Location: Los Alcázares, Murcia, Spain.
Summary: A week of genealogy deep‑dives, unexpected doorstep kindness, long walks cut short, tea‑related mysteries, bureaucratic surprises, football joy, and the comforting rhythm of familiar routines.
Friday, January 15th
A Rare Outing and a Welcome Visit.
The week began with a rare burst of energy: I dusted off the Sharky mobile and headed to Consum for a few groceries and a change of scenery. The streets were deserted, the shop almost empty, and I completed the round trip in under an hour. Back home, a pot of tea and an apple pastry restored feeling to my numb fingers.
Earlier in the week, I had spotted an advert for a local English butcher offering a January special. Delivery wasn’t free for small orders, but Sheila and Bernard kindly added mine to theirs. They brought my share around today, the first real people I’d seen since Christmas Day. Three weeks without human contact makes even a doorstep chat feel like a party.
I offered them tea. Sheila chose a builder’s brew, while Bernard gravitated toward the loose chai cinnamon tea. He loved it, and we ended up reminiscing about teas we’d tried, teas we’d ruined, and teas we’d sworn by. He even bought an unopened pack from me before leaving.
Sheila asked about my soup recipes, and, as luck would have it, I had chicken-and-vegetable soup in the freezer. She left with a container of it, Bernard left with tea, and I was left with the pleasant feeling of having had company again. Sheila promised to return the favour with a chilli and a spaghetti bolognese.
Dinner was the thin rump steak from the butcher’s pack. It tasted better than it looked, but I won’t be ordering steak from them again.
Saturday, January 16th
Early Morning Tea and a Cold Coastal Walk.
I woke at 05:00 with back pain and started the day with tea, citrus oil in the diffuser, and a session in the massage chair. After three hours of genealogy work, I headed out for a walk along the beach towards the old Murcia airport. I rested at the Spinosa Centre before walking home, enjoying the sight of joggers, cyclists, and fellow wanderers braving the cold.
Back home, I made a hearty omelette, chorizo, peppers, cheddar, onion, mushrooms, followed by tea. Feeling revived, I settled into more research before the football.
Sunday, January 17th
A Day of Research and a Tea‑Leaf Mystery.
Another long day of genealogy. Dinner was steamed broccoli and carrots, gammon steak in the air fryer, and homemade cheese sauce, simple, comforting, and very filling.
The day’s real drama came when I lost my chai tea leaves. I searched the kitchen, the balcony, the lounge cupboards, and every appliance. I finally found them, innocently sitting on a table in the hallway. No idea how they got there, but I was relieved, losing them would have been a tragedy.
Monday, January 18th
Bureaucracy, Deliveries, and a Good Result.
I went to the town hall to sort out a car I’d sold 14 years earlier. The neighbour I sold it to never registered it in his name, then moved back to the UK, where he passed away, leaving me unknowingly paying the tax for over a decade.
After queuing in the cold, the lady inside was wonderfully helpful. She explained the steps: report it to the Guardia Civil, complete a form, and bring it back to the town hall for forwarding to Traffico.
Knowing I needed a translator, I contacted Jo, who agreed to help later in the week.
The warm air/air‑con service was cancelled, and they promised to reschedule.
While dinner was cooking, I received a message that my George at Asda delivery would arrive shortly. It came missing one item, so I emailed them. The pyjamas and jeans were good, warm and practical for long genealogy sessions.
Arsenal won 3-0 against Newcastle, which improved the day considerably.
Tuesday, January 19th
Early Start, Delayed Dinner, and Late‑Night Learning.
I was up early again at 05:30 doing genealogy. Breakfast was scrambled eggs on toast.
Sheila messaged to say she couldn’t bring the promised food today, so dinner became chicken thighs with cottage cheese and celery.
Southampton beat Shrewsbury, setting up a match against Arsenal on Saturday, my birthday. I hoped for a celebratory win.
I stayed up until 02:00 watching a genealogy webinar, but the presenter wandered off into irrelevant topics, so I switched it off and went to bed at 02:30.
Wednesday, January 20th
Inauguration Day and a Struggle for Breath.
I woke late at 09:30. Breakfast was a banana-and-blueberry protein shake. Today was the day Trump left the White House. I wondered what chaos he might cause in his final hours.
George at Asda emailed to say the missing dressing gown had been sent.
I attempted a walk but struggled for breath and returned home for the Sharky mobile. Even then, I had trouble breathing, so I bought a potato from the local Indian shop and went home freezing cold. I put the heat on, made tea, and warmed up in front of the TV.
After the soup, I felt better and continued my genealogy research. I watched Biden’s inauguration and was moved by Amanda Gorman’s poem, a beautiful moment that brought a tear to my eye.
Thursday, January 21st
A Late Start and a Well‑Timed Service Call.
I woke late again; the early mornings and late nights had caught up with me. Bernard dropped off a chilli and a spaghetti bolognese that Sheila had made. I had the chilli with a jacket potato and froze the bolognese.
I went to Aldi for fruit and keto‑friendly meat.
In the afternoon, the air‑con service company called and asked if they could come today. Perfect timing. The unit was serviced following all COVID protocols, and the price hadn’t increased in 2½ years, a rare win.
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