Holiday Eating Tips

HOLIDAY EATING TIPS

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Holiday spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly, it's rare. You cannot find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Holiday party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple, Pumpkin, Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert, Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.

10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Re-read tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner. Remember this motto to live by:

"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate and wine in one hand, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming " WOO HOO what a ride!" MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Ron's Many Homes

 

2124 Spruce Street, Philadelphia PA. My apartment was on the top floor to the left. I had to walk up four flights of stairs to get to my apartment. I doubt I could even walk those stairs now. I can hardly walk up my stairs here at Casa Tipton-Kelly.

Now for the Christmas countdown! 

Yesterday I completed ordering my annual personalized desk calendars for 2025. I send one of those desk calendars to my close friends. These are my Christmas gifts. That and a personalized Christmas card. I have the cards ready and this year I have the dreaded Christmas Letter that I'm sending out. I usually don't send out Christas letters but this year I want to inform my friends that I'm flying solo this year. I'm informing them that Bill is gone. 

I'm not sure if I'm going to put up a Christmas tree this year. I only put up a colorful Christmas tree last year for Bill. Bill, with his macular degeneration, was legally blind but he could see colors and the colorful lights of the small aluminum tree I put up in his line of sight gave him comfort and pleasure. I was going to put up that tree again this year but it would just be another reminder to me that Bill is gone for the rest of my life. Ron is flying solo again, for the first time since I was twenty-one years old. 

All my life except for that brief year and a half period from when I got out of the Army in January 1963 to March 1965, I have always lived with other people.

Me standing in from of my small furnished efficiency apartment at 388 Madison Street, Coatesville, PA where I lived from April 1963 to February 1965. My apartment was on the bottom floor to the left of where I'm standing. Bill took this picture of me many years later. This apartment is where I came out to my Mother when she caught me with my married boyfriend one Saturday morning and I told him to hide in the bathroom. Regular followers of my blog know THAT horror story. So much drama. 

From the Grand Central Station of my Tipton Family Life before I joined the Army at eighteen years old to those three years in the Army with I lived with hundreds of other guys, I've never lived alone.

Me, many years later, sitting on the stoop at 120 Washington Avenue, Downingtown, PA where I grew up. Our family and an apartment on the second floor of this building. It was grand central station. This is where I developed my obsession to one day have my own back yard. Funny, how these steps now seem so small but when I was a kid with my brothers (below) back in the Fifties, they seemed so much bigger.

Me and my two younger brothers and some other neighborhood brats back in the Fifties when we were the Terrors of the Neighborhood

A fairly recent picture of 120 Washington Avenue, Downingtown, PA. We have the second floor front apartment. My aunt and uncle and their kids lived on the top floor and another aunt and uncle lived in the second floor rear apartment. Lots of Tipton's in that building. As I said it was Grand Central Station. I never had friends over. I was too ashamed. That apartment building was in the white trash section of Downingtown. Still is to this day. I'll always remember the rent. $22.50 a month for that cock roach infested apartment. 

I always yearned to live alone but when I did, I didn't like it, not at all. I thought I would but I didn't. Oh, there was one other time I lived alone that I actually did like it. It was a brief eleven month period in 1980 from January to November. Our house was being built in Pennsylvania but not completed so I had to rent a fourth apartment in center city Philadelphia at 2124 Spruce Street for $150 a month. I actually liked that. Bill with our two Pomeranian dogs lived in the unfinished house in Pennsylvania until construction was completed. I think the difference this time was that I knew it was only temporary that I would be living alone. 

Oh, there was one other time I lived by myself. A furnished one room efficiency apartment in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The grand Victorian house in Shadyside, Pittsburgh where I resided for about three months in 1960 before I moved back to my hometown because I was just too lonely in Pittsburgh. 

I had an eight dollar a week apartment where I had to share a bathroom with four other apartments! I hated that. My room was on the right, first floor. The bathroom was on the second floor and invariable someone was always in the bathroom when I wanted to use it. If I did happen to get the bathroom to myself, then someone usually was knocking on the door asking "How long are you going to be?" Folks, that's one time you don't want to be rushed. I hated it.

I'm experiencing the loneliness of living alone again but this time I'm getting used to it. Probably the big difference is that I know I won't have years and years stretched before me living alone. At the rate I'm going now (falling asleep at 8:30 at night), I won't have all that many years left. Back when I was twenty-one, I wasn't too happy about sixty or seventy years ahead of me with the prospect of living alone.

Notice how I start out with the Christmas subject of this blog posing and I veer off to living alone? That's the way I compose my blog postings folks. Whatever train of thought winds its way through my overloaded brain. 

Another apartment my family lived in. The rent here was $0.0. We lived on the second floor (that my Mother on the porch with her canary in the cage getting some fresh air). The deal here was that our family was given free rent to live above the offices of Gindy Manufacturing Company (my father worked for David Ginsburg who was a trailer manufacturer). Our family were the de facto "watchmen" for the manufacturing company building which was right next to this red brick building. My mother was about to save enough money for our family to rise out of abject poverty and finally have our own, albeit very small (1100 square feet house) with three and a half acres of land. The year was 1958 and I finally had my own "backyard!" Only got to live in that house for a year though until I joined the Army and I was back in "apartment" (barracks) building. 

This is an aerial view from the Sixties. My one remaining brother lives there now (the one I don't talk to, he's lost to the MAGA cult). He has spent thousands of dollars to remove ALL the shrubbery because he's too lazy to trim and keep it up. The property used to be beautiful now it looks like a Martian landscape). 

1075 Hopewell Road, Downingtown, PA 
my bedroom (finally had my own bedroom!) was the middle awning room

Will Pat and ever live together? I doubt it. We're way too set in our ways, both of us. Oh yes, we'll still get married but we'll have a long distance relationship. And that is fine with both of us so anyone reading this blog thinks I'm up to having someone else move in here at Casa Tipton-Kelly, you can have another think coming. It ain't happening. I've already severed my relationship with one longtime acquaintance who was making the moves. It ain't happening. That person was already trying to run my life. It ain't happening. No more reporting where I go, when I'm coming back and all that freedom that one has to give up when sharing living arrangements with someone else. I didn't mind with Bill because we loved each other. I'll have have that love or love somebody that much again. Never.

Have a great day everyone! 

Trump Nominates Crazy Eyes for FBI Director

Donald Trump has nominated Kash Patel for FBI director.

Hey Trump voters! How do you like Trump's cabinet picks so far?

Matt Gaetz, child sex abuser.

Pete Hegeseth, accused  rapist.

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., former herion addict and vaccine denier.

Now Kash Patel, AKA "Crazy Eyes." 

Kash Patel, one of the main architects behind the January 6th attempted overthrow of a lawfully elected president. 

Kash Patel, who has promised to "go after" those in the news media he doesn't agree with.

Kash Patel, totally unqualified to head the FBI.

Trump thinks he won a mandate to appoint whatever clown he wants to senior cabinet posts. To Trump their only qualification is total obedience to Trump.

Now the test is to see if any of the Republican senators has enough balls to stand up to Trump and vote down this traitor, Kash Patel. 

I doubt it. 

Perhaps the two women senators (Alaska senator Lisa Murkowski and Maine senator Susan Collins), two woman who actually don't have balls, might vote against confirmation of Crazy Eyes. 

So Trump voters, proud of yourselves for this embarrassment you have inflicted on the United States of America? 

Actually Trump voters, I have another question for you. Why actually did you vote for Trump? Because you could't vote for a woman? Couldn't vote for a biracial woman? Is that it? Or that you just couldn't vote for a Democrat? A liberal? 

Are you really THAT afraid of a transgender woman playing on the girl's volleyball team? 

This is the America we live in folks. At least he didn't appoint Lurch.......yet.

 

Black Friday

 

Staples Amazon Return Center this morning....no line!

Just got back from Staples in Rehoboth Beach. 

Yes, I braved the Black Friday traffic on Route One to return two items to Amazon. 

I was hesitant to venture out on this day, knowing the roads and parking lots of the outlet stores would be full on this Black Friday, the biggest shopping day of the year. I was going to wait until Sunday but I said to myself, "Myself, don't let the traffic intimidate you. Go out and get these returns out of the way."

As it turned out I'm glad I did. Since I left early (before 9 AM) I was able to avoid the really heavy traffic that is probably clogging Route One now (11: 30 AM as I'm typing this blog entry). However, I did have a parking problem. The Rehoboth Beach Staples is located at the Seaside Outlets. Route One has three big outlets for selling tax free merchandise. The parking lots were FULL. Oh yes, FULL! 

I parked in the nearby Acme supermarket parking lot. I could use the walking exercise. 

I was fearing a long line in Staples for returns to Amazon but I was lucky, only me in line. I took care of business and was on my way back home. I got that out of the way.

I'm trying to get myself into gear to address my Christmas cards now but I just can't. Once I get on my computer I like to check out You Tube videos. The next thing I know an hour has gone by. This morning I was checking out old Betty White You Tube retrospectives on her long career. Oh how I loved Betty White. She was about the same age as my mother who was also named Betty, not "Elizabeth" as was Betty White. My Mother even looked like Betty White. And like Betty White everyone loved my Mother. I of course was her favorite as her first born. 

"How was your Thanksgiving Ron?" Glad you asked. It was very nice. I had Stove Top stuffing with thawed out Butterball sliced turkey breast that I cooked this time last year. Tasted just fine to me. I had a biscuit and three bean salad to complete my Thanksgiving meal. Later I had a pumpkin spice cream cheese filled pin wheel. And yes, I had Thanksgiving dinner by myself. I do prefer my own company. The only exceptions I make are for close friends like Pat and Glenn. Occasionally other friends venture into my world and we go out for lunch (that's you Mark and Judy). 

I really should go out and mow the grass now. The temperature is forty-seven degrees and the grass is still wet. But the lawn here at Casa Tipton-Kelly is starting to look shaggy. I don't want to get a reputation as a lonely old man who lives at that property with the unkempt lawn lest people will start talking.  I don't need any more pity, I provide enough pity for myself. Oh yes, I still miss Bill terribly. I know now I will miss him the rest of my life. That's something I will have to learn to live with. 

Pat keeps me good company during the day with our frequent FaceTime calls and I call my friend Glenn in Palm Springs on Zoom several times a week. But today Pat is on a long trip (fourteen hours round trip) to pick up a Mustang car near Detroit. Yes, he had to take his passport with him. I told him to make this his last long trip. Fourteen hours is a long trip for a seventy-five year old man. I wish he was down here living with me but I'm still waiting for his K-1 VISA application approval. Still nothing. Just like those Christmas stamps I ordered from the U. S. Post Office a couple weeks ago, still waiting for them. That was a mistake ordering them through the mail. I had stupidly assumed since the mail is the United States Post Office that I would receive the stamps fairly quickly. Not so. I hope I get them before Christmas. 

Well, I've rambled enough. It is time to mow my grass. 

Have a great day!

Chat With Bill April 19, 2023

A short video of a chat I had with Bill a few months before he died. He was so tired. I miss him so much, especially today on Thanksgiving Day. This is the first Thanksgiving in sixty years that I am spending alone, without Bill.

Thanksgiving 2024

 

July 2023 (our 59th anniversary)

Here we go folks! "The Holidays" are here.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. This will be the first Thanksgiving in sixty years that I will be without Bill. Sad times here folks. 

What will I be doing? Staying here at home by myself. Don't feel sad for me, this is the way I prefer to spend my Thanksgiving. I will be will Bill's spirit tomorrow. 

Bill's spirit is often with me. His spirit gives me immense comfort. He is always with me. 

Maybe I'm fooling myself. Maybe I'm going crazy. Whatever, what I do know is that when Bill is with me I feel a wave of love wash over me from head to toe. Works for me. 

During Bill's last year of life we often talked about how I would manage once Bill was gone. I assured him that I would be "all right." I lied of course. I was scared facing this unknown territory but I didn't want Bill to worry. Bill was so tired of living but he didn't want to leave me. I think know now that our last year together was the closest we've ever been in our nearly sixty years of living together. 

This year I am so thankful for many things. 

I am thankful that I can still live independently. 

I am thankful that I can still drive.

I am thankful that I don't have dementia.

I am thankful that I still have my eyesight.

I am thankful that I can swallow my food.

All of those above Bill didn't have during his last few years of life. 

The main thing I am thankful for is that I was able to care for Bill during his last three years of his life after his strokes on January 12th and January 14th of 2021. I was able to keep him here at his home which he loved so much and that we were able to be together. 

I am one lucky man.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! I hope all of you have someone to love and who loves you as much as Bill and I had with each other.

July 2019, two years before Bill's strokes

Ten Years Like That!

 

Bill and Pat December 7, 2023

Scrolling through my photo files this morning I came across these two pictures taken of the two most important meant in my life, Bill and Pat.

Bill and Pat November 13, 2013

The first pictures was taken November 13, 2013. I had met Pat for the first time in August of 2013.

Bill and Pat December 7, 2023

The last picture was taken December 7, 2023, a few months before Bill died on February 22, 2024. 

This was about the time Bill called me aside and said "Something has changed. I don't think I'm going to be around much longer. I want you to know that I want you and Pat to be very happy together."

That was Bill, selfless to the end. 

Thanksgiving is this week. Bill and I never did much on Thanksgiving which was our choice. But still the same I will miss him terribly this Thanksgiving. 

Looking at these pictures of Bill and Pat I am again reminded of how much I have to be thankful for in my life. Two men I love with all my heart and soul. And neither one was jealous of the other. How about that? Just goes to show you the character of both Bill and Pat. They love me unconditionally. And I return that love. I don't want to even think of my life without Pat now. Hopefully I will depart this life before Pat. But trust me, I will be reunited with both of these men in the Spirit World. And that is Heaven.