Starting the new year with a splutter

Monday, January 4, 2021 Permalink

So much for starting the new year with a bang. First I published an overly-dramatic post about food and my weight. Then I accidentally got sunburnt when visiting the local pool for a friend’s birthday celebrations. (A no-no for me as my father ultimately died as a result of skin cancer. Sort of.)

But, as this morning rolled around and those gainfully employed prepared to return to work, I decided I’d start the year afresh and on a positive note. My university break was over and I’d already done the reading required for the coming week. I was due to head back to my over 50s exercise classes and my clothes were laid out ready.

starting the new year with a splutter

Because I woke very early (5am) I probably should have contacted my instructor to see if I could attend the early (7am) class. Because I’m not good at waiting. IF I have to go out and do something, I need to do it first thing or I can’t be arsed.

But I sat at my desk and checked emails, pfaffed about and scoffed diet coke. Just before 7am (with an hour until my class) I was feeling weary so decided to have some leftover ravioli from the previous night. Carb-loading if you like.

I’d almost finished the leftovers when a big bit of cracked pepper got stuck in my throat. Of course I realise it was unlikely to choke me – given its size – but it was hot and left me struggling to breathe, coughing and spluttering. Stars appeared before my eyes.

This is how I die, I thought.

Naturally I later shared that thought on Facebook but also wanted to make sure people knew I was joking so spent ages searching for the Bridget Jones joke about dying alone and being found half-eaten by Dalmatians. I couldn’t find the quote so had to post to Facebook without it, hoping people realised I wasn’t seriously at death’s door.

starting the year with a splutter

It was only later (after a rest) I realised the quote involved Alsatians. Not Dalmatians. (Obviously the almost-dying thing meant there’d been a lack of oxygen to my brain and I was confused!)

After the choking episode I flopped on my bed. And promptly fell asleep for the next hour, thereby missing the first exercise class of the year. Shit. And oops.

So, a not-so-impressive start to the New Year. But I’m determined to make up for it. And though it’s not yet lunch I have managed to do three job applications / queries and some brainstorming for my next University assignment.

Oh and I’ve managed not to choke myself further despite finishing off some brownies for morning tea.

Things are looking up already.

* Image from babbleworthy.wordpress.com

19 Comments
  • Vanessa
    January 4, 2021

    Hey, lets turn this positive – you could also be eaten by Dalmations! 😉

    • Debbish
      January 4, 2021

      Can you imagine the shame. And there’d be no coat! (That was the Dalmatians wasn’t it? Not really up on my Disney references but blame the story / movie for the Alsatian mix up!)

  • leannelc
    January 4, 2021

    My daughter used to live alone with her cat when she was at uni – her greatest fear was dying alone and being eaten by said cat. It’s definitely a “thing” – I check on my Mum regularly in case her chiuahah decides to chomp on her unconscious body! Glad you’re still alive and kicking x

    • Debbish
      January 4, 2021

      Ha yes, dozen or so years ago I had a few incidents in a row where I wondered who would find me and when if something happened. Once when I was choking on something, once when I was really sick and once when I precariously balanced a ladder on a stairwell corner. I tried to calculate how many days work would miss me for before they considered whether they needed to call the police to check my apartment or something.

  • Jennifer Jones
    January 4, 2021

    It’s only day 4 Deb. You have 361 days to get it right. If you get it right by the end of the year, you’re doing better than most. Thanks for the chuckle as I remember being horrified at the Bridget Jones scene. When I was first separAted I thought they would be my fate

    • Debbish
      January 4, 2021

      True Jennifer and I’m not sure I did such a great job last year so I have to do better this time around surely! And of course only I am responsible how I react to the world around me (and more importantly my own thinking!).

  • Debbie
    January 4, 2021

    Every year has to start with a splutter of some sort so you’ve now got that out of the way, it’s all up from here!

    • Debbish
      January 4, 2021

      Very true. I almost called the post something about a cough and splutter (cos I couldn’t stop coughing) but then thought people would assume it was Covid-related! 🙁

  • Sanch @ Sanch Writes
    January 5, 2021

    I didn’t want to laugh but also, did laugh. That said, I know the fear you talk about. I have had that on occasion too and it’ll probably continue given I live on my own. That said, I do have a friend or two who I message every day so I reckon even if I was lying dead, they would find out sooner rather than later. Possibly with my cats sitting on top of my cold dead body.

    • Debbish
      January 5, 2021

      Now that I’m living here my mother would notice if I didn’t call / message / email every day but not sure when she’s no longer around…

      I caught up with old school friends on the holidays and one is single (divorced) and we joked about the whole commune idea – separate houses on a large plot and able to touch base daily and with a nurse calling out on a regular basis!

  • Laurie
    January 5, 2021

    Ha! Thanks for the laugh this afternoon. Is there really a difference between being eaten by Dalmations and Alsations? Either way, it sounds like a pretty gruesome ending. I hope to read many posts this year about hijinks going on in your exercise class!

    • Debbish
      January 5, 2021

      Dalmatians seem more friendly, though maybe it’s only because I see them as victims (rather than predators) cos of the story / movie!

  • Katherine
    January 5, 2021

    Now this was a funny post. Not to put a light spin on your brush with death. But the Alsatians/Dalmatians really made me stop and think for a bit. I haven’t seen Bridget Jones, but I have seen 30 Rock, and I think there’s a part in there that used to resonated with me about being single and choking to death. Because why not look on the bright side, eh?
    But I was really laughing because the pre-gym class ravioli and then post-ravioli nap totally sound like things I would do.

    • Debbish
      January 5, 2021

      I usually try to only get up 30mins before I have to leave for class so there’s time to get dressed and not much else. But this gave me way too much time and I realise eating the ravioli just over an hour before class was stupid but I did think it would give me some energy which was lagging. Alas. (And yes, I’m not sure if the nap was the stress of the choking incident or a post-carbohydrate slumber!)

  • Natalie
    January 5, 2021

    Glad you’re still alive and kicking. The year is still young. It’s all up from here. Have a great week, Deb!

    • Debbish
      January 5, 2021

      Ah yes, I’ve lived to see another day. (And when I was cooking pizza last night I skipped the cracked peppercorns!)

  • Denyse Whelan Blogs
    January 6, 2021

    Oh dear Deb, all the right intentions and then….boom, that happened. Sigh. I loved reading others’ responses. I know I too would be worried if I lived alone but as you said, your Mum is always checking!! My Dad lives alone in a retirement block of units and he either rings the front desk – they have a concierge to say he’s OK or he potters down to the area to have a coffee. He also wears an alarm around his neck now. He is 97 on Monday and he did have a scare a few year back which made him wear the alarm all the time.

    Welcome back to Life This Week in 2021 on my blog each Monday. Thank you for linking up this week. Next week the optional prompt is 2/51 Announcement on Mon11 Jan. Hope to see you back here then too. Take care, Denyse.

    • Debbish
      January 7, 2021

      Thanks Denyse. Happily I made it to my exercise class on Wednesday so fingers crossed I’m returning to some routines. During Covid my mum’s church had an arrangement where parishioners had a list of others to ring, just to check in etc…

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