Tuesday 3rd May, 2016                 0010

And happy 83rd birthday to my fossil of a mother!

Any idea I had of going shopping today evaporated faster than the rain that came down in thunderstorms virtually all day. Amazingly they never cut the electricity. I stayed in bed until midday nursing my cold anyway and then sat for a couple of hours in front of the laptop before showering.

Once clean I decided to go to the office, seeing as the rain had eased considerably. Well it had until I went downstairs. It wasn’t too bad so I broke out the bike, donned the cape and back-pedalled ready to go. I think I got a hundred yards before the monsoon hit. Christ, lower legs and shoes got soaked, rain poured through the facial aperture on the cape and  drenched my shirt front and the roads were six inches deep with water in places.

I was pretty soggy when I got to the supermarket and dripping nicely by the time I got to the office. I did have visions of being trapped there for hours or facing a thorough drenching if I left but after about ninety minutes it eased again and I was able to make my way home. This was one time the forecast was correct. I had said to Joan to text me if it wasn’t raining when her train from Wuhu arrived and of course it was so there was no way I could collect her without both of us getting a bath. At least on the bus she had her umbrella to walk to her dormitory, not much use on a bike.

The rain seems to have disappeared for a couple of days now so the plan is to go to town, get another temporary medical insurance card and replenish my drug supply, do a bit of shopping and then return without further ado. I really have even less energy with this cold than I normally have, which is not much to start with anyway.

                       1845

Despite feeling absolutely dreadful with this cold, I had a reasonably productive day today.

I didn’t get up early enough to reach the government offices before noon and I guessed correctly they would close from then until 1400 so I waited to ensure I got there when they were open again.

According to the bus readout it was 30C and idiot-chops here wore a light fleece. In my defence it was to ensure enough pockets to carry my passport (which in the end I didn’t need), phone, hip flask and cigar case. I regretted not having taken my small shoulder bag instead.

I was though rather pleased with myself at only taking five minutes after arrival at the offices to obtain a replacement temporary medical insurance card. I had expected the balance by now to be up to 800y but when I got to the pharmacy I received a shock when they informed there was 2,073y on it! I bought 3-4 months supplies of all the medicines I take and still there is over 1,900y. I really must investigate whether it is possible to claim the money before I leave. The card is useless outside of Chizhou and I’d rather not use up the balance buying about five years’ worth of drugs!

I went to RT Mart for a small shop, the intention being to bake bread pudding for my Thursday morning class, the last one. I am still unsure as to whether I will go to the show tomorrow. I really do feel lethargic and have a cough that comes and goes. Nothing worse than someone coughing all the way through a performance except a screaming/crying child. I shall see.

On the bus back I had some random thoughts. There’s little else to do unless you take a book and I don’t play games or music on my phone. Jeans. Now I have never worn them for the simple reason when I tried a pair on forty years ago they made me look like a thug, as indeed did a shiny leather jacket. I can understand people buying bleached/faded ones but it is beyond my comprehension as to why the fashion is to buy ones with dirty great holes in them! To me it just makes it appear as if they can’t afford new ones to replace the old, ripped ones.

Another thought was that when I was on the bus I received a text in Chinese from my bank telling me someone had just paid 300y into my account. Very nice thanks but why don’t I also get a message when my salary is paid in????

When I got up this morning I had an email and a Skype message from an agency I must have sent my details to last night. I have no idea whether I should have faith in them but the chap said they had universities in Nanchang and Pingxiang in Jianxi province. The fellow said he would email me the details of the jobs this afternoon but so far hasn’t. Depending on the terms, Nanchang looks to be the better proposition, airport close by and quicker to get to from here and also to Shanghai. Plus the city boasts a highly rated French restaurant. The ten McDonald’s outlets are of less concern.

When I got home just now I also had an email from another agency. I had sent an email regarding a vacancy at Hainan Medical University. Hainan has a tropical climate and is an island off the south mainland. As long as Taobao deliver there (I am sure they do) then that could be perfect. The only wolf in the room is that on Monday I will hit a milestone I now find myself not wishing to.

I am also finding that my body is rebelling against me. Quite apart from my own excesses, the beating it has taken during my lifetime from various accidents appears to be coming home to roost. Walking any lengthy distance is now unpleasant although that could be down to the pelvis or the fact I have no dog to walk any more. Worse, getting off buses sees me emulating octagenarians - I can’t simply walk down the steps any more, I have to do it sideways! At least here the drivers know me and today (as indeed a different driver last week did) when I walked out of South Gate  and was going to miss the bus, the driver honked, I held up my hand and he drove over to get me!

I will miss the rapport with certain people I have achieved over my years here. I will also miss Mum, who, whenever she is in our building, knows the sound of my bike when I switch it off and never fails to come for a fuss.