It used to annoy me that, for the last few years, every time I talked to my mum on the phone she always asked me if I was sick.

She’d say I sounded like I had a cold.

I’d reply, “NO! I’m not sick, I’ve just been for a swim!”.

It’s now routine for me to sneeze for hours after every swim practice, and my sinuses are constantly blocked. I think this is a very common complaint for swimmers.

I didn’t realise how awful I sounded until I bought myself a little Flip camera and played around with it this afternoon. This is not my real voice! Yuk! Sorry mum, you were right. I do sound like I have a cold.

This is a trial video I took this afternoon of my fledgeling, Charlotte, giving my 5lb, 10oz cat Marmalade, her thyroid medication.