Rehoboth Beach October 1, 2011

Getting ready to feed the gulls this morning at the edge of the continent

Under the cover of the early morning darkness, Bill and I stealthily drove out of our still sleeping development to deliver food for those Rehoboth Beach seagulls that loiter around the beach.  I had some food past its expiration date in my refrigerator and it was time to Feed The Seagulls.  Oh yes, I know we are not to Feed the Birds but I do anyway, lawbreaker that I am.  Report me.

Last summer I made the trek to the boardwalk in Rehoboth just about everyday. When I realized that I was paying about $30 a week for gas (Rehoboth is 10 miles each way from our home), I cut back on my trips to the boardwalk.  Plus, I was growing uneasy with the high traffic on Route 1.  It would just be a matter of time before I had a fender bender or worse, what with all the crazy drivers on One.

This past summer I think I made maybe three trips to the boardwalk, each one worse than the next for fighting the traffic and the Summer Hoards of Touristas, bless their money spending hearts.  I have to say I didn't really miss the stress of driving to and fro the beach.

Now that the summer season is ended, I figured it would be safe to return to the beach and take in the sights, sounds and smells of the Atlantic Ocean which I am so fortunate to have so close.  Today was no exception.  I feed the seagulls and got dirty looks from some of the early Beach Traffic.  I ignored them.  Get over it folks.

Then I took a walk "on the boards".  Oh it was good to have that spring in my step again and the exhilarating feeling of getting my blood flowing again from my brisk walking pace.  I love walking on the boardwalk.  If I lived in Rehoboth, I would walk everyday. I walk almost everyday in the development behind where we live, but it's not the same as walking on the boardwalk, listening to the gentle waves rolling in on the beach, the seagulls squawking and the smell of salt air.  I never tire of that experience folks, never.

Not many folks on the Boards this morning - just the way I like it

Bill waited in my car while I took my Stroll on the Boardwalk.  The Usuals were on the boardwalk this morning.  The women who use that ridiculously funny arm movement while they walk, thinking that silly action is going to reduce the size of their hips and fat asses.  Doesn't work ladies.  Then there are those ancient (I guess that would include me) Old Folk who are exercising by walking, hoping to prolong their lives by a few more years by getting their circulatory system going.  And how can we forget the grossly overweight who waddle up and down the boardwalk, hoping to stave off a heart attack and maybe lose a few pounds.  Again, it ain't happening folks but if that's what turns you on, go for it.

The Boardwalk Show never disappoints.  It's all the Humane Drama and Comedy all rolled into one, me included of course.  I don't exempt myself.

At one time I kidded myself that perhaps, just maybe, I might meet a Fellow Walker.  You know, a FRIEND.  HA!  That ain't happening either.  Oh sure, I have received some LOOKS, but look what was looking at me.  No thank you.  They are either too young or too old (and fat).  Isn't that the name of a song?  Oh well.

In a few weeks it will be officially Fall and the last remnants of the Touristas will be gone and I can go into Rehoboth and enjoy all the natural wonder of living near the Atlantic Ocean without the stress of traffic, people and oppressive heat of summer.  Fall truly is the best time at the beach.

Sunrise on the Atlantic Ocean at Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, October 1, 2011

The Fourth at the Beach

Celebrating "The Fourth" on Rehoboth Beach boardwalk this morning

This morning I took an early morning walk on the boardwalk in Rehoboth Beach.  The air was already heavy with heat and humidity but that was okay, this is summertime.  I love it!

I walked the length of the boardwalk back and forth which is a total of two miles.  During my walk I captured this image of a group of young guys headed to the beach with the flag.  I had to be quick with my iPhone to capture this image.  This is the flavor of the weekend, The Fourth.

After my walk on the boardwalk I took a long and leisurely walk through some of the neighborhoods, including going past one of my former friend's house (he was there).  That's another whole story that I won't go into here, maybe another time.  He used to come down with his friend but I just found out his friend died late last year from colon cancer.  I would like to express my sympathy but I don't want to renew the friendship because there is nothing there.

After my morning sojourn in Rehoboth I headed out to Rt. 1 to do some shopping at Walmart.  Already Rt. 1 was heaving with southbound traffic of folks coming down "to the beach for the Fourth."  God bless 'em!  That's our bread and butter.  We have no industry here in southern Delaware other than the Atlantic Ocean and all the ancillary services that we can provide to make the tourists and day trippers happy and hopefully leave a lot of money behind to get us through the winter.

I have off today and tomorrow but I do go to work on Monday, which I'm not looking forward to mainly because parking will be a bitch in Lewes.  Parking is always difficult in Lewes but on the Fourth it is almost impossible.  That's the trouble with small towns likes Lewes, they want the tourists and the business but the parking is abysmal.

Some good news, I just got a call from a fellow blogger.  He would like to stop by late tomorrow afternoon  with his partner to hang out with me and Bill.  Tomorrow is our 47th anniversary.  Yep, forty-seven years ago I walked over to the other side of the Westbury Bar on 15th and Spruce Streets in Philadelphia and thanked that handsome man who had been sending me drinks for the past month or so.  I figured after all that expense the least I could do was thank him.  Little did I know that I would be spending the rest of my life with him!  Just goes to show you how fate works.  I wonder where I would be today if I hadn't gone over and thanked Bill on that warm summer night in the city.  Something to think about for sure.

Last Blast of Summer

Brandywine, Struble Trail, Downingtown, PA January 2005

The skies are gray.

There is a chill in the air.

There is a dusting of light snow on the cold earth.

It is January, 2005 on the Struble Bike and Walk Trail in Downingtown, Pennsylvania.

Think cool thoughts on this hot and humid late summer day in September in Sussex County, Delaware.

At 97 degrees today, new heat/humidity index records were set in Georgetown, Delaware.  

Today is the Last Blast of Summer 2010.

I just got off a three day work stint from the hotel.  

It was good for me to go right to work after I returned from my Mother's funeral services this past Monday in Pennsylvania.  The weather on the day of her services could not have been better.  The skies were clear, the temperature was mild and the humidity was low.  Mom would have liked that.

How am I doing?  Just fine.  Better than I thought.  In many ways I feel relieved that Mom's suffering is finally at an end.

The only negative from last week was my mistake in leaving out the names of my Mother's two sisters from the obituary notice that was placed in the local newspaper.  I don't know what I was thinking by forgetting them.  

I remembered to place the name of her one full sister Jeanette who now resides in Simpson Meadows Nursing Home.  Ironically, Simpson Meadows is right across the street from the James J. Terry Funeral Home, where my Mother's services were held.  Aunt Jeanette is 92 years old and was unable to attend.  

Mary Moreland Shank was my Mom's step sister.  Ruth Hadfield Steidler was my Mom's half sister (they had the same father but different mothers.)  At the day of the services I thought they were a little "off" with me.  It wasn't until I got home that I realized that I didn't include their names in the obituary.

Yesterday I called and had the funeral home run the obituary again.  I was surprised by how much it cost to place an obituary in the newspaper but to me it was worth it to avoid a lifetime of hurt feelings.  Mom grew up with Mary and Ruthie and they should have been acknowledged.  

The corrected obituary ran in the newspapers today.  I called Mary and Ruthie and told them to check the newspapers.  They seemed happy with this news.  

The only thing I have to do now is write out thank you notes to all those who sent flowers and attended Mom's final services.  Then this chapter of my life will be over. 

No more funeral planning for me.  If Bill goes before I do, his services will be private as he has often requested.  In fact, he doesn't want any services at all and I just may go that route.  

I may attend funerals in the future but this is the last time ever that I'm doing this.  

This weekend I begin to get my life back to my old comfortable routine.  I plan to coast out the next fifteen or twenty years until my funeral.  

And that my friends will be somebody else's responsibility.  

All I'm thinking about now are those cool, autumn days that are in my future.  

Rehoboth Beach Photo Essay August 26, 2010

Rehoboth Beach Thursday, August 26, 2010 - a perfect beach day

Just got back from the beach folks!

This morning I hung around a few hours longer.  In fact I didn't leave until noon.  Usually I leave before 8 am or 9 am at the latest.

The reason I stayed later was that I wanted to get one of those "Olde Timey" photos of myself.  The last one I had done was in 1974.  The Old Time Photo shop didn't open until 10 am.  So I hung around.

Everything went well with the photo.  Only thing was there was no getting away from the fact that I'm not 33 years old anymore as I was in 1974.  This is 2010 and I'm 68 years old and the Olde Timey photo didn't hide that fact.  I'm hiding it, that's why you don't see the picture on this blog posting.  I may or may not put it on a future blog posting.  I have to think about this.

In the meantime, here is my daily photo essay of beach life after 9 am.  Please note that the "doughnut" sign has been corrected and now says "doughnut."  Someone must have read my blog.

Correcttion, instead of "dougnut" it is now "doughnut."  

Olde Timey Photos

Want to throw some money away?  

Looking for a wave.....any wave

Beach reading

"Play ball!"

Lifeguards on duty....cozy

Daddy take the Princess to the beach

Staking a claim.....sexy stuff

Have a great day.  See you tomorrow!

Foggy Morning on the Beach

What do people do on the beach on a foggy day?  They go to the beach.  Below is my photo essay of the day:

The north end of the boardwalk in Rehoboth Beach this morning at 7 am

"This is our vacation and we're going to spend it on the beach, fog or no fog."

You don't need the sun for the Morning Stretch

"Hey!  That looks like a big one coming in!"

Lined up waiting for the sun to make an appearance

Love the umbrella!

"Let's ride out to the Big One."

Are those tire tracks?

Yours truly,  The Photographer on the beach - "Thank you!"