Fortunately, things went according to plan on Friday and we arrived home to find the coast bathed in sunshine. It was still cold, but nowhere as cold as either the US or UK. Having missed a day, I spent the remainder of Friday rushing around like a mad thing. Later that evening, when I finally collapsed on the sofa, I found that I couldn’t swallow. As the evening wore on, I began to feel worse. My head was pounding and I felt feverish. Fearing I had picked up a cold, I made myself a hot toddy (whisky, hot water, lemon and honey). It doesn’t cure colds, just makes them more bearable.
Unfortunately, I had a disturbed night’s sleep thanks to my beloved’s snoring. I didn’t feel well enough to get out of bed but, if I wasn’t going to ride in the Telethon, I needed to deliver my cakes for the post-ride feast. I dressed warmly and drove down to the feed zone where I dropped off my baked goodies, excusing myself from kissing everyone as I didn’t want to pass on my germs. I drove home and hopped back into bed.
My beloved was very concerned. With me hors combat, who was going to feed him? Despite feeling at death’s door, I had driven home via the supermarket to pick up essential supplies so that he wouldn’t starve. He would however have to prepare his own meals. I felt no better on Sunday morning and hoped that the club wouldn’t lose the departmental championship by a 5 point margin which would have been my own small contribution.
After some home made soup for lunch, I’m starting to feel much improved and have moved from the bedroom to the sofa to watch Serbia v France in the Davis Cup Final in Belgrade. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a passionate, partisan crowd. Sadly, the singles matches were all one-way traffic with only yesterday’s doubles match providing any real drama. The French might have made it more of a match if Tsonga had been available to play. Nonetheless, hats off to the Serbs whose tennis budget is less than 1/10th of Great Britain’s.
Had I been feeling fine, we would probably have gone to watch last night’s water polo match, Nice v Montpelier. My beloved was a keen water polo player and, from time to time, we go and watch Nice (ONN) play. Any excuse to watch fit young guys in skimpy outfits! According to Nice Matin, it was a close game, with Nice shading it 8-7. Similarly, we would have gone to watch today’s local derby Nice v Marseille where OGCN staged a smash and grab (Fae) in the 92nd minute to beat OM 1-0. Looking at the game’s statistics, Ospina (goalkeeper) was probably our MOM. OM had 53% of the possession and 16 shots on goal to our 8. But it’s the final score that counts. After last week’s 1-1 draw away at Monaco, we’re back up to 14th spot and holding our own. Cause for cheer.
