Day 3979

The Crew-1 launch was amazing. I was apprehensive about the weather at first, but the chances of rain gradually decreased as the day progressed. By the time the launch took place at 7:27 PM, the skies were clear enough to see a bit of the Milky Way between patches of broken clouds. It really was a beautiful night for a historic launch. The Resilience capsule held four astronauts instead of the usual three. The trip to the International Space Station will be the longest any astronaut has ever taken due to the nature of the orbit. This was also the first time a private company had contracted with NASA to take a crew into space. A lot was riding on this launch to say the least.

Since NASA no longer takes the  press to launch events like this in busses, the media folks gathered at Patrick Air Force Base to form a convoy that would travel to the viewing location using our own cars. There were quite a few people in our group and our convoy looked like a parade. We were all flashing our blinkers behind a lead Air Force car. Our host found us a perfect viewing location directly across the water from Pad 39A. There's usually a lot of waiting prior to a launch, which is kind of ironic because the launch itself is over in a matter of minutes. We typically arrive at the designated location at least an hour or two before the launch. This leaves plenty of time for photographers to fret about their cameras and tell war stories about launches where none of the equipment worked. 

I'm always worried that I'll do something wrong and all my photos will be out of focus. It's harder than you think to focus on something in the dark. I take a lot of practice shots as the rocket is fueling but this doesn't even get you close to the exposure you need for the launch itself. The flame from the engines is so bright that if you expose for the flame, you can't see the rocket and if you expose for the rocket, the bright flame overexposes your entire shot. There is a lot of guesswork involved and I learn new techniques from the other photographers very time I visit the Space Center. I'm beginning to feel like a regular now. This is the fourth launch I've attended at Kennedy Space Center. I've been to an additional launch at Vandenberg Air Force Base too. That being said, I've still got a long way to go. Many of the other photographers have photographed hundreds of launches and a few of the older guys have photographed thousands.

While I was waiting to leave for Patrick Air Force Base this morning, I started writing my article for the magazine in my hotel room. I made good progress and probably have about a third of the article completed. It's probably a good thing that I did this. I forget things quickly and I promised my editor a first draft by the end of the day on Monday anyway. It's rare to meet another writer at these events. Most of the media people I've encountered are either photographers or videographers. Some of the writers work for space oriented websites. I'm old school. I'm pleased to have the opportunity to write for a real magazine that you can hold in your hand. Probably the people who do podcasts get ten times the exposure that I do. Who cares. I still like magazines. Sky and Telescope is a real magazine too. I used to read it when I was in high school.

I was hungry when I returned from the launch, but the restaurant in the hotel was closed. The manager at the front desk said most restaurants close early on Sunday. I'm sure there were still restaurants open somewhere in Titusville but I didn't feel like driving any more. I had a bag of chips for dinner. I was surprised at how many cars were on the road while I was driving back to my hotel. There was bumper-to-bumper traffic for at least thirty miles. Evidently 250,000 people watched this launch and a lot of them were aparently still on the road. 

My coach turns back into a pumpkin tomorrow. As soon as I finish writing this, I've got to start packing my bags. I actually don't mind living out of a hotel room. It's simple and relatively painless. Nobody makes up your room anymore because of Covid, but I know how to make my own bed. I also feel safer leaving my electronic gear in the room, knowing that it will be untouched until I leave. The only thing bad about this new normal is that I'm a bit of a hypochondriac. Every time I end up talking to someone without a mask, I feel like the end is near. My waitress at breakfast this morning wasn't wearing a mask and was handling food and talking to everybody. I don't think I'll have to worry for the rest of the year though. I can't afford to go anywhere else.

Honey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3978

Today was more interesting than I anticipated. It was a scrub day so there was nothing to see at Kennedy Space Center. I'm sure there was lots of activity at Pad 39A, but folk like me weren't allowed anywhere near the place. After breakfast I looked for something to do in Titusville and discovered that the American Space Museum was open. This little volunteer run museum had always ben closed when I've been in Titusville before. The museum is full of rare artifacts from the early days of space travel and the docents are full of interesting stories about the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs they worked on. Several of the docents had been at the same launch I attended last night. I enjoyed talking to these people although I will never recognize them if we happen to meet again. We were all wearing masks. This little museum seems to take Covid much more seriously than my hotel or the airlines. I even had to sign a contact tracing form so they would know how to find everyone if somebody became sick. It's weird talking with strangers these days. You just never know where they've been or what they've been exposed to.

After visiting the museum I thought I'd go to Playalinda Beach. I'd heard that this was a good place to watch a launch and wanted to take some pictures. The beach is actually part of the Canaveral National Seashore which is run by the National Park Service. I had to buy a pass to get in, but now I can go to any National Park in the country for the next year. The National Seashore is quite beautiful with unspoiled dunes and a very clean sandy beach. There was no easy access to where you could see the launch pads, but I needed some exercise anyway. I took a four mile walk along the beach, taking pictures of seabirds along the way. Walking along an empty beach is quite peaceful. The sound of crashing waves and the smell of salt water was just what I needed today. I never did get the pictures of Pad 39A that I was hoping for because NASA had recently expanded the restricted zone and there were no longer clear views of the Space Center. I did get a few pictures when I encountered a really tall guy who climbed on a dune and held my camera over his head. Why didn't I do this myself? Sadly, I can no longer raise my hands all the way over my head. That's what happens when you've got a bad shoulder.

I wish my good masks had arrived in time. Florida will make you a believer in wearing a mask. Floridians are the only people who make Texans seem sane. If you look long enough you can see just about anything down here. What you don't see are a lot of masks. Actually, it probably the same everywhere. I just don't get out much. It's pretty clear though that if anyone tried a complete lockdown again there'd be a rebellion. People are tired of Covid and just want to go back to normal.

The launch is still on for tomorrow evening. There's still a good chance of rain as well. Do you hold them or fold them? Nobody really knows what will happen. If the launch doesn't take place tomorrow, I will have to come home. I've heard that if Space X can't launch on Sunday there could be a delay of up to a week. I definitely can't afford to stay down here that long. I've got my fingers crossed. I've got everything I need for a good story except the launch itself.

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3977

One launch down, one to go. The United Launch Aliance NROL-101 Mission lifted off right on schedule, but tomorrow's Crew-1 launch hit a snag. The launch got postponed until Sunday night because what remains of tropical storm ETA is headed towards the drone ship that will recover the Falcon 9 booster. For a while today we all thought the delay might be a lot worse. Rumors were swirling that Elon Musk had wasn't feeling well and had tested positive for cronavirus. The fear was that when contact tracing was finished it would lead all the way back to the astronauts. This seemed unlikely to me, but you never know with Elon. He could have had dinner with the astronauts recently.

Today was busy. After a light breakfast I drove to the NASA Accreditation Office and picked up my credentials. There are always lots of badges at these events. Everyone wears a lanyard around their neck with the badges they need. I had an orange badge and a green badge today. I had two one-on-on interviews with Commercial Crew mission specialists and went to a press conference with NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine and other dignitaries. I was going to ask a question at the press conference but someone from a television network beat me too it. Hey, at least it was a good question.

Tonights's launch was a classified mission for the National Reconnaissance Office. Since this was an Air Force mission, the press group I was a part of viewed the launch from Patrick Air Force Base. The weather was good and we had a spectacular view. The Atlas 5 rocket lifted off just after sunset and as it rose in the sky you could see it break into sunlight again. I was expecting a night launch and had a little trouble with the constantly changing exposures right around sunset. I got a few good pictures though. Doing this is definitely a learning experience.

I decided to extend my stay in Florida in hopes that Space X can resolve its problems with the drone ship in the next 24 hours. I can't stay here forever, but it would be a shame to miss what I came here for. Some launches get delayed again and again. The Crew-1 mission has been delayed several times already. It's a shame that tomorrow's launch got scrubbed. The weather looks perfect tomorrow. On Sunday the chances of rain start increasing again. We'll see what happens. Hey, I'm on assignment. I need to get the story.

I'm not sure what I'll do tomorrow. Nothing's happening at the Space Center. I don't want to stay in the Hoel all day, but Covid has certainly curtailed a lot of what you can do around town. Since I arrived at Patrick Air Force Base early today I went to a neat little museum on base while I was waiting for the launch. I know there's a space museum in Titusville, but I think it is closed. Maybe I'll go back to the KSC Visitor Center. I've been there twice but there's still a ton of stuff I haven't seen yet.

I think I'll sleep well tonight. It's been a long day. Covid has certainly changed the way we cover space launches. Some of the people I interviewed today are still working at home. If Elon Musk actually does have Covid he won't be allowed back at the Space Center until he has completed a fourteen day quarantine. I wore my mask outdoors all day today. NASA is pretty strict. It made me appreciate our ability to walk Dawn in the park every morning and pretend that the world is normal.

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

3976

I made it to Titusville. The weather has improved quite a bit. I didn't even encounter any rain on the drive from Orlando, although I could see lightning off in the distance. The forecast looks good for Friday and Saturday. I'm hoping that the launch takes place exactly as scheduled.

This was my first flight since the pandemic started. Things are a lot different now. It was easy to find a parking place at the airport. Going through security was a breeze. I don't think I've ever spent less time in the TSA line. There were still a lot of people at the airport, but the place definitely wasn't crowded. There were lots of empty seats in the waiting areas and even with the center seats empty, there was still plenty of room on the plane. I think there were thirty empty seats when we took off.

If this is the future of flying it's OK by me. I'll trade wearing a mask for uncrowded planes any day. There are lots of new rules at the airport and not surprisingly, many of them made no sense whatsoever. There were many signs that told people to wear a mask at all times. There were also many places selling food. What can't you do wearing a mask? Well, you can't eat for starters. People love to eat at airports, so I saw a lot more masks off than on.

They still served snacks and beverages on the plane as well. As soon as the snack cart came down the aisle, the masks came off. Water was also served, but no alcoholic beverages. I thought they'd pass out little bottles of water, but the water arrived in plastic cups instead. There was even an announcement that if you brought your own alcohol, you wouldn't be allowed to drink it. None of this made a lot of sense. If the airline was worried about the virus, they wouldn't have served snacks at all. 

I'm still amazed at how many people wear their mask below their nose. A lot of the cloth gaiters I saw today were completely worthless. I don't know why guys with thick beards bother at all. The mask just sits on top of their beard. I'll wear a mask and try to wear it correctly because I have absolutely no faith in the people around me. I didn't even eat any snacks on the plane. I kept my mask on the entire time. Oddly, just as I was leaving for the airport this afternoon I got an e-mail saying that my high quality 3M N-95 masks had shipped. A little late guys. They'll probably arrive while I'm down here in Florida.

I still managed to get my steps today. We took a long walk with Dawn before breakfast. I didn't have my smoothie this morning because I knew it would take too much time. I still had last minute packing to do. All in all, the day went very well. I didn't get a good deal on my rental car this time, but I did manage to find a car with in-dash GPS and blind spot indicators. There seems to be a lot fewer cars to chose from now. I noticed the same thing when I was going out to McDonald Observatory. Maybe they don't want a lot of idle cars sitting around.

Another strange thing was that the plane was unnaturally cold. The flight attendants aren't allowed to pass out blankets and pillows anymore either. Everyone on the plane was searching for their coats. I'm guessing that they were adding more fresh outside air to the circulation system to keep contamination to a minimum.  I was cold but felt pretty safe. I think you're in a lot more danger by going to Home Depot.

Tomorrow looks like a very busy day. I've got to get my credentials at the badging office. Then there is a briefing to attend with Jim Bridenstine and a one-on-one interview with a Crew-1 mission specialist. If all goes well, tomorrow evening I watch the Air Force launch a classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office. The main event is Saturday when four astronauts head for the International Space Station in the first official crew rotation mission for Space X. Hope the weather hold up. It ought to be an interesting few days.

Jada is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3975 - Veterans Day

Mom and Dad were both proud Navy veterans. Mom came from a military family with a father who was an Army Colonel and two brothers who were Air Force pilots. I didn't carry on this heritage of service. I never served at all. I had a low draft number during the Vietnam era, but got an exemption because of a knee injury. I'm glad I didn't get drafted. Even back then I thought the Vietnam War was needless. Today I feel that every war the United States got involved in since World War II was an unnecessary war. We certainly didn't need to get involved in the Middle East. Far too many people died or were injured for nothing. Are things any better in Iraq or Afghanistan now? I don't think so. People have been fighting in the Middle East for thousands of years. They will still be fighting long after the last American troops have returned home. We need a strong military, but we also need to learn to mind our own business.

Today was kind of stressful. I'm still not finished packing because there have been so many changes to the launch schedule. I've been on the phone and answering e-mails all day. Nobody knows where tropical storm ETA is headed. Yesterday it was traveling toward the Florida Panhandle. Today the storm has reversed course and is headed back toward the Florida mainland. I still don't know if the storm will be gone by the time I arrive or if I will land right in the middle of it.

Today's schedule changes weren't all bad. A ULA launch that was supposed to take place today got postponed until Friday evening. This means that I will get to see two rocket launches while I'm at Kennedy Space Center. I had to reschedule an interview with a Crew-1 mission specialist so I could attend the additional ULA NROL-101 launch on Friday evening, but I think I've finally got everything worked out.

The elephant in the room is still the weather. Where is this storm going to be when I wake up tomorrow? Will it strengthen to become a hurricane in the next few hours? Who knows. I guess I'll just have to wait and see. Southwest Airlines has canceled flight to Tampa but they are still flying to Orlando. I guess that's a good sign.

It's much easier to walk your dog than it is to travel to another state in the path of a hurricane. We had a great walk with Dawn this morning. The temperature was much cooler today and it was right in Dawn's comfort zone. It's amazing what a difference a few degrees can make. Dawn was frisky and full of energy this morning because the temperature was in the fifties. If it was 15 degrees warmer, you'd see a different dog. I'm glad Dawn likes the cooler temperatures, but I wish the weather was a little more consistent. It's hard to decide what to wear in the morning.

I'd better wrap this up soon so I can return to packing. Did I tell you that I hate packing? I'm always forgetting things because of my tendency to procrastinate. It's hard to remember all the details when you are doing everything at the last minute. I also still have to make a list of question for my interview with the Commercial Crew mission specialist. Jeez. Why didn't I do that earlier today? Don't worry. Everything will get done. I haven't missed a deadline yet.

Dolly is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3974

I got an e-mail today saying that NASA was providing a limited number of one-on-one interview opportunities with Crew-1 mission specialists prior to the launch. I signed up to interview the Commercial Crew Program Launch Integration Manager and was subsequentially approved. Good grief. Why did I do this? I guess I'm really a reporter now. I'll have to think of some intelligent questions to ask before I leave. Do I record the interview or make notes in a little reporter's notobook? Personally, I'd rather just listen and write down what I remembered later. That would probably look very unprofessional though. A lot of reporters I saw the last time I was at the Space Center carried little notebooks with them. Maybe I'll do that. I'd better remember to take something to write with too. I forgot to take a pen with me when I went to McDonald Observatory. A pen is definitely simpler than a tape recorder. Somehow I hate to add audio equipment to the camera gear I'm already taking.

I found a raincoat I liked at REI. I took a coupon with me that I got in the mail a few days ago which said I could save 20% on any item in the store. When I tried to use the coupon the clerk said it wasn't valid until three days from now. I bought the raincoat anyway, but I kind of felt cheated. If someone sends you a coupon you ought to be able to use it as soon as you receive it without reading a bunch of fine print with a magnifying glass. Janet said that maybe I should have bought a larger size, but the coat looked good in the store mirror. It's going to be warm at the Space Center anyway. It might be wet, but with temperatures in the 80's I don't think I'll need a sweater under the raincoat.

I didn't feel like getting up this morning. I'm definitely not a morning person. I usually wait until I hear Janet call out "thirty minutes" before I get out of bed. Dawn and Janet are always up before I am, but thirty minutes gives me enough time to make the bed and get dressed before we leave on our morning walk. It was pretty warm this morning. I'm always surprised at how different each day begins. Yesterday I needed a warm coat. Today a t-shirt was fine.

I got Emma up on the Dalmatian Rescue website today. It wasn't really necessary to add her to the site since she is already adopted, but people are always interested in learning about new dogs in the program. I used to work on several animal rescue websites, along with my regular clients, but the Dalmatian site is the only one I've got left.  I think if I didn't update this site periodically, I would forget how to work with HTML documents entirely. It's kind of alarming how much I've forgotten already.

I'm not going to get my special N-95 masks in time for my trip. The company said that they would refund the fee I paid to expedite my order, but that they were running behind and wouldn't be able to ship for at least another week. Why did I not anticipate this? I thought I ordered in plenty of time, but I should have known by now that nothing goes smoothly in 2020. Oh, well. I have other masks. We bought a ton of them back when toilet paper was in short supply.

Tropical storm ETA is less of a worry now, but I'm sure I'll find other things to worry about. Lets face it, I'm just not a good traveler. Hey, what are you going to do? You can't see many stars in Dallas and they definitely don't launch rockets here.

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3973

Dalmatian Rescue has a puppy. We were excited to go meet Emma this afternoon because it's been a while since we've had a puppy in the program. I took my camera to take pictures for the website but it was only a formality. Emma has already been adopted. We must have a waiting list for puppies because they get adopted almost instantly. This four month old bundle of energy will be going to a great home. I'm glad we got a chance to meet her.

Colt is back at the kennel, but he is not well yet. The vet discovered that he has kidney problems and he is on a special diet now. We will be watching him carefully and hopefully his blood work will improve in the weeks ahead. Two of our own dogs eventually died of kidney failure so we know that any form of kidney disease is not something to be taken lightly. There is no cure for chronic kidney disease, but depending on the severity of the disease and how early you begin treatment, a dog can still live a comfortable life for quite a while. 

Charlie is healthy as a horse, but he could lose a few pounds. He's been at the kennel for so long that you can tell that he feels like this is his permanent home. I'm always surprised at how happy Charlie seems. He actually appears to like living at the kennel. Charlie is very smart and we enjoy teaching him new tricks. He'd probably already have a home by now if he wasn't so unpredictable. Let's just say that I wouldn't want to be sleeping in bed next to Charlie.

It was so muggy on our morning walk that we couldn't decide whether it had rained during the night or was about to rain later in the day. It's amazing how much the weather changes from day to day around here. You can never decide what to wear in the morning. The overcast skies cleared by the time Janet and I went to the kennel, but it remained a bad allergy day. I felt like I had pepper in my nose while we were walking this morning. Tomorrow I may have no allergy symptoms at all.

I've been watching how tropical storm ETA has been developing. It's moving away from Florida now and the latest forecast says that the storm may head for the Florida panhandle rather than doubling back to head toward Orlando. The weather actually looks pretty good for launch day now, but the forecast doesn't fill me with confidence. I don't think anyone really knows where this storm is going to go next. I don't think I have the temperament to live in a coastal area. The tornado warnings we get here are bad enough. Hurricanes are much harder to escape.

I walked into the bathroom adjoining the office this afternoon and saw a rather large lizard staring at me. How the hell to these animals get into the house? First it was a bird and now I have a lizard to deal with. I couldn't just open a window and let the lizard fly out. I had to catch it. Have you ever tried to catch a lizard? They can be pretty fast. I eventually trapped the lizard under a piece of Tupperware and was able to remove it from the house. I'm tired of dealing with invading critters, but I'm sure this lizard won't be the last thing I have to catch.

I may have to go buy a lightweight raincoat tomorrow. The tropical storm may have moved to the West, but it's probably still going to be raining when I arrive in Florida. I had a super light raincoat from my backpacking days, but I can't find it anywhere. All I remember about it was that it was blue and weighed almost nothing. I don't know why I even try to find things I haven't seen in forty years. I can't find stuff I bought last month.

Dot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3972

There was a heavy fog when we started walking this morning. As the fog started to lift, the sun appeared as a pale white disk behind the thick clouds. A little later, patches of blue sky began to appear overhead. There was a light breeze and falling leaves rustled along the ground. With each passing day, I see more Fall color as the trees continue to turn. The temperature was a little warmer than yesterday and a light jacket kept me warm. Basically, it was a perfect Fall day.

With weather like this, it's hard to imagine that there's a hurricane developing just south of Miami. No one seems certain where tropical storm ETA will go next, but there's a growing chance that it might impact next weeks Crew-1 launch. The launch is still on schedule, but Kennedy Space Center is definitely going to get some rain in the next few days. I hope the storm weakens or changes direction. I'd really hate to arrive in Florida in the middle of a hurricane.

NASA doesn't appear to be worried at this point. I watched the astronauts arrive at the Space Center on NASA TV this morning. I paid a little more attention than usual to this broadcast because some of these virtual events will wind up in my story about the launch. Covid restrictions have reduced the number of in-person events prior to the launch, but I'm going to try to see as much as I can. I got an e-mail with badging instructions and a list of events today. There are still a number of events I can participate in as long as tropical storm ETA doesn't decide to spoil the party.

I wasn't very industrious today, but I did try to fix the shower drain so it couldn't get clogged by hair anymore. I failed. When I took a shower later in the day, the hidden mesh filter I installed under the drain cover immediately clogged and the shower floor filled with water. It's back to the drawing board with this idea. Unfortunately, far too many of my projects end this way. 

Since it was a nice day, the park was crowded this afternoon. I've noticed lots of people taking family and engagement pictures. Every afternoon there are dozens of photographers taking pictures. Why now? It's as if everyone decided to do these portraits at the same time. There are lots of things I don't understand at the park. I certainly don't understand the hammock people. On a nice day there will be dozens of hammocks strung between trees. For the most part, people just sit in these hammocks and look at their phones. Often they bring dogs with them The dogs don't get walked, they just sit under the hammocks or are tied to a tree.

I prefer to stay active. After several long walks, I methodically begin charging batteries. I'm still not sure which cameras I'll take, so I just charged everything. I'm wondering if I should go buy a light weight raincoat. I thought I had one, but I can't find it. I don't like the idea of shooting pictures in the rain, but I have no control over the weather. Realistically, if the weather is bad, they'll just cancel the launch. Rockets have launched in the rain before though. I need to be ready for anything. I will bring a tripod this time. You definitely need a tripod for a night launch.

I have few complaints today. The weather was beautiful, Janet fixed a delicious dinner, and Dawn was in a good mood. Hopefully, tomorrow will be more of the same.

Spot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3971

I got a haircut today, so I guess I'm ready for my trip to Florida. My stylist recently started her own company, so we talked about the joys and pitfalls of owning a business. I hope she does well. I'm glad that I'm not trying to start a company in the middle of a pandemic. Finding a good N-95 mask and worrying about whether my customers were going to give me a deadly disease wasn't even on my radar when I started my own company.

My grocery list was small today and I found everything I needed. The stores were busy today. I don't know why they even bother to put all those stickers on the floor telling people where to stand. Everyone completely ignores them. If it wasn't for all the masks, you'd never know there was a pandemic at all. I guess I wish the unnatural quiet of April and May had lasted a little longer. I liked the empty roads and uncrowded stores. I didn't like the hoarding though. Hopefully, we won't run out of toilet paper again.

We're finally starting to see a little Fall color around town. I'm beginning to notice a lot of reds and yellows among the trees during our walks in the park. We don't have many Maple trees around here, but there is some colorful foliage. Red Oaks actually do turn red in the Fall. Many of the Sumac trees are turning bright red as well. Dogwoods and Crepe Myrtles can be colorful too. Who knows. Maybe the trees will put on a show this year after all.

It's a shame that I don't have as much energy as I used to. I continue to get my 20,000 steps on most days, but that's about it. There were a number of chores that needed my attention today, but I just couldn't bring myself to tackle them. Mowing the grass and washing the car will have to wait. So will vacuuming the house. Grocery shopping and a haircut were all I accomplished today. Maybe I'll be more industrious tomorrow. The weather tells me that it's time to work in the yard, but my body tells me that it's time to take a nap.

Dawn still seems nervous around me when Janet isn't in the house. She must have had a terrible life with the two men who used her as a breeding dog. Dawn just isn't as comfortable around men as she is with women. I have a feeling that it is always going to be this way. Dawn isn't a young dog and her well established view of the world will be hard to change. This is still kind of new to me. All our other dogs instantly identified with my lazy doglike ways.

It's too bad my gym is closed on Sundays now. I"m finally ready to go back, but it's hard to find the time on a weekday. It's not like I'm super busy or anything. It's just hard to find the time because I'm so slow at everything these days. I doubt that I'll get any faster, but I'm definitely going to keep moving. Sedentary people my age begin to go downhill very quickly.

I'm watching tropical storm ETA carefully now. There's a good chance that it could mess up my trip to Florida. Current projections show the storm crossing back over Florida just about the time I'm due to arrive. If the launch gets delayed, I hope they decide something before I leave for Orlando. The last thing I want is to be landing right in the middle of this thing. There's really nothing I can do except to continue watching the weather reports. Hey, it's 2020 so almost anything could happen.

Chase is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3970

When some days draw to a close, I wonder if I've done anything at all. Today was slow, even by my own lax standards. I must have done something, but nothing comes to mind. Dawn seems to have adjusted to the time change quicker than I thought she would. She's content to sleep in until we get up now and doesn't demand her dinner at 4 PM anymore. We walk in the daylight now, even though the days are still getting shorter. The weather remains pleasant and we are finally starting to see some Fall color in the park. A lot of trees just turned brown this year, but there are patches of reds and yellows. You'd never mistake this place for Vermont, but it's starting to look pretty outside.

My watch said that my heartbeat was dangerously low last night. I guess 40 beats per minute is pretty low. I think this was a mistake, but I didn't even know that the Apple Watch warned you about this type of thing. The watch has also warned me about falls where I have never fallen. Are you OK it asks me? This all seems a little overprotective to me. It makes me wonder what else the watch is keeping an eye on. I just hope that it doesn't call an ambulance for me while I'm sleeping some night.

The company I ordered the N-95 masks from told me that shipping is taking  from ten to fifteen days because of hight demand. What did I pay for expedited shipping for? Ten to fifteen days was the time listed on the web site for regular shipping. I wonder why shipping takes so long when Amazon can send you almost anything in two days or less? I have a feeling that these masks will arrive the day after I leave for Florida. That's always the way these things work.

I got a notice that some events prior to the Crew-1 launch may be canceled due to tropical storm Eta. I wonder why they even plan launches when the weather looks bad. It happens again and again though. Sometimes they'll wait right up to a few minutes before liftoff to scrub the launch when it is clear that the weather isn't improving. I guess you have to be optimistic in Florida. I don't think I've ever been there when there hasn't been at least a little rain during the day. I hope the storm has either dissipated or moved on by launch day. I'd really hate to make this trip for nothing. It's kind of late in the season for a storm like this to appear, but then it is 2020. Anything can happen in a year like this.

I think I'll get a haircut tomorrow. It doesn't seem like that long since my last haircut, but it does look like I need one. All the virus restrictions have distorted my sense of time. I've really only had one haircut since last March. Maybe it is time. I always seem to wear better clothes and look more presentable when I travel. It's a shame that appearances don't seem to matter the rest of the time. Retirement and virus restrictions can definitely change your perspective on things. I'm amazed that I even get dressed some days.

It's grocery shopping time again. I finally found Clorox wipes but now they say that disinfecting wipes and toilet paper will soon be in short supply. Do I stock up and start hoarding again? Who knows. This whole year seems like groundhog day. The same things keep happening over and over. I always thought I liked consistency, but I'm not so sure about consistent chaos. 

Spot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3969

Don't you hate it when you're running errands and you realize that you forgot your mask right as you reach the first store on your list. Damn. I had to drive all the way home, get a mask, and start my errands all over again. I finally did what I should have done months ago though. I put a few spare masks in the glove compartment.

I wrote my NASA contact and asked whether they had an updated schedule yet. Nope. They did tell me that I probably guessed correctly on my choice of travel days though. I feel a little better now. I'd still like to see an official schedule however. Kennedy Space Center is fairly huge. If you arrive at the wrong gate for an event, you might miss it completely. I've already had a fifteen minute drive turn into an hour drive by getting confused on directions. Don't want that to happen again.

It was overcast today, but the temperature was still nice for our morning walk with Dawn. I thought it might rain for a little while, but it never did. By mid afternoon, the skies had partially cleared and I could see a little blue peaking through the clouds. I shouldn't have been disappointed today, but I've been spoiled by the near perfect weather we've been having lately. 

I finally worked up my nerve to look at the long range weather forecast for Titusville. There's a 30% chance of rain on launch day and thunderstorms are predicted on the day before the launch. This is fairly typical weather for the Space Coast at this time of year, but it sure would be nice to have clear skies down there as well. I'm not wild about driving in from Orlando in a rainstorm, but I don't have much influence over the weather. It is what it is.

I got the results for my recent doctor visit and all is good. I always prefer it when a doctor calls me with results. Everyone is switching to online patient portals now, and half the time the information gets entered incorrectly. Occasionally, the information is correct, but I completely misinterpret it. It's better if you can talk to someone and ask questions. If we have to do this electronically, it would be nice if all the doctors could just enter their information in a common database. It would seem that they would wont to share information, but that never seems to happen. I have so many separate patient portals now that I have a hard time remembering what they are for.

I discovered that my new carry-on bag includes a nifty built-in battery that can be used to recharge a phone or tablet up to five times. This is actually very handy. I wonder why nobody has thought of this before. It's easy to run your battery down at the airport if you have a long wait between flights. The charging stations at airports never seem to work either.

Janet and I still can't decide what to do for Thanksgiving this year. In recent years we've gone out to eat at a local hotel that has an amazing Thanksgiving buffet. It was always fun to try all sorts of things that we normally never eat. I think buffets are gone for the foreseeable future though. What a shame. I doubt that many people get Covid from serving themselves at a buffet. Probably a lot of people will get the virus from having Thanksgiving dinner with their family though. Experts still say that family gatherings are one of the most common ways the virus spreads.

I loaded the dishwasher last night and forgot to turn it on. I forgot to wear a mask to the pharmacy today. I wonder what I'll forget on my trip to Florida. I was real careful about taking everything I needed on my trip to McDonald Observatory, but I still ended up forgetting several things. I guess I'd better get used to this. Old people forget things. I did remember to take the trash out to the curb this evening though. That's something.

Coach is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3968

I reluctantly made my travel arrangements for the Crew-1 launch today. I still haven't received the official media schedule from NASA, but it looked like return flights from Orlando were filling up fast. Two of the three available flights on the day I wanted to return were already full and the third only had three seats left. Jeez. How can these flights be full when I keep hearing that people aren't comfortable with flying yet? Clearly a lot of people have returned to the skies. I can't recall making reservations this early even before Covid hit.

With airline reservations taken care of, I went ahead and booked a hotel and reserved a rent car as well. I guess I'm all set now. Just waiting for NASA to change the launch date so I can do this all over again. You'd think with all the stories about how the travel and hospitality industries are struggling, there would be lots of bargains out there. I didn't find any. Airline, hotel, and rental car rates were all higher than they were the last time I traveled to Florida.

I looked at dehumidifiers today. There weren't a lot available locally and most looked pretty shoddy compared to the one we already have. When I was looking online a few days ago, I found that there were very few portable models available with a 70 pint capacity. Everyone was selling 50 pint capacity portables now. When I looked at Lowes, several brands said "equivalent to older 70 pint models" on their 50 pint dehumidifiers. How can this be? What happens to the extra 20 pints? So many questions and nobody knows anything about dehumidifiers here. Most of these are sold up North where people have damp basements.

On the way home from my dehumidifier search, I stopped at a luggage store and got a new carry-on bag. I'm getting tired of having to open my entire suitcase to get the laptop out so TSA can examine it. I wanted something with an outside pocket for a laptop. Janet said I should look at AWAY bags and that's what I ended up getting. Luggage has come a long way since the last time I bought any. This bag was well thought out and extremely well made. I'm all set now for future rocket launches and observatory trips.

Our beautiful Fall weather continues. We had a pleasant walk with Dawn before breakfast this morning and when I took my second walk later in the afternoon, the temperature was still only in the low seventies. I hope this weather continues. Dawn loves the cooler temperatures and I definitely need the exercise. When I'm walking, I realize that I still need to go to the gym. Walking is relaxing, but it doesn't elevate my heart rate much and does nothing for my arms and upper body. I wish I actually enjoyed going to the gym. Janet returned to her gym weeks ago, but I'm still making excuses. 

People who were expecting a blue wave didn't seem happy this morning. Investors were pleased with the prospect of a divided government though. The stock market had a great day. Investors almost always like a divided government because it means that politicians can't do much of anything. Perhaps this is for the best. Politicians seem incapable of making the right decisions anyway. Given a choice, I'll take gridlock any day over what either party would do if left unchecked. 

Ginger is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3967 - Election Day

Good grief. There's a bird flying around inside my office. How the hell did a bird get inside the house? Janet didn't want Dawn to notice the bird, so she shut the door to the office, leaving me inside to deal the bird. How do you reason with a bird? I opened as many windows as I could, but the bird wasn't very smart. It kept flying into walls and knocking things off shelves instead. Eventually, it flew into a bathroom adjacent to the office and sat on my electric toothbrush. It also started pooping. I opened the one bathroom window that wasn't jammed shut and closed the door. You'd think the bird would immediately fly out the window, but it took quite a while. I was afraid that when I opened the door again there would be a possum sitting in the bathroom with the bird. Everything ended well when the bird finally discovered the window and flew away. I still have no idea how it got inside the house.

Today's big event was a routine doctor's appointment. If you ever see a doctor for anything, they'll want to see you again and again on an annual basis. If they prescribed medication for you,  you basically have to see them again to get your prescription renewed. It's interesting how doctors choose to deal with the coronavirus. Some continue to operate more or less normally, while others tend to look at patients like they just arrived from Chernobyl. This clinic ran a tight ship. You had to check-in online before your visit. A nurse took your temperature and asked you a bunch of questions before they let you in the front door. There was only one person in the lobby at a time. I don't know how they scheduled this, but they did a pretty good job. I wore one of my Chinese KN-95 masks and imagined wearing the thing on a three hour flight to Florida. These are the same masks I see a lot of doctors and pharmacists wear, but they are hard to breathe through. I hope the genuine 3-M N-95 masks I ordered are better.

You'd never know it was election day. There are several polling sites in our neighborhood, but I didn't see any lines anywhere. Early voting is popular in Texas and I have a feeling that most people have already voted. I voted, but I won't be staying up late to watch the results. Somebody is going to win and I will adjust accordingly. I've seen plenty of bad presidents in my lifetime and somehow life goes on. Those of you who think the world is going to end if your candidate doesn't win are probably wrong. The world will end, but it will be something you never even thought of that seals our fate.

I can't remember a nicer Fall. We've been having beautiful weather this year. There have been a few rainy day, but mostly it's been clear skies with temperatures in the 60's and 70's. I can see why Dawn likes this weather. I'm kind of enjoying being outdoors myself. I should have mowed the grass today, but it's getting harder and harder to complete more than one task per day. With two long walks, leisurely meals, and a blog to write there isn't a lot of time for anything else.

If I don't hear from NASA soon, I'm going to have to make my reservations anyway. I'm trying to avoid this, because it almost guarantees that I'll have to change them later. I'm still excited to be attending a launch again, but Covid restrictions take a lot of the fun away. There are so many things that I did on previous trips that are off the table now. I'm sure the article I end up writing for SpaceFlight Magazine will be as much about the virus as about the launch. That's just the world we live in now. 

I need to go look for a dehumidifier tomorrow. I'll probably end up ordering something online, but I like to see what I'm ordering. I might go looking for a new carry-on bag too. I've got to streamline how I go through TSA checkpoints. It takes too long now to open up my bags for these guys. The only thing I know for sure is that we'll be walking with Dawn tomorrow morning. I sure hope only one bird got in the house. I'd hate to wake up and find another bird flying around in the dark tonight. Oh, well. At least it wasn't a bat that got into the house.

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3966

We thought we'd be visiting two dogs at the kennel today, but only Charlie was there to greet us. Colt is at the vet. The kennel staff told us he started throwing up at night a few days ago, so he's under observation now. This could be something as simple as drinking water too fast, or it could be a sign of something more serious. Since Colt is new and the rescue group doesn't know everything about his past, it's better to be safe than sorry. Colt is getting new blood work and will remain under observation until the vet can determine what is going on. Hopefully, he will be feeling better when we visit next week.

Dawn is definitely feeling better these days. She seems to love the Fall weather. It was hard to get her out of bed when we had to walk before sunrise in the Summer, but she's getting us out of bed now. I suspect that part of this is the time change. Dogs definitely don't understand setting the clocks back in the morning. From her perspective, all the time change means is that breakfast is late. She's ready for dinner at 4 PM as well. I"m sure she'll get used to the new schedule, but right now she just thinks we're ignoring her.

We had a great walk this morning. The weather has been perfect lately. The temperature is in the mid fifties when we wake up and seldom gets above seventy later in the day. Dawn has a lot more energy on these cool mornings. Although it is clear she likes the weather, I think she is feeling better than she was before her seizure as well. Her condition had probably been deteriorating for a while, but the changes were too subtle for us to notice. The treatment the vet prescribed worked. I hope it keeps her healthy for a long time.

I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow and they wanted me to do the check-in paperwork online. It will save time, they said. Maybe this saved time for them, but not for me. They seemed to have added a ton of new questions to the check-in procedure. I usually answer "on file" or "don't know" to many of these questions when they ask me at the office. I had no excuse today. I had to look all the answers up. I doubt that doctors even read these forms, because they ask me the same questions all over again during my exam. I wish that the online form had allowed me to save a copy. I'm sure I'll be asked these same questions again the next time I visit. The medical profession just isn't very efficient. I do like my doctors. I just don't like all the red tape surrounding a visit.

I was hoping to receive the official media schedule for the Crew-1 launch from NASA today. Nope. I haven't heard anything yet. This isn't unusual, but I sure wish I could go ahead and make travel arrangements. I hate to make reservations before a schedule has been finalized because I inevitably have to change them later. Schedules change frequently too. This is one reason why these trips can get expensive. You can never take advantage of any plan-ahead bargains.

I still can't decide what to do about the dehumidifier. Do I get another like the one we have currently, or do I try a new brand? Our first dehumidifier lasted over five years, but the replacement is already starting to fail in less than two years. Clearly quality has deteriorated. One of the reasons I chose the first dehumidifier was that it was still made in the USA. The replacement looks the same, but I think it is made in China now. I may go to Lowes tomorrow and see what is available locally. You can't tell how long something will last by looking at it on a shelf, but at least you can get an idea about the build quality. I may go shopping for a new carry-on bag as well. I need something with a pocket for a laptop on the outside. It's as pain to have to open up a full suitcase just so TSA can examine the laptop.

I know now that my gym is only open Monday thru Friday now. Covid rules. This doesn't help me much. I always liked going on Sunday morning.

Wolfgang is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3965

I decided to go back to the gym today. There didn't seem like there was much point in waiting longer. I changed into my gym clothes, got in the car, and drove to the gym. Much to my surprise, it was closed. There was no sign on the door explaining what had happened and the hours of operation sign still said "Open Sunday from 9 AM until 5 PM." There were no cars in the parking lot, and nobody else was trying to get in. Clearly I was the only one who didn't get the memo. I need to figure out what is going on before I try this again. I'm sure the closure has something to do with Covid.

I still managed to get plenty of activity today. We had a nice walk with Dawn before breakfast this morning and I took another walk by myself later in the afternoon. Lately this doesn't seem enough. I think I do need to start going back to the gym. My legs are doing fine, but my arms and the rest of my body could use a little help. One of the bad things about growing older is that your muscles start to atrophy. You have to work harder and harder to keep from going downhill. Walking doesn't bother me, but I struggle to do pushups and pull-ups. 

It's amazing how quickly it warms up on a sunny day. It was chilly when we left the house this morning, but by the time we returned home I was getting hot. It's hard to pick the right jacket at this time of year. When the sun is at your back, it's hot. When you're walking through a heavily wooded area, it's cold. Dawn seemed to think the weather was perfect this morning. She had a great time smelling things in the park.

I spent some time this afternoon reviewing the astrophotography images I took out at McDonald Observatory. On closer examination, many were better than I thought they were. Some images left a lot to be desired and a few were clearly out of focus. All in all, I did pretty well. I definitely know what not to do the next time I try this. Sixty seconds is too long an exposure and causes stars to streak. Ten seconds is too short an exposure and doesn't reveal enough stars. Manual lenses are definitely better than automatic ones. You don't always need a super wide angle lens to photograph the Milky Way either. I brought a 15mm lens with me, but some of my best photos were taken with a 50mm lens. A regular fast telephoto lens works as well as a small telescope for photographing brighter galaxies. I learned a lot. I wonder if I will remember anything the next time I see dark skies. I have a feeling that it's going to be a while.

I guess cleaning the dusty vent didn't fix the dehumidifier after all. I noticed that the defrost light was coming on again today. When the dehumidifier goes into defrost mode, it doesn't extract water from the air. Something is wrong. I've just got to decide whether it is better to repair the dehumidifier or buy a new one. I usually think that repairing things is better, but I can't even find someone who is familiar with this brand. We clearly need a functioning dehumidifier though. It has worked wonders at reducing dampness and moisture inside the house.

Hard to believe it is already November. Thanksgiving will be here soon and so will Christmas. Unless the schedule changes again, I will be headed for Florida this month to attend the Crew-1 launch. It's definitely been a weird year, but not that much has changed for me. I still take long walks, eat healthy meals, and plan occasional interesting trips. As long as I don't turn on the television, life seems pretty normal.

Jeda is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3964 - Halloween

This weather can't make up it's mind. It was cold again this morning. What happened to yesterday's t-shirt weather? I had to get out my winter coat when we walked Dawn. I may have been a little chilly, but Dawn liked the cooler temperatures. She had lots of energy this morning. Her condition has certainly improved. I had trouble keeping up with her today.

When I went grocery shopping this morning, I was surprised to discover that I can now buy gas with my phone. The app I use to avoid the checkout lines now works at the gas pump as well. There was no need to slide my credit card into the pump. I just pointed my phone at the pump and filled my tank. I love technology when it works. Unfortunately, it frequently doesn't work.

I buy pretty much the same things every week, but my bill is always a little higher than it was the previous week. What's going on here? Some items have gone up more than others. I don't see much of a pattern in the price increases, but I'm sure it has something to do with Covid. Maybe manufacturers who have been disrupted are trying to make up the difference somehow. I never look for sales, but maybe I should.

Janet and I decided to get a new dehumidifier. We weren't sure which model we had, so I looked at a small label on the bottom of the machine. Near the label was a little vent I had never noticed before. It was completely clogged with dust. I cleaned out the vent and the defrost light didn't come on for the rest of the day. Maybe there was nothing wrong with the dehumidifier. I'll have to go check the other dehumidifier in the storage warehouse. I wouldn't be surprised if the little vent was clogged in that one too.

There are Halloween decorations in our neighborhood, but I didn't see any trick or treaters this year. Maybe I wasn't looking very hard, but I suspect that parents weren't that eager to have their children asking strangers for candy in today's environment. Halloween was a big deal when I was a kid. We wandered all over the neighborhood unsupervised and came home late at night with huge bags of candy. Streets were safe back then and nobody was worried about a deadly virus. Times have definitely changed. Halloween is still spooky, but it isn't ghosts and goblins that are scaring us anymore.

I still need to find something interesting to do. I got my 20,000 steps today, but that was about it. It's hard to put what I learned at the astrophotography workshop to good use because you still can't see much when you look up at the sky in Dallas. Light pollution is terrible here. It's easy to forget that I am technically still on assignment for SpaceFlight Magazine. I seldom hear from those guys anymore because they are all preoccupied with the virus over in the UK. Hopefully, I can come up with an interesting article for the magazine when I go to Florida.

Do I go to the gym tomorrow? They're sure trying hard to get me to return. I get an e-mail almost every day about new classes and activities. I really need to stay in shape, but my instinct is to take long naps instead. Dawn is a bad influence on me. She's all about taking long naps. We'll see what tomorrow brings. I think I dodged a bullet with the dehumidifier today. It's still working like a champ.

Roxy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3963

What a difference a day makes. Yesterday I was wearing a down jacket and a wool hat on our walk with Dawn. Today I wore a t-whirt. The weather changes quickly here and today was exceptionally nice. I didn't even have allergy problems today. Hopefully this nice weather will last a while, but who knows. This is Texas. Tomorrow it could snow.

We don't even bother walking early in the morning anymore. That was mostly to avoid the heat during the Summer and early Fall. Now even the warmest days are cool enough for Dawn. As a result of this change of schedule, I've been sleeping better. My sleep tracking app says I'm getting more deep sleep now and I'm slowly erasing a long standing sleep deficit. Oddly, I sleep more soundly when there's a blanket on the bed. I don't know the reason for this, but I'll take what I can get.

All things considered, today was fairly productive. I got Colt added to the Dalmatian Rescue website and removed all the standing water from the roof. Updating the website was a pleasure, while working on the roof was a tiresome chore. I don't know how long I can continue doing this. It's exhausting. You just don't see many 70 year old men up on their roof in our neighborhood. I guess I could say the same about mowing my own grass.

The bad thing about colder weather is that the water on the roof doesn't evaporate after it rains. The pumps remove a certain amount, but the rest will remain forever until I clear it away. I always complain about the heat in the summer, but the cold isn't so great either.  I have to remember to wear waterproof boots so my feet won't freeze. It took me several hours to dry the roof off today, but the forecast looks good, so maybe I won't have to do this again for a while.

I think I did a good job repairing the furnace. It's still working normally today. I wish I could say the same about our dehumidifier. It's not working normally at all. The condensation coils keep freezing and the dehumidifier spends most of its time in the defrost cycle. I tried to fix our old dehumidifier, but after spending hours disassembling the thing, I discovered that there were no user serviceable parts. The only service center is about forty miles away. It's a lot easier to just buy a new dehumidifier than to fix a defective one. We live in a disposable society and I've learned the hard way that fixing almost anything these days has become very expensive.

My dealer told me that he sold another train from my collection. What remains of the collection is selling very slowly. There used to be sales every month but now I'm lucky if a buyer shows up several times a year. I may need to make a provision for the collection in my will. I kind of doubt that the entire collection can be disposed of in my lifetime. It's always good to hear about a sale though. This will probably pay for my hotel when I go to the Crew-1 launch.

It's time to make a grocery list again. They say we might have shortages again because Covid cases are rising. I hope this isn't true. I don't think the shortages ever stopped. You can find toilet paper easily now, but a lot of things are still in short supply. I wonder what the end game is? Our whole society wasn't designed to work well in a pandemic. You can put things on hold for a while, but you can't do it indefinitely. I think we're starting to see that now. 

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day