Shutdown is Ended

What did I do during the great government Shutdown of 2018?

I went to work to receive my furlough notice and after ensuring that furlough plans were in place I departed for the remainder of the day. 

Tee-shot on Par 3, 6th
Carroll Park, Baltimore
January 22, 2018

Upon arriving home I watched CNN for news that the Congress and the President would come to an agreement and then took a look at the weather and decided to go golfing. While our elected leaders were wrestling with the important issues confronting them, I was not going anything productive by just watching the TV hanging on every word being uttered by the talking heads.

I had planned nothing else for the day, so it was a good day to head out for my first time of 2018. Even though the course was brown with the dormant grasses of winter, I was rewarded for my effort with a really good nine hole round which saw three pars and a missed a birdie by inches. Yes I also had two double bogies. But, all-in-all, for the first outing of the season I was really happy. 

In the end, the Congress found a compromise and the President signed yet another extension and I am back to my regular workweek today. I only hope that we do not have to do it all over again in three weeks. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - January 22, 2018

Jeremy Arriving While Monitored by Radio Flyer

1. The federal government is now in Day 3 of the shutdown. A vote in the Senate on a budget deal is scheduled for noon.

2. Moderate weekend weather was a welcome relief to the frigid temperatures we had been experiencing. 

Cayuga Lake from Sheldrake Point Winery
January 12, 2018

3. I like the perspective that images captured from my drone provide. For instance, this relatively boring shot of Jeremy , Chris, and I becomes more interesting from the perspective it provides. 

4. Last weekend as we suffered through the snows and cold of Upstate New York, we visited one four favorite wineries and captures an image of the fog, or is it mist, rising off Cayuga Lake during the morning hours of a very pleasant Friday. 

5. I will be furloughed today as I arrive at work. I wonder what the remainder of the day holds for me?

6. The unintended consequences of a furlough as reported by a friend: "I was supposed to provide coaching to a group of government employees this week. The class was scheduled to start today. The class was cancelled. I am not working, so I won’t get paid. The hotel lost a booking. The restaurants were I would have eaten lost business. Now, multiply this by 11 because all of the coaches and the facilitators are in the same boat. Not to mention the 25+ students that will miss out on a quality program. Congress needs to do their job and pass a budget."

7. Let me echo the foregoing remarks: Congress needs to do their job and pass budget, but The President needs to have a consistent negotiating position. The flip-flop that happened with Senator Schumer, as reported by CNN, on Friday is unacceptable. We have a deal, and then a few hours later--no, wait, I didn't mean that. 

Headlines

Senate adjourns without deal to end government shutdown; vote postponed until noon Monday - 

The Washington Post

These kids started a book club for minority boys. It’s the most popular club in school. - The Washington Post

Protesters in Seoul Burn Image of Kim Jong-un During North Koreans’ Visit - The New York Times

For Trump, this time bankruptcy won't get him out of a mess - CNN

Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

"We have every right to dream heroic dreams. Those who say that we're in a time when there are not heroes, they just don't know where to look. You can see heroes every day going in and out of factory gates. Others, a handful in number, produce enough food to feed all of us and then the world beyond. You meet heroes across a counter, and they're on both sides of that counter. There are entrepreneurs with faith in themselves and faith in an idea who create new jobs, new wealth and opportunity. They're individuals and families whose taxes support the government and whose voluntary gifts support church, charity, culture, art, and education. Their patriotism is quiet, but deep. Their values sustain our national life."

Inaugural Address, January 20, 1981

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Enjoying the Warmer Weather

January 20, 2018
With a bit of snow and Christmas Decorations still in place

The Federal Government shutdown has entered day 2 with little relief in sight.

January 21, 2018
No decorations and the Snow is Gone

Interestingly, a local golf course sent me a notice that they are opening on Monday for play. I wonder if that is because they expect furloughed federal workers may want to take to the course for some respite from the insanity in D.C.?

Looking up the Street
January 20, 2018

Yesterday was a beautiful day, for January. The temperatures rose into the high 50's. Chris and I fully enjoyed the warmer weather and the big task for the day was finally getting the exterior Christmas decorations down. We also started preparing the house for Spring--which cannot be too far off, can it?

I was able to get my drone, Radio Flyer, up in the air for some great flight time. It was nice to be able to do some flying and get some images of the neighborhood without freezing my hands. 

Clearly, moderate weather after an extended period of frigid temperatures was made to be enjoyed--and we certainly did enjoy it.

Here's hoping that today's more moderate weather is as enjoyable as was yesterday's.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Failure to Govern

It happened.

Government Shutdown Begins as Budget Talks Falter in Senate - The New York Times

The Congress and the President have failed to agree on funding the government and the doors to many agencies are shuttered. 

Congress returns to work Saturday as lawmakers press to keep shutdown short-lived - The Washington Post

The future of our country hangs in this precarious balancing act between the President and the congress. I believe that it will only get worse especially after the mid-term elections.

Our legislators and elected officials have apparently forgotten that the needs of the country must outweigh their own personal needs and gains. The art if the deal lies in the ability to compromise and find a win-win-solution, let's try that for something new.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

As the Shutdown Looms

After taking time off to be sick, recover from the flu and become non-contagious, I am ready to return to the world.

And what a world I am returning into.

It appears that the Federal Government will cease functioning at midnight according to the lead story in the Washington Post.

Shutdown looms as Senate Democrats threaten GOP plan

The saber rattling between the Republicans, the Democrats, and the President has finally reached the flashpoint and both sides are willing to play chicken with the credit and good faith of our government. No one I work with hopes that a shutdown will happen. It is far too tumultuous and disheartening to see that our elected representatives cannot accomplish one of their most important Constitutionally-directed tasks. 

The Washington Post has a nice chart Who gets sent home if a government shut down happens. 

A fascinating Op-Ed piece in the New York Times written by Steve Israel this morning lays out why this government shutdown threat is more serious than previous iterations. 

I highly recommend reading it:

The Breakdown in Trust That Could Shut Down the Government

I like the statement near the end which reads: 

If this is the art of the deal, then the art is a dizzying abstract form — hard to decipher and open to interpretation.

Only it’s not art. It’s the functioning of government.

Something has got to give! This is no way to run a government.  

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Flu Timeout

CDC Weekly Flu Activity Through January 6, 2018

Chris and I have gone into almost total isolation from friends and family as we recover from the flu.

Note to self--next time someone plans a large family gathering during the height of flu season, I think I will pass. Not only did I take time off from work to attend the gathering, but now I am taking time off to recover, literally. 

I am hopeful of resuming a more normal schedule tomorrow as I will no longer be considered contagious and hopefully will feel good enough to sojourn down the parkway to work.

Looking at the map, Maryland is one of the few green states, except we were not in Maryland when exposed and we were mixed in with people who traveled from red states! The combination was, toxic.

Chris and I are trying not to singlehandedly turn Maryland into a an orange or red state.

At least the future is a bit brighter in terms of temperatures and weather. The temperatures are going to be climbing and the sun is expected to be brightly burning in the sky. That cannot be bad at all. WE are going into a warming trend and there will be days when the temperatures will not dip below freezing!

It may not be golfing weather, but it is getting close!

Now all I need to do is get over the flu!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Training the Willful Puppy

Finnegan in the Snow

Finnegan has become the definition of a willful puppy. He is strong willed and is fighting his potty training at every turn.

Chris and I thought we had turned the corner on house training. Then the snow and cold returned.

The small Yorkie does not like the cold snow. 

He was good with it in New York and was a potty-trained champion, but upon returning to Maryland he has definitely regressed. 

Jeremy did us a favor last evening by retrieving the dogs for a playdate with Lucas. Finnegan resisted pooping (notice that this word is much softer than the one allegedly uttered by the President) until he was in Jeremy's house. He performed this act almost immediately upon going inside.

This has to change. 

The joys of training puppy continue.

We have the "mad pooper!"

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Flying in Danby

While in New York, I did exercise my drone for a short flight just to get some footage of the house and Scott, Dad, and I watching the drone watching us.

I named the drone, Radio Flyer because it is red like a wagon and I remember that when I was young I had a wagon that I used to hauling stuff around. I remember the day that the wheel connection to the wagon body broke--I was very sad.

My DJI Spark drone is red and it looks a little bit like a red wagon from my childhood. 

While I was in Upstate New York this weekend the weather cleared long enough for a quick flight of my parents back deck. I am still learning to fly it and have only flown it in the beginner mode. I actually hit  the limit for altitude, which is 100 feet in beginner mode. 

I made a video of the flight. I cut most of the s epic stuff and just focused on the parts where we were on the deck watching it watch us. 

When it was at the maximum altitude, I was amazed that I could see Cayuga Lake off to the north. It was also nice to get a full view of the deck that I helped to paint last summer. It is very green

It was a short flight, but it does document that on the day before the storm, there was no snow on the ground. 

Five inches, or more, fell overnight.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - January 15, 2018

1. It is Martin Luther King Jr Day. Some of us get to enjoy a holiday.

2. Driving back from Upstate New York yesterday the thermometer on the car registered a low of -9 in some places. I can't even imagine that kind of cold.

Matt Blowing the Overnight Snow

3. The weather is cold again! It is 15 degrees outside. Ugh!

4. It is fun to watch the news describe the morning traffic when I know that I do not have to drive into it. 

5. Wall, why does it have to be a $17 billion wall?

6. Doesn't The President realize that he is the face of America and everything he utters or tweets becomes what people believe about our country?

7. What is wrong with this picture of Matt blowing snow on Saturday morning in Upstate New York? Everything! It was 60 degrees the day before and there was no snow. 

Headlines

Hopes Dim for DACA Deal as Lawmakers Battle Over Trump’s Immigration Remarks - The New York Times


In Iran, Protester ‘Suicides’ Stir Anger and Calls for Accountability - The New York Times


Jeff Flake expected to deliver floor speech comparing Trump's attacks on media to Stalin's - CNN

Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

"We're a friend of peace first, last, and always. But the American soul was forged in freedom. And we will be a friend of freedom everywhere, and the foes of freedom will be our foes."

Remarks at the 1985 Reagan Administration Executive Forum, January 25, 1985

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

From 90 to 8

Two days and two different birthday parties. 

Dad and Mom Holding Court
at the Head of the Room
January, 13, 2018

Yesterday was a big birthday celebration with people arriving from all over the country to celebrate Dad and his 90 years. 

Lucas with an Alligator

It was an exciting evening despite the inhospitable weather. It was bitter cold and there was a lot of snow, but the meeting hall was warm with admiration and compliments. It was good to see all of the family that was able to make the trek, despite the conditions, and celebrate Dad's life. It is really hard to corral over 70 people on a cold winter's night and my sisters a great job of getting the family to come together.

From my standpoint, it was great to talk to so many of my cousins and catch up on their lives and families.

The Family Posing with an Albino Python

This morning, we departed a frigidly cold Ithaca about 6:30 AM to be back for Lucas' 8th Birthday Party at EcoAdventures. A couple years ago we had his birthday party there as well. I'm not sure having a birthday party with snakes, alligators, and roaches is exactly the way to have fun, but the kids and even the adults seemed to have fun.

There is something really different about eating ice cream birthday cake surrounded by wild animals. And I don't mean the kids, either.

I am glad that I was able to make both celebrations even though they were almost 6 hours of driving apart.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Snow, Why did it have to be Snow

"Heavy snow, freezing rain, bitter cold," those were the words that the weather channel used to describe conditions this morning. I drove from Maryland to Upstate New York just to experience the worst that winter has to offer.

Parts of my extended family are strewn across the state and region as they continue to attempt to assemble to celebrate Dad's 90th birthday.

No one expected a storm of blizzard proportions. There is at least 6 inches of snow on the ground here, but it is hard to tell how much since the wind is blowing it around and creating impressive drifts.

Yesterday it was 61 degrees here. Idyllic weather for January, but it was a brief respite from the winter. Today it is 50 degrees colder and the ground has disappeared under a blanket of cold, white snow.

The big event party is this afternoon at 5 PM. It is looking like it will be a family gathering rather than the 120 person celebration that was originally planned.

Snow. Why did it have to be so much snow? And I still need to get back to Maryland. Maybe.

I'm glad it's a three-day weekend. I have an extra day the allow the dogsled team to navigate the artic conditions.

— Bob Doan, writing from Ithaca, NY

Respite

Susquehanna River in Harrisburg, PA

Amazingly it was 60 degrees yesterday. The weeks of below hospitable temperatures turned into a very mild day. I even joked at work about trying to hit the golf course. Of course that never happened nor was it even a potential reality.

We are now looking at the paradox of frozen rivers and shirt-sleeve temperatures. The image is of the frozen Susquehanna River. It looks cold even though the day was 60 degrees.

I enjoyed the respite from the frigid temperatures. I relish the days which remind me that the winter season is temporary.

Some places in upstate New York are looking at getting more than 10 inches of snow tonight. Not my idea of a great way to start the holiday weekend.

Grin and enjoy or bear it.

— Bob Doan, writing from Ithaca, NY

Thursday

It is Thursday.

What is Thursday after all but the day before
Friday. 

As a five-day per week working society, we seem to love Friday, but let me tell you, I'd rather it be Saturday.

The temperature is well above freezing this morning at 36 degrees. It felt warm when I took the dogs out at 4:15 AM after a transient fox in the neighborhood got them stirred up. 

The weather even made a headline in this morning's The Washington Post! 

PM Update: Turning milder through Thursday
It was nice to be outside and not freezing. It almost felt warm!

One of the regional golf courses even opened up one of their four nine-hole courses for play!

But still, it is only January. There is more snow and ice in the forecast.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

In a Sunbeam

Even on the coldest days, out animals seem to be able to find the best places to nap.

Riordin, Makayla, Finnegan in a Sunbeam

The other day, when the temperatures were Arctic-cold, they found a sunbeam to warm themselves as they napped.

What is interesting is that they all decided to line up in the same sunbeam on hitting the floor. That there were two dogs and one cat dod not seem to matter. Actually, the cat holds his own against the dogs and we have a pretty close knit family.

And they slept there for quite a while until the sunbeam moved away from them.

It must be great to live a dog or cat's life in a good warm home. I wish I could curl up and sleep in a sunbeam.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Twice as Warm is Still Below Freezing

Ice, why does it have to be ice?

My driveway and presumably the street I live off are a sheet of glazed water-covered ice this morning. The most slippery combination known. 

The temperature seems to be moving up in terms of dozens.

Two days ago it was 0 degrees. Yesterday it was 12 degrees, and this morning it was 24 degrees. At least the trend is in the right direction. Yesterday the region officially ended the deep freeze as the temperature rose about 32 for the first time since December 30th. 

I am hopeful of making it to work on the ice covered roadways. At least the schools have a two hour delay so there will be somewhat less traffic on the roads.

It is still dark outside.

And the ice is lurking!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - January 8, 2018

1. It is the second Monday of 2018. It is hard ti believe that a week in the new year has been completed.

2. It was 12 degrees warmer this morning than last with a temperature of 12.7 degrees. 

3. It was amazing that both the Mega Millions and Power Ball jackpots were hit on successive days for more that $400 million each. There are two very happy people out there.

4. Chris and I spent a busy Sunday watching sports. We watched most of the NFL playoff games and also were treated to two youth basketball games won handily by our grandsons' teams.

Beach Home St Croix

5. I have found a couple interesting articles for headlines this morning. I intentionally stayed away from the politically charges headlines of the past few days because, frankly, I'm tired of the same finger pointing and accusations that continue to be replayed in the media.

6. The cold is supposed to break this week and we are expecting temperatures above freezing for the first time since December 30th when the temperature crawled up to a balmy 33 degrees.

7. Wouldn't it be nice to have a beach home in St. Croix or almost any Caribbean Island right now?

Headlines

Beijing bets on facial recognition in a big drive for total surveillance - The Washington Post

Woman run over with her own car while trying to escape cat attack, troopers say - ClickOrlando.com
Boeing 747 retirement: Farewell to the 'Queen of the Skies' - CNN

Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

"It was once written that America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great. I have no fear that the character and generosity of our people will erode. But I am concerned that we don't draw from that deep well of compassion and goodness nearly enough. Together, we can bring back the recognition voluntary action, private initiative, once enjoyed. We will remind the American people of how good and how great they really are. And in so doing, we will ensure our inner strength for generations to come." Remarks at a White House Luncheon for Members of the President's Task Force on Private Sector Initiatives, December 8, 1982

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Messages from the Ice Box

It is cold.

How cold is it?

It is so cold that I saw a polar bear walk by headed south.

The temperature outside my window hit 0.9 degrees this morning. And since it is not dawn yet, I expect it to head lower as dawn approaches. Maybe it will go into negative numbers. 

It is cold. Just too cold to mention. 

I wonder if they truck will start in the cold?

The Christmas decorations are going to stay on the house for a while yet.

January 2018 is off to an extremely cold start. Too cold. Maybe it will warm up soon. 


Q: When are your eyes not eyes? 

A: When the ice cold wind makes them water! 

The cold weather is the big story of the New Year. 

I am watching HGTV's Beachfront Bargain Hunt  about a couple from D.C. looking at houses in St Croix, Virgin Islands. 

Stay warm!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

On to the Playoffs

No, I don't feel any better that the Bills made the NFL playoffs for the first time in 17 years because of a Ravens defensive collapse.

Jeremy in his Steeler's Garb

It was hard to watch my team "snatch defeat from the jaws of victory" with less than a minute left of the clock. The Ravens went from playoff-bound to spectators with one improbable 4th down and 12 yards to go play. Properly defended; the Ravens are in the playoffs. As it is, they are on the outside looking in.

All of the family's teams, except one, met similar fates this season. The Redskins and the Cowboys, similarly underperformed. Only the Steelers demonstrated excellence on the football field.  

They are so good that they do not have to risk the frigid temperatures this weekend as they have a bye.

I suppose that given the playoff choices, I will have to throw my support behind the Steelers. 

And so the playoffs begin! May the best team win without gratuitous assistance from the referees.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Welcome to the Freezer

Frozen Meat

If a piece of meat in the freezer could talk it would describe conditions similar to what we are experiencing with the weather right now.

It is dark and cold. Frigid, even.

From WBALTV.com

I found a headline in this morning's Washington Post especially humorous:

Dear Northerners: We get that this weather is no big deal for you. Now please shut up.
There are some very funny things written in the article comparing our eight-day long deep freeze to experiences around the country with the cold.

I found this one particularly funny, having been to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan during the winter:

From WBALTV.com

The people from Michigan would love to tell you about the time they were frozen to their snowmobile for 70 hours until they were licked free by a domesticated elk — but frankly, that is what you sign up for when you live in Michigan. If you live in Michigan, you get cheap real estate, nice lake access and below-zero mornings.

It is not what we sign-up for living in the mid-Atlantic region. 

According to the forecast, there is almost no hope of getting above freezing until Monday!

At least no one can say we are having a "mild" winter! Maybe there will be fewer insects this summer.

Spring cannot be too far off. The Baltimore Orioles pitchers and catchers report for Spring Training in 39 days.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

1st Storm of 2018

Out the Back Window

The first Nor'Easter of 2018 is cruising up the coast and eastern Maryland is paralyzed by it.

Looking up the Driveway

The ability to handle snow in  this region continues to be less than optimal. Add to that the drivers do not respect the snow and wind up becoming obstacles along the roadsides to be avoided.

Schools are closed. It is the first snow day of the season and there is less than an inch of snow falling in our area. Of course, there is a lot more falling elsewhere. The wind is blowing the snow around and the frigid temperatures mean that all of the snow if going to stay around for a while.

I have to admit that because I grew up in Upstate New York that the amount of snow falling this morning is nothing more than a nuisance. Sadly, though, it is paralyzing the region. 

I do like the way that the local news media covers these weather events. They send people everywhere to cover the differing conditions. 

The coverage of the storm is better than watching a sporting event. We get it from every possible angle.

They are calling this one Snow-icane, because of the hurricane force winds some areas are experiencing

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Last Project of 2017

Jeremy Working on the New Stairs

The year seems to pass with home improvement projects punctuating many weekend activities. 

Old Stairs

The final house project of 2017 was replacing the attic stairs at Jeremy's house. It was not a difficult project, as projects go, but it was challenging. 

The existing stairs did not seal against the ceiling and one of the arms was broken. The new attic stairs are insulated and definitely fit tightly to the ceiling. I am hopeful that they significantly reduce the heat loss going up through the attic.

We were greatly aided bu a YouTube video which gave us some important tips which made the demolition and the reinstallation a bit easier. What did we ever do before YouTube?

And that, was the final house project of 2017. It was completed on New Year's Eve!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

As the Year Begins

January 1, 2018
Looking up the Driveway

The new year has begun in a frigid fashion. 

I did a short flight with my drone, Radio Flyer, yesterday to work on my controls and getting the basics of flying down. 

I snapped a few images and they just speak to the cold. The sunset was just building in the west and the snow was not melting at all due to the cold. 

Finnegan with His Bone
in Front of the Fireplace

I get a chill just looking at the pictures. The scene is so cold. 

It was so cold yesterday that except for refilling the firewood in the garage from the pile outside and a short drive flight, all I did was watch movies and keep the fire stoked. 

Finnegan had the best idea. Take a nap with his bone in front of the fireplace. 

The cold is going to continue until next week. Except for a brief few hours tomorrow, the forecast does not have the area rising above freezing until Monday next week! Ugh! Is it too late to take an early winter vacation to the south? Although it is 39 degrees in Tampa this morning. Jupiter, however, is showing 64 degrees. A heat wave!

Stay warm.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - January 1, 2018

1. Happy New Year, 2018 has arrived.

2. I wish I was celebrating the start of the new year someplace warm, like Miami! It is too cold here.

3. It is kinda weird when New Years falls on a Monday. We get to start the workweek with a holiday.

4. Baseball season cannot be far off.

At Dawn New Years Day 2018

5. The Christmas season is slipping away. The Snow Village has been packed up and one Christmas Tree has been likewise stores.

6. Winers and Losers. Winners: Steelers, Cowboys. Losers: Ravens, Redskins, Penguins. The Ravens loss was especially crushing as the score that knocked them from the playoffs happened with 44 seconds left in the game. 

7. It is 4.5 degrees this morning as the first dawn of 2018 arrives. 

8. And so, what great New Years resolutions did you make?

Headlines

Kim Jong-un Offers North Korea’s Hand to South, While Chiding U.S. - The New York Times

1 in 10 young adults have been homeless over the past year, survey finds - The Washington Post

Words banned for the new year? 'Fake news' gets top vote - Associated Press

Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

"This season, in and around the New Year, is a season of love and hope; a time for reflection; a time of expectation; a time when people in America, just like people all over the world, gather with family and friends to remember in many different ways the blessings of God and to look to the future with hope."

New Year's Radio Address to the People of the Soviet Union, December 31, 1986

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD