Nearly a Week In...

Oh!  Has it been that long since we have spoken to each other?  Did you miss me?

I've decided with the recent bouts of illness to reevaluate my place in the world, you know, what I can give back and be a good mench.  Last night on the way back to my mother's house from errands pre snow/ice storm, I noticed a young lady walking along the road without a coat, scarf, hat, gloves hell even a hoodie would've done in the cold weather we've been having lately.  Anyway, it dawned on me that my service to society should be as a public speaker against colds.  First, I catch colds like sweaters catch lint and that is even with yearly vaccines, tens of dollars in spending for hand sanitizer, and trying to distance myself from anyone or anything that looks ill.  Second, when I do fall ill it feels like that part in The Crow where you see poor Eric Draven careen to his death on asphalt.  Gross.
That said, I feel I make more than the ideal candidate for anti-cold public speaking.  I could tour schools, corporations and churches.  I could have each session begin with me oozing snot from my nostrils and coughing like an 80 year-old bingo playing emphysematic.  As the talk wears on, I would grow increasingly better but my audiences would take away the absolute importance of protecting themselves from the elements, and protecting themselves from the elements aspirated by inconsiderate ding dongs out and about.  While you mull over the idea, I'll recap my absence from the blogosphere.

As a Dog...

After my last post about getting colds and getting through them things took a turn for the worse.  Somehow I managed to contract a stomach bug that left me paralyzed with nausea and jack rabbiting toward the toilet with diarrhea.  It was dire.  I had to look away from food commercials to prevent direness evacuating me other than rectally.  Dehydration surely set in which required a brief visit to the hospital for fluids and nausea medication.  I am also now a believer in the Pepto Bismol.
I couldn't figure out what I'd eaten to make me feel so ill.  But that wasn't as annoying as the hubby being a piss poor nurse.  Work appeared to need more TLC than what I did.

Now days out from SSS (Shit Stomach Syndrome), I think I have managed to crack the mystery of how it came on.  It makes best sense in the form of an equation:
cold mucus to stomach + spaghetti= ay!
Maybe I thought I was feeling loads better when I made the spaghetti that changed the course of the following days for me.  After two days into any cold, I cannot stand soup.

UK. OK.

Michael left for England after we heard his grandfather did die.  The funeral took place Tuesday.
I told you guys before about not being able to go because we's broke.  I'm wishing I had.

It was and still is very sad that we lost Grandpa Charlie.  He was such a good and thoughtful person.  He was strong.  Even as he fought bowel cancer he swore himself to eating right and exercising regularly.  He was intelligent and very opinionated on the Thatcher administration.
Grandpa Charlie was born and raised in Normanton, England.  He worked as an engineer planning rail systems, (if family is reading forgive me for getting the story wrong).
He and Grandma Jean birthed and raised four children, their eldest, Kathryn, was Michael's birth mother.  (After her sudden death Michael was later raised by Ms. Jane, who was my father-in-law Patrick's second wife).  Their children had children of their own who adored, and still adore Grandpa and Grandma.
I took the opportunity to meet Grandpa and Grandma a year into my relationship with Michael when we were dating.  Their stories from childhood and from being married romanced my head with how life would be like with Michael when we would marry.
I remember our trips to the carvery and ice cream, watching Grandpa Charlie work on his crosswords with dictionary in hand, late night trips to the Chinese round the corner and of course Fish and Chips with tea.
I wish I could've been there to say my final goodbye to Grandpa and to kiss and hug Grandma.  I'm glad Michael wasn't alone journeying to the funeral service as his kid brother went along.

Nearly a week in ails and heartache.  I'm glad the storms that visited since left me shoveling to do.

By the way, I missed you.