Christmafication--A House Transformed

Yesterday was the day to finish, mostly, decorating the house by completing the changeover from Thanksgiving to the Christmas/Holiday season.

Christmas Jeeps

It makes for a busy day and includes such strange traditions as putting wreaths on the boy's Jeeps. This year, we found a way to put Christmas lights on the wreath on the yellow Jeep. That should be interesting. Patrick and Corey posed with their Jeeps for this picture shortly after we finished the project. It was pretty cold but we were happy in a devious kind of way. I have heard that the orange Jeep is coming over today to be Christmafied, too.

We use a seasonal word to describe this day of decorating. We call it Christmafication, which is a derivation of the word Christmafied. Take a moment to Google Christmafication--it is used a lot even though it has not beed accepted as a formal word, yet.

Garage Staging for Christmafication

Christmafication Day begins in the garage by collecting the boxes of decorations from the attic.

These boxes, containing their treasures, provide the tools necessary to transform the house into a Christmas ready paradise. I lost count at how many boxes of decorations we store from year to year. But they make a nice pile in the middle of the garage staging area.

Warm Glow of Christmas Lights

By the end of the day, these boxes will be empty and the house will be Christmafied. I realize later that two boxes were missing from this image--those of the two Christmas trees. Only one tree actually was set up during the day.

The 2012 Edition of the Doan House

Christmafication is a process. Although everything is mostly complete by the end of the day--there are a few activities that need to be completed on subsequent days. The second tree and associated decorations for the basement Family Room comprise most of them.


But the main living room looks--fabulous!

And so does the outside, for that matter.

Welcome to the Holiday Season--let's rock!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Snow Village 2012

It is ready to help celebrate the Christmas season. Here is the 2012 Doan Family Snow Village--just completed!

On to decorating the rest of the house.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Conquering the World, or not

The Thanksgiving tradition continued. Another year and another failed attempt to conquer the world!  The Black Friday family Axis and Allies game ended with another defeat for the Axis--just like history. That's good--but Patrick and I were playing the Axis, so I lost again.

It goes with the territory, I guess. Just like last year  I just couldn't get the global war plan going with my Japanese ally. Maybe the German push into the Caucasus Region was a bit too far and stretched my logistics lines too much. Or the crushing naval strategy executed in the Pacific by the British and U.S. navies.

Crushed! My strategy was completely crushed by the Allies. Again! Ugh!

Face it--I don't make a good world conqueror, despotic dictator, or Napoleonic-style emperor. My Waterloo always seems to happen somewhere on the Steppes of Russia. I have that in common with a lot of would be world conquerors.

Maybe next year (or after Christmas) I will do better.  I need a do over.

On a positive note, the Thanksgiving left-overs were awesome. Cold turkey, cold stuffing, cold fruit salad (oh yeah, the salad is served cold anyway). Sometimes I think Thanksgiving dinner tastes better the day after.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Season of the Turkey

It is over. Maybe today is just beginning for many people, but one of my favorite seasons of the year has just ended.

The season of the turkey is one of the shortest season's on the calendar beginning on November 1st and ending on Thanksgiving. It marks the time between rational thought and the insane sprint through the holiday season.

I have a small collection of turkeys which decorate our house during this all-to-short season. I enjoy replacing the garish Halloween decorations with their bright and happy faces and I am always a bit sad when I have to pack them away for another year.

Turkeys are inherently happy and are a great prelude to the day of thanks when we remember everything that we are blessed with--and I mean more than just good wine and mediocre football.

As Chris left the house this morning to sojourn into the Black Friday chaos, she reminded me that the season of the turkey is past and now is the time for snowmen, Santa's, and holiday cheer. I prefer the holiday spirits, but I guess that is becoming a bit more socially unacceptable these days.

For the next over 30 days, I will be listening to "Haul out the Holly" and other tunes on the radio many of them overdone so to the point of excruciating. But the memory of the unassuming turkey will get me through.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Happy Thanksgiving - 2012

Today is one of my favorite holidays. A truly American tradition of giving thanks to God for prosperity even during the hard times and for the hope of better times to come.

Turkey on the Mantle

"What are you thankful for this year?" It is a question that millions of Americans will ask around their Thanksgiving table today.

It is good to take a moment to think about our blessings.

I am saddened that some unscrupulous retailers (K-mart, Walmart, Macy's, and Target to name a few) have decided that the pursuit of the dollar is more important that pausing to give thanks. I'd propose a boycott, but they never amount to much in a practical sense.

So what is Thanksgiving?

I was remarking that it is turkey and dessert!  But, I know that it is so much more than that. 

I give thanks for everything and everyone in my life--my family, my friends, my coworkers, my job, and every blessing that God has blessed me with. 

As the hymn goes:

We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing; 

 he chastens and hastens his will to make known. 

 The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing. 

 Sing praises to his name, he forgets not his own. 

Let us gather and sing praise.

Happy Thanksgiving!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Phone Booths

Coming back from upstate NY on Sunday I saw something that I just don't see too often anymore.

It was there on a corner--right where it was supposed to be and it was a telephone booth.

This one was in the town of Marathon, NY. Chris and I noted that we hadn't seen a real, full phone booth in a long time.

A 2007 article from the Washington Post writes about the demise of the once ubiquitous phone booth.

I wonder where Superman is changing these days?

And how many high school seniors can really fit into a telephone booth?

It seemed lonely, standing there.

A throw back to an earlier time before cell phones and instantaneous communications around the world.

I'll bet there wasn't a phone book inside. Remember the phone books inside of phone booths? They always had ripped pages and were fat because of the moisture.

Phone booths always smelled bad, too.

I remember looking for dimes (yup, dimes) to make a call. And having people ask me if I had a dime. What do we use dimes for these days anyway? I remember collect calls! Especially from phone booths.

Maybe I don't miss them. Just the nostalgia of having them around.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Eric Scott and Naked Blue: Review

Saturday evening I attended a Cellar Music concert featuring Naked Blue and Eric Scott. In short it was  another home run from Cellar Music. A thoroughly enjoyable evening of friends, food, wine and fantastic music.

Naked Blue

Naked Blue led off the show with tightly crafted vocals and guitar riffs that were fun to listen to and accompanied by easy to understand lyrics. Having been performing for 20 years, the duo has everything, including great stories which punctuate the performance and provide a perfect backdrop to the music. It is clear that Jen and Scott know each other's music very well. The folk qualty to the music is enjoyable and the lyrics are very deep.

One of the highlights of the set was when Jen and Scott did their song We Will Fly, which has been recorded by Evangeline.

Scott Smith, Bryan Ewald, Jen Smith, Eric Scott Jamming

The second highlight occurred when they invited Eric Scott and Bryan Ewald joined the duo for some impromptu music. I have to admit, it has been a longtime since I have seen music made and not just performed--but Saturday night I was lucky to experience the thrill of watching music being made again and it was truly special.

Following Naked Blue, and an intermission, Eric Scott accompanied by Bryan Ewald took the stage and the crowd of about 60 were treated to Eric's smooth and accomplished voice and lyrics. Eric is not a small guy, but he has a special voice which is smooth and does not show the wear and tear of too many shows and too late nights. Eric's best song of the night was his song Victim.

The night ended too soon--even though it went late. The music was magical and the gathered people were into the songs--most of which were very singable.

Way to go Cellar Music--keep them coming.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - November 19, 2012

Blow-up Turkey

1. The turkeys are warming up--ready for the upcoming holiday. I think I want to buy a big blow-up turkey! Just because.

2. "Excuses are tools of the incompetent used to build monuments of nothingness. Those who use them seldom amount to anything" -- actor Stephen Grayhm

3. Retirements are not endings--but rather they are new beginnings, much like changing chapters in a compelling book. I was happy to be at church with my family as my Dad retired (again) on Sunday. I wonder if I will be retiring (again) when I am 84? I wonder what he is going to do for his encore?

4. Driving long distances on weekends really puts a crimp in the time available for activity.

5. I am always amazed at how much colder it is in NY. When we left there yesterday afternoon, it was 37 degrees. When we arrived home near Baltimore, it was 50 degrees.

6. I noticed yesterday evening that the main runway at Baltimore Washington International Airport had reopened after months of upgrading. I noticed this because it was finally quiet over the house and I saw an arriving flight flying the approach to the main runway--finally!

7. Football is an exciting sport--but there just aren't enough games. Baseball is an everyday sport for everyday people.

8. We live in the information age, yet, it seems that when I really need information I can't figure out where it is on the web.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Big Rocks

Ethan on a Rock in Danby, NY

Sometimes I make big rocks out of small pebbles.


Sometimes I make mountains out of mole hills.

Sometimes I look at a problem and think it is much bigger than it really is and wonder how I am ever going to be successful.

Sometimes I look at the schedule for the week ahead and wonder how I am ever going to make it to Saturday.

Every so often though, the rock is really big!

And I still get through it. Sometimes it just takes a little help.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Danby, NY

Cold Evening Quandry

I was sitting, alone in the house last evening waiting to attend a house concert where I knew it would be toasty and warm.

I was cold! It seemed cold in the house even though the temperature read 69 degrees.

I had only a few hours before congratulated myself on a second straight month of sub $170 electric bills. Yay! My house is 100 percent electric, except for the wood burning fireplace which totally rocks on cool evenings. But, as I was departing in less than an hour, I really couldn't start a fire to leave unattended.

Nor would I turn up the heat pumps to raise the temperature.

My Pittsburgh Penguin hoodie was looking pretty good at this point. So I went and got it from the closet.

How is it possible that a frustrated beach bum like myself can like a sport played on ice? I laughed at the paradox as I slipped the hoodie on.

And the warmth began. I even started to regain feeling in my fingers.

I heard the heating system start up and saw the cat walk over to a register to enjoy the warm air being forced into the room. I think Makayla was jealous. The cat beat her to the register to soak up the warmth.

Maybe I need an electric blanket for Christmas?

Nah, just a one-way ticket to Key West.

And a job there.

And a beach chair.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD