"In this sticky web that we're all in, behaving decently is no small task." -- Novelist Stacey D'Erasmo

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Best Laid Plans

     Well, I was hoping to offer a post full of sun and surf, retirement fun and hilarity. Instead, we ran into the rain. We played golf on a cloudy Friday, then started out on Saturday, in the rain, with a weather report that predicted 100 percent chance of rain. It continued to rain, off an on, for the next four hours, but we soldiered through the day and finished like the proud retirees we are.

     The next day we'd scheduled as a day off, and it was a good thing, too, since it rained all day. Then on Monday we set out, again in the rain, until we were washed out after nine holes.

I spent five minutes on the windswept beach
     That night I developed a runny nose and a sinus headache to beat the band. I took some Advil. It didn't seem to help at all.

     Ever the trooper, on Tuesday I got myself out of bed and over to the golf course with my friends -- only to be rained out yet again before we'd even finished the first hole. We slogged home, and I spent most of the rest of the day in bed. I did get up and dragged myself across the street to the grocery store to pick up some DayQuil and NyQuil, and some vitamin C. That's all I know to do for a cold.

     That evening I called B about 8 p.m.  "I've got a terrible headache," I told her. "Do you know, can I mix Advil and NyQuil? I took some DayQuil earlier. But I was thinking I'd take an Advil now and then the NyQuil in a couple of hours."

     "No," she told me. "Don't take any Advil. Take the NyQuil now. You'll get a good night's sleep."

     "But it's too early to take it now," I said. "It's only 8 o'clock. I'll fall asleep, then wake up at 5 a.m."

     "No you won't," she insisted. "Take it now. You'll go to sleep in an hour or two. And you'll sleep till 8 in the morning."

     So after we rang off, I downed the NyQuil and read my book for a little while (Inferno by Max Hastings, about World War II, which was recommended by Dianne at Schmidleysscribbling and which is a great book, but a little depressing when you're already feeling lousy with a cold). I drifted off to sleep around 10 p.m. And sure enough, I woke up a little after 8, feeling a whole lot better.
But this is what made me feel better

     My group hadn't scheduled anything for our last day, figuring it would be a make-up day in case we got rained out. But the rains continued, and so we missed out on our rain date as well. We weren't too happy, and a few minor arguments broke out. One of us is a cleanliness freak; the rest are not. One of us brought some DVDs of old TV shows and pressed everyone else to watch along with him. We were going out to dinner. We all like seafood -- except (you guessed it) for one guy, so we ended up at a roadside greasy spoon that no one liked.

     I did finally make it down to the beach this afternoon, before coming back to the condo and taking some more NyQuil. I was feeling better, but not all better. And so, once again . . . Zzzzzzzzz . . .

    

19 comments:

DJan said...

This is definitely not what you expected from a golf outing. Sorry about the weather and the cold, but hope next time you post you'll be MUCH better. :-)

Wisewebwoman said...

Oh boy some challenges - I hope you're feeling better and that the gangfights are now minimized.
XO
WWW

Gwen said...

Hi, new follower/fellow boomer here. I'm so sorry that not only did you get rain your entire vacation, but caught a lousy cold as well. Hope you feel better soon.

stephen Hayes said...

How unfortunate to be under the weather during your trip. I swear by Afrin to unplug me when I have a cold.

Tabor said...

NOt a good trip. The rain made everyone cranky it seems. Better luck next year.

Anonymous said...

OMG You porting. Sorry you find the book depressing, but you have to admit that's one of the best books you've read about WWII.

Hope you are better b now.

Remember, history is one damn thing after another often without rhyme or reason. We do well not to judge the past. Most of our ancestors fumbled through their lives making decisions that made sense at the time. The long term consequences of many decisions although unintended led to disaster.

I believe there is no justice for many of the afflicted...ever. This is the great lesson of Hamlet.

Remember, the rain tmps down the pollen for a few hours. (It's so dry here now that the rain evaporates before it hits the ground.)

Hope you feel better soon.

Olga said...

Wow, even the rain date gets rained out; one person does not like seafood so everyone has a lousy meal; AND you get sick. That is the vacation from Hell. But there is always next year.

Anonymous said...

You are fortunate to be able to go on any vacation..The gasoline prices here are so dadblasted expensive we go to the shore with others and are happy as hell..We don't care if it rains the whole dadblasted weekend, driest and hottest year in all weather recording, they shut down the skiing and mountain activities no snow, hot and more hot..Golf is doing gangbusters of business here..most people who retire go to other cities to enjoy their retirement we are paying for the highest gasoline prices in all get out, we do a little of this and a little of that, one's man's happiness might just be another man's misery..ciao!

Anonymous said...

I meant to say one cannot have heaven on this earth, the spring break for the kiddos was a washout and they complained walking by our home to school now it is hot as can be and they are in school, you just don't get any heaven in wishing here on earth, I think most people should be happy to be alive, food, hydration and health, also it is a plus you have your mate to care and take good care of you when you became ill..cherish what and be happy for what you have!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kathy @ SMART Living 365.com said...

Sorry to hear your trip was a bust and all you got from it was a cold. I'm a big NyQuil fan when I time comes so B gave you good advice. Next time ya'll should head west. We've had bright sun and not a cloud in sight. Hope you're feeling better now that you're home. ~Kathy

Anonymous said...

Yes, I can empathize. When it rains it pours. I have a bad cold right now.

Anonymous said...

Meant to mention I am anonymous, that when it comes to colds, I get them at the most inopportune times, weddings, funerals, and 50th wedding celebrations, I just suck it up and take my chicken matzoh soups and won ton soups I make and go on with all the celebrations, happens when dental work is planned to I think when important dates come up in one's life you just have to go with the flow, God laughs is the term I think of, but we don't go to places where we pay for Golf and long places away from home...We stay in our neighborhood and enjoy the glorious warm year we are having, albeit no water for a ski season, it was a big washout and no water for the vinteners (wine growers and the farmers, but something will be done soon..We are just thankful to be alive and trucking along, got myself a new pair of much needed good shoes yesterday first in 2 years I won't be waiting that long again, my feet were killing me hurting all thetime, I got 2 pairs at $40.00 off each and I kept money for the whole shebang, the place no longer takes checks I listened to the owner tell me about why he did this, the place is in the ritziest mall in the tri-county area, he said he could have plastered his back room with the people who gave him checks they stole or made up, I had the money thanks to God for my frugal living ways and got two pair for little money and they normally run about $160.00 but I got them $40.00 off each and I had the rest saved...the owner is a friend I was getting down to the last $5.00 amount and he said Thank you and let me have them for $5.00 off even more..see what makes most people happy, a fresh glass of water, a couple of pair of really good shoes, just living!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Barbara said...

What a bummer to have it rain on your golf game. Pleasing a group is often difficult. I make it a rule to start off by saying - If you want to eat/go/play where I want to eat/go/play we can go together, if you'd rather eat/go/play somewhere else it won't hurt my feelings. That is a live and learn lesson for traveling with groups. However, it sounds like you had a good time and handle the cold just right (with a little help from B).

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