Q: why was the patient's cough better in the morning?

A: they'd been up all night practising!

Monday evening's sniffle turned into a full blown yucky cold, complete with high temperature, coughs, sneezes and general bleughness... so I took yesterday off and cancelled today's appointments.

After last night's coughing rehearsal, even though I feel much better and the temperature is only a bit above normal, I am taking another day off and have cancelled the rest of this week's appointments (well, apart from one on Friday afternoon that would be disastrous).

One of the dangers of ministerial life is the sense that we are somehow indispensible - that we have to keep going even when our bodies cry 'stop', because, afterall, there's always Sunday to prepare for.

However, for once in a way, and because there are importnat things I want to be well enough to do next week, I'm going to be sensible and take today off too.

In the meantime, I guess its warm drinks and day time TV for me!!