Poor Sheri. We are both getting sick, and we would both like nothing better than to take a week off to take care of ourselves, but neither of us can take any vacation or sick days right now. I have felt kind of "gurgley" lately and had a diminished appetite, but no nausea or vomiting.

I was feeling dead yesterday and didn't have any appetite, so I left her a voice mail proposing a plan: let's go straight home, put on our PJ's, get into bed, play 1980's arcade games on the laptop and watch the Radio Music Awards on TV. No chores. No errands. Just warm sheets, cough drops, tissues, and cold drinks.

Do you think that happened? No. She didn't get off work until 10:30 PM and didn't get home until after 11 PM! A 14 hour day when you are already sick.

The extreme cold temperatures we have been having the last couple of weeks have been taking their toll on us too. Yesterday the thermometer read –4° when we got out of bed. That kind of cold just really zaps your energy.