I spent much of yesterday preparing for a Tuesday western Wednesday. In recognition for his achievement Kevin and I decided to make further history by inviting the first boy ever to our dinners and also made him guest of honour.
I had been busting to make pea and ham soup so opted to do that in the morning whilst after classes making a chilli with beef for the first time here. I also had my film crew here carrying out an interview whilst, and in between, cooking. Their cameras had to be returned to the department today so it was their last chance to get any more footage. Doubtless they could do with it, for they have now been told that rather than being twenty minutes in length, now it needs to be forty.
The appointed hour for dinner came but when I went to Kevin’s flat, rather than the seven people I had catered for I discovered that Kevin’s date Doris (in one picture seen pointing down at his head) had inveigled her three dormitory mates a place. Somewhat miffed at this last change (mainly because had I known I would have made more soup) I was reassured that they had all previously eaten so wouldn’t want very much food.
The soup may not have been enough for ten but in fairness there was enough chilli for all and sufficient for Ollivier to be able to take three containers home for he and his wife. Dessert came in the form of a fondant au chocolat concocted by Ollivier and his student, whose name sadly escapes me. I think everyone had an enjoyable evening (even with four persons eating on the bed) and towards the end we presented our local hero with a personal certificate from Kevin and me, which Kevin had knocked up on his computer and printed off.
Everyone of course wishes him the very best of luck in Beijing in December - which he will certainly need because he will be competing against the top universities in the land, particularly Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Whilst of course we would all love him to win the whole shooting match, realistically speaking competition will be fierce. I said to him that yes, we all want him to win but not to feel under too much pressure - he has made history and will be forever remembered in Chizhou university folklore, plus there can never be another first person to get to the big final.
Mum managed to call just as we were eating (I swear she has a spy camera) so I got Jim and Joanna to talk to her briefly. Later after the students had all left Kevin’s dad called on Skype. I won’t go into details but he has been having a few episodes which may be connected to hypotension. He is 96 and as sharp as a pin but he has bought a finger monitor which was confusing him so I ended up chatting with him as well. By the time I left I felt quite merry!
Today has been cooler with afternoon rain so I came home early and as I am tired, even though I am off tomorrow I want an early night.
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