Weathering the flu bug

By Mary Lou Sartor

Rain was around most of the day Monday and the weatherman is forecasting more of the same, before we have more winter woes to deal with and the flu season is over.

To date, I have taken almost every precaution known to me to avoid the flu. But, only time will tell if that will be enough this season. Most of my family have experienced the flu this time around.

Our daughter, Starla was home here recently. She has been off from work with the dreaded virus several days since her return to Arizona.Her sweet little granddaughter, Violet Terry has been sick as well.

We received our flu shots. Starla had her flu shot as well. Hopefully, she is on the mend now.

Still it is not too late to have your flu shot. If you are in my age group you know all of the rules of prevention that your mom handed down, including how to dress and practice good hygiene.

In grade school, you know they used to wrap us up and weight us down like Eskimos, warm and cozy until well into spring. My mom decked us out in not so elegant manner: heavy underwear,outerwear, long thick socks, snow suits,wool scarves, mittens and rubber boots.

That was fine and we were warm and dry most of the time.

A problem surfaced for me, a heavy water drinker.

Sometimes the log down became too much for the water bearer; then an emergency would cross the feet unexpectedly. The big buttons, in those tiny buttonholes of the coat were a challenge to manage.

Sometimes one would need to rip their stitches.

When the chest finally took in fresh the bone chilling air ,the mittens came off and when dealing with the tight clamps on the suspenders of those baggy snow pants;the numb fingers fought with me all the way to embarrassment at times.

It sure did make the long walk home seem longer, at times. It was a treat to get into a change of old clothes and back up near the heating stove a few minutes.

In my case, before daily after school chores. It seemed we had colds and bouts with the flu every winter just the same. Dad brought out the Vicks and mom had the rendered goose fat and soft muslin cloths super warm and ready.

Best of all she had a heaping helping of TLC available to all of us. I can’t say we liked being sick or the down time, but the attention, piano music and special food sure was mighty nice and among the best memories of our childhoods.

If I were to visit those sick days again I would pitch out or hide the goat’s milk and chase the pushy goats out of my fever and fright filled nightmares.

The thought of the taste of that drink still curdles my blood and upsets my apple cart!

Now I must check on the kids.

I can be reached by phone at 317-286-7352 or drop me a line to 649 South Grant Street, Brownsburg, IN.,46112.