Day 4749 - Christmas Day

It was a very quiet day. I didn't talk to anyone all day. Dawn's first day alone with me went better than expected. She was a little nervous last night but she fell asleep long before I did. She wouldn't come out of the bedroom for breakfast this morning, but was eager to eat when I brought her bowl back to the bedroom. The little diva evidently wants breakfast in bed.

I ate my own breakfast and then took Dawn down to the park to do her business. She doesn't like to wear her regular harness when Janet is gone, but will follow me down to the park if I use the special training leash that Janet uses at dog school. She acted fairly normal this morning, smelling everything to find the perfect spot before peeing, but she definitely didn't want to take a walk. As soon as she was finished she headed straight back to the house.

My Waterpik broke today and I tried to order a replacement on Amazon. I discovered that I can't use Janet's Prime account anymore because she's enabled two-factor authentication and gets a code sent to her phone before each login attempt. Oh, well. I used my regular Amazon account and paid the shipping. Amazon Prime is nice but it's not worth each of us having our own Prime account. I use two-factor authentication for almost everything myself. It's weird to think that ten or fifteen years ago you didn't even need passwords on the Internet. A lot has changed over the years. I think I liked things better when I had a little 300 baud dial up modem and getting online was an adventure.

Since both my gym and the mall were closed today, I took a long walk in the park. The temperature had warmed up quite a bit by early afternoon and it was actually a very nice day for a walk. I didn't make great time today, but I did OK. I didn't see the eagles either, although lots of people were looking for them. I've walked this route so many times by now that I can predict my pace along the way almost to the second. There was a little excitement on the way home this afternoon. There were ten police cars and at least thirty cops surrounding a car on a nearby road. The police were lobbing tear gas canisters at the car and using a bull horn to tell the guy inside to come out and surrender. Eventually the driver did surrender and left the car. Then a large group of officers went up the the car with guns drawn to make sure there was nobody else inside. There were lots of spectators taking pictures with their phones but nobody knew what was going on. Clearly this guy was in some serious trouble. Whatever he did, it was a lot more than speeding or running a traffic light. I checked the news but there was nothing about the incident. That's kind of sad. It's probably just another day in the life for Dallas police.

I wish that Dawn didn't get so depressed when Janet is away. I haven't seen her wag her tail yet. She did come out and eat her dinner in the kitchen tonight though. That's a good sign. She came out for her bedtime snack last night as well. Dawn actually adjusts to changes fairly well. I just hate to see her sad.

There isn't a lot on the agenda for the rest of the year. I might be going to another launch in January, but I haven't been approved yet. Basically my life revolves around going down to Kennedy Space Center three or four times a year and and making at least one trip out to McDonald Observatory. I don't have any desire to go anywhere else. I haven't picked up a guitar in years and my little recording studio is gathering dust. Things change I guess. At least I'm still interesting in something. 

Dot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4748

Dawn surprised us this morning. We thought she'd want to stay inside because it was cold, but when we took her out to poop this morning she wanted to walk. She picked her own route and had a good time smelling things. I was glad that Dawn's day started well because I was afraid it wouldn't end well. Janet left for the airport right after breakfast this morning and sooner or later Dawn was going to figure out that she wasn't just out getting more groceries.

After finishing my own breakfast I paid a bunch of year end bills before going to the gym and doing my weekly grocery shopping. I went to the gym first because I didn't want food to spoil sitting in the car. What was I thinking? It was like a refrigerator outside. I could have left food in the car all day and it would have been fine.

After I got my steps at the gym I quickly found everything on my list at the grocery store and came home. I didn't need much this week because there are a lot of left overs from our early Christmas dinner. I thought that people would have finished their holiday shopping by now, but the stores were packed. I had a hard time finding a parking place at Central Market. I was going to get gas today, but there seemed to be long lines at the pumps. Never mind. I didn't really need to get gas anyway. It seems like I just filled my tank a few days ago.

About mid-afternoon Dawn seemed to figure out that Janet wasn't coming back anytime soon. She's been acting depressed ever since. We've gone through these vacation periods before. Dawn will be fine. The first few days are the hardest. The last time Janet was on vacation, Dawn wouldn't even leave the bedroom to eat her breakfast for two days. I had to bring her bowl back to the bedroom and then stay out of sight until I could hear that she was finished. Things gradually improve, but Dawn definitely does not like Janet being away. Since Janet is frequently out of the house and I'm almost always here, life still seems fairly normal to Dawn. Things will get real when it's time to go to bed.

Janet tries to make things easy for me. All Dawn's meds are in little baggies labeled with the time and day the pills are to be given. I already feed Dawn anyway, so I know what she needs for meals and when to give her treats. I am more likely to run out of food for myself than to run out of food for Dawn. We are well stocked with dog essentials.

I didn't think that anyone would be at the gym on Christmas Eve, but about half a dozen of the regulars were there working out. I was only there because it was too cold to walk in the park today. I don't know what their reasons were. I never talk to these people even though they all seem very nice. It's good to always have the option of going to the gym. I think I made my cold worse by trying to walk in the park on a day when any sane person would have stayed inside.

I won't be mall walking tomorrow. The mall doesn't close for many holidays, but it does close for Christmas. We won't be doing Dawn's Sunday outing either. That would be traumatic for both of us. Dawn has actually never been inside my car and I don't think she wants to start anytime soon. We'll try to keep things really low key while Janet is gone. I just want Dawn to be relaxed, eat all her food, and take her meds. It would be nice if she still pees and poops on a regular schedule as well. 

Christmas should be a happy time, but my Facebook feed seemed filled with sadness today. Several dogs died today. Other dogs were sick and owners were wondering what to do when they were stuck in a blizzard. City pounds and shelters were still euthanizing dogs on Christmas Eve. Many people seemed lonely, but a few seemed to be having a good time with family and friends. I'm glad Janet enjoys being with her family. They'll have a great time this week. I'll be fine as well. My cold actually seems to be getting better and I enjoy spending time with Dawn even if she has other ideas. Hope springs eternal I guess. I keep thinking maybe we'll be best buddies by the time Janet returns.

Dash is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4747

It was as just as cold and nasty as everyone predicted this morning. It was eleven degrees when we woke up, with a wind chill that was below zero. Not surprisingly, we did not take a morning walk with Dawn. Dawn is no fool. She ran out in the back yard and quickly did her business and then came right back inside again.

Considering the weather, I actually had a very busy day. After breakfast I went and had my annual eye exam. My cataracts are getting worse, but evidently my eyes are deteriorating very slowly. My doctor said that he wouldn't recommend doing anything yet and said that I could easily go another year without cataract surgery. I no longer have 20/20 vision unfortunately. I was given a prescription for glasses, but it is optional if I ever use it. I'm still OK to drive and I guess do anything else without glasses. I may fill the prescription if I ever drive back to McDonald Observatory. My eyes get tired on long car drives.

The car started fine in the cold weather. I was a little worried about that. The outside faucets that I set to drip are still dripping, so I guess that's good too. So far there are no problems related to the cold weather. The furnace is running constantly, but it is still working normally. Our house is not well insulated and you can see condensation on all the windows on days like this. The dehumidifiers help, but there is only so much you can do with large expanses of single pane glass. I just hope that this cold spell doesn't linger. With temperatures this low, I feel like we are under siege.

This afternoon I got a haircut. Either my hair is growing faster or it's been longer than I thought since my last haircut. Even my stylist thought it was growing fast. I guess Covid worries are largely over. I didn't need a mask at the eye doctor or at my hair appointment either. Janet was the only one worried about Covid since she is traveling soon and didn't want to go if I was infected. She worries about giving Covid to her relatives. I took another Covid test this morning and that one turned up negative too. I just have a head cold and even that seems to be getting better.

Since it was way too cold to go walking in the park today, I stopped by the gym on the way back from my hair appointment. I still had to get my steps. I was in street clothes, but that was fine for walking around the indoor track. Actually I fit right in. A lot of the old people who come to my gym just wear street clothes anyway. I got my 10,000 steps, closed all the rings on my Apple watch and headed home for dinner.

Janet fixed an early Christmas dinner for us tonight, since she will be gone on Christmas Day. I'm glad that Dawn doesn't know what's up yet, since she will be very upset. We made it through Janet's last vacation, and we'll make it through this one as well. I know how to get Dawn to eat and take her meds and she will go down to the field behind our house with me in the morning to poop and pee. We won't even try to take a walk while Janet is gone. That would be stressful for both of us. 

Ziggy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4746

Brrr. It is really cold today. I think the temperature dropped thirty degrees in less than an hour when the arctic front rolled through town. Luckily we were able to give Dawn a morning walk before the cold weather arrived. I don't think we'll be walking tomorrow morning though. It's just too cold.

After breakfast I put the faucet covers on the three outdoor faucets. The covers are a little too small but they will have to do. Actually I should have bought four covers. There is a fourth outdoor faucet I forgot about. I covered that one with a big pile of leaves.

Janet wanted me to take a Covid test today because she thought my head cold might be Covid. I didn't think so, but what do I know. We still had a bunch of those home test kits around the house, so I read the directions and did the test. I found it ironic that the test kit was made in China. According to the test, I don't have Covid. I definitely have a cold though. I wonder how I caught this since I am seldom around other people. This is the first time in years that I've had a sore throat.

I drove to the store where I got the faucet covers yesterday because I needed to warm up the car. Not surprisingly, they had sold out of the covers again. I think everyone in town must be looking for faucet covers. I always have this fear that my car won't start in cold weather, so I started it several times today. No problems today, but I hope the car starts tomorrow. I've got an appointment with the eye doctor in the morning and am getting a haircut in the afternoon.

I should have gone to the gym today. I was really cold on my long walk. I dressed warmly, but there was a fierce wind. My face was the only exposed skin, but I really should have worn a scarf that covered everything except my eyes. I was the only person out in the park today. There were no bicycles, joggers, or dog walkers. No park department workers either. I guess I was the only stupid one. It was so cold that I couldn't complete my full route. After walking a mile or so I was ready to turn around and come home. Not a stellar day for exercise, but I did manage to get 10,000 steps.

I think I've lived in Texas to long. I don't understand how anyone could live in Wyoming or North Dakota in the Winter. I went to high school in Alaska and spent several of my early working years in Idaho, but that's ancient history now. I like being warm and right now even Texas is too cold for me. 

We'll see what tomorrow brings. I'm afraid it's going to bring single digit temperatures. The wind chill index is already below zero here. I may break with tradition and have a hot breakfast tomorrow. 

Two sisters are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4745 - Winter Solstice

I should have known. You don't start planning for cold weather on the day before the cold weather arrives. I went out this morning to get some faucet covers for our outdoor faucets. It seemed like a simple enough errand. Home Depot was completely out of stock. Lowes was completely out of stock. Ace Hardware was out of stock as well. I couldn't even find any of the covers at Teeters. Everyone seemed to be looking for these things. I definitely wasn't the only one asking about faucet covers today. I started calling around and eventually found a few covers in a small neighborhood store. The guy on the phone said that he had ten faucet covers left. I asked if he could hold three for me and that I would be right over to pick them up. When I arrived at the store my three faucet covers were sitting behind the register and the other seven were in the hands of people checking out. I'm glad I called ahead of time. If I had just driven over to the store, they would have all been gone before I got there. If this little saga proves anything it is only that I'm not the only one who waits until the last possible minute to plan for bad weather.

It also took quite a while to get gas this morning. Everyone seemed to want to fill their tank before the storm arrives. I don't know if it makes any difference, but a full tank of gas seemed like a smart move to me as well. Am I ready for the arctic blast? I doubt it. Thankfully the really cold weather will only last two days.

We had a nice early walk with Dawn this morning. It was quite dark when we left the house and I was worried about coyotes. The sky brightened rapidly though and it was daylight by the time we arrived home. I didn't' sleep well last night and even this short walk made me tired. I should have gone back to bed, but I ate breakfast instead and got ready to take an even longer walk.

I sent in my application for press credentials for the January falcon heavy launch. I'm pretty sure that my application will be accepted since credentialing is being managed by the Space Force. The Space Force is easier to deal with than NASA for some reason. I wish I knew the actual date of the launch so I could go ahead and make travel arrangements. I'd like to stay at my favorite Airbnb again.

I was really slow on my long walk today. I thought about turning around early but I kept trudging along and eventually made it home again. Maybe I do have a cold instead of seasonal allergies. I certainly didn't feel very good today. I wanted to take a nap as soon as I returned home, but Dawn didn't want me in the bedroom. As soon as I got on the bed she went out in the hallway and started whining. Eventually I just took a nap on the sofa in the living room. I hate to see Dawn crying. She's a very manipulative dog and I think she's got me figured out.

The cold weather and high winds arrive tomorrow afternoon. We should be able to have a normal sunrise walk with Dawn, but all bets are off after that. I just hope we don't have any problems with the furnace. It has a tendency to go out at the worse possible times.

Willow is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4744

It's that time of year again. I'm blowing my nose constantly. This seems to happen every Winter and I usually chalk it up to seasonal allergies. This time I'm wondering if I've caught a cold though. It kind of feels like a head cold. Maybe it's allergies though. I could easily be allergic to falling leaves.

Janet had plans today, so we took our early walk in the dark again. Dawn has two lighted collars now. She got a second one at the training class Christmas party gift exchange. I continue to be surprised at how quickly night transitions into day. It is usually quite dark when we start these early walks and daylight by the time we return home. We only walk a mile, so we're not out all that long either.

Dawn went to the vet today for a bath, a nail trim, and her canine influenza booster shot. It was kind of weird not having a dog around the house this morning. Dawn mostly ignores me, but I'm still very aware of what she is doing. I always take her out to pee before and after my long walks and feed her lunch when she is in the mood. She looked very clean when she and Janet returned this afternoon. You'd think a Dalmatian would always look clean, but that's not usually the case. She likes to roll around in the grass, so I tend to forget how white her coat actually is.

I saw all the Sunset Bay birds today. It's weird that so many species call this place home. I saw several kestrels. The Muscovy ducks and geese were all there. The coots, mallards, and double crested cormorants were there as well. The female bald eagle was in her nest. Even about half of the white pelicans had returned. I don't think I will ever become a serious birder, but I am learning to recognize the various species that call the park home.

I didn't make good time today. I'm surprised at how much my pace varies from day to day. I'm obviously slower when my feet hurt. The temperature seems to have a lot to do with my pace as well. It was warmer today. I'm usually faster on really cold days. 

It's going to be a lot colder later in the week. If it is as cold as the forecast predicts I might not walk in the park at all. My gym seems to be a much better alternative when temperatures are in the teens. We'll see what happens. Southerners tend to get very alarmed about cold weather, but hopefully everything will be fine. I'm trying to get prepared. I put foam insulation around all the outdoor water pipes. Tomorrow I'll go to the hardware store and get some protective covers for the faucets. Indoors we should be fine, but Janet did bring a down comforter back from her storage warehouse in case the power goes out. I think everyone remembers the big statewide power outage in February 2021. We were one of the lucky ones that year. Our power didn't go out.

I just found out that there is going to be another falcon heavy launch in January. I wasn't planning on returning to Kennedy Space Center so soon, but I think I'll apply for credentials to attend this launch. The last time I tried to view a falcon heavy launch all I saw was heavy fog. I heard the rocket but it was completely invisible in the fog. Hopefully I'll be luckier this time.

I've got to remember my appointment with the eye doctor this week. I completely forgot my last appointment and if I did this two times in a row it wouldn't be good. I'll leave a big note for myself on the kitchen table. The note will say "Don't walk this morning, you have an eye appointment at 10:45 AM." That should work if I remember to write the note.

Lexi is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4743

It's definitely Winter. It's cold. It's damp. I want to sleep with an extra blanket on the bed. Winter is not my favorite season, but luckily it's not as bad here as it is further north. The problem with Winter is that I continue to do exactly the same things I do in the summer even though the experience is not as pleasant.

I dressed warmly for our early walk with Dawn. Actually I dressed a little too warmly, but I didn't want to take chances. As temperatures drop, there are fewer people on the trails. We're dedicated though. If it's not raining, we'll be out walking.

I waited a while before taking my long walk today because I was hoping that it would either warm up or the wind would die down. Neither happened but I went walking anyway. I must really hate driving because in many ways it would be so much easier to go to the gym on days like this. Sadly, the weather was nice today compared to what it is going to be like later in the week. Single digit temperatures are still in the forecast.

I found a really nice sweater under a pile of clothes when I was getting dressed for my walk. Where did this come from? I must have had the sweater for years. It looked like it had never been worn. I wonder what else I have. I accumulated a lot of clothes during the time I traded design services for clothing and shoes. Looking back, this was a pretty good deal. The money I made during the early years of my company disappeared a long time ago. I still have a lot of the clothes though.

I didn't see the eagles today on my walk. I wonder where they go when they aren't near their nest? I cover a lot of ground in the park and you'd think I'd see them somewhere. They're either near the nest or gone completely. People speculate that since the pair returned this year to build a second nest that they might have made the lake their permanent home. I don't think anyone really knows however. I hope they didn't scare the pelicans away. I think I enjoyed watching the pelicans more than the eagles. 

Since the ground has dried out and bulky trash pickup is later this week, it was a good day to start raking leaves. Since we have large Oak trees in our back yard, there are a ton of leaves on the ground every fall. I'm not a fan of raking and bagging leaves, but it needs to be done. When we first moved here I just let the leaves blow away during the Winter. It worked pretty well until all the neighbors built tall privacy fences. Now we don't get the same kind of breeze we used to get and the leaves just stay on the ground. 

I bagged a lot of leaves this afternoon and took them out to the curb. There are still a lot of leaves on one of the Oak trees, but it's a start. Maybe I'll rake a little more tomorrow. The leaves are dry now and it is supposed to rain later in the week. For a while, Janet and I were both out working on the leaves and Dawn got excited, thinking that we were out there to play with her. She had great fun racing through the big piles of leaves. It was nice to see her enjoying herself. Dawn is not usually a very playful dog.

I made an appointment to get a haircut later in the week. I have an appointment to see the eye doctor the same day. Doing two different things in one day is rare for me. I think I'll manage though. I'll probably find time to take a walk as well.

Ranger is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4742

I didn't do much today. I should feel guilty for being so lethargic, but it doesn't seem to bother me. We took our morning walk a little later this morning. After all these years we still have a weekend schedule even though we are both retired. I'd probably sleep in late every day, but Janet and Dawn have other ideas. It's probably good that they get me up. I'm lazy enough already.

After breakfast I went mall walking again. I thought the mall would be packed this morning, but it was strangely empty. I'm sure the place was busy after the stores opened, but there were definitely fewer walkers today. I still can't figure out why I walk slower indoors. It seems counterintuitive. The terrain is flat, The temperature is comfortable. I don't have to worry about tripping over anything. You'd think I'd be really fast in this type of environment.

I'm probably slower because I glance at all the store windows. I don't linger, but I'm definitely aware of what's on display. I wonder who buys this stuff. These clothes don't look anything like what I see at the grocery store or walking in the park. I guess people still go to parties. There are a lot of party clothes on display. There are a lot of Winter coats on display as well. Some of these coats will probably get sold next week when we are expecting a record cold spell. The mall does feel festive at this time of year. I'm not a very festive person, but I do enjoy the Christmas season. I may be imagining things, but people seem a little nicer in December.

Every time I go mall walking I notice that a new store has opened and another one has closed. I didn't realize that things were so fluid in the world of retail. You wouldn't think anyone would have the nerve to open a new store in an environment where people buy everything on Amazon, but I guess hope springs eternal. Since Northpark is a very high-end mall, I'm probably getting a distorted view of reality. It suits me though. I'd never go walking at a Walmart Supercenter.

As soon as I returned home Dawn was ready to go on her Sunday outing. She always seems super excited to go on these little Sunday road trips, but instantly reverts to panic mode as soon as Janet starts the car. She walks fairly normally when we arrive at our destination, but is always a little wilder than she is at the park near our house. Since we do this every Sunday, you'd think this would all be routine by now. I'm not a dog though. I really have no idea what is going through her mind.

Ice cream definitely calms Dawn down. I think she enjoys the ice cream even more than we do. We order the same thing every week, but sometimes the cones are larger and other times they are smaller. It just depends on who is serving that day. There is always a help wanted sign at the ice cream store. It's probably not a hard job but I don't think I'd want to work there. I don't think I'd want to work at a restaurant either. OK, if I'm being honest, I don't really want to work at all. 

I'm a little apprehensive about next week's weather. Single digit temperatures are rare in Dallas. I'm always worried that the pipes will freeze or the car won't start. Hopefully the furnace is in good shape. It just got repaired a few weeks ago. I'm sure we'll be just fine but Florida is looking better and better.

Alvin is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4741

Today was busy. There was lots of walking, grocery shopping, and household chores. It was in the mid-30's when we took our early walk with Dawn. That's warm compared to what it's going to be like next week though. An arctic cold front is headed our way with predictions for single digit temperatures. I hope the power grid holds up this year. You definitely don't want a power outage when you are experiencing sub-freezing temperatures.

I got a box of large leaf bags when I was out shopping this morning. This doesn't mean that we are going to rake leaves right away, but it does mean this odious chore is officially on the radar. The stores were crowded today and so were the roads. I think it's going to be this way until Christmas. You can tell that Hanukkah and Christmas are almost here. The stores were filled with holiday food favorites. It's tempting to buy more than you need, but I've finally learned that two people can only eat so much.

Yesterday I was pretty sure I was going to the gym today, but the heavy traffic made me change my mind. When I finished my shopping all I wanted to do was go home. Actually, walking in the park is better exercise than I typically get at the gym. I walk faster for some reason and I definitely walk longer. The weather was definitely brisk this morning but I dressed warmly and I was fine. 

I saw the eagles again today but there are still no White Pelicans. The pelicans started disappearing around the same time the eagles arrived. My theory now is that the eagles drove the pelicans away. Both birds use Sunset Bay to catch fish. You wouldn't think that two eagles could scare one hundred pelicans, but the eagles are fairly ruthless. Most of the local waterfowl seem nervous around them. Truthfully, I know nothing about birds, but this does seem like a plausible theory to me. The White Pelicans have always been here in December before.

I vacuumed, did laundry, and finished a few other small chores this afternoon. Every dog we have had before Dawn was scared of the vacuum cleaner. Dawn could care less. She just sits on the bed and looks at me when I'm vacuuming in the bedroom. Today she even fell asleep. Apparently the noise doesn't bother her at all. Dawn is definitely a weird dog. She ignores things that frighten most dogs and is frightened of things that a normal dog would ignore.

Since it is going to be at or near freezing tomorrow morning I started my car in the driveway and ran it until the engine was warm. I did this last year during freezing weather and it seemed to work. I've had car batteries fail during cold weather before and I don't want to deal with that again. Janet brought home a down comforter for the bed from her storage warehouse. We don't want to deal with a cold weather power outage either. Every time winter weather is headed our way I'm envious of my Florida friends. It was seventy degrees in Titusville this afternoon. There was a rocket launch this evening too.

I'll probably go mall walking tomorrow morning but it all depends on the weather. I'm not even sure my car will start at this point. At least there is no rain or snow in the forecast. One day at a time I guess. Eventually it will be Spring again.

Duke is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4740

I often have trouble remembering what day it is. It's understandable. I do the same things every day. I get up when Janets says "We'll be walking in twenty minutes." I dress warmly for these early walks and then change back into indoor clothes as soon as we return. I make the bed and then eat my breakfast when Janet and Dawn are finished in the kitchen. I fix my coffee and have a bowl of shredded wheat with fruit. Lately the fruit of choice is strawberries, but I enjoy peaches in the summer. I've tried blackberries, blueberries and raspberries, but didn't like those as much. I've gone through periods when I've fixed myself an omlette, made french toast, or eaten a grapefruit. I even got my special omlette recipe featured in a cookbook once. Now shredded wheat seems to do the trick. They have to be mini-wheats without a sugar coating though. I don't like the old fashioned full sized shredded wheat either.

I usually watch television while I'm eating breakfast. This does little to remind me what day it is. I'm a channel surfer and find all the channels equally bad. Fox is the pillow guy every five minutes. MSNBC is non-stop January 6. CNN is the Ukraine channel. Business is looking up on CNBC. A recession is just around the corner on Fox Business. I only watch the local channels if there is a tornado warning. It's all basically worthless, but it's better than eating in silence.

I try to wait until it warms up a bit before I take my long walk, but usually I get bored and leave right after I check my e-mail for messages. When I was working there were a lot of messages. Now my inbox is mostly spam. Walking is even more boring than watching cable news during breakfast, but I've convinced myself that I'm doing this for my health. I'm sure the long walks do some good, but I'm a long way from becoming a gym rat. I still walk pretty slow and occasionally fat people pass me on the trails. 

To amuse myself I try to keep track of what the local birds and waterfowl are doing. There is a lot of activity. We've got a colony of very noisy green monk parakeets. There are tons of mallards, coots, and ruddy ducks. Occasionally I will see some very colorful wood ducks. A large group of American White Pelicans spend the Winter at the lake along with an even larger group of Double Crested Cormorants. I frequently hear owls but rarely see them. I do see lots of Great Egrets, Cattle Egrets, and Blue Herons. Hawks are pretty common too. I always see the five domestic geese and the three Muscovy ducks near Sunset Bay because they are always looking for handouts from the people who feed them. Of course, now we've got two Bald Eagles as well. Everyone is interested in the eagles.

Monday is Dawn's favorite day because that's when Janet does her grocery shopping. Grocery day is a big deal for  Dawn. She's waiting at the front door at least an hour before Janet returns. For some reason Dawn seems to get great pleasure watching all the groceries being put away. She certainly knows what food is. I think her favorite words are turkey and bacon.

On slow days I recharge batteries. That's what I did today. Phones, laptops, recorders, cameras and much more all rely on batteries. These batteries go dead whether you use the equipment or not. It seems like I'm always recharging or replacing batteries. This is probably why I will never buy an electric car. Batteries are a giant pain. They're expensive, they don't last long enough, and they perform poorly in cold weather. I've had to replace the lawn mower batteries several times because I forgot to bring the battery pack inside during cold weather. These batteries are inside now because the temperature will dip below freezing soon.

Hannah is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4739

It was clear and cold this morning. I made sure to dress warmly this time for our early walk with Dawn. Even Dawn wore a sweater today. There aren't nearly as many people out on cold mornings but we did encounter a few hardy souls. I was just glad to see the sun again.

The leaks have finally stopped at the house. I put the buckets aways again and tried not to look up at the ugly stained ceiling. I still haven't found anyone who can fix everything but it's not for lack of trying. The world has changed and the suppliers I have relied on for years are no longer around. I'm not a big fan of online resources. Recommendations from friends are much better. Of course you have to have friends with similar problems for that to work.

I think I continue taking my long walk every day because it's a great way to kill time. I'm usually out for over two hours and that's two hours that would be totally wasted if I was sitting around the house. These walks are hard on my feet but are probably great for my heart. I've been doing this for so long that people wave at me as I go by. I don't know who they are, but I suppose I've become a fixture in the neighborhood. We've lived here for thirty years and I've always walked in the park. Spot, Petey, Greta, Dot, Dash, and now Dawn have all gotten daily walks in the park. People often stop me to ask about the dogs but often I find that they are thinking about the wrong dog. I guess if you don't own one, all Dalmatians look alike.

I still wonder where the eagles go when they are not near their nest. Sometimes I will go weeks without seeing them, but I know they are around here somewhere. I don't know where the White Pelicans go when they aren't at Sunset Bay either. It's hard to hide a hundred pelicans. The only birds I see consistently are the five domestic geese and three Muscovy ducks that live near Sunset Bay.

I paid a few more December bills today but that was about it. I wonder if something has happened to the price of natural gas? Our gas bill went up dramatically this month. It has been colder than usual but there have been plenty of cold months in the past where our bill was much lower. I guess this is to be expected. The prices for everything are becoming ridiculous.

It's hard to believe that it's already the middle of December. Where has this year gone? I did get to see Artemis launch and spent several days out at McDonald Observatory last Spring, but all in all it's been an uneventful year. I kind of miss working. A steady stream of writing jobs provided a structure to my life that is missing these days. There just isn't that much that interests me.

I've taken this weeks trash out to the curb and am already wondering what I'm going to do tomorrow. I keep thinking about restarting my Friday breakfast restaurant tradition but I'm not as hungry as I used to be. Some of my favorite restaurants have closed too. Maybe I'll get in the car and try something new one of these days, but for now a bowl of shredded wheat and fruit is just fine.

Jasper is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4738

I totally misjudged the weather today. I put away the buckets because the rain has stopped and then one of the leaks started again. What a mess. I need to start looking at the wind chill index instead of the temperature. I glanced at the temperature before we took Dawn on her early walk and thought it was pretty warm. There was a brisk wind though and I was freezing by the time we returned home. I didn't learn my lesson either. Later in the day when I took my long walk the temperature was even warmer so I only wore a light jacket. Wrong again. The same cold wind was blowing and I ended up freezing all over again. I did learn one thing. Being cold makes me walk faster. I completed my long walk in record time today.

I took the letter I wrote yesterday to the post office after breakfast, but came right home again. I have no interest in shopping or doing things around town these days. Everything is too expensive and I don't really need anything anyway. I hope this new sense of frugality continues. Property taxes are due and I need to start saving for my next trip to Kennedy Space Center.

I've been trying to avoid mowing the grass, but the front yard looks terrible to I decided to get it over with this afternoon. Unfortunately the lawn mower battery won't hold a full charge anymore and the mower died before I finished the job. The yard does look better, but it looks like I've got to mow at least one more time I can call it quits for the year. Now that the weather is cold I have to remove the heavy 24 volt battery pack from the mower and bring it inside when I'm finished. What a pain. No wonder all the other neighbors use a lawn care service.

The stains in the ceiling from the latest series of leaks are really looking bad. I'm not even sure I can bleach them out this time. I've contacted a contractor who came highly recommended to give me a bid on fixing everything in the house. Restoration work will be expensive but something needs to be done. Unfortunately, I don't think I'm very high on anybody's list these days. We've been trying to get together for over a month now and nothing has happened yet. I have a feeling that I'm not demanding enough. Thats not going to change though. I'm not a pushy person.

I wish I was down at Kennedy Space Center this Friday. Space X is launching two rockets on the same day. The launches are only a few hours apart. I can't recall that ever happening before. It ought to be interesting. I'm still a bit envious of the launch photographers who seem to never miss a launch. They all live in the area though. I don't know how they find the time because most of them have other jobs. It's probably good that I can only afford to go to Florida several times a year. If I was trying to cover every launch I'm sure I would have lost interest by now. I get bored quickly.

Dawn and Janet did well at training class tonight. I was surprised that they went to class because it was pretty cold outside. I was reluctant to even take out the garbage. I guess we'll have to deal with this cold weather for quite a while. Winter Solstice is almost here and it will be officially Winter soon. I don't know about you but I'm ready for Spring.

Lance is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4737

We woke up this morning under a tornado warning. Several tornados did touch down in the area, but luckily none were near us. We managed to get Dawn walked before the bad weather arrived. Somehow Dawn always seems to get her walks. I watched the storm arriving on the weather radar as I was eating breakfast. Typically bad storms pass to the North or South of us, but this one looked like it was going to pass directly overhead.

The storm didn't last long, but the rain was quite heavy. It wasn't long before the roof started leaking again. I can't seem to catch a break this year. Every time things are starting to dry out it rains again. It's been too wet to rake leaves or mow the grass for weeks. As soon as the leaks in the roof stop dripping, it rains again and the leaks start all over again. I know this is the rainy season, but this year has been over the top. The continual wet weather is wearing me out. I'm ready to move to the desert. Of course I'm kidding. I'm not ready for any type of big life change. I'm tired and those days are behind me.

The rain was over before noon. I paid some bills while I was waiting for the weather to improve and then I took my long walk. We got lucky here in Dallas. Even though high winds were predicted, I saw no downed trees in the park. Everything looked normal. It was actually a nice day for a walk. The temperature was in the low seventies and the fast moving storm had cleared away some of yesterday's humidity.

I saw both bald eagles today along with a gaggle of geese and all three of the Muscovy ducks. The White Pelicans were gone however. Where did they go? The pelicans always seem to do everything together. I'm sure they'll be back. It's not time to migrate North again. Maybe they just needed a break from all the gawkers watching the eagles.

My feet were bothering me today but I still made pretty good time. All the walking I'm doing is great for my heart but it is doing nothing for building muscle mass. It's a shame because I enjoy walking and don't really enjoy lifting weights at the gym. There's really no substitute for weight training for building muscle mass. I hate that muscle atrophy is a natural part of the aging process. I've been in reasonably good shape my entire life, but age is starting to catch up with me. I've got to work harder now and it's not easy with bad knees and shoulders.

I wrote a letter to my sister this afternoon. I'll take it to the post office tomorrow. I always answer whenever she writes. We've been communicating this way for decades. We never call or visit. We're not a close family and I think we know our limits. 

Dawn was mad that Janet was out doing volunteer work today. My companionship wasn't good enough for her. When I was in the back of the house, she would go out to her dog bed in the kitchen. When I went out to the kitchen to fix myself some lunch, she went back to the bedroom. There are days when I think Dawn is warming up to me. Today wasn't one of them.

Hopefully the weather will be better tomorrow. All this rain is really getting me down. Just a reminder: if you read the real blog at https://john-sealander.blogspot.com instead of the Facebook JPEG facsimile, you can click on the Dalmatian of the Day link and learn more about each dog. You can also click on the picture of the day and enlarge it quite a bit. There is also an index of all the old blog posts. It's a better experience. Oh, well. Just dreaming. If I could train you guys to read the real blog, I wouldn't have to be on Facebook at all.

Cookie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4736

Today was uneventful. When I woke up this morning there was a new leak in the living room. The leak was small and this area has leaked before. Since the rain is over now I thought I had dodged a bullet. No such luck. Water is slow and relentless. Eventually I will find someeone to fix everything, but it won't be easy. I have no problem finding a good plumber. Finding a good HVAC technician is fairly easy too. Good electricians are a little harder to find, but the most ellusive of all are competent carpenters and roofers. I read an article recently about a nationwide carpenter shortage. I believe it is true. Most roofers can't or don't want to deal with damage to the structure underneath the roof. Many don't even want to deal with a flat roof. It's frustrating. I still want to find a group of people like the oncs I see on that "This Old House" show on PBS. I know they're out there but I haven't found them yet.

Today was mostly just walking. We had a nice early morning walk with Dawn and then I took another walk after I ate breakfast and made the bed. The days keep getting shorter. We had to wear our warning lights again this morning. Other dogs in the neighborhood wear lighted LED collars too. I'm learning to recognize the dogs from the colored lights I see in the distance. So far, Dawn is the only dog that wears a green collar.

I saw one of the bald eagles again on my longer walk this morning. I should start bring a camera with me, but I don't really have that much interest. I already took some good pictures of these eagles last year. I definitely don't have the dedication of the photographers who seemingly sit out and wait for them all day. The eagles are just birds. I've taken hundreds of pictures of birds in the park over the years. Pelicans are the most interesting, but I've grown tired of them as well. These day I'd rather take pictures of rockets.

I'm still having problems with my web hosting account. These guys have the world's worst customer service. I'll spend twenty minutes talking with someone I can barely understand and end up accomplishing nothing. I'd move my websites somewhere else, but it is just too much trouble. I really don't even know why I maintain the company website anymore. I'm retired and all it does is serve as a magnet for people trying to sell me something.

I miss seeing the rescue Dalmatians on Mondays. It was always a nice way to spend the afternoon. The temporary kennel the dogs are in now is too far away and I don't think we'd be welcome anyway. We were just lucky with the last kennel. We knew everybody and they had a nice big empty room where we could play with the dogs. In most kennels if there is a big room it is either filled with dogs or used for training.

I don't have any plans for tomorrow. Actually, I don't have any plans for the rest of the year. When my bank account improves I'll start planning another trip to Kennedy Space Center. For now I'm just hoping that the house doesn't fall down around me.

Savannah is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4735

Sundays are all about walking. I don't think I did anything constructive today, but I sure did a lot of walking. Luckily the rain has stopped. Unfortunately the roof is still leaking. I discovered a few new leaks when I woke up this morning, but all have stopped dripping except for the original leak in the office. Lord knows when this leak will dry out. It's fairly persistant.

Dawn got a nice early walk this morning. The weather was cool and there was lots to smell. We didn't encounter a single bicycle this morning and we only saw two joggers. Maybe everyone was getting ready for the big BMW Dallas Marathon. This used to be called Run the Rock, but now they have a corporate sponsor. It seems to rain almost every time this race takes place.

I went mall walking again after breakfast. I was surprised at how full the mall seemed a full two hours before the stores opened. There were lots of parents with little kids. Taking your kids to the mall must be kind of like taking them to the zoo. It's a very popular activity. Most importantly, it's free. A lot of stores seems to have staff meeting on Sunday morning. It's not uncommon to see groups of employees gathered around a manager in these closed stores listening to some kind of pep talk or instructions. Are these meetings mandatory? What if someone wanted to go to church instead. The Apple store seemed to be having a Christmas party this morning. There were a huge number of employees milling around inside the locked store.

Everyone seems to have a holiday window display now. There is certainly nothing new in the word of fashion. I saw double breasted men's suits on display that looked exactly like what I used to wear in the 1970's. Leather motorcycle jackets seem popular too. At least they seem popular for women. I used to wear jackets like these back in my college days. Basically all fashion just gets recycled. Few people who are interested in clothes are old enough to remember that we've seen all this before.

Dawn got her Sunday outing today. The ground was a little wet, but it was a pleasant day for walking. We walk about the same distance as we do on our early morning walks, but somehow we always seems to go a little faster. Probably Dawn doesn't spend as much time smelling things when we take her to the Sunday park. The park near our house is Dawn's territory now. She has to investigate and keep up with what all the other dogs are doing.

I passed a horrible multi-car wreck on my way to the mall this morning. I think people forgot how to drive during the pandemic. Drivers seem much worse lately. People routinely cut in front of you, make unannounced u-turns, and run through traffic signals. Dallas has never been a haven for safe drivers, but I've never seen it this bad before. It feels like a demolition derby and you can't help but wonder when your luck is going to wear out.

I continue to have problems with websites and passwords. After I have changed all my online passwords to more secure versions, some of the websites I use have reverted to the old passwords. I find it impossible to change any information on my web hosting account. When I try to call customer service, I get an offshore call center and end up talking with someone I can barely understand. I'm beginning to wonder why I'm still on the Internet. I think I'd be just fine if I wasn't online at all.

Emmitt is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4734

Another wet day. The roof is leaking again and I've had to dry out my shoes several times. Today's heavy rain kind of surprised me, since the day started out normally enough. We had a nice early morning walk with Dawn, ate a big weekend breakfast, and then I did my grocery shopping. I stayed dry the entire time. I even had time to take a long walk in the park before the rain started. I walked pretty slow today and my feet hurt towards the end, but I did manage to see both of our resident bald eagles. All in all it was a pretty good morning even though grocery prices continue to creep upwards.

Everything changed around mid-afternoon when the rain started. It was a heavy driving rain, so I knew the roof was going to leak. I pre-positioned buckets, but I guessed wrong and the leak started in a place where I didn't have a bucket. No problem. That's what towels are for. These leaks are frustrating because there's not much I can do about them at the moment. This is the worst time of year to replace a flat roof. At least the pumps are working today. I need a few more pumps, but they are high wattage gizmos and even two of them running at the same time tends to throw circuit breakers. 

Dawn is really starting to relax. When I took an afternoon nap today, she stayed on the bed with me and didn't appear nervous or alarmed. She still has good day and bad days, but I'm starting to see a real improvement. This is happening just in the nick of time, because Janet will be visiting her family over Christmas and Dawn and I will be alone together for a while. That's always interesting, but somehow we manage.

This evening Janet and I went to the annual Christmas party for Dawn's weekly training class. I haven't been to one of these events since we used to take Dot and Dash to training class quite a few years ago. The party was held in a park event building just down the hill from our house. I offered to drive, but Janet said we should just walk since it was so close. We got a little wet, but there was plenty of time to dry out once we arrived.

It was an enjoyable evening. We had a great dinner with some exceptionally good brisket and then there was a gift exchange. Everyone had a number and when your number was called you could pick from a large pile of wrapped gifts on a table or steal a gift from someone who had picked out a gift previously. After a gift had been stolen twice, it was retired and couldn't be stolen again. The most popular gifts always seems to be dog beds, but dog blankets seem desirable as well. Gift cards are very desirable, but don't turn up all that often. I've you happen to pick a package containing a gift card, you can expect that it will be stolen. There is a name for this kind of humorous gift exchange, but I've forgotten what it is.

Hopefully the weather will be better tomorrow. There is no rain in the forecast anyway. I don't know how I managed to get 23,000 steps today with all the nasty weather. I must have been pretty busy this morning. Tomorrow I'll go mall walking and weather permitting, we'll take Dawn on her Sunday outing. If this sounds like exactly what I did last week, you'd be wrong. Last week I was taking Santa Paws pictures.

Princess is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4733 - Dawn's Birthday

Good grief. I forgot my appointment with the eye doctor today. It wasn't their fault. They've been sending me reminders for the past two weeks. I got distracted by a roof leak this morning and just forgot. I remember thinking yesterday that maybe I ought to leave a note out on the kitchen table to remind me while I was eating breakfast. No, I'll remember I thought. I rescheduled the appointment, but I feel kind of foolish. I can't remember anything anymore.

Today's roof leak was minor, but it was annoying. This is what happens in the Winter. It never gets hot enough for the water to evaporate, so it just sits up there. I used to get on the roof and sweep the water away after every rain, but I try to avoid that now. I'm getting clumsy and I don't want to fall off the roof.

The park was empty when we walked Dawn this morning. You don't see many bicycles or runners on days like this. People still walk their dogs though. No matter what the weather looks like, we always see several other people walking their dogs. 

I keep telling myself that I don't feel like walking in the park, but somehow I end up doing it anyway. It's just easier to go out the back door and start walking than it is to go to the gym. I completed my entire walk this morning without thinking that I should have been at the eye doctor instead. It never even occurred to me that I'd missed my appointment until later this afternoon. Next time I will make myself a note and place it on the kitchen table. 

I upgraded the star tracker this afternoon. I don't know why I bothered because it doesn't seem any different than the last version. The unit still works, but it takes me a while to get it going. There is a specific start-up sequence that needs to be followed and I never remember to do everything in the right order. I wouldn't be surprised if I wear the star tracker out testing it and never get around to doing any actual astrophotography.

Today is Dawn's birthday. She is now ten years old. Coincidentally, December 9th is also my Dad's birthday.  He would have been 102 year old if he hadn't died 19 years ago. Dawn is getting older, but she still seems very healthy. I think she enjoys her life with us and is finally starting to relax. I took a short nap on the bed earlier this evening and she didn't leave. She actually seemed fairly content. One of these days she's going to realize that I mean no harm and we'll be buddies. We'll have a little birthday party for Dawn when Janet gets home this evening. We don't make elaborate dog cakes anymore, but we do get pupcakes from Sprinkles. Janet and I will have a little champagne as well. It's just a birthday tradition.

There's more rain in the forecast for tomorrow. I wish the rain would wait until I finish my grocery shopping, but it probably won't. I'm resigned to getting wet tomorrow. Dawn might get a morning walk though. I don't think the rain is supposed to start until around 10 AM. If it keeps raining I'll go to the gym in the afternoon. It's time for me to go back to the gym anyway.

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day