Week 29 of 2021, started very sunny andamp; I hoped it continued that way for a long time.
Friday, July 16th.
I have a coffee at the chiringuito & spend the day relaxing & lazing around my apartment as I am being taken to Cartagena by my friend Kate this afternoon so that I can replace the Kindle & the phone that I had stolen in a mugging a few weeks ago.
In the afternoon Kate & Aria pick me up & we go to Media Mkt in Cartagena. I am helped to find the phone I have already decided to purchase & in a short time I have also found my new Kindle & a case for it. I took it to the till & that is when things started to slow down. They ran the phone & case for the Kindle through the till but could not get the security case off of the Kindle. Aria climbed onto the desk where I was waiting to try & get them to hurry up but it didn't help. The girl at the till called a manager to remove the security box, but the manager couldn't remove it & called a security guard. The security guard couldn't remove the box & he called someone else who took the box to an office behind them & finally managed to remove the security box.
When my shopping was all run through & my items paid for the lady at the till then produced a small lolly for Aria for being a good girl. Kate, Aria & myself then went to a café next to MediaMkt for a drink & to cool off a bit. Aria opened her lolly & was soon making friends with everyone that came past & showing them her blue tongue, courtesy of her lolly. After we finished our drinks Kate dropped me off at home to set up my new phone & kindle. Thanks for the lift Kate, it was nice to chat with someone about computers again.
After getting home I spent the rest of the day setting up my new phone & kindle. I take a couple of painkillers as my legs ache from all the walking around in the sun.
Saturday, July 17th.
This morning I woke quite late & after pottering about indoors I go down to the chiringuito to sit in the sun with my new Kindle. I have a coffee & a large bottle of water & sit there for a while reading my kindle until it gets too hot for me. I then go back to my apartment where I spend the rest of the day reading a great book on my kindle that I started reading, on the kindle that was stolen three weeks ago. I love the fact that when I downloaded all my books onto my new kindle, it knew where I had read up to & opened the book at the correct page on the new kindle.
Sunday, July 18th.
When I get up I strip the linen from my bed & put it in to wash. I then fill the dishwasher & put that on. I check my emails & then go down to the chiringuito for a tostada & coffee where I will sit reading until it gets too hot.
After breakfast, I return to the apartment & put a second lot of washing on & read until I set off on my bike to ride to Campbell's bar for Sunday lunch. I am surprised when I get there to find there is no bike rack to lock my bike to. The very thick plastic-coated iron chains I have easily stretch around a lamp post & I lock my bike up before going inside for lunch. I order the pork Sunday roast this week, it comes with everything & is very good. I have a pint with my dinner & afterwards cycle back to my apartment.
This afternoon at La Playa bar there is a singer called Diana, she is very good, I met her & her other half a while ago & decided to walk down to listen to her sing this evening. She starts at 6 pm & it is a lovely way to spend a few hours, sitting outside the pub on the seafront with my kindle & listening to Diana sing. I was joined by my friend Rob for a chat & after a couple of beers, I walked back along the beach to my apartment.
Monday, July 19th.
I got up early & went for a swim before the hordes of Spanish tourists descend on the beach. It was nice to be in the water again, After my swim I returned home, showered & got ready to go for a coffee with my friend Mike. I sat & talked briefly with Mike as he had to go to walk his dog. I then went to LA's Family Bar & Grill where I had a large coffee & a tostada.
When I had finished my coffee I moved to La Sombre to meet my friend Martin & we sat for a couple of hours chatting & laughing. He left with his wife Kate & daughter Aria & I went back to my apartment where I spent the rest of the day reading my kindle indoors in the shade. I love the sun but the heat is getting too much for my old bones these days, I am now understanding why the Spanish take a siesta in the extreme heat of the afternoon.
Tuesday, July 20th.
I get up this morning & have a bacon & egg sandwich & then continue to read my kindle whilst I wait for Julie to arrive for my next reflexology session. With my session over, I arrange for another one next week. I have only had two but I definitely notice a difference.
After Julie has gone I check my phone & notice a missed call. It was from my friend Sophia & her boyfriend, they have made me an appointment for Thursday so that I can get a TIE card to replace the NIE card I lost when I was mugged a few weeks ago. After replying to their message I carry on reading my kindle & have very quickly finished off the three-part trilogy I had started before I lost my previous kindle in the mugging.
Wednesday, July 21st.
This morning I go to get some photos for my appointment in Cartagena tomorrow, to get a TIE card. I do not feel brilliant so whilst they are being done I go home read my kindle on my balcony & try to keep hydrated in the heat.
When I go back to The Post Room to collect my photos, Ed has given me two different sizes as he has been told by someone that they are asking for a different size photo. He is not sure which to do for me so does both sizes & asks me to let him know which is correct after my appointment.
Thursday, July 22nd.
I woke early this morning for my appointment in Cartagena but have a stomach ache from constipation. I message Sophia & Carlos to cancel my appointment in Cartagena & then go to the Pharmacy for something to help me. I get laxatives from the pharmacy, go to the local supermarket for some apple juice which I hope will help, then go home, take my medicine & settle down for the day.
Whilst sitting at home my doorbell goes & when I open the door a local policeman & my neighbours are standing at my door. Someone has found the wallet I had stolen about a month ago. They had handed it in at the local police station & the police were returning it to me. He had called at my neighbours as it was they who called the police when I was mugged, thanks again for your help, John & Christine. All of the bank cards, my driving licence & NIE card are still in it but nothing else, I had already cancelled all of my cards so having them returned was no big help but having my driving licence & NIE should make getting my replacement TIE easier. It's a shame my kindle & phone hadn't been discarded at the same place.
This afternoon I also message my friend Sheila to let her know that I will not be able to make dinner with her & Bernard tomorrow but hopefully we will be able to rearrange when I am feeling better.
I spend nearly all day walking backwards & forwards to the toilet, my step counter tells me I have walked over 2600 steps today, the majority of those would have been from my living room to my bathroom but unfortunately for me, this was the biggest movement I had today.