No rest for the weary

Ok.  Let me just apologize up front.  This may have a slight tinge of whineyness in it. 

First of all, been sicker than a dog.  Interesting expression.  After RC's explanation of Brass Monkey Balls, I looked up the expression Sicker Than a Dog.  Not pretty, but it does give a visual.  I completed the 1/2 marathon Sunday in decent time and the weather wasn't too bad.  Was pretty sore and stiff afterwards but figured it was because I hadn't trained well enough.  By Sunday night, however, I was definitely feeling like hammered crap.  Fever, aches, cough.  Not sure if it was the run that pushed me over the edge (running in the rain I'm sure did not help) or if this was already coming.  A lot of folk at the office are out with the same symptoms so I am inclined to believe the latter.  Anyway, was up most of the night Sunday night with a fever tossing & turning.  I tried to watch a Netflix movie (AVATAR) to get rest but was up half the night dreaming about floating mountains.  Woke up Monday feeling way worse and a 101+ fever.  Not what I needed now.  I had a busy, short week ahead and no time to be sick.  But, given how much I felt like doo-doo and upon advice of my home physician (wife), I logged into work and told them I wasn't coming in.  Slept most of the day but the fever never really went away.  Woke up Tuesday feeling a bit better but could not afford to stay home since I had an interview to conduct (for my group) and it would be bad form not to show up.  Manned up and went in.  Felt a better than Monday.  Came home last night, loaded up on all sorts of meds and crashed around 2100,  Woke up this am feeling a bit better (slept through the night), so I think the fever has broken, but the cough, nasal drip continues.  I don't get colds very often and they usually go through certain phases fairly quickly. 

Now, for the record, let me state that I am not one of those "I'm siiick and don't feeel well" kinda guys.  I am more of a cowboy up and ride through it (most of the time).  I tend to try to work my way through any sickness with lots of meds at my side.  If I do stay home, I prefer to be left alone.  I do not need to be waited upon, served lunch in bed, check your temperature every hour.  My darling bride, bless her heart, keeps wanting to take care of me and I appreciate it, but I tend to hunker down and try to sleep it off.  

Anyway, I went to work yesterday and did ok.  Will do the same today.  Now there are two things I am dealing with now.  First of all, it is the "storm of the century down here" or so I'm led to believe from the news reports.  Artic Blast Slams Texas.  Freeze Tightens Grip From Texas to Maine.  Winter storm leaves bus passengers in limbo at Dallas terminal (reminds me of a story I will share in a later post).  OMG!!! We might see a 1/2 of snow by Friday!!!!  Start stocking up supplies!  Get out the snow shoes!  Bring the cows in!  Now, from the news reports, you'd think ice age was coming.  People are loading up like it is going to be 2 feet of snow and it will last until June.  Reality forecast has it in the mid 20s through Saturday with it warming back up to the 50/60s by Sunday.  If it does snow (and I mean a dusting), they'll close whole school districts and businesses.  I've lived in colder climates for part of my life.  Spent a good number of years of my misbegotten youth up in Jersey, so I know what snow is like.  Spent 4.5 years in Germany and, let me tell you, they can get some snow.  I've shoveled it, snowplowed it, slipped in it, drove in it, even driven on black ice, so I would claim to have a wee bit of experience in colder weather.  But when it comes to icy/snowy weather down here, I will NOT get out on the roads with these kooks.  Most of these people have never seen snow except for movies and a Christmas Special.  And driving in it?  Sure!  I can go 75 MPH down the freeway in my big a$$ SUV.  I can pass you on the side of the road in my Audi.  If given the opportunity, I will stay home and watch the mayhem on tv (my kind of reality tv).  But, I would not expect much of the white stuff.  As of this morning, there is a 5% chance of snow.  One of the other problems with colder temps is most of the houses down here are build for extreme cold.  Because of foundation issues, pipes are typically run through the attic, which, make them susceptible to freezing.  When we moved back down to south Texas in 1990 there had been a hard freeze the month before and most of the houses/apartments we looked at had pipe problems.  I am just hoping to keep our pipes warm enough to avoid any damage. 

Now on top of all of that, I am supposed to go back out on the road again for another audit Thursday.  You think that I would plan this better and go to some place like South Florida or Hawaii, but nooooo, I have to fly up to Milwaukee.  So not looking forward to this road trip but there is no way to postpone it until warmer temps.  Keeping an eye on MKE.  They've already closed down Ohare for flights and I could see some delays. 

I know, some of you might be reading this thinking (What a Wimp!  I walk/drive through 4 feet of snow every day) but all this time down in Texas has made me a bit thin skinned.  Trotting out my cold weather gear for the excursion.  Hope nothing important freezes off.