Saturday 14^th April, 2018 1500

The anniversary of a four-funnelled ship striking an iceberg 106 years ago.

But at least my Friday the 13^th turned out to have arrived and departed two days early. Nothing bad happened yesterday!

I am in the pattern at present of being early to bed and early to rise, not because the news has been full of early risers living longer than night owls, simply because I've been too damned tired in the evenings to keep my eyes open. I won't fight it if it helps on the days I have to work. My biggest problem there is eating properly (not that I ever do) on workdays.

Last night I made myself two hamburgers, simple affairs with just a patty, tomato ketchup and burger cheese slices. I was pissed off because the bakery where I buy my baguettes doesn't do burger buns so I had to get them in BHG. I inspected every pack of six and even the ones that were dated for yesterday were stale. I swear they bake them stale! Having said that, I did manage to eat two sizeable ones which was a feat for me.

Up and about at seven this morning I harboured notions of going to five streams mountain to hunt for smokes and visit the underground meat and vegetable market. Having singularly failed to find rhubarb so far (and I am told it is in season April/May) I now have a burning desire to make a crumble with it. Maybe the market will have it. I thought Stephanie might like to come but I should have known better, neither she nor Annie ever respond to the old man at weekends, they are too busy with the pretty young things! I understand but is a simple refusal too much to ask for?

Anyway, I left it too late and thoughts turned to a roast chicken and stuffing dinner instead! It is cooking right now. I will go to five streams tomorrow alone, probably a wasted journey but not if I get my rhubarb. Monday's plan is chilli enchiladas (no real cooking, the remains of the last chilli are in the freezer) and a bloody crumble. If it has to be apple so be it but the local stall has what may be mulberries. I sampled one this evening and I must say it was devoid of any taste but I will buy some in the absence of rhubarb, if only to add colour to the apple!

I don't think I have mentioned one of my neighbours before. I think she lives in the building perpendicular to mine. Mid to late thirties I guess and I assume married, with a son of about ten. She is not Kylie Minogue or Claudia Schiffer and she has the gait of a light-heavyweight boxer. She doesn't even know I exist – I saw her once near east campus and tried to make eye contact but to no avail. For some inexplicable reason I find her damned attractive. I saw her last week whilst I was at my computer and almost fell off my chair. She came past riding a white e-bike equipped with a blue flashing light on a rear pole and she was wearing a very, very smart dark blue uniform. Too smart to be police, probably tax inspector or security but by heck my jaw dropped!

Joan emailed me yesterday. Following my advice not to waste the four years she has already spent studying simply because she only gained a diploma and not a degree, she is thinking of swapping her studies from English linguistics to English education and ergo, instead of studying in her hometown of Suzhou, going to Anhui Normal in Wuhu. What did I think, did I support her decision?

What???

No, she's not looking for me to pay for it (although were she an orphan I would do so without hesitation), she just wanted my approval. Considering I exhorted her not to pack up her studies in the first place, of course she has it and I was bemused at being asked, as well as being overcome by a warm, fuzzy feeling inside at the thought my opinion loomed large in her life. I love her. I love Joanna and I find myself loving Alice as well. Those feelings never go away, at least not with me. I would do anything for any of them. For now at least, the only one who has asked recently has been Joan. Th others have previously but not for anything I can or will discuss with others.

Now, can anyone tell me when the hell my home made stuffing will be cooked – before or after my roast potatoes are burnt to a crisp?? I used two eggs instead of one!