Daffodils - Harbinger of Spring

 

Daffodils at Casa Tipton-Kelly Spring 2026

I love daffodils!

When Bill and I first moved to Delaware in 2006 the first thing I noticed during our first Spring was the absence of that yellow, sun shine harbinger of Spring, daffodils.

I quickly took action to prevent that happening the next Spring. 

That fall I dug up some daffodils from an empty lot that was adjacent to my one acre lot. The house that was on that site was long gone, now covered in weeds and trees but the daffodils, planted long ago by the homeowner, were still arriving on schedule. I knew eventually that lot would be used so I dug up those daffodils which were my first daffodils for the Spring of 2007.

Since then I've been planting hundreds of daffodils bulbs from both mail order (Brecks) and daffodils at end of season sale from my local nursery. 

My daffodils from 2014, from when Bill first created this oval planter with three river birch trees

I always envied those properties and homesites that had a profusion of those lovely rays of sunshine that daffodils display after the gray, drab cold of the end of the winter season. Now I am one of those properties. In fact I'm the only one here in the development where I live of fifty-seven houses. And you know what folks? Long after I'm gone these daffodils will continue to bloom, a reminder of the lover of daffodils who once lived here.

Spring Has Sprung

 

This year's crop of spring tulips, a little too far away from the house

A few days ago I finally got out my John Deere EZ-Trak Zero Degree Turn Riding Mower and mowed our grass. Oh how good that felt. 

Still a bit chilly for riding the mower but the grass had to be mowed. Our backyard was starting to resemble a prairie. 

About two-thirds of our lawn has recovered from that devastating army worm infestation last July. We still have fairly large patches of dead grass (brown patches) but if you look at the lawn a certain angle from our back deck, you can see the all green grass. Hopefully, by the end of the summer our lush green expanse of Almost an Acre lawn has returned to its former glory as the best lawn in the neighborhood. 

All the hundreds of tulips that I planted last fall are in bloom now. I planted them at the far border. You can see the variety of tulip colors from our sunroom but actually they are a bit too far away. Next year I'll plant tulips at the front of our house. That way we can share the variety of tulip spring colors with our neighbors. Right now I only have yellow daffodils out front and they are about done blooming.

Bill continues to do well, albeit he's not the same person he was before his strokes but he is better than he was this time last year. Bill could probably last a couple more years at this rate. 

I still have to help him dress and undress and shower. He can't prepare his own meals and he still gets confused about time and day but he knows who I am. He is in more pain now because of the arthritis in his fingers but I'm giving him Tylenol every six hours and that seems to control his pain.

I'm looking forward to this week of NO DOCTORS' APPOINTMENTS. I still miss my job at the hotel and my quarterly trips with Pat but this is my new reality. I watch the ongoing news about Ukraine and all that death and destruction by the subhuman Russians led by Evil himself, Vladimir Putin and I am reminded how lucky I am to live in this country. We don't have to worry about our neighbors Canada or Mexico invading our country and trying to wipe us out just because they can. And I am also reminded how lucky I am that Bill isn't in worse shape. He can get around and go to the bathroom by himself and again, he knows who I am. 

Have a great week everyone!

Got to bring those tulips in closer to the house next year. Not the still brown patches in our lawn still recovering from the army worm invasion of last July.

Beautiful Spring Days

Two days in a row of beautiful, low humidity spring days.  Wonderful!

I'm finally getting to enjoy this spring. Only one more doctor's appointment (urologist next Friday) and then we're (me and Bill) are free of doctor's appointments until the fall.  Wonderful!  We're both sick of all the doctor's appointments. 

Monday I had my dental appointment, Teeth cleaning (always painful) and X-rays.  No cavities!  Guess so, I don't have that many of my real teeth left.

A little under two weeks left until I make my annual trek to my former home and workplace, Philadelphia PA.  I'll meet Pat there on Monday, June 3rd.  I will be arriving at my friend and former co-worker's co-op guest suite rental the previous day, Sunday, June 2nd.  We'll only be in Philly for a week.  The following Saturday I'll be attending my high school 60th class reunion.  This reunion will probably be our last formal reunion.  Too many of us dying off.  I doubt if I'll be around for the 65th and definitely not for the 70th.  Long gone by then folks. 

This past week my neighbor Harvey stopped by and cleaned out the broken branches of my favorite river birch. Now I have a big gaping hole in that tree.  It will take about three years for that to fill in. Hope I'll still be around when that happens. Detect a theme here?

I haven't been updating my blog as often as I used to.  The reason is that I'm just too tired. I think my old age is finally catching up with me. I wind down right about now, 10 pm.  That's with an afternoon nap.  I haven't even made my daily journal entry for the day.  I'm slipping folks.  Fading out.  Hope not. 

Spring Flowers 2019

This spring has been exceptional. A little chilly and we did have a mini tornado tear through our back yard last week but overall, a very nice spring. 

Every fall, when I am faced with planting over one hundred spring bulbs I wonder, "Why did I order so many?"  But when spring rolls around after a long, cold, gray, bleak winter, I am thankful that I made the effort last fall to plant all those bulbs. Never too many I say!

Tomorrow I take Bill back to the eye institute to have his left eye treated for removal of his scar tissue from cataract surgery.  

Last week I had half of our house power washed. Looks good!  In fact our house looks brand new.  

Last week I also employed some guys (English speaking, what a relief) to dig up two new herb plant beds for me and lay some mulch. I used to do all this work myself but at my age now I know my limits because my body tells me when I push myself.  

Even though I fatigue easily doing manual labor I can still work at the hotel. Looks like what I'm doing now is a trade off, money I earn at the hotel I pay someone else to do the manual labor around here at Casa Tipton-Kelly.  Making adjustments for my old age folks.

Yesterday I did manage to do some work outside.  I do like working outside. I just have to scale back my endeavors. But then if I did kneel over from a heart attack while working in my flower beds, well  that would be desirable for me instead of passing into the Great Beyond hooked up to IV units and a heart monitor at the hospital. 

You know folks, as much as I love Palm Springs, I do like living in a place where I can experience the change of seasons. 

Enjoy the flowers!

Daffodils Spring 2019

Let us pause in the daily travails and enjoy this short video of my spring daffodils in full bloom.

I love daffodils! They are the cheerful harbinger of spring. Spring, that time of year of rebirth.

After a long cold winter, seeing the cheerful yellow daffodils heads dancing in the wind sooth my psyche on these stressful days.

Every fall I plant more daffodils. Last night I placed an order with Brecks for even more daffodils to plant this fall. 

Can never have enough daffodils!

Looking at this video I am again reminded that this is my last move. I am totally happy here on our one acre of land in southern coastal Delaware. Of course I miss hills and mountains  and warm weather and the beat and throb of the city but here is where I will end my days. Of course punctuated with my quarterly excursions with Pat, my Canadian Travel Buddy.

Living the dream folks!

Spring Has Arrived!

Oh my gosh! I DO believe spring has finally arrived. Check out this video that I took this morning.  Sun, warmth, color and wind.  Spring is here!  

I see my last posting to this blog was last Saturday. Looks like I'm going to default to a weekly posting, at least for the foreseeable future. 

You may ask "What's going on Ron?"  Just too busy with daily like folks. 

The past two weeks I had to arrange through the Veteran's Choice program to have an outside provider see Bill for his leg problems. Bill had a bad case of edema. I would post pictures but they're too gross.  Take my word for it, he has a bad case of edema. His legs are infected and oozing a clear liquid. The Veteran's Choice program is a great program but I do have to jump through a lot of hoops to get him treated. First I have to arrange an appointment with his provider at the VA Outpatient Clinic in Georgetown. They evaluate his condition and then decide to issue a "consult" for Bill to see an outside provider.  Then I have to wait for that consult to "populate" through the VA system and then HealthNet, which is an outside provider to coordinates the appointments (and payments) with an outside provider. In the past Bill would have to make the ninety mile trip to the VA main facility in Wilmington Delaware. In addition to being many miles away there was always a long wait of several months. With the Veteran's choice program, Bill is eligible is he is more than forty miles away from the VA facility and has to wait more than two weeks.  Of course Bill also has to be a veteran. Bill meets all those requirements. One big sticking point is that each condition has to have an authorization number before he can proceed to be treated.  This is unlike the Medicare that I have, which I just see a doctor. My conditions don't require an authorization number in advance. And I can't get ahead of the procedure like I did with Bill's cataract surgery. I arranged his eye appointment before I had the authorization number and thus had to pay the $180 from our funds because HealthNet doesn't back date. I learned my lesson. Now I wait until I get the authorization number before any appointments are kept.

I got so caught up in getting Bill in the system last week that I missed my own VA six month checkup appointment. I got an automated called reminding me of an appointment. I thought it was for Bill.  I called and they said Bill didn't have an appointment. I thought they (the VA) screwed up so I didn't keep the appointment.  Turns out that call was for MY appointment. Darn!  I pride myself on always keeping my appointments, especially with the VA since they have signs all over their facility reminding us old vets to keep out appointments . I will call them on Monday and apologize profusely and make arrangements for another appointment.  

I'm back on the Medical Treadmill with my appointments. This month I have a follow-up with my urologist for my kidney stones. Then my dermatologist for that "thing" that is itching like crazy on my lower back. And of course my regular six month appointment that I keep track to make sure my prostate cancer hasn't returned. 

So there you go folks, a blog posting that turned out to be a medical update. 

I was going to write a blog rant about Trump but I am restraining myself. Lots of other things going on in my life which will have to wait for future blog postings. We're just trying to keep ourselves together here folks.

In the meantime, looks like our long, cold spring has finally left our lovely home here in southern Delaware. Bill's outside working now, I will go out later to let those warm breezes wrap around me. Sort of reminds me of Palm Springs. Nice!

Happy Daffodils!

Easter, a sure sign that spring is finally here. My daffodils are in full bloom.

As my regular blog followers know, I haven't updated by blog for over a week now. My lame excuse is that I'm "just too busy."  Well, I have been busy stamping out the usual campfires. 

This past week I've been laying mulch every day. Also, creating stone walls. I love doing this kind of work in my back yard.  I find it so relaxing. Only problem now is how much can my body take?  I have to ration out my physical exertion. So far I'm doing good. 

Yesterday I took a video tour of my daffodil blooms this year. I've always wanted a property in which a profusion of daffodils burst into bloom welcoming spring.  Planting all these bulbs in the fall took a lot of effort folks. There were times I thought "Why am I doing this?  It is so cold outside".  But now that I see the burst of yellow around our almost one acre (.98 acres) I know my effort was well worth it. 

Now I have to order more daffodils for planting this fall. Can never have enough daffodils!

Have a wonderful Easter folks!

Note:  Just viewed the video I posted. Sorry about all the wind noise. I'll have to figure out how to eliminate that in future videos.

Snow Gone!

The snow is gone!  

Sunny this morning but still way too cold for spring. Man oh man, come on nice spring weather.

Folks, I'm trying mightily not to comment on the current political situation with our disastrous commander in chief who is nothing more than a small minded criminal bully. After his actions yesterday our country is in greater danger than ever. But you know what really concerns me folks? The Congressional Republican leadership which refuses to do anything to perform their Constitutional responsibility and check the excesses of the Executive branch (the president) of government. This is all I'm going to say about this subject in this blog but I had to get this off my chest.

Bill and I are settled in here for the coming warm weather of spring. Sometimes I wonder if that warm weather will ever come. I still have 29 bags of mulch to lay, which I'm going to do as soon as I finish this blog posting.

Pat and I are discussing visiting Palm Springs this summer. Usually we go once a year in February but since Pat brought a condo in Palm Springs, we thought it would be interesting to visit and see what summer is like in Palm Springs. I suspect it will be HOT but we would like to experience just how hot it will be. Remember, Palm Springs is in my future plans to move, should I live into my 80's and am the sole survivor here at our Delaware home. Each year, the cold weather bothers me more plus it's dangerous for me, I fear falling on ice again. I never want to go through what I went through three years ago when I fell and tore my quadricep muscle in my left leg.

Time to get up out of this chair now and go lay some mulch. 

Have a great day!

Cold Spring

Stones for raised garden wall ordered this morning from Lowe's

Man, is it ever cold outside. This is one cold spring. 

I wasn't expecting it to be this cold when I returned from California a couple of weeks ago. 

Three weeks in a row we've had a Nor'easter tearing up the East Coast. Thank goodness, we didn't get any snow here in southern Delaware. The but cold bitter winds make going outside not comfortable. 

Yesterday I had a load of forty bags of mulch delivered. Last week I had a local landscaper edge out my flower beds. That was expensive. I decided not to lay out any more money and lay the mulch myself. I need the exercise anyway (I tell myself). 

This morning I ordered a skid of seventy stones to build a raised garden. Yes, I will build that wall. I need the exercise (I tell myself).  

I've always loved working in my yard. I hate painting but I could do yard work all day. I find it relaxing. But as my body ages, I have found I can't keep up with all that needs to be done.

Me with my hired landscaper (still smiling before the job was completed and paid for)

Four years ago I hired a local Mexican landscaper to help. At first his prices were competitive. He charged by the job. This year he changed his pricing and charged by the hour. Thirty dollars an hour. Yep, you guess it. He charged me for thirty-six hours but no way did his crew work thirty-six hours. And his "crew" often existed of just one guy. I hate situations like this. I confronted him about the hours but didn't get too far. He  speaks limited English. His understanding of English is selective. If I say something he doesn't want to hear, he acts like he doesn't understand me. But if I say something he wants to hear like "I'll pay you $1,000 to edge my lawn", he has no problem. I'm not a good bargainer.  I prefer to pay by the job. If it's a good job, and I consider it worth it, I'll pay. If I think I'm being overcharged, I don't use that person again. I won't be using Miguel again. He did do a good job, but overcharged. There, I feel better now after this rant. One of the reasons I keep a blog, so I can vent.

Now, I'm waiting for that sweet spot of weather between the crisp coolness of spring and the muggy hotness of summer so I can lay that mulch. Hope all that exercise can cause me to lose a few pounds. 

Tent Caterpillars

Spring is a wonderful time of the year. After the cold, gray days of winter, the burst of new life and color of spring is a welcome reminder of the renewal of life. Maybe that's why we celebrate Easter at this time of year. Pagan holidays and religious observances intersect.

But one of the downsides of the life renewal of spring is the return of the parasites.  This past winter I took care of the telemarketer parasites. Now it was time to take care of the spring parasites. Tent caterpillars specifically.   Oh sure, I hear the argument "They deserve to live too" but folks, not on my wild cherry tree. NO way, NO how. They got to go. 




Not too many years ago an anonymous bird or birds deposited some wild cherry tree seeds (and you know how they "deposited" those seeds, don't ask me to go into detail) at the perimeter of my backyard wildlife sanctuary. This was one planting I didn't have to buy.  During the summer I pull up many wild cherry tree seedlings that are in an inappropriate place but this seedling was perfectly placed. The many birds who visit my backyard wildlife sanctuary during the season LOVE those wild cherries.  I see many of those seeds in my eight birdbaths. Thus, this was one "weed" I didn't pull up.

Then last year I noticed the ugly emergence of tent caterpillars.  You have all seen a tree decimated by tent caterpillars.  Always a sad sight.  Well, I was determined not to lose my wild cherry tree to this particular, unwelcome parasite.  And just as I got rid of the telemarketers calling my land line phone daily, I got rid of those tent caterpillars. 

The way I got rid of them was by destroying their tents when they are young and crawling up and down the smooth wild cherry tree bark to the young leaves of the wild cherry tree.  I found if I kept the young caterpillars busy rebuilding their tents until the leaves fully emerged, then I could starve the caterpillars and thus save at least one wild cherry tree for a food source for my backyard visitors. And that's what I'm showing you here on this blog post of the video that Bill took of me just a short while ago "brushing" the young tent caterpillars's tents.  

Hey, who else do you know who posts blogs about controlling tent caterpillars?  Just one more reason why you should ALWAYS visit my blog.  To quote the famous Forest Gump (referring to a box of chocolates):

"You just never know what you're going to get."

Spring is Here!

Finally, spring is here!  

I just returned from my local nursery, Peppers'.  Yet another purchase of daffodils to place in those empty spaces around Casa Tipton-Kelly.

Pat's is trudging through the snow in Toronto. A few days ago a late snowstorm buried Denver, Colorado.  Just one day after Denver was basking in spring time temps of 70 degrees plus. No more snow her folks! 

Monday I begin a three day stay in Philadelphia visiting my friend Don McK. More on site instruction showing Don how to use his new iMac computer.  I'm going to try and talk him into buying an iPhone and fully joining the Digital Age, even though he is approaching 80 years old. Wish me luck! Don was the one person who introduced me to computers thirty years ago (1986). This is my payback to my friend.

With all the bad news of terrorist attacks in Europe and the ridiculous Republican fight for the presidential nomination, I'm concentrating on the gift of living through another spring season.  Last night I left work and I didn't even need a coat!  Hey folks, I'm ready for the NICE WEATHER and good news.


Note: the video at the beginning of this blog was taken from my bedroom window this morning.  My backyard birds indulging in a morning bath routine.

Good Morning Sunshine

Oh my, yet another gorgeous spring day here in southern Delaware! 

I'm loving this folks!  It's days like that that one feels grateful to be alive, in good health, with friends, nice home, not hungry and warm.  Just lovely folks, just so lovely.

With all the bad news in the world isn't it wonderful just to take time out and enjoy The Moment?

Yesterday I hit my favorite local nursery again yesterday and bought even more daffodils.  Oh yes I did.  One can never have too many daffodils, that cherry harbinger of spring and happy days to come.  

A garter snake I found at Pepper's whilst I was perusing the plants - oh yes, I almost peed myself

I've made it through another winter cold spell.  Thankfully this winter wasn't too brutal and even more thankfully I didn't fall and injure my leg or any other body parts like my hip or arm from bracing a fall.  I had a couple of close calls but no accidents.  And wonder of all wonders, I didn't even get a cold this winter. Maybe those flu shots work after all.  

Well folks, I'm off to work again today.  The hotel renovation is almost completed.  We'll be ready for the seasonal onslaught of guests to our spectacular, water view upscale boutique hotel in the smack dab center of Lewes, Delaware.  Come on down!

Best boutique hotel in Delaware

Yesterday I finalized my reservations for a three day stay in Philly at the end of this month.  I'll be staying in the guest suite of my friend Don McK.'s co-op on Walnut Street.  Spring will be popping (I hope) in Philly plus I'll get to spend more time with Don.  In may I'll be returning to Philly to meet my Canadian Travel Buddy Pat.  We'll spend a week in Philly and a few days down here in LSD (Lower Slower Delaware) before the hordes of summertime tourists descend upon us and make the roads impassable. 

Philadelphia, PA - one very COOL city! My "Goldilocks" city; not too big and not too small . . . . just right!

I hope all of you have a bright, cheerful daffodil day!

Spring is Here!

The calendar says Spring doesn't arrive until Palm Sunday, March 20th.  But folks, I'm telling you Spring is here!  

Yesterday the temps were up to 77 degrees.  I took sought to take advantage of the spring like temperatures and began laying flagstone around my compost pile.  I had to quit after about an hour of that hard labor, I was sweating.  I had to quit folks.  I am of that age that if I get overheated there may be serious consequences.  Bill said even he got dizzy working outside.  We both came inside to the cooler climes of Casa Tipton-Kelly.

Me yesterday putting a border of leftover flagstones around my compost pile

Note the picture at the header. It is of the double wide where my late friend Bob McC. lived with his husband Jim D.  That photo was taken last week a day after our last snow (I hope).  That place, scene of many a good times is now abandoned.  Now only a sad reminder of what was and will never be again.

These days I have new friends and new "good times."  One day too Casa Tipton-Kelly will be no more, only a faint reminder of the happy and contented life that Bill and I enjoy now.

Today I go to work for my regular 3 to ll PM shift at the hotel.  The hotel is undergoing complete renovations thus creating some discombobulation of everyone's regular routine.  But all that will be well worth it because I'm telling you folks, that hotel is absolutely fabulous now.  I am so proud to work there. I don't work in any dumps. Oh okay, I'll admit it.  I am a hotel snob. 




I'm back on my regular shift.  I don't like switching around every week.  I lose track of when I'm supposed to work plus I can't plan my "other" life.  Right now I have a balance that works for me.  Part-time work and retirement doing what I want and enjoying doing.  If I'm working all the time, especially filling in on short notice, then I feel like one of those firemen who sleep at the firehouse waiting for a call to slid down the pole and fight the latest fire.  I don't mind filling in occasionally folks, but not all the time, on a regular basis. I work part-time.  I'm not a substitute worker. 

I'm posting two videos to You Tube I took.  One of the renovations at the hotel and the other of the new daffodils that have arrived this Spring at Casa Tipton-Kelly.  Hopefully I'm not infringing on anyone's copyright status.  Most of my last videos that I posted to You Tube were blocked by You Tube because I dared to have background music in them.  God forbid I would prevent one of these overpaid entertainers from getting a few more pennies for their "art."  It's not like I have ads on my blog and I'm making money from posting those videos.  What a time we live in folks, every one is so hyper about political correctness and copy right infringement but yet we're bombarded every day with incessant ads from all angles.  Thank God I got rid of my land line which I DON'T MISS AT ALL.  At least I stopped that one form of ad harassment. Should've done that a LONG TIME AGO.

Okay, I'm ranting now and I shouldn't be.  Such a beautiful day outside.  Think nice things Ron.

Me at work with my "Barney" sweater

That Time of Year - Daffodils

Me earlier this week with this season's new arrivals who have found their forever home at Casa Tipton-Kelly

Ah yes, it's "that time of year" folks, when Spring is just around the corner.  

I decided to get a jump start on Spring this year by planting a passel of miniature daffodils I purchased at my favorite local nursery. 

Oh how I love the sassiness of radiant, yellow daffodils bobbing in the brisk Spring air.  Folks, there is no better harbinger of Spring than daffodils spring forth, proclaiming yet another start of rebirth.  

I love all the Spring flowers but daffodils are perhaps my favorite because they come back every year.  They just keep on and on.

Daffodils that I rescued from an abandoned lot - 2005 I planted them in my father's former cornfield - I'm sure they're gone now because my brother lives at the old family homestead and has probably plowed them to extinction - a shame because these were beautiful white daffodils with a yellow stamen  - I tried

Have you ever seen daffodils blooming early in the Spring on a wooded patch of land?  You know what that was don't you?  There used to be someone's home there.  Long after the home is demolished the daffodils continue blooming.  I've always found that sad yet at the same time a reminder that life goes on.

When we moved down here to Delaware, I noticed daffodils blooming at the end of the road that borders our property.  There was no house on that small wooded patch of land but oh how the daffodils would burst forth in all they magnificent yellowness the first hint of Spring.  

As I did when I lived in Pennsylvania, I dug up those daffodils and replanted them on our property.  Good thing that I did because last year whoever owned that land, plowed down all the trees, which were a haven for birds and all kinds of other small wildlife, and now that lot is part of a cornfield.  Thank goodness I rescued those daffodils. 

So if you will excuse me folks, I'm going to take a quick trip to the local nursery and get some more daffodils.

Happy Spring!

Rescued daffodils now in the front of our home - a new lease on life!

Musings on a Gray Cold February Sunday

A couple of Valentine guests for the weekend at the hotel last night - nice to see happiness

Only a few more weeks to go folks until the onset of Spring.  Oh yes, this year especially I will appreciate the entry of warmer temperatures and longer days.

Last night I worked at the hotel.  Hotel was full because of Valentine's Day weekend.  I usually don't work weekends so it took a little adjustment to the wants and needs of a hotel full of guests.  My normal shifts are Mondays and Thursdays, 3 PM to 11 PM.  Light workload (usually) folks.  It always takes  little bit of adjustment for me to cope with the weekend crowd and their needs and requests for the best restaurants to dine in town, which most of them are closed for the season. After all, this is Slower Lower Delaware (LSD).

Won't be long now until the crocus bloom and the green spring buds will sprout out on the dormant tree twigs and branches.  And another season begins.  Tell you what folks, I'm thankful I'm still around to enjoy yet another fabulous season.  Especially this time of year when my memories are of my departed friends Wayne and Ed who died this time last year.  

And I continue The Journey . . . . . alone.

Leg Injury Update and Other Musings on this Saturday Morning

Mother and daughter in my dentist's waiting room

Good morning folks!  Yep, I'm still hobbling around on my cane with my full leg brace.  But that may change this Monday.  

Monday I visit my orthopedic doctor.  "Rich", from my thrice weekly physical therapy sessions, thinks I am ready for a bracketed leg brace.  Rich sent my doctor a fax suggesting the same when I visit my doctor this Monday.  Folks, I am ready to discard this, now hot, foam rubber, full leg brace.  I've been wearing it since that terrible dark, bitterly cold night of February 18th when the ghost of my dear departed (angry) friend Wayne pushed me down I slipped and fell on the ice near the drain pipe as I was leaving work, thus rupturing my quadricep muscles of my left leg. 

"Jannelle", my new dental hygienist

I'm on my fourth month of recovery folks and I have to tell you, this has been perhaps the roughest four months of my life with the possible exception of those eleven months in 2006 when I couldn't sell our house in Pennsylvania. The past four months have been a challenge to say the least. 

I just got in from planting more plants outside, which I do these days standing up.  Hard on my back?  You bet!  

But as I've said in previous blog postings I do have an image to maintain in my neighborhood, the neighbor with the prettiest flowers (with the possible exception of my dear neighbor Barbara). 

But what is happening is that slowly but surely I am returning to my regular life.

Yesterday was the first time I could squeeze myself into the passenger seat of our car.  Uncomfortable?  Yes but I was in . . . . finally.  Pat is coming down to LSD for his annual visit May 23rd and I don't want him to be chauffeuring me around in the back seat of his car. 

The novelty of "Driving Miss Daisy" that Bill has been doing for the past four months has worn off.

I'm sleeping better at night now that I can lay on my right side, something I was unable to do until last week. 

I can whip in and out of the shower pretty fast these days without the long drawn out process that I've been going through for the past month of so.  Before that I was giving myself whore sponge baths from the sink.

This week I was able to keep my long delayed dental appointment that I had to cancel two weeks after my disastrous fall from grace. Photos from that event is my excuse for posting them to this blog.

I can now bend my knee 72 degrees.  Still not as much as I would like but much better than the 30 degrees when I started physical therapy three weeks ago. 

Stretching that reattached quadricep muscle and bending my knee 180 degrees is perhaps my biggest challenge these days folks.  I'm told that may take months yet.  But in the meantime, I am progressing forward. 

Ron Tipton, Downingtown High School Marching Band - 1959 

I will march again.

Glorious Spring Saturday Morning

 Good morning folks! This is what life is all about, this glorious spring Saturday morning. This is what I live for folks.

Bill and I just got back from Pepper's Greenhouse.  I had to by some alyssum flowers for my oval planter.  

Alyssum is usually the first spring plant that I buy.  This delicate, aromatic flower thrives in cool temperatures.  I can plant it in my oval planter and it will last all summer up and until the first frost and a few weeks thereafter.  It doesn't like the heat of summer and goes go into a bit of hibernation but quickly recovers during the cool fall temperatures.  

Each year I have to make sure I get to the local greenhouse early enough to purchase my alyssum.  One year I got there too late and they were out and I was out of luck.  I had to go the whole spring and summer season without my "carpet of snow."  

Of course this morning was a chore getting to Pepper's.  Bill still has to load me into the back seat of the car.  My leg doesn't bend enough, with this leg brace still on, to sit in the front seat.  But I'm hoping my doctor advises me to ditch the leg brace and advising me to bend my leg (knee) more.  

While we were at Pepper's we ran into my co-worker Lou and his lovely wife Eileen (I think that's here name).  

Bill, Lou and Eileen at Pepper's Greenhouse this morning

 Small world around here folks!  That's what I love about living in Delaware, especially southern Delaware. Look at Bill, he looks thrilled doesn't he? He still has to follow me around, pushing a cart and making sure my leg doesn't give out.  Oh it was so good to get out this morning and at least start back on some semblance of my regular spring routine of visiting Pepper's.  I also brought to parsley plants.  The danger of frost isn't over yet and parsley is one of those plants that can take a mild frost of two.  Later on when the danger of frost is past (after Mother's Day or May 15th) I'll buy some basil, sage, cilantro, and other herb plants.  

When I woke up this morning the swelling on my injured leg was almost nothing.  I was swimming in my brace, moving my leg and knee around almost like normal.  

I can feel normalcy returning folks!  Isn't it amazing how the body heals itself?  Life is amazing. And I treasure every moment I have.  

This morning I was thinking about my friends Ed and Wayne who died earlier this year.  No more will they experience the special joys of spring. So sad for us who have been left behind but, hopefully, wherever they are they are happy and enjoying eternal bliss.

Here's to you guys, you are missed.

Ed Cage - died January 27th 2015

Wayne Juneau - died February 17th, 2015

A Taste of Spring 2015 and Oher Thoughts

Today is one of those glorious spring days that hurts.  Here I am stuck in the house with this bum leg.  If I wasn't hopping around on this leg, I would be outside today surveying my backyard for "holes" to  plant daffodils for next year's bloom fest.

I also would be taking a walk on the boardwalk in Rehoboth.  This is the best time of year to walk the boards in Rehoboth.  The kids are still in school and the tourists are still at their homes.  Late fall and early spring are the best times for us locals to enjoy the coastal pleasures of Rehoboth Beach.  Looks like I'm going to miss that pleasure this year. But then I think of my friends Ed Cage and Wayne "The Cajun" Juneau . . . . their glorious spring days are gone now.  Ed died January 27th and Wayne died February 17th, one day before I fell and injured my leg.

Wherever they are now I hope they are in eternal bliss and raising a toast to us still struggling through every day life here on earth and trying to grab a little bit of happiness whenever when we can. Here's to you Ed and Wayne.

Ed and Wayne at the Purple Parrot

Flower Power

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My regular followers will notice that I've been missing in action around these parts lately.  Yep, my work schedule at the hotel has again been changed.  Yep, I used to work two nights a week, Wednesdays and Thursdays.  We're going on month two now that I'm continuing to fill in for my co-workers.  God knows I love them all but they all have lives too and come to me when they need or want some time off.  Yes, I know we have TWO part-time workers but it always seems to be that the other part-time worker rarely fills in.  It's Good Old Ron as usual.  Same thing happened when I worked at the Hampton Inn in Lionville, Pa.  I had seven co-workers there but it was always Good Old Ron.  You know, the guy who can't say "No."  And yes, I know my co-workers read this blog.  

Yesterday I had a chance to get out and visit my favorite nursery and drop bucks on them.  I do love to keep the local economy going.  They're always happy to see me coming.  

We've had a string of fabulous spring time weather in these parts.  So unusual because usually we get one, two or at the most three days of nice spring weather before "The Humids" set in.  So far so good, just nice spring weather.  

Hopefully I'll get a chance to enjoy the next few days (after I go to work today).  I was hoping for a long stretch until I go to work again but I agreed to work for my co-worker this Sunday, Mother's Day.  How could I say no?  She's a mother.

Successful Saturday!

Dressed and ready to go!

Yesterday morning dawned bright and sunny.  I woke up mentally and physically prepared to assault my adjoining residential development of Oyster Rocks.  Yes, your intrepid neighborhood volunteer for the Democratic party was going to take advantage of their neighborhood yard sale and introduce myself.  

I have to admit it was with some trepidation as I dressed in my non-threatening, user friendly outfit of blue pull over sweater, pale yellow shirt, and clean jeans and headed out on foot with my clipboard, name badge and Democrat pin.  Ready to go Ron!

The roads in Oyster Rocks that I walked yesterday - lots of exercise!

I walked from my development which adjoins Oyster Rocks.  Checking my list of names and addresses, I stopped at the first house on my list.  I knock on the door and middle aged gentleman answered the door. I asked if his wife was in.  He said she was but she was busy.  I then identified myself as "Hi!  I'm your neighbor from Covington Chase and I'm the neighborhood volunteer for the Democratic party.  I want to let you know that we're active in the neighborhood and urging all registered Democrats to vote in this year, the off year elections.  Here's my card if you have any questions." 

He took my card and told me they had recently moved into the neighborhood from Maryland.  I told him that I had moved from Pennsylvania to Delaware in 2006.  We thus began a pleasant conversation that lasted about a half an hour.  He took me on a tour of his backyard.  As I was talking with him and going on his tour I noticed more cars and activity around me, as more people were coming into the Oyster Rocks development for the yard sales. I thanked him and excused myself and was on my way.

Oyster Rocks neighborhood yard sale yesterday

Well folks, I won't go through everyone that I saw but I did see a LOT of folks!  I think about twenty-five.  I made a good dent in my list of contacting registered Democrats.  Some just answered the door and I gave them my card.  Some others, like Patty W., was also a passionate Democrat who saw the need for a change and we had long conversations.  So, from 8 am to about 11:30 am I had an extremely productive time introducing my wonderful self to said registered Democrats.  

I was apprehensive about knocking on doors of strangers but it appears my fears were unfounded.  My friend Pat told me that I would more likely make more friends than have a door slammed in my face.  The only negative I had was when I knocked on a door of an older house out on Oyster Rocks Road.  An older lady (older than me so you know that is OLD) answered.  She was reluctant to open the door but I motioned for her to open it so I could give her my card.  After I introduced myself she said, with a scowl on her face, "I hate all politicians! They're all liars!" Hmmm, actually I couldn't totally disagree with her and told her so.  Apparently that broke the ice because we also had a long conversation about local politics, the neighborhood and her family which has been in Sussex County for generations (her daughter and son-in-law lived in the house next to hers).  We ended our meeting with her saying to me "God bless you!"  So what do you think folks?  Could I be one of those lying politicians? Nah, I don't have the temperament.  First, I couldn't and wouldn't lie.  Secondly, I have very little patience with some of the more extreme right wing views and I would vociferously voice my views.

One of the hidden houses on Route One (behind that clump of trees) - I couldn't figure out how to get in

After a very successful morning in Oyster Rocks, I returned home and had lunch and took my daily nap.  Awaking from my nap I was all energized again and decided to stop out on the highway (Route One) and knock on those doors. Well folks, that was a completely different demographic out there.  Registered Democrats for sure but not the "imports" that I was so successfully talking to in the morning in Oyster Rocks.  These folks are the original Sussex County residents, lower on the economic scale and houses not quite so grand as mine and my fellow neighbors in Oysters Rocks.  All the houses except one I didn't get anyone to come to the door.  I know they were there because I saw the pickup trucks their driveway.  Again, just another reminder of how lucky I am to have a nice home among nice friendly folks.  There is definitely a cultural divide down here folks, even among us Democrats. 

Yes Paul Ryan, we Dems are a diverse bunch