Letters to my sons.

Dear Son,

I have a terrible cough at the moment and keep having horrible coughing fits that leave me breathless and bent double. Luckily they are getting less intense and farther apart, but still not very nice when it happens.

I had such a fit on the train this morning. I did have my hand firmly over my mouth and I hid my head behind my bag to make sure I didn’t cough on any one else. When my fit subsided I sat up to see a cough sweat being dangled in front of my face. The woman sat opposite me wouldn’t take no as an answer so I thanked her and started sucking it and it really worked. As I started to relax she thrust a handful of the same sweats on me which I pocketed. When i finally got off the train I smiled and said thank you – both of us had spent the journey listening to our music players.

I felt down this morning as this cough is starting to get to me and I didn’t sleep very well last night, but a single act of random kindness has really cheered me up and the sweats have stopped the coughing. Champion.

Something else that I forgot about our recent trip to Trinidad; on the way to Maracas Bay we travelled up and down a few hills and at the top of one hill there was a clearing with about 40 vultures standing in it. I swear that as we drove past all 40 vultures turned to have a look at me and asses my driving style, once I was out of sight I bet they had a meeting to decide if I would crash on the tricky down hill part that was coming up. I would have loved to take a photo of all these vultures but like I said, I was driving. When we drove back they had left, no doubt perched in a tree somewhere sleeping – or boning up on their Highway code in an attempt to spot bad drivers. All they need to do is hover above the Highway a few miles away and they are ten a penny.