May Day - One Month To Go!

Today is May Day, the first day of May. 

I fell and injured my leg 72 days ago on February 18th, two months and thirteen days ago. 

I had orthopedic surgery to reconnect my severed quadricep muscles on March 10th, 52 days ago or one month and twenty one days ago.

After I had my surgery my doctor told me my recovery would be from eight to twelve weeks. 

I have not been back to work at the hotel since I fell leaving work at the hotel way back on that bitter cold night of zero degrees.

Two weeks ago I began physical therapy three days a week. I am making great progress. I can now bend my knee 60 degrees.  Not much to the casual observer but great for me who could not bend my knee at all a few short weeks ago.

The week after next on May 11th I have an appointment with my orthopedic doctor. I hope to dispense with this leg brace I've been wearing for the past 72 days.

On June 1st I am scheduled to go back to work at the hotel. I am anxiously looking forward to that date.  Even though I may be wearing some kind of reduced leg brace on my knee and still using a cane, I will be on my way back to a normal, active life.

These past few months have been revelatory for me.  I have learned a lot.  Not the least of which is a new appreciation for the freedom that physical mobility provides.  Also a new appreciation for those who are physically disabled. I am much more sensitive their situation.  Never again will I be impatient when I am shopping in grocery store and behind a person with a cane, walker or one of those carts.

A mobile shopping cart that I have ridden - a great learning experience

Some may think my past few months have been wasted.  To the contrary, the past few months have been yet another learning experience for me for which I am very thankful.  

But as thankful as I am for this learning experience I am looking forward to getting back to my normal, active life. And just in time because the best time of the year is upon us now.  Great weather, no more snow and ice. 

I'm ready folks.

Throwback Thursday - Birthday Boy 2005

Me and my friend Sheila at my 64th birthday party at the Brickside Grill, Exton, PA - 2005

Oh where does the time go?  It seems like only a few years ago when my friend Sheila helped me celebrate my 64th birthday.  Actually, this picture was taken November 9, 2015; ten years ago.  Ten years?  What happened to the last ten years?

This photo was taken at the Brickside Grill in Eagleview, Pennsylvania.  I used to the Brickside Grill every Wednesday night for Trivia Night.  Loads of fun with my friends Carole, Sheila and a changing cast of friends, whoever was available on a particular Wednesday night.  I miss those times.

I wonder where I'll be ten years from now?

Open House - Los Angeles California

Pat and I in front of a very large succulent in Los Angeles

During my recent vacation this past January in Los Angeles California with my Canadian friend Pat, we had the good luck to come upon an open house.  Both Pat and I love open houses!

We were just taking a walk in a residential section of Los Angeles, enjoying the mild weather (70 degrees) and palm trees when we came across an open house.  "Say Pat, want to check it out?"  Pat:  "Yes!"

So here  you go folks, a pictorial display of our tour of this open house:

"Open House!" downtown Los Angeles

Pat discusses the details with the realtor

Now this is a shower! - "His and His"

The Master Bedroom - I like!

Private balcony and corner window - I love it!

From second floor - view of neighborhood

The guest bedroom - love the private balcony

Another bedroom with private balcony

Fireplace and couch on yet another private balcony

Pat asks "What kind of wood?" 

The first floor main living area - living room, dining room, kitchen and view of backyard pool

The obligatory Los Angeles California homeowner's pool 

The dining room

View from front of house

Side street view of this new, modern house

Real oranges!

Wouldn't this "modest" house in the heart of a residential section of Los Angeles make a nice getaway?  Both Pat and I thought so.  

One of my dreams (as yet unrealized) was to win a lottery of several million dollars so I could buy some of these getaways.  I would certainly buy this lovely, perfect home in Los Angeles.  Brand new, modern, clean lines, low maintenance and ideally located. If I had this home I wouldn't risk falling on ice and snow and being put out of commission for months like I am now. 

But alas, I stopped playing Powerball years ago.  Pat buys an occasionally lottery ticket with a maximum payout of $10,000.  Hardly enough to buy this beauty.  But you know folks, one can dream and I thank that realtor that Sunday in January who permitted me and Pat to wander through this dream house.



 So what do you think folks? Like it?

So how much do you think it cost?  Well, here you go:  the asking price was:

 $3,200,000.  

Yeah, that knocked Pat's hat askew.  Oh well, we can dream can't we?

Yard Work!

One of my favorite activities is yard work.  I find working in the quiet and peace of my back yard not only good physical exercise for my body but good mental exercise. 

It's interesting but both of my brothers hate yard work.  My brother Isaac, the brother who inherited the family home, has been busy cutting down as many trees and shrubs that my father planted over the fifty some years he lived there.  

My brother John, who lives in South Carolina, has just about finished taking out anything that grows on his ranch house property and paved over his back yard.  He now has the biggest parking lot in his neighborhood.  But both of my brothers can build.  They are both good carpenters.  I am not.  I am not mechanically declined at all (and "declined" is not a typo).  

I like my backyard.  Next to walking, working in my back yard, especially raking cut grass, is one of my personal, guilty pleasures. 

One of my big frustrations with my leg injury is that it prevented me from working in my backyard.  When I got the news from my doctor after my leg surgery that my recovery would be "eight to twelve weeks", I immediately thought "there goes the spring."

Well, I'm glad to say that yesterday, after my physical therapy session, I felt confident enough to do a little bit of yard work.  

Raking grass is one of my favorite activities. I like the feel of the gentle wind on my face. Listening to the birds' chirping, getting things sorted out in their little world. The quiet, peace and tranquility of being by myself in my own backyard.

I think a lot of my pleasure of working in my own backyard comes from my youth of growing up in a second floor apartment.  Our family didn't have a "backyard" until 1958, when my parents built a small 1,100 square foot, one bathroom (five in our family) ranch house in East Brandywine Township, Downingtown, Pennsylvania.  I was 16 years old at the time and only had a year to "enjoy" my own land.  But it wasn't actually "my" land, it was my father's and he was very possessive.

120 Washington Avenue, Downingtown, PA - 2nd floor apartment front - where I spent the formative years of my youth and missed having a backyard unlike most of my classmates whom I envied who lived in "normal" homes with backyards

After graduating from high school, joining the Army, getting out of the Army, I was back to apartment living again.  

Our family's Boot Road, Downingtown PA second floor apartment - house not there now - no back yard (of course) again - 1954

I lived in three different apartments until Bill and I bought a small townhouse in center city Philadelphia with a very small back yard.  Actually not a "backyard" like I wanted, it was a paved (flagstone) backyard with small raised beds.  To satisfy my green thumb Bill built a roof deck with flower boxes.

Our Philly townhouse back yard (still no grass) - 1969

A view of our roughneck at our Philadelphia townhouse which I expanded my "backyard" with flower boxes - my green thumb needed this

The view from our roughneck of our Philadelphia backyard - 1969

It wasn't until 1980, when we moved to our 6.875 acres in East Brandywine Township, that I finally had my own backyard.  Of course I had to share it with the deer (oh did I ever) but at least I had one.  But I still didn't have what I really wanted.  What I really wanted was a neighborhood back yard.
When we moved to Delaware I finally had my neighborhood backyard.  The year was 2006, a long wait for a back yard.

Our East Brandywine Township home - my first "backyard"- 1980

This is a long post but I had to tell you this aspect of my personality.  After all, that's what this blog is all about . . . . me.

My backyard now - finally - my dream come true - where I go for peace and tranquility - 2015

Physical Therapy - Week Two

Me with "The Ball" exercise at Tidewater Physical Therapy in Milton, DE

Today at nine o'clock this morning I began Week Two of my physical therapy.  

I have to admit, that something I was dreading (physical therapy) is turning out to be the high point of my day.  

Three days a week I go to physical therapy for an hour session.  

The modern and up to date facility is nearby. The folks who work there are always upbeat and happy. They're happy to see me (which I always like - I hate it when I'm "greeted" with a frown - "oh YOU again.") 

The exercises are not painful and very beneficial.  Today I was able to bend my leg sixty degrees!  Last week I was only able to bend my leg thirty degrees.  Progress!!

I get individualized attention.  The staff is kind and patient with me.  Even the other patients are fun.  

This morning on the table next to me was a young guy with an injured foot.  He does contracting work and had jammed his foot while coming down a ladder on a construction job. His accident happened March 10th, which coincidentally was the day of my surgery.  He said he's been in constant pain just about every day since.  I've been lucky because I haven't had that much pain, only the swelling which I have to admit was pretty brutal at times.  

This young guy was very talkative but I didn't mind because he was a happy, upbeat young man (single dad).  Cute too but that's beside the point (I guess).  

There were other people there today from all age groups and of both sexes.  We're all trying to get back to our normal lives.

I only have one picture on this blog because I get the feeling they frown on taking too many pictures at the facility.  But you know me, I put the charm on and push my luck.  So far I've gotten away with taking one short video and this one picture.  I plan to ask more once they get used to me and see what a wonderful guy I am.

This particular picture is of me and "The Ball".  This is an exercise where I do three sets of ten seconds each and pull my knee back to bend it.  I just pull it back until it hurts then I stop.  But a little bit each time I can pull my knee back further.  All the while while Mariah Carey is screeching on the radio (they have musical accompaniment at the facility).  

So I had another good day at physical therapy.  Of course I do some physical therapy at home too.  Pat is coming down at the end of next month for his annual visit to Lower Slower and I want to be up and running.  Well, not actually "running" but walking around normal like I used to before I did that stupid fall last February 18th, which now seems like so long ago. 

Things are looking up folks.  I can now sit at my computer desk and type away on my iMac keyboard.  My leg is still a little stiff but I can take the brace off.  I'm glad I can use my remaining time of forced idleness from my part-time job at the hotel to do something productive at my computer.  One can only lay in bed so long watching TV or sleeping.


A couch potato I am not.

Vegan Glory

Vegan Soup

Since I met my Canadian friend Pat in August of 2013, I've been gradually transitioning to vegetarianism. For some years now I have been migrating away from a meat only diet. 

Pat standing in front of another vegan restaurant we found during our stay in Los Angeles

Never a big steak eater, I did like pork chops, sausage and chicken.  Mostly chicken.  But one can have too much chicken too.  I think the last time I had an actual steak was when we lived in Philly in 1976.  I have cooked beef in stews and had hamburgers, but one of those big, juicy, bloody steaks that so many crave?  Not me, and besides I like my meat well done much to the consternation of some of my fellow diners who like to see a pink center to their prime rib and a slight pulse. When I eat meat, I want it dead.  Of course this rules out sushi. But I digress.

Me trying out this vegan soup at the Vegan Glory restaurant - I forget what was in it now but it was good

Meeting Pat and being exposed to his vegan only diet I have been experimenting with a vegan/vegetarian diet.  And I have to say I like it.  I don't think I'll ever go totally vegan (no dairy products) like Pat but I seem to be morphing into being a vegetarian although still like white meat chicken, but only small pieces and mixed with vegetables.

"Yum! This is alright!"

I listen to my body/stomach these days.  I know if I stuff the usual artificial trans fat foodstuff down my pie hole my stomach rebels. "What are you doing to me?" it asks.  We in our culture have been brainwashed for so long that food that is jacked up with preservatives (to extend the shelf life and thus the profits of the big food companies) and artificial ingredients (to fool us into thinking we tasting real food) and colors (to look pretty to entice us to buy their damn junk food), that we don't think we have a choice.  Well, we do folks.  I see the cultural shift in our society by the ever increasing demands for natural, real "natural" foods.  They taste better and they sure are a lot healthier for your body.

My stomach sending me a message "Thank you!" - happens every time I eat food that is fresh, natural and wholesome

Well, I'm starting to sound preachy now and I promised myself I would refrain from proselytizing and complaining in my blog posts so I won't belabor this subject.  But I do want to say that I feel a lot better, a way lot better when I eat food that is freshly prepared and not loaded down with sugar and salt and fat.

My delicious entree at the Vegan Glory restaurant - fabulous!

When Pat and I travel together on one our our adventures, we seek out the vegan and vegetarian restaurants. This isn't too hard of a task in big cities like Toronto and Los Angeles.  Of course in a small, backwater, pseudo cool place like Rehoboth Beach, it's almost impossible unless you consider a wedge of iceberg lettuce a sufficient vegan meal.  That's about all you're going to get where I reside now.  

Pat's entree - also delicious!

Oh I know what you're thinking you Rehoboth readers "There goes Ron again, bashing Rehoboth Beach and the surrounding communities Lewes and Milton, Delaware."  Yep, that's what I'm doing folks.  Seriously my Rehoboth Beach friends, how many more restaurants do we need bragging about their crab bombs and restaurants with "Fish" in their names?  I get it, I get it . . . . seafood all the time.  That's all fine and well if you love seafood.  Me personally (and Pat), we hate seafood.  It's very simple with me, I just don't like the fishy smell.  And the residual mercury? Don't need it.

Seafood - this makes me queasy just looking at it

Now to be fair I hear there is a vegan restaurant in Rehoboth beach, who name I will not mention because any names I mention in my blog in a negative light I usually get a blowback on, but this particular vegan restaurant is expensive. Apparently they view a vegan menu in the caviar category.  I just cannot find a restaurant in the area where I live that offers a vegetarian meal with reasonable prices.  Although I do hear a falafel hut is going to open on the boardwalk.  I'll believe it when I see it.

To some this looks delicious and they could eat it all, to me it looks pre-barf

The only problem I find with a vegan or vegetarian diet is that preparing the dishes take a lot longer than throwing a slab of meat on the grill or in the frying pan. 

So there you go folks, that my little screed for the day. Hope I haven't offended all you seafood lovers but you really should consider taking a break from your mercury intake.

West Hollywood Traffic Jam

During our January vacation in Los Angeles we did indeed encounter the famous Los Angeles traffic. We tried to stay off the Freeway as much as possible but we couldn't this traffic jam we encountered in West Hollywood.

We were returning from our day's outing in the Hollywood Hills sign sighting. We were headed back to our comfortable niche at the Hollywood Bed and Breakfast when we encountered this traffic delay. Not to worry, we were not in a hurry and this was just another chance for us to absorbed the flavor and ambiance of Los Angeles and West Hollywood in particular.  

We wanted to freshen up and go out for dinner.  Dinner again was at the Veggie Grill, our casual, cheap, good restaurant of choice during our wonderful stay in West Hollywood.

We decided to walk to the restaurant on this particular night. Here is Pat walking down the darkened street.

That's Pat in the lime green jacket

You know it's funny but we didn't see any cruising activity while we were in West Hollywood.  Not that either one of us was looking for THAT kind of activity mind you.  But I was a bit surprised.  But then again, we were too old men and Hollywood after all is age obsessed and both of us are way past our expiration date.

We arrived at the Veggie Grill uncruised (I just made up that word) and placed our orders.  I ordered fake chicken with fries.

A vegan (fake) chicken sandwich with fries - very tasty

This is Pat awaiting his order.  At the Veggie Grill you place your order and then they bring it to you . . . . pronto.

I do like the bright colors of this place and the spaciousness and the informality and the price and the food - I liked the Veggie Grill!

Afterward we took a walk down the darkened Hollywood Boulevard back to our bed and breakfast, passing this comic book store. I know someone who would be very interested in exploring this store . . . . Sassy Bear.

A monster comic book store on Hollywood Boulevard

And that folks is my abbreviated posting today.  I've had a busy morning and I'm tired now but I do want to keep my followers informed, interested and happy with current postings of my blog.