Wednesday 2^nd October, 2019 2105

Yesterday passed without my hearing a single firework. Meanwhile, further to the east there was a concert featuring the entire red army and its hardware, viewed not by the general public it was supposed to represent but by invited VIPs.

And of course, way down south on a day they really shouldn't have, there was a bit of bother resulting in some lad getting shot. Quite rightly from what I have seen, he was clearly attacking the police with what appeared to be an iron bar. Throwing petrol bombs and setting bonfires next to petrol stations are guaranteed to evaporate any sympathy I used to have for them.

Meanwhile, in God's Waiting Room, I had intended to go to BHG for my normal shopping and tomorrow to treat Alice to a BK Whopper lunch, followed by Metro shopping.

Why I continue to make plans I know not, they rarely pan out. Firstly Alice cried off the Whopper, ok fine I shall go on my own, I need cheese and stuff. Then I received texts from no less than three people advising me to store water for tomorrow because it will be cut off from 0800 to 1800 for “cleaning”. It's feast or famine here with being told what's going on and I am not complaining, I'd rather be told many times than not at all, as happened on Monday! Speaking of which, touch wood, nothing said to me so far.

So I had to cancel BHG in order to shower (which I would have anyway), wash four days of dishes and a week's worth of laundry. Oh, and fill up my kettle, bottles and buckets with water! BHG will now be Friday.

As for my connectivity, we have gone from three to four locations, the fourth being one of the LA ones. The UK doesn't seem to have a “special relationship” when it comes to allowing me to watch the rugby. Now the 70^th bash is over I am hoping it will be resolved tomorrow or Friday. They can't let me miss the entire thing, can they??

Nearly forgot. Whereas I simply never turned up for what was a working day on Monday, Alice in Guangzhou did show up for her part time job only to find it had been closed since Saturday!

And finally, Alice here has backed off completely since she moved to live on main campus. I understand, she is cramming for exams and after spring festival she will intern somewhere the school decides before graduation.

Knowing this, I have been keeping an eye out for a likely candidate to be my little helper, ordering my Taobao and things but it's early days yet. Whoever is chosen must of course be someone I like and can occasionally treat to dinner here or out.

Alice, bless her intentions but I wish she hadn't, has already obtained her replacement. Built like a Russian shot-putter and possessing a face that would shatter if she smiled, she has so far exhibited an over-zealous attention to what she perceives as her “duties”. My Mum passed away a little while ago and at 63 years of age I expected to now be free from admonishments to curtail my drinking and smoking. I do not believe in such things but I am starting to ponder as to whether dear old Hubbard has been reincarnated. I can't get rid of the girl, it would be headline news throughout the campus and I think she would be devastated so I need instead to train her.

I will have to treat her to the odd dinner but first she has to learn what a smile is.