Black Friday 2023

 

Shoppers, start your computers or engines. The time has arrived to break open the piggy bank and hit the stores, be they online or brick and mortar. 

Today is also the day we gather to play Axis and Allies. It is a day when most of the leftovers are consumed along with some adult beverages. Today's field of players is smaller than in past years, but it should be a lot of fun. The women will shop and the guys will play games. That seems to be exactly how it is supposed to be. 

It is great that we have traditions associated with the holiday. I know that many of us look forward to the game, although we rarely finish the contest because it takes over an hour per turn. But it is fun!

I hope that whatever your holiday traditions may be that you enjoy them and are with friends and family.

-- Bob Doan, Odenton, MD

Thanksgiving 2023

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wherever you may be, take a moment to reflect upon the blessings you have received this year. I know, it may be hard in the face of tragedy and loss, but there are blessings to remember. 

I hope that you can gather with family and friends to celebrate and reflect. 

Here are my football predictions for the day:

Lions over Packers by 7

Cowboys over Commanders by 10

Seahawks over 49ers by 2

If my record holds, I will be 0-3

Happy Thanksgiving!

-- Bob Doan, Odenton, MD

Holiday in the Rain

Ready for Christmas
Turf Valley Town Square, MD
November 21, 2023

 I experienced the rain yesterday. It arrived right on schedule and remained through the entire day making driving a lot of fun, especially last night coming back from Ellicott City. 

Chris and I enjoyed Happy Hour with friends and outside the restaurant was their Christmas fireplace and chairs. The only problem was that they were wet. Very wet. A nostalgic scene drowned by the rain. This morning seems nicer, no rain but cold.

Thanksgiving is upon us. 

I wish you and your family the joys of being together and giving thanks for blessings. I know many of us carry hurt and pain, but focus on the living and those we are with while remembering those who have gone on ahead of us and be thankful for the time they were with us.

-- Bob Doan, Odenton, MD

Happy Veterans Day

 Thank you for your service! 

I say this to every veteran who, like myself, have devoted a portion of their adult lives to this great nation. I say it even to those with whom I do not agree, like my Congressman who truly is a war hero. 

A Pond on an Warm Afternoon
Riverbend Park, Jupiter, FL
November 10, 2023

I enjoyed a great Friday. That I rode 16.5 miles is almost an afterthought. That is just over 35 miles in the past two days. The highlight of the day was heading out to Riverbend Park and beginning to explore some new space. The park was the scene of battles during the Seminole Wars and I am only beginning to discover the history of the war. The park has many trails and we will be returning without our bikes very soon to explore them.

400 pound Swordfish
Blowing Rocks Marina, Tequesta, FL
November 10, 2023

For the evening, Chris and I went to one of our new favorite watering holes for Happy Hour. We were enjoying our conversation and libations when a fishing boat arrived at the marina with its catch of the day, two swordfish. One was 400 pounds and the other was 134 pounds. While I did not want to watch as the fish were weighed, I was drawn to the magnificent animal suspended by its tail. Just a few hours earlier the apex predator had been one of the kings of the ocean and now it was about to become dinner. I was told that it took over two hours to land the fish. The orange sky reflecting the rays of the setting sun made a unique backdrop for the image. The smaller swordfish is laying on the ground just under the hanging fish. 

It was another beautiful Florida day! November is one of the best months of the year here. But, traffic is increasing as the snowbirds complete their autumnal migration. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Veterans' Weekend

 Welcome to Veterans Day observed!

We get to celebrate for at least two days, with today being the Federal Holiday and tomorrow being the actual Veteran's Day or, in Europe, Armistice Day. 

Thank a veteran for their service to this great nation.

It is going to be a bit confusing out there today and tomorrow with different things closed on the two days due to the observed vs. actual nature of the holiday. 

To all of my friends in the military or Federal Service--enjoy the three-day weekend, if you actually can get off. You all deserve it. 

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.” - Ronald Reagan

 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Season of the Turkey

Turkey Decorations
Tequesta, FL
November 1, 2023

The Season of the Turkey has arrived. 

It is a short season, sandwiched between Halloween and Christmas, a mere three weeks and two days this year from November 1st until the 23rd. 

Turkeys on the the Shelf
Tequesta, FL
November 1, 2023

But is is no less a celebration! And it is more than a bridge from one celebration to another. 

The turkeys are significant in their uniqueness and represent Thanksgiving. And they are fun! My collection is somewhat smaller than it used to be, a result of the significant downsizing that we experienced last year moving from Maryland to Florida. But my turkeys are significant and serve to highlight Thanksgiving with joy. 

That written, I did receive my first Christmas animated toy yesterday. And it made me smile. As many know, I also significantly reduced my population of toys, both animated and not, when I retired and also again when we moved. It was good to receive one, just because.

OK, Christmas is coming--I just need to accept it!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, Fl

Halloween 2023

 

The fright night has returned. 

I hope the weather in your area will be conducive to supporting throngs of Trick or Treaters.

We are expecting very few kids again this Halloween. It almost takes the fun out of the holiday. 

But, on a different note, tonight marks the conclusion of the month of October! Yup, there are two months remaining in the year 2023 and then we get to do it all over again for 2024. 

The year has been quite a ride. 

With the beginning of November, there will be 5 national holidays during the next 10 weeks! That is one holiday every other week?

What are the holidays, you ask?

Veterans Day (November 11, observed on November 10)

Thanksgiving - November 23

Christmas - December 25

New Year's - January 1

Martin Luther King's Birthday Observed - January 15

So for those still employed and who get to enjoy holidays off--here comes the end of the year. Beware, the light at the end of the tunnel is an oncoming holiday train. Or maybe it is Santa!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Through the Palms

Roger Dean Stadium
Abacoa, FL
July 4, 2023

 A fantastic 4th of July was observed!

Chris and I spent the day together, hiding out from the oppressive heat and enjoying a two-day movie marathon which included watching both Independence Day movies and The Music Man! Now there is a combination. We also conducted a Zoom-call with the family.

There must be trouble right here in River City!

Actually no trouble, but we headed out last evening to Abacoa and the Roger Dean Baseball Stadium to enjoy a long and exciting fireworks display with a few thousand fellow residents. The city was hosting g a huge party, but we stayed on the periphery. Chris and I were positioned perfectly that two tall palms framed the fireworks. We enjoyed a classic 4th of July dinner of ribs before heading out. We timed the event perfectly arriving about 5 minutes before the fireworks began. Parking was awful--but we were able to smoothly escape from the crowd after the show was over. 

The trip home from Abacoa was highlighted by fireworks everywhere. I think I found a new place to watch fireworks, however. From atop the Alternate A1A bridge looking both ways along the Loxahatchee River. There were still people there as we were driving home.

It was fun to make new traditions!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

 

Fire up the 4th

Final Fireworks
Elkridge, MD
July 4, 2022

Celebrate the 4th of July.

It is Independence Day.

I wish I could write that we are doing something exciting, but we are not. We are just chillin' in Florida.

Here is hoping that you and yours are having a stunning holiday and are not trapped either in an airport or on a highway.

Here are some Independence Day thoughts:

And on July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, declaring: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.”

The men who signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, pledged their “Lives, [their] Fortunes and [their] sacred Honor” to defend the idea of human equality. Ever since then, Americans have sacrificed their own fortunes, honor, and even their lives, for that principle. Lincoln reminded Civil War Americans of those sacrifices when he urged the people of his era to “take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

(Letters from an American)

We must be on guard for those who would rewrite these words for their own personal gain and usurp the cause of freedom transforming it into a weapon rather than an unalienable right. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Middle of the Holiday

 

Final 4th Celebration
Elkridge, MD
July 4, 2022

I am hoping that most of my friends and family are taking the opportunity for a mid-year time out and enjoying a four-day Independence Day holiday weekend!

“We will never have true civilization until we have learned to recognize the rights of others.” —Will Rogers

It is a bittersweet holiday weekend this year as I look back on the great image that a neighbor took of our final fireworks display held in Elkridge last year.  Family and friends gathered on the lawn, as we had done for many many years, and enjoyed the sounds of music, compliments of Patrick, to the launching of fireworks. It was a perfect space to enjoy the holiday. 

This year we are not going to be together and there is no backyard from which to launch the fireworks. I wonder what the old neighborhood and our friends will be doing? We miss them all. 

But, we must look forward to the new opportunities. Looking backward is like playing a video that can never change.

But it was fun!

Just a holiday note below to six of the justices on the Supreme Court:

“The rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened.” —John F. Kennedy

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Firing up the 4th

 Bring on the 4th!

For those still working it is a perfectly made 4-day weekend possibility. Yay!

But, more importantly, let's celebrate. Safely.

We have a lot to celebrate. We are still America!

I am hoping to find fireworks somewhere around here to enjoy while dodging thunderstorms. 

If traveling--be safe and avoid the airports. I hear that the crush of travelers is going to make air travel a nightmare.

If driving, enjoy sharing the highways with 43 million of your new best friends.

Happy Independence Day!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

What did you do?

 

Geese on the 17th Fairway
Timbers at Troy, Elkridge, MD
May 29, 2023

Memorial Day 2023 has come and gone. It used to be that the next holiday up was Independence Day, but now there is Juneteenth!

Yes, another holiday. Wait, everyday is a holiday for me!

I did enjoy a long round of golf yesterday. And I mean long. Holidays make for full courses and long rounds. We played Timbers at Troy yesterday, or rather it played me! We spend 4 hours 51 minutes whacking at the little white ball and pushing it around the course. 

Honeysuckle
Timbers at Troy
Elkridge, MD
May 29, 2023

I had looked at the weather earlier in the week and decided on a mid-morning tee time. The problem is that a mid-morning tee time runs over lunch and one can get hungry and thirsty. Fortunately, I picked a good time because the rain started as Chris and I were driving away from the course.

As we played the course we were treated to wildlife and sweet smells. The honeysuckle remains in bloom and provides a sweet fragrance across parts of the course. We were also treated to an over anxious Marshall who encouraged us to speed up play while we were on the third hole, which upset me since we had been waiting for the group in front of us at the previous two holes and continued to wait at nearly every successive hole. We may have appeared slow, but we remained in contact with the foursome in front for the whole round. It is all part of golfing on a holiday, I guess.

It is amazing how an almost five-hour round of golf can eat up a day!

But, it was a great holiday spent with Chris and Jeremy.

-- Bob Doan, Odenton, MD

Mother's Day 2023

 Happy Mother's Day!

 

Mom
Columbia, MD
August 16, 2013

Being a mother is a special calling. Mother's are special people and not everyone is called to be a mother--and that is OK. Those who accept the calling to be a Mom know the joys and the pains of raising children and worrying about them day and night--even after they have left the nest. 

What I have learned is that after a while the roles become reversed. We begin to worry about our Mom and become concerned about the trials she is facing and how her life is progressing. We see the terrible disease she is fighting and the care she is receiving for that destructive ailment. We have to do hard things like move her from her home to a place where she can receive proper care. And then, in the middle of a dark night, she was gone.

It has been a year-and-a-half since my mom transitioned to her heavenly address. She is missed every day. She is remembered. She even is part of fairly one-sided conversations. But she is alive in my heart and the hearts of my family.

Here is to you Mom--Happy Mother's Day. You have more than earned the recognition for a job well done.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Happy Easter 2023

 

Springtime Blooms
Odenton, MD
April 8, 2023

Good morning.

Happy Easter!

May the blessings of the risen Christ be with each of you.

May the glory and the promise of this joyous time of year bring peace and happiness to you and those you hold most dear.

And may Christ, Our Risen Savior, always be there by your side to bless you most abundantly and be your loving guide.

— Author Unknown

Enjoy the day and if you are able to celebrate with family, take a moment to appreciate the opportunity. 

-- Bob Doan, Odenton, MD

Smacking the White Ball

Jupiter Dunes Golf Course Hole 6
Jupiter, FL
March 16, 2023

Happy St. Patrick's Day. 

Do not forget to wear the green!!

 Chris and I actually made it to the golf course, Jupiter Dunes, yesterday for a round of golf. It was a beautiful weather day and Chris had a great time. She made some stunning shots. I, on the other hand, did not play well and so was mostly frustrated. I had two holes, one of them is pictured, where I landed my shot on the green and the ball rolled off into the water! Ugh! I hate that. Elevated greens can be miserable.

Today, I am off for the Florida Gulf Coast for some Spring Training baseball and enjoying time with the Maryland crew which are visiting Florida to escape the Winter. It is the annual Spring Training baseball, golf, and beer trip. I am distressed that they decided not to play golf this year, but instead decided to watch the NCAA tournament--but I like the tournament as well so that will be fine. I sometimes get too frustrated trying to whack the little white ball, anyway. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Hearts and Roses and Valentine's Day

Flowers for Chris
Tequesta, FL
February 14, 2023

The day of cards, wine, flowers and expensive dinners, not to mention chocolates, is past.

Chris and I had a full day, but mostly wasted day waiting for another shipment of wine from UPS. It was another mess, but at least the wine arrived, finally. UPS really needs to get their act together on deliveries. Yesterday's delivery was not on the truck for which they continued to send me tracking information. I know, because as the day got late I tracked the truck down and talked to the driver. Fortunately, the truck with the wine finally came and made the delivery.

Gopher Tortoise
Tequesta, FL
February 14, 2023

I enjoyed a 15 mile bike ride, while Chris stayed home waiting for the wine. Along the way I spied a tortoise which kept a watchful eye on my as I took an image. That was early in the day.

Instead of going out for an expensive dinner, Chris and I celebrated the event with a home grilled salmon dinner and a very nice bottle of wine. We find dining together to be far more enjoyable that being out in public fighting for a table in an overcrowded and understaffed restaurant. 

And so it was Valentine's Day 2023. 

Whew. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Valentine's Day 2023

 

Happy Valentine's Day!

Yup, it is mid-February and the day none of us dares forget is upon us. 

I bought a card! Well, and there might be some flowers this afternoon.

It is a good day to remember the ones we love and also our close friends who help us over the hard times. 

Sometimes it is good to review the history of the days we celebrate. I invite you to read about Valentines Day on Wikipedia. A short excerpt follows:

Numerous early Christian martyrs were named Valentine.^[16] The Valentines honored on February 14 are Valentine of Rome (Valentinus presb. m. Romae) and Valentine of Terni (Valentinus ep. Interamnensis m. Romae).^[17] Valentine of Rome was a priest in Rome who was martyred in 269 and was added to the calendar of saints by Pope Gelasius I in 496 and was buried on the Via Flaminia. The relics of St. Valentine were kept in the Church and Catacombs of San Valentino in Rome, which "remained an important pilgrim site throughout the Middle Ages until the relics of St. Valentine were transferred to the church of Santa Prassede during the pontificate of Nicholas IV [1288 - 1292]".^[18][19] The flower-crowned skull of Saint Valentine is exhibited in the Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, Rome. Other relics are found at Whitefriar Street Carmelite Church in Dublin, Ireland.^[20]

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Welcome Friday--Enjoy the Ride

Yes, it is Friday again. Another week is slipping into history.

Egret on the Beach
Carlin Park, Jupiter, FL
February 2, 2023

For those of you who live in the frozen northern region of the country, Nicole sent the graphic yesterday. It is only funny if you realize the Punxsutawney Phil made the prediction for six more weeks of winter yesterday. So maybe there is hope after all!

For our part here in South Florida we walked the beach in the morning, it was another idyllic beginning to the day. That was followed with a 15 mile bike ride and a busy afternoon around the house. I guess I needed the recuperation after Wednesday's construction project. Fortunately, the bike ride was uneventful, but enjoyable.

I am in awe of the stunning colors of the morning as we walk the beach. The blue skies of the past few days have been very enjoyable, made more so by the cloudy overcast days of last week. 

Looking North at 9 AM
Carlin Park Beach, Jupiter, FL
February 2, 2023

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Instructions are Misleading

 

Happy Groundhog Day!

The groundhog saw its shadow and the forecast is for six more weeks of Winter! I can handle that living here in South Florida.

Happy Hour on the Beach
Carlin Park, Jupiter, FL
February 1, 2023

And so there we were, sitting on our favorite beach at the end of a busy day. During the day, I had helped Fran erect a pergola in his lanai. The instructions that came with the kit indicated that the project should take about 45 minutes. Ha!

We began constructing the pergola about 9:30 AM. It was finally erected, with additional help from a neighbor and Mary, about 2:00 PM--but it still was not completely done. Screws need to be driven into the concrete and additional screws need to be installed in the beams. OK, why the difference in time? Well, this pergola is double size from the instructions, it is constructed with very heavy pressure treated lumber, and there was cutting involved. It is fairly clear that there instructions were written for a pergola using pre-cut not pressure-treated lumber, like the 8 foot 4 X 4s that come direct from Home Depot or Lowe's and the pergola would be a single span of 8' square.

Looking East Over the Ocean at Sunset
Carlin Park, Jupiter, FL
February 1, 2023

We survived without major injury although at times I was concerned about the sanity of what we were doing. 

And so to celebrate victory over the instructions and inanimate objects, we decided to wash away the sweat, frustration, and problem solving of the day by enjoying dinner and Happy Hour on the beach--beginning at 4:00 PM with sunset being at 6:02 PM. It was again an awesome way to end the day.

I do so enjoy sunset Happy Hours on the beach.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

And that was Christmas

All evidence of Christmas has been removed from our house. 

The season, while not officially over until January 6th, has ended.

The tree is gone, the Christmas dishes were returned to their storage bin under one of the beds, and the decorations found their way to the storage room that we rent. 

I would say the house has returned to normal, but it has been so far from normal for the past few months that even normal seems unnatural. 

We had a motorized screen installed on the patio so that I can sit out there in the evening without bug spray. Chris and I have been enjoying the freedom it gives us and Riordin, our cat, also likes being able to join us for happy hour on the patio. 

What's next? 

Oh wait--another Caribbean cruise coming soon. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL