Friday 16^th October, 2020 1730

Guess what? The water outage on Tuesday never happened for me! Sure, Jody got up extra early to take a shower and fill our buckets for toilet flushes throughout the day but when I got up at 1130 the water was still on! I had a nice shower at 1230 and later went to campus.

Now on Tuesdays my first class is the only one of the week not on the ground floor, it's on the 2^nd floor (3^rd to Americans). Pain in the derriere as I can not only no longer make it in one go and have to rest but also the bannister is on the left. I need something to hold so I don't topple and here of course they drive on the right so unless I am quite early, which I wasn't this week (taxis were sparse) then I encounter a wall of students coming down. They probably think I'm an idiot or just plain rude.

Also my classroom is next to Dean Liu's (the bully and snitch) shared office so when I have my smoke at the window I cannot avoid seeing her when she comes out to go to her own class. I am not certain why but she has actually been quite civil to me this term. I suspect perhaps she has been instructed not to piss the only foreigner off in case I leave! Long may it continue.

It's damned cold here now. Gone are the jumpers and thin jacket, now it's pullover and down jacket. And just to really make life difficult the road to the buses has now been closed off and the route is now across wasteland. My balance is shot and it is uneven terrain, plus I reckon before a fortnight is out, by the time I finish class it will be dark. I bought a torch ready for this but thinking it would be for spotting the potholes in the proper road. Next week, if I don't want to invite another tumble and bruised ribs, I think I need to take the long route to the main gate which is open again. I suppose at least there I will get a taxi quicker. Taxis are now my primary means of transport. And I don't need a mask.

Yesterday Brenda called me in class. I explained I couldn't really talk and wouldn't be free until 1830 so she said she would call back later. I am always concerned about calls from “assistants” or the foreign affairs department, often they relate to a complaint someone has made.

However this time she wanted my help. Today she needed to bunk off and didn't want to ask for leave so could I provide a reason for her to leave school? Unfortunately I rather stupidly sat on my glasses and couldn't wear them so could she come and help me by translating for me to get them repaired? She seemed quite happy with the request!

Jody won't be here now until Sunday night. It's her niece's birthday and the family were gathering for an afternoon party. No problem for her as she had no classes after 1000. Until that is, a meeting was called for 1430. Some student giving a talk about how she got a scholarship. She also messaged Maggie with the news and her reply was “Whaaat??? Why????”

I suggested Jody took her medicine to school today, the stuff she was given for her neck, and at around 1100 her neck should take a turn for the worse and she needed to go to the hospital again. She thought that to be a wizard plan although I know not yet whether she did or not. I hope she did, this school calls pointless meetings all the time (well at least my departments do), which thankfully I am excluded from, not being one of the gang. I wouldn't go anyway even if they wanted me.

I have done nothing today other than launder all the towels and my now rather tired, ten year old Hilton bathrobe (yes Steve, it's still in use!). I will do my shop tomorrow but over the weekend I really must make either that cheese and onion pie or a load of sausage rolls (or both) for my school lunches. With getting home after seven on four nights a week my diet, which wasn't that great before, has now become very hit and miss and “snacky”. It's hard to even contemplate cooking at eight at night.

The funny thing is, even with taking taxis every day I am still spending less than before.