Life with Dogs

Makayla after a Hard Day of Work

I love my dog. I can't imagine not having a dog and sharing life with a dog. (I wonder if that double negative makes sense?)

My dog, Makayla, like all of my dogs since I've been an adult, is a full fledged member of the family. Sometimes maybe too full-fledged. She makes her needs known and even forces me to get some exercise as I walk her around the neighborhood. 

Chewbacca -- Waiting Patiently

I wish I could take her with me to more places when I am out shopping or dining. She is calm and well mannered. I would enjoy taking her to restaurants where she would wait for the morsels from my plate that I enjoy sharing with her when I eat at home. She has become and expert at eating spaghetti and corn-on-the-cob. Whenever I get to the last corner of a sandwich or piece of bread, I share it with her. 

I read an article titled The Speakeasy Underworld of the Dog Bar in the New York Times this morning. The article describes how more restrictive laws are forcing establishments to exclude dogs from inside areas while at the same time allowing more dogs at outdoor tables. The article describes the reporters undercover work "sniffing" out bars which defy the health code and allow dogs with their owners.  I applaud those establishments.

I remember traveling Europe and seeing dogs more freely allowed in eating establishments. 

I believe well mannered dogs should be freely allowed to accompany their owners in all establishments. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - September 19, 2016

1. Autumn begins on Thursday this week, let the leaves fall where they may!

Maryland Wine Festival
September 18, 2016

2. Chris and I went to the Maryland Wine Festival in Carroll County with Patrick and Tina yesterday. Fantastic! We enjoyed the festival. It was a beautiful day. Maryland wines are growing up!

3. What happens if there no one is medically suitable to be the next President of the US?

4. An interesting article in the New York Times describes how the Chinese are buying tech companies. Given that the Chinese own a massive amount of U.S. debt, all I can think is that it is just our tax dollars at work.

Patuxent Greens Golf Course
September 18, 2016

5. Pre-dawn on a beautiful Sunday on a golf course with Jeremy. We had a great round together.

6. There is rain forecast for today! Yay. The region is very dry. Although there were some sprinkles yesterday, there was no meaningful or measurable rainfall. Officially we have had 0.09 inches of rain fall during September. How do you measure less than a tenth of an inch?

7. I got up this morning and wondered how many leaves I would have to take out of the pool. And then, I remembered that I had closed the pool.

8. I can begin to see autumn in the weather forecast--there are no 90's or even high 80's in the 10 day forecast and some of the daily highs are in the 70's.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Heralding Autumn's Arrival

Chris Preparing to Help Place the Cover

Although autumn does not officially arrive until later this week on September 22--or Thursday, it arrived at my house yesterday. 

The pool was closed yesterday for the season and that marks the beginning of autumn for me. Why did I close the pool early this year when I normally keep it open until the last week of September or the first week of October? The dry heat caused me to close early.

Pool Ready for the Dark Season

It does seem a bit strange that dry heat would cause me to close early, but the arid conditions have caused many of the trees to start dropping their leaves--many of them still green and I could not keep up with the maintenance on the pool. My pool is a collecting point for leaves.

I always gauge closing the pool with the numbers of leaves falling to the ground. I mowed the lawn yesterday not because the grass was long, but to remove the leaves from the yard. Its sad that summer is ending so abruptly. I had hoped for a smooth slide into autumn.

While it was sad to place the cover and say another long good-bye to summer, I hate to admit that it was time. Pool season has effectively ended with morning temperatures in 60's the water temperature is getting to cold to be enjoyable. 

On a good note, we moved the fire pit into the yard to begin to enjoy the autumn evenings on a more personal basis! 

That is a lot like trying to find a silver lining in a black storm cloud.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Sitting by the River

Along the Magothy River

This time if year is perfect for evenings outside as sunset arrives.

Even last evening on the Magothy River. We enjoyed a great Friday evening with friends at a restaurant in a marina watching the evening fall. The clouds arrived and blotted out the sun before the sunset. 

Too soon the weather will be too cold to allow for enjoyment such as this on a Friday night. 

I enjoyed the moment! Along a river on a Friday afternoon as the day is ending and night is falling with friends. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Flying into the Sunset

Chris and I went out on a date night last evening to Annapolis. We decided to enjoy dinner at Cooper's Hawk Wine Bar and Restaurant which recently opened. 

Flying into the Sunset

We chose to sit outside to enjoy the evening. It was a beautiful late summer evening. One of those times when the heat and humidity of the summer begins to give way to the dryer cooler evenings of the autumn.

Cropped Version of Image

Dinner was great but the transition from day to night was occurring as we ate and I had a ring-side seat to observe evening arrive. 

The restaurant is near the approach patten for BWI airport and every few minutes another plane would fly into view. I could not hear them as they were still a good distance away, but the clouds made it appear the the planes were flying into the sunset. 

I imagined, for a moment, my own travels returning home at sunset and flying the same route. I wondered how many people looked at the jet that I was on and thought similarly.

The scene provided a canvass of reality which stimulated our conversation during a pleasant dinner for two. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Stop for the Bus

There is a problem in our area, and perhaps, across the country. The problem is that people are not respecting stopped school busses. 

An opinion piece in the Baltimore Sun, titled School bus danger ahead, describes the incredible problem of people not stopping for school busses on-boarding or discharging passengers. 

I was amazed at the sheer numbers of people who ignore the flashing lights and risk injuring a child. In Baltimore County there were 1,002 incidents on one day!

I admit, I get impatient around school busses. The numbers of children getting on or being discharged from the busses can be quite large and it takes a lot of time. If I am stopped by a bus in my neighborhood it means I am already late leaving for work and the last thing I need is to be slowed further by a bus making four five minute stops going down the street.

Regardless--I stop. Kids are unpredictable and busses have a lot of blind spots. Ignoring a stopped bus is dangerous.

Stop when the lights are flashing.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Barely Staying in the Race

It has been a frustrating baseball week. 

From MLB.com

Last week the Orioles had clawed their way to within a game of the AL East Division lead and this week finds them two games out with 18 games left to play. 

The Orioles have been flirting with disaster at almost every turn. After making it to one game out of first the O's have fallen as low as three games out on two occasions during the week. At some point they will need to get the wheels turning again. 

Looking to the future, the O's still have 5 games remaining against the division leading Red Sox, four at home; and 3 games against the Blue Jays in Toronto. The remaining games are against Tampa, 4 at home; Arizona, 3 at home; and finishing the season on the road with 3 on the road against the team whose name shall remain unspoken.

Last night's 6-3 win over the Red Sox game was a model for success. Take an early lead and depend upon solid pitching to get a 1 in the win column. They will need that tonight as they face a 20 game winning pitcher.

This is the final push to the playoffs--and I'm expecting a division championship not just a play in wild card spot.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Keeping the Old Phone?

I reviewed the details of last week's iPhone 7 release. 

Usually when Apple releases a new iPhone, I get excited and try to determine how soon I can get the new model. I confess that I have had at least 3 iPhones (4, 5, and 6) and have adapted to the phone's peculiarities which integrates very well with the electronics in my home.

I'm not as excited about iPhone 7. 

The advertisements have not created a need for me to spend hundreds of dollars to replace my perfectly functioning iPhone. 

I even found an article which encourages keeping the old phone alive and working!

That's where I am. The commercialization of my life has not made me a willing consumer for an upgrade. I, at least right now, am content and even though my phone is over two years old, it is my phone and it works great.

It is a liberating feeling not to be enslaved to a technology upgrade. I think Ill wait and see what the iPhone 8 has to offer in a couple more years.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - September 12, 2016

Sunset in the Sky
September 11, 2016

1. It is the second week of September already. Unbelievable.

2. I played golf at Eisenhower Golf Course yesterday and enjoyed teeing off just after dawn. I also enjoyed the fast 3 hour 30 minute round. I also enjoyed making birdie on a par 5.

3. Chris and I went for a walk last evening and were treated to a beautiful sunset sky. It was fun to walk and watch the sunset deepen and the stars come out.

4. Our family celebrated opening Sunday of the NFL by gathering for a great party. Riordin was excited about the party as well, he decided to guard the Doritos. 

5. The Orioles had a good weekend and remain in the hunt to win the AL East Division. They remain only two games out of first place and are currently tied for the first wild card position. There are 20 games left to play.

Standings After Games of September 11, 2016
From MLB.com

Chewbacca

6. We took Thursday's happy hour on the road and made Chewbacca, Patrick's dog, very happy.

7. I thought that the 9/11 observations were very tasteful. It is hard to believe that it has been 15 years.

8. There are a number of good movies that seem to be hitting the theaters right now. I want to see Sully and Pete's Dragon--yea I'm a sucker for a boy meets dragon story.

9. With the arrival of Autumn on the horizon, the pace of life will significantly change.

10. September baseball decides which teams will be playing late in October for a chance to be World Series Champions.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Saturday Sports and Events

It was hot here yesterday. The stress index was over 100 degrees and the actual temperature climbed to 96 degrees.

Jax #8 Ready for the Play

Football happened, the deconstruction of the unused swing-set in the back yard happened, and time in the pool happened.

Life continued despite the heat. We just took it easy and drank lots of liquids. 

Washer Motor

Jax's football team finally scored, in their third game of the season, but sadly still fell to defeat 12-6. The other team had one play that the boys just couldn't seem to stop reliably. 

In other action, Chris and I decided to dismantle the swing-set which had been unused. As we were deconstructing it, we realized that it was definitely at end of life.  Now the pile remains in the yard waiting for a trip to the landfill.

Did I mention that I wasted  another four hours on the washing machine? I believe the problem is in the wiring and I have ordered a new wiring harness. After that the washer is declared dead and we will replace it!

A busy Saturday. Right now, I am heading to the golf course to relieve some of yesterday's stress!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD