Yikes!?!! That's one mean flu!!
February 3, 2001:

The new is up!! I think our friend Dave is really catching on with the Rockfish and their increasing understanding of the fishermen and their ways Seems the Rockfish are really taking to the books this winter and will present a much more wary target should the waters ever decide to warm up! Go get 'em DP, but take it easy, if these fish get any smarter, it's gonna be a long season! Yer right, epiphany would be a good word ;-)

Well, I'm finally on the road to recovery and all I can say is I hope none of you get that flu! After dealing with Lyme's Disease and thyroid gland problems, I'm pretty much a veteran when it comes to not feeling all that well, but the past 72 hours was certainly an eye opener for me! About the only positive thing from having Lyme's disease is that you don't get sick...ever. Your body is so revved up all the time, your immune system is like in high gear 24 X 7....colds, flu, fever...none of that stuff ever gets to ya. I haven't had a cold or flu in almost 9 years that I can remember. Imagine my surprise when Wednesday night I was feeling like death warmed over. You name it, I had every flu symptom ever imagined. Much as I fought it, much as I kicked and screamed, there was nothing I could do but curl up in bed like a little kid. The past two were the very first 2 days that I have ever spent sick in bed....it's quite over rated! I now have a complete and new found respect for the flu, it shut me down for almost 3 days straight. I'd sleep for 6 hours, feel pretty good, try to get caught up some, and wham, back in bed, sweating, shaking, and just plain feeling mean! And then it would start over...I'd wake up, feel ok, get back to work and then start sweating and shaking all over again! Grrrrrrrrrrrr! Anyway, I survived ;-) My wife's still a saint, she always takes care of me, but this was the first time I really needed somebody to take care of me...is it odd to be almost 35 and still want your mommy when you're really sick? ;-)

So, it's Saturday morning, almost 7 am...Carole told me to "take it easy" when I told her I was feeling better....that was 10 hours ago...but if I can sneak into bed quietly, I can probably get away with it ;-) This will be an extremely short page but I kinda wanted to explain my basic absence for the past 3 days. I'm glad to see that everyone was well behaved and nothing got broken in my absence. Everyone's making nice on the boards, the Private Message thing is taking off and folks seem to be enjoying that board based email...which is good. There's been some cookie issues lately, but they are largely under control...at least on this end. I'll post the "fix" in the announcements forum some time today, just not right now, I gotta sneak back into bed and pretend I've been there for the past 6 hours! One more thing, Valentine's Day is this week....not that anyone here would need reminding, but these are the days that we really count on for stocking up that brownie point jar! By Mother's Day, it's too late...gotta get them jars full, it's gonna be a looong season!

Sincerely,

Tim Surgent