Brownies

It was Phii Nok's birthday last week. She closed her restuarant for the day as she held a special Buddhist ceremony there on this auspicious day. She wanted us to join her, but unfortunately I couldn't and Nick was away. But I did take her some home-made brownies (with extra chocolate chips and cashew nuts). Yes, I know, I know, I'm such a good home-maker... I make my own granola too!

Well. Yesterday I was looking for mozarella cheese. This is not easy here in Lampang. There is very little cheese available. The processed stuff, yes, you can find it here and there, but real cheese is the challenge. And that's just taking about ordinary cheddar or gouda, not mozarella. I had already been to Lotus Tesco, and was now climbing into the fridges in Big C. I was determined to find mozarella cheese because it is best for pizzas. Yes, indeed, I was making home-made pizza for supper that evening. The perfect little housewife. That's me.

So there I was searching for processed mozarella cheese (I had given up on trying to find the real deal) in-between the processed cheddar and gouda when a strange foreigner man comes up to me and says "Hello, do you live here?"

"Yes I do", I reply with just a hint of irritation. Why is it that westerners ALWAYS feel that they have to talk to me, just because I'm also a so-called westerner???
"Where do you live?" he asks. Great - a chatty one.
"Muu Baan Huen Saay Kham" I tell him, hoping to confuse him with my fast and fluent delivery of our "village"'s name.
"Oh," he smiles sweetly, "I tasted the brownies you made. They were delicious!"

Turns out that he's just about my neighbour, living one street down from me, in the very same village. And Phii Nok is a mutual friend!!! Small world in Lampang. Better watch my irritation levels.