THERE seems to be some very nasty viruses going around at the moment.I only know a couple of people that have been lucky enough to not have had the cough.

Pete seems to have had it forever.

Not feeling well for a week is one thing – and to tell you the truth that’s a week too long for me.

You could not begin to imagine how bored I get when I’m not well.

Not to mention just how painful it is for everyone around me.

Now everyone has their own way of dealing with a cold.

All the coughing and sneezing, aches and pains, oh the moaning goes on and on.

And I personally find that a bowl with hot water and Vicks vapour rub dissolved in it with a towel over my head usually does the trick.

Oh, and yes, a hot toddy.

If this doesn’t work, then I will simply will it away.

Mind over matter.

It takes a considerable amount of concentration and is not for the faint-hearted.

I imagine that I am a cowgirl in the Wild West, but instead of bullets in my gun, I am armed with a virus-destroying serum, designed to kill all known germs… dead.

It sounds like an advertisement for Domestos.

“Ok you dirty rotten germs, take that,” I say out loud, in a John Wayne voice or it may not work, as I pull the trigger on my imaginary gun.

As I fire my gun, I picture all the cough and sneeze germs running in all directions, trying to find cover.

But there’s no hiding from me.

I’m the fastest cowgirl in town.

I spot some sneezes hiding behind a cushion, I take my shot, blasting them up into the air, after making sure that I’ve killed them all, I turn and spit out my imaginary tobacco.

I don’t actually know why I have tobacco, it makes me feel sick just thinking about it.

Only then can I take aim at the cough.

‘I imagine that I am a cowgirl in the Wild West but instead of bullets in my gun, I am armed with avirus-destroying serum, designed to kill all known germs… dead.’

“It’s your turn now cough.” I say. “Take that, and that,” as I blast shot after shot at cough who tries to jump out of the way.

But I’m not afraid.

I pull out my second gun, spin it around my middle finger and proceed forward, informing the cough that it can’t hide from me.

I see the cough sneak out from behind a chair, standing tall and strong it prepares to make its move but I’m too quick and before it can make its move, I shoot it down in true John Wayne style.

Now usually this kind of shoot out will put an end to any nasty germs, but not this time. No, this time I could have gone in shooting with the whole British Army and ten tanks loaded with paracetamols, Lemsip and Covonia linctus – but it still wouldn’t have made any difference.

So, I guess I will just have to ride it out.

Snuggled up on the settee with blanket, tomato soup, Heinz of course, even though I so begrudge paying the price of soup now.

But needs must…

Funny how a bowl of Heinz tomato soup can make you feel better, but it does.

And with my head over a bowl of hot water and Vicks, I shall continue to sniff and cough my way through like the trooper I am.