Good Friday folks!
I'm back! This time last week Pat and I made the six plus hour journey from Philadelphia to Canada.
So much has happened since Pat came down to Delaware to visit me here at Casa Tipton-Kelly.
Pat arrived here late Sunday December 17th. He rented a white Ford Edge suv which was the perfect vehicle for his nine hour plus trip from Canada, down through New York state and the length of central Pennsylvania (Pat took the scenic route) to Lower Slower Delaware where I live.
Pat stayed here Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday during which we ate out every day. The first being the Purple Parrot 
Sunday St. Patrick's dinner at the Purple Parrot in Rehoboth Beach. A leprechaun was our server but that was the last good thing about this visit. Oh, the French Fries were good. The rest, not so much.
in Rehoboth Beach which was a disaster. Our restaurant visits only got better after that disastrous visit. Poorly prepared food and overpriced drinks.
Thursday we left to spend a night in Philadelphia visiting our friend Don M. in center city Philly. I haven't seen Don in person since COVID and caretaking for Bill.
 |
| Pat (on the right) visiting out friend Don M. at his co-op apartment in Center City Philadelphia. Pat and I stayed overnight in the guest suite. |
Friday morning we left for Canada. I always wanted to take that long (nine hour) road trip with Pat back to his home in downtown Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Originally I had suggested that we cut the trip in half, only drive for four hours or so then take in a hotel room about the half way point. But Pat wanted to make the whole trip at once and turn in his rented Ford Edge suv. As it turned out the trip wasn't as arduous as Pat and I had feared because the Ford Edge was and is a very comfortable vehicle.
A big plus on this trip was that I had a wonderful scenic road trip. We avoided the main highways and took the older roads. I got a chance for the first and probably last time to ride through many small towns in Pennsylvania and New York state. All my life I've lived either in or near Philadelphia or the other end of the state in Pittsburgh and now Delaware. I rarely visited the central body of Pennsylvania and never New York state. I enjoyed the ride thoroughly and especially with Pat because he is such good company. We did stop once at a Burger King in on of the small towns in upper New York State. Their was hardly anybody in Burger King that sunny noontime Friday. The older woman who served us our food was friendly and funny. And the hamburger was good as I've always found Burger King hamburgers to be. I'm not a fast food kind of guy. I've always thought the McDonald's hamburgers tasted like cardboard and their French Fries to small. Burger King charbroils their hamburgers, that's a taste I like. The Purple Parrot in Rehoboth Beach used to charbroils their hamburgers but not the night I was there. It was a cold, tasteless shoe leather with wilted lettuce and a cold slab of cheese. Oh Purple Parrot what happened to you? But I digress.
After our lunchtime pit stop in that small upper New York State town we got back in our Ford Edge for the last leg of our epic journey to The Land North, Canada. By the way, upper New York State has lots of wind turbines which I loved seeing slowly turning, just like the ones as we enter Palm Springs.
Then guess what happened? SNOW! Yep, snow storm! Oh joy. Welcome to Canada.
We were held up on the QE2 "Expressway" for over an hour an a half for a snow related accident. What a mess! But we were finally in Canada.
I haven't been in Canada for (I think) five years. I used to go every year but with COVID and caregiving for Bill, time just slipped away.
I was glad to be "home" again even though I had to pay an atrocious amount for health insurance for just my five day stay in Canada. How's $184 sound? That's because I'm so old.
Next blog posting I'll write about my stay in Canada. I just returned yesterday. One thing, it was cold the whole time I was in Canada, really cold and windy. On my previous visits to Canada to visit Pat were always in the late summer or early fall. This was the first time I got to experience Canadian Cold.
In case you were wondering, yes, Pat's visit first to Delaware and now his home in Canada was the perfect antidote to me to help my with my grieving for missing Bill. I felt I was slipping further and further into melancholy here at Casa Tipton-Kelly with Bill no longer residing here with me. I needed to get away. Big time I needed this. And Pat came to my rescue. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate this little guy from Canada. I am truly blessed to have him as a friend.
 |
| Pat and me in Hamilton, Ontario Canada March 23, 2024, Pat's home. Most of the snow was gone by the next day. That snowstorm as we entered Canada the previous day was my "Welcome to Canada." |
6 comments:
Jim.
I missed posting my blog. I wish I had time to do it when I'm on these trips but I just don't. Pat keeps me busy. In fact, at the end of the day I'm so exhausted I literally can't see straight. He feels he has to keep my constantly entertained. And in that he does do a good job.
I will post a blog about Pat's minimalist living situation. He has all that is necessary for living a comfortable life but with minimal space and things. I do admire him for that. I could live like that but I can't now, I just have accumulated too many things during my lifetime which I would find now very hard to part with.
I was sliding into despair prior to Pat coming down for a visit. He saved me. In a few months, this summer I'm trying to convince Pat to come down again. Glenn, a friend of mine who lives in Palm Springs will also be visiting me then. Glenn's former partner used to follow my blog years ago. Ironically neither Pat nor Glenn read my blog. But we are good friends and I look forward to their visit. Glenn and Pat have never met in person although we do Zoom often. We just did earlier tonight.
Have a great day Jim. Always good to hear from you by your comments.
Ron
So glad to hear about your trip! I think friends are just life-savers sometimes. We have a very, very small family, my kids have moved away; my friends are a lifeline, I think. Keeping busy is good, I've found for my own sadness about things. It's a slippery slope for me; I can always sense when feel that overwhelming sadness coming on.
And I forgot to tell you this before: watching your videos when Bill had passed, was like listening to my Uncle Jimmy. Your speech/cadence is so Philly. I don't think people realize sometimes there is a Philadelphia accent. (I wonder if I've lost mine?? Lived in Ohio for 25 years now.)
Take care!
Elle,
Friends are indeed lifesavers sometimes. My holiday with Pat came at just the right time. I was slipping into a deep well of despair and loneliness. Pat came along at just the right time. I sensed that overwhelming sadness coming on. Sad to say, I'm feeling that overwhelming sadness again this sunny Saturday early spring morning.
About my Philly accent, I've been told that before. I don't hear it but Pat often reminds me of that accent. My late brother John, who loved to Greenville, South Carolina many years ago tried to lose his Philly accent but to no avail. He always had it.
Good to hear from you Elle. Have a great day!
Ron
Pat is a sweetie!
It is good to hear from you. It sounds like an great trip at just the right time.
Victor,
When I'm on holiday, I only eat two meals a day. Almost always I lose weight when I'm on these trips. I too don't like long rides but this one with Pat was most enjoyable. I would love to do it again. Maybe I will. As long as Pat is company and we have a vehicle like the Ford Edge SUV he rented. I too love trying different places to eat. Since I've been friends with Pat, I've never been disappointed yet in any of the vegan restaurants we have patronized.
Yes, i was nice to get away from all the memories here of home at Casa Tipton-Kelly. However, I came back to those memories and now I'm again experiencing bouts of great sadness. I do miss Bill terribly. However, I feel that he is indeed very happy now wherever he is. He suffered so much the pat there years and especially the last three weeks of his life. We often talked about what awaits us after we die. I told him "it was a win win." Either there is nothing or there is a Heaven. I believe there is a Heaven. I don't believe in Hell.
I did no know how were half Canadian Victor. A "Newfie" yet!
I'm learning to live here at Casa Tipton-Kelly by myself. No need to volunteer,, I have more than enough to do here to keep me busy. Shortly I will go outside and rake grass in the backyard. Also, I'm taking care of my neighbor's dog and cat. My neighbor on the other side of me. I have nothing against volunteering for those who want it but if I'm going to work it's either here at home or I'm getting paid for it. I would like to go back to my part-time hotel front desk job but I haven't heard anything yet. I don't go out by myself. Been there, done that. Don't care for it.
Happy Easter Victor!
Ron
Post a Comment