Convalescence

SoI haven't written for a few days. That's because there hasn't been anything to report. And THAT's because I haven't had any adventures. And THAT...is due to a nasty cold that attacked me Friday night. (YEs, yes, it would seem I am, to borrow a phrase from home, "Pulling an Elise". I can't go more than two weeks this year w/o the snivels or an ulcer or what have you. Silly immune system. When will you come back to me?)

Am still feeling a wee bit feverish. Which makes being in a foreign country just that much more exciting. Because, hey, if you're going to have a foggy, feverish head, best do it in a place that's hard to tell waking from dreaming anyway. Did I dream I went in to work today? Did I imagine eating two pieces of wheat toast with tea this morning? Or how about this afternoon, when I ran into Bill Murray at the Al Toon Café on High Street and we had a nice chat about croquet and the Chelsea flower show?
Right.

Except for the minor detail that "waking" does, in fact, involve rather mean Aberdeenshire bus drivers who love nothing more than to clip along at Doppler-esque speeds, picking off innocent pedestrians (can a speed be Doppler-esque? Well, if not, chalk it up to fever. Or as I lovingly refer to it, 'The Fev').

Suffice it to say I've been restricting my "outdoor time" until my head clears up a bit. Though Evelyn and Charlie have decided (my luck of course) at long last to have the roof and kitchen of the house repaired THIS whole week. Let me tell ya, these Scotsmen keep long, long, loooong hours. Pounding, scraping, nailing, shouting... my brain wants to die. Just die.

Tonight I decided I'd have to allow myself a little extra "outdoor time" to fetch myself some supper, since my kitchen is currently all in little pieces strewn about the living room. I slapped my cheeks a few times to get a bit of color, threw on a jacket, and braved the drizzly rush-hour world of Aberdeen. I walked briskly down the hill toward the city center, and the rain steadily increased (Scotland has been perfect in keeping me company-- the moment my cold arrived, so did the clouds. That's right folks-- I am hereby asserting an asymmetric causal relationship between myself and the weather systems affecting Aberdeen . I blame The Fev again)

Actually, it all felt refreshing-- the cool rain catching a slight breeze from the sea. I walked all the way down to the dodgy end of George Street, where I'd seen a take-away Chinese place on my tour with Allan. I ended up ordering way too much food. And alas, I struck out again. The egg rolls were good, and so was the soup-- but the rest? Not much flavor. I ordered extra spicy dishes to give my sinuses some hell (back at ya, sinuses!)...but didn't even sniffle whilst eating. Three strikes, and I'm out. I have yet to find good food (other than breakfast here at the B&B) in Aberdeen, and I ain't got the most discriminatin' of palates, you might say. This lack of food (and I mean food that's so good you think about it a lot) must needs weigh in heavily when I decide whether or not to accept a post-doc here. Though, fortunately, the world is full of chocolate and banana fritters, so I guess all things considered I'm happy as clams. (Yeah, that's right-- CLAMS. Plural. Not just one clam. MANY clams. ClamS. )

Ok, I think the druggies are kickin in here...vision blurring, getting wobbly, bed is two feet away...

will be right as rain tomorrow. Expect more adventures soon...
Ciao.