>Drinks that feel good on my throat:
Cranberry – grapefruit juice. Mmm. So smooth on my raw throat!
Coffee: a dark chocolate-peppermint blend from Harry and David, half and half with regular Folgers.
Peppermint tea from Celestial Seasonings. I ordered a free sample last year and it worked; I’m hooked. This is delicious without being too sweet. It feels wonderful, and has no caffeine to keep me awake.
Water. Cold, refreshing water.
Food that feels good on my throat:
A fresh orange and a bowl of oatmeal. I’m way beyond the need for preventive vitamin C, but it tastes good.
A Nutrigrain bar. Smooth, nothing sharp, slides down my throat without making me cough any more.
Hard boiled (organic) eggs. Husband buys them from a coworker, and they’re delicious. They really do have a richer flavor than store-bought eggs.

Things to do while awake, not napping:
Reread a good book or two. Confessions of Super Mom and SuperMom Saves the World were on my list this week. They made me smile while I was feeling down.
Start a new book: All the Numbers is sitting by my side. Look Me in the Eye is upstairs on my bedside table, too.
Check in on old favorite blogs and new blogs. My trusty old laptop on top of my blankets, pillows propping me up to avoid the coughing fits that happen when I’m horizontal, make the couch a great place to settle.
Watch the Weather Channel. I don’t watch much TV, but I enjoy seeing classic episodes of Storm Stories and watching the updated weather in all parts of the country. It amazes me that our own little state can rate a story on this national and even international station. Madison, WI, has had record snow this year. People who live there seem to be almost matter-of-fact about it. “Well, if we have to shovel and snowblow, we might as well get the satisfaction of scoring one for the record books.” That’s the good Midwestern outlook on life!
Work on simple schoolwork. This is a necessity so I don’t go back feeling totally overwhelmed. I’m feeling fortunate for the way I structure my reading classes and my social studies, due to the major variety of needs in the class. It takes more thought and more work to get a unit up and running, but once it’s up and running, the students almost handle it themselves. It made sub plans easy, too. “Group 1 to station 3, group 3 to station 5” etc. And the kids will know what to do! That’s a relief for me and for the students. Fewer changes, less stress for all of us.
I’ll be well rested (I hope) by next week. I have a training day on Friday, and I’ll reserve judgment on whether I”m well enough for that. It looks valuable.
Watch Ellen. I don’t do this often enough. Ellen Degeneres always makes me smile. She is so creative and spontaneous; she should have been a teacher!