Back to the Land of the Living

“My dear doctor, I’m surprised to hear you say that I am coughing very badly, because I have been practicing all night.” John Philpot Curran 

In spite of getting my annual flu shot, once again this year, I managed to get the flu.  I was living on the river in Egypt on Friday night but by Saturday morning I realized that denial wasn't a good strategy for fighting this bug.  It started as fatigue and chest congestion.  Within a day, it was muscle aches and a relentless cough that made sleep all but impossible.

Merv is spending the week working in The Bahamas and I had the week earmarked for some messy projects that I wanted to work on without the need for tidying up in between.  But the closets are still uncleaned and the two tables I desperately wanted to refinish are in their original condition.  I did manage to make a few pieces of jewellery though a couple of the necklaces still need clasping and I did not have the necessary materials.  I didn't make them for anyone in particular though, so they will keep until I can get downtown to the bead store.

Fortunately I've improved considerably in the last couple of days.  That allowed me to host dinner for my old work friends.  I do love these dinners that we have two or three times a year.  They give me a chance to remember who I used to be and what I used to dream of for my life.  Because I'm still tired, I didn't go to the same lengths I usually do to make a gourmet meal but I don't think anyone minded.  I made a simple dinner of chicken breasts stuffed with goats cheese, pesto and sun dried tomatoes and a medley of roasted root vegetables with yellow beets, carrots, parsnips and onions.  It was yummy.  To cap off the meal, Julie treated us to an amazing hazelnut, raspberry torte. 

It's been a long day but a good day.  I'm tired now.  The dishes are mostly done thanks to the efforts of Julie and Colleen and for that I'm grateful.  The rest of the clean up won't take more than a half hour tomorrow morning.  My darling big sister Nancy will celebrate her 67th birthday tomorrow.  Cath and I will take her out for lunch and then some shoe shopping.  It will be another full day but a happy day, no doubt.  Even flu can't keep me down for long.