Saturday 3rd October, 2015                     1230

Kevin arrived on Thursday but I never saw him until last night when he came to pick us up to go for dinner. The hotpot restaurant he and Vivi had elected to go to was mobbed when we got there (olden Week) so we ended up going to Love in Town, which had been my original suggestion.

I never got a look-in when it came to ordering although they did find the sweet and sour pork along with eight other dishes. Clearly that was going to be too much food for four yet in fact there wasn’t that much left over, certainly not enough to bother with a doggy bag. Not a bad meal at all and including five pints of pizhou cost a shade under 200y which Kevin footed because (I had forgotten) I picked up the tab for the last meal before he left for Huangshan.

He has been staying in the Phoenix Country Garden hotel, an impressive edifice less than five years old (I watched as it was built) with architecture in Italian Renaissance style and where Steve Magor stayed when he visited. Great room prices, I think Kevin paid about 400y for two nights, but Steve had warned me about the quality of breakfast. I am thinking of treating Joan later this month for the weekend before her birthday. Naturally I was curious as to the food and reports rapidly came in from Kevin  at dinner time on Thursday. He said the food might have been fine if it was actually served hot and after he had eaten, he was informed that they started cooking western food at 2100!

Breakfast was, as Steve had stated, appalling by all accounts - Kevin decided simple bread, butter and jam would have to do but even that had to be specially obtained. I will cross that off my list of places to visit but I look forward to reading Kevin’s review on Trip Advisor!

I got up this morning intending to cook an English breakfast for Joan and me but found I wasn’t hungry so, martyr that I am, I cooked her one and had zilch myself. She enjoyed it but as yet has failed to notice there is only one dirty plate in the kitchen. Shortly we will take the bus to town (should be quiet with most students having left) and I can buy stuff for tomorrow’s dinner, hopefully a ham and potato casserole affair I found the recipe for online.

Monday 5th            0015

Well what a great World Cup England had. When I went to bed early in order to get up at 0230 to hopefully watch our crunch match live I had a premonition I was being an idiot. I should have slumbered on and been an oblivious idiot.

Yesterday Joan went to visit one of her young students she teaches at weekends. Being the warm and cuddly person I want to portray myself as (and knowing I wouldn’t be giving her breakfast - got back to bed at 0800) I cooked a bread pudding beforehand. Yes, she will eat that for breakfast any time, I suggested she take some for her pupil as well . She left just enough for a few slices for me to take to the office which if truth be told I don’t think went down very well - the older generation are not so much into sweet foods as their younger counterparts.

Anyway I made the ham and potato cheesy thing for dinner. It was ok but nothing spectacular and I won’t be doing it again. I am regretting telling Joan we will get up early in the morning for a McBreakfast if she can shift her arse because I have changed my mind - I could make her a breakfast burrito but when I looked at her door at 2130 the light was out! That girl can sleep for China. Now I have wake up early myself but I will shop to make sure Tuesday is a completely free day for me.

The vet told Joan over the phone that he won’t spay cats until they are 6 months old. Well that’s wonderful news considering I have a rampant Zorro who still has testicles and was last seen trying to shag Tigger on the loose. Bristle is biologically capable of spawning at four months so shortly porkies will be told to the vet. How the hell do I know how old she is? I picked her up off the stairs at how many weeks?  Can’t see a Chinese vet taking in kittens to sell - hardly a pet in China.

Oh and then of course we have the anaesthetic price system depending on whether Chinese or imported drugs are used - 600, 800 or 1,000. Sorry Bristle but as long as you are asleep , 600 it is. Bloody ridiculous.

Andrei and Juliette never got to Huangshan and their 10,000 steps, there were no train tickets so they went to Hefei, didn’t like it and went on to Huainan. I can think of more interesting places but having spoken to Andrei last night I ascertained they are going to Bagong mountain and I stressed the one place they need to see (at night particularly) is the piano house. They are doing it on the cheap at the 168 Motel (book early and the rooms are only 168y a night) and I hope they enjoy their sightseeing, sadly they won’t be back until Tuesday night by which time Kevin will have left.

To be quite honest, this holiday is most unwanted, coming so soon after the long summer vacation. No money to go anywhere and no desire to either for that matter. At least I changed my bedding six hours ago.