Rolling out the Barrel

 

The weather this week continues to be enjoyable and Chris and I took advantage of yesterday from sunrise to sunset.

Chris on her Bike
Tequesta, FL
October 25, 2022

We began the day with an easy 14.5 mile bike ride. It was Chris's first ride on her new bike. I took it easy on her and by the end of the ride she had completely bonded with the bike. She took Wednesday off from riding due to a sore knee and so yesterday was the first real ride on the new bike.

The Wall in Progress
Tequesta, FL
October 27, 2022

As the day continued, it was finally time, after delaying it as long as possible, to break out the painting supplies and begin painting the wall in the dining room. Ugh! I hate painting. It turns out that I do not enjoy home repair/improvement projects that begin with "P". Plumbing and painting specifically. Posthole digging is right up there as well. The first coat of paint is on the wall and the second will be applied today. The newly whitened wall adds additional light to the room and the entire area. 

And then the evening. 

What to do for the evening?

Yes, Oktoberfest! The Town of Juno Beach held an Oktoberfest celebration complete with pretzels, bratwurst, beans, sauerkraut, and beer/wine. All included in the admission!

We rolled out the barrel and had a great time! We enjoyed the live accordion music (and Chris danced) until after dark. It was a great way to put an exclamation point on the day. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

From Dawn to Night

Sunrise in the Clouds
Tequesta, FL
October 22, 2022

Standing on my patio as the sun was rising yesterday, I did not know that by the end of the day I would own a new laptop, but I do.

The repair cost for my old MacBook Pro was going to be about $700 and I just could not justify putting that amount of money into a 5 year old computer which would only fix the current issues. I have concerns that the screen was failing as well. And so, I decided, after much consternation, to replace my old friend.

Replacing a computer is messy. Although there is a good program to transfer data from one computer to another, it is not perfect especially when I was running a Windows emulator to allow me access to one program that just does not run well in an Apple OS environment. I am currently still getting that program up and running. 

It was not until after dark that I arrived back at home with my new laptop ready to set up. And I let the set-up processes run overnight.

I am now fine-tuning my computer and getting it ready to fill the void left by the failure of my old friend. It turns out that the old laptop was doomed by a failed Apple technology experiment--the Touch Bar. The Touch Bar technology is no longer included in Apple laptops because of the problems it created. I also found that I could not just replace my old laptop--no, I had to give up some capability or buy more capability. 

I wonder what planned obsolescence is included in my new MacBook Pro?

In the end, it was a full day, from dawn on my patio to arriving back home after dark with the solution to my computer problem. I did get in a 14 mile bike ride--just saying.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Storm Clouds Down the River

Storm Clouds from the Loxahatchee River Bridge
Tequesta, FL
October 8, 2022

 Saturday was my last day of temporary bachelorhood as Chris returns this morning. 

The almost 10 days alone managing the house have been only slightly challenging, but I have to admit that I am not very creative at finding things to occupy my time. I have been working on a number of projects around the house and I can report that, with the sale of my small wine refrigerator yesterday, the garage is finally unpacked and my tools are stored in a newly purchased workbench. 

I accomplished a short 9.3 mile recovery bike ride yesterday. I kept it short both because I had the long ride the previous day and the storm clouds were gathering. I managed to complete the ride before the rain arrived raising the humidity back to uncomfortable levels. I have been enjoying rides with low humidity and temperatures in the high 70s. It seemed cool. I likely won't get a ride in today because I need to head to the airport to retrieve Chris. This will be my second of three trips to Palm Beach International in four days.

Kienzle Wall Clock
Tequesta, FL
October 9, 2022

In project news, I can report that the last container moved from Maryland has been unpacked. The container contained one of the two wall clocks that we retained and brought with us. It is now hanging in a specially prepared spot, pending Chris's approval.

The off-and-on rain yesterday put a damper on outdoors activities--like the beach. But, I managed to get to our storage room to retrieve Halloween decorations and they will be the next project that Chris and I will tackle.

Today is football Sunday and Chris scheduled her arrival to allow for us to become sofa sports geeks and watch the games. The big game for me is the Ravens-Bengals collision scheduled for this evening. It will likely be a late night.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Personal Record

 

Another glorious day in South Florida was logged yesterday. Today will likely not be as nice as rain is in the forecast.

Bike Ride Around Tequesta/Jupiter
October 7, 2022

I attended to projects around the house yesterday, most notably getting the ceiling fan in our bedroom connected to the internet. The project went reasonably well but took longer than expected. The hard part was getting the switch online. Turns out the switch went online easily and quickly, except that I did not receive any indication that it was installed. So I kept trying to install it, but it since it was already online it didn't install. I finally figured out that everything was good and it is now happily working with Alexa!

The highlight of the day was my personal best longest bike ride. The ride was 22.69 miles for a time of 1h52m. I added a new loop around the Turtle Creek community which helped push the ride well over the 20 mile mark. I am not sure I can continue to devote two hours a day to riding, but occasionally I can pull it off. I do wish for more wildlife along the route. It seems that I get excited when I see a tortoise because I get bored avoiding squirrels and lizards. At least the tortoises do not run out in front of the bike. I have been amazed at the stupid squirrels.

And so the day begins!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Another Beautiful Day

 

Loxahatchee River
Tequesta, FL
October 6, 2022

Yesterday was another beautiful day. The kind of day that made me move here. It is almost mid-October and the sky was blue with temperatures in the low 80s coupled with low humidity. A perfect day. 

I had a number of projects to tackle and, sadly, I did not get to all of them. But, they have moved to today. The most important project is installing a smart switch for the fan in our bedroom. We had one back in Maryland and it was great to be able to turn the fan on or off in the middle of the night without getting out of bed.  The switch actually arrived from Amazon yesterday afternoon. 

I managed a bike ride yesterday. I seem to spend a lot of time biking along the banks of the Loxahatchee River. The river has a number of forks and, therefore, riverfront property in the area. Along the banks are a number of small parks and bridges which provide places to stop and enjoy the scenery. Later, near the end of my ride I saw my favorite tortoise eating along the bike path. 

I was late getting out on my bike because I had to wait for an estimate for a roll-down screen that we are thinking of installing on the patio to reduce the evening mosquito assaults. I think the tortoise is getting out later because is it so much cooler in the early morning. Regardless, it was a good ride and a good day that ended with dinner and some pool time at our friend's house.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

The Secret Garden

 

Secret Garden
Tequesta, FL
September 20, 2022

OK, I will admit it now. One of the downsides of condo living is that we cannot have a garden.

On the other hand--there are no lawns to mow or maintain.

Chris, however, in search of a plot of land that she could become creative with and turn into a place of her own created what I call the secret garden.

It is not much of a secret, since it is hidden in plain sight. 

Chris has placed two mums, a bird house in the shape of a bird, and some ground statues. The heron is visible in the back right.

So we have a small garden which, so far, the landscape company has allowed to remain. A few years ago we tried something right off our patio and they cleaned it up and removed the pots--we never got them back.

Trying to make condo living quite not so sterile. We will see how it goes.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

It is Alive! - Finally

Yeedi at Work
Tequesta, FL
September 15, 2022

 Although I know it is an inanimate object, I discovered yesterday that our robot vacuum, it is a Yeedi, is happy to be back in Florida. I write that because I attempted to use it in Maryland while we were there and it stopped working. It would not move and I tried almost all of the troubleshooting techniques to get the machine to work. I even contacted the company and they provided a detailed plan to get the wheels working again. I never had time to follow through on that.

Yesterday, however, I pulled the Yeedi from the box of stuff destined for the trash and gave it one more chance. I found the detailed process provided by the company and was prepared to follow through to see if the little robot could be revived. I plugged it in and activated the iPhone app. Upon doing so, I received a notice that the firmware needed updating. I was excited because I felt this might solve the problem.

I went through the firmware updating process and amazingly the Yeedi came to life, moved, and vacuumed the entire first level of the house. Yay, success. And it was a lot easier than following the process the factory had sent to reboot the wheels.  

It is alive!

I have to admit, having a robot to vacuum during the night is far better than sweeping or vacuuming during the day!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Home Inspection Blues

 As part of the sale of our house, we suffered through a home inspection yesterday. The appointment was scheduled for 2PM, but was changed to 12:45PM at 12:40PM. Great. We had the animals running loose in the house as we were sitting down to eat at a local establishment. It worked out, but was just a bit of added stress.

The Venerable Old Pump
Elkridge, MD
August 20, 2022

It is all part of the home sale process in America today. 

Do we know what they found? Well, no, except that the sump pump started smoking when it was checked. I wonder how long it has been non-functional? So, at least I was glad to know the sump pump needed replacing after 32 years. It was built during March 1990.

A new pump and check valve was installed today and I am really very happy that the non-functioning pump was discovered as I never really think about the sump pump. It just always did its job when it was needed. 

Well, at least the new owners will not have to worry about it for a few years.

I wonder what other repairs I will be negotiating about. I can't think of anything--the pool is in fantastic shape and the house is likewise in great repair. At least I think it is.

Moving is such fun.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Sunday--Funday

 Well, not so fast. 

Arthur and Makayla Mooching Breakfasr
Odenton, MD
April 14, 2022

It has been a busy Sunday following a busier Saturday. 

We had another open house today. It seemed to be well attended and we are hopeful of an offer soon. I think we have had 15 or so people view the house since it has been back on the market. 

It takes Chris and I a lot of time to get the house "show" ready. We turn all of the lights and fans as well as make sure the house looks like a Better Homes & Garden showplace. That is a bit tougher now that most of the furniture is gone--but, we try to make the place look as presentable as possible.

Chris and I are finding refuge at Nicole and Mike's place while they are away. We are watching their dogs and it is easier to watch them there than at ourt house. We are still, however, making the 20 minute drive about 4 times per day. My cat, Riordin, is in charge of security at our house while we are away. We only take him out of the house when there is a showing. 

We are busy packing, cleaning, and then packing more. The PODS remains and we are slowly filling it with belongings and treasures headed for Florida. 

The biggest question remaining is, when will be make the 15 hour trek south. 

And there is not a clear answer, but the departure is slipping later in August and possible even into September.

Fun days. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Projects in the New House

Under-Cabinet Lights
Glen Burnie, MD
August 11, 2022

I was able to take a break from downsizing and packing yesterday to help Patrick install under-cabinet lights for his countertops.

It was a lot of fun to work with him again and he is very creative. The lights are multi-color LEDs and they are synchronized with his over-counter lights above the island. From his phome hae can change the colors with one command. 

We had a good plan for the installation, but as with any plan thery are designed to be changed and rarely survive first contact with the enemy. So we made a few modifications on-the-fly.

In the end, the project looked fantastic and the kitchen can adapt to whatever color scheme they desire.

New houses are so much fun because they are a blank canvass waiting for projects to personalize them.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Downsizing - The Estate Sale

 Estate Sale Day 1 is complete. 

Wow! 

Living Room without a Sofa
Elkridge, MD
August 6, 2022

Suddenly there is no place to sit in either our living room or our family room in the basement. Both couches and their associated chair or love seat were sold. I guess I didn't think that one out very well.

My leather recliner is also sold, but not picked up yet, as is the rug in the picture. The coffee table, which I made, is going to Florida as is the table on the right side. 

The house is getting that empty sound as our treasures are re-homed. It is kind of funny to be using fold-up chairs as the main seating in the living room. 

Uh, how many more weeks are we expecting to be living here? 

This is a lot different from previous moves where we packed our belongings and took them with us. This time the downsizing is very serious and most of the larger belongings are leaving before we do. 

Day 2 of the Estate Sale is today. It was supposed to be a single day sale, but our turn-pout was kind of light and so we decided to add a second day with advertisements going our on Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist. There is still a lot of stuff to sell, including both tables and their associated chairs, bedroom  furniture, and most all of our art prints.

So much to do and so little time.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Downsizing - As the Dog Barks

Finnegan is a bundle of energy. 

Finnegan at Halloween
Elkridge, MD
October 31, 2021

He is an excellent watch dog and is always aware of what is happening around the house. 

And that, is the problem--he alerts on everything. He has a shrill, ear-piercing bark that does not stop even when people arrive at the house. It is, at the very least, annoying. I have noticed it more lately as we have had many people coming and going as we downsize. 

But Finn has a soft and gentle side. He loves to curl up in a lap and sleep or to lay in a sunbeam during the morning hours when the sun comes through the window before we lower the shades to keep the house cool.

Finnegan is a gamer and allows himself to be thoroughly humiliated at Halloween. Somehow the costume was too cute. 

When visitors arrive, however, his energy overflows and he runs circles around them, non-stop. It is amazing that he has escaped being stepped-on and hurt.

The joys of downsizing and moving. Finnegan is ever and extra vigilant. And loud.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Downsizing - Dog Days

 Aside from being in the middle of the dog days, today is a dog day.

Makayla in Front of the Door
Elkridge, MD
July 28, 2022

Makayla is going to the groomer. We are getting her shaved. I actually do not like to get her shaved, but hew skin has become so sensitive that it is hard to keep her brushed. She looks more like a mop right now than a Keeshond. She is also serving as our dog welcome mat. That is she lies in front of the door most of the day and doesn't even move when we pass by her.

As the downsizing continues, we realized yesterday that we have completed most of the packing prep and and are down to mostly things that we need to keep out until we depart. The Pod arrives in two weeks and that is when everything, including the items already boxed, will get loaded and ready for transfer to Florida. 

Florida seems like a dream now. I have been away so long. It has been cooler there than here. And I miss sitting on the beach for Happy Hour.

This weekend will be different. We are heading to New York for Annual Troy Whittemore Memorial Golf Tournament! At least there will be a change of scenery and I will get to play some golf, or rather the course will get to frustrate me.

And the Dog Days of Summer continue.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Downsizing - That Empty Sound

 It has begun. 

The Emptying Wine Room
Elkridge, MD
July 26, 2022

As I walked into the house yesterday I noticed the empty sound had begun in some of the rooms where the carpets and furniture have been removed or reduced. 

It is eerie and weird. 

I think maybe that the downsizing is getting serious. A bit too serious.

The empty sound is only the beginning because we still have a lot of furniture yet to remove and items to pack.

Amazon was not helpful yesterday. We needed more newsprint for wrapping and we went to Lowes in the morning to get some, but they didn't have any. So, I ordered from Amazon with a delivery time of 1-5PM. Then it changed to 2-6PM. The newsprint arrived about 8PM. Not very helpful--but the wrapping and packing will continue today. 

Another day of wash, rinse, repeat.. 

On the exciting news note, the movement into new homes begins today when Cory and Julianne settle on their new townhome. This comes a week before Patrick and Jen settle. And then hopefully, by the end of August we will settle on our home. It is definitely an exciting time with many moves coming during the next few weeks.

And the empty sound in the house will only get more noticeable.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

It is all in a Saturday

 I felt the loss of the youth baseball season yesterday. I missed the usual Saturday doubleheader in the heat and had time to accomplish an assortment of tasks and projects around the homestead. 

Jen and Patrick's New Home
Glen Burnie, MD
July 23, 2022

The heat was pervasive! When Chris and I were finally able to fall into the pool about 5PM, the air temperature was 97 and the pool water was 90 degrees. I cannot remember the last time that the pool reached 90 degrees without the aid of the heater. Chris and I enjoyed the warm water which quickly evaporated from our skin making us feel cool. It was very refreshing after a day of working in the heat.

I started the day on the mower! Yup, the lawn needed mowing and I was on the tractor by 8:30 while temperatures were still in the low 80s. 

Disassembled and Empty Bar
Elkridge, MD
July 23, 2022

I transitioned from the mower to disassembling the bar. I was able to remove the top to make it easier to move. Patrick and Jen arrived somewhat later and the four of us loaded the bar and all of the stools, except one, into the truck to transition to their storage room. The bar will remain there until the 13th when the movers will install it in Patrick and Jen's new house.

After the bar was safely in the storage room, we went to their new house to check things out. Although we were not able to enter the house, we could see that it is in near-ready to move in condition. We spent time meeting a neighbor couple and hearing their tale of settlement and move-in--and they were moving in as we were talking. They were the first one to move in on there street. 

The evening was quiet and now we are preparing for a busy Sunday. We are going back through the house and beginning the final packing process. Totally emptying closets and cupboards in preparation for the arrival of the Pod in two weeks.

So much to do and so little time, it seems.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Downsizing - A Last Hurrah

George, Sue, and Chris at the Bar
Elkridge, MD
July 22, 2022

We enjoyed our Friday evening happy hour with friends last evening.

We hosted at our home and enjoyed a great evening--but it was tinged with a hard reality.

Today our bar will depart and begin its journey to a new home. It is not going far and will stay in the family as it will eventually grace Patrick's new home. 

Although we have had the bar just less that four years--it has become a focal point for happy hours and parties. I enjoy sitting behind it and ensuring guests have what they need in terms of drinks and the bar is a great place for discussions. The first gathering around the bar was a party we held when I completed radiation therapy for prostate cancer! It was a great way to inaugurate the bar as well as the remodeled basement entertainment area. 

As a counterpoint, last evening was the last time the bar will host discussions in this house.  

It has been a great run! And the bar is going to a good home where it will be in the center of many more parties and meetings!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Summer Heat

 Yesterday was on of the hottest days of the summer. And I worked outside most of the day. 

I started early. 

Old Caliper and Bracket in a Box
Elkridge, MD
July 21, 2022

First, I replaced the broken antenna on my Jaguar. That was harder than it needed to be because the pliers kept slipping off the slots in the nut which holds the antenna onto the car. Other than that it was easy.

Following that, it was another trip to the dump to get rid of more downsized items. And I needed to make rim in the garage to do a brake job for Chris's Highlander. 

So, in the heat of the afternoon, in a small space I was able to clear in the garage, I did brakes on the Highlander. Who knew that the core charge for old calipers is $45 each? I need to turn them in today.

It went well and now, in addition to new tires, the car has new brakes. One of the rotors got warped and I replaced the calipers, rotors, and pads. Yay me!

Hopefully that will solve the problem.

Did I mention the lawn needs mowing? That is today's project in the heat!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD 

Downsizing - Garage Stress

 I have garage stress.

The Mess in the Garage
Elkridge, MD
July 21, 2022

I pride myself of being able to actually store vehicles in my garage out of the weather. When we went to Florida to begin the year we actually placed both vehicles that remained behind in the garage for safe storage. MY Jaguar has been displaced from the garage for the first time and has been related to the driveway.

Downsizing has repurposed my garage as a storage unit and a sorting station. There is precious little room to move. I keep tripping over my bicycle which I am not riding very much.

Yesterday, I made a run to the local landfill and recycling center with a truckload of stuff and it appears that I will be doing the same today. Last evening, Jeremy went through six containers of stuff we had been storing for him and took two away, leaving the remainder for landfill. The sorting may have paid off for him as he believes that among his baseball card collection he found one worth over $1,200. I guess I don't get to collect storage fees for the 20 years they have been in the attic. 

Yes, I have a lot of work to do, but the good news is that the attic is empty, except for holiday decorations.

I believe the end is in sight, but it is not pretty.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Downsizing Drama--Storage Media

 

We are under a month to go on the downsizing and subsequent relocation to Florida. There is not panic, a little consternation, but we are keeping it in check. 

The latest issues revolve around old storage media such as VHS tapes and CDs. 

Do we keep or discard?

The CDs are marked for donation, we finally decided. Actually we do not have many CD players left in the house. The best on is in my Jaguar--a six-CD changer! My truck does not even have a CD player, it is too new. 

The CDs, therefore, are not a problem--the VHS tapes are. We have a mix of tapes which contain family videos and another group which are of TV shows tapes and sent to us while we were living in Germany. As we went to check the contents of the tapes we discovered that our VHS player was not working. It may have been 15 or more years since it was actually used and someone left a tape in it which would not eject. 

What to do?

I checked Amazon--new VHS players are unreasonably expensive, but Chris had the answer: Goodwill. She picked up a very nice player for $12. 

We are working through the tapes and keeping only the ones with family vids on them. It is fun to work back through the past and see the places and people we visited. It is sad because I realized that we videoed many activities and have never actually watched the tapes, until now. 

Downsizing fun!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Early End to Summer?

Black Walnuts on the Ground
Elkridge, MD
July 17, 2022

 The Summer is progressing faster than I would like. 

I feel Summer fading into August where it will then end in September. There are signs that there summer may be ending early.

One sign is the black walnuts falling on my lawn. I was outside and heard a couple falling from the tree the other day. I was happy not to be under the tree as they hit the ground. They made a significant sound.

I think the black walnuts are falling early this year. I don't remember them falling during July. The online references indicate that the nuts fall during September and October. They make a mess when I mow as they shoot out from the blades. I keep the tractor pointed at the trees so as not to do any damage. 

Who knew that black walnuts are worth about $20 per hundred pounds? Hulled, of course. 

Maybe I should pick them up?

Nah, they are more fun to mow!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD