Wild and Crazy

The storms last night left a path of destruction in the wake. I spent the better part of the day cleaning up and getting things back together.

Downed limbs, leaves everywhere and a pool mess of incredible proportions.

They say that more storms are due tonight.

At least we can clean up after these storms and do not have to rebuild like so many others are doing after the fires.

We are the lucky ones after all because by mid-afternoon we were swimming in the pool to escape from the heat.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Remind me Again, It's a Celebration, right?

I have been reminded this week that change, in the form of retirement, is just as scary for those left behind as it is for those who are retiring.

Sure, it is a lot more traumatic for the retiree--but to those who have to go back to work Monday morning and face the empty office, it can be a lot like having attended a funeral rather than a celebration. And I believe that funerals are celebrations, too.

There is a lot of joy for the person who successfully made it to the ed of a stellar career and gets to enjoy the next best part of life without having to get up at Oh-dark-thirty, before the birds even wake up, to ply the choked highways and make their rush hour impeded way to the job site. I am really happy that someday, too, I will be able to stay home instead of forcing my ever dragging self out of bed.

But the grief of the loss of a great leader or a good friend, left unchecked, could turn the celebration of a successful career into a morose funeral.

Yesterday, I attended the celebration of a career.

Speeches were given, mementos were presented, and pictures were taken to permanently record the moment.

And it was a celebration. It was exciting to attend and hear so many anecdotes about someone that I have worked closely with for the past three years as he coasts into the last day of his career. I even had the opportunity to add a story to the festivities.

But--Monday morning, the office across the hall will be empty and it will soon be filled by someone new.

Change is hard.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Prayers for Today - June 28, 2012

1. For my nephew who is courageous in the face of a cancer enemy that is trying in every to defeat him in mind and body--that he will finally, this time, be victorious. Happy Birthday, although you are not at your home, may this be the last time you celebrate a birthday in the hospital.

2. For my brother in law and his family, and all of the people in the paths of the wildfires raging across the country--that their homes may be spared and that they may be safe.

3. For those who are in the middle of life changing decisions--like retirement, that as you look back on your years of service to the country, the school district, or whatever you are retiring from that you remember the joy that kept you motivated and the lives you changed for the better every day along the way.

4. For our military men and women deployed across the globe exposed to the chaos and hatred of the enemy in other lands, that they would be protected and brought safely home at the successful end of their deployments.

5. That I would be reminded of the blessings that I have been given in everything associated with my life and stop seeking more but would be more effective at using what I have.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Freedom Wins a Victory

The Supreme Court in striking down three of the controversial Arizona immigration law provisions has helped ensure civil liberties and protection against unreasonable search and seizure remains the law of the land.

The assault on our personal freedoms continues unabated by well meaning legislators who just do not understand the ramifications of the "do gooding" laws that they are enacting. Controlling illegal immigration is one thing, but using unreasonable techniques--such as stopping people because they look different, are clearly not allowed.

While many of the laws seem to make sense on the surface or when they are proposed, by the time they are enacted they can serve as a springboard for abuse and severely limiting personal freedoms and protection.

I continue to be amazed at how we are willing to let our rights and Constitutional protections be limited by legislators who are looking for more ways to control us.

I think the special interest groups are out of control.

Thank goodness there still is a Supreme Court to make decisions about these things.



-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Who Turned Off Summer?

I remember writing last week about the heat and summer temperatures which had finally arrived in the region.

My pool was warming to a nice 85 degrees due to solar heating.


The night time temperatures were a warm 70 plus degrees.

And then this morning--my thermometer reads 55 degrees. And that is Fahrenheit not celsius!

Who turned off summer?

I'm not sure I can drive to work with Cat's top down. At a minimum I'll need to have the heat on! And a jacket.

What a weird weather pattern. The high today is supposed to be 79 degrees. That is only abut 15 degrees below normal. The beginning of the dog days are exactly a week away and we are having highs in the 70's. Something is definitely wrong.

I certainly hope summer returns before the weekend.


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - June 25, 2012

1. I don't know ow they did it, but the Orioles scored a total of 5 runs during three games this weekend and managed to win two of them. Conversely, their opponents the Washington Nationals also scored only 5 runs over the same three games--but lost two of them..

2. The thought of vacation being less than two weeks away is exciting.

3. The fires in Colorado are much more personal as they are affecting people that we know. No loner are the fires happening over there, but they are far more real and we are watching their progress very carefully.

4. There is a beach somewhere with a chair waiting for me.

5. I read an interesting article about 10 brands that will disappear this year. American Airlines topped the list. Talbots and Pacific Sun Wear were also on the list. So was Avon.

6. The weather was fantastic this weekend.

7. I learned about imperatives and indicatives in church yesterday. Who knew we were gong to have a lesson in grammar while studying Colossians?

8. This is the last week of June--its passing is coming all too soon.

9. When the cats gather on the floor next to me it means only one thing--they are out of food!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Summer Flowers

It is summer time. Even the calendar finally agrees that the best season of the year is finally and officially here.


This morning I noticed the bees working in the bee balm and honey suckle.

It was a sight as three or four bumblebees were working together gathering pollen. They were flying around with purpose--and best of all mostly ignoring me.



I enjoy the flowers. The bees also enjoy the flowers.

This year, since the flowers have been in place now for two full years, they are really taking off and filling in the area along the fence. I love the way they are growing together to create a bright spot filled with color.

l really enjoy summer mornings.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

On the Swing

Why is it that kids love to be pushed on a swing?

I stood behind the swing this morning pushing Lucas, and he really enjoyed the relaxed pendulum motion that it made.

I remember, I think, when I was small and I used to love being pushed on a swing.

And see-saws.

I was the biggest so I usually had to have two other smaller kids off set my weight--but I remember the up and down motion as being tranquilizing.

I could swing or play on the see-saw for hours it seems--although I know that it was only minutes.

Although little is said--there is interaction. People working together for enjoyment and relaxation.

Not like today when we play games in solitary life on computers never seeing, or possibly even knowing our opponent.

The swing--I'm too big now to enjoy them like I did when I was small. But I now know that all of life's problems melt away on the swing or see-saw.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Nail in the Drive

There is the proverb of the horseshoe nail and how its loss change the course of the battle.


For want of a nail the shoe was lost.
For want of a shoe the horse was lost.
For want of a horse the rider was lost.
For want of a rider the message was lost.
For want of a message the battle was lost.
For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.

But what about just a common nail lying in the drive? As part of our reconstruction of the deck we have been carefully scanning the driveway for nails.

But what could a single nail alone in the drive way d?

I imagine it lying there, looking for a tire to pierce.

It is really that important?

Because of the nail in the driveway, the tire was flat
Because the tire was flat, the car couldn't drive
Because the car couldn't drive the driver was late to work
Because the driver was late to work, the meeting was missed
Because the meeting was missed, the driver was fired
All because of the nail in the driveway.

Maybe I'm making too much of this.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Flags and Ships

I was awed over the weekend by the flags which fluttered in the wind while we visited the tall ships in Baltimore's Inner Harbor.



The sky was clear blue. And the flag that represented our young nation, fifteen stars and fifteen stripes, flew everywhere in Baltimore.



The day was perfect. It was a day to be outside doing something very different. And our flag was joined by the flags of other nations--celebrating the 200 years since the beginning f the war which finally secured our independence.



The crowds were crushing. So many other people wanted to be part of the celebration. I believe that a lot of people made the short trip from Philadelphia to spend the day. What a great history spot Philadelphia is. The place where our founding fathers made the decision to pledge their lives and fortunes to the idea of this great nation.



But the flags flew unhindered above everyone who came--those from near and far.



But these are only a few of those flags--of the nations represented in the Inner Harbor on that magical day.


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD