Into your elbow, please

Ordinary January days in our part of the country mean ordinary winter respiratory "adventures." Whether it's colds, sinus infections, bronchitis or even pneumonia, with 63 residents, up to a dozen visitors/week, 20 or so lay employees, and sisters from the Mount and Erie who travel back and forth, in and out daily, we could be a CDC study, I swear, on the transmission and sharing of bacteria, viruses and such.

We try, we really do: flu shots, hand washing, sanitizer, hydrating more than usual,and sneezing into elbow rather than hands. We know it all, the signs and the preventions---but we cannot stop our annual migration of germs and such from making their merry way through the people here. So when we're felled, it's rest, liquids and staying in our rooms away from crowds as much as possible. It drags you down--both literally and otherwise. But, the shortest day of the year has passed already, the sun does shine brightly here and there and the air is crisp, albeit too dry....and we carry on! We're natives, we're Great Lakes region dwellers and I, at least, look longingly at my summer Presque Isle pictures knowing that in a few months another world will open here and "all shall be well"-----both people and the climate!

Stay well yourselves!

Here's a pretty look at our inner courtyard magnolia tree with a fresh wet snowfall that laid on each branch, along with the Christmas lights that are still there! The lights are on a sunset-to-sunrise timer.These lingering dark days of January often have the lights still on as we go to Morning Prayer at 6:25 and leave at 6:55 a.m.