My last day at school was this past Thursday and despite sitting through a “never-ending” full faculty meeting (something which hardly ever happens, given the size of our faculty), I managed to complete my checkout process after the meeting by 10:30. And just to show that I cannot stop being a teacher “cold turkey,” I’d already planned a full day for myself: swimming, grocery shopping, dancing.
My first postschool activity was somewhat thwarted since the branch of the gym where I normally swim only cleans the pool on Thursdays from 11 to 1. There was no way I was going to just hangout until after 1; so I went to another branch of the gym. Not my favorite location since there always seems to be robberies in the locker room, it has a smaller swimming pool and the facilities are not as clean. But I figured, what the hell, at least there’s a grocery store close by so I can kill two birds with one stone.
I ended up being the nearly killed bird! Even though the water looked a tad cloudy, I swam my usual 21 laps (3 sets of 7 different strokes) and as soon as I’d finished getting dressed, I had a sore throat. I was mildly concerned since I had a reading at BookWoman on Friday. The fantastic thing was I didn’t have to strain my voice doing something like teaching a full day of classes, for example.
I happily shopped at the closest grocery store to that gym, which I normally don’t go to, but the biggest treat was the vast selection of good chocolate. I found one of my favorites: dark chocolate with chilies! I got everything else on my list and started to feel a little more run down.
By the time I got home, my throat was dry and throbbing, prompting me to make my usual headcold/sorethroat remedy: I boiled fresh ginger and cloves, let it stew and then strained it into a mug of pure, local honey with freshly squeezed lime juice. The heat from both the temperature and the ginger made my throat feel instantly better. Despite taking a nap, I still felt too run down to go out dancing, but since I had a good movie on DVD to watch, I called it a night.
On Friday, I still felt sick, but figured bikram yoga would make me feel better. The sore throat was nearly gone, but my new issue was “progressive diarrhea.” I don’t know what the technical term for this brand of diarrhea was, but everytime I ate anything, I had to go soon after. I still blamed the cloudy pool water since inevitably, I swallow a bit of the pool water anytime I swim. As far as oral-fecal contamination is concerned, just a drop will do you in; so when I made myself lunch, I also prepared a margarita (fresh lime and tangelo juices, cream of coconut and two shots of tequila shaken over ice and strained) since I believe in the healing powers of tequila when it comes to digestive issues.
I took about an hour long nap, then got myself together to trek to BookWoman. The best part about that dreadful trip north on I-35 was that UT was out for the summer and I zipped and made it to BookWoman quite early. I set up my sound equipment, help set up chairs and chatted a bit with some customers who happen to be there.
The reading went well, considering how drained I felt. There’s something about performing that makes me rise to the occasion. Afterwards, a small group of us went to a Cuban restaurant. Although I was invited to go downtown, I wanted to take my equipment home. I also knew that I once I got home, I was in for the night. I slept so soundly that I know it was the right call.
I’m glad that my Saturday morning volunteer opportunity had fallen through since I just had a luxurious time painting the whole morning before being picked up by a friend later that day to listen to 5 bands play at a nearby “pool party” sponored at an apartment complex. Although some of the bands were good and others could definitely change their names to “Constant Headache,” I enjoyed the extended opportunity to people watch. I’d worn my bathing suit, but only sat on the edge, dangling my lower legs in.
I was just getting over a pool related illness. I knew I’d surely get something with all those little kids and increasingly drunk adults in the pool! Besides, I was busy studying everyone in order to use it in my current book. The more I can observe real, live people, the easier I can make my fictional characters seem real.
So tonight, 4 days after being on vacation, I’m finally going out dancing! I’ve even got two places lined up just in case the first one, which is a new venue for me, turns out to be a dud. I love vacation schedules.