(as copied down from a sugar sachet in a coffee shop)...

SUGAR

Forget not yet the tried entent
Of such a truth as I have meant ;
My great travail so gladly spent ,
Forget not yet !

Genius I thought...

Last Sunday Clare and I were invited to the engagement lunch bash of a very nice Chinese English teacher from school. A very eye opening affair.

Basically the small roadway at the side of her family's house was turned into a mini pavilion, filled with about 100 or so friends, family and, I'm sure, stragglers off the street looking for a free feed.

At one end of this tent her father compered some very dodgy and loud karaoke singing, complete with immense PA system, while at the other the catering staff cooked up some seafood creations in giant woks.

On arriving we were both welcomed into the teacher's bedroom (as, like many at the age of 26, she has always lived at home). This was unexpected, and we felt pretty priviledged. The strange thing with Taiwanese houses I find is that the lack of any carpet means (to me anyway) they lack a little cosiness. Having said that, I'm sure by mid-summer, the lack of carpet will seem a laughable issue to be pondering...

The teacher and her six girlfriends had been up since the early hours getting her ready in a resplendent red dress, wad of gold jewellery and fancy hair do. Her husband to be meanwhile (whom I must note, she's known for maybe three months) appeared in a rather smart suit and strangely enough, white gloves, rather like a younger and more professional-looking Chinese Paul Daniels.

Our teacher pal had insisted I go along so she could introduce me to her Taiwanese girl friend Vicky, who comes from the Southern city of Tainan. As it turned out, I hadn't even woken up enough to realise which girl she was until just as we were leaving, when she was pushed onto some photos me, Clare, and the teacher were posing for. Apparently I should consider meeting her in Tainan for the day, which I might well do out of pure nosiness really (and because getting the train there on my own makes me feel like a proper traveller!).

I'm purposely not talking about school right now, 'cos the little 'uns are driving me insane...