Week 4 of 2021 saw me reach 54 years of age but due to COVID, I had to wish myself a happy birthday.

Week 4 of 2021.

Friday, January 22nd.

I had a very quiet day today, the highlight of my day being my walk to the bin around the corner to drop off my rubbish. I did write 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 the television.

Saturday, January 23rd.

Today is my 54th birthday. I don't think I have ever been so alone on any of my previous birthdays before. With no chance of meeting any of my friends for a beer or a meal out at a nice restaurant because of the COVID restrictions. I start the day off with a massage & a pot of tea. My sister rings me up & sings happy birthday to me with my niece, what a beautiful melodic family they are.

I watch the Arsenal vs Southampton game at midday & am very disappointed in the way that Arsenal play. I am amazed that players like Willian & Pepe keep getting game time, they are both ineffectual & their places should be given to people with more desire who will give more effort & concentration. The rest of the day is spent watching the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy. I am very grateful to the well over 200 people who sent me birthday messages online, other than these messages my birthday would be instantly forgettable. 

Sunday, January 24th.

I got up this morning with plans to do nothing. For breakfast, I make myself a protein shake with a banana, some blueberries, half an avocado, chia seeds and milk. I am always surprised at how good these taste and how filling they are. Afterwards, I go for a short walk along the beachfront before turning back & popping into a local store for some beetroot.

I purchased a subscription to Find my Past today & I spend much of the afternoon & evening using it for my genealogy research. For dinner, I have some chicken fillets in breadcrumbs.

I hear the best news I have heard for a while this afternoon, a press release from Arsenal announces that Mezut Ozil had left the club & signed for Fenerbahce, what can I say, I am chuffed to bits.

Monday, January 25th.

I went for a walk around lunchtime. I walked along the beach towards the town hall. I came back along the main road & stopped in a bakery for a cake. As I came out of the bakery I noticed that my Dr's clinic was opposite 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 & spend the rest of the day doing my genealogy research.

Tuesday, January 26th.

I am up early to go for my blood test this morning. I have to go on a regular basis to check how my blood is reacting to the Sintrom I take to prevent my blood from clotting.  I am at the clinic by 8:30 am & by 9:15 am I have had my blood test & walked home.

My friend Jo took me to the Guardia Civil today to denounce a car that I sold about 14 years ago. We arrived & were standing in the outside waiting our turn when a man & woman turned up outside with the man accused of threatening the woman. We let her in front of us & the Guardia Civil soon stepped in between her & the man. The Guardia Civil said that it would take some time to sort out the woman's complaint & could we go back another day. We didn't want to hang around so Jo took me home but then looked to see if she could do the denuncia online. She was able to complete all the paperwork online & we now have 72 hours to take it to San Javier Guardia Civil, something that we hope to be able to do tomorrow.

I spend the afternoon entrenched in my genealogy research 7 only break for my tea of steak with a salad of cucumber, onion, beetroot, mushrooms, peppers & carrot. It was lovely & I then relaxed watching an old film, midnight Cowboy, before watching Arsenal get revenge over Southampton for the loss at the weekend by coming from 1 - 0 down to win 1 - 3. The day ended well.

Wednesday, January 27th.

I start this morning off by doing all the jobs that need doing around the house. No, not really you didn't believe me, did you? I start it off with a massage & a pot of tea, then continue with my genealogy research.

In the afternoon Jo rings me to tell me she is on her way to take me to the Guardia Civil in San Javier, where we have to take the documents that we filled online yesterday. She takes me there & we wait our turn & then go to file the denuncia. I was so glad that Jo had taken me as it was all in Spanish & she knew just what to do. It appears the neighbour I sold the car to never registered it. The officer we spoke with was very helpful, altered what we had written slightly so it made sense & filed the denuncia. I now have to take it to Los Alcázares town hall who forward it to the traffico 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 it comes to buying or selling cars in Spain see someone who can do the paperwork correctly & legally, trust no one.

After Jo drops me at home I continue with my genealogy research.

Thursday, January 28th.

I was having a cup of tea when there was a knock on my front door this morning. I opened the door to my neighbour who handed me a Tupperware pot.

He had been in his apartment when his video door system buzzed & someone he didn't recognise, was on his video screen telling him, he had his pot. He rushed downstairs to discover the caller had rung the wrong bell. He was calling to bring back a Tupperware pot for me, not the type of pot my neighbour had thought was at the door.

I had charged my mobility scooter overnight & went out for a ride & to get a few bits at Consum. On my way back with my shopping, I went along the beach promenade & was told by a Spanish woman on a bike I was riding the wrong way up the promenade. In the most polite & correct way I could manage, I pointed out that she shouldn't be riding a bike along the promenade & because of the COVID restrictions that we are currently under, I suggested she coughed further away.

In the afternoon the sun was very hot, it was over 90ºf on my balcony, so I tested out my new reclining beach chair & 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 & promptly fell asleep. I did however wake up in time to see Liverpool play around Mourinho's parked bus & beat the Spurtz 1-3. Look behind you Spurtz we are catching you up.