Sneezers, Start Your Engines
The Big-Eyed Boy and I hacked, sneezed and wheezed our way through yet another allegery-riddled night. His poor little eyes look like something out of a scary movie: glassy, shot through with red. Mine aren’t much better: they’re swollen and crusted, which means that even though I hate wearing my glasses, there’s no way on earth I’m catering to my vanity today by trying to shove contacts in my eyes. Not that there’d be much point to it, anyway — with the pollen count high (and made worse by the wooded area behind our house), we’re destined to stay cooped up indoors.
It’s barely 10 a.m. and I’ve looking at a long day of keeping a rambunctious child entertained. Saturday morning cartoons? Watched ‘em. PlayStation? Done that. Books? Read three, and now my throat’s hoarse. He’s miserable and bored. I’m bored being miserable. We’ve got to find something to do indoors.
Right now, he’s fascinated with a Formula One Game. He’s playing as Schumacher, who’s wearing a jumpsuit in the boy’s favorite color: red. His opponent is the scraggly-haired May, complete with leather jacket and faded jeans. The game’s a trivia competition with questions about Top Gear and Formula One, which puts the content definitely outside of my 7 year-old’s knowledge.
That’s not stopping him from loving it, though, because the “prize” for getting an answer correct is smacking down your opponent with a flying kick to the head. (Who, incidentally, gets to smack you when you get the answer wrong.) My kid’s more interested in listening to the “Ooof!” and the zooming cars in the background, and thinks it’s hilarious when either guy delivers a round-house to the other’s noggin.
I can’t help laughing myself, to tell you the truth. The Schumacher character strongly resembles Bill Clinton, making it all the more fun when he takes one to the schnoz.
If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
I hate allergies. Mine don’t so much clog passageways as make me feel like I’m going to die… hope ya’ll feel better!
Thanks, Pam. We can use all the well-wishing we can get!
Sorry about your allergies. I totally understand, someone around here is always affected by some stupid allergy. I really do hope you and your son begin feeling better soon. And yes, I understand the whole indoors thing. *Sigh* It’s almost over, right?
Hi Kate,
Aren’t allergies fun? If you are not taking meds for them, I recommend the generic version of Claritin, or Bedadryl. If you take tylenol with the Bedadryl it will zonk you. Other than that there are the prescription antihistamines like Ornade. I take it if I have to, but it is really strong and has side effects.
Hi Mark! I’m on Flonase, which helped until about 3 weeks ago. Now the pollen + humidity + mold (from all the rain we’ve had) is even stronger than it.
Hopefully things get better in a couple more weeks. I can’t take Tylenol, and right now Benadryl’s not an option: I’ve got to stay awake through the day!
My wife and I have just gone though a nice nasty weekend ourselves. I am not completely convinced its allergies though. She and I both had fevers Thursday Night. We have been slurping down her homemade cough syrup all weekend though. It works wonders
Homemade cough syrup?
Do tell!
Home-made cough syrup:
1 tsp lemon juice
1 C Stolichnaya vodka
Blend, drink, and relax.
Try a neti pot. It sounds like the grossest and strangest idea, but it works for giving major relief to many people. I use one every day. My wife balked at it for years until she tried one. Nw she can’t believe ho much better she feels.
I don’t have a neti pot but do regularly do the rinse thing. Problem is what to do for my son, who hasn’t figured out how to do a rinse without problems. He’s so miserable!
OK here it is. 6 onions and 1 cup of honey. Chop up the onions and put them in a big pot over low heat and add the honey. Cook until the liquid inside is nice and syrupy. strain out the syrup and take it as cough syrup. Make sure you use breath mints after though.
Hmmm. Well, honey is certainly known for its antiseptic properties and onions are an undervalued wealth of phyto-nutrients. Both flavors are favorites of mine.
I am definitely going to remember this. Thanks for posting the recipe here so it’s easy for me to find. I come down with LOTS of colds and sinus ailments, so I’m always grateful for any home remedy I can find. If it works.