Location: Los Alcázares, Murcia, Spain
Summary: A week of long walks, new glasses, Keto meals, website work, football, deliveries, and preparing for visitors. You also upgraded your tech, reorganised your routines, and enjoyed some excellent sporting results.
Monday, 25th September
I woke around 07:15, got a coffee and checked the Wales vs Australia rugby result. I had forgotten to watch it last night and was delighted to see Wales had won 40–6. I will watch it on catch up later.
At 10:00, I walked to Buena Vista. It only took a couple of minutes, but my knee was aching by the time I arrived. I waited 15 minutes to be served, even though I was the only customer. I ate my tostada, drank coffee and read my Kindle.
At 11:00, my knee felt better, so I walked to the office. I stopped at Las Claras del Mar Menor to rest under a tree before continuing. I arrived at 11:50, just before Martin. I ordered water for myself and a pint for him.
Dave joined us briefly, and we chatted about T‑shirts we had seen online. Aria arrived at 13:15, and we all talked until just after 14:00. Dave kindly drove me home.
I napped, then had chicken thighs with carrots, peas and sweetcorn for dinner while watching the Wales vs Australia match. Wales were excellent. I went to bed at 22:15, worn out from the walking.
Tuesday, 26th September
I woke at 07:15, showered and heard my phone alarm going off. I must have set it and forgotten. After coffee, I ordered two T‑shirts for myself and one for Martin as a late birthday present.
Jacqui rang at 10:00, and I met her on the promenade. We walked to Buena Vista and chatted about our travels. We both love New York, and I told her about my 2012 trip with Uncle Dave. We walked along the beach until Rio Nalon, where we said goodbye.
Kathy and Tony pulled up in their car and offered me a lift, but I only had 100 yards to go. It was nice to see fellow Gooners. That ended when I sat down with Martin, a Spurs fan.
Martin left early, and Dave dropped me home. I worked on my website all afternoon and watched a film in the evening before going to bed at 23:00.
Wednesday, 27th September
I woke at 07:30, had coffee and made some major template changes to my website. It all worked, so I rewarded myself with a cooked breakfast, bacon, sausage, skinned plum tomato and scrambled egg.
I took rubbish and recycling out, then collected a parcel from Rio Nalon, an external hard drive for a friend. On the way home, I stopped at the Chino shop and bought two cactus plants for my balcony.
As I left, I bumped into my cousin Jill. We went to Buena Vista for a drink and a chat. Back home, I repotted the cacti and decorated the soil with seashells.
I continued website work and received an email from Google saying more of my pages had been indexed. In the evening, I watched Brentford vs Arsenal. Arsenal made eight changes but still won 1–0 to reach the next round of the Carabao Cup.
After the match, I saw a message from my friend John Parr, who is in Portugal and wants to visit me. I will call him tomorrow.
Thursday, 28th September
I woke at 08:00, had coffee and worked on my website. I discovered my photo album software was outdated and needed replacing.
I phoned John, who asked if he and his lady friend could visit on Sunday. I told him they could, but I had no room to put them up. He said they would stay in their mobile home.
I cooked sausages, bacon, scrambled egg and plum tomatoes for breakfast, then went to Economy Cash for shopping. Back home, I researched Joomla extensions and found one that works perfectly. I installed it and began rebuilding my photo albums, over 120 of them.
Friday, 29th September
I woke at 06:00, had coffee and worked on photo albums until 11:00, then cooked breakfast. I worked until 17:00 when my new Fitbit watch arrived.
I finished the Tangier photo album, then opened the watch. My phone’s Bluetooth was failing, so I researched new phones and ordered one from Amazon.
I tried to relax but ended up working on my website until nearly 01:00. I put the dishwasher on and went to bed.
Saturday, 30th September
I woke at 08:15, showered and made coffee. I then realised I had forgotten to put a glass under the espresso machine, but luckily the drip tray caught everything. I cleaned it, made another coffee and sat at my computer.
I received an email saying my T‑shirts would arrive soon, and another saying my phone payment had been declined because it was €3 over my credit limit. I adjusted the payment settings.
I worked on my website until the football started. Arsenal beat Bournemouth 4–0, a comfortable win. After the match, John called to say he would still visit tomorrow but couldn’t stay long.
I worked on photos until 21:00, then watched TV and went to bed early.
Sunday, 1st October
I woke at 07:00, checked messages and worked on my website. I washed my balcony, watered my plants and tidied the kitchen.
I checked my credit card, saw the change had gone through and reordered the new phone. I set the card to pay off when it hits a certain amount, which will help with large purchases.
I watched the Ryder Cup. John phoned to say he had forgotten Spain is an hour ahead of Portugal, so he couldn’t stop on the way to the ferry. I sent him details of a local campsite for when he returns.
For dinner, I made chicken thighs coated in almond flour and herbs. It was my first attempt, not perfect but good enough to try again.
I watched the Ryder Cup all afternoon. Europe won after a strong American comeback. In the evening, I worked on photos until 22:45, then watched TV briefly before bed.
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