The Hose and the Corkscrew

There are some frustrations in life that we just have to accept.

I don't fully subscribe to that mantra, just saying! 

I spend money to reduce frustration. Sometimes my desire to reduce frustration is thwarted, but I still try. 

I offer two examples. 

My "No-Kink" Hose

The first is the venerable and absolutely necessary garden hose. I have multiple garden hoses to perform multiple tasks such as water the plants during the heat of summer, wash the car (like I ever do that), supply water to the power washer, and fill the pool.

My biggest source of frustration with the garden hose, aside from being often length challenged, is the kink! Hoses kink when being moved and it is frustrating. I get prepared to preform a task and no water comes from the hose.  A few years ago I purchased a hose supposedly guaranteed not to kink. It was going to reduce my frustration. 

It has not reduced my frustration level. It kinks every bit as much as the old green hoses it replaced. Maybe more now that it has aged some. Ugh!

Maybe "no-kink" hoses do not really exist. (Is that a double negative?)

The second example of trying to reduce frustration is related to being a member of one of the most oppressed minorities in the world. 

Left-Handed Cork Screw

Yes, I am left-handed. Almost everything in the world is designed for right-handed people. I run into the righty bias in everything to include how gasoline pumps are constructed and how the air is ingested into my gasoline powered blower. I often find myself interfering with the airflow by holding the unit in my left hand to use it. Why can't the air be ingested from the top or bottom instead of the side?

I was in a recent discussion about corkscrews. Even corkscrews are built for right-handed use. I noticed the bias when a young left-handed waiter, who clearly did not have a lot of experience, struggled to remove the cork of a wine purchased for dinner. Believe it or not, corkscrews are designed for right-handed people!

I decided to do some research and found a left-handed corkscrew which I purchased. It arrived yesterday and I was ecstatic, until I tried to use it. It is backwards. Rather, I have become so trained to perform the task of removing the cork from a wine bottle using right-handed tools that it felt very weird to use a tool designed specifically for me to do the job. 

And it was fun. I even tried to remove the cork from the corkscrew improperly. Everything is reversed. 

I can't wait to have my friends try the corkscrew and experience life in reverse!

I remember when I was a kid laughing about a left-handed monkey wrench--maybe one does exist after all? 

Maybe there yet is hope for reducing some life's frustrations one item at a time! 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

End of the Day Treats

The weather made it feel like summer yesterday.  And it will likewise feel like summer again today.

I love the summer.

During early summer evenings the canopy of the trees are alive with fireflies that light up the evening and chase away the darkness. It is fun to sit and enjoy the light show while also remembering my childhood when I would chase and capture the fireflies in a mayonnaise jar filled with a few strands of grass. I wanted to enjoy the their light for myself. I would release them after a while, usually just before I went to bed.

The fireflies never seemed to be as much fun in a jar as they did flying about illuminating the sky with their cool light.

Last evening, with Mom and Dad, Chris and I went to a local place in Elkridge to enjoy some ice cream at the end of a long day. 

Fireflies are a treat for the eyes, Cindy's Soft Serve provides a treat for the palate. 

Cindy's is one of those emblematic soft serve ice cream stores that I see in so many small towns and cities across the country. It is a place where people gather at the end of a hard day to find some cool sweetness and be around the other residents. It is one of the last places, I think, where communities gather.

What I know is that there is something great about having a sundae in my hand and sitting in the yard watching the fireflies. They are truly end of the day treats.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Cool Summer Days

The Team

Last evening I spent another two-and-a-half hours watching Jackson and his tournament team prepare for the weekend's games. 

Jax During the After Practice Team Meeting

It was another long practice in preparation for a tiring weekend of games when the weather is expected to be hot. At least the evening weather was cool and provided the perfect conditions for another lengthy practice.

Jax is enjoying moving up to the next level of baseball where the game takes on deep strategy and complexity. There are signs to get the players ready for all aspects of the game from batting, to pitching, to base running, and even calling plays in the field.

Something the coach told the boys really resonated with me, he said, "You are not playing baseball, you are baseball players!" I think it is an important distinction. They are no longer just playing a game. 

The boys of summer are here!

In other news, the Orioles lost another game last evening 8-7.  They were winning in the 9th and managed to lose in the 11th. They are now a dismal 23-56 and they are 26 games out of first place.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Mid-week Baseball

Jax at Practice
June 26, 2018

I returned to the baseball field last evening watching Jackson practice with his tournament team. Sitting off the field watching is not nearly as enjoyable as actually coaching. I did learn some things about teaching the game and running a practice that I could use next year, if I was going to coach again.

Jax Avoiding the Pitch

The likelihood is that my coaching days are through because Jax is likely moving on into more competitive leagues. 

It was a two-and-a-half-hour plus practice and I admit that I was beginning to get cold in the cool evening air as practice ended at 8:45 PM. 

It was long, but with the threat of rain and the two tournament games on Saturday, the team needed to work on a number of things.

In other news, the Orioles managed another loss and are now 23-55 and looking at a solid 114 loss season. It is both frustrating and embarrassing to be a fan right now. Nothing seems to go right--they lost a tight 3-2 game to the Mariners last evening.

When does next season begin?

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Dog Sitting

Florence

We have great family when it comes to dogs. We all help each other out when we travel by watching each other's dogs. 

Arthur

This morning, for instance, we have two additional dogs in the house, Florence, an Italian Grayhound, and Arthur, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

They add a lot of excitement to our two permanent residents, Makayla and Finnegan.

You could say that we are going to the dogs--lol.

We are lucky the they all get along so well, although the bed does get full at night.

We also have two extra boys--Ethan and Jackson, but they are a lot more self-sufficient. 

It makes for exciting days and is keeping Chris busy as she enjoys retirement.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - June 25, 2018

1. This is the last Monday of June! Next Monday it will be July and the year will be more than one-half over.

Steve on Eisenhower Hole Golf Course #2
June 24, 2018

2. I had a good golf outing yesterday. It was nice to play two weeks in a row and return to a course that I am very familiar with, not that it helped my scoring much.

Gathering Storm Clouds from my Yard
June 24, 2018

3. The rains continued last evening. It was funny in a way, Chris and I watered all of the outside plants thinking there was no rain in the forecast and then the clouds opened up.

4. I have noticed that many of the drivers that I share the road with are oblivious to what is happening around them and to make it worse, they apparently believe that I am a mind reader and know in advance when they are going to turn or change lanes.

5. I have been very encourages about the bipartisan response to the current immigration border process. I am more concerned, however, that the good work being done to keep families together is somehow going to be undone.

6. I am excited about the week ahead. Mondays are full of promise and expectation.

7. On this day in 1876, Native American forces led by Chiefs Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull defeat the U.S. Army troops of Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer in a bloody battle near southern Montana’s Little Bighorn River.

8. The Orioles lost yesterday and are now 23-53. If they continue to play as they have been playing, they could lose as many as 113 games this season. They have, however, won 3 of their past 6 games.


Headlines

Trump’s Trade War Could Shut Cheesemakers Out of Foreign Markets - The New York Times

Suicides Have Increased. Is This an Existential Crisis? - The New York Times

Trump advocates depriving undocumented immigrants of due-process rights - The Washington Post

Supreme Court poised to rule on Trump travel ban, other cases - Reuters

Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

We can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

The Sky is Blue

I took the dogs out this morning and was greeted by a blue sky after two days of dreary clouds.

I am looking forward ot the prospects for the day and especially golfing at one of my favorite courses--Eisenhower in Crownsville.

I am hoping for a great day.

The Orioles did a great thing yesterday. They won another game. Their projected losses have dropped to 112 with the win. Today they go for a sweep of the division leading Braves. 

It should be a sports-filled Sunday.

Blue skies! Golf. Baseball. 

And of course everyone's favorite--lawn mowing.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Here Come the Rains, Again

First Sunrise of Summer before the Rains
June 22, 2018

After a brief respite, the rains have returned with a vengeance. It has been raining for the past two days, again.

It really had put a damper on activities.

Yesterday, I took Radio Flyer our for a quick shot of the dawn under the clouds before the rains started in earnest. I was a bit late getting the colors of the sunrise, but I wanted to document the dawning of summer.

Then it rained!

And it is still raining this morning.

I'm not sure what the day will bring, except more of the rain. We are five inches of rain over normal for the year. Someone postulated yesterday that if it were snow, we would have possibly 60 inches! Ugh. I'm glad it is not snow.

Well, at least summer has arrived. This morning it is a balmy 68 degrees outside with the rain.

In other news, the Orioles won a 15-inning contest last evening and lowered their expected number of losses from 115 to 113! The are 3-2 in their past 5 games!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Friday Again

The end of the workweek is upon us. Here comes the weekend.

I sometimes call it Aloha Friday and today I will be wearing a new Aloha-type shirt that Chris gave me for Father's Day. It is bright.

The First Evening of Summer
June 21, 2018

Today is also the first full day of summer. I feel robbed of the solstice since we had a fairly heavy cloud cover and I could not celebrate the first sunset of Summer 2018.

Even without a brilliant sunset to record from altitude, I flew Radio Flyer to document the end of the first evening of summer. I wish the images were better, but I had an inflight emergency that I successfully dealt with and saved my drone from loss or destruction. 

Radio Flyer in the Yard during the Winter

The battery lost charge suddenly and I had to make and emergency landing. Fortunately, I found a suitable location that allowed me to successfully recover Radio Flyer. I learned a lot about emergency procedures, but most of all I learned that the screen I use to control the drone becomes clogged with all sorts of warnings that hinder the ability to identify a safe landing location.

In other news . . . 

The Orioles continued losing and remain on pace to lost 115 games this season. The only question I have is whether I should round up or down when dealing with the fractional part of the losses? Is 115.397 really 116 losses? On the good side, they have won 2 of their last 4 games and are playing .500 baseball this week, so far.

Despite the Radio Flyer emergency and the O's loss, I am excited about the beginning of summer. It is, after all, my favorite season of the year.

Bring on the heat, the sun, the sand, and the fun! And palm trees, cue the palm trees!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Summertime Begins

Finnegan Staring at Something

The best season of the year begins today. Summer arrives, or for some of you has already arrived!

Yes!

The Hydrangea that Ate Elkridge

Pools, fun, golf, travel, and hot sultry days floating in the pool.

Of course last evening it was raining, again! Ugh. 

Finnegan is excited about summer. He was on the back of the outdoor sofa looking for its arrival the other evening. At least he was staring out at something. 

The hydrangeas in the front yard are growing out of control. The deer have not managed to consume the blooms yet.

The rain is keeping everything very green, which is fine with me. The fire risk for the 4th of July is likely to be very low. That is good for the local fireworks displays.

On the baseball front, the Orioles have won two of their last three games. They posted victories on Sunday and last night, they lost on Tuesday and are now posting a 21-51 record. They remain poised to lose 115 games.

Happy summertime. Break out the beach umbrellas!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

The Last Day

Watermelon Margarita

Retirement is sweet. 

Well, so says Chris.

Yesterday, after 23 years of getting every school day to greet, encourage, and teach students, was the last day. Through tears and cheers, Chris walked out of Lime Kiln Middle School and into retirement after the last bell rang. 

Evening Happy Hour

The first thing she did after leaving school was go to lunch with her friends where, in addition to food, she enjoyed a pretty awesome looking watermelon margarita.


And then she came home. Later in the evening we enjoyed a special happy hour together. Throughout the evening, I was pleased by the number of people who called her to wish her many years of joy as she begins the new chapter in her life. 

Chris on the Beach

It was a day of celebration, fun, parties, and some sadness as the reality of retirement became very real. Hopefully the friends and relationships of 20 plus years will remain strong well into the future.

I am so proud of her!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Floatie in the Afternoon

Chris with Finnegan in the Pool
June 18, 2018

Chris and I celebrated a truly summer-like day yesterday by enjoying cool drinks while floating around in the pool.

It was a great way to enjoy her last evening before retirement.  It was sunny and hot and the water of the pool provided cool and refreshing relief.

We had the chance to catch up on vacation planning and begin the process of transitioning from Chris being a full-time employed person into retirement. 

I am very excited for her. 

Maybe a bit envious.

There are so many opportunities that are available to her and she wants to experience everyone of them. I know late August will be a difficult time for her when the teachers begin to return to school and for the first time in 23 years she is not headed off to join them. 

But for now, it is time to party and celebrate a hugely successful career.

I know today will be filled with tears of both joy and sadness. But, I hope to be there when she gets home to welcome her into retirement and encourage her by reminding her that the plans she has for the future outweigh the opportunities that she was facing had she stayed for even another year.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - June 18. 2018

Compass Pointe South Course Hole #2
6:23 AM June 17, 2018

1. Wow! Summer officially begins this week! We have finally arrived on the doorstep of the best season of the year.

2. The Orioles finally won their 20th game yesterday. They are 20-50. They are on pace to lose 116 games.

Mary and Chris on The Docks at Tanyard Cove
on Curtis Creek
June 16, 2018

3. I had a very enjoyable Father's Day. It started with an early Tee time on Compass Pointe and ended with a day long celebration with the entire family at the house. 

4. Summer vacation begins this week for Howard County. It is Chris's last summer vacation as she retires from the county when school is over on Tuesday.

5. We went and visited Fran and Mary at their new house and strolled along the docks with them on Saturday evening before having a scrumptious dinner on their back deck. 

6. I love the long days of June. It is light shortly past 5AM and stays light until almost 9PM. Officially, we are getting 14 hours and 56 minutes of daylight as we move towards the solstice. Summer begins at 6:07 AM EDT on Thursday, June 21, 2018! 

7. I finally saw some fireflies the other evening after the rains abated.

8. It was weird yesterday; we had to water the lawn since it had not rained in almost a week and the grass was beginning to turn brown.


Headlines

Leading Republicans Join Democrats in Pushing Trump to Halt Family Separations - The New York Times

Saudi women on the front line of change - The Washington Post

Saudi women on the front line of change

Saudi women on the front line of change

Walmart shopper accused of making more than 1,000 fake returns - CNNSaudi women on the front line of change

Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

There are no constraints on the human mind, no walls around the human spirit, no barriers to our progress except those we ourselves erect.

State of the Union address, Feb. 6, 1985

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Did He Really Say That?

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions

It is Father's Day and my thoughts on this issue seem appropriate. 

Sometimes our leaders amazes me, in not a good way.

I opened my copy of Time Magazine yesterday (yes, I still get Time every week in my mailbox) and there on page 6 was a picture of the U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions with a quote attributed to him printed in red above he image: "If people don't want to be separated from their children, they should not bring them with them."

Huh?

That is a statement that makes absolutely no sense to a rational person. 

The very reason immigrints bring their children with them is because they do not want to be separated from them! They are all seeking better living conditions and opportunities? Duh!


The U.S. Attorney General does not apparently understand the motivation of parents to seek better conditions for their children.

If this were not America, it might be funny, but incredible travesties are being conducted and the prime enforcer of the laws of our land is supporting the injustice. 

Sessions quotes the Bible to support this action. I believe he is misguided.


The Washington Post reports that a Senator was refused entry into holding areas where children removed from their parents are being held and there are reports that the children are held in converted stores by people who may not have the experience in helping children who have been traumatically ripped away from their families. 

I must be missing something here.

Happy Father's Day, and fathers, let's unite to stop the forced break-up of families.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

End of Year/Retirement #3

The party season continued around the pool last evening as some of the staff from Lime Kiln Middle School gathered to celebrate the end of another school year along with Chris' retirement.

End of Year Party Just Beginning
June 15, 2018

We have held the end of the year party at the house for many years now and I look forward to rubbing shoulders with Chris' co-workers. This year has been especially tough as Chris was moved to a different team and had to learn new curriculum and make new friends in the school. But she did!

The Fire Pit is Lighted as the Day turns to Night

The Party from Above as the Day Ends

She was sitting here this morning with me reflecting upon the night and made the incredibly profound statement, "Well, another chapter is done." Wow. I hope I can keep it together like that when my time comes. There are two half-days remaining and a 22 year career will be complete. 

I launched Radio Flyer on two occasions to help document the event. I did forget to take snap shots of the party goers, I was kinda busy partying.

Most importantly, however, Chris had fun. It was a great evening and some party goers remained until the wee-hours of the morning arrived. 

Or so I am told. I was in bed before then. 

Thank you to all who came and partook of the last Lime Kiln Middle School party to be held around the pool AND to also wish Chris "calm seas and fair winds" as she sails off into retirement. 

And a big thank-you to Patrick and Tina who took care of ensuring that the party-goers were properly lubricated with libations. You were a huge help!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Orioles--As the Season is Lost

The Orioles (19-48 .284) season is a loss, that has become clear. True fans, like myself are waiting for the "fire sale" to begin as the good players on the team are traded to obtain the players to reconstruct the team and hopefully get back into contention. 

It is hard to be a fan of the worst team in baseball. And it is not just their record--they are at or near the bottom in many of the categories that define play in Major League Baseball. I wonder sometimes if our AAA League team in Norfolk (34-29 .540) might not be better.

Doing the math, the Orioles are on track to finish with 46 wins and 116 losses. The biggest question right now is will they get 20 wins before they have 50 losses? 

Only because the 1899 Cleveland Spiders lost 134 games, I do not feel that the record for the most losses in a baseball season is within reach; however, in the modern era the 1962 Mets finished 40-120 .250, and clearly, especially once the good players on the team are traded, that record is within reach. The 2003 Detroit Tigers came close at 43-119 .265. I am beginning to believe that the team could finish as poorly as 40-122 (.246).

I attended the game the other night and the stadium was empty. The reported attendance was 15,934 and there were only that many people there because there were probably 10,000 Red Sox fans in the crowd.

I am not sure when the ultimate disassembly of the team is going to occur, but I do hope that the quality players on the team find new homes on contenders. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Retirement Party #2

Chris at the Retirement Function

Howard County recognized its retirees last evening in a gathering that was both classy and fun.

The Retirement Function

The retirees from across the county gathered in a local hall to hear words of encouragement from the superintendent and celebrate their careers.

Chris Getting a Likeness Drawn

It was a lot of fun. The munchies were heavy and sufficed for dinner and the connections between the retirees were amazing. I was honored to be there to see all of the people that Chris knew from her years working in the county.

I knew many of the other people retiring and that made the evening all that much more enjoyable. The county brought in artists and photographers as well as providing live piano music during the evening. I was impressed by the words of the superintendent to the retirees. 

Congratulations to Chris.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Watching the Polo Match

The Stable and Pitch at King Family Vineyards
from Radio Flyer's Vantage Point
June 10, 2018

I had a new experience this weekend when I attended a polo match. The match was held at King Family Vineyard on Sunday afternoon. It was a sight to see. The ponies and the riders charging along the pitch hitting the ball. There is a whole language associated with polo.

It was fun to watch the ponies run and to see the teams score. I could tell that it takes a lot of skill.

I have to admit, it was breathtaking to see the ponies and riders charging directly at me. It made me wonder if they were really under control. While I do not fully understand the intricacies of the rules, it was a basic game of hit the ball through the goal--complicated by the fact that the players were riding ponies at full gallop!

I did learn that a chukka is a period in polo. Although the rules call for six chukkas in a match, I am pretty sure there were only four in the ones played on Sunday.

It was a fantastic day at the vineyard and we sampled some truly special wines while we were watching the ponies compete. 

Polo Ponies on the Pitch

We were lucky that we left during the second match and were on the road before the torrential rains set in late in the afternoon. Getting out of the vineyard in the narrow road was probably a nightmare.

Departing when we chose was a good call.

And now I have experienced polo firsthand and I understand the attraction, of course, having a vineyard serving wine constantly while watching the match is not a bad thing either! The two go together very well: polo and wine.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Friends and Wine

The View from a Knights Gambit Winery
June 9, 2018

Chris and I enjoyed a fantastic weekend in Charlottesville with friends. The views of the mountains reminded me of my boyhood home in the dairy country of upstate New York.

Vines at Pollak
June 9, 2018

Touring a couple different wineries and enjoying a polo match were the icing on the cake of spending time with friends reconnecting. 

Chris and I love to get out in the vineyards and see the grapes growing. There is something almost magical about how the small green grape clusters of June will become wine in a bottle within a few months or years, depending upon the variety and the fermentation process. It is, at its core, farming. The weather and the soil all contribute to place their unique stamp upon each vintage. 

Grape Clusters at Pollak
June 9, 2018

Wine begins in the soil with the vines, but the stars of the show are the clusters of grapes. The winemaker orchestrates the symphony and manages the outside influences to create their personal interpretation of a wine. I have been to vineyards where the winemaker's version of a particular grape and mine do not agree--and that is definitely OK. There are thousands of wines because it is an individual preference. There is a wine for everyone.

Touring wineries and sampling the fruit of the vine is always better with friends. I hope we get to head out again soon and discover many more new and favorite wineries.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - June 11, 2018

Sunset Earlysville, VA
June 10, 2018

1. It is awesome to get a weekend away with friends. It helps to get out of the routine and into something different while reconnecting and enjoying common pursuits.

2. It promises to be an exciting week with the President meeting with the leader of North Korea. Maybe they can see fit to finally end the longest war in American history.

3. I'm writing this week's edition of Monday Musings on my cell phone and so it will not have all of my usual features.

4. The image this morning is from Earlysville, VA, of the sunset over the mountains last evening.

5. I went to my first polo match yesterday. There is something breathtaking about watching 10 horses at full gallop headed straight for you and hoping they stay on the pitch.

6. Radio Flyer was airborne a number of times this weekend, but the image downloading didn't work as well as normal. I was disappointed. I have to go onto the card to pull the images.

7. At 19-45, the Orioles are on track to win 48 games this season. That means they will lose 114. Not a team record that they should be aiming for.

8. I took today off so I could enjoy the a summertime three-day weekend. And now it is raining. The story of the year so far is cool temperatures and rain.

Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

When you can't make them see the light, make them feel the heat. - Ronald Reagan

— Bob Doan, writing from Earlysville, VA