Have I Got Driveway Seal Coating Deal For You!

Yesterday, just as I was preparing fresh tomato soup (from garden fresh tomatoes given to me by my neighbor Bev), Bill said "Someone is coming to the door." "Oh great, what now?" I thought.

I go to the door and open it to find a middle aged man with a big smile on his face.  Ah, my friend!  This man, also named "Bill" said "My guys are in the neighborhood paving driveways and I see your driveway is breaking apart (it's not) and I can offer you a deal today."  Whoopty doo!

Folks, living in a development as we do, do you have any idea how many times we have had someone knock on our door offering us a "deal" IF we get it done today because "his guys are doing driveways in the neighborhood?"  Let's just say this wasn't the first time I've been offered this "deal." 

Bill and I moved into this neighborhood ten years ago. We've never had our driveway professionally recoated.  Bill has recoated it several times but not too well. It looks patchwork and I'm sure that's what attracts the Driveway Guys.

Our "broken up" driveway

Earlier this week our neighbor to the right side of us had his driveway recoated.  It was a single young guy who took all day to redcoat it.  It wasn't a group of men with the tank of hot tar.  Just a single guy with cans of coating which he applied with a brush. 

Both Bill and I liked the job he did so I asked our neighbor how much it cost.  She said $465.  Sounds about right to me.  I asked her for his information which she gave to me. I planned to call him to see if he could coat our driveway next spring.

Then yesterday I get this other driveway coater ringing my doorbell and offering me a "deal."  He told me he had already done several driveways in my neighborhood.  I asked him if he had done this one particular driveway which has always impressed me during my morning walks through the neighborhood.  He didn't know which one so he offered to drive me to show me.

I climbed into his huge truck and we drove to  my neighbor's driveway which I had in mind. He said "Yes", he had done that driveway.  I asked him how much he charged for that driveway.  He said $4,200.  WHAT?  When we lived in Pennsylvania I had a five hundred driveway completely put in over a gravel road for $5,000.  Granted, that was back in the 90's but prices haven't changed THAT much.

He said he would give me a "special" price since "his guys were in the neighborhood" (there we go with that phrase again) for $3,000.  I don't think so folks.

Now during all this time this guy was all smiles and acting like my best friend.  I noticed a huge diamond ring on his finger,

which occasionally blinded me as the day's sun rays were reflected off of the many faceted diamonds in his rings.  I looked at his HUGE truck.  His brand new truck.  Not that there is anything wrong with wearing diamond rings (I have several myself) or owning and driving a monster truck.  But $3,000?  Hey folks, I'm looking at a dental bill in the next few weeks that's going to cost close to $4,000 (something I haven't written about yet but I will).  

I asked him for his card and told him "I'll think about it."  Immediately his Best Friend smile dropped from his face and he wrote on the back of his card how much it would cost me

to get my driveway recoated if I didn't get it done today.  

He lost me with that reaction.  Folks, do you have any idea of how many times I've been confronted with that old tried and true salesman tactic of "If you don't get it today this is what it will cost you?"  Too many times, that's how many.  

It's taken me a lot of years to wise up to these high pressure sales tactics.  The "I'm your friend" tactic and "if you don't buy this product or service you're going to disappoint me" tactic. 

Now I don't know if this guy is one of those driveway scammer that flood the southeastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware homes but I do know that I don't respond to those kind of tactics.  I'm always suspicious when someone rings my doorbell and is offering me a deal with the caveat that I have to "do it today."   Nope, I won't go there.  

Now having said that, during my walk last night through the neighborhood I saw where three of my neighbors did get their driveways resealed.  So maybe this guy is legit.  Even so, $3,000 is a lot of money just to reseal a driveway.  Plus I didn't like his tactics.  However, I will check with my neighbors so see how much they paid.  

Life in the Fast Lane here folks. I definitely don't lead a dull life. 

Caregiver Ron

Today I made the transition to a new role.  I am now an official caregiver.

I've been easing into this role for a few years now. Today was the first time I accompanied Bill to a medical visit and identified myself as a caregiver.  I was pleasantly surprised that I was accepted as Bill's caregiver immediately.  

Regular blog readers know that Bill failed his driver's license test last month.  He failed the eye test.  I took him for an eye examination and they found he has cataracts.  He has to have them removed in order to get his driver's license back.

Bill is hard of hearing.  Bill also has a harder time as he has aged for retaining information he receives from his medical visits.  Too often he has come back from a visit to his doctor with confusing information.  He answer is usually to say "the hell with it."  I can't let him do that anymore.  

Bill will turn 88 years old in two weeks.  He has been in remarkably good health for the most of his life including the fifty-two years we have been together.  We have both been very lucky with our health.  However time marches on and health issues are inevitable.

Thus I sat with him today during his pre cataract surgery examination.  He was thankful and I felt good.  Bill has taken care of me for most of my adult life and now it is my turn to take care of him. I am thankful I can do this. 

Vote Early (and often)

My polling place early this morning - Henlopen High School - sun not quite up yet

Up early this morning folks to vote in the primary!  

I always vote.  Even when I don't know the candidates or their positions on issues, I vote.  When in doubt vote Democrat I say.

My polling location is the local high school.  Which is a drag because today is a school day.  That parking lot fills up fast.  Lots of the kids today have cars unlike when I went to school in the Fifties when only some of my very well off classmates were chauffeured to school.  And there were even the rare classmate who had their own car!  Sure wasn't me though.

Getting to the high school is a hassle because of the school buses and the individual cars either driven by the students or their helicopter parents dropping them off.  I decided to take the "back way".  HA!  You know how that worked out.  I took the wrong road so I had to circle around to the main road and come up to the school through Lewes.

I was pleasantly surprised to find not much traffic at 7:05 AM bong into the school parking lot.  I parked at one of the numbered slots.  I'm sure it was reserved for some privileged student whose parent bought him or her a car.  Well, I'm parking there anyway.  Deal with it.

I walked past the Usual Suspects that hang out at the entrance to the polls, including the Republican table.  I did a wide swing around THAT table. 

I entered the building and signed in.  Since this is a primary I had to vote my registration, which is Democrat (and which I am VERY proud).  I entered the curtains and perused the selections.  I voted for the candidates who claim they will increase Social Security benefits, protect LGBT rights, and who looked sincere in their smiles on their flyers that were sent to my home last week.  

I pushed the green button to register my vote, pulled the curtains apart and exited.  My civic duty done for another election.

I've been voting since 1964.  Back then I had to be 21 years old before I could vote.  Yes Virginia, I joined the Army at 18 years old and could die for my country at that age but I couldn't vote until I was 21 years of age.  Thank goodness someone finally got some common sense and changed that law although in today's climate, where the current version of the Republican party (not the Republican party I knew when I was a registered Republican) is all about surpassing the vote, would probably change the law back to being eligible to vote at 21 years of age.  No kidding folks, I'm serious.  That's what the Republicans would do today to keep young people from voting.  But I digressing to a rant again aren't I? 

I always feel good after I vote.  Of course the next vote is the BIG ONE.  And of course you know who I'm voting for.  It's not the Deplorable One.

Wallpaper Photos For My Blog

I took my wallpaper pictures of the clouds from the window to the immediate right of the door out of the plane

Have you noticed my new background blog wallpaper?  I know you've noticed that I change my header photo often, sometimes daily. 

All of my header photos are taken by me.  I could use other photos but I like to make my blog personal.  But one frustration I've always had is the background wallpaper.  I've always wanted to make it personal but I could never find the right photo.  The photos that I take, while good (in my opinion) were either too distracting or not the right size.  I wanted a background wallpaper photo that covered the whole background without repeating.  

For the past eleven years since I started this blog, I've been experimenting with different photos I've taken as wallpaper background.  Nothing worked. Finally, I found a photo that worked.  Like all such discoveries I don't know what I did, only that it worked!  

The wallpaper photo of clouds on this blog is a photo I took out of the window of my recent flight to Buffalo, New York.  I had a window seat, which I paid a little extra money to secure.  I made a good investment.

While looking out the window I was fascinated by the clouds and the shadows on the earth below those clouds. I pulled out my ever ready iPhone and took some pictures. From my peripheral vision I could see the the seated flight attendant ever so slightly roll her eyes. A slight smile creased her lips.  Oh yes, I was the classic goofy tourist.  I don't care.  Really, I DON'T care what anyone thinks of me anymore.  Well, actually I do care but I don't care that what anyone thinks of me when I whip out my iPhone to take photos and videos. 

So I'm here to tell you folks that I have now have an extra dimension to my blog, personal wallpaper photos! Now to improve my content.  By the way, still no ads on my blog except for those annoying "SKIP THIS AD IN 4 SECONDS" when I post my videos that I've uploaded to YouTube.  For that I apologize but I don't have a choice. If I upload my videos to Google, the quality isn't good.

Always working to improve folks. Thanks to all of you who have been with me on my blog journey. 

The Greystone Manor, Niagara Falls

The Greystone Manor Bed and Breakfast, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada

Continuing with my recent Canadian holiday, the Greystone Manor is the bed and breakfast I chose for our overnight stay at Niagara Falls in Canada. 

Then dining room

The living room

Pat in the stairwell to the first floor from our room

Last year Pat made our overnight accommodations for our stay in Niagara Falls. I forget the name of the hotel but it was one of those chain hotels that cater to families. Folks, even though I've been in the hotel business for the past eighteen years, I'm finding I'm not predisposed at staying at these touristy, kid worn out hotels.  I was going to say at hotels but I held back because this year we stayed at a Best Western in Hamilton, Ontario, which was probably the best hotel I've ever stayed in.  So I can't make a blanket judgment.  

Pat resting in our room - NO RUGS ON THE FLOOR!

I did my research this year and I chose a bed and breakfast on the Canadian side of the border of Niagara Falls called the Greystone Manor.  I choose well.

Located a short distance from downtown Niagara Falls, on a quiet street, the Greystone Manor was an ideal location.  We were greeted warmly (with a smile!) as we exited our car.  We were expected!  

"Lisa" showed us around the delightful Victorian style house where we were going to spend our night.  Ah, no kids.  No worn out rugs from the rug rats. No surly front desk personnel burned out by all the tourist families with their little kiddies. No dirty carpets. No noise. Ah yes, accommodations for two senior men who are way past the family accommodations.  Oh why it took me so long to discover bed and breakfasts.  

The Greystone Manor was spotlessly clean.  No rugs.  And did I say quiet?  Oh yes, I did.  

We were shown the dining room where our breakfast would be served.  I have to tell you folks, the next morning when we had our breakfast that was the first time in my life I've been treated like that.  Wow.  So this is how the Other Half lives?  It's a shame that Pat and I aren't big breakfast eaters but it was a pleasant surprise to be treated like special guests.  

You know folks, I wasn't going to go back to Niagara Falls next year but after our delightful experience at this bed and breakfast, I'm going back!

Spain's Got Talent

Hey folks, I don't usually post You Tube videos other than my own but I absolutely have to share this You Tube video with you.  It's from Spain's Got Talent show.  This is the best surprise talent I've seen since Susan Boyle's performance. 

Enjoy!

Niagara Falls

Me viewing Niagara Falls 1966

The first time I visited Niagara Falls was in 1966.  I guess you could say it was our (me and Bill's) honeymoon trip.  

Back then I was very impressed.  Oh sure, I had heard all about Niagara Falls as the ultimate honeymoon destination.  I always wanted to go back.  Last year, when Pat picked me up in Buffalo, for my annual holiday with him at his home in Toronto, he surprised me by booking a room at a Niagara Falls hotel.

Pat and me at Niagara Falls last year (2015)

We had perfect weather.  I wanted to take that boat ride on the Niagara River.  Pat didn't.  So we didn't.  See, I don't always get my way (smile).  

The American side of Niagara Falls last year 2015

This year again, Pat picked me up in Buffalo.  This time I booked at room at a bed and breakfast, which I will write about in my next blog.  

This year at Niagara Falls by the intrepid duo of Pat and Ron - 2016

Again, I pushed for a ride on the Maid of the Mist



but Mr. Pat was unenthusiastic about such a proposition.  However, we did take a ride on the Sky Wheel, a gigantic Ferris Wheel.  What a view of the falls from the Sky Wheel, especially at night with the lights on the falls!

We did a lot of limping walking around Niagara Falls.  Pat with his bad leg and me with my new sneakers which was pinching my big toe.  Oh why didn't I break those sneaks in first?  So there we were, two Old Men limping around the tourist clogged streets of Niagara Falls.

The next day we visited the Falls.  This year the weather wasn't as cooperative but the Falls were still very impressive.

I asked two Japanese tourists to take this show video of me and Pat.



No matter the weather, Pat and I always have a grand time!

This will probably be our final visit to Niagara Falls. Unless Pat agrees to go on the Maid of the Mist.

Me in front of Niagara Falls 1967