Ugh, a cold

 Friday night I was exposed to smoke - both the chargrilling at the restaurant, and they had a fireplace going (I think that one was gas, though, I could smell it). We were all stuck there for over 2 hours as service was glacially slow. 

And then Saturday I went out to do necessary shopping. There have been wildfires in the area and it's a little smoky out.

So I thought it was allergies at first.

Then, Saturday afternoon, I got stressed out, between really bad aggressive drivers, and then, when I got to the Albertsons' - my intended final stop, and I had planned out what I wanted to buy (There are a number of things I use, either items or brands, that only they sell).

So I walked up to the door. I was tired, but glad I was almost done.

Nope. 

A couple employees met me at the door and said they couldn't sell me food. 

What? 

 Their computer system had gone down. "I have cash," I said, quickly recalculating - I could get milk and yogurt and a little bit of fruit but not much else

Nope, they can't take cash. "I have my checkbook"

Nope, won't take a check either*

So I admit, I stormed out a little. I am NOT happy when my plans have to change on the fly, and I didn't know in that moment the nearest place I could go to

(*I call shenanigans on this. Maybe something bricked the cash registers and they could not give change from cash, but surely if the stuff could be rung up somehow, someone could write a check. Then again - maybe that's the problem - some software update just shut them down and of course no one can add or calculate sales tax with a pen and paper or calculator any more).

I asked the woman where the nearest other grocery was

"Wal-mart" she said. I kind of hissed "I am NOT going to Wal-Mart on a Saturday afternoon"

So I wound up backtracking five or ten miles to go the Kroger, where I haven't shopped in over a year. Partly because Albertsons' is closer and nicer, but also because the Kroger I had gone to had gotten kind of worn and dingy seeming. (And they still are. No longer do they carry a "premium house brand" in anything, they don't carry Golden Syrup any more, and they seem to have reduced choices)

And it WAS more driving, and I couldn't get a number of things I wanted. The bill was STILL high. 

After I got home I started with a sore throat. It's continued, though it's some better now, and my nose started running like crazy today (went through a box of tissues). Better out than in, I guess. But I still don't know if this is a cold (it came on awfully fast if it was) or just allergic overload coupled with a buildup of too much stress. (Both news of the world, and things like having to juggle post-tenure review and planning for summer research and interviewing job candidates on top of the usual teaching.

I suppose it could be a sinus infection; there are viral and fungal ones. My teeth have all ached, which isn't uncommon with sinus infections...

I just hope I feel some better tomorrow. Today was kind of a struggle and I have a couple meetings tomorrow.

Anyway, I didn't sleep well last night and I need to go to bed soon to try to see if I can get more rest.