A Little Better, A Lot Worse

I've been more or less flat on my ass the last few days. Some kind of strep crud. Can't really speak, ears are stopped up, head is full of something bad, etc.

Needless to say, I haven't run/swam/biked since Friday.

I guess I could. I'm sure there are some pretty hard-core folks out there whose mantra is all about playing with pain. But as I once said to a high school football coach: "I'll play with pain. I just don't think it's smart to play with injury."

Don't think he got the distinction. A rare moment when subtlety escaped a high school football coach, I'm guessing.

The peeps are doing OK. One of the Reds escaped from the brooder last night and peeped really loudly until I went down and put it back. And I did get out this weekend and pick up lumber and chicken wire for the outdoor coop.

It is gorgeous outside these days. Really annoys me about being sick. Frogs are chirping away (or whatever they do) in the pond. I saw a couple of deer going bouncing across a pasture -- a big, mile-wide pasture -- yesterday. Heard an owl last night. Perfect running weather. Perfect small chicken weather. Perfect weather, period.

Of course, it's supposed to snow later this week. Figures.

Boys have a busy week. Will's going to New York on a field trip for two days. He knows the city, so it ought to be fun for him. Anyway, I'm keeping my fingers crossed. John has an eye doctor's appointment, and one of his correspondence courses ought to be showing up in our mail any day now. He also told me he wants us to do some hiking and rock-climbing together this summer. I'm flattered.

Still trying to deal with things financial this week. It's a disaster, and that's not helping the relationship. I may have to pick up a second, part-time job. Sigh.