Saturday, August 31, 2019

Dorian Preparations


Great friends and neighbors have come to our rescue in Florida. 

Hurricane Shutters in the Condo
Tequesta, Florida
August 30, 2019
And now, Hurricane Dorian changed course, possibly missing Florida completely. Something for which I am very happy. 

But, remember, it is a hurricane and they can change course on a whim--so the danger to Central and South Florida is not over!

That written, our friends Fran, Mary, and our neighbor Jeff got together at our condo yesterday and turned it into a fortress--the shutters are up and we are ready for the hurricane. At one point yesterday the forecast was for 20 inches of rain and 120 mph winds. 

Fran Installing the Shutters
Tequesta, Florida
August 30, 2019
We are truly blessed to have great friends and neighbors to rely upon in our absence. 

Even as the storm is turning, we are happy to be hurricane ready. Chris had to hold me back from flying or driving to Florida to help out. I also wanted to be there to help our neighbors, many of whom are older and unable to install the shutters on their own. We will be changing out our shutters for ones easier to close in the event of future hurricanes. 

But still, a big thank you our friends and neighbor!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD


Friday, August 30, 2019

Too Much Help



Finnegan in the Dishwasher
Elkridge, MD
August 29, 2019
Finnegan sometimes can be too much help. 

Last evening, for example, Finnegan decided that he wanted to do a pre-wash on the dinner plates as they were placed into the dishwasher. Personally, I think it is a bad habit that needs to be changed, but Chris thinks it is cute--well he seems to enjoy helping with the dishes. 

Makayla, on the other hand, does not try to get personally involved in dinner clean-up. She keep a good distance to avoid getting trampled. 

Finnegan does not seem to worry about getting caught underfoot--even though he is smaller  He enjoys the post meal activity, but he might get too involved into his work. I just wish that he would stay out of the dishwasher.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Hurricane Dorian


Hurricane Dorian is heading for Florida. Until earlier this year my feelings would have been, "gee, that is really too bad." My, how times have changed! Suddenly, I am concerned about my condo and ensuring it is prepared for the storm. Chris and I are watching the weather developments intently. We have been in contact with friends in the area and are preparing to have the storm shutters installed on our condo.

The problem with Hurricane Dorian is that it keeps changing and moving. The projections are still very long-range--all we know at this point is that it is going to hit the central Florida coast somewhere and sometime. The time has shifted from Sunday to Monday--which gives us more time to prepare, and worry!

And we watch and wait.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Wine-ing


Valley Road Vineyards
Afton, VA
August 24, 2019
Wineries and vineyards provide opportunities to experience different wines and to meet new people. 

I also find they provide time to be creative with my camera and take an image that captures to essence of the winery. 

I saw this image in my head at Valley Road Vineyards in Virginia. While I did not fully appreciate their wines, this image crept into my head and I was able to capture it. 

That is some of the fun of wineries--capturing images while enjoying wine. And of course, being out on a get away weekend with friends is something else enjoyable about wineries.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Wine Art


Wine Art
Chestnut Oak Vineyard
Barboursville, VA
August 23, 2019
Wine Art 2
Chestnut Oak Vineyard
Barboursville, VA
August 23, 2019
Visiting wineries and vineyards in Virginia this weekend, I took a moment to notice some of the art adorning the tasting rooms. Some of the tasting rooms are very ornately decorated to compliment the spirit and feel of their wines.

The images today were taken at Chestnut Oak Vineyard in Barboursville, Virginia, while we were enjoying a late afternoon tasting on Friday. 

The images here are part of a large mural on one wall of the tasting room. The bright mural was a refreshing sight in the tasting room, even more so because we arrived for the tasting amid a torrential downpour. The combination of the mural and the wines brightened up the afternoon, but then, we were already  in good spirits because we were tasting wines with our friends.  

Sadly, the weekend ended too soon, there are so many more wineries and vineyards that need to be sampled. But, that gives us reasons to meet again and hit the wine trail. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday, August 26, 2019

Monday Musings - August 26, 2019




1. It is the last Monday in August. Next week at this time it will be Labor Day and the first Monday in September. Summer is slipping away.

2. The cooler weather this weekend, while refreshing, was too autumn-like. September is stirring.

Sunrise over the Blue Ridge Mountains
Earlysville, VA
August 24, 2019
3. Weekend wine tasting trips are an enjoyable way to get away with friends and enjoy the fruit of the vine.

4. Sunrise is the best time of the day to be awake. The sight of the world waking to the sun and promise of the new day is exciting. 

5. Orioles Update. Who can believe the Orioles? Coming off a 7 game losing streak, they have come back and have won 4 of their last 6 games including splitting a series with the Rays 2-2. It is beginning to look as if they will settle for losing about 108 games this season. 

6. Family NFL results. It was a good week as all four teams claimed victory. The start of the NFL season is only two weeks away.
  Ravens defeat Eagles 26-15
  Steelers defeat Titans 18-6
  Redskins defeat Falcons 19-7
  Cowboys humble Texans 34-0

7. The pool season is slipping away. There are only about two weeks remaining before I close the pool for the year. 

8. Word of the week.  Despot: a ruler or other person who holds absolute power, typically one who exercises it in a cruel or oppressive way.

9. Today in History. On August 26, 1939, the first televised Major League baseball game is broadcast on station W2XBS, the station that was to become WNBC-TV. Announcer Red Barber called the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, New York.



Headlines

Business Groups Warn of Peril as Trump’s Trade War Spirals - The New York Times


Oil down nearly 2% as trade war shakes confidence - Reuters

Warplanes dump water on Amazon as Brazil military begins fighting fires - Reuters




Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

But before I close, I want to leave with you a speech by a man not so well remembered in history, but those words, spoken on the eve of our struggle for independence, should uplift and inspire now as surely as they did in 1775. Joseph Warren, a Boston doctor, left us these words before giving his life at Bunker Hill: Our country is in danger, but not to be despaired of, on you depend the fortunes of America, you are to decide the important question, on which rests the happiness and liberty of millions yet unborn. Act worthy of yourselves.

-- Election Eve Address A Vision for America 11/03/1980

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Wine Weekend



Blue Valley Vineyards
Deleplane, VA
August 25, 2019
Chris and I along with friends spent the weekend visiting wineries in Virginia, mostly in the Charlottesville area. It was a weekend that had been rescheduled twice, but it wound up being totally worth the effort to get together. 

Valley Road Vineyards
Afton, VA
August 24, 2019
Wine tasting is hard work! Truly. Sipping, tasting, and evaluating wines takes concentration and a clean palate. It is easy to get the wines confused and by the end of the day, all of the wines begin to taste the same if I am not careful to limit the amount of wine that I actually consume. 

We had the opportunity to talk to the owners of two of the wineries we visited. Owners have a passion for grapes and wine. They are the moving force behind their wines and one of the owners was also the winemaker and was engaging and provided some valuable insights on winemaking. I laughed at one piece of advice he offered. He said he often has retired people ask him about starting a winery and he tells them not too. It is a lot of work.

I remember that a wise man once told me that opening a winery is a good way to change a large fortune into a small one.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Sunset after the Rain

Sunset over the Mountains
Earlysville, VA
August 23, 2019
It rained most of yesterday as Chris and I traveled to Charlottesville with friends. The rain significantly slowed the travel from our home. Despite the rain, however, we had a great time together and visited two new wineries.

As the day came to a close, we were treated to a beautiful sunset over the mountains. It was a great way to end the day. With friends and some very nice wines.

Today promises to be another good day. The weather will be better and there are new wineries to visit.

— Bob Doan, writing from Earlysville, Virginia

Friday, August 23, 2019

Rains again


The Pool before the Storm
Elkridge, MD
August 22, 2019 
The storms arrived again last evening just as we were concluding dinner outside around the pool. 

It seems as if the storms are arriving more regularly during the evenings now. The pool is maintaining itself very well, although I am worried about the weekend. 

We hosted Patrick, Tina, Cory, and Julianne for dinner to discuss the upcoming rehearsal dinner which is planned for the first week of September. It was good to get everyone together.

It was a great evening, even during the storm.  We sat inside with the lights off and just enjoyed the light show outside. And I was happy that the rain replenished the water in the pool which has been evaporating at a great rate this summer.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Sunset through the Screen


Sunset
Elkridge, MD
August 21, 2019
It was another baseball practice evening for the GORC team, but the practice was cut short after an hour by the onset of a ferocious storm. 

With the end of practice I drove 15 miles arriving at home where the rain and storm had not arrived. Due to the relative calm, Chris and I were able to sit outside on the porch and enjoy dinner as the sunset arrived. Sitting on the porch, looking out across the yard at the colors of the sunset reflecting on the clouds created a beautiful scene to end the day. From a torrential downpour complete with lightening and thunder to a beautiful sunset in less than an hour. It is amazing how the weather can be so different within a short drive. 

The evening at home was quiet and beautiful. Chris and I sat on the porch until after dark making plans and dreaming of things yet to come. 

And the storm never arrived.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Storm Damage


Tree Limb on Pool House
Elkridge, MD
August 18, 2019
I wrote briefly about Sunday's storm with the microburst right over the house in Monday Musings. I wanted to do a follow-up. 

The storm was brutal in the neighborhood. A large tree went down crashing through a neighbor's fence on Duckett's Lane. That was the biggest damage, but we are still evaluating the mess associated with our pool house roof and trying to decide how to get rid of the huge limb caught in the trees. 

After the Storm in the Pool
August 18, 2019
The storm gave me the opportunity to get Radio Flyer up in the air to survey the damage. The mess really looked different form the air, but the limb in the trees with branches extending onto the pool house was definitely visible. The mess that the storm left in the pool was likewise obvious. 

Chris and I are still collecting branches and sticks from the yard. They are hard to see in the picture of the limb on the pool house--but they are everywhere. The dead ash trees were dropping limbs everywhere. Jeremy and Lucas were here during the storm and they were a great help restoring the pool to swimmable condition and doing some of the work collecting sticks and broken branches from everywhere. 

The storm was one of the worst that has blown through here. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Baseball is Back!


GORC U12 Cooperstown Team
GORC Field 8
August 19, 2019
Despite the obvious fact that football season is upon us and that the Orioles have tanked after showing signs of life during 
July, baseball has returned!

Last evening was the first practice for the GORC 12U Cooperstown Wildcats! The coaching staff was there, most of the boys were ready to play and the 95 degree temperatures on the field reminded us that this is not Spring baseball--it is Fall Ball! The field was in great shape, especially considering the torrential downpour that happened on Sunday afternoon. It was good to be back out in the dust of the diamond!

The road ahead of the team is long--it does not end until July when the team heads off to the mecca of baseball, Cooperstown, NY,  to play a week long tournament. 

As they say, one practice or game at a time, but off we go.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday, August 19, 2019

Monday Musings - August 19, 2019



1. August is in its last half ad Labor Day is almost here. I am thinking of closing the pool.

Tree Limb Against Pool house
Elkridge, MD
August 18, 2019
2. We had a ferocious storm yesterday afternoon. There are lots of trees down in the neighborhood and a big brach fell onto my pool house. You can see the fallen branch on my pool house. I am going to have a quite a mess cleaning that up. The branch is tangled in another tree. Ugh. Sounds like more chainsaw work! The storm was ferocious--it was a microburst.
T-104 Timer
Before Replacement
August 17, 2019

3. I realized why Maryland drivers do not use turn signals--they know where they are going.

4. The timer for my pool broke last week--I had just installed it at the beginning of the season. Thankfully, Amazon had a new one in my hands ready for installation yesterday, just before the storm descended.

5. I can feel the end of the pool season coming, sadly. Later this week we are supposed to get some nights in the 60's--which really takes the heat out of the pool. Pool closing day is scheduled for September 8th. I am closing it early this year because we have not been swimming much during September and I have just been adding chemicals to keep it swim ready for the copious quantities of leaves that fall from the nearby trees.

6. I keep mowing my lawn, and it keeps growing. It seems like a vicious circle. 

7. Today in History. On August 19, 1909, the first race is held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, now the home of the world’s most famous motor racing competition, the Indianapolis 500. Built on 328 acres of farmland five miles northwest of Indianapolis, Indiana, the speedway was started by local businessmen as a testing facility for Indiana’s growing automobile industry. The idea was that occasional races at the track would pit cars from different manufacturers against each other. After seeing what these cars could do, spectators would presumably head down to the showroom of their choice to get a closer look.


Headlines


One Minute It Was an Afghan Wedding. The Next, a Funeral for 63. - The New York Times






Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Lunch on the River


Sailboat on the Magothy
August 17, 2019
Despite the temperature being 90 degrees yesterday, Chris and I joined with friends for a lunch meant at a restaurant on the Magothy River. 

The scene was beautiful, as it always is. Eating while looking out at the river and the boats docked. 

There is always something pleasant about being near the water to enjoy a drink or have a meal. Being there with friends makes the time even better. Although the day was hot, it was bearable under the fans--we were not inside in air conditioning, but were under cover with fans enjoying the late-August heat as the seasons begin the transition into autumn, which is approaching all too quickly. 

A great meal, good conversation, and fun times with friends. How better to spend a hot August afternoon?

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD


Saturday, August 17, 2019

Finn vs Dolphin


Small dogs can be very territorial. The other evening as Chris and I were sitting around the pool enjoying Happy Hour and chatting about the happenings of the day, Finnegan began barking incessantly at the automated pool cleaner as it started cleaning the stairs. 



Our pool cleaner is a Dolphin pool cleaner, hence we call it the dolphin. So it was funny to watch Finnegan bark at the pool cleaner which, undeterred, went about its business. 

This, however, went on for far too long!

So in the cage match between Finn and the Dolphin, the Dolphin was the victor. We had to put Finn inside.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Friday, August 16, 2019

Sixteen in a Row - and Counting


Thankfully, the Orioles do not face the Yankees again during this season. The Yankees are probably unhappy about that since they have owned the Orioles since the first series of the season that the Orioles won 2-1. 

Since then it has been all Yankees--sixteen straight wins. The season series between the teams ended 17-2. The Orioles only wins being during the first series of the season. 

The Yankees set a new all-time season record for homers against one team. The old record was 48 held by the 1956 Yankees against the Kansas City Royals. The new record is 61 held by the 2019 New York Yankees against the Baltimore Orioles. Ugh.

But at least the Orioles have no more games against the Yankees during 2019. Unfortunately, the 2020 Orioles season opener is against Yankees on March 26th in Baltimore! Hopefully they will not make it 17 in a row.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Thursday, August 15, 2019

That's Not a Sale Price


Weird things some times happen in stores when it comes to pricing items for sale.

Chris had told me about a sale that wasn't the other day in our local Target store. The posted sale price for an item was higher than the regular price and no one seemed to notice or care.  

Last evening we happened to be in the vicinity of that Target store and she reminded me that I wanted a picture of the "not" sale and so we stopped went into the store to see if the item was still advertised as she had seen it the day before. I fully expected that they would have corrected the pricing mistake, but no! There it was, still on the counter. And here is the proof.  

We looked at the labels and the sale price for some time and could not reconcile it except that the sale price was 52 cents higher than the regular price for a 32 ounce container of Chobani Greek yogurt. And I have the video proof. I'm not sure how this is a sale, but at Target, it seems that the regardless of the original marked price the item is "on-sale."

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

A Doctor's Visit


I had a doctors appointment yesterday down in the metropolis of Baltimore. 

It was a 35 minute drive that took closer to 45 because of traffic and road construction. I arrived at my appointment the obligatory 15 minutes early to complete paperwork, except then they told me that I had already completed all of the extra nonsensical forms that such places require. So I sat for 15 minutes waiting for my appointment time to arrive.

And then I sat for 15 more minutes. I was busy on my phone so I hardly noticed the time.

And then I sat for 15 more minutes. I was beginning to be a bit frustrated because I had now been sitting in the waiting room for 45 minutes. 

And then I waited about 5 more minutes before being called to the back to have my vitals taken. After that I was then shown into the exam room. To wait.

And then I sat there for 15 more minutes. 

And then then, finally, the nurse practitioner arrived to begin the process of my visit. 

All-in-all I waited a lot, but it was worth it. I was pleased that I had one of the most thorough appointments that I have ever had and that we came up with a good plan.

But why all of the waiting? I don't think I'll take the last appointment of the day again.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD


Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Summer Around the Pool


Pool in the Pre-Dawn Light
Elkridge, MD
August 13, 2019
This summer has been the summer of the pool! The weather has been fantastic and I have been able to enjoy my pool almost every day. Last year it was cold and rainy most of the summer and I felt at the end of the season that the pool had been underused. Not so this year.

The only downside to owning a pool is that they require constant care. I believe that owning a swimming pool is similar to owning a boat. They are a constant source of expense! But they are both a source or relaxation and enjoyment.

I spent quality time with my pool nearly every day tending to its needs. This week I and doing some late-summer preventive maintenance to ensure that the algae does not get out of control. The plaster on my pool is old and in need of replacing. It is full of places for algae to gain a foothold if I am not diligent--and so I ham hopeful that my late season work will help ensure that the final month of pool season is fun and algae free.

But I truly do enjoy my pool and being in my backyard, I can enjoy it more often than a boat--although I can't travel as far in it as I can in a boat. But it does take me away from the trials of the day.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday, August 12, 2019

Monday Musings - August 12, 2019





Dragonfly
Elkridge, MD
August 10, 2019
1. It is the second Monday of August. The Dog Days ended yesterday and now the slide into September and Autumn has begun.

Louis Napping
Elkridge, MD
August 11, 2019
2. This dragonfly decided to land on a hose extension I was carrying on Saturday. It landed not once, but three times as I walked across the yard. 

3. I spent a few hours in the pool yesterday fixing the light in the deep end. It is not a lot of fun to try to hang in the water and use tools. 

4. Cat napping. I caught this image of Louis napping in a chair out by the pool. Louis loves to go outside and sleep. He spends the day outside and comes in for the evening. 

5. The Orioles had a miserable week of baseball--while they managed a rare come-from-behind victory in the 9th inning over the Houston Astros yesterday, that was the only win of the week which included a 23-2 blow-out on Saturday.  During the week, the O's went 1-5 and were outscored 65-24 by the Yankees and the Astros. Their record has fallen to 39-79 .333 and worse, they are 18-43 at home. They are now on pace to lose 108 games this season.

Leaves on the Lawn
Elkridge, MD
August 10, 2019
6. The leaves are beginning to fall from the trees around my house. It almost looks as if Autumn is arriving early. It is too early for so many leaves to be on the ground.

7. Pre-season NFL family team results: 

  Ravens defeated Jaguars 29-0
  Steelers defeated Buccaneers 30-28
  Redskins lost to Browns 10-30
  Cowboys lost to 49ers 9-17

8. Autumn is too close. I am beginning to report NFL scores. The end of the summer is approaching too rapidly. 

9. Today in History. On this day in 1990, fossil hunter Susan Hendrickson discovers three huge bones jutting out of a cliff near Faith, South Dakota. They turn out to be part of the largest-ever Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton ever discovered, a 65 million-year-old specimen dubbed Sue, after its discoverer.
Amazingly, Sue’s skeleton was over 90 percent complete, and the bones were extremely well-preserved. Hendrickson’s employer, the Black Hills Institute of Geological Research, paid $5,000 to the land owner, Maurice Williams, for the right to excavate the dinosaur skeleton, which was cleaned and transported to the company headquarters in Hill City. The institute’s president, Peter Larson, announced plans to build a non-profit museum to display Sue along with other fossils of the Cretaceous period.

Headlines

Colonel Killed in Vietnam War Finally Came Home. His Son Flew the Plane. - The New York Times



Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week


"I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent's youth and inexperience,"

October 21, 1984: In the second presidential debate with candidate Walter Mondale


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Sunday, August 11, 2019

A Night Out


From our Table at Yellowfin Steak and Fish House
Edgewater, Maryland
August 10, 2019
Since I was traveling on Friday, Chris and I celebrated our anniversary with a nice dinner last evening. We went to Yellowfin Steak and Fish House in Edgewater, Maryland and enjoyed a beautiful dinner looking out on the water and the setting sun. 

Yellowfin Tuna in a Beautiful Presentation
August 10, 2019
The evening was devoted to us and reminiscing about the years that we have spent together. I think it is healthy for couples to take a timeout and consider how they have arrived at the point in their lives where they are. And we did that last evening surrounded by a fantastic view across the water. 

I like Yellowfin because it is not stuffy formal, but people generally put on their church clothes to come to dinner. The valet parking does make it easier because parking is a premium in the area and I did not have to worry about finding a space for the car. We drove Cat, the convertible, to the restaurant and it was a fantastic evening for a ride with the top down! Sometimes it is too hot or humid to enjoy a convertible, but last evening it was perfect.

It was an evening for just the two of us and we were given a corner table in the restaurant so we felt we were in a more private place as we enjoyed the dinner and devoted ourselves to conversation. I have to admit--neither of us looked at our cell phones once during the dinner. 

Once the dining was complete, we returned home for a special dessert and a nice dessert wine and to enjoy more time together as darkness fell to end the day. 

It was a special evening. A time of remembrance and planning for the future.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Saturday, August 10, 2019

Out the Hotel Window - Construction Site Huntsville



Pre-Sunrise View of Huntsville from Hotel Window
August 9, 2019
After I decided not to take the image of the construction site out the hotel window, I looked out the window yesterday morning during the dawn of the day and noticed that the scene was complex and interesting to observe. 

The lights of the site were still illuminated and the light of the scene was building. I also caught the fo on the hill in the background. It was an interesting view just on the cusp of day scene. The day was a busy day with meetings followed by travel which saw me arriving home right at midnight to begin today as home and put the travel behind me.

And now for the weekend! Bring it on. Today has dawned clear, bright, and cool. Cool being 63 degrees! I can tell that mid-August has arrived and with it, tomorrow, the Dog Days come to an end. 

It is almost as if Autumn is struggling to begin a month early.

And all of this from an image I snapped yesterday in Huntsville, Alabama.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD


Friday, August 9, 2019

Out the Hotel Window - August in Huntsville


Huntsville from the Hotel
August 8, 2019
I am traveling and this morning I awakened in Huntsville, Alabama.

The hotel is a relatively new structure and very modern. I have a corner room, which is different and have views of the parking lot, as shown, and a construction site--which was too mundane to photograph. 

My room, while nice, lacks some warmth and creature comforts like coffee cups. It has a coffee machine--but no cups. That is frustrating because I will have to walk down to the lobby to retrieve my morning coffee.


Charlotte Airport E Terminal
August 8, 2019
The city of Huntsville is as I remember it and the walk to and from dinner last evening was enjoyable because it allowed me to stretch my legs after being crammed into small airline seats for much of the day. 

I did get to experience the Charlotte/Douglas International Airport yesterday. It remains one of the worst airports that I traverse. I snapped an image of the area where I waited for my connecting flight, which of course was delayed. Each of the monitors in the scene represents a flight that is scheduled to depart within minutes of each other. The people are attempting to get on one of those flights, hopefully, the correct flight. Some of the gates have letters associated with their names, for instance there was gate E33A, E33B, and (you guessed it) E33C. At least the gate people had enough sense not to try to talk over each other when announcing which of the nine boarding groups for each flight was allowed to board at that moment. 

To say that confusion was the word of the day is an understatement. I was very glad to get to my hotel and head out to find dinner. 

-- Bob Doan, writing from Huntsville, Alabama

Thursday, August 8, 2019

Frustration at the Yards


Sixteen in a row.

That is how many home games in a row the Orioles have lost to the Yankees. 

Camden Yards could be called Yankee Stadium south. The Orioles have now lost sixteen home games in a row to the Yankees. 

That is terrible. It is unfathomable, well unless the team is one of the worst teams in the history of baseball--which the Orioles are. 

The Orioles are now 2-5 for the month of August. After coming off a 12-12 July with the hopes of the franchise lookin up--the Yankees came to town and demonstrated with big bats why they are one of the best teams in all of baseball. The Orioles were outscored  32-12.  Last event's 14-2 blowout was embarrassing and demoralizing. 

Well, at least pre-season football returns tonight. Maybe I can get my mind off the train wreck that is the Orioles.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Wednesday, August 7, 2019

The Show


Chris sat out on the deck last evening as a thunder storm passed through the area. Fortunately, the center of the storm did not pass over us and we were spared the deuce and winds that others in the area had to deal with.

We both love a good storm and the lightening makes the sky come alive. 

Sadly, last evening I had some work to do on my laptop and rain, thunder and lightening do not mix with electronics. So I was inside and missed the height of the storm. 

Overall, it was a quiet evening at home. When I first arrived home, the weather was still very nice and I was able to enjoy time in the pool for a while. Chris and I actually enjoyed happy hour in the pool as we discussed the happenings of the day. Then the weather turned a bit wild. 

But the light show in the sky was something to see.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Tuesday, August 6, 2019

Changing Society


We are pausing this week to remember those who lost their lives in the twin tragedies of El Paso and Dayton.


The violence of our society continues to astound and amaze all of us. That someone would walk into a store and shoot and kill 22 people mystifies me. And then that someone would kill 9 people outside of a night club, including his sister that same evening is equally unfathomable.

When did society lose its moral rudder? And with it our sense of decency and of right and wrong? 

How can we continue to allow this carnage to continue? While there are many thoughts and ideas out there, the fundamental problem is not with guns--but with people. We have changed as a society. We are no longer kinder and gentler. Many among us are feeling threatened and some of the people who feel threatened are lashing out irrationally. 

Our society needs to change and return to a more gentler and respectful time. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday, August 5, 2019

Monday Musings - August 5, 2019




1. August has arrived and is already slipping away. It is the fifth day of the month and the first. Monday. In four all too short weeks, it will be Labor Day.

2. What could be better than visiting wineries and enjoying great wines with friends on a Sunday afternoon?


Butterflies on Flowers
Hiddencroft Vineyards
Lovettsville, VA
August 4, 2019 
3. Yesterday, while visiting a winery in Virginia, I happened upon a flower garden that was supporting a large number of butterflies. It was fun watching the butterflies flitter around the flowers. They seemed completely disinterested in my presence so close to them.

4. Spending time with friends and enjoying wine seem to go hand-in-hand. What a great way to enjoy life!

5. The Orioles have managed to split the first four games of August and are not 38-73, .342. Even more astounding, they are 6-4 for their last 10 games! They are on place to finish 56-106. 

6. The NFL football pre-season is underway and since the Orioles are a bust for the second year in a row, I am guessing that I will soon be watching the Ravens. 

7. The days are getting noticeably shorter. Dawn is later and sunset is earlier. Summer is too quickly beginning to slip into Autumn.

8. Today in History. On August 5, 1962, movie actress Marilyn Monroe is found dead in her home in Los Angeles. She was discovered lying nude on her bed, face down, with a telephone in one hand. Empty bottles of pills, prescribed to treat her depression, were littered around the room. After a brief investigation, Los Angeles police concluded that her death was “caused by a self-administered overdose of sedative drugs and that the mode of death is probable suicide.”



Headlines

Iran Says It Has Seized Another Oil Tanker in Persian Gulf - The New York Times

S. Korea to reconsider military info-sharing deal with Japan: Cheong Wa Dae - Yonhap News Agency


Turkey to launch offensive in Kurdish-controlled area in northern Syria: Erdogan - Reuters



Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

Indeed, we gave birth to an entirely new concept in mans relation to man. We created government as our servant, beholden to us and possessing no powers except those voluntarily granted to it by us. Now a self-anointed elite in our nations capital would have us believe we are incapable of guiding our own destiny. They practice government by mystery, telling us its too complex for our understanding. Believing this, they assume we might panic if we were to be told the truth about our problems.

Why should we become frightened? No people who have ever lived on this earth have fought harder, paid a higher price for freedom, or done more to advance the dignity of man than the living Americans the Americans living in this land today. There isnt any problem we cant solve if government will give us the facts. Tell us what needs to be done. Then, get out of the way and let us have at it.


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


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD
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