When I called my kids’ school yesterday to excuse the sick one I detected a distinct note of fear in the secretary’s voice as she asked me if it was the flu. Yes, it’s that time of year again—cold and flu season. I feel like Laramie has several of those times of year, which seems really unfair.

The virus du jour has hit our home, with both parents and one and a half kids coming down with the crud. Whenever sickness hits our home, it’s always the same Patient Zero who gets the rest of us sick. At least that’s how it seems. Maybe it’s just the fever talking.