Inessa

Inessa, my new landlady in St. Petersburg, is a microbiologist. Nevertheless, she has some very interesting ideas about health. She's already warned me that I'm causing grave liver damage by drinking cold juice, and that I'm probably already infertile from hauling my suitcases around. It's cold and torrentially raining here, and on my way to a conference yesterday, I got wet up to my knees, covered in St. Petersburg muddy gook. Inessa freaked out when I got home, and told me that I'd catch pneumonia. So she forced me to follow her anti-pneumonia regimen: she pushed me in a hot shower, then made me eat peeled potatoes smothered in salt and butter and do multiple brandy shots. She claims it's an old army regimen. Despite my skepticism, I must admit that I'm feeling great this morning!