After a much needed mini vacation to the coast, the universe decided to hit us with a one-two punch. Two weekends ago, our little family joined my in-laws for a few days at the Mendocino coast. It is a trip that we try to make every year, and every time we go, stop at the Foster’s Freeze at Clear Lake for restroom and meal breaks. We came home two Sundays ago, and stopped as usual, this time for ice cream for the kiddo, chili cheese fries for me, and a corndog for my husband. It seemed like a nice bookend to what was a pleasant little getaway.
I woke up Monday morning to a pale, exhausted-looking husband, who apparently was up all night sick with food poisoning. Awww, I thought to myself, he didn’t want to wake me with all his retching, so he did it in the guest bathroom. He’s a keeper.
It took a day or so of him being on a bland diet to recover. Then Wednesday rolled around, and something hits me like a ton of bricks. I came home from work with my throat on fire, so I laid down for a minute before dinner. By the time the evening news was on, I had a raging fever, chills, muscle aches and a splitting headache.
Really, universe? REALLY?! This is what we get for having a mini vacation?
Not only was I sick, but also so stressed out that the kids would come down with the same thing, because God knows how we would deal with two more whiny and cranky people in the house. I was whiny enough for ten children. Thankfully my little bout with illness lasted all of 48 hours. It left just as quickly as it came. But, with the luck we were having that week, I half-expected the kiddo to grow a third leg, or the baby to start spewing fire. Thank goodness that hasn’t happened. Yet.
The universe allowed us our first visit to a pumpkin patch - Silveyville - without any incident. So here’s to hoping that we’ve had our worst encounter with illness for the rest of the holiday season. You hear that, universe? You win this time. Next time I’ll be arming my family with the flu shot and staying away from sketchy preserved meats.