Goodby Old Friend

 

Today I sold my John Deere EZtrack 425 Zero degree turn lawn mower.

I posted it for sale this past Saturday on my NextDoor app. I got an immediate reply from a gentleman looking to buy a riding mower for his future son-in-law as a wedding gift.

He came by to look at it Saturday then left without buying it. I thought I had lost the sale, especially since I couldn't locate the manual or the grass shoot (Bill took it off because he didn't like it.)

My posting on Next Door received another inquiry wanting to know "how low can you go?" Well, not any lower than the $1, 500 asking price. I've always maintained this mower. In fact last year I spent over $800 on an overhaul and a new battery. Interesting, I also bought a new battery for my Subaru Forester that I just traded in for my new Hyundai Venue that I bought last week. The other gentleman was willing to give me $1,000. I had already decided that if I couldn't sell it for $1,500 I would just keep it for backup in case I lose Jose, the landscaper who I now have mowing my lawn at $60 a week. By the way, Jose does a great job, much better than me and faster. 

Yesterday I got a call from the man who came by Saturday again which surprised me because I thought I had lost that sale. He again inquired if I had found the manual for the mower. I sheepishly admitted I hadn't even looked for it. With my hope now renewed of selling Bill's riding mower, I decided to look for it. For over two years now, since Bill died, I've been meaning to clean out that portion of our garage. That was Bill's part of the garage. 

That's what I did yesterday afternoon, I cleaned out and reorganized everything in that part of my garage and viola! I found the manual, which included Bill's notes. I couldn't find the grass shooter though. Bill didn't like the and must have thrown it out. I decided to look through our shed this morning for it. I didn't find it. 

Bill's section of the garage reorganized. I found the manual for the mower tucked in between my mailbox covers in one the the cabinets to the left in this photo!

I called the gentleman back and told him I couldn't find that grass shooter but he could buy one (or I could) from Amazon. It cost less than fifty dollars. He said that wasn't necessary. He wanted to know when he could come over to pick up the mower. He said his future son-in-law had a trailer that he could load the mower on. 

They came by and this short video is of his (future) son-in-law taking away my beloved John Deere EZtrak 425 Zero Degree turn riding mower. I felt a pang of sadness in my heart as I video taped him driving the mower up the ramp to his trailer. I felt like I had sold a beloved pet.

On the upside though, I feel greatly relieved that I no longer have to spend at least one day a week during this spring and summer and fall season. Sometimes all the way to December first I've mowed the grass here in southern Delaware.

Over two years after Bill's death, I'm finally removing items connected to Bill with many fine memories. Next, I start selling his old jeans on eBay. That's going to be hard for me emotionally. But what has to be done, I'm finally doing. This house still will have plenty of memories of Bill even though I sell off items like our car and riding mower. I plan to end my days here in this home that we both loved so much surrounded by his memories.

Things are falling into place folks. 

Have a great day!

Thoughts At Summer's End 2018

Hamilton Dancing Guy dancing the summer away

Today marks the unofficial end of another summer season. 

Hallelujah, I made it through another summer. 

As regular readers of this blog know, I live near the summer resort towns of Lewes and Rehoboth Beach Delaware. 

Every year, after Memorial Day until Labor Day, we are inundated with traffic from the north and west and south, seeking the cool ocean breezes of both the Lewes beaches and Rehoboth Beach. We have visitors from Washington D.C., Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia and an occasional New Yorker finds there way down here.  Here at the hotel we received guest from across the country and the world. Don't ask me why, we just do.  I would like to think they're coming to see me and my sparkling personality but then I would probably be deluding myself. 

Each year our roads become more clogged with our summer visitors, especially the major artery right outside the development where I live six miles up the road, Coastal Highway or Route One.

Like many of my neighbors we don't go down to Rehoboth Beach during the summer, we give that experience over to the touristas. 

I'm "working" at the hotel now, as I have been the past two nights.  This year I worked the Labor Day weekend for my co-worker, who took a much needed holiday from guest services.  We do love our job in the hospitality industry (my 20th year this year) but we DO need a break. There are just so many times you can answer the question "Where is the ice machine?" (around the corner, the louvered door between the two bathroom doors) and "Do you have a pool?" (no, thank God).  

The past three years I used the Labor Day weekend to visit my Canadian Travel Buddy (Pat) and annoy him for a week.  This year I was co-opted of my normal plans so I had to delay my visit until week after next. Which is just fine because last year when I visited Pat in Hamilton, Ontario, it was so hot I had to rent a hotel room.  Hopefully this year pre autumn breezes will be wafting in the air around my grizzled presence.  But then with global warming, I may have sweat it out again.  Hopefully Pat's air conditioning will be fixed this time so I don't have to contribute to the corporate profits of the Sheraton Hotel. Nice hotel but I would rather spend my valuable American dollars at the many fine Canadian restaurants that Pat and I discover on our daily seeking new adventures excursions. Pat and I never have a definite plan of what to do when we get together but we always have a fabulous time whatever we d and wherever we go.  Wait a minute? Isn't that the lyrics of a song? Sometimes it seems as if my whole life are lyrics to a song. 

I only have one doctor's appointment coming up before I take flight from Philadelphia International Airport o the 26th of this month. And that is with my dermatologist to remove this annoying and painful horn skin ailment from my left knee.  Also I have few other discolorations on my skin I should have her take a look at.  Could be age spots but then could be something else. At my age I have to constantly monitor this aging body to make sure I can extend my stay here on this earthly plane long enough to see Trump frog marched out of the White House in handcuffs.  You know he ain't going to go willingly.  Oh please God, let me live long enough to see that justice prevail.

Near The End of the Season

This weekend, Labor Day weekend, is the last blast of the summer season.  While all of us permanent residents who reside in this resort area appreciate all the business, we're also happy to see the END OF THE SEASON so we can take our town back.  This year has been especially hectic because of all the new visitors from New Jersey and New York as a result of Hurricane Sandy.

In years past we would receive an occasional New Jersey license plate roll down Route 1, usually on their way to the Cape May-Lewes Ferry.  Once in a great while they would even stop by the hotel for an overnight stay but Wildwood by the Sea we're not.  However, this year is so much different.  This year we're hearing from the New Jersey folks "Oh, this is SO nice down here.  Everyone is SO nice to us."  All good things to hear, but oh the traffic.  Last week when my Canadian friend Pat was visiting, we counted the New Jersey license plates just around us as we sat in the parking lot that is Route One on Saturday afternoon.  Every car save one was a New Jersey license plate!

For real!  We really did see a Texas license plate on Route One - obviously this poor soul is lost

Each year the traffic seems to get heavier and more hectic during the summer season but this year was especially nuts.  I can't imagine what next year will bring.  

Note: my apologies for the short blog posting but I'm still dealing my kidney stone problem.  It still hasn't passed and this morning I was passing blood.  I have a call into my doctor.  I'm not in horrible pain thanks to my painkiller prescriptions but I am very tired and nervous because I'm scheduled to work this weekend, the busiest of the year, for four days in a row.  Day shift.  Pray for me.