Because it's still under warranty, I have to get my car serviced at the VW dealer in Kitchener, 40 km away. That means about spending anywhere from an hour to half the day in the waiting area of their service department. The dealership is on a pedestrian-hostile street with nowhere to go and nothing to do. I always take a book and settle in for the duration.

No holiday decorations for me this year; I just can't be arsed. I'm doing my bit by singing seasonal repertoire wherever and whenever I'm asked, which keeps me quite busy enough. The neighbours have overdone themselves to such an extent that the dark spot on the street that is my house comes as something of a relief.

I have been suffering with sinus headaches again. As a last resort, I bought myself a Neti-Pot at the pharmacy, and I've been using it since Monday. I hate to say so for fear of tempting fate, but I think it's working.