Monday Musings - January 20, 2025

 

Loxahatchee River Bridge
Tequesta, FL
January 19, 2025

1. The third Monday of January has arrived. It is a momentous day as the 47th president of the U.S. is sworn in. It is also Martin Luther King Jr Day to remember the struggle for equality for all Americans. There are 49 Mondays remaining in the year.

2. Family NFL Report. Two of the three remaining family NFL teams won their playoff games and move on to the Conference Championship games next week. 

 - Chiefs defeated Texans to move to the AFC Championship game next Sunday and host the Bills. 

 - Commanders defeated Lions to move to the NFC Championship game next Sunday against the Eagles in Philadelphia. 

- Ravens fell short against the Bills and are out of the playoffs. It was both exciting and heartbreaking. 

3. I completed my first bike ride of 2025. It was a short 8 miles since I have not ridden in over three weeks and then only lightly during December. It felt very good to be back on my bike and out touring the area. I enjoyed the mid-70 degree morning especially after being so cold in Maryland. I still cannot believe the extreme of temperatures, from 12 degrees Thursday morning to 80 degrees yesterday afternoon.

4. Three weeks from today, Chris and I will be setting off on a significant trip to experience wine, flora, fauna, and scenery. We have so much to do between now and then.

5. Today in History. On January 20, 1981, minutes after Ronald Reagan’s inauguration as the 40th president of the United States, the 52 U.S. captives held at the U.S. embassy in Teheran, Iran, are released, ending the 444-day Iran Hostage Crisis.

On November 4, 1979, the crisis began when militant Iranian students, outraged that the U.S. government had allowed the ousted shah of Iran to travel to New York City for medical treatment, seized the U.S. embassy in Teheran. The Ayatollah Khomeini, Iran’s political and religious leader, took over the hostage situation, refusing all appeals to release the hostages, even after the U.N. Security Council demanded an end to the crisis in an unanimous vote. However, two weeks after the storming of the embassy, the Ayatollah began to release all non-U.S. captives, and all female and minority Americans, citing these groups as among the people oppressed by the government of the United States. The remaining 52 captives remained at the mercy of the Ayatollah for the next 14 months.

Biden issues preemptive pardons for Milley, Fauci and Jan. 6 committee members - CNN

First Palestinian prisoners and Israeli hostages freed as Gaza ceasefire takes force - CNN

Ukraine opens a new front against Russia – flattering Trump - CNN

Relieved US TikTok enthusiasts hope 'magic' returns as app is restored - Reuters

China's crude oil imports from top supplier Russia reach new high in 2024 - Reuters

US upgrades probe into 129,000 Ford vehicles over hands-free tech - Reuters

What the North Koreans took into battle against Ukraine - The Washington Post

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Getting Back into Life

 

It is Sunday the 19th of January and the last full day of the Biden administration. I worry and wonder what our country will become. We will find out during the next few days as Trump 47 becomes a reality. I have already seen some of the chaos and confusion that accompanied Trump 45 and that concerns me. 

I am taking a deep breath and trying not to get too caught up in the political storms. I will watch the inauguration because seeing and hearing for myself is better than getting only a digested version with inherent biases incorporated into the analysis.

On the home front--Chris and I are getting back into Florida life. We removed most of the traces of Christmas yesterday and made two trips to the storage facility. We have a few more items to pack and store and then we will be ready for the coming months. 

We are looking forward to travel and spending time with family and friends. 

I enjoyed the 80-degree temperature yesterday. Being back in shorts and tee-shirts with bare feet or sandals is definitely my preferred attire. Yesterday was the first day that I had not worn socks in almost a month--and my toes were not cold. I even went barefoot to the mailbox. 

Maybe a bike ride today.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Home for a While

Bungees to the Rescue
Tequesta, FL
January 17, 2025

 For our friends and family following the saga of our trip south, we arrived home safely and without further excitement. 

Thanks for all of you for your concerns and prayers. 

Bungees are lifesavers. They worked perfectly to hold the tailpipe and keep it from banging around. There is only one hangar securing the tailpipe and so stabilization was required since it detached from the muffler. I suggested that the tire shop put a clamp on it, but there wasn't to enough metal remaining at the muffler to support a clamp. Since no hot gasses were being expelled from the tailpipe, the bungees were unharmed and held fast. 

I will call my auto repair team on Monday to get a few things done to the truck. It is perfectly drivable now, but I need to get a 4-wheel alignment, two new tires, and of course the muffler/tailpipe issue resolved. 

Chris and I are now focused on taking down the Christmas decorations. We departed the Sunday before Christmas and only just returned yesterday. It was a long visit and we had a great time with friends and family. Thank-you especially to Nicole and Mike for putting up with us and Finnegan for the extended visit.

Looking ahead, we have a short 3 weeks and 2 days (until the Monday after the Super Bowl) before we head off on another long trip. More about that later! But it is exciting and we will be traveling from Winter to Summer! 

BTW, for those of you in the Polar Vortex--we escaped just in time. The temperature outside this morning is 70 degrees!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Travel Crisis

The Hole in the Tire
Brunswick, GA
January 16, 2025

 Driving is supposed to be worry free.

And for almost every trip Chris and I have made that has been the case. 

Until yesterday. 

I noted, as the trip began, that the truck would go over 100,000 miles. I should have suspected that this would not be a maintenance free trip. We were 30 minutes from our hotel for the night when the truck tire monitoring  system advised me that the passenger rear tire was losing air. Rapidly. I was traveling about 75 mph at this point in the left lane of three lanes.

Fortunately we were about a half-mile from the Brunswick, GA, exit and I was able to navigate to a gas station. Sadly, they were unable to help except for giving me directions to a tire company. I filled the tire with air and we made it the additional half-mile to the tire dealership. But wait, as we pulled away from the gas station we started hearing a loud metal banging noise. Upon arriving at the tire company I discovered that one of the tail pipes had separated from the muffler.

I bought two new tires and had them installed, but that left the tail pipe. The tire store was unable to provide any assistance for the tail pipe. After unsuccessfully trying to find a muffler service shop, I determined that I could bungee the tail pipe in place and continue on to Tequesta and have my own mechanic repair/replace it. 

All-in-all we were delayed about 1.5 hours--but the truck should be able to make the roughly 4-hour run to Tequesta tomorrow.

Turns out the tire was in a lot worse shape than I originally thought. It was on the back and I could not examine the tread without contorting myself. It used to be on the front, but was recently rotated and I fear there may be a camber issue with the back tires.

-- Bob Doan, Kingsland, GA

On the road home

On the Road in North Carolina
January 16, 2025

Chris and I are on the road home to Florida. We evacuated Maryland about 4 am and were in North  Carolina just after 7am. 

It is bright and sunny, but cold. It was 12 degrees when we started out. It is just past 9 am and the temp crested 32 for the first time today. Yay. 

We spent a great afternoon and evening with Beck and his parents. Chris held him most of the time except for a short walk we took with them and Rex, their dog. Beck was well bundled. 

It was a great last evening in Maryland for a while. 

Bob Doan — Fayetteville, NC

Celebrations for All

 I never realized it before, but January has become a month of celebrations and remembrances.

The month starts off with the New Year excitement and then family celebrations kick-in. Before mid-month there are three birthdays and an anniversary. With the arrival of Beck, two of the birthdays on the same day. 

Last evening we celebrated the birthday of our formerly youngest grandchild. We had a great time gathering at a Japanese Steak House to celebrate Lucas' birthday. It was good to see him again before we evacuate Maryland for warmer temperatures in Florida. We are looking forward to the forecasted 80 degree temperatures in Tequesta this weekend. Maybe I'll thaw out.

But, the month of remembrances and celebrations is not over yet. Of course there is the MLK remembrance, but following I have a sister with a birthday nearing the end of the month.

Wow! Celebrations for all. It gives us all something to look forward to during the cold, dark month of January.

Programming Note: I expect to be traveling tomorrow and Friday so the blogs will be short, if at all. I can usually get one out after the sun comes out and Chris takes over the driving.

-- Bob Doan, Odenton, MD

 

Frozen Pond

Runoff Pond
Odenton, MD
January 13, 2025

It is cold!

How cold is it?

It is so cold that I have not seen water in the runoff pond next door since before Christmas. 

I think I am getting used to the cold. Yesterday, the temperature crested 40 degrees and I put new windshield wipers on the truck, in preparation for the return south, without donning my coat. I was not cold! OK, so I was not warm either. I was just surviving the too cold weather.

Grandma Chris with Beck
Glen Burnie, MD
January 13, 2025

I also added air to the tires because they were a bit low due to the cold.

The truck is now ready for the 1000-mile  trek to warmer temperatures. 

I'm not so sure that Chris is ready to return south. We were able to spend some additional time with Beck yesterday. It was good to see him again and he is doing very well, as are his parents. 

But, the frozen pond reminds me that we belong a bit further south. It has been cool in Tequesta, but still warmer than here. 

-- Bob Doan, Odenton, MD

Monday Musings - January 13, 2025

 

Winter Sunset
Odenton, MD
January 12, 2025

1. It is the second Monday of the year. That means there are only 50 Mondays remaining in 2025. Don't let it slip away!

2. Family NFL Report. It was a good weekend for the family teams in the playoffs. Three of the four playoff teams advanced to the Division Series, which is the best to be expected since two family teams played each other in the Wild Card Round. 

  Ravens defeated Steelers 28-14 to advance. They play the Bills next Saturday

 Commanders defeated Buccaneers, 23-20. They face the Lions next Sunday.

 Chiefs had a bye and will face the Texans next Sunday.

3. Chris and I are expecting to visit with our newest grandson today. We are very excited because we will soon return to the land of warmth and sunshine and will miss getting to know Beck.

4. Today in History. On January 13, 1129, at the Council of Troyes, Pope Honorius II grants a papal sanction to the military order known as the Knights Templar, declaring it to be an army of God. Led by the Frenchman Hughes de Payens, the Knights Templar organization was founded in 1118. Its self-imposed mission was to protect Christian pilgrims on their way to and from the Holy Land during the Crusades, the series of military expeditions aimed at defeating Muslims in Palestine. For a while, the Templars had only nine members, mostly due to their rigid rules. In addition to having noble birth, the knights were required to take strict vows of poverty, obedience and chastity. In 1127, new promotional efforts convinced many more noblemen to join the order, gradually increasing its size and influence.

Ukraine losing ground on the battlefield as Trump team pushes ceasefire - CNN

Venezuela’s Maduro starts another disputed term in office more isolated than ever - CNN

Protests turn violent in China after student falls to his death - CNN

Final draft of Gaza truce deal presented after 'breakthrough' - Reuters

Robust US economy may not need Trump's big reforms - Reuters

Trump's crowd-size obsession to be tested at inauguration after 2017 controversy - Reuters

ukraines-capture-of-north-koreans-offers-rare-insight-into-russian-alliance-says-zelenskyy - The Guardian

-- Bob Doan, Odenton, MD

WX, Ravens, and Beck

Beck goes Home
Annapolis, MD
January 11, 2025

 An amazing thing happened yesterday--the temperature climbed above freezing. It almost felt warm at 33 degrees. I shouldn't get used to it because Tuesday the temps drop below freezing again.  

Last evening, I was happy to watch the Ravens in their first playoff game of the season. They played their nemesis and division foe the Steelers. The Ravens have not done well against the Steelers in recent years, except for this year when they played three times with the Ravens winning two. And so the Ravens move on with a likely date in Buffalo next week, unless the Broncos can find some magic today. 

In other news, Beck was given a clean bill of health and departed the medical center where he was born yesterday. It is reported that Mommy, Daddy, and Baby Beck all got some sleep after they arrived home. That is good because I am sure they all needed some rest after being in the hospital. It is time for them to begin finding a family rhythm. Chris and I are hopeful of visiting grandchild number 4 today. We will have to see how that all goes. 

-- Bob Doan, Odenton, MD

Welcome Beckett

Me with Beckett
Annapolis, Md
January 10, 2025

 

Chris with Beckett
Annapolis, MD
January 10, 2025

What a time to be alive. And to be born. 

The grandparents were invited to the hospital yesterday to meet Beckett Michael Doan under the watchful eye of his parents. He was about 10 hours old when we were introduced to the newest member of the families. 

Chris and I both enjoyed holding him and hearing the tale of his birth--which was, fortunately, fairly routine. I like routine when it comes to hospitals.

Beck, as he will be called, was very relaxed and a joy to be around. He snuggles really well and I was able to have some time with him for about 20 minutes. It had been a very long time since I held a newborn. Beck likes to have his left arm free--I wonder if he is going to be left-handed? He also seemed to be dreaming while I was holding him. I wonder what newborns dream about?

Both Chris and I are looking forward to getting to know Beckett more after he arrives home. Chris says she will be making monthly trips north to have time with him. Finnegan better get used to spending time with his second family in Florida!

-- Bob Doan, Odenton, MD