Cough it up, it might be a gold watch

I avoided the bad luck inherent in today's date by staying in bed all day long. OK, that actually had more to do with the cold/flu/lurgy thing that descended upon me yesterday in the form of streaming eyes, a runny nose and a sore throat. Miss Sally in the office advised that staying home might be the best solution, and although I'm bored out of my mind, I can't help but admit that she's probably right. It's best to nip any illness in the bud as I'd rather not be riddled with a bug later.

Speaking of the rather glamorous Miss Sally, in the office yesterday, she was sipping at a glass of water and some of it must have gone down the wrong way and made her cough. Once we had checked Miss Sally was ok and made all the compulsory jokes about the Heimlich Manoeuvre, Miss Sally told me what her mum used to tell her when she was coughing, which forms the title of tonight's blog. I told Miss Sally that I thought this was good advice whenever life is dealing out the sort of crap that makes us want to choke on it. Go ahead, you never what you might bring up, as t'were.

I heard yesterday that Google are buying YouTube, which as you know, is one of my favourite sites du jour. There are a lot of concerns that Google will try to introduce fees to view what is now free, though questionably copywritten is some cases, material. Seems to me that in many ways, particularly in terms of global disapproval, Google is well on the way to being the new Microsoft. It's all about the bling, dawg.

Thanks to the G for putting me and the RN researchers straight about the Hermaphrodite of yesterday, as t'were. Suddenly it all sounds so reasonable! Thanks also to the G for bringing the sick and wounded - that's me - sorely needed sandwiches this afternoon and for accepting as company sleepy silence and the occasional sniffle. I am so hoping that all this will be gone tomorrow, there is so much that I need to do.

My 3 beautiful things:

1. Starting a book of short stories written by Dalshiel Hammett, Nightmare Town, and realising that I have found a writer I didn't even know I was looking for

2. The comfort of the duvet when the sunshine hurts sore eyes

3. I know it's weird, but remembering last night's finale of Autumn Watch, where they replayed a clip of Bill Oddie and more starlings than can possibly be named - if you saw it you know what I'm saying. If you didn't, you're in luck, because they've posted it for your viewing and spiritual pleasure over at the BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/wildbritain/autumnwatch/yourautumn/starlingflocks.shtml

Made me cry, this clip, and if you're feeling under the weather, physically, mentally, spiritually or otherwise, have a little bit of faith restored in the Universe by taking a look. Please.