Wednesday morning I found myself showing the signs of a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) sever enough to call the paramedics and spent the next four days in Providence Little Co. of Mary hospital. I got home yesterday. I feel fine and am recovering nicely.
And that's why no blogs for four days.
All's well that ends well! I.E FREEDOM
(Sound of a hearty slap) in this case to the cheek of Jean-Pierre Adams a former soccer star who would go on to lie in a coma for the next 39 years until he died September 6, 2021. His wife Bernadette cared for him and would not even consider euthanasia. She and the couple's two sons, born well before the coma, were at his bedside when he (finally) died.
The cause of this prolonged nap was botched anesthetizing by a novice anesthesiologist. He didn't come back due to ventilator ignorance which sucked oxygen out of his longs, not pump it in, thus giving him a bronchospasm depriving his brain of oxygen after what had been considered a minor knee surgery.
In digging around I was surprised to read that Evel Kneival lay in a coma for 29 days after his failed attempted jump over the Caesar's Palace fountains.
Women can hang in there, too, as evidenced by Elaine Esposito who lingered for 37 years and 111 days.
29 days seems a lot more reasonable than 29 years. If you have to have a coma.
The South Bay New Orleans Jazz Club is what I'm talking about. After Covid 19 shut it down for two years.
A small piece of our former lives is coming back - live music, raffle tickets for some dandy stuff and the pleasure of seeing everyone again. Added bonus - live music and the wonderful inter play of the band members with each other. It's all a joy and it's this afternoon.
To the funeral for Queen Elizabeth II. First things first - first thing is she has to die. Then a senior aide or equivalent announces "London Bridge Is Down" announcing to those in the know that She has, in fact, died.
Prince Charles and the PM have a conference and Charlie makes a speech followed by a Service of Remembrance.
Day 1, at 10 a.m. Charles is named King.
Day 2 The coffin travels from Buckingham Palace to Westminster
Day 3 King Charles embarks on a power tour ? hitting Scotland first, then Northern Ireland wending the way to Wales. After that QE2 will rest in state for 3 days, 23 hours a day.
As I understand it, she will be interred at Windsor in the King George VI* Memorial Chapel.
"The King's Speech"
Keep what you do say as kindly as you can.
Thus, notes on a dinner at
Seaview Bistro, 1420 W 25th Street, San Pedro, CA.
The occasion was a belated birthday celebration for Mouton who chose the place according to tradition. Birthday Person picks the place.
The place is tucked away in a corner of a mall and there was no glimpse of anything other than the parking lot out front. And you had to be out on a spacious and drafty patio in front to even see that. . I ordered French Fries for the table with our drinks - flutes of champagne from a bottle I bought ($24)
They were billed as "lemon garlic" but as there was no hint of either flavor, don't believe 'em, The men ordered the evening's special a collection of shrimp in a red spicy sauce over pasta. All three of them ate them right up. They liked them! The specials were $81 for three guys.
The server's were quite nice. The entire staff came out from the kitchen to sing "Happy Birthday" to our honored dignity. On tune, too!
I hope to have a much more positive report next Friday after next Thursday's lunch at Nick's at the old Metlox Pottery site in Manhattan Beach. Manhattan Beach Blvd and Valley. Check out their menu. We members of the South Bay Writer's Workshop will be honoring Mo's birthday. Her newest book will soon be in your book stores; more of which later.
Found the Seaside Bistro bill
The (No) lemon, garlic, Spicy Fries $6.50
Homemade onion rings (again with our drinks) and they got snapped right up $5.50
Including food and drinks and the Champagne at $24 our tab came to $170 plus tip and the guys tip in cash.
I'm referring to an ancient custom of loved ones sitting up with the deceased all of the night before the funeral.
Tuesday Richie's brother Charlie called to tell us that a fellow clammer, Bay Man and good friend of theirs had died. For reference his name is Sonny Nogiewich. Charlie didn't know what got him, but from info gleaned at the visitation today, it was cancer. Type not specified but we are hoping for more information after the funeral today.
Richie asked Charlie who would be sitting up with him. I was puzzled. Richie guessed "Cookie" (ex-wife) or their daughter Debby.
They finished their conversation and I asked Richie, "Do they still do that? "Sit up with the body all night?" and he replied, "Sure" and in turn looked quizzically at me like, "Where have you been?" I bet the daughter.
Some Up All Night History.
Some religions believe that post mortem, the soul wanders around being attacked or attacking other souls and apparently having a human there is a good idea. Go figure.
Embalming didn't begin until the Civil War. And it was a job done in the deceased's home. Up until the early 1900s when funeral homes appeared. Previously a neighborhood lady or a man would take charge of washing the body and dressing it in Sunday Best. It was a profession among many of them I imagine it to have been akin to "Get the midwife!"
Visitation garb for mourners was expected to be Sunday Best, too, but with people being so time-stressed, it is perfectly okay today to pop in to the visitation straight from work.
Today the all-night visitation is held in the funeral home; not the person's home unless it was cremated and then you could take the ashes anywhere you wanted. For example, I told Richie, "If you go first I'm taking your ashes to the Pitcher House, Upper Deck for your last Stella Artois. He laughed - kind of coldly.
Stay tuned for who was Up All Night. Which cancer it was and other details as their petals slowly open
A clearly homemade stick and cardboard sign stuck in the dirt next to a verdant vegetable garden that reads:
EVERY VEGETABLE IN THIS GARDEN HATES YOU
credit boredpanda.com
