junebug55

Just a quick note. It's Thursday morning, and I was up until 0200 pickling chantrelles. I am headed to Seattle today to pick up an old-time friend and then head over to the East side to the Barter Fair. The Barter Fair is pretty much the ultimate hippy extravaganza. It originated as a sort of harvest fair, where all the hill people would meet and trade their goods, potatoes for garlic, weed for potatoes, etc It has since morphed into a combination of what it first was, and burning man, and a phish show. I've only been a couple of times, but it's a pretty good time. I think there are usually 10-15,000 people, all camping there. There is a full stage where music plays, and then there are all sorts of booths, and hippies, and gypsy tinkers hocking their wares. I will be another one of those, trying to trade veggies and stuff for chanterelles, fresh dried and pickled.

I've been kind of sick now for about 10 days. It's not really that bad, just a persistent cough. All of my friends are sick as well, so I'm not too worried, it just seems like a bad strain of some sort of bronchial/sinus thing. In the mornings, for the past 3 days though, I've been coughing up blood. It goes away during the day, but is there in the morning again. Today it's not as bad as yesterday or the day before, but it's still a little scary. I've never coughed up blood before. If you're worried for me, rest assured that I am monitoring the situation, and there is good medical care over there, plus my friend who's visiting is a nurse. I'm pretty sure that it's just from my throat, from coughing violently, a broken blood vessel or something, but with my health history, it makes me a little nervous.
Anyway, should have a lot of fun images when I get back. Have a great weekend.