It is tempting, after a week like this, to return to my old wallowing habits.
Last Monday I felt what I thought was an allergy attack coming on. By Friday night I was practically falling asleep - in my favorite restaurant with my mom - over my creamy Tomato Basil soup. An hour after dinner I was dozing off during our weekly catalog browse and headed home early. My son was gone for a weekend in Las Vegas, so the dog and I tucked in for a quiet weekend.
The next morning I woke with a nasty cough and had to accept that it was virus, not allergy, that was making me feel so crappy. After a fast trek to Costco for emergency supplies, I tucked into my recliner for a weekend of recovery.
It's been a while since I escaped into the fantasy world of film. It was fun. A lifelong lover of the Tarzan canon, I had made the effort to go see Legend of Tarzan on a big screen. It was no disappointment and I'm glad I saw it big the first time. But it holds on a small screen as well.
The Independence Day sequel was also worth the wait. And after enjoying that one, I turned to an older favorite, You've Got Mail. I haven't watched it for years, but found I still loved the story. Since I last saw it I, too, enjoyed a brief online pen pal experience, and I'm happy to say the movie brought back pleasant memories of that time.
It would be nice to say that I managed to kickstart myself into functional health over the weekend, but it didn't work out that way. Still miserable, I dragged myself through Monday (thanks to my cocktail of guaifenesin and ibuprofen), returning to sleep in my recliner for another night. Tuesday was the same, but with the added experience of moving through the depressing experience of going from school to polling place to write in my candidate. He had no chance of winning, but I had to be able to "wake up with myself" the next morning so I voted my values and left at peace.
Yesterday was day nine of the crud, and after a fairly easy day at work I headed up the coast to have my car serviced. It's no hardship to spend an hour at CJ Wilson Mazda, but just minutes into the process the service manager came to get me to show me something. She lifted the hood to show me that rats have been trying to nest in my engine. I'm not sure just what that nesting material was, but the hollowed-out orange rind (not to mention the tiny footprints everywhere) were kind of a give-away. I supposed I should focus on the positive: this only cost me an additional $40 for a degreasing followed by a stop at Costco for dryer sheets. It was my homework to take handfuls of dryer sheets and attach them to 'safe' places in the engine mount with zip ties. They believe the stench of the things repel the rodents. I sure hope so; I can't stand the smell myself, so choose to be optimistic. Whatever will work to spare me the experience of the previous customer who came it with the same problem. The ratbastards had eaten out his air supply system. $1200. Not on warranty.
Today I almost managed to get through the day without expectorant (although I coughed on and off all day, it was manageable) and as far as content it was one of my favorite days of the year. I get to introduce the Preamble to the Constitution, which includes SchoolHouse Rock and a fun puzzle that they always enjoy. They will recite the Preamble next month, and that is - possibly - my favorite day of the year.
It should have been a delightful day, but we were all on edge because of the reaction to the Trump victory on Tuesday. Normally respectful young people all over the country are exposing the ugliness they have hidden under a cloak of political correctness (what I refer to as basic good manners). The Trump gloaters in my classes are, so far, held in check by the majority who respond by ignoring them. I posted a copy of the State of California statement of value in my window (http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/11/9/1595296/-California-Does-The-Right-Thing-in-the-Face-of-Trump) and plan to track down a large quantity of safety pins to offer to those who want them. http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2016/11/10/after_brexit_tolerant_britons_adopted_a_simple_symbol_of_solidarity_we_should.html?wpsrc=sh_all_dt_fb_top)
Finally home, I decided to put my feet up for a few minutes in my recliner and woke up nearly three hours later. I'm not a fan of naps. I always wake up groggy and out of sorts, and today was no different. And to make it worse, I checked into facebook to learn of the passing of the great Leonard Cohen.
I've decided to distract myself with anticipation of happier events to come.
Lovely movies to look forward to. I'm driving up the coast on Saturday. Leaving very early to have breakfast in Carmel. A couple of nursery stops. The butterflies at Pacific Grove. The spectacular Big Sur coastline and a visit with the Elephant Seals.
Restoration.
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