Did you miss me? What do you mean – no?

Want to know where I was?

Well, I’ll tell you anyway.

Ear infection. Nasty, horrible and painful, but at least I didn’t get the usual dizziness – that is a HUGE win for me.

There’s a story to this… there’s always a story, isn’t there?

When @s0u1 and I first started seeing each other, maybe a year or so into the relationship, I got an ear infection. Three months without proper balance, unable to think properly – it was like trying to think through wool or fog. I had ‘moved in’ with him at his parents (we were both teenagers) the excuse was that I stayed over a couple of nights a week – maybe seven…

Fast-forward a few years.

A few of us went to Chatsworth House on the bikes (motorcycles) for a picnic.

Source

The river has a slow flow and is relatively safe to swim and so we did.

When I saw the dead sheep bobbing past just as we’d finished swimming and were getting out of the river, I kinda knew things were not going to go well.

That sheep seemed to be the portent of doom – since then I’ve suffered with regular ear infections. I’m not saying it was the sheep’s fault, just that the carcass was an indicator of bad luck.

When our kids were small – 6 & 3 years (I think), I got another infection and the doctor prescribed an antihistamine – Piriton. It would appear that I’m susceptible to antihistamine, it knocked me out cold.

The kids decided I was no fun and so they set off to walk to grandma’s house – 6 or 7 miles away, crossing a major, exceptionally busy road.

@s0u1 came home from work and wondered where the kids were.

We searched the house, the garden, the house again and I couldn’t figure out (through the fog of infection and antihistamine) where they could be.

They were returned to us by a neighbour – not a close neighbour, we didn’t know him – but the kids had made it about a mile from home. They had taken a toy each (a teddy for Dani and a ball for Haydn) and crossed a busy road (not the major one) alone. It was only when they came to passing by the ‘spooky hill’ that they stopped and the neighbour found them.

I learned a few things that day – not today, but I’m putting it in #til anyway.

I don’t take antihistamine when I already have problems with fuzzy-headedness.

I keep the front door locked.

My kids are awesome, they are still independent and resourceful.

I really, REALLY don’t like ear infections.