Tue Feb  3 19:45 EST 1998
Weekend Update: Jan-Flubuary

I'm typing this from home on Tuesday night because I'm sick as a dog
with the flu.  I expect to be out of commission for a few more days
based on the time my coworker was out with this ailment last week.

Joy is keeping me good company, suffering with me; we share everything.

Over the weekend, the kids had two sledding accidents.  Emily hurt
her shoulder snow-tubing nearby.  Jessica hurt her arm (and they wondered
if it was a hairline fracture; but it wasn't) in a snow-tubing
accident at Sr. High Winter retreat.  I told the kids that it reminded
me of a couple of accidents I had with my brothers (before we had hills).
Stephen never lets me forget the time I sliced his heel open with my 
Flexible Flyer.  I may have been one of millions who inspired the idea
of plastic sleds.  One other time, Russell and I were sledding down
the steps of the church in Edison.  (I told you it was before we had
hills.)  I was impatient for my turn and hopped on top of him for the
ride down the four steps, except that when we hit the bottom, the sled
stopped and we tumbled off grinding Russell's face in the ground.

My flu started in on Friday but I was braving it out until Sunday afternoon.
In fact, on Saturday, Joy and I stood in ankle-deep wet snow pruning the
two apple trees and two grape vines,  'Tis the season to be pruning.

Emily's birthday (#12) was also on Saturday.  Fortunately, I took her out
on a date on Thursday night (on a "You-and-Me" date) to TGI Fridays.  They
came out and sang to her giving her a free hot fudge sundae.

This flu has given Joy and I some alone time which we have used to watch
every movies we've taped intended for some later date.  It's about all we
have the strength for but we're grateful to be together; neither of us can
be the whining sickie with a healthy "gopher"; we're both whining sickies
and the kids are pitching in.

That's all for now.  Hope you don't catch a computer virus through this
email.

Mark