Thanksgiving 2025

 

This year I will be spending Thanksgiving by myself. That's my choice. Not that I've been invited anywhere which I probably wouldn't go anyway.

In my past years I usually worked at the hotel but I'm no longer employed. I am officially put out to pasture which is just as well. I have mobility problems these days. No more replacing TV's in guests' rooms that don't work. 

I bought a seven pound turkey breast at Food Lion last week. I got it on sale at $1.27 a pound. I've been defrosting it in the refrigerator since Friday. I ordered a large Crock Pot from Amazon yesterday which was delivered yesterday! I got a special Black Friday deal. Instead of $43 I paid $25. I like turkey. That's the one thing I miss about not attending Thanksgiving dinners. My Mother used to make the best roast turkey. I've never been able to match her method. I've been studying different recipes on YouTube most of which slather the turkey with butter to prevent it from drying out. I like dried out turkey meat. I've never been one for juicy meat. My bone in turkey breast should be completely defrosted tomorrow. My only decision is whether to add garlic or not. My Mom hated garlic and her roast turkeys were always tasty.

Pat in Canada celebrated their Thanksgiving earlier this month. Canada pretty much mirrors our holidays, which he often points out to me. I miss having Pat in the house. Even though his presence was a major disruption to my daily old man routine, it was nice having someone else in the house. Bill's spirit is with me almost every evening with that burned out Christmas light that I have in my living room. Bill and I never did a big deal on Thanksgiving either. Just being with each other was all we wanted. Of course to this day and probably every day the rest of my life I still miss Bill terribly. But I know this, our spirits will eventually be reunited. He is patiently awaiting me in Heaven. 

I have much to be thankful for this year. Even though I have mobility problems and tire easily, I'm in relatively good health. I can still take care of myself. My vision is good, my mind is still functioning although I am more forgetful these days. Probably the only problem I have is the current political climate in my country today. Trump is still in office. Need I say more? I won't even go there today.

These days I occupy myself with fall cleanup, playing online Scrabble with Pat, doing my New York Times games (Wordle, Connections, Strands) in the morning, talking to my friends Don (in Philadelphia) and Glenn (in Palm Springs, CA) and of course Pat in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. I send out my good morning memes to my favorite people. I'm up to about ten now. They include a couple neighbors, former co-workers, and friends. Most everybody else I know have died. Oh, and one sister-in-law. I have a good life. I'm not in debt, have a wonderful home, wonderful friends and neighbors, and even though my body is failing me, I can still get around on my own and take care of myself.

I wish one and all a Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving 2024

 

July 2023 (our 59th anniversary)

Here we go folks! "The Holidays" are here.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. This will be the first Thanksgiving in sixty years that I will be without Bill. Sad times here folks. 

What will I be doing? Staying here at home by myself. Don't feel sad for me, this is the way I prefer to spend my Thanksgiving. I will be will Bill's spirit tomorrow. 

Bill's spirit is often with me. His spirit gives me immense comfort. He is always with me. 

Maybe I'm fooling myself. Maybe I'm going crazy. Whatever, what I do know is that when Bill is with me I feel a wave of love wash over me from head to toe. Works for me. 

During Bill's last year of life we often talked about how I would manage once Bill was gone. I assured him that I would be "all right." I lied of course. I was scared facing this unknown territory but I didn't want Bill to worry. Bill was so tired of living but he didn't want to leave me. I think know now that our last year together was the closest we've ever been in our nearly sixty years of living together. 

This year I am so thankful for many things. 

I am thankful that I can still live independently. 

I am thankful that I can still drive.

I am thankful that I don't have dementia.

I am thankful that I still have my eyesight.

I am thankful that I can swallow my food.

All of those above Bill didn't have during his last few years of life. 

The main thing I am thankful for is that I was able to care for Bill during his last three years of his life after his strokes on January 12th and January 14th of 2021. I was able to keep him here at his home which he loved so much and that we were able to be together. 

I am one lucky man.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! I hope all of you have someone to love and who loves you as much as Bill and I had with each other.

July 2019, two years before Bill's strokes

Ten Years Like That!

 

Bill and Pat December 7, 2023

Scrolling through my photo files this morning I came across these two pictures taken of the two most important meant in my life, Bill and Pat.

Bill and Pat November 13, 2013

The first pictures was taken November 13, 2013. I had met Pat for the first time in August of 2013.

Bill and Pat December 7, 2023

The last picture was taken December 7, 2023, a few months before Bill died on February 22, 2024. 

This was about the time Bill called me aside and said "Something has changed. I don't think I'm going to be around much longer. I want you to know that I want you and Pat to be very happy together."

That was Bill, selfless to the end. 

Thanksgiving is this week. Bill and I never did much on Thanksgiving which was our choice. But still the same I will miss him terribly this Thanksgiving. 

Looking at these pictures of Bill and Pat I am again reminded of how much I have to be thankful for in my life. Two men I love with all my heart and soul. And neither one was jealous of the other. How about that? Just goes to show you the character of both Bill and Pat. They love me unconditionally. And I return that love. I don't want to even think of my life without Pat now. Hopefully I will depart this life before Pat. But trust me, I will be reunited with both of these men in the Spirit World. And that is Heaven.

Ron Does Turkey

 

My finished Butterball turkey breast yesterday

Longtime followers of this blog know I like turkey.

Not all the time but around "The Holidays" I do like a good slice of dry (yes, "dry") white meat turkey.

You all know we don't do holiday dinners here at Casa Tipton-Kelly. Bill doesn't have any teeth and I'm not going to cook up a big meal just for moi.

Each year I look in askance when I see those turkey dinners being served from aluminum pans to the homeless by local politicians doing their goodwill thing during "The Holidays". Mostly those people they're serving turkey with all the fixings are homeless or older poor people who have no family. Well, I do qualify in the latter category. Dare I say I'm to the only one who experiences these feelings during "The Holidays." Even some of the readers of this blog may experience similar feelings. Maybe one years I'll show up at the local feel good charity feeding station and get my turkey dinner, with all the fixings. But this year I tried to make my own turkey dinner.

I wasn't planning on making a Thanksgiving turkey. I actually stumbled into roasting a turkey. I happened to be at my local fav supermarket and I saw fresh turkeys drastically marked down. And I mean DRASTIC. The price of turkeys and all that turkey always dissuaded me from actually buying a real turkey to cook. But this time I couldn't pass up the opportunity. 

I saw a bin of fresh, not frozen turkey breasts. I'm a white meat kind of guy, no dark meat for me, thank you. I grew up only allowed to eat drumsticks and wings and backs and even the tail; my father got a real kick out of that. My father was a cruel, sadistic man who loved to humiliate me but that's another story for another time. 

The price of these turkey breasts was marked down from $30 plus to $5.00! I got a five pound turkey for $5.35! That's cheaper than a McDonald hamburger and vastly better for me. And the turkey was a Butterball. All I had to do was unwrap it and put that bird in the oven and bake a couple hours at 325 degrees.

I snatched up that turkey and brought it home. I calculated I could make at least eight meals out of this turkey, and all white meat. My father would probably turn over in his grave if he knew that.

Yesterday I read the instructions. The instructions said to "rub the outside with olive oil." I'm a butter kind of guy but olive oil it is. I found out later that was a BIG MISTAKE.

I roasted the turkey. The finished product came out great. Nicely browned (as you can see from the photo) and tasty. I cooked a little longer than recommended because I like DRY turkey meat. You can have your juicy meat, I prefer dry.  

I didn't salt or pepper the turkey because the instructions told me the Butterball was already seasoned. Well, I could have seasoned it. I like salt and pepper. Not too much mind you but just enough to give the meat a boost in flavor. I will next time. 

I didn't have much in the way of "fixings" except Stove Top Turkey Stuffing which is enough for me. I had homemade cranberry sauce that's been sitting in my refrigerator since last year (yes, since LAST YEAR). I had to throw out that cranberry sauce. Didn't taste too good even though there was no green fuzz on it. An abundance of sugar can go just so far in maintaining flavor.

The turkey meat was very tasty though. I got my annual Turkey Fix which is what I was after. 

Now came time to deconstruct the turkey and freeze the leftover in individual freezer bags for future meals. That I did quite successfully. I now have eight more meals. Pretty good for $5.35 eh?

Deconstructed turkey

Now I had this grand idea to make turkey soup out of the remaining stripped turkey carcass. After all there was still some meat on the bones of this poor sacrificial bird. Bad idea. 

This morning I took the turkey carcass and placed it in the biggest pot I have here at Casa Tipton-Kelly. 

I covered the carcass in water, turned the heat up and proceeded to boil off the remaining meat and make some turkey broth for soup. Bad idea.

It was the smell. A strange and other worldly smell.

It was the look of the water. Murkey and frothy.

I decided to give it awhile and continued to boil that turkey carcass another forty-five minutes or so. Now our whole open area of kitchen/sun room/living room was stinking pretty bad. If I kept "cooking" this turkey carcass THAT smell was going to seep into my bedroom which is right around the corner from our kitchen. 

That's it! I took the pot off the stove with the murkey frothy water and the now gray turkey carcass and tossed this whole mess out in our back yard for the local vultures. They're not as picky as I am and they haven't had a treat from me since I stopped tossing out the BJ's rotisserie chicken carcasses that I used to buy with regularity. 

Never again will I cook a turkey (or chicken) carcass. It's going to take several days for THAT smell of boiling a dead bird's bones out of this house. 

Oh and don't let me forget to tell you what a mess my oven was after roasting an olive oil smeared turkey without a covering. The instructions said "Don't cover". I didn't. I got a nicely browned turkey but I don't eat the skin anyway. What I also got was a baked on grease oven. 

Oven backing soda cleaning solution

Last night I made up my homemade solution to clean that baked on grease from my previously almost pristine oven. That solution is baking soda, Dawn dishwashing liquid and apple cider vinegar. No chemical smell of Easy Off for me, thank you.

I applied that foam last night and let it sit over night in my oven. I cleaned it out this morning. Took a long time. A.LONG.TIME. 

In the future folks I will bake my Butterball covered.

I hate cleaning ovens.

But I do like white meat turkey. Dry.

Thanksgiving 2023

 

A Tipton Thanksgiving dinner about 1977 - from left to right - my Mother (partially obscured), my father, my sister-in-law and her husband Isaac, my brother who now lives alone (they're divorced and she remarried and lives in Florida) with his cat at the old family homestead in Pennsylvania

This year, as in year's past when I am asked "What are you doing for Thanksgiving?", I respond with "nothing." 

When my Mother was alive, I almost always went to her home (the old family homestead where my surviving brother, a MAGA Republican who I am not speaking to now....again, lives) for her traditional home cooked Thanksgiving dinner. As a matter of fact, that is how my parents met Bill for the first time.

I was estranged from them for about a year after they discovered I was gay. This was in 1964. My Mother caught me with my married boyfriend. Believe me, it was ugly. An incident which I've recounted many times in this blog as my longtime regular blog readers can attest to.

I think the year was 1965 that my Mother broke the ice when she sent me a birthday card (my birthday being November 9, conveniently a few weeks before Thanksgiving), and invited me to the family Thanksgiving dinner. I responded by telling her I would come but only if I could bring Bill. She said "Who is Bill?" I told her he was my boyfriend and I was living with him. She said "Absolutely not!" Then I told her "I'm not coming unless Bill comes with me." I can't remember the exact sequence of events but I think she called me back in a few days and said I could bring Bill. 

Well, you know the rest of the story. They LOVED Bill. As I knew they would. In fact Bill became very good friends with both my Mother (who was only four years older than Bill) and my father.

I don't know what my Mother was expecting. My father didn't much care, he never did about anything in my life. Maybe my Mother thought Bill would be very effeminate.  One thing Bill is not is effeminate. Bill is uber butch. For real. Or maybe she thought Bill was some kind of lecherous pervert. Well, I guess that all depends on the circumstance. Long story short, they had nothing to fear with Bill, all was well. And for many years Bill and I enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner with my parents. 

For a few years I tried giving a Thanksgiving dinner myself but Bill and I just don't eat that much to justify preparing all that food for the two of us. A few years we invited our late friend Ed C. over but that dropped off eventually. 

For another few years I attended my late friend Bob McC. and Jim D.'s annual Thanksgiving Dinner for Lonely Gay guys.

One of three tables laid out for Thanksgiving dinner at Bob and Jim's for the annual Lonely Gay Guys Thanksgiving Dinner

That was fun because most older, single gay guys don't have anywhere to go for Thanksgiving dinner. That's why Bob and Jim started up that annual Thanksgiving dinner event. And it was quite successful at one point having about twenty four gay men attending the Turkey Fest at their double wide mobile home on twenty-two acres of wooded land outside Georgetown, Delaware. 

One of the tables at Bob and Jim's Thanksgiving dinner

But of course, Thanksgiving at Bob and Jim's eventually withered away when most of the participants died, including Bob and Jim. No one has picked up the Thanksgiving baton since, including me.

Yep, that's me on the right leaning back in my chair

I must say I did so thoroughly enjoy those Thanksgiving dinners at Bob and Jim's. Food was great, company was fabulous. Only downside was occasionally one of those guys hit on me, thinking the dinner was a dating app. But this is the curse of being a hottie like I was then (Ron says with tongue in cheek). 

Thanksgiving dinner on the job at the hotel, often interrupted by a guest calling for fresh towels

When I wasn't attending other's Thanksgiving dinners I was working at the hotel. Here is a picture of me having a Pity Thanksgiving "Dinner" that one of my co-workers brought in to me when I was working at the hotel one year. Dinner was good. I do like turkey and all the fixings. What I do miss though is the camaraderie of "family" whether it be traditional or untraditional like a bunch of gay men who have nowhere else to go on Thanksgiving.

But then what is Thanksgiving about? Being thankful, that's what Thanksgiving is all about. And this year I am more thankful than I have ever been. And that is because I am here with Bill. I am so thankful that I can take care of Bill at this time of his life and that we can be together.

So my wish to you good folks is whatever kind of "family" gathering you have for Thanksgiving, you have a wonderful time and you have much to be thankful for.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving 2022

Thanksgiving dinner 2003 at my friend's house - my last formal Thanksgiving dinner

 My brother Isaac asked me a few days ago "What are you doing for Thanksgiving?" This is a question I was often asked when I had a job. I hated that question. 

In the past I almost always worked on Thanksgiving Day. That was my preference, not a big sacrifice on my part. 

Oh for sure I appreciate what Thanksgiving stands for. I have much to be thankful for. Some of which I will list later in this blog post. But as for the day itself, I think that's for extended families My brother Isaac has an extended family. Either his son or his daughter invite him to their Thanksgiving dinner with their families.

Once a few years ago a good friend and former longtime school classmate invited me to his families' Thanksgiving dinner. That was nice. His wife had brined the turkey the night before which resulted in the best turkey I ever tasted. The rest of the meal and the family gathering was wonderful. I so appreciated that he invited me but I suspect he was trying to fix me up with his single cousin. I did notice we were conveniently paired up. She was nice but the ploy didn't work. I'm gay. I have a husband. And a good friend. Nice try. 

This year I'm not working so I will be at home with Bill. Our day will be like any other day. No complaints here other than I would like to have a turkey dinner but I'm just not going to go to all that trouble for myself. But that doesn't mean I'm not thankful. Here are a few things I'm thankful for:

That I'm able to care for Bill

That I'm still here after 81 years

That I'm in relative good health for an 81 year old

That I have a beautiful, comfortable home in a relatively friendly state for gay people (never completely free from homophobia). 

That our home is paid for - for that I am VERY thankful for!

That I still have good friends after having lost so many friends to death.

That I live in this country, imperfect as it is, I would rather live no where else in the world. 

There are many more things I am thankful for, but these few are the first that come to my mind. 

I hope you all have an equally thankful Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving 2021

 

Me, this morning Thanksgiving Day 2021

This Thanksgiving will be the first one in years that I am spending at home. In the past I've always volunteered to work Thanksgiving to give me co-workers who have families, to have a day off and be with their families. This year my Thanksgiving will be here at home with Bill. 

Bill and I stopped years ago (perhaps thirty or so) celebrating Thanksgiving at home. It's just the two of us and Bill doesn't like turkey. I actually do like turkey. As a matter of fact, every Thanksgiving I wish someone would take pity on me and deliver me a complete Thanksgiving turkey dinner. One year my co-worker (whose name I have forgotten, can you believe it?) brought me in a plate of Thanksgiving goodies from her family table. That was so kind of her and I was touched.

My Mother used to make fabulous Thanksgiving diners with gravy. celery stuffing (she made the best stuffing) and southern biscuits. For years and years that was my Thanksgiving dinner. As a matter of fact it was a Thanksgiving dinner when my parents first met Bill. The year was 1965 and I was estranged from them after my Mother found out I was gay. No communication at all for almost a year after the big blow up (no pun intended). Then out of the blue I received a letter from her inviting me to their Thanksgiving dinner. I responded by telling her that I would come but only if Bill came with me. She hesitated (of course) but eventually acquiesced and be both arrived for that family Thanksgiving dinner lo these many years ago. And wouldn't  you know it, they liked Bill! Eventually they both became very good friends with Bill. 

Which brings me to something that happened last night. My younger brother Isaac, with whom I've been estranged from since our last conversation several months ago when he tried to lay on me some of his Fox News brainwashed Trump shit and I hung up on him, called and left a message on my voice mail that "we have our political differences but we're still brothers and blood is thicker than water and that he loves me."  A load of cliches there but I appreciated him reaching out to me. I called him later and we reconciled. He brought me up to date on our other brother who has stage four lymphoma (he's in remission now after a brutal experimental treatment). Isaac is having his health problems too as I am (I have to get another blood test this week, my third in a month) because my white blood cell count continues to be register low (TBC). 

So what does all this meandering verbiage mean? It means that I am thankful for so much.

I am thankful Bill is home here with me and that I can give him the best care in the world. 

I am thankful that I have wonderful friends like Pat, Glenn, Larry, and Don. 

I am thankful that I have a wonderful neighbor like Bob, who in spite of being a Trumper (something which I will never understand, how otherwise reasonable people continue to stay brainwashed and support this criminal con man who attempted to overthrow a free and fair election just so he could stay in power and drag out country down but I digress). 

I am thankful that I live in a beautiful, comfortable home that is paid for.

I am thankful that neither Bill or I are in pain as we deal with our increasing old age health challenges. 

I am thankful that I live in a country that is a democracy (for now anyway, lest the Republicans controlled by Trump get back in power then we lose our democracy). 

And last but not least, I am thankful I am alive and to be been so fortunate to reach this grand age of eighty years. 

I've had a wonderful life and for that I am thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Thanksgiving Day Surprises

Yesterday,  while working Turkey Day at the hotel, I had two pleasant surprises.

The first was my blogger friend Spo of Spo Reflections (see here).  He called on my phone at work to wish me a happy Thanksgiving. How nice to hear an actual voice in real time sincerely wishing me a happy Thanksgiving. Especial Spo, a sweet and gentle and caring person there ever was. If you're among his friends, count yourself fortunate.  He and his husband Someone has great enriched my life by their wit, humor and kindnesses. I wish they were my neighbors but alas, they live far away in Arizona. 

The second surprise was my boss and owner of the hotel were I've toiled the past thirteen years with my cheery hospitality personality thousands of guests. I had mentioned to him earlier in the week, after I asked him what he was doing for Thanksgiving. He said he was cooking a turkey dinner for nine friends at his house.  I told him that what I would really like for Thanksgiving was a few slices of leftover roast turkey breast.  I don't want the whole turkey and I don't want to buy one of those water infused bland turkey breasts at the store. I told him I was tempted to go one of those places where they dish out turkey dinners cafeteria style to the homeless. I could pass as homeless, I'm old, tired and bedraggled looking enough. Only thing is stopping me is that I would probably be exposed as an imposter if one of my neighbors is spooning out the turkey gravy on my mashed potatoes.

There I was, at about 10:30 PM, on the last hour of my shift and I hear the door open.  "Who could that be?" I thought.  Viola!  It was the owner with a Zip-loc bag of three thick turkey white meat slices.  What a pleasant surprise!  I really didn't expect to get the turkey.  By the way, one of my co-workers is from Turkey, the country. But I digress.  Folks, that turkey will be consumed this evening for dinner. I plan to make a broccoli, Stove Top, cheese casserole with those turkey slices. 

Doesn't take much to keep me happy folks. Just some kindnesses like these two very kind individuals passed my way yesterday.  

I'll pass it on.

Thanksgiving Day

Here we are at yet another Thanksgiving Day. 

The temperature outside is a sunny 48 degrees, perfect for some window cleaning. Yes, this is what I do on Thanksgiving Day. I also cleaned my blinds in my bedroom. However, the window cleaning didn't go so well though. I had to go out through the garage door and I didn't know Bill was still working on the garage door.  

In Bill's previous life he was an electronics technician for RCA (remember that company) and GE.  He took early retirement from that job forty years ago. However, he just can't get the electronics thing out of his system. He always has a project going on. This time in the garage.  He's hooking up an alarm system for when someone drives up our driveway. Of course he's had that hooked up numerous times in the thirteen years since we lived here but this is a project that he's never finished with. He always "runs into a problem."  I asked him "Do you ever take on a job that there isn't a problem? Just once, did you ever take a job on that ran smoothly without any problems?"  He looks at me like I just stepped off a space ship from Mars and says "Well, I ran into a problem here."  

The problem this morning was that instead of going into my home office and checking my e-mails, playing online Scrabble with Pat and other Internet searches, I decided to clean my bedroom window blinds. While I was cleaning them I noticed the windows outside were pretty gunned up.  After cleaning my blinds I went outside through the garage door which I had to open. When I hit the automatic garage door opener I heard a bang and ka-boom! That was screwdrivers, screws, ratchets and who knows what hit the cement garage floor.  Yep, Bill's working on a project again, a project that never gets finished.

When I met Bill lo these many years ago his project was building a living room couch. Yes, a living room couch from scratch. He already had the frame built. The whole time I visited him in his New Jersey garden apartment that couch was never finished. He eventually threw it out, unfinished. In the fifty-five years we've been domiciled together he always has unfinished projects. I've asked him numerous times "How about doing some maintenance like painting or repairing or cleaning?"  Nope, he likes his projects. 

Years ago I looked up to see if this was a psychological thing with someone always working on a project.  Sure enough, it is. I forget what you call it but Bill has it.  Over the years I've grown accustomed to his penchant for unfinished projects but I have to tell you folks, at times my patience is tried.  Like this morning. Of course he's mad at me now because I set him back by opening the garage door. So here I am at my computer kvetching about it. 

I'll go back to my regular routine here at my computer. Then lunch, nap and to work this afternoon at the hotel. We have a full house today. Thanksgiving and Christmas are always the best time at the hotel, almost to a person most of the guests are in a good mood and very pleasant company on the holidays. When I leave the hotel tonight at 11:20 PM I'll see that steady stream of headlights of cars going in the opposite direction of me on Route One, headed for the tax free outlets for Black Friday. Then tomorrow the hectic Christmas season shifts into high gear.  

I may have mentioned this once before but the one thing I would like for Thanksgiving is a nice slice (or two) of turkey breast with maybe some tasty stuffing (Stove Top will do).  I mentioned it to my boss and the owner, he's having folks over to his place for Thanksgiving dinner. I know it was bold of me to ask but maybe he'll take pity on me and bring me over a taste of Thanksgiving. Every Thanksgiving holiday I see these reports on TV about churches and others feeding the homeless Thanksgiving dinners. I've always been tempted to get into one of those lines but I'm too much of a snob to do so.  

Wherever  you are doing today for Thanksgiving, I wish you the best and think of me when you're feeding your pie hole one of those delicious brined turkey slices.

Happy Thanksgiving!

The "Holidays"

Here we go again, "The Holidays".  

This week is Thanksgiving. As in years past, I'll be working at the hotel on Thanksgiving Day. No complaints here, I'm used to it.  Interestingly I meet the nicest people at the hotel during the Thanksgiving holiday. Usually grandparents visiting their children and grandchildren who stay at the hotel because they can't take all that grandchildren activity 24/7.  Can't say as I blame them. I couldn't either.  Whoever the guests are, they always seem to be in good spirits which I welcome.  Life is too short to be unhappy. Be happy folks!

Now once we pass Thanksgiving Day we'll get inundated with Christmasy things. Some of the worst is that U.S Post Office advertisement that is singing  "There Is No Place Like Home For The Holidays". OMG! Do we have to listen to THAT until Christmas Day?  Come on Post Office, take that commercial off before you turn our brains to 
mush:

.

One good thing this holiday though, I haven't heard too many "HO, HO, HO's"  God, I can't stand that phony Santa "HO! HO! HO!"  

I probably sound like a "Bah humbug" kind of guy but I'm not really. I love the Christmas season and "the holidays" but what I don't like is the over commercialization. 

The one Christmas activity that I have always engaged in and enjoyed is sending and receiving Christmas cards. However, for the first time in my living memory, I think I'll drastically cut back on my Christmas cards this year. There are those former co-workers and friends I've been exchanging cards with every year, I'll still send those because I truly wish them a Merry Christmas.  There are also a few blogger friends I like to send cards to.  But I don't think I'll continue to send cards to those relatives and others who I never receive a card from.  My cards are probably just an annoyance to them anyway. And the relatives, sad to say almost all of my relatives are Trumpers. Can't do it folks, just can't do it.  I've unfriended all of them from my Facebook account so why send them a card wishing them well as long as they continue to support the criminal in the White House. They're lost, especially to me.

I'm looking forward to spending a week before Christmas in Philadelphia with my friends. True friends. I'll be returning Christmas Eve to work at the hotel.  I'm also working New Year's Eve, which is always enjoyable for me working at the hotel.  Long gone are those days when I celebrated New Year's Eve partying at the gay bars in Philadelphia. Those were the days folks!

Thanksgiving Day Musings 2018

Some random thoughts and observations on this Thanksgiving Day.  Very random.

I am at work at the hotel now. The hotel is totally book sans except for one suite. I always work at the hotel during Thanksgiving. This is my twentieth year working at a hotel. Interesting how time slips by.  I've always considered my main adult job working at the bank. This hotel job was part-time to keep me amused and supplement my income.  

I don't mind working Thanksgiving Day at the hotel. I meet the nicest people.  Almost all of them are return guests from previous years.  Old people like me. We identify.

When I arrived at work today I got a little reminder that brought me down to earth. One of the guests stopped at the front desk and asked me to send up a housekeeper to plunge his toilet, that was clogged.  There goes my appetite for some turkey. I told him I was the only hotel employee here and it would be me.  He said he was leaving and for me to go at it.  I did and thankfully, I was able to get his toilet working again.  I always dread not getting the toilet working again because I would have anywhere else to put him, except maybe the suite and at $625 a night my boss wouldn't like that. This isn't the first time I've plunged a toilet. Lovely, just lovely. 

Back to my front desk. Earlier I made the mistake of watching our Commander in Chief make phone calls to "the troops."  Since Cadet Bonspurs (Trump) is too cowardly to actually visit the troops in person (like Iraq and Afghanistan), he calls them on a phone which he has the new media televising. Shortly into the conversations with "the troops" he begins his immigration rant about our southern border. He also rants about "Obama judges".  OMG.  Someone asked him what he was thankful for today and he said . . . . himself for making America much safer. Honest to God, is there anybody is who more narcissist than this self-absorbed would be tyrant?  Talk about cringeworthy. Never in my life would I ever have believed I would be so embarrassed for our country to have this orange buffoon speaking for us. God, how did we ever get here?  I had to turn off the TV, I couldn't take any more. Come one Mueller, get those indictments out.

Just did another faux pas, I walked in on a guy using the urinal in the bathroom here at the hotel.  Geez guy, can't you lock the door when you go in to take a whiz?  Wow.  No, I didn't see anything. He wasn't embarrassed either. I was more embarrassed.

I had my Thanksgiving turkey dinner about a half an hour ago.  A Stouffer's frozen turkey dinner. Not bad.  No cranberry sauce though. I missed that.

I work again tomorrow day shift and the next day. Normally I would go in about 6:30 but my boss said I could go in later.  I have bathroom issues in the morning. It's difficult to use the bathroom at work with guests waiting at the front desk.  I'll probably go in about 8 or so tomorrow.  That's a relief.

Sunday I leave for my annual trip for a week's stay in Philadelphia.  Pat is taking an overnight bus from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada to Philly to meet me on Sunday.  I have a personal ride. My usual driver, a neighbor who hates Trump even more than me, has other obligations.  I'll miss riding up with him and back.  He always have a good conversation for the two and a half hour drive to Philly. The man who is taking me up had done it before.  I don't know what his political affiliation is and I'm not asking. He could be one of those brain dead Trump supporters and that would just spoil the whole trip.  Last year another driver picked me up at the airport.  He had his friend with him.  I sat in the back.  All the way back I had to listen to him and his friend spout Hillary Hate.  I never got the Hillary Hate thing.  I was tempted to tell him to pull over to the side of the road and let me out.  

This morning I got up and put on my Apple watch. The band broke.  The EXPENSIVE band broke. This is the second time my Apple watch band has broke.  They replaced the first one after I jumped through several hoops.  I don't think they'll replace this one since I've had it over a year. This is their replacement band. I'll just buy another one when I'm in Philly next week and visit the Apple store and pay the 8% city sales tax!

That's about it now folks. It's 7 pm now here at the hotel.  All continues to be quiet. I have another five hours to go until I get off at 11 pm. Then I can do this all over again. tomorrow during the day. Probably not update my blog like I'm doing now though. No personal computing during the day. I can get away with it at night though.

Hope you're all having a fabulous Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving 2018 Message

Happy Thanksgiving!  

Just a few things I'm thankful for:

My friends
My home
My family (Bill and Pat)
My health

At this time in our country in which our freedoms are threatened by Trump, I am thankful that, apparently, our system of government is holding up to this assault on our freedoms. 

All my life I had assumed that as Americans we were different than the rest of the world.  Not just in our unique place in the world but in our moral values.  Of course we all know there was always that undercurrent of hate in racism in our country but our better angels always prevailed.  Now for the first time in our history those better angels are being threatened not only in the person of Donald Trump but by those Republicans in Congress who either refuse or to afraid to fulfill their Constitutional duties to provide a check on the abuse of power by the Executive Branch of our government in the person of Donald J. Trump. 

At a time like this I am reminded of the quote:

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.

I am also reminded of the movie "High Noon" in which Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly starred. Gary Cooper was the new sheriff in a town that was taken over by outlaws. No one in town was willing to confront the outlaws, they were too afraid. Just as Republican members of Congress are afraid of Trump, a Trump tweet to be exact and Trump's base of deplorables, and yes, I said deplorables because that is what they are.  Out from under their rocks.  

Gary Cooper's character in the movie was just an average man but he decided to take on the evil that controlled the town and had everyone intimidated. My question now is, where is our Gary Cooper?  The only man who came close was the late John McCain. While I disagreed with McCain on many issues one thing I never disagreed with him on was his courage.  Would that we had someone what just an ounce of his courage today.  Weak press statements by Senators Flake and Corker don't do it, we need someone to take on this monster who is actively destroying our values.  

So while I am thankful for much this Thanksgiving, my heart is heavy and I am mightily worried as to what lies in store for us as a country as long as this evil is at the top of our government.  Sycophants like Vice President Mike Pence won't save us, only Gary Cooper will and he's dead.  

I hope this time next year I have a better Thanksgiving message.  I hope this time next year, I'm alive. An I hope with all my heart that this time next year we have a president who is leading our country that brings us together instead of dividing us.  

The Holidays

My last Thanksgiving Dinner - 2003 at a friend's house in Downingtown, PA - the lady in the salmon colored top cook the meal which was DELICIOUS!  

Here we go again, "The Holidays".  I have to be careful here not to appear or sound like an old grump but I'm not a big fan of "The Holidays."  But there is no avoiding it, one does get swept up in "The Holidays."

Bill put up the Christmas lights outside on our porch. I helped him today. We'll turn them on after Thanksgiving Day this Thursday.  

I still haven't ordered my Christmas cards. I've been sending Christmas cards since I was a teenager. Mainly I like keeping in touch with former co-workers, relatives and friends who are a distance away.  I have to admit that I like to keep them informed that I am still alive and I am checking to make are they're still alive. I may not do personalized Christmas cards this year with pictures of me and Bill. We're just too old and ugly. Time to send the sparkly cards and let our card recipients remember us how we used to look before old age melted our looks.

This week I work again Thanksgiving Day.  I do not complain. I never have any special plans for Thanksgiving Day although I do like a traditional Thanksgiving Day dinner. I'll take in a frozen turkey dinner.  I'm also working day shift Friday and Saturday for one of my co-workers. Looks like I'm putting up the hotel Christmas tree. No problems, I don't mind. Bill and I don't put up a Christmas tree here in the house, the one at work will have to do the Christmas magic for moi. 

Again this year I don't do Christmas gifts. We have everything we want.  Since my Mother died, I have no desire to give anyone else gifts. I gift friends during the year when I see something they like. Years ago I opted out of the annual pressure of Christmas Shopping Mania.  I used to do that when my nephew and nieces were young. Some of them have grandchildren now who I only see on Facebook. I'm too far removed to gift. They will receive a Final Gift from me when I die, they're in my will.

The last two weeks I had a spate of doctors's visits. My semi-annual checkup at my VA doctor. A dental appointment, at which they noticed my blood pressure was high. I NEVER have high blood pressure so I don't know what that's all about. This week I see my urologist to check up on that kidney stone I still have that hasn't dropped. I'll have him check my blood pressure. Hopefully it is an aberration.  However, I have been taking prescription nasal spray for my mucous problem (constantly clearing throat).  Maybe high blood pressure is a side effect.

This time next week I'll be in Philadelphia for a week's stay at my friend Don MacKenzie's co-op guest suite. I'll meet Pat there. Always a good time when Pat and I get together for our quarterly rendezvous.  We'll do some Christmasy things while we're in Philly.  Five years ago I started this Philly visit to celebrate my birthday earlier this month. I couldn't get off earlier this year. This time is just as well, we'll do the Christmas Thing, which I have to admit I do enjoy. I like all the color and sounds. Just not the pressure to Christmas shop, which I don't do anyway.

When I was a young boy, I used to feel sad for old folks who didn't do much in the Christmas way at their homes. Now I understand.  

I plan to blog at least one more time before Thanksgiving but if I don't, I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving

Bill Kelly - our first Thanksgiving together 1965 Pennsuaken, New Jersey

Wow! Another Thanksgiving!

Wasn't it just a few weeks ago we were celebrating the end of summer?  And new we're here at Thanksgiving.  Is it me or does each year seem to go by faster?  

This year I will be working Thanksgiving Day at the hotel. I don't mind, I usually work Thanksgiving Day at the hotel. I meet the nicest people during that holiday. Almost all of our hotel guests are grandparents who are visiting their children and grandchildren in the area. I understand why they stay at the hotel, nice visiting the grandkids but have to get away from all those screaming high energy grandkids. I can't imagine.

I have to admit the one thing I do admit I miss on Thanksgiving Day is a nice turkey dinner with all the trimmings. Years ago I used to "do" Thanksgiving at home for just me and Bill.  Yes, I got caught up in the holiday tradition that this is what you do for Thanksgiving. But that was just too much food for the both of us. 

Neither Bill or I like to do the many guests thing. For a while we would have a one friend over, who was also alone on Thanksgiving. But that tradition fell by the wayside too when we had a fallout with that friend. 

For a few years I used to attend my friend Bob McCamley's Thanksgiving dinner that he and his partner Jim gave for us single gay men who had no other place to go.  That was fun and the dinners were always fabulous.  At times Bob and Jim would have as many as twenty-four single gay men over for dinner. But Bob died a few years ago and Jim is in an assisted living facility now.  

Another few times a former classmate would take pity on me and invited me over to dinner at his family's house along with other sad folk like me who had no other place to go for Thanksgiving. His wife and daughters prepared the traditional Thanksgiving dinners which were fabulous. If I lived in Pennsylvania I would probably be invited again. 

Those time are in the past folks. Good memories but now is now. Tomorrow I work at the hotel.  I'll meet some nice folks. I'll have an egg salad sandwich for dinner and at the end of my shift at 11 PM another Thanksgiving will be history.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone who reads this, especially those who are alone this Thanksgiving, have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving - The Day After

Here we are at yet another Black Friday. 

My Thanksgiving Day was quiet, thank you.  I spent it at the hotel where I work part-time at the front desk.  

Don't feel sorry for me (Argentina) because I didn't spend my Thanksgiving Day in the traditional manner, surrounded by family at a table laden with all manner of traditional Thanksgiving food.  Although I have to admit I did miss the green bean casserole. 

For almost twenty years now, since I've been working part-time (and a few years full-time) as a hotel front desk clerk (after retiring from my 37 year career in bank trust operations), I have worked Thanksgiving Day at my hotel job, wherever that may be.  From where I first worked at the Hampton Inn in Pennsylvania and now at a cool, little boutique (and expensive) hotel in Lewes Delaware. I get to meet lovely couples like this group of folks who return to the hotel every year where I work now.

Thanksgiving hotel guests yesterday 

They are happy to see me and I am happy to see them.  

Now you know my little secret folks, I had a very happy Thanksgiving because I brought smiles to some of my favorite folks faces and then brought a big smile to mine. 

I may not have sat at a Normal Rockwell Thanksgiving dinner table but I had a wonderful Thanksgiving in my own way.  

I hope you did too.

Thanksgiving 2016

Me and Bill yesterday at our neighbors' house - she may have voted for Trump but she still welcomes these two old gay guys proving there is still hope for the future in spite of the Trump presidency 

Good morning folks on this wonderful Thanksgiving Day 2016!

Now I am tempted to say What do we have to be thankful about after this election? Well, as depressing as the results of the presidential election (I still can't get used to the term "President Trump"), I feel we have much to be thankful for.

Take for instance the photo at the beginning of this blog post.  It was taken yesterday at our neighbors' home by a reverent Trump supporter (and a Obama/Hillary Hater).  Yes, we can have our political differences but we can still be friends, at least with some of those "basket of irredeemable deplorables".  Oh sure, I can't go back to where my father was born and spent the first nine years of his life in those western North Carolina Mountains bordering on Tennessee.  That was and still is hillbilly country.  Pristine white with primitive Baptist churches that preach the tenants of Christianity but totally exclude minorities of any kind, including this gay man.  But I can live in our house in this neighborhood without fear of bodily harm, threats or bullying like I experienced the last time I visited my father's birthplace. That photo was taken by a Trump supporter.  And you see we're smiling.  Not because Trump was elected president but because Bill and I are still welcomed in our neighbors' house despite our political differences. 

I have one very good blogger friend (he knows who he is) who (and this is putting it gently) not a fan of either Obama or Hillary. Quite frankly I wasn't a "fan" either but considering the alternative (Romney or Trump), I choose the more rational choice.

I'll admit it folks, this Thanksgiving I fear what our country is in for the next four years.  I don't mean to go on a political rant here but we do have a totally unqualified person as president elect.  Right now he's rewarding his cronies and sycophants with top government positions. He is blatantly flouting conflict of interest norms by continuing to run his personal business empire even as he struts around with his new  found power.  And here is the really sad part, the Republicans will do nothing to stop him as Trump blatantly ignores standards of decently in decorum that we in this country have always taken for granted.  

Thus, as I sit here at my computer listening to my Bose radio this morning in my little corner of the world, on the eastern coast of the United States in Delaware, one of the states that voted for the Democratic candidate (although my county where I live did not vote for Hillary but voted for Trump), I will appreciate what I have.  A comfortable home that is paid for. A loving and stable relationship with Bill (my life partner of fifty-two years in the photo).  A few good friends who are still alive.  Relative good health (my arthritis is catching up with me).  

I have enough to eat.  

I can pay all my bills.

I'm not in debt.

I'm not too ugly (yet, but I'm getting there, age does catch up with one)

Yes folks, I give thanks for this day and all the days I am privileged to live in the best country in the world.  Even though the days ahead are fraught with danger with the impending Trump presidency, I still have hope that some politicians will not be intimidated nor so selfish that they will keep Trump and his deplorables in check.  

Hope is all we have now.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving folks!  

Thanksgiving Day - 2015

Mom preparing dinner for the family 1975

Well, here we are, another Thanksgiving Day.

Today I go to work at the hotel at 2:30 PM.  The hotel is full today unlike previous years when we only had a few grandparent types staying at the hotel.  They're in town to visit their kids and grandkids but stay at the hotel because as they all tell me "We love our grandkids but we can't take them 24/7."  Oh how well I understand.  The older I get the more all that noise and jumping up and down like Mexican jumping beans just rattles my nerves.  I like Thanksgiving just the way it is here today . . . . quiet.  Ah, peace and tranquility.  

Bill (far left) with my nieces and nephew and brother) 1975

However, I do get nostalgic on Thanksgiving.  Back when both of my parents were alive, Mom would bake up a big Thanksgiving dinner of roast turkey, mashed potatoes, homemade gravy (my Mom made the BEST homemade gravy - SLURP!), corn, string beans, cranberry sauce and stuffing (of course).  My Mom also made the best celery stuffing.  Dessert was on of her homemade pies.  Oddly enough, my Mom never mastered the art of making a good pie crust.  Her pie crusts always tasted like cardboard with Crisco.  But the filling (cherry, apple or pumpkin) was always good.

Mom getting her hair style by her niece Vickie with my sisters-in-law looking on - 1975

The family would gather around the small table she had in the dining room.  The dining room table was only used about two times a year.  Once for Thanksgiving and the other for Christmas dinner.  

Grandpa (my father) with his nieces Vickie and Nancy - 1975

My brothers and their wives would be at the table and me and Mom and Pop of course.  The kids were at the Kid's Table.  

Pop getting "antlered" by his niece Vickie - 1975 

Sadly, those days are gone.  But you know what folks, those memories will live forever.  Including my Mom's cardboard pie crusts. 

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!