Wierd Turn of Events

Well, today was the culmination of an odd sequence of events. For weeks I've been preparing a mixed quartet and a trio of women to perform an evensong vespers at church. We have practiced a number of shape note hymns from The Sacred Harp (the quartet), and some wonderful Bach trios and duets. I have been very much looking forward to this because I haven't really sung seriously for many years. However, amazingly, person by person, my group became ill. First it was the contralto whose voice became spindly and wheezy as she was fighting the flu. Then down went the tenor. I told him that he was getting sick, but he didn't believe me. The next day he called with a really awful gurgly, rough voice to tell me that indeed he was ill. Thursday night the soprano called me to say that she had nothing left and was going to bed. There was no way she could sing. I was glad because my head started to feel like it would blow off my shoulders: a sure sign that I had a low grade fever. Only one person, our stalwart bass, is not ill. The rest of us are under the weather. We cancelled our concert and minutemen from the church put together a variety musical program in our stead.

I'm just as happy, sitting up in bed with my flannel duvet over me, all cuddly, and me looking out the window up at the snow covered mountains with the reflection of the sun going down leaving hues of purple across them. (I may be slowed down, but not so slowed that I can't create a noble run-on sentence...)

It was a fitful sleep last night, Sam up and down with coughing, and me aching all over and uncomfortable. At one point I got up and wandered through the house, hoping that I could tire myself enough to go back to sleep. Heaving myself back under the down comforter, I drew up my knees just as Sam jacknifed in bed, resulting in a resounding crack as our knees struck straight on. I should have a beautiful bruise there in the next couple days. But for now, I am content to leaf through magazines, reading and looking at pictures. It is all this tired brain can do today.

And I am grateful that this sickness "is not unto death," and that I'm still full of beans and not completely dragged out. The absent appetite, languid spineless feeling, and headache will all pass away, leaving me with gratefulness that I can still get up and do the things I want to do.

Just not now.