No longer stir crazy

Thankfully this afternoon turned out to be a beautiful, sunny, fall day and thankfully I had plans to go walking with some friends. Prior to this, I was definitely stir crazy and dangerously close to becoming delerious. Since last Wednesday, I've been fighting some strange flu bug that started with a throat of fire, moved onto aches and chills, and has been lingering as a bad cough and general overall blah-ness. Until going out walking this afternoon, I had hardly left the house for the past 4 days (other Grady walks, of course, which take no breaks for illness). This is unusual for me. I go crazy if I stay home for too long. While hanging around the house I did lots of hausfrau work (especially now that I'm sans cleaning lady), including last Thursday where I did laundry for 14 continuous hours. I also did lots of reading (including Tim Russert's memoir called Big Russ and Me), watched lots of DVDs, and even took naps. Naps are almost unheard of for me, unless I'm sick.

This afternoon we took the train over the border to the little German town of Efringen Kirchen and walked for 2+ hours through the hilly area called Isteiner Klotz. We were surrounded by vineyards (yes, in Germany) and hardly saw another person. I'm feeling rejuvenated (although exhausted considering my lingering flu) and no longer stir crazy. Phew.