I spent a lot of time in parkas. And in those really chilly months of deep snow and freezing temperatures, I jammed my legs into ski pants and bundled from head to toe in scarfs, mittens, and sweaters inside that parka. As soon as we began spending more time indoors, we all got colds. When I moved to Costa Rica, colds - resfriados - colds came right along with us.*

Coco has a cough that won’t leave her five minutes of peace. Last night, she got up at one o’clock and searched me out with the flashlight. The cough woke her up. I applied a few things to her nose and throat and got her to sleep sitting up. Finally, she drifted off.

Addison’s eyes have been glued shut for the last two mornings. His cold has attacked his eyes, which makes it a less dramatic event and lessenes the stuffy nose, (which is reallly hard on him because of his smaller airways from the Down Syndrome).

The funny thing is the reasons we get colds seem to be the same whether we have snow or rain or wind; palm trees or oaks; tank tops or parkas:

“This time of year everyone gets a cold.”

“Oh, you’re all wet, now you’ll catch a cold.”

“All the kids in school have it.”

The cold virus knows no boundaries or limits. It crossed borders and cultures at ease, and in it’s own annoying way, makes me feel right at home.

*La gripe is often interchanged when someone has a cough or cold, but it actually means the flu.