So … I know I’m not 100% yet. I can still feel my liver bulging through my skin. My right ankle and foot remain somewhat swollen. But if I didn’t get out of the house, I knew I was about to turn violent. Sorry if this has turned into the “Spike is sick” blog but I’m working on getting better, believe me!

So over to the office. People stopped by and stood in the doorway, some almost afraid to talk to me, wondering if I was alive. Lunch time, I didn’t feel strong enough to walk anywhere. Unfortunately the closest place to the office is DeliFrance, a place that I almost religiously avoid. I picked something almost at random from the brightly colored poster on the wall, “gammon ham with cheese on a croissant.” This is “Always French! Always Fresh!” apparently. One slice of ham. One slice of American cheese. One slice of tomato. A bit of wilted lettuce. No mustard, mayo, nothing. $39 bucks! People like this stuff?

Since I’d been working from home all last week, I just needed a couple of hours to sign and approve everything stacked up and sort of clear out my inbox, filing away about a hundred messages I’d already read and responded to. That was all I could take for one day.

Since my back and leg have been killing me, I thought I’d mark my first day out with a massage and fortunately, Lina over at Cherdchai was available. This woman is the goddess of Thai massage. I don’t think she’s an inch over 5 feet tall and can’t possibly weigh more than 100 pounds, yet she can hoist my legs in the air over her head and twist my back and crack my spine like no one else. I pointed at the places that hurt and she dived right in and went to work. I think I’ve been seeing her for three years now. “What happened to you?” she asked? What did she mean? “Usually your body is very strong, but today it’s like a different person.” That’s what a month of lying in bed will do to you. I tried to explain about my liver problem and when she ran her hand across my stomach and felt my swollen liver, she had a look of shock and surprise on her face. Yeah, I’m sick.

After that, just to make me feel a little better and look slightly more human, a long overdue haircut. And then picked up some take-away and slowly made my way home.

Tonight, so far at least, my back’s not hurting.

Today’s listening was the Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood double live CD from last year’s 3 night stand at Madison Square Garden. I didn’t expect anything revelatory from it, just something nice and comfortable. The song selection is a bit odd in spots (I really don’t need to hear Winwood sing “Georgia on My Mind”) but I gotta say that this set features some of the finest guitar playing that Clapton has released in years. Listen to him on “Double Trouble” and it’ll take you right back to the “Clapton is God” days. Well, it did for me anyway.