Feeling a little under the weather

Drinks at the Aqua Bar with Diane

As my parents used to say when they didn't feel well, I'm not 100 percent, not really sick but not great.

At first I thought I was tired from running around: great birthday dinner in Needham, extended celebration in Wellfleet, then drive home and get stuck in traffic Sunday although I had planned to stay in Newton that night. But I got a call to sub in an 8:30 a.m. tennis game Monday, and when tennis calls, some of us run. The inevitable letdown of coming back was magnified due to the time of day, but I didn't want to miss a chance to play an extra time.

However it turns out that another person who needed a sub had forgotten to confirm, meaning three of us spent about half an hour making phone calls before we gave up and played Canadian. I told them the way I learned to keep score — singles person gets two points for winning a game, and doubles each get one — so we played a round of that and got some exercise and that was that. This being a big time First World Problem, although I was disappointed I didn't complain. 

I hadn't gotten much sleep the night before because I got home late and couldn't go right to sleep.  Luckily we were near Starbucks so I went over and caffeinated and talked to some of my Longmeadow Starbucks friends who I hadn't seen in a while because I stay around here in the summer after I play at the Canoe Club.

The weather in Wellfleet, that little piece of paradise, was perfect. I don't remember the ocean ever being that warm or that calm, and I even went in. In town on Saturday we discovered it was Porchfest, with acoustic music on 15 porches in town. The magical day ended with drinks in Provincetown at the Aqua Bar, overlooking the harbor, followed by fish and chips at The Canteen. 

You can see why I might have been tired but yesterday my stomach and head started hurting, so I realized it was more than that. I had gotten the day off from ECP today because I wanted to go to the volunteer appreciation day that the Literacy Project was planning at the Smith College Art Museum. But when I woke up and needed to go to sleep on the couch, I knew it was not to be. 

Well I saw more of the early rounds of the US Open than I would have, and in between doing that and falling asleep, I followed up on a pitch that I had sent and got a yes and worked on another story I'm doing. That gives me three stories to write, and one awaiting publication. Almost like my old job.

My main concern is that I have been looking forward to going to the US Open Friday on the bus from the Enfield Tennis Club. I better be better by then.