Monday Musings - October 11, 2021

 

1. It is the second Monday of October. Two Mondays remain in the month and only 11 remain in the year 2021. 

2. Happy Columbus/Indigenous Peoples Day.

3. I actually was able to get out and play some racquetball yesterday. It was good to be back on the court and I enjoyed taking my pent-up frustrations out on the racquetball. It was my first experience on a three-wall court and I had to learn the modified rules.

4. Family NFL Results:

    Washington (2-3) loses to Saints (3-2), 22-33

    Cowboys (4-1) defeat Giants (1-4), 44-20

    Steelers (2-3) defeat Broncos (3-2), 27-19

    Ravens (3-1) play Colts (1-3) tonight

My Florida Palm Tree
Tequesta, Florida
October 7, 2021

5. We need rain, but I have been trying to perform my seasonal ornamental grass cutting and it just does not work when the grasses are wet! Ugh! But, I don't know why I' m worried about it, I am not even supposed to be here.

6. My palm tree is still standing beside the drive at my Florida home. I took the picture to remind me of what it looks like when I'm not there. I miss it, although parking next to it can be a problem getting the car lined-up so the doors open fully.

7. Enjoy the day--it is the only one we have. 

8. Today in History. On October 11, 2002, former President Jimmy Carter wins the Nobel Peace Prize “for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.”

Carter, a peanut farmer from Georgia, served one term as U.S. president between 1977 and 1981. One of his key achievements as president was mediating the peace talks between Israel and Egypt in 1978. The Nobel Committee had wanted to give Carter the prize that year for his efforts, along with Anwar Sadat and Menachim Begin, but was prevented from doing so by a technicality—he had not been nominated by the official deadline.

The Massive and Costly Fight Against the Dixie Fire to battle the nearly one-million-acre blaze - The New York Times

U.S. Navy Engineer Charged in Attempt to Sell Nuclear Submarine SecretsU.S. Navy Engineer Charged in Attempt to Sell Nuclear Submarine Secrets - The New York Times

After the Taliban seized their school, Afghanistan’s all-female orchestra tried to flee. Only some escaped. - The Washington Post

In search for covid origins, Hubei caves and wildlife farms draw new scrutiny - The Washington Post

Oil Jumps Above $80, Turbocharged by Supply Shortages - The Wall Street Journal

China’s Property Market Faces a $5 Trillion Reckoning - The Wall Street Journal

Korea's Kim calls for improving people's lives amid 'grim' economy - Reuters

China rust-belt province warns of more shortages in energy crisis - Reuters

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Winter must be close

Snow Blowers Ready for Winter
Columbia, MD
October 9, 2021

I had to make the obligatory weekend trip to Lowe's yesterday and what did I see? 

Winter!

Lined up in front of the store where, the lawn mowers and tractors used to be, were snow blowers! Ugh!

Could Winter really be that close? It seems as if we only just said good-bye to Summer and are beginning to enjoy the early Autumn.

But the snow blowers were there, almost it seemed laughing at me since I was supposed to be on a beach in Florida and not frequenting a Lowe's in Columbia. 

I am still trying to get the Autumn chores accomplished. Today I will tackle the ornamental grasses around the pool and load the truck for an early morning drop-off at the recycling center. What a great way to spend a holiday weekend. But, at least I have a new battery for the hedge trimmer and it will make short work of the grasses. 

It seems to be a weekend for battery replacement. The truck battery on Friday and the hedge trimmer battery yesterday.

I just did not need to see snow blowers in October!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

I insult to Injury

As if  being back in Maryland after such a short time away was not enough, I had another surprise when I hopped into the truck to retrieve Makayla from my son yesterday. The battery was dead!

Dead!

I put a trickle charger on it and drove the Jaguar to get the dog. It was a nice enough day to enjoy having the convertible top down and the car needed gas anyway. 

When I came back, the charger indicated that the battery should have been fully charged--but it wasn't. The voltage read just over 9 volts. Something bad had definitely happened. I suspected a bad cell--but the battery was only months old. Then I worried about the electrical system of the truck.

I removed the battery from the truck and returned it to the chain where it was purchased, receipt in hand. The battery had a 48 month warranty and it had been purchased in May 2021. Yup, 5 short months ago! 

The agent at the store was a very concerned when I set the battery on the counter and announced that ti was dead. As he retrieved the testing equipment he said it was probably low on charge and that I might have a short or that some small light that was left turned-on. His optimism about not having to replace the battery under warranty was soon dispelled as the machine very quickly showed the symbol with the words "Replace Battery." He was very nice and we discussed that it was only 5 months old and it was one of their more expensive batteries--running $200 (ok, $199.99 for the purists). He handed me the new battery and said, go on, I'll take care of the warranty paperwork. In the end, it was one of the easiest exchanges that I have done in a long time. 

I have a new battery that has 43 months left on the original warranty. I wish they would restart the warranty date when something is exchanged, but I guess that would actually be getting something for nothing. I'm just glad that I had the receipt.

So after wasting the better part of the afternoon, the truck was again up and running with a new battery. I would say that it was at no cost--but that would not consider the time and gas that it took for me to diagnose, remove/replace, and drive to get the replacement battery.

Nothing is free.

And to think, I could have been on a beach in Florida and not discovered the battery was dead until I was getting into the truck to go to work after returning from vacation! That would have been exciting!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

38 Hours

Point of Rocks
Jupiter Beach, Florida
October 7, 2021

 And it was over before it really began. 

Chris and I managed 38 hours in Florida before a family emergency called us back. To say I was disappointed is an understatement. But, I understand.

After all, it is my condo in Florida. I will get back there--possibly, next month. 

It did get to walk the beach and enjoy the ocean, briefly.

I completed some small projects around the condo and I managed to begin stocking the wine fridge. So many good things happened during the short time, it was just over too soon.

But now I am supporting Chris as she deals with the emergency.

I have great memories, albeit short and it is a three-day weekend.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Made it

 

Clouds over the Bahamas
Somewhere over the Western Atlantic
October 6, 2021

I enjoyed my morning coffee on the patio of my Florida condo this morning. 

We made it. The trip from Baltimore to Jupiter was smooth and uneventful. Finnegan seemed to enjoy the plane ride and sat quietly on Chris's lap for the entire trip. 

Southwest had us waiting at the gate after boarding for 25 minutes so they could load connecting baggage. Which was great for the connecting passengers but not so great for those of us strapped in and ready to go. 

I had a window seat for the first time in many flights. I confess that I did enjoy looking outside the plane at the cloud formations. They were especially pretty and the ocean was so smooth that I could see their reflections. The image doesn't show the beauty as my eye saw it because the aircraft window was very dirty. But I still enjoy the memory of the flat Atlantic reflecting the clouds as they floated over the Bahamas. 

Soon, I won't be just visiting my Florida home, it will be my home.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, Florida 

Hump Travel Day

Jupiter Beach
Jupiter, Florida
April 25, 2021

Mid-week travel and an escape to Florida for almost a week, that is the plan for the day.

I will be making my triumphal return to the land of Palm Trees and our condo. Well it may not be a triumphal return except in my own head. It seems as if I have been waiting to get to Florida for a very long time (well, it was April). And yet, very soon it will be my residence.

The travel does provide a way to get away from the pace of life at work, which has been a bit over the top lately. I guess it just goes with the territory. 

And I do look forward to enjoying Happy hour on my favorite beach--maybe tonight? Probably not since we arrive after the happy hour begins. But definitely a walk tomorrow morning. 

I really can't think of a better way to enjoy Indigenous People's Day (a/k/a Columbus Day). Yes, it is a Holiday. WooHoo!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

the Booster

I did it last evening.

I received my COVID-19 vaccine booster. 

Yup, since I'm eligible and it was recommended, due to my advanced age, I am now not only fully vaccinated, but within two weeks I will be fully boosted. 

Chris and I determined that since we are traveling, and much of the travel is to the misguided and poorly led states of Texas and Florida, we needed the extra protection. And we were eligible for the booster. We are also planning on a cruise in January--so additional protection was also desired. 

The person administering the booster shot indicated that since a lot of businesses are requiring vaccinations as a condition of employment, they are seeing a lot of first timers. 

So I will continue to be free to move about the country and the world for that matter. 

Get vaccinated and if eligible, get the booster. The price is right and it is a lot cheaper than getting COVID.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - October 4, 2021

 

1. October has arrived and today is the first Monday of the month. There are three Mondays remain in October and 12 Mondays remaining in the year. 

2. NFL Family Results:

    Ravens (3-1) defeat Broncos (3-1), 23-7

    Cowboys (3-1) defeat Panthers (3-1), 36-28

    Washington (2-2) defeat Falcons (1-3), 34-30

    Steelers (1-3) lose to Packers (3-1), 27-17

Tournament Image - Jax at the Bat
Pasadena, MD
October 2, 2021

3. The baseball tournament played by the Severn Seminoles 14U ended in an unsatisfactory manner with a sour loss yesterday morning 11-8. Based upon how the three games win the tournament were umpired, I wonder if there is an unconscious bias by umpires against teams with plain uniforms. Just wondering because it seemed every questionable call went against out boys and the others teams were wearing modern and unique uniforms. And some bad calls were not questionable--like giving an opposing batter a 4th strike, confirmed by video after the game, which resulted in a two run single rather than an out.

4. It was a sports filled weekend: three baseball games and I watched 2 and a half NFL football games. In addition I repaired the pull cord on my gas powered blower. It is amazing how simple instructions can be difficult to understand. Maybe I'm getting older or maybe some additional words needed to be added. Fortunately YouTube came to the rescue!

5. The past week was some of the best weather the region has experienced in a long time. Warm, but not hot and humid afternoons with cool evenings. One evening Chris and I even sat around the fire pit for the first time this season. 

6. Today in History. October 4, 1957. The Soviet Union inaugurates the “Space Age” with its launch of Sputnik, the world’s first artificial satellite. The spacecraft, named Sputnik after the Russian word for “satellite,” was launched at 10:29 p.m. Moscow time from the Tyuratam launch base in the Kazakh Republic. 

Sputnik had a diameter of 22 inches and weighed 184 pounds and circled Earth once every hour and 36 minutes. Traveling at 18,000 miles an hour, its elliptical orbit had an apogee (farthest point from Earth) of 584 miles and a perigee (nearest point) of 143 miles. Visible with binoculars before sunrise or after sunset, Sputnik transmitted radio signals back to Earth strong enough to be picked up by amateur radio operators. Those in the United States with access to such equipment tuned in and listened in awe as the beeping Soviet spacecraft passed over America several times a day. In January 1958, Sputnik’s orbit deteriorated, as expected, and the spacecraft burned up in the atmosphere.

Broader Inflation Pressures Begin to Show - The Wall Street Journal

Mortgage Payments Are Getting More and More Unaffordable - The Wall Street Journal

Back on the Bench, the Supreme Court Faces a Blockbuster Term - The New York Times

Democratic Voters See Many Losers in Party Schism, and One Winner: Trump - The New York Times

Crisis - what crisis? British military deployed to solve fuel crisis - Reuters

Swedish 'Mohammad' cartoonist Lars Vilks killed in car crash - Reuters

Biden's new China trade plan echoes Trump's, but assumes Beijing won't change - Reuters

U.S. Navy hit by another international bribery scandal - The Washington Post

Why the arrest of an ex-president may be one crisis too many for Georgia - The Washington Post

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Day 2 of the Tournament

 

Early Morning on the Diamond
Pasadena, MD
October 2, 2021

Well, the seeding part of the tournament did not end as well as it could. The Severn Seminoles 14U lost the second game 10-1, although the game was much closer. The bats just never got hot and we had a couple really difficult plays which killed our offensive spark. 

Batter interference is a show stopper. A double play on the bases is also a killer--and we had two of those. 

Today will be better. We can still win the championship--we just have to do it the old fashioned way: one game at a time.

Show time is 7:30 am again! Full sun and chilly weather. We get a do over--playing one of the teams we should have beaten yesterday. Not looking ahead--but here's hoping the bats show up.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Early Baseball

 Baseball tournaments start early and eat the whole day. This morning the Severn Seminoles 14U baseball team had its first game at 8:30 am with a 7:30 am show time. 

In the Batting Cage Between Games
Pasadena, MD
October 2, 2021 

The grass was wet and the temperature was in the low 50s as we warmed up and it was clear that the boys were up too early. Lethargy was the word of the morning. I do love baseball and being on the field just after dawn was a great start to the day. 

The first game was a loss, 7-3, although it was because of two disastrous innings: the first and second. For the remainder of the game we outscored them 2-0. 

Waiting now for game 2. We have a two hour plus break. 

More fun to come. 

— Bob Doan, Pasadena, MD

Rolling into the Weekend

 Happy Friday!

There, I am being more positive. I was informed that my end of September post was a bit depressing.

I am encouraged that the government shutdown did not occur. They kicked the can down the road again, until December 3, but at least cooler heads prevailed and solid bipartisan action prevented a disastrous government shutdown.

I dearly hope that the Congress can get their act together and move forward--the people want a function government not a dysfunctional one.

This weekend the Severn Seminoles 14U will participate in its first tournament of the Fall Season. The first game is tomorrow at 0830--and it should be cold. That is what Fall Ball is all about--playing baseball despite the onset of cold weather. We believe that we will compete very well.

And then there is the end of the MLB regular season and the plans for the playoffs coupled NFL Football. 

Wow--it is gonna be busy!

Monday will be back again before I can even begin to think about it.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

September's End

Wasn't Labor Day weekend just yesterday?

It seems as if September rocketed by like a supersonic jet aircraft. It was only just beginning; then it was gone. 

September was a busy month and its passing makes me a bit sad because with October's arrival we are now officially entering the dark season. I had to get the Halloween decorations out of the attic last evening. Chris and I have an agreement--no Halloween until the 1st of October. I need to enjoy the last vestiges of the Summer which has passed before focusing upon the multiple holidays and celebrations ahead. 

I did survive my birthday--thank you to all who sent me greetings. I appreciated each of them. 

Football season ihas arrived, baseball, thankfully, is ending and hockey and basketball will soon return. The progression continues. I have a dream that I could find the perfect day of the year and just live there. It would be in July, that much I know. 

I will enjoy this last day of September and relish the memories of the month and the summer which have passed. 

carpe diem

-- Bob Doan, ELkridge, MD

Vaccines and COVID-19

CAUTION: Potentially harsh words follow.

According to the CDC, unvaccinated people are 11 times more likely to die for COVID-19 than vaccinated people.

I don't get it! Why subject oneself to those kinds of numbers?  The data is out it, is verified and the reasons not to get vaccinated are pretty thin.

I find it strange that people are unwilling to get vaccinated citing all sorts of unfounded reasons including that the vaccine was not properly tests and yet, when they get COVID they race for the monoclonal antibody treatment--even more untested. 

Vaccine cost: $24

Monoclonal treatment: $2100

Do you wonder who is paying for that difference? We are! Nothing is free; all of this is going to come out in our taxes. 

What are the medical reasons for net getting vaccinated? There really aren't any according to a Forbes report titled:

What Are The Medical Exemptions For Not Getting A Covid-19 Vaccine?

The report states the following, as an answer to the question:

There are no known medical conditions which absolutely prevent a person from getting a Covid-19 vaccine.

Enough said--get the shot! Save a life, save your life. Beat the virus and let's stop dancing around. 

As for it being your right not to get vaccinated--not so! The Supreme Court has already upheld that mandatory vaccine laws are Constitutional in Jacobsen vs Massachusetts in 1905! 

So--if you lose your job because you don't want to get vaccinated--suffer in silence. You made the decision and you don't want to do your part to beat the virus, protect other people, and protect yourself. That's just selfish.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

6 More

There are but six games remaining in the disastrous Orioles season. The Orioles are tied for the worst recored in all of Major League Baseball at 50-106. If this were the Premier League, they would be facing relegation--and deservedly so--they have been the worst team in baseball for too long.

This is supposed to be a rebuilding period, but it seems to be a "no" building period. The worst team in Orioles history, and the last one with veterans to take the blame were the 2018 Orioles who finished at 47-115. AN embarrassment. Upon entering the official team rebuilding or retooling, it has not become much better. 

Since then:

2019: 54-108

2020: 25-35

Not a team that is getting any better. 

It is very difficult to want to go to the games to see a team that is so poorly performing. 

Well, there is always next season. But, is there, really?

I will visit Sarasota during the Spring and see the team at least once. It is an over 3 hour drive, so there may be an overnight in there somewhere as well. Maybe, just maybe next season the real Orioles will emerge and we can stop calling them the baby-Birds.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - September 27, 2021

 

1. It is all but over--September, that is. This is the last Monday of the month and October is in the wings ready to take the stage. Scary thought--there are but 13 Mondays remaining in the year. 

2. Family NFL results

   Ravens (2-1) defeat Lions (0-3), 19-17

   Steelers (1-2) lose to Bengals (2-1), 10-24

   Washington (1-2) lose to Bills (2-1), 21-43

   Cowboys (1-1) play Eagles (1-1) Monday night

3. Has anyone else noticed how fast and aggressive some drivers are on the highways?

Statue of Liberty and Manhattan Skyline
New York Harbor
September 25, 2021

4. The Statue of Liberty and the skyline of Southern Manhattan. I thought it made a great image. We were on the ferry circling around to dock and disembark during the mid-morning hours of a beautiful Autumn day.

5. During our visit to NYC, we discovered people in Times Square and on 5th and 6th Avenues--but elsewhere things were very sparse.

6. How does my dog seem to know what time it is? Every morning at the same time she lets me know she is hungry and has needs to be done outside. And my dog cannot read a clock.

7. I love it when the house is quiet. Sometimes I can even hear the water filling the ice machine in the refrigerator.

8. Today in History. On September 27, 1779, the Continental Congress appoints John Adams to travel to France as minister plenipotentiary in charge of negotiating treaties of peace and commerce with Great Britain during the Revolutionary War.

Adams had traveled to Paris in 1778 to negotiate an alliance with France, but had been unceremoniously dismissed when Congress chose Benjamin Franklin as sole commissioner. Soon after returning to Massachusetts in mid-1779, Adams was elected as a delegate to the state convention to draw up a new constitution; he was involved in these duties when he learned of his new diplomatic commission. Accompanied by his young sons John Quincy and Charles, Adams sailed for Europe that November aboard the French ship Sensible, which sprang a leak early in the voyage and missed its original destination (Brest), instead landing at El Ferrol, in northwestern Spain. After an arduous journey by mule train across the Pyrenees and into France, Adams and his group reached Paris in early February 1780.

Fed Could Be Forced to Revisit Emergency Playbook - The Wall Street Journal

Killings of Islamic State Militants Highlight Power Struggle With Taliban - The Wall Street Journal

A Changed Germany Sees the End of an Era as Merkel Nears the ExitA Changed Germany Sees the End of an Era as Merkel Nears the Exit - The New York Times

This Lab Charges $380 for a Covid Test. Is That What Congress Had in Mind?This Lab Charges $380 for a Covid Test. Is That What Congress Had in Mind? - The New York Times

Companies are hoarding personal data about you. Here’s how to get them to delete it. - The Washington Post

Thousands flee raging California Fawn fire as woman arrested with lighter in her pocket - The Washington Post

Iran fails to fully honour agreement on monitoring equipment, IAEA says - Reuters

Evergrande's EV unit terminates plans to issue RMB shares - Reuters

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

NYC and Back in 18 Hours

Looking South
 102 Floor Observation Deck
Empire State Building, New York
September 25, 2021

Lucas with Shuttle Enterprise
intrepid Air and Space Museum
New York City, NY
September 25, 2021

Amazingly, hit took just 18 hours. From home to NYC to home with a lot of fun activity in between the day flowed continuously. 

But we were exhausted when I finally pulled the car into the drive at 11:30 pm after a day in the city. 

The itinerary was pretty straight forward: Statue of Liberty, Intrepid Air and Space Museum, Times Square, Rockefeller Center and the Lego Store, and close the day at sunset atop the Empire State Building. 

The significant deviation was a stop in Rockefeller Center at City Winery for a Happy Hour Cabernet Sauvignon. Luke had a Sprite. And there was the obligatory street vendor hot dog which we squeezed in for lunch. 

Things got off to a later than scheduled start, but Chris and I made a pact that we were not in a hurry and so we would not dwell upon the small things. Traffic to NYC was light and we made great time, right up until we were changing roads to go to the New Jersey site for the ferry to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. But, we made the 9:30 ferry, so all was good. We skipped the Ellis Island stop, opting for just visiting the Stature of Liberty and we able to spent a lot of time wandering around the Statue and visiting the museum. We stopped for some drinks and then it was back to the car for the trip into NYC.

Statue of Liberty with Autumn Leaves
Liberty Island
September, 25, 2021

Can I just say that driving in NYC is not for the timid? We were mired in difficult traffic from the moment we exited the Holland Tunnel. But, Chris and I teamed to navigate the car through the traffic and successfully made our second stop at the Intrepid Air and Space Museum. I had scoped out parking and was about to park just across the street from the museum--where we left the car for the remainder of the day. Parking in New York is not much more expensive than parking in downtown Baltimore, BTW. And the price is far more expensive than it should be.

Luke and Chris Fighting King Kong
Empire State Building
NYC, NY
September 25, 2021

The Intrepid Museum is one of my favorite places. I never seem to be able to spend enough time there and the exhibits are continually updated. It is simple amazing to stand on and inside of this warship which helped to defeat the Japanese and took significant damage during Kamikaze attacks. The Growler submarine is also a very interesting and well preserved exhibit from the Cold War and must not be missed. There is a definite difference in the use of weapons from the Cold War to now. The Growler served from 1958-1964 when it was retired. By contrast, B-52s built during the early 1960's are still flying. 

After the museum it was time to transition into the city than never sleeps. We walked five blocks to Time Square. Lucas was amazed and we walked through the middle of the Hell's Kitchen eating area and then past part of the theater district. Time Square, unlike the museum area, was alive and full of people. We subsequently walked to Rockefeller Center and visited the Lego Store and enjoyed some wine before heading to the Empire State Building.

Because we did not spend the night in the city, I decided that we needed to visit the 102nd Floor Observation Deck. Frankly, it is really expensive--I could have rented a hotel room for the cost to get three people up to that point--but do you know why it is so expensive? Well, because it is worth it. It had been decades since I last visited the high point on the Empire State Building and to say the view is breathtaking is an understatement. The Observation Deck is build so that there is nothing between the observer and the world outside the deck except for a piece of glass. It is breathtaking, really!

As sunset descended, it was time to begin the journey home. We were exhausted and a cab ride from the Empire State Building to the car was a must. It was also a thrill ride! Our taxi driver knew to the millimeter where his fender was in relation to other vehicles. As I tipped the driver we laughed about the excitement of the ride. I am glad that I was in the backseat.

The drive home was mostly uneventful. The New Jersey Turnpike might better be renamed the New Jersey Racetrack--but it was all good and we made it home; ending the adventure.

Memories were made.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Stunning Day

 

Standing on Liberty Island on a fantastic late-September day. The view is spectacular and the weather idyllic. 

It is hard to believe we finally made it. We originally planned to visit during late-August, but there was this hurricane. And then we tried for a Saturday in early-September--but it was the 20th Anniversary of 9/11--so we wisely took a pass. But today, we are here! Enjoying light crowds and the most beautiful Autumn Saturday that could be imagined. 

A day full of fun and showing the city to Lucas lies ahead. 

— Bob Doan, Liberty Island, NY Harbor

Another September Budget Crisis

 Well, it is late-September and our Congress is demonstrating clearly that it matters not which party is in the seat, they cannot or will not do their constitutionally appointed task of funding the government with a budget.

It has become an annual rite: the budget crisis and of course it is almost always tied to raising the debt ceiling. 

What is sad is that the Republicans seem to have amnesia that when they held the reigns, the deficit increased over $7 trillion! Yup, it's true. And now they are quibbling and threatening to shut the government down. And of course the Democrats are no better--they can't even find consensus among themselves.

The problem for "we the people" is that our retirement accounts are based upon the good faith and credit of the United States and when Congress plays politics they threaten our livelihood and future. It has become an important game for small-minded people to try an grind their individual axes.

Just pass a budget and get on with it.

We cannot move forward if we keep looking back.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Friday Eve Arrives Again

 The first full day of Autumn has arrived and it coincides with my weekly Friday Eve celebration. 

Looking at the autumnal leaves which have been blown from the trees by the storms which have been passing through the region, I am very happy that I had closed the pool so that I do not have to clear the mess. The arrival of Autumn makes me wish that I could have a lanai over my pool, like as in Florida. That would allow me to keep the pool open longer--but, the leaves are a great deterrent to a longer pool season.

Even in Texas, as I was there this past weekend, the municipal pools close during the early portion of September. And now, September is drawing to a close and October is just a week away. The months are accelerating their pace it seems. 

I realized how quickly the summer passed yesterday when my allergist asked me how my golf game was going. We always speak about golf as it is more interesting than my allergies. I responded to him that I had not been playing much because I have been so busy with baseball and travel. And it is true. My recent handicap revision based upon a couple of "not my best rounds" due to lack of consistent play increased two points. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Autumn

 Today is the day that Autumn officially begins. Much like Summer, the beginning of Autumn is generally more associated with a holiday than the actual calendar. Memorial Day is the unofficial beginning to the Summer season and Labor Day, it seems, marks the end of Summer and therefore the beginning of Autumn. 

No matter. It is here now. 

Let the fun and the falling leaves begin.

Let the darkness grow as the days grow ever shorter.

The cooler days and cold nights are not far off. 

Autumn begins at 3:21 PM EDT. Summer has been lingering, but it is not time to send it off and say good-bye to the fun we had.  

Football has arrived and it is time for baseball to begin to end. 

For the Orioles, the season cannot end enough. The Orioles have 48 wins with 11 games remaining--can they make 50? Inquiring minds want to know. And then, the season will mercifully be over.

Autumn is certainly arriving. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Troubling Tuesday

 Well, another Tuesday has dawned. Actually, it is almost dawn.

The days are getting shorter and the work loads are getting bigger it seems.

I never seem to know how to deal with Tuesday. There is always so much to do and so little time to get it all accomplished. 

Today I have a medical appointment, a follow-up, so nothing major is expected to occur. 

And then there is baseball practice this evening with the undefeated Severn Seminoles 14U who swept another doubleheader this weekend. 

It should be a long and tiring day which means that when it is all over, I should sleep well and welcome in Hump Day tomorrow. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - September 20, 2021

 

1. It is the third Monday of September. The month is flying away. There are 14 Mondays remaining in 2021.

2. Chris and I returned home safely after visiting my parents in Houston. Thanks to Pennie and Scott for hosting us and thanks to Mom and Dad--just for being you.

3. Family NFL Results:

    Ravens (1-1) defeat Chiefs (1-1), 36-35

    Cowboys (1-1) defeat Chargers (1-1), 20-17

    Football Team (1-1) defeat Giants (0-2), 

    Steelers (1-1) lost to Raiders (2-0), 26-17

Fire Pit Evening
Fulshear, TX
September 18, 2021

4. One good thing about flying later in the day. Last evening I watched the entire NFL football game between the Ravens and the Chiefs. I almost never get to see a complete football game on Sunday evenings. 

5. What is better than sitting around a fire pit on a nice evening with family? Nothing.

6. During our flight last evening, the crew came on the address system multiple times reminding people about the federal mandate to wear masks correctly. Apparently, there were some passengers who did not care to follow the rules. I was very encouraged as I walked off the plane and into the jetway to see more than a few police and federal officers waiting and talking to the crew. Someone was going to have a bad evening. 

7. I noticed the sky while I was in Texas. I always see the sky, but where we were in Texas with the flat land and low trees I noticed it was a 360 degree sky. A big sky. All around. And it was magnificent.

8. Today in History. On September 20, 1973, in a highly publicized “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match, top women’s player Billie Jean King, 29, beats Bobby Riggs, 55, a former No. 1 ranked men’s player. Riggs (1918-1995), a self-proclaimed male chauvinist, had boasted that women were inferior, that they couldn’t handle the pressure of the game and that even at his age he could beat any female player. The match was a huge media event, witnessed in person by over 30,000 spectators at the Houston Astrodome and by another 50 million TV viewers worldwide. King made a Cleopatra-style entrance on a gold litter carried by men dressed as ancient slaves, while Riggs arrived in a rickshaw pulled by female models. Legendary sportscaster Howard Cosell called the match, in which King beat Riggs 6-4, 6-3, 6-3. King’s achievement not only helped legitimize women’s professional tennis and female athletes, but it was seen as a victory for women’s rights in general.

Russian Election Shows Declining Support for Putin’s Party - The New York Times

A Hard-Line Conservative Hopes to Be Japan’s First Female Leader - The New York Times

Global Stocks, U.S. Futures Fall on China Property Fears - The Wall Street Journal

U.S. Spat With France Shows Challenge of Keeping Allies Unified - The Wall Street Journal

World leaders face furious push to act quickly on climate change - The Washington Post

‘The pay is absolute crap’: Child-care workers are quitting rapidly, a red flag for the economy - The Washington Post

N.Korea derides South's submarine-launched missile as clumsy, rudimentary - Reuters

Saudi retains top spot in oil supplies to China with volumes up 53% y/y - Reuters

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Party Hardy

The scene of the Party
Fulshear, TX
September 19, 2021

The scene is empty and quiet now. Yesterday it hosted a large family party. Mom and Dad were on hand to supervise, but the stars of the show were the kids. Evenly split: three boys and three girls. The pool was the centerpiece of the festivities early and the hot tub took over late as the adults enjoyed themselves and unwound after a hectic day.

Family gatherings are fun as everyone knows each other and relationships pick up where they left off. Yesterday was special in that regard as Chris and I were part of the fun reconnecting with the Houston clan and some newly arrived residents from the frozen wastelands of Central New York. 

The noise was at times deafening, but it was joyous noise. There was the obligatory broken glass to make the gathering perfect. Someone always seems to drop and break a glass at family gatherings. Pennie put together a spectacular feast and the beverages were flowing freely. But, no one over imbibed. 

Great parties are great fun. They also take a lot of work. Thanks to Pennie and Scott it was a rousing success.

— Bob Doan, Fulshear, TX

The Visit

Mom and Dad in the Room
Katy, TX
September 17, 2021

The visit with Mom and Dad began yesterday. It was good to see them and reconnect. The place where they are living is nice and they are comfortable. Mom’s condition is such that she can no longer go out shopping or to eat a meal and so everything revolves around meal times. I spent a lot of time troubleshooting Dad’s computer issues.

We had a good visit and will be springing them from the facility for a bit today to enjoy time with extended family. A big picnic and maybe some pool time to help enjoy the afternoon. 

Last evening we enjoyed time around the fire pit after dinner and returning from the visit. The moon was bright and was accompanied by Jupiter and Saturn in the early evening sky. It was a great ending to a busy day.

— Bob Doan, Fulshear, TX

Back to Texas

Storm Clouds at BWI
September 16, 2021

Travel has resumed. Last evening after a challenging day at work, Chris and I flew to the Houston  area to visit Mom and Dad.  

The word of the afternoon was thunderstorms. Our flight was delayed boarding due to the storms. But, we got off and winged our way to Texas aboard a Southwest Airlines flight. The flight was relatively smooth and we arrived a bit late, but we arrived. Some flights had been canceled, but ours fortunately was not. 

Chris and I are here to visit with my parents and also attempt to decompress a bit after a really pressure-packed week. The flight experience was fairly normal except of course the requirement to be fully masked. I found that by the end of the flight the straps on my mask were hurting my ears.  But, I fully support masking requirements and, here it comes, mandatory vaccination. But those are thoughts for another blog. I am not sure I would feel comfortable trapped in an airplane with 120 of my new best friends without a facial covering mandate. 

For now, I’ll going to have some breakfast and prepare to visit with mom and dad. Travel is behind me and the morning is beautiful here. 

— Bob Doan, writing from Fulshear, Texas

On to Infinity . . .

 Four Americans are circling the globe this morning as the first totally civilian crew to pilot a space mission. Inspiration4 launched form Cape Canaveral last evening in spectacular form placing the four onto orbit where they will remain, if all goes as planned, they will be in space for the next three days before deorbiting back to Earth ending with a water-landing off the Florida coast. 

It is all pretty exciting and a very extreme fund-raising campaign for St Jude Children's Research Hospital. The hope is to raise $200 million--which is as lofty a goal.

That a commercial company, SpaceX, has people in space, on-orbit where they will be for the next three days is almost mind boggling, but I believe that the commercialization of space and space travel is critical to achieving the dream of becoming a space-faring civilization. 

For now, here is hoping that everything goes as planned and that the mission is a success both in terms of the actual flight and subsequent recovery as well as in its fund-raising goals. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Closed Until May

 

Pool Cover Installed 2021
Elkridge, MD
September 14, 2021

As the leaves began to fall in earnest yesterday, the cover was installed on the pool to begin its winter hibernation.

Always a sad day, the cover went on fairly easily and I am hoping to see sparkling pool water when I open it during late April 2022.

The good news is that the pump is no longer running for hours each day and that saves electricity and I am not adding chlorine and chemicals to keep the water balanced--but that is all part of the joy of owning a pool. I am very hopeful that the new cover will keep the algae at bay and that opening in the Spring will be easier than it has ever been. 

There remain a few smaller projects, such as disconnecting the motor from the pump and filling some of the lines with anti-freeze, but together that is less than half an hour and can be done as I have time. Getting to cover on before the leaves fall is the most important part of the project. 

It was a beautiful day with temperatures in the 90s and I dearly wanted to be swimming in rather than closing the pool, but the season is over. Now I can sit and watch the wind blow leaves onto the cover and not feel compelled to skim them from the pool.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD