Thursday 22^nd July, 2021 1330

Dean Delia called the roster secretary in Jody's department yesterday – the one Jody is helping with timetables. She instructed her to ensure all my classes were on the first floor and there were no 4½ hour lunch breaks. That was above and beyond for Delia because she runs the English department, Dean Bitch runs translation.

However, the secretary afterwards said to Jody that Dean Bitch had never said anything like that last year! Brenda had made sure both deans were fully cognizant of the requirements yet I have just had the worst term ever. It will be interesting to see my new timetable for next term.

One of our readers emailed me regarding the floods, I am guessing mildly concerned for my safety. Whilst the devastation in Henan province was tragic (and bugger being stuck on a train in an underground tunnel with rising waters!) it is hardly surprising given the sheer volume of wet stuff they had in a short space of time. Chizhou used to get torrential downpours regularly and not only was the drainage system up to the job but the roads weren't designed at all to shake off excess water. Many's the time I was ankle deep in puddles. As for here in the desert, we could do with a bit of a drenching! It's been 31ºC for days now and some cooling down wouldn't go amiss. But no. relentless heat. No, I am not complaining! It won't be long before I am whingeing about the cold again!

Of course, we still have the Covid spectre hovering. Yunnan recently had 27 new infections so I am hoping they don't close up before or during our holiday. Alice on the other hand is panicking because her flight once we are done is to Nanjing. At present Nanjing airport is in chaos as workers have tested positive and hundreds of inbound and outbound flights have been cancelled. She just asked me that if she has to change her ticket to Shanghai can she come with me. I told her it's three weeks away and anything could happen, but of course there's a hotel bed for her with me – at least for nine nights anyway. I'll be up front though!

So Brenda had arranged for us to meet to try to sort my health code on Saturday but last night she said she would come at ten this morning with Wei Wei (Victor) from IT. Lovely, they'll be here ten minutes and it will be sorted. Two HOURS later it may have been sorted. I say may because it will take up to twelve hours for the system to process. I will know by morning. The problem seems to have arisen because now foreigners have to use the foreigner application (I was on the Chinese one before) and more importantly, I have got a new passport. It simply wouldn't accept me on the system. The passport LOOKS genuine! Anyway, right at the death they decided to utilise my old passport details and hopefully, Bingo! That's ok, apart from half the front cover having been hacked off by the Consulate, the expiry date in the Chinese system is next August.

If only it works tomorrow.......