Sunday 19th January, 2014                     1730

Despite having said I wouldn’t go to town over the weekend I did in fact take a trip in yesterday. I was in two minds as to what to do because I spotted a deck scrubber in the sweet pork place yesterday lunchtime - I have never seen one in nearly four years here and I could have sorely done with one in the old place for the floors. I think they bought it in East Street so I thought about taking a wander down there to see but changed my mind on the bus and instead plumped for an early dinner in Ke Bi Wang because I haven’t seen JinJun for about a month and afterwards went to Lottemart, not wanting to stroll around with a long handled scrubber. I bought liver for the animals and on the spur I also bought some pork mince, vegetables and flour that I won’t use in the bread maker. I may have a crack at seeing if I can make anything resembling a Cornish pasty. I decided that if Ollivier can make pastry then surely I can as well? If successful, it would open up a great many opportunities for more western food - sausage rolls for one!

Today I removed the last of my stuff from the old flat, and I am sure there will be many disappointed people. My extension leads that everyone used to charge their bikes had to come over here even though I would have loved to have left them in place. It was ideal as not only could I charge up but the bike was under cover. Over here it will be open to the rain and snow. Anyway, I managed to rig it up here. It involved running the cable through a window and out onto the stairwell. With sliding windows the problem was how to ensure the cats couldn’t open it further and get out. This was solved with a metal rod I bent to the right length to wedge it almost closed. Not ideal as it means there is now a gap where cold air can get in but hopefully Kevin can drill the window frame when he is back so we can run the cable through it and thus lock the window. I also had to put up a couple of hooks in the stairwell to keep the lead from strangling anyone walking past as it now goes out of another exterior window down to the ground floor. At least I can still charge up whenever I like.

Mid-afternoon I went to buy some plonk and give Pepsi an outing. For the second day running I got to the till only to find I had forgotten my wallet! Again I had to go all the way home and return. The Chinese ladies who work there must think I am a complete divot.

Campus is virtually deserted now. Teaching staff don’t finish until Tuesday but I saw just a handful of students still wandering about. Quite why they are still here I am unsure, there are no classes so I can only guess they couldn’t get rail or bus tickets for any earlier. The transport system here during spring festival is rammed solid - except of course for the number 29 bus which is now bliss as I am often the only passenger as it leaves school.

Tomorrow I may go and see if I can buy that scrubber and combine it with lunch. After that I really must make a start on entering the exam results in the system.