Getting Over Illness

Where do you come down on the idea of exercising when you're sick?
If I feel myself coming down with something, I force myself to exercise, thinking that it will help fend it off.
Since I exercise most days, I hate to miss.
Monday night, I was so sick that exercise of any kind was not an option, but my fever broke around 4 a.m. and I felt so much better immediately.
So when my friend Sheila texted to ask if I wanted to go on a walk, I did.
We walked about two and a half miles and we didn't go very fast. We stopped at Starbucks, and I had some peppermint added to my mocha to help clear out my sinuses.
We decided that walking, which gets the lymph system going, was a good idea while sick.
Last night, on my way home from teaching, I convinced my husband to meet me at a nearby bar for a hot toddy.
When I asked for it, the young bar tender looked at me blankly. "What's in it?" he asked.

I said, "brandy, honey, lemon."
He stopped me and said they didn't have brandy.
"I'll look it up," I told the bar tender. So I searched on my phone and came up with a recipe.
Whiskey, honey, lemon, ginger. "And can you make it hot?" I asked him. He seemed stumped again, but then said he would add some hot water to it to make it hot.

And, it did the job. Before I even had a sip, I breathed it in through my mouth and felt the whiskey and ginger making a difference.
My sinuses were clear all the way home, but unfortunately it didn't last.
So after another sleepless night of coughing and sneezing and sniffling, I waited until 6 a.m. to text Sheila. We walked more than three miles this morning, again at a slow pace and with coffee.
Luckily, I was able to find a sub for three of my classes so I can have a calm morning, but I still have to teach this afternoon and again this evening.

Saturday Snapshot -- Weather Changes

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We're still in single digits here in Ohio this morning, but I'm not complaining because it's supposed to be even colder on Monday and Tuesday.

More snow and freezing rain tomorrow too. I'm sure my high school-aged son is already dreaming of another day off school, even though it would be his first day back from Christmas break. 

As for me, I'm changing my weather this afternoon. Check back for a picture to see what my weather looks like after 2 or so.
...

My son and I flew to Florida. In two short hours my weather went from that winter wonderland to overcast and in the 60s. People in Florida keep complaining about how cold it is. I'll take it.
Hope you're having a good, warm weekend.

Winter Warmth

Two years ago, we had a very mild winter. The tulips were blooming in February. We had hardly any freezing weather.
The sleeves on my wool winter coat were worn thin, but I figured if the following winter was equally mild then I wouldn't need a new coat. I loved that winter coat, a chocolate brown Calvin Klein with a shawl collar. I would pull the tie closed around my waist and the wool reached down mid-thigh. A friend knitted a bright pink scarf that I could wrap around my neck. It was the perfect bright accessory to the dark coat.
I determined to avoid buying a new coat last year. With global warming, and if we had a winter like the one the year before, I figured I could simply layer sweaters.
But last year was much colder. I ended up wearing my coat with the sleeves worn thin, much too often.
This fall, I hoped for a warm winter again, but winter tore into Ohio in November and hasn't let up. On Tuesday, I finally got a new winter coat.
Just in time because today the temperatures dropped to zero, following yesterday's six inches of snow. If I ever needed a winter coat, this is the time.

Snow Surprise

I wake up this morning at 5:30 and I can see from the light in the sky that it probably snowed. The light glows brighter. I look at my weather app on my phone while still in bed. "Snow showers" and 19 degrees. Perfect running weather? No, but...
The weather forecasters were not warning of blizzards, as a matter of fact, I'm pretty sure that my weather app didn't mention snow at all this week. I figured there might be a dusting of snow and if I run in the street, I should be fine.
I get up, dress in layers with long underwear under my running tights (pretty, as you can imagine). Then I walk to the door and look at the previously shoveled walk.
There's at least three inches of snow.
How did this happen? Shouldn't someone have warned me?
I sneak back into my dark bedroom. Creaky wooden floors always give me away though. I use my phone as a flashlight and find my hiking boots. I add an extra wool sweater to my ensemble, since I won't get as warm walking as I would running.
Hat, scarf, gloves.
I walk through the virgin snow. It is powdery and when my foot moves forward through it, a wave of snow sprays ahead of it.

This pic from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Types_of_snow,
which actually says this is hoarfrost rather than powdery snow.

I walk to the bank to withdraw cash, stop at the coffee shop where the man who always wears shorts is actually wearing pants today. I make one last stop at Panera for croissants. They have only one. What? Cinnamon roll for Tuck then and a chocolate croissant for Earl.
Then I walk home with my hunted and gathered goodies. I spend another half hour shoveling the walk and sweeping the snow off Tucker's car before he leaves for school.
I didn't get cold, but the music on my phone kind of froze after about an hour and  half outside.
Hmmm. Maybe it's time to take out those cross country skis and head down to the park.
The only problem is, that once I'm inside and warm, I forget that I didn't get cold and I don't want to go outside again. I'll probably stay by the fire, just because I can.