Falcon's Log 41
July 26, 2010 - Moored In Marathon, Florida Keys

It has been a long, hard night with the headache and I can't tell if it's easing or not. This is rare. They are usually not this bad.
I think Bonnie must have churned a lot of allergens up over Cape Sable and dropped them on us down here. There's nothing
to do but keep on pushing. The end of the month is coming and the work needs to be done. The headache will pass
eventually. But it is exhausting.

I'll wait until I can eat something this morning before heading in to work. That might help. I hope I'm not as weak as I feel
because horsing that mainsail around to sew it is a chore when everything is right. I'll be back later.

I went in and got water and watched a little TV, but got sicker and sicker - headache was down but fever going up - who
knows - anyway, I came back to the boat and laid down for the next 5 hours. Now the fever is down and the headache is
back. What a pain in the ass. I hate being sick more than I can say. Why can't I have a nice, clean, honorable sickness like a
broken leg or a gunshot wound? But Noooooo. I have to have some kind of flemy thing going on with a headache and sinus
goo drizzling in my throat and nausea and kitten-like weakness. A little more time and I might get the runs or something.
There is no honor in this sickness and no one wants to know about it. The problem is my entries are so consistent if they get
interrupted, people think I've been arrested or something. So I have to at least explain. Next time I get a disgusting illness, I'll
simply say that . . . . . . that . . . . . . okay, I'll say I was bitten by a tiger, but I'll be okay, then you'll know I have the flu or
something. How's that?

I'm going to take some aspirin and lie down again. See you tomorrow.
July 27, 2010 - Moored In Marathon, Florida Keys

Wish I had good news, but not yet. I have to find some way to get ashore and get a ride down to the Walgreen's or
something. If I can get something to knock this out, I'll deal with the damn liver issue later.

It seemed to take forever to row in and get to Publix. I had to stop and rest a couple of times - maybe three. I finally picked up
a small box of those sinus headache blah, blah, blah pills, a half gallon of cold green tea with ginseng and honey and a
package of chicken franks. That was the bottom of my checking account, but I'm about two days from a check so I don't care.
The pills are mild - 2 every 4 hours - but I took just one there and started back. Before I was halfway back, the headache was
gone and the nausea as well, and my temp had dropped back to normal.

I checked my mail, then returned to the boat, (I am not quite right yet, as I continue to make many spelling errors based not on
a foggy brain but on weak fingers - I'm not hitting some keys had enough) took a short nap, then re-lashed the pins to the
oars and set up the center and forward sun shades. Six or seven hours after taking the first pill, the symptoms have come
back so I've taken another. At least I can still work. I will get back to it tomorrow and see what I can accomplish in just a few
days. It really would be nice to be done with the workshop locker.
July 28, 2010 - Moored In Marathon, Florida Keys

I woke up feeling fine, but not long after getting up I was reminded the infection in my sinuses is still there and preparing to do
it's thing today. Oh, sorry, I mean the 'Tiger Bite'. Anyway, the stuff I got yesterday seems to work well and I'm taking one now
and a couple with me so I can get this sail made. I'll be heading in now and be back later.

The row in was just enough to show me I have an injured left shoulder. I don't know how or when I did it, but it complains a
little if I row too hard. Since I want to be able to keep up with the rowing as a matter of daily exercise, I'll have to play it light
for a while until I can add more pressure.

When I got into the workshop there were people using the big table I wanted to sew on. I waited and talked with Dave, a guy
I've spoken to before on a couple of occasions. By the time the area cleared and I could get to work, I could no longer force
myself to do it. I felt tired and hungry and came back to the boat. I just decided to rest another day and relax and pay the $27
for another month and finish the sail the best I can. Then get the sailcovers made and get everything installed and
operational. Trying to get out of the locker with only 4 days, now 3 days, left in the month just seemed too Draconian a path
to demand of myself at this time in my life.

I will get it all done in short order and use the locker to jump out of and freak people passing by when all my work is done and
it's empty.

Another item for the list: my supply of vitamins and minerals is very low and Puritan Pride has a 3 for 1 sale on. I'll need to
spend about $100 there.
July 29, 2010 - Moored In Marathon, Florida Keys

Yesterday, Dave told me that someone had the same thing I'm suffering with a week ago, which makes me believe it may not
be allergies, but a virus. That would explain it's severity and duration. Allergy attacks usually only affected me for 1 - 2 days.
This thing is lessening each day now, but still hanging on. I'll have to take another pill this morning for the headache, but I'll
still go in and see if I can get some sewing done.
The check must have come in yesterday - Thanks, Paul and
Sue - because it was waiting in the mailbox for me this
morning. I decided to try the sewing before walking to either
deposit or cash the check - preferably a little of each.

In no time at all, I was set up and running the long seams to
connect the 2 wedges to the leech. I made three complete
stitches on each seam, as well as the gaff peak overlap down
the leech. The lower wedge consisted of three pieces sewn
together. I could have done it with one, but that would have
meant crossing up the warp and fill threads. Being a novice, I
have no idea at all what that would or could mean, but I'm not
willing to experiment and end up sorry.

As you can see, the scallop in the leech needs a bit more
sculpting, but now that the material is all one piece it will be
an easy thing to sort out.
I still have to make up reinforcement panels for 3 corners and sew them on, then patch a few small holes, and finally, install
the leech line and some grommets and plates. It's coming along now.

I took a walk to the bank and deposited most of the check, then stopped in to Publix and got an 8 piece box of fried chicken
and a half gallon of iced tea. Yummy. It's just a little past 1:30 pm now and I'm back at the boat doing some computer stuff. I'll
probably be back later.