Hammered Followed by a Slow Rise

Well, I got shut down, beat down and just plain pounded by this flu. So much so that I had to take 2nd and 3rd days of work off sick and then I dragged myself in the last two days but those were painful. Last week was a little better. Britt managed to get this also but it only lasted a day or so with her. Isaiah went to his friend Aiden's birthday party at rollerskating rink. He'd never been on inline skates before but jumped right in and was zipping around within minutes. He then went back to Aiden's house for his first sleep over. He didn't bat and eye at any of it, had a great time and convinced us to go back to interskate with Aman the next day which we did and Isaiah showed off some more and Aman learned. Another week of work mainly taking classes and filling out forms etc. but at the end of the second week... my first paycheck.... woooo hoooo!!!! Britt let me drive down to New York to hang with Dad for father's day. I got a slammin 4-5 hours with Jamal aka uncle chocolate and we sat up and talked til wee hours of the morning. Slow mellow morning with pancakes and fresh strawberries from Janet's organic garden. Then I took Dad up to Poughkeepsie to do his peace vigil. He organized this event where they stand on the busiest corner known in the area (right below the mall) and hold up peace banners and signs. They have been doing it regularly every week for almost 4 years! Amazing stuff. He called me chicken for not standing there with him but I was late in meeting Anna and ran off... Lunch with Anna was great, little chichi cafe near Vassar college with great coffee and breakfast all day... Then I picked Dad up and we drove up to Minnewaska state forest and did a ~10 mi bike ride. We saw a great timber rattle snake and other cute critters. I almost ran into a deer in the path as we biked along and we rescued a cute snapping turtle from destruction on the highway. We visited grandma and the went and said some prayers at grandpa's grave. I ended the day by picking up Anna and going to see Puge's band Juneteenth in New Paltz. What a show!... Jamal plays guitar, Pugie writes great songs and they are alot of fun live. I hustled back up to Massachusetts for a quick lunch at the Montague book mill and then a romp at Lake Wyola which is just down the street from our house. Back at the house the kids had hidden father's day cards for me and made me find them. A wonderful father's day capped off by the fact that this flu/cold is 99.6% beaten and I am starting to feel myself again.