Lovely Holly from Victoria has been staying with me on and off this week while she attends a life coaching seminar thingy over here in Vancouver. (The course is called Landmark; some people love it, some people consider it a money grab. I'm on the fence, but Holly's enthusiasm is contagious when she comes home late at night and tells me about her day.)
We met while I was over doing a show in Victoria last month- I can't believe that was only a month ago!- and although we didn't have much time to talk, we bonded quickly over a love of Origami jokes (sample joke: what do you call it when you fold a Graham Cracker, some chocolate chips and a marshmallow into interesting shapes? Answer: S'more-igami! I know, weird.)
By Tuesday night I can feel something coming on. I've been tired all day and decide not to attend the final Landmark meeting, which friends are invited to. Partly because I know they will do their damndest to get me to sign up and spend money, but also because I'm exhausted... Soon it's hurting when I swallow, and by Wednesday morning my tonsils are swollen and sore.
But the sun is shining! It's been a perfect January week: fog creeping in by night to be replaced by dazzling sunshine during the days. I decide not to give in to this illness. Aside from my throat the rest of my body is functioning pretty well- Holly and I throw on our coats and walk and walk and walk. One of the nicest things about being a lady of leisure these days is that I can do what I want, as long as it's free, or close to it. I've been so focused on Getting To The Pool 3 times a week and Working Out once a week (not to mention Staying Out Of The Rain) that I've forgotten to just get outside and explore this wonderful city. Vancouver is seducing both of us with sunshine and sea air, and we walk along False Creek and end up at Granville Island for lunch, then meander back along the seawall to Main Street.
By the time I get home I'm crashing hard, but Holly and I have a mutual friend who's in a play, so it's back out the door and off to the suburbs, with another longish (and uphill) walk thrown in. After the show our friend wants to go for drinks, so it's back into the cold night, down the steep hill, onto several buses, and off to a bar for a late night snack and some cocktails. Our friend's been having a tough week; he vents about it to us on the bus ride but once it's off his chest we start kidding around and the three of us are a goofy little trio swilling Dark-'n-Stormys and munching wild boar macaroni cheese. (What do you call folding a pig into interesting shapes? Boar-igami!) I fancy our mutual friend a wee bit but I have no idea where I fit into his scheme of things, so having Holly there diffuses any weirdness and we all have a great time together 'til the we hours of the morning.
Thursday morning I start cancelling my plans, because it's clear this sore throat isn't going to be ignored anymore. I say goodbye to Holly (hoping fervently that I haven't given her this bug), and head to the doctor, who assures me it isn't Strep Throat. Which means there are no drugs I can take; I'm gonna have to tough this one out. By the afternoon I'm staring dully at my computer screen watching season two of Felicity and wishing I could hack out my tonsils with a kitchen knife. By nightfall I start to cry, the pain is so great when I swallow. I've been trying to stay off Facebook more (and being fairly successful), but pain makes me needy, so I fire off a request for hugs, dirty jokes and love. Even though it's late, some of my friends come through in fine style, so by midnight I'm laughing through my tears.
Today is more of the same. The weather is still amazing, but I didn't have a great sleep last night, so I cancelled more plans and made do with a short walk up Main Street for Kombucha and yarn. (Kombucha because it's supposed to be good for you, and yarn to crochet with.) I'm sad that I can't hike as planned today, but glad that I have no pressing work to do, because having to work sick is the worst. At least I can rest, get better, enjoy some alone time. It's been amazing getting to know a new friend better, and I'm so glad I pushed aside my sickness long enough to enjoy some of the sunshine over the last few days. Now where's that kitchen knife...?
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