Monday, November 18, 2013

The Sniffly Days

This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group™ and Kleenex but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #KleenexTarget  http://cmp.ly/3/8vNxcO

By this time in November, the whipping winter wind has blown the leaves clean off the trees and outside my living room window there are only spindly sticks for trees. The blue jays stand out, sitting colorful on the shivering branches and everything feels ten degrees cooler without a layer of leaves to keep the world warm. 

By this time in November, the whole world is also sick. Sniveling, coughing, blowing noses, and rubbing sleepy eyes. At work, I feel like a character on The Walking Dead, wondering if I'm next to be struck down by a cold or flu. There's not enough hand sanitizer in the world to keep you safe in an infested office or school. Especially if you're particularly cold and flu prone like I am. You'll hear me waxing poetic about my sniffles more than once on this blog before March rolls around.



When I get sick, the house goes to hell in a hand basket. I'm never prepared with boxes of soup, Kleenex, or lozenges. I'm caught in the middle of a sniffly nose with just a roll of toilet paper to use as make-shift tissues and tea with honey to cure a scratchy throat. Tissues litter all areas I've been, like a trail of breadcrumbs in a forest. And I hate that when I am sick, the house has to look so sick too. If Ben and I are both laid flat by a cold, we leave the house in ruins for at least a week and by the time I've surfaced from my cozy bed, it looks like a war zone.

I've found that the only way to feel as if the whole world isn't sucking you up into its sick den, is to be prepared with a pretty house, full of fresh fruit, flowers, and cozy throws, and a medicine cabinet stocked with the essentials: Ricola lozenges, chamomile tea and honey, and boxes of pretty Kleenex (I picked mine up at Target) to sit around the house. You can keep your house looking lovely and put together with a pretty jar (I use a brandy snifter or vase) full of cough drops for yourself or your sickly guests and the square boxes of Kleenex dotting the side-table landscape. I can't count the number of times a guest has wanted a tissue and I've been plumb out of anything but toilet paper. Ick.




I know that there are more well days than sick days in the year for most of us and littering the house with sick essentials can seem like a pointless use of space, but the world throws us constant curveballs. Though I was planning on writing this post with a healthy body (no nose blowing needed) and happy heart today, this weekend my sweet dog, Koele, died. 

One day when I was 12, not particularly looking to increase our dog family at home, my brother and I picked her out of a box of husky puppies. They'd been abandoned during a thunderstorm on the side of the road and were free to any takers. She grew up to be a perfect companion and all around easy-going pup. She was 12 when she passed away from sudden complications of lung cancer. 

The hardest piece of losing a pet is that they are such a huge part of our lives for such a long time. 12 years of unconditional dog love is a hard thing to say goodbye to. Every time I've gone home after leaving, Koele has recognized me with a simple wag of her tail and head happy to receive a hello pat. There's an empty space where a brown-eyed husky used to be and I feel immensely sad and my nose is shockingly grateful for a box of Kleenex. It has been a really hard past two days but proof that you never know when you need to be prepared with a box of tissues and some comfort food.

For those of you struggling with a recent loss, teary turn of events, or just a simple seasonal cold and flu, be sure to pick up Kleenex. Target currently has a $1-off promotion you can access here.

12 comments

  1. I'm a huge fan of Ricola! I'm sorry for your lost! I've always had dogs at home and I know how is to lose a pet that you love.

    TaipeiStyle
    Gemma

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  2. your house is pretty cool !

    wanna follow each other on GFC/FB and bloglovin ?

    Kisses
    Hannah
    Elegantesque Blog

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  3. Um, that is the chicest Ricola cough drop display ever. Your apartment is decorated so well!

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  4. I'm so sorry for your loss. Loosing a pet can be so hard. I hope you feel better!
    xo Dina
    http://www.sweetestsomethings.com

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  5. Sorry for your loss :( that's really sad.

    I do love the photos in this post... great shots, and great styling, as well. I like ricola... I always either get ricola or fishermans friend when I'm sick. Nice display of them, though!

    lovely post. Great thoughts :)

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  6. very nice post. :) i'm a new follower :)

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  7. I love the walking dead, and thats exactly how I am when I'm sick. Im so sorry for you loss.

    -Vogue&Heels
    www.vogueandheels.com

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  8. so sorry for your loss, hope things get better xoxo

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  9. aww so sorry to hear about your family dog :( too sad. and I've been sick the past week too though finally starting to get better. hope you feel better soon!
    -- jackie @ jade and oak

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  10. I love your little night stand - come decorate my apartment!

    xo, Nina
    afterthe40barfinish

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  11. omg, this post had me tearing up. so sorry to hear about your dog. it sounds like you gave her a wonderful life that she wouldn't have had otherwise. <3

    xo,
    gabby

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