1. Peonies. Every day I was amazed, watching them shift from bud to bloom and finally to compost, changing color from a deep pink to the palest golden peach.
2. Not being any worse. Sometimes when you are sick, this is the best you can hope for. Too bad I don’t get paid sick days during summer vacation.
3. Summer vacation. Finally, finally, finally. The first few weeks are going to be a blur of being sick, healing, and tying up loose ends, but it’s finally here.

When I knew I was really on vacation — my office was all packed up for the move back into the remodeled Eddy Hall
4. My tiny family. My three boys.

Sam’s safe spot — he doesn’t like it when I cough, but when I go in to use the bathroom, he forgets it was me he’s hiding from

Ringo hiking at Lory State Park, which looks more like it’s in Oregon than Colorado, (image by Eric)
5. HGTV House Hunters. I’ve been binge watching on Hulu and Netflix while I’ve been sick on the couch, in between naps.
Bonus Joy: clean pjs, a hot shower, real cough syrup, Good Earth Sweet & Spicy tea, Lipton Chicken Noodle Soup, onion rolls and butter, planting our garden, naps, friends checking up on me, permission to rest, a comfortable bed in the spare room where I can cough as much as I need to without waking everyone up, how Ringo is learning to cuddle, the internet, email, being able to afford a plane ticket, knowing what I’m worth.
I hear you about being paid for sick days. The only drawback I can find to being able to work in your pajamas. Feel better!
🙂
Greetings! First-time commenter here! I do not remember how I came across your blog (over a year ago?) but I very much enjoy your writing. Thank you for all the time and energy you devote to regularly posting! I wanted to share with you a hack (ha) that has helped me when I’ve had that horrible night-time cough. Put Vick’s on the bottom of your feet; cover them with cotton socks (that will forever be designated as your Vick’s socks) and go to Sleep-Land. I don’t know why it works, but it does. Here’s to healing!
Thanks for commenting, for reading, Carla! And oh boy do I have memories of Vick’s. When we were kids, our mom would rub it on our chests at night. It was very soothing!