Ready, Set, Wait

Sometimes it seems that I get prepared to accomplish or enjoy something and then I have to wait for it!

It happens all of the time.

I am prepared for a big event and something makes me wait!

Vacations can be like that. An incredible amount of preparation goes into the lead-up to the main event, but then it becomes a waiting game.

Sometimes we do need to just wait for it--but wouldn't it be nice if we could just get started?

The Fourth of July Weekend, is upon us, but wait--it isn't a weekend this year. The 4th is on a Tuesday and so there really isn't a weekend.

I wonder how many people are going to take Monday off to create a four day weekend instead of waiting for the actual holiday? The smarter move might be to take Wednesday off and create a weekend in the mid-week.

But, no matter, we just need to wait for it.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Who Turned off Summer

Looking Over Baltimore on a Hot Sultry Evening

Last week I celebrated the solstice and the arrival of the best season of the year. 

This morning it was 53 degrees when I woke up and went outside to do my pool maintenance before struggling off to work.

Who turned off summer?

I need the 90's and the sultry humidity! I want to see the humidity and heat hanging in the air.

I know the heat will return soon enough and people will be complaining, but it is almost July and I expect to be enveloped by a blanket of hot, humid air when I step out of the air conditioned buildings that i work and live in. How did we survive before air conditioning?

I remember lying in bed on hot summer nights as the air hung damp in my room, unmoving, and I longed for a breeze. It was similar to when I moved into the the six story dormitories in Coral Gables, Florida, and found they didn't have air conditioning. But I got used to it. 

Since then, I guess, I have become an air conditioned creature. But, I still long for the hot air and the smells of the summer.

Soon enough, I am sure.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Gardening

Planting flowers and doing yard work is rewarding. I complain about it while I am doing it, but I love the results.

Saturday, Mom, Dad, Chris, and I spent the day sprucing up the house. Mom and Dad really appreciated the help and work.

It was a long day, but worth it in the end. Mom and Dad were right there all the way.

I think gardening lowers blood pressure. Lol.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Danby, NY

Monday Musings - June 26, 2017

1. Amazingly, this is the last week of June. July is standing in the wings ready to make a grand entrance.

2. I saw this barn in Danby on a cool but clear evening. The colors were so bright I had to snap this image.

3. Sitting in a hospital waiting for Mom's surgery and the delays have begun. Ugh!

4. The Orioles won a road series for the first time since April. They also tied the Major League Baseball record for most games allowing five or more runs per game. They allowed only three runs on Saturday to end the streak, but yesterday they allowed five runs in their 8-5 win.

5. What happened to summer? It was 50 degrees this morning in Central New York.

6. Vacation season is upon us.

7. I love the smell of a fresh mowed lawn.

8. I enjoyed watching a thunderstorm arrive yesterday. The cool air and the ozone smell preceded the arrival of the rain and wind.

9. It is fun to look back a week and then project forward. What was I doing last week at this time? What am I doing now? What will I be doing next week? They are all very different answers. That is exciting.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Corning, NY

Dinner Out

Last evening we headed out to dinner after a day of hard work around the house. Mom and Dad were in great form and surprisingly the restaurant was not too busy.

It was an enjoyable dinner and made even more special because we had all worked hard around the house planting gardens and mowing lawns. The place looked great by the time we were done.

Spending time with Mom and Dad was the highlight of the day, however. Sometimes I get so involved in the hectic pace of my own life that the joy of sharing a relaxed dinner put with my parents gets lost in the noise.

After dinner we stopped at a small ice cream shop in Danby to enjoy the sunset. I couldn't believe how cool the evening had become. The crystal cyan sky was stunning as it met the hilly horizon in the distance.

It was so cool that I had to put a long sleeve heavy shirt on to stay warm while sharing an ice cream cone with Chris.

It was a perfect ending to a great day.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Ithaca, NY

Saturday Projects

Saturday is project day. Last Saturday I played golf in the morning and general contractor in the afternoon.

The microwave died corresponding with the first day of summer vacation. That is a crisis because it stops the production of popcorn to feed the grandsons.

In the photo, I had removed the non functioning microwave and was about to begin the installation process for the replacement.

I remembered when I first installed the microwave. We have lived in the house long enough that we are replacing appliances that have already been replaced. This is the second microwave I have installed. Last year we installed the second dishwasher. It is a good feeling to have been living in the same place long enough to be replacing replacements.

I wonder about today's projects. What will be on tap?

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

The Longest Day

The longest day has passed. 

Daylight stayed on my doorstep until almost 9 PM until the day slipped away into darkness. 

I enjoy that day every year when the light keeps the darkness at bay for the longest amount of time. From now until the winter solstice the days will progressively become shorter. But for the next month I will revel in the longer days.

The past three days were 14 hours 56 minutes and some seconds long with daylight! By December the daylight will be down to 9 hours and 24 minutes. Over 5 and a half hours of difference. 

Summer is off to a great start. 

The hot and long dog days are coming in a month to punctuate the arrival of summer. 

Bring on the heat, the fun and the vacations. Not to mention the pools.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

A Record Not Wanted

It is an ugly record in the annals of baseball. 

The Orioles have already set the American League record for giving up 5 or more runs in consecutive games and by my reckoning they stand at 18, with last night's 5-1 loss. They broke the American League record somewhere around 16 consecutive games and with the streak now at 18 they are two games shy of tying the 1924 Philadelphia Phillies at 20 consecutive games of allowing 5 or more runs. 

But, despite the terrible pitching streak the Orioles are only 5 games out of first and 1 game below .500!

Amazing.

The team is suffering a spate of injuries which add to the already bad situation.

Hopefully, however, this is the August-September slump happening a couple of months early and the team will get back on track soon. 

At least they won the game I attended Tuesday night, 6-5. But still gave up 5 runs!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Solstice

It happened while I was asleep last night. 

The solstice occurred and Summer arrived. It is the best season of the year. 

The trees are fully green and the cicadas have been gone for about a month. July is around the corner and I just got in from getting the pool ready for another day of heavy use by the grandsons. I love the summer pool scene! The pool is in exceptionally good shape this year and that makes it all the better.

The official arrival of Summer brings with it the vacation season and the continuation of the outdoor living season. The weather has been spectacular lately. It has been hot and steamy--just like summer weather is supposed to be. The 10 day forecast is nearly perfect. A mix of sun and rain with highs in the near 90's or 90s and lows in the high 60's or low 70s. 

Even the Orioles, the Boys of Summer, got it right last night an delivered a win to close out Spring and begin the Summer run for the World Series. I am a bit concerned that they have allowed 5 or more runs in each of their last 17 games, but hopefully that will turn around soon. 

Bring on Summer and let's enjoy the heat!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Third Eye Blind - Review

It was a hot and sultry Sunday night in Baltimore when Third Eye Blind played at the Pier Six Pavilion. 

It was my first concert at the Pier Six pavilion and I really did not know what to expect. The venue is covered open air and the sights of the city mix with the atmosphere in the concert area to create a unique environment for the show. 

Stephan Jenkins
Baltimore, MD
June 18, 2017

Third Eye Blind presented an energetic and musical show. The highlight was celebrating the 20th anniversary of their first album which was played complete and in order, except for the last song, God of Wine which was the appropriate closer for the show. Full disclosure, I like Third Eye Blind but I do not have all of the music memorized, but the music I have memorized is almost entirely from the first album. 

Shadow in the Lights

The band came on stage just after 9 PM and played a 30 minute opening set of newer music before transitioning to the first album. The setlist from the show shows that 21 songs were played. 

The set for the show was stimulating and bright. Working without the massive big screens of many entertainers, the show was reminiscent of a classic rock concert of two decades ago. I liked a comment that Stephan Jenkins made about being a real rock band with no added backtracks or synthesizers. 

The crowd was nothing short of adoring and clearly knew all of the words to all of the songs.  The band was awesome and the drummer, Brad Hargreaves, of course, stole the show during a couple of sequences which highlighted his abilities. 

This was a great show for a great classically organized rock band. The energy was infectious and most of the crowd did not sit down for the entire show. There were no "slow" songs and only a couple "slower" pieces.

It should be noted that this is an adult band and the lyrics deal with topics that are not suitable for the younger generation. 

Great show, high energy and exceptionally performed music! 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD