Dishonest or lying

I called in sick yesterday, when I really wanted to call in busy. But it is hard to call your boss in the morning and tell her you can't come in today because you have too much other work to do and can't do your job. And life as a contractor means no personal days.

So I called in, told my boss I wasn't feeling great, and did some work for my clients.

Today,when everyone expressed concern for my health, I told them it must have been a 24-hour bug. I was pretty vague, trying to find the line between being misleading and lying.

I don't know. Maybe I am splitting hairs here, but there is a difference with using language to give someone the impression of something false without actually saying it, and straight out lying. One I am comfortable with; the other I try to avoid as best I can.