The Lost Week

By the grace of coffee, this is a smashing Friday. There haven’t been any posts recently, because I haven’t been feeling well. After last Friday’s food poisoning, I got slammed twice more on Monday and Wednesday.

During Monday lunch DMIL came around and handed out cloves of garlic (to ward off sickness and improve general health). I commented on the size of my clove, gigantic, and the probably sting within. “Oh, ” I was assured, “you don't need to chew it, swallow it like a pill!” And I did, alone. Everybody else chewed slowly. I accused them of not following their own advice, but thought little of it and went on with my day.

But I had not felt the last of that garlic, it rose again to plague me in the small hours. That is to say I had abdominal pains, strong nausea, endless, garlic burps, and very little sleep that night. I took the next day off, on account of my minimal rest (and because I was still feeling ill from the garlic). I felt much better in the afternoon, however, and felt up to going out for fish and chicken soup with Daniel and the guys. Lo, the soup made us all sick in the night. Bernard threw up. So, it hasn't been a pleasurable week in that respect.

Also, Andy is gone. I guess he couldn't stand up to his family anymore. Now he’s to drive a truck for his living, ridiculous. We have a new translator though, called Jimmy. He is twenty-one, speaks English well (with an extraordinary American accent), and likes to play Basketball. He hoped to study in the U.S. this year, but his application was scuttled by some unfinished paperwork in the immigration database— his family started it years ago and never finished. He’s a personable guy, and has recommended a doctor I should see about my back. Apparently he’s a sports rehabilitation dude who fixed Jimmy’s messed up ankle very well. This doctor is close, and not terribly expensive, so I’ll definitely make plans to see him.

I think that about describes the week. Despite my poor physical health, training has been awesome. I did some phenomenal stretches yesterday, made a breakthrough with hand conditioning the day before, and my application is getting very quick. Sometime soon I’ll make a video of what exactly I’m talking about, maybe show a little of typical training here.

The day’s yet but half done, we are running a mountain for afternoon training. As usual, I’m not looking forward to it at all. I think it’s supposed to an hour (half an hour at a time is my usual running cut-off), not to mention it’ll be a slope, and even the tiniest slope makes a big difference. But I’ll do it, and then it’ll be over.