Back To Palm Springs Next Month

The Intrepid Duo, Pat and Ron in Palm Springs CA February 2020

Yes, you read that right, Pat and I are going back to Palm Springs next month. 

We're leaving April 13th and staying for ten days, returning April 23rd.  Pat is selling his condo. His two year tenant is moving April 12th. Pat and I will be preparing his condo for sale.  

We'll be staying at his condo which should be interesting since it won't have any furniture. That shouldn't be a problem though.  I stayed in my present home for months without furniture. All I had was an air mattress and some lawn furniture. That's what we'll do when we're staying in Pat's condo, cleaning it up and getting it ready for sale.

I made my airline reservation last night. What a difference in the price!  For my last trip in February I paid over $900 for a round trip to Palm Springs. This time the round trip was only $398. Of course I added upgrades like a seat with more leg room bringing the total cost to just over $500. At least I'll be saving money on not renting a VRBO. I'm assuming Pat won't be charging me to stay in his condo.

Some of you may be thinking, "Aren't you one of those senior citizens who are advised not to travel because of the coronavirus?"  Well, yes I am. First of all I'm assuming the world hasn't come to an end by Easter Sunday, April 12th, the date of my hotel reservation at the Philadelphia Marriott Airport (my flight leaves the next day at 5 AM).  If this latest pandemic threat hasn't wiped everyone out, I will take my hand sanitizer with me and avoid close personal contact with strangers like handshakes. Life does go on folks. 

Of course Pat didn't have to twist my arm to go with him to return to Palm Springs this year. Sure, it's more expense but as I have said before, that's just less than my twenty-three nieces and nephews (grand and grand-grand) will inherit when Uncle Ronnie makes that final trip to the Palm Springs in the sky.

As is my habit, I will take plenty of pictures and videos. Where would I be without my iPhone XP?

Daylight Savings Time 2020

That time of year again folks, turn the clocks one hour ahead of "spring ahead!"  Seems like we just did a "fall back."  I don't know about you but to me this constant changing of clocks annoys me. Perhaps it's because we have so many clocks, thirteen in my bedroom and bathroom alone. Sure, I acknowledge that I have more clocks than the average bear (about sixty in the manse at last count) but this constant changing. We have two clocks that are set high on the wall that we need to bring out the ladder to change. One of us is eventually going to fall changing those clocks.

There is good news on the horizon though. Delaware is set to put into law to make Daylight Savings Time permanent. 

Hallelujah and amen!
  

Now that makes sense. But first it has to coordinate with our neighboring state Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and even New York.  I feel confident this time next year we will have a permanent Daylight Savings Time. Just makes a lot of sense.  This changing back and forth was just to mainly accommodate those moms who didn't want their kids standing in the dark waiting for their school bus in the morning. Hey, wintertime the days are shorter. Deal with it.  

My Mother used to tell me that Daylight Savings Time was enacted mainly to give rich people more time to golf. I believe her. But it was nice today at 5:30 PM to have the sun still shining brightly in the sky.  Spring is coming and the days are getting longer. Let's keep it that way.

Martini Kings Shag Store Palm Springs California February 2020

Every year when we're in Palm Springs one of our must stops is at the Shag Store. Pat introduced me to Shag, Josh Aigle. If you're not familiar with his work, you would probably recognize it if you saw his pictures. 


During Modernism Week Shag holds two events on a Saturday to introduce new Shag paintings.  Pat and I were able to attend both events this year.


This is a video of the Martini Kings (playing "The Lady Is A Tramp"), the live entertainment Shag offers during his events. Also free drinks are available, thus the long line outside waiting. 


Pat has purchased several Shag products as have I. They're expensive but worth it to me and Pat. We get a lot of enjoyment from what we purchase from  prints, lamps, pins and this year a Shag shirt. 


A Shag event, just another reason for visiting Palm Springs in the winter during Modernism Week!



Pat finds his happy place relaxing at the Shag store with a vodka cucumber cocktail. 

Pat relaxing at Shag

Getting Ready For The End?

With the coronavirus fears sweeping our nation and the world at this time, I'm thinking "Is this the end?"  Personally I don't feel an immediate threat other than my stock market portfolio that is sinking. Even though I don't have that much in the stock market it is all that I have.  It's so frustrating to see it sink because it just hit new highs. Seems whenever my portfolio is looking good, something happens that punctures that Balloon of Hope.  

Am I concerned about my personal health? Of course I am. I am taking all the precautions such as washing my hands and avoiding handshakes. But I'm not panicking, actually I don't panic. It's not in my nature. I just weigh my choices and try to make the best and safest decisions to survive. 

What I've heard is that the people who are most susceptible to the serious effects of the coronavirus are old folks like me. I remember the last time I had a bad cold or the flu (still not sure what it was).  It was about five years ago and I thought I was dying. For the first time I went to the doctor for a cold. She told me it was good that I can because one of my lungs was already half full. I was on my way to pneumonia. I haven't had a serious cold since then. Probably partly luck but I think a lot because I take precautions. I always wipe off my work surface when I arrive at work at the hotel. I wipe off the surface of shopping carts like I did today when we went to BJ's and Food Lion. I stay away from people with colds.  Bill has also had bad colds in the past. But both of us have avoided having the flu and/or bad colds for the past five years. We always get our flu shots. That probably helped. 

We both are very old now and our health is fragile. We're not the young whippersnappers who had that inexhaustible energy we took for granted at that time of our lives. That was especially noticeable to me during my recent two-week stay in Palm Springs. I had to take a couple of days off and stay in our condo watching TV just to recover my energy from a previous day of the activities we participated in Palm Springs. We both grunt and groan a lot getting around our Casa Tipton-Kelly. 

We have dilemma here. I don't want to die before Bill, leaving alone. He won't survive. But then I don't want him to die either then I would be alone. The only time I've really been alone in my life was a brief period in my life after I got out of the Army  in 1963 and before I got my job at Girard Bank in Philadelphia. Prior to that window of alone time, I always had a good friend from my earliest memory. I had none when I got out of the Army, I was alone and I didn't like it. 

Just expressing my thoughts here folks as I confront the latest challenge in our lives. 

Dancing In The Streets of Palm Springs California

While walking on the main street (North Palm Canyon Drive) of Palm Springs during our annual visit, the live music was so compelling that I just had to put a few moves on in public. Of course being the shy, retiring guy that I am I could only do a minute or two before I handing my iPhone over to Pat to really show us how to dance. 

Always so much fun to visit Palm Springs, time to let my hair (or what is left of it) down. I love to dance. Of course I realize I "Elaine Dance" but hey, I enjoy dancing none-the-less. Watch out for next year. I really plan to let loose. 

James Lipton

When Pat and I were in Palm Springs last month, I had a chance encounter with James Lipton, the longtime host of "Actors Studio".  

Pat and I were having lunch at our favorite vegan eatery, Nature's Cafe in Palm Springs. While I was waiting for Pat to collect our order (no waitress/waiter service) I noticed that James Lipton had entered the restaurant with friends. 

Pat waiting for our order at Nature's Cafe, Mr. Lipton and his friends came in that door to the right a few minutes after I took this picture. I didn't take a picture of them, respecting they privacy.

I mentioned to Pat "There's James Lipton."  Pat said "Who is James Lipton?"  I told him that James Lipton was the longtime host of the PBS program Actors Studio.  Pat wasn't aware of that program. Pat and I have a lot in common but I know a way lot more of celebrity, both Hollywood and New York, than Pat does. But then Pat knows way more music groups than I know. Vive la difference!

I excused myself and went over and introduced myself to Mr. Lipton.  I tapped him on his shoulder, and as he turned I said to him that I was honored to meet him or something to that effect.  He turned his head to acknowledge me and responded "You're going to ask me for an autograph are you?"  I told him I wasn't and actually I wasn't. I don't ask for autographs of celebrities.  I told him we had similar names. He replied "Oh."  I only spent about a minute talking to him and left him and his friends to place their order for food. I am very careful when I encounter celebrities (which isn't that often) and invading their privacy. But I do feel a need to acknowledge them if the opportunity presents itself.

Later in the week I encountered Mr. Lipton again, when Pat and I were attending an event at the Palm Springs Cultural Center.  Mr. Lipton was there with the same group he was with at Nature's Cafe. He was attending a movie at the Camelot Theater. He was also wearing the same flowered shirt.  I didn't say anything to him at that time, figuring I already bothered him enough. However, I did tell the counter clerk who Mr. Lipton bought popcorn from who Mr. Lipton was.  The counter clerk didn't know him either. 

Thus I was very surprised this week when I read in the paper that Mr. Lipton died. He seemed fine when I saw him in Palm Springs two weeks ago.  Just more proof how fragile life is. You could be her today and gone tomorrow. A cliche for sure but this is one reason I visit Palm Springs. For most of my life I've put off taking trips, "doing things", waiting for that perfect time.  Well, now folks it is the perfect time.  

My time in Palm Springs with Pat, who is the perfect travel companion/buddy, is a realization of some of my lifelong dreams. I'll probably never move to Palm Springs full time but I do love visiting this oh so perfect location in the midst of winter. A dream come true. 

Right now is the best of times folks. I don't know how much longer it will last but for now, I'm living and enjoying every moment, hour, day, week, month and year. 

Pat and Ron in Palm Springs, 2020

Update On Bill's Vision

Bill with his VA eye doctor

Two days after I returned from Palm Springs, I took bill to the Wilmington Va for more extensive tests on his vision problems. When we last left this question, Bill was very dissatisfied with his previous doctor after his cataract surgery. After his cataract surgery Bill still couldn't read the eye chart. His doctor discovered that he had macular degeneration.  Bill wanted another doctor's opinion. Thus I arranged an appointment with the eye clinic at the Veterans' Administration in Wilmington.

We got up there early Wednesday morning. The doctor saw us right away. For the next two and a half hours he performed tests on Bill's eyes. The result?  Bill has macular degeneration. In fact they determined that Bill is legally blind. Needless to say Bill is very upset about this. He's convinced that if he get just the right pair of glasses that his vision would improve. 

The chief eye doctor and a health care provider came in to talk to me and Bill about what his options are. Audio books. That's not an option, Bill doesn't read and he certainly isn't going to sit still and listen to an audio book. Another option was to go to Philadelphia to a specialist which basically will provide a big magnifying glass for Bill to read. Bill doesn't want to do that either. The health care provider was concerned about Bill's mental state. I appreciate their concern but this is a problem that Bill and I will have to take care of ourselves.  

The health care provider called me the next day to discuss more options. There are no good options. Bill is hard of hearing and now his sight is going. I will take care of him.  When we got home I made him a new batch of chocolate chip cookies. I also fixed his iPad so he can check the weather and his mail. He has trouble seeing his iPad but he manages. 

Those days of the past when we were both so healthy, we took our health for granted. These days, when I'm exhausted most of the day and Bill has his hearing and vision problems, is a new reality for us. We'll manage.