Day 4198

The weather was a pleasant surprise this morning. It was only 69 degrees outside when we woke up. The rain that brought yesterday's water leak, also brought some much cooler temperatures. Dawn loved her early walk this morning. She really responds well to cooler weather. So do I.

It had warmed up quite a bit by the time I finished breakfast and took my own longer walk, but it was still nice outside. There was no point in going to the gym today. If the weather is tolerable I always prefer walking outdoors. It's easier for the mind to wander on a pleasant long walk. When I'm at the gym I find myself counting laps or being distracted by overheard conversations. A trip to the gym is all about the exercise. A long walk is a way to lose yourself in idle thoughts and daydreams. 

I had planned to get a lot more done today, but I got hopelessly bogged down balancing my checkbook. Usually when I'm out of balance, I'm only a few dollars off and it is easy to find my mistake. Today I wasn't even close. There was a difference of several thousand dollars between what Quickbooks said I had and my most recent bank statement. It took a long time to figure out that I had failed to enter a number of transactions last month and then compounded my error by entering something twice this month. The duplicate entry got saved in the May 2020 ledger though, so it was very hard to find. Why do I bother entering all this stuff in Quickbooks and then writing down the results in a checkbook register as well? Force of habit, I guess. I didn't need to do any of this. My online bank statement was correct all along. 

I make a lot more mistakes than I used to. I spend more time editing the things I write these days because they are riddled with spelling errors. This didn't used to be the case. It's probably good that I'm not working with clients anymore. My old clients were never very forgiving. There's probably a good reason most companies make you retire at 70. You may think you're just as sharp as you were when you were younger, but you're just kidding yourself. The brain deteriorates just like the rest of your body.

As soon as the roof is completely dry again, I'm going to have to go look for the source of the leak. I think I'm going to have to bring a power washer up on the roof to clean away all the scum that has accumulated this Spring so I can see if there are any small cracks in the elastomer surface. I hauled a power washer up on the roof a long time ago using a rope. I was stronger then and the roof was in better condition. It's not going to be easy this time. I've still got plenty of the special silicon coating material, but I've got to know exactly where to place it. I'm not looking forward to any of this. There is no point in calling a roofer though. Been there, done that. Most roofers aren't familiar with my type of silicon elastomer roof and they just make the situation worse. 

No wonder I like to go out to West Texas and stare at the stars. Summers in Dallas seem to be a never ending punch list of loathsome household chores. The ceiling looks awful where the leak occurred. The sheetrock needs to be replaced, but there is no point in doing this now if the roof is just going to leak again. I'll have to make some temporary repairs though, because I hate looking at the mess. We've got to find a way to get rid of all the mosquitos in the back yard and I'm sure Dawn would appreciate it if I'd fill in the bare areas with some fresh St. Augustine sod.

Will I do any of this tomorrow? Probably not. I'll just take another long walk and think about more pleasant things.

Kirby is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4197

We like to bring the rescue dogs a new toy to play with when we visit on Monday. Today we brought a stuffed possum with us. We thought that Charlie would destroy this toy and get the squeaker out in less than five minutes, but he surprised us. He carried the toy around gently the way a mother dog might move a puppy. He didn't thrash the toy around or make it squeak at all. He seemed a little confused, but it sure looked like he had found a friend. We'd never seen Charlie act this way before. Dogs tend to be predictable, but they are often full of surprises. When we put the toy possum away, Charlie immediately reverted to his old self and begain to play rough with all his other toys. Cooper had no interest in befriending the little possum. He was determined to get the squeaker out.

I knew it was going to rain today, so we walked Dawn as soon as we got up and then I took my long walk right after breakfast. It wasn't terribly hot this morning, but it was incredibly humid. I had to change clothes when I returned home because I was drenching wet. I wish Spring had lasted a little longer. There isn't a lot to like about a Texas Summer. 

It didn't start raining until we were driving home from the kennel. The rain didn't last long but it looked like it had been intense in our neighborhood. When we went in the house I was extremely disappointed to discover that we had a roof leak again.  It's been almost two years since there has been a leak. I was actually beginning to believe that I had solved the problem. Why did the roof leak today? We've had a lot heavier rain earlier in the Spring. This leak was right over Dawn's food bowl, so I don't think she was very happy about it either.

I really had no choice. I climbed up on the roof and spent the next two hours sweeping all the standing water away. The roof was a mess. I hadn't been up there in a while, having convinced myself that the hot weather must have evaporated any standing water. There was a lot of water from today's rain, but since there was algae developing in some of the puddles, it was apparent that there had been water on the roof for quite some time.

I'm really getting too old to remove standing water from the roof every time it rains. It's hard work pushing hundreds of pounds of water over the edge of the roof with a big broom. It's slippery up there as well. By the time I finished removing all the water my heart was pounding. I'm going to be really pissed if it rains again later tonight. I don't want to go up there again. 

I hate to spend a ton of money putting on a new roof and still have problems with standing water afterwards. I've gotten multiple bids from different roofing companies to replace the roof and they all say that since the house has settled, there will still be standing water in the low spots after they are finished. It's discouraging. I guess you could completely remove the roof and start over, but that doesn't seem like a good solution since we are still living in the house. The only times I get really depressed is when I'm up on the roof. It seems hopeless up there.

The only thing good about today's rain is that it is supposed to be a lot cooler tomorrow. One forecast says we will get more rain tonight. The other says we are in the clear. I guess we'll see what happens. I'll leave a bucket out in the kitchen just in case.

Barley is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4196 - Summer Solstice

It's the first day of Summer, the longest day of the year, and also Father's Day. Occasionally my birthday falls on one of these days as well. I'm going to skip the Father's Day remembrances this year. A lot of what happened during the early years have been lost to the mists of time. I do remember the latter years when I had to take over my Dad's affairs after he could no longer handle things himself. Not a lot of good memories there. Truthfully, I've never had strong family ties and don't spend a lot of time thinking about family. I jokingly tell people that I was raised by wolves, but I suspect that my parents did a pretty good job raising me. I've always been able to cope and have succeeded at just about everything I've tried. I'm sure my Dad had a lot to do with that, whether I was aware of it or not.

I thought I'd try to outwit the weather and take my long walk right after breakfast this morning. I don't drink my morning smoothie during the weekend, so I was able to get an early start. Janet volunteered at a dog event again today, so Dawn had no interest in walking with me. If she could have overcome her fears, she would have enjoyed the walk. It was still pretty cool outside at 7:30 AM. Keep in mind that this is Texas in the Summer, so 'pretty cool' means 80 degrees.

I was easily able to complete six miles this morning. I should do this more often. The problem is that it takes so long to drink a half-gallon fruit smoothie that I don't know where I'd find the time. If I drink the smoothie first, it's already gotten too hot outside for a pleasant walk by the time I'm finished. If I walk first, I don't feel like eating or drinking anything when I return. Today was easy. I just had a quick bowl of cold cereal before leaving the house. I won't abandon the smoothie though. I've convinced myself that it is extremely healthy.

I was a little tired when I returned from my walk, but a short nap took care of that. I realized that it was now or never for removing the rest of the dead Photinia trees, so I got out my heavy reciprocating saw and went to work. I must have saved the hardest trees for last, because it required quite an effort to cut them down. The trouble with this type of saw is that the blades are relatively short, making it almost impossible to cut through a thick stump. It is also impossible to cut the trees down flush to the ground. At some point I'm going to have to hire someone to dig up the roots of these trees. The exposed stumps don't look all that great. All that being said, the yard does look a lot better now. I don't look better unfortunately. I always manage to cut myself when I am doing yard work. One of the hazards of taking blood thinners I guess. The slightest scratch results in a cut.

It's time to start watering the grass again, but I couldn't find a sprinkler that worked. All three were broken. I guess it's time for another trip to Home Depot. I'll need to buy a hose as well. The one hose long enough to reach all parts of the yard has a big leak in it. Whatever I buy probably won't last any longer than the worthless tools I threw away today. I think all this stuff is made in China out of recycled tin foil.

Dawn had no interest in staying outside with me while I worked in the yard today. Every time I took her out to pee, she immediately went to the back door and wanted to go inside as soon as she had done her business. The little diva spent her day sitting in the middle of our king sized bed while I was sweating outside. Whoever coined the phrase 'it's a dog's life' never met our dogs.

Alamo is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4195 - My Birthday

I'm 73 years old today. I'd be lying if I said I felt young, but I guess I'm still in pretty good shape. At this age you feel grateful for each additional year. Too many friends and co-workers are already gone. Almost all the teachers I had in college have died. A number of classmates are gone as well. Way too many people I know have succumbed to cancer. I guess my friends were a cautious lot. Almost nobody I know died doing something reckless or foolish. I hope to be around for quite a few more years, but I don't take anything for granted now. After 73 years you learn that the world is full of surprises.

Today was fairly relaxing and largely uneventful. Janet had an event to attend today and left the house early, so Dawn didn't get a walk. I've tried to walk her by myself, but she won't leave the yard unless Janet is nearby. It's sad that Dawn is still uncertain about me after all this time. She has clearly had some really bad experiences with men. 

I did my usual grocery shopping this morning. Prices keep going up and up. I'm going to have to learn to shop the sales like Janet does. My shopping list seldom varies and it just seems ridiculous to keep paying more for exactly the same things. The price of gas keeps going up as well. It's probably a good thing that I don't drive much.

I did drive to the gym this afternoon only to discover that it was closed. I guess I should have read the sign on the door a little closer yesterday. The gym is open on Saturday, but only until 1 PM. My gym used to be open seven days a week and had fairly long hours. It can't be Covid that's keeping them closed now. I think they are just trying to cut costs and save money. 

It was hot outside, but after I returned home I decided to take a long walk anyway. I needed to get my steps in somehow. I was glad it was a windy day. The warm breeze kept me a little cooler. There weren't a lot of people in the park this afternoon, but there are always a few families having picnics. Maybe some people don't mind the heat. These groups having picnics and barbecues always seem to be having fun.

When I looked at my Apple watch this morning it said Happy Birthday and a bunch of balloons scrolled across the screen. Technology has certainly changed the birthday experience. I'm always surprised at how many birthday greetings I get on Facebook. Some of these people I've known since childhood and others I've never even met. I can't even remember when Facebook started the birthday greetings, but it seems like they've been around forever. I don't particularly like Facebook, but I do like the birthday messages. I try to remember to acknowledge other people's birthdays as well. It's a small thing, but it does make you feel connected.

Yesterday we had a birthday dinner. Tonight we had our traditional birthday cupcakes. Dawn had her own pupcake as well. I can't even remember how long it's been since we had a cake. Cupcakes are so much easier. When there are only two people, a cake will go stale long before you can finish it. We had some champagne with our cupcakes so I feel sleepy now. It's been a nice day. Actually, it's been a pretty nice year. Covid restrictions certainly didn't change much for me. I've been avoiding people for years. I got to go out to McDonald Observatory twice during the lockdowns and down to Kennedy Space Center once. If I can do the same this year, I'd be a happy camper.

Inky is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4194

I'm getting used to the new schedule. Dawn likes the early morning walks. Maybe she's always been an earlybird. I wouldn't know, because I'm definitely not. I'd sleep till noon if I could, but it's definitely worth the effort to get out of bed if it helps us avoid the heat. Dawn walks briskly before sunrise and then waits patiently for me to make the bed when we return home. She used to just hop on the unmade bed and refuse to leave. We're making progress.

I went back to the gym after breakfast. I think I prefer my long walks, but that really isn't an option until it cools down a bit. I try to add a few extra repetitions to my routine every day. I'm not getting as many steps as I used to, but I'm still burning the same amount of calories. I've still got a lot of work to do, but hopefully I'll be back to where I was a year ago in a reasonable amount of time. I'm surprised at how much stopping going to the gym for a year has affected my overall strength. Snooze, you lose I guess.

Janet and I went out to dinner to celebrate my birthday this evening. My birthday isn't until tomorrow, but it worked out better to go out to eat tonight. I was surprised to see that my favorite item wasn't on the menu anymore. I asked the waiter what had happened and she gave some sort of a Covid related excuse. This made no sense at all, but luckily everything on the menu is delicious. I ordered something else. We had a nice relaxing meal and pretty soon I will be one year older. The restaurant was full and everyone was acting normally. It was almost as if Covid never happened. The disease may still be an issue in some parts of the country, but it basically seems to be over in Dallas.

The replacement for my damaged iPhone case arrived today. It's been so long since I ordered this thing that I'd almost forgotten about it. I think the package came directly from China. That's the only way I can explain the excessive amount I paid for postage. I'm still using the damaged case. I don't think it's waterproof anymore, but I seldom get near water anyway.

I noticed that Dawn was limping when I took her outside after breakfast. I tried to look at her paw, but she wouldn't let me get close to it. It's a shame that Dawn is still frightened of me. Janet examined the paw when she returned home and found nothing wrong. Dawn isn't limping anymore, so I suspect that she got an acorn stuck between her paw pads. This happened frequently with Dot & Dash. If you have large Oak trees, your yard is usually filled with acorns.

I'm not wild about doing yard work on my birthday, but I've still got to cut down the remaining dead Photinia trees before the bulky trash trucks arrive to haul everything away. It's about time to mow the grass again as well. I have a feeling that I'll just wait until Sunday to tackle these chores. I seldom have a good excuse to avoid work, so I might as well take advantage of it. 

Rugby is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4193

We've settled in to our summer routine. We get up early and walk Dawn before sunrise. I don't bother to make the bed until we return because every minute we waste, it gets a little hotter. You can immediately feel any difference in the temperature and humidity the minute you step out the back door. Today was a little warmer than yesterday morning, but it was still quite nice. I'm glad Dawn enjoys these early morning walks because she probably wouldn't get a walk at all otherwise. Once the sun is high in the sky, it just isn't safe for dogs. You've always got to remember that dogs don't sweat and they overheat very quickly. The pavement is way too hot for their paws as well.

I still have my morning smoothie for breakfast, but I've noticed that I'm not as hungry on hot days. The heat saps your energy and you don't even feel like eating. I've been eating smaller dinners as well. This is probably good. I put on a few pounds during the pandemic and now is as good a time as any to lose them.

I asked Janet if she wanted to postpone hauling the dead trees and brush out to the curb for bulky trash day and of course she said no. It didn't take as long as I thought to move everything and the yard looks a lot better now. I still need to cut down one more dead Photinia tree, but the trucks won't arrive for a few more days so I've got time. I'd like to wait for a cloudy day to do the work, but there aren't any of those in the forecast. All I see in the week ahead is lots of sunshine and blistering hot temperatures.

The power company is telling us to conserve energy during the heat wave. This has everyone mad because the excuse the power company gave for the week long power outages during last winter's big freeze was that the Texas power grid was optimized for summer weather. They promised that there'd be no problems during the summer months. So much for that. Personally, I think the problems started when all these people started moving here from other states. Texas is a welcoming place but we're getting too crowded.

After we moved all the brush and wood to the curb, I went to the gym. A trip to the gym has become part of my new summer routine as well. It's just too hot to take my long walk thru the park these days. It's going to take a while to get back in shape, but my workout today was better than yesterday. I'm not going to concentrate on cardio for a while and work on my upper body instead. My heart is fine. It's my arms and torso that have grown weak. I could do some of these exercises at home, but I never do. There's something about going to a gym that forces you to do the work. 

I made tentative plans to go back to the observatory in the Fall. October is one of the best months for stargazing and I wanted to make sure that there would be some special Fall photography nights. It's looking good. This gives me something to look forward to. I'm not going to even think about going back to Kennedy Space Center until the kids are back in school again, hurricane season is over, and the weather gets a lot cooler. I suspect by next Winter the rental car crisis will be over and everyone who wanted to go to Disneyland will have taken their vacation. Mosquitos aren't as bad in the winter either. Maybe Artemis-1 will launch sometime this winter.

I need to water the grass tomorrow. This means I have to go to Home Depot and buy a new sprinkler. All the sprinklers around the house are broken. These things used to last, but they don't even make it through a single season now. The bad thing about watering the lawn is that Dawn heads straight for the mud when the ground is wet. It's always something I guess. At least I've taken this week's trash to the curb and am ready to call it a day.

Bali is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4192

Another very hot day. We got up early again and walked Dawn before sunrise. I guess we walk Dawn at dawn now. We saw quite a few other people taking their dogs on an early walk. It makes a lot of sense. During this heat wave, an hour before sunrise is the only time when conditions are even bearable. It's still really nice outside before sunrise. I think it was 78 degrees this morning. This doesn't last long, unfortunately. By 9 AM, it's all over for the day.

I learned my lesson yesterday about walking outside in the heat. Today I went back to the gym. Instead of just walking on the indoor track, I resumed the old workout routine I was doing before Covid restrictions closed the gym for a year. Wow. I am definitely out of shape. Evidently, a walk through the park isn't quite the same as lifting weights or putting in some time on the hand bicycle. I've got a lot of work to do. The sad thing is that I wasn't in that great shape a year ago. Now I'm even worse.

My arms are sore this evening which means I must have accomplished something this afternoon. I can't say that I enjoy going to the gym all that much, but it sure beats having a heatstroke. I have a feeling that I'll be back at the gym quite a bit this summer. June is never our hottest month. It's usually much worse here in July and August. I don't know where you'd go to avoid the heat this summer. Most of the Western states are even in worse shape than Texas. I read that it was 115 degrees in Las Vegas today. That's pretty hot.

I've just about given up on the idea of going to Florida for a launch this summer. School is out. Everyone is on vacation. And anything related to travel is much more expensive than it was a year ago. I wonder how long this collective urge to get out of the house will last? Maybe by this Fall vacation fever will have abated. The launches I'm most interested in are all getting postponed anyway, so perhaps it will all work out. I have no interest in fighting the crowds. Sooner or later things have to start getting back to normal.

Tomorrow I've got to haul all the dead Photinia trees I cut down out to the curb for the bulky trash trucks to pick up. There's still one dead tree left. Maybe I'll cut that one down tomorrow as well. It's depends on how hot it is. I'm surprised at how quickly we've gone from lush green grass to a bone dry yard. I'm going to have to start watering the yard again. Without water it won't take long for the grass and shrubs to wither and die. Unfortunately, if you water the grass a lot, your water bill skyrockets. I guess all the utility bills skyrocket in the summer. I hate to even think what next month's electric bill is going to look like.

Janet took Dawn to training class again this evening. She said Dawn did well and is becoming accustomed to this new activity. Dawn likes being around other dogs, so even if she never becomes an obedience star, the class will still be good for her. I can't decide whether to go watch her some evening or not. I have a feeling that Dawn probably does better in class without me around. I also have a feeling that if I was just sitting in a lawn chair watching the class, I'd get eaten alive by mosquitos.

I wonder what I used to do during the hot summer months? I doubt that I just sat inside and complained about the weather, but maybe I did. It's really hard to remember what I was doing ten years ago. Hopefully my interest in astronomy, dogs, and space will continue, so I'll have something to do ten years from now.

Hershey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4191

We came up with a new plan to beat the heat. It involved getting up early and walking Dawn before sunrise. It was actually quite nice outside at 6 AM. The temperature was only 75 degrees and there was a pleasant breeze. Dawn loved the early walk. She walked briskly without any hesitation at all. I was planning to go to the gym today, but our early walk was so enjoyable that I thought I'd take my own longer walk right after breakfast. I probably should have just skipped breakfast and kept walking. The temperature wasn't bad when I left the house, but by the time I reached my halfway point it was getting pretty hot. It's amazing how quickly the temperature rises on a sunny day. I should have left the house an hour earlier. By the time I returned home I was just as hot and sweaty as I usually am.

Getting up early is a good plan. We've done this during the summer with our other dogs. The older you get, the easier it is to sleep in late though. Dawn is no help. She'd sleep till noon if Janet didn't go out to the kitchen in the morning and start rattling plates. I'm just going to have to start going to bed earlier. I should have started writing the blog in the mornings about what I planned to do instead of writing in the evenings about what I actually did. As it stands now, it's hard for me to get to bed before midnight.

Getting an early start didn't help me get any more done today. It was way too hot outside to do yard work and I'm growing tired of watching YouTube videos about astrophotography. I ended up paying some June bills and then going to the pharmacy to pick up some prescriptions. I thought I had a good prescription drug plan, but my prescriptions keep getting more expensive. What else is new. Everything keeps getting more expensive.

While I was driving to the pharmacy I noticed that there was a road crew re-paving one of the streets in our neighborhood. I wonder how the city decides which streets to fix? This street had been resurfaced only a few years ago, while other streets in the neighborhood have been ignored for decades. We may need to take a different route tomorrow, since we typically use this street to get down to the park.

The new mount for my star tracker arrived today. There were no instructions. Figuring out how to use this thing will give me something to do tomorrow. I don't think I need to worry about breaking it. The mount looks indestructible. I wonder how long it's going to be before I start actively using this stuff? I'm sure I could find dark skies closer to Dallas than McDonald Observatory, but I don't feel like wandering around in the dark in a strange area. Maybe I need to join a local astronomy club. Even after in-person viewing events resume, I'd still have to drive home very late at night though. It's a problem. I feel much more comfortable all alone on the top of Mount Locke than in the middle of a city full of crazy people at night.

I need to get Penny's picture up on the Dalmatian Rescue website. I should have done this today, but I'm slow about everything these days. There was a small plumbing leak I was going to fix today as well. Oh, well. There's always tomorrow. I can already tell that it's going to be a long, hot summer. I just hope the air conditioner doesn't break.

Shadow is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4190

Riggs has left the building and gone to his new forever home, but we got a chance to meet Penny today. This sweet young girl is a bundle of energy and is even more of a puppy than Riggs was. We suspect that she is less than a year old. I had trouble getting a good picture of Penny because she wouldn't stay still. She loved her toys and would leap high in the air to catch a ball. I hope whoever adopts Penny understands how energetic a young Dalmatian can be. She is friendly with everyone and like any young dog could use a little training. I suspect that this happy pup is going to be adopted very soon. She's a wild child, but it's impossible not to love her.

None of the dogs wanted to play in the outdoor yard today. I can't blame them. It was not only very hot today, we were also under an air quality advisory. Cooper and Charlie did their business very quickly and ran back indoors. Penny just peed indoors. Hey, she's a puppy.

The heat won today. After reading the heat advisory on my phone, I decided that I wouldn't even attempt to walk in the park. For the first time in over a year, I returned to the gym. It was a wise choice. The air conditioning kept the place nice and cold. There was also a nice running track. It can get boring walking or running on an indoor track. At my gym there are 14 laps to a mile. After a while you get tired of going around in a circle. I thought I would be faster on the indoor track, but actually I was slower. I also burned fewer calories. I guess it makes a big difference when I am walking up and down hills outdoors. Maybe sweating burns energy too.

I was surprised that the gym seemed exactly the same after a year. A lot of the same people were still there doing the same exercises they were last year. I'm almost sure that the same music was playing on the sound system. I miss the water cooler though. You have to bring your own water now. You also have to bring your own basketball if you want to use the basketball court. You have to wear a mask when you check in, but you can immediately take it off again when you get on the gym floor. These remaining Covid restrictions are beginning to look silly, although I suspect they will be around for a while. They probably made the three or four people who were still wearing masks while exercising happier. 

It looks like this heat wave isn't over yet, so I will definitely be back. The next time I go to the gym, I'll probably resume my old exercise routine. It was a good routine and I have to admit I felt stronger than I do now. Today I just walked around the track. I did carry hand weights while I walked though. I thought this would give me a little bit of an upper body workout, but I don't think I accomplished much. The weights were light and my arms aren't even sore. Well, actually they are a little sore, but it had nothing to do with my workout. Penny scratched me pretty bad with her sharp little puppy claws when she gave me an exuberant greeting this afternoon.

The power company sent out a notice urging people to conserve energy this week. This sounded a little ominous after all the problems the power company had last winter. I'd hate to have a power outage with these kind of temperatures. We have a small house and aren't big energy users anyway, but our air conditioner is already having trouble dealing with the heat. Basically the best most HVAC systems can do is keep the indoor temperature twenty degrees colder than the outdoor temperature. This works fine most of the time. When the outdoor temperature gets over one hundred degrees you might have a problem. During a heat wave you have to cool your house down a night and hope it doesn't warm up too quickly during the day. 

We're going to have to start walking Dawn early in the morning again. We'll give this a try tomorrow. If we walk before breakfast, it should still be cool outside. At least I don't have to worry about water on the roof for a while. If there was any standing water left from our early June rains, I'm sure it evaporated several days ago.

Daisy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4189

It was a very busy day. Right after breakfast I got out the reciprocating saw and attempted to cut down the remaining dead Photinia trees in the back yard. The new carbide tipped blade helped a lot, but there were still a few trees where the stumps were too thick for my saw. I was amazed at how heavy these trees were. I had trouble hauling some of them out to the alley. Later this week I will move the pile of wood out to the curb for the monthly bulky trash pick-up. By the time I was finished, I was drenched in sweat and changed my clothes for the first of many times today.

After a short nap to rest up, we took Dawn on her special outing to her Sunday park. She gets so excited about these Sunday outings now. I'm beginning to think that she's not really scared to ride in the car. All her weird behavior might be just the way she shows her excitement. We had a nice walk. It was starting to get hot, but the walk was short enough that Dawn was in no danger of getting overheated. Her self imposed one mile limit is actually pretty smart. We always conclude our outing with ice cream cones at Andy's. Dawn loves ice cream. After we returned home I changed my clothes for a second time. I wonder if people sweat more when they get older. I never remember sweating this much in the summer.

The temperature was in the 90's by the time we returned home. I was pretty tired already and wasn't really looking forward to a six mile walk. I took a short nap and finally managed to convince myself that I still needed the exercise. This was another slow day. My pace was two minutes per mile slower than it usually is on a cooler day. The park wasn't very full for a Sunday. Most sane people were staying inside. I'm always surprised at the number of people having family picnics on really hot days. Is this actually fun? There were very few joggers and runners today, but quite a few picnics.

When I returned from my long walk I was totally beat. I took a shower and changed my clothes for a third time. At least our air conditioner is working well. If the air conditioner broke we would be miserable in less than an hour. Things don't look good for the week ahead. It looks like it is going to be sunny and hot for the rest of the week. Temperatures will be in the high 90's and may top 100 degrees on some days. This is only June too. July is usually much worse.

It's easy to get dehydrated on days like this. I find myself drinking twice as much water as I usually do. Even this probably doesn't replace the amount I sweat though. Our house is still cool, but the air conditioner never stops running. I have a feeling that our electric bill is going to be horrendous next month. The electric bill is always high in the summer, but the electric companies all raised their rates after last winter's big freeze knocked the power out throughout the state. I'm not looking forward to this. The air conditioner compressor and two dehumidifiers use a lot of electricity.

These weeks go quickly. It's already time to visit the rescue Dalmatians again. We heard that Riggs got adopted this week and that there's a new dog up at the kennel. I'm not sure what his name is, but he's young and quite handsome. I'll need to remember to take my camera so I can get some pictures up on the website. I don't expect a lot to happen next week, but I do wish it would cool off a little. How quick we forget. It's only been a week or so since all the rain ended and I'm already wishing it would come back.

Marcie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4188

The roads and stores didn't seem as crowded today. I wonder where everybody went? Even the park was strangely empty. Maybe all the news stories are right. The lockdown is over and the country has gone on vacation. A vacation actually does sound like a good idea, but Janet and I can't decide where to go.

Today certainly was no vacation. After I finished grocery shopping and running errands, I mowed the grass and cleaned up the yard a bit. I've grown to hate mowing the grass. My electric mower isn't self propelled and it seems to get heavier every year. The yard does look a lot better though. Somehow my Fitbit interprets mowing the grass as cycling. This isn't even close. It is exercise though. I don't think I ever did anything this strenuous at the gym.

I didn't feel like getting up this morning and neither did Dawn. I thought we were going to bond for a while and then Dawn realized that Janet had gone running and she was alone in the house with me. She groaned, hopped off the bed and went out to her dog bed in the kitchen. As soon as I made the bed and went to fix myself some coffee, Dawn reclaimed the bed and went back to sleep. We go back and forth like this all day. When I'm in the bedroom, Dawn is in the kitchen. When I'm in the kitchen, Dawn is in the bedroom.

I heard thunder early this morning, but it never rained at our house. I was hoping that having rain in the vicinity would cool things down, but that didn't happen. It was hot and humid today. It wasn't a great day to do yard work, but it didn't make sense to put things off any longer. The grass would have been even harder to mow next week. I may cut down the remaining dead Photinia trees tomorrow. That's another chore I've put off long enough.

I seriously thought about going to the gym today, but I was already hot and sweaty after our short walk with Dawn, so I convinced myself that continuing on a longer walk couldn't possibly be any worse. I was wrong. I managed to complete my six miles, but I was very slow. I had an excuse though. I had already mowed the grass and was tired before we even started our walks. Hopefully all this pointless activity will keep me fit and healthy. I can't think of any other reason to punish myself like this.

I was briefly glad that I didn't go out to the observatory for the June photography night. I would have been driving back home today and that long drive can seem even worse than mowing the grass. It's weird when even the fun things in your life can fill you with a sense of dread. I love spending time in West Texas and down at Kennedy Space Center. It's getting there that's the problem. I kind of envy the people who live in these places. They just roll out of bed in the morning and they are already there.

I went out and got Chinese take-out for dinner tonight. About once a month this is what we're hungry for. Some of the staff at the restaurant were wearing masks and others weren't. This is probably how the pandemic will end. It will be slow and awkward and nobody will do everything at the same time. I feel stupid now when I go into a store wearing a mask and none of the staff have one on. Let's all get on the same page people. 

With any luck Dawn will get her special outing tomorrow. It's a simple thing, but it's nice to do something that all three of us enjoy.    

Lucky is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4187

I didn't accomplish a lot today. It's still too wet to mow the grass or do yardwork. There are indoor projects I could start, but I've been trying to avoid them. Eventually I'm going to have to repair the sheetrock in the ceiling where water used to leak, but I"m not sure I have the skills to do this. I'm not sure I want to hire anyone either. It's a messy, very dusty job. It's a lot easier just to not look up and pretend that the stained areas aren't there.

I ended up writing a letter to my sister and telling her about the lost letter that went to O'Reilly Auto Parts. I wish she'd start reading the blog, because that's a lot easier way to keep up with things. I can respect someone who wants to ignore the Internet though. I'd kind of like to ignore it myself, but I'm too lazy. I've grown to depend on Google and Wikipedia to verify things I'm not sure about and I don't know what I'd do without online shopping. I've grown to hate driving around town looking for things I need. Stores are often out of stock and prices are almost always better online. I'd probably be just fine writing the blog with a ball point pen in a little leather bound journal, but it would be hard for me to give up Amazon.

When I went to the post office I noticed that they no longer had a mask mandate. They just had a sign saying that it would be rude and inconsiderate to come inside without one. Masks are going to be around for a long time. A certain segment of the population loves them and they are very judgmental. I don't really care. Personally, I'd rather expand the six foot rule to a ten foot rule and make sure that I never got close to anyone again. If the pandemic has accomplished anything, it has convinced me that the rest of the world is full of disease and should be avoided at all costs.

Dawn really seems to be overcoming her fear of being around me in the kitchen. She's started following me to the kitchen when I go to fix her dinner now. This is new. She used to wait until I was safely back in the office again before she would venture out to eat. She likes going out in the back yard with me as well. After breakfast we will often spend up to an hour sitting out in the sun together. This is a slow process though and Dawn spooks very easily. She doesn't like loud noises and sometimes all it takes is blowing my nose to send her running away.

It was hot today on my walk but at least there was a nice breeze. I've started dipping my hat in water every time I pass a water fountain in the park and that seems to help keep me cooler. It's amazing how quickly the water evaporates though. I should probably just spray myself with a hose before I leave the house. I'd probably be entirely dry again by the time I returned.

It looks like it's clear out at the observatory tonight. I'd still kind of sad I'm not out there with my camera. I hope they decide to continue the photography night program. There just aren't that many opportunities to spend the night on Mount Locke. I'll skip the monsoon season, but I'd like to go back in the Fall. Maybe rental car rates will have become more reasonable by then. Maybe I'll have mastered using the star tracker as well.

I wonder if travel will ever seen normal again? Janet and I used to travel a lot, but cities aren't safe anymore and neither of us likes to camp. I'm glad we saw the world when it was a simpler, safer place. A lot of places we've visited wouldn't even be conceivable now. Hopefully, exciting trips will still be an option in the years ahead. I wonder though. The world has become a very strange place.

We'll see what happens. For now, I've got groceries to buy and another long, hot walk to look forward to.

Willa is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4186

I think I'm losing my ability to fix things. A light burned out in my office today. It should have been a simple matter to replace the bulb. It wasn't. I had to get a ladder to reach the fixture, hidden on top of a tall cabinet. I kept replacing bulbs, but none of them would light up. Were these all bad bulbs, or had the fixture itself gone bad? I should have screwed a bulb I knew was good into the fixture to test it, but all the known good bulbs were in the ceiling can lights and I would have had to go outside and bring in a taller ladder to reach them. I still don't know if the light fixture is bad. It probably is, but it's too much trouble to test it. I eventually found a brand new box of LED bulbs I bought at Home Depot a few months ago by mistake and used them to replaced the bulbs in another easier to reach fixture in the office. The brighter bulbs seem to help. Problem solved I guess. The light on top of the tall cabinet still doesn't work though.

Almost overnight we have gone from daily rain to daily extreme heat with near one hundred degree temperatures. Maybe I shouldn't have been so critical of all the rain we were getting. I'm starting to miss the cooler temperatures already. It's been so humid the past several days that the buckets in the dehumidifiers are filling almost three hours earlier. I have to keep an eye on the dehumidifier without an automatic shut-off. It's in a small bathroom and I never thought it would collect enough water to overflow. We got pretty close today.

To keep myself from getting depressed, I keep buying astronomy gear. Nothing I've bought is terribly expensive and all of it is light and easy to transport. I could backpack with this gear if I was the backpacking type. Today's purchase was a better and easier to adjust mount for my star tracker. Eventually, I'll use this stuff, but it will probably have to wait until I make another trip out to the observatory. It's not even worth the trouble to set this stuff up in the backyard. In addition to all the light pollution in Dallas, there is a very bright security light in the back yard that is almost impossible to turn off at night. The security light comes on automatically at sunset and there is no switch. I would have to turn the light off at the breaker box and that would turn off some other things as well that need to be left on. 

I've grown so frustrated at my inability to get author copies of my latest SpaceFlight Magazine article that I decided to just buy a back issue off their website. That effort failed too. I filled out the online form and ordered the February 2021 issue, but when I tried to place my order I kept getting asked for my password. There was no place to add a password or join anything. I gave up. I don't think I'm ever going to get a copy of this issue.

Dawn was eager to walk today, but quickly realized how hot it was. She's starting to seem like a very smart dog for choosing such short walks. One mile is fine in this weather. Six miles, not so much. I kept walking out of stubbornness. I hate to give up now, because it's only going to get hotter next month. I have to change clothes when I return home these days. It's so hot and humid that I'm drenched in sweat. Even my hat was wet today. I filled it with water from a water fountain and put it back on my head. I thought this would keep me cooler, but it didn't help all that much.

It's been a long week, but at least it's almost over. I've already taken this weeks trash out to the curb and I'm about ready to call it a day and go to bed. Getting up bright and early tomorrow morning might be a problem.

Escher is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4185

I was putting on my Apple Watch this morning and it spoke the time to me in a woman's voice. WTF. I've been wearing an Apple Watch for years and I didn't know it could do this. I couldn't get the watch to speak to me again, so I did a quick Google search and discovered that if you put two fingers on the screen at the same time, a voice will tell you the time. Who knew. Actually, this seems like a reasonably useful feature. Much better than that other feature that will automatically dial 911 if the watch thinks you have fallen. I turned that feature off after my watch accidentally dialed 911 in my sleep one night. 

Our machines are becoming too smart and too powerful. At least I don't have an Amazon Alexa that will automatically share your Internet connection with your neighbors if their power goes out. I read today that General Motors is going to temporarily stop putting that device that automatically stops your engine at stop signs and traffic lights in their full size SUVs because of the global chip shortage. Those vehicles are instantly going to become very desirable. I've yet to meet anyone who actually likes their car's engine starting and stopping on its own just to save a little gas.

I got a nice letter from NASA today explaining why I was sometimes excluded from the press pool at Kennedy Space Center. The letter was an answer to a question I'd asked over a month ago. I was a little disappointed that I apparently wasn't very high on the list of people NASA wants to attend their launches. I get bumped when more important people need to attend. On the other hand, I was encouraged that the NASA folks even remembered me. They urged me to keep applying for credentials in the future and acknowledged that if I've been credentialed once, I'll probably be credentialed again.

There was no rain today, but it was so humid that it felt like you could squeeze water out of the air. I almost went to the gym today to escape the heat, but I'm a creature of habit, so I kept walking like I usually do after Dawn finished her short one mile loop. I think the humidity is much worse than the heat. It kind of takes the fun out of walking when your clothes are all damp with sweat. I was tired when I finished my six miles today, but at least my feet didn't hurt.

Janet said that Dawn did better at training class tonight. She was less fearful and was able to complete most of the exercises. This was encouraging. Maybe Dawn will start looking forward to these weekly classes. Dot and Dash grew to love going to class. Training class will help Dawn gain confidence and give her a chance to be around other dogs.

I'm overdue for a follow-up visit with virtually every doctor I've ever seen. There's nothing wrong, but apparently if you see a doctor once, they never forget you. I find this a little irritating, but I'll eventually make an appointment with these guys. I'd hate to wind up with a disease that was caused by avoiding the doctor. These routine visits still seem like a waste of time though. I keep going and nobody's discovered any problems yet.

There's going to be a special photo opportunity out at the observatory this Friday. It's looks like the weather will be clear too. I'd love to go, but I just got back from there. The drive is too long and I haven't even finished paying for my last visit. Maybe I'll return to the Davis Mountains in October. I wish my interests weren't so expensive and far away. I can't think of anything I really want to do here in Dallas.

I can think of a number of things I really don't want to do, but as the skies clear and the ground starts to dry up, I'm going to be forced to mow the grass and finish cutting those dead Photinia trees. Maybe that long drive to the observatory isn't so bad after all.

Liberty is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4184

I got this letter from O'Reilly Auto Parts in Springfield, Missouri today addressed to Johnny Sealander. That's odd, I thought. Nobody calls me Johnny except my sister. Inside this letter was another letter from, you guessed it, my sister. Along with the letter was a note from the auto parts company saying that the post office delivered the letter to them by mistake. Hmm. I wonder how much other mail of mine the post office has lost and scattered around the country? It's hard to figure out how a letter clearly and legibly addressed to me could wind up at an auto parts store in Missouri. It's no wonder I have so little faith in the post office or any government entity these days. I feel bad now about complaining to SpaceFlight Magazine about not sending me author copies. They probably sent the magazines months ago and the post office just lost them.

For the first time in weeks there is no rain in the long range forecast. It did rain for a while early this morning, but that might be the last we see for a while. I should be happy that our yard looks so green this year. Rain depresses me though. I'm always waiting for the roof to start leaking again. I'll give the yard a couple of days to dry out and then I'll mow the grass again.

We're getting way more spam and telemarketing calls than we used to. They've always been a problem on the land line, but now I'm getting them on my cell phone as well. The phone company needs to do a better job of screening these calls. If the caller ID says "suspected spam" why do they even let the call go through? It's become an almost daily ritual to block callers on my iPhone. I wonder if there is a limit to how many numbers you can block? If there is, I'm probably pretty close to reaching it. I think the phone company needs a new billing plan. If a spam call gets through, they should credit your account instead of billing you. Right now I'm just paying the phone company to be irritated.

I'm wondering how much longer I can continue my long walks as temperatures continue to rise. It wasn't even that hot today by Dallas standards, but I was drenched in sweat by the time I completed my walk. It's only going to get worse too. I think Winter walks are much more enjoyable. I don't think Dawn likes the heat either, but she's smart enough to keep her walks short. Janet just goes to the gym where it is air conditioned. I keep walking because the walks add a little structure to my day. I can't say it's any fun though. I'd much rather be on top of Mount Locke out at the observatory.

We live near the remnants of the Blackland Prairie. I can remember fields covered with native grasses like Big and Little Bluestem, Indian grass, and Canada Wildrye. Lately, these prairie areas are completely overrun with Johnson Grass and Queen Ann's Lace. Sometimes I see small groups of people trying to weed these huge prairie areas, removing Queen Ann's Lace plants one by one. What are these people thinking? They are out in the hot sun for hours and maybe are able to remove a hundred plants. There are millions of Queen Ann's Lace plants in the park. If you look out over a field all you see is a sea of Queen Ann's Lace. This futile gardening effort seems like a metaphor for something but I can't figure out what. 

It's hard to tell if Dawn is becoming normal or I'm just becoming weird. I stay out of the kitchen now while Dawn is eating or hanging out with Janet. Dawn stays out of the bedroom while I'm making the bed. We cross paths during the day going back and forth between the front and back of the house. I've gotten to where I think I'm just being polite by staying out of Dawn's way. She's super friendly when I have a leash in my hand and she likes me to take her on walks. She just doesn't like to hang out with me. I don't think she's ever been in my office. For some reason she thinks the room is off limits.

Life is strange. I've given up trying to figure dogs or other people out. You could drive yourself crazy looking for answers where there aren't any. I've got a little routine that gets me through the day and so does Dawn. It's all good.

Lacey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4183

It rained a lot today. That didn't stop us from visiting the Dalmatians though. Millie, formerly known as Aries, has gone to her forever home. The three boys, Cooper, Riggs, and Charlie, were still at the kennel and were ready to play. They all acted like they had cabin fever because the heavy rain was keeping them indoors. We always bring an assortment of toys with us so the dogs won't tear the squeakers out while we are gone. The guys love these "fresh" toys and give them a good workout. We didn't work on training much today, but everybody had a good time.

Traffic is always bad in Dallas, but it is even worse on a rainy day. It seemed to take forever to get to and from the kennel. Luckily, by the time we returned home, the sky was getting lighter and the rain was finally stopping. We waited a little while for the rain to stop completely before taking Dawn on a walk. Dawn must have had cabin fever too, because she was eager to go outside even though the ground was still quite wet. She was adventurous and took a new route today, although we still ended up only walking a mile. One mile seems to be Dawn's limit these days.

I felt tired this afternoon but I continued walking after Dawn and Janet returned to the house. We got back from the kennel later than usual and I didn't want to end up walking in the dark. I was amazed at how high the lake was today. The water was over the banks in several places and there were tons of logs and other debris that had washed up along the shoreline. I wonder how much rain we ended up getting last night? The pumps on the roof ran continually for most of the day and water was still coming out of the hose after about seven hours. I don't even want to know how much standing water is still up there. There are still no signs of any leaks though, so that's encouraging.

I finally put all my gear away from the observatory trip. Everything has been sitting on the floor of the office for weeks. I thought that the office would look a lot neater after everything had been put away, but it really didn't. The place is still a mess. I left the new little telescope out in a place that was easily accessible. I need to learn how to use this thing on the star tracker in case we ever have a clear day. I may have to wait a while. There's still a lot of rain in the forecast.

One of the launch photographers I know sent me some tips for getting credentialed at Kennedy Space Center. I've tried most of these ideas already with little success, but it was a nice gesture. Even though there have been a record number of launches this year, I'm starting to think that this isn't the best time to be planning a trip to Florida. Everyone wants to take a vacation now and all roads lead to Disneyland. Flights between Dallas and Orlando are packed. I keep hearing horror stories about finding a rental car as well. Maybe I'll wait until Fall when kids will finally be back in school. Hurricane season has started as well. On second thought, maybe waiting until Winter would be an even better idea.

Hopefully, I can think of something interesting to do tomorrow. I used to have an endless list of projects I was working on, but very little interests me anymore. I haven't taken the Stratocaster out of its case in more than a year and I don't think the large production printer even works anymore. Playing in a band and having gallery shows are just distant memories. Thank goodness for astronomy. This is probably a transitory interest as well, but for now it seems to keep the old brain from getting rusty.

Domino is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4182

Dawn is a smart dog. She knows we sleep in late on Sunday and stays in bed with us at least an hour longer than her usual breakfast time. I don't know if she is being patient or lazy. Maybe she would sleep in late every day if Janet didn't get up early on weekdays. Dawn also seems to know that she gets a special outing on Sundays. As the time for our departure approaches she starts pacing around, whining and barking. I think we've overcome her fear of the car. Dawn is eager to hop in the car on Sunday morning. Maybe she never was fearful of the car; just fearful of where the car might be going. Dawn still doesn't like to get in the car if we are going to the vet or to get a bath. I think she knows.

We had a nice walk this morning. We had a lot of rain last night, but it was over by morning. The ground was still wet but the grass is thick everywhere now and it is easy to avoid getting muddy. Dawn seems to listen to me outside when I am holding her leash. She never listens to me inside the house. This is a very strange dog. I think I am slowly beginning to understand her. After our regular walk, Janet worked on a few training exercises. Dawn wasn't very interested. I think she knew it was time for ice cream cones. We always get ice cream at Andy's on the way home They call their ice cream frozen custard, but it tastes like Dairy Queen to me. I"m not particular about ice cream. I like all ice cream.

I wasn't that eager to go on my long walk today because I knew it would get hot quickly as soon as the sun came out. I decided to walk earlier than usual in hopes that the skies would stay cloudy. I almost got my wish. It stayed overcast with a little breeze until I was almost home. I was slow today but I wasn't in a hurry. I'm trying to not be such a slave to my Fitbit. I really ought to stop wearing the Fitbit on walks and start carrying a small camera again. I used to take better pictures in the park. Now I mostly just depend on my phone. Sometimes I'll just use an old picture for the blog. I've photographed everything there is to photograph in the park by now. If I see something interesting on my walks, I can almost always find an old photograph of exactly the same thing.

I'm beginning to hate taking a shower after I walk. The shower drains slowly if any hair gets in the drain and water alway seems to get under the tile floor through various small cracks in the tile grout. I usually end up having to snake out the drain and use the wet/dry vac to extract the water that has gotten under the ceramic tiles. This is a huge pain and it almost make staying hot and sweaty a viable option. Old houses are an endless problem and so is finding knowledgable and dependable repair people. You learn to live with the problems. I've already learned that a small bag of party ice will last almost three weeks in the freezer. I could buy party ice forever for a lot less than the cost of having an appliance repairman install a new ice maker.

I thought about watching some more tutorials about PixInsight this afternoon but my heart wasn't in it. I have to admit that I'm just not very interested in the technical aspects of astrophotography processing. I can get fairly decent looking photographs just using Photoshop. Maybe I'll just stick with what I know. I read an article today where various amateur astronomers were recounting stories about being stalked by mountain lions, bears, and coyotes while observing in remote wooded locations. These stories were a little sobering and took some of the fun out of staying at the Astronomer's Lodge. I can't be fearful of everything though or I'd never leave the house.

We'll probably go see the rescue Dalmatians tomorrow. I'm curious to see who's still there. Charlie is a safe bet, but the others might all be adopted by now.

Wendy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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