Gee Thanks, Bill!!!

For sharing the bug with me.  NOT!

 

I didn't even attempt to go in today, which is what I told Younger Boss yesterday.  I told him that I'd let him know about Friday but at this point I'm pretty sure I'll be staying home tomorrow.  I have had a horrible sinus headache since I woke up this morning, I took Motrin for it and rested for about an hour and a half after Bill left for work.  Of course, the fact that I also had a migraine on top of everything else this morning hasn't helped!

 

Bill went in, Monday was a holiday and without a doctor's excuse he wouldn't be paid for Monday.  He probably could have waited until tomorrow or Monday and turned in the excuse then, but his employer can't always get simple things straight so he decided to attempt going in and turning the excuse in to his boss today.  His boss is not the problem, upper management is where the issues usually are.  But at any rate, after he'd been there about an hour I think his boss got tired of hearing him attempt to cough up a lung and didn't even blink an eye when Bill told him he was heading back home.  The cough medication causes drowsiness, so Bill didn't take it before he left this morning.  He did take it pretty much as soon as he got home, however.  His cough is better, but it's still pretty bad.  I'm so glad that I went to the doctor as soon as I started feeling the URI symptoms and don't have to deal with the bronchitis.  I've had it before and it is NOT fun, and asthma just makes it worse so I don't wait.

 

I've been parked on the couch, I made myself a nest.  Frasier was my shadow earlier, he got up every time I did and took every step I did.  He followed me around and stood right beside me, staring at me until I went back to the couch.  Then, he mostly leaned on me and managed to get his head underneath my hand for ear scratches.  When he wasn't getting petted, he was leaning on my legs and making it impossible for me to get up.  Mama's boy took care of me!  I'm drinking as much water as I can, so I have to get up frequently. :)  Otter went to Wallyworld earlier and filled up a the cart with yogurt for me.  She also got more cranberry juice, she's going to start increasing her vitamin C for the next several days.  She drinks a lot of cranberry juice anyway, but she's going to be chugging it for the near future!

 

I've had so much chicken soup the last few days that I expect to grow feathers at any time.  I have several containers in the freezer and a large container in the deep freeze.  It is good and it does help, but we're kind of tired of it now.

 

Otter works tomorrow afternoon, I will probably take her.  If Bill goes in tomorrow, he'll drive the impala since it's more comfortable than the El Camino - he still hasn't been able to find the one, small part the White Lightning needs to be able to roll the driver's side window down.  Otter can take my car, and does sometimes, but I'm thinking that I'll be ready to get out of the house for a little while by then.  I won't go far, we'll go to the post office before I drop her off and she'll run in to check the box for me.  If I need anything from the grocery store, I'll get it then.  Her store is in the same shopping center as our favorite non-Wally grocery store.

 

(Ok, I'm back now.  Had to run to the bathroom, I think that is trip # 542 for the day!)

 

I've had my feet propped up on the coffee table for a while.  I have the crocheted afghan over me and it's long enough on the sides that it still touches the floor.  Which means that I also have a beagle under the blanket!  When I got up just now, I knocked a pillow off the coffee table that was underneath my feet - and beaned the beagle!

 

My TEXAS Mother in law (also a redhead!) sent me the following.  My comments are after it.  (Attributed to Emma Kelly, although I have not checked her website so I don't know how safe it is.  But she is apparently one of Us, and that means that she has a lot more leeway than non-Reds have.)

 

10 Unbelievable Facts You Didn't Know About Redheads:

 

1. Natural red hair is harder to dye than other shades

Headstrong as it is, ginger hair holds its pigment much firmer than any other hair colour. If redheads desired to dye their hair to any other colour (why would you?), it would only have a noticeable difference after bleaching the hair beforehand. Otherwise, the colour won't take.Bleaching, of course, is just bad news for hair. Especially red hair, which is much more fragile than other shades anyway.

2. Redheads have less hair on their heads

In terms of total number of strands, gingers have far fewer atop their red heads than any other colour.On average, flame-haired beauties have 90,000 strands, compared to blondes with 110,000, and brunettes with 140,000.  They're not exactly going bald though, as each strand of natural ginger hair is much thicker, so the appearance is often that redheads have more hair in general.  These fewer but thicker strands make it easier to style, so be jealous.

3. Redheads don't go grey

Staying true to its stubborn stereotype, ginger hair retains its natural pigment a lot longer than other shades.  So there's no need to panic about going grey - red hair simply fades with age through a glorious spectrum of faded copper to rosy-blonde colours, then to silvery-white.

4. Red hair and blue eyes is the rarest combination in the world

The majority of natural redheads have brown eyes, with others likely to have hazel or green shades.  But like red hair, blue eye colour is a recessive trait, meaning that both parents must carry the gene for a child to be blessed with it. This makes those with red hair and blue eyes the rarest minority in the world, with only 1% having both.  So, each one is about as rare as a four-leaf clover.

5. They're more sensitive to thermal pain

Countless studies have looked into the genetics behind redheads claiming that they are more or less sensitive to pain.  Research shows that redheads are more sensitive to hot and cold pain, with their bodies able to change temperature much quicker. Also, in surgery, gingers might require approximately 20% more anaesthesia than other hair colours. The exact reason for this is unknown, but it is thought that a link to the mutated MC1R gene could be the culprit to its effectiveness.

6. The Romans kept redheaded slaves at a higher price

Those with fiery-coloured hair were held in high esteem in Roman art and culture. Thought to be strong and determined, they were more expensive than other slaves, and prisoners would even have their hair dyed to be displayed as trophies. Either that, or wigs of red hair were reportedly imported from northern Europe, for slaves to wear.

7. Russia means 'Land of Reds'

Translating to mean 'Land of Reds', Russia boasts a high density of gingers located in its Kazan region, at over 10% redheads, a similar density to Scotland and Ireland.

8. 40% of Brits are 'Secret Gingers'

Extensive research conducted by BritainsDNA has found that more than 40% of the population carry the mutated MC1R gene that's responsible for red hair. Both parents must carry the gene to be able to spawn a ginger baby, which lies at 25% if they're not ginger themselves, but still carry the 'secret gene'.

9. Adolf Hitler reportedly banned ginger marriages

...For fear of 'deviant offspring'. Of course.

10. Gingers generate their own Vitamin D

Having pale skin may mean that redheads burn more easily when exposed to UV rays, but their paleness can serve as an advantage.  Redheads can't absorb sufficient Vitamin D due to low concentrations of eumelanin in their body. This may sound like bad news, but this lower melanin-concentration means that gingers can cleverly produce their own Vitamin D within their body when exposed to low light conditions.

 

 

OK, my take:  Most of this is stuff I've heard before so I already know about it - some from experience, especially # 2, 3 & 5.  I'd like to add a few things:  

 

11.  We bleed!  Frequently and lots at a time.

 

Re # 4:  I don't think that most redheads have brown eyes.  That is actually fairly rare, or at least I've seen very few of Us with brown eyes.  Most of us tend to have green or hazel eyes.  Hazel is a pale greyish brown color but it also has another main color - usually green or blue.  My eyes are green hazel, Otter's eyes are blue hazel and Bill's eyes are really more of a pale green than true hazel but I think his eyes are in the hazel spectrum.

 

Re # 3:  We do go grey.  But it's not usually like most of the population does.  We tend to go Calico!  Sometimes we will go to white but not usually grey.  Some of Us go piebald, which is similar to Calico.  But we seldom go completely grey, calico or piebald - there is usually quite a bit of red color still.

 

Re # 5:  DITTO DITTO DITTO!  Especially the part about needing more anesthesia.

 

One other thing:  Yes, the hair is a hint about the temper!  Especially when the Redhead in question is also a TEXAN and very much when the Redhead is female!  Remember RHTW, after all.