It starts with the wildfires. The school smells so awful, and the air quality is so poor, that the custodial staff does their best to hermetically seal us inside the building. Then, the sore throat comes along, first one side and then the other. This lasts maybe two days, followed by complete and total laryngitis. The chronic laryngitis has lasted four weeks, and I am exhausted. My vocal cords are so inflamed that I've been singing tenor for almost as long as Andrea Bocelli. (It seems like it, anyway.)
Now, my eyes are burning. Well, not so much burning as feeling like someone dropped acid into my pupils. I cough a little bit if I feel like it, and my nose drips a little bit if it feels like it. Then I have a spontaneous nosebleed (only the second one I've ever had in my entire life that didn't involve an injury). I use up half a box of tissues, and my bathroom sink looks like Sharon Tate's living room. Worst of all, I simply cannot get warm.
I test several times for Covid to make sure I don't ruin anyone's holidays. Nope -- all clear. It's like I'm sick, but not really. It's like I'm well, but don't feel quite right.
I'm trying to decide on dinner when it hits me: I need comfort food.
I grab a can of Campbell's Tomato Soup and dump it along with milk into a saucepan. I pull up a fry pan and toast myself a perfect grilled cheese sandwich to go with the soup.
This. Yes, this is comfort food.
Maybe feeling a little bit crappy isn't so bad, after all. It's a good excuse to slow down and relax, and it's a terrific excuse for an old-fashioned, diner-style meal. But, grilled cheese aside, I hope to feel better soon.
