Week 15 of 2021 started with an overcast sky & rain. I spent a lot of time indoors watching the Masters golf, from Augusta, Georgia, USA.

Week 15 of 2021.

Friday, April 9th.

The heavy rain here first thing means I won't be going out anywhere on my mobility scooter today. Luckily for me, the Masters' golf is on & I spend all afternoon & evening watching it on the television. After day two of the Masters finishes my four picks on the Masters' fantasy golf competition haven't done brilliantly but at least three of the golfers I picked are still in after the cut. 

My amateur player, Joe Long didn't make the cut & actually scored me minus 7 points after two days. He did better on day two where he scored 3 points but the minus 10 he scored on Thursday means he didn't make the cut. My other three picks did all score me points, Jordan Speith scored me 16 points, Webb Simpson scored me 6 points & Tommy Fleetwood scored me 8 points.

Saturday, April 10th.

Once again overnight there has been a big storm & it is very wet again when I get up. First thing this morning I have a pot of tea & choose a new player for my Masters' fantasy golf game. I have to replace the player that didn't make the cut & I choose Will Zalatoris as a replacement. I had been watching him play in the first two rounds & he seemed to manage the pressure of Augusta well, I hope he can do as well in the last two rounds.

In the afternoon I join my neighbour Russ at the chiringuito outside my apartment for a swift pint before walking along the beach to La Playa bar to watch the Grand National. I had a great afternoon & a good laugh with Shellie, Jim, Emma, Derek & Janet before my neighbour Russ & friend John turn up for a last pint or two before we all leave to get home before the curfew. I then sit up watching the last part of round three on The Masters.

Sunday, April 11th.

This morning I go to the bank to get some money & on the way back I stop for a tostada & coffee at El Lobo chiringuito. After breakfast, I return home to cover myself with sun cream. After having dinner at home, I head back to El Lobo chiringuito for a beer with my neighbour in the afternoon sun.

Today was a great day to sit in the sun & chat over a few beers, more so because many friends that I haven't seen for a while walked along the beach & stopped off for a chat & a drink. It was great to see so many people again. It is an ideal place to see people at these difficult times, there is so much room between tables it is easy to have a good chat across socially distanced tables.

This evening I watched the Sheffield United v Arsenal game, in which Arsenal easily won 0-3. It was great to see them play good attacking football again after being so poor in recent games, I hope they take the form from this game into the last few games of the season & continue winning in the Europa League.

Monday, April 12th.

When I woke up this morning it is dull & overcast, I hope it clears again as it did yesterday. At 11 am I take my mobility scooter on the short journey to my friend Gerry's house for a service. I leave it with him & take my kindle to the local café for coffee & tostada whilst he carries out the service. 

The afternoon is spent chatting at my local chiringuito with my neighbours Russ & John, sat in the sun before this weeks expected rain. This evening I order a new watch from Amazon to replace the one I bought only two years ago, they don't last long these days, with all the things they do, making them last longer should be the next step. When you were given a watch as a kid, you wound it up & it lasted forever. The new watches that check your blood pressure, heartbeat, steps taken, calories burnt & remind you of appointments or tell you that you have incoming calls are great but only expecting them to last a couple of years is disappointing, to say the least.

Tuesday, April 13th.

This morning I am up early to go to the Dr for my regular blood test to check on my INR. I walk to the Dr, have the blood taken for the test & walk back, it takes me less than 40 minutes for the whole thing, including walking time.

At 10:30 I am picked up by my friend Pat to go for breakfast with another friend, James, at The Tipsy Thistle. It was really good to see both of them again as I haven't seen either for well over a year. We all had a large breakfast which as usual was fantastic, I always enjoy my breakfast here, but it was more enjoyable today because of the great company.

As Pat is dropping me off, my phone is ringing, it is Amazon & they are already at my house with the new watch I ordered yesterday. Luckily for me, they are still there when I get dropped off & I am able to take delivery of my new watch. I paid around 54é for my new watch & paid an extra 5é for an extra two years warranty on it, at least this way I will have a watch that lasts 3 years or more.

I go indoors to unpack my watch then go to the chiringuito outside where I spend the afternoon talking to my neighbour Russ & my friends Sophie, Ady & Clara. I read many chapters of the book I am currently reading & get quite sunburnt before I go indoors to cover myself in after-sun lotion.

I have a lasagne for my tea & then relax in front of the television before going to sleep.

Wednesday, April 14th.

I have a mission today, I hope to complete it as the last week or so I have meant to buy something & keep forgetting when I am out. I will go to the shop this morning & hopefully today I will return with some 'Oven cleaner'. Once it has been cleaned I will then make myself a pizza, if I remember when I am out to get some bananas for the pizza all the better.

I had a coffee at the chiringuito outside my apartment then I walked to the Dr surgery because I haven't been able to log in to the online website for my blood test results. They printed my results off for me there & as expected I can cut down my tablets. A few times recently I have cut my self shaving & how quickly the blood does or doesn't stop is a good sign to me if I need to alter the amount of Sintrom I take. 

I then walked to the local supermarket to get the oven cleaner I needed. I never seem to be able to buy the same brand two times in a row & have to spend ages making sure I buy the right cleaner. Luckily for me, Maria, the barmaid at the chiringuito by me walked in as I was at the till she confirmed I had got the right cleaner so I was soon back home cleaning the oven. I did however forget the bananas I wanted for my pizza.

The afternoon & evening was spent reading my kindle.

Thursday, April 15th.

I did not sleep very well last night, my skin was tingling & itchy because of the sunburn I got on Tuesday. I got up several times in the night to apply more after-sun gel but the burnt area is at that itchy sore stage. When will I learn how quickly I burn? There will be no chance of getting sunburnt today as it is raining & overcast when I woke up & it looks like it's in for the day.

My friends George & Yvonne asked for some help printing, scanning & emailing some documents today. They popped around & we worked out a really fair trade of labour which I was delighted with. I am a man & therefore have real difficulty folding sheets & duvet covers, I had washed all my winter sheets & duvets but had not folded them ready for storage. Whilst I did the computer work for them, Yvonne kindly folded my sheets so that I can put them away until I need them next winter. After we had finished, we all walked around to a local café & had a few delicious Asiatico coffees.

This evening I watched the Slavia Prague v Arsenal football match on television. Unbelievably Arsenal was brilliant for the second game in a row. They were winning 0-3 after 24 minutes. They defended well in the second half & added a fourth goal to win 0-4, to go into the semi-final of the Europa League by beating Slavia Prague 1-5 on aggregate. This was a great way to end the week on a high.