From Wikipedia: Running the gauntlet is a form of physical punishment where a captive is to run between two rows – a gauntlet – of soldiers who repeatedly strike them.

I was hungover this morning from a rather lovely dinner at a friend’s house last night. This week’s Friday Five chronicles how I ran the gauntlet – or went to the shops to get emergency hangover Sprite and a croissant.

Five things that tried to break me this morning:

1. Man pulling a rickety old trolley full of recycling and dropping glass bottles into the bin, at great volume.

2. Roadworks. Specifically, digging up the road underneath the tram lines, right where I have to stand by a pedestrian crossing for 45 minutes (ish) waiting for the green man.

3. Police siren. Why today?

4. Very sweaty smelly man walking right next to me into the shop. I inhaled, and immediately gagged.

5. This.

Why today? Why? WHEN I DEALT WITH IT, IT WAS STILL WARM.

Not cool, Lyla. Not cool at all.