Sprung

Despite the grumblings of many Melburnians about it still being cold, and the politically incorrect whinging about the rain, it's definitely Spring here. How do I know? Those of my friends who suffer from hayfever and related allergies have started moaning about it and popping the little antihistamine pills, and spraying steroids up their nostrils.

Both my mother and my sister suffer from hayfever, but my father and I have never suffered the annoying symptoms of a runny nose, sneezing, coughing and itchy eyes. Classic "allergic rhinitis". However, this year that might have come to an end.

I had a cold a few weeks ago, and ordinarily, I bounce back from that quite quickly. This time, not so much. I've had a cough I just can't shake, I's started sneezing more, and just this week, one of my eyes has become rather itchy, but with no sign of redness or puffiness to suggest some sort of infection. Could I finally have succumbed to my mother's genes? Or am I just being a hypochondriac? With a penchant for pharmaceticals which preclude me from operating heavy machinery?