Wednesday 13th March, 2013          1130

Just on a long break between classes so I am grabbing the chance to make a start on my Chinese version of shepherds pie for tonight’s western Wednesday. I will at least get the meat and veg mix into dishes, the washing up done and if I am lucky I might get the spuds peeled so when I finish this afternoon all I will have to do is mash them, slap them on top and cook them. As my bedtime is earlier these days I want to start earlier! Tonight another of my best Freshmen, Chris, is coming.

I went to town yesterday to take Pepsi for more shots and buy the ingredients. It was a lovely day, not warm enough that I could dispense with jumper and jacket but very pleasant nonetheless. I left the vet dog-sitting while I shopped and grabbed an early dinner. I also bought my monthly drug requirements (four lots for 44y) and would have put some money into Joanna’s account for her to pay for my online stuff except once again we weren’t paid on time. We were paid this morning instead but with my schedule there is no way I can think about going to the city again before Friday. I really wish they would be consistent. Mind you, if it’s a nice day on Friday I suppose I could take Lottie for an overnight stay before her operation - that would only leave Katrina the task of collecting her on Saturday afternoon. Then again I have that English corner/concert Friday night. Because the students are young they assume my energy levels are the same as theirs when really all I want to do after work is relax!

It has just stopped raining so hopefully that’s it for five days, hopefully more. In fact I am hoping the little school don’t need me again this weekend, I rather enjoyed having this weekend off doing nothing.

1215

Success! All that remains is for me to boil and mash the potatoes, top off the pies and slam them into Kevin and my ovens. I can cook liver for the pets at the same time, feed them just before the six of us eat and enjoy a nice relaxing dinner with nothing to do except quaff hong xho and take the dog out for a pee before bedtime.

You know how I often complain about the animals keeping me awake or waking me up? This morning was one such occasion. It wasn’t the cats this time, it was Pepsi. Now her mum used to stand near to me and shake her collar briskly to rouse me when she needed the loo, if that failed she would stick her snout in my face. Until recently Pepsi had done absolutely nothing of the sort and she either held on or I would wake up to find a puddle. At last she is starting to mature a little, for she paces up and down to let me know she needs to go and I can hear her claws hitting the stone flooring. Damned good job she did because when I looked at the clock it was six thirty and I forgot to set my alarm last night. Well done muttley!

2200

I think the meal was a success, certainly the students ate their pie although none asked for seconds. In fact I made so much (two batches) that even after Kevin and Ollivier pigged out there was still enough left so that we three have tomorrow’s dinner sorted as well. Fair play to Ollivier, he and his student Shiny rustled up pancakes before they came along with “biscuits” and he brought some cubes of flavoured cream cheese that were delicious. Additionally he brought the smelliest camembert I have ever encountered plus another two French cheeses (one blue) which I cannot name. In fairness the only thing missing was a bottle of port.

As usual my mothers CCTV was working perfectly because she called in between main course and pancakes so as to cause maximum disruption and for her pains had to chat with both Kevin and my student Chris. Chris is in grey, Shiny is next to her in the photos - she is Ollivier’s. Luna is Kevin’s and in the photo is next to Ollivier, whose country used to play passable rugby.

That’s it from me, bedtime as soon as I post this. Keep safe everyone.