Expats’ Desires

Another forty-sixer today! It makes me so apathetic and dozy. At two o’clock this afternoon I put my head down for forty winks and woke up three hours later!

That’s not like me, I haven’t needed an afternoon nap for fifty-five years.

∞

A friend of mine is coming up to the village from Pattaya today for his birthday tomorrow. He has a house here but only uses it for a few weeks a year. The point is, he can’t do without British food, so if he has a party for his birthday, I’m in for a rare treat.

Non-expats have no idea how much we miss some foods. He brought me three large tins of corned beef, which you just can’t buy unless you camp out in one of the huge Tesco stores, then the first people on the scene buy the lot. Ten, twenty cans each.

You’d imagine that astute store managers would notice this trend and buy more, wouldn’t you? However, the situation hasn’t changed in ten years, unless it has gotten worse.

My wife bought me two large blocks of cheese recently as well, so our stocks are looking their best for ages, but the food at the party will be something else, I hope: sausages, beans and mash – or something simple but different, like that.

By the way, Neem, my wife, bought me five small bars of chocolate as a surprise yesterday. I tried one today and it was quite nice, but had written on the wrapper ‘Made in China. Contains no chocolate’.

∞

Despite the fact that May has always been better than April for sales in my four years of records, this year looks like being the exception. I know it is still early days, and the second week of the month is probably only ever the best in December, but I’d still be happier if the reading public showed a bit more enthusiasm for my books.

I don’t think they realize what an effect their inaction has on my mood or I’m sure they’d pull their fingers out! 🙂

All the best,

Owen

Podcast: Expats’ Desires