Thursday 10th March, 2016                       1930

You wouldn’t believe it was the middle of March. It is so cold and despite what the forecast says, it has been only a few degrees above freezing even during the day. Hopefully the predictions are right and from here the mercury climbs. Global warming? Don’t make me laugh.

As 80% of my working week takes place on Wednesdays and Thursdays this term, I have done nothing adventurous such as going to town. I haven’t even cooked the steak I bought, instead I heated a frozen pizza last night - really not pleasant and I only keep them for when I can’t be bothered cooking. This morning I took what I thought was mince’n’spuds out of the freezer only to find tonight it is actually Bolognese. Doesn’t matter, it’s quick enough to boil some pasta. Since Joan has immersed herself in swotting for her exams I hardly ever see her of late and so the impetus I need to shift myself and find new dishes or old favourites for us both is missing. I still have the makings for sausage rolls but haven’t even thought about trying my hand at them.

I am surprising myself by being humorous in my classes even though I will be leaving. Naturally that must be due to the fact I have resigned myself and at least now am doing something about it. Sitting like a rabbit transfixed by car headlights is not in my nature.

Kevin may well be in town this evening, he threatened to come today (presumably driving here after his lessons finished today) and stay until Sunday so doubtless sometime this weekend I will be going for a dinner with him and Vivi.

I went onto the new HMRC Gateway website on Wednesday out of curiosity, just to check I will qualify for the full state pension under the new system. I never knew they had increased the NI contribution qualifying period from 30 to 35 years. I did know I had 30 (in fact the site informed me I have 31.5) so I wasn’t concerned. I am now! Instead of the £155 a week it told me I would get £141. So now I have been ascertaining how I can make up the deficit from abroad. I think I can pay class 2 at about £10 a month for the required time although I am not absolutely certain. Frustratingly, you can’t email HMRC but have to print off a form, fill it out and post it off. With the mail system here that will take forever - or never. Which reminds me, I must call my UK bank and ask them to send out my replacement debit card (expires in June) early. The last one arrived 3 months after the old one conked out. It wouldn’t be that important if I was staying but now it is, even though I can withdraw any monies in it just before the end of June, for I will need all I can get when I relocate.  The good news is that I have a £50 cheque coming and with luck another one before then from another firm for doing online surveys. Amazon e-vouchers aren’t much help unless someone buys them from me!

I have today just found out that Andrei and Juliette are complete nutters. I knew they occasionally went to Tai Chi classes; hence they bought the moped from Richard; but Andrei told me when I met him as he was waiting for Juliette to finish her class that they go every day in the early mornings! Oh what it is to be young!

Anthony said yesterday he wanted to come for a chat (no I’m not in trouble again and anyway what can they do, fire me??) and would I send him a message when I got home tonight. Well I did so an hour ago and the bugger hasn’t replied. I even swept up the cat litter the mogs kicked out of the bowl in preparation. I was delaying my dinner until after he’d been but seeing as he hasn’t responded I am going to make it now and God help him if he turns up in the middle of it!