I spent most of the week trying to get rid of a cold and resting my leg.
Monday, 11th December.
Today, I woke up around 6 am. I felt better today and continued working on my photos until around 8:45 am. Just before 9 am, I went to the doctor's surgery for my regular blood test. It was strange today. As I sat there a constant stream of beautiful women kept coming in dressed in very fancy outfits. It almost felt like I was watching a fashion show on a catwalk.
After having my blood test I asked about having my flu and COVID jabs. I was supposed to have had them when I was on holiday and missed them. The receptionist, Rosa (It seems I know a lot of ladies called Rosa), said she would try and book it for me that it would be around a week and that she would call me with my appointment. I left the surgery and went back to my apartment.
As the sun was out and it felt pretty warm, I got on my disability scooter and rode along the beach to the office. There were still quite a few people sunbathing on the beach as I went past but I guess they were all tourists rather than people that live here.
I arrived at the office early at 11:45 am, and Martin, the boss, wasn't there yet. My wife, Rosa, saw me and came out and got me a drink to go with the big, beautiful smile that she always wears. I sat reading my Kindle until Martin arrived, and we worked slowly until Aria arrived on her school bus. Martin took Aria home, and I went back to my apartment.
This afternoon and evening, I watched a couple of films on the TV and checked online to see if my blood test results were back before going to bed at around 10 pm.
Tuesday, 12th December.
Poinsettia in my apartment.I woke up at around 7:45 am and got myself some cereal for breakfast, and as I started to sort out my tablets for the next few weeks, I realised I needed to get some new ones that I had run low on. At about 9 am, I went to the pharmacy I used in Los Alcazares and asked for the needed tablets. The lady behind the counter gave me my tablets, and I thanked her for them. As I was about to leave, she told me to wait a minute and then handed me a beautiful Poinsettia plant. They were giving them to customers for Christmas, and I loved it. It reminded me of when I lived in Orlando, Florida and had them all around the house.
I left the pharmacy and took my plant home. As soon as I had put it on a table and given it some water my neighbour Liz called to see if I wanted to go for coffee at the Buena Vista restaurant. We walked to the restaurant and sat chatting for a couple of hours while drinking coffee and eating our tostadas.
After I got home, I continued to work on my website, and as I was working, I had a phone call from the doctor's surgery. They had managed to get me an appointment for my COVID and flu jabs tomorrow lunchtime and asked me to go in at midday for them.
As I sat watching the TV this evening, my friend Pat messaged me to see if I wanted to go for fish and chips on Friday. I booked us a table at Campbell's bar and then let him know the time I had booked.
I watched Arsenal's last game in the Champions League group stages this evening. They had already qualified, as had PSV Eindhoven, whom they were playing. The game finished 1-1. It wasn't a bad game but I think Arteta should have given some of the up-and-coming youth players a chance to play. He gave some of our fringe players game time, but as I don't think they will be with Arsenal after January's transfer period, he should have benched them and given the youngsters a chance.
Wednesday, 13th December.
I woke around 7:30 am and got myself a coffee and a bacon sandwich for breakfast. I worked on my website until I had to leave to go to the doctor's surgery for my flu and COVID jabs at around 11:55 am. I went into the surgery and was seen and given both jabs almost immediately.
I went to La Playa bar for a coffee when I left the surgery. I sat inside for around half an hour while drinking my coffee, talked with Juan, and then continued back to my apartment.
My arm began to ache a bit this afternoon, so I just lay on the sofa watching TV until I went to bed at about 10 pm.
Thursday, 14th December.
I woke up early this morning at around 6:30 am. My arm still ached, and I thought I would get a coffee. I went to switch the kitchen light on, but it didn't work. A quick check on the appliances and other lights in the apartment showed me that there was a power cut somewhere. I looked out and realised that all the street lights on Plaza de Espejo, which are always on, were off. I realised that it wasn't just my apartment or block but a wider area and that I couldn't do anything.
I took my tablets, sat on the sofa and read my Kindle. Around 9 am, I heard my neighbour calling my name from outside, and when I went out, she asked if my electricity was off. I told her it was and pointed out that none of the surrounding homes or lights had power either and that I had a message from the electric company telling me that there was a power cut in the area and that it would be coming back on at 10:35 am, she returned home, happy that it wasn't just her apartment.
I read my Kindle, and although the power did click on briefly, it went off just as quickly. At 10:35 am, the electricity came back as the electric company promised. I have to say I was impressed by how they sent me a text message and an email to tell me there was a problem and that it would come back on and the time it would come back on. I was even more impressed by their accuracy when they told me the time it would come back on and that it did come on exactly the time they said it would.
I spent the rest of the day typing up notes from my Brazil holiday and working on photos from my time on the Costa Favolosa.
Friday, 15th December.
I felt much better this morning when I got up around 7:30 am. I got myself a coffee and some cereal for breakfast and sat down at my computer to work on photos from my website.
At around 5 pm, my friend Pat picked me up and we went to Campbell´s Bar in Roda for fish and Chips. We had a great meal and chatted for a few hours before leaving. On the way home I got Pat to drop me at La Playa bar. There were only 4 people there. Shellie, the owner. Yuan, who works there, and Steve, the only other customer. We all talked until about 9 pm when the bar closed, and then I walked home. Yuan lives close to me, and we walked back along the beach together. There were only a few people out, and it was beginning to get cold. I was glad to get home where I had left the heating on earlier.
Saturday, 16th December.
I woke up at around 8:30 am, and again, I felt better than I had. Once again, I worked on my website until around midday, before I stopped and turned the computer off.
When I checked my phone, I realised that I hadn't checked it yesterday and had a message from Marcus, whom I met on my last cruise. He had sent me some photos of the two of us in Salvador, Brazil. Unfortunately, although I can see what they are, their quality is not very good, and I won't be able to use them on my website.
This afternoon and evening, I watched some football on the television before going to bed at around 10 pm.
Sunday, 17th December.
I woke up at around 7 am, got myself a coffee and continued putting photos on my website. I worked until around 1:30 pm before I got something to eat, turned my computer off and then walked to Rio Nalon in Los Alcazares to go to Harry's Sports Bar to watch the Arsenal vs Brighton football match.
I enjoyed the football, mainly as Arsenal played so well and beat Brighton 2-0, with goals from Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz. The Kai Havertz goal did get me singing. £ 65 million down the drain, Kai Havertz scores again.
As the game finished, my friends Neil and Suzi arrived, and I sat outside chatting with Suzi for a while until it got cold, and we headed back inside. Neil joined us when his friends left, and we all sat catching up at the bar. It was great to see them both again and to enjoy their company.
At about 8 pm, I left Harry´s Bar and walked home. When I got home, I sat on the sofa watching television until MOTD came on, and I could watch the Arsenal game again before going to bed.