It’s October, bookworms, and while that means the start of fabulous fall weather, with bright vibrant colors and crisp, cool air, it also means it’s the start of flu season. Lil’ Will and Miss Jane had their own diseases to fend off in their own times (and between you and me, I’d rather Lil’ Will’s encounters with the plague to stay in Elizabethan and Jacobean England, thank you very much), but here in the 21st century, it’s influenza we all fear. In this nineteenth edition of the Adventures of Lil’ Will and Miss Jane, our intrepid duo from the past learn all there is to know about warding off germs.
The first rule is prevention. The best defense is a good offense and so every lesson begins with figuring out how to not get sick in the first place. Hand sanitizer, the godsend of this lifetime, keeps germs from spreading, while Vitamin C and zinc lozenges can help build up immunity and ward off any incoming germs. And, of course, use tissues. While Lil’ Will and Miss Jane are more familiar with handkerchiefs, tissues are more practical these days.
If prevention fails, as it sometimes does, the Librarian Next Door’s plan of attack is to hit the cold or flu with everything: DayQuil, NyQuil, cough syrup, cough drops, Advil…. you name it, the Librarian Next Door will try it and Lil’ Will and Miss Jane will follow suit. (Note: the Librarian Next Door is definitely not a doctor and while she’s fine doing all she can to self-medicate, it would be best to follow a proper doctor’s advice when you are sick.)
Lastly, when all else fails, the best remedy for any illness is good old-fashioned soup and tea. A home remedy that’s been soothing and comforting for hundreds of years, anyone fighting off a cold or the flu should take comfort in a bowl of chicken noodle and your favorite tea (the Librarian Next Door prefers apple cinnamon, Miss Jane is fond of a good English breakfast tea and Lil’ Will, misguided as he is, thinks tea is for sissies).
Stay healthy, bookworms!
This post was inspired by Austenacious’ Jane Austen Action Figure posts. All the credit for the idea goes to them. The Lil’ Will and Miss Jane figures used in this post (and the pictures) are mine.
