Thursday 7^th May, 2020 1900

VE Day tomorrow but no celebrations here, probably none for VJ day on 15^th August either.

Yesterday I went out and as oft times happens I forgot my mask. The security guard refused to let me in for two minutes to get an onion even when I demonstrated that I would zip up my fleece and pull it up to the bridge of my nose (yep, warm weather gone and three days of rain on the cards now) so I wasn't happy.

I wanted that onion to make my sausage rolls today but Mr Jing Jo gave me a free mask. Well, I had just given him four corkscrews to give away to any wine customers. One of the two wines I buy in BHG has one in each box of six bottles so invariably I get between two and four a month. I went back and got my onion.

Today it was the same guard. I told him I didn't have a mask but I had a carrier bag which I stuck over my head and asked if that was Ok? Apparently impermeable plastic is not acceptable but a flimsy cotton thing is. And yes, I had a mask in my pocket. Next I want to buy a Captain Hook prosthetic for next time they want to zap my wrist with the temperature dooberry! Shanghai is open but Lanzhou hasn't got the message yet. Latest campus news from Jody is no classes for the rest of May. As I will finish by the first week of July anyway there's hardly any point in my physically meeting my masked students anyway!

And right now I am confused. Last week I asked the students to send me their homework for this week nice and early so I never had a solid weekend of work. It's now 2000 on Thursday and I have had absolutely nothing! Ok, so Monday and Tuesday were holidays but yesterday and today weren't.

I am now wondering if the tsunami of work last week was a result of some of the classes hitting me with everything. I have no idea. I know it is week 10 but I have had week 10 before week 9 and other mix-ups. What I do know is that if they pile it on at the weekend they can whistle! I'm rather enjoying the respite, binge watching Airport 24/7 Thailand, Crossing Lines etc........

I hope my UK readers will be having “social distancing” street parties tomorrow! Social distancing, what on earth is that? Besides impossible.