Where I've Been

 

Bill's little memorial flower patch, right beneath my bedroom window. 

Nowhere.

I'm doing a bit of a reset in my daily routine folks.

There are a couple reasons. 

First, I have to stay within my budget. 

I'm naturally a spendaholic. Comes naturally to me. Been fighting it all my life. I don't have a choice now what with my income the only cash flow here at Casa Tipton-Kelly. 

Since Bill died and I haven't returned to work at the hotel, my household income has been cut in half. I can still manage to pay the necessary bills like electric, heat, Internet, phone, insurance (biggest bills by far) and food (smallest bills but not so much anymore). And lawn maintenance. That's a biggie but I do like a nice lawn and I can't mow it anymore myself so I pay José to mow it once a week. After I'm done paying the necessary bills, there isn't much left over. 

I'm not complaining, just stating facts. I am fortunate in that I don't have a mortgage payment. But with the cost of living going up double digits every year I'm falling behind. 

I admit I suffer the most common reason for being a spendaholic, buying things makes me feel good. I remember watching an Oprah show many years ago. I always used to feel superior when she had a show about people with various addictions. I knew I wasn't one of them until she had a show on spendaholics. I fit every symptom. Every one. It was embarrassing.

So in order not to spend money unnecessarily, I don't go out. Also, another reason I don't go out now as much as I used to is because of the heavy summer tourist traffic here in southern coastal Delaware where I live. Casa Tipton-Kelly borders Route One (Coastal Highway that goes all the way to Florida). That's a racetrack out there folks. If I do have to go out say to the supermarket to replenish supplies I go early Saturday or Sunday morning. The only other times I go out are for my doctor's appointments of which I have plenty now that I am old, feeble and failing. I try to arrange those doctors' appointments in Milton away from the Rehoboth Beach area. Usually my doctors' appointments come in bunches. I just finished a bunch when Pat was down here last month. I'm trying to arrange them again for when he visits again. Otherwise I'm on my own like next month when I have my regular six month VA checkup and my foot doctor appointment which happens every three months (I can't cut my toenails anymore).

So I don't go out much anymore but don't cry for me Argentina. I have plenty to do here at Casa Tipton-Kelly. I have more than enough yard work and there is the fish pond. When it's really hot and humid outside, like it has been most of this summer, I stay inside here and watch You Tube, post to my Threads account, talk to Pat on FaceTime and cook. I used to watch movies on my Netflix account but I suspended my account because I can't find any movies that I like. I wasted my money for far too long with my Netflix account. That suspension was long overdue. Lately I've been getting back into updating my Ancestry.com family tree information, which I've neglected for far too long. I really enjoy updating my family tree. I have tons of information backed up that needs posting and my Ancestry.com is another account that I've subscribed to over the years that I haven't been using. Time to make use of that subscription. 

My only problem now is not to sit too long at this computer because my legs swell up. I asked Alexa to remind me to get up every hour so at least I can move around and get the blood flowing in my legs. My heart blood flow is weak and getting weaker by the day so I have to take these measures.

So there you go folks. That's where I've been. 

Have a great day everyone!

Let Them Eat Cake!

 

Lemon cake with lemon buttercream icing 

Legend has it the late doomed French Queen Marie Antoinette said in response to the French peasants clamoring for food during 18th century France drama. Of course she lost her head over such a flippant response to the legitimate pleadings of the French Great Unwashed.

I used to make cake all the time for me and Bill. However, since he died I have lost my taste for cake. Last night that cake urge came back big time. 

One of my favorite cakes is lemon cake. I've tried all recipes from copycat Starbucks Lemon Loaf to the myriad lemon cake recipes interspersed with multiple ads on my iPhone. I have found the very best recipe is a simple box cake mix. My preference is Duncan Hines Perfectly Moist Cake mix. For the icing I prefer to make my own lemon buttercream icing. 

Last night I succumbed to my desire and whipped up this scrumptious lemon cake. 

Yes, I ate that much last night. First, a modest slice then a "bonus" slice before I went to bed.

Life is good.

The Muggies

 

Yesterday's visitor to my butterfly bush

Another hot, muggy day today.

I can't take the humidity.

Last night it rained. Lightening, thunderstorms, winds. Then this morning, humidity lays heavy on. the landscape here in southern coastal Delaware. 

This is to be expected since I live on a peninsula surrounded by water, much like Florida.

On days like this I stay inside my house. It's too dangerous for me to go outside in this heat and humidity. Literally, too dangerous. A few times I almost didn't make it back inside before I passed out. This is the main reason I pay Jose to mow my lawn weekly, which he does every Wednesday (today).

I could stay all day at my computer here in the house but after a while my lower legs swell up. I have poor blood flow. If I take a daily walk it helps to keep my legs from swelling up. I wish I had one of those suburban malls close by that I could take one of those daily old people walks around the mall.

Last night I was up until after two AM. Usually I don't stay up that late but some nights I'm just not sleepy. I did get a good sleep in though and got up later (about 7:30 AM) that I usually do. Lately I've been waking up at 4:30 or 5 AM and can't get back to sleep. I sense "something" is going on. My appetite has changed too. I'm just not that hungry anymore. I've lost weight but not that much so far. About eight to ten pounds. Maybe this all is just an "old age" thing. But I do feel I'm transitioning to a different phase.

Today I will take a lot of time correcting and updating my family tree on Ancestry.com. Something I've been meaning to do for years but life caught up with me the last four or five years. Three years full-time caregiver for Bill and then over two years grieving for his loss. I'll always grieve over not having Bill in my life to love and take care off but I feel it is time to move on now and get ready for my grand exit. But before that happens, some loose ends to clean up. Of course I'll never have all of them cleaned up but I'll do what I can. I don't want to leave too much of a mess for Pat.

Stay cool today folks!

Memories of Bill - 2015

Apple has a nice feature on my iMac. It's called Memory. It randomly selects photos and videos I've taken and chooses a theme and presents these compilations to me occasionally. A few days ago they presented to me several Memory videos of the years I was taking Bill to his various doctors' appointments and caring for him. The years range from 2015 to 2019 with the exception of the year 2017 which I wasn't able to transfer over other my You Tube account. Occasionally I will be posting these Memory compilation videos to this blog in memory of Bill. 

I don't think there is a day that has gone by since Bill died early Saturday morning February 22, 2024 that I haven't thought of him and missed him terribly. The initial shock of grief has lessened somewhat overtime but I know now this grief over not having Bill in your life will never leave me as long as I am alive on this earth in this lifetime. By posting these videos I honor and keep his memory alive.  

My Family Tree

 This morning I posted a reply to one of my favorite bloggers who wrote about his grandparents. He asked his readers to share their memories of their grandparents. I left a long reply briefly sharing information about the grandparents I knew. I thought my reply was interesting and some of you might find the same. I have posted some of this information overt the years in my twenty plus years of blog posting. I'm posting it again, in this condensed form.

 I only knew one grandparent, my maternal grandfather.

Maternal grandfather - George Hadfield

He was a piece of work. He was descended from his grandfather who came over as an immigrant from Glossip, England to work in the wool mills as he and his family did in England. The year was 1854. A womanizer (married three times), cruel to my Mother growing up and at the end of his life he made everyone miserable by berating them with his Jehovah Witness crap which he discovered late in life. He even brought over a young girl my age during one of his visits thinking that would sway me. I told him “The next time you come bring a young man and I might consider….”. Yes, I did that. Of course he never brought over the young man. I think my Mother explained to him my situation. He never bothered me again.

My paternal grandmother was alive when I was but I don’t remember her because he died when I was two years old. She was an uneducated hillbilly from the western mountains of North Carolina. 

Hester Lewis Tipton, my paternal grandmother

She couldn’t read or write but she did chew tobacco and tell my Mother that dancing was “sinful.” Glad I didn’t know her.

My paternal grandfather died two years before I was born.

My paternal grandfather Fieldon Jacob Tipton with my paternal grandmother and two of their grandchildren (my cousins brother and sister Jackie and Bill Tipton) He was a farmer who along with his wife couldn't read or write but they could produce children (had a Toal of 12 sons)

He was descended from Jonathan Tipton who immigrated to this country from Port Royale, Jamaica after the Great Earthquake of 1692 destroyed his rum barrel stave making business. He had money and brought a lot of land in Maryland. His grandson fought along George Washington during the Battle of King’s Mountain. His name was Major Jonathan Tipton and he was my six time great grandfather. He was also involved in the formation of the state of Tennessee when it broke off from North Carolina. He settled in those mountains of Western North Carolina and proceeded to produce a prodigious batch of Tipton’s of which I am descended from. My paternal grandfather was also an uneducated hillbilly from those same western North Carolina mountains bordering on Tennessee. He was in the lumber business and brought his nine sons to Pennsylvania during the depression because they were starving and he and his sons (two more born in PA) lived on his brother-in-law’s fruit and vegetable farm in southern Chester County as field labor. My father met my Mother during this time. My father had multiple scars on his back from beatings received from his father. Such was the nature of chid discipline in those days. He died in 1939, two years before I was born. My Mother never met him, only knew him as “Mr. Tipton.” After the experience with her father, she probably wouldn’t want to meet him either.

My maternal grandmother died at 29 years old giving childbirth.

My maternal grandmother Ethel Hickman Hadfield. She was the oldest daughter of a well to do pig farmer.  Very educated and quite the independent personality I understand from family lore. Unfortunately she died giving childbirth at home to her sixth child at 29 years old).

She was from a long line of historical Quaker families in Pennsylvania. From her picture she was very elegant. She died before my Mother was two years old. My Mother often talked about her.

There was one great grandmother (my maternal grandfather’s mother) who I met only once. She was on her deathbed.

My great maternal grandmother Isabelle "Belle" Donely Hadfield. She is the woman on the right with the long hair. My Mother as a young girl used to brush her grandmother's hair for hours. My Mother said she liked doing that for her grandmother and her grandmother liked it. I only met her once when she was a very old lady on her deathbed when they trooped up all us sweaty great grandkids to see her once before she died. I think she was about the age I am now!

They brought up all us unwashed ruffian offspring to see her before she died. She was also a very elegant lady from another long line of Pennsylvania Quaker families. During the 1880’s she was an actress. All I remember about her was climbing those stairs to the third floor of the house where she lived with her daughter and seeing this very small bird like white haired lady in a bed. As we ruffians came in one by one she turned her head and smiled slightly and nodded her head every so slowly. I will always remember that moment. Years later a cousin gave me a report card that great-grandmother Isabella Donely (she was Irish) had attend a private girls school during her youth. Her grades were excellent. She was a far cry from my tobacco, “dancing is sinful”, paternal grandmother. 

Now you know why my personality is so fucked. Look at my family tree.

Results Of Doctor's Appointment

 

This morning I saw my urologist to discuss the results of my recent PET-SCAN. 

He was puzzled by the results of my PET-SCAN because even though I recent elevated levels of my PSA score, the PET-SCAN didn't reveal any traces of prostate cancer, even in my prostate.

He immediately suggested that I begin hormone therapy just to "slow down" any chances of the cancer returning. I immediately shut that down saying "No, I'm fatigued enough." I realize he was going through his usual protocol by suggesting this treatment but I'm not having it. I told him why and I related the story of my friend Rich S. who had both. radiation and hormone therapy and is now dealing with a urethra that is destroyed by scar tissue. My doctor seemed taken aback a bit which didn't surprise me. I think most doctors just expect that you go along with their suggestions. 

I told him I've done quite a bit of thinking and research about what I want to do should my prostate cancer return and spread. I told him that I'm 84 years old and I'm not getting any more treatments for anything. I also told him that should my prostate cancer return and spread that I will take advantage of Delaware's new right to die law. I asked him if he "was on board" with my decision because I would need his approval plus another doctor's. He said "Sure, anything you want." Then I told him I have lived a fabulous life and that most of my friends are gone now and I have no family to speak of so what is the point of continuing? Again, he seemed a little uncomfortable with the way this conversation was going. I continued. I told him that I took are of Bill the last three years of his life. How unhappy Bill was. I also told him of my late brother's three year journey trying to stave off his lymphoma cancer only to die cancer free but of organ failure. By now he was just sitting there listening to me. He knew I had made my decision. And that decision was "watchful waiting." A term much used by older men like me who don't want to go through the side effects of prostate cancer treatment. He then suggested that I se him again in six months after I get another blood test. So that's where I stand now.

Then I left in this smoky town that is Milton. The Canadian wildfires smoke has descended on Delaware.

Life goes on.

Have a great day everyone!

Doctor's Appointment This Morning

 

This morning at 10:00 AM I have an appointment with my urologist to review the results of my recent PET-SCAN. 

That PET-SCAN did not indicate that my prostate cancer had spread throughout the rest of my body. That's the good news. The bad news is that my PSA keeps rising at a rapid rate.

Six months ago, when my doctor noticed my PSA score dramatically increasing he wanted to start radiation and hormone therapy treatments to "get me a couple more years." He also wanted to do another biopsy to see if and how much of the cancer was still in my prostate gland. I turned him down immediately on both counts. He then suggested that I get a PET-SCAN and see him again in six months. That's where I am now today.

So today I will inform my doctor that I will not seek any further treatment for my prostate cancer. 

No radiation therapy.

No hormone therapy.

No biopsies.

At eighty-four years old, I am not going to subject this old body to more stressful "treatments" to hold the possible spread of prostate cancer. 

After seeing what my younger brother went through the last three years of his life with "treatments" only to die "cancer free" but of organ failure, that's route I'm not taking

After seeing my friend Rich S., who was first diagnosed with prostate cancer back in 2013 the same time I was only to have it return in 2019 and he got radiation and hormone therapy treatment only to have his urethra destroyed by scar tissue and now he has to pump his urine out of his bladder with a device while the doctors try to rebuild his urethra with flesh from the inside of his cheek, I'll pass on that "treatment" too.

I will tell my doctor the only thing I need from him is a diagnose of six months or less to live, if it should come to that. I may die of something else besides prostate cancer. It is well known that most men die WITH prostate cancer but not OF prostate cancer. 

I will tell my doctor that I'm taking the "Watchful Waiting" route. If and when my prostate cancer spreads, then give me that six month prognosis so I can make plans for my Grand Exit.

This is one thing I know, I will not leave this world the way my brother did or the way Bill did. I will leave this world as I am now. Fully functional and taking care of myself. No prolonged, undignified, dependent on others, exit for me. I know that is the usual way in our Western culture for dying human beings to go. I have decided to go the way I help seven pets of ours go, on our own terms.

Today is just a formality. After my appointment today I go back to my day to day living the best I can with my stooped over body, aches and pains, calcified heart and slipping memory. My main objective right now is not to fall and injure myself.

Have a great day everyone!

Healing

 

My damaged right paw

Hand is still sore folks. However, it is healing. 

I'm wearing an exam glove now to protect it from water.

I didn't realize how much I used my right hand until That Damn Cat laid his claws in it. I do have to say, he got a good strike. Five deep wounds. Ask me when the next time I will take care of that cat. 

Like NEVER.

Waterfalls Over The Years

 

Every now and then the Memory feature on my iMac pops up with a nice compilation of photos and videos. This morning was one of those times.

By the way, I have my right hand main finger and thumb bandaged up so I can type this. Remember my cat scratch injury of Sunday? I'm having trouble healing because I use those digits and it hurts. I put some band aids on this morning and it seems to help. At least it's not hurting as much when I use that main finger and thumb. Damn cat!

Anyway, this compilation of my visits over the years to different waterfalls is a nice palate cleanser from my several recent negative posts. 

The one "waterfall" that really impressed me was Niagara Falls. I had heard so much about Niagara Falls that I wasn't ready to be impressed but I was!

The first time I visited Niagara Falls was early on when I moved in with Bill and we took a road trip through Canada. I think that was in 1965 of 1966. 

The last time I was at Niagara Falls was with Pat about ten years ago. I was just as impressed the second time as I was the first time. Pat wasn't impressed though and wanted to leave. I want to go back and spend some more time there, perhaps take that Maid of the Mist ride down below. However, I have no urge to go over the falls in a barrel. 

The other falls pictures are from Toccoa Falls in Georgia, Bill's hometown of Toccoa Georgia. Also quite an impressive falls. Bill liked it too.

Few things impress me but nature always does.

Walk-In Clinic Visit

Waiting to be seen at my local urgent care walk in clinic. They know me well. No tick bites this time of something in my eye, just a very painful cat scratch.

 I woke up this morning and my cat scratch injuries didn't seem to get better. If anything, they hurt more than they did yesterday. That cat got a good swipe in with his razor claws.

I checked AI if I should go to Urgent Care and they said DEFINITELY! So I got in The Princess and made the now familiar trip to my local walk-in urgent care office. Thank goodness I don't have to travel down Route One to the emergency room. Last year the local hospital opened an urgent care office in Milton on the Ellendale Highway (Route 16). I wouldn't have to fight the heavy, speeding tourist traffic and become just another accident statistic. I was planning on staying in all week until my urologist appointment this Friday.

A physician assistant saw me at urgent care and prescribed antibiotics for a week. He tested me and it doesn't look like I have an infection but best to be on the safe side and take antibiotics. He asked me when did I have my last tetanus shot. I don't remember. He asked "Was it more than ten years ago?" I don't think so. So I didn't get one. I asked my neighbor if her cat was up on his shots. She said "I think so." Not really reassuring but I'm going to take a chance and just take the antibiotics and make a mental note that I will never take care of their cat when they go on vacation again. She was worried he would get "lonely." That cat is obviously a one woman (or man) cat and he doesn't need anyone else's company and he so painfully made me aware of yesterday.

Never again.

No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

 

What happens when you try to comfort your neighbor's cat when they've been on vacation for two weeks. That is one pissed off cat.

My neighbors gifted their daughter who graduated this year with a two week trip to Italy and Greece. 

They are scheduled to return tomorrow (I hope).

They asked me to check in on their cat. He's a spicy, overweight, neutered male cat. He doesn't like me.

One angry cat - right before The Clawing. He'll never get another chance to take a swipe at me.....ever

Of course you're probably asking "How is that possible? You LOVE cats?" Well, I don't have an answer for that except to say perhaps he's spoiled. His favorite people are her other daughter and the lady of the house. Both very nice. The husband has a golden retriever. I've watched their pets before. Their previous dog was never a problem. You know golden retrievers, they like everybody. This cat, yes he gave me a huge scratch on my right arm once before when I attempted to pet him. One would think I learned my lesson. Oh no, not me. 

I know he misses his mama and the daughter. This is the last day of their trip. I tried to comfort him but he wasn't having it. Right as I extended my right hand to pat him on his head, he gave me a major swat, resulting in FIVE claw punctuations on my right hand. And me, being right handed, I need that right hand. Especially when I'm cleaning the algae muck out of my fish pond filter every other day. In addition to using my right hand here to type and wash dishes and garden and etc, etc. Not to mention those claw indentations in my hand HURT. 

I think I have learned my lesson. Oh sure, when they vacation again I'll agree to check in on The Cat to make sure he has enough water but no more Mr. Nice Guy. I keep my distance from now on. I need my right hand. And no amount of trying to comfort this feline, who doesn't appreciate it anyway, is worth taking the risk of getting clawed again. Funny thing this, in all my eight-four years I've never been clawed like this by any cat. Just another reason why I'll never have another pet in my lifetime. And Bill was right, when I wanted to get a cat when we lived in Philly, he was totally against it. He said if you want to get a pet, get a Pomeranian dog. They're small like cats but much more human friendly. He was right.

Now how am I going to handle that fresh corn on the cob tonight with my compromised right hand? 

Just another challenge to overcome.

Ron On The Roof

 

Me dead heading flowers a the top of our roof garden when we lived in Center City Philadelphia July of 1976

These days I can hardly stand on a three step ladder. 

Yesterday I came across a still of an 8mm film of me on the roof of our big house in Pennsylvania. I wanted to post that picture today but I can't find it now. I'll find it eventually. 

I found them! 

Bill worked at the top of the Sears Tower in Chicago. I can't quite match his feat. I just get dizzy seeing videos of people atop high buildings. 

Lunch At A Mexican Restaurant

 Yesterday I had a wonderful lunch at one of my favorite nearby Mexican restaurants, Tequila Real.

My former classmate Judy, who is in town with her husband and extended family celebrating her 65th wedding anniversary, invited me out to lunch with her and her two daughters. 

They came by early (11 AM) to pick me up. I wasn't driving. because I wanted to imbibe one of Tequila Real's delightful frozen lime margaritas. The reason we were having lunch early was because one of Judy's daughters had a Zoom business meeting at 2 PM. I usually eat lunch at around 2:30 PM or 3 PM (sometimes later) but I'm flexible, especially where Mexican restaurant and frozen lime margaritas are involved.

Needless to say we four had a delightful lunch and the frozen lime margarita was perfection as usual.

After lunch, Judy and her daughters dropped me off at Casa Tipton-Kelly. I had a nice buzz going on from the frozen lime margarita. I brushed my teeth and went to bed for a long afternoon nap. 

Just a wonderful day with friends.

Ron Gets Invited To Lunch

 

Something very rare happened yesterday. I was invited to lunch.....at a Mexican restaurant.

I can't remember the last time I was invited to lunch but this came as a pleasant surprise to me.

The person who invited me to lunch is a longtime friend and a former high school classmate with whom I've kept in touch with over these many years.

She's in town celebrating her 65th wedding anniversary. I had lunch with her last week when she arrived here at Casa Tipton-Kelly with her husband and some of her family. They met here prior to checking into their rentals for their two week stay.

We had lunch at another restaurant in Milton but it was so noisy I really couldn't have a decent conversation with them. It's interesting but when there are family visiting me I find I always gravitate towards the women instead of the men. Her husband, son and son-in-law, they didn't bother with me at all. I guess we just don't have that much in common with the guys. I have more in common with the women.

I wanted to go to a quieter restaurant like one of my favorite Mexican restaurants but her husband doesn't like Mexican food. I do. Except hot chile peppers, I like just about anything Mexican. Except fish or any sort of seafood. Ugh. 

Another problem when we went to lunch last week, the weather was brutal. Over one hundred degrees with humidity. Brutal. Today the temperatures are in the low 70's and low humidity. Forecast for the same tomorrow. Looking good folks.

I wanted to go to lunch again with my friend and her two daughters. But I didn't want to be so forward as to suggest it since she was gathering with family. She has seven children and I lost count of the grandchildren. She had to rent two houses for their get together celebrating her anniversary. 

She and her husband used to live down here in Lower Slower Delaware. Right in Lewes in a big house on the beach. When I was having my home built twenty years ago, she suggested that I could stay at their place while they were summering at their condo in Florida. I gladly accepted! 

I'm looking forward to that frozen lime margarita 

tomorrow. No salted rim please! She's driving.

Play This Song At My Funeral

 

About five years ago I heard an instrumental version of this song on my Bose radio playlist. I did not know the lyrics but the song seemed very familiar. Listening to the melody choked me up and brought tears to my eyes.

"Where did I hear this song?" I thought. I racked my brain and couldn't figure it out but the familiarity was there. I thought maybe I heard it in one of those old Western movies where pioneers were trekking across America via the Oregon trail, dodging Indian attacks,  the sweltering heat and blizzards to finally arrive at their new home in the West. I looked up the lyrics 

"If you miss the train I'm on, you will know that I am gone

You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles,
A hundred miles, a hundred miles, a hundred miles, a hundred miles,
You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles.

Lord I'm one, Lord I'm two, Lord I'm three, Lord I'm four,
Lord I'm 500 miles from my home.
500 miles, 500 miles, 500 miles, 500 miles
Lord I'm five hundred miles from my home.

Not a shirt on my back, not a penny to my name
Lord I can't go a-home this a-way
This a-away, this a-way, this a-way, this a-way,
Lord I can't go a-home this a-way.

If you miss the train I'm on you will know that I am gone
You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles.
A hundred miles, a hundred miles, a hundred miles, a hundred miles,
You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles."

Nope. That wasn't where I heard this song. But I do know why this song is familiar.

As you know I believe in the Afterlife. We're just here on earth in this body to learn. Our real home is in the Afterlife or as others call it.....Heaven.

Now when I die, and we all die. I know I've talked about my impeding demise often on this blog but it is going to happen....eventually. I don't know if there will be a service for me. A funeral or a memorial. I have requested than there be none but once I'm gone, I no longer have any control over what happens to mark my time on earth in this iteration of one or my many lives. But if there is a service please play this song "500 Miles." And preferable the Peter, Paul and Mary version. Coincidentally, Mary and I share the same birthday, November 9th. I knew there was a connection!

And please, PLEASE......DO NOT PLAY "AMAZING GRACE." I swear to God, almost every funeral or memorial service I've attended they play "Amazing Grace." This was particularly graceless when my cousin Bud died. He was the same age as me. He loved "Phantom of the Opera." He wanted that song played at his funeral. His caregiver, his sister, chose not to play it because she thought it would be "inappropriate." And yes, she had "Amazing Grace" played at his funeral. 

Pat (or whoever) will take care of my final exit, DO NOT PLAY "AMAZING GRACE" AT MY FUNERAL. 

Play this song......"500 Miles." To me, this is the perfect sendoff for me in this life of mine. Especially the Peter, Paul and Mary version. 

Thank you folks and have a wonderful day and week!

Company Visits!

Today would have been me and Bill's 62nd anniversary.

Bill and I met for the first time July 3rd, 1964 at the Westbury Bar in Philadelphia, PA.

Forty-nine years later on this day, we were married on the exact day of our meeting which just happened to be the first day same sex marriage was allowed in Delaware.

Me and Bill and Jack and Judy at our wedding July 3, 2013

My good friends Jack and Judy were our witnesses. I've known Judy since high school, we graduated together. They were in town to celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary. Jack and Judy used to live here in Delaware for many years. A few years ago they decided to move back to Pennsylvania, where we are all from, to be closer to their children. They have seven children and multiple grandchildren. Judy had asked if she and Jack could stop by for a visit before they checked into their two week rental in nearby Lewes, where they used to live. When I was building Casa Tipton-Kelly twenty years ago, Jack and Judy let me stay at their home in Lewes while they spent the winter months at their home in Florida.

Now their children are scattered across the United States. From Boston to Los Angeles. The next two weeks is to be a gathering of their extended family. The video at the beginning of this post is of their daughter and son who arrived from Boston. I was gathering them for a group family photo. You know me and photos. I love to take photos and videos.

Their visit on this sweltering heat (99 degrees 110 degrees heat index with the humidity) was two fold. First to visit me and secondly because they needed a place to stay until they could check in to their house rentals later today.

I have to say this is the most guests I've ever had at Casa Tipton-Kelly. Bill and I were very private people and I continue to be private. Same with Pat. Today's visit was quite a departure for me. While I enjoyed seeing Jack and Judy again, and meeting some of their children for the first time, the whole experience left me a little discombobulated. That's not a bad thing, just something I'm not used to. From asking them all to remove their shoes before setting foot into Casa Tipton-Kelly to taking her children on a tour, something I'm not used to doing and I doubt if I ever will again in this lifetime. Bill and I used to joke about our home in Pennsylvania, that when we moved that beautiful home would probably be the site of many a family gathering and parties galore.

All told, today's visit was very nice. We all went to lunch at the Zava Cafe in nearby Milton. 

I preferred going to one of our many fine Mexican restaurants (any excuse for me to get a frozen Margarita on a hot day like today) but the patriarch of the clan doesn't like Mexican food. Zava Cafe was fine. Also, since I was one of the drivers (I drove Judy in my new car, "The Princess") I could only have an iced tea.

So that was my day. How was yours?

 

Heat Wave

 

The back deck of Casa Tipton-Kelly during this heat wave

Thank God for air conditioning!

Can you imagine living in Europe, where they don't believe in air conditioning? I would be one of those old folk fatalities that you read about who died from heat exhaustion if I lived in Europe.

This morning I made an early morning run to my local supermarket before the heat and Fourth of July tourist onslaught began. The traffic and heat were fine when I left at 6:45 AM. Not so much when I return ed at 7:30 AM. I sat a good ten minutes in my car waiting for a break from the south bound traffic coming from the north on Route One.  Casa Tipton-Kelly is located on the other side of Route One. Always a challenge getting home in the summertime from the summertime hordes.

The rest of the day I will stay inside here at my oasis from the heat, chaos and turmoil of the outside world. 

Tomorrow I'm having company. Old friends who rented a beach house to celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary with their extended family. Checkin isn't until later in the afternoon and they need a place to stay out of the heat if they come down earlier. That place would be right here at Casa Tipton-Kelly. Originally they were going to stay overnight (they are always welcome) but decided not to this time. We will also go out to lunch. I suggested one of my favorite local Mexican restaurants. 

My Canadian husband at that favorite local Mexican restaurant in Milton

I could use a frozen margarita in this steam bath that is southern Delaware.

Happy Canada Day!

Pat, me ad Glenn

 Happy Canada Day from me and my Canadian husband Pat and my Palm Springs bestie Glenn!