Boxing day 2013                                 Noon.

Christmas day was busy. I had examinees after lunch and then the tug-o-war, which we were told would commence at three. Half an hour later things finally started to move because everyone else started drifting down to the south gate. By this time I was getting the feeling that soon I would be ill - you know, when you don’t feel quite right and something inside you tells you it’s going to get worse. Judicial swigs of jing jo kept my mind off it and early on our team were called to the rope.

We lost two straight pulls and exited the competition.

Several mitigating factors should however be taken into consideration. Firstly, the male teachers in our department are in the main of the older generation. Secondly, Kevin had to be pressed into service and he weighs about seven stones wringing wet. Thirdly, because in their minds Ollivier and I had been accorded superhuman status, they counted each of us as one and a half men - as a result the other team had ten whilst we only had nine! It was nonetheless enjoyable to watch as well, the teams were all comprised of teachers and the girls had a group skipping competition as well - see photos kindly provided by Ollivier.

At seven the four foreigners and a student apiece (I of course invited Joanna) went to a restaurant near the south gate. I’m not sure how many bottles of wine we took between us but it was at least eight. The food was lovely and I even chanced upon a dish that was almost an authentic sweet and sour pork, except the taste wasn’t quite right and the pork was actually mini pork meatballs. I had bought Joanna two bottles of perfume, a Breezer and a manicure set and she surprised me by giving me a cigarette case for my cigars. Sadly it is about a quarter of an inch too small but by putting them in on the slant I can fit ten in it so I will use it and treasure it.  We left at around ten, by which time the place was empty and judging by the expressions of the staff they wanted to shut up shop. Not taking into account the cost of the wine the food bill was a very surprising 278y - I think all of us were expecting it to be much higher.

I went to bed with a much-worsened cough and fell into a pickled slumber, rudely awoken at eight by Pepsi shaking her collar to go out for a wee. That was all she got, for I felt like I’d been hit by a train and so went back to bed until eleven. It was a struggle even then to walk her round the block and I have abandoned the notion of going to town today. I can only hope I am improved by tomorrow because I have a full day in class and an English corner in the evening being staged by Kevin’s students.

To my immense sadness Kiki sent me a text twenty minutes ago. Her mother passed away in hospital today. She can only have been in her forties and now Kiki has to try and find her father to tell him. He deserted nearly three years ago so she has a task ahead of her.