Chronicles of Retching
So, my little family's been sick for most of the last, oh, couple of months. Respiratory illnesses, flu-like symptoms, and... we've been throwing up, shall we say, more than usual. All four of us.
For example, about a month ago when Monica was particularly sick, she took about three different cold symptom medicines and washed it down with a large glass of Crystal Light... and promptly threw it all up. Weird medicinal interactions, we figured.
Day before yesterday, I got up, went downstairs, drank a glass of water from the tap, and had the last of an old bag of raisin bran... and promptly threw up. I remember thinking the cereal tasted kind of moldy.
Then, this morning, on a hunch, I went down to the basement and checked the water softener tank, inside which I found a dead mouse. Floating in the water. That we drink everyday. It had obviously been there for quite some time, given the exquisitely delicate, fibrous mold structures that were radiating up from it, like so much van der Graaf cotton candy. I'm sorry I didn't have the presence of mind to snap a picture for you, but I was too busy saying omigod omigod. And thinking, It's been at least a couple of months since I last added salt or checked that tank.
To all the house guests and dinner guests we've had in the last several weeks, I can only offer my meekest and most heartfelt apologies.
For example, about a month ago when Monica was particularly sick, she took about three different cold symptom medicines and washed it down with a large glass of Crystal Light... and promptly threw it all up. Weird medicinal interactions, we figured.
Day before yesterday, I got up, went downstairs, drank a glass of water from the tap, and had the last of an old bag of raisin bran... and promptly threw up. I remember thinking the cereal tasted kind of moldy.
Then, this morning, on a hunch, I went down to the basement and checked the water softener tank, inside which I found a dead mouse. Floating in the water. That we drink everyday. It had obviously been there for quite some time, given the exquisitely delicate, fibrous mold structures that were radiating up from it, like so much van der Graaf cotton candy. I'm sorry I didn't have the presence of mind to snap a picture for you, but I was too busy saying omigod omigod. And thinking, It's been at least a couple of months since I last added salt or checked that tank.
To all the house guests and dinner guests we've had in the last several weeks, I can only offer my meekest and most heartfelt apologies.