Sunday 29th November, 2015 2230
Just starting this with no intention of posting any time soon.
Friday night was indeed hot dog night, disappointing for a couple of reasons. Firstly the buns weren’t soft and secondly, unbelievably, Joan didn’t like the French’s mustard. I mean, what are hot dogs without French’s, onions and ketchup????
Yesterday was indeed lazy, I didn’t even shower until after four and only went to the business street because I had to. Joan stayed over and so dinner was even lazier, I simply reheated the pea soup from Thursday. At least not a lot of it went down the toilet tonight.
Of course by now you are all aware that I live up to the old saying “Wednesday’s child is full of woe”. I am not a believer in such things normally but in this instance I think there is a great deal of truth, certainly in my case.
Ages ago I asked Joan when she would be free so we could visit the Harbin ice festival and she told me the 13th January. Are you absolutely sure? Oh yes. So the moment I had enough money we bought flights. You may recall my concern that the days adjacent to the 13th were double the price.
The return flights from Shenyang to Nanjing are also paid for, the hotel in Harbin is reserved and so only train tickets and a hotel in Nanjing need to be sorted.
Now though, Joan is having bowel movements because she may actually have exams on the 13th, 14th and 15th. This was why I asked if she was certain before making plans. Had she said she wasn’t sure I would have waited until we both were and then looked at my options.
Now of course the entire trip is in jeopardy because to delay it a week sees the flights double and I was on a strict budget for spending money anyway - when I holiday in China I like to treat myself to western food which is expensive and I hate going anywhere on a shoestring. I sat up until four this morning trying to find cheap options the week after we had planned but to no avail. There was a glimmer of hope when I found flights to Beijing still on sale at a bargain price but that was dashed when I saw the cost of getting from there to Harbin.
Joan knows this is entirely of her making and I had to tell her tonight there was no point in worrying until we knew for sure whether she was free on the 13th or not . She did have a wonderfully silly idea that we could go after spring festival until I pointed out that not only did we both have school but the flights were yet more expensive and anyway the ice melts and the sow closes.
What really annoys me is that if - and I stress if - I end up sharing a sleeper with her and two complete strangers for 24 hours (an entire day on a Chinese train???”!!!) it is still going to cost more than the bloody flights I paid for and to add insult to injury, if I have to cancel the tickets there will be fees to pay.
There is nothing to be done as yet, I cant do a damned thing until I know for definite so at present the fingers are crossed. I try to plan so meticulously (an ex girlfriend’s sister who accompanied us on a trip once called me both Capt Mainwaring and the Scoutmaster for having everything planned to a T) and it does rather hack me off when someone else throws an otherwise avoidable spanner in the works.
Anyway, nothing I can do yet.
I have other, more pressing and immediate problems though.
The Chinese ethic of buying and fitting cheap gear to save a yuan or two has once again hit. The little circuit breaker for my shower unit has been occasionally tripping when the bloody thing hasn’t even been in use, something to get someone to see to as and when they can. Then another one started playing up but this one controls half the power sockets in the flat.
I was finding myself plunged into darkness with regularity and of course the internet wifi router was cut off as well. That has to be fixed pronto, like tomorrow. Currently the breaker is being prevented from tripping by two sticking plasters and some of Joan’s Cellotape but clearly that isn’t a satisfactory state of affairs.
After I went to the new little school this afternoon I boiled yet more ham. After last Sunday’s disaster I am sure Andrei and Juliette will be relieved to know they will be getting no smoke wafting up and Vivi is very happy to be able to collect some for herself tomorrow. Joan wants dinner as well so it may be that I make some mash and peas, slice some ham and break out the Branston.
Considering this started as just a preface to another load of daily news from Chizhou, I reckon I had better post it! Keep your fingers crossed that Joan’s exams will finish by the 12th January!
Sunday, 29 November 2015
Friday, 27 November 2015
Friday 27th November, 2015 1740
Trips to town are now getting ridiculous even during the week. I am used to lunchtime town-bound ones being mobbed by students and that, as I mentioned before is easily remedied by riding 2km further to take the bus from the first stop.
With temperatures plummeting I may become reluctant to take that ride but there is another plan - splash out 1 or 2 yuan (won’t be long before the seasonal doubling of the fare is in effect) and catch the bus when it arrives from town, take it to the terminus and then pay for another one going the opposite way!
However, even in the week, getting a seat on a bus at RT Mart in the day is all but impossible. Yesterday I let three of them leave without me before finally giving in and walking to cross the road, take a bus the other way to the commercial centre, cross the road again and get a bus back to school.
Today though, even that far up the line I had to let the first bus pass me by because there were about twenty others scrambling to board. The second one was fine but I may have to investigate stops even further up the route. It’s a pity RT and the commercial centre supermarkets are not in each others’ place - the commercial one is like a small Lotte Mart with absolutely nothing western in it and terrible checkout service.
I made it back for the English Corner though. Juliette couldn’t go as she had class and although I sent Andrei a message he never showed either - mind you, as he isn’t actually staff nobody can blame him! Richard did manage it, his class finished as the event started, an event which was always going to be less than enthusiastic. For some reason the Lingdian society were not permitted to use the roundhouse and so it was held outside in the cold.
There was a decent turnout at first but it didn’t take long for the students to start melting away, probably due to the temperature. To be honest, with it being cold the organisers were on a hiding to nothing anyway but when they try to make a fist of what an English Corner is supposed to be, the kids just aren’t interested. They want acts and games and if they don’t get them they simply leave.
On a very happy note, the city Foreign Affairs Bureau today advised that the Number One People’s Hospital has agreed to my suggestion that Santa visit the sick children on Christmas Day. Sally from the Bureau is as I type cajoling entrepreneurs into donating gifts, she is recruiting four elves to assist (hopefully they can sing or dance too) and sourcing elf costumes. Why do I bring these things on myself?
Last night’s dinner was split pea and ham soup with crusty bread. I had forgotten I had the peas and I have loads left so it looks as if it will be tomorrow’s dinner as well. I even introduced croutons to Joan, who initially thought they were pieces of toast! Tonight though, with luck we are having Yankee hot dogs. The frankfurters arrived yesterday (as did many other things, causing endless complaints from Joan about how sore her arms were from carrying it all!) and it is likely the rolls will turn up shortly. If they don’t then it is soup again because I have nothing else to cook.
Tomorrow will be a lazy day, no trip to town because I am having to shepherd my money. My translation lucre was refused yet again by my bank so it is going to Joan (good job I can trust her!) and I will have to open another account, probably with the Bank of China. Tonight she will use her funds (I will repay her of course) to pay for a hotel in Nanjing - they are all demanding prepayment in the spring festival, at least the ones in the area I want to be - and possibly some of the train tickets if she has enough. The last thing I need is to be stranded in the spring festival because all transport is sold out due to ten percent of the world’s population going on their travels.
Finally, over the past week I have been somewhat concerned. Whenever I sat at the RT Mart bus stop which is directly opposite the kiosk which gets my cigars, it has been closed. I was panicking and wondering where the hell I could get them in future because hardly anywhere stocks them. To my great relief, today I saw they were open again so perhaps it was simply a family emergency. I wish they wouldn’t do that to me……
News just in - the hot dog rolls have arrived and will be brought later, time to chop the onion!!
Trips to town are now getting ridiculous even during the week. I am used to lunchtime town-bound ones being mobbed by students and that, as I mentioned before is easily remedied by riding 2km further to take the bus from the first stop.
With temperatures plummeting I may become reluctant to take that ride but there is another plan - splash out 1 or 2 yuan (won’t be long before the seasonal doubling of the fare is in effect) and catch the bus when it arrives from town, take it to the terminus and then pay for another one going the opposite way!
However, even in the week, getting a seat on a bus at RT Mart in the day is all but impossible. Yesterday I let three of them leave without me before finally giving in and walking to cross the road, take a bus the other way to the commercial centre, cross the road again and get a bus back to school.
Today though, even that far up the line I had to let the first bus pass me by because there were about twenty others scrambling to board. The second one was fine but I may have to investigate stops even further up the route. It’s a pity RT and the commercial centre supermarkets are not in each others’ place - the commercial one is like a small Lotte Mart with absolutely nothing western in it and terrible checkout service.
I made it back for the English Corner though. Juliette couldn’t go as she had class and although I sent Andrei a message he never showed either - mind you, as he isn’t actually staff nobody can blame him! Richard did manage it, his class finished as the event started, an event which was always going to be less than enthusiastic. For some reason the Lingdian society were not permitted to use the roundhouse and so it was held outside in the cold.
There was a decent turnout at first but it didn’t take long for the students to start melting away, probably due to the temperature. To be honest, with it being cold the organisers were on a hiding to nothing anyway but when they try to make a fist of what an English Corner is supposed to be, the kids just aren’t interested. They want acts and games and if they don’t get them they simply leave.
On a very happy note, the city Foreign Affairs Bureau today advised that the Number One People’s Hospital has agreed to my suggestion that Santa visit the sick children on Christmas Day. Sally from the Bureau is as I type cajoling entrepreneurs into donating gifts, she is recruiting four elves to assist (hopefully they can sing or dance too) and sourcing elf costumes. Why do I bring these things on myself?
Last night’s dinner was split pea and ham soup with crusty bread. I had forgotten I had the peas and I have loads left so it looks as if it will be tomorrow’s dinner as well. I even introduced croutons to Joan, who initially thought they were pieces of toast! Tonight though, with luck we are having Yankee hot dogs. The frankfurters arrived yesterday (as did many other things, causing endless complaints from Joan about how sore her arms were from carrying it all!) and it is likely the rolls will turn up shortly. If they don’t then it is soup again because I have nothing else to cook.
Tomorrow will be a lazy day, no trip to town because I am having to shepherd my money. My translation lucre was refused yet again by my bank so it is going to Joan (good job I can trust her!) and I will have to open another account, probably with the Bank of China. Tonight she will use her funds (I will repay her of course) to pay for a hotel in Nanjing - they are all demanding prepayment in the spring festival, at least the ones in the area I want to be - and possibly some of the train tickets if she has enough. The last thing I need is to be stranded in the spring festival because all transport is sold out due to ten percent of the world’s population going on their travels.
Finally, over the past week I have been somewhat concerned. Whenever I sat at the RT Mart bus stop which is directly opposite the kiosk which gets my cigars, it has been closed. I was panicking and wondering where the hell I could get them in future because hardly anywhere stocks them. To my great relief, today I saw they were open again so perhaps it was simply a family emergency. I wish they wouldn’t do that to me……
News just in - the hot dog rolls have arrived and will be brought later, time to chop the onion!!
Wednesday, 25 November 2015
Wednesday 25th November, 2015 0200
Yes, another late one but I did have a snooze and my class today isn’t until after lunch.
Mulan came to clean today and texted me to say how lucky it was I never set my home on fire. Difficult to do given it is almost entirely concrete but I did have a good crack at it. From her messages (complaining about the time it took to clean the kitchen - I never ask my cleaners to wash the dishes) I thought she had sorted my pan.
She hadn’t, the floor was clean though.
The pan is still not useable but it has been subjected to numerous boiling operations tonight to try and loosen some of the black cement which attached itself the other night. Had it not been so damned expensive I would have thrown it out and bought a new one but it is the best and dearest one I have bought. Tomorrow I must scour it.
Joan came for dinner tonight. I cheated and used the cottage pies I froze last week but we both enjoyed a doughnut afterwards. I have discovered Yumeic which is a bakery Kevin used to use. They have branches everywhere but he went for the coffee. Me? I chanced upon the one opposite RT Mart simply because it was pissing down with rain and I thought I could time my walk (no brolly) according to the countdown on the green man at the crossing.
Now, Chinese bakeries have always in my experience been all fur and no knickers. Great presentation but absolutely vile taste. They had croissants, big ones with a cream filling, so I bought some. They were nice! A few days ago I bought a doughnut for Joan and asked for a little bit to taste. Nice! They do plenty of things I wouldn’t touch with a barge pole (sweet buns with a sausage and creamy stuff for instance) but now I go in every time I shop and I spend 30-40y every time.
I am even thinking of trying their hot cross buns.
I have a problem in that Joan is also coming for dinner tonight and I don’t have much by way of actually producing one. Short of going to town again (today was about wine and more pork to replace what I ruined) the only thing I can think of is a tuna pasta bake. I have everything for that and she is not fond of hot spicy food so I reckon that’s what it will be.
Now my thoughts must turn to Friday’s English Corner and the game they want me to produce for the outside of the teaching block in temperatures only just above zero. Oh, and of course something for the Christmassy concert.
No wonder I can’t sleep, especially with the spectre of a 60th birthday and the added threat of not being required here any more because I am a fossil.
Yep, the aforementioned has caused my depression (doctor can I have some Diazepam??) coupled with having enough money for the spring festival trip. The money I will sort, my friend at the translation company has helped greatly although what she gives me now will come to me afterwards. She will get my chilli enchilada recipe as a reward.
I will be fine. I may be many things but I am a survivor…..
Yes, another late one but I did have a snooze and my class today isn’t until after lunch.
Mulan came to clean today and texted me to say how lucky it was I never set my home on fire. Difficult to do given it is almost entirely concrete but I did have a good crack at it. From her messages (complaining about the time it took to clean the kitchen - I never ask my cleaners to wash the dishes) I thought she had sorted my pan.
She hadn’t, the floor was clean though.
The pan is still not useable but it has been subjected to numerous boiling operations tonight to try and loosen some of the black cement which attached itself the other night. Had it not been so damned expensive I would have thrown it out and bought a new one but it is the best and dearest one I have bought. Tomorrow I must scour it.
Joan came for dinner tonight. I cheated and used the cottage pies I froze last week but we both enjoyed a doughnut afterwards. I have discovered Yumeic which is a bakery Kevin used to use. They have branches everywhere but he went for the coffee. Me? I chanced upon the one opposite RT Mart simply because it was pissing down with rain and I thought I could time my walk (no brolly) according to the countdown on the green man at the crossing.
Now, Chinese bakeries have always in my experience been all fur and no knickers. Great presentation but absolutely vile taste. They had croissants, big ones with a cream filling, so I bought some. They were nice! A few days ago I bought a doughnut for Joan and asked for a little bit to taste. Nice! They do plenty of things I wouldn’t touch with a barge pole (sweet buns with a sausage and creamy stuff for instance) but now I go in every time I shop and I spend 30-40y every time.
I am even thinking of trying their hot cross buns.
I have a problem in that Joan is also coming for dinner tonight and I don’t have much by way of actually producing one. Short of going to town again (today was about wine and more pork to replace what I ruined) the only thing I can think of is a tuna pasta bake. I have everything for that and she is not fond of hot spicy food so I reckon that’s what it will be.
Now my thoughts must turn to Friday’s English Corner and the game they want me to produce for the outside of the teaching block in temperatures only just above zero. Oh, and of course something for the Christmassy concert.
No wonder I can’t sleep, especially with the spectre of a 60th birthday and the added threat of not being required here any more because I am a fossil.
Yep, the aforementioned has caused my depression (doctor can I have some Diazepam??) coupled with having enough money for the spring festival trip. The money I will sort, my friend at the translation company has helped greatly although what she gives me now will come to me afterwards. She will get my chilli enchilada recipe as a reward.
I will be fine. I may be many things but I am a survivor…..
Tuesday, 24 November 2015
Tuesday 24th November, 2015 0030
Another late one which I am sure I will regret in the morning but sleep has yet to overtake me.
Yesterday was a day to remember. I did take a siesta and yes, I did treat Elizabeth and one of her classmates to enchiladas, the fiery ones I had made previously and frozen the leftover chilli con carne. Why is it that when you freeze really spicy food, the second time around it is so much hotter?
No matter, Elizabeth did that thing of having to bring back-up and as luck would have it I had enough for three. It does annoy me though that regardless of whether it is in my home or I want to treat a student for a meal in a restaurant they almost always ask if they can bring a friend. I am in my sixth year here and the only sexual deviancy I have “exhibited” was in the rumour that I go every night on my bike and pay prostitutes. The fact that I have no idea where to find them did not detract from said rumour and when I told my teaching assistant Anthony, he was horrified. Not because it may have been true but because in China, rumours are extremely damaging because gullibility ensures they are believed. I did explain to him that western people of my ilk simply shrug or laugh off such things when they are patently false but oh boy, for him this was unbelievable. No matter.
Anyway, after the enchiladas the girls wanted to stay to watch a film so I showed them Alien. The 5kg of pork was simmering nicely on the hob and I asked them to remind me every twenty minutes to go and check on it and replenish the water. Half was for me, half for Vivi when she came to visit today. They reminded me once and then I promptly forgot it was merrily boiling away while we watched Sigourney Weaver battling the monster.
After the film finished there was a furious knocking at my door. The girls jumped and asked who it was. I said I didn’t know and to go and answer the door to find out. When they did so, there were loud exclamations from the main room. Investigating, it was conveyed to me that Andrei (who was at the door) had been under the impression his flat was on fire.
It wasn’t.
On opening the kitchen door, mine was full of acrid smoke where the ham had boiled dry and the meat was not only becoming blacker by the second but also, judging by the state of my biggest and most expensive pot, welding itself to the metal. You couldn’t see more than a foot. What had happened of course was the extractor fan had done its manly best to evacuate the smoke, blown it outside and it had then been convected upwards into Andrei and Juliette’s bathroom directly above. Perhaps that was my revenge for Andrei’s pedantic winning of the bet……
As it happens I am bloody glad they alerted me because I had totally forgotten about it and if the girls had left I would probably simply have gone to bed, only to wake up to an empty gas bottle, cremated remains and a pot with the bottom melted.
I was angry for many reasons, not at the girls for not reminding me (my fault of course) but 5kg of what should have been ham that had taken a week to cure, the expense and of course the job I may try to tackle tomorrow to retrieve a working pot. Oddly, this sent me into a depression which has persisted throughout today as well - maybe it is allied to my financial concerns as to whether I will be able to marshal enough funds for the spring festival holiday. The flights are paid for but the hotels, train tickets and spending money still need to be found and I have never, ever, been comfortable on going on trips on a shoestring.
Then my night got worse.
I was watching Dads Army (the one where Pike gets stuck in a minefield) and at some point dropped off to sleep on the desk. I awoke at 0237 feeling dreadful and promptly crawled into bed.
I slept until 0500 and could not for the life of me get back off again.
So my mood was not the best for my classes today, I was tired and it was made much worse by the fact I had stomach ache, doubtless brought on by the exceptionally spicy enchiladas. No, I was not happy yesterday at all. And I still have a lingering and as yes not properly explained depression, which is most unlike me. If I am feeling blue I usually know the reason and it’s a damned good one. Even Joan commented on it tonight when she turned up unexpectedly to take a shower and put her laundry in the washing machine. As usual, I was left to hang it up to dry after she left.
Vivi was magnanimous over the lack of the ham I had promised her. After my morning class I will go shopping and buy some new pork so I can make it hopefully without incinerating it again on Sunday - I want ham as well! Even the cats aren’t eating the blackened corpse of the pig from yesterday so it will be deposited at Mummy dog’s feet, she will wolf it down instead of me.
Things can only get better.
Another late one which I am sure I will regret in the morning but sleep has yet to overtake me.
Yesterday was a day to remember. I did take a siesta and yes, I did treat Elizabeth and one of her classmates to enchiladas, the fiery ones I had made previously and frozen the leftover chilli con carne. Why is it that when you freeze really spicy food, the second time around it is so much hotter?
No matter, Elizabeth did that thing of having to bring back-up and as luck would have it I had enough for three. It does annoy me though that regardless of whether it is in my home or I want to treat a student for a meal in a restaurant they almost always ask if they can bring a friend. I am in my sixth year here and the only sexual deviancy I have “exhibited” was in the rumour that I go every night on my bike and pay prostitutes. The fact that I have no idea where to find them did not detract from said rumour and when I told my teaching assistant Anthony, he was horrified. Not because it may have been true but because in China, rumours are extremely damaging because gullibility ensures they are believed. I did explain to him that western people of my ilk simply shrug or laugh off such things when they are patently false but oh boy, for him this was unbelievable. No matter.
Anyway, after the enchiladas the girls wanted to stay to watch a film so I showed them Alien. The 5kg of pork was simmering nicely on the hob and I asked them to remind me every twenty minutes to go and check on it and replenish the water. Half was for me, half for Vivi when she came to visit today. They reminded me once and then I promptly forgot it was merrily boiling away while we watched Sigourney Weaver battling the monster.
After the film finished there was a furious knocking at my door. The girls jumped and asked who it was. I said I didn’t know and to go and answer the door to find out. When they did so, there were loud exclamations from the main room. Investigating, it was conveyed to me that Andrei (who was at the door) had been under the impression his flat was on fire.
It wasn’t.
On opening the kitchen door, mine was full of acrid smoke where the ham had boiled dry and the meat was not only becoming blacker by the second but also, judging by the state of my biggest and most expensive pot, welding itself to the metal. You couldn’t see more than a foot. What had happened of course was the extractor fan had done its manly best to evacuate the smoke, blown it outside and it had then been convected upwards into Andrei and Juliette’s bathroom directly above. Perhaps that was my revenge for Andrei’s pedantic winning of the bet……
As it happens I am bloody glad they alerted me because I had totally forgotten about it and if the girls had left I would probably simply have gone to bed, only to wake up to an empty gas bottle, cremated remains and a pot with the bottom melted.
I was angry for many reasons, not at the girls for not reminding me (my fault of course) but 5kg of what should have been ham that had taken a week to cure, the expense and of course the job I may try to tackle tomorrow to retrieve a working pot. Oddly, this sent me into a depression which has persisted throughout today as well - maybe it is allied to my financial concerns as to whether I will be able to marshal enough funds for the spring festival holiday. The flights are paid for but the hotels, train tickets and spending money still need to be found and I have never, ever, been comfortable on going on trips on a shoestring.
Then my night got worse.
I was watching Dads Army (the one where Pike gets stuck in a minefield) and at some point dropped off to sleep on the desk. I awoke at 0237 feeling dreadful and promptly crawled into bed.
I slept until 0500 and could not for the life of me get back off again.
So my mood was not the best for my classes today, I was tired and it was made much worse by the fact I had stomach ache, doubtless brought on by the exceptionally spicy enchiladas. No, I was not happy yesterday at all. And I still have a lingering and as yes not properly explained depression, which is most unlike me. If I am feeling blue I usually know the reason and it’s a damned good one. Even Joan commented on it tonight when she turned up unexpectedly to take a shower and put her laundry in the washing machine. As usual, I was left to hang it up to dry after she left.
Vivi was magnanimous over the lack of the ham I had promised her. After my morning class I will go shopping and buy some new pork so I can make it hopefully without incinerating it again on Sunday - I want ham as well! Even the cats aren’t eating the blackened corpse of the pig from yesterday so it will be deposited at Mummy dog’s feet, she will wolf it down instead of me.
Things can only get better.
Sunday, 22 November 2015
Sunday 22nd November, 2015 1500
Lunch yesterday was nice, I was given the choice of venue and with a view to the foreign contingent’s Christmas dinner and Andrei’s penchant for suckling pig, I asked if we could go to Dong Rong. I needed to check out the pig.
I wasn’t in the lightest hungry and knew I would be in trouble later when I went to Richard’s for his meal. Once in a blue moon when I am staying in an hotel I may have breakfast and dinner but never lunch and dinner - I simply can’t eat that much any more.
First though they had to show me the school. Perfect location with a 29 bus stop just yards away and RT Mart a couple of hundred to walk. The kids are aged between three (three????!!!) and twelve and the classes may number as many as ten students. Class control would seemingly not be a problem and three of the teachers are ex students of Kevin’s. I still didn’t want to do it.
I ordered two dishes. Naturally the suckling pig which was fine, although I thought it a little dry but there was sufficient left over for me to take some back for the others to try, and also sweet barbecued ribs which were also nice. Under duress I confess I agreed to take on the school and right now I am feeling hellishly guilty about John at the other school. I must have refused fifteen schools (and some very lucrative offers as well) over the past year.
Lunch over, I was brought back for a well needed kip before Richard’s dinner party. This is the chap who told me he could cook “a little bit“. There must have been ten pounds of meat (chicken and pork) which he had fried and coated, vegetables and other stuff and I died when I saw it. No way could I eat more than a morsel or two. And do you know what? He made a mushroom, cheese and cream sauce that was magnificent! He could have watered it down and turned it into soup, it was that good. I must get the recipe from him, I am sure I can use that for one of my creations. He’s not reading this but perhaps Andrei or Juliette will pass on my appreciation once again - he put on a good spread.
Then suddenly the festive season got busier.
Richard informed us that there will be a concert, I think between Christmas Day and New Year and that they want the foreign performing monkeys to take part again. Brilliant. The others don’t want to act in a play if I come up with one so I am left with the choice of singing Wild Rover yet again or coming up with a comedy sketch and roping my students in.
It gets worse.
On the plus side, Dumpling and her classmate brought Bristle back mid-dinner, sans stitches and seemingly unaware of the travesty I inflicted on her and certainly no worse for wear.
Then of course this morning it was off to the other school to dig John out of a hole. Elizabeth came, it was my hope that he would take her on temporarily until he could recruit a full time teacher but I don’t think that worked. He never learns, refuses jobs to perfectly good and willing graduates or soon-to-be graduates over the pettiest of things and then comes begging for help when he‘s up a creek. He even tried to cajole me into returning after lunch for “just one more class”. There was no hesitation in my refusal. At that point the could have asked Elizabeth but didn’t. I had a proof-reading to do and I prefer that to playing games with screaming kids.
He did however ask if I would be a judge on 20th December when his school holds a speaking competition and also be their Santa. No problem. He also wants me to ask Richard and Juliette to be judges. Andrei was omitted but I will also ask him - after all, though he isn’t a teacher on campus his English is better than 98% of the Chinese who teach it, even though he did win 100y off me in a bet over Krakovia and Tom Hanks. He stiffed me for Krakozhia. Bastard. Revenge will be mine.
So once again, Christmas time is shaping up to be damned busy, not to mention I will be in the middle of exams as well.
You know, given that I work for about six months a year and about eight hours a week, I marvel at how occupied I am and wonder how the hell I managed to work sixty hours some weeks in a previous life.
Oh and now it’s time for a kip, after which I will go to the business street. Following that I will treat Elizabeth to some chilli enchiladas.
Lunch yesterday was nice, I was given the choice of venue and with a view to the foreign contingent’s Christmas dinner and Andrei’s penchant for suckling pig, I asked if we could go to Dong Rong. I needed to check out the pig.
I wasn’t in the lightest hungry and knew I would be in trouble later when I went to Richard’s for his meal. Once in a blue moon when I am staying in an hotel I may have breakfast and dinner but never lunch and dinner - I simply can’t eat that much any more.
First though they had to show me the school. Perfect location with a 29 bus stop just yards away and RT Mart a couple of hundred to walk. The kids are aged between three (three????!!!) and twelve and the classes may number as many as ten students. Class control would seemingly not be a problem and three of the teachers are ex students of Kevin’s. I still didn’t want to do it.
I ordered two dishes. Naturally the suckling pig which was fine, although I thought it a little dry but there was sufficient left over for me to take some back for the others to try, and also sweet barbecued ribs which were also nice. Under duress I confess I agreed to take on the school and right now I am feeling hellishly guilty about John at the other school. I must have refused fifteen schools (and some very lucrative offers as well) over the past year.
Lunch over, I was brought back for a well needed kip before Richard’s dinner party. This is the chap who told me he could cook “a little bit“. There must have been ten pounds of meat (chicken and pork) which he had fried and coated, vegetables and other stuff and I died when I saw it. No way could I eat more than a morsel or two. And do you know what? He made a mushroom, cheese and cream sauce that was magnificent! He could have watered it down and turned it into soup, it was that good. I must get the recipe from him, I am sure I can use that for one of my creations. He’s not reading this but perhaps Andrei or Juliette will pass on my appreciation once again - he put on a good spread.
Then suddenly the festive season got busier.
Richard informed us that there will be a concert, I think between Christmas Day and New Year and that they want the foreign performing monkeys to take part again. Brilliant. The others don’t want to act in a play if I come up with one so I am left with the choice of singing Wild Rover yet again or coming up with a comedy sketch and roping my students in.
It gets worse.
On the plus side, Dumpling and her classmate brought Bristle back mid-dinner, sans stitches and seemingly unaware of the travesty I inflicted on her and certainly no worse for wear.
Then of course this morning it was off to the other school to dig John out of a hole. Elizabeth came, it was my hope that he would take her on temporarily until he could recruit a full time teacher but I don’t think that worked. He never learns, refuses jobs to perfectly good and willing graduates or soon-to-be graduates over the pettiest of things and then comes begging for help when he‘s up a creek. He even tried to cajole me into returning after lunch for “just one more class”. There was no hesitation in my refusal. At that point the could have asked Elizabeth but didn’t. I had a proof-reading to do and I prefer that to playing games with screaming kids.
He did however ask if I would be a judge on 20th December when his school holds a speaking competition and also be their Santa. No problem. He also wants me to ask Richard and Juliette to be judges. Andrei was omitted but I will also ask him - after all, though he isn’t a teacher on campus his English is better than 98% of the Chinese who teach it, even though he did win 100y off me in a bet over Krakovia and Tom Hanks. He stiffed me for Krakozhia. Bastard. Revenge will be mine.
So once again, Christmas time is shaping up to be damned busy, not to mention I will be in the middle of exams as well.
You know, given that I work for about six months a year and about eight hours a week, I marvel at how occupied I am and wonder how the hell I managed to work sixty hours some weeks in a previous life.
Oh and now it’s time for a kip, after which I will go to the business street. Following that I will treat Elizabeth to some chilli enchiladas.
Saturday, 21 November 2015
Saturday 21st November, 2015 0205
Yes, silly time I know and I will regret it in the morning but in my defence I did have a kip earlier.
The biggest thing that happened to me since the last post is something I am absolutely incandescent about.
A client of the translation firm rejected two files (on medical diabetes studies) citing his American tutor saying “his” work was littered with Chinglish. Having edited the damned things myself I know full well there was no Chinglish whatsoever unless suddenly I have lost my mastery of my own language. I am unsure as to whether the student simply doesn’t want to pay (the company tells me he always has in the past) or a fracking Yank is completely incapable of understanding English. I know they don’t speak it and can’t spell it but how dare they have the audacity to say my work is Chinglish?
I could understand if I was twenty in today’s England where “innit” and “wassup” are part of the vocabulary but really????
An eloquent email has been sent requesting any examples of Chinglish to be pointed out and it would seem the firm, having already refunded the student’s fee, are grateful for both my ire and my assistance. I am not sure any response will be received simply because there WAS no bloody Chinglish - that’s what I am there for.
Anyway, time to cool down.
I made a frittata last night, Joan was busy so I invited Dumpling, who wanted to bring a friend. She was her classmate and we all enjoyed a delicious meal marred only by the fact I used too many evil chillis in it. Well they enjoyed it, it was me who suffered!
Tonight I made my version of cottage pie, and as thick as pigshit that I am, I repeated yesterday’s error in using too many chillis! It is just that always I buy them (they come in big packs), use a few and then end up throwing most away. This time I used them all. It was the hottest cottage pie I have EVER had and Joan is not a fan of really spicy food. Anna is though. Ok the portions were large because I decided to take the lazy route to avoid washing up and bought aluminium trays to cook individual servings. Much too big but the remains of Joan’s and Anna’s were taken either to be eaten for breakfast or possibly fed to the feral animals if they were being sneaky. It WAS hot.
This weekend is going to be busier than I would like.
At eleven I am being collected for lunch. A school owner wants me to teach at his school. My co-teacher Anthony pressured me. My instant response when he asked me was an emphatic “no” and I hate him for what he did next. “You want to stay in Chizhou? You need some guanxi (influence/sway) and the owner maybe has what you need”.
I really, really do not want to teach kids in my spare time. Sure the money is welcome but I am never going to get rich at my age so I just like to enjoy life. Of course you know I will end up doing it - on my terms - because IF he can assist me in staying here until retirement age then it is worth it. But by God I will hate every moment. So lunch it is.
Then to my surprise, Richard knocked on my door this afternoon to invite me for dinner tomorrow night. This is going to be a struggle because I only normally eat once a day. From what he told me before, he is a rudimentary cook so I was taken aback and am now wondering what the hell he is preparing.
Oh and then on Sunday I felt obliged to do two lessons in the morning for Mr Kidney Failure who is up a creek without a paddle. One of his teachers quit, hence the need for me, and I suggested my ex student Elizabeth as a replacement. The owner is many things, idiot being one of them, and he told her that because he was looking for a permanent teacher (she can only promise two months as she has yet to graduate) she would not be suitable.
The guy is short staffed and would have been in the excrement had I not agreed to do Sunday and he is looking a gift horse in the mouth?
I told him how idiotic that was and that at least he would have someone covering until he recruited a permanent teacher (plus of course Elizabeth would earn some money). She is coming with me on Sunday to help for free, at which time the owner will be left in no doubt, friend or no friend, what a blithering fool he can be at times. If he doesn’t take Elizabeth on then probably I will do him no more favours, he has rejected perfectly good candidates I put forward to teach at his school and for the most inane reasons.
And now I have typed all this I am now wondering if I am supposed to be somewhere on Sunday evening - but I can’t recall!
Yes, silly time I know and I will regret it in the morning but in my defence I did have a kip earlier.
The biggest thing that happened to me since the last post is something I am absolutely incandescent about.
A client of the translation firm rejected two files (on medical diabetes studies) citing his American tutor saying “his” work was littered with Chinglish. Having edited the damned things myself I know full well there was no Chinglish whatsoever unless suddenly I have lost my mastery of my own language. I am unsure as to whether the student simply doesn’t want to pay (the company tells me he always has in the past) or a fracking Yank is completely incapable of understanding English. I know they don’t speak it and can’t spell it but how dare they have the audacity to say my work is Chinglish?
I could understand if I was twenty in today’s England where “innit” and “wassup” are part of the vocabulary but really????
An eloquent email has been sent requesting any examples of Chinglish to be pointed out and it would seem the firm, having already refunded the student’s fee, are grateful for both my ire and my assistance. I am not sure any response will be received simply because there WAS no bloody Chinglish - that’s what I am there for.
Anyway, time to cool down.
I made a frittata last night, Joan was busy so I invited Dumpling, who wanted to bring a friend. She was her classmate and we all enjoyed a delicious meal marred only by the fact I used too many evil chillis in it. Well they enjoyed it, it was me who suffered!
Tonight I made my version of cottage pie, and as thick as pigshit that I am, I repeated yesterday’s error in using too many chillis! It is just that always I buy them (they come in big packs), use a few and then end up throwing most away. This time I used them all. It was the hottest cottage pie I have EVER had and Joan is not a fan of really spicy food. Anna is though. Ok the portions were large because I decided to take the lazy route to avoid washing up and bought aluminium trays to cook individual servings. Much too big but the remains of Joan’s and Anna’s were taken either to be eaten for breakfast or possibly fed to the feral animals if they were being sneaky. It WAS hot.
This weekend is going to be busier than I would like.
At eleven I am being collected for lunch. A school owner wants me to teach at his school. My co-teacher Anthony pressured me. My instant response when he asked me was an emphatic “no” and I hate him for what he did next. “You want to stay in Chizhou? You need some guanxi (influence/sway) and the owner maybe has what you need”.
I really, really do not want to teach kids in my spare time. Sure the money is welcome but I am never going to get rich at my age so I just like to enjoy life. Of course you know I will end up doing it - on my terms - because IF he can assist me in staying here until retirement age then it is worth it. But by God I will hate every moment. So lunch it is.
Then to my surprise, Richard knocked on my door this afternoon to invite me for dinner tomorrow night. This is going to be a struggle because I only normally eat once a day. From what he told me before, he is a rudimentary cook so I was taken aback and am now wondering what the hell he is preparing.
Oh and then on Sunday I felt obliged to do two lessons in the morning for Mr Kidney Failure who is up a creek without a paddle. One of his teachers quit, hence the need for me, and I suggested my ex student Elizabeth as a replacement. The owner is many things, idiot being one of them, and he told her that because he was looking for a permanent teacher (she can only promise two months as she has yet to graduate) she would not be suitable.
The guy is short staffed and would have been in the excrement had I not agreed to do Sunday and he is looking a gift horse in the mouth?
I told him how idiotic that was and that at least he would have someone covering until he recruited a permanent teacher (plus of course Elizabeth would earn some money). She is coming with me on Sunday to help for free, at which time the owner will be left in no doubt, friend or no friend, what a blithering fool he can be at times. If he doesn’t take Elizabeth on then probably I will do him no more favours, he has rejected perfectly good candidates I put forward to teach at his school and for the most inane reasons.
And now I have typed all this I am now wondering if I am supposed to be somewhere on Sunday evening - but I can’t recall!
Wednesday, 18 November 2015
Wednesday 18th November, 2015 0100
After the speaking contest on Sunday Dumpling and I went to town to collect Bristle, first though we had to have dinner. I chose something that from the picture appeared to be spaghetti Bolognese but which via Dumpling I was advised was very spicy. Maybe I would prefer the one next to it? That also looked like Bolognese so I agreed. What I got was noodles and tomatoes - I knew I should have gone for steak!
Dumpling went to get Bristle and when we met up at the bus stop, my baby cat looked very different indeed. She sported a body stocking to keep the wound dressing in place as well as a lampshade around her neck to stop her worrying the stitches. She has to return next weekend to have the sutures removed. All in all, that exercise took up four hours.
It did cross my mind as to precisely how long the stocking and dressing would remain in situ and what happened was that I wasn’t far out in my mental predictions. By Monday morning the stocking was off and by the time I returned after my classes and usual sojourn in the business street so was the dressing. I inspected the wound and my judgement is that it will heal nicely, it is well closed and will probably be better for the circulation of fresh air so there is no need for a premature return to the hospital. As long, of course, as she doesn’t lick it or chew the stitches - which of course is impossible with the lampshade stopping her - isn’t it?
Monday evening I made a chicken stew for Joan. Quite why I have no idea but by the time it was ready I had no appetite whatsoever for what would have been my only meal of the day. Joan ate well though although she wasn’t up to the task of eating a whole breast. The cats got that afterwards but boy did she shovel down the vegetables. She is on a carrot kick at the moment in order to improve her eyesight. This has always been something I have dismissed as an old wives tale but which recently has been “proved” to be correct. Naturally I believe all these scientific studies, after all a couple of months ago processed meats were declared to cause cancer and more recently crispy toast and roast potatoes have been deemed carcinogenic as well. Why don’t the food police just put a sock in it and stop trying to spoil one of life’s great pleasures, eating?
Anyway, before she left after the meal I asked her if she was coming for dinner on Tuesday. No. That’s a shame, I am making spaghetti Bolognese. Ohhhhhhhhh…….you know I really like Italy noodles! Ok I will come!
I had bought all the ingredients at the weekend but on Monday night when I checked, I discovered that whilst I had put the chicken in the freezer I had neglected to do the same with the mince. It stank. As a result of my senior moment (basic stupidity) I had to go to town after my morning class, after all I had made a promise.
The problem was, it was pouring with rain.
Having given all my umbrellas away to students (I rarely use one because I have the cape to use on the bike) I wasn’t relishing the trip. Of course in such inclement weather the students would be deterred from making the same trip so at least I could take the bus from the south gate, right? Oh no. Bloody loads of them so I still had to ride 2km through what was stinging rain to ensure a seat. And then in RT Mart I could find no evidence of any brollies for sale! I am sure they sell them but I couldn’t find them and never asked as I was in a hurry. I was tired and wanted a nap, plus my co-teacher wanted a word with me. He says it’s not bad (with Tina and Cinny if they wanted to see me it usually forbade something nasty) and it never happened so maybe later today I will find out.
Anyway, if I say so myself, the “Italy noodles” turned out extremely well, with Joan having seconds and I never had to use Bisto to make the pork taste beefier. Anna came for a shower and wanted some but I had to refuse as it wasn’t going to be ready for ages, plus you can’t really keep spaghetti for an hour after cooking. I gave her the last of my bread pudding plus what would have been my dessert - a cream-filled croissant. I may send her a text in the morning if she wants to come for a chicken stew, there’s plenty in the freezer.
As Joan was about to leave she came in and told me Bristle had divested herself of the lampshade. Impossible! But she had. Little minx. Obviously I want to be careful when handling her - I don’t want to rupture her opening - and I asked Joan to replace it over her neck whilst I held her. She was too frightened! Good job I’m not. She won’t get it off now.
What I have noticed about Bristle is that she has emulated exactly what my two cats in England did when they were spayed - she has become instantly more affectionate. Of the four females I have had done, only Lotte has become hostile, and that procedure was carried out by the bodger that never even knew my dog was pregnant with eight pups when she opened her up and stated she was too young (rudimentary she said) to have the operation. Anyway the little girl seems to be quite happy apart from the collar so all is well. And she has been wormed to boot.
And that’s it for now from a very damp China, where 25 people were killed in a landslide and it got pushed out of the news by the events in Paris.
After the speaking contest on Sunday Dumpling and I went to town to collect Bristle, first though we had to have dinner. I chose something that from the picture appeared to be spaghetti Bolognese but which via Dumpling I was advised was very spicy. Maybe I would prefer the one next to it? That also looked like Bolognese so I agreed. What I got was noodles and tomatoes - I knew I should have gone for steak!
Dumpling went to get Bristle and when we met up at the bus stop, my baby cat looked very different indeed. She sported a body stocking to keep the wound dressing in place as well as a lampshade around her neck to stop her worrying the stitches. She has to return next weekend to have the sutures removed. All in all, that exercise took up four hours.
It did cross my mind as to precisely how long the stocking and dressing would remain in situ and what happened was that I wasn’t far out in my mental predictions. By Monday morning the stocking was off and by the time I returned after my classes and usual sojourn in the business street so was the dressing. I inspected the wound and my judgement is that it will heal nicely, it is well closed and will probably be better for the circulation of fresh air so there is no need for a premature return to the hospital. As long, of course, as she doesn’t lick it or chew the stitches - which of course is impossible with the lampshade stopping her - isn’t it?
Monday evening I made a chicken stew for Joan. Quite why I have no idea but by the time it was ready I had no appetite whatsoever for what would have been my only meal of the day. Joan ate well though although she wasn’t up to the task of eating a whole breast. The cats got that afterwards but boy did she shovel down the vegetables. She is on a carrot kick at the moment in order to improve her eyesight. This has always been something I have dismissed as an old wives tale but which recently has been “proved” to be correct. Naturally I believe all these scientific studies, after all a couple of months ago processed meats were declared to cause cancer and more recently crispy toast and roast potatoes have been deemed carcinogenic as well. Why don’t the food police just put a sock in it and stop trying to spoil one of life’s great pleasures, eating?
Anyway, before she left after the meal I asked her if she was coming for dinner on Tuesday. No. That’s a shame, I am making spaghetti Bolognese. Ohhhhhhhhh…….you know I really like Italy noodles! Ok I will come!
I had bought all the ingredients at the weekend but on Monday night when I checked, I discovered that whilst I had put the chicken in the freezer I had neglected to do the same with the mince. It stank. As a result of my senior moment (basic stupidity) I had to go to town after my morning class, after all I had made a promise.
The problem was, it was pouring with rain.
Having given all my umbrellas away to students (I rarely use one because I have the cape to use on the bike) I wasn’t relishing the trip. Of course in such inclement weather the students would be deterred from making the same trip so at least I could take the bus from the south gate, right? Oh no. Bloody loads of them so I still had to ride 2km through what was stinging rain to ensure a seat. And then in RT Mart I could find no evidence of any brollies for sale! I am sure they sell them but I couldn’t find them and never asked as I was in a hurry. I was tired and wanted a nap, plus my co-teacher wanted a word with me. He says it’s not bad (with Tina and Cinny if they wanted to see me it usually forbade something nasty) and it never happened so maybe later today I will find out.
Anyway, if I say so myself, the “Italy noodles” turned out extremely well, with Joan having seconds and I never had to use Bisto to make the pork taste beefier. Anna came for a shower and wanted some but I had to refuse as it wasn’t going to be ready for ages, plus you can’t really keep spaghetti for an hour after cooking. I gave her the last of my bread pudding plus what would have been my dessert - a cream-filled croissant. I may send her a text in the morning if she wants to come for a chicken stew, there’s plenty in the freezer.
As Joan was about to leave she came in and told me Bristle had divested herself of the lampshade. Impossible! But she had. Little minx. Obviously I want to be careful when handling her - I don’t want to rupture her opening - and I asked Joan to replace it over her neck whilst I held her. She was too frightened! Good job I’m not. She won’t get it off now.
What I have noticed about Bristle is that she has emulated exactly what my two cats in England did when they were spayed - she has become instantly more affectionate. Of the four females I have had done, only Lotte has become hostile, and that procedure was carried out by the bodger that never even knew my dog was pregnant with eight pups when she opened her up and stated she was too young (rudimentary she said) to have the operation. Anyway the little girl seems to be quite happy apart from the collar so all is well. And she has been wormed to boot.
And that’s it for now from a very damp China, where 25 people were killed in a landslide and it got pushed out of the news by the events in Paris.
Saturday, 14 November 2015
Saturday 14th November, 2015 1845
No I haven’t been lazy, nor; if it makes any sense; have I been busy - I have simply had a lot on. Sounds Irish I know but I can’t really explain it any more succinctly than that.
Now I must try to remember all the thoughts that enter my head on my number 29 bus trips!
The CCTV footage. Huge obstacles were put in my way on this matter. Initially I was told the camera only covers the actual road, which was odd given that the mounting for said camera has a 360 degree screen obstructed only by the post it is attached to. Fine, said I, just give me it anyway, if I can spot someone going out of the field of view and returning very shortly afterwards then I will have a good idea. But it might not be a student from our department. I don’t care. You’re not a policeman. So what? You think nobody can investigate other than the police? Why don’t you park on the road so the camera can see? Because my charging extension is short, I need to park close to the building. You could buy a longer one. Why should I have to do that? This went on ad infinitum until in true Chinese fashion I was ground down to accepting there was never any intention of either giving me access to the footage or for that matter anyone else taking a look.
There has been no repetition as yet but if there is I will create merry hell and I WILL splash out on my own camera. I am loath to do so at the moment as I am marshalling all my funds for my winter trip and I have just had to pay a significant amount on another matter, more on that later. Suspicious mind that I have, I am now wondering if in fact it was a teacher and that is why they are reluctant to let me see. This is China after all.
Now to the recent sizeable expense. Bristle. Earlier in the week I asked Joan to call the vet and ask how much it would cost to spay her. 500 yuan plus the choice of anaesthetic - that ridiculous option whereby you can opt for the cheapest (Chinese) at 600y or imported for 800 or 1,000 yuan. Sorry Bristle but you are after all a stray feral kitten, cheapy Chinese it must be. So that made 1100y plus two or three days board while she recovered, so let us say about 1,200 yuan or nearly a week’s wages. I have no idea of prices in the UK now but that’s certainly more than I paid for my cats in England and 50% more than I was quoted for a dog for the same procedure. Joan of course never had the presence of mind to pretend the quote was for her.
Stunned and outraged, I tried to look online for alternative vets. It’s one thing to be ripped off, quite another to be savaged by a wallet wolf. Then I asked Dumpling to call them and say it was for her. How odd - suddenly the price was 500y all in plus 20y per diem for board (2-3 days). Dumpling, Bristle and I went to town yesterday. I stopped in McDonald’s while Dumpling took a taxi to the vets and all being well we will repeat the exercise tomorrow to collect Bristle. And get this - Dumpling added the vet on WeChat (Chinese Facebook) and asked for a discount because she is a student. They gave her 10%!!!!! She had McD yesterday, tomorrow she will have a western type meal in one of the plush bars. She earnt it.
The weather now has truly cooled and there is occasional rain. Of course I am grateful that the winter in this neck of the woods is relatively short but hey! - I wouldn’t be able to see the ice festival without it! I paid for the return flights last night, 1020y for two which was a veritable bargain but now we return to Nanjing. Joan hasn’t been there as I mentioned, so we will have two nights there in order for her to be able to spend an entire day exploring. She showed more excitement over that than she did when I took her on her first flight. Pity Titanic II still hasn’t started construction. Still, at least we can go to the Taj Mahal for a great Indian meal.
Tomorrow at two the Lingdian society is holding an English speaking competition. I was asked to be, and agreed to be, a judge but today the call for help came. So far there were only two judges and 30 contestants. Richard wasn’t answering their texts. No idea if he is on campus or visiting his girlfriend but Andrei, Juliette and my co-teacher Anthony have stepped into the breach so now we are five. I do hope it finishes early due to the probable collection of Bristle afterwards.
No I haven’t been lazy, nor; if it makes any sense; have I been busy - I have simply had a lot on. Sounds Irish I know but I can’t really explain it any more succinctly than that.
Now I must try to remember all the thoughts that enter my head on my number 29 bus trips!
The CCTV footage. Huge obstacles were put in my way on this matter. Initially I was told the camera only covers the actual road, which was odd given that the mounting for said camera has a 360 degree screen obstructed only by the post it is attached to. Fine, said I, just give me it anyway, if I can spot someone going out of the field of view and returning very shortly afterwards then I will have a good idea. But it might not be a student from our department. I don’t care. You’re not a policeman. So what? You think nobody can investigate other than the police? Why don’t you park on the road so the camera can see? Because my charging extension is short, I need to park close to the building. You could buy a longer one. Why should I have to do that? This went on ad infinitum until in true Chinese fashion I was ground down to accepting there was never any intention of either giving me access to the footage or for that matter anyone else taking a look.
There has been no repetition as yet but if there is I will create merry hell and I WILL splash out on my own camera. I am loath to do so at the moment as I am marshalling all my funds for my winter trip and I have just had to pay a significant amount on another matter, more on that later. Suspicious mind that I have, I am now wondering if in fact it was a teacher and that is why they are reluctant to let me see. This is China after all.
Now to the recent sizeable expense. Bristle. Earlier in the week I asked Joan to call the vet and ask how much it would cost to spay her. 500 yuan plus the choice of anaesthetic - that ridiculous option whereby you can opt for the cheapest (Chinese) at 600y or imported for 800 or 1,000 yuan. Sorry Bristle but you are after all a stray feral kitten, cheapy Chinese it must be. So that made 1100y plus two or three days board while she recovered, so let us say about 1,200 yuan or nearly a week’s wages. I have no idea of prices in the UK now but that’s certainly more than I paid for my cats in England and 50% more than I was quoted for a dog for the same procedure. Joan of course never had the presence of mind to pretend the quote was for her.
Stunned and outraged, I tried to look online for alternative vets. It’s one thing to be ripped off, quite another to be savaged by a wallet wolf. Then I asked Dumpling to call them and say it was for her. How odd - suddenly the price was 500y all in plus 20y per diem for board (2-3 days). Dumpling, Bristle and I went to town yesterday. I stopped in McDonald’s while Dumpling took a taxi to the vets and all being well we will repeat the exercise tomorrow to collect Bristle. And get this - Dumpling added the vet on WeChat (Chinese Facebook) and asked for a discount because she is a student. They gave her 10%!!!!! She had McD yesterday, tomorrow she will have a western type meal in one of the plush bars. She earnt it.
The weather now has truly cooled and there is occasional rain. Of course I am grateful that the winter in this neck of the woods is relatively short but hey! - I wouldn’t be able to see the ice festival without it! I paid for the return flights last night, 1020y for two which was a veritable bargain but now we return to Nanjing. Joan hasn’t been there as I mentioned, so we will have two nights there in order for her to be able to spend an entire day exploring. She showed more excitement over that than she did when I took her on her first flight. Pity Titanic II still hasn’t started construction. Still, at least we can go to the Taj Mahal for a great Indian meal.
Tomorrow at two the Lingdian society is holding an English speaking competition. I was asked to be, and agreed to be, a judge but today the call for help came. So far there were only two judges and 30 contestants. Richard wasn’t answering their texts. No idea if he is on campus or visiting his girlfriend but Andrei, Juliette and my co-teacher Anthony have stepped into the breach so now we are five. I do hope it finishes early due to the probable collection of Bristle afterwards.
Sunday, 8 November 2015
Saturday 7th November, 2015 1430
The western meal on Thursday seemed to go quite well although the only person to invite a student was me, Juliette having invited two teachers instead.
The wings disappeared in short order and although the macaroni cheese could have done with being a bit more moist it seemed to be well received. Unfortunately Andrei was unable to source gelatin or rennet in time so his cheesecakes didn’t have the right consistency but nonetheless they were delicious. I look forward to tasting them when he makes them the way he prefers.
Last night the owner of the small school invited all the foreigners for a meal and by pure chance Kevin has come back for the weekend. We all sat down to a generous meal and of course the object was to try and persuade the new teachers to come to his school. He got no joy but I think his mind had something far weightier on it. He has just been told his kidneys are failing (he’s only about forty) and will soon have to start dialysis. I was very sorry to hear such bad news because for all his faults he is a friend and he is generous in always inviting us to his special dinners. I do hope if necessary a transplant can be found and hope that, by being an accountant by profession, he has adequate medical insurance.
Sunday 8th 1730
Well tonight I have tried to make something I never have before - toffee apples. Not for me of course but the recipe looked so simple I thought I would give it a crack. Of course, nothing is ever that simple and I found myself having to add more and more sugar to try to get a decent consistency. Even so it looks as if most of the toffee has slid off the apples onto the trays! Still, they look almost the way they should. Fingers crossed they actually set.
As the weather is now freezing cold, by which I mean into single figures, most of today has been spent closeted at home. It has also been raining a little so I took to pondering on the trip north in January. I have a gut feeling that the Shenyang to Hefei flights won’t come down as the date nears. They normally do around a fortnight from the day you want to fly and you have to watch the prices like a hawk but as this is spring festival and the China West flight has already sold out and there is only the early morning Schenzen Air flight left, it was looking increasingly likely our mode of transport would be the train.
Then I looked at flights to Anqing instead. They were even more exorbitant so I thought some more and wondered about Nanjing. I did a search fully expecting that to be a no go
too seeing as Nanjing is a very popular tourist destination but to my astonishment at the moment if I had the money I could book for 530y plus taxes. If the price holds until payday this week then I will snap it up, cancel the hotel in Hefei and book another in Nanjing. I have found one with an airport shuttle which is just over a mile from the train station and a few hundred yards from a Pizza Hut - no point going on holiday in China if you can’t at least have some form of western food!
So a cold week ahead by the look of things, summer is apparently over.
Oh yes, I will also include a picture of the sight that these days greets me in the mornings when I want to use my bathroom.
The western meal on Thursday seemed to go quite well although the only person to invite a student was me, Juliette having invited two teachers instead.
The wings disappeared in short order and although the macaroni cheese could have done with being a bit more moist it seemed to be well received. Unfortunately Andrei was unable to source gelatin or rennet in time so his cheesecakes didn’t have the right consistency but nonetheless they were delicious. I look forward to tasting them when he makes them the way he prefers.
Last night the owner of the small school invited all the foreigners for a meal and by pure chance Kevin has come back for the weekend. We all sat down to a generous meal and of course the object was to try and persuade the new teachers to come to his school. He got no joy but I think his mind had something far weightier on it. He has just been told his kidneys are failing (he’s only about forty) and will soon have to start dialysis. I was very sorry to hear such bad news because for all his faults he is a friend and he is generous in always inviting us to his special dinners. I do hope if necessary a transplant can be found and hope that, by being an accountant by profession, he has adequate medical insurance.
Sunday 8th 1730
Well tonight I have tried to make something I never have before - toffee apples. Not for me of course but the recipe looked so simple I thought I would give it a crack. Of course, nothing is ever that simple and I found myself having to add more and more sugar to try to get a decent consistency. Even so it looks as if most of the toffee has slid off the apples onto the trays! Still, they look almost the way they should. Fingers crossed they actually set.
As the weather is now freezing cold, by which I mean into single figures, most of today has been spent closeted at home. It has also been raining a little so I took to pondering on the trip north in January. I have a gut feeling that the Shenyang to Hefei flights won’t come down as the date nears. They normally do around a fortnight from the day you want to fly and you have to watch the prices like a hawk but as this is spring festival and the China West flight has already sold out and there is only the early morning Schenzen Air flight left, it was looking increasingly likely our mode of transport would be the train.
Then I looked at flights to Anqing instead. They were even more exorbitant so I thought some more and wondered about Nanjing. I did a search fully expecting that to be a no go
too seeing as Nanjing is a very popular tourist destination but to my astonishment at the moment if I had the money I could book for 530y plus taxes. If the price holds until payday this week then I will snap it up, cancel the hotel in Hefei and book another in Nanjing. I have found one with an airport shuttle which is just over a mile from the train station and a few hundred yards from a Pizza Hut - no point going on holiday in China if you can’t at least have some form of western food!
So a cold week ahead by the look of things, summer is apparently over.
Oh yes, I will also include a picture of the sight that these days greets me in the mornings when I want to use my bathroom.
Wednesday, 4 November 2015
Wednesday 4th November, 2015 2300
After parking up on Sunday night, touch wood, no further attack on the bike. My assistant has requested CCTV footage from 1700 to midnight on Friday. I hope they have it and I have said if they can give me a USB memory stick with it on then I will trawl through it. All my students so far have expressed incredulity that anyone could do this and who knows, I may just get a lead on who was responsible?
I had a bit of a worry on Monday when I went to check to see if my monthly donation from the translation firm had been put into my account. It should have been there by Friday but wasn’t and when I checked on Monday it still wasn’t. Bearing in mind I looked like a fool once before when I thought 2,000y had been stolen from my account, you will understand I started doubting myself and wondering if I had made a huge error - big enough to possibly jeopardise the Ice City trip.
I contacted the company and they were surprised, everyone had been paid on the Wednesday. Now I knew for certain I hadn’t made a mistake as I had checked my balance at the ATM every day from then (my card won’t allow me to get a mini statement) because I was concerned about the prices of flights. The day I wanted was 650y a ticket but every day either side had rocketed up to 1350y which was prohibitive and I was worried the same would happen to my date. Knowing there is a possibility that one leg would probably involve a train trip I was keen not to spend 46 hours of a 6 day excursion aboard them.
We rang the bank. I could have kissed the guy on the other end of the phone when he said “mayo”, the amount had not been received.
Apparently they had attempted transfer and indeed on Monday they made three more attempts but each time the payment was returned, saying the details were incorrect. Quite how after two years without any hassle suddenly the details are wrong is beyond me but then again this is China. Ultimately it was resolved yesterday when they made the deposit into Joan’s account. I now have to open a reserve account in case of a recurrence.
So, last night the outbound tickets from Hefei to Harbin were paid for and Joan has enough left over to order online two sets of ice spikes that slip over your shoes. Hotels are booked in Harbin and then Hefei on the return, which unless the prices reduce dramatically will mean a train journey. I gave Joan the choice as to whether she preferred a sleeper train for 20 hours or a fast train for eight and a half. You can smoke on the former but not the latter so that would entail my leaping out at stations to have a quick puff during stops. She chose the short version.
The idiotic thing is, were I to fly in four days time to or from I could bag tickets for the bargain price of 200y but of course the government hikes plane fares during the spring festival, the biggest human migration the planet has ever seen. If funds permit and we are forced to train it then I will endeavour to get first class tickets (second class costs what I have paid for the flights to get there!) as the seats recline a bit. Ideally if I was wealthy I would treat us to a VIP seat which boasts free drinks and snacks plus a meal and also the seats fold flat to form beds. At nearly 2,000y a ticket that is doubtful - in less hectic times I could fly first class for less!
However, the decision is made and barring something untoward I will do something I have wanted to do for five years. Keep the Great Wall, the ice city and Guilin are on my bucket list, along with a Yangtse cruise.
Tomorrow is Western Wednesday, Juliette has apparently invited two students which is fine because Richard won’t invite any of his because his girlfriend may not be equitable. I have Dumpling coming. I tried to make fudge a couple of days ago and it was a disaster - it still hasn’t set so I can only assume I should have boiled it for longer but the pan I used was clearly too small as it boiled over too readily. I have never attempted it before but I have learnt a very expensive lesson. I hope my attempt at toffee apples at the weekend fares better. I may make a bread pudding for the students to take back to their roommates though, we always like to give them something for their friends who aren’t invited. Busy afternoon slaving in a not so hot kitchen for me tomorrow and the joke of it is, I am making my world famous chicken wings and I don’t even like them!
Never mind, I will eat my fill of macaroni au gratin. And of course drink Richard, Juliette and Andrei’s wine to excess as always!
Oh and here’s an impressive fact from Trip Advisor. I looked up restaurants in Harbin. The number one eatery is an Indian so on our second night we will eat there (we will be too late arriving the first night) but the number two is McDonald’s and number three is KFC! Would you credit it????
After parking up on Sunday night, touch wood, no further attack on the bike. My assistant has requested CCTV footage from 1700 to midnight on Friday. I hope they have it and I have said if they can give me a USB memory stick with it on then I will trawl through it. All my students so far have expressed incredulity that anyone could do this and who knows, I may just get a lead on who was responsible?
I had a bit of a worry on Monday when I went to check to see if my monthly donation from the translation firm had been put into my account. It should have been there by Friday but wasn’t and when I checked on Monday it still wasn’t. Bearing in mind I looked like a fool once before when I thought 2,000y had been stolen from my account, you will understand I started doubting myself and wondering if I had made a huge error - big enough to possibly jeopardise the Ice City trip.
I contacted the company and they were surprised, everyone had been paid on the Wednesday. Now I knew for certain I hadn’t made a mistake as I had checked my balance at the ATM every day from then (my card won’t allow me to get a mini statement) because I was concerned about the prices of flights. The day I wanted was 650y a ticket but every day either side had rocketed up to 1350y which was prohibitive and I was worried the same would happen to my date. Knowing there is a possibility that one leg would probably involve a train trip I was keen not to spend 46 hours of a 6 day excursion aboard them.
We rang the bank. I could have kissed the guy on the other end of the phone when he said “mayo”, the amount had not been received.
Apparently they had attempted transfer and indeed on Monday they made three more attempts but each time the payment was returned, saying the details were incorrect. Quite how after two years without any hassle suddenly the details are wrong is beyond me but then again this is China. Ultimately it was resolved yesterday when they made the deposit into Joan’s account. I now have to open a reserve account in case of a recurrence.
So, last night the outbound tickets from Hefei to Harbin were paid for and Joan has enough left over to order online two sets of ice spikes that slip over your shoes. Hotels are booked in Harbin and then Hefei on the return, which unless the prices reduce dramatically will mean a train journey. I gave Joan the choice as to whether she preferred a sleeper train for 20 hours or a fast train for eight and a half. You can smoke on the former but not the latter so that would entail my leaping out at stations to have a quick puff during stops. She chose the short version.
The idiotic thing is, were I to fly in four days time to or from I could bag tickets for the bargain price of 200y but of course the government hikes plane fares during the spring festival, the biggest human migration the planet has ever seen. If funds permit and we are forced to train it then I will endeavour to get first class tickets (second class costs what I have paid for the flights to get there!) as the seats recline a bit. Ideally if I was wealthy I would treat us to a VIP seat which boasts free drinks and snacks plus a meal and also the seats fold flat to form beds. At nearly 2,000y a ticket that is doubtful - in less hectic times I could fly first class for less!
However, the decision is made and barring something untoward I will do something I have wanted to do for five years. Keep the Great Wall, the ice city and Guilin are on my bucket list, along with a Yangtse cruise.
Tomorrow is Western Wednesday, Juliette has apparently invited two students which is fine because Richard won’t invite any of his because his girlfriend may not be equitable. I have Dumpling coming. I tried to make fudge a couple of days ago and it was a disaster - it still hasn’t set so I can only assume I should have boiled it for longer but the pan I used was clearly too small as it boiled over too readily. I have never attempted it before but I have learnt a very expensive lesson. I hope my attempt at toffee apples at the weekend fares better. I may make a bread pudding for the students to take back to their roommates though, we always like to give them something for their friends who aren’t invited. Busy afternoon slaving in a not so hot kitchen for me tomorrow and the joke of it is, I am making my world famous chicken wings and I don’t even like them!
Never mind, I will eat my fill of macaroni au gratin. And of course drink Richard, Juliette and Andrei’s wine to excess as always!
Oh and here’s an impressive fact from Trip Advisor. I looked up restaurants in Harbin. The number one eatery is an Indian so on our second night we will eat there (we will be too late arriving the first night) but the number two is McDonald’s and number three is KFC! Would you credit it????
Sunday, 1 November 2015
Sunday 1st November, 2015 1430
On my return on Friday I parked up and put the bike on charge. They always say don’t go too far the first time on new batteries and with no inclination to do anything such as go to the business street I thought it would benefit from a complete charge overnight.
I also had no intention of going to town over the weekend, given the bus crowding but when I asked Joan if my Whiskas would arrive by Saturday night she said it wouldn’t. Faced with having no food for the cats by last night I had no option but to take a trip - once they get hungry they make a lot of noise and cause havoc and I don’t need that.
So at about 1400 I went downstairs, unplugged the bike, backpedalled and went to move off. Nothing. Impossible, I had ridden it home on Friday but although everything worked (lights, dash, indicators) the back wheel didn’t. Some time ago Anna had borrowed it and complained of the same thing but after a while it came back to life. It didn’t for me. I pushed it back into my space and took a closer look. The cable to the rear wheel motor was broken. I took a look at it and the “break” was clean and the copper inside was shiny. To me it told that this wasn’t a gradual wear and tear thing.
Desperate for cat food I was forced to walk in the rain to the south gate which took about twenty minutes. Because of the inclement weather luckily there were few students venturing out so we all got a seat on the bus and I did my shopping. There was no way I was lugging a bag full of food, wine and other things all the way back uphill when I got back so I had to fork out for a taxi. All the while of course I was fuming.
I considered the matter. When we first moved in here we were told our section was only for foreign teachers and indeed we could choose whichever flat we wanted. In order to be able to charge up at will, Kevin drilled through the window frames so I could run two proper extensions outside. This means that to reach, I need the nearest spot to the building. Not a problem as Kevin and Ollivier both had cars and the latter a pushbike as well and the Korean teacher, Park, had nothing although she would have been welcome to share my socket. Since then of course the school has populated the section with Chinese teachers, many of whom also have e-bikes. They all have long cables instead of extension leads so they can charge at a distance but there have been occasions where I have had to drag a bike out in order to get mine in to top up. Could a teacher have done this? Unlikely.
Then there was the matter of an anonymous text I received last term instructing me to stay away from my girl students. Naturally my reply for the person to identify themselves was completely ignored and no more arrived. Presumably whoever it was thought I was impregnating my classes systematically. Chance would be a fine thing. I forgot all about it after a while although either Anna or Joan called the number out of concern, only to be told the likely tale that the boy owner of the phone had lent it to someone else to send a message but of course didn’t know their name.
A couple of weeks ago I received another text telling me not to be so arrogant. Indeed maybe I am guilty of being such on occasion but I don’t recall having done so where students are concerned, normally that is reserved for my foreign colleagues on Western Wednesdays! I responded to the effect that perhaps the sender should grow up, be a man and identify themselves. Again it was ignored. I retained the message for a while but my cheap phone’s memory fills up swiftly and I have to delete everything so I have lost the number. Oh how I wish I had written it down now.
Last night Joan came and called the bike shop for them to send someone out to fix it. They sent someone on a bike and he didn’t have the tools so a pick-up had to come and take it to their shop. It is due back at four. I told Joan not to say anything of my suspicions, only to tell them there was a loose wire. On the phone this morning after he had seen it, he confirmed to Joan it had been cut.
My assistant will return to campus later and has said he will ask the guards if the CCTV which should surveille 24 hours a day was in fact working at the time. I don’t hold out much hope even if it was. My main concern now is whether he will strike again after I have paid for all this. Sure I can park it up elsewhere sometimes but I am rather tethered when I need to charge up and I can’t sit outside watching for 6 or 7 hours.
I am convinced the texts and the cut are connected. Whoever it is, is yellow (no racist connotation intended) and cheap. I know this sort of thing happens elsewhere but I didn’t expect to be on the receiving end in what is effectively my workplace.
On my return on Friday I parked up and put the bike on charge. They always say don’t go too far the first time on new batteries and with no inclination to do anything such as go to the business street I thought it would benefit from a complete charge overnight.
I also had no intention of going to town over the weekend, given the bus crowding but when I asked Joan if my Whiskas would arrive by Saturday night she said it wouldn’t. Faced with having no food for the cats by last night I had no option but to take a trip - once they get hungry they make a lot of noise and cause havoc and I don’t need that.
So at about 1400 I went downstairs, unplugged the bike, backpedalled and went to move off. Nothing. Impossible, I had ridden it home on Friday but although everything worked (lights, dash, indicators) the back wheel didn’t. Some time ago Anna had borrowed it and complained of the same thing but after a while it came back to life. It didn’t for me. I pushed it back into my space and took a closer look. The cable to the rear wheel motor was broken. I took a look at it and the “break” was clean and the copper inside was shiny. To me it told that this wasn’t a gradual wear and tear thing.
Desperate for cat food I was forced to walk in the rain to the south gate which took about twenty minutes. Because of the inclement weather luckily there were few students venturing out so we all got a seat on the bus and I did my shopping. There was no way I was lugging a bag full of food, wine and other things all the way back uphill when I got back so I had to fork out for a taxi. All the while of course I was fuming.
I considered the matter. When we first moved in here we were told our section was only for foreign teachers and indeed we could choose whichever flat we wanted. In order to be able to charge up at will, Kevin drilled through the window frames so I could run two proper extensions outside. This means that to reach, I need the nearest spot to the building. Not a problem as Kevin and Ollivier both had cars and the latter a pushbike as well and the Korean teacher, Park, had nothing although she would have been welcome to share my socket. Since then of course the school has populated the section with Chinese teachers, many of whom also have e-bikes. They all have long cables instead of extension leads so they can charge at a distance but there have been occasions where I have had to drag a bike out in order to get mine in to top up. Could a teacher have done this? Unlikely.
Then there was the matter of an anonymous text I received last term instructing me to stay away from my girl students. Naturally my reply for the person to identify themselves was completely ignored and no more arrived. Presumably whoever it was thought I was impregnating my classes systematically. Chance would be a fine thing. I forgot all about it after a while although either Anna or Joan called the number out of concern, only to be told the likely tale that the boy owner of the phone had lent it to someone else to send a message but of course didn’t know their name.
A couple of weeks ago I received another text telling me not to be so arrogant. Indeed maybe I am guilty of being such on occasion but I don’t recall having done so where students are concerned, normally that is reserved for my foreign colleagues on Western Wednesdays! I responded to the effect that perhaps the sender should grow up, be a man and identify themselves. Again it was ignored. I retained the message for a while but my cheap phone’s memory fills up swiftly and I have to delete everything so I have lost the number. Oh how I wish I had written it down now.
Last night Joan came and called the bike shop for them to send someone out to fix it. They sent someone on a bike and he didn’t have the tools so a pick-up had to come and take it to their shop. It is due back at four. I told Joan not to say anything of my suspicions, only to tell them there was a loose wire. On the phone this morning after he had seen it, he confirmed to Joan it had been cut.
My assistant will return to campus later and has said he will ask the guards if the CCTV which should surveille 24 hours a day was in fact working at the time. I don’t hold out much hope even if it was. My main concern now is whether he will strike again after I have paid for all this. Sure I can park it up elsewhere sometimes but I am rather tethered when I need to charge up and I can’t sit outside watching for 6 or 7 hours.
I am convinced the texts and the cut are connected. Whoever it is, is yellow (no racist connotation intended) and cheap. I know this sort of thing happens elsewhere but I didn’t expect to be on the receiving end in what is effectively my workplace.
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