I have two hot water bottles at home and two at work, and have been known to carry these to people's houses. My friend izzy used to have to warn her house a week in advance in preparation of my arrival.
During the Christmas just gone, my mum kept burning food and opening the windows to clear the smell. The outcome was that her house became an igloo. It was the only time in my life that I almost left without eating food first. I stayed for the festivity and family time. Not the food...obviously. Being cold is the only thing I hate more than being hungry, so you know it's serious business!
However, I regularly see people on my train sneeze without attempting to catch it with a tissue/hanky. Or they catch a sneeze or cough with their hands and then immediately hold the rails. Some choose to use their Metro newspaper as a substitute tissue and then just leave it on a seat for a poor unsuspecting commuter to pick up and continue the spread of germs.
The worst thing about a cold is how common it is. Because everyone gets it, and usually a number of times during the winter season, there really isn't much sympathy. But colds suck!!!! Your nose can be blocked and dripping at the same time. You blow your nose so many times that the skin starts to peel. At the end of each day, I have to slather Vaseline (petroleum jelly) over my nose to try and speed up the healing process and given myself so relief. I usually need to sneeze again before I have even finished applying the Vaseline, leaving my nose peeling, shiny and with little white bits stuck to it.
But winter is depressing enough without me adding a list of reasons so let me try and think of things that make it better.
The bank holidays around Christmas.
Making people scream when you touch them with your cold hands.
Carbohydrates become acceptable again (yay!). Winter is made for meat and potatoes and homemade bread with soup. And pies and pasty. Ooh I'm getting hungry.
Then there's celeb fitness DVDs and gym membership offers to combat that damage from the pies.
And until the exercise kicks in, you can wear jumpers and coats to hide the expanded belly.
Ladies - we don't have to shave. For anyone who judges us, just think of it as free heating and stopped being so grossed out. Same goes for weight gain (can I hear free insulation people!).
People don't look at you weirdly when you go to the corner shop in your dressing gown and slippers.
Netflix seems to be adding more films.
For other Game of Throners, from September time we get to say 'Winter is coming' in a really serious voice.