Sugaring footnote (throatnote?)

I'll try to post a picture soon of our final "product". We made close to a gallon and a half. Probably three different grades too. Really cool.

Plus I have sap set aside to share with my kids' classes when we do our maple sugaring lessons in the next couple weeks.

What I didn't share is that while all this was going on, I have not been feeling well. The boys both had strep over vacation, and I have been achy since the beginning of March. When my throat started hurting, I wondered if I might have gotten it too. So after a day or so of that, and a low-grade fever (all in the midst of boiling...) I went into the doctor on Monday (the 12th). The rapid test was negative. It kept hurting and I've been laying low all week except for necessary activities - and my sugaring project - and the throat culture that takes a couple days to grow officially came back negative yesterday.

But I'm still achy, occasionally have a low-grade fever, and my throat definitely hurts (esp. the glands but today swallowing is not very comfortable) so I've been on the phone w/the doctor a couple more times yesterday and today. We're going to go the advil/tylenol route for a couple more days, assuming it's a virus. If it still hurts Monday, I'll be going to the doctor again for sure, and they'll run some more tests.

I'm not miserable - just achy w/swollen glands and a sore throat, and I'm dragging. Most days, I've been completely spent by dinner time. I'm very glad the sugaring project was not particularly taxing - really, it's just boiling water for a long time and making sure to stir every 10-20 minutes. The sap tasted great, especially as it got thicker, and a friend tells me that sap is a great "liquid" when you're supposed to be resting and imbibing plenty of fluids. She was quite the encouragement. There are even lots of trace minerals and the like (liquid vitamins!). Doing the boiling made me feel better even when I felt crappy and it did indeed smell good and got me fresh air, all of which are good for the body and the soul and did not prevent me from resting.

So there you have it. Maple sugaring medicine woman and the "sugar spa" treatment. Yes, go ahead, laugh. I am, and then I'm going to go rest.