Monday 15th February, 2016                                 1845

A week tomorrow all the students are supposed to be here so I guess at the weekend the influx will start. Lessons recommence a week on Thursday.

Of late, being in complete solitude apart from my shopping trips, I have on occasion become uncharacteristically depressed about what the future may hold for me. Annoyingly I am having bad dreams and on waking I find myself lying in bed fretting over how to pass the next six years happily and comfortably before retirement becomes possible.

I try to tell myself that originally I only came here with the intention of staying a year but of course after so long it has become home. With a campus full of people and work to do I am quite sure I will feel more cheerful, plus I can determine for sure if there is any chance of staying and if not, start my job search. It doesn’t help that I get the impression Joan is pushing me away somewhat, my assumption is it is to make any departure of mine less painful for her. I must ask her when she comes back.

I was having a trawl through job websites earlier, plenty of highly paid positions in private schools (no thanks, they pay well but expect up to 40 hours a week plus a couple of pounds of flesh) but I want to stick to public universities or colleges. There would appear to be openings in Nanning but the packages are not attractive - less of a salary than I get now or if not, less fringe benefits. If I must leave I really don’t want to go further north to even colder climes but it may well be that I have to take whatever I can get, the age thing will probably dictate my movements.

I went for a quick shop today and when I boarded the bus at south gate there were half a dozen elderly people already on it. As it has been quite chilly today I wasn’t best pleased when an old boy opposite me opened a window fully and rendered the bus cold. They do that here, for some reason they love freezing their nuts off. It was only a few minutes later that I realised why he had done it.

Someone had vomited copiously on the floor under his seat and left it there. It was too much to have been a child and the thing that struck me most is that where the culprit must have been sitting they were at arm’s reach from the drivers waste bucket. Some people just don’t care.

Considering it is Monday and the holiday week is over, I was surprised to find the town very busy on a weekday, so much so that I had to take a double bus back. I wonder when these people actually work sometimes.

Tuesday 16th                        1835

I found Hornblower on YouTube last night and became completely engrossed. I thought I had seen all the episodes but I hadn’t and thankfully those I have I couldn’t remember! And so it was that after watching six ninety minute episodes back to back I hit the hay at five!

I had planned on simply staying on campus or in the environs and tackling the arduous task of sweeping the flat and changing the cat litter. By the time I finally worked up the momentum to actually do something, I had decided I would after all go shopping and maybe eat in town.

When I opened the door to place the bag of used litter in the alley outside preparatory to my leaving after a shower, the door (which opens outwards) met brief resistance. Mum had been laying up against it. She has never done that before and it hasn’t been that cold today so I didn’t think she was trying to get the escaping warm air.

I thought no more of it, showered and got ready. When I left I took my rubbish and saw Mum uncharacteristically still up on our floor, this time prone outside the flat next to Richard’s. I bent down and ruffled her fur, noting either someone had left or she had found an “Eccles cake” with a meaty interior for her but which she didn’t seem keen on eating. Don’t worry, I told her, I will bring something back for you.

Going downstairs I never noticed anything but when I got to the bottom I wondered who had spilt loads of blobs of red paint on the floor. But they weren’t blobs - they were bloody paw prints! I quickly got rid of my rubbish and went back up to see Mum, wondering what on earth she had done to herself. Then I saw the blood on the stairs as well. I did think she was less than enthusiastic when I had come out initially and now I knew why. It was difficult however to gauge what injury she had, for she had her front right paw bent under. I could though see exposed bone above the leg joint.

As good natured as she is I was wary of trying to move her leg to get a closer look in case I hurt her and she bit me. I don’t think she would but I didn’t want to test it. For all I knew she had broken it. Outside I followed the trail of blood but even at the end of it I could see nothing that could have injured her. I am positive it wasn’t inflicted by another dog, for starters most of them have left and even before she was more than a match for them all.

So I got on the bus and sat pensively all the way. I don’t want her to die, lose her leg or be permanently maimed and shamefully, even though I could probably get the vet to come to campus and collect her for treatment and pay for it, because of my own concerns over the coming summer I couldn’t afford to “waste” what could run into thousands of yuan because I will need it myself if the end is truly nigh here. I know she’s not my responsibility but ever since I broke open the shutter to reunite her with her pups we have been as good friends as if she was my own. I felt very low and very guilty.

Eating out was kicked into the undergrowth and I did the quickest shop possible, luckily the buses today weren’t as crowded. When I got home she was still in the same position but she had moved her paw enough for me to get a better view. Somehow she has I think got her foot caught or maybe trapped in a drain grid, pulled away violently and ripped skin and pelt away, leaving a nasty and obviously painful wound.

It will heal though.

She is even now venturing outside, albeit on three legs. So I cooked her a really large, meaty bit of pig and when I went down to take it to her I called her in. Stone me if a young Chinese woman didn’t also appear from another building with a big bowl of rice, veg and some sort of meat! At least I can be safe in the knowledge I am not the only one feeding her during the holidays and given the reputation people here have for mistreating animals it is always a joy for me to see them carrying out random acts of kindness to our furry guests.

My guess is Mum will be on all fours by the time term starts. I really hope so.