I'm wondering if it might be.... dun, dun, dun, the herald of the menopause or at the very least a hormonal imbalance requiring some exotic herb harvested from the foothills of the Andes and sold at a 700% profit margin in my local chemist. Incidentally, what has happened to chemists? They all seem to be turning into pharmacies.
The Dark Recesses of My Tortured Noctural Mind? - No, I think it might be Cardiff Bay
Now in France, a pharmacy is a place of excitement if you have a penchant for skincare preparations which promise the skin of a nubile fourteen year old girl in two weeks. In Britain, well, not so much - usually shelves full of strangely branded makeup and toiletries you remember from the 70's like Silvikrin and Cuticura plus Chupa Chups lollies. What possible medical purpose Chupa Chups lollies serve, apart from encouraging sales of dental products I'm not sure. The only reason I can think that a chemist might sell them is because at 20p, they are a cheap way of keeping your kids quiet whilst you wait for your prescription.
Anyway, where was I? Oh,yes, Sleepless in Dinas (never going to be a film title, that one). I could try Nytol but tablet taking is not my preferred first port of call. Then there's milk with nutmeg grated on the top which is supposed to be very soporific. It's quite challenging these days to actually find a whole nutmeg. Our local Tesco doesn't do exotic. One Christmas I asked a staff member for Star Anise and I swear they thought I meant the one that shone over the stable at Bethlehem judging by the look I got.
I'm guessing I'll have to use the one thing that used to send me into a stupor as an English undergrad - any novel by Charles Dickens. Heresy to say it but I used to find that until I got past at least the 6th chapter, I'd be snoozing faster than The Husband during an Emmerdale Omnibus.
