Sunday, December 23

[karlinann]

Aunt Maye so good to hear from you. Good morning Rounders. I've been reading for a couple of hours and have had my coffee. It's 37 degrees and will drop some more before daylight. Did I tell you I don't like winter? Blah! Aunt Maye, what is that Carnegie website address for reading books online please and thank you.

I have a 2019 Planner that I will use for a garden planner. I also have a Farmers Almanac of sorts. It's not THE FA, but it's chock full of gardening info, how holidays got started. and just all kinds of good stuff. It's from Boys Town, the charity. They send neat stuff.

So, today is my peaceful, relaxing day. Will make steak for dinner. Hey JoGee, how did your dinner go? Maxie have you opened your gifts? Have a wonderful day and I'll be back later.

[maxie]

Morning! Yes, gifts are opened and boxes, paper etc is thrown all over. Time to pick that up later. Andrew had cookies and coffee ready before waking us up this morning so stumbling out was less painful...that and he slept in until 7:00! He is out with his new bike now and I am sure has already jumped something and tested the brakes. Sierra went back to bed and Jon is in the kitchen messing with the ham.

My darling son had a friend of his make me a quilt.....a BLUES QUILT!!! And Andrew gave me a thermal Blues cup and I am having a Blues Christmas...plus they won yesterday so all is well in my world. This quilt is so nice and well done..I am not going to put it on my bed but across it. Need to dress and wait for Scott to come in. It has been a wonderful early Christmas!

Andrew's mom came in yesterday just in time to order season passes for me for 6 flags for the kids and their father so they will be Easter gifts but I could not figure out how to get them ordered. Thank goodness she is computer smart! She also has a sight to order used books that she is going to send me. Her aunt uses it and she is an avid reader...no tv. Can you imagine a life without tv? Not me!! Well, time to shower and kick a path through here. Not a pretty day but a happy one!

[JoGee]

Good morning, everyone.☕️

The dinner last night went well, as far as the company we were with is concerned. They really liked the food. As for E & me, we are unlikely to ever go back. E started with French onion soup, and started choking. The wait staff saw him choking, coughing, as he had stood up right away. The manager ran over and started the heimlick (sp?) on him, it took a while, but a bay leaf finally came up. Bay leaf or sage leaf... I’m not sure. Paramedics were called, but didn’t get their right away, but did talk to him to be sure he was okay. E will have a sore throat for a while, as that bay leaf came up whole, not a bit of it chipped off, and it was hard.
We all had ordered steak, and I asked for a small one which was the fillet mingnon though I thought I was ordering the NY fillet. We all got the steaks which were pretty black on the outside (not Louisiana-blackened with spices) .... burnt, in my book, but pink inside. I found the more you chewed it, it seemed to grow in your mouth. I slipped it into the baked potato skin and covered it with the huge red bell pepper slices. The rest of the veggies were 7 string beans. The potato and green beans were nice. The chef came by to apologize to E....he swore he thought he had removed all the leaves from the pot before serving the soups.
Then dessert...niece and I ordered the brownie sundae. I swear the brownie was at least day old. I only ate half, looking for a tender piece. Then I just ate the ice cream portion. I noticed nephew didn’t finish his margarita lime pie, but it came with a raspberry glaze which I can’t imagine the mixture. E was happy with his dish of ice cream....it probably soothed his throat.

Well, the manager said our meals were free, plus the guys were each given a $25 discount card for our next visit, plus some other perk I missed. E gave ours to nephew, when the manager left.
As for the other diners, I saw maybe only 4 who didn’t ignore E’s choking, but they just sat and watched. Niece, a nurse, couldn’t help as she was on oxygen. Nephew had a bad shoulder and arm from his motorcycle accident. And I didn’t have the strength to help. The 2 guys closest to E at the next table were big strong men, but just sat and watched. The manager was just half the size of either of those two men.

If I had known JA Jance books would be of interest, I wouldn’t have let E donate those books a few weeks ago. I would have saved them and sent them to you all. She was one of my favorite authors. Maye, I really hadn’t noticed the bad language, but I tend to breeze past that stuff to keep my mind in the story. I know the places she writes about are described very close to reality. I imagine the situations and characters (including whatever bad language) are also part of the reality.

Well, back to reality. I should get the newspaper in, as that will eat up our morning. Then stuff to be done.
As we left the house yesterday we had a 2nd pkg arrived from my brother from David & Harries. A big box of apples, oranges, tangerines, more assorted candies, plus grapefruit. But we need to see if any neighbors want the grapefruit.....we cannot eat that due to our meds.

Oh, I did see the full moon last night. I saw only one star on the horizon, so I guess there was still some cloudiness up there. I never saw the moon so very incredibly bright! Beautiful!

I hope you all all have a wonderful day. ☀️

[karlinann]

JoGee, I had a bad feeling about your dinner out after I read your post yesterday. I think you should have said something to your niece or nephew about it before you accepted the invite. Usually my first impression of something is correct and I bet you are the same. They are younger and I'm sure they would have understood and I'm sure neither of them would want you to suffer over a meal. It's just not worth it and I believe in speaking your mind about things. If they get upset, then that is it and it's over. E could have ended up in the hospital. Bay Leaf can cut your esophagus. He is lucky someone did do the Heimlich. JoGee, from now on just trust your instincts. You can't go wrong.

[karlinann]

aunt maye, I think I may know why you wrote skimmed beside one of those books. The ones with the Walker series are just full of Indian lore. It's in a different font and is usually at the beginning of a chapter. The first book I read I did read all the Indian tales, but the second book I just didn't read it. Unless you want to read all the Indian history, folklore and tales you don't really need to read those to enjoy the books. I love the rest of her book and you will also. I don't remember any bad language, but like JoGee says I just read the story and that is part of it.

[Paula A]

Oh, my! JoG, what an ordeal! I think most people do not knowhow to do the Heimlich procedure or are too unsure of trying in public on someone they don't know. I do know and have had to use it on my mother in law once, but never out in public. but I always kind of watch when someone starts to choke. And standing up like E did is a big alert! So grateful it all ended well. And E felt ok about staying for the dinner. That manager acted quickly and correctly! Hope he gets some notice.

I have that same Boys Town calendar, Karlinann. That is one I look forward to receiving each year.

We just had visitors who were passing through on their way to OR. They used to iive here and now live in San Antonio. Sarah was a great friend, very creative and now teaches at a college in San Antonio. Her husband is with Blue Shield there. They have two kids and were visiting family here in Red Bluff and are now on their way to see Sarah's parents in OR. Sarah's mom ahd asked me to buy a wall plaque that she saw in a picture I posted when I visited a shop uptown. She did not tell Sarah what the sign said...it is kind of too big to mail:
Get Naked is what it says and she wants it for her bathroom! Ihad it sitting on my sofa ready for them and you should have seen their faces (especially the middle school girl's!) We all cracked up when they told me the grandma did not tell the mwhat they were picking up.'
I got a towel for them to wrap it in...

I am on my way now to church. Be back later andhope your day is going ok! Great, really! You deserve it!

[maxie]

Oh Jo, how horrible for you and your family! I do think a lot of people are afraid to get involved but some people just do not think and jump right in. Glad your were in a place where someone took charge. Thank God for those type of people!

[JoGee]

Karlinann, Thanks. Yes, I had the premonition, too. But our nephew and niece have wanted for a long time to take us there. E wouldn’t like to disappoint them.
They came in 15 minutes late, but apparently she “felt the ambience” to be all wrong when they came in the building. I’m surprised SHE didn’t say anything. Wish she did. This morning she texted an apology and mentioned that.
E choked on his first spoonful of soup.
Yes, I will follow my instincts better hereafter.

Thanks Paula & Maxie. I’m glad that manager was trained for that, too. Also, that the paramedic guy came in and took a look. I know they see more than the average person, they know other subtle signs to look for, to be certain. That made ME feel better.
i know people don’t want to get involved in case they get sued. Society has taken suing to the brink, unfortunately.
They can always ask, “can I help?” That could be so welcome.

[Aunt Maye]

good evening ..

Im tired!.... grandson Kiel and I went to Church,, David was feeling wobbly legged and back was feeling Poorly.. but I did want to go , Had not heard any of our lady pastors Christmas sermons.. and todays was so good... when Kiel and I got home. David was ready to go out to lunch.. got home , set a spell. and then decided to make the Vegetable soup.. meat and broth in the fridge. already.. sooooo...I started chopping, and dicing, peeling and cubing.. finally after an hour and a half . all was in the pop.. then started the tasting .. more salt.. and pepper.. a tough more garlic powder. etc etc.. finally pronounced it fit to eat.. left it simmer for a while. turn off heat and let set some more.. the BIG POT will set on the enclosed and very cold front porch overnight..
so glad I did it today... knees are screaming at me .hope to rest them overnight.

Karlin will check out the Carnegie address and see what they require .. might have to get a library card for the number, ( ID). The pittsburgh Library system is huge.. lots and lots of the ebooks...I will start the Jance book and let you know.. the book I skim was the one with the Indian stuff.


JO!. what a terrible experience for E!... and such a scare for you... thank God it turned out safely...

Grandson Kiel is kind of fun to have here... helpful.. talks a lot. there are a lot of his Mothers family living in the "neighborhood.."..He has Aunts and cousin . and is watching foot ball with one of those families right now...Plus he has all of our family ,cousins , aunts ,uncles. too. He will be a big help carrying 'stuff" whan we go to Karens tomorrow.. ..... IF he could find a job as good as the one he has in Va. he would put his house up for sale and move north.. he just realized in this past year. how much and how nice having "family". means to you.

well, better get settled down into nightclothes , tomorrow is a biggie. ... ( the actual Christmas day is a no- stress day... gifting is C.Eve. , and Christmas day is eating leftover. and visiting my Sister family.. ( but not to eat.)..

see you all later .. stay well.. time to start reading..