Wednesday, May 1, 2024

Hooray for the 12th of May, Ron’s Birthday!

Ron Loves Cynthia "I DO !!"
Ron hiking in Virginia (is for lovers)










31 May:  The merry month of May continued to the very end.  Ron's accidental QQQ put successfully made money, but the others are still losers.  Ron rode on the airport shuttle with Cynthia to the United drop off and gave his bride a huge hug good-bye.  Her flight was delayed taking off by forty-five minutes.  Jon picked his mom up in Houston, and they enjoyed a lovely, pleasant evening.  Ron reversed his ride on MD 295 N to I-695 W to I-70 W to exit at Woodbine and turned too early onto John Pickett Road but followed that tiny road with tight turns to its end on Gillis Falls Road and then back to Jim's off MD 27 N.  Ron phoned twice, so Cynthia was twice blessed.  And so ends May.  

30 May:  The plan is forever and always to leave early, and this time we did accomplish the arising early part, but since it was already windy, Ron was unwilling to short-cut his organizing and recycling to get underway early.  We left at noon:30 north on Delaware highway 1 through Lewes to Route 16 west into Maryland.  Ron had misread the map and continued on 16 when he should have switched to Maryland 404.  That did eventually take us to US 50 W and the Bay Bridge, but it took us an extra hour and 50 miles.  Once we found US 50, the rest of the ride north to cross the Cheasapeake Bay Bridge went smoothly, and the delight was that the winds were not particularly strong as we crossed the bridge.  It is always a refreshing surprise to see just how much farmland exists in Delaware and Eastern Maryland.  The rest of the way to the Hilton Garden Inn was without mishap although there was traffic inching along twice on I-97 north and I-695 West.  The final turn onto MD 295 came as a huge surprise when Ron recognized 295 as the Baltimore Washington Parkway.  Cynthia has a flight tomorrow from BWI (Baltimore) to Houston town for ten days.  Ron will overnight tomorrow with Jim and Joni before heading to Tennessee and then Morganton, NC to visit friends, 800 miles each way. 

29 May:  Last day for everything since departure is as early as possible tomorrow morning.  We did get up "early" and are already at work on necessary packing, organizing and cleaning before our first walk of the day.  People who don't like to read as much as Ron likes to write can merely scroll through the blog looking for pictures and read around them.   We had a lovely dinner with Dean and Janina at Fin's Ale House and left before it stormed.  The rain stopped by dark, enabling Ron to bury compost.  Recycling, vacuuming, packing Ron’s saddlebag and cleaning the refrigerator will be finished by midnight.  Whenever you see that something will happen by some particular time, it is Cynthia's opinion; Ron doesn't do time things (nor was his saddlebag packed until noon tomorrow).

28 May:  We awakened, exercised, ate and walked Cynthia to the nail salon for pedicure and manicure.  After she was cured, we shipped a box back to Texas.  Ron has finished his mending, but recycling is on going.  Ron is delighted that his knee continues feeling a tiny bit better every day.  As we walked in the neighborhood, Ron was drawn to the shiny silver Harley in a garage with Josh, Kelly, Ashton and Brook playing out front.  Two-year-old Brook, on his little bicycle, had the most engaging smile, reminding Ron of great grandson Holden.  Kelly was winging long passes to Ashton, aged 8, who was catching them well and throwing good returns.  Ron and Josh started talking motorcycles (imagine that) and Josh said that he has been jealous of our Beemer every day as he drives to work ... so Ron offered to let him take a ride, which offer was quite gleefully accepted.  Long story short, he likes the bike although the seating position and shifting was a bit awkward for him.

27 May, Memorial Day:  Today Ron committed to finishing mending and getting recycling ready to go.  He's halfway there now, at 2:30.  We slept pretty well last night and are relieved to have more energy today.  Once we were ready to walk, the rain resumed, but we were able to walk twice later.

26 May, Sunday:  Yesterday Ron's commitment was mending, kitchen cleanup, and fingernails.  Once he finished those, he allowed himself to resume working on James Lea, but instead read about Little Richard (click here) and Jerry Lee Lewis (click here), a couple of Rock and Roll legends.  We did at least get in our usual two walks; both of us feel that our injuries are healing nicely today.

25 May:  Some of these days just disappear.  I know we walked.  I know we listened to Rock & Roll.  I don't know much else.

close up from 15 feet away
24 May:  Two empty eggs.  A mother Canadian goose was sitting on two eggs for most of the month of May, including Mother's Day.  We presume that the other goose, with an injured leg, was her mate.  He limped around the pond behind our condo, fed by neighbors and unafraid of us as we walked by.  A few days ago, momma was off the nest and huddled nearby with the gander, not fussing as we approached.  Two pristine white eggs remained in the nest.  A myriad of thoughts crossed out minds: were they hoping humans could do something to help them?  Were they mourning eggs that did not hatch?  Perhaps they were saying good-bye because the next day they were gone.  The eggs were abandoned.  We feel abandoned.  There is no goose on the pond, no mama on the eggs. Just like that.  But, that's not the end of the tale.  Something or someone broke open the eggs and the contents are gone.  Cynthia's motherly instincts were overwhelmed, and she reported the abandoned eggs by phone to a Canadian Goose Wildlife Center located in British Columbia.  They returned the phone call to offer us comfort.  Yes, Cynthia needed comfort.  Thank you. 

23 May:  This was a great May day.  Sleep was excellent, lunch at the Seedbol with Dean and Janina was marvelous, and we had three walks totaling four miles.  We went for our second walk just before dark, after Ron returned from getting a belt buckle and envelopes from brother Dean.  The number of appendices left to enter into the book has decreased significantly, and Cynthia did not have any hamstring pain.  One week from today we ride to Baltimore airport for an overnight stay.  Cynthia’s flight to Houston is 31 May.

22 May:  Ron is glued to his computer, working on the James Lea book, now getting appendices ready.  Each one is like a small book with lots of pages to transcribe or images to insert.  One was 50 pages long.  We are feeling better by doing two walks a day, totaling about five miles a day.  The downside of the walks is it aggravates Cynthia’s torn hamstring, that had seemed to be healed, and Ron's sore knee, originally aggravated by doing 10 squats every other day for a few weeks.  Cynthia will see her ortho in Texas to review MRI results.  Ron stopped doing squats two weeks ago and the knee improves slowly day by day.  

21 May:  Our bodies are complaining because we are doing too much sitting, Ron continues working on James Lea, and Cynthia is resting a torn hamstring tendon.  That has to change.  We walked four miles this morning and enjoyed lunch at the Seedbol.  Cynthia called the wildlife office to report that a mother goose abandoned her eggs after sitting on the nest for nearly a month.  Two days ago she and the lame gander stood at the corner of the pond, about 30 feet from the nest and did not fuss as we approached.  And the next day, the geese disappeared. Were they saying goodbye? Was she mourning?  Evidently, they flew north.  We are left to report abandoned eggs.  Yahoo!  We had a second walk, totaling 5.14 miles. 

20 May:  Another day and my little ice maiden continues icing.  Maybe we should buy her ice skates.  Ron continues fussing over transcriptions and verbiage for James Lea.  Neither of us slept well last night, so we laid down for a nap and awoke three hours later.  Now we both feel groggy.  But, Cynthia loved the deep sleep anyway.  Ron plans to go for a walk to buy some comestibles.  Our walking is still hampered by our injuries.  And we continue to thank God for whatever still works, even if it is injured.  Cynthia is excited to discover if comestibles are deliciously edible or cute shoes maybe?  

19 May, Sunday:  Cynthia's torn hamstring tendon is complaining, so she has been icing a lot.  Her new name is Frozen Girlie.  Ron worked on James Lea, transcribing deeds, and Cynthia updated the Swedish Colonial Society Council about our DNA project.  We walked to Aldi’s for bananas and to Giant for Triple Zero yogurt.

18 May:  We did stuff on our electronic devices.  Ron walked to Grocery Outlet and worked on James Lea, and we stayed up too late - - - again.  It seems peculiar that momma Goose is occasionally not on the nest.

17 May:  We rode back to our condo in Rehoboth Beach today via a simpler route: I-95 W to DE 1 S with a stop at Ruby Tuesday in Milford, Delaware, 20 miles from the condo.  Traffic in Rehoboth was much heavier than expected for a chilly, overcast day.  We did take a short nap and walked to ALDI for bananas and blueberries for breakfast tomorrow.  Ron's pill alarm has just sounded, so we are going to bed early tonight (except we didn't).  Goodnight.

16 May, Essington, Pennsylvania:  We came here to attend the May meeting of the Swedish Colonial Society.  Cynthia has her speech planned and already e-mailed the "handout".  Ron is the final speaker of the afternoon and plans to ask for questions instead of presenting a prepared speech.  Fortunately he was able to answer most of the questions without tangling his tongue.  Then seven of us (Ron & Cynthia, Kim & Ruth, Joe, John and Carol) adjourned to Lehman's for our fourth meal there in three days.  We all enjoyed light and cheerful conversation about all things Swedish and genealogical. 

15 May:  The forecast has changed, and we could have ridden up this afternoon as easily as yesterday.  We enjoyed lunch at Lehman’s and dined there again with Jean C. this evening. She is a delight and presented us with a lovely calendar of flowers which we can hang in a sheltered nook on the motorcycle.  Jean is still teaching and works five nights a year as an usher at the Walnut Street Theator (click here), America's first theator.  She has discovered a way to enjoy dogs without owning one; she visits friends' dogs when the friends are on vacation.  Jean took the picture of us, but the photo of the three of us was not good.  (Cynthia's arms are a little too short to take good selfies.)

The Lazaretto was built to arrest yellow fever
14 May in Essington, PA:  Rain is forecast for this afternoon through Thursday on Tinicum Island (click here), where we have hotel reservations and plans.  We left at noon, a day early, and enjoyed a three hour ride except for the stop-and-go traffic for a mile or two on I-95 through Chester, PA.  (Cynthia forgot to mention several miles of riding through very light rain and drizzle.)  We ate dinner at Denny's across the highway and walked to Lehman's (click here) to make reservations for tomorrow and Thursday before continuing on to see the Lazretto (click here).  They've done a beautiful restoration of this fine old building on the water next to Gov. Printz Park.   Our route was DE 1 N to US 13 E to I-495 E to I-95 N to PA 420 into Essington.

13 May:  The day after the big birthday was a quiet day, pleasant, with two walks totaling five miles. Rain is forecast for Wednesday here and in Essington. We will decide tomorrow about leaving for Essington a day early.

12 May, Sunday, Mother's Day:  Happy Birthday
SMOOCH!  I thank God for you every day! Trifecta: Mother's Day, 13th anniversary and 77th birthday for Ron, that lucky guy. We enjoyed a lovely dinner with Dean and Janina at Fins Ale House (click here).

11 May:  Rehoboth Beach, DE on a sunny, pleasant day, we maintain our every day too busy schedule, taking breaks only to eat and walk to buy food to eat. 

10 May:  We are celebrating our 13th honeymoon at Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.  Ron continues editing Cynthia’s four transcriptions that go into the appendices and is making good progress.  Cynthia sent Mother’s Day blessings to every mother in western civilization.  (and to all of their children and grandchildren - just to be sure she didn't miss anyone.)  We started out on walk #1 at three PM and were blasted back into the house by a prevading mist, potentially indicating forthcoming drips from the heavens.  We walked to ALDI a half hour later for frozen mango - and purchased the last three bags.  Dean called to let us know that their family had great fun in Sarasota on vacation, mangrove kayaking, e-bicycling, etc.

9 May:  Exercised, oatmealed, and into electronics until high noon-thirty when we walked to Stephen’s Hair Salon for the bride’s haircut.

8 May:  Another day but not like the other day - - - thank God.  Ron is slaving away over James Lea yet again, appendix number 8.  Cynthia recounts a harrowing tale: “This is a copy of the report I filed after a frightening cell phone scam.  COMPLAINT FORM: I received a phone call this morning from someone sounding exactly like my grandson 3468185473, Cypress, Texas; he was crying that he was in jail, that he had rear-ended a pregnant woman, the baby died, and the mother’s life was in peril.  I was to call an attorney Jack Davidson 4432962016 who then reported my grandson faced manslaughter charges and needed bail money.  The bail bond was thirty five thousand dollars, but he, attorney, had gotten it reduced to twelve thousand dollars.  I explained I did not have that cash.  He asked how much I had.  He put me on hold to request a bail bond reduction to the amount of cash I had.  My eyes opened to a scam.  He told me to go to a nearby Walgreens and say I wanted to send money to the Dominican Republic Capitol: RIA DAMIAN ALBERTO SALCEDO BAEZ.  I immediately texted to verify my grandson was present teaching school.”  It was terrifyingly real until the bond reduction opened my eyes to the scam.

7 May:  Ron is focused editing and preparing twenty-three appendices for the Lea book, each one with several pages.  We could have a whole book of appendices!  Cynthia used her MacBook computer to complete a pile of paperwork to submit a claim to recover unclaimed property.  She prefers using the IPad since it is much easier for one finger typing.  On the computer, it too easy to forget and slip into ten finger typing, which irritates her Sagittal band issues.  We had two walks to three grocery stores.  Our walking total was four miles.

6 May:  We did all of the usual stuff staying crazy busy, making the circuit shopping at all of the grocery stores.  That upped the total number of steps for the day to 11,456 or 4.5 miles.   The best part of the day was dining at Seedbol.  Ron’s knee is complaining tonight, as it has for a week now.

5 May, Sunday:  Fascinating that when we go to bed at 11:30 PM, we don’t get rolling until 11:30 AM the next morning, and Cynthia is still fatigued.  She reports that sitting makes her hungry.  She likes the adrenalin rush that comes from moving, but she is moving cautiously until confirming that her torn hamstring tendon is healing.  It complains at times.  Today wind gusts are up to 24 MPH, so sitting inside working on computers seems like such a good idea.  Oh goodie, and now rain is supposed to begin in ten minutes.  We attempted to walk, and it did rain on us.  Word from daughter Julie, that our eleventh great-grandchild will be a girl, Delilah Jo.  Nine greats will be under five years of age.  The other two are 7 and 10, six girls and five boys.  With the arrival of Delilah Jo, Cynthia will have equal numbers of grandchildren and great grandchildren.  I'm guessing that won't last long.   Ron finished preliminaries for three appendices (out of 20).

4 May: already !!  We are up, exercised, fed and working.  Cynthia spent an hour on the phone with Amazon delivery because her vitamins were dropped into an inaccessible locked mailbox despite instructions to deliver the package to the front door.  Ron is working on James Lea appendices after several days of successful avoidance, especially by staying up late watching Vintage Basketball on TV, fascinated by "Pistol" Pete Maravich and Larry Bird.

view from Rehoboth Beach boardwalk
Threeth of May:  We've recorded the oneth and tooth, so is this now the threeth?  Ron just realized that his knee has been complaining since he started doing squats = no more squats.  Let's hope the knee is soothed.  It is cooler and very windy, but Ron needs to mail letters, and both Lewes and Rehoboth Beach post offices are a bit too far away for us to walk with our owies, so we decided to ride the motorcycle and then enjoyed a wonderfully pleasant walk along the Rehoboth Beach boardwalk (click here - notice web cam) (very flat surface with no hills).  Dr. Anton, Pritikin endocrinologist, phoned with a review of Cynthia’s Dexa scans; the good news is that her body composition is just barely within normal range for visceral fat on organs.  Stay with the eating program.  The bone density was not as good for arms and ribs, so either strength training or drugs (or both) are needed to increase bone density (to reduce osteopenia). 

Tooth of May:  Oops, 82° heat, our motorcycle ride to P.O. and Fresh Market is postponed until tomorrow.

Oneth of May:  Turn the page, sing and shout, rattle your tambourines, “Hooray, hooray for the twelfth of May, Ron's birthday and our thirteenth Wedding Anniversary approach,” a double reason to dance a jig (dance two jigs?).  We have reservations for dinner with Dean and Janina at Fin’s Ale House.  Finally at high noon on the oneth of May, we exercised and ate.  Who knows what is next?  Ron is very frustrated with Google again today.  He wants to get his Burton Third Bombers web site found by Google, but Google has such complex instructions for authenticating ownership that it is impossible, so he is driven to insert the URL here: https://sites.google.com/view/burton3rdbombers .  The other reason is to see if Google search will find a Google Doc for BTB history: 
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ahC0IwdCVi9Xu9OWQyFrd-g300ckHA9hAGpcRdPgNPw/view