Simple rules for avoiding the couch

It seems to be official. The winter cold and flu season is here. It's hit the three of us like a ton of bricks.

It started with Jeremy. It snuck up on him like a cat stalking a mouse. One minute he was in the basement collecting shotguns for the long-awaited first day of pheasant hunting and the next minute he was upstairs sneezing every three minutes.

By the time his cold had moved from his head to his chest. I was sneezing. My head felt like it was going to explode and I had gone through a box of 250 Kleenex within 24 hours.

Brad's symptoms have just started. I've noticed him sniffling and sneezing occasionally. I figure by today he should have it full bore.

I hate being sick. When I'm sick, I don't feel like getting up and fixing the meals. I have no desire to clean up the kitchen when I'm done. I don't want to dust and vacuum and clean the bathroom and I usually don't.

But, even more, I hate it when the men in my family get sick. It's like taking care of an invalid child for a week.

They whine and lay around on the couch, not moving until the last sneeze or cough has left their body.

I guess that's why I'd like to suggest that people follow a few simple, courteous rules when they have to take their cold out into the public. I'm sure it's lessons their mother taught them as children -- they've probably just forgotten them as they've gotten older -- I know what age can do to the memory.

So here's a few reminders from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of what our mom's taught us in our youth.

When you cough, cover your mouth.

When you sneeze, use a tissue -- and remember to throw it away yourself when you're done with it.

If you have a fever you are contagious.

If you don't have to be out in public, spreading your germs, stay home.

Wash your hands often.

Avoid touching your nose, eyes or mouth, which is where the germs normally enter the body.

Following these few simple steps will help avoid the spread of the flu.

And hopefully keep Brad and Jeremy from turning into helpless infants, incapable of leaving the couch for a week at a time.