Friday, June 10, 2022

Golden Girls - Review

 

Last evening we took a break from baseball and downsizing. Chris and I escaped to the Hippodrome theater to enjoy Golden Girls!

We last went to the theater while we were wintering in Jupiter, Florida, and saw, Why I Hate Hamlet. I have to admit, I am not a fan of the theater. When I am crammed into the too small seats of the Hippodrome Theater, as I was last evening, I can't help but think that I'd be more comfortable at an Orioles game. At least the theater allowed me to enjoy a glass of wine while seated.

Golden Girls was great. I thoroughly enjoyed the show. Important safety tip--the actors were men doing the parts of the four famous women and they were believable and enjoyable. Second safety tip, the sexual comments and jokes could be considered offensive to some, but may also expand your vocabulary. The show done just like the TV show with two sets: living room and kitchen. All of the action took place in one, or at times both, of the rooms. The audio was clear, I was near the rear of the theater, but could both see and hear without trouble. 

Parking, which can be a problem in Baltimore, was not an issue last evening. I believe it was because the Orioles were out of town. After the show, Chris and I were able to exit the theater, get to the car, and were home within about 30 minutes--and it is a 19 minute drive. 

Great escape and great evening. 

Third safety tip: This show is not suitable for children.

Recommendation: See Golden Girls.


-- Bob Doan, ELkridge, MD

Thursday, June 9, 2022

The Sign is Up

 

Marketing the Homestead
Elkridge, MD
June 8, 2022
The downsizing and house selling became very real yesterday. 

The sign went up!

While the house in not officially on "the market" yet, that day is just over a week away. Until the sign went up it was all fun and games and a bit surreal, but now it is serious. 

We are in our 22nd year of occupancy, having purchased the the home at the end of February 2001. We have lived here longer than anywhere during our entire lives. I don't even think about the address when I write it, it is an integral part of me, seemingly permanently inscribed into my brain. 

I inaugurated this blog during December 2007 and looking back through some of the entries I found documentation of the great times that our family and friends have enjoyed in this house. 

The good times and celebrations will not end; the venue will just change.

Changes. The process that began during December last year continues as Chris and I move forward in retirement. There is still so much to do, but we have done as great deal as well. 


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Wednesday, June 8, 2022

Downsizing

 Storms moved through the area last evening, drowning plans for outside activity. They also portend increased humidity today and for much of the next week. It is beginning to feel like summer in Maryland. 

Downsizing while also preparing the house for marketing continues unabated. Yesterday the "stager" visited and gave us some tips for improving the pictures that will be taken next week for the listing advertisement. It was very interesting to work with her and understand what prospective buyers are looking for when reviewing pictures before actually visiting a house. Chris did a spectacular job preparing the house and most of the suggestions were tweaks to what she had already accomplished. We both remarked that the house is beginning to resemble our Florida condo in terms of simplicity and lack of clutter.

Downsizing would be easier if we were moving into a new or vacant home, but we are relocating to our fully furnished condo in Florida and so we need almost nothing from our Maryland home which means that we must be ruthless in our efforts. It is hard to be ruthless when dealing with treasures accumulated over a lifetime.

The evening rains caused baseball practice to be canceled last evening. There is a game tonight which hopefully we will be able to play as the Severn Seminoles 14U prepare for the season ending playoffs and need to get one more league game played to qualify.

It certainly feels like summer outside!


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD


Tuesday, June 7, 2022

Living In-Between

Chris with Finnegan and Rex
Elkridge, MD


 Chris and I are living in the in-between zone--that period of time between when our house is ready to be marketed and when it is sold and the final push to clear everything out begins. 

There are a lot of things "up in the air" right now. We spend a lot of time discussing options and plans for things for which we cannot even plan. 

Now that we have achieved the in-between, I am hoping to actually make it to a golf course. What a concept. It has been since February that I have strode across a fairway looking for an errant ball.

This past weekend we hosted Patrick and Jen along, with their faithful dog Rex, while they too are living in-between. Patrick's house was being marketed over the weekend which is a step toward moving into a house currently under construction later this year. 

There are so many changes afoot right now and many of us are living in-between. A busy summer is ahead. 


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

  

Monday, June 6, 2022

Monday Musings - June 6, 2022

 


1. June has arrived and today is the first Monday of the month. There are just 29 Mondays remaining in the year as we slide towards the mid-point.


2. Today we remember D-Day, June 6, 1944.

3. Sometimes it seems that in the past, unlike today, we actually were able to identify who the bad guys were.

4. Is anyone else frustrated by the inaction and gridlock in Congress. They are arguing about minutiae while the country is being held hostage by the oil companies.

5. We were treated to a beautiful weather weekend. I worked outside most of the weekend doing odd jobs around the. house--some which have been languishing for more than a year. I even got to spend some time enjoying the pool, although the today's 59 degree morning is going to set that back a bit.

6. Today in History. On June 6, 1944, Supreme Allied Commander General Dwight D. Eisenhower gives the go-ahead for the largest amphibious military operation in history: Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of northern France, commonly known as D-Day.

By daybreak, 18,000 British and American parachutists were already on the ground. An additional 13,000 aircraft were mobilized to provide air cover and support for the invasion. At 6:30 a.m., American troops came ashore at Utah and Omaha beaches




Chinese fighter jet 'chaffs' Australian plane near South China Sea, Canberra alleges - CNN

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will face a vote of confidence today - CNN

Chernobyl Workers Pick Up the Pieces After Russian Occupation - The Wall Street Journal

North Korea Launches Short-Range Missiles Into Sea - The Wall Street Journal

Ukraine’s World Cup Dream Ends With Defeat to Wales - The Wall Street Journal

Senators say gun deal is within reach, but without Biden’s wish list - The Washington Post

Putin threatens to hit new targets if long-range missiles are delivered to Ukraine - The Washington Post

How crypto giant Binance became a hub for hackers, fraudsters and drug traffickers - Reuters

Russia's Lavrov calls decision to block plane 'unprecedented' - Reuters

Nine dead in three mass shootings across United States - Reuters


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Sunday, June 5, 2022

Tackling a Tough and Sensitive Problem


 Ad
dressing the carnage being caused in this country by fire-arms had become a pressing social issue. 

The problem is that people are looking at only a portion of the problem and that, many times, is through a partisan political lens that imposes biases upon a solution. It is time to throw off the chains of partisan politics and work together to make a meaningful impact on the problem. 

Is there a problem? A correspondence in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) reported:

The previous analysis, which examined data through 2016, showed that firearm-related injuries were second only to motor vehicle crashes (both traffic-related and nontraffic-related) as the leading cause of death among children and adolescents, defined as persons 1 to 19 years of age.4 Since 2016, that gap has narrowed, and in 2020, firearm-related injuries became the leading cause of death in that age group. From 2019 to 2020, the relative increase in the rate of firearm-related deaths of all types (suicide, homicide, unintentional, and undetermined) among children and adolescents was 29.5% — more than twice as high as the relative increase in the general population. (Highlighting added)

Let me restate what was reported in the NEJM: the leading cause of death among children and adolescents (persons aged 1-19 years) since 2020 is fire-arm related.

So let's agree, there is a problem.

I believe there are three things, which would not violate the Second Amendment of the Constitution, that can be done to reduce the fire-arms related deaths in America. Restrictions that have legally been placed upon Constitutional rights in the past an--for instance it is unlawful to use our Free Speech right and yell fire in a theater, therefore, it is permissible to ensure our freedoms are practiced in a socially responsible manner. 

So, what do I think we as a country can begin to do?

Step 1

Increase funding for mental health services focused upon the adolescent age group. This includes increasing  access to Mental Health treatment in schools to both identify and assist troubled students--those who both desire to kill others or those who might do harm to themselves. We need to dedicate resources to creatively help this age group while also removing the stigma associated with receiving mental health care.

Step 2

Why can anyone buy large amounts of ammunition? Why can teenagers buy large amounts of ammunition designed only to kill people because it is used in assault weapons? Fix this. Significantly increase taxes on assault weapon ammunition and limit the number of rounds that can be purchased. Also, establish 21 years old the minimum age limit to purchase ammunition used in assault weapons. The drinking age and the age to buy cigarettes in 21, why are youths allowed to purchase ammunition which is designed to be used in weapons designed only to kill people? I would advocate that shotgun ammunition and .22 caliber ammunition still be available to younger people for target and sport activities. Ammunition purchases should be entered into a federal database much as purchasing some decongestant over-the-counter drugs are tracked.

Step 3

Create and enforce limits on the purchase of weapons. All weapons! The limits should include a waiting period, a background check, and a minimum age to purchase (perhaps 21), but not possess fire-arms. In parts of this country fire-arms are used for protection in wilderness and open areas and by youthful hunters. Weapons designed for hunting game or self-protection should be allowed for younger persons, but they should not be able to possess assault fire-arms, nor should they be able to purchase weapons. 

Something must be done. We must not abridge rights granted to us by the Constitution, but we can ensure that the Right to Bear Arms is accomplished in a socially responsible manner in order to stop the carnage and help protect those members of our society that are unable to protect themselves. 


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD


Saturday, June 4, 2022

Late Today

Jax at the Plate
Lakeshore Athletic Complex
June 1, 2022

 I had an early departure this morning for a baseball game. I was on the road at 7:30 AM and so I didn't get the blog done in the morning. 

It turned out that because of lack of umpires, the baseball game became a scrimmage and I became an umpire in the field. It was my first time as an umpire since college and fortunately lately the parent from the other team was a real umpire in another league and helped me through. 

It was fun!

I learned a lot. I had always noticed the umpires using hand signals between each other, but except for ensuring they knew the number of outs I never could decipher them. Well, that changed. There is a lot of communication between umpires to ensure they each know what is happening. I believe in my heart, I made all good calls today. As a scrimmage, there was no time limit and the seven inning game went almost three hours in the developing heat of the day. I was dog tired after.

But, I knew that I had projects to do at home, like taking hazardous materials to the landfill including some lithium batteries. They only accept hazardous items and liquids on Saturdays. Chris and I also managed to clean out the pool house attic and crossed another room off the list. Most of the stuff in that attic went to the landfill, with the exception of pool toys and floaties.

It was a beautiful day for being outside and we were.


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Friday, June 3, 2022

Lights, Action, For Sale

The Illuminated Pool
Elkridge, MD
June 2, 2022

 In the heat of yesterday's morning sun, I managed to resolve the issue with the lights in the pool. Yay. The resolution allowed Chris and I to enjoy a beautiful evening in and around the pool with the lights beaming brightly after the thunderstorms moved through the area. We even lit the gas fueled fire pit to enjoy the ambiance. I installed bright white LED bulbs in the existing housing and they changed the color of the pool giving it a much bluer hue. 

Sitting around a hot fire pit on a warm summer-like evening may seem a bit eccentric, but Chris and I both realize that these opportunities are rapidly drawing to a close as we signed with a realtor yesterday to market the homestead. Hopefully, in a few short weeks we will have a signed contract and begin the final preparations to permanently depart the house we have loved for over 21 years. It is much different than any other move we have done as we have never lived so long at any address in our entire lives. After 21 years at the same location we have accumulated a lot of stuff which we do not need in our future location.

Life is beginning to change, although with the tropical depression headed for Tequesta with up to 12 inches of rain, I am happy I'm not there--one day in a row.


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Thursday, June 2, 2022

One Thing More

The Pool on Memorial Day
Elkridge, MD
May 30, 2022

 Houses require maintenance and anyone who owns one knows this is true. And that maintenance seems to come in terms of "one more thing." By that, I mean that after completing one project while it would be nice to take a rest it is likely time to tackle the next project.

Take yesterday, for instance. I was wrestling with a GFI (ground fault interrupter) problem, still unresolved, with the pool lights. GFI issues can be very frustrating. But, I also need to do a repair on the dryer AND we received a letter form our condo association that there is an issue with the fire suppression system (sprinklers) in our Florida condo. Ugh! Two houses mean four times the problems.

The nice thing about the problem with the pool lights was that I was in and around the pool all day in the 90+ degree weather. The GFI is on one of the two light circuits. Making the problem worse, both pool lights were burned out and needed replacing and one of them separated from the base which I removed it--which does complicate things just a bit and coincidentally is on the circuit with the GFI issue.

When I finish the pool, the dryer is waiting for attention!

Well, I'm off to get started on the day.


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD



Wednesday, June 1, 2022

Prepping and Downsizing

Freshly Stained Porch
Elkridge, MD
Jume 1, 2022

 The seemingly headlong rush towards getting the house on the market, sold, and returning to Florida continues with daily activities, both indoors and out. I enjoyed yesterday's 90 degree temperatures, but was a sweaty mess when I came inside about 1 PM after working outside for the morning. 

The projects we are doing are really just routine maintenance that needs to be accomplished every few years. I have gained the side porch--I replaced a board last year but never got around to properly staining the new wood and then I noticed the entire porch really could use a new coat of stain. I also painted a window frame that needed a touch up. The north side of the house does not get a lot of sun and we get a bit of green algae growth on the siding which I power washed a couple days ago. The paint was the final bit on that project. 

There was a scheduled baseball game last evening and so Chris and I. have devised a plan where we enjoy the big meal of the day for a late lunch. It is really working fairly well because it is much better than trying to eat a meal when I get home from baseball at 8 or 9 PM. Today is more of the same--another game and likely another mid-day main meal. 

Another day in an unnumbered series of days.


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

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