Tuesday, July 10, 2018

Rhythm of the Cars


I-95 at MD-175 Looking South
July 9, 2018 about 5:25 PM
Last evening, while driving home it occurred to me that I am a victim of the rhythm of the cars. I was driving on a bridge over Interstate 95 and I saw traffic totally jammed in both directions. At the time, I was crawling along in the ram to enter the I-95 traffic, but was at a complete stop.

I snapped a quick image from the overpass to remind myself of the insane nature of the 5PM traffic on one of the busiest stretches of highway in the nation. 

And I am subjected to the traffic every day.

Even though I do not always travel on I-95, the traffic spills over onto other highways. I take the Parkway (MD-295) most days and I listen to the traffic report to determine the confusion into which I will be subjecting myself as I sojourn from home to work or work to home.

I am no longer surprised to see traffic at a total stop at the end of the on-ramp.

It is the rhythm of the traffic.

I do notice that traffic is not snarled when I head out at 5:30 AM to play golf on a Sunday morning. It is a very pleasant drive on an early Sunday morning without the traffic clogging the highways. 

I am truly part of the rhythm of the highway.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday, July 9, 2018

Monday Musings - July 9, 2018



1. The first week of July has already passed, and then some. The weeks are flying by.

Construction Site at Tanyard Cove
Radio Flyer Bird's Eye View
July 6, 2018
2. Some home improvement/maintenance projects can consume a lot of time. I replaced two basement windows this past weekend that took up most of my free time. I did, however, get a new tool that I needed for part of the job.
My Push Golf Cart in Action

3. Construction sites can be fun places to fly above with Radio Flyer. This one is at Tanyard Cove and it shows town houses in very early stages of construction. 

4. Chris and I were able to get out golfing on Friday. It was our first time out together since we visited Florida during April. I was able to use my push cart for the first time since I bought it last year. It was much nicer than the ones provided by the golf courses.
Chris on the Course
July 6, 2018

5. Cruise trip excursion planning is underway for our August family cruise through the Caribbean. I am looking forward to a shark dive!

A Side View of the Construction Site at Tanyard Cove
From Radio Flyer
July 6, 2018
6. I was fortunate to be able to play a round of golf on two recent occasions. Friday I played with Chris at Willow Springs and yesterday I played at Eisenhower. It was very cool, in the 50's when I teed off.

7. I realized that Chris and I usually vacation during early July, but this year we will be heading out later. It has been interesting to be around during early-July.

8. Why does it seem that two house projects appear for every one completed?

9. As the World Cup draws to a conclusion, I have to confess that I am cheering for Belgium to win it all. I have very fond memories of traveling around Belgium when I was stationed in Germany and Brussels is my favorite European city!


HEADLINES


Thai Cave Rescue Live Updates: More Boys Are on Their Way Out - The New York Times


1 dead after helicopter crashes into Virginia home - CNN


Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

"Not all of us are called upon in our daily professions to face danger and hardship. But each of us has the same responsibility as the hero to live our lives with honor and dedication, to give a hundred percent to the tasks before us, and to know that every day our efforts are building the edifice of freedom and powering the engines of human progress."

Remarks to Students and Faculty at Thomas Jefferson High School of Science and Technology in Fairfax County, Virginia, February 7, 1986



-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Sunday, July 8, 2018

Luke Swims


I don't write much about Lucas. He is the youngest of the grandsons and he is a truly great kid. I actually see a lot of him. He loves being in the pool and has learned to swim pretty well.

Yesterday morning, Chris and I attended one of Lucas's swimming meets. He has gone from learning to swim in our backyard pool to being a member on a local team.

Jeremy reports that he is pretty good. He had won all of his races to date, for his age group, except the one that I filmed yesterday. He came in second in that race but was disqualified for grabbing the lane marker and potentially using it for an advantage. 



He needs to work a bit on his backstroke. He needs to keep it between the lines. But, he does swim very well. 

I am very proud of his accomplishments.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Saturday, July 7, 2018

Going out in a Blaze of Glory


Radio Flyer Captures the Beginning of the Sunset
July 6, 2018
As the Sun Sets in Tanyard Cove
Radio Flyer
July 6, 2018
Yesterday was a busy day and it was a great day. It began on a local golf course, with Chris and ended as our friends said good-by after an evening of conversation, food, and of course wine.

I took a lot of images of the day's activities and flew Radio Flyer twice at Tanyard Cove in Glen Burnie around Fran and Mary's new house. 

It was fun flying around an active construction site where houses are in all stages of being built. And I will definitely write about that later.

July 6, 2018 Sunset from Route 100 Near BWI
The highlight of the day, however, was the stunning sunset which I captured from its very beginning until completion. 
July 6 2018 Sunset As the Colors Deepen

It was fortuitous that I was not driving because the most breathtaking views of the sunset were from the the road during the drive home.

The sky was ablaze with color and everyone in the vehicle commented on the beauty of the sunset. It has been stiflingly hot and the sunset carried the promise of more moderate temperatures, like those we are experiencing this morning. 

Sunset from the Road on Route 100 Maryland
July 6, 2018
I admit that I probably took too many images of the sunset. It was just that unique. 

Trees Silhouetted by the Sunset
July 6, 2018 
The beauty caught my eye and I was in a position to just enjoy the artist's work in the sky at the end of the day. And it was a beautiful ending. Most of the day was cloudy and damp with occasional rain showers to ensure the humidity remained at uncomfortably high levels. 

The sunset, however, provided the much needed  exclamation point that ushered the day away with the promise of a new tomorrow. 

Chris and I do not get to enjoy many sunsets like the one last evening. Aside from the infrequent occurrence, our house is located in a low spot surrounded by trees and we do not get to enjoy the expansive vistas that we experienced last evening. 

I am glad that I have the memory and the evidence of a colorful sunset which sent the day out in a blaze of glory.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Friday, July 6, 2018

5 Day Weekend


A Full Pool from Radio Flyer
July 5, 2018
I am enjoying the middle part of a five-day weekend. With the holiday on Wednesday, it seemed natural to take leave for Thursday and Friday and effectively create a five-day weekend.

Boys Having Fun
July 5, 2018
That of course follows the four-day weekend that I created last week, meaning that I will have worked two days during an eleven day stretch! I call that a great mid-summer holiday. It was needed since our vacation is not until late August.

Yesterday was another hot pool day. 

We had some extra boys around to enjoy the water and it was a wild day. 

I flew Radio Flyer to capture the scene of six boys filling the pool with fun and sounds.



I also put together a short of Ethan taking shots at the basketball hoop in the yard on earlier in the week. I used Radio Flyer to get the video. 

It has been a busy and fun time around the house. 

On tap for the future? Golf! Definitely some golf this morning and again, hopefully, on Sunday. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Thursday, July 5, 2018

The End of the Party Week


Champagne from Chris's Retirement Party
Happy July 5th--the day after when we begin to get it all back together after the day and night before. We have enjoyed a two party week. 

The two celebrations, Chris's retirement party and Independence Day, seemed to blend into each other. It was made even more special because Mom and Dad were here visiting.

Boys in the Pool on Independence Day
Sadly, I have to return them home today--but, the visit has been nice with all of the activities.

Yesterday ended with a bang as the neighborhood was filled with the sights and sounds of fireworks. Our neighborhood has some very committed people who truly desire to make the 4th of July memorable. 

John Adams, our second President, wrote about Independence Day:

I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more

Patrick's DJI Mavik Drone
And our neighborhood definitely believes in illuminations!

Patrick caught some images on his drone, and hopefully I will be able to share them in the future.

I am hoping the rest of the month is a bit quieter! We do not have anymore parties planned right now. Two in a week are quite enough. It sure has been hot. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Wednesday, July 4, 2018

Let Freedom Ring


Happy Independence Day! It is the 4th of July and time to celebrate. 

I know that my family is planning to celebrate the 4th and observe the 242nd anniversary of the founding of our country.

The weather looks to be hot, but a bit cooler than yesterday. 


Quotes for the 4th:

“We will stand by the right, we will stand by the true, we will live, we will die for the red, white, and blue.” - unknown

“We’re blessed with the opportunity to stand for something—for liberty and freedom and fairness. And these are things worth fighting for, worth devoting our lives to.” - Ronald Reagan

"In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved." - Franklin D. Roosevelt

"Where liberty dwells, there is my country." - Benjamin Franklin

"America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination, and an unbeatable determination to do the job at hand." - Harry S. Truman

“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” - Statue of Liberty

About fireworks on the 4th:
From Time Magazine:

After all, John Adams did say he hoped the anniversary of independence would be marked for years to come by “guns” and “bonfires” and “illuminations.” Because the first July 4 fireworks display happened in the middle of the Revolutionary War, some historians believe they were supposed to be a “morale booster.” The celebrations at the time would have also included the firing of cannons and guns, adding to the explosive nature of the festivities. With the war’s end and increasing concern for public safety, those firearms were eventually phased out of the celebrations and replaced almost entirely by the fireworks, which were often given the official stamp of approval in the hope of drawing citizens to public celebrations instead of more dangerous private firework shows.

Have a Happy 4th.

Be safe. Don't drink and drive!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Tuesday, July 3, 2018

Let the Celebrations Begin


Independence Day is upon us. Tomorrow we will celebrate the 242nd anniversary of the founding of the country. I hope I did the math correctly.

My how the country has changed.


Maytronics Dolphin Sigma
Pool Cleaner at Work
I look forward to the celebrations tomorrow. Last year I experienced Independence Day on a cruise ship sailing the Caribbean. It was different and exciting. The festivities were engaging and the day at sea was truly memorable.

This year, however, both Chris and I are looking forward to being home for the 4th to celebrate with family and friends. 

I hope the day is full of excitement. I will be blessed to celebrate the day, once again, with Mom and Dad. I expect that most all of the family will gather for a picnic around the pool. 

I recently acquired a new automatic cleaner which is doing a fantastic job helping me to maintain the pool. It is easy to use and the new cleaning system will help ensure that this year's celebration takes place in crystal clear water.

The weather is supposed to be fantastic as well.

Bring on the 4th!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday, July 2, 2018

Monday Musings - July 2, 2018



1. Happy July! June is over and we have slid into the second half of the year. 

Late Afternoon Looking up the Drive
Radio Flyer
July 1, 2018
2. I spent over four hours watching a baseball tournament yesterday in the almost intolerable heat. I was amazed that to boys played a well as they did. Sadly, in tournaments only one team can advance and our guys came up one-run short in their semifinal game.


3. I was able to get Radio Flyer up for a few brief flights over the weekend. Nothing spectacular but it was good to be i the air again.

4. With July's arrival, the retirement party season is completed! Now it is onto retirement for Chris.

5. There is nothing better than falling into the pool on a hot July day to cool off.

6. The mid-week break for Independence Day should be interesting and fun. It is rare to have a holiday on a Wednesday.

7. Ice. Who forgot to bring the ice? I was amazed at how much ice gets used at a party.


Headlines

As Bolton Says North Korea Could Disarm in a Year, Reality Lags Promises - The New York Times

A bad week for Democrats gives rise to a big problem: Outrage could become an obstacle in midterms - The Washington Post


Chicken of the trees: Eating Florida's iguanas - The Orlando Sentinel


Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

"You know, the story, as I say, will continue. Every time we place our hand over our heart and pledge allegiance to the flag, we'll be reminded that our most precious inheritance is freedom and that history has bestowed on our nation the unique responsibility for its protection."

Remarks at a Flag Day Ceremony in Baltimore, Maryland, June 14, 1985

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Sunday, July 1, 2018

Retirement Arrives


Tina, Patrick, Chris, Jeremy
Retirement Party
June 30, 2018
As the last rays of the June sun departed in the west, so did Chris's last day of employment. With the arrival of July, she is now retired. 



To celebrate her transition from the active workforce, retirement party #4 was held at the house around the pool yesterday. It was well attended, despite the heat, and we had a lot of fun. 

The pool was definitely essential on a day when the temperature topped out at 95 degrees and the stress index made it feel like 100. Spirits were high as the celebration which started during the early afternoon spanned into the evening.



Frances, George, Mary


Mary, Jennifer, Chris, Sue
It was a retirement send-off spectacular. The food was sumptuous and the liquid refreshments were almost endless. 

All of our friends came to celebrate and I was amazed how quickly the afternoon turned into evening. 

It turned too quickly. 

Now the excitement of the rest of her life begins. Although, she really won't experience it until summer ends in September. This summer is going to be much like many others and it is not until school is back in session that her retirement is likely to become real. For now, it is time to party and celebrate.

Chris, Dad, Mom

The Last Rays of June 2018 Over the House

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD
My Zimbio
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