Thirteenth

As if to underline my advancing years and the fast approaching birthday, I have been stricken by some itinerant germ, with the unpleasant symptoms of coughs and sneezes and generalised malaise. This is not a good time to be laid low, with the impending festivities requiring a high degree of planning and coordination. So if this ailment persists, there will be no presents under the tree and nothing to eat in the fridge and Christmas will be ruined for everybody, although considerable cheaper for me.