Being Sick

Being sick is the worst, the absolute worst. I have been sick for the last week, effectively fighting off the majority of the symptoms until Sunday night. My symptoms: fever, sore scratchy throat, massive headache, blurred vision, body aches-pains, chest wracking coughs and of course sinus and bronchial drainage. (And acute paranoia that this is some sort of avian flu, even though I don't raise chickens.)

I've been going stir crazy at home, what with the cat and the dog both sensing that there's something wrong-but all I want is to be left alone. Of course I still have responsibilities to them-food, exercise and loving. They got what they needed and more. I can't count the times that the cat took a nap onn my chest, while the dog snuggled close to my legs.

I did discover two really cool things: a sore throat remedy that is all natural and though short lived, works brilliantly, and the easiest chicken soup ever. The sore throat remedy is simple, easy to make and healthy; take a lemon and a lime, microwave for 12 seconds-cut in half-juice both of them, microwave honey-comb honey for 15 seconds, mix with juice, microwave this for 15 seconds-stir well-drink it down. Very soothing mixture and you can't beat the vitamin C nor that pleasing honey aftertaste.

Second: Chicken soup, the easist I've ever known. Take whatever vegetables you like, in my case it was carrots, garlic, and frozen green beans, put them into a pot filled with water. Take one of those pre-roasted chickens you can get from the grocery store, put that into the water as well. Allow to come to a rolling boil, add 1tsp. kosher salt, 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper, simmer for about 45 minutes. Voila! You have a hearty broth with chicken meat that literally falls off the bird. If you wanted to get more creative with this, I suppose you could add a bit of sage or rosemary, possibly onions for a more hearty, earthy taste. I know it's not a "low-fat" chicken soup, but who really counts calories when they're feeling ill?

That's all- I'm out.