How many Heimlichs is one person allowed?

My girls and their husbands and boyfriend - just one daughter, Cindy, had a boyfriend and isn't married - were in town to visit me and see how I'm getting along at the mother ship. It was wonderful to have them here as I don't get to see them that often. I showed them around the facilities and they decided I was in good hands.  They then went shopping and came back and showed me their purchases. I remember when I had an operation, they came to town to make sure the hospital was treating me right.  So while I languished in the hospital, they went shopping then too. I think there's something about my being out of commission that sets them off on a shopping frenzy! I really think it's the fact we have no sales tax which they have in Washington and New York.

Cindy and boyfriend went home Saturday, but Teri and husband stayed on. Teri left around 9pm Sunday, so she and Mark(husband) and Rita and Steve(good friends of everyone) took me out to dinner early Sunday evening. I ordered a steak which I don't buy for myself as I can't afford it which is a sad circumstance. Anyway, it was very rare which I love. I knew I should take small bites, but I must have been like a tiger eating rare meat as I expect they like it rare . . . they can't cook. But one bite stuck in my throat and I couldn't breathe. Teri asked me if I needed help and I nodded since I couldn't talk. Immediately the servers there jumped into action and two of them worked on me with the Heimlich maneuver. At first a woman tried and then a young man finished it off. My throat felt funny afterward and my ribs were really sore, but I was alive! My ribs were sore for about a week, and apparently you should go to the hospital right away after going through that for an X-ray looking for broken ribs. I didn't know that but I should have realized that was the right thing to do. This wasn't the first time I had done this. It happened when I was alone and  some meat stuck in my throat. I thought I was going to die. I was all alone and couldn't breathe. But I jumped up from the table and ran to the kitchen sink and bent over the sink and dislodged the meat. It popped out right away. I told some guys in an ambulance several days later when they were on a break. They were impressed with my prowess but didn't offer me a job. I was disappointed.

So Mark took Teri to the airport and then came back to check on me. Teri called Cindy from airport and told her she had drunk some vodka, taken a sleeping pill and then entered the plane. I assume she had a good flight back to New York. 

I think I have had my share of going through the Heimlich maneuver. I went back to the restaurant and hugged the server who saved me. This time I ordered mashed potatoes and a glass of wine. How much trouble can I have with that on my menu?

Fun time at the liquor store

I hadn't been out of the mother ship (my retirement home) for a while, so decided to take the car for a spin to the liquor store. Why the liquor store? I don't know why. I do know where it is which was a plus. It's a small store which I like with drive-in parking right in front. What more could I ask for? No crowds and no crowded aisles which would be good for me to navigate with a cane. And also there would be no cars parking in front for hours as they do when shopping for shoes, underwear, lipstick, etc. at other stores - no one stays too long in a liquor store unless they're robbing it.

So I parked, grabbed my cane and stepped up on the curb without falling on my face. But as I staggered to the door, I heard a voice asking if she could help me. A woman came up and I felt like hugging her! We made it into the store and it turned out she worked there. She asked what I wanted and I said vodka. She asked what kind and started at the bottom of the vodka aisle until she said Hood River vodka which I took. I figured since I'm from Hood River and my dad raised apple and pears I was being patriotic in a way by supporting my roots. And I also bought a bottle of brandy. Mark, Teri's husband, gave me some when I was visiting them and it was late and I was ready for bed. After I drank the brandy I went to sleep immediately!

I guess that's what it's good for because I don't know why you'd drink if otherwise. It really tastes like shit!

So now I had my two bottles of booze but I knew I couldn't manage getting them to the car as they were too heavy. So I asked if someone could help me and a big guy who worked there carried them out for me. I told him I wasn't drunk even though I looked like it. He just smiled at me. I didn't think I should take up his time by telling him I had Ataxia which makes you walk like a drunken sailor. 

That was the day out for me which I spent in a liquor store. Not bad! I may just do the same thing on my next day out. I got a good vibe from that store and the people were very accommodating. How better to spend a lazy afternoon?