Day 4380 - Winter Solstice

Today is the shortest day of the year. I can't wait for the days to get longer again. I've never been a fan of Winter, so I'll look forward to getting a little more daylight each day, even though there are many cold mornings yet to come. It was near freezing again this morning but the sky was clear and the temperature warmed up rapidly. I wore two coats on our sunrise walk, was able to shed one of these coats when I took my long walk after breakfast, and when when we took Dawn on her second walk later in the afternoon, I only need a very light jacket. A second walk for Dawn has been added to our daily routine on days when Janet is home. Dawn definitely enjoys the extra activity. For an older dog, she has a lot more energy than we initially thought.

My Fedex package has still not been delivered. Absolutely nothing happened today. The package still appears to be sitting at a distribution warehouse in a nearby town. I tried without any success to contact the Fedex case manager investigating my misplaced package and got nowhere. These people are supposed to contact you within 24 hours, but it's been five days now. I would drive over to the distribution center myself and pick up the package if I could, but these facilities are off limits. I have been told several times that I would not be allowed inside. It's all very frustrating. The only good news is that I have finally been able to contact the Chinese manufacturer and they are going to investigate the lost shipment from their end.

I really need to find something to do other than walking and obsessing over lost packages. These days are getting really monotonous. Unfortunately there just isn't much that interests me at the moment. I don't really feel like I'm a part of the space community since my trips to Kennedy Space Center are so infrequent. I envy the local Florida space photographers who seem to be on site almost every single week. I'm not really part of an astronomy community either. I still like to volunteer at McDonald Observatory, but it is a long and tiring drive to West Texas and the observatory only needs me about once a year. There are local astronomy clubs in the area, but I have become reluctant to drive at night. Almost every single day I read about someone randomly getting shot on a Dallas freeway. It is not a good time to be driving around very late at night.

It's too bad I don't enjoy watching TV more. There are more movies available for streaming than I could watch in a lifetime. Unfortunately, very few of them have any interest to me. I did notice that Season Six of The Expanse has started. The first two episodes are already available on Amazon Prime. Even this simple pleasure seems difficult. For some inexplicable reason Amazon Prime movies won't run if you are using Safari. You keep getting an "incompatible plug in" message. I was finally able to access the new season by using Firefox, but quickly discovered that my computer couldn't keep up with the high resolution stream. I eventually discovered how to lower the data transfer rate, but by then it was time for dinner. Oh, well. At least I"ll have something to do tomorrow.

I have to remind myself not to join the fray and start arguing about politics on the blog. It's tempting, but just because everyone else is doing this doesn't mean it is right for me. I do have opinions but I don't think I'm going to be able to convince you to change yours. We have all dug in our heels. I've never seen the country so divided. Sadly, I don't realistically see us coming together on anything important in my lifetime. I find myself increasingly nostalgic about my childhood. The period of time between the end of World War II and the beginning of the Vietnam Way was pretty darn good.

Willow is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4379

It was raining when we woke up this morning, so we had to wait to walk Dawn. Janet went to the gym. I started the pumps on the roof, did a load of laundry and ate breakfast. Eventually the rain stopped and we resumed our regular schedule.

When I checked my Fedex account this morning I saw a note that the barcode on my package was unreadable and a new shipping label had been applied. Jeez. It took them a week and a half to discover this? Maybe they just wore the original barcode out by scanning the package so many times. Apparently Fedex only does one thing each day because there has still been no delivery scheduled. I didn't bother to call again. I have nothing left to say.

When the rain stopped we took Dawn on her morning walk. After she completed her one mile loop, Dawn and Janet returned to the house and I continued walking. This was a terrible day for foot pain. I still don't know what makes things so different from one day to the next. I probably should have cut today's walk short, but I finished my entire route. This might have been my slowest day ever. I keep walking because I don't know if the foot pain is ever going away and I'm not ready to be housebound yet.

Janet got some special Christmas cookies for Charlie and Oliver when we went to visit the kennel today. The dogs were glad to see us and we played until each dog got tired. Nobody wanted to go outside in the yard because it was still very cold. This will be the last time we get to see Charlie and Oliver until the holidays are over. Holiday travelers will start boarding their dogs soon and we would just be in the way. I thought we might meet the two new puppies that entered the rescue program recently but they are still at the vet.

Yesterday I had to figure out why U-verse wasn't connecting to the new TV. Today I had to figure out why my new Fitbit was draining my iPhone battery. As is typically the case with these type of problems, I found a lot of people online who were experiencing the same battery drain frustration. I was able to slow down the battery drain by turning off background app refresh on my phone but then I discovered that the Fitbit wouldn't sync anymore. This is still a work in progress. It's too bad that I am hooked on steps and tracking stats. Today the Fitbit was just a giant nuisance.

The dehumidifiers have prevented moisture forming on the windows in the Winter, but the house still gets cold. My office is always the coldest room in the house since it is the most distant from the furnace. I've had to break out the little ceramic heater again to keep warm while I'm at the computer. I still spend a lot of time at the computer because old habits are hard to break. I'm not sure what else I'd do around the house anyway. At least our current cold wave will be a short one. I think temperatures will be up in the 80's again by Christmas Eve.

I have a dental appointment on Thursday and then I'm done with medical visits for the foreseeable future. I hope I'm not done with everything. The NASA folks have been strangely silent lately and I haven't heard from my friends at the observatory either. Janet keeps wondering when I'm going back to the space center but I just don't know. Until something develops, I'll keep walking every day and looking for my lost package.

Lexi is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4378

24,000 steps today. My feet hurt, but it was a good day to walk. It was very cold this morning, but I have lots of warm coats. On our sunrise walk with Dawn this morning I wore two coats for the first time this season. The double layer of down jackets keeps me warm in almost any type of weather. I used to wear my heavy vintage Eddie Bauer parka on days like these, but these two lightweaght jackets work much better. I wear a snug very lightweight jacket under a looser outer jacket and am never cold. If it's really a chilly day, I'll put on a sweater and wear long underwear as well. The only thing I need now are warmer shoes. The Hoka shoes really help with foot pain, but they aren't built for warmth.

One of the birders at Sunset Bay told me that I'd have a better chance of seeing the eagles if I came in the afternoon. This guy is pretty dedicated. He's out there with his long telephoto lens every single day. I don't think capturing a good photo of an eagle matters that much to me. I've gotten a lot of nice bird pictures over the years. I'm not a birder though. I'm often not even sure what type of bird I photographed until I look it up on Google later. I'm sure I'll see the eagles again at some point, but I probably won't have my camera with me. 

We did end up taking Dawn on her Sunday outing today. There was no reason not to go, especially since Dawn loves the cold. Janet uses this Sunday walk to work on Dawn's training exercises. This is a good thing for me, since I could never keep up with these two otherwise. After our walk, we went for ice cream cones. The ice cream seemed extra cold today, but it was good. It's always funny to watch Dawn eat ice cream. This dog definitely has issues, but she can be very funny.

I can see on my Fedex account that my package has moved to a new warehouse. There was still no attempt at delivery though. Unfortunately the Mesquite warehouse where the package is now has an even worse reputation than the Hutchins warehouse where it was yesterday. I still don't know what is going on, but I don't expect to see this package before Christmas. If some of the comments I'm reading from other customers are true, I may never see it at all. At least I have finally been able to contact the manufacturer and let them know what is going on. Communication is difficult because I think some of the e-mail from the Chinese manufacturer is being intercepted by my hosting company's spam filters. Most people have two layers of spam protection these says. You never even see the spam and malicious mail that your web host or e-mail provider intercepts. Spam still gets through though and the e-mail reader on your computer or phone provides a second layer of protection. With all these filters in place only about a dozen spam messages a day wind up in my in box. Without the spam filters I would be wading through hundreds of spam messages every day.

Our cable set-top box went out today. This used to happen a lot, but service has been fairly reliable for the past year, so I forgot how to reset everything. The U-verse box doesn't interact with our new TV the same way it did with our old TV either. I spent most of my non walking time today trying to bring the U-verse signal back to life.  Eventually I succeeded and I didn't even have to call AT&T. I'm pretty good at solving technical problems. Not so good at anything else lately.

We'll probably visit the rescue Dalmatians again tomorrow. We'll call first and make sure the holiday boarding traffic hasn't started yet. When the kennel fills up, there is no room to play with the Charlie and Oliver. It's hard to believe that Christmas is actually next weekend. I'm not feeling the Christmas spirit yet. Of course that's nothing new. I rarely have any Christmas spirit. I still think Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.

Ranger is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4377

The temperature keeps bouncing back and forth between Winter and Summer. Today it felt a lot like Winter. We took Dawn on a chilly sunrise walk, came home and ate a hearty breakfast, and then I did my grocery shopping. The traffic seems to get worse every time I leave the house. I don't know where all these new people are coming from, but it appears they are here to stay. Parking lots are even more hazardous than roads at this time of year. Cars are always racing around looking for that last available parking spot. I almost got hit while I was at the grocery store this morning.

I finally saw one of the new Broncos on my shopping run this morning. I was kind of disappointed. After all I've read about this new 4x4, I was expecting something amazing. This particular Bronco looked pretty ordinary to me. The new Land Rover Defender looks a lot better to my eye, but of course it's more expensive too. Bronco vs Defender certainly isn't something I need to fret about at the moment. I'm not planning on a new car any time soon.

I didn't even bother to call Fedex today. What's the point. It's pretty clear by now that my calls are not accomplishing anything. Maybe I'll eventually get the package. Maybe I won't. There's a support group for the Polaris Astro Edition on Facebook and I've noticed that I'm not the only one with delivery problems. Several other Kickstarter backers currently have their shipments in Fedex limbo as well. It is apparently not uncommon to see delays of ten days or more. Delivery problems are becoming national news, so I suspect that it is not just me or this particular product. If your Christmas gifts are being delivered by Fedex, there's a good chance they might arrive late. I do wish that Benro hadn't decided to launch their highly anticipated automated tripod head during the Christmas rush. That's just asking for trouble.

It's hard to believe that I wore shorts on my long walk yesterday. Today I needed a down jacket and a wool hat. The wind was blowing so hard near the lake that I felt chilly even though I dressed warmly. I shouldn't complain though. Our weather still seems a lot better than the rest of the country. The severe storms all seem to be to the East of us. I hope we have a mild winter. I don't look forward to snow at all. Snow is just a nuisance when you live down South. Nobody knows how to drive in the snow and most houses aren't insulated well.

I wish I could get excited about something. I've been away from the observatory too long and my interest in astronomy is starting to fade. I didn't even try to look for Comet Leonard this month. Even though the launch schedule is picking up at Kennedy Space Center again, I don't have any trips planned. It's complicated and expensive to follow launches. I'm not sure if my NASA contacts even remember me anymore. Maybe I should have picked an easier activity. The birders at the lake looking for the eagles look happy enough. So do the people at my gym for that matter. We'll see what happens next year. Maybe all it will take is one good launch to get me excited again. 

I guess we'll still take Dawn on her Sunday outing tomorrow. It's going to be very cold, but Dawn doesn't seem to mind the cold. She has a lot more energy than I do on days like these. I'm not so sure about the ice cream though. A cup of hot chocolate sounds a little better right now. 

Alvin is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4376

I give up. When I called FedEx this morning they basically just told me to get fucked and then hung up on me. The call center person I talked to was nice enough. It wasn't her fault that she had to explain that the company was overwhelmed with Christmas deliveries, was understaffed, and was having a terrible problem finding drivers. When I asked why my package had been sitting in a sorting warehouse for almost a week with no attempts at delivery the sad answer was that it wasn't a priority. Everybody wants their packages delivered before Christmas and with limited drivers available, the company's big corporate customers were the squeaky wheels that get greased. My package simply wasn't important enough to get on the available trucks. I am still unable to talk to anyone locally and I don't think I will receive my package until after Christmas. At this point I don't know if I will ever receive it.

The irony of all this is that I listened to a story on one of the business channels I watch to while eating breakfast that FedEx stock went up today on news that the company was investing heavily in automation to become even more profitable. This doesn't help me. It was one of their fancy new automated systems that screwed up my delivery in the first place by erroneously generating a "your package has been delivered" message when no attempt at delivery was actually made. Now I've got to sort this out with the Chinese manufacturer who somehow received the automated message that my package has already been delivered. There are language barriers involved and it's been difficult to explain to them that the message was just a mistake. FedEx openly admits that the message was a mistake but they say it's my responsibility to alert the shipper. They apparently don't have the time to bother with this little detail. The just want me to go away and instruct their call center representatives to just hang up on me if I take too much of their time. I think this interval must be about ten minutes because I've been hung up on at least three times now after talking for about ten minutes.

The temperature was very warm today and it gave me an opportunity to just keep walking. I took four different walks today and managed to rack up 23,000 steps. My feet hurt but walking helps me keep my mind off my current frustrations. It was supposed to rain this morning, but the rain never arrived. I think it just got delayed because it is now supposed to start raining later this evening. Dawn seems to enjoy getting several walks a day. Two of today's walks were with Dawn and Janet and the other two were by myself. I'm walking so much lately that I'm starting to feel like Forest Gump. For me, walking is the most relaxing way to get the exercise I need. I just wish there was a good solution for my painful feet.

The park is a beehive of activity now with all the trail improvements going on. The construction crews seem much more efficient than the ones I witnessed during the last cycle of trail improvements about ten years ago. I kind of wish they would just leave these trails alone though. When the new superhighway trails are completed, there will be many more bicycles, making it much harder to walk your dog. All cyclists seem to be Type A personalities who don't want to slow down or stop for anyone. Sometimes you don't hear these guys coming and it can be dangerous if your dog suddenly decides to dart to the other side of the trail to investigate a new smell while one of these silent bikes is approaching.

It looks like I will have to take a mandatory IRA distribution again this year. I wish the government would have extended last years Covid exemption on distributions for one more year. These distributions always foul things up for me at tax time. They don't really seem fair either. I feel like I have already paid taxes on this money when I earned it many, many years ago. I've had it explained to me several times that I haven't actually paid taxes on my IRA contributions yet, but it still doesn't make sense. I'm tired of paying taxes to pay for programs I don't agree with. There is a long, and growing list of those.

Time to make a grocery list again. How do these weeks go by so fast? It will be Christmas before you know it. Janet is making a Crown Roast for Christmas dinner. That will be something to look forward to even if I don't get my package.

Duke is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4375

It's feeling like Ground Hog Day again. Every day the same frustrations occur over and over. My feet continue to hurt despite wearing the special shoes that the orthopedic surgeon recommended. My FedEx package remains lost despite calling them twice a day and begging for additional information. I keep walking longer and longer, mostly because it keeps me from thinking about all the aspects of modern life that irritate the hell out of me. Just about everything we as a society are currently doing is wrong. It just seems weird that so many people see things differently than me. In my heart I know I'm right.

I don't know what I am going to do about my FedEx package. The company really doesn't seem to care about their customers. Instead of trying to improve service, they seem to have put all their efforts into insulating themselves from customers. I'm actually impressed at how clever they've been at preventing me from finding out the status of this package that I know is sitting in a warehouse less than twenty miles from where I live. It is impossible to talk to anyone in the warehouse or even to a supervisor. You always get routed to an offshore call center where contract workers are employed to be friendly without really telling you anything. I'm starting to suspect that they dropped and broke my star tracker. I'm starting to get asked about what's inside the package. Today I was told that if the package didn't arrive within three or four days from now, I should ask the shipper to file a claim for damages so they could be compensated for the lost package. "But the package isn't lost," I reminded the call center agent. "I can tell from looking at the tracking history on my FedEx account that it's sitting in your Hutchins warehouse." "You scanned this package again this morning," I added. None of this gets me anywhere, because the call center representatives are forbidden from transferring my call to someone local who might actually know what is going on.

I feel like FedEx has stumbled onto a fiendishly clever plan to drive me crazy. I've always cared more about objects and gear than people. I want this star tracker. I've been waiting for it since last March. Maybe there is a holiday rush for delivery services. Maybe the driver had a bad day. Maybe the warehouse facility is understaffed. I still keep thinking that this should be a no brainer. The package initially didn't get delivered for some reason. It should have been redelivered the next day unless something is going on that they aren't telling me. I have many reasons to be suspicious.

I'm in such a bad mood that I don't even feel like going to rocket launches or out to the observatory anymore. My feet and shoulder hurt so much that I'm not even sure I could make the long drive to West Texas. It wasn't a pleasant drive even when I was feeling better last year. Florida is a different story. SpaceFlight Magazine seems to be under new management and they don't appear quite as interested in me these days. Hotel and rental car rates continue to increase as well. People are traveling again and flight are often full. It's a mess. I think I liked traveling more when the world was completely locked down.

The weather has been just as weird as everything else this Winter. One day it is 70 degrees and the next day it is freezing. The changes from day to day can be dramatic. Today was quite warm. I was able to take my long walk wearing shorts and a t-shirt. Just a few days ago I was wearing a down jacket. This inconsistency certainly isn't helping my overall mood. I don't mind having four seasons, but the seasons need to behave. Winter should be cold. Summer should be hot. And Spring and Fall should be nice. So far, we seem to be packing Winter, Summer, Spring, and Fall into a single month.

It's been a long day, but I've finished my dinner and taken this week's trash out to the curb. I'll probably just have shredded wheat for breakfast again even though I've been planning to resume my Friday restaurant breakfasts for weeks now. I'm really proud of Dawn. She seems to be doing a better job of adjusting to her new life than I am.

Hannah is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4374

My FedEx package still hasn't arrived. Actually I think it is even more lost than it was yesterday. After I initiated a trace on the package, I received a message saying that duplicate tracking numbers had been found. One of the identical numbers appeared to originate from Oregon and the other from New Jersey. I was asked which of these numbers was correct. How would I know? I have called Fedex for help numerous times but the only people I am able to talk to are contract call center workers based in another country. They don't know any more than I do. I tried to contact the distribution warehouse myself and eventually found their website. It was filled with a seemingly endless list of one star reviews written by people who were experiencing the same shabby treatment that I'm getting. One person had discovered an unlisted direct line to the warehouse and posted it on the site. When I called the number, nobody answered. FedEx used to be good. Now, it appears that nobody cares. Packages are lost routinely and drivers just make up excuses why they weren't able to make a delivery. I'm not sure if I will ever get my package.

I'm continuing to walk even though my feet are starting to hurt again. Foot pain was pretty bad today even though I'm wearing my newest pair of Hoka shoes. I know I walk a lot, but these shoes should definitely last more than six months. At least it was a nice day for walking. The temperature really varies a lot from day to day. Yesterday was cold. Today was so warm that I didn't even need to wear a jacket. I actually think I made good time today, but I forgot to wear my Fitbit. I hate when that happens. Now I don't get any credit for two hours of exercise.

The photo backdrop we used for the Santa Paws events finally got washed today. Now that it is clean, I'll take it back to the storage warehouse and probably forget where it is when I we need it again next year. It is hard to believe that Christmas is so close. Where has this year gone? We still haven't decided what to have for Christmas dinner. Last year we had a crown roast. The year before we had a smoked ham. Often we go out to eat on holidays, but Christmas Day isn't a good time to go to a restaurant. 

It looks like Dalmatian Rescue is getting two five month old puppies. I don't know if these dogs will be at the kennel next Monday, but it will be fun to meet them when they arrive. We haven't had any puppies in the program for a long time. I guess Oliver is still a young dog, but he is definitely not a puppy.

I don't know why the missing FedEx package bothers me so much. My life isn't going to change much even if I never receive the package. I guess I just hate when things are out of my control. I feel totally powerless to resolve this situation. I've called again and again and nobody seems to care. The entire company seems to be run by a bar code reader. Once something is scanned and in the system the scan becomes the reality. If your own eyes are telling you something different it just doesn't matter. Even today, someone on the phone told me that the package was at the FedEx Print Center and ready to pick up. Umm. No it isn't. I've already been to this store twice and called them again this morning. They are getting tired of hearing from me too.

I finally got a lead on a good contractor from someone I trust. Hopefully we can start fixing a few things around the house soon. Of course "soon" for a busy contractor might mean three to six months from now. Hey, at least I've moved the ball forward a few inches. 

Jasper is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4373

FedEx is driving me crazy. I've been waiting for an important package since Saturday. After several delays the package was finally supposed to be delivered today. At 7:05 PM I received two simultaneous messages. One said "operational delay, no delivery attempted." The other said "package delivered, signature on file." Which message was true? The FedEx facility that was supposed to hold the package for me said it never received anything and when I attempted to look for the signature on file, it wasn't there either. It is impossible to get any help. You just get referred to a call center in the Philippines or Malaysia somewhere. I put a trace on the package. We'll see what happens. I really wish the shipper had used UPS or DHL instead.

I may never receive my star tracker, but I did receive a clean bill of health from my dermatologist. He froze a few little patches of keratosis on the top of my head with liquid nitrogen but that was about it. I have to see this guy at least once a year because actinic keratosis is considered pre-cancerous and needs to be monitored. So far, so good, but I'll have to see the dermatologist again in six months. The doctor is a nice guy but his office is relentless about sending out surveys. Enough with all the surveys. Even the people at FedEx who lost my package tonight wanted me to fill out a survey.

It must have rained last night. When we woke up this morning the ground was all wet. It must have been a gentle rain because I never heard anything even though I'm a light sleeper. Now theres's water on the roof again and I don't feel up to climbing up there and sweeping it away yet. No roof leaks so far, so knock on wood. Rain and water on the roof just adds to my frustration. Dawn doesn't like the rain either, but we finally got her to take her morning walk. Once we got in the park she seemed happy again. Rain seems to enhance all the smells she likes.

Today's FedEx mishaps just adds to my belief that the world is broken. Nothing works smoothly anymore. Traffic is terrible. Stores aren't stocked well anymore. Prices have gone up dramatically. It's not just food either. Everything is more expensive. People seem angrier too. None of this is good. I don't think young people realize how much better life was in the 1950's. You didn't have iPhones or the Internet, but you didn't need to lock your doors at night either. Cars looked interesting in the 1950's and houses were still built with high quality lumber. I'd go back if I could. I'm not all that impressed with artificial intelligence and social media influencers.

I wonder if I'll hear from FedEx tomorrow. They've already made it pretty clear that they are tired of hearing from me. I"m afraid the package might get sent back to Hong Kong is it is misplaced too long. Hopefully I will eventually get the computerized star tracker I've been waiting for all Summer. I read a news story recently about a FedEx driver in Alabama who dumped hundreds of packages in a ravine because he just didn't feel like delivering them. I hope my driver is a happy man who loves his job. Maybe this was just an honest mistake.

I still haven't washed the backdrop from our Santa Paws photo shoot. This is probably a good project for tomorrow. Tomorrow is my Blogiversary too. Can you believe I've been doing this since 2009?

Lance is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4372

It was a normal Monday. We got up early, took Dawn on a sunrise walk, I ate my breakfast, and then took my own longer walk. The weather was a little warmer  today so I didn't have to change clothes as the sun got higher like I did yesterday. I has a leftover Santa Paws donut with my breakfast this morning and wondered how people can eat these things on a regular basis. There is an insane amount of sugar in a regular glazed donut.

The park has turned into a construction zone. You'd think they were building a new freeway instead of a trail by the amount of activity I'm seeing. It's going to be this way until next Summer, so walking options for Dawn are a bit limited now. I don't think Dawn minds. There is no construction near her favorite one mile loop. Janet has done an amazing job with Dawn at their Wednesday training class. She's starting to act like a well behaved dog now.

My feet gave me a lot of trouble on my long walk this morning but I managed to complete five miles. I've tried Biofreeze and Voltaren for pain, but neither makes much of a difference. Maybe it's just time for new shoes again. Despite the foot pain, it was a nice day for a walk. The weather was crisp and cool, but not freezing and windy like it was yesterday. All the ducks and geese were in their proper places too. I do like consistency.

When I returned home we went up to visit Charlie and Oliver at the kennel. Both dogs were full of energy today and we played for a long time. Oliver seems to be getting more mature. He loves to fetch things and bring them back to you. He is even learning to release the toys so we can throw them again. Charlie is a little different. When you throw a toy for Charlie, he wants to thrash and kill it. To get Charlie to release a ball or toy you just throw another. He has a short span of attention and is easily distracted. We washed Janet's car at a car wash next to the kennel on the way home. I was surprised at the price of a car wash now. It seems to have doubled since I've taken my own car through a car wash. 

I was planning to pick up my FedEx package on our way home from the kennel, but it still isn't ready yet. I think this further delay might have been my fault. When I put a one day vacation hold on the delivery, I thought it would only apply to home deliveries. Apparently the package doesn't go anywhere during a vacation hold. It's still sitting at the main FedEx receiving warehouse. 

I guess it doesn't really matter when I get this little star tracker. I'm hearing on the Kickstarter support group that most people who received early shipments haven't been able to use them yet. There is nothing wrong with the product itself, the the app on your phone that controls the tracker is still full of bugs. I have a feeling that the lower price Kickstarter backers were able to get on this innovative product is because we are really just product testers. The company is using our feedback to refine the product for retail sale. By the time I eventually get a chance to use this thing under a dark sky, I'm sure all the bugs will be gone.

Tomorrow I have an appointment to see the dermatologist. This is the last of my annual appointments, although I still need to see the dentist toward the end of the year. I have to have these annual visits to make sure that my Actinic Keratosis doesn't turn into squamous cell skin cancer. This type of Keratosis is caused by caused by ultraviolet damage to the skin. It is very common. I guess I should have worn sun screen or at least worn a hat when I was younger. I'll be glad when I can check all these doctor visits off my list. I'm getting tired of going to the doctor.

Hopefully, I will finally be able to pick up my FedEx package tomorrow. I may not be able to use it for a while, but it's been a long time since I initially backed this Kickstarter project. I'm very curious to see if it works.

Cookie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4371

Santa has left the building. Another year of Santa Paws events is in the books. It's hard to believe that we used to do five or six of these events a year. We're all getting older now and two events seems plenty. We had a good day today and photographed quite a few dogs along with two cats. Even Charlie and Oliver got a picture with Santa today. We had quite a few Dalmatians at today's event. Dalmatians are very photogenic but they are not always the best behaved. Santa had his hands full. It was lots of fun to see some of our Dalmatian Rescue alumni though. I've known a few of these dogs since they were puppies. We tried to figure out how long we've been doing Santa Paws pictures and our best guess is fourteen years. We might be off by a year or two either way though.

Janet and I walked Dawn even earlier than usual this morning so we would have time to set everything up before the event. This was the first morning this Winter where the temperature was below freezing. Dawn wore her new sweater for the first time and seemed to be comfortable wearing it. The cold doesn't bother Dawn much. Personally, I prefer warmer weather. I dressed very warmly and had to shed a few layers before I left for the event. It seems to take me longer to load the car and set everything up now, but even though I got a late start I was still ready for our first customer. I really need to buy some new stands for the backdrop before next year's events. These stands have seen better days. Everything still worked though. Since most of this equipment was build for daily use in a studio, it might last forever since I basically only use it once a year.

I'm still not sure where my FedEx package is. I know it has arrived in the Dallas area though. Since I wasn't sure if the customer service agent I talked to yesterday understood my request to hold the package at a nearby Fedex Print Center, I also put a vacation hold on the delivery. I was successful at preventing the package from sitting on my front porch all day, but I'm still not sure where it is. There was a cryptic message on the FedEx website this morning that just said "address corrected." I hope this means that the address was changed to the location where I hope to pick up the package tomorrow. It could mean something else though. We'll see. 

I really hate off-shore call centers. You used to be able to pick up the phone and talk directly to almost anymore. Not anymore. Everything is automated now. I'm so tired of sitting on the phone forever to listen to a series of automated prompts that never seem to refer to what I was calling about. Press 1 if you want blah, blah, blah, etc. By the time the robotic voice reaches Press 9, I usually get frustrated and just hang up. If I do eventually manage to reach a real person, it is usually someone in the Philippines or Malaysia that I can barely understand. I remember a time when the FedEx driver in our neighborhood would give me his personal cell number. If I was away when he came to make a delivery, I could just give him a call when I returned and he would swing back by. Those days are gone forever.

I was more organized than usual today. Instead of leaving all the photo gear lying around the house for a week, I took it directly back to the storage warehouse on the way home. Usually, I am too tired to do this, but it is nice to have all this stuff out of the way. Now all I have to do is wash the backdrop, recharge all the camera batteries, and I'm done.

I'm not sure if we'll go back to the kennel tomorrow. We were there all day today and got to see Charlie and Oliver anyway. We still might go, since it is a regular part of our Monday routine. When you are retire, you've got to have a routine or you completely forget what day is is. 

Savanah is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4370

It was a busy shopping day. I'm having to go to more stores now to find everything on my list. I don't think this has anything to do with Covid. Stores just aren't restocking items that don't sell well. Only one store sells my favorite beer now and I even had trouble finding the seasoned croutons we like to put on our salads. I did manage to find the right sized metric screws to mount the new TV on the stand we bought, but then decided not to use the stand after all. I remembered that I had some extra white storage cubes in the the storage warehoue that matched the ones already in the bedroom. The TV is set up now, programmed, and everything works. I was able to get rid of a huge rat's next of wires and cables when I got rid of the large duplicating VCR and other obsolete attached devices.

I wasn't terribly surprised that the FedEx truck never showed up. I received an e-mail this afternoon saying that the package will now be delivered tomorrow, even though the FedEx website still says it is scheduled to be delivered today. The delivery progress map on the website shows that the shipment is still in California. FedEx is my least favorite delivery service. UPS and Amazon are both better. Even the Post Office is better than FedEx. I tried to get the package held for pickup at a convenient FedEx printing center that I've used on the past, but inexplicably it wasn't on the list. When I called the local store to see if they could help me, they just transferred my call to an offshore call center. I finally just put a vacation hold on the package and will deal with it later. Tomorrow is our next Santa Paws event and it's not a good day to leave a package sitting on the porch all day.

Today wasn't a good day for walking. My feet hurt so much that I had to cut my long walk short and head for home. I only made it a little over three miles today. I still can't figure out why my feet hurt on some days and not on others. There should be a logical, predictable reason for this but I can't figure it out. I wear the same shoes and walk the same route every day, but some days are definitely better than others.

The traffic in Dallas has gotten terrible. I guess people are Christmas shopping now, but I don't ever remember it being this bad in early December. A lot of people are moving here from other states, but this is getting ridiculous. This town is full of aggressive drivers too. Why people will race to get ahead of you in a city full of traffic lights is beyond me. Even if you manage to beat the light, the next one is going to get you. I really miss the empty roads of West Texas. 

There's a Cajun Seafood Casserole at Central Market we both like, so I picked up some for dinner tonight. At least I thought I picked some up. "This looks kind of different." I told Janet at dinner time. "That's because you bought the Chicken Carbonara Casserole," she said. Have I mentioned that I'm not very observant? I could have sworn I got the Seafood Casserole, but sure enough it clearly said Chicken Carbonara right on the label.

I hope our Santa Paws event goes well tomorrow. Everything is ready to be loaded into the car again. All the equipment worked last week, so there's a good chance it will work this week as well. 

Emmitt is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4369

The new TV arrived today. As expected, there were a few surprises. For starters I couldn't attach the TV to the stand I'd put together the other day. The wall mount screws included with the stand were the wrong size and there were no screws included with the TV. I thought about just placing the TV on top of the VRC and set top box like the old TV, but it was too wide and wouldn't fit. Right now it is sitting on the floor and way too low to view.

I had an online chat with a Samsung tech support guy who kept recommending a wall mount screw size that other people online said wouldn't work. This small TV is seldom wall mounted, so that is part of the problem. It is also not very popular since most people get larger sizes. I actually think this is the smallest 4K TV available. I guess I'll go to the storage warehouse tomorrow and bring home some small cube tables that will at least raise the TV up to a decent viewing height. I'll also go to Home Depot and buy a wide selection of metric screws. Something is bound to work.

I managed to get the TV hooked up to our cable service and turn off some of the most annoying features. I really don't want my TV talking to me. It's annoying enough to have my watch and phone talk to me. I need to figure out how to disable the built in Alexa feature. Janet doesn't want Alexa snooping on us. I had a lot of things like a Roku stick and Apple TV hooked up to the old TV, but these streaming services all seem to be built into this TV. Setting up a TV these days involves scanning a lot of QR codes with your phone and configuring the TV using an app. I can never seem to type using my phone, so I enter the information on my computer in the office instead. I think I spent the entire afternoon walking back and forth between the office and the bedroom where the TV is. Basically I'm too old for a high tech TV. I was happy enough with 13 channels and the little portable Sony Trinitron I had decades ago.

It's looks like I'll have to wait for the FedEx truck. I could never figure out how to request that my shipment be held at a Fedex facility. The FedEx website is basically broken. When I'm not signed in, it offers a variety of choices for managing my delivery. Of course when I'm not signed in, it doesn't know who I am. As soon as I sign in to my account, all these choices disappear. I tried calling the FedEx help line, but it is completely automated now. Have you ever tried to describe your problem to one of those automated artificial intelligence voices? It will drive you mad. It's hard to explain to one robot that another robot isn't working. 

I don't think I'm going to get my 20,000 steps today. Dawn got her sunrise walk and I took a longer four mile walk later. I usually need one more short walk to go over 20,000 steps. Sorry. When I should have been walking, I was at Home Depot looking for a small table for the new TV. I also went to a neighborhood Walgreens to see if they could hold my FedEx package, but their in-store Fedex facility was such a shambles that I left without even talking to anyone. All in all, it wasn't a very productive day. 

Tomorrow is basically just waiting for the FedEx driver. I'll do my grocery shopping and hopefully get some walking in while Janet is still at home to sign for the shipment. Probably we'll wait all day and the shipment won't come anyway,. That's usually how it works.

Princess is todays Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4368 - Dawn's Birthday

Dawn celebrated her ninth birthday today. Unlike many of our other dogs, this is her real birthday. Many rescue dogs celebrate their birthday on their gotcha day because it is impossible to know when or even where they were actually born. We know that Dawn was born in the same kennel where she eventually became a breeding dog. That was the fate of many females in that facility who weren't immediately sold as puppies. Dawn had a rough life and wasn't treated well, but the breeders did keep records. We just hope that all her future birthdays will be happy occasions. I think she enjoyed the little celebration we had tonight. She loves Sprinkles Pupcakes.

Oddly, today is also my Dad's birthday. He would have been 104 years old, but he died a long time ago. Dad provides my inspiration to keep walking and stay healthy. I think he would have lived longer if he'd eaten better and taken care of himself. My childhood memories are a little fuzzy now, but I do remember eating a lot of Swanson TV Dinners. We even had the little metal TV trays. Dad was fond of liver and onions, pickled pig's feet, and sardine sandwiches as well. My own diet wasn't exemplary during my younger years, but I'm trying to make up for lost time. Maybe I'm fooling myself, but I think I'm doing pretty well.

Dealing with FedEx today has been totally frustrating. I wanted FedEx to hold the Kickstarter package that is being delivered at one of their facilities so I wouldn't have to wait around the house all day to sign for the delivery. I used to do this all the time when clients used to send me a lot if things via Fedex. The Fedex website is horrible. I kept clicking on the tabs to change a delivery and the site kept saying to come back later or sometimes just crashed. I never could get the website to work so I drove up to the Fedex office that used to hold my packages for me. The door was open but there was nobody inside. I waited and waited but no one came to the front desk. Finally, I started knocking on the door behind the counter where all the packages were kept. Eventually an agent came out and told me that the facility doesn't hold packages for customers anymore. I could try having the package delivered to a local Walgreens, but it would take several days longer. Covid has basically ruined everything. Fedex definitely isn't the only company that has used the pandemic as an excuse to fire a bunch of people and eliminate services that we all used to take for granted.

Dawn got a bath and a nail trim this afternoon. I don't think this was her idea of a good birthday present, but Janet had some extra time today and wanted a clean dog. I keep trying to tell Dawn that if she'd be friends with me I'd let her stay dirty. I don't think she has gotten the message. She was friendlier than usual with me today though. I think we are making progress. I was actually able to get her to go down to the park with me on her own while Janet was gone this morning. We didn't stay long, but she never used to leave the yard with me unless Janet was nearby.

I got 22,000 steps today. This is the fourth day in a row that I've gotten more than 20,000 steps. I don't think I can keep this up forever, but I might as well keep walking. For the moment, I can't think of anything better to do with my time. Today was unusually warm. I think we set some kind of heat record for December today. I think I saw the eagle again. It was flying off in the distance and I couldn't make a positive identification. If it wasn't the eagle, it was the largest hawk I've ever seen. Oddly, the bird appeared to be flying over my house.

I put together the stand for the new TV. It felt a lot like assembling something you bought at Ikea. All these companies that sell internationally just use pictures for their assembly instructions now. I guess pictures are easier than translating into multiple languages. I'm a word person, but I managed to get the stand assembled by carefully looking at the the series of pictures. I think we are slowly reverting to a preliterate society. There's an emoji for just about everything now and many people I know prefer to listen to books in their car rather than actually reading them.

When I took the trash out to the curb tonight I noticed that the Moon, Jupiter, Saturn, and Venus were all arranged in a nice little row. The view was pretty but it didn't make me want to linger outside. I don't think I'll be getting up early to look for Comet Leonard either. I've got to catch up on my sleep. We've got another Santa Paws event this weekend.

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4367

Today was uneventful. I wanted to sleep longer this morning even though I got plenty of sleep. It was warmer when we took Dawn on her sunrise walk today. It was also very foggy. Construction on the trails in the park has blocked some of the routes we used to take, but this doesn't seem to have bothered Dawn. The short little one mile loop that provides the quickest path back to the house is still her favorite.

I spent some extra time walking today because I couldn't think of anything else I wanted to do. I've had three 20,000 step days in a row now. Walking is a good way to avoid things. You're really not doing anything, but you feel good about it. It's a lot better than just sitting in a chair. I let my mind wander while I walk, but I don't have many profound thoughts. I basically do the same things I used to do as a kid when my parents took us on car trips. I count animals. I try to identify brands of cars at a distance. I think about what I'm going to have for dinner. I have no plans to save the world and very few big dreams. When I hear someone say they are passionate about something I am mystified. What is that even about? A lot of things are interesting, but I don't think I've ever been passionate about anything.

I've joined a lot of interest groups on the Internet over the years and I'm continually amazed at the time and energy some people put into their hobbies. Amateur astronomers are always trying to outdo each other with pictures of their telescopes. These guys spend a fortune on telescopes. Watch collectors used to do the same thing but I don't see as much interest in watches anymore. The Apple Watch has kind of taken over the watch market. Model railroading has almost disappeared. I don't think younger people are very interested in trains. Some of the dog show people are pretty intense, but I do enjoy seeing pictures of their dogs. I used to be interested in art, but I sold most of my collection. I don't miss any of the things that used to hang on our walls. I still get e-mail from the galleries and auction houses though. They must think I have more stashed away somewhere. Pick your passion, I guess. There seems to be an unlimited number of things you can obsess about.

The stand for the new TV arrived today. We had to get a stand because current model flat screens don't have a pedestal base and you can't just place them on top of the VCR and cable set top box like our old TV. The box for the stand is smaller than I thought it would be but is very heavy. I haven't opened it yet, but I have a feeling that there will be a lot of assembly involved. I know that Janet will want to throw the old TV away when the new one arrives. I will inevitably want to get it repaired and then place it in the storage warehouse. Jeez. I still haven't used any of the keyboards and synthesizers I had repaired two years ago. I'll have a million reasons for saving the TV, but most of them will be bogus. It might make a good second monitor for my computer, but my desk isn't even big enough for two large monitors. Lets face it. I just don't like to throw things away.

Activity really seems to be picking up down at Kennedy Space Center. There is a launch scheduled almost every week now. I wish it wasn't so expensive to go down there. I can't say I'm passionate about space either, but launches are really interesting. At least they are interesting for now. One of these days I'll realize that they are all basically just the same. A flash of light, a loud noise, and three minutes later it's all over.

Willow is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4366

I ordered some Christmas gifts on Amazon this morning and within a few seconds after placing my order everything connected with Amazon crashed. Amazon Prime deliveries, Disney+, and the Amazon.com website were all down. This must have been a big service outage because it made the national news. I spent the rest of the day wondering whether my order actually went through, but eventually the problem got solved. All is well and my Christmas shopping is done for the year.

It was really cold when we got up this morning. I had to add a few extra layers before we took our sunrise walk with Dawn. At least the furnace is still working well. I'm thinking of cleaning the flame sensor before it goes bad this year. The furnace always seems to go out on a particularly cold morning when the last thing I want to do is crouch down in the tiny utility room and attempt to fix things before I've even had breakfast. Although it was near freezing before sunrise, things warmed up surprisingly quickly. By the time I finished breakfast and was ready to take my long walk, it was already warm enough so that I could shed a few layers. On the home stretch, I was even able to take my jacket off.

I got a notice today that the Kickstarter project I backed has finally shipped. It was supposed to ship in June, but I suspected it would be late. I'm still wondering whether this advanced computerized astro tracker is going to work. Communications from the Chinese manufacturer have been vague at best. One of the recent messages said to be sure to check my junk mail and answer all phone calls until the package is delivered. Hmm. I can tell you right now that's not going to happen. Evidently I will still need to pay import duties before the package can be delivered. FedEx is delivering the package. I wish it was DHL, but I'm sure it will eventually get here.

The mosquitos in the house are driving me nuts. If I have any exposed skin showing, they will bite me. Most of the time I don't even see the mosquitos until it's too late. These are smaller than usual and very stealthy. Oh, well. At least we don't have problems with ants or roaches this year.

A lot of people I've met on my NASA trips seem to have applied to become astronauts. At least three people I know posted their rejection letters today on Facebook. These people were all really talented, so the criteria for getting selected to join the latest class of astronaut candidates must have been really stringent. Even if I were much younger I don't think I would have applied. My stomach feels a lot more comfortable when it's on the ground. I took flying lessons once a long time ago and spent a lot of time throwing up in the plane. I passed ground school easily, but flunked out of flight school. None of the instructors wanted to go near me.

The sunset was beautiful tonight. I really ought to spend more time out photographing things. At the very least I should get a better phone. There's a lot of beauty out in the park, but most of the time all I am thinking about is how much my feet hurt. I don't think my photography days are over, but it's a lot harder to get interested. If I see something interesting I'll pull my phone out of my pocket, but that's about it. If it weren't for the Santa Paws dogs I'd probably forget that I used to do this for a living.

Humphrey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4365

We've got a new TV. Well, we don't actually have a new TV in our house yet, but we do have a receipt saying that we purchased one. Stores are weird now. Very few stores keep a lot of inventory in stock anymore. There may be something on display, but if you actually want to buy it, it usually has to come from a warehouse somewhere. There are still advantages to buying from a store however. A very nice and knowledgable salesman answered all my extensive list of questions about both the old and new TV. Our old Sony had a lot more inputs than the new models on sale today. Manufacturers have realized that there is no longer a need for a lot of inputs, since everybody is just streaming content. Things that are plugged in to our current TV like a Roku stick and Chromecast are obsolete now. All that stuff is just build into the TV these days. I also learned that the problem with our current TV is probably that several of the several of the backlighting LEDs have gone bad. These LEDs can be replaced, but that might not even be the problem. I've dealt with electronic repairs before. Smaller new TVs are so cheap now that often they cost more to repair then than to replace.

At any rate, a new TV is headed to the store where we will pick it up later. There is no point in having it delivered because porch pirates have ruined home delivery. This new TV won't need a set top box to get cable. You also can use a single remote to control everything. That was the feature that sold Janet on this model. You can also watch things on your iPad and transfer the picture to the larger screen if you want. Somehow I don't think all the fancy features will be as easy to use as the salesman described, but we'll see. I never learned how to use all the features on the old TV that we got almost fifteen years ago.

The salesman said he wasn't on commission and that he'd really appreciate it if we'd fill out a survey the store would be sending us. I told him that I knew all about these surveys. All large companies seem to have them now. Apparently promotions and salary seem to be tied directly to survey results. Just like at the Land Rover dealer and even at the hospital, employees seem almost desperate to get good survey results. This doesn't seem fair to me. The old way of working on commission and having a supervisor right in the store evaluate your performance seemed to provide more opportunities for retail workers. I used to know several people who worked in retail on commission that made very good incomes. Basically, I'm just glad that I'm retired now. The work world isn't what it used to be. 

We didn't visit the Dalmatians at the kennel today. Evidently the place is still busy with holiday boarding and we would just be in the way. There has been a change in management and hopefully we will still be welcome in the future. Janet and I enjoy playing with the rescue dogs. I think the dogs enjoy seeing us as well.

It was much colder today. I think the temperature will be even colder tomorrow. I'm not fond of these drastic changes. It will be 75 degrees one day and then 35 degrees the next. It's hard to know what to wear.  Sometimes the temperature will change ten degrees just on my long walk. Dawn seems to enjoy the colder weather more than I do. She had a good time smelling things on her sunrise walk. I dressed warmly so I was fine, but it sure was windy today. I shouldn't complain about the weather when the sky is blue. There is much worse coming in the months ahead. Actually, according to what I've been reading, Texas has better weather than most of the rest of the country. We've had cooler summers and warmer winters than prior years. I hope the warmer winter prediction is true for this year as well.

We've got mosquitos inside the house now. I can't seem to catch them but they're doing a pretty good job of biting me. How can there be mosquitos in December? These things were supposed to go away when summer was over. Hopefully I will find something better to do than chasing bugs tomorrow. Whatever happens, I know a long walk will be involved.

Ellis is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4364

Our first Santa Paws event went well. It didn't seem like we had quite as many dogs this year, but there were still enough to keep us all very busy. All the dogs were very well behaved. There was no growling. Nobody knocked over the set or peed on the backdrop. I was proud of these dogs this year. There were a few dogs that have been coming to these events since they were puppies. Some of the old timers have put on a few pounds, but everyone looked like they were living the good life.

All the equipment felt heavier when I was loading the car this morning but nothing broke. We made it through another event. I'm amazed that my strobe lights have lasted this long. I've basically been using the same equipment since 2004. I had some problems with my wireless flash trigger, but I got the unit working again while we were eating lunch. I hope this stuff keeps working. It's almost impossible to find someone who can repair this gear anymore and almost all of it is no longer available.

It was a lot harder for me to get up and down this year. I spent most of my time sitting in a chair. I felt like one of those old rock and rollers who perform sitting down now. I think Phil Collins sings sitting in a chair on his latest tour.  Hey, we all aren't Mick Jagger. I'm glad I can still move at all. I talked to some of the other volunteers about knee surgery and foot pain today. I'm definitely not the only one with aches and pains. I'm still very reluctant to have surgery, but will buy almost any supplement that claims to build back cartilage.

Dawn seemed to do fine on her own at the house today. She's probably used to spending a lot of time alone. Janet still had time to give her a walk when she got home from our event. I took a little longer to arrive home. I am so slow now. It seemed to take me forever to take the equipment down and put it in the car. I think I'll just leave everything parked in the hall until our next event. The backdrop does need to be washed though. A couple of the dogs were fairly dirty.

I'm really glad I didn't try to go to the STP-3 launch now. Not only would this have disrupted the Santa Paws schedule, I would be just sitting in Titusville. The launch got postponed yesterday and today I learned it has gotten postponed even further. If I'm smart I won't even apply to go back to Kennedy Space Center until sometime next Spring. There's too much going on here and real estate taxes are due again anyway. That will suck up any travel money I might have had.

I didn't have time to take my long walk today, but still managed to get 12,000 steps. Tomorrow will be back to normal. Hopefully, I will get a good night's sleep before I resume my regular routine in the morning. All in all, it was a good day. I hope everyone was happy with their photos.

Emmitt is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day