Man 'flu

Sorry posting has been a bit sparse the last few days. I felt very tired on Friday, then realised that this was my body telling me that I had a cold. Some women in the parish unkindly refer to this as "man 'flu", suggesting that men make too much of minor ailments. As if! Well by Sunday it had me well and truly knocked flat. I was intending to drive to central London to meet with Bishop Peter Elliott at St Patrick's, Soho Square, and then go on to Wonersh afterwards. By mid afternoon, I had changed my plans to driving round to Wonersh and having an early night. By the time it came to leave, I felt that although I could probably teach in the morning, the state I was in would make me a danger to myself and anyone else unlucky enough to cross my path on the M25 so I threw in the towel and actually called in sick - not something I have done for a long time.

A loooong sleep has helped a bit and I intend to have another early night tonight in the hope that my immune system can run freely to finish it off and let me get some work done tomorrow.

So it is surely time for a full-on combox with cold remedies. The following have already played their part:

• Six-pack of kleenex tissues. Now finished and well on through a Boots 15-pack.
• Contac 500 decongestant - my personal favourite but defeated earlier today (cf. tissues)
• Nurofen - best over-the-counter painkiller in my estimation
• Boots honey and glycerine pastilles - complete rubbish
• Victory-V lozenges - now that's better! Traditional too.

Then there are nature's traditional remedies: food with plenty of garlic and chilli peppers. And, of course, Brandy.

Further suggestions welcome provided that they do not involve crystals, acupuncture, aromatherapy or reiki :-)

And remember that sound old saying: "You can cure a cold in seven days but it will cure itself in a week."