Hunky Guy At The Jersey Shore 1965

Me, 1965 at "The Jersey Shore" (Ocean City, New Jersey)

This picture posted on my Facebook account. When I first saw it my first reaction was "Who is this hunky guy?" Then I realized "IT'S ME!" And indeed it was.

This picture brings back memories of the first and only time I visited the New Jersey beaches. Growing up my family never took me and my brothers to "the shore." The best they could do was a local murky stream up the road from our house on Boot Road. It wasn't so bad, especially on those hot muggy summer August days. In fact me and my brothers LOVED it as did our dog "Sam."

Me and my brothers Isaac and John and our dog Sam at the local waterhole 1956

When I moved in with Bill in 1965 on of the first things I wanted to do was to go "to the shore." Of course he granted my wish (as he has always done) and we headed to the Ocean City New Jersey shore. 

I was so excited! Finally, I was going to experience the ultimate summer experience, the Jersey Shore!

Well, it didn't turn out as I expected. Every time I ventured out in the water the lifeguard blew his whistle. 

I didn't go out that far, I wanted to go at least to my waist high. The lifeguard wouldn't let me do it. Blowing on that damn whistle of his. I couldn't go out more than knee length. WTF? 

I looked up at him in frustration after the fourth whistle blow and saw him on his high white stand, slouched on his back; red trunks, tan, sunglasses and whistle drooping in his mouth like a cigarette. WTF? 

I asked him "Why"? He dismissively said "DON'T GO OUT PAST THE JETTYS!" I went to the end of the stone jetty and the water was only up to my knees.

I left the beach and walked on the sun backed hot sand to where Bill was reclining on the beach under a beach umbrella. I told him what happened and said "Let's go home." We left and I have never returned to the Jersey shore again.

In the years since I've been on beaches but only where there are no slouchy lazy lifeguards playing the role. Of course these days which my reoccurring regular visits to my dermatologist to burn off the latest pre cancerous skin lesions (actinide keratosis) I only look at the beach from the boardwalk. Ironically I don't even visit in the summertime here in Rehoboth Beach because of the hordes of summertime tourists. Only if Pat comes down to visit, which he may next month, will I go. Otherwise I restrict my beach visits to walks on the boardwalk in the fall and mild days in the winter. 

Seeing this blurry picture of me in my youth brought back both fond memories of when my body was young and healthy and it didn't ache like it does now. Unfortunately it also brings back that bad memory of how New Jersey "the shore" sucked.  

 

Good Neighbors

 

Bill and our neighbor Bob yesterday

How are you surviving in this cauldron of heat?

The picture is of my Bill with our neighbor Bob. Bob is the best neighbor we have ever had in all our years together. Bob's wife died a few years ago. Bob lives alone with his puppy an Australian cattle dog poodle mix named "Cleopatra". Bob goes fishing usually every Wednesday. I walk Cleo for him on those days. Cleo is in love with me. God, who isn't? (sarcasm). 

Me and Cleo

Our friendship with Bob is very odd because Bob is very MAGA. Yes, a very strong Trump supporter! We don't talk about THAT though. Although I do see the Trump signs and flags in his garage when I go over to get Cleo for her walk. Bob's late wife Barbara

Bill and Barbara

was also a very good friend of me and Bill. Also a strong Trump support and she DID talk about it which I often had to change the subject. She liked me and Bill and likewise we liked her. She was smart, funny and generous as is Bob. Bob often brings me fruit and vegetables and somedays his delicious pasta salad. He used to bring Bill some of the fish he caught, cooked and all. I would never cook fish in our house, I hate that smell. However, over time Bill got tired of all the fish he was bringing us and I had to ask Bob to stop giving us his caught fish. 

Bill and Bob used to talk all the time but since Bill's strokes and his blindness, they rarely talk.  When Bob did stop over for a visit Bill often wouldn't know who he was and couldn't understand what he was saying. Gradually the visits stopped. However, I often talk to Bob during our mutual encounters in our backyards. As I said his dog LOVES me and if she see's me out back she whines for her treat and some loving, which I gladly give to her. Bob jokingly accuses of me of "stealing" his dog. 

Bob's wife and I often had talks about me and Bill being gay. She was curious because Bill and didn't fit the stereotype of gay men. She most gay men were effeminate, promiscuous (i.e., sluts), lived in gay ghettos like the inner cities. Here Bill and I are living in a suburban neighborhood with all straights. When Bill and I first moved to our development there were four gay couples living here, two female and two male. They all moved, just me and Bill left. And we're quite happy here. First time in our lives together that we have lived in a neighborhood where we weren't discriminated against. Just another good reason to live in Delaware besides the great low taxes! One question she asked always amused me and Bill, she wanted to know "who was the wife and who was the husband?" in our relationship. I had to patiently explain to her that there was no "wife" in our relationship, we were just two men living together. She insisted "There HAS to be a wife and husband." I never did convince her. She said more than once, referring to Bill who she was very attracted to "You just haven't mean the right woman." Right Barbara! And I responded to her and "You just haven't met the right woman to turn you gay!" Oh we had a grand old time. I miss Barbara. 

My wish now is that Bill and I pass on before our neighbor Bob. I don't think at this time of our lives, where Bill has these health problems and I'm having increasing health challenges, that we could take another round of bad neighbors. 

There are many things I will never forget about our friendship with Barbara but one that has always stuck in my mind was when she casually remarked to me one day "I don't see what Bill sees in you."

OMG!

 

Provincetown Bear Week - Traveling Tom - Tom Goss

Fifty years ago this month I made my first visit to Provincetown, Massachusetts. 

Fifty years ago, think about that period of time. I am indeed one of the lucky few to have survived in life this long. 

My Old Time Photo taken on my first visit to Provincetown in 1973

Those were the carefree days when most of us thought we would live forever. At least I did. I gave little thought to being old.

Me in my much younger days at Herring Cove, National Seashore Park, Provincetown, Mass. I weigh the same but my body doesn't look like this now. No more showing off at Herring Cove should I return!

In fact I never believed that I would live past sixty years old. And yet here I am at the very old age of eighty-one, one year older than our often derided president who at eighty is often touted as "too old to run for president." 

Well, I can talk better that Old Joe but I can't walk much better. I really struggle to walk up stairs. Recently I found that if I grasp the railing with both hands I can pull myself up the stairs with relative ease. Which makes me thing, "Can I ever go back to work at the hotel?" should my caregiving days end? I'm thinking no, maybe not. 

"Angel's Landing", where I used to stay when I visited Provincetown in the 70's. Right downtown on Commercial Street, where all the action was. I rented a bike and got everywhere including Herring Cove outside downtown Provincetown

Recently I've been giving a lot of thought to visiting Provincetown just one more time before I cross over the Rainbow Bridge. Oh how I would love that! To visit my old haunts on Commercial Street, the main drag (no pun intended) in Provincetown.

Real outdoor cafe dining in Provincetown, probably about 1990, my last visit to Provincetown

One of my blogger buddies visits Provincetown several times a year. He suggested that maybe we can all get together for another Bloggerpalooza. What a wonderful idea! Our last Bloggerpalooza was here in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware nine years ago in 2014. Man oh man, where does the time go?

Me in Provincetown Harbor, Labor Day 1979

Of course we could only do this Bloggerpalooza if Spo and Someone attend and (hopefully) Fearsome Beard. Also anyone else who wants to meet in person me and my blogger friends. 

Commercial Street, Provincetown, Mass - yes, traffic share the main drag with the tourists. Took some getting used to but once you realized that you're on vacation and everybody is relaxed, it works! Lots of straight people during the day ("Day Trippers") - no judgements!

Of course Pat will be with me. He's never been to Provincetown and doesn't seem to enthused about it but I and confident one he sets foot on Commercial Street, he will experience the total feeling of freedom that Provincetown offers members of the gay community. 

Me (practically naked on the right) with two of my friends Gino and Bob, both of whom since deceased
.

.Provincetown is the first place in this world where I didn't feel "less than." Even though there are a lot of straight people (mostly Day Trippers), they realize that P-town is OUR PLACE and they know their place in that rarefied atmosphere that only Provincetown has to offer.

Me (right) out for a sail boat ride with my boyfriend Brad (since passed away) in Provincetown Harbor 1980

Brad and I imbibing in a glass of white wine on a very windy day in Provincetown Harbor 1980

Followers of this blog know that Pat and I fell in love with Palm Springs, California which also has a large gay population (mostly older well to do men) but Provincetown is different. At least it was when I last visited in 1990. All walks of  the social economic gay community. Not just the older, affluent gay men that is Palm Springs. Plus, Provincetown is just fun. 

Me with color coordinated socks and T-shirt on a pier in Provincetown Harbor 1976

Just one more time to attend the daily Tea Dance (4 PM) at the Boatslip on Commercial Street and dance to "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor. 

That is my wish.

Me relaxing at Angel's Landing. Provincetown is the one place in my life hat I felt totally relaxed and FREE! Palm Springs comes a close second only because the gay presence in Palm Springs is almost exclusively older well off gay men who tend to be very cliquish. In Provincetown I met all  types of men from across the country. Everybody was relaxed. No cliques!

Tony Bennett - Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words)

Tony Bennett died yesterday at age 96 years. What a wonderful, long and productive life he lead.

"Fly Me To The Moon" is my favorite Tony Bennett song. It is perfection. Every time I hear him sing this song, I choke up and tears come to my eyes.

I first remember hearing Tony Bennett in 1957. This was during the height of the rock 'n roll era. I was waiting for the next Elvis Presley song and here comes Tony with "Just In Time." What? This was a classic crooner song intruding on my rock 'n roll immersion. But I liked it! I never was a fan of the Bing Crosby type of crooning but Tony Bennett? Perfection! Such diction, clarity and sincerity! 

Some singers just sing songs. Robert Goulet and John Davidson come immediately to my mind. I always thought Bing Crosby was vastly overrated. What an awful man in his private life! I never got that feeling with Tony Bennett. Every time I saw him he had this big sincere smile on his face. Not a plastered fake smile or ever a scowl many of our so called heart throbs like Brad Pitt and others of his ilk. Those actors and singers who act like they're doing you a favor by performing for us. Not Tony Bennett, you could tell he thoroughly enjoyed through his performances giving pleasure to his audiences. 

I sort of "met" Tony once. It was during the Sixties when I work at Girard Bank in center city Philadelphia. Girard Bank was located at Broad and Chestnut Streets, next to Philadelphia City Hall. A block up Broad Street was the Bellevue Strafford Hotel. Apparently Tony was staying at the Bellevue. I was out on the street going to lunch. I passed Tony as he was rounding the corner from Broad Street to Chestnut Street. I recognized him immediately with his thousand watt smile and (obvious) hairpiece. We made eye contact and he nodded to me. I wanted to stop him and tell him how much I admired him and his songs but I didn't want to bother him. He was by himself and obviously enjoying his walk that sunny summer afternoon. Interesting, during that same week I also passed the actor Tony Perkins. That encounter was much different. Tony too was by himself but scowling and not enjoying his walk. Her persona in real life was much like his persona in his films, or at least that was my impression at that time. Of course I didn't dare stop him and tell him how much he scared the bejesus out of me in his film "Psycho".  Not for me that scowl, I much preferred the sunny disposition of Tony Bennett.

Rest in peace Tony and God bless you for sharing your gift with us for all these years.

John Lee Tipton With Brothers Ike, Jr and Ron

What to do on these hot and muggy days of the summer of 2023? Make a video compilation of old photos and videos of me and my two younger brothers John and Isaac Tipton, Sr. John passed away September of last year. This video compilation of our past times together will keep his memory alive forever.

Night Out in Rehoboth Beach May 24, 2015

Recently a posted a video of one of our (me and Pat's) night out in Palm Springs. 

There is a night life (such as it is) right here at home in Rehoboth Beach Delaware. This is a compilation of some pictures and videos that I took about eight years ago during one of Pat's visits to me here at my home near Rehoboth Beach. 

Pat is planning on coming down later this summer for a week's visit. He was here last year for a visit. 

Since I began caregiving for Bill two and a half years ago, and COVID restrictions, I haven't been anywhere but here at home in Delaware. I am so looking forward to Pat's visit this year so we can make more memories.

When I see these photo/video compilations I think of all those trips I used to take alone. The few times I went with friends of paid someone to go with me, those trips all turned out to be only trolling for sex for the friends who went with me and even the two guys who I paid to go along with me. 

I used to envy to gay guys who went on trips with friends. They all seemed to have such a good time. What was the matter with me? Was my personality that bad? Was I that unattractive? 

During high school gym classes I was usually picked last for the teams. Was that an extension of my loser status? 

No, that wasn't the problem. The problem was that those friends who went with me and even those two guys I paid for were selfish sex addicts. How refreshing to have a friend, albeit late in life, like Pat. A truly nice guy (cute too!) who was and still is and interested in me for myself. How refreshing!

At this time of my life when my time when I'm a caregiver, the quarterly trips are out. Hopefully, sometime in the future Pat and I can resume our quarterly trips to California, Philadelphia, and Canada. But for now, his upcoming visit to Rehoboth Beach (maybe next month) is much anticipated.

P. S.

Surprised that even here in our little Rehoboth Beach gay bar we even have a boy toy go go dancer?

Night Out in Palm Springs Feb 15, 2019

Ah, sweet memories of the last time Pat and I visited Palm Springs, California, February of 2019. Then COVID hit and all travel came to an abrupt stop.

During COVID Bill had two strokes. That was two and a half years ago. I've been his full time caregiver since. I cannot go anywhere while I'm caregiving for Bill. 

Bill is off of home hospice care now, for the second time. His condition has stabilized. That's because of the excellent care his caregiver is giving him (of course, smile). 

I have accepted that for some years I will continue to be Bill's caregiver which means I won't be making trips to anywhere, let alone Palm Springs, my favorite place on this earth. 

If I should outlive Bill, I'm not sure I could even travel to Palm Springs. I'm reading and hearing that the airlines are making travel very difficult with smaller seats and increased fairs. And since I haven't been working at the hotel these past two and a half years I don't even know that I could afford a trip to Palm Springs. And of course there is my physical condition. I'm not steady on my feet. I'm an old man. Way past my prime. But oh how I would like to return to Palm Springs at least one more time. Pat would too. Maybe, just maybe this February 2024 Pat and I can return to Palm Springs and visit friends and check out all of our favorite places in that Oasis in the Desert......Palm Springs. One of the few places on this planet where I can be myself.

Lazy Summer Days

View of Casa Tipton-Kelly from our mosquito infested back yard 

How are you all doing? 

It's been awhile since I posted an update on our situation here are Casa Tipton-Kelly.

Well, I can tell you that the mosquitos are biting and the heat and humidity are oppressive. If I go outside at all I have to suit up in my white shirt, long denim pants, combat boots and Safari hat with mosquito net. Even then, after only moving around for about ten minutes my T-shirt is soaked with sweat. Ah summertime, we have arrived!

I wish I could work outside in our beautiful backyard more but I can't because of the heat and humidity and the mosquitos. I do like to refresh my pond with about twenty-five minutes of well water (all free and not contaminated with chlorine) at least once a day. The fish like it too. I also have to clean out the filter of the floating solar water fountains from algae buildup at least once a day. The fish like those bubbles which provide much need oxygen for them. I recently installed a large solar panel to provide even more air bubble in the pond. 

Bill continues to need my care. His health is fine, as far as I can tell. No open leg wounds. He's swallowing better now that I'm pureeing all his food, mainly oatmeal and bananas. He's getting much better care at home here than he ever would at a $$$$$ assisted or total care facility. Bill is in his own home and we're together. I have accommodated myself to the fact that caring for Bill for the next few years is my reality. Could be a lot worse. Bill is not in pain and knows who I am. He can also get to the bathroom by himself and rarely has "accidents." Of course I would like to resume my quarterly travels with Pat but that is not to be in my foreseeable future. It's been two and a half years since Pat and I have embarked on one of our adventurous travels to our favorite destinations in Palm Springs, Philadelphia and Canada. Friends of mine just returned from France. I don't think we'll ever go to France but maybe Japan. But in the meantime, there are plenty of places to visit right here on the North American continent. 

I'm not sure if I could ever return to work at the hotel again. I'm having more trouble just walking. I'm very unsteady. And walking up stairs is a real chore for me. I have to pull myself up by holding on the banister. Last night I was cleaning the kitchen and living room wood floors and on a couple occasions I had to go down on the floor on bended knee. I almost couldn't get up. It's amazing how weak my legs are. 

My arthritis continues to worsen. Yesterday I broke the antlers off of one of my acrylic reindeer I had sitting on our kitchen counter. That makes two things my stiffened arthritic hands have knocked off our kitchen counter. Last week it was the glass mixer jar I use to puree Bill's oatmeal meals. That cost me $45 to replace that jar. I was lucky I could find a replacement on Amazon. I broke my heart to break the antlers off that reindeer. I had two of them on our kitchen counter. I bought then many years ago at Walmart in Exton, Pennsylvania in an after Christmas sale. Of course they are irreplaceable. I ordered some acrylic glue from Amazon. I will try and repair them. 

Last night I had a bad attack of allergies. The runny nose. Runs like an open spigot. I had to go to bed early just to get away from it. If I lay on my side while sleeping all that mucus drains back into my body. I'm better now. If I take allergy pills I can usually head off the worst of the sneezing and runny nose. When I was deep into the sneezes last night I noticed the allergy tablet still on the counter. I had forgotten to take it! 

Seems like this post is nothing but complaints. Not my intention folks, just telling it like it is around here at Casa Tipton-Kelly. We're entering into the depths of the summer season. A good two months of this heat and humidity.  I am thankful though we're not getting the worst of the heat that much of the rest of the country is suffering through. And I am so thankful our air conditioning works great. Of course I pay a big bill for that air conditioning but that's a small price to pay for the comfort we enjoy and are able to survived in this heat and humidity. 

 

Spo's 61st Birthday

This is an annual You Tube posting from my good friend, the much loved and famous blogger "Ur-Spo" of Phoenix Arizona.

I discovered "Spo" (Michael) about twelve years ago through my late friend The Cajun's blog. I saw his handsome bearded face as a Favorite Bloggers link on the Cajun's blog and was intrigued. I'm a sucker for handsome men with dark beards.

Ten years ago, after following Spo's blog "Spo Reflections" for a couple years he suggested to me a Blogger east coast get together. At that time I worked at a hotel in Lewes, Delaware.  I immediately took up his suggestion and made all the arrangements for the first Bloggerpalooza.

And Old Time photo shot at Rehoboth Beach, DE. That's me in the center with the red bandana around my throat. Michael and David are to the far left in the back row. Everyone without exception in this photo is a fabulous person. All bloggers and great folks! What fun we had! 

That gathering of previously anonymous bloggers who got to meet each other in person was a great success! We immediately decided to make it an annual affair. The next year we had another Bloggerpalooza but alas that was the last one for various reasons I won't go into here. Several of those bloggers have since passed over the Rainbow Bridge or otherwise disappeared into the ether of the great bloggersphere. But I am happy to report I have since reunited with Spo and his longtime partner/husband "Someone" (David) in Palm Springs California during a couple of me and Pat's visits

A picture I SHOULD NOT OF TAKEN at "Indulge", Spo and Someone's lodging of choice when staying in Palm Springs. That's Pat with his arms folded on his red baseball cap and Michael's friend Doug to his right. Immediately after taking this picture I was admonished NOT TO TAKE PICURES! THERE ARE NAKED MEN EMERGING FROM THE POOL! Properly chastised I put my phone away.

to that wonderful desert oasis. In fact Pat and I attended Michael and David's

These two handsome guys are Michael and David on their 17th anniversary

wedding which was a great privilege. By the way, Spo is taller in person than he seems to be on his blog, well over four feet, somewhat to my surprise. Cute elfin like guys like Michael I always expect to be about 5'5". Not Spo, he is well over four feet, almost six feet.

If you're not already a fan of Spo and his blog I urge you to visit his blog. His humor, wisdom and wry view of his world and the world around us is a treasure. And, you get free therapy lessons. 

I am making a major effort not to make this blog posting about me (as I am often wont to do) but I do want to express how fortunate I am to have made a friend like Michael and his husband David and all those others that I met at the Bloggerpalooza. Maybe someday we will all get together again in person. That is the day I look forward to but in the meantime 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MICHAEL!!!

Me with my idol, the handsome Spo (Michael) at Rehoboth Beach 2013

Summer Is Here!

 

Ah yes, summer has finally arrived!

This is the best spring I can remember since we moved here to southern Delaware in 2006. Most days were mild weather, not the hot and muggy weather we're having now. And yes, we're here with the hot and muggies!

I can't work outside when the weather is this humid. Just another reason I would never move to Florida as many gay Rehoboth Beach neighbors have opted to do. Ft. Lauderdale is their destination of choice. How anyone, let along gay men could move to Florida which is now ruled by the Trump wannabe despot Ron DeSantis is beyond my comprehension. Oh sure, go in the wintertime. Palm Spring California is my destination of choice to escape the cold winds and monochrome landscape of southern Delaware  in winter.

When summer officially arrives like it did this Fourth of July weekend. I always marvel at the yearly increase in traffic coming down here from on north. All for the "beach experience." I like the "beach experience" too, at least once during the season. Just to mingle with the nighttime crowds on the Rehoboth Beach boardwalks checking out all the cheesy games to wind even cheesier prizes always pleases me. Last year Pat came down for a visit and we were able to partake of that summertime Rehoboth Beach boardwalk ritual

I do like it the experience. I'm not one for actually going to the beach and laying in the sand. Not for the past twenty-five years or so since I discovered I kept getting these precancerous aconite keratosis. Which reminds me, I have another dermatology appointment this Friday for a bothersome spot on my lower right back. My appointment is at twelve noon, traffic should be delightful. I say that is sarcasm. To get to my dermatologist I have to go south on Route One, also known as Coastal Highway. Friday afternoon, noon? Should be bumper to bumper vehicles. I will have to leave at least an hour early even though in normal time it only takes me about ten minutes to get to my dermatologist's office. 

This morning I hit a snag. My DirecTV isn't working correctly.  I record (DVR) most of the programs I watch. Now my recorder is acting funky. NOT WORKING! What? No TV? I mostly "watch" TV as background. Most of the time MSNBC and "The View" when I'm having lunch. I called DirecTV this morning to arrange to have a service man come out. OF course I get a woman with a heavy Philippine accent (thank you). Yes, I can tell a Philippine accent now since so many of my tech support calls go to the Philippines. Before DirecTV was taken over by AT&T they used to have US based tech support. No more! So I call and she's reading from a script. I had a little trouble getting her off that script but I finally did when I told her "I know you're reading from a script but what I need is a service man out here." I'm paying enough for a service package. I know what the problem is, the DVR. I don't have to go through all her troubleshooting scripted menu items. 

The earliest she could get a service man out here was Friday. Wouldn't you know it, the SAME time I have my dermatology appointment. Isn't that always the way it is? So I arranged to have the service appointment this Saturday.

I won't be missing too much TV this week. All the regulars are off taking vacation and they have been replaced by second tier folks which generally aren't as good. That's another reason I can do this long blog post. Nothing to watch on TV live (I can't DVR). I DVR so I can zap through the commercials which are getting to me more and more every year. What happened to the big selling point of pay TV being "no commercials." Most of the stations have just as many commercials as the aptly named commercial TV. Just another con job. Maybe someday I'll just ditch the whole TV addiction. 

I hope Pat can make it down here later this summer before the days get too short. I don't know if I told you all, he sold his penthouse at the Royal Connaught Hotel and moved into a cute little house a few blocks away from his former home. He's getting settled into his mini house (no thirteen foot ceilings in that 568 square foot house). He also has a very interesting neighbor or neighbors. I think it is a crack house. All sorts of suspicious looking characters in and out of that house all later hours of the day. Biker types with top knot hair do's. What's with that?  His neighbor is banging away at all hours of the night. Nothing before twelve noon though. Sleeping late from being up all night. I couldn't live that close to someone. That's why I'll never move from Casa Tipton-Kelly.  I like my neighbors but I have plenty of space between us. I'm playing my music LOUD right now as I usually do when I'm blogging. If I had a neighbor with a house attached to mine I would have to turn my music down, which I don't like to do. I like my non-stop "music for shops" LOUD.

Let's see, what else. Friends of mine are visiting France right now. I've never been to a foreign country except Canada, which I don't count as foreign. I've often thought I would like to visit a foreign country before I check out but after reading reports of the tourist hordes in Europe exacting COVID revenge tourism on the poor Europeans, I think that option is out. However, Pat has always wanted to visit Japan. I would like to visit Japan too. It's a long flight (twenty hours from Philly, ten from California). I'm thinking if I survive my caretaking responsibilities and I can still move around, Pat and I just may take that visit to Japan. But first I have to visit my old haunts in Provincetown and Pittsburgh. Just once for old times sake. To relive old memories. Then I can make new memories although I won't have those new memories too long will I?

Well, I've rambled on enough now. Time for dinner (I eat late, about 8:30 or 9:00 PM)) and take my chances with my new malfunctioning DVR on my DirecTV/

I hope all is well in everyone's world who is reading this blog. Lately I've really been feeling good about my life here except of course the political situation, I won't feel totally comfortable until the Orange Traitor is behind bars. 

Be well everyone!

Happy Fourth of July!

 

Our American flag this morning from our garage and our peaceful and free neighborhood here in southern coastal Delaware. President Biden's summer home is only three miles away on the upper left. We always know when he arrives because his three Secret Service helicopters make a pass over Casa Tipton-Kelly.

Here we go folks, another Fourth of July!

This year we are faced with an existential crises, our very democracy is on the line.

A failed reality TV show star and con man/crook has succeeding beyond his wildest expectations of conning millions of gullible Americans that he is the ONLY person who should be the next president of the United States. 

Hey folks, I'm no fan of the doddering old man who is currently our president, Joe Biden but know this, I would vote for a dead Joe Biden in his coffin before I would vote for the Traitor Trump. 

I am very surprised and saddened that Trump has managed to con many otherwise "normal" Americans into believing his shit. What the hell is the matter with these people? Sure, Joe Biden is a piss poor communicator (I can't stand to watch and hear him slur his way through yet another speech). 

 Sure, Trump is entertaining like an old Jewish Catskill comic (which is obviously where he learned his stichk from during his youth). But this country doesn't need an entertainer, especially a crook like Trump who only cares about himself and seeking retribution on those who don't bow to his childish narcissism. 

Sure, we can do better with our politicians. We have several good ones, of both political parties. As regular followers of this blog know I used to be a Republican before I left the party when George W. Bush and Karl Rove tried to end my VA benefits (thankfully the Senate put a stop to that and Bill and I were grandfathered in). That's when I realized the Republicans are only interested in cutting taxes for their rich friends and keeping the poor and downtrodden poor and downtrodden. 

I left the Republican Party after Pat Buchanan's speech at the 1992 Republican Convention speech which he vowed to keep gays like me as second class citizens. I chill went down my spine when I saw all those clean cut lily white conventioneers enthusiastically applauding his denigrations of gays like me. That's when I realized that if our country was like Nazi Germany, this "nice" Americans would be quite comfortable seeing gays like me in a concentration camp. Seriously folks, that's the way many of them think under their veneer of respectability. These days the Trump Republicans don't even bother with that a veneer of respectability. Gays again are being used as the boggyman to get the white Christian Evangelicals to the polls to vote the cowardly Republicans in power to stave off the Hordes of Diversity. 

With the now failed Supreme Court who are quickly reversing all the progress that's been made over the last seventy years (and believe me, gay marriage is next then reversing Brown Versus Board of Education). Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Bret Kavanaugh, and Neil Gorsuch are all bought and paid for.

Today we can still celebrate our gained freedom that the Fourth of July denotes but will we be able to celebrate this time next year? Will the law in this land finally be applied to Donald Trump and his lifetime of crime? Will the law be applied to his enablers who attempted to overthrow our government on January 6th? Will the inept Justice Department and FBI finally get off their asses and DO SOMETHING? And not be intimidated by the threats of physical violence by Trump and his mob of supporters? I really don't know folks. Time will tell. 

But today I celebrate the Forth and our freedom. My freedom to write this blog post. 

I have faith that right will win out. There are more of us than there are of Them. We see the trailer park trash to goes to Trump's rallies but Trump's support is much deeper than those fools who Trump has successfully suckered. Even though most of the Republicans put their own selfish interests first by staying in power than their oath to the Constitution, I am confident that history will treat them as the spineless, self-serving cowards that they are. Even those like Chris Christie who slam Trump now but when questions would they vote for Trump is he was the nominee, they always answer "Yes." WHAT THE FUCK IS THE MATTER WITH THESE PEOPLE?

I think the answer is they're afraid if a Democrat gets in power that the minorities will invade their homes and take everything they own and the gays will turn their children into drag queens. Really folks, that's what many of them believe. Sad isn't it?

My rant is done now. I feel a little better.

Happy Fourth of July everyone and I hope I'm here next year to post another Happy Fourth of July.

Happy 59th Anniversary

 

Bill and me this morning on our back deck quietly celebrating our 59th anniversary

We made it folks! Today is our 59th anniversary of our meeting July 3, 1964. 

Me and Bill about 1972 in Philadelphia, PA

Wow! That was a fast fifty-nine years.

Ten years ago we were officially married on our forty-ninth anniversary. We were the second same sex couple to be married in Delaware. 

One more year to go to reach that lofty goal of SIXTY years together.

I think we will make it!

Bill's Pill Bottle

 

Every morning when I get up I round the corner from my bedroom to out kitchen. 

It's Ground Hog Day again. 

First thing I check is to see if Bill's pill bottle is there. This morning it was as it has been for the past year or so.

Bill gets up during the night and comes upstairs from his basement bedroom to the kitchen to get some Oreo Lemon Thin cookies. He also brings up his pill bottle to be refilled.

Daily he takes a Tylenol twice a day. 

He originally started taking Tylenol to combat the occasional pain he received in his legs from blood clots. They work. 

I also give him his meds twice a day. He has three medications that he takes in the morning before breakfast and three he takes at night before he goes to bed.

He takes a heart pill (Eliquis). Another pill for his stomach (he had a stomach hemorrhage several years ago when he was abusing Extra Strength Excedrin, Dioxin (I forget what those are for), sleeping pills, prostate pills and one other pill I forget now. Bill takes a lot of medication to keep going. I takes several pills too but not as many as Bill.

At first with the Tylenol I gave him the whole bottle to take with him to bed just in case he had pains at night. I couldn't continue to do that because he would forget how many Tylenol he was taking and then he would be back on that track of abusing the pain killers. I  don't want to find him on the floor, unconscious,  with blood coming out of his mouth like I did about five years ago. That was a trip to the Emergency Room that I don't want to repeat. 

In my previous post I posted a picture of an old man holding the hand of his dying wife. That is the way I prefer to go and for Bill to pass on. However, I fear that one morning I will wake up, round the corner from my bedroom and NOT see Bill's pill bottle. 

That is the morning I dread.

Please don't be concerned about me folks. I'm not depressed. I make the most of every day Bill and I have together. 

In so many ways both Bill and I are so fortunate. The VA and the U.S. Government through Medicare is taking such good care of Bill. But these are the days that both Bill and I are nearing the end of our wonderful journey together.

This July 3rd, just two days from now, Bill and I will mark out Fifty-Ninth Anniversary. Just how fortunate and lucky can two average guys be? We both know that we have had a wonderful life together.

Hamburger and Sparky, our Philadelphia Poms

These days we often talk about our past memories. Of the times when we lived in Pennsylvania with our three wonderful Pomeranians. We even talk of the time when we lived in center city Philadelphia with our two Pomeranians who preceded our three Pomeranian dogs of our East Brandywine Township living in the woods stay. 

Horace, "T" and BabyDoll - our East Brandywine Township Poms

One thing we never tire of talking about is that night so long ago in Philadelphia when Bill noticed me standing across the bar from him with my friends Ron H. and Ed C. at the Westbury Bar at 15th and Spruce Streets in Philadelphia. He told me then and there he decided he would spend the rest of his life with me. It wasn't love at first sight on my part but over the years and many months of trying to meet me that I realized that Bill was my destiny. What a life we have had and continue to have. 

Don't worry about us folks, we're doing fine her at Casa Tipton-Kelly.

Happy Fourth of July and happy anniversary to us!

Bill and me 2010 Milton, DE