Monday Musings - April 6, 2020

1. It is the first Monday of April and of the week which is being called the Pearl Harbor in the fight against the spread of the coronavirus for the US.

2. The new normal is affecting every facet of life. I am amazed at how empty the roads are when I have to go to the store.

3. I have been driving for the third week on the same tank of gasoline and I still have three-quarters of a tank. 

Bumblebee on Chris's Glove
Elkridge, MD
April 4, 2020

4. Chris helped a bumblebee the other day. It crawled upon her work glove and sat in the sun for a few minutes. We are careful to not use any insecticides around to house to help protect the bee population.

5. Brushing the pool four times per day is not nearly as hard as I thought it would be. It goes fairly quickly. I am excited that the pool will soon bee ready for the season. We are going to have to have a big pool party when the "stay at home" order is finally lifted!

6. Chris and I are learning some new technology tools. We are becoming Zoom and Google Duo warriors! They are helping us to stay connected.

Keep Your Distance
Wegmans, Columbia, MD
April 4, 2020

7. It is Holy Week! Easter is upon us and the new normal is changing the way we approach the holiday. The pastor at church yesterday said that without all of the usual activity to keep us distracted, it will be just us and Jesus at the Easter dinner table.

8. Leadership is critical during times of crisis. I have seen examples of both great and poor leadership during the past week. Great leaders model good behavior and put their troops and people above self and career.

9. The new normal: signs on the grocery store floor to help patrons remain a safe distance from each other.

10. History Today. April 6, 1917, two days after the U.S. Senate voted 82 to 6 to declare war against Germany, the U.S. House of Representatives endorses the declaration by a vote of 373 to 50, and America formally enters World War I.

When World War I erupted in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson pledged neutrality for the United States, a position that the vast majority of Americans favored. Britain, however, was one of America’s closest trading partners, and tension soon arose between the United States and Germany over the latter’s attempted quarantine of the British Isles. Several U.S. ships traveling to Britain were damaged or sunk by German mines, and in February 1915 Germany announced unrestricted warfare against all ships, neutral or otherwise, that entered the war zone around Britain. One month later, Germany announced that a German cruiser had sunk the William P. Frye, a private American vessel. President Wilson was outraged, but the German government apologized and called the attack an unfortunate mistake.

Headlines

The U.S. was beset by denial and dysfunction as the coronavirus raged - The Washington Post

Trump Again Promotes Unproven Use of Anti-Malarial Drug - The New York Times

Virus Scrambles the Left-Right LinesVirus Scrambles the Left-Right Lines - The New York Times

British PM Johnson in hospital for coronavirus tests but said to be still in charge - OANN

Japan to declare state of emergency for about a month: PM - Reuters

Stocks jump on virus hopes, oil hit by OPEC+ delay - Reuters

Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Shopping with the New Normal

Me, With My New Mask
At Wegman's, Columbia, MD
April 4, 2020

Making our first trip into the "wild" yesterday, Chris and I visited Wegmans to obtain our two-week supply of food as we hunker down at home. 

We heeded the new guideline to wear masks in public and we also wore gloves to not only protect us from the world, but to protect the world from ourselves. 

With respect to wearing masks, I was distressed at the failure of the president to lead. One of the most important aspects of leadership is to model acceptable behaviors. When the president says that we should wear masks in public, but then goes on to say:  

“I just don’t want to be doing – somehow sitting in the Oval Office behind that beautiful Resolute Desk, the great Resolute Desk, I think wearing a face mask as I greet presidents, prime ministers, dictators, kings, queens, I don’t know, somehow I don’t see it for myself. Maybe I’ll change my mind, but this will pass, and hopefully it will pass very quickly.” (The Guardian)

That, friends, represents a failure of leadership! Rationalize his statement however you will, the end result is inescapable. Leaders must lead, not make excuses. They are judged by there actions and their results.

line Waiting to get into Wegmans
Columbia, MD
April 4, 2020

So with my new mask on my face, I found that shopping in Wegmans was a totally new experience. There is a line (queue) to enter the store and we waited for about 15 minutes before being allowed inside. Once inside we were directed to a station to wash our hands and sanitize our shopping cart. Everyone practiced social distancing. It was very weird to have people obviously avoiding getting near me like I was infected with the plague--Oh wait, I might be infected, no one knows. 

Sign Directing People to the Checkout Queue
Columbia, MD
April 4, 2020

On the plus side of the new normal equation, walking the aisles on a Saturday was a pleasant experience because the store limited the number of patrons who can enter. Even the check out is different, there is a single line with big dots on the floor designed to help patrons maintain acceptable social distancing. The store needs a dictionary because the cue referenced on the sign never materialized. There was, however, a queue. The wait to get to a register was minimal and I was impressed by the cleaning that is done between each customer. 

The new normal is anything but normal. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Coping with "Stay at Home"

The Pool Filled and Inviting--But Not Yet Ready
Elkridge, MD
April 3, 2020

 It is April. Spring has arrived! 

How am I coping with Maryland's "stay at home" order? I am working around the house and getting ahead on my Springtime projects.

I have fixed the tractor and mowed the lawn. Each day on our walk I marvel at the leaves on the trees as they open more and more and their shadows change from branches into a canopy.

Mulch in the Drive
Elkridge, MD
April 3, 2020

And my pool is open! It is too cold to swim and the chemicals are still being balanced--but it is open and I no longer have to look at the cover when I look into my backyard. Yes, I have to brush the newly installed plaster four times per day for the next two weeks, and then twice per day for the following two weeks, but then it will be May and the pool will be open for activity--if social distancing is lifted!

The mulch was delivered yesterday. Another outdoors project designed to help me celebrate Spring and cope with the "stay at home" order. And there are some stumps in the yard, remnants of the majestic ash trees that used to provide shade, that need grinding. Perhaps if the weather holds I will rent a stump grinder and enjoy working with heavy equipment for a day!

Finding things to do and taking advantage of the time  to accomplish things that I would otherwise have to cram into a busy schedule is an advantage of forced "stay at home."

I think I will be more than ready, however, when I am free to move about and my regularly over-scheduled life resumes. I am feeling a trip to Florida coming on! It will never replace my lost trip to Italy--but the change of scenery when this is all over will be great!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Another Coronavirus Day

Maple Tree Seeds, or Samaras
From My Walk
Elkridge, MD
April 2, 2020

Sheltering in place, or staying at home to avoid becoming infected, is at least saving me money on gas! There, I found a silver lining in the dark cloud. 

During my daily walk to ensure sanity, I spied a clump of maple tree seeds, properly known as samaras, hanging on a tree bearing the red color of springtime. With the blue sky behind them, I just had to try and get an image. 

But returning to the dark cloud, it is a bit darker this morning. 

There is a disturbing report in the Washington Post that suggests we will need to live with social distancing for 18 months. 

Coronavirus will radically alter the U.S. - The Washington Post

It comes complete with the following graphic:

Models from researchers at Imperial College London suggest that wide adoption of measures to reduce the transmission of the novel coronavirus can reduce the demand for critical health-care services, in part by spreading the demand over a longer period. The major challenge is that those measures will need to be maintained until a vaccine becomes available, or transmission will quickly rebound. (Tim Meko)

So the good news is that we can positively affect the course of the virus and rescue the deaths. The sobering news is that our new lifestyle may well continue into 2021 unless or until a vaccine is developed and widely distributed. 

I hope you have a great day. The day is dawning here with bright blue skies and sunshine! I hope that you are experiencing the same.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Creating a New Normal

From This--The Pool
Elkridge, MD
March 31, 2020

 One of the hardest things to do during the lockdown is to find a new normal. 

What is the new normal? Everyone has a different idea about it. But everyone also needs to determine what is going to be normal for themselves. Life has changed.

A new normal example might be waking and reading for a while, then getting breakfast, taking care of the morning hygiene, going for a walk, then accomplishing at least one project before lunch. After lunch, I am finding that having one more project to accomplish and then finding some time to relax before sliding into happy hour is effective.  And then begins the evening.

We were lucky, yesterday, that we had the replastering of the pool to break the new normal.

To This - The Pool
Elkridge, MD
April 1, 2020

Chris and I were spectators as a crew replastered our pool. It was quite a thing to watch during the day and I hate to say it, but it dod break the new normal monotony. When the replastering was complete, the pool was transformed from an ugly hole in the ground that I ashamed of into a beautiful new structure designed to ensure enjoyment of the summer and the weather that is ahead. 

Now the real work begins and it will help with the new normal as the pool needs regular, multiple times per day brushing for the next four weeks! Something to add into our coronavirus shelter in place. 

Find something to do, like a multi-day project, to fill the days while confined to our homes.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Deepening Lockdown

It's not a quarantine!  

Newly Mowed Lawn - First of the Season
Elkridge, MD
March 31, 2020

Quarantines are for sick or exposed people. For those of us who are not sick nor have been exposed, it is isolation!

Of course, the word isolation has been softened to "social distancing."

Snake in the Grass
Elkridge, MD
March 31, 2020

Chris and I complied yesterday with the stay at home order, only venturing out once during the early morning for essential food items. That written, we did have a number of workers over to work the pool project late during the day but we maintained our distance.  Today, hopefully the plaster will be applied and the real fun can begin. 

As I was reinstalling the pool pump, I discovered a snake out sunning itself--well, there wasn't any sun, but it is now the second time I have seen the snake in a week. 

And the news still gets bad. The New York Times is sponsoring a free section to provide news about the outbreak.

The Coronavirus Outbreak - The New York Times

Despite the bad news, don't lose heart. Remember that it is April Fool's Day! No, the bad news is not a cruel joke, it is real. 

From everything I am reading and seeing, closely following the guidelines for social distancing and personal hygiene is successful in keeping us safe.

Stay safe:

Do not congregate with strangers! 

Don't go into crowded stores or places where people are not practicing good social distancing. 

Wash your hands! 

Don't forget to wipe down your car in addition to the common surfaces in your house. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Finding Beauty in a Coronavirus World

Flowering Crabapple Against the Blue Sky
Elkridge, MD
March 30, 2020

Despite the beautiful day, with a crystal blue sky, the coronavirus threat lingered everywhere yesterday. During the day, the Maryland Governor issued new orders regarding businesses and a stay at home order which is a misdemeanor if violated. The order went into effect at 8PM last evening. 

Residents of D.C., Maryland and Virginia are ordered to stay at home - The Washington Post

Crabapple Tree in Full Bloom
Elkridge, MD
March 30, 2020

Chris and I are very respectful of the coronavirus and we made two attempts to go to Lowes for home project items and one attempt to go to the grocery store. We decided that the stores were too crowded to venture into and went home. We did actually enter Lowes on the second attempt only to see an incredibly long checkout line where people were not practicing social distancing and turned around and departed. Hopefully we can get what we needed on line. 

I was amazed, as I made an emergency trip to the grocery store as it opened this morning for the things we could not get last evening, at the traffic on I-95. I had expected the road to be mostly empty, but it was not. Apparently, the governor's stay at home order is not having the desired effect. 

In other news, the pool sat yesterday waiting for the next part of the process. But, Chris and I went for a walk with Finnegan, something which is still allowed under the stay at home order, and found that the flowering crabapple trees are in beautiful full bloom. Against the sky, they were stunning! It brought joy to our hearts during a time of such serious anxiousness. 

My advice--don't spend all day watching the news. It is too depressing. Watch enough of the news to know what is happening and then find else something to do!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - March 30, 2020

1. It is the last Monday of March and the month had effectively slipped away. Spring arrived, but the country has effectively been shut down by the coronavirus. 

Pool Refurbishment
Elkridge, MD
March 29, 2020

2. A team of three dedicated workers attacked my 27 year old pool yesterday with the intent of getting it ready for new plaster. While I was happy with how diligent they were in finding the bad places, I was appalled at the totality of the work. It will be ready for summer, of that I am sure.

3. Well, the baseball season has not yet gotten underway, but the good news is that the Orioles remain tied for first place in the American League East. 

4. It was a very busy Sunday around the house, the pool workers arrived shortly after 8 AM and I had to have the water on in the pool house and hoses ready for them--meaning, I had to hook them up after the winter. 

Tractor with Carburetor
Elkridge, MD
March 29, 2020

5. As part of the busy Sunday, my job was to clean the carburetor on my tractor and preform the springtime maintenance. The parts I needed arrived during the week and I had prepositioned the tractor in the garage. Let the fun times begin. I made one small mistake with the carburetor, I missed getting one of the jets back in properly and had to correct that problem, but everything came out OK in the end. 

6. The news about the coronavirus spread is not encouraging. We each need to continue to do our part to be safe, but it is becoming apparent that the actions we take today cannot erase the indiscretions of last week. With testing running a week behind for results, the virus remains ahead of the healthcare system.

7. The year 2020 is definitely off to a rough start. With a quarter of the year gone by, the stock market has crashed, there is a pandemic that is shutting down business, and people are afraid and sheltering in their homes afraid of their neighbors. Perhaps it can only get better from here.

8. Today in History. On March 30, 1981, President Ronald Reagan is shot in the chest outside a Washington, D.C. hotel by a deranged drifter named John Hinckley Jr.

The president had just finished addressing a labor meeting at the Washington Hilton Hotel and was walking with his entourage to his limousine when Hinckley, standing among a group of reporters, fired six shots at the president, hitting Reagan and three of his attendants. White House Press Secretary James Brady was shot in the head and critically wounded, Secret Service agent Timothy McCarthy was shot in the side, and District of Columbia policeman Thomas Delahanty was shot in the neck. After firing the shots, Hinckley was overpowered and pinned against a wall, and President Reagan, apparently unaware that he’d been shot, was shoved into his limousine by a Secret Service agent and rushed to the hospital.

Headlines

How Much Should the Public Know? - The New York Times

Rich Europeans Flee Virus for Second Homes, Spreading Fear and Fury - The New York Times

President Trump extends social distancing through April 30th - OANN

Saudi officials stop 2 ballistic missile attacks - OANN

Russia weighs nationwide coronavirus lockdown after Moscow acts - Reuters

U.S. crude dips below $20 as lockdowns hit demand - Reuters



Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

Above all, we must realize that no arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women. It is a weapon our adversaries in today's world do not have.


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Waiting out the Coronavirus

The cat and the dog are providing much needed entertainment during the coronavirus confinement. 

Finnegan Watching the Squirrel
Elkridge, MD
March 28, 2020

Finnegan believes that he is the great protector of the porch. He sits at the door and watches the squirrels cruise the porch looking for peanuts and other morsels that Chris feeds to the bird. Every so often, we open the door and he launches himself onto the porch to chase the squirrels--it is humorous to watch the six pound Yorkie purposefully walk along the deck to ensure no squirrels are hiding or attempting to access the area. The birds do not seem to mind him as they are up on the railing enjoying the peanuts free of squirrel interference. 

Riordin and the Coffee Pot
Elkridge, MD
March 28, 2020

Riordin has become another source of entertainment. He is inquisitive and clearly fits the old saying that "curiosity killed the cat." He wants to know and be involved in everything. We acquired a new coffee pot the other day to expand our coffee options--K-cups for our Keurig have been in short supply. Riordin was all about the new pot and the box to the point where I had to physically remove him form the area so that we could prepare cleanse the pot for its first brewing. 

The movies on TV--and all of the available channels, have become so much the same. Chris and I have begun watching the old Blue-ray movies that we have in our collection. Last evening's movie was Angels and Demons. Thankfully, we also have some "live" entertainment in the cat and the dog to change things up a bit. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Today is Gonna Be a Great Day

Dawn over the Truck
Elkridge, MD
March 27, 2020

I could tell, yesterday was going to be a great day! 

The Pool, Mostly Drained
Elkridge, MD
March 27, 2020

It was Friday, after all! The day dawned beautiful and clear.

Yes, I had to go to work, but the day was mild with temperatures in the 60's and mostly blue skies and sunshine. It was also the day when Chris and I tool the cover off the pool in preparation for having it resurfaced. 

The pool did not winter well. It was warm this winter with not a great deal of precipitation and although the water was clear, the pool was not in good condition. We drained it to begin the resurfacing process. I was, frankly, embarrassed by its condition. But, I am hopeful that the new plaster that will be installed next week will inhibit the algae growth by being smoother. 

Fire Pit in Action
Elkridge, MD
March 27, 2020

But, in a great ending to the day, Chris and I enjoyed some wine around the fire pit and since we could not share Happy Hour with our friends we had Chipotle delivered and relished in the excessive calories making up for the lack of the usual Friday evening hors de oeuvres. Of course, there was only one bottle of wine, rather than the usual selection of multiple bottles from which to enjoy. 

Friday evenings have changed living under the coronavirus restrictions. But, we must strive to maintain our connectivity and some sense of normalcy. 


So, for some weird reason the theme song for Phineas and Ferb, titled Today is Gonna Be a Great Day came to mind as providing a template for dealing with coronavirus isolation. The first verse is as follows:

There's 104 days of summer vacation
And school comes along just to end it
So the annual problem for our generation
Is finding a good way to spend it 

Like maybe...
Building a rocket
Or fighting a mummy
Or climbing up the Eiffel Tower

Discovering something that doesn't exist (Hey! )
Or giving a monkey a shower

Surfing tidal waves
Creating nanobots
Or locating Frankenstein's brain (It's over here! )

Finding a dodo bird
Painting a continent
Or driving your sister insane (Phineas! )

As you can see
There's a whole lot of stuff to do
Before school starts this fall (Come on Perry)

Have imagination to find new things to do each day. We are only isolated when be believe that we are!

Today is Gonna Be a Great Day!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD