Better Days Ahead - Christmas in Philly

Center City Philadelphia - our destination at the end of this month

While I process the latest atrocity perpetuated on innocent people by the Muslim religious extremists, I am heartened by the good in the overwhelming majority of people on this planet.

I will never understand why some people want to kill and destroy and justify their actions by some twisted religious belief.  Of course the whole history of humankind on this earth has had this scourge.  

All my life there has been this threat of destruction hanging over our heads.  I remember clearly when I was in grade school, we were told to huddle under our desks if and when the atomic bomb fell. 

Our nation has been at war with some country for the whole seventy-four years of my life.  However, with age comes maturity.  I realize that as long as I am on this earth there will be somebody who will want to destroy me and my way of life. That is a fact.  So what do I do?  What do we do?  We live.
I live.

Thus, I will share this news with you.  At the end of this month I will visit my former home in Philadelphia.  From 1969 to 1980 Bill and I lived in Philadelphia.  In many ways they were the best years of my life.  Those years were the formative years of my life.  But then came a time to move. 

As I have moved to different phases of my life I've often thought how I would like to have my friends from those phases of my life to meet each other.  Well folks, that dream will come true this November 30th.

My longtime good friend Larry M. (friend since 3rd grade!) will pick me up at my home here in southern Delaware.  After a walk on the trail at the Primehook National Wildlife Refuge, Lar will take me to Philadelphia.

In Philadelphia Larry will drop me off at my longtime good friend Don McK.  I've known Don since the early 70's, when we worked together at several banks (Girard, Mellon, and First Fidelity) in center city Philly.  Coincidentally Larry also had a career as a banker, Wilmington Trust. I will be staying the week at a suite at Don's co-operative. Thus Larry, a friend from a Previous Life, will meet my friend Don from another Previous Life.

Me and my longtime friend Don last month during my one day visit to Philadelphia

The next day my new friend, Pat F. from Toronto, will arrive at Philadelphia International Airport.  Pat will join me at the suite at Don's co-op.  

Pat, Larry and I at our annual Old Time Photo session

Pat, Don and I will have a festive week in Philly. At the end of the week Larry will pick up me and Pat and take us to a Christmas celebration near his hometown of Claymont Delaware.  Then Larry will drop Pat off at Philly International Airport.

Life goes on folks.  While threats about all around us, we're living life and demonstrating to the world goodwill and peace. 

Liberté survit!

Another barbaric act of violence was perpetuated by Muslim religious zealots.  This time the innocent victims were the citizens of Paris, France.

To my dying day I will never understand the need and willingness of some members of our common human race to destroy others simply because they do not believe as they do.  

What goes through the minds of these people who commit such acts of atrocity?  Oh sure, it is easy to blame the Muslim religion, which actually teaches to "destroy the infidel".  In other words if you don't believe as they do, they feel it is their duty to destroy you.  At least that's the way I understand their religion.

But folks, let's admit that all cultures have their barbarians who seek pleasure in causing death in destruction.  Be it some Lewes teenagers (almost always male) who have an overload of hormones and burn down a vacant bard or a young Muslim who thinks he'll be a martyr by killing as many "infidels" as possible and be rewarded in Heaven with 72 virgins.  Which, brings to mind how are the gay martyr's rewarded?  But I digress.

My apologies folks for my rambling.  I thought long and hard about what I would post in response to the horrific tragedy in France where people were going about their everyday lives only to have terror rain down upon them.  The obvious question is "Why does God permit this?"  And don't give me the old "mystery" thing.  I'm not buying it.  

All I know is each day most of us go through lives just trying to survive. Most of us aren't trying to make others live the way we do, or lie cheat and steal.  But there is that element that seeks to destroy.  If there is a God, I thank God I'm not one of that human species.  

So today I will think about those in France who have lost their loved ones.  I will also think about those who are grievously injured and for no better reason than they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. 

I often wondered if our planet is observed from other life form in outer space.  What do they think of us constantly causing harm and causing death and destruction to each other?  

Rodney King said it best (which, I doubt he really said it but I'll use the quote anyway):

"Can't we all just get along?"

I fear not.  

The terrorists have achieved their goal.  Look at how we live now. That's their point, to create terror.

But it is only temporary folks.  In the end the terrorists will lose.  Then what new evil awaits us?

For now though, my thoughts go out to those who have lost so much in this latest act of barbarism by Muslim religious extremists. May they find peace and solace soon. 

Birthday Surprise

Co-workers from First Financial Bank who took me out to lunch for my birthday in 2001 - oh where does the time go?

Well folks, my birthday has come and gone. 

First, I want to thank all my friends who commented on my previous "birthday" blog wishing me well.  It is always heartening to know that so many really nice people read and appreciate my blog.  You know that kind of response just encourages me to blog more. (smile)

At this time of my life I prefer quiet birthdays.  No fuss and definitely no surprise parties.  Absolutely not.  So I was just a little bit annoyed and perturbed when I arrived at work yesterday and even before I got my coat off, my co-worker Monica told me "You have to go to Nectar.  There is something there for you."

Oh no.  Give me a break.  "Something there for me."  Uh huh, an obvious device to deliver me to a surprise birthday party.  Folks, I really wasn't in the mood for a SURPRISE birthday party.

My last surprise birthday party - 1979 at "The Ranch"

Besides, this wouldn't be much of a surprise since my sharp brain already figured out that was going to happen.

So I keep my coat on and walk the two blocks to the Nectar restaurant.  One if not my favorite restaurant in Lewes and in this area for that matter.  It is the restaurant where Pat and I have breakfast when he visits me in Delaware in the spring and summer.  It's "our" restaurant.





I arrive at the restaurant and as soon as I walk into the door, a woman approaches me and asks "What kind of juice do you want?" I'm a little befuddled (not all that unusual for me), but I respond "heavy metal detox."

The woman behind the counter reaches under the counter and brings up a plastic container with the unmistakable green color of my favorite juice drink, Heavy Metal Detox.

Now I'm thoroughly confused.  Who arranged these elaborate plans?  Who knows that Heavy Metal Detox is my favorite drink (other than Pat - by the way do you see where this is going?  I didn't).

I look around and the restaurant is fairly full but I don't see anyone from work.  What kind of surprise birthday party is this anyway?

The woman behind the counter recaches under the counter again and brings up a bag containing a plastic box with a veggie "Powerhouse" sandwich in it.  No folks, I still don't get it but I am pleased because that would be my dinner for that night's shift.  Not my usual pack of Lance peanut butter cookies.

She then asks me to sign a charge slip. What is going on here?  I hesitate then when I realize I'm not paying the $18.95 total bill (costly yes? But this IS downtown Lewes DE - high rent district.  Those prices certainly don't reflect what they pay the service help, that's for sure). 

I leave the restaurant with my drink and sandwich bag in had and a smile on my face.  I take advantage of the straw protruding from the plastic drink container and take a sip.  Ah, springtime!



Hey folks, I'm still thinking where I work, they surprised me with my favorite meal from my favorite restaurant. I still didn't get it! Oh yes, I will be the first to admit sometimes I am really thick. Slow on the upbeat.  But I'm sure the more perceptive of my readers have already figured out what's going on.

I arrive back at my place of part-time employment as a hotel front desk agent (forget that "clerk" stuff), happy faced with my birthday surprise 

dinner. 

 When I arrived back at work, Monica told me what happened.  My friend Pat from Toronto had called Nectar and arranged for my birthday surprise. 

Wow!  I just had to laugh out loud.  And here I thought the folks where I worked had arranged for my Birthday Surprise. I did laugh out loud.  I am SOOO naive.  Sometimes my naiveté knows no bounds.  Now I know why Nectar knew to make a Heavy Metal Detox juice.  I should've known that my pal Pat was involved.  




 Thus this series of short videos that I made as this drama unfolded. Short videos like this are my usual method of daily communication with my friend Pat. By the way, the previous video was sort of jumbled up. That was because another co-worker of mine happened to walk by. This particular co-worker doesn't want me to take any videos of pictures of him and he thought I was doing that when I recording. I had to hastily tell him that I had the camera reversed while taking the video. Ah, the perils of memorializing my daily life on video.

What a nice birthday surprise.  As I said before, I'm not big on surprise birthday parties but I liked this.  Thanks Pat!

Happy Birthday Ron!

Me with Mom November 1941

Today, seventy-four years ago, I was born at 9:30 AM, Sunday morning at the Chester Country Hospital in West Chester, Pennsylvania.

What a fabulous life I've had.  Thanks Mom and Pop for bringing me into this world.  

I never thought I would live this long.  

I always thought I would be die in my early sixties.  Most of my friends have already died but I'm still here!  Every day is gravy folks.

I still have a lot of living to do.  I'm glad you're all aboard to share this Journey with me.  

Birthday photo November 9, 1941

Dr. Ben Carson - "Liar, liar, pants on fire!"

Yeah, you're "trustworthy" alright Dr. Carson

There is one presidential candidate who truly terrifies me.  

No, it's not Donald Trump.  As a matter of fact, I like Donald.  Of course he is out of his mind if he thinks he is going to deport eleven million immigrants and build a wall along our southern border and make Mexico pay for it.  But Mr. Trump speaks about veterans (non of the other candidates do, neither Republican or Democratic).  He also dismisses any plans to do away with Medicare, unlike all the rest of the Republican candidates.

I'm not terrifying by any of the other Republican candidates except one.  And that one is Dr. Ben Carson.  What terrifies me even farther is the fact that he has so much support, even leading in some polls!

The reason often given for his support is that Dr. Carson is an "outsider" and he speaks the truth.

Well folks, Dr. Carson has just been outed with his first blatant lie.

In his autobiography, which he took a break from his presidential campaigning and was on a book tour the past week, he states that he was "Offered a scholarship to West Point" but he turned it down to go to medical school.

Well folks, West Point doesn't offer "scholarships."  One is appointed to go to West Point.  One is generally recommend to go to West Point by his senator or representative, after going through a rigorous process.

Dr. Carson states that when he was the senior ROTC officer when he was a young man, he attended a dinner with General Westmoreland (the commander of U.S. forces in Vietnam).  He insinuates that "they" were so impressed with the young ROTC officer that was Ben Carson, that they offered him a "scholarship."  

Not true.  

What was the name of the person who offered you the "scholarship" Dr. Carson?  Ben says he doesn't remember.  Then he blames the media for going after him in a "witch hunt."  Then he tries to deflect attention from his embellished account in his autobiography and ask why the media didn't give Barack Obama the same scrutiny.  Uh, well they did Dr. Carson but I digress.  

Dr. Carson had an hissy fit press conference yesterday.  His fabled calmness was absent.  He was pissed.  His feathers were ruffled.  

Apparently Dr. Carson doesn't like scrutiny.  Ever since his beatification by the Christian evangelicals in this country, he hasn't been challenged on his Horatio Alger rise from property to fame and fortune and respectability as a pediatric neurosurgeon. 

I'll repeat a statement that a commenter left on my previous blog:

"Just because someone is a doctor doesn't mean they're smart."  

Indeed.  Doesn't mean they're qualified to be president either.  Maybe a political because Dr. Carson has proved that he can lie with the best of the politicians.  

Who would've thunk that Dr. Carson would turn out to be just another liar?  

You can come down from your holy self-righteousness cloud now Dr. Carson. 

Welcome to reality. 

God did not appoint you to become president.

Go back to your book tour.

Miguel

My neighbor "Rich" and "Miguel", early this morning (whom I encountered on my daily early morning walk)

Well folks, another autumn is upon us.  

I took the new header picture last night at work just as the sun was setting.  It is of the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal.  That canal leads out to the Broadkill River which in turns leads out to the Atlantic Ocean.  

One of my dreams was to retire "near the water."  That folks I have done.  Mission accomplished!

I don't think I could ever live in a place like Iowa, the middle of America.  Of course one very obvious reason I wouldn't live in a place like Iowa, they have folks there who think Ben Carson would be a good president.  Those people are crazy.  They'll elect any Bible quoting homophobe who is "nice."  Don't get me started.

Ben Carson and his Iowa evangelical base - they all believe that if you go to prison straight you com out gay- Oh God save us from these people - so hopped up in their self-righteous they can't even think straight

If I ever moved, and this is a distinct possibility as I get older and more limited in my ability to keep up Casa Tipton-Kelly, I would move to California.  Of course I would move with my Canadian soul-mate, and my regular readers know who that is.

A few years ago, for the first time, I needed help on the "grounds" of Casa Tipton-Kelly.  That help came in the form of Miguel S., a Mexican immigrant who formed his own landscaping business called "Nice Work Landscaping."  Miguel used to work for a HUGE local landscaper who is very expensive.  VERY EXPENSIVE.  

That landscaper does excellent work but man oh man, are they ever expensive. I said that before didn't I?  Well for one thing they have a massive overhead.  A friend of mine (a fellow gay immigrant to moved to Delaware to escape the high personal property taxes of his state, New Jersey in his case; mine was Pennsylvania)works for them.  I'm pretty sure he gets paid in the upper 60's.  A far cry from my meager $11.75 an hour at the hotel.  

Wow, I'm really going on long here. Stream of conscious writing folks.  Well . . . . anyway, I noticed a few years ago my backyard maintenance was getting away from me.  I saw Miguel working across the street for another neighbor.  I've seen him around in the neighborhood. He must be pretty good because my neighbors are very fussy but yet at the same time we do look for reasonable rates.  

I needed my arborvitae tree, which was near death from an attack from bag worms, out.  I asked Miguel how much it would cost.  He gave me a very reasonable price.  I asked him to take it out.  He did without fuss or attitude.  Attitude is usually what I get from the "white boys" who do landscaping.  I don't know what it is with those guys, are they all on drugs or do they just have a shitty attitude like they're doing you a favor?  

Miguel did such a good job I asked him for an estimate to edge all my flower beds.  Last year I had asked for a similar estimate from one of the local "white boys."  After plowing through this guy's attitude (I think he name was "Jason"), he quoted me a price of $1,200 and said it "could be more."  Uh huh.  That's what you call an open ended commitment.  Goodby Jason.  Take your high prices and lousy, disrespectful "'I'm Doing You a Favor Old Man Attitude" somewhere else.  

I asked Miguel for an estimate.  He quoted me $600.  I hired him and his crew of two.  They did an excellent job and guess what?  NO ATTITUDE! In fact, Miguel and his crew were nothing but polite and respectful, something I have difficulty in finding with the local labor force, such as it exists.  A few months ago I called for a plumber.  He put me off for several weeks.  Never called back.  I called him again, he told me "I'll call you!"  A few more weeks rolled by. I gave up and took the water recirculator back to Lowe's.  When the plumber finally called back and left a message, I didn't return his call.  Would that I could get decent service from that guy like I get from Miguel.  

In the current political campaign the most of the Republican candidates demonize immigrants, appealing to their Iowa base of (so called) "good Christians" (those full of charity and goodwill don't you know for those less fortunate than them).  All I can say is that in my experience I am thankful there are people like Miguel who are willing to do these hard jobs at a reasonable price. After all, I too was one time a lowly laborer just trying to get ahead in the world.  I'm glad some people gave me a chance instead of demonizing me. 

Donald J. Trump, leading Republican candidate for president who is more concerned with the questions being asked him at the Republican debates than he is with treating all people equally - time to get over yourself Donald

Life is Good

Talking to my friend Pat on FaceTime

There is a lot of bad stuff going on in the world today but I'm enjoying a Free Zone right now.

What is a "Free Zone"?  Folks, that's NO DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS for the foreseeable future!  Hallelujah!  

Oh sure, I still get my Credit Card Services robo call every morning about 10 o'clock informing me "This is your LAST chance to transfer your credit card balances! Press One to talk to a service representative".  I used to get pissed off and hang up, because even though I'm on a Do Not Call List, good old Credit Card Services of America (a scam outfit) STILL calls every morning.  Now I answer the phone every morning and wait for a "credit card service representative" (who almost always has a Spanish accent, what's THAT all about?) to hang up on me as soon as I ask "Take me off of your calling list."  How long will they call? Will they be calling my number after I'm long dead and gone?  Oh course they will.  But folks, my life is good.  

So why do I say my life is good?  

1. I have a beautiful home, 
2. my prostate cancer is in remission, 
3. no kidney stones, 
4. I live with a loving and caring man (for the last 51 years), I have a very good friend albeit Canadian who I can and DO share anything with
5. My mortgage is paid off
6. My injured leg is almost back to normal
7. I have a good job with great co-workers
8. I live in a wonderful neighborhood with great neighbors
9. My brain is still fully functioning
10. I have several very good friends (they know who they are)
11. I no longer waste my valuable time on people or activities that don't respect me or add to my life
12. 
    

Do I still have concerns?  Oh sure.  My Medicare supplement insurance bill keeps going up every six months.  I just hope I can outlive the biannual increases before I die.  

I am also concerned that one of those Republican clowns will be elected to the presidency thus taking over the government. And folks, there goes the country.  George W. Bush and his criminal cronies almost brought down this country.  Don't give them a second chance!  In the meantime I'm thoroughly enjoying them fighting among themselves. They only appeal to the worst in the American character.  I believe there are enough good Americans who see these false people for who they really are. 

I'm also concerned about our police force, some of whom have been exposed as criminals themselves for overuse of force.  They've gotten away with their brutal activities for years but the advent of the ubiquitous cell phone cameras has exposed them for the Nazi like thugs they are. I stay out of their way folks.  Hopefully, the exposure will change their way but I fear it will take time for them to change their ingrained, coverup ways. 

I take each day one at a time folks.  I am so lucky to have been born in the United States of America.  This country, for all it's flaws (and it has plenty, believe me), isn't one of those medieval countries like Syria, Afghanistan, or Iran.  A pure fluke that I was born here but never for a moment do I take my fortunate circumstances for granted.  

I have my own little corner of the world here in southern Delaware.  I've worked hard all my life to get where I am now.  I've never stole or did anyone wrong to get her.  I've earned everything I have and my challenge now is to keep it.  Everyday I am bombarded with phone calls, junk mail and e-mails on the Internet with the goal of separating me from my little nest egg.  

Life is a challenge folks.  I am one of the lucky ones, I can still protect myself and am enjoying my little slice of life here.  Now to go back to my online Scrabble game.  My current passion.

Oh how I LOVE beating my friends on Scrabble. (which by the way, doesn't happen too often with my friend Pat but here is one of the rare games where I actually WON a game with Pat).