Sunday, September 29, 2019

Unsatisfying Result


It was a doubleheader Saturday and the GORC Cooperstown 12U headed to La Plata to play the Senators. 

Lunch Between the Games
La Plata, MD
September 28, 2019
It was a long drive. But everyone arrived ready to play the games. The day started cool due to the heavy overcast, which was great--but, we began the first game in a drenching rainstorm, which while keeping the dust down on the field also seemed to quench the intensity of our bats. The games ended under a burning sun. We managed only three runs over the two games. The final results were losses: 14-1 and 14-2. The mercy rule kicked in for both games. 

We made some good plays in the field, but the Senators bats were very hot and they were able to find holes in our infield and outfield all day. 

It was a learning experience!

We will be better for it next time. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Crashing through the Weekend


Me with Jeremy, Nicole and Patrick
Elkridge, MD
September 26, 2019
We have so much stuff planned this weekend that two days were not enough in which to complete everything and so I stole a day from the workweek and added Monday to make this a three-day weekend!

We are going to be "crazy" busy. 

We have already been busy starting with my birthday on Thursday, followed by Happy Hour with friends last evening. 

Today the GORC Cooperstown Wildcats play a double header in La Plata! At least we get two games because it is over an hour drive with no traffic. That will eat up most of Saturday. But it will be a baseball Saturday--what could be bad about that?

Tomorrow, bright and early probably before dawn, Chris and I head out for NYC with Jax for an overnight. I am taking a day off on Monday so that we can explore NYC and then return at our leisure. 

By the time the weekend is complete, I may be looking forward to getting back to work to get some rest. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Friday, September 27, 2019

Birthday


Thanks to all who provided greetings for my birthday. It is overwhelming to get greetings form so many people. I remember that in the olden days we would rush to the mail box for greetings and now we go to Facebook. 

I cannot believe that I am another year older--I hope I have the mental capacity to remember my new age when asked--whatever it is.

I have been asked about retirement and I think the end of the daily work rodeo is forming out on the horizon. It is still in the distance, but I have begun to get ready for the day when I no longer report to work promptly at 0700--but not yet. 

What will life after retirement look like? 

I am still looking for that answer. 

Prostate Cancer Awareness Ribbon
From seeing my retired friends, I know that there is life after retirement, but I am not too sure what it is at this point. 

But this birthday reminds me that the year past was a traumatic year. I went through 44 prostate cancer treatments starting right after my last birthday and have been recovering marvelously since then. September is, after all,  prostate cancer awareness month.  Chris and I bought a condo in Florida--but did not go on a cruise, although we recently went to Hawaii. But most importantly, we have spent time with family. 

A wise man once told me that after I retire and leave the organization where I work that people will quickly forget what I did there, but my family will never forget the times we spent together and the times we spent apart. 

I have had both times with and apart from my family.  Last evening was special because I was able to gather with my whole family--minus one, to celebrate.

Let the next year begin.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD 

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Craziness in D.C.


The back and forth summer of jockeying by the President and the Congress has continues into autumn and the wheels are threatening to come off the country. My minds is reeling from all of the activity. 

Wow it has been a wild week! Or is that a month? Possibly a wild year? Maybe two-and-a-half wild years?

Accusations. Charges. Counter-claims. Whistle-blowers. Indignation. Ukraine? Elections.

And then there is the impeachment probe being initiated in the House. More dysfunction at work. 

Is anyone governing the country? Managing foreign policy? Ensuring Domestic tranquility? 

Who is in charge at The White House? 

Will there be another government shutdown as early as Tuesday? 

Is anyone in charge anymore?

Have our leaders lost sight of their primary mission?


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD


Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Autumn Arriving


Autumn Evening
Elkridge, MD
September 24, 2019
Last evening the weather changed and I felt Autumn in the air. The temperatures were below 80 and the humidity finally dropped. Chris and I sat outside under a cyan sky sipping the white wine of summer past and enjoying the moderate temperatures. Although we were afflicted by hordes of gnats.

Sitting outside as the twilight fell, I noticed that autumn colors were beginning to make their way into the trees. The dry weather has meant that many leaves are already falling and are  covering my yard. But, we recently had the yard aerated and over-seeded  meaning we are watering right now trying to get grass germinated and growing before the warm weather departs. 

What we do to try and enjoy good lawns, so that we can mow them. With Autumn arriving, the end of the lawn care season is in sight, just as the pool season has likewise ended. 

It is time to begin to make ready for the dark season. We retrieved the Halloween decorations from the attic last evening to begin to make ready for the season of goblins and ghouls! October is getting close! Soon there will be frost on the pumpkins. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

October Baseball


Major league baseball teams dream of playing October games because that means they are in the playoffs with a chance to play and win the World Series. 

The Orioles will not be playing in October this year. They are 51-106 .325 with five games remaining. They have bested the record of the 2018 Orioles who only won 47 games--but to say that there is improvement is searching for positives among the thorns. Last night they lost a 15 inning game 11-10 by virtue of a walk-off homer to the Blue Jays. They have two more games in Toronto and then it is off to Boston for the final three games of the season.


Practice 
GORC  Cooperstown 2020 Wildcats 12U
September 23, 2019
As for meaningful October games. the GORC  Cooperstown 2020 Wildcats 12U team will be playing the entire month. Yes, it is Fall Ball and while the normal autumn sports are being played, there will still be baseball to fill the void left by the Orioles departure. 

The team has played two games already, both losses--but close losses: 5-2, 8-6. There is a doubleheader on Saturday in La Plata against the Southern Maryland Senators that promises to be interesting. The Senators are one of the best teams in the area and it should be a true test for the team. And the baseball season continues even as the Orioles lick their wounds and try to figure out how not to lose 100 games or more next season. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday, September 23, 2019

Monday Musings - September 23, 2019



1. Summer slipped away and Autumn began while I was sleeping. The leaves falling on my yard are now properly aligned to the season.

2. Returning home after being away has been a bit of a whirlwind with parties and football. And now it is back to our regularly scheduled life.

Finn and Riordin Sleeping
Elkridge, MD
September 22, 2019
3. Buddies sleeping together in a sunbeam who had been reunited after a week apart. They were cute laying there stroking the same pose. 

4. Family NFL report: 

    Ravens lost to Chiefs 28-33
    Steelers lost to 49ers 20-24
    Cowboys defeated the Dolphins 31-6
    Redskins meet the Bears tonight

Spider in the Bushes
Black and Yellow Garden Spider
Odenton, MD
September 22, 2019
5. There was this huge spider. It was in a bush outside of Nicole's house and it made for a great image. It did not seem to mind the attention it received. 

6. It is amazing how quickly Chris and I can unpack--we had everything unpacked and the first load in the wash and were out the door for a birthday party just an hour-and-a-half after arriving home on Saturday.

7. With the ending of September on Monday next week, the progression towards winter will begin unabated. At least we are still playing baseball until November. 

8. Today in History. On September 23, 1875, Billy the Kid is arrested for the first time after stealing a basket of laundry. He later broke out of jail and roamed the American West, eventually earning a reputation as an outlaw and murderer and a rap sheet that allegedly included 21 murders.
The exact details of Billy the Kid’s birth are unknown, other than his name, William Henry McCarty. He was probably born sometime between 1859 and 1861, in Indiana or New York. As a child, he had no relationship with his father and moved around with his family, living in Indiana, KansasColorado and Silver City, New Mexico. His mother died in 1874 and Billy the Kid—who went by a variety of names throughout his life, including Kid Antrim and William Bonney—turned to crime soon afterward.


Headlines

Hong Kong Police Posed as Protesters, Launching a Bloody CrackdownHong Kong Police Posed as Protesters, -New York Times

36 Hours in Albuquerque - The New York Times

Iran resists sanctions, U.S. is 'desperate,' Rouhani says - Reuters

Five civilians killed in air strikes by Saudi-led coalition in Yemen: TV - Reuters



Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

All my life I've seen that when people have freedom and a vision, when they have the courage and the opportunity to work hard, and when people believe in the power of faith and hope, they can accomplish great things.
  -- Remarks at a Question-and-Answer Session at St. Agatha High School in Detroit, Michigan, October 10, 1984


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Home at Last


The view out my back door window is familiar. 


Wailea Beach Sunset, Maui
September 19, 2019
It is good to be home at the completion of the trip and I am ready to get back into the things of my life--including work, baseball, and household chores.

But the memories of the trip are fresh and even though the trip home was long and seemingly endless, I feel pretty good as this morning dawns and am ready to face the challenges that the early autumn is presenting. 

Lighting the Tiki Torches
Wailea Beach, Maui
September 19, 2019
Speaking of which, Autumn begins tomorrow morning at 3:50 AM EDT. 

The trip home was much longer than it needed to be, but that is the way we were routed. Sometimes I wish that Southwest would play well with others and I could have changed airlines in Denver and arrived home about three hours sooner than we did. As it was, we arriver at the airport promptly at 4:20 PM after leaving Maui the night before at 8 PM. Even by subtracting the six hour time change, that is still almost 14.3 hours of travel! And after being up all day, it made for a very long travel experience.

But we are back!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Most of the Way Home


Post-conference Reception
Wailea, Maui
September 20, 2019
I watched the sun rise this morning, but I was bleary-eyed because I had just landed in Denver. Those of us who traverse time zones while traveling know that it can be somewhat disorienting to take off from one place at 8PM at night and wake to the rising sun some five hours later in a different time zone. It seems like the Zombie Apocalypse  has arrived. 

Wailea, Maui Beach
September 16, 2019
Yesterday I enjoyed Maui and today I'm stuck with an incredibly long Denver layover waiting to get back to Baltimore. 

The departure from Maui was smooth and we were treated to a great end of conference party to send us off on our way. We left the reception, loaded luggage in the rental and headed for the airport. 

Arrival at Denver from Maui, Boeing 777
September 21. 2019

I will miss sitting with Chris on our balcony enjoying the rising sun and looking over the small beach that we would see from our room. We enjoyed the waves crashing on the beach and the sounds of the birds as the awakened for the day. 

We enjoyed the open air lobby of the hotel and restaurants, although the air did become very heavy at times. Chris tested her camera skills on the beach Friday by taking some spectacular images of the waves crashing on the rocks. 

I may be able to use some of them in the blog later.

For now, we are waiting--waiting, and waiting. Soon, though, we will be winging our way home and Maui will be memories and images.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Denver International Airport, Denver, CO


Friday, September 20, 2019

Atop the Mountain


From about 9000' Elevation
Haleakala, Hawaii
September 19, 2019
Mountains are sacred to the Hawaiians. Today I was honored to venture to the top of Haleakala, an extinct volcano, for a tour and discussions. While there I was able to pay my respects to the Hawaiian peoples. From Wikipedia I learned, early Hawaiians applied the name Haleakalā ("house of the sun") to the general mountain. Haleakalā is also the name of a peak on the southwestern edge of Kaupō Gap. In Hawaiian folklore, the depression (crater) at the summit of Haleakalā was home to the grandmother of the demigod Māui. According to the legend, Māui's grandmother helped him capture the sun and force it to slow its journey across the sky in order to lengthen the day.

Haleakala Crater
Maui, Hawaii
September 19, 2019
The journey up the mountain was long and the road wound around many hairpin turns going from sea level to 10,000 feet. I witnessed the changes of ecosystems along the way from the lush tropical trees and plants at the base, through the farmlands and pastures, through deciduous forests, and then pine forests, and finally scrub tundra before giving way to the barren landscape of the summit and the crater. It was very stark there, but I was not on a pleasure trip, I was there for business and could not spend much time viewing the scenery--such as it was. 

It was another beautiful Maui day. Tomorrow? Travel begins again as we journey home.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD


Thursday, September 19, 2019

Palm Tree at Night


Palm Tree at Night
Wailea, Maui
September 18, 2019
Chris and I walked along the ocean front last evening and found a place to sit and look out into the blackness. The surf was pounding the shore with a regular rhythmic sound and the stars were shining brightly above us. We confirmed the location of Jupiter with the assistance of an app on my cell phone. 

As we were laying there, on the bench looking at the stars, I decided, with the encouragement from Chris, to take an image of the palm tree stretching up into the night sky. There were stars in the sky and ti was a memorable scene. There was maybe too much ground light. 

I turned on the flash to get a better picture, but the lack of light meant the scene was recorded in a grainy fashion, but the palm tree towered above us as we marveled at the night sky.

And so the scene was captured.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Wailea, Maui 

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Maui on my Mind


Beach Near our Hotel
Wailea, Maui
September 14, 2019
Maui is quite a place. It is paradise and it is a working place. 

Over the past few days, Chris and I have walked the beaches and checked out the natural wildlife. 

Snail
Wailea, Maui
September 14, 2019
The local beach is beautiful. It is surrounded by rocks and has red sand. In the morning, it is a joy to behold in the dawn's light. Like the first morning that we were here. That written, I have been on the road a week now, having left last Wednesday, I think I am ready to go home. But, we have a few more days and then a long trip back to Maryland. 

Maui is beautiful. We had a fantastic welcome reception for the conference this evening. The sky was beautiful and the sunset was stunning.


-- Bob Doan, Writing from Wailea, Maui

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

A Day in the Sun


Chris on the Edge of the Infinity Pool
Wailea, Maui
September 16, 2019 
So I have determined that we are on the arid side of Maui--it has not rained since we have been here and there a large areas where the grasses are brown from lack of rain. I guess that is good for the tourists. The clouds hang over the mountains every day and look very ominous--but there is no rain in Wailea. 

Looking to the Ocean
Wailea, Maui
September 16, 2019
It has been hot--some of the hottest days of the summer they tell me. And the trade winds have calmed down. Meaning--it is not just hot, it is really hot!!

There is a nice swimming beach not far from the room that we enjoy walking on to get in touch with the ocean. But even so, the pools are very nice, such as the infinity pool I took a picture of Chris enjoying yesterday. 

The weather is great in the morning and early afternoon and again after the sun goes down. We tried to get a sunset image yesterday--but it didn't work out. We still have a few more days to get another sunset shot. I have taken a few on the trip and will put them together as I can when I get back.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Wailea, Maui


Monday, September 16, 2019

Monday Musings - September 16, 2019




1. It is now the third Monday of September. The month is slipping away precipitously. 

2. Amazingly, the Orioles won a series by beating the Tigers two our of three games. The Orioles are 49-100, .329 with 13 games remaining. Hopefully, they will find a way to keep loses below 108. 

Turtle at Turtle Town, Maui
September 15, 2019


3. Family Football results:
     Ravens defeat Cardinals 23-17
     Cowboys defeat Redskins 31-21
     Steelers lose to Seahawks 26-28

4. I love snorkeling where there are some awesome pictures to be taken. This turtle was imaged yesterday morning off the Maui coast.

5. Flying isn't hard as long as the landings are smooth.

6. Getting away is good, except all of the work I am missing is just piling up at work.

7. Today in History: On September 16, 1932, in his cell at Yerwada Jail near Bombay, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi begins a hunger strike in protest of the British government’s decision to separate India’s electoral system by caste.
A leader in the Indian campaign for home rule, Gandhi worked all his life to spread his own brand of passive resistance across India and the world. By 1920, his concept of Satyagraha (or “insistence upon truth”) had made Gandhi an enormously influential figure for millions of followers. Jailed by the British government from 1922-24, he withdrew from political action for a time during the 1920s but in 1930 returned with a new civil disobedience campaign. This landed Gandhi in prison again, but only briefly, as the British made concessions to his demands and invited him to represent the Indian National Congress Party at a round-table conference in London.

Headlines

Saudi Oil Attack Photos Implicate Iran, U.S. Says; Trump Hints at Military Action - The New York Times


OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma files for bankruptcy - Reuters

China's slowdown deepens; industrial output growth falls to 17-1/2 year low - Reuters




Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week



There's an account of two of America's greatest postwar statesmen traveling to Hungary soon after the war. Budapest lay devastated by weeks of street fighting, but there was rejoicing in the city. The Soviet occupiers had allowed a free election, and the anti-Communists had won a clear majority. Cheering Hungarians thronged the streets, blocking the way to the American mission. Recalled one of the diplomats: "There was an enormous crowd celebrating the victory under the American flag.'' He said, "It made me very humble to see how much these people looked to the United States as the protector of their freedom.'' And recalled the other: "Here was the hope of the world -- the American flag.''

Remarks at the Annual Leadership Conference of the American Legion - February 29, 1988


-- Bob Doan writing from Wailea, Maui

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Out the Hotel Window - Maui, Hawaii


Break of Dawn Out the Hotel Window
Wailea, Maui
September 14, 2019
Palm Tree
Wailea, Maui
September 14, 2019
The scene out my hotel window is beautiful, but not so photogenic. It is Hawaii, and therefor, beautiful. I had to wait until yesterday morning to take an image. There is a small beach just barely visible from the hotel room. Chris and I walked the beach as soon as it was light out and I was able to shoot the morning sun beginning to light the the sky and drive the darkness away. Chris and I continue to get up very early due to the time change that we have experienced. 

I also got this really great shot of a palm tree with the moon and the sunrise sky. 

It was very nice to be on the beach just before dawn to get the colors of the sky. 

Today, we will be heading off for a snorkeling trip. That should be fun. I even remembered my GoPro camera! 

-- Bob Doan, writing from Wailea, Maui


Saturday, September 14, 2019

Maui on my Mind


Out the Hawaiian Airlines Window
on Approach to Maui
September 13, 2019
I arrived in Maui last evening for the second part of my 10 day business trip. I worked a full day and did not arrive at the hotel until about 8 PM. It was a long day and I would like to say that I took some great pictures, but I didn't. 

Tiki Torches
Maui, Hawaii
September 13, 2019
I suffered through some terrible traffic yesterday morning in Honolulu! Worse than Baltimore. One night cycled four times before I was able to get through it. It made me late for the first meeting of the day and shortened the discussion, but no permanent damage was one. 

The torches which were lighted at the hotel were a nice touch. As Chris and I arrived last evening, it was a bit late to do any exploring.

Tomorrow, we explore and learn of the beauty and secrets of this island paradise.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Maui

Friday, September 13, 2019

Waikiki


Sunset and Sailboat
Waikiki, Hawaii
September 12, 2019
As the Colors Fade
Waikiki, Beach, Hawaii
September 12, 2019
On two successive nights I have had the opportunity to view Waikiki as the sun set. On both nights it was stunning. the view, the colors in the sky, and the people. 

Last evening the colors were stunning and rapidly changing. In about a 15 minute span, the colors turned from orange to magenta. The water turned purple in the weaning light of day as night began to fall. 

I took the second shot from my table in a restaurant where I stopped for dinner. I was mesmerized by the colors and how quickly they would change.

Autumn is settling in already despite the increased temperatures of late.

-- Bob Doan, Waikiki Beach, Hawaii 

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Out the Hotel Window - Waikiki


Out the Hotel Window - Waikiki
September 11, 2019

The beach calls and I am in a hotel with a beach view. Of course, my room does not have a beach view, I have a city view--but I am in Hawaii.
Out the Window Near the Elevator
September 11, 2019

The traveling during the day was fine, but long. Getting to the hotel in afternoon traffic was like trying to navigate the Baltimore beltway at rush hour. But the sky is beautiful, as are the mountains. The scene is just, well, Hawaii.

I took an image from the windows near the elevators and I could see the ocean. It is not too far off and I fact I walked the beach last evening, just because. It was a nice walk after dinner. The beach was still very much alive after sunset--surfers were catching waves and the catamaran sunset cruises were moving ashore to discharge their passengers. It was a great scene and I am happy to be here.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Waikiki Beach, Hawaii

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Into the Wild Blue - Again



And so . . . , that is a strange way to begin a blog.  But it is the way that I feel right now as I am sitting on an American Airlines flight headed to Phoenix. The jet is soaring at 34,000 feet, winging me over the U.S. and all of the window shades are drawn.  I feel as if I am in a cigar and I cannot tell that I am flying. There are no outside clues to our movement or progress except for an occasional bump from some unsettled air. 


I brought my old iPad along to watch movies on the flight only to learn that the movie app used by American is not compatible with my ancient iPad Series 2 which told me that there were no software updates for it. I only use the iPad anymore when I fly preferring instead to use my laptop for most things. Perhaps I need to reexamine this approach to managing my electronics stable. 

At least I was able to work on my morning blog entry to document my journey. 

Phoenix is just a stop-over on my way to Hawaii. Sitting on this flight now for over three hours I am reminded of why I love the Caribbean--I get all the benefits of Hawaii for a 3 hour flying day instead of the scheduled 12 hours of flight time I will log today. And the water is warmer in the Caribbean. When was the last time you heard someone complain about going to Hawaii?

-- Bob Doan, airborne somewhere over the Central U.S. 


Tuesday, September 10, 2019

After the Wedding


Bowling at the After Party@ Pinstripes
Bethesda, MD
September 6/7, 2019
The wedding Chris and I attended over the weekend was well planned and had a full evening of activity incorporated into the festivities. 


Canopy Hotel
Bethesda, MD
September 8, 2019

There was the wedding ceremony followed by dinner and dancing. But, after the reception came the after party--bowling. I have not had the opportunity to bowl in a very long time. It showed in my score. It is frustrating not to be able to do something that was once easy and enjoyable. But it was an enjoyable after party and I did have some residual pain the next day. 

The hotel had an interesting feature that I discovered during breakfast--a wine cart! What an interesting item for a dining room. It was the one feature of the hotel that I appreciated, but did not get to enjoy.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday, September 9, 2019

Monday Musings - September 9, 2019




1. It is the second Monday of September and the weather has been idyllic this past weekend.

GORC Wildcats - Haslup
South River, MD
September 8, 2019
2. The GORC Wildcats - Haslup Fall Ball Edition played their first game yesterday. It was a well played game, but the Wildcats came out on the losing end 5-2. 

3. The first weekend of the NFL saw the family teams split wins and losses:
     Ravens defeat Dolphins 59-10
     Cowboys defeat Giants 35-17
     Steelers lose to Patriots 33-3
     Redskins lose to Eagles 32-27

4. Traffic lights have it in for me. I have determined that there must be a device secretly implanted in my vehicles that advises the traffic lights to turn red when I am approaching. When Chris drives, she gets green lights. When I drive--I see red. 

5. There seems to be a lot of garbage along the roads. Are people using the roadsides for trash dumps?

6. This Day in History. The King of Rock and Roll teams up with TV’s reigning variety program, as Elvis Presley appears on “The Ed Sullivan Show” for the first time.
After earning big ratings for “The Steve Allen Show,” the Dorsey Brothers “Stage Show” and “The Milton Berle Show,” Sullivan finally reneged on his Presley ban, signing the controversial singing star to an unprecedented $50,000 contract for three appearances.


Headlines

Corpses Strewn, People Missing a Week After Dorian Hit the Bahamas - The New York Times




Hyundai Glovis car carrier listing off coast of U.S. state of Georgia - Reuters


Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

There was a reason for my seeking people who didnt want government careers. Dr. Parkinson summed it all up in his book on bureaucracy. He said, Government hires a rat-catcher and the first thing you know, hes become a rodent control officer. In those entire eight years, most of us never lost that feeling that we were there representing the people against what Cicero once called the arrogance of officialdom. We had a kind of watchword we used on each other. When we begin thinking of government as we instead of they, weve been here too long. Well, I believe that attitude would be beneficial in Washington.

To Restore America, Ronald Reagan's Campaign Address, March 31, 1976



-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Sunday, September 8, 2019

It Is Closed



The Water Being Lowered in Advance of Winter
Elkridge, MD
September 7, 2019
Despite the incredibly busy day devoted to the wedding and  a baseball practice, Chris and I managed to get the pool mostly closed. I say mostly because there are a few small items remaining, like talking to motor off the pump and storing it for the winter and getting antifreeze into some of the lines. 
The Pool is Closed and Covered!
Elkridge, MD
September 7, 2019

The pool, which was adorned for a rehearsal night dinner just two nights ago is now covered and ready for a long winter slumber.  The water was crystal clear, the sanitizer balance was perfect--it was sad to close the pool yesterday, but given the upcoming plans we needed to get it done. 

Reflecting on the now ended 2019 pool season, it was one of the best seasons I can remember. I felt as if the weather was perfect for enjoying pool activities and we enjoyed a lot of time in the pool. There is something very special about napping on a floatie in the pool enjoying the gentle seating and drifting. But that is now just another great memory. 

And now onto another busy day in a series of busy days. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Saturday, September 7, 2019

Out the Hotel Window - Bethesda, Maryland


Out the Hotel Window
Bethesda, MD
September 6, 2019
Out the Hotel Window in the Morning
Bethesda, MD
September 7, 2019
Last evening Chris and I stayed in a hotel in Bethesda, MD. The view out the hotel window was very interesting and dynamic. We were on the 10th floor! What a view. 

In the center of the frame is a beach--well that is at least what it calls itself. And the crane was very prominent as well. It dominated the view and highlighted and the parking garage under construction. 

I took another picture this morning of the view in the dawn light. The crystal blue sky was fabulous and foretold a spectacular day. 

I enjoyed the complex view of the city from the vantage point high above the street. The day turned into a busy and satisfying day.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Friday, September 6, 2019

The Rehearsal Dinner


Ready for Dinner as Darkness Falls
Elkridge, MD
September 5, 2019
Chris and the View from the Other Side
Rehearsal Dinner
Elkridge, MD
September 5, 2019
We hosted a Rehearsal Dinner last evening for a Corey and Julianne. They are a great couple and it was fun to make the pool area and the whole house look like a nice dinner venue. Yes, those are Tiki Torches above the fence line.

It took quite a bit of work, especially by Chris and some of our friends, but the place was rocking when the guests arrived and the only thing missing were waiters bringing drinks around on trays. 

The weather was perfect as the 90 degree heat broke earlier in the day and we were left with very comfortable temperatures. Even the mosquitoes took the night off and allowed our guests to enjoy the fun. OK, I may have fogged the grasses before everyone arrived to assist in keeping them down. 

Congratulations to a great couple!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD


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