Location: Los Alcázares, Murcia, Spain
Summary: A week of bank appointments, long walks, new tech, website work, photo album rebuilding, kind gestures from strangers, football highs and lows, and a brilliant Arsenal win over Manchester City.
Monday, 2nd October
I woke around 06:00 and had a bank appointment at 09:00 to arrange new home insurance. My account manager keeps telling me I am paying too much, so I was curious to see the difference. I worked on my website for a couple of hours before heading out.
I arrived at 08:45 and was seen immediately. I changed my insurance to a similar policy for a couple of euros less, and when it renews it will also cover my disability scooter. The law has changed, and scooters should now be insured. My account manager checked my credit card settings and increased my limit slightly for emergencies while I am away.
Outside, I bumped into Rob, and we walked to the café by the town hall for tostada and coffee. Back home, I charged my scooter and worked on photo albums before Skyping Uncle Paul. After a chat, I had cheese and crackers and continued working.
At 16:00, my new phone arrived. It is a huge improvement on my old one. It connected to my new watch and synced all my Google accounts. It updated dozens of apps, probably because my old phone couldn’t handle them anymore. I also received wireless earphones but left setting them up for another day.
I spent the evening working on photos for my website.
Tuesday, 3rd October
I woke at 08:00, had coffee and went to the post office to collect a parcel that DHL claimed had the wrong address. After queuing for 15 minutes, the lady told me there was no parcel and that DHL’s website said it wasn’t even in the country. I think DHL are messaging me about someone else’s parcel.
I checked on Liz, who is fine but has her car in for repairs. Then I walked to Buena Vista for tostada and coffee. At 11:15, I decided to walk to the office. Rosa saw me arrive and brought me water and a pint for Martin. Dave joined us, and we chatted until 13:30. He dropped me at Rio Nalon so I could get shopping.
I bought pizza and chicken, walked home puffing like a steam train and had the pizza for lunch. I ordered a protective case for my new phone.
In the evening, I watched Lens vs Arsenal. Arsenal started well and went 0–1 up, but Lens came back and won 2–1. Arsenal will need to improve before facing Manchester City.
I worked on photos until 00:30 and then went to bed.
Wednesday, 4th October
I woke at 07:00, had coffee and worked on my website. Fitbit emailed me my weekly stats, which made me laugh, as I only wore the watch for the few steps it took to plug it in. According to Fitbit, I walked 9 steps last week.
Jacky postponed my visit until tomorrow. At 11:00, my phone case arrived, but it was far too big. I had ordered a case for the Pixel 7 instead of the Pixel 7a. I returned it immediately and ordered the correct one.
At 15:15, I walked to the stationery shop to return the parcel, but it was closed for siesta. I chatted with Joe outside Perlita’s, then went to La Petit Bistro for a pint and my Kindle. A friendly Irish lady tried talking to me, but she was on my blind side, so I didn’t realise she was speaking to me at first.
When the shop reopened, the young man didn’t know how to process the return and told me to come back in three and a half hours. I walked home instead.
I cooked chicken for dinner and worked on my website until 23:00.
Thursday, 5th October
I woke after only a few hours’ sleep and worked on photos from 02:15 until 05:00. After waking again at 09:00, I had coffee and continued working.
Jacky rearranged again for tomorrow, which suited me as I could return my parcel and then visit her. I spent the day rebuilding photo albums. Hundreds of photos are now correctly added, mainly from my cruises. I will add descriptions later from my laptop.
I finished around 22:30 and went to bed.
Friday, 6th October
I woke at 07:00 feeling more like myself. After coffee and a shower, I took my parcel to return. A Spanish neighbour kindly insisted I use the lift first. At the shop, the owner saw me arrive and brought the return machine outside so I didn’t have to get off my scooter. His kindness really lifted my spirits.
On Rio Nalon, I saw Jim and Fi, both of whom I hadn’t seen in ages. Their smiles cheered me up even more. Being indoors all week had affected me more than I realised.
At Jackie’s, I had tea with her and Alan and showed her how to use her new external hard drive. I promised to give them basic computer lessons when I return from my holiday.
I bought dinner from Economy Cash, worked on my website until 19:00, then had dinner and continued working until midnight.
Saturday, 7th October
I woke at 07:00, had coffee and went for a walk while it was cool. I stripped my bed and put the linen in the washing machine before leaving. I walked along the promenade, then through town and back home, stopping to take a photo by the street art near my apartment.
I checked the new Amazon return shop behind the Bodega, which will be much easier for future returns.
After preparing more photos, I had lunch and remade my bed. I watched Luton vs Tottenham. Despite going down to ten men, Spurs won 0–1 and went top of the league.
June rang to invite me to Campbell’s tomorrow, but I already had a chicken defrosting. We arranged to go to Torre Pacheco on Tuesday instead.
I watched Crystal Palace vs Nottingham Forest, a 0–0 draw, which helped my fantasy team. I worked on photos until after 23:00.
Sunday, 8th October
I woke at 07:30, had coffee and went for another walk while it was cool. I walked into town, past the town hall and down to Club Nautica before returning home for water and a rest.
I put a chicken on the rotisserie in my air fryer. While working on my website, Amazon delivered my parcel at 11:00. The chicken tasted fantastic.
In the afternoon, I flicked between Brighton vs Liverpool and West Ham vs Newcastle, both finishing 2–2.
Then came Arsenal vs Manchester City. I didn’t expect much, as Arsenal hadn’t beaten City in the league for eight years. Arsenal defended brilliantly, and with five minutes left, Martinelli scored a deflected goal to make it 1–0. Arsenal held on and won 1–0.
I stayed up to watch MOTD and enjoyed seeing Arsenal beat City again before going to bed in a great mood.
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