Fires, sick days, and other random thoughts

The news about the fires in California is really crazy! I can't believe someone would do something like that on purpose. It is especially disconcerting to me because San Diego County, where a lot of the evacuations are taking place, is where I am from originally. In fact, up until just recently my Grandma, Aunt, and Uncle lived right in the middle of all that is on fire right now. They moved to Oregon about two months ago but they haven't sold their house in California yet. The latest word is that the hill their house is on, is on fire. Scary! But thank goodness they aren't living there now.

Wildfires in Calfornia certainly aren't a new phenomenon, but everytime we hear about them it reminds me about the time one was close (but not really) and my Mom packed up the car with as much of our stuff as she could. She just took the dresser drawers right out of the dresser and took them to the car. At the time it was kind of scary because I was just a kid. But, soon we learned that the fire wasn't really threatening our area at all. It is a story we laugh about often. Seriously though, if you only had one hour and just your own vehicle to save what you could, what would you take?

On to another topic. I started feeling not so well last Thursday, then felt better on Friday. Then by Saturday, I was pretty sure I had Strep Throat. My parents got home from their cruise and immediately started me on a regiment of Tylenol and an antibiotic that came from another country (the directions are all in Spanish). I felt better on Sunday but then Monday morning I felt worse than ever. Now, anyone who knows me well knows I don't like going to the doctor. I avoid it at all costs. But as bad as I was feeling I knew I had to do it. It has been so long since I've been to the doctor that this was the first time in my life that I called the doctor on my own, made my own appointment, and went to see him all by myself. I know, it's crazy. Anyway, I waited for what seemed like an eternity and then spent all of five minutes with the doctor. He quickly diagnosed me with a, "woooooooeeeeee that's bad" ear infection in both ears! Both ears!! How does that happen? Also, he ordered me to stay away from school until I have been fever-free for 24 hours. So, the first thing I did was go back to school (just to prepare for not being there today)!

In all my free time today I've done some math, I have been teaching for 407 school days. This is the first sick day I have taken. It's ironic really, as a student I missed lots of days. In my first job out of college I had no trouble using every single one of my sick and vacation days. I'll even admit it, a lot of the time I wasn't really sick. So, somehow I've managed to last 407 days without taking a day off and this one is killing me. I hate being away from school. I guess it just goes to show you how easy it is to go to work when you do something you love! Thankfully, I have great family and friends that are going way above and beyond to help me get better quickly! Thanks guys!!