OWAV:)...04/14/11/6am...24°...Partly Cloudy

I have been up since 4am, playing scrabble and angry birds.  Now I must write.  Didn't get the storm that was predicted yesterday, although it was nasty and cold with rain and snow mixed, there was no accumulation of snow.  I've finished my coffee and now have a cup of "home remedy", Mom's hot lemonade, made with fresh lemon juice, honey and hot water.

Yes, I have a head cold and sorority scheduled at my house tonight.  What to do??  I don't want to pass this along to my friends, so I will call co-hostess Darlene and decide what to do.  Do we cancel the meeting, move the meeting place or what?  Some people would say, "Idella will do anything to get our of cleaning her house", they may be right.  But no, even I wouldn't go this far.  I got the kitchen and bathroom cleaned yesterday and plan on doing the living room today, etc etc.

As I write about "Mom's home remedies" it brings back memories of many, many years ago.  You learned early on never to tell Mom that you were having a problem going to the bathroom or that you weren't feeling well or thought you might be coming down with a cold, or had a tummy ache, or a sore throat.  Most of these things would pass in time, on their own.  If you were really sick, she would figure it out, and bring all of her remedies out of the "medicine cabinet" to cure whatever ailed you.

For the common cold and sore throat, first came the blue bottle of Vick's Vapor Rub, filled with menthol smelling salve.  That in itself was not bad, when just rubbed on the throat, but it was on occasion inserted inside the nostrils (which is a no-no) but it definitely cleared out the sinuses. Also there was Vick's nose drops and a Vick's inhaler.  Remember there were no nose sprays, decongestants or antibiotics in those days, just aspirin and Vick's.  I was plagued with "tonsillitis" which was probably strep throat and today, easily taken care of with a round of penicillin.  Then huge pills called sulfa drugs were given.  I was between the ages of four and eight and couldn't swallow pills, so I would first refuse the pills, but as the pain of the sore throat worsened I would chew the pills and then try to wash them down with water, not a pleasant memory.  I have also had my throat swabbed with Merthiolate and Vick's salve.  The cure soon becoming worse than the disease, and in time I recovered.  The hot lemonade and a salt water gargle were probably the best remedies.

If  you had a chest cold, then the mustard plaster came into play.  Mom would mix up dried mustard and water, spread it on a clean cloth, rub your chest with lard and apply the mustard plaster to your chest.  Cover you with blankets and a hot water bottle, just to get the mustard to heat up.  This was supposed to break-up the mucus in your chest and help you to breath easier.  When the mustard plaster was removed, your chest would be a flaming red color from the mustard plaster and you said "Yes, Mom, I can breath much better now."

If you mentioned that you had a tummy ache, first came the "vinegar fizz".  Made by mixing hot water, vinegar and a pinch of baking soda, stirred and drank before it bubbled over the top of the glass.  This was usually followed by "throwing up"(vomiting) whatever was causing the tummy ache.  Further complaining brought out the "Fletcher's Castoria" bottle filled with a foul tasting, brown syrup.  Since the "vinegar fizz" didn't cure the tummy ache, it must be constipation.   "Fletcher's Castoria" was administered by the tablespoon full and followed with a large glass of water.  This was sure to solve the problem because no one in their right mind wanted to remind Mom of the "enema bag".  Enough said.  OWAV:)