Day 4654

The Artemis fueling test went well today, so it's looking more like a launch attempt will actually take place next Tuesday. I was hoping for a delay since I just got finished paying for my previous trip to Florida. If the launch stays on schedule, I'll be there though. I feel lucky to be among the journalists selected to cover this launch. I don't want to squander this opportunity. We'll see what happens in the next few days. I wouldn't be at all surprised if the launch date still changes.

We got another early start on our sunrise walk this morning. I wish Dawn would stay in the neighborhood when we're walking in the dark, but she still insists on going to the park. The smells are better there. Dawn doesn't seem to mind walking in the dark, but I'm still a little nervous about bumping into a coyote. I'm always surprised at how quickly the sky brightens just before dawn. By the time we returned home the sky was blue and daylight had returned.

After breakfast I watched the Artemis fueling test on NASA TV for a while before heading for the gym. This was not exactly must see TV. The rocket just sat there doing nothing and every twenty minutes or so an announcer would give a brief update on what was taking place. There was another hydrogen leak at one point but they got it under control and were able to complete the test. When I returned from the gym, the test was still going on. I'm glad I didn't watch the whole thing. 

I had trouble finding a parking place at the gym today. I was expecting a crowd on the gym floor, but it was just the same people I always see. What were all those extra cars doing? Somebody must have been having a meeting. Since the gym is owned by a major hospital, a lot of hospital functions take place here as well. My routine never varies. There's a large wall clock on the gym floor and I always try to guess when I'll be finished exercising. My whole routine is just like clockwork. I shoot baskets. I walk two miles on the indoor track. And I lift free weights for a while. It's no surprise that I usually guess within a few minutes of the actual time I spend on the floor.

I paid a few more bills this afternoon and finished the accounting work I started yesterday. I still haven't had the nerve to look at my brokerage account. The stock market hasn't been doing so good lately. I learned a long time ago to stay the course when the market fluctuates. If you pick good solid companies and stay aware of what is happening in the world, you'll usually do OK in the long run. A bear market is still unsettling though.

Dawn won another ribbon at her training class tonight. She really looks forward to this class now. She starts getting excited at least an hour before it's time to leave for class. I don't go to the classes with Janet, but I'm really pleased that Dawn is doing so well. She's come a long way since she came to us as a frightened breeding dog in a puppy mill.

Rowe is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4653

I mowed the front lawn this morning. As expected, the mower's battery died right as I was finishing up, but I did get the job done. I don't seem to be able to manage more than one chore a day lately, but ever so slowly I am getting things done. The yard looks nice now. At this time of year I start to hope that I won't have to mow for another season. It's probably just wishful thinking though. It got up to 90 degrees this afternoon. The grass will probably keep growing for a while.

There were still a few stars in the sky when we took our sunrise walk with Dawn this morning. We carry a flashlight with us now. I continue to be surprised at how quickly the days are getting shorter. It was a pleasant morning but it felt like it was going to get hot later on. On our sunrise walks it feels like Fall. Later in the day it still feels like summer.

I mowed the grass right after breakfast while it was still relatively cool. I wonder how long I'm going to keep doing this? I've found someone who will do the mowing for me but haven't used him yet. I get tired, but it's still easier to do this chore myself. Truthfully, it's easier to do most chores myself. I hate dealing with suppliers.

I went back to the gym because the day was getting warm. I was surprisingly good on the basketball court this morning. I don't think I've ever completed this many free throws in a row before.  Most of the other people using the court shoot from all over. I just shoot from the free throw line over and over again. If I ever get really good at completing free throws I may try more difficult shots. I'll never join in a pick up game with other gym members though. Shooting free throws is satisfying, but I don't even like basketball that much.

I had a productive morning, but I was basically done by noon. Sometimes I think I don't get enough sleep at night, but I probably get too much sleep if you count all the naps I take. I'd probably take more naps if Dawn wasn't so grumpy about sharing the bed with me. When I lie down on the bed during the day, Dawn gets up and leaves the room. Usually she waits just outside the bedroom door and as soon as I leave the room she hops up on the bed again. She doesn't do this with Janet. Only with me.

There is going to be a Delta IV Heavy launch out at Vandenberg Air Force Base this weekend. After this launch there are only two more of these huge rockets left before they are retired. Hopefully, I'll be able to see one of these remaining launches. I've applied to cover a Delta IV Heavy launch before but it didn't work out for some reason. There's always something to look forward to in the world of spaceflight. Maybe I'll even get to see a Starship launch someday. 

While I'm waiting for something exciting to happen, I'll continue to do small chores around the house. I need to do some maintenance work on the roof but I don't like to climb up there anymore. I'm getting too old for a lot of this stuff I used to do around the house. Even the easy stuff is getting hard. I tried to fix the troublesome Porcher toilet again this afternoon, but the parts I bought last week didn't work. Who knows what's on the agenda for tomorrow. I suspect the day will be very similar to today. 

Rosie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4652

I've got several hours every morning to do something outside before it gets too hot. Sometimes I take a long walk. Other times I try to do something useful. Today I decided to mow the grass. Well, at least I decided to mow half the grass. That's all my aging electric mower will do now on a single charge.

I thought Summer was over. As usual I'm almost always wrong about Texas weather. It actually got quite hot today. Dawn got the best of the day. Our sunrise walk was pleasant, although the humidity was higher than I'd like. It was certainly quiet this morning. There were no police or fire sirens and only one aircraft flew overhead. I always enjoy a quiet walk but sadly they are becoming increasingly rare. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. The park is just a small oasis inside a large city.

Since the weekend is over, it's back to shredded wheat and berries for breakfast. I watched the Queen's funeral while I was eating. The carefully choreographed ceremony was mesmerizing. It made me realize that there is value in heritage and tradition. Respect for the queen has at least temporarily unified the British people. Today they seemed proud to be British. I don't think anybody in the United States could command anywhere near the same degree of respect. We all seem to hate each other. We are a young country without a long history, but we don't seem to value what we have. History is important. It seems fashionable today to repudiate history and deconstruct the past. I watched a funeral this morning, but it was strangely uplifting. A reverence for history and tradition is so much better than tearing down statues in an infantile rage.

By the time I finished breakfast and mowing the back yard, it was already way too hot for a walk in the park. I checked my messages, took Dawn outside to pee, and then headed for the gym. It's interesting that I'm not the only one at the gym who follows a set routine. Most of the regulars do exactly the same thing day after day, just like me. There aren't many spontaneous gym rats. It takes a lot of effort to stay in shape and working toward a goal often involves a lot of repetition. I rarely speak to anyone at the gym, but I probably have a lot more in common with these folks than with people who think of themselves as free spirits. No happy hour drinks for me. No impromptu weekend getaways. I've got a Fitbit on my arm and lots of steps to take before the sun sets.

Janet thinks I get in her way when she's cleaning, so I thought I'd hole up in the office this afternoon and balance my checkbook. I don't know why it always takes so long to get my Quickbook Pro records to exactly match my bank statements and credit card receipts. It always ends up being my fault. A single misplaced Quickbooks entry can throw me off for hours. It's easy to make errors while transcribing things but it can be devilishly hard to find them later. Everything is in balance now and I managed to stay out of Janet's way all afternoon.

I guess I'll need to mow the front yard tomorrow morning. The front is harder to mow because it's on a hill. The mower battery doesn't seem to last as well in the front yard either. The job needs to be done though. The yard looks terrible now. I can always go to the gym tomorrow afternoon. I'll probably be going to the gym more often now anyway because my seasonal allergies are starting to act up again.

I wish I'd hear some definitive news on the next Artemis launch attempt. It's getting on my nerves that nothing is settled yet with a scheduled trip to Florida less than a week away.

Rhett is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4651

Another nice Fall day. The mornings are cool but it warms up quickly. We had a pleasant sunrise walk with Dawn and didn't encounter many other dogs or bicycles. Dawn has lots of energy for an older dog. She enjoys her walks and I'm glad she still seems very healthy.

After breakfast I checked my messages while I waited for the mall to open. Mall walking on Sunday has become a regular part of my weekly routine. I usually walk from 10 AM until noon. The stores aren't open, but this is perfect for me. Finding a parking place is easy when the stores are closed. The temperature inside is perfect and I never have problems with my seasonal allergies. I don't need to wear a hat or worry about getting sunburned. The window displays are interesting too. Oddly it seems just as natural to walk indoors as outside. There are no snakes either. I guess I'm not much of an outdoorsman.

Styles haven't really changed that much over the years. I think they just get recycled. I see things in window displays that are very similar to things I saw thirty years ago. Kitchen and jewelry stores haven't changed at all. The main difference in stores today are the prices. Retro looks cost a lot more than the originals they are emulating. 

A few things still confuse me. Who takes care of the ducks and turtles that swim around in the mall's reflecting pools? Why are there so many little stores that sell cookies? I don't understand several current style trends either. When did asymmetrical looks become popular? I still prefer symmetrical clothing where the left side of the garment looks the same as the right. A lot of modern shoes look really clunky as well. All these windows give me a lot to look at. For the most part, it's more interesting than watching squirrels chasing each other in the park.

When I returned home, Janet and I took Dawn on her Sunday outing. It was too hot for a longer walk, but Dawn got a chance to get out of the car and smell things for a while. It's never too hot for ice cream. For some reason we got larger cones today for the small cone price. I think it was just a mistake. We checked on the neighborhood Chinese restaurant on our way home and it was still closed. Such a shame. I really liked this place. I don't know how anyone has the nerve to open a new restaurant. It's a hard business.

I keep waiting for news about the next Artemis launch attempt. Nothing yet. At least the weather is improving in Titusville. Space X was finally able to launch its next batch of Starlink satellites after being rained out for an entire week. I kind of hope that the launch does get postponed again. I'll go down for the next attempt, but I'd rather wait another month or two until the weather starts to improve. This is still hurricane season. The chances for weather related delays are high.

I miss visiting the rescue Dalmatians on Mondays. Things change though and you've got to stay flexible. I could always mow the grass instead, but that doesn't sound nearly as much fun.

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4650

We got started on our sunrise walk later than usual this morning, but the park was still very quiet. A few of the trees are already starting to turn. There is definitely a hint of Fall in the air. Dawn really enjoys these early walks. I'm still half asleep, but it's a pleasant way to wake up.

Saturdays are always the same. We have a big breakfast and then I do my grocery shopping. I didn't have much on my list today, but it still took the same amount of time. Most of the time is spent driving from store to store. It's almost impossible to find everything you need in a single store anymore. I go to specific stores for specific items. I guess I could just go to Walmart to save time, but I prefer to just pretend that Walmart doesn't exist.

It wasn't that hot today but it felt very humid. I decided to go to the gym instead of walking in the park. My trips to the gym are just as predictable as my other Saturday errands. I shoot twenty-five free throws on the basketball court, walk two miles on the indoor track, and spend a little time working with free weights. I could do more, but I usually get bored after an hour or so. 

It's frustrating that I can't upgrade my watch or phone anymore. I've reached the end of the line with these devices because Apple has officially abandoned them. Both the watch and the phone work just fine but Apple clearly thinks it's time for me to get something new. Both my laptop and desktop computers haven't been able to run later Apple operating systems for quite a while. This means that my Safari browser is way out of date and runs slow. I still have no interest in buying anything new. I have a variety of older Apple systems on external hard drives and often use them when I run really old software. I've reached the age where I keep wondering why things have to change. I was perfectly happy with the way things were 15 or even 25 years ago. 

I'm glad that there weren't any launches I felt compelled to attend down in Florida this week. It's been raining all week in Titusville. Space X has delayed one of their Starlink launches for five straight days in a row because of bad weather. I hope the weather improves before the next Artemus launch attempt. There are enough problems with the rocket itself. Adding bad weather into the mix will only make things worse. I don't even like to leave my car out in the rain. You'd think they'd worry about leaving this billion dollar rocket out in the weather for weeks at a time. The rocket already leaks. We certainly don't want it to rust.

I guess I'll go mall walking again tomorrow. There's absolutely nothing I'm interested in buying at the mall, but walking around and around the huge square enclosure is still kind of pleasant. The air smells clean and the temperature is just right. It's nice and cool inside but I don't need a jacket. Maybe someday I'll find something more interesting to talk about than all these walks I continue to take. I wouldn't count on it though. I'm becoming more and more like a dog. All I think about is walking and eating. And rockets. I still think about rockets.

Princess is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4649

Today was frustrating. I decided it was time to make reservations for the Artemis launch attempt on September 27th and almost immediately ran into problems. The Airbnb I liked was already booked. So was the Holiday Inn where I've stayed frequently. I looked for other Airbnb rentals in Titusville and many were already booked as well. The available places I found either had a four day minimum stay, were ridiculously expensive, or looked pretty shady. I eventually found a decent hotel and made a reservation. I wondered why this hotel wasn't sold out like the others and later discovered that it was undergoing renovations and many guests thought the construction noise was irritating. Oh, well. When I was making airline reservations my computer crashed right while my transaction was being processed. That took a while to get sorted out.

The sad thing is that all the effort I put in today is probably for nothing. There's a very good chance that the launch will get postponed again and I'll have to change or even cancel these reservations. The launch attempt on the 27th is really just tentative at this point. The Artemis team won't know whether the repairs they made recently to the hydrogen fill line are effective until they try to fill the rocket with fuel on September 21st. I had to abandon several promising Airbnb's because the 20th was the last day you could cancel your reservation without a penalty. I have a gut feeling that this rocket isn't going to launch until Halloween, but what do I know. If I want to see this launch I have to play along at this point. NASA doesn't care how often you have to change your travel plans.

The park department finally mowed the meadow behind our house. It's much easier to get down to the lake now on our sunrise walks with Dawn. This morning's walk was very pleasant. The weather was crisp and cool and the park was fairly empty. Although my feet are starting to hurt again, I decided to take another long walk in the park after breakfast. Actually it was quite a while after breakfast because I had to make all my travel arrangement first. It's a good thing I took care of this early. By lunchtime the hotel where I made my reservation had sold out.

My pace today wasn't as fast as yesterday's. This was probably because the temperature was warmer. I probably should have gone to the gym, but I didn't feel like driving. More American White Pelicans arrived at the park this morning. The pod of pelicans will continue to grow throughout October and by the time Winter arrives there will be hundreds of them. There will be lots of Double-Crested Cormorants as well but they haven't arrived yet. I enjoy watching the seasons change and always look forward to Fall. It's the one time of year when it's actually pleasant to be outside in Texas.

This week has gone quickly. There are still a lot of things on my to-do list but I'm going to postpone most of them. I'll postpone taking my car in for service until I pay my travel bills. Maybe next month. I'll postpone getting the roof replaced until the stock market starts going up again. Maybe next year. I can't postpone mowing the grass much longer. It grows really fast when there's rain. The only thing I never postpone is doing the laundry. It's easy and strangely satisfying. I did a load of laundry this afternoon.

It's time to make a grocery list again. Prices have come down at the pump a bit, but the cost of food is still going up. One more thing to be frustrated about.

Phantom is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4648

Not much happened today. You can tell the days are getting shorter. We left on our sunrise walk a little later than usual, but the sun still wasn't up when we returned. The weather was nice though. It was just chilly enough to wear a light jacket. Fall is definitely here. It won't be long before it's time for the State Fair.  

When I took my long walk after breakfast I noticed that the first of the White Pelicans have returned for the Winter. Usually about a dozen birds arrive early and the rest begin to appear about a month later. Seasonal changes are very predictable and so far this year everything is right on schedule. 

The stone masons have just about finished the four stone gates in the park. I still have no idea what these gates are for, but they are large and look expensive. There has been a lot of construction work in the park this Summer. The place looks good this year. It's too bad the city doesn't run as efficiently as the park department. The park is definitely cleaner and a lot safer than the city that surrounds it.

I got a notice this morning that it was time to set out this month's bulky trash. That meant that I needed to move a big pile of brush and tree limbs I had cut earlier in an attempt to clean things up on the roof. The neighbor's Pecan tree would droop down and touch our roof when it rained and often this would knock over my pumps. It took a lot longer to move the tree limbs than it took me to cut them in the first place. I got the job done though. I was tired when I finished, but at least I didn't get stung by bees.

A year ago today I was down in Florida for the Inspiration 4 launch. Now I'm waiting for news about the next Artemis-1 attempt. I'm pretty sure I'll return to see the next attempt, but I haven't made any firm plans yet. I wonder why I still enjoy doing this? I've covered quite a few of these things now and each launch is remarkably similar to the previous one. The space community is filled with interesting people though. It's nice to feel like I'm a part of this group even if my contribution is very, very small.

I've really got to get some work done on the house. It bothers me that the carefully curated list of suppliers that I've collected over the years is basically worthless now. Just about everyone has either retired or died. I hate to start over or rely on websites like Angi's List. There are few thing more irritating than hiring a sloppy painter or an inept carpenter. Something's got to be done though. I'm not going to get this work done myself.

This weeks' trash has been taken to the curb and I'm wondering whether to go out for breakfast in the morning. I'll probably just have my regular bowl of shredded wheat, but I did used to enjoy my restaurant breakfasts on Friday.

Spot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4647

Another slow day that was punctuated with a bunch of small chores. As usual, the day started with Dawn's sunrise walk. It was definitely jacket weather this morning. The temperature was only in the low 60's. The park was quiet today. A waning moon was high in the sky and you could still see Jupiter in the pre-dawn twilight. This is a good time of day to walk. I'm always a little nervous about running into coyotes but we haven't seen any in quite a while.

I took my own long walk in the park right after breakfast while the temperature was still cool. There was a lot more activity than when we walked Dawn a few hours earlier. I watched stone masons working on the series of gates the park department is building. There was a crew with lots of machinery paving a road that had gotten torn up earlier in the summer. The mowers were out as well, but they seem to have forgotten the meadow behind our house. It would be nice if they mowed this area because our shoes get wet walking through the high grass every morning when we leave the house with Dawn.

When we returned home I washed the car and narrowly avoided getting stung by bees. I'm really showing my age. It's a lot harder to get down on my knees and clean the wheels now. It's time to mow the grass again, but I'll save that for another day. By the time I finished the car it was getting warm and I wanted to get back inside.

There is already new firmware available for the star tracker, so I installed the latest version this afternoon. I'm always a bit apprehensive about updating this thing, but it still works. The Benro team has added so many features over the past six months that I think the app is running slower now. Some operations seems to take a very long time to complete. I wonder when I'll actually start using the tracker. The one time I used it out at McDonald Observatory was very promising. I was able to get some good pictures. I can't imagine using the tracker in Dallas though. The combination of light pollution and crime isn't conducive to astronomy. There are too many streetlights visible from our back yard and the rest of the city is just too dangerous at night. There are a few dark, secluded areas in the park, but bodies show up in the park from time to time and I don't want to be one of them.

I can't decide whether to make reservations for the next Artemis launch attempt, or just wait a while. I have a strong feeling that this launch is going to get postponed further, but I could be wrong. I'd hate to make the trip to Florida just to see another launch get scrubbed, but I'd also hate to be here in Dallas when there was a successful launch. I probably should just plan on going to these events as long as I can afford the trip. It sure beats sitting here and doing another load of laundry.

Dawn got another blue ribbon at her training class tonight. She is really doing well. Dash won a few ribbons before he lost interest in the class, but Dawn has done better than any of our other dogs. Janet says Dawn really likes the class too. It's nice to see Dawn overcoming her many fears and gaining confidence. She's come a long way.

Nicholas is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4646

I surprised myself today. I actually got a lot done. The day started normally enough with Dawn's sunrise walk and my go-to breakfast of shredded wheat and fruit. After breakfast I picked up the pace a bit. I completely rewrote my article for SpaceFlight Magazine, edited the accompanying pictures in Photoshop and submitted the package to my editor, all before a scheduled 10:45 appointment with the dermatologist.

The drive to the dermatologist's office took longer than my exam. I'm told that I need these periodic exams to make sure my actinic keratosis hasn't morphed into squamous cell carcinoma. All was good today, as it always had been in previous exams. The doctor zapped the small keratosis growths on my face and scalp with his trusty blue can of liquid nitrogen and sent me on my way. "See me again in six months," he said. "I thought it was once a year," I replied. I think I see doctors far too often for seemingly needless reasons, but what do I know. One of these days the dermatologist might actually find something important.

On the way home I mailed the letter I wrote to my sister yesterday and then stopped at a plumbing supply store to get some parts for my troublesome toilet. I doubt that the problem is fixable now, but it's worth a try. Every plumber that comes to the house says I ought to just replace the toilet, but I hate to give up on things. Right now I'm just turning off the supply line after every flush. I turn on the supply line and fill the tank again whenever I need to use the toilet. This actually seems to be a simple and effective way to keep the toilet from running. I wonder why I didn't think of this sooner?

Although it was a bit chilly on our sunrise walk with Dawn, it was quite warm by the time I finished running all my errands. It definitely felt too hot for a walk in the park. After a quick lunch I went to the gym again. There was someone on the basketball court when I arrived, so I did my two mile walk on the indoor track first. Surprisingly, I managed to match my outdoor walking pace today. Maybe I should always take my walk before shooting baskets. I doubt that this increase in speed really matters. I'm still painfully slow, indoors or out.

When I returned home there was a two word message from my editor. All it said was "great stuff." I'm glad he liked the hastily written article I sent, but still would have liked more time to write a proper article that included the launch. Maybe the editor, like myself, suspected that the Artemis launch might never happen and just wanted something for the November issue. At any rate, I've got one more article under my belt and can feel like a legitimate space journalist for a while longer. 

As usual, I have no plans for tomorrow. Writing my article under severe time constraints this morning made me realize that I can still be professional when I need to. My hasty article was actually pretty good. There isn't much need for my services these days, so I'll probably just take another walk in the park. I might as well take advantage of these nice cool mornings while I can. Good weather in Texas is a rare commodity.

Molly is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4645

Today was pleasant but uneventful. I wore a light jacket on our sunrise walk with Dawn this moring. The weather is definitely getting cooler. It's not surprising that Dawn is enjoying the cooler weather. I'm enjoying it too. After returning home for breakfast, I decided to take my long walk in the park instead of going to the gym again. My feet still hurt, but the walk was pleasant. Construction on the new bike path is finished, but now crews are building a series of stone gates. I'm assuming that these gates will be used to control traffic, but that still doesn't explain their purpose. There isn't much traffic to begin with.

The missing Muscovy Duck has returned, but there are still only five geese at Sunset Bay. I only report on these things because nothing else is going on. It seems so long ago now that everyone was looking for eagles in the park.

I wrote a letter to my sister today but haven't gotten around to mailing it. I'm glad I haven't put a lot of effort into finishing my article about the trip to Kennedy Space Center. I got a message from my editor at SpaceFlight Magazine this morning that indicates I will have to make major changes anyway. I thought they would postpone their articles about Artemis until the rocket eventually launched, but they seem to want to keep their original production schedule whether the rocket launches or not. Basically my article will be about making a long trip to see nothing happen.

I have no idea when Artemis will eventually launch. Yesterday the next launch attempt was scheduled for September 23rd. Today this date was changed to September 27th, with a back up attempt scheduled for October 2nd. I fully expect these dates to keep changing. It's not going to be easy to make travel plans, even if I do decide to travel to Titusville again for the next launch attempt. I kind of like the idea of an October 2nd. launch. The Crew 5 mission is supposed to take place a few day later. Maybe I might be able to see both.

I guess my phone is officially obsolete. IOS 16 was released today but all I got for my phone was a minor security update. I will probably be stuck at IOS 15.7 forever. This is not a good reason to update the phone however. My phone works just fine. Apple doesn't even make the smaller phones I like anymore. My phone will join the other obsolete Apple products I currently use. It used to be important to me to have the latest model computer available. Not anymore. When I eventually finish my 5,000 day blog quest, I can't see many reasons to even turn a computer on.

I need to remember that I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow. It's time for my annual visit to see the dermatologist. There's nothing seriously wrong with my skin, but once you get on a doctor's patient list, you're there forever. The visit is usually quick and painless. I have a few actinic keratosis patches on my face and scalp. the dermatologist zaps these with liquid nitrogen. Sometime they come back and other times they don't. I only continue to go to these appointments because occasionally actinic keratosis turns into squamous cell carcinoma. My keratosis has always been benign but it's better to be safe than sorry.

I guess I'll rewrite my Artemis article tomorrow. The first draft I wrote in Florida isn't going to work now.

Marcie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4644 - 9/11

Has it really been 21 years since the towers fell? It seems like yesterday. I was sitting at the same kitchen table and heating up my breakfast in the same microwave I used this morning when I heard the news on TV. I spent the rest of the day mesmerized by what was unfolding. Could this even be happening? I had ridden the elevator to the top of the South Tower several times and The World Trade Center was a familiar sight when I went to New York on business. The world definitely changed that day and it did not change for the better.

Things may seem normal now, but I think we've just gotten used to all the changes. We are all more suspicious now. I don't remember going through security checkpoints when I used to fly to New York. You just went to the airport and got on a plane. You could even use your ticket to fly on a different airline if you found something that was more convenient. Hotels were much more affordable and I felt safe riding on the subway. Sadly, all that is gone.

When I go to the mall before the stores open on Sunday, a policeman opens the door for me and asks what I am doing. We almost always see police riding the trails on bicycles when we take Dawn on her sunrise walks. Most people in the neighborhood have security cameras now. I've grown to appreciate the added security although it doesn't really make me feel safe. 9/11 put an end to innocence and trust. I'm suspicious of everything these days. If the twin towers can fall while you are sitting at the kitchen table eating pancakes, what else can go wrong?

Luckily, nothing went wrong today. We had a pleasant sunrise walk with Dawn, followed by an equally pleasant breakfast. I went mall walking again and am slowly memorizing the names of the artists on display as well as the contents of the store windows. The mall is filled with things that nobody really needs. The objects on display all seem desirable though. I like looking at window displays. It beats watching squirrels chase each other in the park. 

The temperature was still cool when we took Dawn on her Sunday outing, so we went on a real walk instead of just letting Dawn out of the car to pee. Dawn enjoyed the walk, although I was lagging behind by the time we returned to the car. I guess I had an excuse. I'd already finished walking around the mall five times. On our way to get ice cream we stopped at the neighborhood Chinese restaurant to see what was going on. There was a sign on the door saying that the restaurant was closed due to an inability to find staff. This was sad. The young owners of this place had really put a lot of effort into making the restaurant successful. At least the ice cream store seems to be doing well. There is always a line at the drive through window when we go to get our cones.

When I was getting up this morning I found a tiny snake on our living room floor. How did a snake get in our house? The snake seemed harmless and I took it outdoors, but it was still unsettling to find a snake in your house. I found a very small lizard in the shower last week. I hope this isn't a trend. The ants are bad enough. I definitely don't want to be dealing with reptiles.

After the kennel change we no longer visit the Dalmatians on Monday. The dogs are doing well though. I don't know what's I'll do with the extra time. I guess I'll just go to the gym.

Shadow is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4643

Just a normal Saturday doing normal Saturday things. I wished I'd worn a jacket on our sunrise walk with Dawn. It was the first time I've felt chilly outside for a long time. It was a beautiful morning with clear skies and temperatures in the mid 60's. When we returned home, we had our weekend breakfast of bacon, eggs, and toast. I made the bed, checked my messages, and got ready to go grocery shopping again.

I still can't get used to how expensive everything has become. It's not just food either. Even furnace filters have doubled in price. At least gas is more reasonable now. I filled my tank for quite a bit less than what I was paying two months ago. Strawberries are expensive again. The price goes up and down throughout the year depending on where they are imported from. I've got to have strawberries though. They have become an essential part of my morning routine.

It's weird how quickly it heats up during the day. I was thinking of walking in the park today, but by the time I was ready it was already too hot. Mornings feel like Fall has arrived, but by noon it is obvious that Summer is still hanging around. The leaves haven't started to fall yet, but that is coming soon. It's a shame that the yard will be covered in Oak leaves in a month or so. Our yard is finally looking nice for the first time all summer.

I went back to the gym this afternoon since I didn't feel like dealing with the heat. We seem to have a thirty degree temperature swing every day. My gym is always nice and cool. You can have a pretty good workout without even working up a sweat. I completed my usual routine and went home again. I'm still slower walking on the indoor track than I am outdoors. This remains a mystery to me. Logically, I should be faster walking indoors in a nice climate controlled environment.

I hope that my favorite Chinese restaurant hasn't gone out of business. I was going to get take-out tonight, but the website wasn't working and when I called to place an order, no one answered. The last time I picked something up at this restaurant nobody was there. It was sad seeing the place completely empty and I wondered if they were having trouble. I should have driven over to the place to see what was going on, but I just ordered a pizza instead. The pizza place changed their menu and prices have gone up, but the pizza was still good.

There were lots of things on my to-do list that got ignored this afternoon. I just didn't feel like doing anything. The rest of the world was watching shows about the queen, but I watched another Starlink launch on the Space X live stream. Why do I keep watching these things? All these Falcon 9 launches are identical.

These weeks really go quickly. It's already time for Dawn's Sunday outing and another walk at Northpark mall. Didn't I just do this a few days ago? You'd think I'd get bored with such a repetitive, regimented routine, but I find the monotony strangely comforting. Don't expect me to be spontaneous. It's just not going to happen.

Cleo it today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 4642

There's a hint of Fall in the air. The temperature was in the high 60's when we took our sunrise walk this morning. It's almost jacket weather. It's amazing how quickly the world turned green again. All it took was a little rain. Dawn enjoys these cooler mornings. So do I. We had a long, hot summer this year and I'm glad it's over.

I got a message from NASA today asking if I planned to attend the next Artemis launch attempt. I answered yes, even though I think September 23 is way too early. I was afraid that if I answered no, I would get taken off the approved list and my place would be given to someone else. There are still way more people who want to cover this launch than there are places available. We'll see what happens. I fully expect that the launch will get postponed again. We won't even know until the 17th. if the repairs they are making now will work.

I took another walk in the park today. It was actually even cooler than yesterday. I keep wondering where the missing ducks and geese have gone. For years there were ten resident geese that always hung out around Sunset Bay. Now there are only five. This gaggle of geese were always together, so I doubt that five just wandered off. I hope nobody snatched them to eat for dinner. The geese were very tame and would have been easy to catch. One of the Muscovy Ducks is also missing. There have been a pair of Muscovy Ducks living in the park for many years. This week was the first time I have only seen one and it appears to be lonely.

According to my Fitbit, I get a lot more exercise walking in the park than I do at the gym. I guess this makes sense. I spend over two hours walking in the park vs a little more than one hour at the gym. There are a lot of hills to climb as well. I guess it shouldn't come as a surprise that I'm usually tired when I return from these walks. It's an enjoyable way to get my steps though, so I'll continue as long as the weather stays nice.

I'm always surprised at how many flowers I see in the Fall. There is an explosion of white Clematis vines along the shoreline now. I'm also seeing a lot of Water Primrose flowers. Both of these plants are considered invasive, but they are very pretty. I'd much rather see these plants than Poison Ivy, which is also very common in the park.

The "service required" light is really starting to irritate me in my car. This light appears every September. There is nothing wrong with the car, but the only way to turn the light off is take the car to a Land Rover service center and do the required service. I thought the independent Land Rover garage I discovered might be able to help me out, but they insist on doing the service as well. Oh, well. I'll probably learn to live with the irritating light for a while. I may still need to go to Florida to cover the next Artemis launch attempt. A trip to Florida and a Land Rover service visit cost about the same thing. It's one or the other this month.

This week has gone quickly. It's hard to believe that it's already time to make a grocery list again. I'd like to see something actually go down in price at the grocery store, but this is probably wishful thinking. Nothing has gotten cheaper on my grocery list for a long time.

Chief is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 4641

It was nice and cool this morning. The days are definitely getting shorter. We leave at the same time on our sunrise walk, but it seems darker now. Pretty soon we'll have to start taking a flashlight with us again. I'm glad that the worst of summer appears to be over. I was getting tired of 100 degree days.

I had nothing planned for today. The temperature was still cool after breakfast, so I decided to take a walk in the park instead of going to the gym. I think I could take this walk blindfolded now. Every step is so familiar. I see the same ducks and geese while I watch the same plants progress through the seasons. Fall isn't that far away. A few leaves are already starting to drop from the trees. There is nothing exciting about this daily walk, but it is still more interesting than walking 28 times around a small indoor track at the gym.

I did a little yard work after I returned home. There were some dead branches that needed to be trimmed from the Photinia bushes. The Asian Jasmine was getting out of control and was covering up the path to the back gate, so I trimmed that up as well. Sometimes Dawn likes to sit outside with me while I work in the yard. Today she had no interest and just wanted to go back inside again. I finished my work and joined her. Pruning trees wasn't that interesting.

I heard today that NASA is now aiming for a September 23 launch date for Artemis. This was a little disappointing, since it is too early for me to return. I was hoping that they would wait until the end of October. Of course the launch could still take place at the end of October or even later. It's hard to say how long it's going to take to iron out all the problems. Will I try to attend the next attempt? It's too early to say at the point.

My article about the launch remains unfinished. It's seems kind of pointless to submit the article if nothing has happened. I probably need to talk to my editor. It would make more sense to extend the story until the launch actually takes place. This kind of reminds me of the first article I wrote about visiting McDonald Observatory. It rained when I got there so no observing actually took place. The magazine thanked me for the article and told me to try again when the weather was better. I probably need to try again on the Artemis article as well. So far, it is not very interesting.

I've finished my dinner and have taken this week's trash out to the curb. There are lots of little things that need attention around the house, but it is hard to get interested. I'm not sure what I'll be doing tomorrow, but if something comes up I'll probably try procrastinating.

Camp is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 4640

I got the grass mowed in the front yard this morning. The yard looks good now and I can move on to other tasks. This mower has seen better days. The batteries don't last very long anymore. I can only mow half the yard at a time now because I have to let the batteries recharge. This plan works though because I've seen better days myself. Mowing half the yard at a time is about all I can handle.

It's weird how quickly the temperature rises. It's always nice when we take Dawn on her sunrise walk, but it can be thirty degrees warmer by noon. If I'm going to do something outdoors I need to do it early in the morning. I usually spend afternoons indoors where it is air conditioned.

I picked up some prescriptions on my way to the gym this morning. Once again, GoodRx was much cheaper than my Part-D prescription drug plan. I don't understand this at all. Why am I paying so much for a plan that isn't saving me any money? I hesitate to drop Part-D though. What if GoodRx only covers certain medications. Some medications are incredibly expensive. You definitely wouldn't want to be paying retail if you needed cancer medications. 

I'm always surprised at how empty my gym is. It's a huge building, but there are seldom more than ten people exercising. I like it this way, but I wonder how the place stays in business. Maybe it's just the time of day I go. I have a feeling that the place is a lot busier before and after work. In the middle of the day, it's just retired people like me.

I vacuumed this afternoon. It's pretty pitiful when you vacuum the house just to have something to do. There just isn't much that interests me these days. I haven't turned on the tape machines in the edit suite for years. The large production printer has sat idle for so long that I'm sure it is hopelessly clogged. I sold most of my guitars, but the one that remains sits idle as well. I definitely don't collect things anymore. That's where most of the clutter came from. I'm glad I still enjoy viewing rocket launches and spending time out at McDonald Observatory. I didn't have these interests earlier in life, but they're here now. I guess it doesn't really matter what you end up doing, but I think that everyone needs something that captures their interest.

I'll probably do some more yard work tomorrow morning before it gets hot.  I keep checking for news on the Artemis rocket, but there is no new schedule yet. They are going to try to fix the leak out on the pad, but it looks like they'll have to roll the rocket back to the VAB anyway to check some safety systems. The longer they wait, the more I'll probably feel like going back to Florida for the next attempt. Until then, it's just walking Dawn and going to the gym.

Bailey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 4639

The skies were clear when we took Dawn on her sunrise walk this morning and it rained during dinner. Just another normal Texas day. I'm trying to be a bit more industrious. Today I took care of a chore I've been putting off for years. I cleaned out the air return plenum for the HVAC system. It's easy to forget that this even exists, but it gradually fills with dust over time. I usually start to realize that it's time to clean this thing when I start to hear a whistling sound coming from the air intake grill in the wall. For some reason it's a lot of trouble removing this grill, which is another reason I can ignore this chore for years.

When I removed the large, heavy grill this morning I was astounded at how much dust was inside the plenum. There was so much dust caked on the back side of the grill that I wondered how air was even being circulated. I took the grill outside and cleaned it with a power washer and then vacuumed the inside of the plenum. The Dyson wasn't really up to the job. It jammed with dust three times. Eventually I got everything clean and the AC runs much quieter now. I need to remember not to wait so long to do this next time.

It was cool outside when we took our sunrise walk, but by the time I'd finished my chores, it was already hot and humid. I didn't want to deal with the humidity, so I went back to the gym. I've gotten very predictable at the gym. I shoot twenty-five free throws on the basketball court, walk two miles on the indoor track, and spend a little time working with free weights. That's it. The best part of going to the gym for me is that it's nice and cold inside. These guys much have an enormous electric bill to keep this large space so cold.

I had to activate a bunch of prescriptions I had on file at the pharmacy today. My doctor renews all my prescriptions when I have my annual exam, but this year I still had plenty of pills, so I told the pharmacy to just hold on to the renewals until I needed them. I noticed last night that I was almost out of everything, so I guess I need them now. I'll pick all these up tomorrow and it will be one more bill that is larger than I'd like.

The Artemis launch seems largely forgotten already. The story is no longer on the news and most of the other journalists have already submitted and published their articles about the event. My story wasn't scheduled to run in SpaceFlight Magazine until November, so I suspect that there will be a change in plan. I have a feeling that I'll need to re-write the entire article when the rocket eventually launches. I still can't decide whether to return to Florida for the next launch attempt. It will probably depend on how many bills there are to pay when NASA announces a new schedule.

I pruned a few dead branches from shrubs in the back yard this afternoon, but cleaning the air return plenum used up most of my energy. Since I didn't feel like fiddling with the star tracker again, I just took a nap. I guess I need to mow the front yard tomorrow so I can forget about mowing again for a while. It's almost Fall so I don't think I'll replace the mower batteries until next Spring. I've grown tired of continually replacing batteries. I did manage to get my power drill batteries to accept a charge though That's one battery I can keep a little longer. I certainly needed that drill today. I couldn't have removed the grill to the air return plenum  without it.

I don't have any plans for tomorrow. I didn't have any plans for today either and still managed to stay busy. I imagine that tomorrow will be the same.

April is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 4638 - Labor Day

I wouldn't say summer is over yet, but I don't think we'll see many more hundred degree days. It's very pleasant when we take our sunrise walks with Dawn now. It was only 71 degrees when we left the house this morning. It warmed up as the day progressed, but it was still nice enough to take a walk in the park instead of going to the gym this morning.

It was pleasant walking outdoors for a change. The park is green again. A week of rainy days has made a huge difference. The ducks and geese are still here, but the construction workers are gone. I think the fancy new trail they've been building all summer is finally finished. There must have been a really strong wind accompanying yesterday's storm.  I saw a lot of downed trees. I'm glad our own trees withstood the storm. The last thing I need right now are more tree problems.

I mowed the grass in the back yard this afternoon and the yard looks a lot better. The batteries on the electric mower really need to be replaced. I was barely able to get the back yard mowed before the batteries died. I used to be able to mow both the front and back on a single charge. There seems to be a never ending list of batteries to replace. I've got to find new batteries for a power drill and circular saw as well. In the future I think I'll just buy power tools with a cord that plugs into the wall. Batteries that constantly need to be recharged or replaced have become a huge nuisance.

I got started on my article about Artemis-1, but I didn't get very far. I still can't decide whether to take a "practice makes perfect" point of view, or a slightly more pessimistic "billion dollar boondoggle" angle. Personally I think this rocket is a huge waste of money when Space X already has a better idea, but what do I know. Obsolete or not, I'd still like to see this thing fly.

I updated the star tracker again. I guess that's what you do with this thing. I've lost track of how many updates and firmware installations I've already done. The good news is that the tracker still works after today's update. The bad news is that I doubt that I'll be using it to photograph stars anytime soon. Lord knows when I'll get out to the observatory again. My memory of the terrible drive out there is starting to fade, so maybe I'll start planning something for the Spring.

I feel perpetually tired these days. A walk in the park and mowing half the yard shouldn't have worn me out, but it did. I just don't have the energy that I used to. I should finish mowing the grass tomorrow, but we'll have to see. Right now a nap sound much more appealing.

Allie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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