Me and My BIG MOUTH

I think it was last Tuesday when I carelessly remarked on my great luck at not having had a cold this season. How's that for tempting fate?! And while I'm being superstitious, let's throw another adage in for good measure - "It never rains but it pours".
I thought I was coming down with something on Thursday night. By the time I picked little one up at 11.45am on Friday we both looked none too good and lay on the sofa for the rest of the day. I seemed to have rallied on Saturday, which is just as well since 12 year old had delivered the usual last-minute request the night before:

12 - Er, mom. We're doing a play on Monday.
Me - Yes.
12 - I'm a medieval messenger.
Me - Yes.
12 - So can you do one?
Me - Do you mean you need a medieval messenger costume for Monday morning?
12 - Kind of.

After spending 20 minutes on the web trying to decide between a military or courtier type messenger, (him caring only about whether he has to wear tights and pointy boots), I suggested he confirm the time period with one of his classmates. I mean once you start on a medieval costume, you're somewhat locked in. Sure enough, TJ, CJ or someone-J insisted it was Egypt "one or two thousand years ago". More Internet research resulting in an on-line pattern. Yippee. Before anyone is too impressed, it was a long cap-sleeved tunic, with a belt and a round collar, on which I drew some Egyptiany-looking squiggles with a marker. It was nicely hemmed though.

Such was my apparent recovery that I even managed to go out to dinner on Saturday night to celebrate hubby's up-coming birthday. I should have suspected something when I turned down an after dinner drink.

Sunday morning - dead. Or very nearly. Downstairs for five minutes, I thought "Bugger this" and "I should really go back to bed as I don't want to infect anyone else" and did. (Trying to leave a large hint to other family members who usually loll around infecting everyone within a five mile range.) Hubby was great; took little one everywhere, cooked dinner, bathed him. Made the older two practise their violins - and never once looked in on me. I could have died at lunchtime and they wouldn't have found my body till about 10.27pm.

Don't remember much about Monday as I went straight back to bed as soon as my nanny came and didn't get up till she was half way home. Managed to find pizza and leftovers to give the kids, to which one responded, "I love dinners when you're not feeling well". I think she was referring to the lack of vegetables.

This morning I am back in the land of the barely-living, although I sound like Darth Vader. I know I'm better because I eyed a pile of laundry as I came downstairs. Not well enough to actually do anything (but boy can I split those infinitives!) Just as well really as little one woke up with eye lashes matted, complaining of a sore throat. Off to the doc's. Poor thing has a bad strep infection which is now in his eyes, ears and throat. I am gamely ignoring the ringing in my ears and growing lump in my throat. After all, mothers don't get ear infections for god's sake!

It's hubby's birthday on Thursday so I have to drag my carcass (and 4 year old) out to buy something to give him that morning. He wouldn't mind if I postponed it till the weekend, but the kids would be devastated.
And the play with the messenger turned out to be ancient Arabia, so the collar stayed in the bag. Still, next time anyone has a themed event to go to - they're going as an Egyptian messenger.