The First Cold of the Season

It is evident to all that I feel lousy.
I am not one of those women who get a head cold, and no one knows about it. It's not that I'm complaining to all and sundry, it is simply as obvious as the nose on my face - which looks like Rudolph's.
Head colds are the bane of our existence. We are known as The Plague Family, because we get every single cold, flu and infectious germ at school, and a few more from grocery carts as well. Seeing people without gifting them an infection is virtually impossible from late September through May. Our summers are very social, we have a lot of making up to do!
Our youngest is getting his first "I'm a big boy and go to school now" ailments. After three weeks of coughing his head off, I took him to his doctor yesterday only to discover both his ears are infected and his sinuses as well. No wonder his fuse has been short. He feels lousy.
The good news is that is wasn't pneumonia.
I'm paranoid about lung ailments. The poor little guy has had three bouts with pneumonia (one a year), and there is asthma in the family, so I run off to get our stethoscope at the first sign of a raspy cough.
This works well, actually, because I am reassured that he's just boggy, and not fighting for breath (the difference between growl sounds and the chirping of birds), and don't take him to the doctor unnecessarily.
Because the doctor's office is one big cesspool, as we all know.
I'm not sure why there are playhouses at pediatric offices. They are germ farms, and I seem to be the only mother who denies her child access to the fresh produce. If necessary, I will physically restrain our youngest, who has suddenly realized that that thing in the corner would probably be fun. So I bring games, food, wrist restraints, and keep him from going boldly where every sick kid in the universe has gone before.
My cold will get better soon. His infections will be cured. I just hope we get a health break sometime between now and the New Year. That would be great.

On the easel: Blue the Weimaraner
On tape: Coroner's Pidgin by Margery Allingham
On the desk: Irvington Co-op Preschool newsletter, da Vinci Arts Fair application
On the bedside table: The Old Silent by Martha Grimes
On my mind: Going to bed for a rest, getting the newsletter done, how busy life is when you're involved with three schools