Thursday 18th April, 2013          1930

Nothing much of interest happening of late and to be honest I have been tired lately. Definitely a very early night tonight - this having to get up at 0630 (and being woken up earlier!) every day lark regardless of whether I am working or not tends to drain me. Yes of course, the little stroll just after sunup with Pepsi is nice and peaceful but it rather curtails evening activities because I have to cook every night even if only for the animals.

Tomorrow is supposed to be chilly at 18C - it was higher than that today at 24C but overcast and I needed my jumper and it is threatening to rain as I type - so I may or may not go to town after classes finish at noon. The plan had been to put some money in Joanna’s account for my shopping but I may leave her to do it (she goes to town teaching every Saturday anyway) as it is a lot easier for her. I can’t read the paying in slip and for some weird reason instead of signing my own name as the person paying in, they get me to sign hers in Chinese - hardly something that flows from the pen in a western hand!

This month aside from cheese and margarine (still none to be seen again in the supermarkets here) I am treating myself to some proper - not plastic - smoked ham and also a couple of jars of Colmans English mustard. A real ham sandwich will make a very welcome change. It’s funny how deprivation makes you crave for things, stuff you were never particularly bothered about when they were freely available. For me and off the top of my head here are a few - Branston, Picallili, pork pies, pickled onions, Shippams spreads, pate etc - when I get back I want a ploughmans and proper fish & chips with malt vinegar! In fact I could murder a chip butty right now!

I’m not happy with the little school. The bugger has given me two classes on Sunday. Fine because I haven’t been there for three weeks and I am unavailable for the subsequent two weekends anyway, but the first is 0920-1000 and the second 1400-1440. With that long a break I now have to make the decision whether to twiddle my thumbs downtown or make two trips. Roll on the Mayday break.

Friday 19th           1900

As I feared, today wasn’t too nice although in truth there were times the sun shone and if you were out of the wind it was pleasant but no way was I riding around the lake all the way to town in a force five.

I decided Joanna could take the money tomorrow but was then informed that not only did she want me to give her 60y more than my shopping cost because she wants to buy her “sister” a gift (“sister in this case probably means cousin or friend and I should add she will give me the money) but she also has another account with another bank that has a branch a hundred yards from the school south gate! Why she never told me this before is beyond me but she was sent packing at 1000 with the money to do it anyway!

Tomorrow is going to be a completely relaxing day for me - faced with working every day from Sunday to next Sunday inclusive - as next weekend we make up lessons to counter the one-day-made-into-three-days holiday for Mayday, so the plan is (or rather WAS) to just laze about. Unfortunately the students have organised their own speaking competition commencing at 1900 tomorrow and they want me to be a judge. Mystifyingly Kevin has escaped co-option to the judging panel and of course if I am available I always try to accommodate the pupils. I have naturally specified that my agreement to be a judge is conditional on the proviso I am not offered hot water, green tea or coffee but my preferred refreshment!

The animals have been fed and I have a veritable cauldron-full simmering on the hotplate containing what I hope will be a tasty beef stew. Without access to the herbs I would choose I have had to settle for Bisto, garlic and chilli flakes and considering what the beef cost (and the fact it is the first I have seen available here in 3 years) I sincerely hope it is at the very least reasonable.