Random 5 for February 11 – Valentine’s Day, happy people, Olympics, misguided advertising, flu

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Happy Valentine’s Day – The beloved husband had a masseuse come in to give us each a body massage. I’m a tactile person and he sure knows how to make me happy. We also had a pizza with it, one of my favorite meals. He’s a keeper for sure although I’m thinking I still need some chocolate.

Super Bowl aftermath – (Last post on it I promise!) Our local professional football team won the Super Bowl. It was like Christmas here. People were over the moon! Best local story — people put team tee-shirts on the gravestones of die-heart fans who have passed. This meant so much to so many people it’s ridiculous to think it was a football game. For a moment in time, people came together. It will be gone soon when we revert back to our old behavior!

On to the Olympics! – I love winter Olympics! The dare-devil stunts amaze me as does the speed and gracefulness of the athletes. I’m booked for the next two weeks! I should stock up on margaritas!

Seriously? – Facebook has a distorted profile of me. Yes, I get shoe ads on the side bar but lately it keeps showing me “baby gender reveal” parties for people I don’t know. I am so far from that world. My eggs are dead and no one in my family is expecting or planning to. I don’t care about the latest techniques to amaze your friends with your baby’s sex.  

The flu – My grandfather (age 44) died of the Spanish flu in 1918. It also played a part in my father’s death (age 55) in 1958. I don’t take the flu lightly. I get the shot every year. I wash my hands often. If I think you are sick I will lecture you from 20 paces. I won’t let you near me. I don’t understand that people are taking this lightly. If you are sick, do not go out and spread it around. (Yes that means you don’t go to work!) People are dying from it and not just the very old and young. Don’t brag about not believing in shots. Or get all braggadocios about braving it out. Do what you can to protect yourself and those around you. Shame on you if you don’t.

So how was your week?

81 thoughts on “Random 5 for February 11 – Valentine’s Day, happy people, Olympics, misguided advertising, flu”

  1. You get baby reveal party ideas, I get engagement ring ideas. I am forever flummoxed by how these online algorithms figure out who I am. Not that it’s any of their business, but still…

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  2. I laughed outloud when I read, “My eggs are dead…” You struck my funny bone! Your thoughts about this flu are so true. My heart just hurts every time I read a story about someone who sought medical attention, didn’t ignore their illness, and yet died from this flu. It’s been a very sobering reminder that even with the immunizations we aren’t necessarily protected, but I would never want to be guilty of not doing all that I could to care for myself. Your grandfather and father both having complications from the flu! That’s very sobering, Kate!

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  3. I completely understand the unity and joy felt with a winning team. We had that here when the Cubs won the World Series for the first time. It seemed to spread all across the country. I posted about it too. https://loreezlane.wordpress.com/2016/11/08/out-of-many-one/

    I also recall people holding pictures of their loved ones who had passed that were die-hard Cubs fans. It was as if their spirits were palpably present.

    I’m not a “baby person,” so that gender reveal stuff would baffle me if it showed up on my fb wall, too.

    Stay well and warm.

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  4. Your husband sure knows how to make your heart happy … who may I kidding? It would make me happy too!! 🙂

    … and I agree wholeheartedly about the backward thinking and misinformation that people cling to related to flu shots and vaccinations in general. It saves lives. End of story. It sounds like your family has lived it so very personally. I can appreciate your passion on the subject!

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  5. He’s definitely a keeper! (More enjoyable a bit after Christmas when things calm down and you could use a little winter perk-up. Present for the present. Perfect.)
    My doc would like me to get a check up (and they’d like the money to fill their monthly health corp. quota). Right now I’m avoiding crowds, and places where there might be sick people…which means the dr. office. I’ve told them see ya’ after the flu season calms down.
    My dad was a child during the 1918 Flu epidemic. Living waaay out in the country on a farm, they all escaped it, but he remembers an entire family at a neighboring farm coming down with it. He said his parents knew it was dangerous, but felt if nobody helped that family all of them would die. So after much prayer, his dad went over everyday in the afternoon to take food and soup and try to make them comfortable. When he got home, he stopped at the well and stripped down and took a bucket bath with strong soap followed by wiping down with either Hydrogen Peroxide/alcohol. (It was winter) Then he put all his clothes in a bucket of boiling water and bleach/soap over a fire.
    I think most of the family survived.
    Scary times – and it’s back – and people are not taking it seriously or aware of the danger. If you’re sick or feeling bad – stay home – and keep your sick kids home, too even if inconvenient.
    Geesch.
    Oh, nice post 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    • Your dad was special but I’ve known that from posts that you’ve written about your childhood. Yes, someone has to take the chance and help people. The amazing thing is that there were 9 kids and a wife and only my grandfather who was young and healthy died.

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      • Eerily like this flu season.
        There’s something about previous eras – and those large families (who always lost at least one child )- the lifestyle was different and life was a so much harder, but the attitudes and character most acquired by watching their parents (like my grandfather tend the sick while protecting his family) and siblings made a very different society than today. We, the children of those children benefited. Now what?
        Priorities were very different – more survival is not guaranteed mode – more human focused than stuff focused.
        Will be interesting to see how society goes forward.

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        • It is different. I grew up with family all around me. Now they are so scattered. I haven’t seen some cousins in decades. People seem to afraid or oblivious to help out the people next door. Speaking of which I’ve had new neighbors for about 4 years now and have seen them less than 10 times. There is no connection anywhere these days.

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  6. I get a flu shot every year and have gotten the two shots with Pneumococcal vaccine. I was sick the first week of our vacation but I don’t believe it was flu. Upper respiratory something… lost my voice, nose like a faucet, and barking cough which finally broke up. I managed to give it to CH. The biggest thing which is what has been said here, if you are sick stay home!!!! So sorry about your Grandfather and Father, how incredibly sad. We don’t do Valentine’s Day and haven’t for years. I haven’t liked Valentine’s Day since I was a kid in school where we made cards and your popularity was measured by how many homemade cards you received. We are enjoying the Olympics but for some reason not as much as past years.

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    • The massage wasn’t actually a Valentine’s gift but a belated Christmas gift. I hoard those things and do it when things aren’t hectic. I remember when you were ill. I doubt that it was the flu. Too bad you had it for vacation though. Onto the skating!

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  7. Ooooh you have a keeper for sure!! I LOVE massages! If you get chocolate as well, then you really rate high! LOL!
    I love the Winter Olympics too! Actually am just getting read to turn it on now. The figure skating is my favorite thing to watch. I also have always enjoyed the “Cool Runnings” DVD! Go Jamaica in the luge competition. 🙂

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  9. I always get my flu shot (at least ever since I was down for two weeks with it years ago). I think people who choose not to get one should be confined to their homes… it’s a free country, make your choice. I was amazed when I read yesterday that the number of people who are coming down with the flu in our city is still growing every week.

    My husband and I don’t exchange Valentine’s gifts, but a couples massage and pizza sound lovely. I may have to reconsider the whole no-gifts thing.

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  12. First of all, I’m sorry about the flu deaths in your family. Quite frightening!
    Secondly, now that you’ve already had a great Valentine’s gift, ask for another on the 14th hahaha!

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  14. You made me sniffle with the jerseys on tombstones.

    I have a problem with the flu shot. I can’t give blood for a month if I get one, and the Red Cross is on me constantly, because of severe shortages due to flu. But I don’t want to get one right after, either. And then my iron wasn’t high enough for 2 weeks, then 3 weeks — every week I would try to donate!

    So I’m living dangerously, though I made sure my husband got one, plus he and his infection-prone lungs get the pneumonia vaccine. It helps that I work at home. Anyway, after I give blood this week, I’m getting one! I swear!

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    • At least that is a reasonable explanation. Working at home helps too. We have the pneumonia vaccines too. I wish there was a vaccine that kept weird people away. The local blood bank keeps calling my husband for blood. He gave religiously until he had blood pressure spikes. While they were trying to stabilize him, his doc didn’t want him to give. He may be ready now.

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  16. I live in Georgia and for a period of about a week all of the local clinics and grocery stores where shots are typically administered were actually completely out of flu shots. Going through this flu season has been quite bizarre. It’s horrifying to think that people are actually dying from this. Stay safe

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    • So far 63 children have died from it this season. That may sound like a small number but not if it’s your child. Apparently it’s ravaging all state except Hawaii.

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  17. You do have a keeper there. Bill still says Valentine’s Day is a Catholic holiday so he ignores it. As for the flu, boy am I with you on that one. I am fairly paranoid about that and have hand sanitizers in all car doors, the kitchen, bathrooms, guest rooms, etc. ad infinitum. The people who don’t get the shot may be protected by those of us who do, but I suspect if they catch the flu once they will never miss a shot again. Great post Kate. Kudos.

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  18. I did enjoy watching the celebrations in Philadelphia, Kate. They even closed schools and the local government offices, which I thought was cool.
    A coworker was coughing and sneezing all week. By Friday, she had no voice. Taking the Remicade infusions greatly weakens my immune system, so for people like myself, I encourage those who are sick to STAY HOME. You’re not really that important. Happy Sunday!

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  19. My co-worker came in all week hacking. I was using alcohol on EVERYTHING and still felt like crap by Thursday night. STAY HOME is right!
    I’m enjoying every second of this Eagles win! Happiness is in this city and I’ll love every second of it.
    Hubby is definitely a keeper!!

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    • I was fortunate in that I was a department head for part of my career. One thing I always did was send sick people home. I threatened to have a steam chamber installed and all employees had to go through it before reporting to work. Eagles yay! I can’t get over all the good will. In this day and age, it’s wonderful to see.

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  20. So many things to address. First of all, shouldn’t a Valentine massage automatically come with chocolate? What’s up with that.

    I love the headstones being included in the celebration. It’s fresh air, even if it’s in a cemetery, to be privy to something good and noble. So tiired of bad, breaking news.

    Facebook. I’m not a social media gal. I know if I were I’d be more widely read, but alas, her stubbornness has the last say.

    The flu. It is scary, no question. I had a touch of it that came out of nowhere having me down for the count. To read people are dying. It’s like years ago before inoculations for smallpox and typhoid, cholera and even the common cold. Scary. If Washington had a shot, he would have lived another 20 years.

    Oh well…it’s hard to grasp dying from the flu, we’re so graced across the board.

    Sigh

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  21. I had the flu twice, in 2009 and 1990. Both times I was UNABLE to go out. I honestly don’t understand how people can get up and walk around. The 2009 flu I spent mostly on the floor (it was cooler than the bed, and that made it better for my achy head), and once I got down there, I couldn’t get back up without help from hubby. I couldn’t even make it to the bathroom on my own. I COMPLETELY understand how people can die from it! Serious stuff! I do know people who are afraid of vaccines, and I get their argument, but I’m more afraid of the flu!

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    • Sometimes I think in a bad flu year (or any year really) some people mistake sinus infections and colds for flu. Flu is serious. I’m still a big proponent of staying home when you are sick, any kind of sick. I was very young but I remember when my Dad had it. He was very sick and he never recovered. It set him up for a heart attack a few weeks later.

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  22. Love your last comments re flu shots. I don’t call refusing the shots bravado, but rather stupidity and selfishness. (yes …. I had mine … in November). They’re free here so there is no excuse, except a medical incompatibility).

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  23. Right now, my granddaughter and daughter are very, very sick with the flu. It is certainly not something to take lightly. We all had the shots but it wasn’t very effective this year for this strain. I will continue to get the shot every year.

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    • I am so sorry. It is worth getting the shot because you don’t know which strain will infect and supposedly it still offers protection against other strains circulating. I hope they recover soon.

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  24. We have our flu shots every year, even though in the past two we have learned that they were ineffective for the strain of the time. Sitting in the docotor’s surgery this week with Hubby for his blood test, the number of coughing, spluttering and sneezing patients was phenomenal. Add that to a waiting time of some four hours, and is it any wonder we get sicker. The stench of stale tobacco reached my nostrils more than once too. I hate waiting rooms, but getting an appointment is like hens teeth. We thought it great there’s a telephone appointment system, but even that has a waiting time of over two weeks (I kid you not).

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    • Hi Di – We have been told that while the current flu shots may not (stress MAY NOT) serve much purpose against this latest strain, the earlier strain is still around. i.e. you have everything to gain and nothing to lose by getting the shot. Our health system here allows pharmacies (chemists) to administer the flu shot so it’s just a walk-in process. There’s something to be said for a health system which is supported by insurance companies!

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      • Hi Colin! Hubby and I both qualify for free shots anyway and haven’t missed a year as in both our cases it would be silly not to have them. Our pharmacies here can administer them too as they do cholesterol tests. Not having used a chemist for either service, it’s highly probable a charge would apply, but at least there is an alternative to waiting in a GP surgery for hours.

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    • That’s awful! Only our emergency room has wait times that long. The flu shot still offers some protection and is worth getting. I was at the grocery store where an older man let go of a sneeze that sent his mucous all over the packages of chips, pretzels and tortillas. Needless to say, I passed on those. What happened to covering your mouth?

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