Jim's quiet musings . . .

I get sick at least once a year and when I do, I do it up right. This one hit me Monday night and it's still hanging in there strong this Friday morning. I've always had a tendency towards pneumonia so things settle right in my chest. But, as lousy as I feel, the show must go on.....

Wanda's picking my up this afternoon and we're heading down to her place for the evening and on to the Maine coast on Saturday to visit with her brother Ronnie. I'm looking forward to meeting her brother as I've heard so much about him but I just wish I didn't feel like dog poo warmed over. Wanda mentioned that we'll be staying in a private cabin on the ocean with a Jacuzzi. Damn. Life just gets rougher and rougher..... Heh, heh....

Succumbing to a cold always reminds me of just how human I am. I think that sometimes I get that attitude like I can tackle anything and then WHAM! A virus comes along that makes me weak as a kitten. I haven't heard from Annie lately as she must be busy with work after the Chinese New Year festivities. She has some really noxious Chinese remedy recipes that will grow hair on your back. Sasha, my little pal in Taipei has come to the rescue instead and sent me a sure cure recipe to aid my aching bones.

Ginger Black Sugar soup and Ginger Chicken soup.

I can't seem to find the Black Sugar as there aren't any Chinese pharmacies handy in this neck of the woods, but I'm gonna attempt the Ginger Chicken soup today. I've stocked up on juices, have my bottle of NyQuil and my cough syrups, throat lozenges and Tylenol....but what is sure to do the trick is Wanda rubbing Vicks on my chest tonight.

Just like mom used to.

I remember when I was a kid and I'd get sick. Mom would always tuck me into the bed, rub my chest with Vicks Vaporub and then she'd ask what I wanted from the store. She'd always get me puzzle books, comic books, and other soothing things that somehow always made the illness seem less aggravating. Of course not having to go to school was a treat in-and-of-itself.

Nowadays, living alone and independent, I can't just stay in bed. Nobody here to do it for me, so I've got to climb out of bed and do it all. That sucks. Especially shoveling snow. Sick, snot running out my damn nose, achy all over and shoveling freaking snow. Another snow storm is on its way I hear, due in sometime Saturday. Guess I'll just raise my glass of juice in a defiant salute from the Jacuzzi and watch it snow!!!

-Jeeem-