Tuesday 4^th June, 2019 0900

A full week since the last entry – but it wasn't my fault, Guv!

I discovered my second batch of brownies were universally-acclaimed after Annie cut them into small cubes to give to one of her classes for performing well. Perchance, a gentleman had requested that he observe the class and during the “fun” section when the chocolate treats were distributed, he was given one as well.

The students loved them (of course, they would have you believe that the Chinese don't like sweet things but I know differently!) and the gentleman remarked how delicious it was and enquired if Annie had baked them! I am still unclear as to whether she took the credit or not but she has requested she come after we finish exams to help me make some more for her “leaving party” she wants to throw for some of the faculty. The gentleman who enjoyed the treat? The Foreign Language Department's head dean, my new boss as of next term.

Finally the weather here is starting to warm up. Until two days ago I was still using my fan heater because my flat is colder than it is outside. Handy in the height of summer (just shut all the windows and stay cool) but a real pain in the period before warmth and when the central heating is activated.

Now, the reason for the lengthy silence. It's not because little has been happening. On Saturday evening I lost all “civilised” internet connections. The VPN was blocked, meaning no access to the obvious sites (YouTube, Facebook etc) and also BBC news and television or any UK telly. Additionally, Chrome is often prevented from carrying out searches because it is owned by Google.

Luckily I had sufficient iPlayer downloads amassed to see me through that night and all day Sunday but I couldn't figure out what had prompted this latest assault by the Firewall Police. No party conferences occurring to explain it. Then I twigged. Today is the 30^th anniversary of something Beijing would prefer to forget and certainly don't want people talking about. Mystery solved. Eventually a “fix” was rolled out early yesterday evening but it also inconvenienced me in another way besides cutting off my email and viewing. In fact if I dared, I would email Xi to remonstrate!

No, yesterday I had planned to make for the first time, Hungarian goulash, having bought some paprika. I don't know about you but I can't remember every recipe I have ever cooked and certainly none that I haven't. I needed the internet to pull up the recipe. I prayed for five minutes airtime, during which I would open it and leave on screen but no matter how long I waited, my prayers went unanswered. Eventually I had no choice but to leave and go shopping and so had to resort good old bolognese. Now that I can do in my sleep and rustle up in an hour but it is annoying when Annie only has possibly four such meals left before she returns to lA (where I read mountains of rubbish are piling up downtown) so I wanted a mix of favourites and untried stuff. Ah well, she does love my garlic bread, a little consolation.

So, Friday is the dragon boat festival holiday (just teaching tomorrow this week) and Saturday is Alice's birthday. The three musketeers will go out for dinner, possibly the new Holiday Inn downtown for an all-you-can-eat buffet on the day but seeing as I shall be paying, Annie may just force me to downscale that operation. She wants the three of us to go to Baiyin (Alice's hometown) on Sunday for a day trip and is laying the guilt on me with a trowel. If I acquiesce, doubtless I will be footing the bill for either lunch or dinner, hence the possible budgetary rethink.

Speaking of Alice, this time the one in Guangzhou. Things with her Australian road traffic planner boyfriend (they met when he went there as a guest professor) seem to be moving apace with even marriage rearing it's head. She has just been granted a visa to visit him in Brisbane in the summer and he's paying for everything. Yesterday I got this Alice to ship my camcorder to her so she can record her adventures in a city I know well, Brisbane.