Deb and I went to Tahoe for a much needed get away. We stayed at the awesometastic and always eco-radical 968ParkHotel where we had lots of fun and where Deb got to experience "The Vargas", at least that's what we're calling it. On the first night Deb woke up with stomach pains at about 4am and went to the bathroom. About 3 minutes later she starting screaming "Glen help me" to which my body responded by streaming a bolt of supercharged adrenaline straight to my ass, which shot me out of bed.
When I opened the bathroom door Deb was hyperventilating, pulling her clothes off and saying she had to throw-up. It looked like a panic attack to me, I've seen her have one before and I've had plenty myself. But then the bad happened, she fell back against the toilet with her eyes opened and her body completely limp. I thought she was dead, I ran to the door and screamed down the hallway for someone to help. I came back inside the bathroom 5 seconds later and she was choking on vomit (this blog should have contained a disclaimer, I guess I could still put one in...).
I pushed her forward and started hitting her back, hoping this would clear her mouth and throat, it did and she gasped. She sat up still very dazed, I saw that she was awake and so I ran down stairs to the lobby and scared the shit out of the night manager. "call 911 right now, NOW!" I screamed at the poor guy behind the counter. I ran upstairs and Deb was a bit more awake, I told her the ambulance was coming and she said "let me put some clothes on". That's my wife, dressing up for the paramedics with vomit in her hair.
Now, Deb had not been drinking, no drugs, we both ate the same thing throughout the day, so we had no idea what had happened and no clue what could have caused it.
Ok, lets get to it! Doctor said she had "Vasovagal" which is something that happens for no reason or a million reasons, Google it you'll see what I mean. We're calling it "The Vargas" to make light of the situation and to avoid breaking down in tears each time we talk about it. Basically she passed out while straining when she was throwing up. Elevation could have had something to do with it, panic attack as well. Anyway she checked out fine and by 5:30am we were back in the hotel room, traumatized and ready for our vacation to start!
I did thank the night manager for his help, I apologized for screaming at him, but he along with the whole staff at 968ParkHotel was more concerned with us and wished Deb a speedy recovery. When in Tahoe for a weekend ski trip or just there to pass out and choke on some puke, stay at 968Park Hotel.
On our way back home coming down HWY 50, we stopped off in the little foothill town of Placerville. I lived not too far away from here, in Auburn, for a little over 10 years. And although I'd been to Placerville numerous times, I'd never been there while shopping for only American made products. Alright Placerville, how patriotic are ya?
Deb knits* and sews and we so stopped into a little place called Lofty Lou's Yarn Shop www.knit.us where we found plenty of great products made in the USA, as pictured below.
We bought some wool and a few other things, obviously all made in the USA and we chatted it up with Lou herself, who couldn't have been nicer and more supportive of our plan to only Buy American in 2010.
We went down the street a ways and Deb found some great socks in a clothing store, made in the USA.
Ok Placerville, you win this round.
We got back into Santa Rosa, got home and checked the phone messages. My eye doctor called said my glasses were in and I could pick them up before 5pm. Also got a message from the cobblers (a Ukrainian couple that own a shoe repair business in Santa Rosa) and Deb's Danskos were repaired, polished and ready for pick up!
Got the shoes, they looked brand new, and would you believe that you can actually repair shoes instead of throwing them out and getting another pair? Who'd a thunk it! Then we picked up my glasses and noticed this store next to eye doctor's office
Hmmm....I love to cook, I've never seen this place before...Let's see how patriotic this secret homewares store is.Deb and I were greeted by Sarah as we walked into Hardisty's . We quickly told her we were looking for American made goods and her eyes lit up! "Well this company makes these pans in the USA" she said
,so we bought one! We got the one with the little dinosaurs, so we could make dinosaur shaped cakes and breads (our daughter Ella approved of this purchase). Sarah showed us some cast iron cookware as well 
which Deb and I already own (and they're great! All the non-stickability without the cancer concern of teflon).We saw this
and our hearts skipped a beat or beater, whichever, we were in love with Hardisty's! We spent some more time there and some money and walked away feeling great. Not only would the customer service rep in Target or Walmart or K-Mart, not be 1 percent as knowledgeable as Sarah from Hardisty's, but you would never have found these products in those stores. If more of us bought from local stores and only purchased American made products, then we could rebuild our manufacturing base here in the USA. And if we did that, we wouldn't need to do business with communist countries like CHINA and we could rid ourselves of the guilt from being mass-consumers who care more about getting things cheap, then we do about our own futures.
Again, this buying American made goods is EASY you just have to care, that's all. If you don't care about this country then would you please do me and my family a huge favor and move to China! I'm sure the Chinese government will be happy to have you and even happier to censor, oppress and enslave you while they ship toxic products around the world and get fat and rich off of your blood, sweat and tears.
*I have seen Deb knit twice, only twice...ever.
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