I'm on day 13 of my viral sore throat and it has not abated (without medicine, I can hardly bear to swallow). I don't think I'm the only one, I think it is going around these parts. Less serious if you don't have tonsils (I have tonsils). It is extra difficult for me because I just moved into my new house but I cannot run the wood burner until it passes code of compliance testing, and without running the wood burner the house is sitting at 13C.

And I wanted to take this time to thank all of mankind for the inventions that have gotten me through so far:

1. Ibuprofen

2. Paracetamol

3. Hot showers

4. Warm wool clothes

5, Warm blankets

6. Freezers offering up soothingly cold ice

7. Motor vehicles, fuel, roads, and the entire food chain, so I can drive to the store and restock