Saturday, March 10, 2018

Sunset in Venice

Did I mention that I am in Venice, Florida?

Florida is supposed to be warm.

If has been very cool. But the sunset over the Gulf the other evening was beautiful.

The baseball and golf during the trip has been fabulous. I attended my first PGA event, the Valspar tournament and was impressed with the access to the players. More on that in a future blog.

I'm not too sure I want to leave Florida.

— Bob Doan, writing from Venice, Florida

Friday, March 9, 2018

Running the bases

Home Plate
Ed Smith Stadium
March 8, 2018
I got to enjoy running the bases after yesterday's game at Ed Smith Stadium. It was awesome to me on a baseball field and running the same bases where I had just watched a major league Spring Training game. I took the picture of Home plate just before I crossed it.

The Orioles lost the game, but hey, I'm in Florida.

It was good to be in the sunshine although the weather was cold.

Spring is here!

— Bob Doan, writing from Venice, Florida

Thursday, March 8, 2018

The Painting


Finnegan
My wife is talented. 

Tuesday evening she painted a picture of our newest family dog, Finnegan. The picture is very realistic looking and has been positioned in a place of honor in one of the bedrooms.

The painting looks just like Finn. 

She did a real nice job. And then she had to drive home in a storm and was lucky not to have an accident.

We got about an inch of snow which was mostly gone by morning. The flakes were huge and the headlights could not penetrate them to show the road. 

But, she made it without incident.

And the painting was safely brought to the house.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD


Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Sunset Flight


Sunday afternoon about sunset, Radio Flyer, my drone, made a flight around the neighborhood. The sky was blue, which has been a bit of a rarity lately. 

I turned into my highest flight to date at over 230 feet altitude. I was working with the video as Radio Flyer ascended. I also did a low-level pass in the yard to further work on my controls as Radio Flyer is in motion. 



I did enjoy the ascending part of the flight and I am doing better flying the drone at low level. The panorama I tried was too fast--but I think it will get better with time. I received my first high winds warning during this flight. I was a bit concerned, but Radio Flyer handled the winds well and I continued my flight. 

Try not to get vertigo as you watch the video. 

-- Bob Doan, Ekridge, MD

Tuesday, March 6, 2018

And into Double Digits


Jax's 10th Birthday Party
Family Edition
Jackson turned 10 yesterday. Jax, as he prefers to be called, made it into double digits and celebrated a complete decade.

What a decade it has been since his birth. 

The family celebrated Jax last evening. Everyone was in attendance and it was a great way to begin the week. Our family gatherings seem to be fewer of late as we all seem to be busier.

Jax is a sportsman. He plays basketball and baseball. He is a math whiz and has an infectious personality that can fill a room--or sometimes clear a room!

Such are the joys of Jax! Birthdays are great times to think about the joys that people bring to our lives!

Happy Birthday Jax!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday, March 5, 2018

Monday Musings - March 5, 2018


1. March has arrived. There are only 16 days until Spring!

2. After the storm came the yard work. Chris and I are already Clearing the yard in preparation for recurring maintenance.

Sunset Above Elkridge, March 4, 2018
Radio Flyer
3. We met one of our neighbors yesterday, he has lived in his home 10 years and who only just met. Of ouches, he lives across the hedgerow and we go there only infrequently.

4. Radio Flyer, my drone, made a sunset flight above the house on Sunday evening. It took a couple fantastic images.

5. Leaves seem to be everywhere as Chris and I attempted to get them removed.

6. The Orioles have improved to 5-5 in the Grapefruit League Spring Training. That is really a turn around from the week before.

7. Without basketball games to attend on Sunday, it was a very different day. Here's looking forward to baseball season.


Headlines


‘Like a pinball machine’: Lawmakers struggle to negotiate with an erratic Trump - The Washington Post


Indonesian Christians flogged outside of mosque for violating sharia law - Fox News


Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

"And you who are on the cutting edge of human achievement understand that freedom is not a luxury but a necessity. Freedom to think, freedom to imagine and create, these are not privileges, but the very source of our life's bread and the hope of mankind's future."
Remarks at the Presentation Ceremony for the National Medals of Science and Technology, March 12, 1986


- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Sunday, March 4, 2018

Storm Damage


Limbs in the Yard
Chris and I went out yesterday to assess the damage from the storm.

We were lucky as we had many downed branches, but little other damage. We even enjoyed the relative warm mid-40's as we cleaned up the yard. 
Bleeding Hearts
March 3, 2018

I was shocked at how some of the branches wound up imbedded into the ground. I heard that a 77 year-old woman was killed by a falling tree limb whole retrieving her mail. I can see, from the mess in my yard how that could happen.

We also made a run to the landfill and said good-bye to the tiki bar. It served us well for many years, but its time had come. 

In the it must be Spring category, the bleeding hearts are popping up in the yard. I was amazed to find the clumps already striving to find the sun. I expect them to grow even more this week. Who knows, within two weeks they may even be blooming!

It should be exciting as the day dawns bright and clear. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Saturday, March 3, 2018

The Nor'easter


I am happy to report that I successfully traveled from  Denver to Baltimore yesterday. My Southwest flight was on time--which is almost a rarity these days and with the exception of the final about 20 minutes of the flight it was a normal flight in terms of turbulence.

The final 20 minutes were mildly exciting as the jet was buffeted by the winds of the nor'easter. The airport changes the active runway while the aircraft was in the approach and so the time exposed to the blustery winds was a bit longer, but I have to admit--it was not the worst ride I have experienced in the air by a long shot.
The Nor'easter destroys our Tiki Bar

And the landing? Well, I was expecting the jet to slam onto the runway, but despite a huge gust just as we were about to touchdown, the pilot greased the landing and the entire plane erupted in applause. In terms of actual contact with the runway it was one of the best landings ever. Much better than the carrier style landing I experienced upon arrival in Denver earlier in the week. 

At home, things were not so good. The high wind gusts destroyed our tiki bar as well as dropping many branches form the trees. But, other things were generally well. Chris and I had thought the tiki bar was about at the end of its useful life and the storm confirmed that decision.

The winds continue this morning, but the day is dawning bright.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Friday, March 2, 2018

Travel Days


Pikes Peak
March 1, 2018
The view I should have had from my hotel window
Weather! I think I write about it too much, but it seems to be everywhere.

There is a Nor'easter raging on the coast and flights are being canceled on a regular basis. My flight, however, apparently is still on schedule. As I write this it is three hours before take-off. The cancellation, if there is one, should come about one hour before flying after I am trapped in the airport and can be precessed as just another piece of SLC (self-loading cargo).

Hotel Window View
Denver, CO
March 1, 2018
Sometimes I think the airlines forget that passengers are people, too. 

But, I do want to arrive and so I have to understand safety of flight procedures are more important than my insignificant schedule.

Upon my return to Denver last evening, I was greeted with a brown view out of my hotel window. Spring is not quite here yet. 

I hope that the green returns soon.

-- Bob Doan, writing form Denver, CO

Thursday, March 1, 2018

Out the Hotel Window - Colorado Springs Feb 2018


Colorado Springs
February 28, 2018
Sometimes you get a view of the mountains and sometimes you get a view of the parking lot.

I got the parking lot view for my one night stay in Colorado Springs.

I also got a ground floor room. I will try to avoid that in the future.

The scenery is just not much to look at from the gourd floor through the screen. Ugh.

The trip is going well. The days have been busy and I enjpyed a Brazilian steakhouse last evening, Tucanos. It was enjoyable and affordable. Affordable being the operative word.

Hopefully, today will be just a good as the other days of the trip. I hear there is weather brewing that may delay my departure tomorrow--hopefully, that does not happen. Getting home is the best part of any trip.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Colorado Springs, Colorado
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