The Ski Slope

Greek Peak
Cortland, NY
August 17, 2023

 The Maryland part of our family arrived yesterday and we gathered at a house near the major ski area in the region: Greek Peak. I must say, I prefer ski slopes in the summer because there is no snow and less crowds. Of course, I don't ski and therefore I really do not appreciate ski slopes and mountains. But they are beautiful in the summer. 

The location is a bit remote. It is a 15 minute drive to the nearest significant village with services, like gas and groceries. The scenery is great to look at and it is quiet, although it rained last evening and everything is very wet this morning so I am not sitting outside enjoying the dawn. But at least it is not raining. We will be golfing tomorrow in the annual tournament for our nephew, Troy. Today is a memorial service for Chris's sister, Jodie. I wish were were gathering for more celebratory reasons.

-- Bob Doan, Cortland, NY

Enjoying the Natural Beauty

Taughannock Falls
Ulysses, NY
August 16, 2023

 Ithaca has a slogan:

Ithaca is Gorges!

And it is! There are numerous gorges with waterfalls in the immediate area and they are fun to explore. 

Yesterday we managed to visit one of the the tallest waterfalls east of the Mississippi: Taughannock Falls. The water makes an impressive 215 foot drop to the pool below nestled deep within a gorge. It is one of the signature waterfalls of the region. It may not be as spectacular as some of the waterfalls along the Columbia River near Portland, Oregon, but Taughannock is definitely in the league of awe-inspiring waterfalls. 

Sailboat on Cayuga Lake
Ithaca, NY
August 16, 2023

And of course there are the lakes, the Finger Lakes, to enjoy in the area. We are closest to Cayuga Lake, the second largest of the Finger Lakes. Ithaca sits at the southern end of the lake and the beautiful summer days have been making me dream of boating. Last evening we were are dinner and had a view of the lake and the boats. I enjoyed watching the lake activity while I was also reveling in the pleasant weather which allowed us to dine outside. 

The day was the last relaxed day as activity ramps to a fever pitch today and through Sunday when Chris and I make our return to Florida. I am glad that we were able to enjoy the scenery and local natural beauty. 

-- Bob Doan, Ithaca, NY

Escape to the Wineries

 

Wine Tasting
Sheldrake Point Winery, Ovid, NY
August 15, 2023

We did it!

Yesterday, Chris, Nicole, and I managed to escape for a few hours and visit the three closest wineries. It was a grand afternoon.

One of the wineries, the closest, we had never visited and we had a very good time. It was fun to talk with the owner, founder, and winemaker all in the form of the same person. She has established a well designed small farm winery. The winery, Bet the Farm Winery, is a fun and enjoyable place to visit. The wines are solid offerings and the 2021 Lemburger stood out as a solid New York red wine. 

As it turned out, the other two wineries we visited are both for sale. They are also repeat favorites and we have been members of both at some point in the past. 

Sheldrake Point Winery and Americana Winery are both for sale, but their wines were tasting very well. I had the Riesling flight at Sheldrake Point and they were all very nice. The tasting was fun and enjoyable. It is always better to visit mid-week.

Americana was tasting well also. Their wines continue to run the gamut including a number of blueberry wines, but the redesigned tasting allows for sampling the wines paired with munchies and fudge. 

The wine tasting success of the day, however, goes to Bet the Farm. It was a traditional wine tasting at the bar and I thoroughly enjoyed talking to the owner/winemaker about the wines and her interpretation of the grapes. I had fun.

I still do not appreciate tasting wines in flights alone at a small table with no interaction with the staff.

OK, do not fret. I am not considering buying a winery. A wise person once noted, How do you make a small fortune? Start with a large one and open a winery.

-- Bob Doan, Ithaca, NY

August Summer Day

Summertime Flowers
Ithaca, NY
August 14, 2023

 I am enjoying a cool mid-Summer in Ithaca. And when I say cool, I mean cool. Having escaped from the low-90s of Florida. I am enjoying the high-70s of Upstate New York. Twenty degrees makes a huge difference. 

The skies were as overcast yesterday as I remember. Today will being rain most of the day. Yup, it is summertime in Ithaca, NY.

I have to admit, it is a radical change from Florida where the daytime temperatures are hitting 95 degrees and the heat index is reaching up to 110 degrees. It makes being outside almost unbearable. But, mid-70s is cold.

Well, if I think this is bad, in about two weeks Chris and I will be in Alaska where the daytime highs are in the 60's. 

I guess I can consider this a respite from a hot summer!

-- Bob Doan, Ithaca, NY

Monday Musings - August 14, 2023

 

1. Welcome to the second Monday of August! There are but two remaining Mondays in the month and just 19  Mondays remaining in the year!

2. What a travel day it was. Our flight from Palm Beach International to Baltimore was short and efficient. Although the place was packed, we departed early and arrived very early. We did not have to wait on the tarmac for a gate and the entire boarding and deplaning process was very smooth. The only problem? Retrieving checked baggage in Baltimore continues to be a very negative experience. The drive from Baltimore to Ithaca was smooth and enjoyable.  

AL East Standing
As of games through August 13, 2023

3. Orioles Baseball! Listening to the game yesterday during the drive, it was a game where each run and every play was important. The Orioles prevailed during the 10th inning after the relief corps almost let another one get away with a blown save in the 9th inning. But two runs, compliments of a Cedric Mullins homer, in the 10th sealed the win. Not to mention a spectacular home run robbing play by the same Cedric Mullins in the 9th inning.

4. Driving through the area from Baltimore to the Southern Tier of New York, I was reminded of how pretty and inviting the hills are when they are robed in the green of the trees. It was a great ride and seeing the Finger Lakes again brought me back to my childhood home.

5. Today in History. A major outage knocked out power across the eastern United States and parts of Canada on August 14, 2003. Beginning at 4:10 p.m. ET, 21 power plants shut down in just three minutes. Fifty million people were affected, including residents of New York, Cleveland and Detroit, as well as Toronto and Ottawa, Canada. Although power companies were able to resume some service in as little as two hours, power remained off in other places for more than a day. The outage stopped trains and elevators, and disrupted everything from cellular telephone service to operations at hospitals to traffic at airports. In New York City, it took more than two hours for passengers to be evacuated from stalled subway trains. Small business owners were affected when they lost expensive refrigerated stock. The loss of use of electric water pumps interrupted water service in many areas. There were even some reports of people being stranded mid-ride on amusement park roller coasters. At the New York Stock Exchange and bond market, though, trading was able to continue thanks to backup generators.

Dozens of news organizations condemn police raid on Kansas newspaper - CNN

Lawsuit alleges electric power lines blown over during high winds led to wildfire spread - CNN

Another criminal indictment would further divert an unparalleled election season from the campaign trail into multiple courtrooms - CNN

Russian rouble tumbles, Kremlin blames loose monetary policy - Reuters

Russia's Far East suffers flooding in Khanun's wake, over 2,500 people evacuated - Reuters

Taiwan will not back down to threats, Taiwan VP says on US trip - Reuters

China’s Worsening Economy Is Hurting Corporate America - The Wall Street Journal

Made a Nice Profit Selling Your House? Beware What Happens Next - The Wall Street Journal

-- Bob Doan, Ithaca, NY

Travel Day Again

Christmas Morning Travel
Elkridge, MD
December 25, 2022

 It is a travel day, again. 

Fortunately this morning we will not be on the highway to start the day, but rather end the day. 

We have a late morning flight followed by a five-hour drive should get us back to Ithaca. 

It is going to be a very tough week which will culminate in the 8th Annual Troy Whittemore Golf Tournament in Cortland, NY, before we begin our journey home.

We travel a lot, but it seems to be less and less on vacations. We do have an upcoming cruise--but this coming week stands squarely in front of the cruise. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

The Stool

Teak Shower Stool Refinished
Tequesta, FL
August 12, 2023

 Chris and I have a stool in our shower. 

It came with the house, but it has been a nice addition to the shower, not that we use it it as stool, but rather more as a gathering place for all of the shower-related items we use on a regular basis. 

The problem was that the finish on the chair was deteriorating. Badly. It was making the floor tile discolored.

Chris wanted to dispose of the chair, but after looking at the problem I determined that with a light sanding and the application of a new finish it could be salvaged. And, frankly, I didn't know where we were going to be able to store all of the stuff we use in the shower. So I had a project and over the past two days, I refinished the stool and it is happily reinstalled in our shower. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Friday - Riordin Update

Riordin Relaxing
Tequesta, FL
August 11, 2023

 And so the weekend is almost here. 

Wow. 

The week has passed so quickly.

Chris and I spent a good part of yesterday afternoon at the vet's office trying to get Riordin's asthma under control. We have been giving him daily albuterol treatments, but he didn't seem to be getting the asthma under control. The vet reassured us that the treatments are working and that his lungs are clear, but asthma is going to be the new way of life for Riordin. The vet gave him a steroid shot and a B-12 shot, which really seemed to have helped. 

We had noticed that Riordin was beginning, again, to become a solitary cat. He normally likes to be around. The shots seem to have helped, as he was more normal last evening. Fortunately, he continues to eat well. We have a lot of travel coming in the next weeks. We will be gone three of the next four weeks. I am hopeful that the people we have watching him will be able to keep the treatments going. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Around the Island

St Lucie Nuclear Power Plant
From Atlantic Ocean
August 9, 2023

 One way to escape the oppressive heat is to be on the water where there is a breeze and, if underway, the breeze can be very strong.

Yesterday's adventure on the water included motoring around Hutchinson Island. We motored out to the ocean and headed north. It was my first time one the ocean since receiving my offshore certification. Fortunately, the day was calm, calmer than the forecast. I had hoped that we might see dolphins or turtles in the water--but sadly it was not to be. 

The trip from St Lucie Inlet to the Ft Pearce Inlet on the ocean was uneventful. We stopped to enjoy the view of the nuclear power plant. It is along a lonely stretch of road, but it can be seen from both the Atlantic and Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) sides of the island. 

Entering the ICW through the Ft Pearce Inlet, the water got a bit rough as there were storm clouds in sight. Chris was concerned about the possibility of getting caught in a storm, but we had little we could do about it. In the end we did not blunder into a storm and as we motored south towards our home marina, the weather cleared and we stopped at a small uninhabited island for lunch and some relaxing downtime. 

Osprey
Small Island, Indian River, FL
August 9, 2023

Anchoring just offshore we decided to enjoy lunch and rehydrate. We heard a low screech and saw an osprey sitting on a dead tree surveying its domain. I decided to get an image of the bird as it remained there for most of the time we were anchored.

We managed to be in the area as the tide changed and I learned a valuable lesson about ensuring the anchors are set well. The stern anchor, which was keeping us off the beach, gave way and I wound up pushing the boat off the sand into deep enough water to start the engine and allow the propeller to get enough water to get us away form the island. It was a good learning experience. 

All during the day, we enjoyed being outdoors because of the breeze and shade on the boat. The heat index hit 115 degrees yesterday, it was reported, but we were still able to enjoy being outside and not cooped up in air conditioned comfort. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

The River

 

Crab in the River
North Fork, Loxahatchee River
Tequesta, FL
August 8, 2023

I managed a 16.5 mile ride yesterday, before the heat became too oppressive. It was nothing special, except for my stop on the bridge in Tequesta which passes over the North Fork of the Loxahatchee River.

Looking South over
North Fork of Loxahatchee River
Tequesta, FL
August 8, 2023

 

The river was flat and inviting. I looked down into the water and found that despite the heat above, the river was full of life. I normally see needlefish and other small baitfish, but yesterday there was a fairly good-sized crab working the shallows.

There were also some larger fish in the area which I enjoyed watching. 

I make the stop on the bridge a regular water break. I love to watch the different characters that the river shows. And, just a few weeks ago, Chris and I were boating right at the entrance to the North Fork. We would have motored up the river, however, we were concerned about the dark clouds gathering between where we were in the river and our marina about an hour-and-a-half away.  

There is always something to enjoy about the river. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Beating the Heat

 The excessive heat has returned. 

Yesterday we capped out at 93 degrees, but the heat index was about 106 degrees.

Reports from the beach indicate that the sand is too hot!

Excessive heat warning! And they mean excessive!

Starting the day at 81 means nothing cooled overnight.

So today is gonna be a hot one!

I need to get out on my bike early and we are probably not gonna play golf. Chris wilts in the heat. 

Happy Tuesday!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Monday Musings - August 7, 2023

 

1. The first Monday of August is here. My favorite month of the year (July) has passed and now we are running headlong toward the end of the year. There are just 20 Mondays remaining in 2023.

AL East Standings
Games through August 6, 2023

2. The Orioles continue their fantastic season. The weekend sweep of the Mets, my favorite team as I was growing up, provided the O's with a 3 game lead in the AL East and gave them their 70th win of the season. 

3. I am still reeling from the loss to Sweden by the Women's National Team. Hopefully, they will emerge stronger from the ashes of disappointment.

4. Update on Riordin. He is doing better. He receives daily albuterol treatments and has more good than bad moments. 

5. The weather in South Florida continues to be HOT! The stress index hits 105-110 nearly every day. But, I am getting in my morning bike rides. I managed just over 20 miles yesterday.

6. Today in History. On August 7, 1782, in Newburgh, New York, General George Washington, the commander in chief of the Continental Army, creates the “Badge for Military Merit,” a decoration consisting of a purple, heart-shaped piece of silk, edged with a narrow binding of silver, with the word Merit stitched across the face in silver. 

The badge was to be presented to soldiers for “any singularly meritorious action” and permitted its wearer to pass guards and sentinels without challenge. The honoree’s name and regiment were also to be inscribed in a “Book of Merit.”

Trump seeks to destroy credibility of his election subversion trial - CNN

Woman detained in connection to plot to assassinate Zelensky, Ukraine security service says - CNN

International backlash grows after Chinese vessel fires water cannon on Philippine boats - CNN

Exclusive: North Korean hackers breached top Russian missile maker - Reuters

Ukraine says U.S and German air defence systems 'highly effective' - Reuters

us-scientists-repeat-fusion-power-breakthrough - Reuters

Russia and China Sent Large Naval Patrol Near Alaska - The Wall Street Journal

The Two-Year Slide That Ended U.S. Women’s Soccer Dynasty - The Wall Street Journal

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Bright Skies

Bright Sky
Indian River Lagoon, FL
August 2, 2023

 I have become to appreciate days with bright skies. 

This summer has been the summer of haze and smoke. When we have been in Maryland the skies are dulled by the smoke from the Canadian wildfires. The some has been at times so bad that the smell of burning wood lingers in the air. And here in South Florida, we have had days when the skies are muted with Saharan dust. 

The world is suffering and we see the evidence in the skies. 

The other day the skies cleared and I was able to, once again, enjoy the sapphire blue sky over the water. It was a sight made more awe inspiring by the weeks of muted and hazy skies. 

A programming note--condolences to the US Women's National Soccer Team which just lost in a shoot-out to Sweden (4-5) and are out of the World Cup. Hopes were so very high for the team entering the competition.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, MD

Saturday Shorts

 

Well, Saturday has arrived and along with it the end of the week (would that be weekend?). 

First.

In response to my blog yesterday about jellyfish, among other things, my friend and former racquetballer, Jason, sent the image to the right. 

It made me laugh. Thanks, Jason.

Second.

In other activities, Chris and I went to see the movie Oppenheimer yesterday. I highly recommend the movie! It is solid history and a compelling story. I found some similarities to the movie The Imitation Game. It is sad how we use brilliant people and then discard them when we cannot reconcile their beliefs or lifestyle with ours.

Third.

Army Chief of Staff General James McConville, the 40th person to hold that position, retired today [yesterday]. Because Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) has put a hold on military promotions for the past 8 months, there is no Senate-confirmed leader to take McConville’s place. There are eight seats on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the group of the most senior military officers who advise the president, homeland security officials, the secretary of defense, and the National Security Council. Currently, two of those seats are filled by acting officials who have not been confirmed by the Senate.

Politico’s defense reporter Paul McLeary wrote that as of today, there are 301 senior military positions filled by temporary replacements as Tuberville refuses to permit nominations to go through the Senate by the usual process. Two more members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff will retire before the end of September. (Letters to an American)

Does anyone else see this as a potentially crippling our military? I thought Republicans were strong on defense? 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

They Grow Them Big

 

Chris with Sea Bean
Indian River Lagoon, FL
August 2, 2023

Sometimes it is a matter of perspective. How big something is depends upon how close it is to you. I like the cartoon that I have seen in the past where the tyrannosaurus is reflected in the outside mirror on a car and the words at the bottom of the mirror remind us that objects in the mirror are closer than they appear. 

Large Jellyfish with a Crab
 Indian River Lagoon, FL
August 2, 2023

We encountered a strange situation the other day as we were boating and anchored on a sandbar in the Indian River Lagoon which was mostly underwater. There were huge jellyfish. And by huge I mean 12-18 inches across, or more, in the water. I am not used to seeing jellyfish this large. They were also strangely beautiful as they drifted in the current. One jellyfish drifted by with a small crab riding aboard. I could not believe it. I actually got an image of it. The crab is about 3 inches, I would guess. I'm not sure if this was a frog and scorpion thing or not. The jellyfish were easy to see and avoid as we waded in the water, but we needed to remain vigilant as the current was swift with the tide going out and they were moving rather quickly.

It was all part of our fun boating Wednesday. We continue to find more fun and enjoyment at every turn.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL 

Learning to Tow a Skier

Fran Skiing the River
North Fork Saint Lucie River, FL
August 2, 2023

 Our Wednesday boating day turned into a fun day of exploration and learning how to tow a waterskier. 

We headed off to the marina fairly early and were in our boat headed off to the North Fork of the Saint Lucie River about 9:30 AM. The day was beautiful. A bit hot, but mostly blue skies and white puffy clouds. The river was almost flat and our boat, Sea Bean, was purring along smoothly. 

I was very trepidatious about pulling a waterskier. Having never done it before and knowing how easily fun can turn to tragedy, I really wanted to understand what was expected of me and the boat before letting him jump off into the murky river and try to stand up behind my speeding craft. We went over the signs and after a couple miscues on the start, he successfully rose up on plane and skied! It was fun watching him, but I mostly kept my eyes forward. Fortunately, the area of the river recommended to us by the marina staff is not heavily traveled and we did not encounter any other watercraft during the time he was skiing. 

Chris served as the spotter and also took some images and a quick video.

The video is a bit choppy, but it was taken from a moving boat at about 22 mph. 

We also spent time exploring the North Fork of the river and then checked out a new sandbar, where we saw huge jellyfish. They were all around and were easy to avoid--but we had to remain vigilant. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Look--in the Surf!

Flat Atlantic
Jupiter Island, FL
August 1, 2023

 Chris and I managed a morning beach walk yesterday. I write managed because we actually got around and gathered Finnegan to hit the beach and enjoy the morning. 

The Atlantic was flat. I was surprised  to see how flat the ocean was, but I enjoyed looking at it and even getting into the water for an enjoyable couple of minutes. I love the ocean when it is flat. 

Nurse Shark Along the Beach
Jupiter Island, FL
August 1, 2023

I walked the beach mostly with my feet well into the water. The occasional wave would hit well above my knees. So I was actually walking in the water.

As I was looking into the surf, I noticed a small shark swimming along with me, just in where the water begins to get deep. The shark was hunting, but also pacing me as I walked along the beach. I called Chris over and she also saw the shark.

I did manage to get an image of it. I had another one, but the light was such that you really cannot see the shark in the water without actually knowing that it is there. 

This is the second time that I have seen a nurse shark right along the beach in the past month. I need to keep a wary eye on the surf. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Getting a Trim

 

Trimmed Palm
Tequesta, FL
July 25, 2023

As I have written before, one of the things that I have learned from living in South Florida for the past year is that palm trees require a lot of maintenance. Much more maintenance than I had previously understood. Falling fronds and coconuts are a hazard to people and property.

Untrimmed Palm
Tequesta, FL
July 25 ,2023

In an effort to reduce the palm debris which occurs during wind storms, the palms must be trimmed regularly. 

The palms look scalped after they are trimmed, but they return to fullness within a year when they must be trimmed again. Hardwood trees generally do not require the same year-after-year care and only require trimming when their slower growing branches begin to interfere with power lines or sidewalks. 

My community had the palms trimmed last week and after the thunderstorms of the past few days, it was clearly obvious that there is far less debris on the ground. That is a good thing because palm fronds are not small and can do damage to cars and property when they fall. Palm trimming is an annual event here and I see the palms being trimmed all around the community generating a large amount of debris. But, at least the debris is being collected for recycling and not dealing during windstorms ad causing damage. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Monday Musings - July 31, 2023

 

1. The last day of the hottest month in the history of the planet has arrived. It is the 5th Monday of July. There are just 21 Mondays left to enjoy 2023!

Atlantic Ocean Evening
Jupiter Island, FL
July 25, 2023

2. Image of the Week. The Atlantic was calm and inviting one evening last week as Chris and I went for a walk. The long shadows of the sun are already covering most of the beach all the way to water's edge. The day had been unbearably hot, but the evening on the ocean's shore was enjoyable and almost refreshing even with the thermometer reading more than 90 degrees.  The only problem was Finnegan. He was not excited about walking the beach and that meant we were only able to enjoy the beauty of the evening for a short time. 

Cranes
Jupiter, FL
July 26, 2023

3. There was a funny reference made to the construction occurring tin South Florida on a local station the other morning. They were showing the outdoors conditions on a live weather camera and made reference to the Florida State Bird: the crane! They showed an image of the cranes deployed around the US-1 bridge construction in Jupiter. Very similar to the one Chris took from the deck of our boat last week.

4. Don't forget to sing a fond goodbye to July this afternoon at Happy Hour. 

5. Today in History. On the morning of July 31, 1975, James Riddle Hoffa, one of the most influential American labor leaders of the 20th century, is officially reported missing after he failed to return home the previous night. Though he is popularly believed to have been the victim of a Mafia hit, conclusive evidence was never found and Hoffa’s fate remains a mystery.

Born in 1913 to a poor coal miner in Brazil, Indiana, Jimmy Hoffa proved a natural leader in his youth. At the age of 20, he helped organize a labor strike in Detroit, and remained an advocate for downtrodden workers for the rest of his life. Hoffa’s charisma and talents as a local organizer quickly got him noticed by the Teamsters and carried him upward through its ranks. Then a small but rapidly growing union, the Teamsters organized truckers across the country, and through the use of strikes, boycotts and some more powerful though less legal methods of protest, won contract demands on behalf of workers.

Russian missiles hit central Ukrainian city, Kyiv says - CNN

A massive $1.05 billion Mega Millions jackpot is up for grabs - CNN

Clock on the Fed's 'soft landing' may already be ticking - Reuters

July set to be world's hottest month on record - Reuters

Morning Bid: Wall St shines, China misses again - Reuters

While Everyone Else Fights Inflation, China's Deflation Fears Deepen - The Wall Street Journal

Local Malls, Stuck in ‘Death Spiral,’ Plunge in Value - The Wall Street Journal

DeSantis’s campaign faces troubling signs in his home state as Trump dominates - The Washington Post

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Back on the Streets

 After a couple days of false starts, Chris and I managed a 15.5 mile ride yesterday. We had headed out on our bikes on both Thursday and Friday only to have our rides shortened by passing rainstorms--on both days! It actually rained on us yesterday as well, but we pressed on sensing that it was only a light passing shower. That the road did not get wet, with the raindrops evaporating almost as soon as they landed, helped us to make the decision to press ahead. 

It was a good ride. We noticed that, in places, the rain had fallen rather hard with the road being wet. We took a comfortable pace and enjoying the ride and finally getting back out onto the streets. 

It is hard to ride when the heat stress index is touching on 100 degrees, which it has been doing by about 10 AM most days. Fortunately the winds changed from the West to the East and we are having more normal Florida summertime weather. That written, it also appears that there may be a potential hurricane lurking out. in the Atlantic--it may form in the next 7 or so days. Time will tell. 

I really don't need a hurricane.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Torture Chamber Arrived

Oxygen/Atomization Enclosure

 OK, so it really isn't a torture chamber, it is an oxygen/atomization enclosure. It is supposed to allow me to deliver asthma medicine to Riordin.

He thinks it is a torture chamber.

The problem is that it arrived without instructions. After a lot of trial and error and with the help of an image that Chris found on-line, I was able to get everything functioning and Riordin received his first treatment. I'm not sure it did anything other that antagonize him. Being in the box for 20 minutes was a bit more than he could tolerate.

I will give him a second albuterol treatment today and I hope it will go a bit better. The enclosure is large enough for him to be comfortable and move around. 

Cat asthma is tough. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Tab A into Slot B

Looking from Dining Room to Patio
Tequesta, FL
July 28, 2023

 Assembly projects. 

They can be daunting. Some companies are masters of selling items with "some assembly required," like Ikea and Wayfair. 

Yesterday Chris and I assembled the patio furniture that we ordered from Wayfair. 

Riordin on the Sofa
Tequesta, FL
July 27, 2023

Yes, we finally decided to upgrade the patio and make it into that outdoor living space that we have been missing since we left Maryland. We did not bring our outdoor furniture with us because it was too large for the tiny patio that we have now. And so, we have been waiting to find a properly scaled set to help us enjoy our screened paradise.

Riordin quickly decided that he liked the sofa. He napped on it for most of the afternoon. His asthma seemed better in the warm, humid afternoon atmosphere.

Assembly projects remind me that I still need to be able to use skills I learned in kindergarten: Insert Tab A into Slot B! The assembly project went well, except for the obligatory problem. Every assembly project has at least one problem and this one was an improperly drilled screw hole. I was able to overcome the problem by finding a larger bolt. There is always something, but I have to admit, the instructions were generally good, if not humorous in the way they were written. The translation from the original language into English left something to be desired. I don't understand why companies can take a moment to hire native language speakers to ensure that the written language can be comprehended. For instance:

"Locate each Left arm (A) and Right arm (B) to the Chair backrest (C) by the pre-drilled threads."

Huh? Seriously, and I retained the original capitalization of the instruction. 

Ah, the joys of assembly projects.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Day on the Water

 

US-1 Bridge Construction
Jupiter, FL
July 26, 2023

It was Wednesday and that meant it was our boating day aboard our trusty boat, Sea Bean. Sea Bean is a dual console 2023 Cobia 220 with a single 200 hp Yamaha outboard and electronic throttle. Sea Bean is not mine actually, but is my favorite boat to reserve from the club in which I am a member.

Yesterday was a day Chris and I decided to sojourn down to Jupiter, which is close to where we live. Even though I am newly authorized to head out into the wild Atlantic, the ocean seemed a bit rough when I was checking the weather. We decided we wanted to enjoy the ride to Jupiter and to see, from the water, the US-1 bridge construction. The bridge and roadway are gone and we are having to detour when driving around the area. The view from the water is impressive. The area looks like a crane convention. We counted 7 cranes, I don't think we could get them all in the picture. But we motored right through the middle of the construction. The smell of fresh concrete was strong.

Alternate A1A Bridge and Railroad Drawbridge
Jupiter, FL
July 26, 2023

Another goal for the day was to motor under the Alternate A1A bridge and adjacent railroad drawbridge into the Loxahatchee.

Chris and I successfully navigated the bridges and started up the Loxahatchee, but we became a bit concerned about the dark clouds forming over the ocean and decided to begin the hour-and-a-half journey back to the marina which is in Port Salerno. 

I forgot to mention, we enjoyed lunch on the Intracoastal Waterway anchored to a sandbar near Tequesta. We see boats anchored at the sandbar at low tide and we wanted to check out the sandbar for ourselves. It was a much needed stop along the way and out trusty boat has two anchors which allowed it to be secured so it would not drift onto the sandbar. 

The trip back to the marina was uneventful, but enjoyable. Along the way, during the day, we spied a green turtle and a few dolphins along with a multitude of pelicans and ospreys. 

It was our longest outing since becoming "boat" people and by taking up most of the day, we were provided with a necessary diversion from the stuff with which we have been dealing.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Advanced Boating

Green Turtle in the Ocean
Off St Lucie Inlet, FL
July 25, 2023

 I completed my off-shore boating certification yesterday and am officially dangerous!

I am certified to take a small boat out into the mighty Atlantic Ocean. The club that I am in limits me to no further than 10 miles offshore, but considering at 10 miles land is mostly out of sight, except for tall buildings, and the water may be over 1000 feet deep, I'm not sure why I would be out quite that far anyway. 

It was a short, but fun day on the ocean learning what I needed to get certified. 

Atlantic Ocean from Jupiter Island Beach
Jupiter Island, FL
July 25, 2023

I also had fun watching dolphins and one green turtle that actually swam around the boat twice while we were at idle working through our man overboard procedures and covering some radio call situations.

After I piloted the boat back into the marina, we finished the paperwork and I was certified. 

But, that was not the end of my day on and in the ocean. Chris and I headed out to the beach after the heat of the day passed. The ocean was nearly flat as sunset was preparing to occur. The breeze off the water seemed cool, yet the temperature was still in the upper 80s. 

It was our first evening beach walk in quite a while. Finnegan tagged along, but was not as excited about walking the beach as either Chris or I.

Maybe the oppressive heat is beginning to dissipate. I can only hope.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Saga of the Cat

Riordin on the Laptop
Elkridge, MD
January 5, 2012

 Yesterday wound-up being devoted to our recently diagnosed asthmatic cat, Riordin. 

Riordin had a scheduled appointment with the vet. We made it to the appointment without incident and by indecent I mean that Riordin did not puke. We are now at exactly 50 percent, 2 of 4, for trips to the vet with puke. And the appointment went well. He received another steroid and B12 shot for his asthma and we discussed nebulizer treatments. 

We were finished with the appointment and after leaving less than $200 with the vet, we headed home with Riordin looking good and seemingly feeling good.

Not so fast!

About halfway home, Riordin began panting and breathing rapidly. He was in respiratory distress. My initial thought was let's get him home and quiet and do a breathing treatment. As we grew closer to Tequesta, the vet is a 35 minute ride away, Riordin's distress became more severe. Chris called the vet and instructed us to return, which we did. Unfortunately it took almost 20 minutes to get back. 

When we made it back to the vet, they put him immediately into an oxygen tent and told us to come back in 2-2.5 hours. So, Chris and I headed off to lunch, got some gas at Costco, and did some shopping at Home Depot instead of driving all the way back to Tequesta only to turn around and drone back to the Vets office in West Palm Beach.

Evening Thunderstorm in Tequesta
July 24, 2023

I asked the vet about the incident and he told me that asthmatic cats have breathing episodes. The only thing to do is take them to a vet for oxygen treatments. We are going to be providing regular breathing treatments and have purchased a small enclosure designed for oxygen and breathing treatments. It is amazing what can be found on Amazon!

We did make it successfully home after the second vet visit of the day. We were concerned that Riordin was in the beginning stages of another incident, but he made it home and is doing fine. He is eating and drinking and being his old general nuisance--which is why I love him.

By the time we were settled at home it was Happy Hour and time for the evening thunderstorms.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL