Summer 2024: Days 1-3

Summer 2024 hasn't started the way I hoped.

Benji graduated high school last weekend, and then I departed for Vancouver for my company's annual work retreat. I missed the first evening, so it already felt abbreviated, but I was happy to see my coworkers and enjoy Canada for the first time. 

Unfortunately, I think I brought something with me to Canada besides my carry-on suitcase. After more than four years of avoiding it, I caught COVID-19. I started feeling symptoms Monday afternoon and passed it off as allergies, but by Tuesday evening I was wiped out. I managed a feverish six hours of sleep before leaving the hotel for an early flight, got home and slept for three and two hours. By that time, I figured it was just a cold, and an expired COVID test didn't indicate anything. I took Thursday off and slept some more, and Friday discovered two of my co-workers tested positive. I took a new test, and sure enough, it came up positive.

It hit so quickly Monday that I don't even think I caught COVID on the airplane (maybe in the cab from the airport?), but maybe at graduation. I then likely passed it along to my friends. It really hasn't been that bad. I didn't have anything worse than a low-grade fever after I got home, and my lung capacity was down a little but nothing like some of the bronchitis bouts I've experienced -- no wheezing or excessive coughing. Here on Day 8, I get a tickle in my throat and start coughing, take a cough drop, blow my nose, and it's over. The vaccine has worked -- this has felt nothing worse than a mild, hit-and-run cold. Except ...

Except, I'm exhausted. I just feel tired all the time. I did run this morning, which wasn't so bad, but it pooped me out for the day. And that's why I've sharing the blow-by-blow: The first weekend of summer was kind of a waste. I slept, did a jigsaw puzzle, watched storm coverage on YouTube, and was otherwise sedentary. I did grill yesterday and help Michael put together a shed, but the three days otherwise went boringly fast.

I really want this to be a great summer. With a lot of PTO built up, I want to enjoy adventures with both boys. I want to write more than I have during any summer. I want to get things done around the house, including clearing out the garage somewhat and getting the office ready for fall. I want to play video games and Strat-o-Matic. I want to lounge when I feel like lounging, but not waste the moments outside of that. 

So how does summer start? With me being tired from a virus I had managed to avoid for so long. Graduation and the work retreat were supposed to be the grand kickoff to summer. I'm thinking the grand kickoff might be waiting a week as I finish recovering.

At least I ran this morning, we'll see how tomorrow goes. The short workweek will help, but I will be dealing with the tasks I was looking forward to completing uninterrupted last week after the retreat. Summer 2024 is 103 days, and three so-so ones are already in the can. Maybe just writing a blog post, finally, after nearly six months, can be highlight to this inauspicious beginning.

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