As Catherine pointed out, a light snow is preferrable to a cold rain. I was almost certain by yesterday evening that I would also be calling in sick again today, but when my alarm went off at 6 a.m. this morning, and I heard the fat spitty splats of rain hitting my window pane, there was no question. I dialed my boss's number with only the grey light from the slats of my blinds and the backlit key pad of my cell phone to guide me.

I am beginning to feel better, but I am taking today as insurance. I'm not totally out of the woods yet, and something about my job is making me not want to be there at the moment. It seems antithetical to actual progress. Even though we are in the middle of a big project, my own workload is under control. Being sick has been a blessing. Enforced vacation from the tedium of a job in which my heart currently holds no stake.

E-mailed my prof a bit ago to let him know that I would be bowing out of our class meeting tonight. It would seem incongruous to skip work two days in a row, my Tuesday night class, but go to his. Besides, as he pointed out, tonight we are discussing a book we read in his 20th Century World Lit. class last semester. Well-covered ground. So, I'll spend my day reading the assignment for next week.

There is one shred of unfinished business between g and myself. I am still in the process of paying him for the last painting I bought from him. A week ago I sent him a check and he wrote yesterday to acknowledge it. After reading his newsy communique, I deleted the missive. To answer such an e-mail would be counterintuitive to the agreement I have with myself about such things. At the present time it seems best to leave things undisturbed. If I ever see him again (and right now I cannot imagine that I would allow that, in as much as it is up to me), I want it to be when my metamorphosis is complete.