Location: Los Alcázares, Murcia, Spain
Summary: I spent the week juggling clinic visits, deliveries, website work, meals with friends, and the long‑awaited installation of my new Japanese toilet. My ankle continued to heal, my new phone arrived, and I enjoyed some good company, good food and plenty of football. It was a busy but satisfying week.
Monday, 19th May
I got up around 07:00, had a coffee, took my tablets and sat at my computer. Correos messaged to say the toilet I was expecting on Wednesday would arrive today. I hoped it wouldn’t come while I was at the clinic. I finally posted a new sitemap on my website after clearing missing links and images last night.
I rode to the clinic on my disability scooter and was called in almost immediately. The nurse and her trainee did a great job, and the wounds are healing well. The trainee saw my Arsenal shirt and immediately started talking football. It really is a universal language. They booked me in again for Thursday.
Back home, I worked on my India holiday pages. Just after midday, the delivery man arrived with the new toilet. A short while later, another delivery arrived — my new Google phone, early. I set it up and took both phones to Avatel so they could switch the SIM over for me.
On the way home, I stopped at La Sombre for a takeaway pizza and a beer. I sat with Michael and Terry while I waited. When I got home, I discovered they’d given me a ham, banana and curry powder pizza instead of ham, mushroom and pineapple. I ate it anyway. I watched Brighton vs Liverpool and went to bed around 22:30.
Tuesday, 20th May
I woke at 07:30, did Wordle and realised my Thursday nurse appointment clashed with my blood test. I would need to rearrange it. After porridge, I rode to see my friend June. We chatted for an hour before I went to La Sombre to meet Martin and Dave.
After lunch at home, I worked on my computer until 18:45, when Pat picked me up to go to La Ola Bar. He couldn’t join us for dinner, so he dropped me off. Martin was already there, and the others arrived soon after. At 20:00, we walked to Casa India.
I had a chicken trio starter and mango chicken for my main. The chilli garlic naan nearly blew my head off, but it was lovely. I couldn’t finish my main meal, so I took the rest home. It was a great night with good company. Dave gave me a lift home, and I watched TV before bed.
Wednesday, 21st May
I woke around 07:00, checked messages and did Wordle. I expected the plumbers to come today to install the new toilet, so I stayed home and worked on my website. I added new India photo albums and wrote up more of my holiday notes.
In the afternoon, George and Yvonne came round so I could put apps on Yvonne’s phone. While they were here, the postman delivered the return package for my trade‑in phone. After they left, I carried on working.
By 18:00, no plumbers had arrived, so I messaged Nashi to ask when they were coming. I explained I had a hospital appointment tomorrow. I watched Tottenham vs Manchester United at 21:00. Tottenham won 1-0, and I can’t say I was upset. I went to bed afterwards.
Thursday, 22nd May
I woke at 05:00 and couldn’t get back to sleep. After Wordle, I worked on my website until Jim messaged at 11:20 to say he was on his way. He drove me to the clinic, and the nurse kindly dressed my ankle straight away so I could get to the hospital on time.
At Los Arcos, the receptionist took me to the blood ward. A nurse pricked my finger and got my INR reading. She and another nurse tried to install the health app on my phone but couldn’t. They told me I could do everything on my computer instead.
The doctor saw me next. She checked my details, confirmed my records went back to 2018 and printed my pill sheet and next appointment. She said the Los Alcázares clinic should have been able to help me and told me to get them to call her if I had any more problems.
Back home, I checked the paperwork and added the new appointment to my calendar. I messaged Nashi again about the toilet fitting. In the afternoon, I watched the 2025 Snow White film, fell asleep and woke up near the end. I didn’t miss much.
Friday, 23rd May
I got up, checked for messages from Nashi and did Wordle. They finally replied, saying a fitter would come tomorrow between 13:00 and 14:00. The fitter messaged too and asked for photos of my current toilet, which I sent.
I had planned a walk, but it poured with rain until mid‑afternoon. I watched a film called Nonnas, which was excellent — funny, sad and heartwarming. In the evening, I cooked a steak but found I wasn’t hungry and binned it. I need to eat more and exercise more, but not too much of either.
Saturday, 24th May
I got up, did Wordle, put the dishwasher and washing machine on and walked to Buena Vista for breakfast. I sat in the sun reading my Kindle before going home to wait for the plumbers.
When they arrived, Liz came up to translate. I needed extra work done because the electrical outlet was too far away, and they offered to clean the waste pipes too. I didn’t have enough cash, so Liz lent me the difference. The two men worked for two and a half hours and installed the new toilet. It looked great.
I went to the ATM to get money to repay Liz, logged the notes on Eurobilltracker and took the money to her. In the evening, I watched the Arsenal ladies beat Barcelona 1-0 in the Champions League final. They looked better than the men.
After the match, I tested the new toilet. The lid lifted automatically, the seat lifted when I stood in front of it, and it flushed itself when I walked away. I went to bed excited about a toilet. How sad I am in my dotage.
Sunday, 25th May
I woke at 05:00 and couldn’t get back to sleep. After coffee and Wordle, I gave the toilet its inaugural poop test. It worked perfectly. I discovered the night light had multiple colours and a disco mode. I also learned the seat gives infrared therapy. Still no button for a toasted cheese sandwich.
At 11:00, I shaved my head and nicked it slightly. I finished writing up my India blogs and walked to Buena Vista early to meet June. I sat in the sun with a beer and my Kindle until she arrived. We moved inside because it was getting hot and ordered curries. I tried a Rogan Josh, which was okay but not my favourite. I bought lunch to thank June for picking me up from the airport in February.
Afterwards, we went to her house to collect a plant she was giving me. She dropped me home, and I put the plant on my balcony. I settled down to watch the final Premier League games, but my TV decided to play up. Arsenal beat Southampton 1-2 and finished second for the third year in a row. With all the injuries and no striker, I think it was a great season.
I watched TV for a while, worked on my website’s Google Index pages and went to bed at 23:00. It had been an eventful week, and next week looks like it will be just as busy.
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