Saturday 16^th January, 2021 1830

Well today didn't go exactly as planned.

Jody complained of having a sore throat this morning so I cancelled any idea of dragging her out shopping – or myself for that matter. What I decided was that this evening we would check out a little restaurant close by. I didn't know if it was a hotpot place or a barbecue restaurant and was curious.

We had been going there back in the warmer weather when she went into a tizz over something I said and stormed off home before we even got there. Tonight we actually made it inside. It's a hotpot restaurant. I don't mind the occasional hotpot.

Traditional hotpot menu where you tick the boxes yourself as to what you want but of course it was all in Chinese. I got a beer and she started to explain perhaps we shouldn't have spicy soup. I said I didn't mind a little bit spicy but it turned out for once she didn't want it because of her throat. Fair enough.

However, she then proceeded to commence explaining what things were by pointing to the menu and showing me. The menu is entirely in print with no photos. And in Chinese.

I laughingly asked why she was pointing out the words when she knew I couldn't read them. For some reason (time of the month, recent family arguments, I know not what) it triggered a nuclear reaction. Had I in fact said or done something wrong then just maybe my face would have reddened at the ensuing very public attempt to humiliate me which culminated in her storming out of the restaurant. Seeing as I had in fact done sod all wrong to justify this course of events I simply told her she couldn't blame me for her family's actions and asked if this was how I was to be repaid for what I did yesterday for her with her students? I was then treated to the “I should know her mood because of her family arguments etc” spiel (yes, when we spend all day in separate rooms, of course I should!) and the waterworks were turned on. I suppose when you can't win no matter what you say or do you should just not bother trying and that's precisely what I did. Or rather didn't.

She left anyway.

I stayed and drank my beer, taking my time while I pondered on the mysteries of women and their moods. As always I never figured out the answer but it was freezing outside and I wanted to stay warm awhile.

When I left I went to the jing jo shop (wonder when my Taobao stuff will arrive?) and then went home.

In a delicious twist, I found her freezing outside. Her grand gesture had ended with the realisation that she had forgotten her key! I let her in, she took her key and left again. Where she has gone I have no idea but I suspect she will have dinner somewhere while I in the meantime will go hungry, having eaten nothing all day. Will she be back later? I have absolutely no idea.

I know I can be an aggravating swine at times but this was not one of them.