Thursday, December 22, 2022

Water Where There Shouldn't Be


Well, I think I felt about as bad yesterday as it's possible for a person to feel. My fever got up to 101º F again (38.3º C) and I'm still coughing up a lung. My sinuses feel positively on fire, when they're not so closed up that no air can get through, and the burning sends me on dramatic sneezing jags. It's a lot of fun, let me tell you.

I spent the morning in bed, reading my new book, an engrossing hospital novel called "Sometimes People Die." (In retrospect maybe not the best thing to read while sick!)

This was snuggled up next to me:


No, she's not spoiled at all.

We had some excitement in the afternoon after I'd moved to the couch. I was reading, listening to the Russians relentlessly pounding upstairs on whatever the hell they're doing, when I heard the distinct sound of dripping water. I found a trickle of water coming from a crack in the ceiling of a hallway cabinet, and then dripping onto the floor. It was from upstairs, obviously something to do with the Russians' renovations. I ran next door and told their handyman and the water did not reappear.

Those people are going to drive me nuts.

I then discovered we seem to have a slow leak in our own plumbing, which has caused the plaster to bubble on one wall. (Now that I'm home all day I'm noticing these things.) I reported that to the management company.

Last night we watched "The Poseidon Adventure" followed by "The Empire Strikes Back," a double helping of cinematic comfort food.

(Top photo: Abbey Road on Dec. 12, the day after our most recent snowfall.)

25 comments:

Andrew said...

See the last line in the song Rasputin.

gz said...

No, she isn't spoiled..she is looking after you!

Frances said...

I hope that you were as comfortable as Olga looks!
You def. made the correct decision about Florida. Sending wishes that you feel better today.
We get water dripping from the ceiling in our front room, right behind my chair when there is persistent rain. P has been on the sloping roof several times and cleared leaves/ bashed down flashing, but to no avail!

Yorkshire Pudding said...

Maybe The Russians are re-enacting their country's assault on Mariupol. Don't be surprised if you see a line of bedraggled and ill equipped conscripts mounting the stairs singing "Patrioticheskaya Pesnya".

I hope you are feeling somewhat better tomorrow morning when you report to the world from beneath Mariupol.

Ed said...

The coughing up a lung part doesn't sound like Covid which is good news. But I hope you don't have the lung crud that seems to be going around over here that leaves people coughing and feeling miserable work several weeks at a time. I hope you are better soon.

I don't miss having neighbors under the same roof.

Boud said...

I don't envy any neighbors of the Russians upstairs. Not good to have that racket going on when you're feeling lousy. I think I might not have chosen that book right now, though!

Mary said...

Hoping you feel better soon. As for Olga's comfy bed position (and I line I use often)...Mama didn't raise no fool.

To the Russians upstairs...you might suggest a Christmas cease-fire (uh...cease-renovations?).

John Going Gently said...

Keep up with 4 hourly paracetamol xx

Moving with Mitchell said...

You poor puppy, but luck Olga. Hope the worst is over and you begin to feel much better today. Those damned Russians (the neighbors and Putin).

Marty said...

Are you sure you want to be watching The Poseidon Adventure when you have water arriving from above? 😊
Hope your blight ends soon, although I suspect it’s the rsv ailment that here in the US. Ours went on for weeks.

Bob said...

Olga is quite the nursemaid, on duty 24/7!

Ms. Moon said...

Man, you have the flu.
How is Dave?
I don't think I could bear the constant onslaught of construction going on above me. How do you stand it? I would go mad.

Sharon said...

I feel bad for you. It's awful to be sick and your symptoms sound painful.
I just dealt with a leak last week. I got a new water heater and a new kitchen faucet. All is good now....so far.
I watched a movie called "Last Christmas" that I had somehow never seen before. It was full of George Michael music which made me smile.

Pixie said...

It sucks being sick. Even bedtime isn't a respite when you're coughing like that. As for Olga, obviously a nurse in a previous life. I have a cat like that; she's in heaven when I'm sick. I lay in bed with her all day:)

Take care Steve and hope you're feeling better soon.

If you get a chance, "Spirited" and "Guardians of The Galaxy Christmas" are both good movies, as well as "Bad Moms Christmas". Might as well get an overload.

NewRobin13 said...

I hope you start to feel better soon, Steve. The flu/cold season is such a bummer. If I were your neighbor, I wouldn't be making so much noise, I would be making you a pot of chicken soup. Take care there.

Janie Junebug said...

At least Olga is there to keep you warm--as if the fever didn't. I do not think of Olga as spoiled, and I'm serious about it. She seems to have similar privileges to Franklin and Penelope, and they're loved, not spoiled. I will be so happy when you tell us you've recovered. Take it easy, dear heart. Don't push yourself.

Love,
Janie

Margaret said...

I hope that you've gone through the worst of it and can now get better. I'm wondering if you have RSV. It's a miserable virus. Those are some retro films, exactly what's called for during the holidays. I dread the sound of water; I've had several leaks and they are always a PITA. In fact, last Xmas I had a huge hole in my kitchen ceiling and no floor or toilet in my master bathroom. :(

Jennifer said...

Sweet Olga! I love that she's taking care of you. Dogs are good company when you feel bad.

Kelly said...

I have a feeling there will be a lot of folks with dripping/leaking pipes before this nasty cold front completes its sweep across the US. At least you're home to notice things and get them addressed before they cause damage.

Olga's just doing her job, making you feel better. I hope Dave is still feeling okay. Get well!!

Debby said...

Flying with sinus issues makes a bad situation SO much worse. I'm sorry you couldn't go home, but I suppose someone had to stay home and keep an eye on those Russian renovations.

Beth Reed said...

Oh gosh so sorry to hear that your sick. I feel for you. I just got out of the hospital late yesterday evening.
Being sick is no fun at all nor is it any fun to start noticing all of the things that are going wrong all at the wrong time.
Luckily you were able to get in touch with the handyman and good that you called the management company to report the plaster leak damage. I swear when it rains it truly does flood! No pun intended.
Totally love that Olga snuggled up with you. Our babies want to take our pain away if they can and I hear that dogs can help take the fever from us humans! Maybe with her next to you, your fever didn't become any higher. Any higher and you should seek medical attention due to it can be harmful to our brains! I actually read that somewhere and I even had a nurse to tell me that since adults don't release the heat from their heads that an adult with high fever can become seriously harmed with seizures.
Go ahead and disregard this advice because I don't want to scare you!

I had planned to go over and post on my blog, but I just don't have the energy to do anything at the moment so I will plan to post tomorrow.

Have a great evening/day and feel better soon. �� Hugs.

River said...

Good one Andrew!
I love The Poseiden Adventure and now I want to watch it again. I'd be very worried about drips from above, who knows how much water has collected before the drip-through began? I think you are entitled to know what's going on and how much of it is likely to affect you, drip-wise or crashing through the ceiling-wise.
Olga is taking good care of you.

Frances said...

What no new post!! I hope that you are just having a well deserved lie in and not feeling worse.

Steve Reed said...

Andrew: I had to look up that song, which I've never even heard of. I guess it wasn't a hit in the USA? Anyway, yeah, that pretty much sums it up.

GZ: She does take very good care of me.

Frances: It's disconcerting to find water intrusion like that. I always fear that for the tiny amount of water I'm seeing, there's probably plenty more that's staying inside the walls or roof!

YP: It sure sounds like a battleground up there.

Ed: That "lung crud" may well be what this is. I think it's RSV.

Boud: If I were closer to death's door and/or in hospital the book might freak me out. But I'm still healthy enough to think I will survive this. :)

Mary: "Mama don't raise no fool." Ha! I like it!

John: Yes, paracetamol is definitely my friend at the moment.

Mitchell: They are definitely testing my patience (both domestically and internationally).

Marty: Yes, I think that's exactly what it is. I hope I can shake the worst of it by the end of this weekend, but who knows. :(

Bob: She does take good care of me, in her way. :)

Ms Moon: Dave feels a little out of sorts but nothing compared to me. I think his body has managed to fend it off (even though, in theory, he's the one with compromised immunity). The secret to surviving the Russians, which I've never really explained, is that our living room is in an extension of the house that's not beneath the upstairs rooms. So, in other words, we can get out from under them when we're in the living room. We can still hear them but it's not as bad.

Sharon: I think I remember that movie being advertised, but I never saw it. Maybe I should check it out!

Pixie: Thanks for the Christmas movie recommendations! It's funny how our animals think it's the best thing in the world when we're sick, with time only for them. :)

Robin: I wish you were our neighbor!!!!

Janie: Actually, you're right. She's really not spoiled so much as treated as an equal member of the family. Which she is.

Margaret: Yikes! Those sound like some serious leaks! Hopefully we won't have anything THAT major happening, but who knows. I think you're right about RSV.

Jennifer: She is sticking close by at all times!

Kelly: Yeah, it sounds like people who are not used to freezing pipes are about to get walloped with a rude awakening!

Debby: At least we're not subjecting the dog-sitter to the Russians. She doesn't realize that she dodged a bullet.

Beth: So sorry to hear you've been unwell too! I would get concerned if my fever got any higher, but so far 101º is about the max.

River: I wish they'd just settle down up there and live in their space, rather than constantly tearing it up and rebuilding it.

Frances: Sorry, I did sleep a bit late, but I've posted now. :)

Jeanie said...

Yup. If not the flu, RSV.