Getting Sick

I'm sick today.  Had to take the day off from work and am trying to get some rest after a fitful night of little sleep.

I don't get sick often.  This is just a cold.  Note, I've never had the flu.  The flu is something you don't forget if you've ever had it.  No, just a cold.  Snivles, sneezing, coughing, wheezing.  yuck.

I'm not offering any medical advice here.  Just telling you what works for me.

1)  Stay healthy to begin with.  Eat healthy and exercise.  Keep your immune system strong.
2)  Wash your hands frequently.  Especially if you are in public places.  Just touching a door knob can transfer a cold virus if you then rub your eyes.  So, try not to rub your eyes also!
3)  If I have the slightest feeling that I am getting sick I take mega doses of Vitamin C.  Thats 5000 to even 10000 mg two to three times a day.
4)  If I DO get a cold I drink ginger tea.  The ginger chemicals get into your system and make you sweat.  So I take it three times a day.  Morning, noon, and bedtime.  It tastes pretty awful.  But the sweating I am convinced helps your body get rid of the cold virus.
5)  And of course I drink lots of water besides the tea.  That water goes right through me and also helps to rid my body of the virus.

Ginger Tea Recipe

water, 4 cups

2-inch piece of fresh ginger root (I'll sometimes double this)

optional: honey and lemon slice

Also optional, add some cayenne pepper to the mix - REALLY makes you sweat.

Peel the ginger root and slice it into thin slices. Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan. Once it is boiling, add the ginger. Cover it and reduce to a simmer for 15-20 minutes. Strain the tea. Add honey and lemon to taste.
Note: Keep in mind that if you are making ginger tea as a home remedy during cold and flu season, sweeteners are not recommended.

These boots

I work at a gold mine.  We have to wear steel toed boots when we are at work.  They are work boots with steel safety toes.  So if something should fall on your toes the steel will protect them from getting crushed.  There are other criteria too.  The soles have to be "aggressive".  What does THAT mean?  If it's a boot, it's gonna have lugged soles.   Lugged soles are aggressive, aren't they?  Also, they have to have a top that extends above the ankle.  No problem there.  Since I sprained my ankle as a kid i've always been prone to spraining.  So I look for extra tall boots.  Finally they have to have a heel.  What boot doesn't have a heel?  What shoe doesn't have a heel for that matter?  Well, apparently it has to be an extra tall heel.

The boots I got are made by a company called Chippewa.  I like them so here is their website:
http://www.chippewaboots.com/

 I like the squared off toes - fit my feet better.  Note the leather has been treated with a natural shoe leather treatment I picked up in Idaho last year called Obenauf's LP.  Very good stuff.  So good I am going to plug them as well:

http://www.obenaufs.com/lp.php?osCsid=3b3b105815c8d2e5fcc803be2b588cba

I only treated the lower part of the boot.  Here is a good time to mention that the very best boots have the fewest seams.  Fewer seams mean larger (and more expensive) leather pieces.  This boot is NOT an expensive boot (I got mine for ~$120 which is pretty cheap).  Eventually, the thread on these seams will fail and they will start to fall apart.  But I usually replace my boots annually and they should last that long.  You can put epoxy on the seams to protect them if it worries you.

Reasonably aggressive sole, I would say!

And finally, check out this heel.  It's like over 2" tall.  Simply amazing.


And finally, something from Nancy Sinatra...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbyAZQ45uww

Sounds of Solitude

The pictures are of the awesome snowfall we got in the mountains just before Christmas.  The music is mine, on my new harmonica.  It's pure improvisation but I think it works pretty well.  Look for more as I learn how to really play this instrument.

I got a harmonica

I've been playing a baroque instrument called a recorder for months now.  I have tenor and soprano instruments.  But as I live in pioneer country in Northern Nevada these days I thought a harmonica would be more appropriate.  It's also smaller sized and tougher so it can be carried with me anywhere.

It's a beautiful instrument.  I got a very nice sounding one.  There are ten holes in it and you can blow and suck on each one to produce a different note.  There is a technique called "bending" where you can get additional notes out of the thing by varying the air pressure on the hole.

I am learning several traditional songs, like "Clementine".  Maybe I'll post a few here in a few days!