Last week was quite a week!
My good friend Pat came all the way down from his home in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada to help me through my first cataract surgery. Pat had cataract surgery last year. Also, I hadn't seen Pat in person for over two and a half years although we're in contact daily via FaceTime and Zoom.
My surgery was on Thursday. Pat arrived the previous Sunday. He took an American Airlines flight to Philadelphia, visited our mutual friend Don McK. in center city Philly, then drove his rental car down here to Casa Tipton-Kelly here in southern Delaware. I immediately put him on my John Deere Zero Degree turn lawn mower tractor (video will follow in a future blog posting).
I took advantage of Pat's visit to go into Rehoboth Beach which is only ten miles down the road (Route One, Coastal Highway). Although I live close to Rehoboth Beach and love the boardwalk, I never go in summertime, the traffic is just to heavy. But I do miss the boardwalk and the "summer experience" of the crowds and people watching. Usually I only go to the Rehoboth Beach boardwalk in fall or early spring and on those rare winter days that have mild weather. I rarely visit the Rehoboth Beach boardwalk in the throes of the summertime crowds. Last week I did and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The only downside was the oppressive heat but we did catch a few ocean breezes that made walking the boardwalk tolerable.
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| Pat at the Rehoboth Beach boardwalk July 18, 2022 |
I secured a commitment from Pat that he will visit again next year so we can "walk the boards" on the Rehoboth Beach boardwalk. We also visited the boardwalk in the evening and visited Funland. We actually played some of the games and Pat even won a small stuffed owl playing skeet ball. Wonder of wonders, someone I knew actually won a prize. The last time I played any games at any of these cheapo games was at a carnival when I was ten years old when I lived in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. All I remember is being cheated out of a prize that I won by placing a quarter on the winning number at one of those spin the wheels fraud games. That soured me on those games, they're all fixed or almost impossible to win. After Pat won that stuffed owl I played a few games (about ten dollars worth) but of course didn't win anything. I'm terrible at that kind of thing. Sports, gambling, et al. I brought a lottery ticket for Mega Millions that the winning prize is over ONE BILLION DOLLARS. Of course I won't win that either but hey, one can dream. I could BUY the Rehoboth Beach boardwalk if I won a billion dollars. But would I want to? That's the question but I digress.
Last week's visit by Pat was a wonderful diversion to my year and a half of 24/ 7 caregiving for Bill. I took a lot of videos which I will share in future blog posts. So much fun! By the way, I discovered that I can take a shuttle bus to the boardwalk for only eighty cents (senior citizen rate). As I said before, I don't go to the Rehoboth Beach boardwalk in the summer because of the heavy traffic (parking lot) and the parking expense. However, the bus ride is fast and cheap. I will be returning to the boardwalk and taking more videos. Thanks to Pat for opening this new escape hatch for me. I love taking care of Bill and am so appreciative that I can but I do need an occasional diversion and the Rehoboth Beach boardwalk is great diversion. I love those ocean breezes and the sound of the surf.
6 comments:
Two and a half YEARS since? Crikey! I'd have thought that saying even 6 months would have been pushing it. But there it is!
Ray,
Yes, two and a half years. A LONG TIME! I hope it won't be that long the next time. Pat and I used to get together every three months but that's impossible now that I'm Bill's full-time caregiver. But Pat can come down and visit again next year which will only be a year away.
Ron
It was good to get a glimpse of you and Pat walking the boards. Looking good! It has been 30+ years since I was last at Rehoboth Beach. Used to be the guest, along with 20 other gay men, of a guy who had annual summer house parties, sex-drugs-rock-n-roll. It was fun until "the gay cancer" made it way too dangerous partake of such "goings on". It was a risk that I wasn't willing to take. I attended way too many funerals. I was not out and it was becoming difficult to explain why I was attending wakes and funerals for mostly male friends. I had businesses to run and I became more and more closeted. Humph! I wasn't fooling anybody but myself because everyone knew I was a "confirmed bachelor". Years ago I was attending a local garden party and overheard some women talking about "he is way too handsome to be single. But it is no wonder because he does hangout with all those beautiful boys and that fag hag". They were talking about me. What was ironic I was a few steps away talking with their husbands about our next "boys weekend away". Ron, looking forward to more tales from the boards and the Casa Tipton-Kelly. Be good. Be safe. BE HAPPY!
You know I have been bitching about you taking regular reprieves from your caregiving. It just helps everyone involved.
Take advantage of the services offered. Even if it is for a few hours each week take it. Get your hair and nails done. Or better yet a nice deep massage.
Glad you had a good time with Pat. I love Zoom and all that but I am old school. I like to talk to you face to face and give you a hug.
It's been years, years since I've been to the boardwalk. I remember Dolly's Salt Water Taffy. Bought a box I did. I don't mind the heat but I don't want to be out in it for hours. A nice walk, an ocean breeze now and then, sunscreen, a hat, and I am all set. Let's go. Oh wait, I have to pee first.
Be well!!
Victor
Woody,
I wonder if we crossed paths in Rehoboth Beach back in your heyday. I started to come down to Rehoboth Beach in the late 70's to visit my friend Bob McCamley. Bob was in the closet and he felt Rehoboth Beach was a safe place to have "fun." Bob liked the little Twinkie guys (he was a big guy, definitely not a Twinkie). Knowing Bob is the main reason I moved to this area to escape Pennsylvania's high school taxes and a more moderate climate. I will die here, with occasional visits to Palm Springs of course. Pat thinks we will end up in Palm Springs but I love my home here at Casa Tipton-Kelly too much to leave it. Besides I'm too old now move but I think I can squeeze in a few more visits to Philly, Canada and Palm Springs. More tales to come from "the boards' and Casa Tipton-Kelly.
Ron
Victor,
Sad to say but the Dolle's sign is no longer there at the corner of the boardwalk and Rehoboth Avenue. A dispute over the rental of the building was the cause for the removal of the sign. However, Rehoboth Beach and the boardwalk still retains that special summer vibe that only Rehoboth Beach has although I would like to see that colorful Dolle's sign up against that incredibly blue sky now that my cataracts been removed.
I don't mind the heat of the boardwalk either but these days I can walk a bit if there is the slightest breeze blowing in from the ocean which there was last week.
I just got off of FaceTime with Pat. I wish he was here now so we could go down to the boardwalk tonight. Maybe next year.
Ron
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