Rocky is gone

It is with great sadness that I must report the probable demise of our small friend Rocky. Many of you got to know Rocky this summer as she mooched peanuts from our hands and lounged on the railing while watching us party and swim in the pool.

Rocky was a Gray Squirrel. Friendly and inquisitive. She has been gone now for over a month and probably will not be returning. We have no idea what may have happened to her. She is just, gone. Sadly, my April blog entry was probably truer than I had hoped it would be.

I'm writing this though to help remember Rocky and the joy we got from watching her mooch nuts by climbing the back screen or jumping against the door to get our attention. It made us smile and brought genuine happiness to us as we made repeated trips to open the door to give the intrepid squirrel more nuts.

She was special. Although I have to admit I was worried about the winter time and how we were going to keep her out of the house.

She had become part of the family during the early part of the year. So, this small tribute will serve to help us remember the squirrel which made so many of us smile with her outgoing personality and persistent attitude.

Vandals plus thiefs and burglers equal security system

I sat the other morning and realized something pretty scary. During the past 12 months (since early October 2007) it seems we have become targets. In that time three pretty significant things have occurred requiring contact with the local police department: my beloved truck was stolen (Oct 2007), our house was burglarized (Jun 2008) and Chris's car was vandalized (Sep 2008).

Chris's car was vandalized while I was in Australia--and so it was an especially stressful time for her and it happened right in our driveway at home. Overnight. Without provocation. And they got her IPod.

Many of you know that I am still coping with the fallout from having my truck stolen from a repair shop in Glen Burnie, MD and subsequently totaled in Georgia. The replacement truck has required an inordinate number of repairs--including a new engine, and requires more repairs for an emissions related air pump. Yeah--the insurance gave me money for my old truck--but the repairs--out of pocket! And most all of the repairs are related to the care of the truck, that I could not know, prior to when I bought it.

And the house. One stormy day in June--the house was burgled and a number of items were stolen--mostly watches (including my Orioles game day watch), my laptop, my compound mitre saw, about $250 in small change, my underwater camera, and of course--we were rewarded with holes in the bedroom wall where the burglars tried to relieve us of our flat panel TV (say yes for security on the wall mount).

So--as I was thinking of all these travesties, I realized (along with a not so subtle hint from the wife) that we needed to do something--fast.

Welcome to the world of security lighting, security cameras, and a comprehensive whole house security system with monitoring from Vintage. OK--so we are going to be living in Fort Knox. I guess because we have the best in the world location: the pot of gold at the end of the Rainbow, a little rain must fall at some time. But we are taking action to protect ourselves and to hopefully preclude recurrence by ensuring adequate notification and documentation of any future travesties.

So be warned: when you are visiting, you are being monitored (and protected).

I know the police said a security system wouldn't deter pros--but what if they happen to decide to "hit" us again while Chris is "home alone?" I want her to be able to get the alarm out fast and not have to ask someone what the number for 9-1-1 is.

We've lived in our current house almost eight years, and in the not too recent past we didn't worry about even locking the doors. My how the devastating economic situation has changed things.

So to protect yourselves--what can you do?

Here is what the police have told us:

For Autos:

- hide valuables out of sight or better yet, do not keep them in the vehicle.

- park in well lit areas (like our driveway (yeah but that's secluded))

For Homes:

- Use the deadbolt--EVERY TIME!

- Ensure all doors and windows are locked.

- Make the home look alive

- Write down the serial numbers of everything you own--yes everything (watches, computers, electronics, tools. even the dog). Who knew that my DeWalt 10 inch compound mitre saw was a high theft item? Do not store the numbers on a laptop (duh!)


Security is not fun, it is becoming a necessity. Whatever the reason, right now we are clearly targets. And I know a lot about targets and don't like being one myself. Hopefully, these actions will stem the tide--which by the way is a concern because (unlike lightning) we have been told that they'll be back in six months for a return visit since the bad guys figure we'll replace what was taken by then. And insurance, while nice, does not begin to cover the true cost of being a target.

Hopefully--next year I will be able to report that Oct 2008-Sep 2009 was as quiet and boring as Mar 2001-Sep 2007 was. The difference being--I will be activating my security system every time I leave the house as well as ensuring every door and window is locked down tighter than a bank.

It is a price to pay.

Death of Summer

I'm standing on the back patio, under the deck, grilling a couple of awesome steaks and I look up into the towering trees to see the advancing storm begin to dance in the leaves. A couple of my evening friends, bats, are dancing in the air looking for a meal and reminding me that although the calendar says that autumn has arrived--my now old friend summer hasn't really fully departed yet.

The loss of summer, much like the loss of youth, makes me sad. Perhaps that's why I keep playing racquetball--to hold onto something which is on the verge of passing away.

The evening sky is dark--but the trees remain in full foliage. Thankfully. There is no color in their leaves yet.

The pool, while open is too cold to swim in and with the skyrocketing price of propane we've decided not to heat it for one last early autumn fling this year.

The nights are colder and it is clear that autumn is close at hand. The leaves should begin to clothe themselves in their royal colors soon. So many people love the colors of autumn--I unfortunately always see it as a prelude to the gray blandness that is winter.

But the bats remain this evening and the geese have not yet begun to gather and honk their way to warmer climates. But the other birds are beginning to gather into endless flocks ready to move south and escape the clutches of the coming darkness of winter.

You would think that I am an autumn person--my birthday is mere days after the autumnal equinox. But I'm not. I remember fondly the first 90 degree day of the year when people were saying--it's hot and I said: "bring it on!" And now I long for those hot, steamy days.

If it would only stay. But the days march on and it is for us to enjoy the blessings given to us for each day of our lives and to enjoy the seasons and the individual daily pleasures they bring.

The hibiscus we keep in pots near the pool are in full bloom and with healthy, dark foliage. Splendor. Soon they will be screaming for light and warmth as we bring them in to survive yet another winter and to remind us that there will be another summer. They look forward to summer as much as I do.

It all goes so fast. Too fast. Fast like my last glass of wine even though I was sipping it to make it last. It ended and I was left with a beautiful memory.

I hear the rain beginning to build in the approaching storm. Like the storm in my soul which would have the world be in summer all day and every day. But that would be boring some tell me--I'd like to try it sometime anyway.

What a great evening though. The steaks are done and it's time to eat and enjoy a glass of wine and some great conversation with Chris. And remember the joy of the summer past while looking ahead to the seasons to come.

Orioles Lay Down and Lose 2

Well, I attended my last major league baseball games of the season last night. I was accompanied by Jeremy and while we had a great father-son outing, the baseball being played by the O's at Camden Yards left something to be desired.

Now everyone knows that I am a relatively rabid O's fan. I admit, I love baseball more than football--which is good because there are about 146 more games per season for each team.

I did get to shake the hand of the Orioles Bird and, from the extremely low attendance, I bet the Bird could have shaken everyone's hand in the stadium during one inning. BTW--the official attendance at the first game was 0. (check it out if you don't believe me)

It was a doubleheader--now I've had a really bad experience with doubleheaders--having the fortune of witnessing last year's Texas Rangers MLB record setting 30-3 killing of Baltimore's beloved Birds. That to be followed by another ugly loss.

Last night--I witnessed another twin loss in both games. The team looked flat. They looked as if they are playing out the string of the season and tickets to warmer beach locations are waiting on their desks for the last pitch. The highlight was a great performance by a new pitcher: Alfredo Simon who pitched 8.2 innings of really great baseball and departed with a 5-3 lead and the bases empty. He was immediately replaced by Jamie Walker who promptly pursued changing the 2 run lead into a deficit. When the ugly 8th inning was finally over, the Rays had scored 6 runs and had a 7-5 lead--which was the final score. Another great starting pitching performance squandered by a bullpen which has not had any spark since Matt Albers went down earlier in the season.

I could question why Manager Dave Trembly went with Walker (I knew had the lead doomed as soon as he stepped onto the field) instead of the closer George Sherrill (who actually did pitch a solid ninth inning). But--another loss was the ultimate outcome and with the time approaching 11PM, after the top of the 8th inning--we departed. All this after watching the O's self-destruct during the first game of the doubleheader.

I love Camden Yards--and it makes me sad when the season comes to an end. It makes me even sadder to see a very exciting baseball team (the O's) have to listen to about 50 Tampa Bay Ray's fans cheer and outshout the Orioles faithful at the yard. I remember earlier in the season when I looked forward to singing Orioles Magic after another comeback win with the most exciting team in baseball--but

there's always next year!

And all we need is a shortstop, a third baseman, a catcher, a first baseman, a starting pitching rotation and a complete new bullpen (except for Sherrill who should be the set-up man for Chris Ray).

This is Birdland

The Griffin Hotel, Canberra

This is an interesting hotel actually located in Kingston, ACT. The Griffin Hotel is a very nice place to stay. The rooms are suites and are very upscale. The inclusion of a kitchen allows for ease of preparing breakfasts or other meals--and there is a grocery store right across the street which enhances the whole food preparation aspect of the hotel.

The hotel is located in a residential area which has nice trees and is very quiet. It is a short ride to the capital area of Canberra, like about 7 minutes--so it is very convenient. When finding the hotel on Googlemaps--there is a street view but it is hard to distinguish the hotel as it blends well into the surrounding area.

The suite consists of a living room, dining area, kitchen, bed room (some suites have multiple bedrooms), and large bathroom. The digital TVs are a very nice touch and add to the experience. The suites generally have a nice balcony to overlook the surrounding region and there is a laundry facility and parking garage attached to the hotel.

The front desk is not staffed 24 hours and this is not a full service hotel--although the desk personnel were very efficient in calling for taxis and providing information on the area. There is a restaurant associated with the hotel (Vie) but given the number of other choices in the immediate area I did not sample the menu at Vie. It looked very upscale--and I was interested in sampling the great Australian Pub in the shopping plaza across the street and also the Thai restaurant.

The bed was soft and probably one of the nicest I have every stayed in. The suite was large and had everything expected--including ironing board and iron. It was comfortable.

The one negative: Internet service is expensive and the 50MB download limit is a joke. After 50 MB the internet provided charges $.10 AUD per MB but the provider severely limits the upload which makes video conferencing almost impossible.

Recommendation: This is a great place to stay. /there are a large number of restaurants and pubs within a very short walk--like across the street. The neighborhood is quiet and very pleasant. If you don't want that "hotel in the middle of the action" feel and really want a place to become a base for exploring and doing business in Canberra--I highly recommend the Griffin Hotel.

Holiday Inn Adelaide, Australia

So this is a really neat hotel right in the middle of the action in Adelaide. The Holiday Inn in Adelaide is located right near the action in Adelaide. It is situated on Hindley Street in the club district--so if you are into the nightlife--then this is the place for you.

The hotel is a short walk to anywhere in the central district of Adelaide. I walked to the National Wine Centre and the Botanic Gardens--which is at the other end of the district and it was only about a 15 minute walk at moderate speed.

The hotel is staffed by an extremely helpful concierge and wait staff. They are pleasant and very forthcoming with information. Check in was smooth as was check out.

The rooms are large and accommodating with plenty of space to work, for instance on a laptop, yet with space to feel unconstrained.

The rooms have high speed internet access, direct dial telephones, color, remote control TV, in-room fax and modem lines, individual climate control air-conditioning, mini bar, refrigerator, tea and coffee making facilities, iron and ironing board and hairdryers.

Everything needed to ensure a good stay. Even the elevators were responsive. The view of the city from the rooms is fantastic.

The bed was comfortable, the room was clean.

Breakfast, although not included, was spectacular. In addition, the closeness to the main shopping area of the city means that there are many options. I also ate at a pancake shop just up the street. And for those with smaller children--yes, there is a McDonald's less than two blocks away.

The one negative--internet service is expensive and the download volume is ridiculously low (50mb) after which the restrict bandwidth to what seemed to be dial-up speed. You can max out the 50mb in just over an hour of aggressive surfing and news reading. (I found this all over Australia--not just in Adelaide).

One caution: The hotel, while nice, has a sex shop located next door. This may be a problem for families with children--especially teens. Also, Hindley Street is one of Adelaide's active club districts--so don't plan on being out after dark with your family unless they are very comfortable in a Club scene. And again--many of the clubs have an advertised sex theme. This in not the Moulin Rouge area of Paris by any means--but after dark the clubbers are everywhere and according to the Adelaide paper of September 12th--there have been some problems associated with the area--again afterdark (I would guess in the wee hours of the morning).

Recommendation: Location, location, location make this hotel definitely a place to stay while in Adelaide. I would stay there again and recommend it for those who can handle the immediate area. The hotel is a grand environment of its own.

The longest day continued

Well the day just doesn't seem to end. I'm feeling every bit of the hours of travel. I am encouraged though as my watch, for the first time in two weeks is set to eastern daylight time.

The plane has been airborne now for almost two hours. The end of the journey is insight.

If you think about it, travelers have longer and shorter than 24-hour days all the time. Just not to the extreme that I am experiencing today.
I am trying not to sleep to help drag myself through the 14 hours of time change easier. And its not that hard because it is 10am according to my internal clock. It took every bit of four days to feel normal when I flew out. Hopefully it won't take that long on the way back.

Just an aside. As I look at my watch in flight somewhere over the cloud covered U.S., I note that I boarded my first flight of the day in Canberra 24 hours ago exactly.

I think I will remember September 17, 2008 for a very long time.

But I know who is waiting for me at the other end, and it is all worth it.




Bob Doan
Elkridge, MD
Sent from My Blackberry

How to get more than 24 hours in a day! For Real!

So I've finally figured out how to get more than 24 hours into a day! I'm writing this as I sit in San Francisco airport waiting for my next flight to leave at the end of a 12 day, 9 flight trip.

It is truly magic associated with travel. Today is September 17, 2008 and this morning I woke up in Canberra, Australia. I left Canberra at 10:10 am aboard a Qantas flight for Sydney and I arrived there at 11:00 am. It was a short 50 minute flight.

Then at about 3PM I left Sydney aboard a United Airlines 747 for San Francisco. It was a 13 hour flight over the Pacific Ocean. I arrived in San Francisco at 11:10 am -- on the same date--September 17th. I arrived before I left. It was kinda funny, when they announced the local San Fran time of 11:10 am Sept 17th--someone (it may have been me) piped up and said you mean--still Sept 17th. Lots of laughs ensued in the cabin.

OK--but the day doesn't end there! No--another flight leaving San Fran at about 3 PM for Baltimore (and thankfully home) which arrives shortly after 11 PM.

So if you add it all up. I think that from midnight the start of the 17th, to midnight the start of the 18th, I will have experiences about a 37 hour day. And of that, I will have had an airplane strapped to my bottom for about 19 hours. That leaves 10 hours at the start of the day till the airport in Canberra, plus about 3 hours in Sydney waiting, plus 4 in San Fran, and then one to finish the day in Baltimore. I think it all adds up. With actual times it may be closer to 38 hours.

But-- the point is--when someone says that it is impossible to get more than 24 hours in a day--now you know the truth!

I'm hopeful of getting some reviews of hotels and restaurants completed in the next couple weeks. There are some definitely good places to stay if you are contemplating a trip to Australia--and the eating is really good.

A couple more songs to consider--The Grip of Christ that won't let go!

I’ve been listening to two songs recently which are over a decade apart in age, but both speak to the same concept. That idea is that God is never too far away and that he has a firm grip on us.

The first is Sometimes by Step written by Rich Mullins in the early 1990's. One of the key lines near the end of the song is: “I may falter in my steps, but never beyond your reach.” He then goes on to write and sing: “O God you are my God and I will ever praise you.” (BTW--click on the link to listen to the song.)


The second verse contains these words:

Sometimes I think of Abraham

How one star he saw had been lit for me

He was a stranger in this land

And I am that, no less than he

And on this road to righteousness

Sometimes the climb can be so steep

I may falter in my steps

But never beyond Your reach

CHORUS:

Oh God, You are my God

And I will ever praise You

Oh God, You are my God

And I will ever praise You

I will seek You in the morning

And I will learn to walk in Your ways

And step by step You'll lead me

And I will follow You all of my days

The other song, written by the Desperation Band in about 2007 is Promises. One key line in this song goes; “All of your promises won’t let go of me.” Later the song goes “I couldn’t walk away if I tried ‘cause your love is better than life.”

Singin' all your promises wont let go of me

Singin' all your promises wont let go of me

Singin' all your promises wont let go of me

Singin' ll your promises wont let go of me

I surrendered my life to your ways

I have learned what it means to obey

Jesus my heart has been changed by you

I am walking the path you have made

I am seeking the truth every day

Jesus my heart has been changed by you

I couldn’t walk away if I tried

'Cause your love is better than life

Now the suns shining bright

And it just won’t set

'Cause your love is a light and it lights my step

My heart is amazed every day to the next

Your joy overtakes and I can’t Forget about it

What is it about these two songs that keeps me listening to them? The whole concept that God’s grip on me is sure and he won’t let me go--no matter what. They both go along with the David Crowder song: Never Let Go that I wrote about last week. I guess I am just marveling in the firm grip that God has on me and each one of us.

The deep understanding of God’s love for us--that love that sent His Son to die for us--before we even realized we needed Him. They both continue the theme of Romans 8:35-39 which reminds us that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. No matter how hard we try!

These can be hard words to accept--and perhaps that is why there are songs written about that strong grip on each of us.

So what is the bottom line, in terms of promises? I think Romans 5:6 kinda says it all: "For while we were still helpless, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly." (NET Bible)


What time is it? The right time. When is it? The right time. No matter when it is--and it is different for each of us, the grip of Christ on each of us is at exactly the right time.

We all falter in our steps on the path of righteousness. Get up! Look at Christ and follow Him and keep your eyes on Him. So when you falter--remember the promises of God--He dies for us at just the right time and nothing (and I mean nothing) can separate us from the love of Christ and all of His promises!

Alice Springs--Oasis in the desert

I was reviewing my blog this morning and realized that while I had included a restaurant review while in Alice Springs, I didn't provide any pictures or review the city. So here goes.

Alice Springs, or Alice as it is referred to is the largest city in the region. It is a central point for transshipment of goods and is a cultural and arts center. It is also small--less than 26,000 people.

There is a lot of natural beauty in the region. But on this trip I did not get a chance to go to the gorges and chasms that dot the region.  I am told the area looks a lot like the U.S. desert southwest--except no cactus.

The city of Alice has a central walking mall--called the Todd Mall after the Todd River which is nearby--don't get too excited about water sports the river is dry for most of the year. So no tubing.

At on end of the town is ANZAC Hill, the war memorial, at the other is Bojangles. Total walking time--about 15 minutes. That is from the base not the top of ANZAC Hill.

There are a lot of cool shops on the walking mall and the newest addition is a Target Store, which was not yet open--but was expected to open within a week. 

So there isn't a lot of places people can hide on the mall. I was a bit distressed on this trip with the number of unoccupied shops on the mall.  It seems that economic hard times have made their way to Alice as well.

I ma told that Alice and the area are great for families and for those who especially love outdoor activities--hiking and camping and going "bush."

The mall is generally not crowded--but there are lots of tourists. Alice is a tourist town and there are attractions and activities for the tourists to do while in town. While I was there,  an auto race across the desert was beginning and the contestants were arriving at the local race track for the start of the race. So it seems there is always something happening.

Alice has been called the oasis in the outback--and once you fly into the city, you will definitely understand. Three hours of flying over the Simpson Desert and then landing at Alice. But the city is very welcoming.