Finally, Quiet

Last night I slept well. Unlike Saturday night which I kept being awoken by the drone of thousands of motorcycles roaring up Route One all during the night.  Ah, quiet, how sweet it was. So nice to get a good night's sleep.  

I knew when I posted my whining on my Facebook account that I would receive blowback.  This time from my niece and her daughter who have boyfriend/husband who are cyclists. She called me a grumpy old man which I do not deny.  I proudly declare myself a GRUMPY OLD MAN.

I would expect them to defend and justify their men.  My niece even tried to justify all that noise pollution by saying "They're doing it for charity."  Oh give me a break.  They're doing it because they like to be noticed by making a LOT of noise.  I noticed, okay?

Another person left a comment on my blog about "live and let live."  Hey, I'm all for the "live and let live" but all that noise for thirty six hours straight?  

Every year they have this testosterone orgy Bike Fest. I know they make a lot of noise pollution roaring down the Coastal Highway (Route One) to their ultimate destination in Ocean City Maryland.  I'm prepared for that noise because it's mainly during the day.  But this year was different.  Instead of a horde of cyclists swarming locust like up the highway on Sunday afternoon, they started Saturday evening and continued throughout the night, spaced out.  Every time I got to sleep I was awoken a few minutes later by yet another overweight, balding rat-tailed, greasy cyclist with his well worn moll hanging onto his spare tire (and hot his motorcycle spare tire but the spare tire he carries around his waist) roaring up Route One.

I had a fitful night's sleep for the first time since they had Bike Fest Week.  Somebody changed something.  Hopefully next year they'll go back to their previous migration pattern and have their cacophony of noise on a Saturday during the day.  

Last night was so pleasant.  Quiet.  I slept like a babe.  Actually, I slept like a contented Grumpy Old Man.

Motorcycle Noise - Bike Fest Week 2016

For the past twenty-four hours I have been enduring the almost constant drone of motorbikes going up and down Route One.  

This week is Bike Fest Week at Ocean City, Maryland. 

Ocean City Bike Week

Over 100,000 bicyclists gather once a year at Ocean City to pump up their testosterone with the roar of their unmuffled motorcycles.  

Folks, I have too tell you that the (almost) constant drone of those motor cycle engines reverberating off of Route One which borders Casa Tipton-Kelly is starting to get to me.  In fact, that motorcycle roar is driving me crazy.

    One of the main reasons I moved out of center city Philadelphia was that I couldn't take the almost constant squeal of police sirens.  After years of listening to those police car sirens screaming, I just had to get away from the source.  We moved to the country, in the middle of the woods, where (we thought) there was peace and quiet.  That lasted a few years until our neighbor died and his property was sold and subdivided.  The new owners adjoining our quiet wooded oasis had four ATV's which they drove around the perimeter of their property for hours on end.  Drove me crazy.  Such a shame because we moved to the country for peace and quiet.  


Thank goodness this Bike Fest is only once a year.  But I didn't get much sleep last night because of the roar of those motor bike engines.  Even as I type this blog the motorcycles continue to roar up Route One.  

I took these videos this morning after my walk to show you all what I have been listening to for a good twenty-four hours now.  

Oh for peace and quiet. 

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

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.

Blowing in the Wind or "Blossom Blizzard"

"Blowin' In The Wind"

How many roads must a man walk down

Before you call him a man?

How many seas must a white dove sail

Before she sleeps in the sand?

Yes, how many times must the cannon balls fly

Before they're forever banned?

The answer my friend is blowin' in the wind

The answer is blowin' in the wind.

Yes, how many years can a mountain exist

Before it's washed to the sea?

Yes, how many years can some people exist

Before they're allowed to be free?

Yes, how many times can a man turn his head

Pretending he just doesn't see?

The answer my friend is blowin' in the wind

The answer is blowin' in the wind.

Yes, how many times must a man look up

Before he can really see the sky?

Yes, how many ears must one man have

Before he can hear people cry?

Yes, how many deaths will it take till he knows

That too many people have died?

The answer my friend is blowin' in the wind

The answer is blowin' in the wind.

No Bob Dylan fan here folks of his vocalizations but I do like the lyrics of most of the songs he wrote. "Blowing in the Wind" is one of my favorites. Makes you think.

I've been absent from my blog post for a day or two here because of events overtaking my waking hours.  Three times a week at physical therapy to help heal my leg.

Today I kept my long postponed dental appointment.  I had to cancel my original dental appointment last March because there was no way I could sit in the dental chair and keep my leg stiff without a great deal of pain.  Now that I can bend it a bit, I'm able to return to some of my normal activities.  I still have my annual eye examination to take, one that I usually take in January.

It was another beautiful day today here in the Diamond State (Delaware) in Lower Slower (Sussex County). Oh how I am missing taking my daily walks and working about the grounds here at Casa Tipton-Kelly.  I was able to get all my petunias planted at the entrance to our driveway.  Had to plant them standing up, which (of course) killed my back.  But it had to be done. One thing about my compromised physical abilities this year, I won't be planting as many flowers.

I asked Bill to take a photo of me with my petunia bounty from the local greenhouse.  Here is the result.  Bill still can't get the knack of taking photos and videos with my iPhone.  He thought he was taking a photo here (even though I set it up) but he ended up taking a video.  Oh well, you get the idea.

Yesterday it was so windy that the pink blossoms blowing off our flowering prune tree looked like snow.  I tried to capture it on video tape.  

This is probably my favorite time of the year.  After a long and brutal winter (whatever happened to those mild Delaware winters?), new growth is sprouting up all around us.  We are so fortunate to live in the neighborhood where we live now.  Great neighbors, convenient to everything and quiet.  Oh how I like the quiet.  Bill does too.  

This clump of trees behind me in this video I planted four years ago.  They are river birch trees.  When I used to take my daily constitutional walk in the development behind our, I always admired one house who had this trio of river birch trees.  The trees are not only beautiful to look at but I love hearing the gentle rustle of the leaves as the wind blows through them.

In this day of so much violence and turmoil, the one thing I value above all others (in addition to good health) is peace and quiet.  We have it hear folks.  And I am so appreciative. 

I Miss Work

Selfie taken on moments before my fall on the ice that changed my life

One question that has been resolved since my accident of February 18th, did I still want to continue working?  

Now since I haven't been back to work on that fateful day I have the answer . . . YES!

The picture at the beginning of this blog was taken only minutes before I left work.  I took a selfie in the men's room.  About five minutes later I was closing up the Inn by locking the doors.  When I rounded the corner my foot stepped on a frozen mound of ice from the rain spout and, after trying to catch my balance, I went down on my left knee severing my quadricep ligaments.  

In the Beebe Hospital Emergency room after my fall

The damage done to my leg after the fall

My leg after surgery to repair the quadricep ligaments - my home health care cleaning procedure

The physical therapist introducing me my new friend - The Walker

Never in a million years did I think I would meet a walker so soon in my life.

Physical therapist showing me how to walk on stairs

Like my little flowered frock?

These pictures were taken the day after my surgery on March 10th, before I was discharged from the hospital to be on my own at home.  Thank goodness they didn't send me to a rehab center which they would have if I didn't have Bill at home.

I'm a quick learner

I have my cane, my crutches and my walker at home.  No wheelchair, I left that at the hospital thank you.  I did bring the port-potty home but haven't had to use it.  I can traverse quite well to the bathroom (thank goodness again).

Trying to maneuver my straight leg back into the wheelchair

Well, I'm still hobbling around on my walker. My left leg below the knee has been swollen in various stages since my fall on February 18th, that's a long time.  Sometimes before I go to bed it's throbbing so much I can hardly stand it.  Red, hot, and numb.  But when I elevate my leg, like I'm doing now as I type this post at my computer, I get some relief.  My very best relief is when darkness and nothingness overcomes me at night when I drift off to sleep.  I awaken in the morning and almost all of the swelling and throbbing is gone.  However, it returns once I get up and start moving around, which I have to.  For recovery I have to balance exercise with rest.  And I have to be very patient because it takes long time for tissue to heal, longer than a broken bone, which surprised me when I asked my home health care worker and she gave me that answer.

But folks, each day I'm a little better.  Still can't life my lower leg but I'm feeling "something" going on below the knee.  I hope it's not just my wishful imagination.

Anyway, I started out this blog by stating I miss work.  I do miss work especially on a Wednesdays and Thursdays, my regular shift from 3 PM to 11 PM.  And especially springtime when the days are longer.

There were times in the past when I wondered "Do I still want to work?"  Well, that question has been answered now since my forced immobility . . . . . 
YES!

Not Enough Hours in the Day

Halloween has come and gone.  Nary a gremlin or a ghoul stopped by Casa Tipton-Kelly last night which was just fine with me. Bill was in bed at 7:30 PM (his usual bedtime) and I was ensconced in my bedroom at the Tipton Cinema watching the last season of "Mad Men", which is turning out to be pretty lame by the way.  I can understand why this is their last season.  

Now the holidays begin in warp speed.  Thanksgiving, Christmas, Kwanza, New Year's, Martin "I have a dream!" King Day and . . . . . . wait for it . . . President's Day.  Who among us doesn't get all tingly when President's day approaches?  All those used car ads with actors playing Abe Lincoln and George Washington rushing to buy the latest used car clunker.   

The Ebola Scare has abated somewhat but not enough to prevent certain politicians from trying to score political points by showing their "leadership" qualities (Christ Christy and Mario Cuomo I'm talking to you). 

The phones continue to ring in this household from political robo calls urging me to vote for this or that candidate.  Hey, I've already decided who I'm going to vote for next Tuesday, I don't need a robo call to tell me.

Tomorrow morning we move the clocks back one hour.  Didn't we just change the clocks?  Where does the time go?  


All the years I worked I always looked forward to retiring.  For many reasons but one of the main was that I would finally have time to do what I really wanted to do.  Guess what folks?  I still don't have the time.  

Sure, I work two night a week at the hotel.  But the rest of the week I have off.  But between updating my blog daily like I'm doing now, going to the store for vitals, taking our daily ride (I like to get Bill out of true house at least once a day), preparing nutritious and healthy meals for myself (can't eat prepared food anymore, my body has rebelled), and yard work . . . I do not have the time to do some of my favorite activities. 

I could spend hours updating and checking my genealogy records.  Answering e-mail inquiries from various distant relatives.  I just don't have the time.

I could spend hours reviewing, scanning, and updating my thousands of photos.  I do little bit but not near enough to keep my files current.  

I still haven't unpacked all of the boxes from our move here in 2006.  I have a basement media room that is a storage room.  I keep saying to myself "I'll go down today and sort through that stuff."  Doesn't happen.

One thing I do do though (did I just say "do do?") folks is read.  I LOVE to read.  I usually have two books going at the same time.  One in my bathroom library and the other by my bed. The "library" book I'm reading now is a W.C. Field biography.  My bedroom book is a biography of Miss Ross also known as Diana Ross, head Supreme.  Both excellent books.  I do love to read.  I have a couple hundred books in my backlog that I haven't yet read.  I doubt if I'll get to them before I check out but it's nice to know that they're there.

Another thing I do every day is take a nap.  I have to take a nap folks.  When I was visiting Pat in Toronto this past August I didn't have time to take my daily snooze fest and I paid the price.  By the time I caught the plane home I was seeing double.  

I'm coming to the realization that I'll never get done the things I want to in my life, even though I'm "retired" now.  But I am thankful that I'm well enough and still here to do and enjoy what I can.  I take nothing for granted. I make each day count.  And believe me, I know I am one of the lucky few.  

A Change in the Air

My favorite place - our backyard - ready for me to dawdle in

The past couple of days actually felt like Spring.  Robins frolicking in the backyard, pooping in my birdbaths, building nests in the non-fruit bearing cherry tree in our front yard.  

The daffodils have had a rough go of it this year but they're finally coming alive with their bright smiles of Spring

Warm spring breezes caressing my wizened face.  Shopping at BJ's sans jacket, smiles on local populace faces that say "Winter is FINALLY over!"  But wait……snow is forecast for this Tuesday.  Yes folks, you heard correctly.  M.O.R.E. S.N.O.W.  Holy smokes!

The last snow in our backyard - cold

Already we've received SEVEN times more snow than normal for this area of southern Delaware.  Yes, you heard that right……SEVEN TIMES.  Sure, I know we're a lot better off down here on the good old Delmarva peninsula than others areas of the country like say……Atlanta, Georgia that got a whole two inches of snow that closed that city and adjoining Interstate down but come on.  

I'm still in wind down mode from the activities of the past few weeks. It is with a great sense of relief to know that never again ("Never say never") that I will never again do an event.

Me (with sequined hat-what else?) at my 35th class reunion (and yes, I supplied the feather boas for my two female classmates, this was in 1994 - some things never change

 For the past seven years I have been heavily involved in organizing and working on pulling off either a family reunion, class reunion, or blogger reunion, affectionally called a "Bloggerpalooza."  While all these activities are fun, it has come time folks for me to hang up my Event Planner Hat.  

Hey, I even do Bowling Banquets - this one I'm emceeing from from the Sixties

I'm handing over the reins to others and retiring from the festivities.  In fact, I'm not even attending my 55th class reunion this year in September.  That's a first since my 20th class reunion.  

I have an hour videotape of this reunion - I really should transfer it to DVD

And I have to saw, it is with a great sense of relief that I don't have one of these upcoming events looming on the horizon like I have had for the past too many years.  Time to fade in the background folks.  

Ron - Event Planner - glitter and hard at work herding the cats = 1994 - 20 years ago!

Years ago I used to make fun of my Mom and her ever ending rounds of doctor's appointments.  Well, you know the old "What goes 'round comes 'round".  Now that seems to be my life.  Upcoming in my near future is a Sleep Test (which I am seriously considering canceling) and a stress test (I'll probably keep that one since I do have some minor heart problems as do both of my younger brothers).  I think I've been able to put off the heart problems because I've kept my weight down unlike both of my brothers who put on quite the pounds over the years and are now paying the price.  But this old ticker of mine has been beating away since November of 1941 and sooner or later…..it stops.  Time to slow down folks and take stock and evaluate what is really important in my life and what is not.  This is a subject I've addressed before in previous blog posts and will continue to do so in future blog posts.  I have to set priorities with the limited time and energy that I have left.  

Yep, that's me (on the left) explaining to my classmate something in the class reunion booklet I put together - 2004 - 45th Class reunion

I am fortunate that I have several people in my life who truly care about me and I will return their kindness and caring likewise.  As for the negative in my life, I will leave those people and situations far behind like the man in a space suit who is launched into the infinite expanse of the universe. Gone.

Downingtown High School 50th Class Reunion 2009 - where did all these old people come from?

Me and my fellow classmate Marlene R.  at our 50th Class Reunion - she's gone now as are too many of my classmates - I used to have a schoolboy crush on Marlene - I told her about it at this reunion and she got a charge out of it

Marlene's reaction after I told her about my crush on her - SOOO embarrassing

Me (center) and Marlene) right - 1958 - yearbook photo - little did she know I was smitten by her - any wonder why she didn't take notice of me? Major Dork - that was me back then (and maybe still)

Now the really observant will notice that I have a white beard at my 35th reunion but at my 50th my beard miraculously changes to brown.  Amazing!

Passion

Passionate about bowling - banquet handing out awards 1973

One of my favorite blog commenters left a comment on my blog about passion.  That got me to thinking, I've always been a passionate person.

With my cousin Louise (notice my camera bag to the left on the ground that I didn't get quite out of range)

I never do things half way.  I go full bore.  Sometimes that gets me in trouble (just like getting up in the morning and being myself gets me in trouble somedays).  

Passionate about animals - cat sitting at Arnell Street, Rehoboth Beach 2004

To me if you're not passionate about something what's the point of being alive?  

People are passionate about many things.  Their family, their career, hobbies, and of course love. 
I'm one of those guys when I fall in love I FALL IN LOVE.  Definitely not half way or half hearted (no pun intended).  Of course when you put yourself in the position of going all the way, you open yourself up to the Big Hurt.





 Every time I've falling head over heels in love, I've been rejected big time and went through the Big Hurt. I remember listening to this haunting song by Toni Fischer the first time of many times I was tossed aside.  

The one man who didn't reject me - 2012 - North Carolina

These days I'm passionate about my home, my Bill, my good friends, my blog, my photos, my genealogy research and my garden and taking care of myself both physically and mentally so I can extend my stay on this good earth in good health. 

Planting pansies today in the cold wind

I used to be passionate about my pets, and my family but we no longer have any pets and what is left of my family is becoming more distant with each day.  When my Mother died is probably when I lost passion for my family.  After this year's dismal showing for my family reunion, I've given up on arranging any future family reunions. I've even given up on updating current information on my family, so many seem reluctant to give me information.  Either they don't have the time or they're fearful of losing their privacy. Whatever the reason, after this last family reunion on October 6th, and so few showed up, I lost the passion.  It went just like that.  Sad.

Passionate about work and friends - moving day at FFB - 2006 (I still have that shirt!  Just wore it last week)

This week I'm about to embark on a long delayed adventure of visiting my former hometown of Philadelphia where I live, worked and played for so many years.  In the years to come I hope to revisit my former home in Pittsburgh and also my former favorite vacation spot in Provincetown.  Hey, I just noticed that all the geographical items on my Bucket List begin with "P."  That must mean something.

Something you don't usually see, the back of my head.  Me and my longtime friend Bill B. (yes, another "Bill") at our 53rd class reunion)  - I'm passionate about our class reunions too!

Notice something that isn't on my Passion List?  My job.  I like my job at the hotel and do my best but my real passion was for my banking job that I held for most of my adult life.  I was a back office operations guy and I really liked what I did.  It's a shame that I couldn't continue in that job until my retirement which would have been this year.  Yes, I had planned to work until I was 72 and collect the maximum Social Security benefits.  

Deep in my banking job sometime in the 80's - all for naught it turns out

But hey, that's life. I still have my passion for life though.  And that's what counts in the end isn't it?

Even passionate about my hotel front desk job
Here I am with Phil Cordell, head of Hampton Inn - he presented me with a Best Guest Service Award at the Epcot Center in DisneyWorld in 2001