Bike ride, tornado, and the illness that is not swine flu or strep throat.

This weekend started off great. Friday night, I got a phone call from my friend James to see if I wanted to bike around town with him and his friend Ben, and stop and have a few beers along the way. The first thing that you should know is that both Ben and James have motors on their bicycles. I do not. The other thing was that my bike had just suffered a hernia in the back tire a few days before, and it was not fit to ride.

I told James and Ben of my misfortune, and they rounded up a bike for me to use. I met them over at Ben's house, and we sat on the front porch of Ben and his wife Dawn's beautiful house for a spell. I am so jealous of their house. It is an older house, with wood siding, a beautiful front porch, and wood planked walls. They are a bit weary of the repairs that it is needing, but I am so jealous. Ben and Dawn have also built a garage with a small apartment in the back yard which is so cute, and very well thought out.

While we were on the front porch Ben and Dawn's amazingly smart 7 year old daughter and her friend were running around with a big frog that they had caught. The poor frog had had about enough of that adventure but the girls had not. In fact, they were taking donations to buy the frog an $18,000 frog habitat. It was obvious how much they cared for the frog, but their pleading with their parents was not getting them any closer to the amphibious empire. They decided to step it down a notch, and ask all of the folks sitting on the porch for donations to keep the frog alive. I wasn't sure if it was a ransom, or if it was for the benefit of the frog's life but I couldn't refuse, so I emptied my wallet of the change, and put it in their begging hat.

Ben, James and I headed off into the night. We were trying to go to cafe New Orleans, because of course I was hungry, as always, and facing a night like that night, of biking and drinking, I knew it was in my best interest to get something in my stomach. They were closed, so we opted for the nearest place, Sweets. It was nice to go in there again. I havent spent too much time there lately, and it was a good return. All of the regulars were there, and I almost managed to school Ben and James on the pool table I learned on, but I think I got a bit to cocky, and lost my touch after the first 9 ball run.

We continued on to the yacht club, from there. I tried to order food, but their kitchen had already closed. We sat out side on the huge second story wraparound porch with an interesting couple and my roommate Jeff and his girlfriend Sharece, who joined up with us at this point.

James got a call from the Fort Bayou Slim folks and he was on his way to go play. I did not want to ride my bike over HWY 90, and i had not been drinking too much at all, so I grabbed my car and met them at the Julep Room. I was feeling tired at this point,(around 10 pm) maybe because I had been up since 5:30 or maybe because of my impending illness.

I headed home before watching James play what I later found out was one of the best times he had played in a long time. I woke up with a sore throat, but feeling pretty good other than that. I figured it was the smoky bars, and that my throat had grown sensitive in the year since I worked at Sweets. I made a pot of coffee, and James showed up right in time(around 6), to have a cup before we headed to the marina to meet up with Ben and to work on a boat. I wasnt really helping, just watching. It was the first time i had seen them work, and it was pretty neat. They are really good at what they do.

Once they got the propellers on the engines, we went to burger king, got a crosandwich, and I went home and took a nap. I was already feeling a little run down and it was only 9 am. I woke up from that nap and went on another boat fixing adventure. This one was in another marina, further east, and further inland. We got there, and a huge cloud was forming over the ocean spring marina... We watched for waterspouts and out of no where this big cloud touched down. It is not the first tornado I have been in, and technically, I was not in this one, but it was the first one I have ever seen.

James dropped me back off at my house, i crawled back in bed, still denying that i was getting sick, and took another nap.

I woke up, with a big headache, the feeling of fever, and a sore throat i have not had in years. I took some IB profin, and did some work. I had to finish this drawing for a friend that I am helping because they were going to do some work on it this week and were going to be away from their computer for that time. got it done, and crawled back in bed, took some more ibprofin, and went back to sleep.

James called around 7 and i was feeling better, a bit. My throat was still a little sore, but my headache and feverish body was gone. We went and ate dinner. He suggested that we go to the best steak house on the coast. I was excited. I love meat!!!!!

We walked into Cheryl's steakhouse, and it kind of looked like a bbq joint. It is not the type of place that looks like it cooks the best fillet mignon on the coast. I tried not to judge too quickly, and sat down, still excited, because great, or just ok, i love steak.

I ordered my fillet med rare, and it came out a little on the rare side, which i would totally prefer to it coming out a little on the done side. THE STEAK WAS AMAZING. I have never put a steak in my mouth that amazing. It was wonderful. The salad, kind of sucked, the sides, they were typical. The steak was worth it all. If you go, it was a BYOB place, so bring your own bottle of wine. They have openers and glasses. YOU MUST GO!!!!

James wanted to go out and have a few drinks, but I was so tired (still not admitting i was sick) and I tried, but I couldnt hang. I left after a gin-n-tonic that i couldnt even finish.

I woke up sunday morning, knowing i was not going to be doing much.... and sure i had swine flu.

I layed in bed for most of the day, and when i checked my temperature it was at 101. I havent had a fever like since i was in the 5th grade i dont think. I felt so bad. I slept all day, and tried to read, but i couldnt focus on the pages. I slept some more, ate some chicken soup, and slept some more.

I woke up around 7pm, watched some simpsons, and went back to bed. This morning, i woke up to the same thing, but now my throat is really swolen. I went to the doctor this afternoon, and he was sure it was strep, but it was not. He did not tell me what it was but gave me some antibiotics. I am guessing it was not swine flu, or he would have probably freaked out.

I should say that today, I felt a bit better than yesterday, maybe because i am taking a little more ib profin than yesterday. I have been able to read most of the day, and James gave me a good book to occupy my time. It is called Lucky You by Carl Haaison. It is a funny light mystery read. I am about to get back to it.