Ending the old, beginning the new--while sick

 We had plans to go to a friends' home for dinner last night (prime rib and the trimmings) but Saturday I felt a cold coming on and by Wednesday it was really out of control. So Bob went alone. He also went out for orange juice and kleenex this morning, but I'll be down probably the rest of the week. I've watched some Hallmark movies but am too tired to read. Bob is sleeping through all the football games, so it's not an exciting New Year. Back to bed.

Happy New Year anyway! May 2026 be good to you.

I've got a cold

So, on Sunday morning I realized I had a scratchy throat, my usual sign of a cold coming on, and I stayed home from church and took a nap. (I've since watched Joe's sermon on the Parable of the Sower at our on-line site).  My son-in-law brought me some Zicam rapidmelts, an OTC homeopathic cold remedy. Instead of a 3 day lead up to stuffy head and coughing and sneezing, I had only one day. My colds are usually 2.5 to 3 weeks--let's see how this turns out. What's been your experience?

My last cold was probably July 2022 at Lakeside, a first since the Covid lockdown, which did protect many from colds and flu according to the articles I read, but then they returned with a vengeance. That one was at least 2-3 weeks before I felt comfortable being in public and not wearing a mask. Both times, to be on the safe side, I did the Covid test and it was negative.

Adults get approximately two to three colds per year, and young children who go to elementary school or kindergarten have an average of around five to eight colds per year. When my children were in elementary school our family would have about 10 colds per year (one year we were in a study which is how I remember). Bob had fewer colds than the rest of us--being out of the house more probably protected him, because we were a little cesspool of germs on Abington Road.

We had been to a wonderful concert Saturday evening, so I did call my friend Lynn I'd been chatting with closely and suggested a heads up for whatever she takes to stay healthy.  She's had so many health problems with cancer and heart the last 4 years, I didn't want her to be unsafe, since I assume I was infectious before I had any symptoms.

Good news about masks (observational)

The masks must be working! I attended morning mass at St. Andrew this morning. About 60 people--all but a few around my age. No coughing, throat clearing, nose blowing, gagging or sniffling, and you know how congested old people always are, especially in the morning--and the architecture of the sanctuary encourages echoes. It was heavenly (although I realize heaven is filled with praises to God and may be noisy). I think the masks are cutting back on those other coronaviruses, respiratory syncytial (sin-SISH-uhl) viruses and rhinoviruses--the ones that cause common colds. So let's hope they can block SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus causing Covid19.

Hope it’s a false alarm

About 1:30 we were talking in my office—he needed to leave to set up for a quilt show at the church, and I planned to come over about 2:30 and take some photos.  Then I sneezed.  And then sneezed again, and again, and again, and again. Then I got a chill.  This is not the usual start of a cold for me, but I thought, between sneezes, maybe I should not go.  So I took and antihistamine and nap. Now listening to Vivaldi, sneezing and blowing my nose, drinking fluids.

Fortunately, I had everything ready for supper, and it will go in the oven for an hour. Sweet sour chicken from my new cookbook.

Last night I watched the Hallmark movie Love on Iceland.   Great scenery.  Main character Chloe gets her old college travel group together for a spectacular trip. Of course, her old boyfriend joins the group. Good acting, and fabulous setting.  I fell asleep at the end, but I know how these end. Happy ever after. https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/home-and-family/videos/kaitlin-doubleday-love-on-iceland-interview-home-and-family

Mayo Clinic on Chicken Soup for a cold

“There's no cure for the common cold. But if you're sick, chicken soup may help you feel better. Researchers say that chicken soup acts as an anti-inflammatory and temporarily speeds up the movement of mucus through the nose. This relieves congestion and limits the amount of time viruses are in contact with the lining of your nose. Plus, soup and other liquids help loosen congestion and prevent dehydration.”

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/common-cold/in-depth/health-tip/art-20048631

Vitamin C (after you have the cold), Echinacea, and zinc not recommended.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/common-cold/in-depth/cold-remedies/art-20046403?linkId=11832223

Save this for your next cold and sore throat

Seventeen tips from Reader’s Digest.

http://www.rd.com/slideshows/sore-throat-remedies-home-gargles/?

My mother swore by the salt and warm water gargle. Five shakes of ground cayenne pepper (or a few shakes of hot sauce) to a cup of hot water for sore throat relief is not one I’m familiar with. Tumeric and water I’ve heard of—it is supposed to be a powerful antioxidant, and scientists think it has the power to fight many serious diseases. For a sore throat remedy, mix 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric and 1/2 teaspoon of salt into 1 cup of hot water and gargle.

And 14 others.

Holiday smoochies--not yet

No kisses for Christmas or New Year's yet. They'll have to wait. We cancelled three events this week due to my husband's cold. Maybe next week?

Photo from Christmas 2001.

Code in my node

Down for the count. Really miserable with a winter cold, but I made it through Christmas. I've switched a social engagement so I don't have to host in a germy house on Sunday; we have one Hormel heat and eat in the cupboard (they are wonderful according to my husband) and we got carry out pizza last night. I have a few leftovers from Christmas Eve still in the frig, but after today, someone will need to go shopping.

My husband's gone off to spend his gift certificates at Dick Blick, which is also having an after Christmas sale. I've been admiring my 10 volumes of Westminster Pulpit by G. Campbell Morgan, although I'm only opening them, not reading. My eyes don't seem to be focusing.

This would have been a good day to go for a walk--it's supposed to be in the 60s. And in some places in the city gasoline is $1.29--so a good day for a drive too, for all those after Christmas specials (which I'm missing).

How colds affect the economy

This is our Friday Night Date restaurant; but we are not in a rut. Sometimes we go to the one in Worthington or Dublin.
Actually, this is just one man's cold. My husband's. He was sniffly all week, so we didn't go out to eat at the Rusty Bucket. He got a little sad, so I said I'd go get a pizza. Instead of getting our usual take-out from Iacono's (medium pepperoni with extra cheese) which has gone up to $14.50 because of the greenies burning corn for fuel, I drove over to Marc's and picked up a frozen large pep for $5.50. It was OK, but nothing to blog home about. Both Rusty Bucket and/or Iacono's lost on that deal, but also the waiter we would have tipped. Even Cheryl's Cookies missed a sale because sometimes we stop there on our way out and I get a yummy chocolate peanut butter brownie.

Then Sunday, I suggested he stay home from church. I sat with Joyce, whose husband Bill also had a cold and stayed home. But she told me about her neighbor who is recommending ZiCam, the kind you dab on your nose. He's had great success, she said. So today while I was at Marc's I bought some ZiCam, and while I was browsing the shelves, I also picked up a new cold product from Alka-Seltzer Plus Immunity Complex that I hadn't seen before. Whatever money we saved by not going out Friday night, then buying a cheap pizza, was definitely used up buying cold meds. I don't think any of them really help, but you feel good doing something, don't you?

Speaking of greenies, one of the reasons they want to knock down your commercial building and start over is to lower the occurrence of 4 of the most common respiratory illnesses which account for 176 million days of lost work each year. "Improvements in green design and construction will create a 9-20% reduction in cases of the common cold, translating to 16 to 37 million fewer cases annually." Well gosh, think of all the people in the OTC business they will put out of work. (These stats, if you choose to believe them, are not mine--they come from a left coast think tank via Buildings magazine, May 2008, p. 32.)