Happy Valentine's Day

O.K.  ... apologies ...  not very original .... and a day late to boot ... but there is a reason. Life has a habit of getting in the way sometimes.

I am laid low with bronchitis. Friends had visited me from overseas for a long weekend of skiing (the snow is amazing this year). Unfortunately one of them showed up with a bad cough, which she said had followed the 'flu and had persisted now for two weeks. Great. With friends like that who needs enemies.

Sure enough on the second night I was awake at 4am coughing violently with blocked sinuses and headache.

To add to matters, the trip back home on Tuesday, which should have taken 4 hours, took 7 hours because of a motorway closure following an accident. It was 11PM when a very sick and exhausted Hanna arrived home.

M had not gone skiing this weekend. She was very concerned for me as I travelled back, as she realized how sick I was. She stayed up late to help me unpack the car.

So on Valentine's day I dragged myself out of the bed early to go to a doctor that M had contacted. Getting a doctor as a recent immigrant in Germany is no easy matter. I am not "on the books" of any local doctor and they are all full. Ageing population profile I suppose.

Anyway, one doctor agreed to see me as an exception when M informed them that I had a fever (not strictly true, but I was running a high temperature).  Antibiotics and a week off work were prescribed. Back home, I slept a good part of Valentine's day thereafter.

When she got home, M made a big pot of delicious homemade soup for me, so that I don't have to cook during the days ahead. There is enough to last for a few days.

Later she gave me lacy black underwear with a red bow as my Valentine's day present. She also gave me a padded bra (pictures to follow at some stage).

This is the first time she has bought me a padded one. She could see I was shocked. She said simply, we have to "up things" a notch or two from time to time. She had me try it on. I had cleavage! 😲 "Wear the right sweater and people will not really notice",  she said, "but you will be wearing it". Unlike the episode with the blue jacket, I simply thanked her this time.

Speaking of the blue sleeveless jacket, I wore it out in public to the restaurant each evening at the weekend. My mini rebellion, it seems, is behind me. 😳

So on the health front, I feel a bit stronger today, despite still coughing a lot. I now have a very sore throat from the constant coughing though.

The last time that I was a week off work, ill, was all of 25 years ago, so I can't complain. I have had a very good run, on the health front.

Hanna