Cold
And … what do you know? With the first nasty cold spell in me being here for 278 days, I’ve eventually caught my first proper cold.
I say ‘proper’ because I remember that in September of last year, I had a tiny scratchy throat for one day, sneezed a couple of times the next day, and coughed twice the day after that, and I remember thinking “Well I like this warm climate, if that’s the worst I’m ever going to get infected”.
Except that now I am all infected again, have a dribbling nose, a constant headache and feel extremely achy and lethargic. And it’s only at gone 5pm in the day that I managed to drag my sorry arse round to the nearest CVS (pharmacy) to get some drugs.
Only they don’t have Lemsip, do they? Bugger.
I have to spend five minutes with my eyes killing me looking for a hot lemon drink equivalent. Find one in the shape of Alka Seltzer, plus some Tylenol-super-cure-all-make-you-feel-better capsules too.
Queue up at checkout. Notice for the first time that I’ve been coming here in 9 months that they sell cigarettes behind the counter. Bizarre! Can you imagine Boots back home selling cancer-sticks? Weird. Especially considering the smoking ban that’s coming into place in Charleston in just a few months time.
I also have to have chuckle at a box of something simply labelled ‘Gas Relief’. Although it’s still not as funny as the smirk I raise every time we drive past the local ‘Jiffy Lube’, which is still funny even after all this time.
I pay up, sniffle, inadvertently cough in the direction of the shop assistant, and mope off home to discover that it’s currently warmer back in England. Typical.
After living in London for the first 33 years of my life and working for the 
So for ten weeks in June, July and August 2009, I drove 20,000 miles around the the lower 48 contiguous states of the USA visiting towns and places that shared the same name as places on The London
Shall we talk about football?
I think we should, Alan. I think we should be the first to congratulate the Spurs fan on his team being the first to qualify for the next round of the European equivalent of the Carling Cup.
And we’re not talking about the football, no.
G: if you need any Lemsip, let me know – I’m passing through London in a couple of weeks and would gladly get you some.
Maybe Spurs needed some Jiffy Lube last night?
Ah Tylenol! The cure all stalwart of many a camp nurse! Happy Days
Sorry to hear about the cold Geoff. I coming to the US in about 2 weeks time, but nowhere near SC, I am going to Cali, Oregon, NY. So I can buy some lemsip and send it to you if you want?
I agree no football, and why do they call paracetomol, tylenol?
I will take any offers of Lemsip. The effervescent Alka Seltzer fizzy ‘equivalent’ just didn’t taste the same… yuk.
Just discovered I’m right behind you on google now geoff. You are 2 and I’m 3
ok email me, and also if you need anything else, i.e. Marmite, HP Sauce (which is made by heinz!) It’s cheaper if I just send you everything at once!
this “Lemsip” substance looks suspiciously like Thera-Flu.
it’s a hot, citrus-flavoured medicinal beverage, right?
I was going to recommend a few things (including something exactly like Lemsip), until I realised for the first time that most of the cold remedies I was used to in Canada aren’t available in the States. How odd. How do you people in the colder bits survive winter without Neo-Citron and Buckleys?
Lemsip is only Paracetamol, Pseudoephridrine (Sudafed) and a lemon flavour. You could just get these separately and drink
orange juice or Ribena for you vitamin C.
Oh man… THERA-FLU! that was it!! i’ve had that before, shit! why didn’t i remember? thx JJ!
Lemsip rocks. There’s nothing it can’t cure! hope you feel better soon m’dear
don’t go to jiffy lube…
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