One thing that's worse than getting sick five days before Christmas is getting sick with some major shopping left to do. Nevertheless, a raging sore throat woke me up at four o'clock this morning, and hasn't really let go yet. I got up and looked for something to put out the fire, and I found a tin of Sucrets.

Now, I don't believe they put Sucrets in tins any more, so these must have been around for a few years. There was already one missing, so it wasn't as if I was desecrating a valuable antique when I peeled the wrapper off another one and sucked on it. The relief was minor and temporary, but better than nothing.

It doesn't feel like a cold, but it doesn't seem like allergies, either. It's definitely set me back at least a day on my long list of things I wanted to get done this week.

On my abbreviated errand run this morning, I picked up some Ricola and DayQuil to get me through the day. I've been talking to a friend who said that the symptoms I have today — sore throat and stuffy head — were the same ones she had when her flu started. She's okay now, after being flat on her back for five days.

Last night I was fine. I took Mom to dinner and then we went to Suzanne's for coffee. The two of them had taken in the ice show earlier in the day. I had no idea I might be coming down with something awful, and I hope more than anything I didn't give it to someone else.

When I got home, I was expecting the time cards to be lying in the fax tray. I usually do payroll on Tuesday nights, so that it can be mailed off Wednesday morning. Tim likes the guys to get their checks on Friday, so that they can't start drinking before the weekend.

Since there were no new faxes for me last night, I knew what the machine was receiving when I heard it beep, burp and belch this morning, some time after four. Actually, doing the payroll this morning kept me focused enough that my mind was off my weakened condition for a time.

I can always enjoy the season better once I've finished my shopping, especially if I'm convinced that I've picked the perfect gift for everyone on my list. I'm almost at that point now, but there's one person that has me stumped. Every good idea I've had has turned into a bad idea. Either they already have it, or they don't need it, or I can't find it.

And now this. I would surely have come up with something today, if I hadn't had to go straight to the drug store and back. I can only tell myself that for another day or two, though, before I have to come up with something. Maybe once the medication sets in, I'll have one of those epiphanous flashes. It's too bad there's no one here to nurse me, just in case I start talking in tongues and revealing apocalyptic secrets from beyond.