Holding it together

Yesterday's re-entry was rough. It is bad enough when we are returning from a break. Add onto this the fact that it was also raining and so the kids could not go outside and run around at recess. Then on top if it all, one of the other teachers was out so I had eight extra kids in my room.

When I went to work, I had a slight tickle in the back of my throat. By the time I got home last night, I had a slight fever (100) and a fading voice. I take that back. Somehow I managed to maintain my voice throughout the day. Granted I had limited volume during the second half of the day. By the time I got home, my voice was cracking. And that's when I was actually able to make sound. If I whispered, then I could consistently make sound.

This meant one thing -- tea with honey and lemon. As the evening wore on, I broke down and added the truly magical ingredient. You know what I mean. Brandy. Because long ago my mother taught me that one must have a hot beverage with citrus and honey in it. Her preferred recipe? Orange tea, a splash of orange juice, some honey and come Cointreau. The first time I tried her cold remedy, I forgot the last ingredient. After drinking it, I told her I was feeling better. She countered with, "How is that possible? You forgot the most important ingredient. How do you think that NyQuil and Robitussin work so well? It's the alcohol." So I went non-alcoholic at first but then I planned to give in and add the brandy. Because then I remembered my favorite pneumonia remedy -- limeade and gin. One of the most wonderful cough suppressants I know. Not that I really have a cough. Just a raw throat. Of course, I somehow managed to fall asleep before that happened.

Being the rebel that I am, I had a hard time staying silent last night. Most nights I am content without speaking except to chastise Boris occasionally. (If someone can tell me how to keep him off the curtain rod, I would be eternally grateful.) So I croaked over the phone to Emerald and Kate. Kate is going to call me later today because she insisted that I did not need to talk anymore as I was in danger of losing my voice completely. And why did I talk to them? Because they are both privy to the experiment. Although they do not know about the whole experiment. What? I told you I was dyin' to spill the beans. Who better than two of my most trusted friends in the world?

So I tested my voice this morning. It will last me through the day. Just as long as I don't have to raise my voice. But the last time this happened to me, I realized how I could command a room by simply whispering.