She's somebody's hero

Viking Mike and I have come down with a summer cold...and on Brooks and Dunn weekend, no less! But that's okay, because my Nany* and my Gramma** are/were geniuses.

My Nany taught me that whenever you feel lousy, a hot bath will do a world of good. So tonight, I ran the shower to steam up the bathroom and then I filled the tub with hot hot water. I sprinkled some Eucalyptus salts in the bath and rolled up a wet hand towel to go on the aches right in the back of my neck. I soaked a washcloth in freezing cold water and put it over my eyes as I sunk down into the hot water. Pure and utter bliss and I feel about 50 times better now!

(The hot bath + cold washcloth trick also works on migraines, friends.)

My Gramma, on the other hand, believed there was nothing that couldn't be fixed with a hot cup of tea. She's the only person I've ever met who gets my love for hot tea. So after my bath, I filled up a gigantic mug of water, with a black tea bag, oodles of honey and some lemon. I nuked it till it was good and hot and BAM just like that, my sore throat and cough are gone.

I do believe I'll call Nany tonight and tell her just how much her hot bath soothed my sinuses. And for now, I'll raise a mug of tea to Heaven to thank Gramma for her words of wisdom.

*My "Nany" is a dear old family friend who raised me from the time I was 6 months until I was 5 years old or so. We have stayed close and she will always be a second mother to me. I'm the kind of woman I am today because of my Nany's influence. Missing her so so badly is the only thing I regret about living in Nebraska.

**My "Gramma" is my mom's mom, Hazel, who took over the responsibility of babysitting me after we moved too far for Nany to do the job. I learned a lot from Gramma and from the kind of mom and grandmother she was. She passed on several years ago and I miss her terribly and wonder what she thinks of this little life I've carved out for myself.

"One generation plants trees, and the next enjoys the shade."
--David Lloyd George