Puppy Love

Dad with Finnegan

Who doesn't love a puppy? They are just cute and adorable, mostly. Yes training can be trying, but rewarding.

Dad and Finnegan bonded yesterday. But then, Dad has always liked dogs. I was the cat lover when I was a kid. I always thought cats were more affectionate. I was wrong.

It is a rare cat, our Riordin for instance, that is more affectionate and caring than a dog.

Bring on the puppies!

-- Bob Doan, writing from Ithaca, NY

Birthday Celebration

Happy Birthday Chris
Like, Jax and Ethan

Sunday was a birthday celebration.

A big birthday and the grandsons were there to help Chris celebrate here transition into the Social Security eligible crowd.

Yea, it was a big birthday and the grandsons were more than happy to help the celebration get amped up to the highest level. 

The cheesecake was ready and lightly decorated with candles, the vocal chords were warmed up, and the celebration was at the highest level.

Happy birthday filled the room as the assembled family gave the classic song their best rendition. 

The afternoon included cheesecake topped with cherries. It was a perfectly planned birthday celebration with the grandsons singing the enhanced version of Happy Birthday.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD.  

Making the Cheesecake

Cheesecake Poured int the Pan

It is the family birthday season. My birthday was a few weeks ago and Chris is celebrating the anniversary of her birth this weekend.

Baked and Continuing the Cooling Process

One of the things that Chris and I do for each other is make a special celebratory birthday cake. Mine is a yellow cake with cream cheese frosting and pineapple. 

Chris likes New York style cheesecake made from scratch using a Betty Crocker recipe. The cheese cake is truly a production covering about 4 hours of preparation, baking and cooling before it can be left unattended in the refrigerator. The object is to make a perfect cheesecake without any cracks!

Like the one pictured.

It came out fantastic! A cheesecake ready for the celebration!

And I didn't wait until the last minute!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Top Golf Night

Nicole with a Club

Mike Showing His Form

Golf at night! What a great idea.

Last evening we headed off to Top Golf in Alexandria, Virginia, for a birthday celebration.

What a great idea--dinner, golf, and celebration.

The drive was a bit long as we navigated Friday night rush hour traffic. But it was worth the drive. 

We experienced an enjoyable evening full of golf and food and fun even if the computer scoring system was not functioning for much of the time. What could be better than hitting golf balls into targets buoyed by unlimited food and drink?

Thanks to Nicole and Mike for the unique celebration. It was a blast!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Gardening

Planting flowers and doing yard work is rewarding. I complain about it while I am doing it, but I love the results.

Saturday, Mom, Dad, Chris, and I spent the day sprucing up the house. Mom and Dad really appreciated the help and work.

It was a long day, but worth it in the end. Mom and Dad were right there all the way.

I think gardening lowers blood pressure. Lol.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Danby, NY

Dinner Out

Last evening we headed out to dinner after a day of hard work around the house. Mom and Dad were in great form and surprisingly the restaurant was not too busy.

It was an enjoyable dinner and made even more special because we had all worked hard around the house planting gardens and mowing lawns. The place looked great by the time we were done.

Spending time with Mom and Dad was the highlight of the day, however. Sometimes I get so involved in the hectic pace of my own life that the joy of sharing a relaxed dinner put with my parents gets lost in the noise.

After dinner we stopped at a small ice cream shop in Danby to enjoy the sunset. I couldn't believe how cool the evening had become. The crystal cyan sky was stunning as it met the hilly horizon in the distance.

It was so cool that I had to put a long sleeve heavy shirt on to stay warm while sharing an ice cream cone with Chris.

It was a perfect ending to a great day.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Ithaca, NY

My Girl

Makayla
June 3, 2017

Chris snapped a few images of my girl, Makayla, yesterday that are some of the best ones ever taken of her.

Makayla

She was in the yard relaxing while Chris and I were working. The sun really caught the highlights and these are just great shots of a great dog. 

Kaye, as I call her, is very faithful and loves to be around. She is driven by food and treats but is the greatest watchdog on the planet. She keeps track of everything happening in and around our yard.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Hard Good-bye

Ben Roethlisberger Doan

Ben Roethlisberger Doan, faithful friend to my son Jeremy and our entire family passed yesterday after a difficult illness.

He was a true member of the family for the past ten or so years. Even though he was a hard core Steelers fan, I loved Ben. He was part of my "pair o Kees" as I called the two keeshonden in my life when they were together. 

Ben was a great dog! He was well trained, gentle, smart, and a companion. Chris and I had the opportunity to watch him on many occasions and we always enjoyed his company. He was my "Ben-man." I especially enjoyed the way he would bark in the right place when Jeremy sang the "Here We Go Steelers" song. 

The family is mourning the loss, but rejoicing in the memories of a great, one-of-a-kind dog that left a positive impression on everyone who met him!

Sleep well faithful friend.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Two is Too Many

Ethan with Broken Thumb
Thursday, April 20, 2017

I just have to comment today about my Grandson, Ethan. He just turned 12 less than two weeks ago and apparently in honor of his recent age change he has decided to do something that few people attempt or even think about. 

Ethan with Second Cast
April 24, 2017

Ethan has managed to break bones and get a cast on each arm in less than one week. It takes a dedicated person to be able to accomplish a feat of such magnitude. 

Here is the story. 

Last Thursday, Ethan was playing basketball and took a ball off his thumb. It hurt. And in the end it was broken and required a cast for healing and stability. Not too big a deal.

Then, over the weekend he was playing and managed to fall, catching himself with his good arm. Needless to say, the arm hurt and after a trip to the orthopedist, he had another cast. 

I guess you could say that Ethan is "armed and considered dangerous!" To himself!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Playing the First Game

GORC 10U Intramural Dodgers
April 17, 2017

Coaching youth baseball is at the same time frustrating and rewarding. It is an investment in the future, but until the team actually steps foot onto the baseball diamond against an opponent who has been similarly coached you never really know what to expect.

Jackson Preparing to go to the Plate

Last evening the GORC 10U Intramural Dodgers played their first game of the season that runs until early June. It was a beautiful April evening with temperatures in the high 60's and relatively clear skies after some rain showers passed through about noon. The field was in good shape for a game, thanks to the hard work of Mike and Jim who worked on it for about two hours. 

Dodgers in the Field

To their credit, the boys have been practicing hard and having fun learning the game. Mike has designed practices that focus on fundamentals like catching the ball and knowing where to throw it.

It turns out that at the kid pitch level, pitching is critical. Our team has pitchers, but, we also have a team full of boys who love playing baseball and are learning how to play it well. 

The game lasted a full two-hours plus and we only completed five innings due to the time limit, but the Dodgers came away with a big win that saw everything--pitching, fielding, smart base-running, hitting and most importantly a lot of fun. The game was slow because the other team's pitchers had trouble finding the plate and there were a lot of walks. Their hitters showed up late in the game and allowed our players to display their ability to think fast and make good decisions in the field. 

The final score is not as important as the fact that the boy on the team contributed and demonstrated solid baseball skills in every facet of the game. There are still areas that need work, but for the first game of the season it was a great start!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Playing on the Beach

Chris Searching for Shells
 at Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge
April 11, 2017

Chris at Carlin Park
April 11, 2017

The waves have been high along the beaches which have hindered our ability to play in the water. 

We have not been able to snorkel, but we have been enjoying the ocean and beaches in other ways. 

Our morning beach walk has been occurring on differing beaches. The waves have been magnificent. The scenery awesome. 

Chris has been having a blast playing with the waves and searching for shells. I ended the video below just before a wave caught up with Chris. It was very funny.

Yesterday we visited three beaches. I have to admit, it looks as if the entire Sargasso Sea is coming ashore. The beaches are still a lot of fun and the sun is still warm.

And, of course, I am not at work!

There are still, countless tomorrow's.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Tequesta, Florida

Saturday Workday

The first reasonably nice weekend of the Spring and coincidentally of the the month provided the opportunity for a work day around the house.

Lucas with the Ball

The leaves that winter's winds had blown into the yard and along the fences needed to be removed to allow for the grass to spring up and fill in the bare sport. There actually were a lot of leaves to move and that they were heavy from the past few days of rain added some weight to the operation. 

Lucas Takes a Shot

Chris and I labored outside for a number of hours on the leaves and and also set up our pool deck, although pool opening day is still about a month away. The blossoms are coming on many of our flowering trees. The weeping cherry is visible near the shed in the picture of Lucas with the ball. 

There was time for some fun along the way. Jeremy and Lucas happened by for a visit and there may have been some basketball played in the driveway. My truck, as usual, served as a partite backstop, ugh. Chris managed one shot which saw the ball hit my truck on three separate occasions. 

It was a busy and enjoyable day outside. As the Springtime continues, there are sure to be many more outdoor days! 

Sunscreen! We forgot the sunscreen!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Idyllic Saturday

First Tee
Compass Pointe North Course
March 25, 2017

Yesterday, the weather did not disappoint. 

According to some reports, the high temperature made it all the way to 80 degrees. I was on Compass Pointe Golf Courses during the heat of the day and while I cannot confirm the high, I can attest that it was a nice day and everyone I know seemed to be outside enjoying the weather. I even got a touch sunburned!

Trevar Waiting for the Tee Box to Open Up

The ranger monitoring the action at Compass Pointe Golf Courses indicated that for the first time in seven years all 150 golf carts were out on the courses. Apparently, every golfer in the region saw the forecast and had the same idea--get out and play.

Trevar and I did enjoy 18 holes of the slowest golf ever played. It took almost 5 hours to complete the round. But, given the great weather, what else would I rather be doing? I just find it hard to stay focused while waiting around to make the next shot. By comparison, we played 18 holes in 2 hours and 55 minutes on Friday.

Over the past three days, I have played 45 holes of golf! And coached a baseball practice. And I even went to work!  

It has been busy.

Sadly, today the weather is going to be colder and I have things to do that I have been ignoring. Back to reality, I guess.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

The Best Way to Shop

Saturday, almost by definition due to our work schedule, is a shopping day. 

Lucas Enjoying Furniture Shopping

Yesterday was no different except that we had a grandson with us, Lucas. And it was a different kind of shopping as we were looking for furniture. Lucas was a trooper. We visited a couple of furniture stores and also stopped into the largest Lowe's in the region to look for carpets.

Lucas on the Shag

Lucas enjoyed looking at the furniture--we were specifically looking for chairs to make changes in the living room. Turns out, we opted to change the carpet for about a third of the price. 

Lucas was priceless. We found a wide variety of chairs and I noticed that the 60's are returning to the styles being offered, like the shaggy lounge Lucas is enjoying with a bag of popcorn. 

It was a fun portion of the day and because he was such a trooper, we treated him to Chick-fil-A for lunch.

Later during the day, we actually found a carpet for the room and just kept our chairs.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Day at the Sky Zone

Birthday parties have become a lot more interesting over the years, and especially those for Lucas.

Lucas at the Party

Last year the party was at the climbing zone and this year it was a trampoline area aptly named the Sky Zone Trampoline Park. 

Visiting the Sky Zone was a great way to exhaust the kids and it provided some entertainment for the adults as well. The place is huge! Lots of activities and trampolines with sufficient supervision. 

Check-in at the Sky Zone

It was fun to watch the assembled masses race from activity to activity and demonstrate their ability to bounce and flip on the trampolines. 

Checkin was a bit long and chaotic, but after that, the party went pretty well. Thankfully the forecast snow and ice never materialized! It was rainy and cold, but that did not dampen the spirits of the party goers. 

All-in-all, it was a great party. There was some blood--someone always has to bleed in this family or it isn't a real event, but fortunately it was minor and was self-induced as his knee impacted his nose. And it wasn't the birthday boy, so there was no fear of ruining the images of the event.

I took some slow motion videos of the activities and here is one of the birthday boy in action on the trampoline.

Birthdays can be fun!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Almost Members of the Family

Riordin at Christmas

I was going through the Christmas images and I found one that made me smile all over again. I published it in my November 27th blog, but I like the image so much that it made think about how the animals in my house are more than just pets or animals, but rather they are members of the family.

During the Christmas decorating process Riordin, one of our cats, wanted to participate in the process and he got into the middle of nearly everything happening. 

Some cats, and dogs, are like that. They become almost all members of the family and they want to be involved in everything. It does get a bit tiring. 

Makayla, for instance, wants to join me on every trip I take outside the home. She does understand in some way, that she is not going to work with me in the morning, but every other journey is up for discussion. And she makes her desires known. The winter is a good time because I can run to the store and leave her in the car, unlike the hot days of summer. She has been making more short trips with me lately.

Riordin is part of everything we do. Seriously! When friends come to visit we have to lock him up or he finds a way to become the centerpiece of the conversation. While his ubiquitous presence is fine when Chris and I are home alone, it can be a bit much when friends or family are around.

Louis, the other cat, likes to reserve more cat-like activities for himself. He is around but not in the center of the action. He seems to understand that he is a cat and I'm not.

I love my pets and admit that I have enabled their behavior. But, for the majority of the time when Chris and I are the only ones home, it works.

They are not just pets, but they are members of the family. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Holiday Sprint

The holiday marathon breaks into an all-out sprint for the finish line culminating with Christmas and Hanukkah next Sunday. It might be a good time to slow down rather than to speed up.

Yesterday's icy weather brought the first reality check to the Baltimore region as there was an incredible 67 vehicle pile-up on I-95 that claimed the lives of two people.

Today, however, the temperatures are already in the 50's. Reportedly, the temperature rose 40 degrees in one hour overnight. By this afternoon, the temperatures will be back into the 30's and there is snow in the forecast. 

I noted that at dawn this morning, the temperature in Elkridge was 56, Ithaca was 40, and Houston was 36 degrees. It is definitely an upside down weather day!

Every day during the coming week had some event or activity connected to it. If I take them one-at-a-time, I will successfully complete the week and be prepared for a fantastic celebration. 

Today's major activities: two basketball (Jax and Ethan) games and Rogue 1. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Birthdays

Nicole with her Family

They arrive every year. They arrive whether we want them to arrive or not.

Birthdays. When I was young I always wanted to be older. Now that I am older, I want to be younger.

I never seem to be happy with my birthday.

This weekend, Nicole turned another year older. Her birthday made me feel older. Too much older.

I cannot comprehend that my daughter is getting older. And that she has sons who are getting older.

It is the circle of life.

From our youth to our old age. We celebrate each additional year on the planet.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Axis & Allies 2016

Axis & Allies Being Played

The family tradition was revived again yesterday. While the women of the family braved the crowds of the Black Friday shopping melee, the guys gathered around a dining room table and replayed World War II using one of the versions of the game Axis & Allies. 

There are a different versions of the game and we own and have played most of them. Black Friday is our once per year "guy day" spent trying to recreate history. 

This year we had a new player which was exciting because it reminded all of us how complex the game was the first time we played. Although we played for 8 hours, the game was called a draw because evening activities were about to begin. I fully believe that the Allies would be the eventual winners.

It is a Black Friday tradition! It brings the guys in the family together while the women face the crowds and the stores. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Drone Games

Patrick's Karma drone

Patrick showed up on my doorstep the other evening with a great new toy: the GoPro Karma drone.

Nice.

We flew it around the neighborhood for a bit--and it is really nice. Much better than the inexpensive drone that I have. Mine is so light I don't even need to register it. 

The drone flies so easily--GPS and gyro stabilized. 

It was a lot of fun, but a bit scary because of the trees. 

I want one. 

I have no idea what on earth I would do with it, but I do want one to play with. 

I think the gyro stabilized images will be awesome. I'm looking forward to some daytime images of the house from the air!

Boys and toys. How true.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD