America is Burning

Police car ion fire at Philadelphia City Hall last night

Last night was the third night of destructive riots in several major cities in the United States.

The riots were triggered by the video taped torture and public execution of George Floyd by a white policeman (Derrick Chauvin), a 43 year old black man arrested on suspicion of passing a counterfeit twenty-dollar bill in Minneapolis.  

As I watched the live coverage of the destructive riots last night on TV, my heart was sick. Not only for another needless death of a black man by a white policeman. THIS HAS TO STOP!

I'm trying to search for words to express my feelings of disgust and helplessness about the continued systematic racism and coverup of police brutality. 

Defaced statue of former Philadelphia police commissioner and mayor, Frank Rizzo, Philadelphia's most famous racist

Some of the scenes I watched last night were from Philadelphia, a city where I used to live for over twenty-five years and visit twice a year now.  I watched the rioters loot and deface City Hall, and stores on Chestnut and Walnut Streets on center city Philadelphia. 

I also watched Los Angeles demonstrators break into and loot Nordstrom's department store at The Grove in West Hollywood, only a few blocks from where Pat and I have often stayed when we visited Los Angeles. I knew they would hit Nordstrom's, all those $1,200 Jimmy Choo shoes.

Police have to be held accountable for killing black people.  

THIS HAS TO STOP!!

Leaky Sink Faucet

My leaky Moen faucet

With all that is going on in the county today (the pandemic and police still killing unarmed black people) I'm going to post a mundane blog post today.

Last night when I returned home from work, I had a late dinner. We don't use our automatic dishwasher but instead wash our dirty dishes by hand. After washing my dinner dishes, I reached under the sink for some old previously used paper towels to wipe the bottom of our dishpan. The paper towels were wet! The previous two days when I reached for those previously used paper towels there were also wet.  Still wet? I examined further and found a leak from in the back of the sink.

I cleared out all the things (too many) that I have under the sink, including the now soaked Cascade soap automatic dishwasher box that we never use. I got my light and examined the underside of the sink.  Where was this leak coming from?

What I feared was that I had a leak like my neighbor had last year.  I discovered that leak when I was watching their house while they were in Florida for a month. I happened to be in the basement and saw drops of water coming from their ceiling and landing on their basement wall to wall carpet.  I went upstairs and discovered the leak was coming from their automatic dishwasher, which they often used. 

I called my neighbors in Florida and informed them of what I had found. My neighbor asked me to turn the main water valve off which I did.  

The end result was that they had to have their whole first floor wood replaced and the wall to wall carpet in the basement, at a total cost of over $18,000.  Insurance covered most of their expense but man oh man, I didn't want to go there. 

I checked my leak and it wasn't a constant leak like their leak. But when I turned the water on, they I noticed water running down the cord from the sprayer of the spigot.  Ah ha!  

I called my plumbing company and arranged for them to come out today.  The plumber came out and confirmed that the leak was coming from a leaky cable of the spigot, where the sprayer is located.  He told me to call Moen who would replace it for free.  After a missed return phone call (long wait, had to leave my number) I made contact with "Beverly" of Moen. I gave her my information on the faucet.  She told me my replacement would be sent in seven to ten days, longer because they were out of stock of that particular faucet hose. 

Just another day in the life folks. Oh, by the way, I return to my regular work schedule at the hotel this Monday. Yes, we're open for business again. Should be interesting!

The Dirty Lowdown Band Tonga Hut Palm Springs CA February 16, 2020

This week Pat and I were scheduled to be in Philadelphia visiting our friend Don McK. 

Every spring and fall we visit Philly and Don.  This is the first year since 2013 we'll miss springtime in Philly. Hopefully we can visit Philly in November.  I'm not holding out much hope though. I think this pandemic will be with us for the foreseeable future, maybe years. 

I fear those days are gone that Pat and I so enjoyed this past February in Palm Springs when we were there immersed in Modernism Week. During one lazy Sunday afternoon, we by chance happened to stop in the Tonga Hut Tiki Bar. On this Sunday The Dirty Lowdown Band out of Los Angeles,

was playing at the Tonga Hut Tiki Bar. Pat had recently discovered the Tonga Hut during one of his solo forays while I was back at our rented condo taking a nap. Yes, I still take an occasional afternoon nap even on our trips.  I need my beauty rest. Plus, I wind down like an old clock if I don't have my afternoon nap.

Well, what a treat this band was. Pat has given me a new appreciation of live music at bars. Up until I met Pat the only live music I experienced was those too loud piano players at gay bars and gay restaurants singing Broadway tunes. I HATE Broadway tunes, especially sung by wannabe gay   Broadway players stuck in the boondocks shout singing to a captive gay audience trying to enjoy their too expensive restaurant meal. I must have been sick that day they handed out the gay gene that says all gays MUST love Broadway tunes. But I digress. 

Pat and I visited the Tonga Hut several times after that lucky strike Sunday afternoon visit. Our waitress remembered us and always brought me my favorite concoction, a drink called the ChaTai and my favorite snack, chicken egg rolls. Pat had the veggie egg rolls.

During our visits to the Tonga Hut we made friends with several very nice people. Here is Pat with "Jennifer"

who lives in one of our favorite places in Palm Springs, Sol Concepts. If Pat and I won the lottery we would immediately buy one of those million dollar units.  They are so ultra modern and glamorous.  

We also made friends with this couple from Iowa who are tiki fanatics. In fact, they had a whole tiki themed living unit at their home in Iowa which they invited us to stay.  

Unfortunately Pat and I probably won't be able to make that trip, we're flyover folks. We just do the coasts.  I'm saying that jokingly but actually that's all I've done my life, is the coasts. What would we do in Iowa? 

Oh how I hope we can replicate our wonderful visit this February 2021. If not, at least I will always have our wonderful memories of our trip to Palm Springs last year.  That's why I take the videos and photos folks, I can relieve those wonderful times. I just hope this isn't the last time we can all live freely like we have in the past. 

Stay safe and healthy everyone!

Thoughts On Going Back To Work

Delaware is beginning to reopen but hotels are not included.....yet.  I have returned to work last week.  While I like being back in the rhythm of my regular routine of working part-time, two days a week (Mondays and Thursdays).  

Delaware governor John Carney has issued the tenth iteration of the COVID-19 pandemic beginning June 1st. All hotels, including the small hotel where I work, are not included.

I was collecting unemployment benefits, which included an extra payment to stimulate the economy. I was making more weekly on unemployment that I make a month working. When I returned to work that payment stopped. I knew that situation was too good to be true. It was.

I am glad to return to work though. Working gives my life balance. I understand others may prefer full retirement and no job or volunteer work, but for me working part-time is the best of both worlds. I earn extra money plus I know I am still making my contribution as a good citizen of this country. Ever since my Mother got me a job as a paper boy when I was ten years old, I've been working. Works for me.

When I wasn't working the past six weeks, I felt at loose ends. While I enjoyed receiving the extra stimulus payment, I actually prefer working. But my concern now is that I'll eventually get laid off again because I don't see this pandemic going away this summer. 

Interesting times folks. But I know I am extremely lucky that I have other sources of income and we can survive. We'll always have enough food on the table, even though we don't eat off a table or even eat that much. We done' have to worry about rent because we own our house. Just the other house expense like heat, air conditioning, electric, taxes, lawn maintenance, Internet connection and TV. We'll survive. I think I can even continue those quarterly trips with Pat that I so look forward too.

Interesting times folks.

Ron Returns To Work at the Hotel During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Yes, I have returned to work at the hotel during the COVID-19 pandemic.  


I will now work behind a pexiglass partition to protect both our guests and me from infecting one another with the virus.


We're not accepting guests just yet. However, our governor has opened the boardwalk this weekend. He was forced to because both neighboring states of New Jersey and Maryland have opened their beaches.  


Today is a beautiful, sunny, spring day with a slight breeze. Route One (aka "Coastal Highway") is viewable from our sunroom. For the first time in weeks I both hear and see vehicles streaming down Route One towards their destination of Rehoboth Beach and Ocean City, Maryland. There are restrictions still in place like social distancing, wearing masks and no lying in the sand working on their tans.


Bill and I just returned from our biweekly visit to BJ's Wholesale Club in Millsboro. Everyone we saw was wearing masks and keeping appropriate social distancing. The shelves were mostly well stocked. We got in and checked out with the usual BJ's efficiency. 



Life is returning to some semblance of normal, albeit with face masks, hand sanitizers, and social distancing. Handshakes are gone. Hugs are gone. Get used to it folks. 


I for one am glad I'm back at work. Even though I only work two days a week, those days give me a balance in my retirement that I like. I need the extra money for my quarterly trips with Pat plus I like interacting with hotel guests. Also, I still have that need to be a productive member of our society. And working two days a week makes me appreciate my time off more. When I just have endless weeks of "time off", it doesn't feel the same.


Stay safe everyone and enjoy the spring time weather.

Oh yes, I know I need a haircut. Who doesn't these days?  I have one scheduled next Tuesday. Can't wait.

Going Back to Work This Week

Thursday I will be returning to work at the hotel. 

The doors will be locked and we are not accepting guests at this time. We're going back to get the hotel ready for opening, at twenty-five percent capacity, on June 1st. 

I will be working the 2 PM to 8 PM shift. My responsibility will be to answer the phone. Housekeeping will give the hotel a thorough cleaning for our reopening in June 1st.

There will be a few changes. My temperature will be taken upon entering the premises. I will wear a face mask and work behind a plastic shield. 

I will no longer be handling the guest's credit cards. They will run their own credit card through the machine. And of course I will be maintaining a proper social distance of at least six feet.

The new normal folks, should be interesting.

Yeah, I noticed in the generic image of a hotel front desk clerk checking the temperature of a guess, "Where are the face masks?" 

Mothers and Brothers

 Brothers Isaac and John - 1954

Brothers John and Isaac 1979

"My boys", that is how my Mother always used to refer to me and my two younger brothers. 

Yesterday  I posted my annual Mother's Day tribute to our Mother. Both my brothers and I agree what we had the best mom ever. Even though she died ten years ago, she lives on through us.  She raised us to be responsible adults.  Even though she wasn't a "huggy" Mom, probably because she never had a mother to hug her, she loved us all the same without that outward show of affection.  In later life we (my brothers and I) would often hug her jokingly, because she would always stiffen up like a log when we did so.

Me and my brothers (I'm the tallest on the right with Isaac and John) during a visit to my cousins and Aunt Mable and Uncle Ed Tipton - 1947

At the end of her life, we took turns caring for her, fulfilling our promise that we wouldn't put her in a nursing home. It was a close call during the end of her life because she did become difficult, but we were able to keep that promise.

Now my brothers and I are at the end of our lives. Both my younger brothers are seriously ill.  Fortunately for them they both have a loving daughter that is their care giver. Thank goodness for them. I'm not in that situation though, I'm Bill's caregiver. If and when he goes, I'm on my own. And I can tell you right now, there isn't going to be anybody else coming into this house. Except maybe a dog or/and cat to keep my company.


These days during my layoff from work (I return this Thursday) I've been organizing my photos.  I came across these two photos of my brothers taken many years ago.  Growing up I didn't hang around them except that we lived in the same house and slept in the same bed.
  

Me getting ready for bed 1957). Brother John took this phone, brother Isaac was already in the bed. I hated this bedding arrangement. To this day I sleep alone. Yes, ALONE.

Yep, that's right, the three of us slept in the same bed until I got my own fold away bed after incessant complaining to my Mother. Of course we were still in the same bedroom but I finally got my own bed.

My first bed - still shared the bedroom with my brothers (they had bunk beds) but I had my own corner of  the bedroom. Hallelujah!
         

 I was fourteen years old when that momentous event happened. Anyway, back to the two photos of my brothers. It seems that brother John was always showing brother Isaac how something worked. The photos of the three of us together always show me a slight distance from both of them. 

Isaac, me and John. Enjoying our Dixie Cup treat after weeding Pop's corn Summer of 1954

Soon the three of us will be a memory. Hopefully some family member will rescue my old photos that are in my basement media room, here on this computer and posted to my blog. That would be nice but I doubt that will happen. No one in my extended family (my brothers' children, grand children and great grandchildren) has shown the slightest interest in our shared family history. That is sad but true. I try not to think about it while I'm here. When I'm gone it won't matter because I will no longer feel bad about it.  

Brother John, me and Isaac with Isaac's daughter Dawn and granddaughter Kandacc - 1987

Mother's Day 2020

Me with the Best Mom in the World, a fashion plate she was not. She gave every thing she had to "her boys", me and my two brothers

Yes, I had one of those Best Mother's In The World. My brothers and I were so lucky to have her as our mother. Something we took for granted growing up.  

We didn't realize how lucky we were until we left home and discovered that some of our friends and acquaintances weren't so lucky. I remember the first time someone told me he didn't get along with his mother, I couldn't process it.  I just assumed everyone had a mother like me and my brothers. Now my father, that's a whole different story.

So today I wish my Mother a very happy Mother's Day. Even though she's been gone ten years now (how fast time goes by), there is hardly a week that goes by that I don't think of her, have the impulse to call her and share some bit of news with her or just to complain. 

Mom and me later years

My Mother lost her before just before her second birthday, I always thought that's why she put so much into raising me and my brothers the right way. Now don't get the wrong idea, she didn't spoil us, oh no, not by a long shot. But she did teach us to be responsible, truthful, honest, and respectful. Oh sure, she wasn't perfect. Today she would be a Trumper. At the end of her life she was addicted to Fox News.  How ironic because her whole life she was a registered Democrat and for most of my life I was a registered Republican and yet we had opposite political views. These days you all know how I feel about the Orange Faced Criminal in the White House. 

Not to end this posting on a down note, which too often seems to happen when I reference the sorry state of affairs of our country now, today was a beautiful, sunny Sunday.  Just the kind of day I would take that two and a half hour ride to her modest home in the suburbs of Philadelphia to wish her a "Happy Mother's Day" in person.  

Me and Mom 1979

COVID-19 Update on 5 8 20 at 6 19 PM

Still sheltering in a home folks. In addition to trying to avoid catching the virus I have to take care of my health issues. Today I visited my dermatologist, Dr. Chang. I have a pimple on the right inside of my nose that isn't going away. In fact it's getting bigger. Cause for concern. 


I was surprised that my dermatologist could keep my appointment in this time of COVID-19 pandemic. He said he was but at 25% capacity.


It was interesting getting examined with my face mask on. Actually, I had to take it off (of course) for Dr. Chang to examine. He said "This might be of concern."  He took a biopsy.  That was fun. He injected a numbing needle in the middle of my pimple to prepare for cutting. Now I have a bandaid on my face.  I tried to take it off tonight when I took a shower but it started to bleed. Oh fun.  Should be interesting when I sleep tonight. I envision a bloody pillow when I wake up in the morning.


Oh, did I mention? I was called back to work next week.  My boss told me that appropriate safety measure will be put in place like a plastic shield between me and the hotel guests. Also, my temperature will be taken when I enter the premises. A mask will be supplied. Also, I won't have to touch the guest's credit cards, they will insert their card themselves. Again, that should be interesting.  


When I was laid off last month I was at loose ends. But I have to say I've soon accommodated to my new routine. I did miss work and I would like work to be like it was before this awful pandemic. But who knows when that world will return?


Stay safe everyone!

P.S.

Did I scare you with my loud sneeze?  That was unplanned, I assure you.

Musings On My Long Life

Me with my Mom 1942

This morning I was talking to my longtime friend Larry on FaceTime.  Larry and I grew up together in the Fifties.  We've been best friends since we were both ten years old (3rd grade).  That's a long time, almost seventy years.

Larry was diagnosed with ALS over three years ago. The progression of his disease has been slow but steady. Fortunately he can still talk but he is very weak.  He is unsteady on his feet and has fallen often. He now uses a walker to get around his home. He doesn't drive anymore.  He has a health care worker come to his home twice a week to help him bath and other help. He knows his body is failing him.  He is accepting of his eventual fate.  We talked about those days in which he would take long walks five miles or more every morning as recently as last year. Those days are no more. 

I have two younger brothers. My youngest brother has lymphoma.  He's lost over one hundred pounds of weight. The last year has undergone horrendous treatment for his cancer and other ailments. He is home now, bald, no taste (he used to love to eat) and weak. He is refusing to have anymore chemo treatments. "Too much collateral damage" he says. He is accepting of his eventual fate. As he told me last year when I learned of his condition (he lives in South Carolina), "Ronnie, we all get our turn."  And indeed we do.

Just this past week I found out through a Facebook post from his daughter, my other younger brother was in the hospital. He was peeing blood. His Warfarin drug was thinning out his blood too much. He has type one diabetes. I talked to him on the phone while he was in the hospital. We talked about hold times. I had him laughing with old war stories from our shared childhood. 

I'm here with my 91 year old husband. Bill is legally blind now. He walks crooked now. His blood circulation on his lower legs is so poor that his lower extremities are reddish purple. He is hard of hearing. His cognitive abilities are failing, a bit by bit. I've seen this before with my late friend Bob McC and my Mother before she died. But thank goodness Bill has a sweet disposition. No more the fights we used to have when we disagreed on something. That is a blessing. My Mother, toward the end of her life became difficult at times. Bill isn't that way. 

Me?  I have to take a nap every afternoon or else I wind down in the evening like an old wind up clock. Now the time is almost 10 PM and I'm barely hanging on. I have constant phlegm in my throat which I take two medications daily so I don't suffocate. My left leg is numb most of the day as a result of surgery I had five years ago for a torn quadricep. Thank goodness I don't have pain but the numbed up leg is uncomfortable at best. I am a prostate cancer survivor. But my PSA keeps creeping up. Not much but it is going up. I'm not going to get treatment for prostate cancer if it comes back. I've already had the seed implant, that's enough.

Now that I've throughly depressed every one reading this blog posting I give you the good news. I've had a long life. I've had a good life. Even though I didn't have the advantages that some have had like a promised paid college education and parents that encouraged me rather than put me down (as my father did), I have been very fortunate.  Even though there have been those times in my life I was screwed over by some friends that I trusted and I almost lost everything we had during the great housing crises of 2006, I've had a good life. And I continue to have a good life here with Bill and my very long distance Canadian friend Pat.  I also have other good friends like my former co-worker Don McK, and all my former bosses except the one who fired me for being gay.  

The past five years have been a blessing with Pat as we have traveled together four times a year, twice to Philadelphia. Also to California (Palm Springs) and Pat's home in Hamilton, Ontario.  

Because of this world changing pandemic, I don't know when Pat and I will ever get together again for one of our adventurous trips. I don't knew that I will ever see my brothers again in person. Even though one of my blogger friends (Dr. Spo) often reminds me "You'll outlive us all", I doubt that. My main concern now is that I don't die before Bill. I can't leave him alone in the world. He has no one. He has no family, they disowned him when they found out he was gay fifty-six years ago. It's a "Southern thing", Bill is from Georgia.  Homophobia is alive and well in wide swaths of the so called "Christian South."  Yes, even to this day folks. Teachings of The Church.  

I look at this picture of a laughing child with his mother. That laughing child was me. That photo taken in 1942 in Mineral Springs Pennsylvania.  That was my parents first home. No running water or inside plumbing. During the war my father was a long distance truck driver. He often was gone for weeks at a time, leaving my Mother to raise me and my two brothers (born in 1943 and 1944), sometimes running out of food to feed us. Such was our "privileged upbringing."  But you know folks, even though my father didn't like me, I had a pretty good childhood.  I think he didn't like me because I was my Mother's favorite. My father was a very selfish and jealous man but he did feed us, as he often reminded us.  He could've been worse but I got through my formative years without too much damage. Oh for sure, a sense of inferiority which continues to this day in some form but I did survive him. 

"Journey" is an overused term but I have to say my life has been quite a journey.  I am very, very lucky. And most of my life I've been happy, that laughing child. I've always eventually managed to see the absurdity in life.

Now during this great pandemic, I am home every day. No part-time job at the hotel to distract me. No four times a year trips with my friends Pat to distract me. Limited trips outside our home. Now I  have time to reflect and ruminate on my long life. My very fortunate and happy and interesting long life. 

Most mornings, after breakfast I get on my iMac in my home office and after updating my online Scrabble games with Pat, I go through my one hundred thousand plus photos and videos of my long life. I'm organizing them into folders for my legacy which I now realize no one will care about when I'm done. Who cares? No one? I have many nieces, one nephew and over twenty grand nieces and grand nephews and even three grand-grand nieces. They don't care, I'm just a distant "Uncle Ronnie". The older brother of their grandfathers. I know now I am organizing these folders for myself, a trip through my past. Sometimes when I come through a certain series of photos, like the ones of my Mother, a great sadness overcomes me. But then I move on, to the next series of photos from one of my former work places or get togethers with friends of my past, most of whom are gone now. 

One thing I'm not looking forward to is being alone. For a brief time, when I got out of the Army and I lived in that furnished one bedroom apartment in Coatesville, Pennsylvania; before I met Bill, I was totally alone. I didn't like it. I thought I was going to go crazy. I haven't been alone since. But now I realize that is a real possibility. Bill could go; my brothers could go; my friends could go and there I would be, alone. My one friend in Hamilton, Ontario Canada and the border is close. Who knows when this pandemic will end. I think it's going to get a lot worse before we can ever go back to a semblance of a normal life. That's when I'm get a cat.

Me with "Cinderella" and "Morris" - 1982

Who needs a therapist? My blog is my therapy. 

COVID-19 Test Results In!

This afternoon my iPhone vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out and saw "Beebe Hospital" displayed on my screen. First thought that came to me was "This is the call about the results of the COVID-19 tests that Bill and I took last Saturday."  

My hand trembled slightly as I placed my forefinger on my iPhone to slide to answer the call, I said "Hello."  A woman on the other end of the line said "This is Janet from Beebe Hospital. Is this Ronald Tipton? I have the results of your COVID-19 test. Could you tell me your date of birth?"  I gave her my date of birth. There was a pause and then she said "The results of your COVID-19 test are negative."  A feeling of euphoria coursed through my chest as I said "That's great news! Thank you very much. You made my day!"  

I then asked her if she had Bill's result.  I explained to her that I was Bill's spouse and caregiver. She said she would have to talk to Bill to verify his identity. I went downstairs to the basement where he was working on a project. I explained to him who was on the phone then placed the phone in front of him as she asked him if he was Bill Kelly and his date of birth. Bill gave her that information then informed him that his test also came back negative. Great news!

I have to tell you folks I was nervous about this. At various times, every time I coughed or felt a little off, that perhaps I had that dreaded virus carousing through my body. 

Now what we have to do is to continue to practice safe living. Face masks whenever we go out. Wash out hands thoroughly. Wipe store shopping carts down with sanitized wipes. Keep social distancing. 

Stay safe everyone!

Bill Gets Swabbed For COVID-19 Testing

Yes, you read that right. Bill and I got tested yesterday for the COVID-19 virus. 


How did that come about?  


I've been saying for quite some time now that the only answer to controlling this runaway train that is the coronavirus pandemic is testing. 


TESTING! TESTING! TESTING!



I had given up on getting a COVID-19 testing because heretofore the only way to get a test here in Sussex County Delaware was you had to have severe complications and a doctor's referral.  Neither Bill or I have those near death complications. Nor do we have easy access to a doctor.  Both of us use the VA for our health care. Try getting a doctor through the VA on short notice. Good luck. 

Thus it was with relief that I read in our local newspaper that Delaware governor Carney had secured funds for FREE TESTING FOR ANYONE in Sussex County.  The testing was set for two days (Friday and Saturday) in Georgetown, right off of Rt. 113 with is one of the hot spots in Delaware. There are a lot of chicken processing plants here in Sussex County. Some meat processing plants around the country have been identified as hot spots.

The testing was to begin at 9:00 AM Saturday morning at the Beebe Medical campus. Beebe Hospital was working in conjunction with the VA Outpatient Medical Center (which is where Bill and I go) to administer the tests. 

We arrived at 7:11 AM. There was already a line of cars. We were sixth in line. 

Within the next half hour the line of cars behind us was as far as I could see in my rear view mirror. 

About 7:45 AM an army of PPE clad healthcare workers arrived with their equipment. The Delaware State police continued to direct the steady flow of traffic in the line of vehicles behind us.

Even though the testing wasn't to begin until nine o'clock, they opened the barriers at eight o'clock. We were motioned forward to begin the process.

While in our car, a PPE clad healthcare worker approached my driver's side of the window with her clipboard and took our information. I'm glad they didn't hand us the clipboard to fill out, which heretofore is what they did when you had to have a doctor's note and near death complications to get a test. This time she asked for my name, address, date of birth, and phone number. She also went down a list of my condition like shortness of breath, body aches, coughing, nausea, diarrhea, and some other body conditions. Well, of course, I have always had the shortness of breath, body aches, and coughing. I didn't have any of the other symptoms. We were directed to the line for the swab tests. The other line was for the finger pricking test, which tests for antibodies. Apparently we were considered possible coronavirus carriers. 

The video above is Bill getting his swab test. I had already received my swab test, which I'm telling you was weird. It's fast but still weird.  I knew what was coming for Bill, so that's why I videotaped it.  Poor Bill, he didn't know what was coming. Well, we need a little humor in these serious times.

We were given a CARE package and told to self-quarantine for the next three to five days, in which time they will call us with the results of our swab test. 

I have to say I was so impressed with the whole process yesterday. At how well organized it was, how caring the health care workers were, and that it was free!  

Now, to get free tests for the rest of the country.

Stay safe everyone!

Cars lined up for the COVID019 testing yesterday in Georgetown, Delaware

Pandemic Update May 1, 2020

Armed protestors entering Michigan State capital yesterday

Here we are folks with over one million identified cases of the coronavirus and sixty-three thousand deaths in the United States. 

Today several states are starting reopening businesses in spite of not meeting the CDC recommendations not being met. 

These are mostly Republican governors. Trump's focus is getting the economy going again so he can get reelected. 

Trump's MAGA followers storm the Michigan State capital, AR15's slung over their shoulder, to intimidate the Democratic Wisconsin governor to lift the stay at home order. 

Here is the facts folks. Nothing, NOTHING is going to change until there is TESTING for ALL WHO WANT TESTING. 

Testing and tracing, nothing will change other than more deaths until testing and tracing is instituted. 

Bill and I are doing fine, social distancing here at our home in southern Delaware. We're lucky in that we don't live in a nursing home, work in a meat factory, or in prison.  

Yesterday when we went out, we wore our masks. Every one in Ace Hardware had their masks, which is now a requirement for workers and customers in Delaware businesses. 

I am certain that we will continue to live under these restrictions for some time to come. 

I don't expect to go back to work at the hotel this year. Hopefully I can return to work next year, if I survive this pandemic. 

I am also certain that things will get worse before they get better. I hate being a downer here folks, but this is so obvious to me. 

I'm finally getting used to my new routine here at home. Lots of house cleaning and yard work outside. Daily afternoon naps.  I'm finally sorting my thousands of photos on my iMac. Something I wanted to complete before I check out. 

I've ordered a new supply of face masks for me and Bill. I suspect we'll be wearing face masks for sometime. 

Stay safe everyone.

Idiot protestors at Michigan State capital yesterday