Have I mentioned I hate washing dishes?

My gashes:

The three red spots are where chunks of me are missing.

The dishes:

Washed: two glasses, two water bottles, one water bottle lid. Unwashed: everything else. (Broken glass is in the trash.)

Random thoughts:
1. Why does it hurt more this morning than it did last night? (Probably the shock has worn off.)
2. Even with bandaids, my pinkie is locked in "karate chop" position. (But right now is no time to practice karate chops.)
3. I finally have a use for those really big bandaids that come in the package. (One covering the big gash, regular bandaids for the other gashes. The big bandaid is a bit overkill, but the regular bandaids weren't quite big enough.)
4. I'm getting lots of simpathy winces when people ask how I'm doing. (I'm never quite sure if I should just say "fine", or tell the truth when people ask that.)

On tap for tonight: stop off on the way home to buy frozen pizza (no dishes required) and gauze, and tape (to replenish the first aid kit). And possibly more big bandaids, since there's only two in the package.

That's going to leave a scar...

You know what sucks worse than being up late creating an exam?
1. Deciding you're hungry, and what you have to cook requires a frying pan that is dirty.
2. Looking at the not-too-big pile of dishes, and deciding you might as well wash the bunch.
3. While washing a glass, a big triangle pops out, and the sharp edge gouges three large chunks of skin out of the side of your hand and pinkie finger.
4. *Before* you wash the frying pan you wanted to use (hence you still can't cook)... in fact, you barely just started, and so, after bandaging up your right hand, you have to gingerly fish out the rest of the dirty dishes from the highly-sudsy water with your left hand while being careful not to encounter the shard of glass that's still in the water.
5. And then, to add insult to injury, since the tape in your first aid kit is getting rather old and thus not too sticky, you decide to put a cotton glove over the whole shebang, impeding your ability to type with any accuracy. (Besides the fact that the bandage prevents you from using your pinkie anyway, which is a problem with touch-typing.) Oh, and the touch-pad doesn't work through the cotton glove.

*sigh* Time to call it a night. Hopefully by morning I can get away with just a bunch of bandaids, and so will be able to type then.

Too much of a good thing?

Back in December(?) I filled out a form for a Breathe Right strips sample. I've been tempted to try them for a while, but, with my tendency to be allergic to adhesives, I didn't really want to spend the money on a box. (Plus, I never think about it when I'm in the store, just when I see the commercials.) They were switching sample styles (to the new Advanced style), and sent an e-mail that they had to wait for the new stock to arrive.

Thursday I got my samples. Rather than show up with an odd-looking nose on Friday, I waited until Friday night to try them.

Friday night I washed my face, figured out how to remove the backing, then applied the strip. My nose immediately expanded to about three times its normal size, and, holey *crap*, I had never been able to suck that much air through my nose in my life!!! At first I thought the dry air would irritate my nose, but it didn't.

I slept *soooooo* well last night!

I was kind of reluctant to take the strip off in the morning, because it was so nice to breathe so well. However, the package says not to wear for more than 12 hours in a day. (Darn.) When I did take the strip off (close to 12 hours after putting it on), the adhesive preferred to remain on my nose than the ends of the strip. I got some of it off with a kleenex, but the rest had to wait for my shower.

To help get the gunk off, I decided to scrub with a facecloth. (Normally I just lather up my hands and wash that way.) I was really enjoying the feeling of exfoliation I got with the cloth, and was thinking perhaps I should shower like this normally. (Would my zits clear up if I did?) I scrubbed all over, and several times on my face.

When I got out of the shower and dried off, I discovered my face was all red. (Take the day off, Rudolf, *my* nose, forehead and cheeks will outshine you!) Uh... perhaps I shouldn't have been *quite* so vigorous? I put some hand lotion on my face.

I think I'll be checking out the prices the next time I'm in the store. (Even better, the sample package came with *two* $2 off coupons... which probably means they're not terribly cheap.)

Home From The Chiro

Crunching better today, but still not 100% yet. Two more appointments scheduled for next week.

Spotted on the way home:

Yeppers. Although I used Transit's trip planner to find a bus schedule that would get me there 10 minutes early, or on time if the 2 minute transfer time was insufficient... I arrived 10 minutes late. Thanks, traffic. :P

(I like that the businesses at the corner near my place like to put up fun sayings on their boards!)

I got this great old hoe at an estate/yard sale not far from my place:

Old tools are the best... they're actually built to handle the Red River gumbo we have around here! Even better, when I asked how much, the guy said $1! I tested it in the front garden before coming up, and it uprooted a bunch of weed seedlings like a charm! (Once I have a place of my own, I really should have my own tools.)

I have no clue what the hole on the blade is for. It looks original, rather than added later. Perhaps for hanging?

Ow.

Either I overdid it yesterday, or I slept wrong. I'm moving slower this morning than yesterday. :(

Progress?

I put my back out on Wednesday morning, just as I was about to leave for the art club. The last few days of my vacation, that's really thrown a wrench into my to-do list progress. Oh well... it would have been even less convenient if it had happened when I needed to go in to work. (Except that then the chiropractor appointments might have had some coverage.)

Wednesday morning, I had to crawl to get back in the apartment, phone my mom (to say that I wouldn't be meeting her downstairs), then make it into bed. (All of those took plenty of time, with lots of pain.) Wednesday lunch time, mom came over and helped me to the bathroom. I had to get her to hold my upper body, because the weight of it pressing on the sore spot was too much. She also brought me some ice packs. By Wednesday evening, I was able to walk on my own, *very* carefully.

Thursday I went to the chiropractor, but that was it.

Friday I had another visit, followed by a few hours at the art club. That was too long to be vertical, and so more icing and lying flat followed. I did get the first coat done on several canvasses (for acrylics), and made progress on my heron:

Random Notes:
1. There are some white lines that will be visible once I wash the resist out.
2. The areas that looked too dark at the club, aren't. In fact, I need to darken them.
3. I was having trouble getting the colours I wanted. (I wish I had painted both herons at the same time!)
4. I had trouble getting the texture I wanted in most places.
5. I'm upset about a goof I made.
6. I don't think I should do silk painting with a sore back.
7. Hopefully I'll get this looking like I want it. I really hope it goes well with the night heron when it's done.
8. I like how I got the legs and lower belly. (Sadly, that's not a focal point... or, it's not supposed to be.)
9. I still need to paint part of the background.
10. I put some paper behind the painting, so that you can see the colours a bit better, but it wasn't staying tight against the back. The right hand side is a bit more accurate than the left.
11. I like the single-colour, tone-on-tone of the night heron background... I'm worried that the day heron might be too "busy" (colour-wise), once the trees/ground gets painted in.
12. Apparently I flipped the light/dark of the beak on the day heron, but I think that's okay.

At least my back is slowly getting better.

Well, it's well past time I ice my back again and go to bed. Good night.

How Am I Supposed To Know?

The gastro doc prescribed an acid-suppressor. In the patient information sheet that came with my prescription, it says "before taking esomprazole, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it."

Um... how am I supposed to know before I take it?

Miscellany

When the doctor or nurse tells you that something they're about to spray in your mouth tastes foul, they *mean* it. The nurse described it as tasting like extremely rotten bananas. It was more like "OMGWTFBlechAwful!!!" with an aftertaste of bananas... and then a sensation like your throat is swelling up, and you are going to finally experience anaphylactic shock. (The fact that I have a mild allergy to bananas, and they had already put a plastic oxygen tube in my nostrils that smelled like plastic I'm allergic to didn't help.) However, the sensation is misleading, and I didn't die. Also, once I confirmed that I was, in fact, breathing just fine, all initial panic subsided. It was amusing that the spray to prevent you from gagging later does make you gag when being applied.

I was considerably less groggy from the woozy-juice than the other people I saw staggering out earlier. I even remember watching the monitor for parts of the procedure, but I do think I was sort of out of it. However, I was good, and did avoid operating machinery (including stoves) or signing legal documents. ;)

Unsurprisingly, shoving a pipe down ones throat and taking biopsies does indeed leave one with a bit of a sore throat. The doc didn't see anything (so I don't get any nifty pictures), but hopefully the biopsies will provide some answers as to why I sometimes have trouble swallowing.

In the news:

1. Recently I've heard on the radio that someone is (once again?) circulating a petition that Sesame Street allow Bert and Ernie to get married (to each other). Personally, although I can possibly imagine Bert as being gay, I always saw the two of them as brothers, and wondered where their parents were. (They didn't seem old enough to be living on their own, and they look so similar.) Sesame Street is saying they're just friends/roommates, and don't have sexual orientations. What's you're opinion? Gay, brothers, or friends?

2. One of the new Winnipeg Jets players committed suicide. (The death was reported as "sudden, no foul play suspected, and he suffered from depression".) Depression is a serious disease, not something to be ashamed of. If you have it, please get help. (You wouldn't expect someone with cancer to "just snap out of it", would you?) If you know someone with depression, please encourage them to get help.

3. Neti pots can KILL YOU!!!!! Well... maybe. *One* person who lives in the South, and used plain tap water got a funky brain-burrowing amoeba. I use distilled water, as recommended. Blowing your nose can kill you too, but that doesn't stop me. ;) (I'll save my worries for crossing the street, and similarly dangerous daily activities.)

WTF

I've had a string of annoyances today.

First: I have an appointment next week where I'm supposed to stop my vitamins a week before. My antidepressants aren't working as well without the help from the B Stress supplement. I tried eating a banana at my mom's yesterday, but that didn't help.

I suspect my headache today is because I stopped taking my magnesium supplement. (Frequent headaches is the reason I take that one.)

Then, when I synced my iPod, it decided to remove all of my podcasts from the iPod. Some fiddling got them back.

When I went to cook dinner after washing dishes, I accidentally turned on the wrong element... heating up an empty pot that was drying, rather than the pot full of water. (I don't think it did any real damage, but there is some discoloration.)

Then, when I was done listening to a podcast, the dock didn't want to switch back to the radio function. (Unplugging it cleared that, but meant I had to reset the clock... I need to get a 9V battery for it.)

Time to go to bed. Hopefully tomorrow will be better. At least my mood is a bit better at the moment, and my headache has stopped.

Dreaded To-Do List

I have about a month of unpaid leave between terms right now. I have a *long* to-do list. I keep getting pulled in different directions with all the things that need doing, so I thought I'd make a list of all the things that need doing, and break it down into manageable chunks.

Off the top of my head, and in no particular order, here's what I put on the list so far:

• apply for jobs
  
• call dentist
  
• call scope
  
• gardening (inside & out):
  
  • dad's weeds
    
  • dig in soil, (& transplant)
    
  • plant spruce seeds
    
  • transplant vft, amaryllis, (others?)
    
  • dispose of dead plants
    
  • remove stumps
    
  • transplant peonies
    
  • NW garden
    
  • SE garden
    
  • SW garden
    
  • plant crocus bulbs
• format hard drive
  
• art:
  
  • prepare canvases
    
  • paint cat
    
  • prepare demo
    
  • hang art
    
  • frame block print
    
  • frame loon
    
  • finish silk painting
    
  • call to arrange silk painting class details
    
  • order silk painting class supplies
    
  • print cards
    
  • print magnets
    
  • renew membership
• clean apartment
  
  • clutter:
    
    • couch
      
    • coffee table
      
    • chair
      
    • desk (office)
      
    • desk (hall)
      
    • dresser
      
    • drawers
      
    • kitchen table
      
    • front hall
      
    • spinning area
  • bathroom floor
    
  • kitchen floor
    
  • old air conditioner
    
  • ac filters
    
  • fan from basement
    
  • oil (finish?) lr end tables
    
  • deal with boxes
    
  • mail
    
  • dust
    
  • mop
    
  • toilet
• format hard drive
  
• install lion
  
• sew pattern magnets
  
• sew pyjama bottoms
  
• sew t-shirts (pyjama tops)
  
• sew printer dust cover
  
• make stitch markers
  
• finish desk & move it into office
  
• 2140:
  
  • prepare assignments
    
  • prepare midterm
    
  • prepare final
• medical paperwork
  
• scan & send instructions

Scary, huh? Some of the things are fairly quick, it's the length of the list that gets to me. (It doesn't even include regular stuff like laundry, dishes, etc! Or fun stuff!)

For tomorrow, I've chosen the following:

• dad's weeds
  
• dig in soil, (& transplant?)
  
• Laundry
  
• format hard drive
  
• water plants
  
• trash & recycling
  
  
• office desk clutter
  
• scan & send instructions

Tomorrow isn't supposed to be too hot, and isn't calling for rain until later, so is a good day to do at least a little gardening. Laundry needs doing, and the plants are looking wilty again. I bought a new back-up drive today, and so I should check to make sure it's working, and get regular back-ups going again. (The last two items are only if I have time, although setting up the back-up drive will be easier if my desk has less clutter on it.)

I'm tempted to start the drive right now, but, as it's nearly 4 am, I *really* need to get to bed. Good night!

Monday's list so far has the phone calls and applying for jobs.

Ow: The Morning After

Isn't it amazing how something so small can hurt so much?

Knuckle scrapes always hurt, because you're constantly stretching the wound when you bend your finger. This one hurts more than the standard knuckle scrape... it appears I've also bruised the knuckle, so it's also tender and swollen. Thus, in addition to stretching the wound, I'm also compressing the bruise every time I bend my finger. It feels like it does when my arthritis is acting up.

My finger is angry. In short, my finger is giving me the finger.

And That's The Kind Of Day It's Been

Today was oppressively hot and humid.

I started off the day with a dentist appointment. (Just a bi-yearly cleaning.)

Approaching the dentist's office, I realized that it was going to be a hot ride to the university, made more uncomfortable by the fact that I wouldn't be allowed to drink anything until a half hour after my fluoride treatment. (My dentist is the type that still gives them to adults. Some friends say their dentists say it's unnecessary and/or pointless, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.)

The cleaning went smoothly... well, as smoothly as it ever does. There's an occasional accidental poke with something sharp, and the x-ray thing hurt my gums as always, but my teeth are all holding up to the level of care I've been giving them.

Normally I just get a toothbrush to take home. At the end of this visit, I got a whole goody bag:

Toothbrush (a different brand than usual), plane-friendly-sized toothpaste (the kind I'm using!), and a tiny spool of floss. I flashed back to being a six-year-old coming home from a birthday party.

The party stopped when I got back to the front desk. When the receptionist tried to run my insurance, it said it had been cancelled. WTF!?!??!!!!! I *know* I'm not the only person who gets re-hired every four months... *why* can't the university remember to renew my insurance each time!?!??? Last summer it took something like two *months* after I discovered the problem to get my supplemental health reinstated (I don't *care* if everyone is going on vacations, make sure *someone* is doing the effing job!), and I had this same nonsense the last time I was at the dentist! I was just looking at my pay stubs yesterday, and I was being deducted for the health premiums. I was *peeved*.

I asked the receptionist if there was a phone I could use, so that I could talk to my benefits person, and have her talk to the receptionist so that she knew what to do. My phone call rang then went to voicemail. (Grrr.) It said to press zero if you wanted to be helped right away (gee, that's why I'm *calling*), and so I did. I got put on hold. (Grrr.) Finally she said that my benefits person would talk to me. (She's *there*?!?? Why didn't she pick up the phone?!?!?!!!) Apparently, even though my supplemental health was hooked up properly, the dental coverage was separate, and *wasn't* set up! (The term started at the beginning of May. They had *two* months to get me set up!)

I had the benefits lady talk to the receptionist, the receptionist is going to submit a paper form next week, and she'll contact me if there's still something I owe after that. (I'm only covered 50%, but then there's the supplemental, and it's all just confusing.) *sigh*

On the way from the dentist's office to the bus stop, I found a forgotten Blackberry. I stood there for a minute, wondering how best to get it back to it's owner. (The device was password protected, so my usual technique of looking for an entry labelled "home" or "mom" wasn't going to work.) Luckily, the owner realized she had left it behind, and came rushing back. (She didn't seem that interested in my suggestion that she put contact information on the back of the device. Whatever.)

The first bus to work was air conditioned. Ahhh! There was a longish wait downtown, where I tried to stand in the shade of the lamp post. (I could also have pulled out my umbrella for shade, but it was rather gusty.) The second bus wasn't air conditioned. Luckily by then I was allowed to drink my water. Unfortunately, I realized I had already drunk over half on the way to the dentist, and had very little left. (Plus it was warm by then... much less satisfying.)

I made it to the university by half way through what should have been knitting lunch... but there were no knitters. I guess something came up. (We're a pretty small group.)

Work was slow this afternoon. I remembered some other questions I had for the benefits lady, and so e-mailed her around 4:00. Looks like she stared her weekend early, because she didn't reply. (Did I mention I dislike my benefits lady?)

The first bus home was also air conditioned. Yay! (In fact, I decided to catch a different one than I intended simply because it was air conditioned.)

They hadn't yet closed Osborne for the Canada day preparations by the time we got there, so traffic was better than it might have been.

Reaching the Village, I saw that the farmer's market had started up again for the season. I hopped off the bus and bought some local honey (I've been hoping to run into that guy before my supply ran out again) and some garlic scapes. Mmmm!

When I was done shopping, a bus arrived quickly. However, it was most definitely *not* air conditioned. Although it would have taken me home, I decided to hop off and visit Wolseley Wool, which was having a customer appreciation night. (I had initially intended to go, but had been wavering due to the oppressive heat and humidity, which was worse than earlier. WW isn't very close to bus routes... it's not too far, but not as close as you'd like when Winnipeg gets to either end of its temperature extremes.)

WW had punch with ice! I drank some punch, ate a few nibblies, petted the yarn, and bought some yarn to make gifts. Then I went back out into the horrible heat.

In addition to not being air conditioned, the next (and final) bus was packed like sardines. By the time I was home, I was *drenched*. The cool blast of air that greeted me when I opened my apartment door was heavenly, as was the cool shower.

I love my AC! Looking at the weather website, today's temperature peaked at 34 C (humidex 43 C)... I could tell that it wasn't quite as bad as the worst days in NC, but it was still bleeping hot.

And that is the kind of day it's been.

Weird

I went to bed way too late last night, with a mild headache. I hoped the headache would wear off in my sleep, and so didn't take anything before bed.

Four hours later, still well before my alarm was set to go off, I woke up with a mild headache (still), and a feeling like "running would be awesome!"

I didn't test to see if I was feverish (the only reason I could think of that running with a headache after four hours of sleep would seem like a good thing). I decided I probably got too much sun yesterday, took a Tylenol, and tried to get back to sleep. The headache started feeling like a migraine (eyes sensitive to light), but I eventually got back to sleep.

My head still hurts, but the urge to run has passed. (I just took some more painkillers, so hopefully the headache will ease off again.)

Update

Manitoba is soggy. Send ark.

I'm still sick. I was supposed to go sandbagging today.

Dad called this morning, four minutes before my alarm was set to wake me up. He needed e-mail tech support. Bonus to doing Saturday morning tech support: my croaking convinced him that he didn't really need me for sandbagging. Downside: croaking is hard on the throat. (I sure hope I'm better before students start descending in hoards.)

Not being needed for sandbagging is good, because, besides the fact that my lungs are crap, my back has been acting up today. (For some reason, the ribs around and below my right shoulder blade hurt.)

A second CFL died tonight. (The first one died a week or so ago.) However, unlike the first one, this one is a more-expensive, tri-light bulb. It did prompt me to finally remove both bulbs, rinse the dust and dead bugs from the shades (the shades on both cup under the bulbs), and put a fresh bulb in the office. (I had been getting by on one.) However, I don't keep backup tri-light bulbs (expensive, and sold as singles), so that one will have to wait. Luckily I have an alternate light in the living room, although on the opposite side of the room from where I sit to knit and watch TV.

Dad called again for follow-up e-mail tech support. He was having dinner. Unlike when my brother does tech support for my mom & step-dad, who always gets a meal provided when he does tech support, apparently dinner isn't on offer to me. When I tried to weasel in on dinner, dad revealed he was calling from a restaurant, and wouldn't be home for an hour or so. *sigh* Since I want to do the follow-up support from his place, I told him to call again when he got home.

I forgot to ask if he got the dike high enough.

The apartment hallway smells foul. It's like a mixture of spilled alcohol, scented cleaning products, and smoke... but whether from cigarette or cigar (or something else), I can't tell. Between the smell and my back, this hasn't been my favourite day to be tromping to and from the laundry room.

Oh, and a follow-up on the taxes: apparently I shouldn't do computer taxes while sleep deprived (no one else had the software switch them to French), the government will send me a new Notice of Assessment in a language I *can* read, and the nice lady on the phone says my cereal box French is not that bad. (I tried reading out certain lines I had questions about.)

New Scarf

As I suspected, the new scarf definitely isn't colourfast.

Thankfully, it didn't turn my neck pink today. :)

Interestingly, the vinegar rinse/soak was a very different colour:

(Time to check whether the next rinse is clear, or if I should try more vinegar to set the dye.)

One thing I'm doing for my cold that I forgot to mention in the last post is that I'm also using my neti pot. (Getting some interesting green mucous... indicating this is definitely a cold, rather than allergies.)

Ugh

Kinda congested (chest & sinuses), body aches, sore throat, sore neck, sore temples.

Took decongestant & antihistamine, asthma-cold puffers, sore throat lozenge, vitamin C. Waiting for my lemon & ginger tea with honey to cool enough to drink. Bought a silk scarf on campus to wrap around my neck. (I didn't start to feel like having something around my neck until I was half way to school, and this was the non-synthetic choice. It's rather nice, and pretty... although it doesn't go with what I'm wearing.)

I'm going to stay home tonight (art) and tomorrow night (knitting). Nothing Wednesday night, and I think volunteering on Thursday night is cancelled. Hopefully taking it easy will make this cold less painful than the last. I would rather not miss more work. :P (Especially after missing three days with the last cold.)

Ugh

Several weeks ago, I had a miserable cold that kept me in bed for five days.

Today I feel the same as on the eve of getting that cold. :(

I've been taking extra vitamin C since that last cold... I don't think it's helped. :(

Social Cooties

Winnipeg is in it's dusty season, where the snow has melted, leaving behind a season's worth of road grime, ground down sand (and probably road too), salt, and snow mold. I'm recovering from my cold, and still have a hacking cough.

So that my cough isn't exacerbated by the dust, I've been wearing dust masks.

People look at me strange, and I've noticed the seat next to me staying empty longer. I ignore the looks, and enjoy the space. ;)

Stupor

I've basically spent the last five days in bed, if you ignore the failed attempt to go to work, the time spent doing laundry Saturday (no option), or the few dishes I managed to do... was it Sunday? I'm now in a bit of a stupor. I'm hoping that this is a sign that I've now slept the cold off, and am ready to get back to work. (It would have been more convenient had the "slept enough" point happened in the morning, not when it was time to go to bed.)

I woke up this morning, coughing enough I had to have a bath to settle it. I had another bath tonight. After a bunch of phone calls, I got some asthma meds to prevent bronchitis. (Amusing: after getting a phone call, I went to the back door to exchange a fist full of cash for a paper bag with drugs... my parents had picked up my prescription for me. ;) ) I took the puffs then, and will take a second dose after I finish writing this, before bed. (It's supposed to be twice a day, and it was mid-afternoon when I got them, but I didn't want to wait to start.)

I'm not sure if the medication is starting to kick in, or if the cough is under control due to the bath. If it's the meds, I should be able to go to work tomorrow. If it's the bath, I probably won't do so well if I try to go in. I suppose I'll have an idea when I wake up, and find out how the hacking cough is then.

I should just go to bed, and figure this out in the morning (since I obviously can't figure it out right now)... but sleeping for five days has really thrown my schedule off. I feel like I should be hungry (I don't know why... possibly because I only ate twice today), but I don't think I am. I hate being in a stupor.

Well... time to medicate, use the neti-pot, do my normal nightly ablutions, and hopefully I'll get to sleep okay. Perhaps I'll change which pajamas I'm wearing, just for some variety.

Whatever I have, I really hope no one else gets it. :(

*wiped*

I thought I was feeling better this morning, but my the time I got to work, I thought better of it.

There's nothing like a virus and lungs full of gunk to leave you wiped out. Even sitting in front of the computer right now is making me tired. (I already napped for four hours after straggling home from my failed attempt to be a productive member of society today. I thought I'd let myself up for a bit, to see how it goes.)

This morning I knew I wasn't 100%, but I thought it was just an iffy voice and not-100% lungs. I felt like I had energy.

The energy was used up by my walk to the bus stop.

By the time I got to work, I had to take a sore throat lozenge, and was probably disturbing the rest of the bus riders with my hacking cough. Standing up at the office, I felt dizzy.

So I said "hi, good-by, I'll try again tomorrow."

I called my allergist, and she's phoned in a prescription for my "try to prevent the cold from becoming bronchitis" lung medications, so I'll at least have to show up to the university for that. (I could have had it sent to a closer pharmacy, but I didn't feel like going out again today, and made the possibly foolish assumption that I'll be better by tomorrow. Four days in bed should be enough, right?!?)

*sigh*