2022 didn’t start with the usual weekly rhythm. After a break from writing, life carried on quietly until May, when a trip to Córdoba finally nudged me back into keeping track of things again. From there, the year unfolded in its steady way, swims, walks, heatwaves, website tinkering, concerts, coach trips, family visits, and the usual mix of small frustrations and small wins that make up life here in Los Alcázares.
These entries pick up from the moment I started writing again and follow the year as it happened, week by week, without drama or embellishment. Just an honest record of the days, the routines, the travels, and the moments worth remembering.
Location: Los Alcázares, Murcia, Spain
Summary: A week marked by the sad loss of a friend, long hours at the computer, a little swimming, new furniture, keyboard chaos, jellyfish avoidance and a concert right outside my apartment.
Location: Los Alcázares, Murcia, Spain
Summary: A week of early swims, new furniture, apartment jobs, jellyfish stings, a curry night, a Madness concert in Murcia and booking a weekend away for later in the year.
Location: Los Alcázares, Murcia, Spain
Summary: A quiet week spent close to home, with office visits, bank frustrations, long swims, scorching heat, air conditioning experiments and a lovely farewell meal for friends emigrating to New Zealand.
Location: Los Alcázares, Murcia, Spain
Summary: A week of kitchen upgrades, office work, long swims, family tree research, Amazon deliveries, summer heat, and the excitement of booking a Mediterranean cruise.
Location: Los Alcázares, Murcia, Spain
Summary: A week that began with morning swims in the Mar Menor and ended with Wales qualifying for the World Cup, with family tree discoveries, kitchen renovations and long days at the computer in between.
Location: Los Alcázares, Murcia, Spain
Summary: A week of morning swims, website work, takeaway meals, leg cramps, intermittent fasting experiments and the comforting rhythm of life by the Mar Menor.
Location: Los Alcázares, Murcia, Spain
Summary: A week that began slowly as I recovered, then burst into life with long days at the office, sunburnt arms, hot cross buns, a brilliant curry night, a coach trip to Murcia and Calasparra, and far too much walking for my concrete pillar legs.
Location: Córdoba → Los Alcázares, Murcia, Spain
Summary: A week that began among Córdoba’s patios, flowers and cobbled streets drifted into long walks, aching legs and a broken phone, before ending back home with cultural tours, carnival parades and a renewed appreciation for quiet days.
Location: Los Alcázares → Córdoba, Spain
Summary: A week of flu, Lemsip cocktails, broken kettles, website work, football, and the start of my trip to Córdoba for the Patio Festival, complete with neighbour drama, coach trip chaos and a hotel door key that refused to cooperate.
