Thanks Paul, for keeping the Vomiting on Thanking Giving Tradition Going...

I cannot remember a Thanksgiving dinner in recent years when someone wasn't throwing up before or right after dinner. Four years ago, I remember a very warm Julia sitting in my lap on the couch. Without warning, she threw up all over herself, my lap and the couch. Then my mom ran to the bathroom with her hand over her mouth just as my sister and her boyfriend walked through the door. It was the start of a flu that spread to 11 of 25 people we came into contact with that Thanksgiving.

Since then, passing the stomach flu has been a part of Thanksgiving gatherings.

This year, Paul was able to keep the vomiting at Thanksgiving tradition alive. At least this year, he was able to keep it to himself.

Paul ran the local Turkey Trott on the morning of Thanksgiving Day. He was fine and peppy when he came home and while we drove to Aunt Mary's house for a 1:00 dinner. After dinner, he sat on the couch, looking droopy and not talking to anyone. "I've had a headache since the race," he told me. I got him some Tylenol, but he continued to look droopy. After chatting in the kitchen, I went back to the couch to find Paul gone. The bathroom door was closed. A few minutes later, I found Paul lying on Mary's bed. He was sweaty and had his arm over his forehead. "Did you throw up?" I asked. "Yes, a lot. I think I have a migraine. I feel terrible. This happened one other time when I ran hard in the cold."

I brought him a warm wet towel for his head and asked Mary for her "magic migraine" pills.
"Tell him to take two of these with a Diet Pepsi," she instructed.

Paul stayed in bed the rest of the afternoon. Meanwhile, Mary was able to unload some of her unwanted garage sale goods on eager takers. Julia scored two decorative boxes. And I claimed a decorative lamp, a moon clock and two light-up deer for the front lawn.

Paul had the chills and moaned some, but at 5:30 p.m., he was able to stand up and go home.

When we finally did get home, I popped the trunk open and Paul's forehead scrunched up after viewing the contents. "You filled the trunk with decorative deer while I suffering from a migraine?"

"Yep!"