Location: Los Alcázares, Murcia, Spain
Summary: I spent the week visiting the nurse three times to have my leg dressed and my blood pressure checked. My water heater broke, but thankfully a friend installed a new one for me. Best of all, the sun returned to Los Alcázares, and everything looks better when it is warm and sunny.
Monday, 28th April
I woke up, made a pot of tea and checked my messages before doing the Wordle puzzle. After porridge, I went to the health clinic to have my ankle redressed and my blood pressure checked. I had to wait a while, but the nurse soon cleaned and dressed both wounds. The ligament wound on the outside of my ankle was still excruciating, but she said it was healing. The inner wound looked much better and didn’t hurt at all.
My blood pressure was still high, so she told me to continue taking the tablets. As I left, I bumped into an old friend from my bowls days. It was nice to see her again. I went straight home because I was sore and puffed out, only to find the garage door and lift weren’t working. A huge power cut had hit Spain, Portugal and parts of France.
I sat on my balcony in the sun reading my Kindle until it got too hot. By 17:00, the power was still off, and I was worried about leaving my disability scooter outside overnight. I remembered ATime4AChange on the main road and asked if I could leave it there. They kindly agreed. On the way home, I saw George and Yvonne at Avenida bar and confirmed they were still coming tomorrow.
Back home, puffed out, I had peanut butter on bread for dinner and read until the light faded. The power finally came back at 20:30. I went to bed around 21:30.
Tuesday, 29th April
I woke at 06:30 and was relieved the power was still on. I made Ginger Oolong tea and did Wordle before walking to ATime4AChange to collect my scooter. Kerry was there, and while we chatted, John and Kathy walked in. All three asked if I had blocked them on Farcebook. I explained the ban and decided I would have to start a new account.
When I got home, George and Yvonne arrived so I could renew their passports online. Once done, they posted them and then took me to Mercadona. I bought enough food for a week. By the time I got home, I felt dizzy and exhausted. I had to ask George to leave so I could rest. I fell asleep almost immediately.
Later, I set up a new Farcebook account, only for it to be banned within two hours for “advertising violations”, despite not posting anything. I gave up. If people want to contact me, they will find a way.
In the evening, I watched Arsenal vs PSG. PSG scored early and looked dangerous. Arsenal fought back, but PSG’s keeper made some brilliant saves. It finished 0-1. I went to bed as soon as the match ended.
Wednesday, 30th April
I woke at 08:00, made tea and did Wordle before heading to the clinic. I arrived early but still had to wait until 11:15. The nurse cleaned and redressed the wounds and booked me in again for Friday.
Back home, I rested and then worked on my website. I discovered that my Redirect plugin had logged over 18,000 missing URLs. I began sorting through them. While I worked, the Amazon driver arrived with my Omega 3 tablets. They were either a day late or a day early, depending on how you look at it.
Later, I tried to shower but realised the hot water had run out. The water heater wouldn’t work. I messaged Dave, who said he would come tomorrow. I went to bed smelly and grumpy at 23:00.
Thursday, 1st May
I woke at 08:00, had porridge and did Wordle before working on my website. Dave arrived early afternoon and confirmed the water heater was broken. I found a new one online with WiFi and an app, which would make it easier for me to use. Dave said he would buy it and install it tomorrow.
I watched TV in the evening and went to bed at 22:00.
Friday, 2nd May
I woke at 05:30 and worked on my website before breakfast. At 11:30, I went to the clinic. It was packed, but most people were waiting for the doctor, not the nurse, so I was seen quickly. My blood pressure had gone down a little but was still high.
Back home, Dave arrived with the new water heater. He installed it quickly and took the old one away. I connected the new one to my WiFi and was amazed at how easy it was to use from my phone.
I spent the early evening on my balcony reading Stolen by Dawn Kopman-Whidden. It was excellent. Later, I watched TV and went to bed.
Saturday, 3rd May
I got up at 08:00, had porridge and did Wordle before finishing the redirect work on my website. I stripped my bed and put the washing on, watered the balcony plants and rode to the bank to withdraw money to pay Dave.
I dropped the money off at his house and rode along the beachfront, where I saw planes doing an air display over the Mar Menor. I took a few photos before heading home.
After a tuna salad lunch, I put clean linen on the bed and did more washing. George and Yvonne brought me another big bag of oranges to juice. I watched Arsenal vs Bournemouth. Arsenal started well but fell apart in the second half and lost 1-2. If they play like that against PSG, they will be hammered.
Later, I watched a film called Another Simple Favour. Blake Lively looked incredible in it.
Sunday, 4th May
I didn’t sleep well because kids were shouting and playing music in the square at 00:30, 02:00, 04:15 and 06:00. Neighbours shouted at them, which probably woke me more than the kids did.
I got up at 08:30, had cereal and did Wordle before typing notes for my website. I juiced the oranges George and Yvonne brought yesterday. For lunch, I had a ham and cream pepper cheese sandwich before resting. Even the small amount of work puffed me out, and I had an ache in my chest.
I spent the rest of the day watching films. I enjoyed one called Rust, about a boy in 1880s Wyoming who goes on the run with his estranged grandfather. Alec Baldwin was excellent in it. The scenery was stunning, and I wondered how I would have coped living in such a place at such a time. I probably wouldn’t have lived long enough to worry about hypertension.
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