Tuesday 17^th October, 2017 2100

Nearly bedtime.

Not entirely a lazy day, I did go shopping and on my return went to the jing jo shop prior to starting to cook bread pudding for the class in which two students last Wednesday paid for and brought me fried chicken for lunch. I don't forget kindness.

As I paid for my beer and jing the husband entered the shop just as I also handed over 500y for them to get my monthly cigar order. I thought his sign language was asking me if I wanted to drive his car so I declined. One I don't have a driving licence for China and two, if stopped doing so at that time I would have spent 15 days in prison for excess alcohol. No thanks, e-bikes are different, you don't need a licence!

But no, he insisted and despite his wife's disgusted expression, I got into his SUV thinking perhaps he was taking me to get the cigars – even though I won't need them for another 10 days.

His mate got in the back and my mind visualised that I was being kidnapped, fanciful of course, nobody to pay a ransom and in any event I spend 2,500y a month in his shop so why kidnap your best customer?

Far from going to get my smokes, we went to the furthest western reaches of the city – parts I have never seen before. We were at the extremity of the city where it meets the mountains and can expand no further.

I'm still not sure why we took the ride. We went to a place that handles internet parcels and also repairs cars. Maybe he has shares in it. The bonnet went up and photos were taken and after a mad puppy exhausted itself chasing my hand (and yes, I did want to take it home!) we left, only to go to Williamtown.

It's a new English style development being built and very nice it will be too. It became apparent that Mr & Mrs Arkwright are considering buying a place there. Great but why was I along??? Had I had nothing to do would have been happy but I had cooking to be getting along with. And no, cigars never featured.

Back at home I got the bread pudding on the go and I had said to Annie there would be a chilli waiting if she wanted after work. She did. That girl eats anything and has an appetite to rival some of the piggiest students I have ever met.

The chilli had been in the freezer for months and I realised after it defrosted why – it was awful. I had forgotten tomato puree so aside from being spicy it was bizarrely bland. She still ate triple what I did! Maybe I am too critical of my own cooking......

I also told her I shouldn't have to invite her to come for dinner every time, she should ask me if I m cooking. She is always welcome even if it's only bacon and eggs – if I am cooking, which is most nights. No place for being shy in a foreign country with few birds of a feather.

She also expressed concern that the English Corner now want to create an English Society. Understandably she thought it would mean a Corner each week AND other events. My opinion is that it will pave the way for the corner to become what it did in Chizhou – shows by each class held inside in the warm! I hate Corners but feel obliged to go at present in support of Annie even though I am not obliged.

And hahaha! She is being observed on Thursday! By the Peace Corps ostensibly but I will guarantee there will be Chinese teachers there ready to report. They are watching her take Pat's class. I have done my best to offer sage advice – after all I have been on TV, now in a film and once had 7 Chinese teachers sitting taking notes to report to Chizhou University so it is more of a game to me now than anything to concern myself with. But of course she is new and young and I was once both of those and haven't forgotten!

My first class tomorrow happens to be Pat's. You can rest assured that when Annie takes them for her “crunch” class on Thursday they will be a model class and will be SO active! It will not be hard for me to ensure that, simply because I am pretty sure they like her and they already know without doubt they need to pass my class and that I failed half a dozen last year. But I will make them want to make her succeed.

So she is home now, doubtless worrying unnecessarily. I have just offered to let her sit in on one of my classes if she is free tomorrow. I am hardly an expert but one thing I try to do is make my classes interesting.