Yesterday was an interesting day. Almost as soon as I had posted I received a text from an old friend saying that last night would be his final night out in Singapore and would I like to join him for a drink? This man was one of the very first people that I met when I arrived here and he took me under his wing and showed me around and made introductions. He's been in Singapore for many years and although I have heard him say on more than one occasion that his plan was to retire at 50 to New Zealand, due to my fasting and non-drinking and hermit lifestyle, I had had no idea that that day has finally arrived. He's leaving next Wednesday. I must say that he was looking exceptionally well but I cannot help musing on the fact that he's giving up a job he's good at (an oil broker) an expense account with which he has entertained mightily, a city that is full of life and friends for a new and very different life outside Christchurch in the South Island of New Zealand. Most people were predicting that he would be back within a year and I will be very interested to see whether that is the case or not. When the chief and I visited the North Island on our honeymoon last year we appraised the place with a "could we live here?" eye. The fact is that we felt that it was so quiet and so far away from the rest of the world that we could not - that does not mean that we didn't love the place - we did, we just couldn't live there.
The long and the short of the evening was that I drank rather a lot of Johnny Walker and had an excellent time. I mended some fences with another old friend and as a result went home smiling and also ravenously hungry. The fruit and vegetables were shelved and instead I tucked into some steak - vast quantities of the stuff and frankly I am surprised that my weight has not gone up again overnight. I have also been feeling a little green around the gills as a consequence of my over-indulgence. I am not proud of myself as this was the sort of thing that I have been trying to avoid but nonetheless it was a good evening. Sadly that is all for the day as I must now go and pack for Australia.
One can only assume that you have lost your fingers and therefore this has stopped you from writing your blog?! If this is the case, may I suggest the end of a wooden spoon grasped within your stumpy bits?..I hope that life is treating you and yours kindly. Jules.
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