14 years of marriage is an ivory celebration apparently, though no elephants were injured in our celebration!
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We drove down to Sidcup today to spend a few days with my lovely parents. Dad loves nothing more than colouring in patterns(?!) while Mum is forever trying to work her new phone!
They find aging difficult at times, but still manage to keep a tidy garden and spotless house, while Mum also cooked up a delicious Wedding Anniversary meal for JiaJia and me. Not bad in your 80s!
A year ago, Julian visited us on his birthday (in our old house) with his brother, Chris. A year later, he visited us again (in our new house) with his son, Jonathon. We celebrated his birthday yesterday and spent a nice day in Avebury today (despite some light rain).They will be back in China in a week's time.  After a flurry of last-minute interviews, demo classes and paperwork, I've been offered a job at Ivy Lane Primary School - the school where I've been volunteering this term. So, starting in September, I'll be working with two Year 6 classes.  It's a lovely school with very supportive staff and polite children. Plus it's just two minutes walk from my house! Ideal.
We had a lovely visit from Miki at the weekend. We worked out we have known each other for some 30 years and, when I dropped her an email the other day, it turns out she's currently working in Bristol - not far away - on the musical of Moulin Rouge.  We had late lunch and put the world to rights before she headed off on her bike/train home. She's "one of a kind" and it was great to catch up!
JD's first year at UK Secondary School finished last week with him being awarded "Top Student of the Class" at a final assembly. It was a surprising and brilliant end to a really good year. Considering the possible pitfalls of him moving to a new country, not having any existing school friends and tackling a new educational system in a different language, he has found his way through multiple challenges and we are very proud of his efforts and successes. 
Next week, I interview for a 1:1 Teaching Assistant job at a nearby Primary School, to work alongside a student with Special Education Needs. Many areas studied on the Coaching course would overlap with those required in that role, so things seem to be tying together nicely in terms of timing and transferrable skills. Watch this space!
During the recent hot spell, JD has opted to spend a few nights in the garden, in his car boot sale bought tent! 
My youngest brother, Andy, flew out to Miami yesterday to begin a 6 month contract onboard this ocean liner! He applied for a job there ages ago and has been waiting very patiently for the paperwork to go through and a start date. His role will be a Butlins Redcoat style "Entertainments Manager" leading a team of six. Good luck mate!! 
But sadly, heavy winds meant the hot air balloons were all cancelled and we weren't really in the mood to wait three hours for the fireworks. So a half hour walk back to the car after a bit of a disappointing end. 
The police claimed she committed suicide by jumping in a river, but the parents claim she was raped and murdered by a son of one of the Governors there and that the authorities therefore hushed it all up. Whatever the rights and wrongs of the allegations, it’s a glimpse into the simmering anger many Chinese people feel, fed up with the corruption and censorship in the legal and political system.
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 AuthorPaul Hider started this blog to share his rather odd life living in China for over 20 years. Since returning to the UK in 2024, the blog now records his more "normal" lifestyle! Past blog entries
August 2025
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