Monday 2nd February, 2015                     1215

I awoke yesterday to find my bike covered in snow. I hadn’t covered it because nowhere had it been even hinted at, let alone forecast. Mulan was aghast that I still wanted to go to town while it was snowing but I assured her it would stop in an hour or two.

It hadn’t settled on the roads but as we walked from the bike towards the bus, it drove off. It wasn’t a problem as it was the one ten minutes before the one I had intended to take and on cue that one hove into view. When it stopped the driver got off and we were going to get on just to get out of the cold but the driver was having a fag break and duly offered me one. I politely declined and lit a cheroot but of course now I had to stay out in the cold keeping him company. Or did I?

He gestured for me to hop on and I held up my lit cigar. He waved me aboard and promptly followed me, cigarette dangling from mouth and then set about sweeping and mopping the deck. Mulan commented that I was “very privileged” to be allowed to smoke on the bus but I pointed out that the only reason was so the driver could smoke as well with impunity.

After our adventures in town I took the dog to office number six. This is a little further afield but they haven’t closed and Pepsi is welcome to come and sit inside. Rather handily, two doors up is a China Mobile shop so I took the opportunity to top up my phone. There is also an e-bike shop next door which I rather wished I had spotted earlier, it would have made sense to buy the new bike from them because any problems and I could be there in five minutes for repairs. We live and learn.

Molly (from rehearsals) informed me that a TV producer/director had been at rehearsals and expressed a desire to film a show for broadcast about my life in the spring festival. Well, it is hardly a case of gung-ho or derring-do during that period, so I suggested they might like to come and film some of it while I am doing my voluntary winter activities with the kids. In particular the visit we are making to Apricot Village, which would also provide excellent scenery. Molly is also suggesting I go to her home and she cooks for me. Given that the producer wants to shoot an entire programme in just half a day I am wondering what we will actually end up doing, if indeed it comes to pass at all.

In the evening I took Mulan back to the pizza restaurant in a bid to get a dining set the same as Kevin’s. No way was I going to have another pizza (although he did say the pepperoni one was quite tasty) and I took a chance by ordering a steak. It was surprisingly tender and didn’t cause me too much trouble, Mulan opted for American style spicy rice which looked nice but which she pronounced very spicy indeed. I never got to pick a ball from the tombola though, instead I was given a 10y discount voucher for next time. I’d rather have had a go at a prize. Before we left her sister arrived and it ended up with Mulan going off to teach and Sarah taking the bus back with me.

My email inbox contained a message from Kevin, who at the time was in the Emirates departure lounge at Hong Kong airport waiting for his flight to the UK. Earlier in the day he had gone for a coffee, being a coffee lover of enormous proportion. He doesn’t like Starbucks but knows an Italian coffee shop there. He had sat down with a rather good example of a latte and a quiche to munch on when, he tells me, it suddenly rained iced coffee.

Apparently a young Korean girl goes to the coffee shop every Sunday and always sits where Kevin was. She was incandescent at having “her” seat occupied, hurled her cappuccino frappe at the wall and it subsequently showered him and several other customers. Kevin wasn’t best pleased as he was wearing a brand new jacket (although it did wipe off). It also stained his shirt and jumper and he had to go to the airport in that state (no time to change) stinking of coffee. The girl fled the café, was pursued by security who detained her and the police duly attended the scene.

Statements were taken but no action will be forthcoming as the girl has mental health issues. All the spattered customers were told by the café owner they could have free coffee for a year there so I assume Kevin will try to find any excuse to visit HK in the coming year!

Well there’s no snow now so I shall take a shower. I couldn’t earlier because the water has only just returned after it went off in the middle of the night. This evening I am taking both sisters either to Love In Town or the pizza place - they are within yards of each other and now I have discounts claimable at both.