Where Is Toronto?

 

When Pat comes down to visit me, I take advantage and visit some of my favorite local restaurants. 

I like to dine out but not alone. Pat doesn't mind dining alone. I feel uncomfortable though dining by myself. I feel like I'm one person taking up a whole table and the servers are anxious to get me out of there to get a larger group. 

Pat also has his favorite restaurants when he visits. One of them is Zava Cafe in Milton. This short video was an interchange we had with our server. Usually I ask our server to take a picture of me with who ever I'm dining with. This time I asked her to take a short video. I'm glad I did because we had this spontaneous reaction when she asked Pat where he was from. Check it out.

By the way, I'm going to post more of these short videos of me and Pat. I take them and yet I don't post most of them. That's dumb Ron. So be prepared. Pat is good company and I do so enjoy his visits. I am looking forward to the day when he is a permanent resident of the United States. That's the goal, he wants to be a U.S. citizen. We're working on it. Still waiting for his green card approval. Could take another year. 

Sunday Morning October 18, 2026

 What a beautiful fall Sunday morning I woke up to today.

After my walk this morning, I stopped up at my fish pond and encountered an unexpected visitor to my pond, a squirrel. That's the first squirrel I've seen on my property since I moved to Delaware these twenty years ago. Where we lived in Pennsylvania, Bill and I had plenty of squirrels. As my friend Spo would say "heaps of squirrels." In fact, we had too many squirrels in Pennsylvania. That was one thing I didn't miss when we moved to Delaware, the squirrels digging up my tulip bulbs. Vandalizing my bird feeder. Now I don't mind. I'm not planting any more tulips nor do I have a bird feeder out. The squirrel obviously has taken up residence from all the trees that I planted on this formerly blank almost one acre of land that is Lot 37 in my development.

Pat has been gone a day now and I'm getting back into my former routine. I saw a movie last night at the Flynn Cinema in my basement alone. The past two weeks I had the pleasure of watching movies with Pat by my side in our own private movie theater. Seventy-seven inch, 4K, Surround Sound movie theater. Something I've always wanted and now I have in my twilight years. Such a pleasure to be immersed in a movie with someone you love, cuddled together. We can talk outlaid, pause the movie to go to the bathroom or a snacks, and don't have to be disturbed by anybody else. Also no parking or outrageous movie fees and snack concession prices. I've always been a movie fan but not of all the aggravation and expense of seeing a movie in a theater these days.

When Pat and I visit or take a trip out systems (bowels) get out of whack. Probably an "old man" thing but one of the downsides of getting together. Thankfully we're both back to being "regular" again. That's a relief.

Something interesting happened last night. The whole time Pat was here that burned out Christmas light was on. That was Bill visiting us. Last night it was off. I really felt alone. Not only was Pat gone from Casa-Tipton Kelly but Bill wasn't here. He does that. He will come by for a week or two and go away for weeks at a time. I wonder where he goes. I hear in the Afterlife our souls still go to school or maybe he's visiting another relative.  One thing is for sure, I'll know eventually when I pass over.

Now I'm looking forward to the next two weeks of the final campaigning for the mid term elections. I am so hoping for a complete Republican wipeout so my country can return to sanity and start the steps to regain respect in the world. 

Also coming up is my birthday in two weeks. I can't believe I'm only fifteen years away from the century mark. There is absolutely no way I want to be one hundred years old! Oh my God! Can you imagine? Look at me now, hobbling around like an old man which actually I am an old man. The fifteen years scares me because I know how fast that happens. The last fifteen years are a blur. So much has happened. I met Pat thirteen years ago but it feels like I've only known him for about five years. We're still waiting to hear from the U.S. State Department about Pat's authorization for his green card. Nothing yet. Hopefully this year there is some movement so we can get Pat down here in the states and start that procedure to add him to my insurance as my spouse and get his American citizenship. Pat likes Trump so that shouldn't be a problem. Oh, you didn't know Pat likes Trump? We don't talk about it. Perhaps eventually I will be able to make him see the error of his ways but I'm not going to let a little thing like that stand in between us and our relationship. I love that goofy little guy from Canada.

Have a great day and week everyone!

Pat's Returned To His Home In Canada

 

Pats back at his home in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada now as I type this blog entry.

He left early this morning (3:30 AM) for the eleven hour trip back to his home. I couldn't sleep so I saw him off as he drove away into the darkness of the night to his northern destination.

Last night we had our last restaurant foray during this visit. We time our arrival at Tequila Real in Milton perfectly. We got in just in time before the locals descended upon the restaurant with their families and kids. 

My two favorite Mexican restaurants are Sol Azteca in Georgetown and Tequila Real in Milton. Two Mexican restaurants with totally different clientele. Sol Azteca is located in Georgetown, Delaware. Many Mexicans and others of Central American countries live in and around Georgetown. The diners in Sol Azteca are 90% Hispanic. The restaurant plays music you can hear and Pat and I can have a conversation without shouting at each other. 

The other Mexican Restaurant is located in Milton where I live. In this Mexican restaurant the diners are 90% or more the locals in Milton which is all white Caucasian. They are loud. And when I say loud, I mean LOUD. Pat and I have to shout to each other because our fellow diners are so loud. Most are local families who know each other. And they bring their kids who are usually screamers. I try to avoid this restaurant during dinner hours and only have lunch there but since last night was Pat's last night, I didn't want us to drive all the way to Georgetown with is about sixteen miles away. Pat wanted to go to bed early so he could get an early start. So we braved the local loudmouths and ate at Tequila Real last night. Of course the food was fabulous and very reasonably priced. The Rehoboth Beach restaurants are very expensive. Partly due to high rents because Rehoboth Beach is a beach resort and also because of the high hourly wage paid restaurants workers. I like some of the Rehoboth restaurants but can only afford to eat there when I take advantage of their off season specials. Both my favorite Mexican restaurants feature my favorite frozen lime Margaritas which I love so much. They look different but are so delicious. 

Pat may come down again at Christmas. I hope so. But it is expensive coming down from Hamilton to Milton. I had more expenses to day getting my house power washed. Just a few days ago I had my lawn fertilized and weed control. That should be it for the season. We're both going to try and save up some money for the next trip. Hopefully this time next year Pat will have his green card and either be down here permanently or making plans to do so. Then we can combine our incomes and make a nice life as a couple living together. That's the goal.

Just A Perfect Day!

 

Pat and me at The Summer House restaurant in Rehoboth Beach today

What a wonderful day Pat and I had today! 

We started out early taking a load of household hazardous waste materials down to the Delaware Hazardous Waste Disposal facility in Georgetown this morning. This is something I have been wanting to do for years. I had so many garden sprays and such that Bill had collected over the years. I hate using garden insect killers. Also I had three long fluorescent tube lights that were burned out that I could dispose of no other place. I'm glad we got that out of the way. More room in my (our) garage now.

Then on this beautiful fall day we headed back to Rehoboth Beach to enjoy the boardwalk. We decided to take advantage of the off season 50% off hamburger specials at The Summer House restaurant.

Delicious! I also had a happy hour price on a coconut lime martini. Oh I do love a martini. Yum! 

Then we spent the rest of the afternoon people watching on the boardwalk. I love this time of year. The crowds are gone, no fee parking and restaurant off season specials which Pat and I are taking great advantage of now. 

My apologies for the short post but Pat awaits me now at the Flynn Cinema in the basement of our house. We're seeing another double feature tonight. Last night we saw "The Wolfman." Scary!

The Week That Was

Pat and I having a left over pizza dinner last night hare at Casa Tipton-Kelly

Wow! Pat's been here a week already. 

Last Sunday is when he arrived. He will leave this Friday. As always, his visits are too short. 

Oh how I look forward to the day when he can live here full-time. We are such a good match for each other. Even though we're both basically loners in life (we like to live alone), we do like each other's company. It was so ironic that I moved in with Bill when I was 22 years old and lived with him for almost sixty years. Me, the guy who at twelve years old wanted to live alone ended up living with someone for the next sixty years of my life. 

The past two and a half years since Bill died I had the opportunity to live alone. This experience might fall under the "be careful what you wish for" because at times I've been very lonely. Actually depressed but I didn't want to admit that to myself. Life with Pat is always an adventure even though to the casual outsider it would probably seem as if we lead uneventful lives. 

Well, just briefly this past week we've been eating out a lot. I never eat out alone and I do like to go to good restaurants. However, the restaurants are getting very pricey so I took advantage of the off season specials. The leftover pizza we had last night for dinner was from Touch of Italy 50% off pizza night. Pat and I like to drink red wine with out pizza. We're really not drinkers but red wine with pizza complements each other very well. The glass of red wine I ordered at Touch of Italy was $12 a glass! I think nine dollars a glass of wine is expensive but the wine was so good I ordered another glass. Needless to say the wine cost more than our pizzas. And the pizzas were huge! 

Pat got a cheese pizza (he vegan) and I had sweet Italian sausages and arugula on mine. We actually could have split a pizza, they were that huge. Next time.

Yesterday we ventured into Rehoboth Beach, first time I've been in that East Coast tourist magnet trap since early spring. I don't go in season, traffic and people too crazy. We had lunch at our favorite Lori's Cafe. So good! Just perfect weather. Today the weather is light rain. Time to stay in although I did reach out by text to an old friend of mine and his wife for a possible visit to their home. I used to go to night college with "Rich" back in the early Sixties. Three nights a week for four years if you can believe it. I got my associates degree and he continued on to the University Of Pennsylvania Wharton School for his bachelor's degree. GI Bill paid for both of our education. He and his wife retired down here to southern Delaware a few years ago. He got prostate cancer the same time I did (2013) and we've been sharing our experiences since. His hasn't went too well. I have fared better. As a matter of fact, I thought my prostate cancer has returned because of my elevated PSA score but it apparently hasn't. And just this seek I saw my VA doctor (with Pat, I introduced him to my doctor) and my PSA score has actually reduced! That's great news. I still have a lot of trouble walking though. Rich doesn't but he went to renewed treatment and had terrible side effects. The radiation has ruined his urethra (scar tissue) and he can no longer pee regular. I'll write more about this situation in future blog post. This post I'll concentrate on Pat's visit.

Pat's been helping me out around Casa Tipton-Kelly with little handyman jobs.

Pat fixing the loose weatherstripping on my front door

He is such a help. So good. Something bad happened though, he took a glass of wine in his bedroom and accidentally spilled it on the wall to wall carpet. I think we got most of the stain out but I was so angry. It seems every time I have guests in the house and they carry liquids in another room,  they spill it. Coffee, wine, soda. I now have a hard house rule, NO LIQUIDS EXCEPT WATER IN CARPETED ROOMS. I never take liquids in my other rooms away from my tile floored kitchen and dining area. Pat felt so bad an it was had for me to stay angry with him. Accidents happen, I understand that. But these people who have to constantly have a cup of coffee (Pat's also a coffee drinker, I am not), soda or wine wandering around my wall to wall carpeted house, waving their hands when they talk.....something is bound to bow to gravity. 

Pat's at church now. That's why I'm able to have time to write and post this blog. Which I think I will wrap up now.

Hopefully I can post more before he leaves this Friday and I'm alone again. Depressed and sleeping a lot again. Which actually isn't as bad as it seems when I write this. I fall into a pattern when I'm alone. I feel like I'm just marking time until I can be with Bill again who I know awaits me. By the way, he's visited several times via that burned out Christmas light since Pat's been here. In fact the other night Pat was out there talking to Bill and the light was blinking. He's definitely a believer now. He wasn't expecting that.

Have to go now. Pat just returned from church. We're going to go out for coffee and a sticky bun at the Lewes Coffee Shop, one of Pat's favorite locations.

Running Ragged

 

Pat and I taking advantage of the Wednesday Early Bird Special at Touch Of Italy this afternoon at 4 PM, just as the doors opened.

Pat's here but I've been running myself ragged. 

When Pat is here I try to take care of those backed up items that I've put off because I either don't want to do them by myself or can't.

Pat arrived late Sunday afternoon. That was fine. We enjoyed a movie in the Flynn Cinema, my in house 77 inch TV screen and surround sound system in my basement. 

Next day was the challenge. We drove to the Christiana Mall just outside Wilmington, which is a 93 mile (one and a half hours) trip north. We were going there to pick up my new iPhone 18. Involved was transferring the data from my new iPhone 18 from my old iPhone 16. Then Pat's older iPhone information had to be transferred to my old iPhone which I was giving to him. Also we had to repair both of our Apple Watches to our new iPhones. All told this took a little over two hours. Then the long trip back to Sussex County downstate.

I was having trouble understanding my Apple CarPlay in my new Hyundai Venue. Next stop then was the Hyundai dealership in Millsboro to see a salesman to have my questions answered. Then off too the new Weiss Markets to by my favorite Progresso Tuscan Soup mix. I buy about two dozen cans each visit. Weiss Food Markets is the only place where I can by the Tuscan Soup which I have almost every day for lunch. I've asked my local supermarket (Food Lion) to stock it.....several times....but the manager just ignores my request. I even gave him the label of the can and told him I've been shopping at that particular supermarket ever since I moved down here to Delaware. He could give a shit. I could tell by the way he looked at me. I even reminded him another time I was in the store and he just looked at me like I stepped off a spaceship from Mars. Ironically Food Lion sent me one of those random surveys about how I like their store and if I can "any concerns."  Well, for once I expressed my concerns about my request to stock that soup. You can guess the response I received from Food Lion....nada. 

After that I vowed never to complete another online survey again. But I just did again tonight, the VA sent me a survey. I figured I better complete that survey or else the Trump administration will kick me off their system. I can't chance that because that's where I get my meds which never cost more than $15. You won't see me getting a $500 bill for a prescription like my dear friend Spo. That's the main reason I stay with the VA medical system. Speaking of which I had my six month visit with my VA doctor. This time Pat was at my side. I introduced him to my longtime doctor, who is wonderful by the way. That visit went well. This was to review my labs which I took a week earlier. My labs showed I was very healthy and even my PSA score went down. Only one small problem, when they first took my blood pressure, like they always do before I see my doctor, it was 186 over 90. That's the highest it's ever been! But I told the PA that was because I had to pass a picture of Trump, Vance and the VA administer Doug Collins as I rounded the corner to see my doctor. 

This has happened every time since Trump's uncle mug shot has returned to all government buildings including the VA Outpatient Clinics. The American president who calls anyone who goes into the service "suckers and losers". Captain Bone Spurs himself who not one member of his family has ever been in the service. Who grandfather in fact immigrated to the United States from Germany to avoid the German draft. Draft dodging is Trump family tradition. And yet so many of my fellow vets still support this draft dodging coward. That and many to her reasons like his recent suggestion that Iran drop a nuclear bomb of the two California cities Los Angeles and San Diego because California didn't vote for him. Yes, that person. But I digress. The PA took my blood pressure again and it was down to my "normal 144 over 72. 

After the visit at the VA I decided to take advantage of having Pat with me and we visited one of our favorite Mexican restaurants Sol Azteca in Georgetown, just a bit down the road from the VA Outpatient Clinic. We got there about 4 o'clock and were one of the few diners because we were so early. I like this so much better than going out later at night when it's dark and the restaurants are loaded with noisy family and noise and chaos. I don't like to drive at night either even though Pat drives all the time when he visits me. We had a fabulous meal and I had a fantastic Frozen Lime Margarita in a quiet restaurant except for Mexican music playing lightly in the background. We could actually hear each other talking without shouting. And I had enough food left over for another meal at home. 

Today we made the rounds to look for a dryer vent cover. The one I bought last week at Home Depot doesn't fit as the one I bought from Amazon last month didn't fit. My previous dryer vent covers have deteriorated from the weather and I need the pest guard to keep the nearby field mice from entering my house and setting up a family under my refrigerator like they tried to do a few years ago (I killed the dad and pregnant mama with dual mouse traps - I don't like to kill critters but I won't share my house with mice, no matter how cute they are). At my wit's end about finding a vent cover that fits (why do manufactures always change the size?) I gave up and called Scott, my local handyman to rescue me and Pat. Pat is still willing to fix the vent cover

Pat checking out the size of the vent cover

but right now I have no vent cover and I had to place a screen over that hole in my house where the dryer vent that comes out. I love living in my own house but there are always maintenance items like this to take care. Always. 

We took advantage of another off season restaurant meal this afternoon at four. We went to Touch of Italy with has 50% off of past a dishes. I got the Penne Rigate

My Penne Rigate pasta with Bolognese sauce and freshly graded Parmesan cheese 

which was delicious but at $27.95 regular price which I would never pay but at half price, it's doable. $10 for the house wine which was also very good. I can't afford regular restaurant prices anymore unless they're Mexican restaurants which seem to be less costly and offer more food. I ate this whole bowl of pasta, no leftovers to take home like I did yesterday. The Touch of Italy entrees may be expensive but they are worth it. They make their own pasta and have their own wine. Their food doesn't come from Sysco frozen food delivery trucks

Sysco Frozen Food deliveries early in the morning at Rehoboth Beach restaurants. On the truck it says "quality food". Don't believe that statement for one second. It's frozen food to feed the tourist masses at vastly marked up entrees and such. My taste buds still work fine and besides, I used to work at the Hampton Inn and that's where we got all our food. Frozen.

one sees so often unloading early in the morning in the back of restaurants to serve that defrosted slop to the tourist masses. If I want reheated frozen food I'll eat food that I have prepared myself and put in my freezer chest. It tastes better than Sysco's. 

Even though I had a fabulous meal at Touch of Italy I was exhausted when I returned home today. 

With all this activity I just got so stressed out today that my left eye started to bother me again. I have a stigmatism in that eye and whenever I get stressed it's like I have a speck dust in my eye. I laid down for a nap around 5:30 PM. Pat woke me up sometime after 7 PM. I didn't want to get up but he urged me to get up or else I wouldn't be able to sleep through the night. So here I am now at 12:07 AM, early in the morning writing one of my longest blog posts in months. I hope you're not sorry for stopping by. Usually I don't blog post when Pat visits because I just don't have the time but I'm taking the time to get back into my regular routine so I can lower my stress level. And it is working because my eye isn't bothering me any more. 

A short while ago I talked to Pat about this situation and we agreed that he will go out tomorrow on his own and look for those vent covers and do whatever else he needs or wants to do. He doesn't need me hobbling about, struggling to get out of my car and then hobbling on a cane. That Pat, just like Bill....so patient with me. I don't know how they do it. Perhaps that why I love them so much, they put up with me. I don't know that I would if I was in their shoes. 

That's it for now folks. 

Pat's On His Way!

 

Pat left his house in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada very early this morning about 3:15 AM. Right now he is in upstate Pennsylvania. He should be here at Casa Tipton-Kelly about 3 PM this afternoon. YEA!

Guess Who's Coming For Dinner (for the next two weeks)?

 

Rolling out the red carpet for my Canadian husband!

That special time is here again folks! Pat, my Canadian husband of almost a year, is coming for a visit! 

He will be here two weeks. I already have a lengthy To Do List on his desk in his bedroom. 

As you all know I'm not the handyman type. Pat is. Not quite as skilled as Bill was (Bill could build a house and was a certified electrician - Army and Air Force trained). But Pat can handle the small jobs which still need to be done before they turn into big jobs. I can do them half assed but I hate that kind of work. I'm a cook. I love to cook. Experiment with different recipes. Funny thing, neither Pat nor Bill likes to cook. 

The only trip we have planned is one to the Christiana Mall outside Wilmington. That an hour and a half drive. I ordered a new iPhone 18. I have to pick it up at the Apple Store at the Christiana Mall. I could have had it delivered but it wouldn't be until the end of the month (October). Pat will only be here two weeks and I want to give him my iPhone 16. He needs a new iPhone. I'm on that lease plan with Apple where I can get a new iPhone every year or keep the one I have for two years until it is paid off then the phone is mine. These days since Casa Tipton-Kelly household income is cut in half, I have to be much more careful with expenses. Every dollar counts with the rising cost of living. I just paid my auto insurance for six months. You don't want to know. My "free" health insurance (Medicare) Part B also went up substantially. Thank goodness for the VA where I get my meds which I only have to pay fifteen dollars for, no matter what the meds and I use a lot of meds to keep this old body going.

I was going to take a trip with Pat to my former hometown of Downingtown PA (2 1/2 hour drive each way) for my monthly high school class (of 1959) luncheon. I cancelled out though because my former best friend from high school won't be there (he has another commitment). Not that I have anything against the other former classmates but I wasn't that close to them and a five hour trip in my new car ("The Princes") doesn't justify the expense nor the time. Making hard choices at this time of my life folks.

This morning I gave blood at my local VA Outpatient Clinic, also called "labs." I see my VA doctor next week. I see him every six months now that I'm nearing my Exit Date. It's going to be interesting to see if my PSA has taken any more leaps. Doesn't matter if it does, I'm not subjecting this tired old body to any more procedures. Not doing it. So far so good. I get up in the morning and I can hardly move but I attribute that to my advancing arthritis. I hope it's not the prostate cancer spreading to my bones but if it is, I'll deal with that if and when the time comes. As I've said many times before in this forum, although I have a good life now, when I go to bed I usually think about "is this the time not waking up.?"

That's the way I want to go folks, just slip away in my sleep.

But for now I have some good living to do the next two weeks. That's why I'm rolling out the red carpet for Pat. It will be nice to have a driver again and someone else in the house. Get's lonely here at times even thou Bill has been visiting me the past two night with that burned out Christmas light.

Have a great day everyone!