For the past hour, I have been working on a lovely post about the beauty of friendship. But I have to stop. Because I am sick. I am sick with a terrible cold. My nose hurts. My body aches. My lips are dry and cracked. I am hot. Then I am cold. Then I am sad. Then I feel sorry for myself and I say, “Stop feeling sorry for yourself, Mary,” and then I say, “It’s too late!” and then I say, “Stop talking because it hurts the head.”
So I have to stop, now. I think it’s going to have to be good enough that I found a painting by Winslow Homer called, “The Sick Chicken.”
Do you remember the last time we talked about Winslow Homer? I had so much to say about this painting. Those were good times, weren’t they? I could breathe back then. I could run and jump and play. But no longer. Now, I shall perish on this couch, wads of snotty kleenex strewn all around, the remnants of my veggie burger drying out on the coffee table. Woe, woe!
In case you’re reading this aloud to your honey and need more material — I know for a fact that PaperGirl is read aloud at at least ten or so breakfast tables across this great nation — may I direct you to this entry (where my darling friend Heather got a sweet treat), or this one, when I loved the dog on the plane.
At least we have the memories. Goodbye, cruel world. Hello, heating pad. Hello, pillow. Hello, darkness…
[EDITOR’S NOTE: Mary’s fine. She does have a cold but she’ll be all right. Being dramatic about having post-nasal drip helps her get better more quickly. Trust me.]
Linda Gagnon
Get well soon sticky chicky
Linda Shumway
You’re so funny! I had a husband that moaned like that. So pathetic! I am now almost in the same boat only it’s blooming season in Tucson and we are going thru the wads of kleenix also. I have a box on every surface and pockets are full. Thank goodness this too shall pass. We are enjoying 90 degree weather…..heaven.
Britiney
I just feel so bad about laughing this much at your expense!
Melody A.
I hope you feel better soon, it is rotten to feel ill and almost spring !! so flowers and warm weather is soon to be enjoyed!!
take care from Iowa
Dorothy
Sounds rather whiney to me–every one in the world gets colds and worse, but do we whine about them ?? NO Colds, etc are a fact of life. Grow up about some things, and stay a child about others.
Gina
Whoa!!
Diane Rincon
The world shrinks, doesn’t it, as is proper? Cocoon away, and I hope you feel better soon. All this has been said in a calm and soothing voice by this friendly reader.
Kelly Ashton
Be well soon, Dear Mary!!! Cold suck!!!
Kelly Ashton
Fiddle!! What happened to the “s”???? COLDS suck!!!
Kate
Winslow Homer, that brings back memories. I was on the my high school scholastic trivia team. On the tea of four, I was the math/science specialist. The teacher coach threw a bunch of art books at me, and told me to add art recognition to my skills.
Another member of my team was highly competitive. When competing against a school she was convinced we couldn’t beat, she decided to ring in first on every question. On an art question, she buzzed in ahead of me ( we were on the same team, remember) and screamed Homer Winslow, allowing the other team to steal the point.
We won, any way, no thanks to her. The coach had a chat with her later about the ” no I in team” thing.
Feel better soon Mary!
Susan
Another sick chicken checking in. Snuggled under my fave quilt on the sofa, listening to Sunday Morning on tv, wondering if. I’ll be up for Mountain Quiltfest in a few days…
Mabel Brooks
I understand Mary! I had a head cold since yesterday! Woe is me!
HelenMarie Marshall
HelenMarie Marshall
I will instagram. Soon as our quilt show is over and I have some semblance of a life without donated fabricsyarns trims batting polyfil patterns kits UFOs yarn thread zippers laces to Measure and Mark oh I forgot books and magazines!
Megan
Well today is national give your poultry a gift or something like that (please check with Sandra Boynton”s fb page to double check the exact wording) so give yourself a gift, rest, and write about friendship soon!
Becki Morrison
I say go for it, sometimes a girl just need to wallow in it!
Shermie
Number one-I hope you will rest and give yourself a chance to get well. Soon, right?! I learned when in college that post research paper cold is definitely a given.
Number two- I love your putting paintings at the top of your posts! Brings me back to Art Institute days when I lived and schooled on near west side
Number three- of course, I keep loving you and your Paper Girl! Thank you!
Susan
Sending you warm thoughts and hope you get better soon. I am on day 5 of this awful head cold and still feel like the bottom of the coop. Xoxo
Barbara
Aww Mary, feel better, it’s only a cold. They say a cold is 2 days coming, 2 days at it’s worst and 2 days leaving. You sound like you are in day 3 or 4, a couple more days and you should be better. Hope so!
Mary Kay
This made me laugh out loud!! The colds, flu, and allergy season have been terrible!! Hope you are up playing soon 🙂
The Reason We Try New Stuff: My F News Friends. - Mary Fons
[…] There are others. I could go on. I should go on. I need to. But I also need to do homework because I was at press weekend all weekend and I’m also still sick. […]
All The Reasons For Tears. - Mary Fons
[…] get worried when I feel physically bad for more than a day or two (I’m on Day 3) and then I have a crying symptom on top of […]
Ray Burke
You may be well by now(I hope) but stuff is going around. In western Washington, we are in something like our wettest winter for for the 21st year in a row (seems like it!). And now we are starting pollen season!!!