On Saturday I began the 2 weeks of holiday we education people are lucky enough to get for Christmas. And I had 'a bit of a cold', about which I joked as it is something of a cliché that people in education wait until the holidays to get sick. Two days later it has developed into the worst cold I have had for years - the kind where you want to pull your face off, it hurts so much. It's not 'the flu', it's a cold - but oh my it is horrible. And just how jolly and Christmassy do you think I feel? Yes, this is a shameless plea for sympathy. I am ill enough not to have any pride left at all. Just be grateful I am sparing you pictures ....