personal update

I took a sick day off work today because of a major gastric issue that hit me when I woke up this morning (or I became conscious of it when I woke up). So I've been spending time either in bed or on the pot which, now that I think about it, sounds a lot like how I've behaved when I've had to deal with food poisoning. Nothing virus-related, I assure you: no fever or coughing or body aches.

Last night, I left work very late, cabbed home, marched up to the concierge desk in our building's lobby, and picked up an Amazon package: my new "for fatties" bicycle seat. I spent the next [embarrassingly long interval] tinkering with the seat and my bike, trying to follow the obscure instructions and vainly watching YouTube tutorials. Eventually, just by using observation, deduction, and common sense, I was able to switch out my bike's painful hard-rubber seat for this new plush one. Am eager to try it out, and will do so over the weekend. I also need to visit the bike-store guy and see about reconfiguring the brakes.

My French brother Dominique is still in hospital a week after he'd said he'd be out and working by now. He says he may actually have to go back in for more gastric surgery. This doesn't present a reassuring picture of French healthcare. Dom sent me a cheerful photo of himself in his hospital bed, but he won't let me share it on the blog, so we must all respect his privacy. (I admit I shared the pic among family, though.) Hospitals are rife with pestilence; I hope Dom can get the hell out soon.

My own guts feel a lot better, now that it's after 11 p.m. I ought to be back to normal tomorrow. Although I told the boss I could put in a full day of work on Saturday, he said not to bother: nothing I'm working on is on an urgent schedule. So I guess I'll just have a weekend.

I hope your own gastric situation is pleasantly stable. Enjoy your weekend.