Last of the Summer Wine

For a glorious tail-end to summer, the flip flops were dusted down and the shorts were washed out for a final flourish and a sunny bite with my publisher Jo Parfitt, the tour de force who is Summertime Publishing. Jo was passing through the county visiting her folks before she sets sail on her latest expat expedition; this time to Malaysia. Jo treated us to a gastro-pub lunch at the Orange Tree in Thornham, on the north Norfolk coast. It was an unmissable chance to cruise through the bread basket of England during harvest time while it’s still above sea level. Thornham is a picture-postcard hamlet dripping with money, converted barns and upmarket holiday lets, the kind of place featured on those minor-channel relocation programmes like ‘Escape to the Country.’ Liam loves to watch these shows but since we don’t have half million stashed away in an off-shore piggy bank, watching is all we’ll ever get to do. The pub grub was delicious and Jo was delightful, as were her splendid parents who popped along for a glass. Jo’s latest posting will last four years and so while she’s sipping Singapore Slings, she’s asked me to join her small cohort of trusted confidantes. It’s a nice little earner. So, to Ms Parfitt, I thank you. To Summertime authors, if your Kindle file goes tits-up, on my head be it.

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