Just because I have to pull some good news out of this post, let me start out with it. My gut is starting to heal a little more and I had some normal food for the first time in a month last night. And, yay verily, it was good and neither did it do bad things to my gut. I tried it again for lunch today, but it turned out to be a little too much, too soon. So, wonton soup for dinner tonight.

Now for the bad news. Last night, I found out that a dear friend of mine is very, very sick. Terminally sick. He has something akin to what I have, but much worse (obviously). Unfortunately, whatever it is that he has is different enough to have all the local doctors mystified as to what caused it and how to cure it.

I’m not ready to discuss it any further yet. Just know that I am happy to be alive.

Yesterday, I did something I have not done in a little over 2 years. I went to the beach. I even stuck my toes in the water (up to mid-calf) and, let me tell you, it was coooold. The sand was burning hot in places, but I found a good spot to dig my feet under and get to the cooler stuff. I watched small clams getting washed around with the tide try to dig their way, with varying degrees of success, to some peace and quiet. It was a very pleasant afternoon. I even managed to avoid getting burned, except mildly in a couple of spots where I missed with the sunscreen.

It’s funny. Despite having lived two-thirds of my life within a few miles of great beaches, I’ve never really been a beach person. I do like to watch the water and go for the occasional walk along the shore – ooh, and beach volleyball, but I don’t go in for the whole tanning thing and I like my water jacuzzi style. Some of it is due to a near-drowning incident that happened when I was 14 but, even before then, I only went to the beach because that’s where my friends were.

I’d have to say that I’m a mountain girl at heart. I dream of the day we can arrange to live on one.

Our refrigerator is insanely cold.

It’s an old beast and we haven’t figured out how to change the temperature yet. However, it’s nice to know that a cracked egg won’t make a huge mess waiting to be discovered.