Escape to the Ocean

North Fork Loxahatchee River Bridge
Tequesta, FL
October 14, 2023

 I am going to call it like it was, an escape.

That is what I did yesterday, I escaped from the flooring project and joined two friends on the ocean for a day of fishing. 

It was something I have not done for quite a number of years. 

The boat was a 30 foot Cobia a bit larger than the 22 foot Cobia that I normally get from my boat club. Being the same maker, I was pretty familiar with the layout, but this boat had something I can only long for in a boat club boat: autopilot! Wow, That really mage navigating easy and getting to some specific points on the reefs for fishing was incredibly easy. 

Railroad Drawbridge Down
Jupiter, FL
October 14, 2023

We departed from a canal behind the boat owner's home and navigated to the river. I enjoyed motoring in the canals to the river. Passing under the North Fork Loxahatchee River bridge was a really cool because it is the bridge that I have taken so many pictures from while riding my bike. I have to confess, it looks much different from the water.

Traversing under the railroad drawbridge both ways we had the opportunity to wait for trains to cross. All told, I saw three Brightline trains and one freight train cross the bridge from the river. 

The ocean had rolling waves, but was not rough. It was not smooth either. The fishing was fun and over the course of the day the three of us managed to catch enough legal-sized fish for dinner. I had the biggest disappointment of the day by letting a nice Mahi get away. I had the fish at the boat but it made one last desperation run and crossed over the bow of the boat where I forgot the anchor was exposed and the line broke as it passed over the anchor. It was a very nice looking fish and we were disappointed that I did not land it.

It was a great day on the water and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

In other news--the floor project is complete! I was not to there for it the last three hours, but Chris handled the job very well. The house looks great! I am amazed how much larger the new floor makes the living spaces seem.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Unbelievable Turn of Events

 I am shocked that the Republicans are considering nominating Jim Jordan for Speaker of the House. 

I believe that should he be elected Speaker the government will effectively shutdown until January 2025. 

Jim Jordan should have been dismissed from Congress for ignoring his oath to "support and defend the Constitution" by engaging in the conspiracy to steal the election. 

One writer puts it this way:

It remains astonishing that the Republicans would consider making Jordan speaker. The hallmarks of that position are an ability to negotiate and to shepherd legislation through Congress (think of all former speaker Nancy Pelosi got done with the same slim majority the Republicans have). Jordan has none of those qualities; he is a flamethrower who, in 16 years in the House, has not managed to get a single bill through the House, let alone into law. Jordan’s elevation would reflect that for many years now, Republicans have elevated those who disdain government and whose goal is to stop it from working.

Jordan is also a key Trump ally who worked to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Former representative Liz Cheney (R-WY) has been clear she opposes Jordan’s elevation to House speaker. Today she wrote:

“Jim Jordan was involved in Trump’s conspiracy to steal the election and seize power; he urged that [former vice president Mike] Pence refuse to count lawful electoral votes. If R[epublican]s nominate Jordan to be Speaker, they will be abandoning the Constitution. They’ll lose the House majority and they’ll deserve to.” (Letters from an American)

Jordan does not and has not worked for the good of the American people during his time in Congress. He blusters and accuses without fact of evidence. He does not negotiate. 

I am holding hope that sane heads will prevail.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

The Flooring Project - Day 3

Living Room Nearly Complete
Tequesta, FL
October 13, 2023

 And so it continues.

The flooring project is now into Day 4. I expect it to be complete this afternoon. All that remains is completing the powder room and installing the quarter round throughout. 

The good news is that the fridge has been returned to its proper place and we have full use of the kitchen. 

The bad news is that there is not a functioning bathroom on the first floor and that means climbing the stairs when nature calls. 

Powder Room
Tequesta, FL
October 13, 2023

Even Finnegan is inconvenienced. The patio has been converted to a workshop and he cannot make his way through the piles of flooring and tools to get out to do his business!   

With the quarter-round remaining, we have not returned all of the items to their proper places because most everything will need to be moved one more time. But, the living room is nearly complete. All of the items for the display cases are safely packed awaiting the completion of the project. 

The powder room is where the majority of the work remains. The flooring needs to be completed and the base boards installed. We took the six-inch ceramic tile off the wall and are going to replace it with a wide base board. 

Expected project completion: Today!

Projects are an inconvenience when underway, but the results are worth it. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

The Flooring Project

The Project Begins, Day 1
Tequesta, FL
October 10, 2023

 Today is day three of the flooring project. 

We have been installing flooring. Of course this is a multi-day project, but spanning into day 3 with the refrigerator in the middle of the kitchen made it a bit harder. 

It is going well, but slow. Anyone who has laid floor knows that the big areas are easy, the hard part is getting the cuts against the walls done properly, or going around walls and kitchen islands all while ensuring that the floor meets properly on the other side. 

At the End of Day 2
Tequesta, FL
October 11, 2023

I had hoped the project would be a three-day event, but it is clearly going to take until Friday, or possibly Saturday to complete. There is a major renovation still to occur in the powder room. Ugh. 

Why is the fridge in the middle of the room, you ask. Well, the flooring in its area is laid, but the quarter round has not been installed and we do not want to move the behemoth twice. Once was enough and I'm not sure my back can take too much more abuse from the fridge--which is surely more than an icebox. The floor looks great, right?

There is only a few square feet of flooring remaining, and of course the powder room. But there is tile work to do in the powder room. We are removing the tile which was used as along the base of the wall and replacing it with a more normal base board--but that means we may have to do some wall work as well. 

Projects--always bigger than they seem.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Congrats Orioles

 

The Orioles playoff run ended with a whimper last night as they were defeated 7-1 in Texas and unceremoniously kicked-out of the playoffs. 

It was sad and heartbreaking loss, but we, the fans, need to focus on the incredible season which saw our Orioles complete the biggest two-year turn around in Major League Baseball history: from 110 losses in 2021 to 101 wins in 2023!

They wound up with the best record in the American League and won the tough American League East which sent the Orioles and two other teams into the playoffs. 

While there is sadness in Birdland this morning, there is also much joy and hope. The Orioles got their noses bloodied by Texas and I hope it will be the spark that gets them back into the playoffs and into the World Series next season. 

I predicted that the Orioles would finish with 84 wins and a wild card playoff spot. Well, I underestimated the team way back in March. And the exciting news is that there are more potentially great players in the pipeline to fill the holes. 

Pitching and hitting with runners in scoring position was the Orioles undoing! It was frustrating to see the team which had done so much right during the season fail to execute in the playoffs. I chalk it up to playoff experience. 

I am already excited for next season.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

A Year has Passed

Makayla Memory Corner

A year has passed since Makayla, my faithful friend, passed.  

I think of her every day and sometimes wonder whether I should get another dog? But I know it would not be fair to whatever dog might join our family; he or she could never measure up to Makayla. Finnegan is trying his best to be the big dog in the house.

I created a memory book for Makayla, and I recently made one for Riordin. In that book on the last page is a letter that I wrote to her shortly after she passed. It still brings me to tears, but on this one year anniversary I decided to publish it.

Makayla
(November 8, 2008 - October 10, 2022)

Dear Makayla, 

I miss you. I do not want to forget the 14 years we were together and wish I could say the following to you.

I don’t think I said “good dog” enough, but you were.

You were a great dog and companion. I never realized how much I loved you and appreciated your even temper until you passed. I hope I never forget your special love for not only me but everyone you met.

Why is there such a big hole in my heart? Big enough to drive a train through? Because your heart was bigger than mine and you loved me unconditionally.

You were the best part of me.

I miss sharing my sandwich and toast with you. You always got the last corner. And my eggs and other small scraps. You could eat corn right off the cob and I loved the way you enjoyed eating it. 

I miss saying, “OK kid, let’s go out”

I’m sorry I called you “old woman” as you slowed down, but it was out of respect

I miss your greeting each time I came in the house

I miss the way you used to lay right behind the door—so you could be the first one to greet us as we arrived.

I miss the clacking of your nails on the stairs, and the floors.

I listened for you to come up the stairs last night. 

I miss your piercing look—the look that just effused love and trust. You always seemed to be asking, what do you want to do next?

I miss the way you used to gobble down your morning treat before I served breakfast. 

I want to remember the last time I held you and you relaxed from your labored breathing and then crossed the Rainbow Bridge. 

I want to remember that you were always there. Sometimes underfoot, but definitely my dog. 

I hope I did not let you down at the end. That I was there for you like you were always there for me. 

I miss your fluff.

I miss your dark piercing eyes. 

I miss watching the sun come up while you did your business in the yard.

I miss searching for your poop in the darkness. 

I miss the way you wandered off to the side yard to do your business and sometimes you just seemed to say, "don’t hurry me, we are on my time."

I miss the way you loved the snow. I always laughed at your youthful antics digging and enjoying the cold white stuff.

I miss the the way you snuck around to eat Finnegan’s food when he was through. 

I remember how you loved to walk on the pool cover and pee. It makes me laugh to think of it now, although I did not find it funny then.

Some days when I was working in the garage or around the house, you would just lay in the driveway in the sun and keep a watchful eye on me.

You used to love to go on “road trips.”

I wish I could hold you and scratch your head just one more time. And smell your fur.

We were together almost 14 years and yet, it seems to have passed too quickly. 

Rest in peace my faithful friend and companion. 

Love

Dad

--Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Monday Musings - October 9, 2023

 

1. October continues moving forward. Today is the second Monday of the month. There are 11 Mondays remaining in the year. Christmas decorations are already adorning the stores. 

2. Happy Indigenous Peoples Day, formerly Columbus Day, celebrated. For those of you so blessed, enjoy the holiday. 

Halloween Display
Tequesta, FL
October 8, 2023

3. The Halloween season is upon us. Chris and I found a very extensive display during our bike ride yesterday. It was too much to attempt to show all of it, but we did note a new addition for a recent departed singer. 

4. It was a tough day for the birds of Baltimore yesterday. The Ravens blew the game in Pittsburgh and the Orioles got their wings clipped in Baltimore. It was the first Ravens game of the season that I could actually watch on TV. I wanted to turn it off. The Orioles game was also ugly, but the Birds made it respectable at the end. Hopefully, their late inning success will carry forward as the best of 5 series moves to Texas with the Orioles in an 0-2 hole. 

5. Family NFL report. It was a tough weekend in the NFL for the family teams. 

Commanders (2-3) gave first win to Bears (1-4), 20-40

Cowboys (3-2) failed to show for 49ers (5-0), 10-42

Steelers (3-2) clipped Ravens (3-2), 17-10

Dolphins (4-1) drowned Giants (1-4), 31-16

6. This Monday finds the world in complete crisis. Putin believes that Ukraine can be defeated in a week and our attention has been diverted from there to the attacks on Israel. In the U.S. the forces of chaos and repression appear to be gaining strength and power to potentially destroy the economy and remove our country as a stabilizing force in the world. 

7. Today in History. On October 9, 1967, socialist revolutionary and guerrilla leader Che Guevara, age 39, is killed by the Bolivian army. The U.S.-military-backed Bolivian forces captured Guevara on October 8 while battling his band of guerrillas in Bolivia and executed him the following day. His hands were cut off as proof of death and his body was buried in an unmarked grave. In 1997, Guevara’s remains were found and sent back to Cuba, where they were reburied in a ceremony attended by President Fidel Castro and thousands of Cubans.

Ernesto Rafael Guevara de la Serna was born to a well-off family in Argentina in 1928. While studying medicine at the University of Buenos Aires, he took time off to travel around South America on a motorcycle; during this time, he witnessed the poverty and oppression of the lower classes. He received a medical degree in 1953 and continued his travels around Latin America, becoming involved with left-wing organizations. In the mid 1950s, Guevara met up with Fidel Castro and his group of exiled revolutionaries in Mexico. Guevara played a key role in Castro’s seizure of power from Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista in 1959 and later served as Castro’s right-hand man and minister of industry. Guevara strongly opposed U.S. domination in Latin America and advocated peasant-based revolutions to combat social injustice in Third World countries.

Israel defense minister orders 'complete closure' of Gaza - CNN

 ‘Everything will be over in a week’: Putin is counting on the Western alliance that backs Ukraine to fracture - CNN

Inside Asia's arms race: China near 'breakthroughs' with nuclear-armed submarines, report says - Reuters

Death toll from flash floods in Indian Himalayan climbs to 74, scores missing - Reuters

Russian parliament bosses to discuss revoking ratification of nuclear test ban treaty - Reuters

Home Depot Tracked a Crime Ring and Found an Unusual Suspect - The Wall Street Journal

Can Lawmakers Boost Ukraine Aid by $50 Billion—or Even More? - The Wall Street Journal

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

We Need a Rainbow

Rainbow over the Atlantic
Carlin Park, Jupiter, FL
October 5, 2023

 The rhetoric spewing from a subset of Republicans is scary. 

Some of the ideas they profess can be found in the history of despotic authoritarian leaders.

The disinformation is deafening being generated is attempting to drown out fact.

The fate of our Republic hangs in the balance.

I have to begin starting with the leading candidate for the Republican nomination who paraphrased Hitler when he suggested that immigrants are "poisoning the blood of our country." As if that is not a frightening statement on its own, that it echos one of the most cruel and evil leaders in the history of the world is even more appalling. 

But the other disinformation continues without consideration for fact, for instance:

We are suffering runaway inflation. Nope, inflation is under control. The annual inflation rate has been below 4 percent and headed for below 3 percent for the past four months. (Inflation Rate Calculator)

Democrats are responsible for runaway government spending. Not true! But a major culprit for the US’s soaring debt is George W Bush’s and Donald Trump’s huge tax cuts that mostly benefited the wealthy and big corporations – and that will have added $8tn and $1.7tn, respectively, to the debt by the end of the 2023 fiscal year.

House Republicans are even proposing to cut funding for the IRS, which would make it harder for the tax agency to go after rich tax cheats and thereby reduce the debt. (The Guardian)

We need a rainbow. Rainbows call us to pause, for a moment, and consider something other than ourselves. Something larger than the mess we've made in our lives. Rainbows are a symbol of hope and a promise. 

The other day, I saw many rainbows. They were beautiful and at the same time mesmerizing. Maybe if we took a timeout to consider a rainbow we might figure out a way to stop seeing those with opposing views as enemies or adversaries and realize that we are all stuck together in this place and that competing opinions are the substance of a strong and healthy society.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Closing out the Week

Looking out to the Intracoastal Waterway
Tiki 52, Tequesta, FL
October 6. 2023

Finding a great happy hour location is one of the great ways to place the exclamation point on the end of the week.

Last evening we visited Tiki 52, which is located in a marina very close to home, to end the week and prepare for the weekend. 

The staff at Tiki 52 scared us a bit by suggesting that the snow-birds were beginning to return as some vehicle transports have begun arriving in the area. 

Despite the threat of the restaurants and highways being filled with northern visitors for the winter, it was a great afternoon under blue sunny skies. We had not had an afternoon so clear in a very long time. The ocean breeze kept the temperature in the middle of the comfortable range, which was nice although docking at the marina was difficult as the wind kept complicating the situation by moving the boats in undesired directions. 

We did not stay long, because we were just having happy hour and there was a band setting up to play and it always seems that the bands play their music too loudly and that stifles conversation. 

A great happy hour followed by a nice dinner at home. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Hanging Ten

Falling into the Wave
Carlin Park, Jupiter, FL
October 5, 2023

 It was back to the beach for Happy Hour yesterday. The surf was high and that meant that the surfers were out in force. At one point we noted about three dozen men, women, girls, and boys out on their boards trying not to kill each other while catching a wave. 

Riding the Wave
Carlin Park, Jupiter, FL
October 5, 2023

I love watching them. It provides some great entertainment. I am also amazed at how young some of them are. One girl, who was very good, could not have been more than 8 years old.

It was a very enjoyable evening and we stayed until just past sunset.

I am amazed at how they seem to avoid colliding with each other. 

The water was warm, but rough. I walked out about waist deep to take some images. The breeze off the water was also warm, which kept the beach at a comfortable temperature as the sun began to sink behind the dunes. 

Catching a Wave
Carlin Park, Jupiter, FL
October 5, 2023

I wish that I had learned to surf. 

But, it was a great evening to be out on the beach. This time of year is the best in South Florida. The water is still warm and the humidity is falling to a comfortable level.

Catch a wave and you're sitting on top of the world. (The Beach Boys)

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL