The Dragon Flies Are Back!

 Hazy, lazy summer days down here at Casa Tipton-Kelly.

I just came in before I really started to sweat from the humidity.

It only takes me about five minutes of activity outside on these hot and humid summer days to sweat up a storm. Ten minutes and I'm soaked and ready for another shower to dry out my skin. 

I was just up at my pond. The dragonflies are back! Earlier this springs the mosquitoes were taking over my backyard paradise here in southern coastal Delaware. "Where were my dragonflies?" I wondered. Then a couple of weeks ago a lone dragonfly appeared and started to make a dent in my local mosquito population. Now they're back full force (about a half a dozen) and viola! No mosquitoes! 

Lovely!

Now for my update of the goings on here at Casa Tipton-Kelly. Yesterday I ventured out in the summertime traffic to a refuel pit stop at my local (Food Lion) supermarket in Milton. During the summer the traffic is heavy on Route One (Coastal Highway) for Rehoboth Beach (ten miles south of Casa Tipton-Kelly). I don't want to be an accident statistic so I try to pick a time of light traffic. That backfired on me yesterday. I had two near misses (auto accidents). The first being at the construction site of the intersection of Rt. 16 and Rt. 1. They've been working on that making a bypass there so the traffic traveling from the north to the south to Rehoboth Beach and other summertime destinations don't have so slow their dash with a red light (God Forbid!). Four years they've been working on that overpass! FOUR YEARS! In fact, years before Bill died he asked "When are they going to be done construction?" I told him "Not in your lifetime." Turns out that was a true statement. 

So here's what happen, I go to merge in traffic from Rt. 16 to Rt. 1 south and WHAM! Two cars from my left are also trying to merge in! WTF? I wasn't even expecting traffic from my left. Besides, I had the right of way because I was on the right. 

NEAR MISS! 

Then when I arrive at my development, where the speed limit is 15 MPH, and where I consider myself home safe after the craziness of the speeding on Rt. 1 (Speed Limit is 55 MPH but traffic often reaches 70 MPH), I was almost rear ended by a floral deliver van! 

HELP! 

I'm not even safe in turning into my own driveway in my own development.

So when do I go out? When is it safe for me to make a supply run to the store? 

ANSWER: Never in the summertime. A fact I have to accept and adjust to. Wish me luck!

Change of subject:

I have decided to stop taking some of my blood pressure medicine. I don't like the side effects.

I have about eight (at last count) prescriptions that I take on a daily basis. I think that's too much. 

My latest prescriptions have these side effects:

Constipation

Diarrhea

Fatigue

Depression

Respiratory Problems

I'm experiencing every one of them. I'll deal with the high blood pressure.

We're talking quality of life here. I don't like these side effects because they only exacerbate those problems I've already had. No thank you.

I'm an old man. Eighty-four years old this November. I shouldn't even be here. I almost checked out at seventeen years old because of a botched hernia operation at the hospital where unsanitary conditions resulted in my contacting a staph infection. All my life since then has been a bonus. I'm living on borrowed time. And since I lost Bill a year and a half ago, I have pretty much lost the will to live. Oh yes, I am lucky to have Pat in my life but he's quite happy and content living in Canada and even when we get married he will probably continue to live in Canada.

Pat's home on Hess Street in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada ( yellow door)

I actually don't want it any other way because I want him to be happy. We talk several times a day via FaceTime and have a great friendship. But living with him like I lived with Bill, probably not going to happen. Bill was happy living with me. I'm not the easiest person to live with. Bill loved me enough to overlook that side of me. I don't want or expect Pat to make that sacrifice. All Bill wanted out of life was to live with me. Pat has a lot more interests than me. I know that because I've known Pat since August of 2013.  That's twelve years and long enough to know someone.

Speaking of which, Pat is waiting to receive the certified copy of my birth certificate that I sent to him last week. Once he receives my birth certificate then he will call the American Consulate in Montreal to arrange for his interview. He needs to bring my birth certificate with him among other things. Once he passes that interview, which I expect he will then he has to take a health physical. Once he passes that physical he will receive approval to marry me. Then we have ninety days to get married. Hopefully that will happen before the end of summer. Once we're married Pat will return to Canada for the time being. We're playing this by ear. Maybe he will move down here permanently. We'll see how it works out but for the immediate future he will return to his nice little home in Hamilton, Ontario Canada and we will stay in touch. 

He wants to move to Palm Springs but I don't want to move there permanently. I love my home here in Delaware to much. I plan to end my days here whether it be tomorrow, next week, next month of years from now. Pat of course will eventually move to Palm Springs providing he outlives me which is probably what will happen. But you never know. Pat will continue to visit Casa Tipton-Kelly

Casa Tipton-Kelly late afternoon June 29, 2025

and of course he continues to have his own quarters here as he has had for the last twelve years. 

Stay cool folks. Don't want to hear of anybody conking out because of heat exhaustion.