Wednesday, March 18, 2015

A Quick Hello

So you know how last week I was all over it? I was organizing and eating right and changing my life by not really changing my life?

This week I have a bug. Or maybe it's a combination of bugs. Plus allergies. Or maybe it's just one, cruddy, pernicious bug.

I hate bugs.

But it always seems to happen. I get organized and energized and I'm on a roll, when all of the sudden, splat! I hit a wall.

Oh, well. I've gotten a lot of reading done so far this week, and guilt-free reading (i.e. reading on the couch all afternoon long) is a treat. I finished A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler, which I liked very much, and Ghettoside: A True Story of Murder in America by Jill Leovy, which was fantastic, though sad. Yesterday I read August Wilson's play The Gem of the Ocean. I'm trying to finish his whole Century Cycle this year. I've already read Joe Turner's Come and Gone and Fences. Next up: The Piano Lesson.

I hope I'm all better by Sunday, because I'm doing a charity walk for hunger. I've wanted to do this walk for a long time, but I hate asking people for money. So this year I came up with this great plan: I emailed all my local friends and asked them to pledge $5 each. My reasoning was, whenever I get asked to pledge for somebody's 5K or fun run or whatever, I never know how much to pledge--what's too much? What's too little? Also, I always think I should pledge $25, but I can't afford to pledge $25 for every charity event in town.

But if someone said, pledge five bucks, I'd be like, you bet! Happy to! So that's what I decided to ask my friends for. And most of the people I emailed emailed back and said, you bet! Happy to! One friend pledged ten dollars, and another friend pledged $50 (!). So my pledges are adding up.

I guess that's it. I hope you're feeling okay and don't have this bug that's going around. Or spring allergies. I ran into my friend Mel this morning; I was walking Travis and he was walking his crazy Boxer Cricket and a neighbor's dog, Abbie. Mel felt terrible. He's in his late sixties, and usually he's healthy as a horse. His goal is to run a marathon in every state, and he's getting close. But today he was dragging. Alleriges. Sinus. The bug. Poor guy.

So stay away from Mel! And stay well!

6 comments:

Tracy said...

I hope you are quickly back to your on-fire self. Bugs that splat you feel pretty rotten.

We are into Autumn here and today's high winds set my eyes watering and itching when I went to pick the kids up from school. It is safer to stay inside today!!! The eye thing is new though, cos I don't normally get allergies from the wind!

I have just finished Katherine Reay's "Lizzy and Jane". As you say - a whole day of guilt-free reading is good for the soul. Can't wait for book club tomorrow night to skype with her. Such a beautiful, poignant story by a talented new author.

Get better!!!!

Angela said...

Get well soon! Hope you raise lots with your sponsorship too. I read one Anne Tyler YEARS ago, and keep meaning to try again. The BBC have just serialised one of her books, and I heard 10 minutes of it in the car whilst driving. I want to get into AT again - please advise, with which book should I start? and also I understand she has one about a woman who is a professional declutterer - d you know which one that is, please?
Oops- my attempt at a succinct request has come out rather brusque - I just feel that of all my blogfriends, you are The One Who Will Know These Things!! Lenten blessings xx

Pom Pom said...

I liked A Spool of Blue Thread, too. It was different than her other novels.
Drat! Sick? Boo!

Leslie said...

What a great idea about your pledges. I struggle with that same thing. I pray you are feeling tip top in time to walk. We are just starting to experience spring symptoms. I'm just a little envious of all your reading though.

Gumbo Lily said...

Good thing you get ill now and then so you can read all those books -- guilt free! Seriously, I hope you get well soon. I prescribed Fire Cider to my 30 year old son for some bug he had. He took it like a man (it's stout stuff) and said he thought it helped him.

Nancy McCarroll said...

That bug is vicious. My mother in law had it for a month, and the husband and his sister were over there daily to do things for her including a day at the E r. I thought it would be the last of her, but alas, she recovered. Yes, I said that. She will live on, making her 87th birthday soon, sigh. Yes, I said it!

Anyway, snide ex aside, keep on reading. I recommend The Girl on The Train, although you might think me a bit skewed for its content. It is one you can' tout down.