Tuesday 8^th December, 2020 2200

I don't know why but I am getting tired. Of everything.

Yes ok a couple of classes have some active students, my first class this afternoon for example but with most it is a constant battle to draw them out. I honestly never envisaged the day a decade ago when I would be saying roll on retirement but that's what I am doing now, just marking time and wishing the UK had left it at 65 and not forced my old body into another year.

But enough about me, other people have bigger problems. For one they don't seem to like my opinions on Facebook because they differ to theirs. Apparently I am not allowed an opinion because I “destroy” people. Well Trump's still spouting isn't he?

Seriously though, on Monday – and I say this with no humour intended – I was walking to my classroom in the afternoon. Now these glasses I got in Shanghai are in fact awful but I think part of the blame lies with me. I really have to get decent ones soon. However, as I was walking along the corridor I heard a sound akin to someone sweeping.

I looked back and saw nothing, then I looked down. This is without a word of a lie. The little student was walking just in front of me to my right. I so wanted to stop her and chat (we were both early) but I have no idea if she speaks any English. What I did was slow my pace – but only a little – so as to observe.

I am not the tallest tree in the forest but I swear she barely comes up to my knee. I have checked out the Guinness shortest woman and she is 63cm. I have just measured my knee and that's about what it measures! Stupid I know but I would like to know exactly how tall she is, you never know, she could earn from it.

Anyway, unlike last time, I hung back, disguising my inquisitivity by fishing in my bag for a cigar purely to see how she negotiated the stairs.

She flew up them by walking and in a race this old man would have been well and truly trounced! I don't think I have ever been impressed as much by anyone before in my life.

It is becoming likely that my Christmas dinner will indeed be beans on toast or something similar but Jason did express an interest in going for a drink in the evening – except he didn't know anywhere to go. Well there I can help him! So at the very least I should have a Christmas Guinness and G&Ts with not only a native speaker but someone from the southeast.