Sunday 9^th December, 2018 2310

First things first. A reader commented on the wedding video (after mentioning the adverts at the start!) on the bride spending most of her first hours of marriage lighting cigarettes for old blokes. I had to admit I was unaware of not only the custom but also the meaning, although I had a fair guess and I was right. It is quite simply the showing of respect to others. She'd probably be pilloried of jailed in the UK or USA for inciting smoking but thankfully we puffers aren't lepers here. Yet!

On Friday the foreign teachers were invited to a Chinese/Romanian concert in aid of Co-Operation With Foreign Countries. I was annoyed with myself because after uploading the other stuff to my computer (video will hopefully be posted to YouTube after Eli splices it) and charging both batteries on the camcorder, I forgot to take it! I am now glad. It was buttock-clenchingly boring and funereal.

Another thing I think I forgot to mention. A few weeks ago I made coffee cake after Annie asked if I could give it a crack. She wasn't actually at the dinner when I produced it because her Mum was here and I wasn't allowed to meet her because I smoke. See, the Septics even filter in their own “values” here. Having sent some of it to her via Alice after dinner the feedback was that she didn't really like it, neither did Mum. I assumed it was because without ice cream it was dry. I recently discovered it was because it wasn't coffee cake!!! Well, not her version.

Being British I feel it not unusual to think banana cake has bananas, carrot cake carrots and coffee cake, well, coffee.

Not in Merca!!!

Oh no. What they call coffee cake is actually cake to have with coffee!!

And they think I am eccentric.

Last night Eli's host family invited me again for a meal, this time Peking duck was promised. Not the best I have ever had but I must say it was up near the top of the league. There were plenty of other dishes as well but I concentrated mostly on those pancakes with Donald and salad. Oh and the jing jo the host very kindly provided. I haven't the heart to tell him I wouldn't mind a beer or two first to hydrate!

It's potty season now for flights in China. As you know, I am taking Alice to Chengdu in January. I could have held my nerve for flights, the nearer to the actual date, normally the cheaper it is. Flying economy, no problem but business/first seems to be maintaining high prices right through from a week's time right through to when we fly. And the flight I wanted was showing just two seats left sitting behind the driver. I had to take a gamble that not only would there be no seats later and that either way the prices would be the same or higher.

Were it just me I would have waited but I want to make Alice's first time above the clouds special. I have one nagging doubt which I hope doesn't come to pass. Air China are/were selling both first and business class tickets on an A320 when their seating plan only shows the forward cabin and economy. If we do not end up sitting in two of those eight seats up front I am going to be most unamused.

Tonight Alice and Miranda came for a bite, for the first time in over a year I made pizzas (seafood) and they were pretty damned good. They are not practical to make for five people at the weekly gathering as I can only do two at a time. I suppose I could buy a big baking tray and make one big one to serve while another cooks.......

Tomorrow is once again Marlow Monday. Admiral's pie is on the menu followed by English (not Yankee) pancakes with lemon. Alice wants to come after her lunch to help, most opportune after a rare accident tonight chopping a green pepper when I sliced off the side of my thumb. With taking aspirin to thin the blood I bleed copiously and seeped through both the first and second plasters. It has stopped now but I daren't remove the stained dressings in case it starts again.

I have also decided to have yet another treat at Christmas. A tub of Quality Street! Probably you can buy 4 for 1 in Tesco but here it will cost me about £15 for one. Oh, and some Ritz crackers, sightings of which in China occur about as often as I see a dikdik..........