Pat and Ron Marriage 11-04-2025

Here it is folks! The video of my marriage to my longtime friend and now husband, Pat F. of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. 

My apologies for the nose blowing at the beginning of the video but this is raw footage and just fine with me. 

Needless to say we're very happy that we're beginning a new life together, even at our advanced age. 

Today is an especially appropriate time to post this video for I have much to be thankful for.

P.S.

We were married by an Columbian immigrant at the Georgetown, DE Sussex County Courthouse. Very appropriate for time of our lives.

Thanksgiving Day 2025

Thanksgiving 2025

 

This year I will be spending Thanksgiving by myself. That's my choice. Not that I've been invited anywhere which I probably wouldn't go anyway.

In my past years I usually worked at the hotel but I'm no longer employed. I am officially put out to pasture which is just as well. I have mobility problems these days. No more replacing TV's in guests' rooms that don't work. 

I bought a seven pound turkey breast at Food Lion last week. I got it on sale at $1.27 a pound. I've been defrosting it in the refrigerator since Friday. I ordered a large Crock Pot from Amazon yesterday which was delivered yesterday! I got a special Black Friday deal. Instead of $43 I paid $25. I like turkey. That's the one thing I miss about not attending Thanksgiving dinners. My Mother used to make the best roast turkey. I've never been able to match her method. I've been studying different recipes on YouTube most of which slather the turkey with butter to prevent it from drying out. I like dried out turkey meat. I've never been one for juicy meat. My bone in turkey breast should be completely defrosted tomorrow. My only decision is whether to add garlic or not. My Mom hated garlic and her roast turkeys were always tasty.

Pat in Canada celebrated their Thanksgiving earlier this month. Canada pretty much mirrors our holidays, which he often points out to me. I miss having Pat in the house. Even though his presence was a major disruption to my daily old man routine, it was nice having someone else in the house. Bill's spirit is with me almost every evening with that burned out Christmas light that I have in my living room. Bill and I never did a big deal on Thanksgiving either. Just being with each other was all we wanted. Of course to this day and probably every day the rest of my life I still miss Bill terribly. But I know this, our spirits will eventually be reunited. He is patiently awaiting me in Heaven. 

I have much to be thankful for this year. Even though I have mobility problems and tire easily, I'm in relatively good health. I can still take care of myself. My vision is good, my mind is still functioning although I am more forgetful these days. Probably the only problem I have is the current political climate in my country today. Trump is still in office. Need I say more? I won't even go there today.

These days I occupy myself with fall cleanup, playing online Scrabble with Pat, doing my New York Times games (Wordle, Connections, Strands) in the morning, talking to my friends Don (in Philadelphia) and Glenn (in Palm Springs, CA) and of course Pat in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. I send out my good morning memes to my favorite people. I'm up to about ten now. They include a couple neighbors, former co-workers, and friends. Most everybody else I know have died. Oh, and one sister-in-law. I have a good life. I'm not in debt, have a wonderful home, wonderful friends and neighbors, and even though my body is failing me, I can still get around on my own and take care of myself.

I wish one and all a Happy Thanksgiving!

Met My New Husband

Me and Pat in my driveway November 9, 2025

 Pictured with me is my new Canadian husband Pat (76). We were married on November 4th this month. Tis picture was taken as we returned from my 84th birthday dinner on November 9th. Second marriage for me, first marriage for him. He's conservative (likes Trump) and I'm a raging liberal Democrat. I love this guy to death and he me. We don't talk politics, our love for eh other is stronger than political affiliations. He does think we fly a lot of American flags here in the USA. This is my flag.

What I Learned In Army Basic Training

 

Me, Army Basic Training, Fort Dix, New Jersey January 1960

Me, 18 years old, Ft. Dix New Jersey, basic training January 12960. One of the very first things that was drummed into my head during basic training was the USMC code that instructed us not o obey illegal orders. We were each given the USMC booklet. I still have that booklet and I still believe that service members are not to obey illegal orders, from anyone including a convicted felon and an adjudicated sexual abuser who just happen to con his way into the presidency of the United States.

My One Wish Before I Die

Me, 1962 (20 years old) in front of the White House during my Army stint at Ft. Meade, Maryland when I believed in the goodness of America

This is 20 year old me in 1962 standing in front of the White House. I was in the Army stationed at nearby Ft. Meade, Md (NSA). John F. Kennedy was president and I believed in the goodness of America. Little did I know that less than a year later Kennedy would be dead and the belief that I had then would be changed to now, at the end of my life with the obscenity of the Trump White House. The corruption, lawlessness, hate and chaos. My one wish before I die is to see America's goodness restored.

How Is Married Life Ron?

My handsome husband waiting to get his haircut during his visit here in Delaware a few weeks ago, a couple days after our marriage.  Am I not the luckiest guy in the world! I think so!

Now that I am a married man again, it's just beginning to sink in how my life has changed.

Pat was down here (Delaware, my home now "our" home) for thirteen days in November. 

We were quietly married at the Sussex County Courthouse, the same location where Bill and I got married twelve years ago. Our ceremony was very sweet. I hired a local woman to videotape it. When I receive that video tape I will post it to this blog.

At first having Pat in the house full time was taking a little getting used to, having lived alone since Bill died a year and a half ago. There were times I was starting to get annoyed because my regular routine was being disrupted but then I discovered I liked having someone else in the house. Not just anyone but a man who I like and love immensely. There is a special feeling knowing that you're married to the man you love. Not only the tax benefit and protections but the proclamation that you are spending the rest of your life with this person. Just you two. And Pat and I are almost the perfect match. 

Bill and I grew to love one another after living together for so long. Actually I think Bill loved me from first sight but I didn't immediately return that love. As I have recounted many times before in this blog when I moved in with Bill it was more of a roommate situation than a love match. I told him upfront that he wasn't the "one I was looking for." But then over the years I grew to love him and would never leave him even after I met Pat only a month after I got officially married to Bill. 

With Pat, five minutes after I met him I knew he was "the one." We instantly connected and have been in the twelve years we've know each other since that date in August of 2013. Some wouldn't understand my situation with Bill but I was not concerned with that. I knew I loved Bill and would never leave him nor would I end my relationship with Pat due to some outdated concept of what relationships should be like. Every body has their own situation to work out and it's nobody else's business.

So back to the subject what is married life like now with Pat? It's wonderful! I just wish we could be together 24/7 but that isn't possible now. Pat will visit more often and stay longer but no more than six months in a year. That's the rules now. 

Eventually he will move to the United States sometime in the future. I don't know whether it will be living with me in Delaware or moving to Palm Springs, his eventual destination. I do not plan to join him in Palm Springs. I love my home here in Delaware too much and all my memories here in this house with Bill. Yes, I know it's a strange situation but it's my situation. I'm still in love with Bill and I know he awaits me in Heaven. 

In the meantime, this is our arrangement. In a way it's the best of both worlds because Pat does like living by himself and I do like my time to myself too but I also liked it when Pat was in the house. We will have both now. 

Adventures await us. And I couldn't have a better person to spend the rest of my life with. 

Pat, The Wine Taster

Pat, my new husband (as of November 4th), took me out to dinner at my favorite local Italian restaurant in Rehoboth Beach on my 84th birthday (November 9th). In addition to my Eggplant Parmesan main course, he ordered a bottle of wine for us to share. Much to my amusement he was asked by our waiter to taste the wine before we accepted it. As you can see he's not used to this routine. As a matter of fact, in the past we have often mocked this swirling of the wine in the glass before accepting it. Now I know why, our waiter explained to us that we have to make sure it's not vinegar. It wasn't. It was delicious and we polished off the whole bottle. Now the eggplant parm, that was another whole story. It wasn't up to what I expected but rarely is eggplant parm done well. There is only one restaurant in Rehoboth that does it well, but the restaurant otherwise isn't accepted because of their anti-gay policy some years ago. They have since abandoned that policy (they advertised as "family friendly" which is code for "gays need not come to our restaurant"). That stink remains though. I've been there a couple times since but never feel comfortable there. At my birthday restaurant they went over and above to make Pat and I feel comfortable and just as "family friendly" as any coupe, straight or gay.  Needless to say, I had a perfect birthday dinner with my perfect guy. I am the luckiest guy on this planet and I know it!

Married Man!

 

My husband painting our wall. He does a great job. I hate to paint. I'm glad Pat doesn't mind. He's good. He plays his Canadian radio station while he paints. He's a regular dynamo. God I love this little guy!

There's my new husband painting our house already!

Pat just left yesterday morning for his home in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. A nine hour drive.

We had a wonderful thirteen days here at Casa Tipton-Kelly (no name change). Those days went by so fast!

We were going to travel to Pennsylvania to visit friends but my leg (right) was giving me so much trouble and we just didn't have the time, Pat started to paint our house and I decided to save money by not traveling. Instead I brought a top of the line home movie theater which I had installed. More about that in a future post.

I'm just catching up now. 

I a very happy! I have won the lottery with Pat as much as husband. We're a match! Oh sure, there are some adjustments to be made, I've been living by myself for a year and a half now and Pat's lived by himself his whole adult life. But it's all good. He thoroughly enjoy each other's company and I love having a living, breathing human being in my house again. It's all good folks!

Later.

Ron And Pat Are Married!

The new happily married couple at the Georgetown Delaware Circle November 4, 2025

 We did it folks!

I am no longer a widower.

I have a new husband and his name is Pat. He is a Canadian. Actually half American. His mother was born in Michigan. 

We had a quiet little civil ceremony at the Sussex County Courthouse in Georgetown, Delaware at about 9:45 AM. We were scheduled to get married at 10 AM but we arrived early and they took us!

Our witnesses were two Sussex County employees. We deliberately kept our ceremony low key. Didn't even cost me anything because I am a veteran and Delaware treats veterans very well. Our only other witness was Maya from Yesteryear's Old Time photos who took a video of our wedding which I will post later when I receive it.

Since then we've been busier than a one legged man in a butt kicking contest.

I'll catch you all up later but did want to let you all know the deed has been done.

Have a great day. We are!

Marriage License Application

 Pat and I just returned from the Sussex County Courthouse in Georgetown. We obtained our marriage license. Now Pat and I have to wait twenty-four hours. This is a Delaware state law requirement, wait twenty-four hours before getting married as a cooling off period. They don't want anyone making a rash decision like Brittaney Spears did who got drunk on night and got married to her current boyfriend at that time (I'm not even sure he was her official "boyfriend") Jason Alexander (not the actor on "Seinfeld.") When she sobered up a few days later she had their Las Vegas marriage annulled. 

Well folks, I'm sure I'm going to marry my honey, Pat Flynn from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada tomorrow. I've been besotted with him since I first laid eyes on him when we med in the summer of 2013. Yes, we met through my blog. 

Interestingly, he wasn't a regular follower of my blog and still isn't. He's not interested but he was interested in me when he saw my photo on the TV sitting in the gallery at the Delaware state legislature waiting to testify for same sex marriage. He did an Internet search and found my blog and left a comment just as I was writing a new blog entry. Another interesting factor is that no one before of since has left a live comment on my blog while I was in the process of writing a new posting. I responded to his comment and a few days later we progressed to FaceTiming and eventually he asked me if he could come down for a visit. He did and within five minutes of meeting him face to face I knew he was The One. But another interesting fact was I met him a month after I married Bill and I wasn't going to leave Bill. Yes, I was in love with two men at the same time. That is possible you know. In fact I think someone even wrote a song about loving the same two people at the same time. 

So we met in a parking lot of a Lewes Hotel and as I previously said in the post, within a few minutes I knew this man was who I was looking for in all the wrong places (another song?) ever since I was aware I liked men. Took a long time to find him but I always knew I would? And what about Bill you ask? Well, if you are a long time follower of my blogs you would know that when I initially moved in with Bill in January of 1965 it was strictly on a roommate basis. That was our understanding, we were not to be lovers. He had no restrictions on each other. Bill traveled a lot with his job (he was an electronics technician with RCA and then General Electric) and was gone for months at a time. I needed an apartment to live in for my new job at Girard Bank in Philadelphia. He said I could live in his apartment in Pennsauken New Jersey which was right across the river from Philadelphia. But a funny thing happened over the years, I grew to love Bill. He knew what he was doing when he convinced me to move in with him all those years ago. In fact I grew to love Bill so much that there isn't a day that I don't grieve for him. I look forward to the day when our spirits are reunited for eternity. And that is my background of my fifty-nine year relationship with Bill. 

Now I start a new relationship with Pat tomorrow. We're scheduled to be married tomorrow at the Sussex County Courthouse in Georgetown Delaware.

When we were answering questions this morning to get our marriage license I was surprised that I was getting emotional. The last time I got married, Bill was the one who got emotional. I'll probably be a mess tomorrow. I have arranged with the same people to videotape my marriage that videotaped my marriage to Bill twelve years ago. I'll try not to do an ugly crying spectacle. 

Folks, I cannot tell you how happy I am to be marring such a wonderful man like Pat. He and Bill are nothing alike so I'm not marrying on the rebound. In fact Pat is a lot like me. We understand each other. Bill and I were as different in personalities as could be. But that didn't stop us from loving each other. 

Life is interesting isn't it folks? And I'm going to find out more as I embark on my final journey tomorrow with my Canadian honey. Right now I feel like the luckiest man on the planet. And you know what folks? I am!