Friday 18th January, 2013          2215

That was a bit of a shock. I loafed around indoors until two pondering on whether to go to town shopping today or tomorrow and eventually decided I really didn’t need to go until Monday regardless of whether Ching came Saturday or Sunday. I took Pepsi to the shops and was astounded to find my café wide open and all the equipment and furniture outside being scrubbed, with not a beer in sight to be had. Ok, supermarket. Like an English Tesco when snow has been forecast but thankfully the students don’t buy much in the way of alcohol. I went to the bigger café for a beer and found it open but no liquid refreshment available. Previously they have wound down on the Monday or Tuesday because some students won’t go home until tomorrow.

It was a nice day (about 5C and sunny) so I took the pup to the sweet pork place where I could get an ale, plus I checked out the supermarket there which will stay open for most of the holidays. All the new restaurants will apparently have closed up shop for the duration in about thirty minutes time, meaning they have opened for business simply on the back of the custom from the university students. It never happened this quickly before and as the tentative plan was that if Ching came tomorrow I was taking her for sweet pork and now I can’t be sure the place will even be open, I decided perhaps a shop was in order.

The trouble was, as I stood outside supping, I saw bus after 29 bus arriving empty and departing absolutely rammed full. Knowing Kevin was teaching downtown tonight I asked him if he would give me a lift and pick me up after classes and maybe we could have dinner together. Job done, but one of his students (Mandy) was probably coming to meet him as well at Da Niang. Fine by me, underneath Lottemart and I could sit and wait in there with a drink and then have a steak and dumpling platter - sorted. In fact, he sent Mandy a text saying she could go earlier and sit chatting to me - no problem there.

As an aside, I don’t know how many of you have heard of QQ? It is one of the Chinese equivalents of Facebook except it has more Chinese users than Facebook has worldwide.

Anyway, Mandy came and we talked for a while before the inevitable marriage topic cropped up. This time though I got more information. I now know why everyone in China - not just the campus - thinks I am engaged. A student posted on there that teacher Steve went to Tongling to meet his mother and father in law! The post was picked up by others, shared and I suppose the internet term for it is that it’s now gone “viral”!! I am sitting here wondering how on earth a simple thing like meeting a friend’s family results in such a huge leap forward to being married with 2.4 children and the whole of China can read all about it.  This might also explain other things that have happened, such as the local TV station and newspaper wanting to interview me because I keep animals as pets. God forbid I ever split my trousers in public!

The router arrived as well - bloody quick and only two days after ordering. It is now in Kevin’s custody to configure, which of course is easier said than done because when plugged in everything is in Chinese with no English option even though it is made by Mercury. With luck though tomorrow my room should be a “hot spot” where anyone with the password can go online.

I have noticed of late that the animals haven’t been too keen on boiled chicken - not even the dog - so tonight I am spit roasting one to see if that makes any difference. Because it is so late they are all following my every move and Pepsi keeps nuzzling me as if to say “feed me!” anyone would think they are starved but if they are hungry there is always plenty of dry food out for them. I have no idea how they will cope when Ching and I go to Hefei in a fortnight.