Taking it easy in Brazil
The biggest outing I've had so far was on Thursday - an official week out from surgery. We walked down to the hospital, took Felicia a little translation guide we found in the American box, then walked another block over to the Harley Davidson store. Yes, they are everywhere.
Cheryl's sister is a cop in Anchorage and a big Harley fan, so she picked up t-shirts for her whole family that said Harley Davidson, Curitiba, Brasil for all of them....she also found a little Harley "Police" badge as well, for her sister, which was perfect.
We returned to La Provence, a 'boulangerie & patissarie' across the street from the hospital. This is a FRENCH bakery & pastry shop, and the owners speak all three languages pretty fluently. I discovered they make little 3" in diameter quiches, which I *much* prefer to the scrambled eggs downstairs. (I can eat about 2/3rds of one right now.) And fresh croissants, which Cheryl adored. All in all, the walk was about 7 blocks, and was the first day I stayed up all day without a nap.
I've found I have not been sleeping well the last couple of nights, and I don't know if that's because I haven't been napping during the day or what. I've also found the sleeping pills seem to have no effect on me. And my body thermostat is going haywire. This started in the hospital - either I'm alternating hot & cold or part of me is sweating and the rest of me is cold. It's bizarre trying to find the right configuration of blankets to accommodate the changes.
One little funny story for you before I go.......yesterday Cheryl was getting dressed, and she came out in a long black skirt with this clingy camisole with a lace neckline. I said "You look great!", and she looked at me puzzled - she had been looking for a shirt to put on over it. She'd always considered the camisole more as underwear.
Well, I convinced her to go out as is, and so with her hair elegantly up in a bun, little tendrils around her ears, and a somewhat generous helping of cleavage, we went to lunch in the hotel restaurant. Our waiter was one who on previous occasions had kind of shyed away from us, been a little surly or rude, and we assumed it was because he didn't want to fight the language barrier.
Yesterday, we discovered he spoke English better than any of the others, and was ALL smiles and attention.......for Cheryl. He asked for her drink order, which she gave him, and he turned away, as if I wasn't even there. I said "Excuse me"......he turned again, but couldn't seem to get his attention passed her. He finally got my order for tea, and walked away. She shivered and was about to put her coat on, and I said "I don't think he's done looking yet", and she looked up to see him watching her from across the room, laughed and said "I think you're right!"
Today, she went down to lunch alone in a simple t-shirt and capris, and he was JUST walking out the door when she came in. Suddenly he realized he "forgot" something, and managed to go out of his way to walk past her table and flash her a smile & a wave. On the way out again, he again went passed her table & said "Ciao!"
English may not be a universal language, but cleavage crosses all barriers.
When she told her husband about this yesterday, he said "Am I going to have to come to Brazil to defend your honor? I can just see filling out the visa application "Reason for travel?" "Physical violence, sir". "
I thought you would be amused.



Great story, BT!
And I know this wasn't your point, but I have no doubt you'll be able to start a few wars over cleavage and a slim body yourself not too long from now, too. Of course, then one has to occasionally do battle with one's own irritation over having been invisible *before,* but this all get worked through if one's willing to do the head work.
Your progress and attitude are inspirational!
Alison
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Quest for DS officially began 2/28/05
Requested IMR with CA's DMHC 9/7/05
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"Waiting is not mere empty hoping. It has the inner certainty of reaching the goal." (I Ching)
