When Simple Things Get Messed Up

The Chlorinator of my Nightmares
Elkridge, MD
September 2, 2021

Doing the weekly chemical check on the pool which includes filling the chlorinator and adding the appropriate cocktail of chemicals for the weekly shock to keep the algae at bay is not a particularly difficult task. I have been doing it for decades and have it down to about a 20 minute process which keeps my pool crystal clear and ready for use.

Until yesterday! Ugh.

The chlorinator would not open. I had to disassemble it and pry the top off to get chlorine into the chamber. And then it would not close. By the time it was done, I had managed to develop leaks around both the incoming and outgoing hoses. 

My 20 minute maintenance turned into an hour of pure frustration. Chris had to intervene to prevent me from assassinating the chlorinator. And of course it did not help that I had a longer than normal day at work.

I even changed the O ring--but all of mine are previously used and did not seem to work. I need to get this thing working smoothly again because fighting with a balky chlorinator every week is not my idea of fun! Of course, I can ignore the problem and close the pool and push the problem into next May--but that only kicks the can down the road and will provide additional frustration when opening the pool. 

Thank goodness a three-day holiday weekend is on the horizon. 

I fixed the leaky lines and did, in the end, get chlorine tablets loaded. I ended with it fully functional, at least for another week.

I get frustrated when simple things become problems.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD 

Return to School

 Here in Maryland there is a very staggered start to the annual return to the classroom.

Howard County, for example, has been in class since Monday yet neighboring Anne Arundel County does not return until Wednesday after Labor Day.

I have noticed a significant increase in traffic and I have had to adjust my morning departure to miss the school bus that pays my street at about the same time that I leave. I did not adjust on Monday and lost 8 minutes behind the bus. I am amazed at how slow the kids are.

I guess I would be slow as well. 

The return to the classroom is a big event every year and this year is no exception with the discussions about whether to mask, or not. 

We need to protect our kids and each other as much as possibly and so I still do not understand the opposition to wearing facial coverings--it is the right thing to do to protect others. 

Well, happy school days!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Pummeling the Earth with Rain

 

Hurricane Ida Cell Dumping
Elkridge, MD
September, 1 ,2021

As the new month dawned, I was awakened to the sound of thunder and flashes of lightening along with the rain banging against my window this morning.

The fury of the remnants of Hurricane Ida were upon us and the house was standing up to ferocity. 

Makayla had to go out and so I was forced to open the door and experience the cool, damp air and peer into the pounding rain. There was a small river running down the drive, as it always does when it rains here. 

We have another day of this weather. We did need the rain, but it is too bad the storm could not be sent to California to quench the fires there. 

Thoughts and prayers continue to go out to everyone in the path of this storm and especially those without power suffering in the heat of Louisiana.

-- Bob Doan, ELkridge, MD

In the Path of Ida

 

It seems the region is going to get a drenching from Hurricane Ida. 

We will have less damaging wind that New Orleans, but the 4-6 inches of possible rain will present huge problems for the area. 

It looks as if the rains will begin overnight tonight and continue into Thursday. 

And it will not be just a little rain, but significant rain. Oh yes, and tornadoes and thunderstorms. 

My thoughts and prayers go out to the people of Louisiana who are dealing with the aftermath of the hurricane that has interrupted their lives and livelihood while causing extensive damage, destruction, and death.

The storm is coming, it is best to get prepared. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

 

Monday Musings - August 30, 2021

 

1. August is passing. This is the final Monday of the month and there are 17 Mondays remaining in the year.

Wooly Worm
Elkridge, MD
 August 28, 2021

2. I happened upon two more woolly worms Saturday. They, like the previous one I found, were totally black which is a prediction of an unusually hard Winter. 

3. The Orioles have managed to start another winless streak. After finally winning two games, they have gone 0-3. The prospects for a dismal ending to an unremarkable season are growing.

4. The summer is lingering. The heat and humidity are keeping the area hot and steamy. I have enjoyed being outside in the pool.

5. The lawn has begin to go into its Autumn look. There are leaves falling form the trees which make the season seem much later than it really is. 

6. I have suspended quoting Ronald Reagan every Monday.

7. Darkness is descending upon the land. The length of the days have grown unreasonably short already and we are only just two months into the descent into the dark season. It is total darkness outside at 6:05 AM. Just four short weeks ago I had a Tee time and was playing golf at this hour. And a month ago I was able to start playing racquetball at 5:35 AM on an outdoor court.

8. Today in History. On August 30, 1967, Thurgood Marshall becomes the first African American to be confirmed as a Supreme Court justice. He would remain on the Supreme Court for 24 years before retiring for health reasons, leaving a legacy of upholding the rights of the individual as guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.

 

United Jets With Engines in Denver Incident May Not Fly Until Next Year - The Wall Street Journal

U.S. Targets Suspected Suicide Bombers in Kabul Drone Strike - The Wall Street Journal

North Korea Appears to Have Restarted Yongbyon Nuclear Reactor - The Wall Street Journal

U.S. Again Records a Daily Average of 100,000 Covid Hospitalizations - The New York Times

Charles M. Blow: Ron DeSantis, How Many Covid Deaths Are Enough? - The New York Times

New Zealand's Auckland stays in lockdown, officials report Pfizer-linked death - Reuters

China August factory activity seen growing at slightly slower pace - Reuters

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Rise and Shine Golf

Clifton Park Golf Course 18th Tee
Baltimore, MD
August 29, 2021

 I was told by Jeremy, my oldest son, that as his alarm went off this morning he wondered, why he set an alarm for Sunday? 

Then he realized: Golf!

I picked him up at 6:30 am and we headed off to the golf course for a round. We had a single golfer, Dave, added to our twosome and the three of us spent the next three and a half hours enjoying the successes and perils of Clifton Park Golf Course. 

The day started out cloudy and drab but by the 17th hole the sky had cleared and the sun began shining brightly, with is great because the view from the 18th Tee is stunning.

To be honest, Jeremy and I both started out poorly. It almost looked as if we had never played the game before. But, we were hitting much better by the time we reached the back nine. I was four strokes better on the back nine than the front nine. I still wasted too many strokes all over the course. At times I felt as if I were in a pitched battle against my clubs and they were resisting my attempt to get solid contact on the little white ball. 

Dave made the comment that golf spelled backwards is flog and that is what golfers do to themselves after poor shots. I flogged myself quite a bit today, but in the midst of it all I managed to sink two long putts--over 30 feet each. In fact, I had a great putting day averaging 1.67 putts per hole! It was the entire rest of my game that was a shambles. 

And that is why I love golf. To borrow a quote from Forrest Gump, changed slightly, Golf is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

1st Outing, 1st Win

 

I stepped back onto a baseball field as a coach for the first time since Covid-19 this morning in Severn. I am helping with the Severn Seminoles 14U team. I had forgotten how much I enjoy the thrill of coaching in a game helping to mould young ball players. 

As can be seen from the partial box score to the left, the Seminoles were successful in their first outing. It was a great first outing and the boys actually had fun and enjoyed the game even in the oppressive heat of the morning. 

It was a bit weird playing a baseball game when there were football games happening on a nearby field--but that is what Fall Ball is all about. Keeping the baseball skills sharp while developing into well rounded baseball players. 

The box score is really very good. Everyone contributed and since it is Fall Ball we used 5 pitchers to give the most opportunities to everyone to get back onto the mound and deliver a pitch for the team. 

The game ended due to the time constraint--but the two teams were fairly evenly matched. 

Most importantly, we all had fun coaching or playing a game that we love.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Two in a Row

 

AL East Standings as of Games Through August 26, 2021

For 19 straight games the Orioles found creative ways to lose baseball games, and now they actually have a two game winning streak.

The Orioles wine for the second time in as many tries yesterday. It was the longest winning streak of the month! During August, the Orioles have managed to amass the worst record in baseball. They are the 30th best team in the league--there is no number 31. 

But the team enters a stretch of 10 games against divisional opponents starting tonight. They could start another 10 game or longer losing streak--but, time will tell. 

A disappointing season continues. But, the Orioles need to get to 47 wins to avoid taking over the 15th position on the all time worst teams in the modern baseball era. With 36 games remaining, I wonder if that is possible?

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Damaged Butterfly

Juvenal's Duskywing
Elkridge, MD
August 24, 2021

I found a sad butterfly in the yard the other day. 

It was damaged and struggling in the grass. I really didn't realize how damaged this creature was until I looked up in the guides to identify it. 

I believe it to be a Juvenal's Duskywing--but there are important parts missing along the bottom of the wings. Look at how ragged it is. I am open to a better identification if someone has one. 

I helped the butterfly out of the tall grass and into the air. It managed to fly away before I could place it on a nearby bush. 

This butterfly reminded me of a lot of people that I know--damaged. We all have scars and damage that we contend with daily. The COVID-19 pandemic is highlighting how damaged we are as a society right now. The "Me First" movement has gone a bit too far and people are forgetting that through our own personal sacrifice and giving we make everyone stronger.

I hope the damaged butterfly survives, just as I hope we as a society can survive.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Standing on 38

The Orioles streak continues--19 in a row!

Amazingly, that is how many consecutive games the Orioles have found a way to lose. 

And it has not been pretty. 

In fact, I has been downright disappointing.

The Orioles have had 38 wins since I can remember. All hopes for a 60 win season are gone--there are only 38 games remaining in this disappointing season. Given the current stretch even making it to 50 wins would be an accomplishment.

In fact, it is possible that the 2021 Orioles could finish with less wins than the 2018 Orioles who managed 47. They might take over 15th on the all time list of worst MLB teams in the modern era.

For a rebuilding year, I had much higher hopes. 

I am sure the Orioles also had hoped for a better outcome.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD