Wednesday 25^th March, 2020 1300

I still haven't made meatballs. There is a provincial inspection looming at the school and Jody is working late the rest of this week so I am just feeding myself. I remember when we had one in Chizhou, everyone panicking and even getting me to file paperwork I never used to do and was completely pointless. All BS.

So I had cheese and tomato sandwiches last night!

But I did buy a whole chicken for a roast today. She has now decided she can return at seven, doesn't want any chicken but wait for it – she is desperate for roast potatoes! I think the no chicken thing is because the new supermarket sold me some breasts that were like leather when cooked. This is a whole bird, probably with the head as well. Oh, I forgot to mention that Alice in Guangzhou has bought her own mini oven so she can learn western cooking. Now she can make her own lasagne.

Anyway, after the “army” and their field equipment spent all day here on Monday fixing my bathroom flooding problem, lo and behold yesterday afternoon when I showered it flooded again!

They came again this morning and fixed it, although for how long is anyone's guess. They also looked at the boiler and declared it perfect due to the fact it wasn't showing an error message. Some things, even with the best of translators, cannot be gotten across (and of course I couldn't ask Jody to explain or everyone would want to know how she knew so much). Their solution was to fit a new shower tap, which is fine but will not solve the problem. I will just have to wait until the boiler packs in!

While they were here I remembered to ask them to take a look at the broken hat stand I use to dry my laundry. They tried to fix it, triumphantly brought it back inside, only for it to promptly break again. They carted it back outside again and half an hour later when I was marking a class from yesterday, presented me with a hat stand that no longer falls over. I couldn't stop laughing. Their solution? They made it 18” shorter by removing the offending section! It worked to be fair but it means a different approach when washing bedding and the like, otherwise half of it will be sitting on the floor.

Oh! That hotpot round the corner? Not quite what I expected, you take a basket and select your items, then they cook it instead of you doing it at the table, then you are presented with a bowl of broth with your selection. Dips were unappetising (I only ever opt for the peanut sauce) but apparently once they are fully up and running that will change. However at £3.50 for two bowls it was damned cheap so on the occasions I can't be bothered I shall be using it. One drawback is they don't sell beer but that's minor seeing as it's directly opposite the jing jo shop! And they do the meatballs I like plus quail or partridge eggs (or whichever small bird lays them).

So now I am waiting for my morning class to submit their homework. The afternoon one will arrive too late so I predict at the end of the week once again there will be Saturday work.