Friday 3rd July, 2015                                1130

So far this week we have alternated between rain, heat and being coolish.

My quest for the cheap wine was given a temporary boost when the supermarket got more stocks. I could only take three bottles as I was on the bike, Ollivier having disappeared to (I think) Huangshan. In two days I bought five bottles and when Ollivier returned he very kindly got me another four, which were all they had left. With a dozen to a case it is surely proof I am not the only one buying the stuff so it bemuses me as to why they don’t keep a decent amount on the shelf.

On Wednesday I started finishing off my class exams and currently I am on a break before starting the last batch this afternoon. I will turn up early and hope that as usual some of the students have as well, so I can make a start and with luck knock off early. Once done, that’s me for the summer apart from a couple of hours inputting the marks on the college website.

I checked when next semester starts and it looks as if it will be 7th September, meaning just over eight weeks holiday. That’s actually quite short. Normally it has been ten weeks for the foreigners and I am sure one year it was closer to twelve but this year we have had longer terms (the joys of being dictated to by the lunar rather than the Gregorian calendar).

Joan has been conspicuous by her absence but this is occasioned by her cramming for exams and of course I don’t want to interrupt that. Instead Anna has been for dinner every night this week and I have done my best to provide decent fare such as wraps, omelettes etc although last night’s carrot and lentil soup left much to be desired. I didn’t use anywhere near enough carrots and personally I thought it was awful so tonight I hope to rectify that by making enchiladas. Tomorrow she will have to fend for herself as it is Kevin and Ollivier’s farewell dinner. Kevin departs on the 18th (although he will return to collect his things to take to his new home in Huangshan) and Ollivier will be leaving as soon as next week. I can only hope I can inveigle him for a last supermarket run (and that RT Mart actually have my wine) so I can buy the last bulk lot of plonk before I need to consider taxis once a week. Or better still, paying students to hump it back on the basis of my paying them for a KFC or a Big Mac!

So far, as usual, my summer holiday is starting to fill the diary I don’t actually keep. Meal tomorrow, a relative of one of our teachers wanting English conversation practise preparatory to studying abroad in the west, a high school student who wants to do similar but for the domestic market, summer camp in two weeks, doubtless the mountain charity school will ask me and I am sure other things will crop up.

My memory must be failing because I was actually looking forward to a nice long rest. I had forgotten that last summer I was glad to get back to work as I was busier in the holidays! I suppose you only live once……

Tuesday 7th July, 2015                                 1100

So much for finishing this entry on Saturday night!

However on Saturday night the farewell dinner thrown by Kevin and Ollivier took place in a private room upstairs at the Sichuan restaurant. Quite a few were late arriving and Prof Fang never turned up at all, by all accounts she had a family related issue which prevented her attendance. Once advised of this, the meal got under way. The chaps had brought ample wine plus a bottle of baijiu especially for director Shiu of the foreign affairs department and it was amusing to observe the Chinese as they realised the meal. although comprised of Chinese food, was proceeding in a very western way - that is, no need to gambay in order to have a drink.

Even better was when they realised  that unlike them, we had no intention of decamping the moment the food was finished, we wanted to relax, chat and enjoy a glass or two. Eventually they started plucking up the courage to tell their hosts that they were ready to leave. Ultimately the three of us were left and later Kevin went off to buy something from a coffee shop up the road. Meanwhile the restaurant had indicated they wanted us to leave, for we were the last customers. It wasn’t particularly late but my guess is were it not for us they could have closed at nine.

We departed and I grabbed my shoulder bag thinking my camera and waiters friend were in it. I discovered on Sunday they weren’t when I decided to upload my photos of the occasion for inclusion in this blog. A call from Ollivier’s wife to the restaurant, which after my visiting the place dozens of times I would have thought would have received the reply that yes, I can collect them any time, was met with “they didn’t have them“.

Now I know they were in that room so one of the waitresses who cleared up has gained a good Nikon camera. The restaurant on the other hand has lost a good customer. Yes, my fault for leaving it but seeing as there were only staff members besides us, I honestly expected to be reunited at least with the camera if not the corkscrew.

Sunday morning Ollivier and I went for breakfast and on a last wine hunt in his car. At least the man above smiled that day as there was a complete case of the one I wanted so I snaffled that up. I also went for breakfast yesterday on the bus, I needed to buy food for dinner - it was a cheesy tuna pasta bake and I made enough for Anna, me, Kevin and Vivi - but none for Ollivier as he and his family left for the last time early on Monday morning.

When I took the bus I was confused because on arrival it stopped at the far side instead of turning nearer to the school entrance. The passengers debarked and then it continued in the direction it was headed. I thought perhaps the driver needed the loo. A few minutes later it returned to pick up those of us waiting.

It was raining and I had taken my last Whiskas free umbrella. It was also windy and on the short walk from McDonald’s to RT Mart a gust blew it inside out and buckled the spokes, rendering it useless. When I came back on the bus I was not best pleased when this one also stopped miles away from the entrance. It was still raining and I had no cover. I cursed the driver mentally and it was only when he also continued up the new road that it began to dawn on me - I think they have now opened the east gate, it presumably having the access road completed at last.

I will go on a reconnaissance mission later to investigate. If I am correct then that’s where I will wait for the bus for the next week or so and hopefully I will always be guaranteed a bus (and a seat) instead of having to wait for five to come and go which are crammed full of students from our place and the nurses college opposite, together with their suitcases as they depart for their holidays.