Plan "B"

After almost 60 years of breathing in and out I recognize that Plan "A" was painted by Norman Rockwell, composed by the writers of Father Knows Best and Leave it to Beaver. Life is definitely "How I handle plan "B"

I have been challenged with an amputation, COPD (very obstructed lungs), End Stage Renal Failure, Diabetes, ETC. One of my loves is a little article I write every month for our local free magazine. I began this several years ago when I couldn't afford to take my wife out to dinner. I sold the idea to the Editor saying If you buy dinner for two I'll write you a 500-600 word article. If you want to see it is marketed as "Travels with Bubba and Bonnie" in the Lifestyles2000. The magazine is posted the first of every month on line @ http://www.lifestyles2000.net/paper.htm

I get suggestions for restaurants to try from many sources. My youngest daughter, Anne Marie Mehling-Ernsberger RN has proclaimed she has a new best ever favorite restaurant. She lavished the praise on and on about the great food and wonderful service. She was so intense that the Queen Goddess and I just had to make a trip to Sortino's 800 Club in Sandusky, Ohio to try it.

This month's example of Plan "B" has brought us a giggle. We received a GPS from Bonnie's daughter Cat Sebring for Christmas. Both of us are electronic illiterates. We did manage to find Sortino's Little Italy Ristorante....aka Sortino's 800 Club. This amazing device took us right to the front door. The restaurant is on the second floor of a beautiful sculptured stone building and I'm in a wheel chair.

I counted fourteen stone steps. I spied a ramp leading to an outdoor deck. A normal ramp rises about an inch for every foot forward. Sortino's ramp covered 12 feet in 12 feet. (IE very steep) I weigh almost 400# and the Queen Goddess is a petite sturdy woman.. We know if she backs up a steep incline I can push with my good leg and help with my upper body pulling on the hand rail. When we reached the top both the Queen Goddess and I were breathing like a Steam locomotive pulling a fully loaded train up a long grade.

A young man poked his head out and inquired if we needed help. Bonnie panting said "Please!!!!" He pulled on his jacket and pushed me past the alabaster statues across the huge deck to the front door. He stopped short of the front door saying "The next time there is an elevator right here..."

Yes you need to push a buzzer to enter the eclectic "Sortino's Sports Bar, Ristornte, Club" Decorations range from a neon sign stating "Gollie I love this joint" to pictures of Great-grandpa Sortino sitting along side a bocci ball game in Palermo, multiple big screen TVs to a huge walleye...this fella was big enough to feed a family of six. Many more eye catching decorations make it an interesting place. This wonderful young man told us "When you're ready to leave I will help you down the ramp."

The second challenge was @ Sortino's all the tables were those bar height tables with bar stools. Now I am in my wheel chair so these wonderful folks brought out a standard height table. Since I had brought my own chair they found a regular chair for the Queen Goddess. Dinner @ Sortino's was better than most. Sortino's homemade cannoli was delightful, rich, and the perfect ending to a special meal. The special attention to customer service is what will bring us back. I'm told it's the Sortino's way!

Our Guardian Angel returned with a sad look in his eye. "The elevator has frozen to the ground," The special guy not only helped us down the ramp but lifted my wheelchair into the trunk for Bonnie. A great example of Sortino's true customer service.

The Queen Goddess and I have learned to giggle when plan "A" fails. We know plan "B" will bring us happiness and joy if we allow it to happen. God will provide the courage and strength to face anything. God will always shower us with blessings, I need only provide the effort and the sweat. As my AA sponsor has told me a million times "Put one foot in front of the other and do the next right thing."... Mizpah