Friday 20^th December, 2019 1200

When I arrived for work on Wednesday afternoon I was greeted by the sight of hordes of policemen of assorted varieties, many wearing helmets. I am beginning to think that whenever a building is demolished they turn up for the spectacle, for the building on one corner of the approach road was being ripped down by a digger.

When I left to come home, I had only got 100 yards outside campus when I was confronted by a metal screen blocking my exit. Wondering how on earth I could get to the bus, I entered a patch of waste ground hoping there would be a way through. There was. When I regained the road it was to enter what resembled a war zone, reminiscent of photographs of the London blitz. They are knocking the entire street down and piles of rubble were all but making it impassable on foot.

The day before, shops were still trading, providing no clue to the Armageddon that would ensue. Now they were empty and many had been ripped down. Only last week a Muslim restaurant had been undergoing renovation, it is now gone. The barber who 24 hours ago had still been giving trims, also had his premises destroyed. Livelihoods had disappeared rapidly. I assume the government has paid compensation.

On Mondays and Thursdays I am particularly laden, being stuck at work over lunchtime I take my laptop, packed lunch and a bottle of water in addition to my books and shoulder bag. Yesterday I arrived in the dark and the waste ground was in pitch blackness. I was genuinely concerned I might come a cropper and nearly did a couple of times so I hope by Tuesday when I next have an early start, the road will have been reopened.

After the arrangements for a Christmas meal were rejected I had said to Alice I would just take her somewhere, maybe the BHG Mall if I could find out where it was (having been once in a taxi at night and passing the back of it many times on buses but being unable to recall which bus!) as there was a nice western type restaurant, or perhaps somewhere else that served food I actually like.

Somehow, Adriana (who was trying to arrange a “date” with Alice) has now been inserted into the frame, which is fine but sneaky Alice has now managed to make my Christmas dinner a party at Burger King!! She loves their burgers and quite simply hijacked me. On the plus side, it does mean I can combine it with a shop in Metro and the meal will be a lot cheaper! No roast turkey and stuffing for me this year.......