Sore throat, runny nose...no cycling

Last week I went for a swim and it might have been the reason behind my current state of ill health. Of course, there's no real knowing the real source of my cold, it could have come from anywhere. My mum had a cold last weekend when I went to see her, there are people in the office with colds, so it could have come from anywhere and there's no real point in trying to guess why I'm sitting in here, in pink and white-striped pyjamas, writing this blogpost.

A ride to mum's had been on the cards...

I had been planning an urban ride to mum's today, but on the basis that I knew my sore throat would become a full-blown cold before the week was out (it hit yesterday evening) I looked out of the window at the puddle on next door's conservatory roof and sighed. It wasn't raining, but it had been hammering it down overnight. The skies were grey and there was very little wind, although my California Lilac tree, which still has all of its green leaves, perhaps it's an evergreen, I don't know, was the only thing swaying in whatever breeze was out there.

I'd awoken at 0600hrs out of habit, but I switched the radio off and jumped back into bed. It was gone eight when I jumped out and headed for the kitchen. One thing I hate about having a cold – apart from the streaming nose, the tissues and the smell of Olbas oil – is losing a sense of taste. There's nothing worse than relying upon texture, but there you have it, a cold is a cold and I'll eventually get over it, although sometimes they linger. I wonder where I'll be this time next week? Still bunged up? Still sniffing? Probably, but the streaming nose would have disappeared, it normally does, and I'll be on the mend.

Another iconic poster...

As always, there are things to discuss. Not Donald Trump, although this week he signed a few 'executive orders' to build the wall on the border with Mexico and initiate extreme vetting of people trying to get into the USA from countries like Syria, Iran, Iraq and so on. Needless to say, people aren't happy, but our Prime Minister, Theresa May, was the first international head of state to visit the old tyrant and they seemed to get on swimmingly, both reinforcing the so-called 'special relationship' and Trump was even spotted holding May's hand. That was on last night's 10 o'clock news and then I stayed up to watch Graham Norton who had the cast and director (Danny Boyle) from the new Trainspotting movie, rather pretentiously called T2: Trainspotting. Then I had a Lemsip. Oh yes, I almost forgot. One of the good things about having a cold is Lemsip. I remember back in 2008 when I had a cold and I sat at home drinking Lemsip after Lemsip – used 'as directed' I hasten to add – but I then sat down and wrote the first 6,000 words of my one and only novel, Suki & the Christmas Treasure Trove, which I finished a year later and published (online) in 2012. Happy days, but it didn't make me any money, although that wasn't the point.

Mr President...

But I digress. There are things to discuss. Cotton wool. Or cottonwool? I'm assuming it's 'wool' made out of cotton and, therefore, not wool at all, it's cotton. So why call it cottonwool? One of life's great mysteries I guess. Another thing that's bugging me is the latest food scare – acyrlamide. It bugs me because they've started talking about now, this week, when I remember writing about it in 2007 – 10 years ago! Just don't burn things, make sure your toast is golden brown, not charcoal black, try and avoid potato chips (crisps) and don't over-burn frozen chips. Simple.

It's now 0912hrs, I've just had a second cup of tea, my nose is streaming, I'm still wearing the pink-striped pyjamas and believe it or not the sun is shining. In short, perfect weather for a ride to mum's, but my bike is the garage, padlocked, and it won't be going anywhere until next weekend.