Sick and Tired

I've been sick for the past week and a half with what started as the flu. It has since morphed into a hacking cough and cold that I can't seem to shake. I become a bit of a baby when I get sick. I need to surround myself with comforts such as my wooly slipper and a big, plump comforter. And one thing I definately need when sick is rice. Plain. Not fried or pilafed or wrapped in a banana leaf. Just plain white rice, freshly cooked. I love stepping into a house and breathing in the aroma of rice cooking. It's very soothing, same as how some people feel about the smell of bread baking. Second best to freshly cooked rice is a bowl of congee. Kind of like oatmeal except it's made from rice instead of oats and it's savoury. It's basically rice that's been slowly simmered with water until the grains fall apart to form milky rice gruel. Sounds a bit Dickensian. But it's delicious when you load it with pork, or fish balls or scallions and chicken. I remember getting the rice and the congee when I was sick as a child, which is likely the reason why it's so appealing to me today. So I've been loading up on the rice as well as all the citrus fruit I can get my hands on. Hoping I can shake this bug before I fly to Vancouver next week.