I’ll Be Home for Christmas

the Influenzer’s got us!  So we are sticking close to home.  In fact, our lead guy has pretty much banished El O from the shop.  Smart move, too.  He’s about as toxic as 3Mile Island right now.  I’m a bit better than that which means I get to be the caregiver for us both (like you didn’t see that comin’.  Missy D laughed and said ‘ he won’t get better until you do!’.  Truer words never spoken…haw. ack! cough.  Ow.  hurts to laugh.

After two days of horizontal, I’m done.  Sick gets on my nerves.  So I figured, since I’m running the typical gamut (okay from 7a-5p, wretched from 5p onward) I might was well work like a dervish from 7a-5p.  That way, when I collapse at 5p I won’t be all hip and joint hurty like I would be had I lain in bed all day.  El O thinks I’m insane but you know what?  I’ve had this for half the time he has and already I’m nearly all bettah.  Laying about isn’t good for my health!  Walking! Vitamin D!  Vitamin C.  Hack! Cough!  Onward Christian Soldiers! Chop!Chop! BustaMOVE and all that.. (hack! ack!)

No perfume –  the whole house smells like a natatorium (I got crazy with the chlorine this morning) but it smells like PROGRESS, y’know?  You know you’re getting better when you care about how your house smells.  Friday & Saturday?  I wouldn’t have noticed if a T-rex had taken a dump in my living room.

So…I got nothing for ya.  Nothin’ but love, baby.  Nothin’ but love.

And some clementines.

And some gingersnaps. (yeah, the ones that’ll break the teeth right out of your mouth!)  

And some gingerale.   

And CUTIES juice! O.M.G.  Cuties juice.  Tarter than oj, it has taken my tastebuds hostage.  I have probably ripped all the enamel off my teeth and ask me if I care.  I am awash in the tangy goodness of clementine juice.  oooooh, yeah!

Lemonade (not from a can).  Lah-di-dah!

What’s with all the citrus?

Where mah chocolate izzz?

Turns out I have NO taste for chocolate right now, which is somewhat terrifying since, if I was on the run from a zombie hoard and had to choose between a box of Recchiuti Fleur de Sel caramels and the keys to a fully gassed-up Hummer…well, okay, I would take the Hummer (Zombies.  And I am not stupid).  But I would not be happy about it.  I always equate winter with chocolate but the longer I live the more I find that winter demands a whole lotta citrus.  My world is upended.  But…….

oooh!  Squirrel!  You know the best part about not being so freakin’ sick anymore?  Clean sheets.  Ho yus!  The ultimate luxury for recovery.  When I was 6-7 yrs old, my brother and I would Keep Strep Alive during the winter months.  Those awful days of  101+ temperatures, feverish, sweating like piglets – and finally, the fever would break, my throat wouldn’t be on fire….and my mom would draw a bath.   I never could figure out how this happened but she would be able to simultaneously help give my wonky self a bath…but when I got out of the bath and into clean pajamas there, in the quiet light, was a freshly-made bed.  My brother and I had these little Indian patterned blankets – his was brown and mine was blue….the hospital corners, the crisp, clean sheets, the clean blanket – hey, waitaminit.  I was only in the bath for, what? 30 minutes?  How did all that happen?  But happen it did.  Now, every time I’m on the upswing from sick and I put on clean sheets, I think of my mom’s maternal dexterity and smile.

so that’s it for me.  Except this:  I wish each and every one of you Happiest of Holidays, full of Comfort and Joy!    Heavy on the Comfort (I’d trade some ‘joy’ for a full night’s sleep!).

Love you all!