2023-09-03 02:32
I actually did it. Remind me not to set any other goals that take fifteeen years to accomplish. I'm still a bit surprised that I managed to write something every single day for 5000 consecut… Read More
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Some Assembly Required Blog
john-sealander.blogspot.com
Take a day-by-day journey with writer/photographer John Sealander as he attempts to assemble something coherent out of the confusion around him.
2023-09-02 04:28
I woke up with a terrible stomach ache this morning. I must have eaten something yesterday that had gone bad in the refrigerator. It happens ocassionally. I felt better as the day progressed… Read More
2023-09-01 01:45
Not a bad day. We had a nice sunrise walk with Dawn this morning. These early walks are still very pleasant. It's just too bad that the temperature warms up so quickly once the sun appears… Read More
2023-08-31 02:12
I wish I was ending the blog on a high note. It would be nice to go out describing some sort of grand adventure. Not very likely. It looks like this summer will continue to be an endless ser… Read More
2023-08-30 04:03
We walked very early today since Janet had plans. Dawn wore her green LED collar and Janet and I had little clip on lights. We walk this way all Winter, but it still seems early in the seaso… Read More
2023-08-29 02:00
This morning was a pleasant surprise. We didn't get any rain yesterday but the cold front definitely brought cooler weather. The temperature was in the low 70's when we took our sunrise walk… Read More
2023-08-28 02:44
We almost got some rain this afternoon. Lots of people around us saw a little rain today, but sadly we didn't see one drop. It's still bone dry. I kept watching the weather radar and the clo… Read More
2023-08-27 02:30
Another busy day. It never cools down anymore. Our air conditioner runs throughout the night and our early morning walk feels more like a midday walk. At least it's still cool enough before… Read More
2023-08-26 04:31
We keep setting record high temperatures every single day. I'm beginning to think this heat wave will never end. They say a cold front will arrive next Monday though. For a few days the high… Read More
2023-08-25 04:10
Dawn had to go to the vet for her dental cleaning today. She got her regular sunrise walk, but couldn't eat breakfast this morning. You aren't supposed to eat prior to having anesthesia. Daw… Read More
2023-08-24 02:15
When is this month going to be over? I keep waiting for the weather to change, but every day is the same. It looks like we're going to have clear skies and triple digit temperatures forever… Read More
2023-08-23 01:58
I wonder why this seems like the hottest summer ever? I think there have been several years when it has been worse, but I can't remember exactly when. I know there was a time when the water… Read More
2023-08-22 02:02
The Bordetella vaccine that Dawn got yesterday really helped. She hardly coughed at all today. I think the only time she started coughing at all was when she drank water too fast. I don't kn… Read More
2023-08-21 02:02
The heat is relentless. It's even hot on our sunrise walks now. I just wonder how long this can continue. I keep looking at the weather app on my phone and all it shows are sunny days and tr… Read More
2023-08-20 03:14
Another busy day. We got up a little later this morning and the park was already filled with people when we took Dawn on her early walk. I think everyone is starting to realize that just bef… Read More
2023-08-19 01:59
Dawn woke us up early this morning with a rasping cough. We think she has kennel cough, although we have no idea how she caught it. Other than her weekly training class she's not around othe… Read More
2023-08-18 03:53
It's hard to believe that the temperature can fluctuate 40 degrees in just a few hours. That's what happened today. We had a very pleasant early morning walk with Dawn this morning. It was o… Read More
2023-08-17 04:42
It was actually a little chilly this morning. I was amazed. We had a very pleasant walk with Dawn today. I think we were all surprised at the cooler weather. Unfortunately this isn't going t… Read More
2023-08-16 03:47
It was surprisingly cool this morning. When we left the house to take our sunrise walk it was only 75 degrees. It was so pleasant outside that I thought seriously about walking in the park l… Read More
2023-08-15 01:58
Another triple digit day. They say we've broken an all time record for consecutive days above 80 degrees. I wouldn't be surprised if we've broken records for days above 100 degrees as well… Read More
2023-08-14 02:18
Nothing out of the ordinary today. We got up a little later this morning. Getting up early to avoid the heat doesn't accomplish much any more. It always seems a little warmer every time I st… Read More
2023-08-13 02:38
I had a long list of things to get today and most of them weren't groceries. I needed bug spray, WD-40, dishwasher detergent, Swiffer dusters, and blue shop towels. There were food items too… Read More
2023-08-12 01:43
Today was busier than usual. As always we started with a sunrise walk with Dawn. The temperature was in the high 80's and it felt muggy outside, but this was still the nicest part of the day… Read More
2023-08-11 02:10
The schedule was a little different today. We got up and took our sunrise walk at the regular time, but there was no breakfast for anyone. Dawn had an early vet appointment and she needed to… Read More
2023-08-10 02:14
I'm starting to forget what day it is. If the day and date weren't on my watch, I wouldn't have a clue. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. August is almost always this way. By this time of ye… Read More
2023-08-09 01:45
I keep looking for a break in the weather, but there is nothing on the horizon. Next Monday the temperature is supposed to reach 109 degrees. This is not good. It will probably be September… Read More
2023-08-08 01:46
I can cross one more thing off my to-do list. I got the car safety inspected today and picked up my new window sticker. It doesn't seem like a year since I've done this, but time goes by qui… Read More
2023-08-07 02:48
No surprises today. Since it was the weekend, we got up later than usual and then took Dawn on her morning walk. The heat has really reduced the number of people in the park. It's pretty emp… Read More
2023-08-06 01:49
Just a normal Saturday, doing my Saturday things. We're taking our sunrise walks earlier now to avoid the heat but it doesn't really help. It's already uncomfortably warm even before the sun… Read More
2023-08-05 03:30
The heat wave continues. It's easy to see the changes the heat has brought on our sunrise walks. The grass in the meadows has turned dry and yellow. Some of the trees that aren't heat resist… Read More
2023-08-04 04:16
I think this heat has fried my brain. I can't think of anything I want to do. Basically I just get up every morning and repeat the previous day. Our sunrise walks are getting warmer and warm… Read More
2023-08-03 02:29
Not a lot happened today. At least Dawn acted normally all day. I'm trying to decide whether to apply to go see the OSIRIS-REx astroid sample return at Johnson Space Center this Fall. Ordina… Read More
2023-08-02 01:22
Today was a little weird, although it started normally enough. Like always, we took our sunrise walk with Dawn during the coolest part of the day. Unfortunately, it was already 85 degrees wh… Read More
2023-08-01 04:28
A neighbor's house went under the wrecking ball today. This was a nice house with an Austin Stone exterior, three bedrooms, a pool, and an updated kitchen. The original owners both passed aw… Read More
2023-07-31 02:53
Another insanely hot day. This is getting old. At least our sunrise walks are tolerable. It's never really cool though. Even when we leave before sunrise it already feels like the high for t… Read More
2023-07-30 02:37
Another Saturday in the books. We see lots more people on our weekend sunrise walks. The park was full of runners this morning. I guess if you like to run, this would be the time to do it. S… Read More
2023-07-29 03:25
I got a message from my editor asking if I'd be interested in getting a tour of the ship that will be used to retrieve the Orion astronauts after the next Artemis mission. I had to say no. T… Read More
2023-07-28 04:27
I'm glad I didn't go to the Falcon Heavy launch. Last night's launch got scrubbed with one minute left on the countdown clock. The launch was rescheduled for tonight and then subsequently po… Read More
2023-07-27 01:33
Instead of incurring new bills with a last minute trip to Florida, I spent the morning paying old bills. There seems to be a relentless push with online payment systems to get you to sign up… Read More
2023-07-26 02:05
Today's big event was giving Dawn a bath. Well, it wasn't a big event for Dawn. She thought we were going in the car for ice cream until we somehow wound up at the self bathe place instead… Read More
2023-07-25 03:45
My request for credentials was approved with less than two days remaining until the EchoStar Jupiter 3 launch. Jeez. This just isn't going to work. Most flights are already fully booked and… Read More
2023-07-24 03:13
Not a bad day, even though everything about it was very predictable. We started out with a nice early walk with Dawn. Why can't the weather stay this way all day? The temperature was in the… Read More
2023-07-23 02:34
Today was busy. I surprised myself with how much I got done. I do set the bar pretty low these days though. Maybe I was a bit more energetic because it was cooler today. For the first time i… Read More
2023-07-22 03:21
There's a Falcon Heavy launch next week that I'll almost certainly get credentialed for. I don't think I'm going to go. Hmmm. This is new. I never turn down a chance to go to a launch. I jus… Read More
2023-07-21 03:28
Another long, hot day. Getting up early didn't really help that much this morning. The temperature was already too hot long before the sun rose. I think others have discovered that this is t… Read More
2023-07-20 03:57
I paid for the water heater today. I hope nothing else breaks this summer. I've had enough. The roofing company people called me this morning and tried to convince me to add solar panels to… Read More
2023-07-19 01:47
This heat wave is starting to feel a little apocalyptic. There is no end in sight. We got up even earlier this morning so Dawn could have at least one decent walk. The temperature already wa… Read More
2023-07-18 02:07
The temperature wasn't bad when we took Dawn on her sunrise walk, but it didn't take long for it to climb to over 105 degrees. When is this going to end? When I looked at the weather app on… Read More
2023-07-17 02:51
Life is back to normal. Dawn was so happy to take a walk again this moring. She could have taken a walk with me every day last week, but she's a strange dog. Unless we're both around, she ju… Read More
2023-07-16 02:44
Janet returned home this evening and Dawn is beyond happy. I think a week alone with me is about her limit. For the most part she's been very good, but this morning I was worried enough abou… Read More
2023-07-15 02:07
A plumber came by this morning to add a circular flashing around the hole where the vent from the water heater went through the ceiling. He said this would be necessary when the building ins… Read More
2023-07-14 02:04
It's been a long day. Two plumbers have been here all day installing the new water heater. I never dreamed that putting a water heater in a confined space was such a complicated procedure. D… Read More
2023-07-13 02:26
Not the best of days. It was 104 degrees this afternoon, our water heater started leaking and will need to be replaced, and my application to attend the Orion Media Day at Kennedy Space Cent… Read More
2023-07-12 01:17
Dawn was a little calmer today. We're making slow progress. She still wouldn't come to the kitchen for breakfast this morning, but she did get off the bed and eat from her bowl when I placed… Read More
2023-07-11 02:54
We made it through our first day. I hate to see Dawn sad, but if she had her way, neither of us would ever leave the house. As I expected, Dawn refuses to take a walk and seems nervous even… Read More
2023-07-10 01:48
Dawn is still nervous because Janet is away, but we're doing OK. She's eating her meals and has had her evening meds. I think taking a walk is a lost cause, but we'll give it a try tomorrow… Read More
2023-07-09 02:28
It was quite pleasant on our sunrise walk with Dawn this morning. It was overcast, the temperature was in the low 80's and there was a nice breeze. I was seriously considering taking my long… Read More
2023-07-08 02:30
During the past week I've gotten three invitations to apply for launch credentials. So far I haven't replied to any of them. This isn't like me. I'm a little worried about the malaria mosqui… Read More
2023-07-07 02:15
I fixed the screen door this morning. Well, I kind of fixed it anyway. I bought a roll of new aluminum screen wire, but I discovered that it was a lot easier to just tighten and reattach the… Read More
2023-07-06 03:34
Another uneventful day. I'm having problems connecting to the Internet this evening, so this post is taking a lot longer than expected. Actually, everything is taking longer than expected to… Read More
2023-07-05 02:38
Today seemed like any other day. If I didn't turn on the television I might never have known it was Independence Day. It's a shame that the country is so divided. This should be a day that w… Read More
2023-07-04 02:32
It was a little cooler today. It's surprising what a difference a few degrees can make. We had a very pleasant sunrise walk with Dawn this morning. For the first time in weeks we even saw a… Read More
2023-07-03 02:21
It was a little cooler today and it made a big difference. Temperatures in the mid eighties are a lot easier to handle than temperatures in the high nineties. Our early morning walk with Daw… Read More
2023-07-02 02:46
I tried going to bed early last night, but didn't really get any more sleep. I woke up this morning thinking it was Sunday. Nope. Only Saturday. Our sunrise walk with Dawn was a little coole… Read More
2023-07-01 01:54
I've got to start getting more sleep. After finishing my blog post I usually watch TV in bed for a while. I immediately fall asleep and don't wake up again until after nmidnight. I realize t… Read More
2023-06-30 02:34
So glad the air conditioner is working. This heat has been relentless. It doesn't even cool down at night anymore. When we take Dawn on her sunrise walk the temperature is already in the 80'… Read More
2023-06-29 04:19
I finally got the new phone configured. Why did I get this thing? It really doesn't seem that different than the old phone. With the phone and Apple Watch both updated to the latest operatin… Read More
2023-06-28 02:49
I got a new phone today. I'm already wishing I had the old phone back. In theory transfering everything from the old phone to the new phone was supposed to be a no brainer. In practice it wa… Read More
2023-06-27 02:36
I guess I'd better get used to this heat. It's not going away. Each morning when we take Dawn on her sunrise walk it seems a little warmer than it did the previous day. The low temperature i… Read More
2023-06-26 02:39
We've had hotter summers before, so why does this one seem so bad? I'm probably just getting older and can't handle these temperatures as well. Social media didn't exist during some of our p… Read More
2023-06-25 02:48
Just a normal Saturday. We took Dawn on an early walk to avoid the heat, we had a big weekend breakfast, and then I got ready to do my grocery shopping. My grocery list was a little longer t… Read More
2023-06-24 02:20
It's going to be a long summer. It's only June and I don't think the temperature is going to get any cooler in July and August. The heat makes it even harder to stay optimistic. Every time I… Read More
2023-06-23 02:12
Last night's rain cooled things down a little this morning, but the temporary respite from our ongoing heat wave didn't last long. By mid-morning it was already hot and muggy again. At least… Read More
2023-06-22 03:14
Not a lot happened today. We're still dealing with a heat wave that destroys your will to do anything. At least our air conditioner is still working though. Our sunrise walks with Dawn are t… Read More
2023-06-21 02:19
Applying for TSA Pre was pretty much like going through the TSA line at the airport. Annoying is the word that comes to mind. I arrived just in time to see their input machine crash. The gir… Read More
2023-06-20 03:26
I turned 75 today. Any way you measure it, that's getting old. I think I'm hanging in there though. We started the day early to avoid the heat. Dawn got a nice sunrise walk and then I had my… Read More
2023-06-19 02:05
The weather is always nice when we take Dawn on her sunrise walk. Unfortunately, it doesn't stay that way long. By the time I finished breakfast it was already back to what you'd expect for… Read More
2023-06-18 01:08
Very little happened today, but it still seemed like a long day. We had to get up very early this morning because Janet had an all day event to go to. For the first time since last winter, w… Read More
2023-06-17 01:41
The weather was a little better today. When we took Dawn on her early morning walk the oppressive humidity was gone. There was a nice breeze and the temperature was in the mid 70's. Of cours… Read More
2023-06-16 01:47
The weather won today. For the first time in ages I didn't go on a long walk. I didn't even think about it. The temperature was in the nineties and today's humidity was the highest ever reco… Read More
2023-06-15 03:00
No rain today, but the humidity was so high that it felt like it was raining. At least it was overcast and relatively cool outside. The humidity would have seemed even worse if the sun was s… Read More
2023-06-14 02:22
It was hard to stay ahead of the weather today. It would rain for a while, but never stop for long enough to get anything done. Dawn missed her early walk this morning because of a sudden st… Read More
2023-06-13 01:05
It was a busy day. We had quite a storm last night and we woke up to find some fallen branches in our yard. It turned out that these branches were from the neighbor's tree. No limbs fell fro… Read More
2023-06-12 02:40
We started the day with clear blue skies and ended the day with a thunderstorm. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. It's almost always like this in early June. We made the most of the nice par… Read More
2023-06-11 02:37
Why do grocery stores keep changing the location of everything? It's irritating. They must think you will buy more if you have to search for the items on your shopping list. I couldn't find… Read More
2023-06-10 01:38
When we walked Dawn this morning I could tell it was going to be a hot day. Our early morning walk was pleasant, but you could feel that the heat was coming. I should have just kept walking… Read More
2023-06-09 02:47
I spent way too much time today trying to decide whether to abandon U-Verse and go to a streaming service instead. I don't know why I even care, since I don't watch TV much. It seems like so… Read More
2023-06-08 02:42
I changed my phone plan today. I thought this would be easy, but nothing is easy these days. When I got home from the phone store my e-mailed receipt showed that my new rate was almost doubl… Read More
2023-06-07 02:04
My Fitbit said I got zero sleep last night. I probably slept a little, but not much. I pulled a muscle in my shoulder and it hurts to sleep on my side like I usually do. Apparently I can't s… Read More
2023-06-06 02:51
Little by little, things get done. My new driver's license arrived in the mail today. For the first time in my life I have a license with restrictions. "Corrective lenses required," it says… Read More
2023-06-05 03:28
No surprises today. We got up a little later than we do on weekdays, took Dawn on her morning walk, and had a big breakfast. Dawn is scared of the neighbor's cat and always wants to make sur… Read More
2023-06-04 03:05
I did my grocery shopping early this morning so we could go to Dawn's dog school party. I think I tried this last week as well, but this week I started even earlier. I finished my shopping a… Read More
2023-06-03 02:39
These days just seem to race by even with virtually nothing happening. You'd think that time would slow down, or that I'd get bored on slow uneventful days, but it's not like that at all. I… Read More
2023-06-02 02:38
I didn't accomplish much today. Somehow it's June already and it still seems like it should be February. I guess I've done a few things this year, but it doesn't seem like much. What happene… Read More
2023-06-01 03:09
I finished my article this morning, edited some pictures, and sent the package off to SpaceFlight Magazine. The pictures were almost identical to other rocket pictures I've taken. The articl… Read More
2023-05-31 02:24
The roof got its first big test today. We had a driving mid-afternoon thunderstorm and no leaks. I resisted the urge to climb up on the roof after the storm was over and see if there was sta… Read More
2023-05-30 03:07
Today was a two part day. I walked in the morning and wrote in the afternoon. It didn't feel like I accomplished much, but my article is basically done. I just need to wait until the AX-2 as… Read More
2023-05-29 03:01
Not a bad day. It was supposed to rain today, but the rain never materialized. We had a pleasant early morning walk with Dawn and then returned home for a big breakfast. Our routine on Sunda… Read More
2023-05-28 03:02
Just another grocery day. The day started as always with Dawn's sunrise walk. It was nice and cool this morning. I wish the temperature would stay in the low 70's for the rest of the summer… Read More
2023-05-27 03:24
Today was uneventful. I mostly thought about doing things instead of actually doing them. I didn't make much progress on my article today and tried to avoid projects around the house. Consid… Read More
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