Tuesday 12^th December, 2017 2130

Oh boy, 500y in BHG today! And for that I only got a half case of wine too. One of those days when everything you buy in bulk needs replenishing, admittedly.

Industrial packs of tissues, washing up liquid, coffee – you name it, I needed them all this week. The good thing is that I can afford to buy in large quantities, it was not always thus.

So today, being a Tuesday (Thursdays are similar) it was La Maison Stevebooth for the two starving Americans, who, unlike their counterparts, in fairness always come or at least give me notice in advance that they are otherwise engaged. Denver, one of Annie's friends who had agreed to come because she was dying to meet me, cancelled half an hour before dinner was ready.

An emergency? No, my suspicion is that she simply had a better offer. When I think back to Chizhou and the time the Europeans (Kevin, Ollivier and me) refused an invitation to dinner from the university leaders proffered less than two hours before because we had invited students to a Western Wednesday and refused to break a commitment I wonder whether many people still value keeping their word any more. It's like your Mum cooking Sunday lunch having spent all morning slaving over it and then calling to say sorry. I would like to utilise a stronger word than “disgusting” but I shall refrain. I am not a cafe or hotel. I don't charge and I pay out of my own pocket.

Annie and Stephanie are fine, as are the students I invite but I shall not look lightly upon any more requests for American teachers to join us. Maybe I should take a 200y booking deposit, forfeited on a no-show but refunded on attendance?

Anyway, I actually quite like just the three of us. We can be ourselves – swearing, a little smutty at times and generally relaxing in good company, not something you can do often in Chinese company, if at all.

Anyway, I made chicken a la king and apple crumble. I would really love to have rhubarb in season but it is nowhere to be found. Both dishes were my second attempt. The crumble I made last time I used way too many oats and you needed a gallon of custard to dampen it down. Ironed that out and I must say it was great, along with my second custard, this time using all the eggs instead of only yolks. No wasting of albumen in future!

My first chicken a la king (Stephanie and Annie saw tonight's before it was cooked and stated it was Steve's chicken stew – how little they know!) was made purely for myself and I made it too runny, also the chicken bouillon I used was out of date so it was a disaster. Tonight was a triumph, if a little too thick in my view. I served it with steamed rice which seemed odd to me. My memory tells me that aboard HMS Conway we were given it with mashed potatoes for the occasional Sunday lunch. Perhaps Old Conways can answer the question?? Every recipe I found suggested rice or noodles though.

Now I know it is hardly cordon bleu but sometimes dishes from our youth take our fancy and so it was the case here. I make no pretence at being a particularly good cook. But as Chef Gusteau famously said, “Anyone can cook but only the fearless can be great!”. I'm not great but I am fearless – I will try things out at a dinner party for the first time and yes, occasionally achieve culinary sewage with no back-up of ordering an Indian for home delivery in the event of a catastrophe. Mostly it works out fine -that or the guests like it and I hate it.

Denver (that's some name!) lost. The three musketeers ate well. I can't believe Stephanie took the last of the rice and chicken home – it will be solid in the morning!

I found out today that I will again be huffing and puffing my way up seven floors at least one day a week on Peili campus. I only enquired to ensure they organised the necessary text book if required. I actually quite like teaching diverse classes and would love it if my classes were on the 3^rd or 4^th floor but the 7^th is not appreciated.

I foresee a tug of love looming. Assuming my contract is to be renewed next year, I am certain east campus will assert ownership rights to my services. I am rather hoping that for a new year another Peace Corps volunteer will be provided to relieve me of what is after all a burden, albeit it HAS given me access to students to be my cleaners and internet shoppers. If they arranged my timetable so as to have enough free time to shop and cook then I could handle it but my dinner parties have to end early because I always have to get up at a sparrow's fart the next day.

Oh, and despite the girls telling me their volunteer stipend was 1900y a month (a pittance at that) they have now realised it is 1400y, or £160 a month! £60 of that for me goes on cigars, £75 on wine and then there is the beer and the jing jo BEFORE I even start to eat!

Small wonder the two girls are up for anything I cook. One thing you may rely on though – when I cook our Christmas dinner on Boxing Day none of the cancellees from previous invitations will be invited. It will just be me, Stephanie and Annie and maybe one of my good Chinese students or two. I reward loyalty, not the doormat treatment.