Tuesday 15th November, 2016                     1920

I have to say I wasn’t overly impressed with last night’s supermoon. It didn’t look particularly big but it WAS bright. It amuses me how people manage to get their photos of an orange super giant moon hovering above the horizon published because they are patently taken with zoom lenses.   

Flipping dinner last night was a disaster. Having bought what I thought were fabulous potatoes, I didn’t want to turn them into chips if they were indeed monstrous new potatoes. Not at first anyway. 

So I thought I would try something plain so as to savour the potatoes. Breaded fish goujons, spuds and peas with nothing else. The spuds were marvellous and I sincerely hope this is not a seasonal thing. They really are like gigantic new potatoes, when you scrub them the skin comes off easily (tonight I am turning two of them into jackets). However, instead of buying the breaded fish I have in the past I bought the other, similar, packet next to them. 

Talk about a mistake! 

I started eating my dinner and thought to myself that I must have overdone the ground black pepper because I was getting more than a hint of heat in my food inlet. As I progressed I realised perhaps these “fish fingers” were some other seafood, although I have no idea what the contents were. 

Whatever it was, it was packed full of chilli or something and of 6 goujons I had to leave three! Ok, it wasn’t as bad as it sounds, simply eating delicious boiled potatoes and peas was a pleasure. I shall though stick to the ordinary fish things I normally buy in future!

I had an unexpected text from Tutu (remember her from Shanghai in the summer?) telling me she had written a letter about her teachers. She kindly sent it to me but it was in Chinese and anyone who has tried to translate using Google or Bing will know the translation needs to be second-guessed.

I have cleaned up some of the Chinglish and will leave the bit about cats chasing me even though that was impossible as they stayed indoors always, she did though witness at one point nine dogs and puppies faithfully chasing my e-bike on many occasions before I was forced to dispose of all but one dog.

Anyway the reason I am sharing this is because it reminded me that we teachers sometimes DO make a difference in this world and it is nice to be reminded for once. I will leave Tutu to conclude this entry in her own inimitable way. 

Mind the first glimpses of a cigar, his face red, naive old man, always remember the foreigner riding on each occurrence when always followed behind his e-bike the group of cats and dogs, so pomp Great, he wanted to pay attention to is hard, he's crazy Steve is our teacher, the impression that the British should be wearing a top hat, holding an umbrella, and then with London, a very deep cavity speak. Steve's first appearance surprised me, with a very high-pitched excitement of English asked our name in English, my English name tutu (ballet skirt intended) to his great surprise, so for a long time I mistakenly I thought he was American. Still remember, in school activities center boasted that it was his outdoor office, the first time I asked him a question in English, 'What is the difference between Chinese culture and Western culture'?There we certain sensitive political at issue blush red, often because of his lack of English vocabulary and wringing; there, I knew as soon as I say 'British English is the mother language ofAmerican English' time he will be struggling to refute; there, Steve,French teacher, the three of us (each stand, Britain, and France) before the colonial question and debate endlessly aggression is aggression; there when my own Chinglish frustrated upset when, Steve teacher again with 'Content is more important than language 'so to encourage comfort me, it is this time and time again "controversy", a time to encourage, let me say English is full of interest, so for Steve teachers are full of gratitude for long I speak English would correct my pronunciation; thank you for your busy schedule and gave me papers (Chinese teachers and foreign teachers in English teaching pros and cons) to provide material; thank you teacher took me to taste your DIY baguette let me experience different cultures; to you, all thanks ......