The awesome months of winter are welcome with an endless stream of outdoor activities — along with coughs, sniffles and examinations.
I am grateful that we are spared the ‘examination’ bit as my children are yet to enter that phase of schooling, but there is no sure way of escaping the sneezes that develop into a cold and then a fever that makes a burning entry in the dead of a cold winter night when I have to toggle between checking temps, administering medications and comforting a delirious child while fighting off the urge to allow my drooping eyelids succumb to sweet slumber.
It is a joy to see the scorching days of summer give way to cool winter mornings.
Every year, the husband and I resolve to take advantage of the weather and include a walk into our routine, but I have long since made peace with the fact that sticking to resolutions is not in my stars. Nor is a slim, trim and hour-glass shaped figure.
Spooling the tape back a few weeks this winter, I wished to make weekends special by spending as much time as I could outdoors. Once I had zeroed in on one of the many events that would hold the interest of my children and us, I meticulously planned out the weekend.
My enthusiasm failed to ebb even after the husband appeared to only show interest in the culinary options available in the area or when I heard Little Princess sneeze.
By Thursday evening, Little Princess had bright red patches on her face, a sore throat and a rasping cough. We spent the early hours of our meticulously planned fun weekend nursing a sick child who quivered with soaring temperatures.
The rest of the weekend and the next four weekends were spent with paediatricians and general practitioners as we took turns borrowing the nasty cold from one another. I whiled away waiting time at the hospital catching up on the details and pictures of marathons, food fests and other events through the eyes of reporters and photographers of the newspaper and social media.
On the plus side, the frequency of our visits encouraged the friendly staff at the hospital to welcome us with more-than-just pleasant smiles. I also learnt that a doctor’s job was no easy task with getting to meet and greet sick children and exasperated sleep-deprived parents.
With a few weeks left before the mercury rises and our household making a return to some form of normality, we are hoping to go to any place other than a hospital. The husband is hoping to catch a movie, but there is no extensive planning involved for I am not looking forward to catching one of my children sneezing away our weekend plans — yet again
Hello Fellow Bloggers, hope you are all doing well. This is an extract from a piece published in the Gulf News. Please click here for the entire article.
Wishing you all a great Sunday.
Awww I hope the little one and you guys are feeling better now. Cold , cough & all their annoying cousins are notorious for stealing away well-planned weekends:(. Sending you many virtual hugs and wishing you sneeze-free weekends ahead:)
Xx
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Aww! Thank you a ton, Divya. I need them now, all of them 🙂 I even worry to admit that we are all coming back to some sort of normalcy. Hugs!
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A great read and hope all r good away from the cough and cold.
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Thank you, Kamal. Yes, I guess the virus has tired itself with us, as of now 🙂
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Yes must surely be Pranitha
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🙂
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Your articles always brighten my Sunday morning Pranitha. Hope the rounds of sneezing have left your household free now. It’s all a part of children growing up. I remember so many cancelled bookings of holidays because of the same. Take care 💝
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Thank you my dear friend. Yes,these growing up years come with unexpected bouts of rashes, fever and virus. It hurts to see them suffer. For now, I suppose the virus has decided to throw its reins into another unfortunate household as it appears to have spared us for now.
Thank you for your wishes, Radhika. 🙂
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Hi my awesome friend. Glad to hear the return of some normalcy in your life post the sickness stricken time. We had been sick too, so there was rounds of doctor visiting here as well. I distinctly remember inconspicuously covering up my nose as every person sitting around me in the hospital was incessantly coughing. Kudos to docs for keeping themselves immune.
I hope the little princess is doing better now? As well as all of you? Take care my friend.
As for the post, hahaha! You managed to cast the magic of humour even in this. PS it’s very very very depressing when you or any of your people fall sick during an excitedly planned trip, weekend plans or excursion!
Have a healthy and happy week, my friend ♥️♥️😄😄
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Hey TW! I am not sure we are up and normal again as I sense a fresh round coming again. Only time will tell.
Too bad to hear that you were down too. There was one time I was wondering if I would prefer a cold to a fever as I try to function as a normal human between sneezing and trumpeting like a big old elephant into the handkerchief. I still cannot make up my mind on that one, do you have a preference? 😉
Here is hope that all these little creatures (viruses) that are temporarily raiding our noses and those which are making us ‘HOT’ go on a holiday.
Wishing you a great weekend and lots of fun time, my dear 🙂 Thank you too. Your responses are like a fresh breathe of air.
Take care!
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Hi my friend. I will read your comments in a while. And leave sweet replies. Thank you so much for making sure you replied to all despite being so busy and taking care of little princess. You’re so kind♥️♥️
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And you are so so sweet too!
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Hahaha and you are kind♥️
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I wish you and your family strong immunity against another round. But I have feeling it would pass since it had already got everyone.
I can’t take a typical cold with headache and everything blocked, I’d choose fever I guess!
Trumpeting like an elephant, I’m sorry but hahahaahaahaha you are so funny!!
Wishing you the same my friend as well as good health. Take care all of you😘😘♥️
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I am still guessing. You are faster than me. With kids around, fever, is not a great option as lying down sick is not much of an option.
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No but you’re right. That’s a big downside of fever😁
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Hi Pranitha, Hope you guys are all doing well now. With kids around, no plan is fixed, until the plan is executed for sure. 🙂 I remember falling sick as a child on one of our family vacations, leaving my parents hunting for a doc in a new city…
Take care :>
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Thank you, Deepika! Yes, Little Princess is doing better and that is primary for me at the moment as spending helpless nights watching little children sick is not a pretty sight.
Yes, with little children these things are unexpected. But all that matters at that point is to see them well again, up and willing to bring back the mayhem into an orderly household.
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Yeah, very true..
Have a good and bright weekend !!
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Thank you, Deepika, and wish you the same.
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Hope you all recover from these winter woes soon and enjoy the forthcoming weekends to a great extent !!
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Thank you so much, Megala. Your wishes are all that I need at the moment. 🙂 Wishing you too the same.
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“Nor is a trim, slim and hourglass shape.” 😂😂😂 I know. Me too, Nitha! But veetinu maari ninnathode weight kurayan prethekich onnum cheyyanda. 🙊 I hope the Little Princess is doing well now. Having to nurse a cold is quite a pain in the neck. If the entire family is exchanging turns, then it gets worse. Hope everyone is okay now. Take care. I’ve missed you and your posts! Loads of love and hugs from afar,
Shwe 💕
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Hey, my dear dear friend. Shweta. Oh! I love that Shwe(with the heart). I have missed you and your little magical stories too. I took a quick peek into your space and understood that you are a busy working woman now 🙂 WOW! A big big hi-fi to that. Appol studies kazhizho?
Haha! Njan athokkey eppozho vittu, you know, weight and slim trim okkey. Ippol eat and enjoy aanu. Model aavaan thalparyam illa, pinne enthinannu ee kashtepaadokke? Alley? Yes, for you it must be easy. I remember my times during my first working days, I used to put on like mad and then loose too like crazy. Appozhakkey metabolism also high ayirunnu 😉 Don/t worry, just enjoy. Enathokkeyaanu vishesham avide? I know you must have lots. I would love to hear.
Yes! better aavunnu. Virus inu mathiyaayi thoonunnu, so eppol ellavarum getting better, though not well completely.
Loads and loads of hugs and love my dear. I know I am replying quite late as I was just unable to but it was such a pleasure to see your message. Keep in touch.
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I have missed you too. Kore naal aayi ezhuthiyitt. Ippo ezhuthonnum karyamayitt illa. Studies okke ivide vachu nirthi. I’m loving the brand new phase. Paryaan aanenkil Kore ond 😀 njan fbyil message cheyyaam. Yeah metabolism rate high aa. Athukond thanne thattiyum muttiyum pokunnu. 😂 Avide enghane pokunnu?
Get well soon, dear. Kurachu kazhiyumbol virus thottu pinmaarum. That’s okay. I know you must be busy. I’ll keep in touch. ♥️🤗😘😄
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Sure, messenger ilu varu.
This phase is beautiful, Shweta. Aaa oru independence and freedom, nothing like it. Just live it Even as I am talking, I think about my working days in Bangalore, it was fun, super fun. At least late night irunnuu assignment, padipu, exam onnum illallo. That itself is a relief. Pinne standing on your own feet is another thing. Don’t forget to spend some of it shopping in Commercial street.
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Oh yes. Messengeril varaam. 😄 Standing on your own feet is one of the greatest feelings I’ve ever experienced! And I’m loving every bit of it. Commercial streetil ithu varem pokaan pateela. Ini ponam
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Yes! It is a great feeling, specially that first salary alley. Nothing like it. Commertial street il pookumbol please go to Bhagatrams and buy the gulab jamuns there. They are the best in the world. Anand ithey badam milk. Woddies ithey dosha. Dunno if they all still taste the same, at least dunno about Woodies. The last time I came I had the other two. Nothing much has changed. You must visit Commercials one weekend. The good thing is you need not walk, the crowd will take you. Another new thing was KEVENTERS milk shake. It was amazing.
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Oh my God! That’s a lot to take in. Njan screenshot eduthu sookshichu vachittond. Ini pokumbol definitely try cheyyaam. 😀 The crowd will take you alle. 😆😆😆 Enthokke try cheyyanam ennu aennu vicharich irikkuke aayirunnu. Ippo enthayalum I got my answer. 😀
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You know I got soo excited that I blurted our all.
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I love that you did that! The excitement is palpable. 😀😀😀
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😃😘😘
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I can tell you more food than clothes and shoes which are actually the reason people go there
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Hope you will have a peaceful weekend, Pranitha 🙂
Congrats on your publication!
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Thank you so very much, Indira 🙂
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Thats a nice read and hope little princess is back up on her toes. The climate of bangalore is succumbed to flu and spreads like wildfire and i can understand the journey of pain – a soup, tasteless food morsel, non functioning head and a wet hand kerchief. Its such a relief at the end of it. But people do say that flu is good as it drives away the bad elements out of the body and rejuvenate the body building up yhe immunity
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Colds are nasty and the changing weather only brings loads of them. Yes, I hear it is the same in Bangalore too what with the summer making a heated return. Oh yes, the soup – the tasteless gruel but what will keep the body functioning is very much required.
These were the doctors exact words Ravi, about flu or a cold that is required to test and build up your immune system. But it is tough to see your little child suffering and to add to it.
All this is part of the weather cycle and bringing up children.
Thank you so much Ravi. I know I have come back here slower than you all did with your wishes but the messages brought a smile. Thank you!
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I know exactly what the feeling is!! Whilst browsing through your site, I note that the blogs u follow are somewhere close to my list too!! coincidence I must say!
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I am so glad that you understand. It is tough but part of the growing up phase. That is wonderful coincidence indeed! Thank you so very much.. So glad to have met a like-minded person here.
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winter can be harsh, as it’s a pleasant change from the blazing sun. The trick is to keep oneself warm, making use of warm clothes, warm drinks and piping hot food, loaded with vitamins and minerals
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Absolutely, Doctor. The exact advice that I got from the Pediatrician and GP too.
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I hope you & your lovely family feel better soon…it’s hard when something else takes us away from our well-laid plans! My older father found himself whisked off to hospital this past weekend and is now visiting there daily for IV treatment for a lesion on his toe that will not heal…today finds me fielding calls and changing plans while we sort things out but at least the sun is shining!
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Thank you so very much for those wishes, Kim. Very sad to know about your father. I hope he is doing better now and is on his way to better health. As your body ages and finds every reason to slow you down, it is tough too. Sending in a prayer that the lesion heals well. Your worry is palpable. Wishing you strength, Kim. Yes! At times the sun shine is enough to see through your worries. Take care, Kim
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Thank you so much for your prayers & heartfelt wishes…it warms my heart!
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Wish you the most amazing weekends ahead, outdoors and all 🙂 Happy to read your lovely writings.
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I think I am so late to read this.. anyway tell paru not to have any more sneezing plans to wipe away your weekend plans
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I’m not sure how I missed this post Pranitha. Hopefully all of you are fine now and can enjoy the last few days of winter or the early days of summer. Flu totally wears one down especially when one needs to take care of the kids as well. Don’t know whether to say lovely post. Sad state of affairs but beautifully written post!
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Hope you’re all well and healthy now! That’s probably the worst part of winter; those nasty colds and viruses are like unwanted visitors that come for the holidays and never leave. 😛
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Thankfully we are much better after a good round of passing the infection game. I am hoping we have an uneventful spring break. Thank you, QG.
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Glad you’re all doing better! Now stay well! 🙂
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Oh yes, keeping my fingers crossed 🙂
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