Harald has been fighting off something for weeks now and when he went to the doctor the last time right after Christmas, it was suggested he make a trip to Whole Foods and buy a product called “Umcka” which is supposed to help lessen the severity and duration of symptoms.  I felt pretty suspicious when I heard that.  I guess I tend not to believe too strongly in the value of “natural” remedies that cost a lot, since so few of them have proven reliably effective – in my experience anyway.  And at around $15 for a box of the stuff, you do have to think twice about spending that kind of money during these economic times.

However, after a few days of taking the chewable tablets, Harald felt remarkably better.  He said his symptoms really were less severe and didn’t last as long.  So on Monday when I started getting a painfully scratchy throat, I decided to give it a try myself and start taking the tablets.  I’ve gone through what H had left over, and now I’ve started taking the tea instead.  You can get this product in a droplet form, chewable tablet form, or a tea form.  And I have to say, for a cold that’s making me feel as tired and beat as this one is, I have remarkably few other symptoms.  I am particularly free of the awful head congestion (knock on wood!) that usually ails me.

If you are unfortunate enough to come down with a cold any time soon, I encourage you to consider giving it a try.  After the experience we’ve both had, we are buying a box or two just to keep in the house at the ready.  With the frequent colds that H brings home from the kids at school, it is most welcome to find something that works so well.

I have not been getting very much done when I get home at night for a very long time.  I have bursts of activity, but I’m more of a slug now than I’ve ever been, or maybe I’m just slowing down to “normal” speed and that seems sluggish compared to my prior breakneck pace.  Some people used to tell me I moved faster than anyone else they know.  There was a reason my childhood babysitter used to call me Speedy Gonzalez.  Anyway, I made a list this week of several relatively simple things I wanted to get done, things that would make a difference in my life, mostly small annoyances or picayune problems that would disappear if I only spent a bit of time taking care of them.  Tonight, I got one of them done, probably the biggest one, and it feels *so* good.

Last spring, we bought new curtains for the bedroom, because Cletus decided that the closed blinds on the bedroom windows facing the street were a play toy.  After waking up too many times through the night, one night after the other, we figured we had to start pulling up the blinds and that would require curtains.  We found a great pair of curtains, in a dark burgundy silk with gold and silver embroidery all over them, at Bed, Bath and Beyond and used those coupons they send you and waited until a sale and ended up getting them for a very reasonable price, so we were happy.  And it took care of the problem and stopped Cletus from waking us up.  No issues at all.  Until the weather turned cold.  The curtains go all the way to the floor, and in doing so, they covered up one of the heat registers under the window.  Which we didn’t seem to notice when we were only running the AC, but which we definitely noticed when we needed the heat.

So I’ve been meaning to hem them for ages, but never would or could make myself do it.  That was what was on my list this week.  Last night, I was all psyched up to take them down and measure, cut and hem them, and then I looked at them.  I forget they were light blocking curtains.  They have three layers, all of which are different lengths, and all of which have to be measured, cut and hemmed separately.  Oy, vey.  I found something else to do last night.  Tonight I came home and after making dinner, decided to see if I could tackle just one of the panels, figuring I could do the other some other time.  Instead, I managed to get both done.  Not only do they look good and take care of the problem — the register now blows deliciously warm air out straight into the room — but they match perfectly in the middle.  I swear, if you didn’t know better you’d think I had gone to school or something to learn how to sew.

I listened to Brenda Dayne’s podcast all day today, off and on, and she has reminded me of something.  There is power in connecting — or reconnecting — with what you love to do.  And as much as I love to knit, and I do love to knit, I also love to sew.  In fact, it was my first fiber love.  My sewing studio has been a lonely and empty room for much, much too long.  I don’t know how or when I can make room in my life to spend more time there, but I need to figure that out.  After all, we have a baby coming in three months and there is a world of things waiting to be lovingly stitched.  And I need to do it.  For me.  Just for me.

Well, anyway ….