Phase 1 of Move-in--Complete

The Fully Loaded PODS
Elkridge, MD
August 24, 2022

 

Yesterday was a momentous day in the saga of the move.

Chris and I completed Phase 1 of the Move-in. It may not seem like much, but we emptied the PODS and turned it back over to the company. All of our belongings are now either in our house or in a small storage unit we are renting. 

We are working very hard not to over-stuff the house. I think we had more space for storage than we believed, but we still need the storage unit to hold the overflow. 

A note about PODS. What a great idea. It worked exactly as advertised. Chris and I loaded it at our leisure over the course of two weeks, we got to pick the time, and it was available at the PODS center for our access when we wanted it to be. Had we been moving to a home and not a condo community we could have had it delivered to the house. About breakage--we had only one item break and that was due to poor placement in the PODS. Everything else arrived in great shape. 

I did strap the load every 4 feet to help stabilize it from moving around. 

As the PODS facility was a 30 minute drive each way, we are very excited that it is empty and we no longer need to make the trek.

And now comes the harder part of moving--the assimilation: incorporating the treasures we brought with us into the fully furnished house.

 And that is Phase 2 of the move-in.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

It is Alive! - Finally

Yeedi at Work
Tequesta, FL
September 15, 2022

 Although I know it is an inanimate object, I discovered yesterday that our robot vacuum, it is a Yeedi, is happy to be back in Florida. I write that because I attempted to use it in Maryland while we were there and it stopped working. It would not move and I tried almost all of the troubleshooting techniques to get the machine to work. I even contacted the company and they provided a detailed plan to get the wheels working again. I never had time to follow through on that.

Yesterday, however, I pulled the Yeedi from the box of stuff destined for the trash and gave it one more chance. I found the detailed process provided by the company and was prepared to follow through to see if the little robot could be revived. I plugged it in and activated the iPhone app. Upon doing so, I received a notice that the firmware needed updating. I was excited because I felt this might solve the problem.

I went through the firmware updating process and amazingly the Yeedi came to life, moved, and vacuumed the entire first level of the house. Yay, success. And it was a lot easier than following the process the factory had sent to reboot the wheels.  

It is alive!

I have to admit, having a robot to vacuum during the night is far better than sweeping or vacuuming during the day!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Truth in Advertising

 It is the season for the "elect me" commercials on TV and in my mailbox.

I have noticed that most of the ads deviate significantly from the truth. 

In fact, many of the ads present untruths and twisted facts. It is scary that there does not have to be truth in advertising when it comes to political commercials. If businesses led with commercials containing so many untruths they would be sued and the commercials removed from the airwaves. 

Why are political ads not held to the same standard? I  believe that there should be an independent review of the commercials for lies and untruths before they are allowed to be aired. 

It is no wonder that we cannot elect truthful leaders; they get elected by lying.

Enjoy the commercials until early-November and play a game. See if you can discern who is telling the truth!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Party Crashers

Party Crashers
Carlin Park Beach, FL
September 12, 2022

 

There we were. 

On the beach, enjoying a great Happy Hour with friends. There were a multitude of appetizers and some adult beverages along with spirited conversation while reveling in a glorious beach evening.

And then the party crashers arrived.

The birds. 

Almost like a scene out of an Alfred Hitchcock movie. Birds of multiple species: seagulls, terns, sanderlings, and Fish Crows. They gathered around us in hopes of enjoying a morsel being dropped or provided for their enjoyment. 

We actually enjoy having the birds join us, but sometimes there are too many of them flying around. It was fun to identify the different species, but some of them get a bit too close at times. 

I enjoy the wildlife, they provide comic relief.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Ocean Power

Morning Beach Walk
Jupiter Island, FL
September 12, 2022

 

In a near futile attempt to get back into a kind of normal rhythm, Chris and I attempted a morning walk on the beach yesterday. It was a beautiful morning. Stunningly clear blue sky and moderate temperatures and humidity. A seemingly great day for a beach walk.

Except . . . 

The tide was high and the ocean was strong. The waves were rolling up over the ridge of sand on the beach making ponds along the base of the dunes. The sand was soft and hard to traverse. We managed only about a .8 mile walk, far short of our usual 1.5-2.0 mile walk. 

The ocean was magnificent in its beauty. The rolling waves contained such power as they washed up over the sand. I ended the water as it rushed over my feet.

And we were alone on the beach as far as our eyes could see. 

Is there a better way to begin the day?

I think not. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Monday Musings - September 12, 2022

 

 1. Welcome to the second Monday of September. There are 2 in the month more and only 14 remaining in the year. 

2. It had been almost 22 years since Chris and I last moved, and I can definitely say that even with our decades of moving experience from being in the Air Force, this is the hardest move yet! It is definitely the longest in terms of time from start to as yet unfinished.

Tortoise in the Sun
Tequesta, FL
September 11, 2022

3. Took a short 10-mile bike ride yesterday just to enjoy getting out. It was humid and I was soaked by the end, but I was rewarded by seeing a tortoise along the street. I stopped and snapped this image. I was surprised at how big it was. 

4. Well, the first week of the NFL season is almost in the books and I am reviving the family NFL Monday report for the teams we are tracking as a family. And here are the results from Week 1:

  Ravens (1-0) defeat Jets (0-1) 24-9

  Steelers (1-0) defeat Bengals (0-1) 23-20 TO

  Commanders (1-0) defeat Jaguars (0-1) 28-22

  Cowboys (0-1) lose to Buccaneers (1-0) 3-19

  Dolphins (1-0) defeat Patriots (0-1) 20-7

5. Now that football season has returned, I guess it is time to write the Orioles out of the playoffs. Their poor showing during the past week resulted in them falling to 5.5 games out of the Wild Card race. But it has been a better than expected season. There remains a slim chance they will make the playoffs.

6. Today in History. September 12, 1940. Near Montignac, France, a collection of prehistoric cave paintings are discovered by four teenagers who stumbled upon the ancient artwork after following their dog down a narrow entrance into a cavern. The 15,000- to 17,000-year-old paintings, consisting mostly of animal representations, are among the finest examples of art from the Upper Paleolithic period.

First studied by the French archaeologist Henri-Édouard-Prosper Breuil, the Lascaux grotto consists of a main cavern 66 feet wide and 16 feet high. The walls of the cavern are decorated with some 600 painted and drawn animals and symbols and nearly 1,500 engravings. The pictures depict in excellent detail numerous types of animals, including horses, red deer, stags, bovines, felines, and what appear to be mythical creatures. There is only one human figure depicted in the cave: a bird-headed man with an erect phallus. Archaeologists believe that the cave was used over a long period of time as a center for hunting and religious rites.

Putin's Kharkiv disaster enrages Kremlin allies - CNN

Former MLB pitcher who became police officer killed in crash while on way to 9/11 memorial ceremony - CNN

French President calls for Russia to withdraw from nuclear plant - CNN

European Manufacturers Reel From Russian Gas Shutoff - The Wall Street Journal

Russia Withdraws More Forces From Northeast Ukraine - The Wall Street Journal

Covid-19 Keeps at Least 500,000 Workers Out of U.S. Labor Force, New Study Says - The Wall Street Journal

Joy in northeast Ukraine as residents return following Russian rout - Reuters

Exclusive: Biden to hit China with broader curbs on U.S. chip and tool exports - Reuters

Pakistan races to keep floodwaters out of power station that supplies millions - Reuters

What to know from NFL Week 1: Chiefs are just fine, but Patriots sure aren’t - The Washington Post

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Crush of Activity

 I had hoped that as Chris and I returned to Florida, our level of activity would moderate.

I was wrong.

We are incredibly busy unpacking and trying to fit our Maryland belongings into our already complete Florida home. Today's project is to find a storage unit to hold the excess. And there are is lot. I had no idea we were bringing as many wall hangings as we brought. Art prints, mostly. And there are multiple boxes of pictures--many of family historical significance.

And Christmas decorations. I think we have six containers of Christmas. 

We are also blessed with too many plastic containers. Some of them are too large to be fully useful. I wonder what we are going to do with them? 

Maybe I will get to watch some football today! It is opening Sunday. Otherwise, I will be slinging boxes around.

Moving sucks! Just saying.

P.S. It is Patriot Day the remembrance of 9/11. Where were you?  Say thank-you to a First Responder.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Hitting the Streets

 

After making three trips to the PODS during the past two days, about two-hours roundtrip, Chris and I decided to stay home and return the house to a more livable state. 

Bike Route
Tequesta, FL
September 9, 2022

We were successful! But, we still have at least two more trips to make to the PODS to retrieve the remainder of our treasures. I will be getting a storage room today.

One of the things we did yesterday was locate the recycling transfer facility and get rid of the wrapping paper and cardboard boxes that were filling the garage. That helped to reclaim significant space in the garage.

To start the day, however, I went on a long bike ride around Tequesta and Jupiter. I was able to visit some new territory and enjoy the day before it got too hot or rainy. I was amazed that, as I hit the streets, my legs were tired before I even began from racing up and down stairs during the past days. I have been exercising more than I had thought. 

I was dog-tired at the end of the ride. I need to eat breakfast before heading out on these rides! There is a small hill near the end that can seem mountainous, although it is only a slight incline. After 18 or so miles, however, it provides the opportunity to push myself one more time. 

It is great to be hitting the streets again!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Closing a Chapter of History

I am not a Royals watcher, but I have always appreciated the steady leadership that Queen Elizabeth II provided to the United Kingdom and the world.

Through all of the travails, she provided was a constant not only for the United Kingdom, but for the free world. 

I now understand the saying, "The Queen is dead, long live the King."

And history will remember her leadership through seven decades.

A chapter of history is closing and her relatively sudden passing provides an opportunity to pause and reflect upon our own endeavors and direction. I wish the United States had leaders committed to bettering the country rather than forcing their own personal biases upon others.

The next days will allow us to reflect upon our own leadership as we remember Queen Elizabeth II. The world is complex and we need leaders that can work across the spectrum from domestic to international and serve the greater good of the people of both the United States and the world. We must not elect "one trick pony" leaders but rather those who can operate in the world.

Rest In Peace Queen Elizabeth II.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Moving - Garage Stress

Garage Stress
Tequesta, FL
September 7, 2022

I have a severe case of garage stress!

Chris and I have unloaded about half of our PODS and while we are maintaining the house in livable fashion, the garage is a disaster! I am used to having a garage in which cars can be parked. The moving-in mess we have created is causing undue stress. Between boxes which have been collapsed waiting for recycling, and empty tubs along with some wardrobe boxes which still need to be carried upstairs, the garage is unworkable!

Ugh. 

I will work on organizing the garage today before we make another trip to the PODS facility. We are donating a many items which have been replaced by counterparts brought from Maryland. We knew this would happen and so it is not a shock. 

In reality, it is all going pretty smoothly so far, but I  know that the hard part is coming because space is filling up quickly. I have been moving shelves to accommodate kitchenware--we are going from a house blessed with drawers to one with less than the minimum necessary. We are rethinking what we keep in the kitchen. And where are we going to keep the other stuff which occupied our perpetual junk drawer where almost anything could be found? 

First, I need to get a handle on the garage. That is my morning project. Everything comes through the garage and if there is no space to move and stage, there is no way to transition items from the truck to their new home.

The good news? I'm retired and we do not have a deadline! Or rather, the deadline is self-imposed and can slip without consequences. 

Another day dawns! The sun is not yet up an I am already plotting a course for the day.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL