rain get some, but the real danger is rocket fuel. The fumes from the solid rocker boosters are extremely toxic and can eat the coating off the front of your lens or fuse the segments of your tripod together. Everyone hopes that the wind is blowing away from their camera. Several people have been become badly burned just by touching equipment that had become coated with rocket fuel when they return to pick up their cameras. Needless to say, I didn't attempt to leave a remote camera at the pad this trip. I just don't have any cameras I can afford to lose.

I could afford to lose a few pounds. I've been having barbecue and fried foods ever since I arrived in Florida. I had some exceptionally delicious barbecue this afternoon, which will serve as both lunch and dinner. It's a good thing I don't travel much. It's hard to eat healthy when you're on the road. Right now I'm so full that I don't feel like eating again until I return to Dallas. I'll probably have heartburn for the next month.

I was wondering why the traffic was so light today and then remembered it was Sunday. I've totally lost track of time. I haven't turned on a TV or even listened to the radio since I left Dallas. It's kind of nice not hearing about impeachment or the coronavirus. I end up talking to a lot of people at these launch events and nobody ever talks about politics. Democrats and Republicans actually get along with each other. People will talk about their family or their dog, but mostly they just talk about rockets. It's a time to forget about the world and learn an enormous amount about space travel.

It was interesting meeting the other photographers this morning. Some of these guys seemed to be permanent road warriors. They were always traveling somewhere and most had been everywhere. Surprisingly, there were very few young guys. A lot of the photographers seemed even older than I was. Many of them had little interest in social media. I think the magazine guys realized that they were the last of their kind. Maybe that's why NASA is making such an effort to recruit social media influencers. Social Media is how younger people get their news these days. I'm glad newspapers and magazines still exist, but I have to admit that even I learn about most things on Facebook now.

I'm going to take a little nap before I head back to Kennedy Space Center for tonight's launch. It's going to be a long evening. Liftoff is supposed to take place around 11 PM. I've been told to dress warmly, but you have to take what Florida people tell you with a grain of salt. It's not that cold here. I hope the launch doesn't get scrubbed. It's been a great week, but I'm ready to go home and meet our new houseguest. Janet says that Dawn is doing great.

Jazz is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 3698

I knew it was going to be a good day when I looked out my hotel window and saw blue sky. Things started looking even better a few hours later when I was issued my first press pass. The little orange badge might not have been a big deal for some of the other reporters, but it represented kind of a milestone for me. I can drive my own car through the security check points now and didn't need to take the bus. I could get closer to the rocket than I ever dreamed possible. Best of all, I got to learn from some of the best.

Did I mention that I managed to get on the press bus to the Solar Orbiter rollout this morning? The rollout is exactly what it sounds like. The rocket slowly rolls on special tracks from the tall building when it was protected during assembly to the launch pad several hundred yards away.

The rollout is always a good sign because it means that the launch team is very confident that the launch will actually take place. The actual launch is tomorrow around 11 PM, but we are getting very close. It was great riding on the press bus and hanging out with the other photographers; I got lots of tips on how to take good rocket pictures. I was glad I decided not to leave a remote camera near the launch site after I heard what might happen. It is apparently very easy to have your camera destroyed. Your tripod can be knocked over by hight winds. An unexpected rainstorm can ruin your camera unless it is in a waterproof housing. The worst danger is that highly corrosive exhaust fumes from the solid rocket boosters could completely destroy your lens and camera. Most of the photographers I met today had lost at least one camera. Everyone reminded me to never leave my best camera at the remote site. "Take an old one," they told me.

After the rollout was finished I decided to go see the Saturn Experience. I've already seen one Saturn 5 when I was at Johnson Space Center in Houston, but why not see another. There are three of these rockets left. One is in Houston, one is here at the Space Center, and the third is in Huntsville, Alabama. These rockets were already manufactured and ready to go when the Apollo Program was cancelled. They were supposed to go to the moon too, but unfortunately never made it due to budget cuts.

One of the high points of today's visit was talking with a retired engineer named Lee Solid who worked on the Apollo Program. He was a docent at the Saturn Experience. This guy was responsible for the Rocketdyne F-1 engines that powered the Saturn 5 first stage. Wernher von Braun was his boss. "Werner liked the engine guys," Lee told me. I asked him if he ever got to see an Apollo launch in person. He laughed. "I was sitting in the control room for every single one of them," he said. Then he pulled an old Apollo 11 Security badge out of his wallet and showed it to me. "I found this in my attic a few years ago," he said. "I'm glad I didn't throw it away." Lee told me that he always liked to leave a thumbprint on the nozzle bell of each F-1 engine that left the factory. Years later he and some other old timers were invited to a special 50th Anniversary celebration where they got to witness the first Falcon Heavy launch. He was able to see Elon Musk's car being loaded into the nose of the rocket and asked if he might be able to leave a thumbprint on this car as well. "Sure, go for it," the Space X folks told him. I don't know why, but I loved this story.

The launch is tomorrow. The weather still looks good. Everyone seems optimistic. Early tomorrow I get to go out to the pad again for another photo opportunity. I'm hoping to see a German scientist I met today. He designed one of the main science instruments on the Solar Orbiter. The guy was really interesting and said he was invited to the pad tomorrow as well. I had lots of question about what his spectrograph did. He seemed puzzled that an ad guy like myself even knew what a spectrograph was. Truthfully, I'm a little puzzled myself.

Taylor is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 3697

It was an interesting and very busy day. We got to go inside the Vertical Assembly Building where all the Apollo and Space Shuttle missions were prepared for flight. It is still one of the largest and most impressive buildings in the world and will soon welcome the monster Artemis rockets that will take us back to the moon.

We visited ULA's Atlas Operations Center and got a surprise tour of the building by Tory Bruno, the CEO of Unitel Launch Alliance. We couldn't take pictures but we were able to go behind the scenes and see the Atlas 5 rocket that will take the first Starliner astronauts back to the Space Station. We also visited the astronaut crew quarters and everyone, including myself, wanted a picture coming out the same doors that Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins opened on their way to the van that would take them to the Apollo 11 capsule. You've probably seen these doors on TV. Same door, but I didn't have a space suit.

One of the most interesting things about these visits to the Space Center are the stories you hear from old timers that were working at the Cape during the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs. Most of these guys are retired now and frequently volunteer as tour guides. I heard that the original Mercury 7 astronauts shared their spartan Hanger 11 quarters with a bunch of monkeys that were sent into space first. Many of the early space shuttle astronauts didn't realize the importance of exercise and were so weak when they returned to earth that they had to be carried out of the shuttle on stretchers. There are still parking spaces that say "Astronauts Only" but there are no Corvettes anymore. Instead, there are special parking places with chargers for astronauts who have electric cars.

I heard rumors that someone was trying to put together a go-cart race between Tory Bruno, Elon Musk, and Jeff Bezos. Will this ever happen? Who knows. Both Space X and Blue Origin are building massive new launch facilities though. These guys are all here to stay.

I'm apparently not the only person who enjoys watching rockets. The hotel is filled with people who  are here to watch the Solar Orbiter launch. The hotel manager says every launch is this way. There are groups who call themselves Launch Rats and Space Ambassadors who help people find the best places to view and photograph these events. Even the bars are filled with space folks. It's a whole subculture that I never knew existed before. People are interested in a lot of things in Dallas, but space isn't one of them.

Tomorrow, I'm going to get my press credentials and try to go to the launch pad. We'll see how that goes. Only a limited number of media folks will be allowed to observe the rollout at the pad. If I'm unable to get on the press bus tomorrow, there may be another opportunity on Sunday morning. Our social media group did get to see the launch support building where hundreds of engineers monitor every component on the rocket. It's amazingly complicated to get one of these things off the ground.

I learned that our furnace broke this morning. It's fixed now, but I felt bad that I wasn't there to take care of things. I'm usually in charge of fixing broken stuff around the house. I also learned that Dawn got injured badly at the kennel. She had surgery this morning. I think Janet and I are going to foster her while she is recovering. Basically, it looks like it's been a pretty eventful day everywhere.

Stortz is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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