Location: Los Alcázares, Murcia, Spain.
Summary: A week marked by my 54th birthday, quiet routines, genealogy deep‑dives, bureaucratic battles, neighbourly moments, and plenty of football to keep me company.
Friday, January 22nd.
A quiet day with little more than bins, emails, and bad films.
I had a tranquil day today, the highlight being my walk to the bin around the corner to drop off my rubbish. I wrote a short email to my cousin Phil to see if he could help me with some census records for the family tree. Other than that, the day was spent falling asleep during terrible films on television.
Saturday, January 23rd.
My 54th birthday, spent alone but lifted by messages and Middle‑earth.
Today was my 54th birthday. I don’t think I have ever been so alone on any previous birthday. With no chance of meeting friends for a beer or a meal out because of COVID restrictions, I started the day with a massage and a pot of tea. My sister rang me and sang "Happy Birthday" with my niece; what a beautifully melodic family they are.
I watched the Arsenal vs Southampton game at midday and was deeply disappointed by how Arsenal played. I am amazed that players like Willian and Pepe keep getting game time; they are both ineffectual, and their places should go to players with more desire and concentration. The rest of the day was spent watching the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy.
I was very grateful to the well over 200 people who sent me birthday messages online. Without them, the day would have been instantly forgettable.
Sunday, January 24th.
A lazy morning, a beachfront walk, and excellent news from Arsenal.
I got up this morning with plans to do nothing. For breakfast, I made a protein shake with banana, blueberries, half an avocado, chia seeds and milk. I am always surprised at how good these taste and how filling they are. Afterwards, I went for a short walk along the beachfront before popping into a local store for some beetroot.
I purchased a subscription to Find My Past today and spent much of the afternoon and evening using it for my genealogy research. For dinner, I had chicken fillets in breadcrumbs.
The best news of the day arrived in the afternoon: a press release from Arsenal announced that Mesut Özil had left the club to join Fenerbahçe. What can I say, I was chuffed to bits.
Monday, January 25th.
A walk, a cake, and an afternoon of genealogy.
I went for a walk around lunchtime, heading along the beach towards the town hall. I came back along the main road and stopped in a bakery for a cake. As I came out, I noticed my doctor’s clinic across the street, so I went in to make an appointment for a blood test tomorrow.
I then walked home, ate my cake, had a pot of tea and spent the rest of the day doing genealogy research.
Tuesday, January 26th.
Blood tests, Guardia Civil drama, and a satisfying Arsenal win.
I was up early for my blood test. I have to check regularly how my blood reacts to the Sintrom I take to prevent clotting. I was at the clinic by 08:30, and by 09:15 I had been tested and walked home.
My friend Jo took me to the Guardia Civil today to denounce a car I sold about 14 years ago. While we waited outside, a man and a woman arrived. The man had been accused of threatening the woman. We let her go ahead of us, and the Guardia Civil soon stepped in between them. They told us it would take some time to sort out her complaint and asked us to return another day.
We didn’t want to hang around, so Jo took me home and checked whether the denuncia could be done online. She managed to complete all the paperwork, and we now have 72 hours to take it to the San Javier Guardia Civil, something we hoped to do tomorrow.
I spent the afternoon immersed in genealogy research, only breaking for my tea: a steak with a salad of cucumber, onion, beetroot, mushrooms, peppers, and carrot. It was lovely. I then relaxed watching the old film Midnight Cowboy before watching Arsenal get revenge over Southampton, coming from 1–0 down to win 1–3. The day ended well.
Wednesday, January 27th.
A teasing start, a successful denuncia, and more genealogy.
I started the morning by doing all the jobs that needed doing around the house. No, not really, you didn’t believe me, did you? I started with a massage and a pot of tea, then continued with my genealogy research.
In the afternoon, Jo rang to say she was on her way to take me to the Guardia Civil in San Javier, where we had to present the documents we'd filled in online the previous day. She took me there, we waited our turn, and then filed the denuncia. I was so glad Jo had taken me, as it was all in Spanish and she knew exactly what to do.
It appears the neighbour I sold the car to never registered it. The officer was invaluable; they revised what we had written so it made sense and filed the denuncia. I now have to take it to the Los Alcázares town hall, which will forward it to the traffic department. Hopefully, my name will no longer be associated with the car. I am unsure if I will ever get any of the money back that has been paid out, but a lesson has been learnt: when buying or selling cars in Spain, see someone who can do the paperwork correctly and legally, trust no one.
After Jo dropped me off at home, I continued with my genealogy research.
Thursday, January 28th.
A Tupperware mix‑up, a promenade confrontation, and an afternoon in the sun.
I was having a cup of tea when there was a knock on my front door. I opened it to my neighbour, who handed me a Tupperware pot.
He had been in his apartment when his video door system buzzed, and someone he didn’t recognise appeared on the screen telling him he had his pot. He rushed downstairs to discover the caller had rung the wrong bell. He was returning a Tupperware pot for me, not the type of pot my neighbour had imagined.
I had charged my mobility scooter overnight, then went out for a ride and to pick up a few bits at Consum. On my way back, I rode along the beach promenade when a Spanish woman on a bike told me I was riding the wrong way. Most politely and as correctly as I could manage, I pointed out that she shouldn’t be riding a bike along the promenade and, given the COVID restrictions, suggested she cough further away.
In the afternoon, the sun was very hot, over 90ºF on my balcony, so I tested out my new reclining beach chair and spent a few hours in the sun reading my Kindle. After such an exhausting time, I retired to my sofa to watch a film before the football and promptly fell asleep. I did, however, wake up in time to see Liverpool play around Mourinho’s parked bus and beat Spurs 1–3. Look behind you, Spurts, we are catching you up.
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