Rita, I love Maryott's intro ( except Maybeline Eyes ). He is such a nice person to do business with too!! Your pics are lovely. Love the honeysuckle. Is it Pink Lemonade? Elegant Candy is still blooming here. She is blooming her fool head off. Your photo of her is exceptional.. Thanks for sharing your lovelies...Ellie

We got ours yesterday. Had planned to wait a bit longer--as we are aware of the fact that after 4 months, the protection falls off. But we were at the dr's for our regular check-ups and he had the vaccine, so we just got it then. This is only my 2nd flu shot. Last year I didn't even notice it. DH is fine today. Last evening, I started feeling cold. Couldn't get warm, ended up piling up blankets on the bed like it was a cold snap in the middle of January. Today, I definitely feel like I've got a mild case of the flu--body aches, stuffy head, headache, I'm cold, sore throat. When I was telling my dd this morning, she was saying a lot of her friends who work with children have to get it--and all are saying they'll never get it again after the reactions they've had this year. Apparently, my reaction isn't too unusual for this year's blend. Shingles? Interestingly, my dr was really pushing it a when it came back (a couple of years ago?). I read up on it, and wasn't sold, given the low effectiveness (only about 50% for people my age), the fact that not enough is known about it to know if a booster will be needed, and a number of other concerns. So I put off getting it. Asked him about it yesterday? And he's no longer so gung ho about it. He seemed to feel it wasn't effective enough to bother getting, now

whooping cough has made a huge comeback and this is a lesson for everyone on how herd protection actually does work! if only 2% of the population doesn't vaccinate then we are all generally protected from mass outbreaks but when vaccine rates drop much under 90% holes start popping up as outbreaks. so far 55,000 cases of whooping cough have come up this yr, numbers the CDC reported not seen since the 50's :-0 i got it in early june when on vacation and it had to run it's course for 2 months of coughing sooo hard you are neary throwing up plus the gasping for air like you are having an asthma attack is fun too lol. took my co-worker weeks to adjust to the fact i wasn't having a bad asthma attack :-( even thou i have extensive microbiology knowledge i did not know i needed a booster for whooping cough every 10 yrs, usually given combo w/ tetanus. my dh got a slight case but overcame it after a month then got the booster. i often get a flu shot, had not thought about it for this yr yet. i sat out last yrs H1N1, letting my non-scientific DH talk me out of it when normally i don't listen to opinions w/o credentials lol. i think after reading the responses thou i will get the shot this yr and make my DH too. we are travelling w/ my 5 yr old niece & nephew for both thanksgiving and christmas. my nephew has lung problems left from being a premie and i'd hate to make him sick plus we got sick from them (started as bronchitus) while on vacation w/ them in june LOL... come to think of it, we will definitely got shots! ~ liz

So glad the results are negative. Now to get your strength back... Being so careful I'm a bit surprised you picked up something with the flu season so low last winter. Masking, etc. But it has taken many by surprise. A few new testing methods now. Maybe as new as this year., 2021..a quad and a multiplex and a few in between. One test can determine a few possible viruses and more in the multiplex. Article yesterday, HERE ...NYTimes has a paywall but as far as I know it is lifted for virus related material. "...Before the pandemic, people were not always as curious to know the exact pathogen causing respiratory symptoms, according to Dr. Alexandra Valsamakis, head of clinical development and medical affairs at Roche Diagnostics Solutions. “I think there was always this perception of ‘Oh, whatever it is, it’s not going to kill us,’” Dr. Valsamakis said. But the terrible toll of Covid-19 has changed that. “There’s this need to actually know what’s there, more than there ever was before.” ..." This is a comfort and welcome advance for the Fall flu season.