Meth: a Ticking Timebomb Gone Viral

You Can Take the Girl Out of Isan...

Nada and I walk every afternoon. We wait until around 5.00 before heading out. There is a main road out front of our estate, and it's very busy at that time of day. We only traverse a short distance before turning off into a side road without as much traffic. As we walk, Nada enjoys pointing out edible plants growing along the side of the road. And in the front gardens of houses along the way, many Thais grow fruit-bearing trees, herbs and vegetables. It's all I can do to prevent her from bringing home any greens she wants to pick along the way. As we walk, I love listening to the stories of her childhood. They help me forget about the pain in my knee and make the time pass more quickly.

Last night, Nada made tom kha kai (spicy chicken soup) and it was amazing. I'm slowly building up my tolerance to chilli.

My battle with sugar addiction is ongoing. I find myself craving sweet drinks and food, but the efforts are paying off and with the daily walk, I can feel my waist slowly getting smaller.

When I was seventeen, I was hit by a car and broke my right femur. Long story short, I contracted an MRSA (Golden Staph) and the bone became wasted, causing my right leg to be an inch shorter than my left. As a result, I buy runners, then take them to a shoesmith who cuts the sole of the right shoe before inserting a one-inch wedge along the bottom of the shoe (from one inch at the heel to zero at the toe). In Australia, I had somewhere to get the work done, but since arriving in Thailand, I've used my old shoes to the point that they are beginning to wear. Once again, Nada came to the rescue and sourced a local Thai shoemaker who does this kind of thing. I won't know until I get the shoes back if he does quality work, but he's been in business for eighteen years and I'm hopeful my brand-new shoes will be of the standard I am used to.

I'm so thankful for having Nada in my life. Not only is she sexy, kind-hearted and a great cook, but she is very helpful when it comes to sourcing day-to-day things that I would struggle to find without her.