A Little Bit Sick & A GREAT Read

Yes, I've been sick. Now I realize that no one really cares. We like hearing stories about people's illnesses about as much as being ill ourselves. However, I have to say that it has totally impeded by life this past week. I've had a wee problem with migraines the past three months, and it has really gotten out of hand. My doctor gave me things to try, but the side affects have been monstrous (semi-heart attack feeling in one) in almost every case. So, on Saturday I had to administer a practice AP test for about 22 of my students who NEED to see how a full-length test will feel. They were 30 minutes into it when I felt my stomach lurch...ran to "chuck it up" (sorry, no nice way there...), and then proceeded to, over the next three hours, run back and forth about 5 more times. By the time the students all left, and I talked the other teacher into locking me into the library so I could sleep a little on the couch there, I knew it was bad. Well, to make a long story short, I made Doc take me to a walk in clinic for IV fluids, some injection for my headache, and phenegran (drug straight from God above) for the nausea.


Today I'm doing 100%, so I'm happy to be back on track and hope not to repeat that again. This is the second time though that I've had to go get IVs for this sort of thing. NOT COOL!

Well, I did get a couple of REALLY GREAT books read this last week. The first one was A Hopeless Romantic, which I mentioned earlier. I actually finished this one on Thursday while I was resting from that medicine that gave me chest pains! :) Honestly, I haven't read a "chick-lit" novel that had me so early on in the game.
The basic premise of the novel is about a girl who always chooses the wrong guy, hopes or wants for him to change into her perfect match, and pushes away all her friends in the process. (Why did that feel familiar to me...I wonder!) In an effort to turn over a new leaf, she decides to de-romanticize her life of all that she feels has led her into her hearts and flowers landscape, with all of its larger than life expectations. Having decided to change, she goes on holiday with her parents to the British countryside, to celebrate her nans birthday. On a visit to a beautiful, historic manor home, she meets a young man that helps run the estate, and the two become fast friends. She, however, refuses to let her romantic heart get the better of her, and cuts it short of any sort of romance.

Honestly, I can't say more, but let's just say that for me...it was like a walk in a flower-strewn garden. Maybe reading it in about two sittings did it for me, but I really got sucked into this story, and really wanted all the best for these characters. This was just such a joy to read, and gave me GREAT HOPE! :)
I also read The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett. What a fun little novella! I read about this on one of the reader blogs I follow, and decided to pick it up at the library. Well, it has sat here for quite some time, but literally only took me about an hour to read. The basic premise is that the Queen (of England) is out walking her dogs when she runs into a Book-mobile parked on the side entrance of the palace. She enters it, finds a young kitchen worker picking out a book, and decides to follow suit. Having never really read for pleasure, she chooses a book and then spends the rest of the week captivated by the world the book presents her. She returns the book that next week, and decides to read another, and then she's off! In the process of falling in love with a couple of books, she becomes a constant reader that must fill her appetite for novels, authors, and themes with more all the time! The problem lies in the fact that those around her see it as a selfish activity that takes her away from her work, and thus the story unfolds. Honestly, I'd never thought of reading as selfish, but I guess it really could be that way. This novella definitely made me rethink all the things that I love about reading as I watched the Queen fall in love with reading for the first time. Such a fun, quick read! Honestly, I want to read it out loud, as it seems to be meant to be read that way.

Well, until I get more read, or get another illness to force me into a supine position wherein reading is applicable, then I'll see you when I see you! :)