Casa Tipton-Kelly Garden Tour August 2014

By popular demand, here is the complete video tour of the floral extravaganza that is Casa Tipton-Kelly.  Actually, one blogger suggested that I post such a video but you know me, I jump on any opportunity to show off our wonderful home here on the coastal plain of southern Delaware.

We live on a lot that is just under an acre.  We are surrounded on both sides by wonderful neighbors and across the street by another wonderful neighbor.  He live in a development called Covington Chase, a grouping of thirty-seven houses with 3/4 acre lots.  We purchased one of the bigger lots that is bordered by a farm field in the back and our aforementioned fantastic neighbors on either side.  I purposely was looking for a lot that did not border houses in the back.  Bill and I need that privacy in back of our house.  

Casa Tipton-Kelly August 2014

We moved here in November of 2006.  We had the house built from scratch.  We are the only ones who have lived in this house.  We also built out house in Pennsylvania from scratch, on a 6.875 lot.  We couldn't quite afford a "lot" that big here in Washington D.C.'s summertime capital, AKA "Gayberry" because of the large lesbian and gay man couple population.  Lots of us Old Gays down here folks.  

So enjoy the tour while I go and take a shower.  It's hot and humid this morning, a typical August day here on the Delmarva peninsula surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the east and the Chesapeake bay on the left.  We may be uncomfortable sometimes in these temperatures folks but the vegetation and flowers love it!  We do too.  Bill often sits on the back deck and just soaks in the colors and sounds of our wonderful, living back yard.  

Enjoy!

Throwback Thursday

Yours truly July 24, 1976

Okay, okay.  So I'm a day late and a dollar short on this week's Throwback Thursday submission.  

I'm a busy guy, what can I tell you?

Today's gem of a photo is of me (of course) taken July 24th, 1976 at our newly acquired property in East Brandywine Township, Chester County (Downingtown) Pennsylvania.

Bill and I purchased 6.875 acres of heavily wooded land from a Mr. Ted Johnson, who had subdivided his property.  He was asking $30,000 for the acreage, I offered $25,000 which he accepted, much to my surprise.  Why? I thought he would refuse but I had to borrow the money from my Mother. She said "Offer him $25,000, all he can say is 'No'".  That was the condition of her loan.  So, somewhat sheepishly I offered Mr. Johnson $25,000 and he accepted immediately! Big "Whoop!"  I just save us $5,000.  Thanks Mom!

Thus began Bill and I adventure of building our dream house at 161 Crawford Road, Downingtown, Pennsylvania.  Thirty years later we sold the property and house and moved to Delaware where we reside now.  

Life is just one big adventure.  My only question is:

What happened to that hunky guy sitting on the fence?  That was me? ! ?

Cleaning up Trip to Canada Loose Ends

Me seeing Pat off when he was visiting this summer - this was the beginning of his 24 hour trip (by bus) back to Canada (he wasn't smiling when he got back)

Today I completed the last steps of preparation for my trip to Canada on August 15th, which is NEXT FRIDAY!

I just about decide what clothes to wear and what cameras I'm taking up with me.  I ordered new underwear from J. C. Penney which has already arrived.  I'm waiting for my genuine leather passport folder that I ordered from Amazon.com last week along with a luggage tag.

Today, at the suggestion of a very helpful commenter to my previous "Canada Trip" blog, I called my three credit card companies and informed them that I will be in Canada from August 15th to the 31st.  They all thanked me and I thank the helpful commenter who reminded me to inform my credit card companies of my trip out of the country.

Then I called Verizon.  I spent more time on the phone with Verizon that I did with all three credit card companies combined.  Actually, with the credit card companies I did a live chat.  Verizon, you have to call someone after, first finding a phone number to call (which wasn't easy) then going through the menu options.  It ONLY took me three times navigating the menu options until I got a live person on the phone.  My main concern with not to incur roaming charges on my iPhone while in Canada.  I make very few voice call but I do text.  My main concern is incurring a horrendous roaming charge by my e-mails automatically updating on my iPhone while I'm traipsing around in Canada with Pat.  The first customer service representative I talked to at Verizon only succeeded in confusing me more and I ended up with signing up for a $25.00 (first 100 MB) "Global Data Plan."  This would eliminate the .89 cent per call for voice and a .50 cent charge to send photos and a .25 cent charge to receive photos.  Confused?  Yes, I was too.  

"I made THAT many calls?"

I called Pat and told him that what I did.  He reminded me that I didn't need to do that, just turn off the roaming feature on my iPhone and use my MacBook Pro (which I'm taking with me) to check my e-mail.  He was right so I called Verizon again.  Back to navigating Menu Hell; finally got a live person and I cancelled the $25 charge.  How much to you want to bet it will still be on my Verizon bill next month?  Oh well, maybe they will surprise me and actually be efficient and competent.  At least the second Verizon representative acted like she didn't mind me asking her questions, unlike the first one who seemed annoyed every time I asked her a question. "What!?" was her standard response.  

So I think I'm ready folks.  Pat's concerned because he is afraid I will be uncomfortable in his minimalist house (or "hoose" as he says).  I think I'll be just find.  I never camped out before.  I'll just make believe I'm camping out.  

Pat's "hoose" 

Should be quite an adventure folks.  More to come.

Summertime in Delaware

Well folks, I just completed my five day marathon work schedule.  I got off yesterday after working three evening shifts and two day shifts.  Slowly recovering, getting myself back in synch.  

Today is Wednesday but it feels like Friday.  I usually work Wednesdays and Thursdays, 3 PM to 11 PM then I have off Friday and the weekend and don't go back to work until the following Wednesday.  I like that cycle, two nights a week then five days off.  Perfect for me.  I still want to work but not full time.

I go back to work next Wednesday only then next Friday, my co-worker Monica picks me up at 4 AM (!) and transports me to the Philadelphia International airport for my 7:29 AM flight to Buffalo, New York.  Pat will pick me up in Buffalo and we'll enter Canada by way of Niagara Falls. Then the next two weeks I drive Pat crazy in his minimalist house complaining that he doesn't have air conditioning or all the other creature comforts that I have accustomed myself to the past 72 years (get ready Pat).  Pat's worried that I'll freak out.  I'm not.  Seriously, I think I'll do just fine.  If Toronto does get a massive heat wave, I can always retreat to a hotel.

Summer continues down here in coastal Delaware.  Every day the vehicles stream down Route One in the shimmering heat (and rain last week), seeking to "get away from it all" at the edge of the continent in Rehoboth Beach.  Hello Atlantic Ocean!

The video at the beginning of this blog I took on June 22nd, before the big onslaught of vacationers to our beaches.  I won't dare go to Rehoboth Beach now until at least after Labor Day.  Last Saturday when I went to work traffic was backed up about six miles from Rehoboth Beach.  Thank goodness I was able to turn off on New Road to my job in Lewes, three miles north of Rehoboth Beach.

So folks, I'm just about ready for my big trip to Canada. I have my passport, I got my haircut today, I'll color my beard tonight.  Now for the BIG decision . . . . . what to wear.  Pat's telling me to minimize it.  But you know me, an outfit for ever occasion.  This is going to be tough folks.  I think I got it down to a week's worth of underwear and socks, one pair of short pants, one pair of long pants, two pullovers, two short sleeve shirts, one long sleeve shirt, and my toiletries.  Oh, and my Macbook Pro laptop.  And of course I'm taking my cameras (Flip video, Cannon Sureshot and my ever ready iPhone.)  I think I got my bases covered folks.  Here we go!

Before haircut this morning

After haircut this morning

Musings on an Overcast Sunday

Here I sit on this overcast Sunday morning, ready to go to work again.  Three day in a row.  Then again tomorrow (day shift) and the next day (day shift again) then back to normal.

Yesterday at the hotel wasn't too bad.  The rough part was getting into work. Saturday afternoon in the height of the summer season in Rehoboth Beach, DE spells one thing: 

BACKED UP TRAFFIC

I hardly got out onto Route One and there is was, hundreds of cars going south on Route One, inching their way to Rehoboth Beach.  God help me.  I am SO GLAD I don't have the weekend shift at the hotel during the summer.  I HATE sitting in traffic, just inching along.  HATE IT.

Above is just a short video of the bottleneck that is Rehoboth Beach Summer Fun.  Only another month to go and we locals reclaim our Route One again. I shouldn't really complain though, all that traffic (at $3.00 a pop, Del Dot just raised the toll fee from $2.00 to $3.00 - why not?  It doesn't slow the traffic down to Rehoboth and points (Ocean City, Maryland) and beyond.

Folks, we local stay away from Rehoboth Beach in the summertime.  It just isn't worth it.  However, I am glad we have all that traffic coming down, depositing their dollars into our local economy.  Yesterday, while inching  along in traffic I spied mostly Pennsylvania and New Jersey license plates.  We never did get too many New Jerseyites (sp?) until Hurricane Sandy.  We get them now. 
Hey folks . . . . no sales tax in Delaware!  Come on down. 

All this weekend we've had rain or overcast skies, somewhat to the disappointment of many of our hotel guests.  So far this summer we've had an abundance of sun . . . too much actually.  I've had to force myself to stay indoor because of the heat, humidity and sun, sun sun.  Just last week I was thinking "We could use a little less sun."  But you know what happens "Be careful what you wish for."  

Yesterday afternoon there was a wedding in the park adjoining the hotel.  The rain let up enough to permit the Beautiful Bride to be married outside under the bridal canopy.  A few minutes before the ceremony the bridegroom and his entourage trooped past the front desk in their pear gray suits looking soooo fine (all nice buttocks - did I really say THAT?)  I was momentarily rendered speechless by the unexpected overload of fine masculinity but quickly recovered.  All in a day's work folks.

One short of a dozen (or two short of two dozen, depending on what  you're counting)

More Adventures of a Hotel Front Desk Clerk

As regular readers of this fabulous (my opinion of course) blog know I work part-time as a hotel front desk clerk at a small, exclusive (and very expensive) boutique hotel in the first town in the first state.  

I am always reluctant to write about my job lest I get into trouble with my boss (the hotel owner) writing about hotel guests.  Just as my friend and fellow blogger Dr. Spo is reluctant to write about his job as a head shrink, lest he piss off run afoul of his bosses.  But sometimes I just have to share.  Now with no names I will recount last night's experience.

Last night was the first night of my five day marathon work schedule.  My normal schedule is two nights a week (Wednesday and Thursday).  However, this week I'm filling in for one of vacationing employees so I will be working this weekend, perhaps the busiest of the summer.  Pray for me.

You know folks, as long as I've been in the hotel business (eleven years now), I never cease to be amazed at the new requests that are made of me.  

Last night I get a request from a guest.  He called and said "Could you send up a new mattress? The one we have now is BROKE"  

Um . . . . . I answer "No" with my mouth agape.  What?  The guest thinks I have mattresses stored in the back with extra towels and pillows?

I asked what the problem was.  He said his wife said the mattress had a "dip" in the center.  I told him I couldn't replace his mattress.  I was the only hotel employee on that night which surprised him. He thought I had someone from "housekeeping" who could supply him with a new mattress.  

That's it folks.  There was a lot more to the story (even more bizarro, he wanted to switch mattresses with another room) but this was the gist lest I get into trouble with the hotel for even telling this much.  Yep, "send up a new mattress." 

Right away sir!

You know, I have a sneaky suspicion I was punked last night. 

Best Potato Salad Ever!

This yummy will please your tummy

Just finished making another batch of my famous Warm Red Potato salad.  Not to brag folks (actually I am), I have to admit I make the BEST potato salad.  I make several different versions of potato salad but this is my absolute FAV.

Ironically, growing up I hated potato salad.  Why? Seems I didn't like the versions that were available to me whilst I was in my knee high to a whipper snapper stage.  My Mom's potato salad, perhaps the worst (for me anyway) was full of onions, green peppers and way too much celery.  The few other potato salads I sampled were at family reunions and they were just about as bad.  God awful, to me anyway.

So here is my recipe.  If you try it, keep in mind that this is a very personal recipe, developed over years of experimentation, misfires, and disasters.

Red Potato Salad

Three large red potatoes 
One diced celery stalk
1/4 cup freshly minced flat leaf parsley
salt to taste
1 cup mayonaisse
2 hardboiled eggs, diced and minced
1 tablespoon French's yellow mustard 
1 tablespoon celery seed
1/3 cup cider vinegar

Cook the potatoes (leaving the skin on) until tender (about 15 minutes)

Drain

On a wood cutting board, halve, quarter and eighths the still hot potatoes

Place in aluminum bowl.  

Splash the cider vinegar over all and mix with metal spoon

Mixed in the chopped celery

Sprinkle the salt, celery seed over "vinegared" potatoes

Put a whole gob of mayo over all with about three "squirts" of French's yellow mustard and mix all

Mix in minced parsley and chopped eggs. 

Note:  measurements are estimates.  I usually go overboard with the measurements except for the salt and celery.  Too much celery and you have a "celery salad."  And definitely use French's yellow mustard but be care not to put too much or else you'll have a "Mustard Potato Salad."  You want just a hint of mustard that brings back memories of your childhood family picnic's potato salad.  You can put onions in but I prefer not to, although I like onions.  And definitely DO NOT PUT GREEN PEPPERS IN POTATO SALAD.  That's about as bad as putting shrimp in it.  Gawd awful.  

Enjoy!