Entry for 16th June, 2008

I have spent a couple of days in bed with a tummy bug which I suspect that my first born has passed on to me. It is pretty rare for me to be off my work, so it has been an odd experience to be on the sick.
It was differesnt when I was a kid. I was off school a lot as a result of having a pair of tonsils that expanded to the size of a modestly proportioned semi-detached house whenever I engaged in any physical exercise. As a result I suspect that most of my teachers thought I was the child of some travelling folk, as I generally only came to school for a couple of days during Lamaas Fair.
Incidentally, my tonsils are partially responsible for my brief conversion to Born Again Christianity, which is a story I will share with you shortly. (That was a teaser folks - designed to keep you coming back for more. I bet you can hardly wait).
Anyway, being laid up in bed over the past couple of days is oddly comforting and rather nostalgic. The feeling of periodically shivering and overheating; the odd security of the duvet; the reassuring cycle of Radio 4 programmes; and the empty bottle of lucozade beside the bed - it all makes me feel like I am back at my parents' house. If I close my eyes, I can almost hear mum shouting up the stairs asking if I want some buttery toast. It is never all bad when you are off school with minor ailments. I must be off now - Gardener's Question Time is starting.
My Edinburgh Fringe Productions areOne Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest - Sweet ECA - 2nd to 9th August and Sketchy! (Comedy for Kids) - Smirnoff Underbelly - 2nd to 9th August Tickets and further details at www.edfringe.com (search for Practical Magic Theatre