First Cold After Covid

I never had it and my rapid test says I don't have it now. But I do have something. I woke up with a stuffy nose, a scratchy throat and the kind of malaise that makes you want to pull the covers over your head and wake up two days later. Hoping to stave off the incipient cold, I had a glass of red wine and a bowl of chicken-flavored ramen noodles when I woke up with the feeling, around two a.m., that I was coming down with something. Both soothed my throat, but the only real cure is time . . . the cups of fruit tea with honey, lemon and ginger I will drink, the mugs of scalding hot water with salt I will gargle, will make me feel I'm battling my enemy. That feeling of being virtuous will decrease the dullness of recovery. It was so hot and humid on the trains returning from Slovenia, which has terrific museums in Llubjana, the gorgeous Julian Alps and the dreamy Adriatic sea, that I didn't wear a mask, but I'm taking up mask-wearing again. Can't hurt.

Favorite Three-Second Protein Salad

Colorful, too:

Assemble: two packs of cocktail shrimp, one ripe avocado, one big lemon, a handful of washed spinach, a dash or two of olive oil, salt and pepper.

Cut the avocado, scoop out by the teaspoon. Open the two packs of shrimp. (This took an extra second, since I got olive oil on my hands). Add shrimp; add spinach. Swirl in a little olive oil. Cut and squeeze the lemon; add salt and pepper. Toss.

Serve with a glass of chilled white wine