For what seems like the first time in a very long time I’ve fallen ill.

I think the worst of it is over now, thanks to timely gifts and cooking from those that I love. I received a “care package” from mom yesterday and a valentines day gift from Beverly of an LCD photo-frame. She had been commenting lately about how I take an extraordinary amount of photos just to get one good shot. Well, now I can fill this thing with photos and bring it to work (she knows I’ve been stressed out there lately). It is always a challenge to come up with a gift as timely and a card as witty as hers; I’m continually impressed.

The cooking I was referring to were the home-baked chocolate chip cookies from my mother (which I will enjoy on the first day I’m NOT sick) and the delicious home-made chicken soup that Beverly cooked up for me Wednesday night that I’ve been enjoying every day since.

I do wonder if this sudden illness can be traced back to stress. As most of you know I’m under a lot of pressure in the workplace at the moment. I’m also considering a major life-change at the moment that would significantly impact me for the next three years – and I’ve been preparing for the past month or so with a constant feeling that I’m behind schedule. I don’t want to let the cat out of the bag about this until everything is squared away. Look for a big announcement in April (or nothing at all – but I hope the former).

I took my first sick day today for the first time in years. I decided to still make myself useful after trying (in vain) to sleep in. I’ve spent the entire day taking the online traffic school course prescribed by the court last month. The system forces you to stay by the screen and answer “check-up” questions for a timed eight hours all in all. Not sure when I would have had time to do this if I wasn’t taking a sick day….