When Ill, Peel Garlic

I have been a bit ill the last few days, running a bit more slowly, feeling a bit nasty. Not wanting to eat. All of us got something, but only Phil got it badly (though 36 hours of sleep healed him up); Abraham has taken extra naps; jadon had oozy eyes; Joe apparently has a sinus infection that only manifests in oozy eyes and runny nose.

And I have had not much to say, and we've not done much around the farm, as we both frantically try to meet deadlines with our city jobs.

We had run so desperately low on hay last week, due to circumstances beyond our control, we ended up combining all the animals so the one partial haybale could feed them all. So I haven't milked since last Thursday. Beatrice went right back to nursing from her mama, so I have good hope that, when we do separate the animals again, she will still be well in milk.

However, November is fast running out, so on Saturday I pulled out my stored garlic. I had intended to plant all the cloves I grew this last year, and so increase my production dramatically. However, I have neither time nor inclination to plant twelve raised beds of garlic right now, and as I peeled cloves, I realized how few of them were really nicely large and plump. So I planted the plump ones, and have the smaller ones, the ones that, if a recipe called for "three cloves of garlic" would actually need about eight cloves, ready for our personal consumption. I got two and a half pounds in the ground and felt very pleased.

On Sunday, because our sicknesses were not getting better, the boys and I stayed home all day. I spent the day peeling my final variety of garlic, about 25 pounds worth.

I created four piles: the large cloves for planting (foreground), the yet untouched garlic, the too-small garlic (in bowl), and the wrappers and centers. In retrospect, it was, perhaps, not the most prudent to peel garlic all over my bed, but, well, mentally I haven't been all there for a few days.

I had felt like something was in my throat. Embarrassingly prone to tonsil stones, I went to remove one and was amazed this evening to discover my throat covered in white patches. Ah! Strep throat! Never had strep throat (though tonsil stones would be indicative, I suppose, of chronic tonsillitis).

Initially I was pleased with my fortitude: here I have been preparing meals, and working, and planting garlic, and all this time I have had strep throat. People go to the doctor for strep throat! And I have said, "Oh, I'm only about 80% today." Yes, I am awesome.

Then, though, I had a sinking sensation. I checked the boys' throats and, yes, all four of them also had white patches. The last day or two, they have not complained of illness; they have not behaved really any differently than normal. So I think the right thing to say is, yes, they are awesome.