Tuesday 5^th January, 2021 1945

Well this being on holiday isn't much yet. Still tying up loose ends. Yesterday it was BHG and ensuring I had enough wine (very important!) to last beyond the student migration as taxis will be in heavy demand. So that would be two boxes please and very little else as it's damned heavy.

Last night I ordered a birthday present for Joanna. I thought I was ordering from the UK but my bank told me when I called them after my card was refused that it was in fact from Ireland so it had been flagged as possible fraud. Ireland or because I have never ordered women's jewellery before? I shall never never know but it was from Etsy and they are on UK television. I know it will arrive in Kuala Lumpur just in time and I just hope she likes it.

Today? Well by my standards, sodding busy. I had to scramble to shower, have a coffee and a beer before heading out just after eleven to catch the electricity Auntie before she knocks off for spring festival. Got her and so now have 1,590Kw/h on the meter. Checked the post room for the first time in months and stuff all there (only ever had the bank and MNOPF send stuff that arrived and the latter has now gone email only which is great) so came back to warm up.

It's blessed freezing here these days – today was a “good” day with a high of -4 and low tonight of -14 and I still had things to do. I sallied forth to buy enough gas to last until summer. I can claim it back from the school but as it only costs me about £55 a year I don't bother because I do use rather a lot of electricity.

Then it was off, finally to go almost bald. You have no idea how good it feels. But of course there was no way I was leaving unprotected in the bonce area, I had (after much searching) found the ushanka and so donned that. The barber thought it amusing, I thought it sensible, even though a glance in the mirror informed me I looked ludicrous. Given the choice between freezing your cods off and looking idiotic what would you choose? I choose being warm every time! I never wore pantyhose at sea but I know quite a few ABs who did and I understand now.

Then I went to the local supermarket. Yesterday in BHG and today there I was made to wear a mask again. Turns out according to Jody the virus is getting worse a thousand miles away in Dalian, where a university has stopped its students from going home due to one case of Covid. Wonder if my Yunnan trip will go ahead after all.

Mrs Jing Jo also thought my headgear hilarious so just to save face I lifted it to show her my newly-shorn noggin. Immediately afterwards it was obvious the three security guards at the entrance also found some humour in the laowei looking like a yeti so I had to show them too and explain that it was “binda”. Hell, it's cold enough when you get a haircut in summer but I was desperate for one by now.

Alice from Wuhu/Guangzhou who I am hopefully travelling with in Yunnan in a month told me today her school had no record of her so they had hired new teachers. Confused? I was too but she meant the one she applied for because she wants to quit her current one.

She wanted advice so I gave her the best I could offer. Always look for a job when you are in a job so get cracking and fingers crossed. Failing that, marry me.

Unsurprisingly the second suggestion was rejected out of hand!

Going nowhere tomorrow – forecast High of -9 and Low of -20. Bugger that.