In Week 33 of 2024, I spent most of the week at home but went to the Jumilla wine festival with my friend Lisa and had lunch with my friend Debbie on Sunday. I bought some new software for my computer and watched the start of the new football season.
Monday, 12th August.
I didn't wake up very early today. In fact, I didn't get out of bed until just before 9 am. When I got up, I got a coffee and then sat at my computer to check for any messages. I then got another coffee before attempting today's Wordle puzzle. After guessing the word on my first go yesterday, today I scrapped through getting it on my last attempt. I then sat working on my computer till around 11:30, when I set off on my disability scooter to meet Martin at La Sombre Pizzeria.
When I arrived, I ordered a bottle of water and sat down to chat with Martin. A short time later, Dave came, and we talked for an hour or more. Kate brought Aria across, but as I wanted to get some groceries before my physiotherapy this afternoon, I left at around 1:45 pm and went to the Mercadona store. I didn't get a lot, just a cheeseburger from the hot food counter and a pasta salad for later. I left the store and went straight back to my apartment, where I ate the cheeseburger and put the salad in the fridge.
I walked to the clinic, and the receptionist signed me in, and I went straight to see the physiotherapist. She quickly sat me down, and I had the three different physio treatments on my knee again. When I left, I immediately felt my knee was better, and I slowly walked back to my apartment. Once I was home, I did a bit of work on my website and then ate the salad I bought earlier. I was going to go out with my friend Deeana tonight to hear her sing, but I ached a bit and was tired after my physio, so I told her we would have to meet in a week or so when my physio had finished.
This evening, I started to research some more software packages that I wanted to use to replace the ones I currently use. I have been using Adobe products for as long as I can remember, and I have passed a few Adobe exams to get qualified to use Photoshop. I love the software. I think it is excellent but what I don't like is the cost. Adobe software is paid for on a subscription basis every year, and it isn't cheap. As I don't make a living using the software, I can't justify buying a yearly subscription anymore, and I have decided to stop using it when my current subscription runs out in December.
I have found some software packages that I will use to replace my Adobe products, and I got a trial version of some software called Affinity Photo, Affinity Designer and Affinity Publisher that looks, at first glance, an excellent replacement. It is not free, but it is a one-off payment that is nearly five times less than the annual fee that Adobe charges me. On top of this, the trial they have given me is for six months, so I will be able to learn how to use it properly before I decide if I want to purchase it. So, I didn't forget; I went onto the Adobe website and cancelled my subscription renewal for their products, which would have been renewed in December.
I have already decided on a new bit of software to edit and produce my videos with, which is entirely free, so hopefully, I will start to make some savings on these annual subscriptions in the new year and already be set up and be able to use their replacements.
I replaced the Microsoft Office software years ago with open-source software that costs me nothing and, in my opinion, is better than or equal to the Microsoft Office Suite of Programs. If nothing else, replacing these pieces of software with free versions will keep my brain active while I teach myself how to use them. The savings I make can be put towards my other interests, mainly travel.
Tuesday, 13th August.
I was woken by kids outside at about 4:30 am but got back to sleep quickly. I eventually got up at around 8:30 am. I got up, got a coffee, and checked my messages on my website. After checking my messages, I went to the Mar Menor for a swim. I swam out to the rocks and back and then floated around in the water, collecting shells for the flower pots on my balcony.
While there I saw my friends John and Diane. I haven't seen them for a long time. We used to see each other every morning when we all went for a swim. I sat in the water, talking to them for a while before returning to my apartment and taking a shower.
After taking my shower, I got on my disability scooter and went to Mercadona to get groceries. I got quite a lot today, and after getting it all home, I put it all away and then had a pack of seafood for lunch. While I was eating lunch, I messaged Lisa and arranged for her to pick me up after I finished my physiotherapy tomorrow.
After lunch, I took a slow walk to the clinic to get my physiotherapy. I was signed in quickly and was soon having my physiotherapy treatment. When the first electrotherapy treatment had finished, I had to call the nurse over because she was concentrating on the male physiotherapist there. The physio that started the treatment was dealing with another patient, and the one that I guess is her number two was doing nothing but talk to the male physio who was doing nothing but talk to her. She eventually took off the electrotherapy pads on my knee. The male physio then attached the magnetic treatment pad. Luckily, the beautiful female physiotherapist soon finished with her patient and came back to finish me off. She took off the magnetic pad when it was finished and then massaged my knee with the gel and massaged wand.
When she had finished, she cleaned my knee and said she would see me the next day. I left and walked back to my apartment, got a cold drink, and sat in my massage chair to get a back massage while I watched Sky News to see if there were any transfers involving Arsenal.
I spent the evening working on my website.
Wednesday, 14th August.
I was woken up around 4:30 am by noisy, unruly little shits who made a mess of the beach at Plaza de Espejo while making as much noise as possible. Sorry, I meant to say some young adults who were enjoying the long summer evenings caused me to wake up a little earlier than usual so that I could listen to their joyous laughs and celebrations. I will so miss them when they grow up and get thrown in jail for littering, disturbing the peace, criminal damage and abuse. Again, I am sorry. I mean, I will miss them when their caring parents take them home, and Plaza de Espejo becomes a tranquil haven again.
I couldn't go back to sleep, so I got a coffee and sat investigating the new software packages I looked at earlier in the week. I watched lots of videos about the software and tried to do a few things on some of my photos. The package looks great. It will take me a while to get used to the new software, but I think I will be purchasing it to replace my current subscriptions with Adobe.
I had a piece of chicken and salad for lunch and then continued looking at Affinity's "How to videos" on YouTube. At 2:30 pm, I walked around to the clinic to get my physio for today. I had the three different types of physio, and as I went to leave, I was told that the clinic would be shut tomorrow, so I didn't have to go in for my physio session.
When I got home, I took a shower, changed my clothes, and waited for Lisa to pick me up to take me to Roda, where we would be picked up for our trip to see the Jumilla Wine Festival. After she dropped me off at Roda's bar, she dropped her car off at her house and then walked back. We had a couple of glasses of wine before heading to Campbells' Bar, where a coach picked us up to go to the wine festival.
Thursday, 15th August.
I didn't sleep well last night and got up at about 7:30 am. I washed and quietly went downstairs. I got some water and switched the TV on. Unable to work out how to get the TV channels on the TV, I put YouTube on and watched a few more videos about the software packages I am testing out at home.
When Lisa got up, she came down and showed me how to turn the TV on so I could watch the normal channels before she did some jobs around the house. When she had finished her jobs, she dropped me back at my home, and I carried on working on my website, watched YouTube tutorials and then, because I didn't sleep much yesterday, I went to bed at around 9:30 pm.
Friday, 16th August.
I was woken up at about 5:45 am by kids arguing outside my apartment again. I got up, got a coffee and checked my computer for messages. I did the Wordle puzzle, and after the sun came up, I went to the Mar Menor for a swim.
As there have been fewer jellyfish this year, I didn't put my snorkelling mask on today. I only use it to avoid the jellyfish most of the time. I swam out to the rocks and back, and when I got back, I put my mask on so that I could see the small shells on the sea floor. I collected a small pot of them and then took them back to my apartment and put them around some plants on my balcony.
After more investigation of the Affinity software, I decided to buy a complete package. I had been given a discount code and got the entire suite of programs for €89. This was a 50% saving and worked out at a considerable saving over my Adobe annual subscription. From now on, this means I don't have any more subscriptions to pay, and this will save me around €200 a year. This saving will start in December when the subscription would have been due again.
I downloaded the software and installed it on my computer before walking to the clinic for physiotherapy on my knee. The young lady who usually does my physio was busy when I arrived, and the man who put the magnetic knee pad on seemed to be having difficulty. It fell off twice, and, unlike usual, I couldn't feel a thing from it. I can generally feel the slight current, and it causes my foot to fall asleep. Today, I felt nothing, and my foot didn't even tingle. I did wonder if he had even turned it on.
When the lady finished with her other patient, she came across to check on me. She looked and took off the magnetic knee pad. I'm not sure how the man attached it, but she had trouble getting it off. When she had removed it, she put the electrotherapy pads on my knee and set the intensity level on it. She always asks me if it hurts and stops when I say it is strong enough. After the electrotherapy session, she massaged my knee with gel and a massage wand. Once it had all finished, I walked home and sat down at my computer again to continue watching YouTube videos about my new software.
Tonight, I searched for transport to get to Madrid for my October holiday. The trains were expensive, and because of my flight times, I would have to have stopped in Madrid for a night on the way home. The price of the trains and the extra night would have cost around €300, and the train journey was around 4½ hours each way. I priced the cost of a coach, but again, because of the time of my flights, it would have meant another night in Madrid. Going by coach would have cost around €200, and the coach journey was about 7½ hours each way. I eventually booked flights from Alicante to Madrid and back, as well as a bus from Los Alcazares to Alicante and back. This cost me €140 and meant I didn't have to stay in Madrid for the extra night.
Once I had booked this, I played around with the Affinity Photo program on my computer before stopping to watch the opening game of the Premier League this season. Manchester United played Fulham and won the game 1-0. I think Fulham were the better team and were very unlucky to lose. I can't see Manchester United winning anything unless they improve quickly, but I think Fulham will have a relatively good season. I went to bed as soon as the game finished.
Saturday, 17th August.
I woke up around 6:30 am. I got up, got a coffee and checked for messages on my computer before doing the Wordle puzzle. For breakfast this morning, I had scrambled eggs. I read last week that the best way to make scrambled eggs was to substitute the milk I usually add to the eggs with olive oil, so I thought I would try it out. The eggs tasted good, but the olive oil for milk swap seemed like an expensive substitution. I will remember it in case I find I haven't got any milk, but I won't be making it a permanent change.
I needed to buy a new suitcase for my holiday in October because I had thrown my old one away when I got back from Hawaii and Alaska earlier in the year. I went on Amazon and was amazed at how expensive suitcases are. Maybe because the last one I bought was around ten years ago, and I bought that in a sale in America. I researched the different options, but unwilling to spend lots of money on a top-of-the-range suitcase, I settled for one of Amazon's Basics line of products. The suitcase I chose had a rating of 4.5 stars out of a possible 5 stars and had more than 45 thousand reviews. I ordered an orange case in the hope that I would be able to pick it out quickly at an airport or cruise terminal. I am probably going to find it sitting among hundreds of others the same if over 45 thousand people have bought one. I arranged for it to be delivered next Thursday so that the delivery doesn't interfere with my daily physiotherapy sessions that finish on Wednesday.
As it was the weekend and electricity was half-price, I did my regular weekend chores. I put some washing in the washing machine, stacked the dishwasher, set it running and sat at my computer working until just before the football started on the TV. For lunch, I got a salad with crab sticks and added a tin of large cockles. I sat down and watched the Ipswich vs Liverpool game while I ate my lunch. Liverpool won the game 0-2, but I think Ipswich played well in the first half before Liverpool went up a gear in the second half.
In the late afternoon, I had intended to go out to Harrys' Bar to watch the Arsenal vs Wolves football match but changed my mind and watched the game at home. I could watch it on a big screen at home and sit in my massage chair with no chance of anyone standing in the way to block my view of the game. Arsenal played well in the first half. Wolves played better in the second half. Arsenal won the game 2-0, with both Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz, both scoring a goal and assisting the other with a goal. Arsenal will have to play better this season, but it was a good result against a good opponent, which made David Raya make some outstanding saves. I was pleased with the way Saka and Havertz played, as I have Saka as Captain of my Fantasy Football team and Havertz as one of my attackers. This week, those two players scored me a combined total of 36 points.
After the game, I decided to go for a pint. I walked to Harrys' Bar and saw my friend Andy sitting outside with a couple of people. As I walked past, they called out to me. After buying a beer, I went back to sit with them and watch the West Ham vs Aston Villa game. Andy didn't stay long, but I stayed with the other people who were in Los Alcazares on holiday and were Arsenal fans. We tried to watch the game, but due to the angle of the sun, I had to keep moving to be able to watch the TV. As we watched the game, my friend Lisa walked past with a group of friends. They stopped to say hello before continuing to walk to Zarcos Bar to celebrate one of the group's birthdays.
When the Aston Villa game finished, I went inside to cool off in the air conditioning. Inside I saw my friends Paul and Paula. We talked about holiday plans, restaurants and football before they left. I took my beer outside as it was getting cooler and sat there until I had finished. When I left, I walked to Rocco's Bar, but there was no one there at all. Gin and Fizz had a couple of customers but no one I knew, so I walked across to The Celt Bar. The Celt bar was also strangely quiet, so I left. As I walked past Zarcos Bar, I looked for Lisa and her friends, but they were already gone. I continued to walk home and was home in my air-conditioned apartment just before 10 pm.
I switched on the TV and watched MOTD before going to bed.
Sunday, 18th August.
I woke up and got out of bed around 7:30 am. I got a coffee and sat at my computer to check for messages. I edited my website and started to surf the Internet. After an hour, I got another cup of coffee before stripping the bed linen from my bed and putting it in the washing machine.
I continued to work on my website until I had to leave to go to Campbells´ Bar in Roda to meet my friend Debbie for Sunday lunch. I arrived at the bar at 1:30 pm and sat talking to the owner, Mike, until Debbie arrived. Debbie and I moved into the restaurant for dinner. We both had the roast lamb, and it was very nice. I also managed to force down a piece of Bailey's cheesecake before we moved outside. We sat outside for a while, talking before we left to go home.
I trundled alongside Debbie until we went in different directions towards our own homes. I went along the main road, stopped in Dia, and bought some cornettos before I went back to my apartment. When I got home, I took my bed linen out of the washing machine and remade my bed. I then spent the rest of the day watching inane drivel on the TV before going to bed around 11 pm.