The week started with me ordering a new computer table, which was delivered and put together before the end of the week. King Charles III was crowned King of England, and Arsenal was guaranteed 2nd spot in the Premier League when they beat Newcastle.

Week 18 of 2023.

Monday, 1st May.

I woke around 7:30 am and got myself some orange juice. I checked that one of my bills had been paid before then searching for a new computer table. I ordered one last week, but it was damaged during the delivery, and the company sent me an email to tell me that they would cancel the order so I could order a new one. The coffee table I have been using is too low down, and I have been getting a lot of pain in my legs because of my posture when sitting down and working on my computer. I looked at several places before remembering the company that I got my laptop and some other electronic items from and wondered if they sold them. I checked their website, and they did the electronic type of table I wanted and could deliver by Wednesday. I ordered the one I wanted and crossed my fingers that the order would go correctly.

At around 9:45 am I went to try and get on one of the air balloons that were supposed to take people up along the beachfront today. I went along the front on my disability scooter but was dismayed that the queues were already huge. As I looked at them, I saw that they would only be going up a few feet anyway, and as I have been on a real air balloon ride, I decided not to queue to go on one. I returned to my apartment, dropped my camera off, and collected my Kindle before going to Punto y Como for breakfast. I had a coffee and a tostada and read my Kindle for a while before heading to the office to meet Martin.

As I headed towards the office, my phone beeped, telling me I had a message. Martin told me that the company secretary had closed the office for the day as it was a bank holiday. He was in a cafe on the beach so I met him there to give him a parcel I had for Kate before continuing home.

I spent the rest of the day reading my Kindle.

Tuesday, 2nd May.

Today, I woke up around 7 am. I had a coffee, showered and then went to my doctor's surgery for my regular blood test. The nurse had trouble finding a vein, but when she was happy that she had located it she managed to get the needle in the first time and take my blood. After my blood test, I went to Buena Vista restaurant for a coffee. I sat and read my Kindle whilst drinking my coffee. When I finished, I started to go home but bumped into my neighbour Liz who bought me a coffee at the chiringuito next to our apartments.

At around 11:40 am, I left Liz and went to see Martin for a pint. As we were chatting, Dave turned up and discussed what we would do if we won the lottery tonight. Dave hadn't got a ticket for the €141,000,000 draw, so I offered to get it for him on my way home. We all went our ways at about 2:30 pm, and I headed towards the lottery shop to get Dave's lottery ticket. The shop was shut when I got there, so I sat reading my Kindle outside Pearles Plaice chip shop. Whilst I sat there, an angry man pulled up next to the Panadería Olmopan opposite the chippy on a push bike. He threw his bike on the floor and threatened a man and a couple of ladies there with a knife. The police arrived very quickly and dealt with whatever was going on. It looked like they had just made the man go away, which I thought was strange. He should of at least been arrested.

When the lottery shop opened, I got Dave his ticket before heading home. When I got home, I had some salad with chicken breast for my dinner and napped before watching tonight's football. Arsenal was playing Chelsea and easily won 3-1. It is a shame they hadn't played as well against Southampton, West Ham and Liverpool, in which they drew each game, dropping six points. They went back to the top of the Premier League, but Manchester City have two games in hand and will go back to the top if they avoid losing both of them.

Wednesday, 3rd May.

I got up around 7:30 am and cooked myself a full English breakfast. I got ready to meet my friend Jackie at 10:30 am, and just before leaving, I checked my messages. While doing so, I realised that I had the day wrong I am meeting Jackie tomorrow and had an appointment at the bank to get travel insurance this morning. I immediately contacted the bank, apologised for my error and rearranged my appointment. I also checked what time my table is being delivered tomorrow and luckily, they have sent me an email saying it will arrive a day early and sometime today.

I spend the morning watching some videos online about cultivating succulents and growing vegetables in old plastic bottles. They were fascinating, and I think I will have a go at growing some tomato plants from seeds from tomatoes and using an eggshell to start them growing.

I waited all day for the delivery of my computer table, and it never arrived. Around 10 pm, I checked again, and it now has a delivery date for tomorrow, but no reason for them missing today's delivery date.

Thursday, 4th May.

I woke early and got myself a breakfast of scrambled egg, sausages, bacon and tomato and washed it down with a ginseng coffee. I sent my friend Jackie a message to tell her I can't make our meeting this morning because of the rearranged delivery of my computer table today.

I check my email messages and have a message from the company who cancelled the delivery of the last table I ordered saying they haven't cancelled it. I sent them a copy of the cancellation they sent me. At this rate, I will end up with two computer tables.

The company delivering my table phoned me at lunchtime for my address. I can not believe the delivery company had to ask for my address. Indeed, the seller gave them my address when it was shipped. They had been given my phone number. I sent my address to the driver along with a Google map link so he would have no excuse for not finding me. The table finally arrived at 4:30 pm, and he left it in my hallway for me.

After checking that my blood test results are still not uploaded to the doctors' surgery portal, I walk around to the surgery. Luckily, one of the nurses who takes blood tests is there. She checked my records and the surgery hasn't had my results either. She immediately phoned the lab where the blood was tested, and after talking to them, she told me to check again tomorrow morning and, if they haven't been uploaded, come back.

I watched a highly entertaining football match between Brighton and Manchester United this evening. Brighton won the game 1-0, with a very late penalty in the 9th minute of injury time. I laughed.

Friday, 5th April.

I woke up around 6:30 am today. I pottered about at home for a while and walked to the bank at about 9 am, unsure how long the walk to my 10 am appointment would take. I arrived at about 9:20 am so I stopped at the nearby La Favorita Gastro Cafe. The coffee was delicious, and the service was excellent. Whilst sitting there, I messaged my friends Jan and Vince and arranged to meet them after my bank appointment.

When I finished my coffee I walked to the bank. I didn't have to wait long before Dolores helped me out, and I was able to buy some holiday insurance for my upcoming cruise. Whilst I was in the bank my phone rang several times and I had to stop the call from my friend Jim. When I left the bank I rang Jim back explaining I had been unable to take his call. I told him I was walking to our friend's apartment and that we could meet him for a coffee in a cafe on the beach. As I walked towards Jan and Vince's apartment, Vince was walking down the street towards me. He said Jan had gone to a coffee bar near where I had just come from so we turned around to meet her there. 

We couldn't locate Jan so we sat at the bar I visited earlier to wait for her and I messaged Jim to tell him of the change of venue. We all eventually got to the same cafe for a chat and a coffee. At around 12 pm, Vince followed Jan back to their apartment and Jim and I walked back towards my apartment. We stopped off for a drink at bar Espejo which has recently reopened under new ownership. Around 2 pm I walked back to my apartment and Jim went back to his. 

This afternoon my friend Bob came around and put my electronic desk together for me, and hung a map for me that had sat on my apartment floor for years. I will now be able to work on my computer, sitting at the table comfortably, which will help my bad back and my aching legs. Bob left around 4 pm and at around 4:20 pm and I walked to the main road to meet my friend Deeana who picked me up to go and listen to her singing at La Zona bar that evening.

I had a great night listening to Deeana sing and bumped into a few friends I hadn't seen for a while, Mick, Bob, Matt, Stuart and Fi. I caught up with my friends and once Deeana had finished her set, she dropped me off at home around 8:30 pm. When I got home I checked in for my cruise online but was unable to print my ticket and luggage labels as they hadn't been uploaded yet.

Saturday, 6th May.

I woke around 5:30 am and did a little work on my website until around 7:30 am when I got a coffee. Today is the day that King Charles III is officially crowned. I didn't watch all of the coronation coverage on television, the build-up, the procession through the crowds and interviews with people in the crowd, but I did watch the part where Charles was actually crowned in Westminster Abbey. I think he will be a good King, he has been in training his whole life to be King and I like and respect him for many of the things that he has done throughout his life, Long live the King.

To the many people that complain and make hurtful remarks about the King and Queen Consort, I say, take a look at your own lives and friendships before you attack people you have never met. Give respect to both of them, they are both in their mid 70´s and have had lives of their own before they got together again. Let them enjoy the rest of their lives together, they do a lot of good and I hope they receive a lot of love from the public.

This evening my friend June took me to get my shopping at Mercadona. Strangely although she lives quite close to the one in Los Narejos, she likes going to the one in San Javier. I get most of the shopping I need but it is strange shopping in a different shop to my normal one and I don't find everything I need.  I get enough to see me through albeit I will need to pop out for a few things in the coming week.

After June drops me off at home I take a painkiller, my knee has been playing up and I twisted it whilst out shopping. I spend the evening with my feet up watching films on the television, one of them was called Maffia Mamma and was very funny and worth watching if you haven't seen it. It was about an American woman in a bad marriage who inherits the title of Mafia Don from her great Uncle whom she never knew in Italy and after she goes to his funeral she gets caught up running the family business.

Sunday, 7th May.

I again woke up early at about 5:45 am. I edited some photos for my website and got ready for June to pick me up for lunch at Campbell's today. 

At around 12:45 am June picked me up and we then went to pick up my friend Jim who is coming with us for dinner at Campbell's bar. We all ordered different meals after arriving at the bar, I had my normal roast lamb dinner, June had her normal roast chicken and Jim had the roast beef. All three meals were excellent as usual and the service was very good. When we left we went to La Ola bar in Los Narejos where we sat chatting for around an hour before June first dropped off Jim and then dropped me off at my apartment.

This evening I watched the Newcastle v Arsenal football match on television. Arsenal needed at least a draw to guarantee 2nd spot in the Premier League this season. Arsenal played brilliantly and beat Newcastle 2-0. I was very happy with the result and to celebrate I went to see my friend Alan Bond at La Playa bar. There was a large group of Welsh ladies celebrating a birthday and they all got up and were singing most of the night. It was nice to see so many people enjoying their night out and I enjoyed chatting with my friend Vince who is over for a while after going back to the UK a few years ago.