Monday, October 8, 2018

Monday Musings - October 8, 2018



1. The second Monday of October has arrived. We are enjoying warm days in the 80's and no rain. I wish the mosquitos would go away, however.

2. Happy Columbus Day, or Indigenous Peoples Day depending on your point of view.

3. The recent Brett Kavanaugh partisan confirmation hearings have demonstrated that the United States is becoming a tribal society. The polarized I am afraid of where this is all heading.


4. Family Football Results:
    Ravens (3-2) lost to Browns 9-12 in overtime
    Steelers (2-2-1) defeated Falcons 41-17
    Cowboys (2-3) lost to Texans 16-19 in overtime
    Redskins (2-1) are at the Saints on the Monday Night game


5. The NHL is back. The fastest game on ice. The Penguins are off to a 2-1 start including a thrilling win over the defending Stanley Cup Champion Washington Capitals.

6. Why does the traffic always seem to be the worst in the direction that I am traveling?

7. The early-October get away was much needed and enjoyed. And we restocked our white wines for the coming winter season.

8. Today in History. On this day in 1871, flames spark in the Chicago barn of Patrick and Catherine O’Leary, igniting a two-day blaze that kills between 200 and 300 people, destroys 17,450 buildings, leaves 100,000 homeless and causes an estimated $200 million (in 1871 dollars; $3 billion in 2007 dollars) in damages. Legend has it that a cow kicked over a lantern in the O’Leary barn and started the fire, but other theories hold that humans or even a comet may have been responsible for the event that left four square miles of the Windy City, including its business district, in ruins. Dry weather and an abundance of wooden buildings, streets and sidewalks made Chicago vulnerable to fire. The city averaged two fires per day in 1870; there were 20 fires throughout Chicago the week before the Great Fire of 1871.



Headlines


Bitter partisan battle wounded Kavanaugh and the Supreme Court he’s joined - The Washington Post
Disappearance and alleged killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi could complicate U.S.-Saudi relations - The Washington Post



Pompeo says North Korea ready to let inspectors into missile, nuclear sites - Reuters



Ronald Reagan's Tomb
Reagan Presidential Library
Simi Valley, California
November 4, 2016

Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week


I know in my heart that man is good. That what is right will always eventually triumph,. And there's purpose and worth to each and every life.

  --  Speech at the Dedication of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, November 4, 1991 (Inscription on Reagan's Tomb)


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Sunday, October 7, 2018

Fire Pit Part 2


Lighted Fire Pit Phase 2 Complete
October 6, 2018
After playing a disappointing round of golf yesterday morning, I spent much of the rest of the afternoon completing phase 2 of the fire pit project.

Rex Checking out the Flame
October 6, 2018
Phase 2 began with the installation of posts to hold strands of lights. It also meant installing an outdoor electric outlet using the line formerly providing light to the now gone horseshoe pits.

Yesterday Chris and I completed phase 2, we installed the lights onto the poles. They look great. We were excited about sitting around anther fire, but since we are dog-sitting we chose to relax around the  propane fire pit on the pool deck. It was very exciting as Rex, Patrick's dog, chose to check out the flame. He was not injured in the incident.

And now, on to phase 3, creating a pad around the fire pit to finish off the project. This will be considerably more work, but I expect to get it completed in a few weeks. 

Autumn has not yet fully arrived in the region. We are enjoying 80 degree days and 60 degree nights. We should have many more weeks to use the pit and with all of the wood available from the felled trees, we have plenty of fuel available.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Saturday, October 6, 2018

The Fire Pit


Fire Pit
October 5, 2018
I am working on finishing the wood burning fire pit that was started last year. It has been in the yard now and used during the Spring and Autumn to create toasty warmth while still enjoying the outdoors. 
Fire in the Pit
October 5, 2018

Last evening, Chris and I sat around a roaring fire enjoying the heat while beginning to reduce the size of the piles of wood from the Ash trees that were recently felled.

It was a great fire on a great evening. 

Although one is barely visible on the right side of the image, there are now four posts outlining the boundaries of the area that will comprise the new and improved permanent setting for the fire pit. In the darker image, the lights wrapping the post are visible as small points of light.

Today, I hope to get the lights installed. We have purchased outdoor lights to suspend from the posts to further illuminate the area. 

Chris has a vision and I am working to bring that vision to reality. 

I hope the fire pit will become a regular gathering place during the seasons when the pool is closed.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Friday, October 5, 2018

Seven-Day Weekend


What do you get when you combine a four day get-away with a three-day holiday weekend? 


Dawn Arrives
October 5, 2018
A seven-day weekend of course.

It seems strange to think about it, but getting seven days off for the price of four vacation days is not a bad deal, especially when my annual summer vacation was only one and not the usual two weeks long.

Looking at the seven days in discrete sections makes the time off even more appealing. I have loosely broken it into four days away leaving three days for projects and golf.


Grape Press in Operation
October 4, 2018
Yes, I have a tee time for tomorrow. I am playing a lot less golf this year than last through no fault of my own. The weather has been horrid, but I expect to be playing golf into December this year if the snow holds off.

I can't even believe I just wrote that word in an October blog post.

I am sitting here watching the sunrise again. IT is far different this morning. The sky is clear and there are fewer clouds to make it a interesting as yesterday, but the whole horizon is involved in celebrating the dawning of another day. 


A Tilted Shack on a Beach
From Radio Flyer
October 4, 2018
Yesterday was fun as we checked out some wineries and enjoyed watching tons of grapes being poured into a press to extract the juice which is then musk and will eventually become wine. It is easy to forget that wine production is agriculture until seeing the process up close and personal.

We leave later this morning to return to the crushing pace of life at home. The week ahead, after the Columbus Holiday, weekend holds some new beginnings. Having had my birthday just a week and a half ago, I am hoping that my 64th year is a lot better than my 63rd. Remember, we celebrate birthdays at the end of the year and so we are always working on the next one-up year until we have our birthday and then we start all over again.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD


Thursday, October 4, 2018

Watching the Sunrise


Chris and I are on a early-October, last fling of the summer, get-away.

Sunrise over the Lake
October 4, 2018
I did something this morning that I have not been able to do in a long time. I was able to sit on the end of a dock and watch the sunrise over the lake.

It was a bit chilly, but watching the world transition from dark to light is one of the things that I enjoy the most. And sitting in the very edge of a dock over the water with a 180degree view of the sky, and the clouds as the sun begins to light the sky from below the horizon is stunning, especially when there are some clouds to reflect the first rays downward.

The Sun Rises for Another Day
October 4, 2018
The deepest colors are earlier in the dawn, but as time progresses, the sky becomes alive as more of the clouds begin to reflect the light onto the still dark surface.

I love the way that the colors reflect on the waves sending the light directly to my eyes.

It is amazing how quickly the sun pops up over the horizon once it begins, but the anticipation of waiting almost an hour for it to rise is well worth the effort.

I got a bit chilly. I saw the birds wake and begin flying over the lake and squawking at each other to find the perfect place to land.

Another day is at hand.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Wednesday, October 3, 2018

Fostering Puppies


Hazel the Foster Puppy on Nicole's Lap
September 30, 2018
Nicole and her family are engaged in a new endeavor--forstering puppies.

They have received two puppies of mixed breed to watch until they can be adopted. The puppies are cute, very cute. I was able to spend some time with the puppies on Sunday and I can confirm, they are well mannered and very adorable.

While they are sisters and they have the same faces, they are very different. One has long legs, like a normal dog and the other has short legs more like a long-haired dachshund. 

The problem is that everyone will get attached to them and then they will be adopted, which is the ultimate plan.

But, in the meantime, they are cute and everyone is enjoying the joys of having a puppy without the idea that they are going to become lazy dogs.

If you are interested in adopting a puppy, contact the Canine Humane Network in Highland, Maryland. Ask to adopt Heart or Hazel.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD 

Tuesday, October 2, 2018

October


October mornings are different.

The sun is climbing into the sky later and setting earlier. It is really noticeable.

Last evening I had to race the sun to get the lawn mowed. I know some places already have completed their last mowing of the season, but I expect to mow into November. It is reassuring that the last vestige of summertime lingers on.

With the pool closed, I have been able to apply time to other house projects. Four posts have been installed around the fire pit. They will soon become light posts as we hang string lights from them to illuminate the fire pit and begin to turn it into an outdoor party area. We actually have electricity near the fire pit, a leftover from the days when there were lights for the horseshoe pits. 

With the leaves beginning to fall, I am already imagining cool Autumn evenings sitting around the warm fire with a glass of wine. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge ,MD

Monday, October 1, 2018

Monday Musings - October 1, 2018



1. October has arrived. September is just a memory. Where did September go? Is it really October? Happy New Year to my friends who work for the Federal Government!


Hibiscus at Night
September 29, 2018
2. I did not get to play golf this weekend, but Chris and I completed a few more projects around the house. 

3. There is something beautiful about an early-Autumn hibiscus bloom imaged at night with a flash! It is a reminder of summer and the bright sun.

4. I was so busy with projects this weekend that I did not get to fly Radio Flyer and record the beautiful weather.

5. Sadly, my prediction that the Orioles would lose 115 games came true. The final record for the 2018 lost season was 47-115, .290. The team secures the 15th spot on the worst MLB records of all time during the modern era. Thank goodness the losing is over and the rebuilding can commence.

6. Family NFL weekend results:

Redskins (2-1) had a bye and did not play
Cowboys (2-2) defeated Lions 26-24
Ravens (3-1) defeated Steelers 26-14
Steelers (1-2-1) lost to Ravens 14-26

7. Who can really believe what we, as a nation, endured on Thursday and Friday with the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation hearings. Cronyism and partisanship were definitely on display for the world to see.

8. Today in History. On this day in 1890, an act of Congress creates Yosemite National Park, home of such natural wonders as Half Dome and the giant sequoia trees. Environmental trailblazer John Muir (1838-1914) and his colleagues campaigned for the congressional action, which was signed into law by President Benjamin Harrison and paved the way for generations of hikers, campers and nature lovers, along with countless “Don’t Feed the Bears” signs.


Headlines


FBI interviews Kavanaugh accuser Deborah Ramirez as part of its narrow scope - CNN
In Trump win, Canada, U.S. deal saves NAFTA as trilateral pact - Reuters



Don’t be fooled: Working Americans are worse off under Trump - The Washington Post



Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week


When our children turn the pages of our lives, I hope they'll see that we had a vision to pass forward a nation nearly perfect as we could, where there's decency, tolerance, generosity, honesty, courage, common sense, fairness, and piety. This is my vision and I'm grateful to God for blessing me with a good life and a long one. But when I pack up my bag in Washington, don't expect me to be happy to hear all this talk about the twilight of my life.
    -- Republican National Convention, New Orleans, Louisiana, August 15, 1988


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Sunday, September 30, 2018

Finnegan versus the Shark


It happened yesterday, our small dog, Finnegan took on the Shark. It was a battle to be seen.

It was a sight to see and, in the interest of truth in reporting, the shark was in reality our new Shark Ion robot cleaner.



Chris and I purchased the cleaning robot yesterday to help with basic surface vacuuming.  We had a vacuuming robot many years ago when they were just beginning to be developed and it was marginally valuable. We have not had a robot vacuum in well over 10 years and it seems that the technology has matured. So we are test driving the Shark Ion to help keep the pet hair at bay. And after its first sortie, the Shark seemed to do an admirable job finding and corralling pet hair.

Finnegan, however, saw it as a threat to the household. 

It was a couple minutes of excitement until Finnegan realized that the robot was unfazed by his demonstrative barking.

More excitement around the house, or comic relief.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Saturday, September 29, 2018

Life Achievements - Jax


Program for the Induction
September 26, 2018
I was honored, Wednesday evening, to attend a ceremony inducting Jax into the National Elementary Honor Society. 
Jax making his Entrance
September 26, 2018

While I often write about Jax's exploits on the sports field, mostly baseball, but he is also a very good student. 

It was a short but significant ceremony to mark the occasion and I am happy that every so often, scholarly pursuits receive the attention that they deserve. I am guilty of focusing on athletic more than academic achievement. Perhaps it is because as a society we do not appreciate academic achievements in the same way that athletics are worshipped.


Jax with Jack
Academic and Athletic
September 26, 2018
That needs to change.

But, in the case of Jax, he is good at both athletics and academics, and that is rare. Not surprisingly, one of his best friends, Jack, was also at the induction and like Jax, he is also a solid athlete!

Good friends in sports and school!

It was a great evening followed by a good dinner celebration.

Life celebrations. They deserve to be remembered!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD
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