Health Warning

Fred bought me a tie to celebrate my first day of work, which was Tuesday. It's from Ferragamo, which is where he works (in administration), but he promises he didn't steal it. He says I can trade it for another color (proof that it's not hot), but I think I'll keep it. I trust his taste. I trust his taste on most things in regards to fashion. If I could wear jeans and the same sweater seven days a week, I would be fine. Not him.

Today, while we were in Haarlem, I picked up two chestnuts. Fred picks them up each year and sets them on his night table to ward off colds. Every year I ask him to pick one up for me. He swears that in order for them to work you have to pick them up yourself.

So when I saw them in the graveyard where we went to place flowers on the grave of his parents, I scooped one up. Then I saw him picking up two.

I said, "Why are you picking up two?"

He said, "I think two works even better."

Wives tales are one thing. But when you make up your own, or improve the ones you believe, it's another. However, I will put them on my bedside table and hope for the best. (I will also take vitamin C, which is my mother's recipe for warding off colds.)

The chestnuts are the prettiest brown. I thought chestnut brown was darker. Apparently not.

So pick up some chestnuts or take vitamin C. Take good care of yourself this winter.