The week started slowly & ended up with me booking another Mediterranean cruise & a free lightning show over the Mar Menor.

Week 17 of 2023.

Monday, 24th April.

This morning I woke up at around 6:45 am, I got myself a coffee & checked that my website was acting as it should after it would have been updated overnight. I was pleased to see that it was still working & decided to treat myself to a Coffee & Tostado.

I dropped some rubbish in the bins & then I went to the Economy cash store on Rio Nalon & bought some milk, a cream-filled pastry & some grapes. Then I went to Punto & Com for my coffee, I like the coffee here it always tastes great & the Tostado is always nice as well. When I finished I travelled back along the promenade until I got level with the chino store on the main road where I buy all my pots from. I turned up to the store & bought a pot for a cactus I have on my balcony that has to be repotted.

When I got back to my apartment I repotted the cactus in the new pot & then got a drink & had half the pastry that I bought before heading back out on my disability scooter to meet Martin at Pizzeria La Sombre for our regular business meeting. I stopped until around 3 pm chatting with Martin before going back to my apartment where I had one of the pies I made last week, for my dinner.

In the evening I watched a film called Quasi, it was a comedy about Quasimodo made along the lines of the Monty Python team. Im sure a lot of men will find it funny even if the ladies don't. Worth a watch if you are doing nothing else.

Tuesday, 25th April.

I walked along to the Buena Vista Restaurant on the beachfront this morning. I sat there reading my Kindle & had a coffee & tostado for breakfast. My friend Martin stopped for a coffee on his way to the bank & we chatted whilst watching the wildlife parading up & down. Martin soon continued on his way & I stayed reading for a while longer before going home to get my disability scooter.

I went to La Sombre Pizzeria to meet Martin at around midday & we were joined by Dave. Whilst I was sitting with Martin my phone rang & it was a call from the DWP in England they were ringing to apologise for the delay in making the payment for the money they owe me. They told me that the money had been delayed because the person who can authorise it had left the office & that they were trying to find someone to authorise it, the problem being that it is being paid to my bank in Spain & there aren't many people who can authorise an overseas payment.

Dave, Martin & I sat chatting until Aria´s school bus arrived & Martin collected her. We then finished our drinks & when Martin & Aria went home I went to La Playa bar for a couple of beers before heading home.

Wednesday, 26th April.

Last week I had a leg pillow delivered & I have been sleeping with it since. The pillow is supposed to help your posture when you sleep, whatever it does, after less than a week my back is feeling better & Im sleeping better. I woke around 6 am today but was able to get back to sleep & slept until around 7:30 am. When I got up, I got myself a coffee & got sausage, bacon, poached egg & beans for breakfast before sitting down to work at my computer. I spent the day researching my family tree & looking through copies of the 1921 UK census returns.

This evening I watched Manchester City absolutely destroy Arsenal 4-1. To be fair Manchester City could have scored 10 the difference between the two squads was there for everyone to see tonight & although Arsenal is still top of the Premier League, I can't see them staying there beyond Manchester City playing the two games they have in hand over Arsenal. It has been a great ride this season but Manchester City are just too good for the rest. Arsenal have caught up a lot this season but are still way behind.

Thursday, 27th April.

When I got up this morning I got myself a ginseng coffee then took a shower, trimmed my beard & got ready to go out to the shops. I didn't need a lot, just a couple of things & I went to the Economy Cash supermarket for them. When I returned home I went onto my balcony with a cold drink & sat in the sun reading my Kindle.

Around 1 pm I took a siesta & when I woke up I watched a Lady Gaga & Tony Bennett concert on the television, two of my favourite singers.

This evening I did a bit more family tree research & watched a bit of football, flicking between games that I was only interested in because of my fantasy football team players.

Friday, 28th April.

I woke up around 7 am & got up half an hour later. I took my concoction of tablets for the day. Some to keep my blood from clotting, some to stop acid reflux, fish oil tablets & multivitamins to help me get through the day without too much creaking & a last tablet, which is a supposed herbal pill to help my tinnitus. After 2 ½ months of using it, I haven't noticed any difference in the tinnitus, although I was told it would take 3 months for it to start working. I washed them all down with ginseng coffee, which seems to wake me up quickly.

I did some family tree research before walking to Cafe Punto y Coma to have a coffee. On the way home I noticed a small market in the plaza outside my apartment & had a look around. I saw a nice wooden black Buddha & liked it enough to buy it. I then returned home & did some more genealogy.

This evening I walked along the beachfront to go to the bank but as I got to La Playa bar I saw my friend Alan & sat down to have a drink with him. Alan didn't stay long so I moved inside to chat with some friends inside.

Saturday, 29th April.

I spent the morning & afternoon doing family tree research but in the evening feeling a bit bored I scoured the internet for a cruise to go on & booked one around the Mediterranean again. This time I will leave Valencia on the Costa Diadema visiting Marseille, Genoa, Civitavecchia, Oristano in Sardinia, & Palma de Mallorca before returning to Valencia.

Sunday, 30th April.

I didn't sleep well last night & woke up several times in the night, I finally got up around 7 am & got myself a coffee. I spent a few hours pottering around with some photos for my website & then read my Kindle until June picked me up to go for lunch at Campbells bar.

I always have the lamb as it is something that I don't cook at home & because it is so good there. After we had finished our meals June drove me to San Javier to a 24-hour chemist to get some tablets I had run out of but will need in the morning, before she dropped me off at home. 

This afternoon I watched some films & football on the television whilst also keeping an eye on the lightning. I managed to catch some of the lightning on my camera but the shots were out of focus. Next time I think there is a storm coming I will focus the camera before the lightning starts.