Thursday Thirteen

Thursday 13: Songs I Loved (But Now Maybe Not So Much)

1. Muskrat Love, by Captain & Tennille. I once thought it was charming. Now I wonder what was in the water. Rats in love? Who sings about that? Besides Captain & Tennille, I mean.

2. You Light Up My Life, by Debby Boone. This was mandatory listening in the 70s. Like jury duty, but with strings. And it was also the first song I ever sang in public while accompanying myself on guitar. I was a freshman in high school.

3. Afternoon Delight, by Starland Vocal Band. In the 1970s, I sang along cheerfully. Then I learned what it meant. Then I discovered Sunday afternoons. ::: wink wink :::

4. Escape (The Piña Colada Song), by Rupert Holmes. A catchy tune about two people cheating on each other … with each other. It was kind of fun, but I do wonder if that couple would have made it.

5. Seasons in the Sun, by Terry Jacks. All the young girls cried over this song when I was in . . . I think elementary school?  We thought it was profound. When I listen to it now, it's terribly depressing.

6. Honey, by Bobby Goldsboro. I remember my father singing this song. I once found it touching. Now I find it emotionally manipulative.

7. Feelings, by Morris Albert. Feelings… nothing more than . . .  melodrama. My husband hates this song.

8. Sometimes When We Touch, by Dan Hill. The honesty was too much. And also somehow not enough. I loved the line about being "just another writer, still trapped within my truth," though.

9. You’re Having My Baby, by Paul Anka. I didn’t realize how cringe this was until I heard Howard Wolowitz sing it on The Big Bang Theory, aimed at Bernadette's tummy. Then it was like, oh yuck. I will never be able to hear this song again without seeing Howard's face.

10. The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia, by Vicki Lawrence. I loved the drama. I loved the story. Now I hear it as a soap opera, but I confess I still like the song. I just don't love it like I once did.

11. Delta Dawn, by Helen Reddy. Still catchy, but the storyline feels different when you’re old enough to read between the lines. I mean, 40 years old and her daddy still called her Baby? What's up with that? However, this song hasn't anything on Reddy's Angie Baby for total weirdness. That's some freaky stuff right there.

12. Billy, Don’t Be a Hero, by Bo Donaldson & The Heywoods. I thought it was sad. I still think it's a sad song, but I also think it should be an anti-war song. Nobody should come home in a coffin.

13. Brand New Key, by Melanie. Cute, yes. But also . . . what exactly was happening here? I remember singing this song with my mother, who apparently did not make a connection between roller skates and keys and, well, sex. Because surely that's what they're talking about right? Right?

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Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 969th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen

13 Movie or TV Characters I’d Actually Want to Have Tea With

1. Christine Cagney (Cagney & Lacey). I loved her tough‑girl style and her matter‑of‑fact way of taking charge of her life, even when it went down the toilet in an alcoholic frenzy.

2. Xena: Warrior Princess. Another tough girl who could knock a man across the room with the back of her hand and then grab him by the hoo‑haas and kiss him until his eyes crossed. Who wouldn’t want to have coffee with someone who was once very bad but then set aright by Hercules?

3. Captain Kathryn Janeway (Star Trek: Voyager). The female captain of the Star Trek franchise was always noble, always on top of things, and always right. She would let me know what flying through the Delta Quadrant was all about.

4. Colonel Sarah MacKenzie (JAG). She could beat up a bad guy and then prosecute another one all in the same day, and then later that night she’d get Harm all hot and bothered just by fluttering her eyelashes, and you know she never meant to do that. I would love to hear the stories of some of her most famous cases.

5. Gandalf (The Lord of the Rings). I mean, he’s a wizard. He’s lived a couple thousand years. He fought a Balrog and died and came back to tell about it. He can whistle up the king of horses. Imagine the tales this man could tell you.

6. Sandy (Grease). Let’s face it, I’d really be having tea with Olivia Newton‑John, who has unfortunately passed away, but maybe I’d find out what it was she wanted Danny to “tell me about it” when she said that line near the end of the movie.

7. Aragorn (The Lord of the Rings). The king of the new era in Middle Earth would have lots of tales to tell, I’m sure, but honestly, the way Viggo Mortensen portrayed him means I’d mostly just sit and drink him in instead of the cuppa I had in front of me.

8. Jamie Sommers (The Bionic Woman).  Let’s face it, she had a tough time with being bionic and all, and I know Lindsay Wagner actually sometimes does those 2‑minute face‑to‑face things with people online because I follow her on Facebook. I thought about doing one of those but then I thought, what would I tell her for 2 minutes? That I loved the character but the writing was awful in season 3 and I’m sorry, but I didn’t like the bionic dog Max?

9. Captain Jean‑Luc Picard (Star Trek: The Next Generation). If I'm going to have tea with a Starfleet captain, I may as well pick the one who can quote Shakespeare, negotiate peace between warring planets, and still make time for Earl Grey. He’d talk about diplomacy, leadership, and that time he got turned into Locutus. He'd do all in that calm, steady voice that makes you feel like everything’s going to be fine.

10. Diana Prince (Wonder Woman, film version). Compassionate, fierce, and heartbreakingly earnest. She’d talk about the burden of knowing humanity’s flaws and loving us anyway. Plus, she’d absolutely insist on paying for the tea because “it is my honor.”

11. Amy Farrah Fowler (The Big Bang Theory).  Imagine sitting across from a woman who can explain neurobiology, medieval harp music, and the mating habits of fruit flies without ever losing her deadpan delivery. She’d ask me three extremely personal questions before the coffee even cooled, then apologize for her “enthusiasm for data collection.” And she’d have stories about Sheldon that would make me laugh so hard I'd snort.

12. Sabrina Duncan (Charlie's Angels). She’d sit down, smile that serene smile, and suddenly I'd feel like the world wasn’t such a mess. She could talk about truth, justice, invisible bosses, and how she managed to fight crime in heels with her head and her heart, all without ever breaking a sweat.

13. Mr. Spock (Star Trek: original series). Imagine the calm. Imagine the logic. Imagine the eyebrow. He’d sip his tea, explain the universe, and gently point out the flaws in my reasoning without making me feel stupid. And if I asked him whether he ever secretly enjoyed McCoy’s sass, he’d give me that tiny almost‑smile that means “yes, but I’ll never admit it.”

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Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 968th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen

 

A friend and I were chatting on the phone and we were talking about things we were afraid of. And I immediately thought: Thursday 13 topic!

So here are 13 things I'm afraid of:

1. Dogs in Lowes, or any other store, for that matter. They don't belong there. I'm allergic to them, for one thing, and they all shed. Big dogs are scary. I have left carts sitting in stores and left because there have been dogs in grocery stores. Like I want to put my tomatoes in a cart where some dog has had its butt sitting. Eww. I wouldn't even want to put my light bulbs there.

2. Barbed wire fences. If you've ever climbed over one of those and snagged your pants, you'd know why I'm afraid of them. You can get caught and then suddenly you've flipped and turned upside down until your britches tear so you can get free. Most of them are rusted, so you'd better have a current tetanus shot or you could end really sick if the barbed wire pierces your skin.

3. The current administration. We are living in a crazy scary time, when up is down and things are topsy-turvy. When January 6 was a "tourist walk" and Neo-Nazis can march through Washington, DC without anyone in power even blinking, we are living in very perilous times.

4. Poison ivy or poison oak. It really doesn't matter to me which one I run into, they both make me break out in a horrible rash that requires a steroid to relieve.

5. Forest fires. There's nothing scarier than watching the mountainside burn. I've seen several of these up close and personal - I was sent to cover them occasionally when I wrote for the paper. Hot, burning, embers crackling, brush falling all around you, men yelling. The fear of being trapped behind the fire line and no one realizing the silly news reporter was up there. My husband, who was a firefighter, also fought several mountain fires when he was younger. I remember going to the grocery store and buying cases of water to take to the command station for the firemen, a very long time ago.

6. Ticks. When I was a kid, these didn't scare me so much, but apparently now they carry loads of disease and I want to stay far, far away from these tiny little villains. I know many people who've gotten ill from them. 

7. Snakes. I have always been afraid of snakes. When I was about 4 years old, I was playing outside with my doll near a tree. I was also using the tree as a being, and for some reason it had been a bad being and needed whipping. When I went to whip it, I looked down and there was a snake wrapped around the tree. I ran inside to my mother, and I was so frightened all I could do was stand there and point. I remember her saying, "What is it?" and then rattling off things until she finally said "snake" and I nodded. She called my father, who came home from wherever he was - I think he may have been a police officer then - and dispatched the snake.

8. High wind. I was in a tornado once, when I was in the high school band. We didn't realize there was a tornado, just that we all needed to move away from the window of the restaurant we were eating at because the winds were terribly strong and there was hail. After the winds washed over us, the sun burst out, and then the winds returned. After we all piled back into the bus, we saw that just down the road, there was the path of the tornado. It went down the mountainside, through an outdoor movie theater, and it was quite the mess. I was young then and didn't realize the danger. The 2012 derecho that came through and left a lot of folks without power was also incredibly scary and very dangerous. We were watching TV and didn't know there was a forecast for high winds. Suddenly whoosh - it was like a wall of wind hit the house. Strong winds make me very nervous.

9. Public speaking. One of the reasons I liked being a news reporter was I didn't have to do the talking. Even in a one-on-one interview, all I had to do was ask questions. People like to talk and once you get them to open up, then it's just a matter of saying "uh huh" or "and then what happened" in the right spots. I have had to speak before groups on occasion and I found it terrifying.

10. Sudden loud noises. I don’t mean fireworks you’re expecting. A noise that goes off when you’re not prepared. A transformer blowing, a truck backfiring, a gunshot somewhere in the distance. That jolt of adrenaline that shoots straight through your spine and makes your heart race. I’ve never liked that feeling and doubt I ever will.

11. Phone calls after 9 p.m. or before 8 a.m. Texts are fine. Scheduled calls are fine. But when the phone rings out of nowhere, especially after hours or before the day begins, my stomach drops. It’s never someone calling to say something simple like “I found your missing sock.” It’s always something that requires emotional bandwidth, money, or both.

12. Being misunderstood. I spend a lot of time trying to be clear, thoughtful, and precise. When someone twists my meaning, or hears something I didn’t say, or assumes something I didn’t intend, it rattles me. It’s not the disagreement that scares me. It’s the idea that my words didn’t land the way I meant them to.

13. High bridges. Not the scenic ones you drive over without thinking. I mean the tall ones with narrow lanes, fast traffic, and no shoulder. The kind where you grip the steering wheel a little tighter and breathe a little shallower. Like the one in Charleston. Or the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel. Long bridges with no escape.

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Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 967th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen

 

When I was young, I used to be an avid comic book reader. My uncle who was four years older than I was read comic books and once I could read, I began to read them too. This would have been the late 1960s, early 1970s - what I would consider my "golden age" of comic books.

I haven't picked up a comic book in many years, but from what I've read, they've changed dramatically since then. The comics I read were bright, self‑contained, and easy to pick up off the newsstand.

Today’s comics are more serialized, more cinematic, and far more complex. They have deeper character development, modern art styles, and a wider range of heroes than I ever saw back then.

It’s a different landscape but still built on the same colorful foundations I grew up with.

If you need a hero, the comics are one place to look.

1. Wonder Woman (DC). The iconic Amazon warrior and symbol of truth and justice. When I was reading her, she'd basically been turned into the secretary for the Justice League.

2. Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff) (Marvel). Master spy turned Avenger with unmatched tactical skill. In my era, she roamed around with Spider Man sometimes.

3. Storm (Ororo Munroe) (Marvel). Weather‑controlling mutant and longtime X‑Men leader.

4. Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers) (Marvel). Cosmic powerhouse known for strength, flight, and energy blasts.

5. Jean Grey (Marvel). Founding X‑Man whose telepathy and telekinesis make her one of Marvel’s strongest heroes.

6. Rogue (Marvel). Southern mutant who absorbs powers and memories with a touch.

7. Thor (Jane Foster) (Marvel). When she lifts Mjolnir, she becomes the Mighty Thor, worthy of godlike power.

8. She‑Hulk (Jennifer Walters) (Marvel). Gamma‑powered attorney balancing super strength with sharp humor.

9. Ms. Marvel (Kamala Khan) (Marvel). Shape‑shifting teen hero inspired by her idol, Captain Marvel.

10. Supergirl (Kara Zor‑El) (DC). Superman’s cousin, bringing Kryptonian strength and compassion to Earth.

11. Power Girl (Kara Zor‑L) (DC). Earth‑2’s Kryptonian hero, known for her confidence and raw power.

12. Spider‑Woman (Jessica Drew) (Marvel). Super‑powered investigator with venom blasts and wall‑crawling abilities.

13. Sue Storm / Invisible Woman (Marvel). Fantastic Four co‑founder who uses invisibility and force fields with precision. I always thought she was really cool and she was one of my favorites.

When I was reading comics, there was basically only Wonder Woman, Sue Storm, the Black Widow, She-Hulk, and Supergirl. Oh, and I left out Batgirl. How could I forget Batgirl? She was on the TV show.

I have a vague idea how the others came to be - but some of these characters used to be male, like Thor and Captain Marvel. I know there are now different earths and universes and such, but I'm rather clueless as to how that all came about. Some of that I know from reading about comics. Some of it I know from The Big Bang Theory.

There's a new Supergirl movie out. I don't know if I will make it to the theater to see it, but I will at least watch it when it hits the TV. I really liked the first Wonder Woman movie. Supergirl isn't getting very good reviews, but you never know.

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Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 966th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen #965

Tick‑Borne Diseases (With the Creepy Details)

I recently talked to a friend I hadn't spoken with for some time and learned she'd been in the hospital with a tick-borne illness. I had no idea that ticks could make you sick enough to nearly die. I knew about Lyme Disease and Alpha Gal, but a little research indicates that there are a lot of tick-borne diseases out there.

The weird thing is that these diseases didn't seem to be a problem when I was a child. I had ticks on me frequently. My family lived on a farm. It wasn't unusual to have to get my mother to pull a tick out of my head. It was a common childhood thing. You played outside, ticks found you.

By the time I was an adult, though, things had changed. This makes me wonder if some environmental issue has caused ticks to become toxic sources of illnesses.

Here are some of the diseases ticks can give you.

1. Lyme Disease is spread by black‑legged ticks. It starts with fatigue, fever, and sometimes the famous bull’s‑eye rash (though plenty of people never get one). Untreated, it can move into joints, nerves, and the heart. Virginia is a hotspot.

2. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) is carried by the American dog tick and the brown dog tick. Begins with high fever and a headache that feels like someone is tightening a belt around your skull. The rash often shows up late, which is why early treatment matters.

3. Ehrlichiosis is delivered courtesy of the lone star tick. It causes fever, chills, muscle aches, and sometimes confusion. Blood tests often show low white cells and platelets. Responds well to doxycycline if caught early.

4. Anaplasmosis is similar to ehrlichiosis but transmitted by black‑legged ticks. Symptoms include fever, chills, and a general “I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck” sensation. Can cause organ issues if untreated.

5. Babesiosis is a parasite spread by the black-legged tick that infects red blood cells. It's basically malaria’s American cousin. Causes fever, dark urine, and anemia. More dangerous for people over 50 or those without a spleen.

6. Tularemia is rare but serious. Ticks can transmit it, but so can handling infected rabbits. Symptoms depend on how it enters the body, but fever and swollen lymph nodes are common. It's sometimes called “rabbit fever.”

7. Powassan Virus is a fast‑acting virus spread by black‑legged ticks. Transmission can happen in as little as 15 minutes. Can cause brain swelling, seizures, and long‑term neurological problems. Thankfully rare.

8. Heartland Virus was first identified in Missouri; it is now found in the Midwest and South. It spreads by the lone star tick. The virus causes fever, fatigue, low white blood cells, and low platelets. There is no specific treatment except supportive care.

9. Bourbon Virus is another newly discovered tick‑borne virus, also linked to the lone star tick. Symptoms include fever, rash, and low blood counts. Extremely rare but severe when it occurs.

10. Alpha‑gal Syndrome is not an infection. It’s an allergy triggered by lone star tick bites. Causes delayed allergic reactions to red meat, gelatin, and sometimes dairy. People often discover it after a steak dinner goes sideways at 2 a.m. I know several people who have this. Some have found relief with acupuncture. Some have just waited it out, and some may never eat certain meats again.

11. STARI (Southern Tick–Associated Rash Illness) looks like Lyme, acts like Lyme, but isn’t Lyme. Lone star ticks again are the cause. This disease causes a rash and flu‑like symptoms, but the exact cause remains unknown. Responds to antibiotics even though no bacterium has been identified.

12. Colorado Tick Fever is a viral illness carried by ticks in the Rocky Mountains. Causes fever that comes and goes in waves, plus muscle aches and fatigue. The virus hides inside red blood cells, which makes blood donation unsafe for months afterward.

13. Tick‑borne Relapsing Fever is caused by Borrelia species transmitted by soft ticks. True to its name, symptoms come in cycles: high fever for a few days, then a break, then another fever spike. Can cause nausea, dizziness, and night sweats.

Here in Virginia, we get the full cast of characters: black‑legged ticks, lone star ticks, and American dog ticks, each with its own bad habits. Lyme disease is the most common statewide, especially in the Blue Ridge and northern counties, but ehrlichiosis and alpha‑gal syndrome are rising fast thanks to the ever‑pushy lone star tick. Rocky Mountain spotted fever shows up regularly, too, and Powassan virus has been detected in the region even though cases remain rare. In short, Virginia has more than its share of tick‑borne trouble, and most of it is sitting right in the tall grass waiting for someone to walk by.

Black-legged tick and lone star tick (AI drawing)

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Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 965th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen

Wednesday, 06-17-2026, the county held a forum for the data center that is being built in the industrial center. Since the proposed data center project directly affects our area and may ultimately affect our farm, I wanted to see the information for myself.

The forum was a total zoo. There were many people running around with "No Data Center" signs. Folks stood at tables and argued with the experts. 

The experts looked, well, a bit overwhelmed.

There were smells all over the place, perfumes and cologne. All the things to which I am allergic.

The best part for me was this: I saw a lot of people I hadn't seen in a while, including some journalists and the Democrat candidate for the Virginia 6th District House of Representatives seat. I went to college with her.

This thing was held in the lower gymnasium of the high school. The elevators weren't working as promised, and I had to walk down two flights of steps. My friend had to go get her car and come around and pick me up when we left because there was no way I could climb two flights of stairs. I could barely get down them. A lot of older people were clinging to the handrails. So that was a SNAFU that could have been better handled for sure. 

There was some guy in orange there with a big mustache. I think he was supposed to be the Lorax. There was a huge crowd of people around the county administrator. Every time I glanced over at him, I noticed his face kept getting redder and redder. I never got close enough to speak to him although I did talk to two county supervisors.

So here are some photos of this event:

The large crowd at the entrance before they opened the doors should have warned me.

They wanted everyone to sign in. Some people did not like that.

The project.

The Lorax (?)

More about the project.

A rendition of one of the data centers.

I am not sure about the timeline. As far as I know, the US Army Corps of Engineers
hasn't issued a permit.

More stuff about the project.

The "no data center" signs popped up occasionally.

More about the project. Corporate stuff.

More corporate stuff.

More corporate stuff.

Beth Macy, who is running for election in the Virginia 6th District,
House of Representatives

The county communications director

Two friends of mine who I didn't think would care if I put up their picture.

An overview of the crowd

People protesting outside. Bye Bye.

In the end, I came away with more questions than answers. The county and Google certainly succeeded in drawing a crowd, but whether anyone changed their mind about the project is another matter. At least I got to see some old friends and collect a few photographs.

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Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 964th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen - Grandma Edition

1. Every June 11, I stop and do the math again. She’d be 103 this year, which feels impossible and also exactly right. Some people stay present long after they’re gone. Today is my maternal grandmother's birthday.

2. When I think of childhood, I’m at her kitchen table with Campbell’s chicken noodle soup steaming in front of me and a Little Debbie Oatmeal Crème Pie (known to us grandkids as a Grandaddy Cookie) waiting its turn. That table was my infirmary, my library, my safe harbor.

3. She had already raised five children by the time I arrived, with another one coming a year after me, yet she still had patience left over for every grandchild who wandered through her door.

4. On sick days she wrapped me in one of Aunt Susie’s afghans, pulled me into her lap, and rocked while she sang “Daisy, Daisy.” The chair creaked, her voice hummed, and I drifted off like it was the most natural thing in the world.

5. If I wasn’t too sick, I camped on the couch with tissues while we watched The Price Is Right, Dark Shadows, and The Guiding Light. She could pick up more channels than we could in the country, which felt like magic.

6. At 2 p.m. sharp, the house went still. That was when she talked to “Mama Fore,” and unless you were actively bleeding, you waited.

7. My favorite part of sick days was reading. She let me loose on the World Book Encyclopedias, Nancy Drew, Little House, The Silver Skates, Five Little Peppers - anything I could reach and wanted to read. I read the encyclopedia for fun, and she never once acted like that was strange.

8. She only had a fourth‑grade education, but she valued knowledge like it was oxygen. She read the newspaper front to back, even the grocery ads, and she read it aloud to me until I could read it myself at four. I’ve been reading The Roanoke Times ever since.

9. Her house ran on small rituals: Friday hair appointments at Aunt Neva’s, walking three blocks and crossing a four‑lane road like it was nothing, sometimes with us trailing behind on bikes. Wash clothes on Mondays. Change the bed linens on Saturdays. Have dinner ready for Grandpa's arrival from work by 4 p.m. on the dot. Those rituals brought comfort in an ever-changing world.

10. The rag bag in the hallway closet was its own universe. Old sheets and fabric scraps became doll blankets, superhero capes, and whatever else our imaginations demanded. Whether we put anything back is another story.

11. In the summers, I walked with her into downtown Salem. That mile and a half felt like an expedition. We kids bought balsa airplanes or paddle balls with our saved‑up change, and she always treated us to snow cones at Brooks Byrd Pharmacy. I picked blue every time.

12. She lived through losses she didn’t talk about: her parents, her husband, siblings, and later, my mother. When I was fifteen and showed up in my prom dress, she called my mother afterward and cried because I had thought to come. I was her oldest grandchild.

13. Even now, when I’m lonesome, I talk to her. She doesn’t answer out loud, but I feel like she listens. She always did. I sure wish she was still just a phone call away.

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Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 963rd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen

1. Colds are viruses that make you feel miserable. They are commonly caused by rhinoviruses, not bacteria. Over 200 different viruses can cause cold symptoms. Antibiotics do not help, because they target bacteria, not viruses.

2. Adults average 2–3 colds per year, while kids can get 6–8. Kids are little snot factories, aren't they?

3. Colds spread through droplets, contaminated surfaces, and close contact. Please cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough and wear a mask when you're out if you're within the first three days of your cold. You can always pretend you're an ICE agent if you don't like masks.

4. Symptoms usually start one to three days after exposure, which is the incubation period. Mine started about three days after my husband's started. We don't know where his came from, but obviously the domino effect began somewhere.

5. You’re most contagious in the first two or three days of symptoms. Since I live with my husband and he touches everything, there's not much I can do to keep from catching a cold when he gets one.

6. A cold typically lasts seven to ten days, though some symptoms (like cough) can linger longer.

7. Fever is uncommon in adults, but more common in children with colds.

8. Nasal congestion happens because blood vessels in the nose swell, not because of mucus alone. Post‑nasal drip is a classic cold symptom, often causing cough or throat irritation.

9. Handwashing reduces your risk more than any supplement or home remedy. Vitamin C doesn’t prevent colds but may shorten duration for some people. Zinc may help if taken within 24 hours of symptom onset but can cause nausea. I take zinc every day and have since Covid. Maybe I need to add Vitamin C.

10. Rest actually matters, because your immune system works better when you’re not stressed or exhausted. I don't know anyone who isn't stressed or exhausted right now.

11. A cold can trigger asthma symptoms, making breathing feel heavier or tighter. I am experiencing that a lot with this particular cold.

12. Green or yellow mucus doesn’t automatically mean infection, just immune cells doing their job. The teledoc told me that when my husband was pointing out to her that my excretions were multi-colored.

13. There is no cure, only symptom management. The body clears the virus on its own. 

Generally speaking, when you get a cold, expect 10 days of blah, and then you'll feel better unless the cold created a secondary infection. Then you may need to see your doctor.

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Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 962nd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen

Survivor just ended its 50th season. We watched most of it. We did not watch much of Season 49, but since this was a "special" season, and Stephanie was coming back, I wanted to see it. I always did like Stephanie, even if I don't know her last name.

A recent turn of events at home, to be written about at another time, forced me to admit that I could never be a contestant on Survivor. Here are 13 reasons why.

1. I would not last an hour sleeping on dirt, sand, or pieces of bamboo. I am the first cousin to the title character in The Princess and the Pea.

2. I am allergic to fish and I won’t eat coconut. That leaves me eating nothing but rice and, I don’t know, maybe worms?

3. I am on medications that say, “do not be in direct sunlight.” Survivor is basically 39 days of direct sunlight.

4. I haven’t been swimming in 20 years. If the challenge involves water, I’m the one yelling “Y’all go on without me.”

5. I can’t even get into my bed without a step stool. How would I ever climb a rope?

6. My idea of “roughing it” is when the hotel ice machine is on a different floor. If I have to walk outside to pee, I’m done.

7. I require water that is crystal clear from a Brita Pitcher, not strained through a sock by a nasty well. And I’m not drinking it out of a bamboo cup carved by someone named “Boston Rob.”

8. I cannot function without at least three pillows arranged in a precise orthopedic geometry. A rolled‑up sweatshirt is not a pillow. It is a cry for help.

9. I would absolutely tell on myself during a challenge. “Jeff, I stepped off the beam. I know you didn’t see it, but I did.”

10. My resting face is ‘I’m judging you,’ which would get me voted out immediately. Someone would say “tribe unity,” and my eyes would betray me.

11. I would form an alliance with a hermit crab and then cry when someone stepped on it. Emotional resilience is not my strong suit.

12. I cannot whisper. Every strategy session would be me stage‑whispering, “I THINK THEY’RE VOTING FOR YOU,” and blowing up the whole plan.

13. If Jeff Probst yelled “Come on in!” I would yell back, “No thank you, I’m good right here in the shade.”  

And that would be the end of my Survivor journey.

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Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 961st time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen #960

Today we have a list of foods that never go bad if properly stored. In short, keep moisture, air, heat, and pests away and you can keep these babies in your pantry forever. We all might want to stock up on honey and dried beans. The way things are going, that might be what gets us all through the winter!

1. Salt - A mineral with no moisture, so microbes can’t grow. 

2. Sugar - Low water activity keeps it stable indefinitely. 

3. White Rice - Milling removes oils that cause rancidity; lasts decades when sealed. 

4. Dried Beans - Extremely low moisture; safe for years (older beans just cook slower). 

5. Lentils - Same principle as beans; long-term shelf stability. 

6. Popcorn Kernels - Low moisture and protective hull keep them viable indefinitely. 

7. Soy Sauce - Fermented, salty, and acidic; lasts for years unopened. 

8. Worcestershire Sauce - Another fermented condiment with long-term stability. 

9. White Vinegar - High acidity prevents microbial growth. 

10. Maple Syrup (Pure, Unopened) - Low water + high sugar content. 

11. Distilled Liquor (40% ABV+) - Alcohol content prevents spoilage. 

12. Cornstarch - Dry starch with no protein or fat to degrade. 

13. Canned Low‑Acid Foods - Safe indefinitely if the can remains intact. 

Bonus: Honey

Honey - Low moisture, natural acidity, and antimicrobial compounds let it last for centuries. Archaeologists have found edible honey in ancient tombs. 

Sources

Tatler Asia: Foods with no expiration date (white rice, honey, sugar) 

AOL: 10 Foods That Never Expire (honey, salt, sugar, white rice, dried beans, vinegar) 

SavingAdvice: Foods that never expire (honey, rice, salt, sugar, beans, lentils, popcorn, canned goods, soy sauce, Worcestershire) 

FoodEzy: Foods that don’t expire (salt, sugar, honey, white rice, dried beans, vinegar, maple syrup, soy sauce, distilled spirits, cornstarch) 

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Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 960th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen

This is the time of year when one of my favorite foods shows up in the stores, and this is when it tastes the best. Let's salute the strawberry!

1. Strawberries are grown in every U.S. state and are often the first fruit to ripen in spring.

2. An average strawberry has about 200 seeds, all on the outside.

3. The name “strawberry” likely comes from the Old English strewian, referring to how berries are strewn about on runners.

4. Strawberries are not true berries; botanically they are accessory fruits.

5. Each “seed” on a strawberry is actually an achene, a tiny fruit containing its own seed.

6. The cultivated strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) is a hybrid of two native species: F. chiloensis and F. virginiana.

7. The United States is the world’s largest producer of strawberries.

8. California alone produces billions of pounds of strawberries annually and has over 50,000 acres devoted to the crop. Strawberries are perennial plants, typically fruiting for about five years.

9. One cup of strawberries contains only 55 calories and is high in vitamin C.

10. Americans eat about eight pounds of strawberries per year on average.

11. Strawberries have been associated with foodborne illness outbreaks, including E. coli, norovirus, and hepatitis A.

12. Native Americans ate strawberries fresh and also baked them into cornbread. Ancient Romans believed strawberries had medicinal properties, using them for fever and sore throats.

13. Strawberries belong to the rose family (Rosaceae).

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Sources

SNAP‑Ed Connection: Strawberries

Clemson Extension / Home & Garden Information Center: Strawberry history & naming

College of Health & Human Sciences: Food Source Information—Strawberries
Michigan State University Extension: Strawberry plant science facts
Encyclopaedia Britannica: Strawberry (Fragaria) overview

*AI created the pretty logo at the top.

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Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 959th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.