Blown Away

The view from my window. Only a crazy person would go out in this, which of course explains it, because I am a crazy person.

We're in the middle of a storm here. I went out to deliver some work stuff this morning and literally the wind was so bad I could barely get back to my front door.

Still, it doesn't seem quite as horrible as the storms of 1995 which I remember vividly as I lived in Pacifica (i.e. near the ocean) at the time. Even so, after about half and hour out in the hurricane, I was totally soaked, right down to the knickers.

Plus there's flooding everywhere. I wondered what this poor person who parked at a low spot at Turk and Franklin, is going to think when they get back to the car...
Maybe it will be drained. A worker was already clearing the drain out when I walked by again and I had to take a picture of him enjoying the whirlpool of draining in the midst of 40 mph winds on the corner.

But now, it's time to head back inside and hunker down with a cup of tea and a cat, or two.

I've been off the blog the last few weeks while we swept through New York over the holidays. Had a bit of a nasty cold though -- or is it flu-- which hung on like grim death from Christmas Eve until, well, today.

Does this sound familiar? Slightly sore throat and scratchy voice which swells from Kathleen Turner husky to Phyllis Diller in a single day. Followed by coughing, coughing, coughing, plus headache and zero energy. I was clutching twin bottles of Dayquil and Nyquil like an alcoholic through most of New York. Coming through airport security I defiantly threw in my 10 oz. bottle of Nyquil into my carry on. Just try to let me onto the plane without it.

Of course TSA had the last laugh because I took so much Nyquil that I fainted on the plane ride and had a horrible time getting through the last five hours of the flight.

Back home now, though, and quite happy to be drinking teas of my own devising. We've pulled out the magical Lemon Thyme Tea which is remarkable in its ability to quiet a cough long enough for you to get some breathing time. At that hour of the wolf, between one and three, when you can't sleep for coughing a lung up and you can't catch a breath? Make some Lemon Thyme Tea -- it's the bomb. The trick is to use fresh thyme, which has natural tussins to stop the cough.

Lemon Thyme Tea

2 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1 tsp lemon zest
2 cups hot boiling water

Let the thyme and lemon zest steep in the water for several minutes, then strain it out and drink the tea. I like to add a teaspoon of honey to sweeten it up.