Monday Musings - June 4, 2018

1. It is the first Monday of June and the temperature this morning was 53 degrees. Definitely not pool activity weather.

Jacob and Jax with Finn in the Dugout
May 31, 2018

2. Two of the Orioles  four-game series with the Yankees were rained out during the past couple of days. That is how rainy the weather has been. 

3. The most exciting thing Chris and I did yesterday was try to determine when there would be a break in the torrential rains to dash out for dog food.

Me and Matthew at Third Base
May 31, 2018

4. The arrival of June has brought with it the impending beginning of the summer vacation season.

5. Sometimes definitely non-baseball related things happen in the dugout during GORC Dodgers games. 

6. I have really enjoyed coaching third base during the GORC Dodgers games this season.

7. Due to the weather and my schedule, Radio Flyer has not flown in over a week. I almost got it airborne Saturday afternoon, but didn't quite get it out before the storms arrived.

8. As the dawn breaks this morning, the rains have stopped. I called Noah and advised him to stand down in his ark construction project. Maybe we won't need it after all. 

9. Where are our nation's leaders hiding?


Headlines

New Hampshire Police Charged and Arrested a Man for Criticizing Them on the Internet - The Slate

China increasingly challenges American dominance of science - The Washington Post

Mourning America: What my father, Ronald Reagan, would say today - The Washington Post


Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

"You and I have a rendezvous with destiny. 

We'll preserve for our children this, the last best hope of man on earth, or we'll sentence them to take the last step into a thousand years of darkness."

A Time for Choosing Speech

October 24, 1964

Los Angeles , CA

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Sunday Rain-out

Yes, it is Sunday.

Dead and Dying Ash Trees
The Former Canopy Behind My House
June 3, 2018

I was supposed to tee-off this morning with the boys for a Sunday round of golf, but, due to the pervasive rains, we canceled our outing. 

It would have been too wet to enjoy.

So I get to enjoy watching the rain from the warmth and dryness of my living room.

It is very wet outside. I probably won't be able to mow the lawn.

In other news, we received the diagnosis on our dead and dying trees yesterday. The Emerald Ash Borer killed them. It is sad that the beautiful ash trees are going the way go the American Elms. I wish the local government had done a better job advising home owners of treatment options for the trees before the borers arrived, it is possible that I could have saved them. As it is now, it is going to cost a small fortune to have the trees removed. 

And in the "always one-more-thing" department, my automatic pool cleaner expired. It lasted a long time, maybe 15 years, but replacements are not inexpensive. 

Always one more thing!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

The All-Star

Jax Walking back to the Mound
GORC All Star Game
June 1, 2018

Last evening the GORC Under 10 Intramural Baseball League held its All-Star game and four Dodgers, including Jackson, made the team. Representing the National League, they competed against boys from American League teams in a generally well played game.

The American League lost 15-9, but that score was not the important part of the game. Watching the best players from each of the teams play together was rewarding for me. The boys are beginning to understand some of the important points of the game. Some really great lays were made int the field, including catching some well hit deep balls--which is partly why the American League lost, they had some deep well hit balls that were caught and that prevented runs from scoring and ended innings with the bases loaded. 

Jax was awesome at the plate. He reached base every time that he was up and was involved in a number of plays in the field. He also pitched a strong inning.

With the All-Star game complete, there is one regular season game remaining for the GORC Dodgers and then onto next week's playoffs.

Summertime is coming!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

June Arrives and Hopes Soar

Happy June.

May is gone. The NHL and NBA are playing their finals. Baseball is getting into mid-season. The Orioles were rained out last night, but there is still a lot, maybe too much, season left to enjoy or suffer through depending upon the team involved.

The Belmont Stakes are next weekend.Maybe there will be another Triple Crown winner! Justify will race for the opportunity.

Summer starts on June 21st. Officially, that is. 

School ends. Graduations are everywhere. Fun stuff and parties are found in almost every neighborhood.

June is starting off with thunderstorms and rain. I still feel as if I have been relocated to Seattle. It rains almost every day.

Hopefully the weather will clear soon and we can get on with the summertime activities.

Well, it is time to get the summer parties planned and rolling along. Soon the local strawberries will be ripening and the cherries will be falling to the ground. Don't forget the fireflies! 


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Thursday Orioles Update

The season is largely over. The Orioles are miserable. They are not the worst team in baseball, but they are the second worst, by one game.

Amazingly, three have been no major changes to the coaching staff. Given the line-up of hitters the team possesses, one would expect the hitting coach to be out the door soon. 

The Orioles are 17-39 .304 and have no where to go but up. They are potentially on track to set a franchise record for losses at and might finish as bad as 51-111. 

The team has the third worst batting average in the American League at .233, which is 15 points lower than the league average. But what really hurts is they'll have the worst on base percentage at .295 which is 23 points below the league average. One of the few brighter spots is that the team sits at the league average for home runs at 64.

Base running situation awareness is also a problem. For instance, last evening, with the team losing 2-0 in the bottom of the ninth, the Orioles got two men on with no outs and Manny Machado coming to the plate. During Machado's at bat, one of the base runners decided, for some obtuse reason, to attempt to steal third and was caught stealing in a run down. Suddenly, the opportunity to win the game with one swing of the bat was gone. After the base running mistake, both Machado and Scoop, the next batter, failed to get a hit and the O's lost 2-0.

The fan base is unhappy and eroding and we hear nothing but crickets from the Orioles front office. I have tickets for tonight's game against the Yankees and I will likely not bother to go. Who wants to see a complete baseball team deliver another crushing blow to my favorite team in our home park. I do expect lots of homers tonight. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Another Dodger Loss

Jax Hoping for Better Fortunes

The GORC Dodgers have once again lost two in a row. Last evening, they lost a close contest 9-8. The team had the lead twice during the game but could not hold it. They had the opportunity to force the opposition into the bottom of the sixth, however, the bats were not as crisp as they had been recently and the team just could not get the needed runs across the plate despite having the bases loaded. 

The season is coming to a rapid close. The team has one more practice and one more regular season game before the playoffs. 

At least the weather has moderated and we are actually playing some of the games. 

Despite the loss, the boys played hard and made some good plays in the field. It was fun to coach a close game and we knew that every run would count. Sadly, they wound up with one more than our guys. But, it was a learning experience. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Next Stop -- Summer

Memorial Day is the unofficial beginning of summer. To celebrate the beginning of the best season, yesterday was an especially cool day, following days in the high 80's and low 90's. 

But, we are poised for the run at summer with the fireflies cued and the smells and sounds of the season ramping up to make an imminent appearance.

The pool is open and I've been in it a couple of times. It was too cold yesterday, but Saturday and Sunday were definitely pool days.

The days of summer are upon us. Baseball is getting deeper into the season and tonight the GORC Dodgers take the field again and hope to reverse the poor play they displayed during their last game.

Summer sports and vacations. The time has finally arrived. School is ending soon and the vacation season will be in full swing. 

Bring on the sun and season!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - May 28, 2018

1. Happy Memorial Day 2018.

Rain Falling 

2. We survived the deluge which by some accounts saw 8.5 inches of rain fall in two hours yesterday. Officially we only received just over an inch of rain although it certainly seemed like a lot more. We will begin the clean-up process today. Thanks to all who wrote/called with concerns.

Enjoying Big Cork Vineyards

3. Chris and I accompanied by two friends spent a wonderful afternoon at Big Cork Vineyards in Rohrersville, MD. We enjoyed music and some nice wines in a beautiful setting.


4. Our prayers and support go out for the people of Ellicott City who yesterday experienced a second devastating flood in less than two years as as a result of the torrential rains.

5. Memorial Day isn't just about honoring veterans, its honoring those who lost their lives. Veterans had the fortune of coming home. For us, that's a reminder of when we come home we still have a responsibility to serve. It's a continuation of service that honors our country and those who fell defending it. - Pete Hegseth

6. It is tough to play baseball after being off for two weeks. The GORC Dodgers lost in a blow-out on Friday night. There are two games remaining in the regular season and then the playoffs begin next week.

7. I am glad that I mowed the lawn yesterday before the rains turned the yard into a soggy mess.


Headlines

U.S. and North Korean Officials Race to Resurrect Trump-Kim Meeting - The New York Times

‘OMG This Is Wrong!’ Retired English Teacher Marks Up a White House Letter and Sends It Back - The New York Times

What happens when a soldier dies - The Washington Post

Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

"The character of the American people is our country's most precious asset, and, like any asset, it should never be taken for granted."

— Remarks at the annual foundation luncheon of the YMCA of Metro Chicago Illinois,

May 10, 1982

- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Memorial Day Weekend 2018

The Family around the Pool
May 26, 2018

Ready for Memorial Day 2018
Radio Flyer

The family gathered yesterday to celebrate Memorial Day. We gathered early because we found a break in the weather that would support a picnic.

The day was pleasantly hot, with the temperature hitting 91 degrees. It was a perfect unofficial beginning to the summer season. The day was hot, the water in the pool was warm, and the family was mostly gathered for some fun and interaction.

Radio Flyer got to fly and observe the scene.

It had been a week since my drone had flown. Last week it was in Ithaca and I did not take it with me on my trip this past week, although it will likely accompany me in the future.

Enjoy your Memorial Weekend. Remember the sacrifice of our military members of the past and present how have helped to secure our freedom.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Old Cars at the Airport

Schacht Model K Runabout

Schacht Model K Runabout

Airports can be interesting places to explore while waiting for flights. I have found that some airports are committed to improving our sense of history and not always about air travel and the development of the aircraft.

The Cincinnati airport advertises the local museum. One exhibit that displayed as I passed through yesterday contained older automobiles spanning a few decades made by companies in the Cincinnati area. It was very interesting to observe the development of the car. The Model K Runabout has the driver sitting right behind the radiator. While the license plate suggests it is a 1911 auto, the model dates from at least 1910.

Vehicle Dated from 1925

A later example of the auto development was in the wooden vehicle, which was dated 1925. I have to admit, I didn't get as much information on this vehicle. I tried the museum website but could not positively identify the car. 

There were many other exhibits from the museum in the airport and I actually look forward to heading back through the airport sometime to view other displays.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD