The weather had turned bad again and it was wet and windy.The wind was so loud it was howling through the bars.The bars?I don't think I have mentioned the bars before.Every window in the flat is barred with a cage.I've looked around the yard and not every apartment has this so I guess it was an optional extra when the apartments were being built.It means when you look out of the window you feel disturbingly like you are in a prison.I don't know if they are designed to stop residents falling out or stop intruders getting in.But anyway, when it is windy, they create a horrible wailing noise.

My new Chinese flatmate came home and she brought me some Chinese biscuit things.I have seen them being made on the street.They start out looking like a little pancake/waffle thing, which is rolled into a tube while it is still hot and soft.Then the tube dries into a sort of wafer.I was using my computer, so I opened an online translator and this is part of the conversation that followed:

我不了解什么这意味

How many days will you be staying in this apartment?

具体多长时间我自己也不清楚

The long time I am not specifically clear

Hmmm… this is not looking good.I was hoping she would say 10 days just as Miss Wang had told me before.I'd got used to living on my own!

I put on some warm outdoor gear and left the apartment to go to the supermarket.As I got down a few stairs, Chinese flatmate opened the front door and started yelling Chinese at me down the stairs. I thought I better see what she wanted in case it was important, so I reopened the online translator and got her to type.This is what she said:

需要我和你作伴马

Needs me and you acts as companion the horse

Well it would be rude to turn down such an offer, so I said OK and waited for her to put on her coat.As we stepped outside the wind blew and took my breath away so much I laughed.She laughed too and then grabbed my arm and linked her arm through it.She did not let go all the way to the supermarket.Maybe this is what it means to be somebody's horse.I had to prise myself free once we got there so I could pick my vegetables.I have to buy food as and when I need it because I do not have a refrigerator.This means I always buy vegetables in very small quantities as I'm only cooking for one.This makes the shop assistants laugh and sometimes the bag is so light it doesn't even register on the scales so I have to buy more.As usual, they laughed at my purchases and said something to Chinese flatmate, but I have no idea what they said to each other.After I had paid, we went back out into the cold, and again she grabbed my arm and didn't let go until we got home.

I made myself vegetable fried rice and Chinese flatmate stood in the kitchen watching me while I cooked.She had already had her supper so I felt a bit self-conscious that she was just watching me out of curiosity and not because she was hungry.I have been attempting to cook Chinese food but I am nowhere near ready to display my skills!If she spoke some English I could have even asked for some tips but I didn't have my computer to hand so I just had to cook under silent observation.