Clammy But Happy

This morning I had no vertigo!  So got out and walked Ben and got all ready for work, then started feeling clammy again, so took my temperature and I'm still running a low-grade fever.  So I called my boss and explained and told him I thought I'd better keep my germs at home.  He was great and glad to know it's a bug.

Ryan, my co-worker from Symphony, walked Benji last evening for me because I was still loopy, and Benji gave him a hard time on the leash for the entire first half of the walk.  Then, when it was just as close to come back to me by going forward as it was going backward, he behaved and went forward as usual.  He's a Mommy's boy and he knows I've been unwell.  Ryan enjoys him and said when the weather gets a little warmer he'd like to come get him for long walks.  I said Benji would love that and he said, "Well, besides, he'd be useful, sort of...."  And I exclaimed, "As a chick-magnet?  Oh, I see!"  We laughed about that.  That's fine, Benji enjoys being a people magnet.  Ryan is young and handsome and single and recently moved hotels to be up on the Hollywood strip right by the Kodak Theater where the Academy Awards are held, and Grauman's Chinese Theater.  So he's closer to me and Benji now.  I thought he may want to use our nice pool, but he has his own rooftop pool at the hotel.

This morning I got to Skype with Chris, Dad, Charlie and Mom!  She was responding with hand pressure and eye blinks when they talked to her, so Chris got me online and I was able to say a few words to her.  Chris had brought in the Christmas wall hanging Mother had made with the animals all around the Christmas tree and it's hanging above her bed.  And the people from their church sent a beautiful flower arrangement.  She has lots of cards and letters from friends and family displayed there, too.  It did me good to be able to assure her that I'm out here in California thinking of her there.  Chris has been playing a CD of hymns on piano and I told her that I play for her always in my imagination.  She responded with eye blinks.  It did me a world of good to see and talk to them.  I felt less far away and alone.