Cinco de Mayo 2022

 

Happy Cinco de Mayo 2022!

Let the festivities begin as my favorite foreign holiday arrives. 

Cinco de Mayo is actually a holiday in Mexico--but it is more widely celebrated here in the U.S. 

Many people wonder why I enjoy the holiday. Well, it is one of those holidays, complete with a celebration, which although considered minor by many has incredible significance to the American experience. 

Cinco de Mayo is NOT Mexican Independence Day, which is celebrated during September, and it also is NOT a Mexican Federal Holiday. The Battle of Puebla where out-manned and out-gunned Mexican forces defeated a larger French force (sounds a bit like Ukraine and Russia), was also not a turning point in the War, which the French ultimately won. The Battle of Puebla, however, may have helped prevent the Confederacy from winning the American Civil War. 

An excerpt from a History.Com article, titled How Cinco de Mayo Helped Prevent a Confederate Victory in the Civil War, provides the historical perspective. 

Some contend that the year-long delay of the French invasion gave Abraham Lincoln’s generals just enough time to win decisive Union victories before Napoleon could provide upgraded artillery and munitions to the Confederacy. 

“By the time the French occupy Mexico City in June of 1863, the battle of Vicksburg was already underway," says Eric Rojo, a retired U.S. Army Colonel and commander-in-chief of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, an organization composed of descendants of Union officers in the Civil War. Rojo points out that the Battle of Gettysburg was about to begin and that Union victories were "signaling the beginning of the end" for the Confederacy. “Even if French were able to set their supply lines by mid-1863, it would have made very little difference in the outcome of the Civil War.”

So I celebrate today not only for the fun and revelry, but for the true historical significance of the Battle of Puebla and in memory to the brave Mexicans who played a role in preserving the Union and these United States.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

May the 4th Be With You

 

Happy Star Wars Day.

May the 4th be with you!

Today reminds me of the ultimate fantasy and how I felt after seeing the original movie, now the 4th in the services, waaaay back in 1977. 

It really was that long ago! 45 years.

The movie was not originally expected to do well in the box office, but it spawned an entire series of movies, television shows, and books with which a generation has grown-up. 

The movies and stories have become the ultimate escapism into a universe where it always seems that evil is about to extinguish the light of good--but then at the last moment the Force flexes to subdue the forces of darkness--the Dark Side. 

If only it were more true. Sadly, the forces of evil and anarchy seem to in control in the world these days. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Painting, Ugh!

 

White Crown Molding
Elkridge, MD
May 3, 2022

There are two home projects that I do not enjoy:

Plumbing and Painting.

Plumbing while not particularly difficult always seems to cause me to contort into uncomfortable positions to make a connection. I have learned over the years to connect as much plumbing before installing sinks, but when making repairs or sweating copper to solve a leak sometimes being a contortionist is the only way to get the job done.

Red Crown Molding
Elkridge, MD
October 11, 2015

Painting is another area that I do not enjoy because it requires a specific kind of patience that I just do not possess. Take yesterday, for instance. I spent most of the day painting crown molding in the dining room. It required three coats of paint to cover my beloved red crown molding and make it a more traditional white. When I installed the crown molding and chair rail in the dining room, I painted the crown molding red to match the wall below the chair rail. I thought it added character to the room. Chris did not agree, but allowed the red to remain--until yesterday. As we prepare to sell the homestead it was determined that the red must go! As a result, I spent the day on a ladder applying three coats of paint to cover the red.

Note to self: red is hard to paint over.

The red is now gone and the room has become boringly acceptable to the masses. 

I dearly hope there are no more painting projects in my future.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - May 2, 2022

 

1. Happy May! It is the first Monday of May 2022 and not much has changed since April. There are 34 Mondays remaining in the year! 

Along the Loxahatchee River
Tequesta, FL
April 8. 2022

2. My new baseball glove will likely be ready for action tomorrow. I have been conditioning it and keeping it wrapped around a baseball to speed the process of making it ready for action. 

3. Rain can be incredibly inconvenient. Yesterday's rain was sufficient to inundate the baseball field and cause a scheduled doubleheader to be postponed. Just what we need, more games to reschedule. 

4. Longing for the Loxahatchee. Reviewing my photos from April, I discovered this image taken along the banks of the Loxahatchee River in Tequesta during a bike ride. I took an 8 mile bike ride yesterday around Elkridge that had 554 feet of elevation change compared with the 15 mile ride in Tequesta on April 8th which recorded 26 feet of elevation change. Guess which one I was breathing hard after completing?

5. I love bright sun and blue skies, I just wish the afternoon highs were in the 80s and that the rain would not occur on days with scheduled baseball games.

6. How about them O's! The took a series from the Red Sox by winning yesterday 9-5. They are tied for 24th place among all the teams in baseball with an 8-14 record. 

7. Today in History. The modern legend of the Loch Ness Monster is born when a sighting makes local news on May 2, 1933. The newspaper Inverness Courier relates an account of a local couple who claim to have seen “an enormous animal rolling and plunging on the surface.” The story of the “monster” (a moniker chosen by the Courier editor) becomes a media phenomenon, with London newspapers sending correspondents to Scotland and a circus offering a 20,000 pound sterling reward for capture of the beast.

Hundreds trapped at Mariupol steel plant as Russian shelling resumes - CNN

US should prepare for Southern summer surge of Covid, Birx says - CNN

Israel demands apology after Lavrov says Hitler had Jewish roots - Reuters

Poland ready to help Germany stop using Russian oil, says minister - Reuters

Ukraine formally closes seaports captured by Russia - Reuters

How the ‘jack-in-the-box’ flaw dooms some Russian tanks - The Washington Post

Big majority of Americans back sanctions on Russia, aid to Ukraine, poll finds - The Washington Post

Ukraine Says It Sank Two Russian Naval Vessels - The Wall Street Journal

Disney’s Clash With Florida Has CEOs on Alert - The Wall Street Journal

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

A Different Ending

 

The View from Suite 72
20 minutes before first pitch
OPACY, Baltimore, MD
April 30, 2022

I attended the Red Sox vs Orioles baseball game last evening at Orioles Park at Camden Yards (OPACY). I was lucky to have been invited into a suite complete with food and beverage.

What did I discover? 

The Orioles have unfortunately become a second rate baseball/entertainment organization.

On the field the Orioles have the lowest payroll in MLB. I looked it up. Their 2022 total payroll is listed as $46.5 million. Last evening the Orioles played the Red Sox who have a total payroll listed as $202 million. The league average is somewhere about $147 million. Is it any wonder that the Orioles have a losing record?

It is now easy to see why the stadium which can hold about 46,000 only had just short of 20,000 in attendance last evening. In the past, Red Sox games were almost guaranteed sell outs, although the fortunes of that team are low right now and not many Red Sox fans are traveling from Boston. I did not see the usual squadron of busses parked along the stadium roads as I walked to the game.

But wait, there is more. I had been invited to a suite to enjoy the game. The Orioles somehow managed to fumble the reservation for the suite and the food and beverage was not provided until the person who made the reservation provided the confirmation email to the concessions manager and then it took 45 minutes to stock the area. Once stocked, there was only beer and soft drink for beverages and the entree consisted of hot dogs or pulled pork. Compared with my experience at Nationals Park last season, the Orioles are way behind in providing an exceptional fan experience. National Park provided London Broil, plus numerous other entrees, a salad bar, dessert bar and a full open bar. 

On to the game.

Amazingly, the Orioles won the game 2-1. It was a 10th inning, walk-off error by the Red Sox that allowed the Orioles to scrap out a victory. The Red Sox scored in the first inning and the Orioles did not manage the tying run until the 8th inning. 

The 10th inning is when the game became interesting. The Orioles managed not to surrender a run to the visitors during the top of the inning. The Red Sox, for their part tried an interesting approach by intentionally walking the lead-off batter which put runners on 1st and 2nd. Remember, in MLB extra innings now begin with a runner on 2nd. This set up a double play possibility. But, the Orioles bunted in an attempt to move the runners over, but the Red Sox committed an error trying to get the lead runner at 3rd. The pitcher, who fielded the bunt, overthrew the 3rd baseman and the baserunner who had started at 2nd base, scored! 

A walk-off error. Orioles Win! Orioles Win!

That was a different ending, for sure.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

It Just Exploded

 

My Irreparably Damaged Baseball Glove
April 29, 2022

The unthinkable happened at baseball practice on Thursday night. My 50 year old baseball glove literally exploded while I was warming up a pitcher preparing to conduct batting practice.

OK, maybe exploded is a bit dramatic, but as the image shows there was major damage as well as more to laces which are on the backside of the glove. 

I considered repairing the glove with new laces and during the inspection I found the damage even more extensive than I had at first believed. As can be seen from the image, I had fairly extensive repairs done last season with darker lacing along the top. But, as also can be seen, I have not properly cared for my glove over these past five decades and the time it has spent in a hot vehicle has taken a toll on the laces. Looking over the glove, I could see that the laces were worn and broken in many other places.

Bottom line--it was time to purchase a new baseball glove, which I did yesterday. Who knew that some gloves are $400? OMG! As I am not actively playing, but rather coaching I decided on a glove far less costly. The new glove is being conditioned and hopefully I will be able to at least bend it by Sunday when the team plays a doubleheader.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Cold--Really?

 

Two nights of  freeze warnings during late-April! The daily highs have been barely 60 degrees. 

This does not seem like late April! I usually am seriously thinking of opening my pool by this time of year, but now I am waiting for temperatures at least in the high 70s. 

Cold. 

Too cold! 

There is at least a forecast of 80 degrees for Wednesday next week--but then the highs are expected to be back into the 60s.

Not a good week to open the pool, yet. 

It has not been particularly good weather for baseball, either.

I'm hoping that warmer weather will soon appear and finally send the remnants of Winter into the distant past. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Tough Loss

 

On a cool evening in Clinton, Maryland, the 14U Severn Seminoles baseball team played to a hard fought loss. The game ended on a bases loaded steal of home base with a 3-2 count on the batter and two outs. 

Jax on the Mound
Clinton, MD
April 27, 2022

The loss stung--but, the team played well and overcome adversity all night. Although Severn scored first, the home team came back with three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Although the second inning saw the side retired in order, Severn scored a run in each of the next four innings to take a tenuous 5-4 lead when the home team came to bat with time running out. With their backs against the wall, the home team, the 14U Full Count Rockers got the job dome by getting the tying run across the plate and then loading up the bases; setting up the final desperation play to win the game. It was a great call during a at a critical point in the game.

Jax had a good night at the plate going 1-3 with an RBI single and a deep fly ball to center field which was caught. He also was strong on the mound pitching 3 innings and allowing 1 earned run. He threw 67 pitches, while facing 18 batters and striking out 4 and walking 4.

Severn was aggressive at the plate and the hit of the night, by Eric, was a monster double to deep center field which on some fields would have been a home run. The team also turned two double plays--including on unassisted by Jacob, the first baseman.

Too bad the well-played game resulted in a loss because thew boys definitely played like winners. 

Baseball is back and so am I.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Rain and Baseball

 

Rains came yesterday afternoon. 

I was preparing to coach the 14U Severn Seminoles in a game and mere minutes before the two-hour cut-off for calling a game, it was called due to rain. At least I didn't have to leave the house, but dinner was already on the table at 4PM--which is really early for us.

At least I was able to spend the evening at home and not out in the cold and rain!

There is another game tonight--over an hour drive away. Hopefully, it will not rain! Perhaps it will even be warm. I could use some mid-Summer baseball weather.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

The Canopy Returns

Hidden Building Trick
Elkridge, MD
April 26, 2022

It has been a busy two weeks since arriving back in Maryland. The pace of life is faster with more distractions and Chris and I are getting fewer things accomplished than we had hoped, but the downsizing is beginning. Of course, Easter and then Mom's Celebration of Life Service, with corresponding travel, probably contributed to much of the activity in which we have been engaged. 

With those two events completed, perhaps we can begin to control our activity level more. I have managed only one bike ride since returning, although much of that is due to the cold temperatures we have been experiencing. The 30 degree temperature difference is partly to blame. 

Spring, however, is in full swing. I noticed this morning that the tree canopy has matured enough to hide the building on the hill behind our house. It is not fully mature, but still sufficient to provide shade and seclusion to the yard. I mowed for the second time yesterday and I am beginning the pool opening process. I have some left-over plumbing work to accomplish,  reattach the motor for the pump and then it will be off to buy the chemicals necessary to bring the pool to life. 

Another great day ahead and perhaps, weather permitting, a youth baseball game this afternoon as I make my return to coaching.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD