The Race to be the Next...Incredible Shrinking Person!

After church today, Daddy, Mama, Rachel and I were in the parsonage kitchen, talking about the section of wall beside the door which has people's measurements written on it. Many houses have these shrines to growth- a series of little dashes with initials or names next to them, chronicling the milestones of development. And then, Daddy came up with an idea that I had never thought of before, and which I thought was very peculiar, funny, and altogether Daddyish. He suggested that he and Mama should start keeping a chart record of their heights...to see who will SHRINK the fastest as they age!

A backwards growth chart! How morbid is that?! It conjures up a bizarre, "Far Side"-ish image of an old person slumping next to the wall chart, holding a pencil level with their head: 'Yesssss! I've lost two inches this year!'

Karl Kassel, Noah Adams, Garrison Keillor, Brad Pass - What do all these people have in common?

Okay. Get ready for some knock your socks off news. This is SO WEIRD. No- it's not what you think it might be. It's Something Completely Different. This is something you will NEVER GUESS. So I'll just tell you already.

The other day, Brad was on the computer and got an email from someone at Michigan Public Radio who was doing a story on vlogger Josh Leo. Apparently, she wanted to get some feedback from people who watch the vlog; she had seen Brad's comment on Josh's vlog and and clicked on Brad's profile to get his email address, and voila. So Brad emailed back, and a few moments later, got a phone call from Michigan Public Radio. So he was interviewed and the woman seemed quite happy with his responses and said he would probably be included in the story.

And today, the story aired in Michigan. We just listened to it online and were totally weirded out by hearing Brad's voice. If we had been thinking ahead, we would have videotaped ourselves listening to it so that we could have made it into a video post. But...we didn't. So, share the weirdness. Here's the link(requires Real Player).

Siiiiiiiiick

I have come down with a bug- which means that Brad also has succumbed to it. Mine began Tuesday morning when I awoke feeling like I had been hit by a truck. I had a cough and general achiness, which degenerated into a fever last night. And as I woke up this morning, I heard Brad panting in that unmistakable way which means he is sick. He had a fever of 101 and said, " Oh, well, I don't have to go into work until 2:00 anyway..." I was like, " Oh my WORD. NO." I put my proverbial foot down. I think he soon realized the wisdom of my decree. He's been pretty miserable all day, poor thing, what with chills and sweats.

So we have both been lurching feebly around the house all day like two failing octegenarians. It's strange how when you have a fever and you try to walk around, you feel like a character in one of those movies that is so old and materially decrepit that the people sort of trail little lines of color after them when they move.

Aside from pain and general discomfort, being sick has been almost kind of fun. You get to sleep a lot and read a lot - both activities of which I am fond. But I'm sure the almost-fun will wear off pretty fast if this continues much longer.

I'm pretty much on the upswing but still taking it easy for now. Brad? The jury is still out...He might have to take another sick day tomorrow...