Saturday 23^rd June, 2018 0730

Normally in holiday mode I change my hours and become a night owl and what better time than now, with football matches to amuse until 0400 each morning? But no, early to bed, early to rise for me because I am exhausted in the early evening. Age, or rather the bladder that comes with it, is my problem. That and the fact the Internet Stasi seem to have sadistically chosen just when cup games are on to rush around blocking or throttling access to them – I couldn't even get the Iceland game on the radio last night! I shall watch the two matches I couldn't, on catch up, after posting this and before opening any social media to spoil it by shouting the results at me.

At four or five in the morning it is currently excruciating to get up for a pee and almost as bad getting back in. I can't face it so I stay up. The only chair I have fallen asleep in is this one but it has no arms and the last thing I need is to topple off having forty winks.

I ended up not going to work yesterday at all. The jungle tomtoms must have been at it because Janet texted to say I could test the last class next term. I very much doubt that will happen, seeing as I won't be teaching them next year.

I also needed some cash to pay Stephanie for the Subway when she came and also Alice, who is going supermarket shopping for me on Sunday. One huge bonus re the positioning of my home is the proximity to all the basics. From here to the ATM, then the jing jo shop and home is probably less than 200 yards. It took Captain Calamity here half an hour to do it – was I glad I never had to go to work after all!

And Mr Jing Jo (who you will recall now knows where I live, having carried my stuff on Wednesday) with neither of us speaking the other's language, managed to make an arrangment whereby I simply have to call (or text) his mobile and say “Ooh Xer Bah”, then half a litre of jing and three large cans will be delivered to me! The password was my doing, it means 58 in Chinese, the price of the aforementioned. Very handy and the only drawback is I cannot change the order!

It's Annie's activity day today. I do feel guilty because she has worked hard arranging it, with a scavenger hunt, dance in the evening etc but without a dedicated car to ferry me back and forth every time I wanted to spend a penny, no way can I be there.