Saturday 30^th May, 2020 1400

Finally a weekend on which I have no work to do. Then on Monday it will be back to The Brave New World they are creating on campus. Thank God the term is almost over, it's going to drive me potty.

Just to complicate things of course we have now got staggered class times on the run up to lunchtime so there's no huge rush for the cafeterias. That part only affects me on a Wednesday because I have one class at that time on an even-numbered floor. They get a fifty minute break after the first two periods instead of twenty and instead of breaking for lunch at midday it's 1230, making lunch break a slimmed down version of two hours. It makes little difference to me, I take my own food. Just as well because since they demolished that road there are no food outlets or shops there, just metal hoardings.

The facial recognition thing seems to be in operating mode now judging by what I saw yesterday when I went to BHG. Queues of students waiting to get onto this campus with desks manned by senior students registering them in record books after the cameras. I will take my camera out when I go out shortly to take a snap, I'm sure there will be more arriving as they have been given staggered return times.

I need to go out anyway. I am desperate to buy some earplugs. Unbelievably, pharmacies don't sell them so in hope I am going to the underground market. Why do I suddenly need them? Someone above and close by has a pet bird. I have no idea what it is but it's not a budgie or canary. Now the weather is decent I think they are hanging it outside the window at night. With the sun coming up lately at around five-thirty, it starts and then doesn't stop until about eight. When I say it doesn't stop, I mean it. Ooh-ooh! Ooh-ooh! Every couple of seconds incessantly. Not only does it wake me but it keeps me awake no matter how tired I am. I'm almost wishing it was winter again so they kept it inside!

Someone also said to me everyone should wear masks in class.

Well that's just terrific. It's hard enough to understand many of them as it is without them being muffled and I absolutely loathe wearing them. A whole day of me wearing one and it will be soaked. I can't see that happening but doubtless someone will spy and take me aside. I wonder if we will be back to something resembling normal for September.

1615

I had a modicum of success with the earplugs in the underground market but it took some time. I was armed with the Chinese script I copied from Google and “ar sah” from the vocal option and for once I was understood. I managed to get two pairs of foam ones after much searching and being pointed hither and thither and to be honest I would never have thought where. The most unlikely place, to me at least, a beauty shop! None of the other beauty shops had any (and there are a few down there) but now I know where to look maybe I can build up a stock. They weren't that important before but with term starting I can do without being kept awake for hours before I actually have to get up and stuffing tissues in my ears didn't do me much good.

Not so many students queueing to get back in this time but I got photos. The lucky ones are those who were told to come tomorrow, for those now on campus are prisoners forbidden to leave the grounds, just like Alice. Still, almost like HMS “Conway” - staff came and went at will and we were enchained but at least we could “go ashore” (usually only as far as Llanfair P.G. or Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch in full, something I never mastered) for a couple of hours on a Sunday afternoon. Or was it Saturday..... But then we weren't adults, these are.

As I was walking back with my earplugs and liquids the sky turned ominously gloomy. So much for the forecast and praise be to good timing. A heavy thunderstorm ensued when no such thing was warned of but by then I was starting to prepare tonight's dinner of roast chicken and fried potatoes. I am so lazy the Sunday roast I intended went by the bye. Tomorrow it's mash and Kiwi peas, parsley sauce and yes! - fish fingers!!! BHG have them back again. American pollock so not Birdseye cod but easy to cook. Bliss.

All I have to worry about for now is not forgetting to take anything on Monday and being able to walk the distance. Perhaps I should have practised a little more often.