The Christmas Bug

I have been remiss in my blog updating this week. Every year I have the bright idea to have all my Christmas shopping done by the week before Christmas. Once again I have failed. This time, through no fault of my own. I have all the presents wrapped and under the tree. Then the news comes. We will be having an unexpected, out-of-state- guest for the holidays. This means I have to run out and buy presents for this person. I can't bear the thought of anyone being in my home for Christmas and not having a few presents to open. Especially since my children have an obscene amount of stuff under the tree.

So, I am scrambling around trying to figure out what to get the guest. I have known the guest for ten years, but they live out of state so it's not like I spend a lot of time with this person. I figured out a couple of things to get and actually did something VERY intelligent. I went shopping on my lunch hour. I have an unusual hour for lunch. It runs 11:30-12:30 instead of 12:00 to 1:00. This makes Christmas shopping a joy. Most people have not started their lunch hours so the crowds are minimal, even the week before Christmas. I was able to get in and out of the store very quickly.

I visited my sister and two nephews a few nights ago. Thursday night I began feeling a little off. I didn't think much of it and went to bed. The next morning I still felt kind of odd but I shrugged it off and left for work. About halfway there, I realized I was feeling nauseous. I was thinking that this was not a good thing. By the time I got to work, I felt absolutely sick.

I managed to make it to the bathroom at work, where I proceeded to upchuck my dinner from the night before. The only thing I could think of was that my boss was going to think I was trying to get out of work to go shopping or something. The thing is, I am blessed with a fabulous immune system. I very rarely get sick. I have never had the flu in my life. I can't remember the last time I caught a cold. I don't know if I have ever really had one.

Long story short, I left worked and called my sis to tell her that I was sick for the first time in three years. Her boys were sick with the same thing. Yep. The little boogers had shared this wonderful present with me. On the bright side, it seems to be a 24 hour bug and I am feeling better today. At least if they are going to give me a present, they gave it to me early so I would be sure to be over it by Christmas.

My illness induced a nightmare of epic proportions last night. I dreamed that my boss calls me into his office and starts beating around the bush about firing me. I said, "You mean you are firing me". At this point he accused me of stealing from the plant. Just a litttle FYI-I work in a metal fabrication plant. I assure you, there is NOTHING in that plant that I am interested in stealing. I proceed to tell him this. I state,"I swear, I have not been stealing from the plant, there is nothing in the plant that I would even WANT to steal". He then tells me that he has it on very good authority that I have been stealing. I begin to sob hysterically. Not only because I got fired, but because they accused me of stealing, which I would not do. The last thing I remember before I woke up from this hideous nightmare, is calling them a bunch of cowards and throwing my security badge in their faces before storming out the door and walking to my car.

It seemed so real. I was SO relieved when I woke up and realized that it was just a nightmare. ALL that drama just because I left work early yesterday. Nuts I tell you. That's what I am. A nut.

Special thanks to "K" at work who gave me some very thoughtful gifts that really mean a lot. Merry Christmas to you and your family if I don't talk to you.