Atishoo and bless me, and my little cotton socks*…….I have a cold. A drippy nosed, vexatious, miserable cold. I haven’t had a cold for years, so I am feeling very sorry for myself and in need of lots of blessings. (Yes, all blessings gratefully received.) And, yes, you could bring me some soothing hot, lemon and honey tea, too. Thank you 🙂 That’s delicious.
One blessing that came my way this morning was a lovely photo (via Facebook) from fellow blogger Mike Howe. Followed, shortly thereafter, by another one of his soothing musical posts http://mikehowe.com/2013/06/30/music-for-one-of-the-greatest-nature-writers/.
Another blessing will arrive about 2 hours from now, in the form of Giles, the Dogfather. Giles, and his super, doggy assistant Diesil, take my very own little blessing, Jack, for regular, joyful exercise, training, and canine and human socialization. Jack is a much happier and calmer dog now that I am giving proper attention to his needs. Here is Jack on one of his outings; he was having fun, truly! His coat keeps him warm and dry and snug. ( He won’t need a coat today. The sun is shining beautifully.)
This photo is from Giles’ Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/thedogfathernz?fref=ts He has some fun photos of wonder dog Diesil and the other dogs he trains. Take a look, if you would like a ‘cheer me up’ blessing for your day.
Well, that’s about all my brain can cope with today. *Oh, but one more something that made me smile through the sniffles, snuffles and sneezles…. I wondered, when I was blessing my cotton socks, how this strange little blessing came about. Here is what I found; it is smile worthy: ‘George Edward Lynch Cotton, English clergyman and educator, assistant master at Rugby 1837-1852, the ‘young master’ in Thomas Hughes’s “Tom Brown’s School Days”. Bishop of Calcutta, 1858 where he did missionary work and established schools for Eurasian children. In requests to England he asked for donations of clothing, often emphasizing “warm socks” for the children. In fact he seems to have held the simplistic view that if the children had warm socks many of their problems, mal-nutrition, disease, racial prejudice etc. could be easily solved. Little old maiden ladies all over England spent their time knitting socks for Bishop Cotton and sending them off to India. He blessed all items used in his schools, and many shipments would arrive labeled ” Socks for Cotton’s blessing” and reportedly even “Cotton’s socks for blessing”. Cotton’s socks easily became corrupted to cotton socks,
silkannthreades 
Atishoo? That sounds a bit messy!lol:)
It was!
I’m late (as usual) in my reading…I do hope you’re feeling all better now! 🙂 What a treat to find out the origin of the cotton socks idiom…and it was wonderful to be introduced to Mike Howe’s music.
I am sorry to say the atishoo atishoo is still with me as well as the cough, cough, and all the other nasties. But it is very wonderful to have your company via blogging. Reading about your magpies made me laugh.
Warm Socks are a most Underestimated source of pleasure (particularly in damp england)
sending healing thoughts from here to you that your poor cold Leaves soonest.
Indeed, warm socks are an underestimated heating source altogether. I think it is also safe to say that warm socks have determined the outcome of more battles than any amount of weaponry or battle plans.
Sadly, the cold has found a resting place in my chest. Hope it doesn’t get too comfortable.
You always give me gifts! Thank you for introducing me to an extraordinary blogger!! Take good care of yourself and those wonderful four legged friends and family! 🙂
Thank you! Today has been a better day, health wise. Let’s hope for continued improvement. Mike’s music is keeping me company on the road to recovery 🙂
It is keeping me company as I write my next post! thank you so much for the introduction!! 🙂
🙂
Jack looks so handsome in his raincoat 🙂
I do hope you feel better very soon!! Sending you warm wishes (in my family we often make minestrone when someone has a cold so I am sending you a virtual minestrone!).
Very grateful for the minestrone :). Hot soupy dishes are very restorative. As are dog friends.
I do hope you getting better soon! So Dr. Ute prescribes: honey, lemon ,ginger all in teas, work wonders, lots of rest and still smiles in between.
Glad you do have that….. and don’t forget your “cotton socks” 🙂
Sending you some smiles over and good health!
Thank you Dr Ute. I forgot about the ginger. That’s an excellent idea.
Hope you feel better soon. I have never heard about the cotton socks so I enjoyed learning something new. Annie
It is an expression that was very common in this part of the world. Perhaps not used so much these days. I can’t vouch for accuracy of that explanation of its origins but it’s a great story anyway. Thanks for your good wishes.
Bless your cotton socks and get well soon!
Why thank you! That’s a great blessing 😉 😀
Yes, the chicken soup works. Maybe it’s an opportunity to just be. Even in the misery of those viruses, some good can come. Sometimes slowing down can be a time for discovery or just watching the world in a different cadence.
You are so right. I am being told (by my body) to slow down and be still. But, hilariously, I was going so slowly yesterday I felt almost as though I were going backwards 🙂
Oh, I don’t like not hearing you are not well! I was down for 6 weeks with Bronchitis so I can really feel for you…nasty stuff. Summer colds are the worst! Stay in bed and get plenty of rest♥ HUGS!
Thank you for your concern and the HUGS. I really don’t want bronchitis, so I am going to be very careful 🙂
This dog has so much character.
He sure does. Personality plus when he isn’t sleeping.
Oh no! I hope you get better soon. I never get a cold so I imagine how you must be feeling now. Again, interesting story (with useful link in the end) that broadens my curiosity. Now I better understand the expression. Get well soon 🙂
Thank you for your good wishes. I am impatient to be better quickly; I hate having a cold.
Bless your cotton socks for that lovely snippet of information, and bless you and your little sweetie, hope you both thrive, one on hot whisky and lemon, one on good company- I always used to say to people before they got a dog, – well do you want a toddler for the next ten years or so, because they need everything a toddler needs – including regular food, lots of company, cuddling,, love, and gentle firm training., and they have all the same emotional needs…
Cats are somewhat different, I’ve discovered !!!! They don’t need training because they refuse to be trained !!!!
Cats are very independent! And they have US well trained. A whisky with lemon sounds good but I’m all out of the whisky part :(. And you are so right about our dogs. But like toddlers we can’t help loving them.
For you.
Grettings from ANDREA
Beautiful DAY..
http://andreasch45.wordpress.com/2013/03/27/das-hat-esgestern/
Thank you.
Hope you feel better soon! Being sick is no fun!
Thank you. I think I am feeling it more because I have been cold-free for so many years. It’s a shock to the system.
Take care and get well soon
Thank you. I am keeping warm and well nourished (lots of chocolate 🙂
Weathering a heavy head cold can be tedious in the extreme……hands are not free to do anything but wipe and heads/brains get full of fluff or heavier material. Thinking of you and sending health germs your way! And now I know where “bless your little cotton socks” comes from….thank you!
Exactly, the way it is. One feels the need for some sort of nose bag, so that hands can be free.:) I don’t know how true that story is about the socks, but it seems plausible. I like it anyway.
Oh no!!! I hope you feel better soon, What about sit in the sofa and watch movies? I know that is not a medicine but it helps to forget the sniffles…
Yes, it does. I am going to watch some TV tonight; something which I don’t do very often anymore.
I think he was on to something and I think you should try it. I never catch a cold if I wear socks. 🙂
Get well soon!
And, I have to say, I haven’t been wearing socks as much as I usually do and it has been very cold! So, see what happens!
hope you feel better soon!! Jack is so High Society lol :-0
LOL! I think you could make him a beautiful crochet coat for summer days 🙂
with threads of silk?
Oh yes, that would be perfect. I knew you would find something appropriate 😉
lol 🙂
Sorry to hear you are not doing well. Please get well soon. I like miniature schnauzer (I think that he is), fun loving dog.
Thank you. I am lucky to have escaped colds for so long. Yes, Jack is a miniature schnauzer.
lo siento! if you were here, i’d made a pot of chicken soup and another ‘pot’ of guava tea. the tea acts as a desiccant and helps dry the nasal passages.. it really worked well for me when i had the ‘flu about four years ago.
jack is precious! send him in search of a guava tree, though it would probably be absent any leaves!
get well fast!
z
ps.. the music is really sweet!
Isn’t it! I find it very soothing; it takes me on long beautiful journeys.
i’m still attempting to listen to some others, but alas, i’m back where slow connections make everything ‘stutter.’
How vexing! Apart from the music, Mike does some wonderful work in conservation.
Thank you. Just thinking about chicken soup and guava tea makes me feel better. I think Jack would rather like to snuggle up on the sofa with me, after his exercise of course! Mind you, a good breath of fresh air and a walk would probably be good for me too. Nah, back to the sofa 🙂