I’m not exactly sure how it happened, but I woke up yesterday with a runny nose and (hot but) scratchy voice. I survived work, apartment hunting, and our monthly CaresTeam meeting to come home, curl up in bed hoping to fall asleep to the sounds of snarky Anthony Bourdain in Argentina. (Must be why I dreamed of head cheese and lamb intestines. Hmmmm.)  Maybe it’s the change in weather or my stress level or one of the germ-carrying children who surround me that led me to this place where my eyes are red and my nose is both clogged and a faucet.

As I tried to rest and relax last night, I just kept thinking of my friend’s child who used to ask him mom when he was sick if she would “pachu me” translated to “you pat me.”  I seriously needed a pachuing last night.  While I’m not sounding much better today, I’m no where near as exhausted as I was yesterday which is a relief.  I’ve been drinking hot tea all morning and using one of my dad’s favorite tricks… shoving Vick’s Vapor Rub up your nose.  Until at the advisement of a co-worker I read the warning label on the Vick’s.  Oops!  Guess I’m going to have a head cold and die of huffing menthol.  Good. To. Know.