a bit of this and that

[Guest guest]

First of all, I am so glad that someone, of Suffolk?!, who brought in the red wine. I cannot tolerate rum (unless it's been steeped in a Baba, otherwise, it makes me ill, alas), and tequila seems "not there" in taste for me; the red wine will suffice and I also like a glass of sherry before dinner. But I have shifted away from those days of summer with G & T, which I used to love, to softer stuff, like Amstel Light. I have found that one glass of wine really makes me relax a lot right before I eat so I tend to have it in the kitchen while I'm getting dinner ready. From then on, soda of choice and I do love bubbly water like Perrier or Arrowhead with a light fruit flavor. It helps in my swallowing. Second of all, I am thinking and thinking of Lee Ann and hoping she is home and doing very well. Third of all, phew! Peggy! Sorry you had that stomach

flu/bad food experience! I hope the worst is now over and that you can return to your life and feel great. Fourth of all, Ms. Sandy, I love hearing about great projectile vomiting. I've done it most of my life, I've done it a lot right before and after my Achalasia diagnosis and I am used to the delightful and unique flavor of bile, not to be confused with the aftertaste of haggis on the run, etc. Being able to barf without gut and/or esophagus complications interests me ENORMOUSLY. I have been a vomiting person almost all of my life. Didn't choose it; it chose me. When growing up, all of us sat at the table and ate VAST quantities of English American meals, vast quantities of lamb and roast and piles of hot, limp veggies and if we didn't eat it, we sat there and took our time whilst everyone else who DID finish, got to do something leisurely. This is not to say that English Americans can't cook. This was

back in the ancient day and age of Eisenhower. Take it with a mound of mashers. Fifth of all, oh, my, Polyana K! I have heard the Call! SICK TO DEATH OF IT !!! YES! Thank you for saying you know no one who talks about his or her esophagus! How right you are! (And we all know it, don't we, assembled Ones?!) I was at a nice, outdoor luncheon yesterday, bought myself an average take-away Chinese thingie and the rice was slightly greasy (Sandy C., you are right about the oil helping the swallowing). I was actually enjoying the rice but I had to stop, do nothing, swallow soda, sit, do nothing, listen to my friends' very funny conversations (Thank God for them!), and continued on my intermittent and calculated eating and drinking arrangements. I got up to talk to someone and when I turned around, my

table had been cleared. Damn! My take-home box of stuff was gone! I'd eaten only about one-fourth of this stuff, too. Usually I can make one lunch go for three. Phooey! I drink breakfast. It's Optima and I like it. It has vitamins and the chocolate flavor is pretty lifelike. And now, my little question: Anybody else out there suffering from bouts of fatigue during the day? early evening? I have been experiencing Slamming Fatigue lately. I had to drop two important business meetings because I was wiped out. Damn! I sklunked home after lunch yesterday, sat in my living room chair and realized I was incredible exhausted, called my friend at the fund-raiser, and bowed-out...went to bed from 3 to 5, got up, had a soda, sat again in the living room, read a little, and then went to bed from

10 p.m. and GOT UP THIS MORNING AT 10:30 a.m. !!! WHOA!!! What the Devil?! LEE ANN!!! Oh, I hope you are doing great! My thoughts and prayers go out to you! sending love and best wishes, Deborah, blathering at the beach