The week started with the very sad news that my friend Sandra had lost her battle with cancer. She was one in a billion and anyone who met her could call themselves a lucky person to have known her. RIP Sandra, you will be sorely missed.

Monday, 8th May.

I didn't sleep well last night and woke up around 5:30 am. I pottered about on my computer for a while before switching the television on to watch the news. At around 10 am, I realised I had forgotten to charge my scooter and couldn't go out today. I messaged Dave and asked if he could pick me up as he went past on his way to the office.

While waiting for Dave's reply, I got a message from June asking if I was with Martin as she couldn't contact him. I asked her if she needed any help, and she explained that she had some boxes for him but needed a hand to lift them. She offered to pick me up if I helped her with the boxes. At around 11:45 am, she picked me up. I hadn't been able to contact Dave, and she hadn't been able to contact Martin. We had both become concerned about whether one of them was ill.

We drove straight to Martins' house but couldn't get an answer at the door. We drove to the office, but Martin was not there. We decided I would sit at the office in case Martin turned up, and June returned to his house to check there again. Just as she was about to return to the house again, Martin walked across the road, unaware that we had been worried about him. He and June returned to the house and unloaded the boxes from the car, and then Martin returned to the office. While chatting, Dave messaged Martin to tell him he wouldn't be coming to see us today. Luckily, June had said she would pick me up later to take me home.

Whilst we were sitting at the office, I had a message from my friend Pat telling me that his wonderful wife, Sandra, had a lousy night overnight and that the doctors hadn't given her long to live. It is always terrible to lose someone, but it must be very hard when the family is in a different country and has to travel as quickly as possible to be with someone before they pass away. 

I also had a phone call from the local PSOE office, who said they had a parcel for me and asked if they could deliver it. I ordered the parcel last Friday, and the Mayor of Los Alcazares phoned me to check my desired shirt size. Today, they would deliver it to me. I arranged for them to come around after 3 pm to give me time to get home from the office. Before I left the office today, Martin told me there would be no work tomorrow as he was going out with his wife and daughter and that I could have the day off. June picked me up around 2:15 pm and then dropped me off at home. 

This evening, the PSOE dropped off my parcel at my home. It contained a T-shirt, a bottle opener, a key fob and a bag to go shopping with. Unfortunately, the T-shirt was too small for me, but I will ask them if I can swap it for a larger one.

Tuesday, 9th May.

When I got up this morning, I received a message from my friend Pat telling me that his lovely wife Sandra had passed away last night. She will be very much missed by everyone who knew her, especially me. Sandra had helped me out when I needed help when I was ill, and she would always contact me if she hadn't heard from me for a day or two to check up on me. My thoughts are with Pat and his family today.

If my mum had lived, today would have been her 84th birthday. My mum and Sandra were beautiful ladies who did all they could to help others. I hope they are both at peace now and out of pain. Look after Sandra mum, but don't gossip about me too much.

The PSOE team called me this morning to tell me they could swap my T-shirt for a bigger size, and I arranged to go to their office to change it after 5 pm. At around lunchtime, I went to the Economy Cash store to get the few bits of shopping that I hadn't got last week. When I got home, I got some lunch before sitting at my computer and spending the afternoon researching the family tree. While I did my research, I had a phone call from the DWP in the UK. They told me that, finally, they had been able to get the payment for the money they owed me and that I should receive it in my bank in the next couple of days. This will be gratefully received as it will allow me to make a few changes to my kitchen to make my life a little easier.

At 5 pm, I went to the PSOE to collect the larger T-shirt. The lady I met was a true politician, telling me she didn't think I needed a bigger T-shirt. I patted my stomach and told her I needed a bigger one. This raised a laugh from all of the people in the office. I don't usually do political posts, but I feel that the local council have worked miracles in Los Alcazares over the difficult years we have all been through recently. The town looks much nicer than it did previously, and the council have made many improvements, including getting many flood defences put in, arranging for COVID jabs reopening and improving many of the local amenities. Because of this, I will vote to ensure that  Mario Ginés Pérez Cervera is returned to office in Los Alcazares to continue his and his team's great work.

I watched the Real Madrid vs Manchester City Champions League football match this evening. It was a great game and ended up being a 1-1 draw. I am hoping that having played this game mid-week and having still to put out a strong team in the second leg next week; Manchester City may not be as strong as they usually are at the weekend, which will give Brighton a chance to beat them and help Arsenal out in their challenge for the Premier League.

Wednesday, 10th May.

I woke up around 7 am today and got myself a coffee before putting some washing in the washing machine. It had to be done as I was running out of clean clothes. When the first lot of washing had been done, I put a second lot on before walking along the beach to the Buena Vista restaurant, where I met my friend Jackie for coffee.

I sat at the beachside restaurant, ordered a tostada and a coffee, and waited for Jackie to arrive. I had finished my coffee and tostada and read another couple of chapters in the book I am currently reading on my Kindle before I realised that Jackie had forgotten our date. As I walked home, I got a message from Jackie apologising and admitting that she had forgotten and rearranged our coffee date for tomorrow.

At midday, I remembered to check on my washing and found that the dryer had finally died on me. I brought the washing machine and tumble dryer with me from England, and I have been here for eight years. I went to the Amazon website and found a new combined washer and dryer I liked. It looked efficient and could be delivered and fitted on Monday next week, so I ordered it. It should be delivered and fitted on Monday morning, and the old machines should be removed simultaneously. My credit card is getting a real hammering this month.

This afternoon, I emptied many cardboard boxes from my storage cupboard. I keep all delivery boxes until warranties run out for things, and I can't return the items in them. I also decided to throw out two cabinets that I had been storing. I had thought I would use them at some stage, but I know I won't, so will dispose of them in the next couple of days. I also decided to throw out an old beach chair that I won't use anymore and sell my golf club set and two free-standing air heaters/air conditioning units. I contacted some people at local charities to see if they would like the washing machine, but no one could pick it up quickly enough.

I found an old washing line in the storage room and took it to my balcony to hang my wet washing until the new machine arrived. After hanging this morning's wet washing on it, I logged on to my website and did some more work, rearranging photos into different albums to make them easier to view. At about 8:30 pm, I stopped working on my website and checked my Spanish bank account. The money that the DWP owed me had finally been paid, just in time to pay for the new washing machine/dryer I had to buy this morning.

Thursday, 11th May.

All the work I did yesterday must have worn me out, as I did not wake until 9 am today. This is very late for me. I got up and had some orange juice, checked my emails, and then got ready to go see Jackie for our rearranged coffee date this morning. 

I walked around to the Buena Vista Restaurant, where I met Jackie. I had a coffee and a tostada, and we chatted about different cruises we had been on or were planning to go on. I also asked Jackie about the washing machine I had and asked if she knew anyone who would like it. As it happened, she was looking for a second-hand machine, so I told her she could have mine as long as she got it picked up before Monday. When we finished our coffee, Jackie came to my apartment to look at the washing machine, and I showed her a coffee table I wanted to give away. Jackie said she would take both and that her husband Alan would collect them tomorrow.

In the afternoon and evening, I spent time adjusting the photo album navigation on my website, finishing at about 11:30 pm and going to bed.

Friday, 12th May.

I was up at 6:00 am today. I worked on my website until Alan and Matsy came around to collect Jackie's washing machine and coffee table at about 8:30 am. I washed the utility room floor where the washing machine used to be and then sat at my computer working on my website again.

By 11:30 am, Alan and Matsy had not returned for a cupboard they would take, so I left home to go to the hardware store on my disability scooter. The staff in the shop were very helpful and gave me everything I needed for less than €9. I went home straight away, and when I got home, it only took me ½ an hour to fit the new connection for the sink. It was hard work for me just getting under the sink, and I was breathless after doing it, but I felt good that I had been able to replace the shoddy connection. I could now wash all my dirty dishes and clean the kitchen, but first, I needed to sit down and rest for a while.

This afternoon, I continued working on my website until around 3:30 pm, when I stopped, took a shower, and then took a short nap. I was woken at 5:15 pm by my friend Jim shouting at me from underneath my balcony. I quickly got up and went to the Roda Bar to meet friends Dave and Jayne. We sat and had a few beers before walking across the road to Campbell's bar for fish and chips. I must say the wildlife I saw at Roda Bar was amazing, and some birds had remarkable plumage.

We went into Campbells at around 7 pm, and all four of us had the fish and chips. Although I was the only posh person who ate garden peas, the others, Dave, Jayne and Jim, all being from up North, had mushy peas with their fish and chips. The meals were fantastic, and my fish and chips were followed up by a slice of Bailey's cheesecake, which was beautiful. We talked and drank until around 9:45 pm when we all left, and Jim dropped me back home.

Saturday, 13th May.

When I got up this morning at around 7 am, I worked on my website for a while before checking on the repair I had made to the kitchen plumbing. When I checked, there appeared to be a slight leak, so I will have to see which connection needs tightening.

This afternoon, I worked on my balcony, replanting one of my plants into a new hanging pot, which I then placed on the Juliet balcony in my bedroom. I tidied up the main balcony and moved a lot of furniture around, ready for the delivery of my new washing machine on Monday next week.

This evening, I worked on my website until MOTD appeared on television. I watched the football and then went to bed at around 12:30 am when it finished.

Sunday, 14th May.

I woke up around 8 am today and got some orange juice before settling down to work on the layout of my photo albums for my website. At around 10:30 am, my friend Vince popped around to see me. While there, he looked at where I had been working on the leaking sink. He thought he could see where the leak was coming from and said he could repair it next week for me. He has to replace a washer, but as it is only a tiny drip, I can use it with a bowl under it to catch any drips temporarily.

I take him down to the Chiringuito outside my apartment for a coffee, and we chat for half an hour before he heads home. I returned to my apartment and Skyped with my sister Karen in the UK. We chatted for a while about her upcoming visit. At around 12:45 pm, June arrived to take me to Campbells in Roda for our weekly Sunday lunch get-together.

June and I enjoyed our Sunday lunch today and sat chatting for a few hours before June dropped me off at my apartment. At around 5 pm, I walked down to La Playa bar to watch the Arsenal vs Brighton football match. Arsenal played terribly and were beaten 0-3 by Brighton. Luckily for me, Vince joined me, and we chatted and laughed throughout the game, and I saw very little of it. In the evening, my friend Alan Bond arrived to do his karaoke, and luckily for me, some excellent singers in the bar sang very well, making it a very enjoyable evening. Unluckily for everyone else, the beer had loosened up my singing voice, and I sang thrice. For that, I apologise.