Location: Los Alcázares, Murcia, Spain
Summary: A week of new glasses, long walks, Keto meals, genealogy work, football, sleep struggles, banana skin tea experiments, and steady progress on your website. You also explored property options, reorganised your routines, and enjoyed time with friends.
Monday, 18th September
I woke around 07:00, worked on my website until 10:00 and then went out on my disability scooter. I visited Parra Optical to ask about an eye test and reading glasses. After last week’s let downs, I was impressed. They gave me a price before the test, did a full eye exam and measured me for glasses suitable for reading and computer work. They will be ready next week, and at €119 they were 32 percent cheaper than the inferior pair I ordered elsewhere.
I went to the pharmacy for my sintrom and omeprazole, then stopped at Espressarse café for coffee and a tostada while reading my Kindle. At 11:40, I headed to the office to meet Martin. My favourite waitress wasn’t working, so I had to endure the grumpy one, who I’m convinced is a vampire because she avoids sunlight.
Dave arrived, followed by Andrew, Tony and Mike. At 14:00, I left Martin to “interview” them for a job. I think my position is safe.
I chatted with Damien outside Mercadona, then bought some shopping and went home. For lunch, I had a mixed seafood salad with mussels, crab sticks, clams and peppers. It was excellent and good for my diet.
After lunch, I worked on my website, watched a film at 16:00 and then watched Nottingham Forest vs Burnley before going to bed at 22:30.
Tuesday, 19th September
I didn’t sleep well again. It’s too hot to close the windows, but too noisy to leave them open. I woke with a bad back, had a coffee and a massage, and listened to the rain. I sorted my tablets for the next two weeks. The oxygen flow tablets seem to have helped, my leg swelling has reduced.
At 10:30, June picked me up and we went to El Bar in San Cayetano for breakfast. Afterwards, she dropped me at the office. Because I’m doing Keto, I can’t drink beer, so I had a Bacardi and Coke Zero. It tasted strange, but I had another. I’ll try it with Diet tonic next time.
We chatted until after 14:00, then I walked home through the estate, down Rio Nalon and along the promenade. By the time I got home, I was hot and puffed out, but pleased I’d done it.
I fell asleep on the sofa for 30 minutes. For dinner, I had chicken wings cooked in the air fryer and watched football before bed at 22:30.
Wednesday, 20th September
I struggled to sleep again, my brain running at 100 mph. I finally slept around 02:00 and woke at 07:00. After coffee and messages, I set the dishwasher to run overnight and checked if my washing machine could do the same. It could, so I put my bed linen on a 16 hour delay to run during the cheap electricity hours.
I spent the day doing genealogy research and stopped to watch Arsenal vs PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League. Arsenal won 4–0, a brilliant performance.
During the evening, the optician messaged to say my new glasses were ready, much earlier than expected. I still struggled to sleep and finally drifted off around 01:30.
Thursday, 21st September
I woke at 07:30, showered and had coffee before meeting Gina at Alaska bar. We talked about buying property in Los Alcázares and walked to look at the house I had seen online. Gina said she would try to find more information.
I went to Espressarse for coffee and tostada. Twice, Spanish men brought my food over because the lady behind the bar didn’t call out. After breakfast, I walked to the optician and collected my new glasses. They fit perfectly and I could read everything clearly.
I walked home along the promenade, got a cold drink and had a massage. At 11:45, I took Vince’s key to the people staying in his apartment, then returned home.
I took the bed linen out of the washing machine, had a cheese, ham and sausage omelette for lunch and fell asleep until 17:00. In the evening, I watched a film and had a protein shake. I made banana skin tea to help me sleep and worked on my website’s photo albums until 23:45.
Friday, 22nd September
I woke at 06:45 after a great night’s sleep. Maybe the banana skin tea helped. I worked on my website until 09:45, then walked along the promenade to La Encarnación and up to Espressarse for breakfast. I read my Kindle while eating my tostada and drinking coffee.
I walked home along the main road and spent the afternoon and evening adjusting the photo album section of my website.
Saturday, 23rd September
I woke at 08:15, had coffee and worked on my website, adding geographic locations to my Discovery Cove dolphin photos. At 10:30, I went for a walk, but my knee started aching, so I stopped at Los Barilles for coffee and tostada. Both were excellent.
Once my knee settled, I continued walking through Rio Nalon and back home. My watch kept disconnecting from my phone, so I treated myself to a Fitbit Sense 2. At nearly €300, it had better last longer than the cheap ones.
I spent the afternoon and evening watching football.
Sunday, 24th September
I slept well again. I checked my messages and saw an email from Eurobilltracker. A note I entered 167 days ago had travelled 752 km and was re‑entered in Oviedo. The nerd in me was delighted.
I planned a walk but forgot after breakfast and went back to working on my website. I watched Arsenal vs Tottenham in the afternoon. It was a brilliant game that finished 2–2. Arsenal had several injuries, but it was still a great performance.
After the match, I worked on my website for a few hours. I meant to watch Wales vs Australia in the Rugby World Cup but forgot and watched “The Retirement Plan” instead. I went to bed at 22:15, deciding to watch the rugby on catch up tomorrow.
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