Sign and Sayings

Sign at Unlimited Carwash
Tequesta, FL
April 24, 2024

 It was a travel day; Chris and I have returned to Maryland for a week. 

Yesterday I spent some time at the local carwash, as both my bug-covered truck, from the drive back from Tampa, and Chris's car needed cleaning. The carwash has a very important sign designed to protest the safety of the patrons, except that I'm not sure what they were really saying. It seems to lose some of its value when an important word is misspelled. I actually got a pretty good image of the sign. 

Southwest Airline Napkins
April 25, 2024

On our Southwest Airlines flight from PBI to BWI this morning, I happened to look at the napkins.

There were witty phrases on both of the napkins. Now, I have to confess that I'm not sure whether the phrases have been on the napkins of other Southwest flights, but I never noticed them before this mornings bleary-eyed flight. 

Chris and I were up early, like 4:45 AM to get out the door and to the airport to board our 7:05 scheduled departure. As an aside--it was a great flight. The aircraft lifted off the runway three minutes before our schedule gate departure time  and we arrived in Baltimore 28 minutes early. Additionally, the flight was only about 1/2 full. Why can't flying always be like that?

Well, except for the bleary-eyed part.

-- Bob Doan, Odenton, MD

Sitting in Silence

View from the Surgical Terrace
Jupiter Medical Center, Jupiter, FL
April 16, 2024

I sat a lot yesterday. In fact, I sat most of the afternoon and then the evening until bedtime. 

Chris and I sat with a friend at a hospital and then later we sat with him at our house. 

We did not talk a lot, mostly just superficial stuff to get our minds off why we were sitting together. And then we enjoyed some wine.

I was reminded of Job's three friends, from the Bible.  

Then they sat down with him on the ground for seven days and seven nights, yet no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great. (Job 2:13, NET Bible)

I have come to realize that there are times when just being there is what is needed and that the right thing to say is nothing at all. There is no need to fill the empty space with words.

Sometimes sitting in silence is exactly what is needed. We need to practice it more often and get past the need to fill the emptiness with noise. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Monday was a Day

I donated a pint of blood yesterday. It was my fourth pint. 

It was my big event of the day, well maybe shopping with Chris at the mall was the big event. That got us out of the house and we enjoyed a nice lunch at Cooper's Hawk, where I had four bottles of wine to retrieve. 

I have not been a regular blood donor. Until a couple years ago I could not donate because of my time in Europe with the Air Force, however, the rules changed and I have been donating blood infrequently. I plan on becoming a more regular donor. But, I am now up to a half-gallon of donated blood. 

During the evening I enjoyed our homeowners association meeting--I am on the board. We have a newly energized board and I am excited about the prospects for the future. Looking back, I can see that last year we were really just marking time and keeping the aging infrastructure solid. 

And that was Monday.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Sometimes

Flower
Everglades Safari Park, Homestead, FL
March 27, 2024

When Chris and I are out enjoying the wilds of Florida, I see things which cause me to stop and snap an image. 

That happened a couple weeks ago when we were in the Everglades at the Safari Park. We were strolling the paths looking at the wildlife and this flower caught my eye. 

I had to take the image through a fence because it was hanging above an alligator pen. But the color and the way it was hanging spoke to me that, there is a picture here. And so I took a picture. I worked the camera to reduce the depth of field a much as I could to blur the background and I got pretty much what I saw with my eyes. 

I have to admit, I have many images of flowers from our numerous outings. I especially enjoy admiring the orchids clinging to the trees and providing the burst of color under the canopy. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

As the Sun Sets

As the Sun Goes Down
Tequesta, FL
March 30, 2024

During the morning as the sun rises and the evening as the sun sets, the colors of the world seem more vibrant. The golden and reddish hues accentuate the landscape and the sky becomes darker with the clouds reflecting the light of the sun to the ground. 

Even standing right outside of my door, looking towards the setting sun the scene is transformed from what I normally experience by the silhouetted and freshly trimmed palm trees which provide their own exclamation point for the scene. Even the reflected sun from the pool house seems more colorful than during the bright portion of the day. 

Last Saturday evening the sky and the sun caught my eye as I stepped outside. It was one of the evenings that I enjoy most about Florida. A late-March relatively cool evening (in the 70s) with low humidity. And the palm trees. It had been a busy and somewhat melancholy day. We had said good-bye to Luke and the dogs after a fun-filled week and the house seemed very empty and quiet. While we were happy that Luke was reunited with his Dad and Julie, there was a sense of emptiness. We have so few visitors that we truly enjoy each of them and miss them when the house returns to normal. Even the dogs were fun to have around, despite their occasional antics and the need to walk them three times a day. 

The end of the day is a time of reflection. Haha, see what I did there?

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Can You Believe It?

 It is Friday, again!

My Electrical Panel
Tequesta, FL
March 18, 2024

The end of the week just kind of sneaked up on me and suddenly everything I had been putting off is suddenly due. 

I know, what could I possibly have to get done by the weekend? Well, I have to completely reconfigure my garage to support the installation of the car charger, for one. At least there is space in my electrical box and apparently sufficient service to the condo to support the 40 amp car charger. 

And, I am behind in getting reservations for the sights we want to see on our upcoming European cruise and vacation. The cruise is locked in, but I need to get other sights reserved in both Rome and Venice since we are doing additional days there. I hope we can get our clothes cleaned somewhere. 

The electricians will be here about 5:30 pm so I have some time. But, Jeremy, Julie (later arriving at PBI), Luke and two dogs should also be arriving about that time as well. It might be a real circus around here. 

Happy Friday to all and may your end of week Happy Hour be especially enjoyable.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Two Paths to the World

 

Path off Beach Road
Jupiter Island, FL
February 24, 2024

Yesterday was a travel day. I am looking at a few travel days during the next two weeks as Chris and I visit family in Weston Lakes, near Houston, and then, after a brief stop back in Tequesta head off to Maryland. 

Leading to The Concourse
Houston Hobby Airport, TX
February 27, 2024

But it was yesterday as we were leaving Hobby Airport that I turned around and snapped an image of the main hallway leading to the concourse. It reminded me of a path that I had seen during our last bike ride along Beach Road.

And so I thought about the two paths. One leading to concourses which provide a means to access the sky to travel the world and the other leading to the beach and the ocean which also allows access to the world. So very different, yet similar.

I much prefer the beach path lined with grape mangroves on either side of it to the cold and lifeless windows of the airport. 

But as travel days go, it was a great day. The Southwest flight departed the gate on-time, arrived 20 minutes early and was able to pull right into a gate at our destination. That does not happen often. There is nothing worse than arriving early and waiting on the tarmac for a gate to open. Well, maybe pulling away from the gate and waiting an hour to take-off is worse because the flight really hasn't even gotten underway and the passengers are trapped inside the plane. 

-- Bob Doan, Weston Lakes, TX

#travel #houstonhobby #southwest #flying #beach

Abrupt End for the Stairs

 

Seaglass Condos
Jupiter Island, FL
February 12, 2024

It seems that even in buildings where the starting price for condos is about $6M, there can be interesting construction issues. 

Take, for instance, these stairs. The building is supposed to have beach access. And it sorta does, except they ended the stairs about 5 feet above the beach and then had to close the access. There are two sets of stairs from the building to the beach, and both are like this. 

It is an abrupt ending. 

Blowing Rocks
Jupiter Island, FL
January 2, 2022

Now, I know what happened. When the stairs were being constructed there was actually sand at the base of the stairs. But, since then the ocean has reclaimed the beach sand and the stairs no longer reach the beach. Clearly the contractor building the stairs was not familiar with beach conditions. The stars need to be build down into the sand to account for beach erosion.

The bigger problem is that the people living in the building do not have easy beach access right now. And the building is strategically positioned right near Blowing Rocks--which is beautiful. 

Note to self: Mind the Step!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

#blowingrocks #jupiterisland #seglassjupiterisland #dangerousstairs

Happy Hour--Outside

Chris at Happy Hour
Lenora's, Tequesta, FL
January 10, 2024

 I wore shorts, sandals, and a short-sleeve shirt to Happy Hour at a local restaurant last evening. We sat outside on the veranda and I was very comfortable.

It felt great to be back in the warm humidity of South Florida and enjoying a cool January day outside. I had spent most of the day packing Christmas decorations and transporting them to our storage room. It did not help that I forgot the key on one trip and had to go back for it. Notice the bottle is empty. 

I received a great new toy for Christmas upon returning home: Smart Glasses! I am learning them and enjoying playing with them. I took a video of the Brightline train yesterday while we were sitting at the light. It came out really nice, but trains can be boring to look at and so I won't add it here. 

We enjoyed Happy Hour; then headed back to the house for one more glass of wine with friends and then some food. What a great evening. 

Today will be filled with more packing and then onto the garage for some serious reorganization. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

The Last Day

 The final day of 2023 has arrived. 

Despite predictions to the contrary, it appears we will actually make it to the arrival of 2024, which should be quite a tumultuous year. 

The new year is a Leap Year and that means it is one-day longer than 2023. 

Unlike the past two years, I will be ringing-in the new year in Maryland and not Florida. It has been just two years since I retired and I am still enjoying life without the necessity of setting an alarm clock.

This week, the flexibility of my retired life was recognized as Chris and I made the decision to extend our time in Maryland by a few days. In the world before retirement that would have been a difficult, if not impossible, ask. I would have been driven, literally, to get back to work.

Chris and the Boat
Sandbar in St Lucie River
August 2, 2023

I reviewed my image archives searching for the image which best characterizes the year, but it is tough with so many memories. I think this one, of Chris next to our boat, Sea Bean, anchored on a sandbar really captures the character of the year. We joined a boat club during the year and I have found great enjoyment learning to handle a boat and exploring the Intracoastal Waterway between Ft. Pierce and Lake Worth. I am looking forward to getting back onto the water when we return to Florida. And that is the beauty Florida life--year round outdoors summertime activity!

So on this final day of 2023, I remember those who have passed this year, and for whom I shed many tears, and the new friends we have made. I also remember the travel and fun that we have enjoyed, as well as the roughly 1967 miles I rode on my bike!

Here's a toast to the past and hope for the future.

-- Bob Doan, Odenton, MD

Kaleidoscope of Colors

Pattern of the Christmas 
Lights through the Screen
Tequesta, FL
December 16, 2023

Rain and wind. . . 

That describes yesterday's weather. Well, add in some gray skies. I haven't seen the sun in over three days. It is very gloomy. 

Chris and I put the covers over our patio furniture for protection. The rain fell so hard and the tropical storm strength winds blew the raindrops into our patio screen. We could not see through the screen, but our Christmas lights shone in a creative pattern for us to enjoy. 

At least we found something interesting despite the poor weather. 

A short while later, there was so much rain that the GFI circuit activated. Too much water at near the outdoors plug I suspect. 

Christmas is just over a week away!

Tomorrow is the first of two travel days. We will be following the storm up the coast. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

December Friday--A Rising Darkness

The end of the workweek brings respite for many.

I think I need a rest as well. It has been a busy week between biking and boating. I have ridden over 44 miles already this week--I had a light ride of only 12 miles on Tuesday and boating on Wednesday meant no ride. 

The weather at least will turn warmer for the weekend here. 

I ran across the following statement during my morning reading and thought I would pass it along for thoughts:

Ultimately, the struggle between fascism and democracy was the question of equality. Were all men really created equal as the Declaration of Independence said, or were some born to lead the rest, whom they held subservient to their will? (Letters from an American)

I was appalled the other morning to see that a former president admitted that he would be a dictator--even if only for one day. That totally ignores the Constitution. Also, hearing his henchmen openly say that they would go after the news media and journalists who didn't to report things the way they wanted is a direct violation off the 1st Amendment. 

There is darkness rising in America.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Yup, the Weekend!

Poinsettias Decorating the Grocery Store
Tequesta, FL
November 9, 2023

Christmas Cactus
Tequesta, FL
December 2, 2023

 Well Saturday has arrived yet once again. 

It is weird because I remember distinctly that last Saturday we were sleeping off the effects of Black Friday and a great family Happy Hour. 

Today, I am back in the warmth of South Florida planning a 20-mile bike ride in the sun leaving in about an hour. 

But, we have decorated the house and the Christmas cactus is even in bloom! I also love the poinsettias that have been planted through out the communities providing a bright entry into the season. 

It is that time of year, I guess. 

I am glad and hope that we can all just enjoy the season without too much drama. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

That's What Saturdays are for

 

I did nothing of value yesterday. 

Amazing. I only left the house once and that was to take Chris to the store to get carrots for the fantastic turkey soup she made. 

What did I do?

I watched college football games. Yes, I was happy that Michigan won. It was one of the best played games that I h ave watched this season. Two very good teams in a pitched battle against each other. That game was always hanging in the balance.

And after that, I enjoyed a couple campy Christmas movies. 

It was a lazy day. I'm guessing that everyone needs a lazy day on occasion, especially at the start of the Christmas crush!

Today will be much busier, of that I am sure. 

Here's hoping that you get to enjoy a lazy day, soon!

--  Bob Doan. Odenton, MD

Black Friday Tales

 I apparently have survived Black Friday. 

Axis and Allies as the game begins
Odenton, MD
November 24, 2023

First, from the Axis and Allies front, you should begin learning either German of Japanese. My partner and I failed to save the world. We played the allies. It was a difficult day for us as Russia fell quickly and the UK and USA could not coordinate their activities. At one point the Japanese briefly held San Francisco--and if you know anything about the game there is no way that should happen. Thank goodness it was but a game and not reality.

The leftovers were great! Especially the Apple pie, which I did not get a chance to sample on Thanksgiving.

Happy Hour at or son's house was fun. We watched the last quarter of the NFL Black Friday game where the Dolphins crushed the Jets and then sang along to an impromptu Garth Brooks concert that was live from his new bar in Nashville. We are huge Garth fans.

I confess, I did not purchase anything either online or from a brick and mortar store yesterday. Does that put me in the minority of Americans?

And now the weekend is upon us. I am feeling like Christmas decorations will soon be retrieved from the storage room.

-- Bob Doan, Odenton, MD

Walk in the Leaves

Old Roadbed
Odenton, MD
November 18, 2023

 We do it almost daily, walk the dogs. Well, in Florida we only have one dog now--but Finn gets walked every day and sometimes multiple times per day. While we are visiting, we have the added fun of walking Lily, one of Nicole's dog. That means that we each get to walk a dog!

Trees along the walk
Odenton, MD
November 18, 2023

We generally walk the same route. The dogs know the route and so they also enjoy walking. Yesterday, however, the route was very different than when we last walked it during June. Autumn happened. And while peak is well behind us, Chris and I still marveled at the colors of the leaves having just arrived from nearly perpetual green Florida. It was also chilly. No, it was cold! I had two shirts and a coat on and was still cold. I am not fully prepared for a cold wind to slap my face, I am more used to hot and humid breezes.

We enjoyed the walk and the bright autumnal scenery. It was a change from Florida and added some spice to our lives. 

-- Bob Doan, Odenton, MD

Down the Path

Along the Path 
Riverbend Park, Jupiter, FL
November 10, 2023

I have walked a few paths during the past week as Chris and I have been out exploring and finding new things to see and do. 

The well marked dirt-packed paths of Riverbend Park were fun to walk and I am excited about getting back there soon to check out the large park on my bike. The stunning Florida wild landscape along the river is a thing of beauty. It allows me to escape the business of the urbanized areas in which I live and enjoy the sights and sounds of nature.

Path through the Mangroves
Juno Beach, FL
November 12, 2023

Even on Sunday, as we were walking along busy Ocean Blvd, I spied a quiet and secluded path through the mangroves to the ocean. I had to walk down it to see the ocean. Although the color at the at the end of the path is white in the image, it was really a blue ocean. Down the step and onto the beach and then to be potentially immersed in the then calm waters of the Atlantic. It was a calming mental image.

Escaping the craziness. Down a path into a different world for a few minutes or hours of peace.

Find a path.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Moving the Season Along

Sunrise Through the Screen
Tequesta, FL
November 14, 2023

Tuesday has arrived. I realized that I only have three more days to awaken in my own bed before heading north for the Thanksgiving holiday. I think Chris and I will pack our turkey decorations up before we leave so that we have a clean slate for Christmas when we return. It is hard to believe that Christmas in upon us and I need to begin thinking about putting up the Christmas tree. 

Riordin in a Christmas Wreath
Elkridge, MD
November 30, 2019

It will be strange not having Riordin around to bat at the balls on the tree or to push the Polar Express off its tracks this Christmas. He really loved Christmas and I think it was one of his favorite times of the year. I can still see him sleeping in the decorations and getting into the empty boxes. He loved boxes and checking out the decorations. At least I don't have to worry about how many stinkbugs have managed to find their way into the decorations this year. Those dirty bugs seemed to find a way to get into everything.

But, next up is Turkey Day! And I am excited about seeing family and friends. And eating turkey, playing Axis and Allies, and watching football, did I mention football?

I hope that the government does not shut down and really make a disaster out of the holidays. 

-- 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

Birds of a Feather . . .

 

Flocking Ibis and Egyptian Geese
Tequesta, FL
October 28, 2023

It is Autumn.

I am receiving images of autumnal-cloaked trees from friends and family in the North, but here in South Florida it is Autumn as well. 

How do I know?

The birds are flocking. They are congregating. 

Last evening I looked across a lake outside of a friend's house and marveled at how two very different species congregated together. There were Egyptian Geese and Ibis on the bank of the lake opposite of where we were enjoying a glass of wine. What was most interesting was that there appeared to be three separate flocks within the congregation. Two Ibis flocks and one of Egyptian geese. 

They fed together on the shore for quite a while until departing just before dark. 

It is Autumn, after all.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL