He says that my cousin Sawako is still in Sapporo and will remain there until her students come back to the university. (She teaches at Iwate University at Morioka - so who knows when that will be.)

hoping today is a better day for Kat

and everyone really.

It is rainy ad good for staying in bed. however, I should go to work

've been watching Junior Masterchef Australia. It is inCREDible. 8-12 year olds who are basically 5 star chefs. Creative, poised, skilled and cordial.

Somehow, I can't imagine that show making it in America.

You know, I'm pretty sure the majority of Australian 8-12 year olds are not budding 5-star chefs.

I called in sick today because I was up most of the night with a peculiar implacable stomachache. It feels like the sphinctre at the top of my stomach is hurting. It just hurts and hurts and nothing I can do eases it. No pills, no burping, nothing.

I said "stomach flu" on the message because I wanted to be clear it wasn't my headache.

And then I went to lie back down. But that didn't last. I had a sudden and overwhelming urge to puke. I don't puke. Puking isn't my thing. Boy, did I ever puke. I'm not sure if it helped the pain any, but I sure do feel dizzy and spent. Did I mention I never puke? Because I totally don't. Why is my stomach at war with me?

Also, why did Skype change their interface? Don't want change.

Oh lord, ita. Stomach flu indeed. Yuck.

Glad to hear the update, sumi.

ita, as if you needed anything else to deal with!

I am hungry. But I don't have any bacon. I liked it better when you all talked about oatmeal and I had that.

Speaking of bacon, I was watching the cooking channel and a guy made bacon bourbon. I might have to try that.

I decided on Monday to take yesterday as a mental health day, and I sent my supervisor an email saying one of Hubby's medical appointments got rescheduled at the last minute--which has happened. Supervisor misread the email as me just having to pick Hubby up and missed the part where someone has to be there through the procedure, just in case--which also happens. So he's all pissy and "this could have been handled better" and "you shouldn't have to take an entire day off just to pick up your husband." I did not say "OK, I lied, I'm really just sick of you and wanted a day off", nor did I say "Some supervisors, when talking to a woman with a husband with known serious health issues, would say 'Oh, I hope it all goes OK.'" Pissant.

Oddly, when I came in this morning, there is a vase of daffodils on my desk. They're very gorgeous but I"m quite confused. No card, no emails explaining this, just some flowers. So they've become quite ominous, gorgeous flowers. There's no one here that I thought I was close enough to who would give me flowers, and if it was something all the women got there'd be an announcement.

bacon bourbon

What is this?! This could ease all my pain.

Poor bourbon.