thief of time

If anyone tries to tell you it's not possible to catch a cold if you already have a cold don't believe them, because I am living proof that it is more than possible. This is getting beyond a joke. It's been three weeks now and, several grammes of vitamin C later, I'm actually getting fed up with not being able to get on with my life. Sitting by the fire, wearing fluffy jumpers, knitting socks, staying in bed all morning and going to bed early are all very well, but when do I get to actually do anything?
I just spent a slightly frustrating hour or so trying to make the webcam on Fergus's computer work, and trying to make Freddie's computer work. It is a sad fact that although they have a computer geek for a dad, they have the most ridiculously inadequate pieces of junk for pc equipment. As I said earlier, I'm not very good at making computers work out of thin air. I can do many many other useful things but that isn't one of them. Anyway, I did manage to find a programme already installed that makes videos from a webcam, which is what is now going on upstairs. And Freddie is playing on the Macbook- easy.
We are having a stay-at-home day today. I have excused Freddie from his party invitation in Halifax. What I sometimes forget is this could be the only day in two weeks that we all get to stay at home all day, and, believe me, we need it. I have a vague idea that I will get a few things done. Have already marked half-term, with a mental note to spring clean the house, so I can forget about all those annoying little jobs till then, hopefully? Maybe not... What I need is to make a to-do list so I can remember what I need to do, like find my chequebook and pay the coalman, etc.  So the first thing I did was browse on Amazon for a calendar- OK a slight distraction, but I do need one. What I didn't reallise until recently was, Amazon remembers everything you've looked at at reminds you later. So when you've been having a laugh with your mate surfing the most ridiculous things, like 'shag yourslef slim', 'and what is your poo telling you?' it comes back to bite you on the bum, as it were. It even sends you emails reminding you that you were looking at toasters the other day and do you still want one? This is taking it a step too far as far as I'm concerned, the ultimate conclusion being Amazon noticing your toaster is broken and sending you one, just in case you had forgotton.
... O no Fergus's video is beginning to sound like something off Southpark. Well, I suppose it's better than watching what Freddie calls 'fighting games', ie anything vaguely too grown up and scary for a six year old, bless...

itchy

Just got back from seeing Carl, the practice nurse. I think he's gay; very nice in any case. Apparently the unbearable itchiness of the torso is excema. Not scabies or ringworm, excema. In a way I was hoping it was some nasty little bug thing that I could zap with chemicals or otherwise, and it would all be over with. Instead I have now got an enourmous tub of emollient cream, AKA paraffin-for-babies. I'm sorry, I just cannot see the theraputic value of smothering oneself in paraffin. There must be something else I can do.... I have already changed my washing liquid to Ecover, which I know is fine, and it's non-bio. And de-clogged the washing machine filter of pipe-cleaners and large bits of fluff, which was eventually causing it to not work at all, but it hadnt been rinsing properly. This was months ago and did co-inside with the beginnings of itchings inside the elbow. I haven't been wearing so much wool, but I did reallise I was in my lambswool tank-top (which covers the main area of itch almost precisely) as well as my new, afore-mentioned jumper-jackety thing, also 100% wool. But I have never been allergic to wool before. The only other obvious thing I can think of is diet, and cutting out dairy, which I have done on may occasions before, in fact I have a very low- dairy diet. But, as Carl said, now is not the time to go on a diet, it's too cold!
Which reminds me of last night when Freddie would not eat his pasta-with-broccoli-and-pesto-and-cheese. He said it tasted sour and I thought it might have been the cream cheese that I had added. Fortunately I had a taste and reallised he had smothered it in salt! Ah! The temptation of the toucan-salt-cellar! Must remember to remove that from table before he ruins another perfectly good meal. There was some left in pan and he did eat it- phew! More hearty stew and dumplings tonight. I found some leeks in the garden when the snow melted!