Tawny Port at 15:00

Faced with the choice of biking to the post office (about 5 minutes) in driving, horizontal, chilled rain or Oxley Tawny Port, a George Clooney video (purely for the visuals; a major weakness, although "Good night and good luck" impressed me; "Syriana" just scared me [awful fingernail scene]), loving felines and house chores . . .

The weather is getting to me. Locals say, "Yes, well, we're used to it." Even with all of my rain gear, I still get wet and can't see. And it's d a r k. Two hours less of daylight here; sunrise is near 9am. The *most* comical sight is this: people riding their bikes while holding umbrellas, which always makes me think of the Seurat painting which spawned the Sondheim musical, "Sunday in the Park with George", featuring silent figures holding umbrellas. It's foul outside: hammering rain, howling wind and DARK. The guilt is easing off.

About ten days ago, I woke up dizzy. I stayed really dizzy for about four days. It was frightening. Needless to say, I figured that I had a brain tumor and set about considering my last days. The very sweet KNO (Dutch for ENT: in Dutch, it's throat, nose, ear) diagnosed it as a left inner ear thing that would last from two to 14 days. I had to postpone remaining exams, but my advisor and the program coordinator were both wonderful and said just to rest, so I have (with DVDs). I can read (papers and novels), but can't focus enough to study. I feared it was psychosomatic, a panic attack, but the ENT said not. I still think that the last eight months caught up with me at Chapter 19 vocabulary point (politics), and I just couldn't absorb any more school. That's my theory.

The good thing about the weather is that it's blown in from the North Sea, and changes every few minutes. So, off to Wednesday in the house with George.