[sound of me blowing my nose]

Yeah...
It's been an interesting week, alright.
It started already last week, when I was home sick with the sniffles for thursday and friday.
It's going around the kids and staff.
Going down like dominos.
This is what happens when you stick 500 people into one building and all share the same air and stair bannisters... no matter how many times you wash your hands a day.
Especially with the little ones who cannot seem to grasp the cover your mouth when you cough/sneeze... eeww...

I felt alright on sunday and did my 4 kilometer nordic walk.
I really should know my body better by now, huh?

Monday morning I found out I'd be substituting the 2nd grade teacher who was down for the count. No biggie.
Just had to juggle my own work to be done the next day.
Except I ended up substituting for three straight days.
By the end of, all of my own stuff remained undone.
And there are issues that needed to be dealt with.
By issues I mean two kids pretty much at each others' throats.
Plus the other "old" afternoon club person was sick too... I'm afraid the new guy had to jump in the deep end.
And by 3pm wednesday I had absolutely no voice left.
Zip.
Zilch.
A bare whisper.
I survived the last three hours on throat lozengers and water.
I handed the principal a post-it note stating I'd be home nursing my vocal cords on thursday.

I came home and later that evening started to get chills.
Oh great.
This is what stress does, gets you sick again.
So I lit the fire and settled down for quality time with Will & Grace.
Wearing my wool socks.


Oh it was nice.

Unfortunately I still had a temp the next day.

I'm sure someone will comment on the fact that I've missed two consecute thu + fri work days... ;)
Right.
NOT BY CHOICE.
I don't call this fun by any means.

I finally feel better today and hopefully come monday I can actually get on with my own work. I had a little word with my supervisor about me not minding substituting for one day but to miss three days in the afternoon club... not good. I had it planned and all... hmmpphh...
Well, I do get extra pay and I got to teach 5th graders how to knit mittens.. oh the joy.
(yes, that last bit is oozing with sarcasm)

On the downside.. daytime tv sucks.

And to top it all.. sports day tomorrow.
Gotta be at the field at 8.30am.
Luckily it's a 7 minute bike ride away.
But still.

On a completely other subject, we've had more results on Saara's allergies.
It wasn't the soy causing all the problems.
In fact she'll be ok with soy in general, just no actual soy beans, yay!

It's lactose.
They did a nifty little test where they checked for something in her DNA, and could tell that is the problem.
HUGE relief.
Lactose free is no problem in this country.
I can still find every milk product we use lactose free (there are a lot of lactose intolerant people in Finland).
It'll just be about learning to reach for the product next to the one I usually buy.
And to not pay attention to the fact that her milk is twice as pricey.

We did a little taste test yesterday and she couldn't even tell which milk was which :)