Loose Ends

I don't remember ever having a cold in the summer and felt sorry for those who did. There is no camaraderie or commiseration for one thing, and I can't borrow tissues from others. But, I've never had a granddaughter in daycare that I watch several times a week. She is 6 months old and gives sloppy, wet, openmouth kisses that are irresistible even when I know she has a cold.

So I have caught my first daycare disease. I have heard there are an infinitesimal number of them. Great. Most winters I don't even catch a cold. That was BB - before baby.

After a suitable number of days of suffering, I went to the doctor who told me it is a virus and prescribed cough syrup that really works - a marriage saver greater than any therapist. So I am still sick but don't cough at night anymore.

There are actually three degrees of sickness. The first is "OK, I feel lousy but have so much to do I don't have time to give in to this." Other people may not even notice I am a bit under the weather. With any luck, it won't get any worse.

The next degree is "walking wounded." I am sick but determined to get through the day anyway. When I see anyone I know, they back away from me as soon as they notice I am carrying a box of tissues and wearing my slippers. In the doctor's waiting room I am the pariah - every seat within six feet of me is empty. Three people are huddled in the entry hall pretending to talk on their cell phones so they don't have to spend any more time in the waiting room than they have to.

The last stage is truly amazing. To think that a simple virus can reduce me to sitting in front of the television all day without once changing the channel. It takes more energy than my cottony brain cells can muster up to notice I have just watched the same show twice. I don't know the day of the week, can't remember if I ate breakfast and certainly don't have a clue how long ago I took that cold pill.

Timing would indicate that I gave this little bug to my other half. Of course, he is going through it all in stage one. He must have ducked when the sloppy kiss came his way. I turned right into it. It's my granddaughter!

Tonight I am wondering where to file the leftover papers on my desk. I cleaned it today. I am back to stage two and decided that having a muzzy head may be the best thing for cleaning my desk. Even a muzzy head doesn't keep me from laughing when I try to figure out where to file "Vole Ecology and Management."

Would that be under V for vole or C for circular file? I never met a vole that could be managed.