Home grown
Wednesday, February 28th, 2007
It’s nearly midnight and I just remembered that I hadn’t blogged. Of course, the moment I remembered was just as I was about to finally drift off to sleep. I hadn’t coughed in about ten minutes…a really amazing thing, since my ribs are likely bruised from the fits I had last night. I hate being sick. I hate having bronchitis or whatever it is I have. I hate missing sleep.
But what I do love is an excuse to have me some honey, whiskey and lemon.
My grandmother used to prescribe this remedy to me when I was a kid. She’d mix it up and I was allowed precisely one tablespoon full of the stuff per hour. Future tippler that I was, I’d watch the clock.
I believe this remedy was for sore throats…but the first sign of a cold and I break out the Jack Daniels. I don’t limit myself to one tablespoon anymore, but I do try to keep things in perspective. After all, I may not be driving, but I do have a kid in the house.
Makes me think about all those wonderful home remedies that we all have in our families. Beyond this toddy-like temptation, my favorite is aloe for burns. I have a huge plant, very hearty. When I got second degree burns on my hand from hitting a burner on my stove (don’t ask…goes to the whole “Julie needs a new kitchen” argument) the aloe was the only thing that offered any relief.
The bottled stuff won’t do, either. It’s got to be the real thing, a stalk sliced off the plant and then cut open to reveal all the gooey goodness inside.
So what are the home remedies you grew up with? Do you still use them? Do they work? Share! (Anything you can offer for a cough and sore ribs would be much appreciated.)
