New Year's Eve 2022

 

Me, Lucas, Chris, Jeremy
Carlin Park Beach, Jupiter, FL
December 29, 2022

So here is a conundrum--is it New Year's Eve 2022 or 2023? 

Tomorrow is 2023, but we have not celebrated New Year's Eve 2022. It is New Year's Eve FOR 2023, but being that the day remains 2022, I'm guessing that it is New Year's Eve 2022 and at midnight when the year fades into history, so will New Year's Eve. 

I suppose it really doesn't matter--it is New Year's Eve and tomorrow is 2023. 

Lucas on a Boogie Board
Carlin Park Beach, Jupiter, FL
December 30, 2022

In more important issues. What do you get when you mix a relatively calm ocean, one boy, and a boogie board?

Answer: FUN!

It was a beautiful afternoon yesterday, and despite the water being a bit too cool for me to venture in beyond my ankles, Luke had fun with an old boogie board that we have. 

And so it was a great day. The weather was perfect and I made a trip to Port Everglades to drop Jeremy and Julie off for their cruise. Chris and I get some alone time with our youngest grandson! Yay!

Tonight, we will ring in the New Year together!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

December at the Beach

Blowing Rocks
Jupiter Island, FL
December 29, 2022

 Yesterday I made two visits to the beach. It was a beautiful day and so, why not?

We went for a morning walk on Jupiter Island and an afternoon visit to Carlin Park where I actually got into the ocean! The water temperature was listed as 78 degrees, a mite cool for my liking, but bearable. I enjoyed being in the water with my grandson, Lucas.  

Osprey on the Hunt
Jupiter Island, FL
December 29, 2022

Yesterday was the first time that I had been advised to get out of the water due to sharks being sighted in the area. It was really cool, but, sadly, I did not see any sharks. They were likely Bull Sharks, which tend to be in the area this time of year and which should be avoided. A short while later we were allowed back into the water.

I was amazed at the number of people on the beach yesterday, but then it was a beautiful sunny day with temperatures approaching 80 degrees and kids are off from school. The snowbirds are also arriving and I have noticed a definite increase in traffic as compared with two weeks ago. 

Today is my one year anniversary of being retired. The last day that I went into work was December 30, 2021, and later that same day Chris and I flew to Florida to begin our lives here. I still remember driving out of the parking lots and realizing that I might never return to the place where I had worked for over 25 years. Wow! What a year it has been. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Traffic and Holiday Palms

Traffic Jam
Stafford, VA
December 27, 2022

I am happy that my travel day is over. I was reflecting upon the trip and found a picture of the traffic jam in Stafford, Virginia, that I had Chris snap. The back-up stretched for miles. 

Jeremy, Julie, and Lucas arrived yesterday. Their driving experience was better, as they departed ay 4 AM and missed the mess in Virginia, but they experienced the same slowdowns in South Carolina that we did just a day earlier. I don't know what the problem is in South Carolina, but perhaps they should focus more on the roads and less on overturning the 2020 election. 

Holiday Palm Trees
Tequesta, FL
December 28, 2022

As a counterpoint, last evening Chris and I were out walking and found a display of Christmas-light wrapped palm trees. It was a parking lot, but the decorations were festive. 

We enjoyed the sight for a few minutes and I snapped this image. It is very good to be back in the land of palm trees and warmth. Although it was cool, in the low 70s, I was in shorts and a short-sleeved shirt wearing my sandals. A significant change from wearing layers of long-sleeved shirts and coats to stay warm that I experienced just a couple days ago. 

Today I am thinking on a beach walk. Just saying.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

The Trip

Drive Weather App for December 28, 2022
Odenton to Tequesta

 

It was a trip to remember, or rather to forget. 

The trek from Maryland back to Tequesta happened yesterday and into the wee hours of this morning. 

We got a late start and ran into horrific post-holiday traffic throughout the day. In total, we lost about three hours. Our planned 15 hour trip turned into 18 hours and our arrival time moved from just before midnight to just before 3 AM. Ugh!

We picked up an additional passenger/driver. Our friend Fran whose Southwest flight fell victim to the cancellation disaster. Although his flight was scheduled for today, he discovered it was canceled and contacted us just before we departed from the doctor's office to begin the journey. 

The weather was perfect! I use an app called Drive Weather to help pick the best window for driving. I did not take an image of yesterday's forecast, but today's weather is nearly identical. It shows that the planned nearly 15 hour drive will be blessed with clear weather. That is critical because Jeremy, Julie, and Luke are following this very route today, well they did not start in Odenton. 

I was amazed at how traffic would just stop yesterday for no apparent reason. And there were far too many accidents and people traveling, in my estimation, over 100 mph. 

But, we arrived without incident. Well, there was no parking in the our community, something that I will need to address. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

 

It is Tuesday, the day after the day after Christmas.

It is a travel day and I always wake early on travel days, sadly. 

I guess the thrill of the road (or flying) just calls to me. Actually, my head gets filled with tons of things that I have to do and remember. Today is no different. We are leaving later than our usual 3 AM roll-out because Chris has a quick doctor appointment and then it is onto the open road and post-Christmas and Snowbird traffic. We are not Snowbirds! Just saying.

The route is pretty easy. 

Get on I-95 and drive until almost home. We take a couple bypasses--like DC and Jacksonville, sometimes Richmond depending upon the time of day. Traffic always is bad between DC and Richmond unless we roll out at 3 or 4 AM.

It was funny that in Maryland we lived between I-95 and US-1 with our most traveled road being US-1. It is the same in Florida--except that I-95 is a couple miles further west than US-1, unlike it was in our part of Maryland.

Here is to another day on the road! Thank goodness for Audible and Sirius XM.

-- Bob Doan, Odenton, MD

Monday Musings - December 26, 2022

 

1. It is the last Monday of December and also the last Monday of 2022. Next Monday will be the first Monday of 2023. I hope you had a great Christmas.

2. Family NFL Report. It was a good week for the family teams which went 3-1 in their games. Two teams, Ravens and Cowboys, have secured playoff spots and both of the other teams are remain in playoff contention. 

   Ravens (10-5) defeat Falcons (5-10), 17-9

   Steelers (7-8) defeat Raiders (6-9), 13-10

   Cowboys (11-4) defeat Eagles (13-2), 40-34

   Commanders (7-7-1) lose to 49ers (11-4), 20-37

Christmas Morning Breakfast
Odenton, MD
December 25, 2022

3. What is better than a Christmas morning waffle breakfast before opening presents? Almost nothing. Thanks to Mike and Nicole for a fantastic breakfast and morning. And then thanks to Patrick and Jen for a fabulous Christmas Day and feast.

4. Today is a holiday--to celebrate Christmas! Do not expect mail delivery. Nothing will be arriving except late Christmas gifts sent by express mail.

5. The cold weather has reminded me that I can survive in the north, but I do not desire to do so. I am looking forward to warmer temperatures and bike riding. Yes, it was cold in South Florida this week, but 80 degree temperatures return starting on Saturday.

6. The blog may be late tomorrow as we are hitting the open for Florida, depending upon the weather, of course. The current forecast calls for clear skies all the way. Not even the usual afternoon rain in South Florida. 

7. Today in History. Mobster Bugsy Siegel opens the glitzy Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada on December 26, 1946. Well-known singer and comedian Jimmy Durante headlined the night's entertainment, with music by Cuban band leader Xavier Cugat. Some of infamous gangster Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel’s Hollywood friends, including actors George Raft, George Sanders, Sonny Tufts and George Jessel were in attendance.

The grand opening of the Flamingo Hotel, however, was a flop. Bad weather kept many other Hollywood guests from arriving. And because gamblers had no rooms at the hotel, they took their winnings and gambled elsewhere. The casino lost $300,000 in the first week of operation.

Storm Leaves at Least 12 Dead in Buffalo, N.Y., Area - The Wall Street Journal

Housing Slump Set to Give Fed an Inflation-Fighting Assist - The Wall Street Journal

Florida Restarts Push to Feed Manatees - The Wall Street Journal

Transgender or devoutly Christian? An Iowa teen refuses to choose. - The Washington Post

Migrants bused from Texas arrive at VP’s house in D.C. on frigid Christmas Eve - The Washington Post

Vandals destroy 22,000-year-old sacred cave art in Australia - CNN

Three Russian servicemen killed after drone shot down at air base inside Russia - CNN

China's COVID cases overwhelm hosptials - Reuters

Taiwan reports China's largest incursion yet to air defence zone - Reuters

South Korea scrambles jets as North Korea sends drones over border - Reuters

-- Bob Doan, Odenton, MD

Christmas 2022

Sunrise
Elkridge, MD
December 25, 2022

 Merry Christmas! 

I was out early to take care of Jeremy's dogs and witnessed a beautiful Christmas morning sunrise. The day is full of promise and excitement. The roads were empty. 

The weeks of preparation are over and the big event has arrived. 

May the joy of the season fill your heart and give you hope for the entire year ahead. 

Pause for a moment amidst your celebration to remember the servicemen and women stationed far away from their homes as well as the first responders and medical personnel who are all on duty for us. 

God bless you, everyone!

-- Bob Doan, Odenton, MD

Christmas Eve 2022

Icicles on my Truck
December 23, 2022
Odenton, MD

The cold developed everywhere yesterday. The temperature dropped from 43 degrees in the morning to single digits when I went to bed. This morning the reported temperature is 6 degrees!

I took a picture of icicles hanging off my truck yesterday. I had to drive to an appointment during the morning and I experienced a sleet storm and a hail storm along the way. 

Snow Falling in Odenton
Odenton, MD
December 23, 2022

Later during the day it snowed. 

There was thankfully no accumulation, however I did get in my snow-fix for the season. 

I believe the weather for today is supposed to be clear and cold. We are beginning the day with brunch and probably watch some NFL football. The high today is expected to reach 20 degrees. Yay! It is cold in Florida as well. At home, in Tequesta, it is 41 degrees with an expected high of 58 degrees.

And so this is Christmas Eve! I hope that you are where you wanted to be for this holiday season. 

Enjoy the day and Merry Christmas.

-- Bob Doan, Odenton, MD

First Full Day of Winter

The View Outside
Odenton, MD
December 22, 2022

The first full day of Winter was, fittingly, a bleak and dreary day. 

It rained almost all of the day. Which was much better than other parts of the country where snow and blizzard-like conditions were the recipe for the day.

We were expecting the temperature to drop overnight, but apparently it did not and things are not too bad here on the southern part of the storm. The temperature is supposed to fall during the day bottoming out at about 9 degrees overnight. Ugh! Hopefully the roads will dry before the freeze arrives. 

We will see what the day brings.

Happy Christmas Eve Eve! That used to be a thing when I was a kid. 

-- Bob Doan, Odenton, MD

Winter Arrived

Tropic of Capricorn Through Australia

Autumn passed not so quietly into Winter yesterday with the big storm working its way across the nation.

The Sun is dancing along the Tropic of Capricorn providing the southern latitudes with their longest days of sunshine while we in the north work to overcome the darkest days of the year.

Here in Odenton, MD, we are experiencing about 9 hours and 28 minutes between sunrise and sunset. Short time. In Tequesta, FL, the daylight is about an hour longer coming in at 10 hours and 29 minutes. It is amazing what difference a a few hundred miles in latitude can make when considering the length of day. Important note, on the Summer Solstice the length of daylight is longer in Odenton (14h35m) versus Tequesta (13h53m). 

At least, the daylight will start to increase from this point on, although only a few seconds per day for a few days. 

And now, for the massive winter storm!

-- Bob Doan, Odenton, MD