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.

Neighbor Emergency

My frozen front walkway just now. Looks innocent and safe but it's not. All frozen solid. Dangerous.

Today, for the first time in a week I ventured out of the house.

The temperatures are still in the high teens. 

The snow and subsequent rain of the winter storm last week is still on the ground except for the roadways.

I could stay in my house for another week, I have enough food to sustain me but mentally I have to get out of this house. 

Cabin fever. 

I have to get out.

I'm telling your folks, I wouldn't do well in an assisted living facility. Living in one of those old age warehouses is like a glorified prison. 

I was taking my chances of course of slipping and falling on the frozen snow by going out. Thank goodness my local supermarket had their lot cleaned out. I didn't have to walk on any frozen snow.

While I was at Food Lion (my local supermarket of choice) I received a phone call from my eighty-six year old widower neighbor. My MAGA neighbor (we don't discuss politics, we know better). He was locked out of his house. His garage door wasn't opening and he didn't have an extra set of keys hidden outside of his house.

He was in a panic. He said "Ron, I'm in big trouble!" He wanted to know if I had a set of keys to his house (I don't). I have the code to his garage door (I walk his dog when he's on one of his frequent fishing day trips). He said he tried to break the glass next to his front door. He said it wasn't breaking. Well, that was good news because if the glass broke that easy, any criminal could easily break into our cookie cutter development Ryan homes houses. He wanted to know if I had a big hammer so he could break his glass. I told him of course Bill has all kinds of hammers. I told him I was almost finished shopping and would be home in about fifteen minutes.

When I arrived home I saw him sitting in his car in his driveway with his motor on to keep him warm in his car in this 18 degree cold.

I went into my house to get one of Bill's hammers and when I very carefully walked over to his driveway over the frozen snow (yes, here I am risking falling walking on frozen snow) he was on his phone calling a locksmith. A locksmith! Of course! Why didn't I think of that? 

I could see he was having trouble getting a live locksmith on the phone but he finally left a message. He asked if he could stay at my house until the locksmith called him back. When he got to my place I decided to call another locksmith. I did and got hold of one right away. The locksmith said he would be here in twenty minutes or so. That was more like it. WTF? You should be able to get hold of a locksmith right away not leave a message. 

While my neighbor was here I told him about how Bill sends me signs and messages of the Afterlife. My neighbor also his wife about a year before Bill died. His wife and Bill were very good friends as I was with her also. "Bob" (I'll stop calling him "my neighbor", his name is "Bob") listened to me patiently but I could tell the more I talked about the different ways Bill has been keeping in contact with me, that he thought I cuckoo beans for Cocoa Puffs. Oh well, I don't care. I know what Bill is doing. As he was leaving, following him I said "I hope I didn't spook you Bob." He said "Oh, I'm spooked Ron. I'm spooked" as he carefully walked over the frozen ice back to his driveway, getting away from me as fast as he could before I further spooked him.

He called me about a half hour later and told me he got in his house. He thanked me for my help.

Thus my little drama today.

Poor Pat, he's been stuck in the Quebec area the past two days in the cold and snow with his Go Valet job. As I type this I see on my iPhone GPS tracker he's still driving those snow covered roads in Quebec environs in cold, cold Canada.

 

A World of Wednesdays - July 30, 2025

 What's Top of My Mind. Bad feelings. Yesterday afternoon I had to slap down an offer of a closer friendship with a kind fellow with home I had a recent professional relationship. Like everyone (except perhaps masochists) I hate being rejected. However, over my many years on this planet I've developed a rather thick skin when rejected to the point that I consider the person or folks rejecting me, "their loss" because I'm such a Nice Guy. Even worse, I hate rejecting nice people (no problem with bad people) but I had to yesterday. This fellow mean well but after his latest attempt to form a closer relationship (over the line from professional to personal) I finally had to issue my Rejection Slip, thus hurting his feelings. How to do this without being cruel? I consulted with my friends for advice. My one friend said "Ignore his texts". That's what he did when a neighbor lady tried to put the moves on him. Of course that didn't work and she eventually confronted him in an awkward and ugly showdown. Pat had the best advice. "I don't have time for this." And actually that was true. And isn't Truth always the best answer? Most times anyway (I guess). So I shot of that text and received a reply "Ok. I didn't mean to bother you." There we go! I'm sure there was some hurt feelings, and I do appreciate the outreach, me being this crooked old man living alone who has trouble walking and this a much younger man fifty plus years my junior. The only friends I have down here are my neighbors to either side of Casa Tipton-Kelly. One is a widower and the other a young couple with two young daughters. We pretty much keep to ourselves but we look out for each other. Not one of them has requested a sit-down over refreshments. I have longtime friends from my old schoolmates to previous fellow workers and a cousin or two here and there and one sister-in-law. My multiple nieces and nephews I have no communication with for various reasons, the main one being my surviving brother is MAGA and we haven't spoken in years.  And of course my Blogger Friends and most of all Pat. My life is very full now. I don't need any more friends (he says). Still, I feel rather guilty for rejecting a sincere offer of friendship. This is the third offer of such a friendship that I've nipped in the bud since Bill has died. Before Bill died I told him that such offers would probably be coming. Those offering such friendships will never know how lucky they are not becoming my friend because I'm no prize. I'm difficult. Bill, Pat and my other friends know that but they have long ago proved what true friends they are by putting up with me. The first night I spent with Bill at the hospice center I was so distraught because I knew he would never be leaving there alive. As the fine folks there were trying to comfort me, I kept wailing "He put up with me, he put up with so much. He put up with me.!" As I say this I'm tearing up but that was the sentiment wealing up from the depths of my soul knowing that I was going to lose the love of my life.

Where I've Been: The usual. My weekly visit to the Restore Thrift Store, Food Lion and Pepper's Greenhouse. That's it. With the brutal heat and humidity on the Delmarva peninsula where I live, I stay at home most of time. Today however, I have my annual visit with my cardiologist at 2:00 PM. I'm not looking forward to telling him that I have forgone my two heart prescriptions. They make me sick and nauseas and I suspect constipated which is a big NO-NO in my world. I would rather take my chances than be nauseas, exhausted and constipated all the time. This is the same cardiologist that ten years ago informed me I had sleep apnea and should wear one of those restrictive head gear thingies. I decline then as I do now. I'm way past my due date anyway. I'll take every day I have of this life but I'm not going to extend it by causing more discomfort than I have quality of life. 

What I'm eating: Sauerkraut. See above. YUM! Tummy feels good!

What I'm planning: A clean out everyday. I have so much stuff at Casa Tipton-Kelly that needs a thorough going through to see what needs to be tossed and what needs to be kept for my Memories. I will never be a minimalist but I can get rid of a lot of Stuff. Just the other day I cleared of the top of my four draw filing cabinet here in my home office. In addition to wiping off an embarrassing amount of dust, I noticed how nice that cabinet looks with a cleared top. I also found some items that I thought I had lost. Treasures! Alas, the top is dust free but not thingie free. Now for my other cabinet.

I've been putting off this cleaning and throw away for too long now because I didn't want it to be a big project taking up my days because my days are pretty set up the way I want them to be now. But I can squeeze in at least a half an hour a day for this project. This is how I did my outside fall clean up this past fall when I could no longer afford to pay $1,000 to my local landscaper Jose to do it for me. I pruned one crepe myrtle a day until I had them all done. I'll employee the same tactic here on the inside of Casa Tipton-Kelly. Who knows what additional treasures Iwill discover beneath the dust?

Who Needs A Good Slap: The Republicans in Congress. Last night they just approved Trump's evil personal lawyer Emil Bove for a lifetime judgeship on the Washington D.C. Circuit Appeals court thus proving again the oath when they took office to "preserve and protect" the Constitution was a lie. They're only preserving and protectecting themselves because they scared shitless of Trump and his MAGA base. So much for hers in real life! You want heroes? Go to the movies and watch the new Superman movie. In real life too many people have proven themselves to be craven cowards. American land of the free and brave? Not since Trump is in office. Five big slaps and an extra one!

Who Needs A Hug: The Trump Administration. Yes, this Trump Hater is actually going to say something good about Trump. They did away with pennies!  Way overdue! Finally this country will no longer kowtow to the little old ladies in Iowa who count their pennies out while holding up the line at the grocery store while paying for their bill. Way overdue! Nickles, dimes and quarters next!

Now it's time for me to solve my daily Wordle puzzle. Anyone out there besides Spo who does Wordle?

Update On Pat's Neighbor Nightmare

The problem with Pat's squatter neighbors who are probably dealing drugs right out of their house continues.  See HERE.

While Pat was visiting me down here in southern Delaware a few weeks ago, he asked his friends to stop in his place and water is plants. The photo above is what they found outside Pat's squatter neighbors. Pat didn't know what was going on but his friends didn't feel it was safe to go into Pat's house and check and water his plants. Of course the plants suffered, some died but this is what Pat has to contend with.

His neighbor Sam (short for "Samantha") has organized a campaign to get rid of the squatters but little has been done so far. There was a meeting at City Hall, which Pat and Sam attended. Their grievances were listened to but nothing has been done......yet. 

The picture below is of a sofa that "greeted" Pat when he retuned home for his visit with me. Pat and Sam complained to Hamilton City hall and the sofa was removed. Thank goodness for small favors. What in the world is a sofa doing out in front of that house? 

Pat's awful neighbor's latest "shopping" trip

Some nights Pat has peace from the neighbors next door then other nights they're at it again. Lately they have been "grilling" in with wood. Yes, with wood, not charcoal briquettes.....wood! When Pat first smelled wood burning he thought one of their units was on fire. Pat  called the fire department. He requested that they NOT send a big fire engine but rather a person to request that they not burn wood for their grilling. So what did the city send? A big assed fire engine. Of course.

The nightmare continues. 

Ron Gets A Ride

My neighbors are coming through!

I still am not permitted to drive because of my passing out incident in the Rehoboth Beach Walmart parking lot Last June 16th. 

This morning I returned to the scene of my embarrassment, the Rehoboth Walmart. This time I did not pass out in the parking lot (oh the embarrassment). 

My neighbor Shannon generously drove me for some of my errands this morning. First to Walmart where I had to stock up on their fabulous bran cereal which not only has 100% of the most the my daily vitamin needs but is fabulously priced ($2.48 a box). 

Of course that cereal was on the bottom shelf, half way in the back. I had to get on my knees to reach the cereal boxes. I wanted all they had which was ten boxes. Then I couldn't get up from the floor! Oh no! What would happen if I couldn't get up? Would some kindly stranger call the EMT's to get this old man up from the polished Walmart concrete floor? Finally, I was able to struggle up and gain my footing. I tossed my ten boxes of bran cereal in my shopping cart and made a bee line for the nearest cashier. Oh the embarrassment, this old man struggling with what was in the past just normal shopping. 

I paid for my goodies then exited the store, cognizant that I DID NOT WANT TO PASS OUT IN THE WALMART PARKING LOT AGAIN, looking for Shannon. Of course I forgot where she parked but she leaned out her driver's door and waved to me to get my attention.

My next stop was Weiss Markets in Lewes, just up Route One. I was puzzled by the heavy traffic until Shannon pointed out to me this was Fourth of July folks pouring into Rehoboth for the holiday. Oh yes! 

I completed my shopping at Weiss Markets (a ten pound bag of Russet baking potatoes, I eat a lot of potatoes - potato salad and mashed potatoes) and Progresso Soup. I also made a stop at my local County Bank branch to get some cash for Jose who is now mowing my lawn weekly. Jose prefers cash. 

The heavy heat and humidity was gone today, replaced by typical old time summer days of sun and tolerable humidity. Reminds me of my summer days when I was a kid. Oh how I loved summers during the Fifties in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. 

Last week my other neighbor Bob took me to my doctor's appointment and also to my other supermarket. I am so fortunate to have such neighbors, the best I've ever had in my life. I watch their pets when they're gone. I like watching their pets. Shannon has a female golden retriever and a gray male cat. Bob has a Australian cattle dog poodle mix named Cleopatra. I have the benefit of enjoying these animals but I don't have to care for them full-time. The best of both worlds don't you think?

Today was a good day. Took my mine off of, if just for a little while, that tomorrow would have been me and Bill's Sixtieth Anniversary. Yes, I still miss him terribly but I am managing my new life. 

Good Neighbors

 

Bill and our neighbor Bob yesterday

How are you surviving in this cauldron of heat?

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

Me and Cleo

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

Bill and Barbara

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

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

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

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

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

OMG!

 

No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

 Last week, during my morning walk through the neighborhood I saw a loose dog romping around my path.

"Uh oh!" I immediately thought. "Someone's dog is loose!" And I was right.

I took out my iPhone to take a video of the dog with the intention of posting my video to my NextDoor app. Here in southern coastal Delaware there are many developments like mine and many times dogs get loose (and cats). As I was taking my short video, I heard a woman shout to me "Grab his collar!" 

That woman was one of my neighbors ("Linda") who lives a few house below our house. She was out walking her dog and told me that the dog I was taking a video of belong to another one of our neighbors. She sad the neighbor's back door was open and TWO of his dogs got out. One of the dogs, a Siberian husky, she was able to get back into the neighbor's house through the open back door but she couldn't get this dog, which was a Boxer/Pitbull mix, also known as an "American Pitbull", in. The dog was always out of her grasp. She couldn't get it anyway because she was very thin. 

I did manage to get hold of his collar (he would come to me) but as soon as I had his collar he fell to the ground and turned over.

"Now what?" I thought.  Carry him to the neighbor's back door? He was too heavy for me and besides I'm very unsteady on my feet. Then I thought I would try and drag him across the grass. As I started to do that I heard a low growl from deep within his 100% muscle chest. Then I looked at his massive jaws. "Oh no, I'm not going to go there" I said to myself.  I had this picture of what started out as an innocent walk would turn into a disaster with me being chewed up by a pit bull, and believe me this was a pit bull, don't give me that nonsense about "Oh, it's just a boxer dog." Bullshit, it's a pit bull. American or whatever, it's still a pit bull dog. 

Not the actual dog but almost the same. I took this picture from the Internet for "American Pit Bull" mix. 

We live near the heavily traveled speedway Route One, also known as Coastal Highway. Scene of many accidents (just this past month two fatalities and just yesterday another serious accident sending four people to the local hospital). I didn't want this dog to end up as roadkill on Route One so I put on my thinking cap and came up with Plan B.

I decided to lure the errant dog with a treat. I couldn't drag him so I decided to invade my other neighbor Bob's garage and borrow his leash (I walk his dog when he goes fishing so I know how to get into his garage and where the extension leash is I use for his Australian Cattle Dog/Poodle mix. 

I retrieved the doggie treat and leash and approached Mr. Massive Jaws Boxer/Pitbull mix and put the leash on him, which he let me do. As soon as I attempted to stand up he took off! 

I WENT FLYING!!!!! 

This is literally how I went flying!

Folks, I was literally airborne for about a second and a half until gravity landed me face first in the morning dew wet grass!

Thank God I was able to hold on the leash and I was able to stop him, albeit at the very end of the now extended long leash.

As I lay on the ground I took stock of my latest Fall to the ground. My BIGGEST FEAR folks is falling and here I had a major fall. 

I.AM.THE.ONLY.CAREGIVER.FOR.BILL.

I.CANNOT.AFFORD.TO.INJURE.MYSELF.FALLING.AGAIN

Thank God I wasn't injured other than the air knocked out of me. 

I WAS LUCKY .........THIS TIME.

I pulled in the extended leash on the still playful dog (he thought I was playing) and lured him into the neighbor's house with the unlocked back door. That neighbor was obviously at work because I didn't see his pickup truck in his driveway.

As I opened the back door to lead in Mr. Boxer/Pitbull Mix, I see the Siberian Husky. I gave him a treat too. Thank goodness I brought several treats with me. 

I closed the door, thus ending a near disaster both for myself and the dog. I couldn't live with myself if I left the dog loose all day. And I was so thankful that I didn't injure myself by taking that tremendous fall. Man, I'm telling you that was one strong dog able to pull me totally off my feet like that.

At the end of the day, when that neighbor returned home from work I walked over to his house and rang his doorbell. He didn't answer. I rang several times before I gave up.

He is a new neighbor, ironically almost directly across from the neighbor's house that was totally destroyed by fire the week previously. I don't know him. I did a little research on him and found he is originally from California.

I tried last weekend when my other neighbor, "Linda", told me his daughter was home. She didn't answer the door either. 

I give up for now. Maybe I'll see him on one of my walks and I'll remind him of what Linda and I did that day by saving his dogs and perhaps he should make sure his back door is locked when he goes to work. 

Just another day in the neighborhood folks.

The Passing of a Friend

My beautiful neighbor Barbara who passed away last night. I presented her with these beautiful gladiolus that I grew a few years ago. I told her "You're Miss America!" She accepted! Barb, thank you for being such a fabulous neighbor.

I'm taking a brief hiatus friends from my blog postings. The last week or two has been very hectic and I just haven't been in the mood for a bright and cheery blog posting. Then today, just a few minutes ago my neighbor informed me that his wife died last night. This was not unexpected but still it is a shock to the system when someone you know and like so well, is no longer with us. A piece of my life is gone.

These people (no names out of respect for their privacy) are the best neighbors Bill and I have ever had in our fifty-five years of living together. And the irony is that we are of totally differing political views. They hated Obama and Hillary and love Trump. And of course you know where I stand on Trump (Criminal in the White House that is destroying our democracy).  But even with our differences we loved and respected one another. More times than I can count my neighbor accompanied either Bill or me to the emergency room during our numerous visits, offering support to both of us.  One time she came down at 2:30 AM to pick me up at the emergency room when Bill had to stay in the hospital even though she was groggy on sleeping pills which she had taken earlier. 

So often I've told friends and co-workers how lucky I was to have them for our neighbors. Bill and I have had some doozy neighbors too but all was right in Heaven when we lucked out with these fine people for our neighbors.  Hardly a day went by that I didn't appreciate having them for neighbors. And she made the best beef stew too, which I could never quite get right when I tried to make her recipe.  She loved my crescent cookies. I made her some for her birthday in December and was going to make her some more. But last week when I stopped over to give her some of my old People magazines, her good friend and another neighbor was with her and gave me That Look. I knew immediately it wasn't a good time to visit. She was suffering from COPD (for several years) and that day was particularly bad. And as I said previously in this post, I expected the worst. But you know folks, when it actually happens, it's like a punch in the gut. I had the same feeling when I was informed of my father's death. I was never close with him but he was my father. When it sunk into me that I would never see him again, that he would never be part of my life again, I felt like someone just took all the air out of me. This is the way I felt when my neighbor told me his wife died last night.  She was such a part of my life, now no more.  

I have to be honest with you folks, the last several weeks I've been down (melancholy) because of the realization that Bill, at ninety-one years of age, is failing. Not in a drastically way but gradually his age is catching up with him. His eyesight is failing (macular degeneration) and I see a change in cognitive abilities. He's hard of hearing and easily confused. I've been thinking about the quandary I'm in. I'll be lost without him in my life but I don't want to die before him and leave him to face the world alone. He couldn't do it.  That's what has been on my mind a lot lately folks. That and the fact that my youngest brother is also in failing health, so much so that he can't even receive a visit from me and Bill.  I doubt if I'll ever see him alive again.  

I've been having weird dreams. I've been reliving memorable vignettes of my life, which sometimes sadden me. This past two weeks I've been sorting through some of my thousands of pictures and videos (over 100,000) on my computer. They're bringing back memories of happier and healthier times with friends, family and former co-workers who are now gone. I have to catch myself sometimes from slipping into a mild depression and lift myself up to look at all the good I have left in my life.  And I do have a lot left.

I will end this diatribe now. Writing is my therapy. Perhaps this wasn't the best time to write about the passing of my beloved neighbor but I had to do something before I lose it. 

Have a great day everyone!

Two good friends now gone, Barb with Wayne "The Cajun" Juneau. They are both at peace now and no longer suffering. I hope they are able to meet up wherever one goes when one passes from this life. I just know they will have a fabulous time.

Chick and Joy

Emil "Chick" and Joy Tkachick - 2002

Yesterday I received a letter from a man I never met.  He was the son of my Mother's longtime neighbors Emil or "Chick" as we always knew him, and Joy Tkachick.  

The letter was from Chick's son.  He told me of his father's passing last year as well as his mother's passing.  

Chick's letter read:

We hope this note finds you and your family healthy, happy and ready for the new year in 2017/ 2016 was a sad year for the Tkachick family as both Dad ("Chick") and Mom ("Joy") passed into the arms of the Lord. We wanted to thank you for your friendship and support to our family our the years. My parents always said they lived in "a caring and loving community" and we are proud that you were part of that family. We profoundly miss them on this first holiday without their presence, but we are still celebrating long lives well lived. We take comfort in the fact that they are together again in peace. So we wish you and your families all the best during the holidays and for the coming year. May God bless you and keep you safe.

Bob and Sue Tkachick

I am sad to learn of the passing of both Chick and Joy. They were always to kind to my parents and to me and my brother, who lives in the family house which adjoins their property.  

The remains of an old barn on Chick's property adjoining my father's garden

After my father died in 2010, I used to garden the acre of land adjoining Chick's property. I always marveled at the beauty of Chicks' seven plus acres of land, which he kept a dozen or so sheep.  Springtime was especially beautiful with Chick's naturalized daffodils blanketing his naturalized backyard.

Naturalized daffodils on Chick's property

Good neighbors are so important to ones quality of life.  My parents were so fortunate to have Chick and Joy as neighbors. I am fortunate to have good neighbors where I live now.  Believe me, I appreciate my good fortune now because when I lived in Pennsylvania I had awful neighbors but I won't go into that at this time.

This is the time to remember the kindness that Chick and Joy always showed to my family and even now, that his son took the time to notify me of their passing.  

Emil "Chick" Tkachick - 2002

With all the bad things going on in the world it's nice to see kindness like this. 

Have a very happy new year!

Chick with my Mom 2002 
(the fence was to keep his sheep in, not his neighbors away)

My Neighborhood

Rich with "Samantha" and Bob with "Heidi"

Almost every morning, before breakfast, I walk the length of my neighborhood.  

I live in a Ryan Homes development a few miles north of Lewes, Delaware.  In fact, the border between Lewes and Milton, is the road that leads into our development.

All my life I wanted to live in a nice neighborhood. In fact, you could say that acquiring a home in a nice neighborhood has been a lifetime goal of mine.  

Some people aspire to be a great success in their chosen career.  Some others aspire to get married and have a family.

Me?  My goal was just to have my own home in a nice neighborhood with nice neighbors.

Folks, it has taken me most of my life to realize this goal.  

Growing up my family lived in second floor apartments.  Apartment buildings that weren't in neighborhoods.  

Walking to school I envied what my classmates, who lived in "regular" houses, took for granted.  A porch, a first floor, a second floor, and attic, a basement and a back yard.  I never had that "luxury" until my parents built a 1,100 square foot, three (small) bedroom, one bath house on three and half acres of land in the country outside of Downingtown, Pennsylvania.  

I was 16 years old and, for the first time in my life, I had my own bedroom.  Nirvana folks, nirvana. However, my happiness was short-lived because I was a senior in high school.  After graduation I left home and joined the Army for three years.  

From that date in January 1963 my life has been a series of apartments until our first house.  A row house in Philadelphia.  We didn't have a porch or an attic or a basement but we did have a small backyard.  Progress!

Then in 1980 we bought seven acres of land near where my parents lived in Downingtown.  Four years later we built our dream house.  We finally had a porch, basement, and attic.  Only problem, where we lived wasn't too friendly to two gay men who had the chutzpah to move into and live in their straight neighborhood.  Not all the neighbors were homophobic but enough were that made periods of our twenty-five year stay uncomfortable.  In fact, at one time our next door neighbor went to the township police chief to "report" us as gay.  She truly believed that by exposing the "gaywads" who had the nerve to live next to her (we were there first by the way, she and her husband built their house years after we had built ours).  Fortunately for me the police chief knew that Bill and I were gay (his boss the township supervisor was my boss at the bank) and informed this hateful ignoramus that "They have every right to live wherever they want to" which came as a shock to this terrible woman. 

We continued to live there several years after this woman's attempt to have us arrested.  Of course she nor her family was "neighborly" to us.  The rot continued with neighbor below who told Bill once that he made her "feel uncomfortable."  

And now we come to today.  

I decided to sell our Pennsylvania home and leave Pennsylvania because of their steadily increasing their school real estate tax.  We just couldn't afford to live in Pennsylvania anymore.  And to be very frank, I wanted to spend my remaining years in a more tolerant environment.  An environment where we didn't make our neighbors "feel uncomfortable."  

This morning, returning from my morning walk in the rain I encountered two of my neighbors, Rich and Bob.  Both are conservative Republicans.  And as you know I am not.  I'm one of those PROGRESSIVES.  But you know what folks?  even being the conservative Republicans that both of these men are, Bill and I are appreciated for just what we are, two human beings who are just trying to live their life in peace and tranquility.

I don't have a whole lot of years left on this earth folks but I am so thankful that for the few years I do have left, I am in a nice neighborhood.  And with some VERY nice neighbors.

Leg Injury Update

Bill's iPhone photo of me during my return trip to the emergency room

What a time I've had since I slipped and fell leaving the hotel last Wednesday night.  First I went to the Beebe Emergency room.  Of course they have all my paperwork, I've been there so many times (five now) since I've moved to Delaware.  I'll try to be concise in explaining what has happened since they discharged me.

Not how I planned the evening when I left work Wednesday night

I was given a leg brace (hospitals no longer do casts).  Bill (my saintly spouse) helped me hobble out of the hospital at 2 AM or so.  Our  wonderful neighbor Bob M. had brought Bill to my car at the hotel so Bill could drive me home. I cannot extoll this man's kindness enough.  He has his own health problems with his wife and he takes time out to help me and Bill.  Us old folk stick together.

Our neighbor Bob M. checking up on me and Bill to make sure we're alright

This isn't the first time our neighbor Bob has visited me in the emergency room.  He was there last year when I thought I was dying from kidney stones.  Bill was too upset to come.  Bob stayed with me and comforted me. Why am I so lucky to have such a wonderful neighbor?  And he's a conservative Republican yet!

Me waiting for the results of my X-Rays to see if I had any broken bones - I didn't think I had because I wasn't in extreme pain

Anyway, Bill takes me home.  I struggle to get in the car.  I had to slid my long legs in the back seat.  And it was COLD out!  The hospital discharged me but told me to arrange an appointment with a orthopedic surgeon for an MRI to see if there was any ligament damage.

Me checking out the damage to my leg

More of Bill's picture taking

I didn't get to bed until about 3 AM.

I had my appointment with the orthopedic surgeon today but first I have to tell you of the series of events that were unbelievable. 

First, my AOL e-mail wasn't working on my iPhone.  Damn!  After wasting time resetting my password (AOL would recognize my password) I found out from the Internet that the problem was at AOL.  Of course it was.  Yes, I sat at my computer with my leg brace on, feeling miserable. 

Self explanatory

Second, my DirecTV station wasn't working.  The message said the satellite wasn't receiving a signal.  We have four TV's in this house. We checked them all.  Two were receiving a picture, two weren't.  There was no way I was going to call DirecTV service because of my leg and I had to schedule doctor's appointments and I didn't want the two interfering.  Then I find out it was ONLY MSNBC, my liberal go to station, that wasn't receiving a signal.  

More self explanatory

The, to top everything else off . . . this morning we awoke to NO HEAT.  Yes, we were OUT OF GAS. The temperature outside read ZERO DEGREES and we were OUT OF GAS.  Excuse me, but wasn't I out of gas December 30th?  The first time since I lived here in 2006?  And OUT OF GAS again on the COLDEST DAY OF THE YEAR.  Folks, I have to admit, just for about a minute I wanted to go to sleep and get away from all of this but I couldn't because the house was so cold and getting colder by the minute.  I call the gas company.  Not open yet, they will open at 8:00 AM.  My doctor's appointment to evaluate my leg injury was at 11:50 AM (which I mistakenly showed up and hour and a half early for).  

Me in the backseat of our car - the only way I can drive because I can't bend my leg

I call the gas company at 8 AM.  Here's what I got "Your call is very important to us."  Heard that one before?





 I finally did get through and they were here in less than a half an hour. We had heat back and a big $1,000 plus gas bill to match the one I received at the end of December. Hey, what the heck! You only live once, might as well be warm.

Off to the doctor's office.  You should see Bill trying to get me in the back seat of my car (no pictures, too serious).  I can't lift my left leg below the knee.  The ligaments are obviously damaged.

My leg brace off so the doctor could evaluate my knee - I have a lot of swelling from internal blood clotting which he tried to remove by needle but couldn't get much of it

Okay, this blog post is going long.  I'll try again to be more concise.  My doctor told me I had a "knee pad replacement."  In other words when I fell I dislocated my knee pad.  It's back now but that's what I felt immediately after I fell, a soft saucer like thing on the left of my knee.  I don't need knee replacement.  

He gave me a "test."  He asked me to life my left leg.  I could not.  I'm ashamed to admit this, but I actually teared up (big sissy that I am) when I couldn't lift my leg.  I just could not move it.  I can wiggle my toes but I cannot lift my leg.  That's why Bill has to lift my leg into my bed when I go to bed.  In fact, I have to call Bill (and did) when I get up in the night to visit the bathroom, which I did three times last night.  I can't get back into bed unless he lifts my leg.  

The X-Ray of my knee

Folks, I'm going to tell you something now.  I am so fortunate to have Bill. He has been such a saint through all my medical problems. He's 86 and I'm 73 and who has the medical issues?  Me.  I'm just glad we're here for each other because I would do the same for him.  I would hate to think how I would handle this if I lived by myself.  This is hard enough with just me and Bill.  What do people do who live by themselves? I feel so sorry for them.

When I got home I had to take a shower.  I haven't taken one since I injured my leg and I was feeling quite greasy.  Of course I had to take off my leg brace and try to remember how to put it back on.  It was an ordeal but I hobbled into my shower with my aluminum cane (waterproof, they think of everything those medical device people).  

Ready to put back on my leg brace after my shower - the band aid is where my doctor tried to draw out the blog that had swollen up my knee internally

So here I am now folks.  I have an MRI scheduled for Monday to see how much damage has been done to my cartilage.  I asked my doctor "How does it heal?"  He said it all depends on how much damage was done.  It's different with everyone.  He said that I had major trauma (tell me about it) to my knee.  He said it would heal on it's own but if there is a lot of damage they would have to perform surgery.  

So that's where I stand (no pun intended) now folks.  I won't be back to work for several weeks at least.  I will have to go to physical therapy to build up my leg again.  I had to do the same thing back in 1962 when I dislocated my right knee and wore a hip to ankle cast for six weeks.  My leg as all shrunk up.  

There, I hope I didn't put you all to sleep.  I wanted to do a memorial for my friend Wayne "The Cajun" Juneau but that will have to wait until my leg heals and I can sit at this computer longer than I can now.  It's very uncomfortable sitting at my computer desk now with my left leg stretched out.  

I'm trying to think of a nice zippy way to end this post but I can't right now so I'll just end it here.  And to remind you all, be VERY careful when you're out and about on the snow and ice.  This could happen to you!

Christmas Cookies

Viennese Crescent cookies ready to go last night

Once a year at Christmas time I make this special cookie recipe that I got from my former co-worker Mildred Stephen. Always a hit, those cookies rarely last more than a few days. The lady on the right is Mildred. The photo was taken forty years ago at Girard Bank December 23rd at our annual office Christmas party. Those were the days.

Viennese Crescents


Ingredients:

1/2 lb. unsalted butter (yep, LOTS of butter)


1/4 cup granulated white sugar 
2 cups all purpose flour


1 cup ground nuts (preferably pecans but any nut will do)


1 tsp. vanilla

Preparation:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2) Cream the room temperature butter in a large bowl

3) Then add the granulated sugar, flour, nuts and vanilla and mix thoroughly

4) Pull of small portions of the dough and with your fingers into delicate crescents

5) Shape about 2 inches long and 1/2 inch wide and thick

6) Roll in confectioners' sugar

7) Bake on cookie sheets for about 23 minutes or until just faintly browned

8) Coll and roll in confectioner's sugar again

9) Place in cookie tin lined with tissue paper, close lid

10) Surprise your favorite neighbor or friend with your special gift of love

Christmas Party December 23, 1974 - lady on far right is Mildred Stephen, who gave me her recipe for Viennese Crescent cookies - thank you Mildred!!