Thursday 18^th June, 2020 1300

OK, I am calmer now. Dean Delia called that night to apologise and explain that Sue was a first-timer in dealing with a foreign teacher. I in turn said it wasn't the extra two unexpected weeks of work but the fact I had meticulously planned everything and now it was in disarray. I even decided to make the remaining written classes take oral exams until I looked and realised I couldn't because they are bi-weekly and there wasn't enough time left!

And again it would seem my exam went down like the Titanic. I can't fail an entire year! I didn't think it was that hard to pass either but how wrong could I be?

One of the students from yesterday's oral exams happened to express disappointment that my shirt was white, albeit with red and blue piping. Intrigued, not least because I wondered why on earth the colour of my shirt should even be of interest, I asked why.

It turns out the students have been betting amongst themselves what colour I will wear each day because my shirts are brightly-coloured! I suppose I should be flattered?

At lunchtime I left and was waiting for the 66 bus when Mr Zhang pulled up in his car and offered me a lift. BHG is on the way home so he dropped me where a taxi would have. When I went into the store I was confronted by a “GRAND OPENING!” sale. Clothes. Mindful that my wardrobe is now under intense scrutiny and on the Tote, I took an idle look to see if any of their shirts would fit. I think they will, I tried an XL and it would have sufficed, so plumped for XXL on the basis they would be bigger. I bought five new shirts, peach, aquamarine, lemon, a grey one just to skew the betting and a sort of Hawaiian patterned green one. I think they were roughly half price but they have a convoluted way of working out discounts here. Anyway, I am sorted for shirts now until retirement and I can sling some old ones out now. And I got given a fistful of face masks as a gift. I just need to try and find some trousers that are actually comfortable, the last ones make me feel as though my knickers are up my crack even though they aren't. Now if I could find a tailor.......

You'd think in China that would be simplicity personified but trust me, it isn't.

As I was leaving BHG, the first shop inside the mall is a bakery I often use. They do French baguettes and sliced bread that doesn't taste like cake. They also often do little boxes of three mini-burgers with different fillings, ideal for school lunch. Well they never had any so I bought a loaf and half a dozen croissants for Fanny, she foams at the mouth over them.

The manageress (who's a bit of a sort and speaks a little English) gave me the sales pitch to buy a VIP card for 200¥ which gives you half price on I think everything for a year. As I go in there every week and the minimum I spend is 9¥ it seemed as though I'd be quids-in. Ok, I'll take one. Except they only take cash, Alipay or Wechat, no debit cards! I didn't have enough cash and I don't have those other abominations so I will have to get a card next time. Pity, I could have saved 17¥ today alone.