Monday 9th May, 2016              2315

My 60th birthday and today it seemed as if everything was happening at once. Everything that is bar a sign of another job or the cats doing a bunk - they leave via the window but keep returning like bad pennies. I reckon the eventual withdrawal of food is my only hope.

Aside from countless messages online with salutations on my big day, Ollivier managed to interrupt my class by calling from France (took a few seconds to suss that +33 was France) but he kept it brief and called back later once I was in the office. Very thoughtful.

I then learnt the speech competition has been deferred yet again, good because as it was on Friday and I have an English corner I would have been busy. Dumpling has toothache so I will be getting up early in the morning to take her to the dentist, which will mean getting her back by two and then I will have to go back to town for my shopping. Amy from Tongling sent me a text telling me her class will have their graduation photo at 0840 Wednesday so I will have to get up ridiculously early for that, plus they are having their graduation dinner that evening. I just pray that none of my old classes choose Friday night for theirs because that will put me in a position, English corner or graduation dinner. So Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday are booked up and I am in the middle of job-seeking.

Joan came for the cheeseburgers tonight. They were ok but next time I will try a different herb to sage. Foolishly I cooked us both two and I could only eat one while she almost ate her brace. If Dumpling’s tooth is fixed I will do them again on Wednesday but just one each and with chips this time.

Joan also came bearing a gift of a wooden ship that plays a tune which now resides in my display cabinet. I will even keep the box so that when I leave I can make sure it doesn’t get damaged in transit.

The baby factory that is Mum is I am sure close to whelping yet again. Doubtless downstairs we will soon be treated to the mewling of half a dozen or so little furry bundles that tug on the heartstrings. It’s odd that despite being feral, she has never once growled at me when I have picked up any of her newborns. Perhaps she still remembers the night I saved her babies’ lives by ripping the locked shutter open when she was separated from them on a deserted campus some years back.

I am getting weary now so I shall finish my bottle of wine, watch Casualty and then hopefully be refreshed in time to get up to meet Dumpling. I hope she doesn’t need me to hold her hand in the chair - there’s a restaurant next door that serves beer!