Monday 1^st June, 2020 1800

I'm not sure how I feel today.

First day back “at” work today. And Jesus did the areas below my navel let me know about it. It wouldn't have been quite as bad but it was an over-lunchtime day so I was lugging laptop, lunch, drinks etc. I'm not sure if I am really old or whether sitting on my arse most of the time all year is at fault but either way I don't like it. I shall have to find some gentle activity to carry out in retirement because otherwise I will end up with one of those Raspberry Rockets with three wheels and being a grumpy old fart driving it.

Oh and the first class really started my day well. Thirty dead bodies wearing surgical masks. I could have been an overworked surgeon about to carry out mass post-mortems. And do you know what really pissed me off? OK, let me say they weren't English majors but every one of them has submitted oral recordings to me for the past three months so they can speak!

At lunchtime it was a building change which took me half an hour. Admittedly when I arrived at building four, rather than ascending to my room immediately I paused for a cigar seeing as the weather was nice.

And after my lunch and watching a bit of downloaded television it was time for a class of English majors. Hooray! You would think, anyway. To be honest, little better than the previous lot who at least had half an excuse.

I was heartily glad when it was time to waddle painfully back to the bus stop, which seems to recede further each time from the school. I have absolutely no appetite nor impetus to cook. What with Jody not coming home until after ten each night I have not been cooking properly – not that I have had much time. I think I am run down and need to make shepherds pie and beef stew and suchlike (which I could do at weekends but she won't eat it), proper food but there's no space in my little freezer. I may have to ditch stuff that's been in there forever to make room because I can't live on sandwiches, crackers and kiddie meals even though my intake is low. I've never really worried about my dietary regime until tonight because it has never caused a problem. It may not be the crux now but unless utter weariness is a new symptom of Covid, manifesting without a cough, fever or anything else then the only things it points to are food and/or inactivity for so long. Maybe practising walking will make it better!

Mental health is another thing entirely. Everyone has ups and downs and as I often tell my classes if life was eternally happy it would be boring. I've never been a depressive and before anyone sets The Samaritans on me I have no intention of starting now.

However the longer this nonsense drags on, draining the will of the people, the more dispirited I become at what I now perceive to be sledgehammers cracking eggs.

I posed the question in class today “had anyone travelled from another province to return to school?” Yes, one of the students had come back from Shandong. Did you have to quarantine for 14 days? No, she replied, puzzled. Have you got that green thing on your phone? Yes. Come and show me.

Well now I'm even more confused because it seemed she could simply tap in a city and get a green code for it without having been there! Apparently you have to fill out your details, go somewhere local where you live (I have no idea whether a hospital or the PSB) and they give you a green for where you are and then it's a game of Monopoly, mopping up as many houses as you can that are green! Oh, apparently it can be done in English but presumably with a degree in astrophysics to help you along with navigating the system.

So yes, my mental state at present is not good. Not that I have any intention of ending it all – sod that, I've endured far worse and won – I just despair over what I see as a complete buggeration over, let's face it, something we can't actually help and 3,700 people die on the roads every single day - which could be stopped.

And then the riots in Trumpland over George Floyd! We want Justice! Isn't firing the police involved and charging the guy that did it with murder justice? And bugger me, now they are copy-catting in the UK? What's that about?

I have long wondered what this world has been coming to (usually about PC crap and LGBTGPCS and whatever other initials they use) but right now I would like my own private tropical island with an air-conditioned hut, personal chef, well-stocked bar and no bloody internet.

Sorry for the rant but I can't be the only one who has been reasonable all along and who now thinks enough is enough?