Someone has given me such a thoughtful gift. It’s a rhinovirus, otherwise known as the common cold.

It all started yesterday afternoon. My throat started to feel scratchy, and I sneezed a few times. By last night, I had body aches and fatigue. Now it’s in full swing, and I feel miserable. Unfortunately, I am being forced to tough it out at work because we’re on a skeleton crew already. Several people are traveling, and a big trade show is looming large on the horizon.

The common cold is incurable. The best we can do is treat the symptoms and try to shorten the duration. The latter we can supposedly do using a preparation called Zinc Gluconate Glycine. Marketed under several names (Cold-Eeze, Zicam), this stuff has been clinically proven to shorten the duration of a cold. This does not come without a cost, however. The stuff tastes horrible, and the metallic, unpleasant flavor seems to last for hours. In order to be effective, it has to be dissolved in the mouth, you can’t just swallow it. You also can’t drink any citrus beverages or eat any citrus fruit for 1/2 hour before or after, so there goes my Vitamin C intake.

I am beginning to wonder if the (partial) cure isn’t worse than the disease.

In other news, Tony continues to do pretty well, but I am a complete basket case at the idea of leaving him with the vet for a whole week. Three days was a nightmare for me, and probably for him. I sure wish I knew what to do.

I’m being particularly careful about my grammar in this blog, because someone might be proofreading it. I have coined a new nickname for that person, the one who was once known as ‘anon’ and is now called Alan. I think his new nickname should be “Alanon”. Anyway, for his benefit, my grammar and usage shall be squeaky-clean today, and I hope I get a gold star from the self-appointed English enforcement bureau. 🙂

Today I am busily trying to pull together the information to file a small-claims lawsuit against Connie Rose and Associates. This real estate broker mistakenly had my car towed while I was visiting a friend in her apartment building. She now refuses to reimburse me the $95 I spent getting my car back at 3AM. It’s not a huge amount of money, but her refusal makes me feel defrauded, and that’s worse than the financial loss. So, I will fight it. Even if I lose, I will have the satisfaction of knowing that I inconvenienced her as much as she inconvenienced me. I’m sorry if that sounds petty. If you’d heard her tone on the telephone, you’d understand.

Now, I’m off to find some chicken soup, or maybe some bangers and mash, since I’m told they’re great comfort food!