Barcelona Diary 2020

Quiet day. I cooked a big chicken dinner for the two of us. Dora doing lots of ironing, then learning how to make a web site (!). Quiet day. Out in early evening to take out garbage and get groceries and fruit/veg. Cold out. Out at 9 or so with Dora to take out more garbage, take clothes to a donation box, stop in a church, and check on a business she needs to go to tomorrow. Cold. Out at 11:30 or so with Dora. To gestor to see about last year's tax return, and Dora's coming change to working a second job. Then to H6 bus, and to a medical clinic where she's going to rent an office. Interesting place, it's partly Chinese medicine such as acupuncture and reflexology, which I think are mostly nonsense. But the rest of it seems serious, the people are nice, I had a good conversation with one guy. Took a long time, and I got bored. Out around 2:30, stop in a bar for bathroom and coffees, into metro, home after 3. Cooked spaghetti for dinner.

Dora out later to gestor again, but they're closed, which probably means we missed a tax appeal deadline, bummer.

Teeth hurting at bedtime, took paracetamol. Out at 10 or so with Dora, hauling a suitcase and two bags, full of medical/office stuff. To H6 bus, to clinic, and put it all in her office there. I went online and we bought a domain for her, so she can have a web site. Still have to build the underlying pages. Eventually out and home after 1.

Online, used wix.com to make a web site for Dora, but we're going to wait a couple of days to make it live, need to get her tax paperwork done first.

Took a diazepam, slept well. Finally managed to confirm that our ISP does update the firmware in our router every now and then. Couldn't get an answer out of them, so I had to start recording firmware version number periodically.

Quiet day. I cooked chicken-rice-broccoli for dinner. Most exciting thing we did was take the garbage out in the evening, and take clothes to a donation box. Apparently it's ANOTHER holiday here, today. I wanted to get going on several things with banks and gestor, but it all has to wait until tomorrow.

A couple of friends came over to chat with Dora and pick up a free mattress we're giving away.

Out in early evening to take garbage out, and take more clothes to the donation box, but the box is mostly full. Coldish out. Dora out at 9:30 to go to bank, gestor, etc.

Found out Dora's son is not coming on the bus from the North today, he's sick.

I'm out at noon. Longish walk to bank, and was able to change my phone number via the ATM instead of having to stand through the line. To niece's school, but they've just opened for the year and can't accept cash payment today, come back tomorrow. To carnisseria to buy ribs. To fruit/veg shop to buy a ton of stuff. Home and started cooking.

Out at 5:30. To bus station by 6:15 to meet the family coming back from the north. They were supposed to arrive at 6:30, I think they actually arrived more like 7, and they sat in the far corner of the station and it took us half an hour to find each other. Finally met, to a large taxi, home by 8 or so.

After some futzing with Support at the domain registrar, got Dora's web site live. It's missing a lot of stuff, needs lots of work, but the basics are there.

Bad headache starting about 2 AM, and I was slow to take medicine. Took paracetamol at 3 or so, didn't work too well. Slept badly. Bad headache. Took sumatriptan around 9 and stayed in bed. Stomach feeling queasy a few times. Dora out to Catalan class.

I stayed in bed until 1:30 in the afternoon. Still headache, but I got up and took ibuprofen and had a shower and a little food, felt a bit better. After dinner with Dora, felt okay but still medicined-up.

In late afternoon, out. To niece's school to pay tuition. To pharmacy for four prescriptions, including more sumatriptan, but the whole bill came to €12. To shop to buy an extension cord. To Dia for groceries. Dora's out to a place to print posters for her clinic, probably annoyed that I didn't go with her.

Did some more work on Dora's web site. Got it working on Chrome on mobile, but something's funky with it on Firefox on mobile. Later, Dora insisted on taking over the editing; hope she doesn't destroy it. Headachey, but felt better after ibuprofen and breakfast.

Dora out to clinic. She's going to sign a one-year lease, despite me querying her for a couple of weeks now about whether it was month-by-month. She wants me to go with her, but I'm not going.

Out before 4 with Dora, but we split up. I took her mother's phone to a mobile store to try to recharge the SIM, but no luck. Can't get the back off it, either.

Dora home at 8. Out with her before 9, to another phone store, where the guy got the SIM recharged. Apparently it's on some plan that has to be recharged on the first of every month.

Read the contract Dora signed with the clinic, and they mangled her address a bit, but added a clause saying either party can terminate with a month's notice. Great !

At bedtime, took diazepam. Grey, cold and raining. Headachey, took ibuprofen.

News from Peru: the house-ownership/land-deed papers are done (after 3 years of effort), and Dora's mother has to go there NOW to pick them up.

Apparently at the niece's gymnastics class last night, a girl broke an ankle, and the response was not good. So now the niece wants to change gymnastics schools. [Later found the story was wrong, someone fell and was bruised and cried, no big deal.]

Dora out to Catalan class.

Out at 6:30 with Dora, to a farmacia a couple of blocks away. Where she took an eternity to buy and order all kinds of medicines for her mother, who is about to go to Peru for 2 months (I'm surprised it's for so long). I paid €50, Dora liberated another €50 from me for a monthly metro pass tomorrow, and I have to go back tomorrow morning and get more stuff and pay another €80+.

At bedtime, took diazepam and paracetamol. Dora out after 9 to do posters for clinic.

I'm out at 11 to farmacia. A bit confusing, but paid €104 for two medicines and four big boxes of stuff, and did two trips to haul it all home. Dora will have to check to see if I got overcharged.

Dora home after 2:30. She says I got overcharged and didn't get two barcodes, and also I forgot to get three more prescriptions filled. We go to the pharmacy, but it's closed, we'll deal with it on Monday. I can go to another pharmacy to do the three other prescriptions.

[Found out later: Dora met another mother from niece's school to have coffee, and while they were deep in conversation, someone stole the woman's purse, from a chair right next to them.]

Teeth hurting after dinner; took paracetamol and laid down. Feeling bad.

Out at 6:30. Cold. To ATM, to pharmacy, to fruit/veg shop.

Out at 8:30 with Dora to ECI, to buy a few things. Cold.

Took ibuprofenn at bedtime. Taxi arrives after 12:30. Dora and mother and I into it, with one huge suitcase and one small suitcase. Off to the airport.

Easy time at the airport: get the big suitcase plastic-wrapped, no line at check-in, bathroom stop, get wheelchair assistance, take mother off to Security, say good-bye, and she's gone. But I'm feeling bad; headachey and achey.

Into cafe for coffees and small sandwich and a paracetamol. Then Dora is talking on the phone for 20 before I can get her to leave.

To bus, to Placa Espanya, into L1 metro, home by 3:30 or so. Food, and feeling a bit better. Tired.

In the evening, Dora and niece baked a cake. At some point, a dish shattered on the kitchen floor, but I didn't even bother to go see what had happened. Then cake into oven, and Dora said "tell me when it's been in for 1 hour". Near the 45-minute mark, I smelled smoke and rescued it before it could get too burnt.

Ibuprofen after midnight. Dora out to meeting with niece's teacher, then Catalan class. Mother arrived safely in Lima.

Dora home at 2:30, and wouldn't eat the dinner I'd cooked, she had leftovers instead. After some futzing, managed to figure out why we keep having trouble phone-calling each other: normal and WhatsApp calls have different UIs, and a permission setting for WhatsApp on my phone was wrong. Someone came over to borrow a set of crutches.

I'm out at 5 to buy some groceries and go to the fruit/veg shop.

Out before 6 with Dora. To farmacia, where we quickly determined I was NOT overcharged the other day, we just managed to spend some €160 there. To phone store to recharge niece's SIM. To Dia for groceries.

At bedtime, took ibuprofen and diazepam. Dora out before 10, after liberating €100 from me to pay for advertising posters. She's going to pick up the posters and then work at the clinic.

She's home around 3. Dinner.

Out with Dora around 5:30. To bus, to clinic, and put up publicity "posters" on the outside windows. They're vinyl things that stick with a little water and soap. Two of them are perfect; the third has ripples that will not come out, it's made badly. But it looks okay, I think.

We loiter in the clinic for a while, then go up 5-6 blocks and stop in at the niece's gymnastics class for 10 minutes. Onto bus, out near home. Stop in Dia for a couple of essentials, then next door to a cafe for coffees. Home before 9:15. Dora out at 9, annoyed that I'm not going with her. I'm out at 11, to ATM and then to ECI to pay water bill. Then I cooked a couple of lasagnas. They were better-received than I expected.

Out before 6 with Dora, to walk her to bus stop to go to clinic. Then I went to Dia and fruit/veg shop.

Walked niece to her tutor. And back again an hour later.

Teeth hurting later; took paracetamol.

Dora home after 10. Dora out to some medical class most of the day. I'm out at midday to do an errand at the building administration office, and then to buy a few groceries.

Before 5, I'm half-dozing on my bed, listening to MP3's, when suddenly Dora is home and yelling at me that we have to hustle to niece's school to deliver something to her as she's leaving to go to a friend's house, then gymnastics. So we hustle out, get to the school, and missed her by about 2 minutes. Dora wants me to go with her to clinic, but I go home instead. Dora up at 7 and off at 8 to catch a train to Tarragona to a medical lecture. I'm up at 8:40, achey and taking an ibuprofen.

The others had tripe for dinner; I had leftover lasagna.

Online, filed my Spanish ETE tax form.

Dora home before 3.

Out around 5 with Dora. To metro, where I got on a train but she missed it. Got off at Verdaguer and waited for her. Walked about 10 blocks to a print shop, where we picked up a replacement vinyl sign/poster for the one that had ripples in it. Back to Verdaguer metro, to Joanic, onto a bus, up to the clinic. Where the owner was a bit grumpy that he was having to stay open just for us. We did the vinyl posters as quickly as possible, resetting the three we did before and adding the new one. Lots of furniture to assemble, but we'll come back and do that on Monday.

Out, up to bus stop, H6 bus to near home. Into several shops for groceries etc, home by 7:30. A bit tired.

Paid €120 for 11 more lessons with the niece's tutor, and later found out the price has increased to €130. Dora out to work 11-11, back at her regular job. I cooked chicken for dinner. Out to buy flowers for our anniversary. Dora out to work 11-11, back at her regular job.

I'm out after 3:30, into grey cold windy weather (borrasca Gloria, I think). To VA metro, connect at Diagonal, out at Poble Sec, to meet Dora at work. To a Chinese place for dinner. Food was cheap and pretty good, beef dish a little too spicy, nice to have football on the telly. She headed back to work at 4:30, I went into metro and home after 5. Windy and grey and cold.

Teeth hurting at 9; took paracetamol. At bedtime, diazepam. Cold, grey morning. Dora out to Catalan class.

I cooked spaghetti-beef for dinner, to mixed reviews.

Out before 4 with Dora. Bus to clinic, where we assembled lots of furniture and a piece of medical equipment for her office. Not too difficult.

Waiting for Dora to finish talking with people, I suddenly noticed one of the paintings the main doctor has created (many of them are quite nice, but this one is funny): pic.

Out and it's raining. Ran to catch the bus, no waiting. Near home and into a bakery for coffees and pastries. I laughed at how much bigger my croissant was than Dora's two little mini-criossants: pic. Then to Dia for groceries, and to fruit/veg shop. Home after 7:45. Dark, grey, raining. And niece deliberately left her scarf and sandwich behind when she went to school, so 45 minutes later I had to go out to deliver them. Colder than I expected, lots of rain, wind very gusty and shifting. Smallish tree blown over near the other side of the building. To school, then to a shop, then Dia for groceries.

By noon, wind stronger maybe. Moderately big tree blew over in the park across the street, and another is tilted.

Niece not going back to school in the afternoon, or to gymnastics in the evening. Apparently the govt has declared some sort of emergency condition. But Dora still has to work 3-11. The TV news footage of conditions at the seafront is pretty impressive. But then after 2:30 the story changed, niece is going to school. And later we found that her classmate went to gymnastics too, but she didn't. Dark, grey and somewhat cold, but a lot less windy and not raining. Dora out to class. I'm out before 1, to stop at asesoria, and to pick up niece from school.

Dora home for dinner, then out to work a couple of hours at one place, then work 7-1 at another place, I think. Dora out after 10:15 for a crazy day: to the clinic, later to work 3-11, but out in the middle of that shift to go to a class 4:30-8:30.

I cooked pork-chops for dinner. In the evening, out for groceries and fruit/veg.

Dora cut her day short, just too tired, she was home after 8:30. Dora heading out after 10, to go to a lecture then work 3-11. She's skipping Catalan class.

I cooked pesto-spaghetti for dinner. Afterward, out to sit in the plaza, walk, groceries, fruit/veg. Out before 10:30 with Dora, carrying a stool to use in her office in the clinic. To ATM, to shop to buy metro cards, to bus stop. Bus to clinic. Cleared out extra boxes, set up a piece of medical equipment, which Dora tested out on herself for a while.

Out of the clinic, and wandered for a while as Dora stuck business flyers into mailboxes and under doors. Street art: pic. Up to main street, bus running an odd schedule today, but she stuffed some more mailboxes, and then onto the bus.

Home by 2:40, and I'm tired, laid down for 10 minutes. But soon out again. Dora and I to a Thai restaurant I've been wanting to try for a while now.

But it turned out to be not so good. The main dishes were fine, but portions were small. The spring-rolls were poor, the tables etc were crowded, and the bill was not cheap. Oh, well.

On the way home, Dora stopped in a shop, and then we bought food in Bon Area. Home before 5; tired. Laid down for a while.

Niece's friend arrived for a sleepover. Lots of noise and screaming. Friend's mother stayed for a while. I took the girls around to the central courtyard where there's a playground. Back home, friend's mother left. Then Dora and I and the girls went out. To a church to donate clothes, then to Heron City Center. The girls wanted McDonald's, which was a mob scene. But we got our food and some tables in a fairly quiet corner, and had a nice time.

Out and stopped at a shop, then home after 9:30. Niece wants us to drag a huge mattress out of her bedroom so she and her friend can sleep on the living-room floor, but I'm vetoing that. Slept poorly from 4 AM onward. Slept until 10. Feeling achey. The girls have been up since 7, and now are charging around and giggling and yelling.

Dora has to go to the Peruvian embassy today to vote, and of course at the last minute she's searching for her Peruvian documents, and can't find them. Maybe her mother took them to Peru. And at the last minute, she decides to take the girls with her. So at 11:30 finally they're out the door, and we have some peace and quiet.

A scare at 1:30 or so, as Dora came out of the embassy and couldn't find the girls (who weren't allowed to enter). Eventually the girls had police call Dora's phone, and they were reunited. A long time ago I gave the niece a paper with all of our phone numbers on it, and I'm sure she wasn't carrying it with her, she had memorized Dora's number.

Then we waited for them to come home, holding dinner for them. And it got later and later, we got hungry, and Dora wouldn't tell me when they were going to arrive. As I expected, they were in a cafe or something. Didn't arrive until 4 or so. I put pasta carbonara on the table, to general approval.

At bedtime, took a diazepam, slept pretty well. Dora out to class 12-2 and then work 3-11.

Confused dinner, I cooked chicken, I thought everyone else was eating something else, but then they all ended up eating chicken too.

Out for a walk, but it's too cold to linger. To shop for electronic items, to Dia for groceries, to fruit/veg shop.

Dora home around 11:45, and she is tired. Dora out to beauty parlor, then to medical office I think. I'm out for meat, fruit/veg before dinner. Dora home for a late dinner, then to clinic for first patient visit (first visit is a free consultation). I'm out for sit and walk and groceries. Dora home at 8, patient visit went well.

Took diazepam before bed. Dora out to errand and then Catalan class. I cooked ribs. Dinner, then I went out to sit and walk and buy groceries. Dora home and had her dinner. Then she's out to do an errand and then work 7-1. Dora out at 1 to clinic and then lecture then clinic and maybe more. She's irritated that I didn't go with her to carry a bag and then have lunch with her.

After dinner, out for sit and walk and groceries.

Later, son and niece out to meet Dora at the clinic. All of them home a bit before 9.

My mother would have been 90 years old today. I miss her. Dora out to Catalan class. I cooked chicken and turkey and broccoli (and rice) for dinner. Out to sit in the plaza; glorious warm sunny day. Started on a walk, and ran into Dora coming home. We stopped for groceries and fruit, then home.

Out at 5 or so to walk Dora to the bus stop to go to the clinic. Then I did a little shopping, then home, then right back out to buy international calling cards.

Dora home after 8 or so.

Brexit happening tonight, at midnight our time. And watching TV reports of the spread of Coronavirus around the world. Not good. Dora out to work 11-11. I'm out after noon, to ATM, then to recharge phone SIMs for niece and mother, then to farmacia (have to go back on Monday, and also they're sold out of facemasks). To Dia for groceries. Son cooked dinner.

In the evening, headachey, took paracetamol. At bedtime, diazepam. After midnight, still headache, took ibuprofen. Didn't sleep well. Headachey; took paracetamol. Dora out to work 11-11. I went back to bed from about 11 to 12:30.

Out for groceries and fruit. Some dinner, then took a sumatriptan, then out again later for a short walk.

Diazepam at bedtime. Headache before dawn; took paracetamol. Still headache at 9:30. Dora out at 10 to go to a medical office and then Catalan class.

News says first case of coronavirus found in Spain (a guy who came from Germany, I think). We're not really worried about it, but we have special interest because 4 of our family and sort-of-family here are health workers. And their jobs/schools are unlikely or unwilling to hand out face-masks until there's an immediate local problem, by which time it's too late. Plus Dora's mother has severe lung problems; a serious flu or pneumonia could kill her. Which is why it's been driving me crazy that we can't get flu shots or pills here, for love or money. Been trying for about 4 months now. Only Dora's father was able to get a free flu shot at the health center, because he's 80 or older.

Out before noon. To ATM, to niece's school to pay €197, to farmacia to buy two ampoules of lidocaine (lady said 90, I thought she meant €90, but it was €0.90).

Out after 2 to sit in the plaza for a while. Waiting for Dora to get home, but when I went home there were messages saying she went to get her hair done (again). So I had my dinner.

Dora home later, I don't see any difference in her hair.

Son is ill, took Nolotil, I went out to farmacia again to buy rehydrating supplies. Out again half an hour later for a lot more stuff.

Later still headachey, took ibuprofen. Up at 7:20. Headache; took paracetamol.

Out at 8:45 with Dora. Hustled down to Meridiana and across Sant Andreu, to a govt housing-assistance office. There for 15 minutes or so. Street art: pic. To a cafe. To a farmacia. To Deutschebank. To a bus stop, where Dora got on H6 to go to her clinic. I walked up F-i-P, and to Dia for groceries. Home after 11.

Still achey after 1. Took ibuprofen. Felt better after dinner. Out to sit in plaza. Did a lot of online govt-site work to gather documents.

Out before 6 with Dora, to walk her to Llucmajor metro, to go to a lecture and then work until 1. Longish walk down Molist; a bit cold out. To Dia and fruit shop. Out before 11 with Dora and son. Up to the local govt center. Did his application for a digital certificate, that I had set up. Then Dora asked for a padron, which we got. Then she took us to the TGSS office, where we waited for half an hour, then upstairs. I got irritated as she wouldn't tell me what was going on, kept telling me to shut up, while I'm the one who has used the web site for this agency. Finally out of there.

I went to Dia and then home. Dora and son went to a cafe.

Dinner. Then after 2, I walked Dora to the metro, she's going to work 3-11. I sat in the plaza, but it's a bit chilly. To Dia and fruit shop.

Dora's sister arrived in early evening. Then she was studying all evening and maybe all night (she was still going at 3:30 AM), for a big test she's taking here tomorrow. Dora and sister out at 7:15 or so, going to some big test the sister has to take for a specific govt medical job-opening.

Dora home before 1. Her sister didn't pass the test, because it was in Catalan. And she was one of seven people competing for two positions.

Dinner, then walked Dora to metro to go to work 3-11. Bought some flowers she wanted, home to drop them off. To ATM to pay for Dora's next Catalan class. To Dia and fruit/veg shop. Grey and coldish out. Son off to airport at 6 or so, heading back to medical school in Slovakia. Back to bed, and up at 10.

Dora said we have to go to the clinic, the advertising vinyls are peeling off the windows. But then she starts doing a treatment on her sister, which takes all morning and into the afternoon, so we're not going. Fine with me.

I'm out after 1. To ferreteria to buy a science-project-kit thing for the niece (I'm kind of horrified to see that the bulk of it is a big non-rechargeable battery; they should have just powered everything with a USB receptacle for a phone-charger). To carnisseria (but they have no ribs), to Bon Area, then to fruit/veg shop. Cold out.

Sister left around 2.

I'm out at 8:30. To Dia for groceries, then to farmacia for a couple of items. We slept late. Quiet morning. I'm out at 2 to buy roast chicken for dinner.

Out just before 9 with Dora and niece to watch some of the Barca game at a bar or cafe. But the one we headed for has changed, now an upscale pizza place with no TV. Headed up Molist and found a small bar. Drinks and plenty of food for about €13 total, but afterward I had to mug Dora to retrieve my €5 bill change from my €20 bill. Game was 2-2 at halftime, Barca isn't doing so well lately. I think they ended up winning 3-2. Dora out to Catalan class, and then work until 11 PM.

I'm out after 2, lovely sunny day. To ATM, to farmacia, sit in plaza, Dia, fruit shop. Achey; took ibuprofen. Dora out before 11 to go to clinic. I'm out at 11:30 or so. To F-i-P metro to buy a card. To Bankia to check on something with my account. Onto H6 bus, and to Dora's clinic. Short wait, then she was done with a patient (her 2nd so far). Put tape on advertising vinyls where the corners were peeling a little. Arranged for her metal placard to be caulked onto the outside of the building.

Out, and started a longish walk. Stopped 1/3 of the way and had lunch at a nice Syrian restaurant; everything was good except the felafels. pic.

Out, and walked down to near Diagonal metro. To Abacus bookstore, and bought about €70 of language textbooks.

To Diagonal metro station. Inside, stopped at a mobile-phone shop and bought new case and protective cover (€22) for Dora's phone from a couple of nice young Kashmiri guys. Also bought a used book for the niece at another stall.

Onto crowded train, and home by 4:35. Tired.

Dora's sister arrived around 6. And did lots of shopping and then packing all evening, she and niece are going to Peru tomorrow. Out with Dora before 11. Across Meridiana to a wig shop, to buy a wig to send to Peru. But the shop was closed. Dora off to her Catalan class, I went to ATM and then Dia and then home.

Finally got sister and niece and luggage out of the apartment after 12:45, and down to street. Taxi appeared before 1, and we piled in. I looked around and found that Dora's father was with us too; didn't expect that.

To airport by 1:30 or so, sister and niece checked in, got wheelchair assistance because the sister has a leg problem. Left them at Security by 2:15, father and I caught a bus by running. I had to stand all the way on the bus and halfway on the metro. To fruit shop and home by 3:45, tired.

Immediately Dora said we we have to go back to pick up the niece, her passport wasn't valid far enough into the future for her to travel. They got all the way to the gate before being told that.

But 15 minutes later the story has changed, sister and niece both missed the flight, they will do new passport in the airport and leave the luggage there and come here for the night, then fly tomorrow. So Dora's father and I don't have to go back to the airport today.

The others were home before 6, and they have all the luggage, they didn't stash any at the airport.

Dora out to work 7-1.

Wow, the Mobile World Conference here in Barcelona is cancelled because of coronavirus fears leading many big vendors to pull out. A big deal, a big blow to the economy here. Up at 5:30. Trying to get a taxi for 6:30. But the taxi guy we had yesterday is at the airport right now, and sister wants to wait for him. So hurry up and wait, as usual.

Into taxi by 6:45 or so. Dora talking the whole way to the airport, to the driver and her sister, while I want to doze and listen to my MP3s. To check-in by 7:15 or so, and they're not open yet.

Wait 10-15 minutes, check-in takes a while, but finally they're in. Wait for a wheelchair for sister, off to the special Security entrance, Dora wanting to wave to them interminably until they were out of sight on the other side. Dora says because of their last-minute ticket change, they're going to be connecting in Brazil on their way to Peru, and will be traveling for 24 hours.

To cafe for coffee and snack. Then to bus. Long ride to Placa Espanya, but we had seats. Metro L1. Dora out at Urquinaona to go to her clinic. I go to F-i-P, up to Dia for groceries.

Home by 10:40. Tired.

Dora home at 1. I'm wiped out, tired, cold, lying down. She's still doing pretty well, despite far less sleep. Fortunately she doesn't have to work her main job today.

Dora out at 4 to hair salon.

We crashed for a long nap in the evening. I'm up at 9:45, but Dora still sleeping at 11:30. She had wanted to go dancing, but it didn't happen. Sister and niece have arrived okay in Lima.

Dora out to Catalan class. I cooked ribs and pesto-spaghetti for dinner. Felt a bit achey, took ibuprofen.

Out at 5 or so with Dora, carrying a lamp and some other stuff. To H6 bus, to clinic. Opened up a huge box and took out a big metal-and-glass locking cabinet, and Dora is happy that now she can display and lock up her expensive medicines. Took pictures of her equipment and serial numbers.

Out, and we wandered toward Joanic metro as Dora put advertising into mailslots. Into a market and put some there too. Skies are overcast but it's pleasant out. Back up and into metro.

To Urquinaona, connect, out at Glories. And we're in the "Llum BCN" festival, a thing with various light-displays. We went into the design museum and hit the bathroom and then the cafe.

Long line for some light-displays inside the museum, so we didn't bother. Out and took various pictures. Nice big full-moon display hanging from a crane, nice green laser bouncing across the sky from one tall building to others, Agbar building all lit up as usual, lots of people. Nice. We wandered, and almost got into line for a couple of inside exhibits, but just didn't feel like waiting in line.

Wandered in a circle, saw some interesting light-displays, some nice-looking hotels and office-buildings, sat for a while.

Then back into metro. Out at F-i-P, and the independentistas are blocking car-traffic in the big intersection again. Home through quiet streets, tired, home by 10:30.

As I expected, most of my pictures didn't come out well, but several of Dora's were okay: pics (first three are mine). Dora out to work 11-11. I'm out in midafternoon to hit ATM, buy an electrical adapter, take a walk, go to fruit/veg shop. Out at 6 to recharge my phone SIM, and get groceries. Dora home before midnight. My teeth hurting; took ibuprofen and diazepam before bed. Dora out to work 11-11. I went out in midafternoon for a couple of groceries. Dora home before midnight. Dora out to Catalan class. I cooked chicken. Dora home around 2:30. I'm out with Dora at 4:30 or so, to bus stop where she went to clinic. I sat in the plaza, walked, got groceries. Out after 10 with Dora and father. To VA metro, two stops to Horta, walked to Agencia Tributaria (tax) office. Had to wait 20+ minutes, and Dora went downstairs to start some other process. Eventually to the counter, and the lady was not happy that we had one cita to get certificates for three people. But eventually she pushed the buttons, and we should get them in the mail in a week or more. Back downstairs, and it turns out the agency has old mailing addresses for everyone (except me). I'm shocked, shocked I tell you.

Finally out after noon, and to a cafe for coffees and snacks. Then headed for metro, but Dora disappeared into a clothing shop for 10+ minutes and came out with a big bag of stuff. Into metro, and home before 12:45.

After 2, walked Dora to the metro to go work 3-11. I sat in the plaza, hit an ATM, went to Dia for groceries.

I poured the cake-batter Dora had made and put them in the oven, but the tops got pretty brown pretty quickly while the insides stayed a bit soupy.

In late evening, suddenly Dora is sending messages that she wants to go to Malaga about 36 hours from now, for a medical conference. So suddenly I have to investigate plane and train tickets, and of course she wants me to go with her. I don't want to go. And she's booked full all day tomorrow, how is she going to get ready to travel ?

Dora home just before midnight.

At 1 AM, bought a plane ticket for her to go to Malaga. Return will have to be done later, it's complicated. I'm up at 7:30, but we're changing plans, not going to a somewhat-early appointment downtown. I had intended to check flights and trains for Dora and go back to bed, but everything took longer than expected, and I never got back to bed. Got an AirBNB for her in Malaga. But still no flight/train back on Sunday. Cancelled appointment we had at 10 in the center.

Out after 10 with Dora and father. A bit cold out. Up to local govt center, where I stood in line in one office while Dora and father went to another office. They were finished and back before I got through the line and got a chance to use my limited Spanish skills. Then the lady wouldn't let us in to do our task, have to get an appointment online (and the soonest one is almost 2 weeks from now). She was adamant, we had to give up. Not important, the other office was the important one.

To a cafe for coffees and sandwiches. Then Dora to a bus to Catalan class, father and I stopped at a bakery, I got groceries at Dia. Home before 11:30.

Dora out after 6 to work 7-1.

Around 7:30, Dora sends a message that she can't go on the trip, her job couldn't find someone to cover her shifts. So I cancel the AirBNB, losing about €56, and the plane ticket is a total loss of €135, no cancellation allowed. Grr !

Headache before bed; took paracetamol. Slept late. Cooked turkey and chicken for dinner. Out at 2:15 to walk Dora to metro, to work 3-11. Sat in plaza, walked, got groceries. Dora out to Catalan class, and then work 3-11. Spaghetti and leftover chicken for dinner, then I went out in midafternoon to sit and walk and get groceries and fruit. Out with Dora, to near her clinic, put advertising in a lot of mailboxes. Street art: pics. To clinic and I spent some time un-freezing the laptop she has there. Out and put more advertising. Into metro, out at Llucmajor, and to cafe for a while.

In early evening, up to local govt center to see if any Carnaval event is happening, but too early, and it's cold. Back home.

Out with Dora later in the evening, but we can't find Carnaval stuff anywhere. Had a nice walk, although Dora was on her phone for 2/3 of it. Out in early afternoon with Dora and father. Down to Meridiana and found a Peruvian restaurant we were looking for, called Komeridiana. Pretty good food, although Dora said the meat was not spiced enough. Pic. And she spent 2/3 of the time on her phone, as well as being on the phone most of the way home, too. Gorgeous sunny weather, fairly warm. Dora out to class and then work. I was out in midafternoon to sit and walk and buy groceries.

Dora home after midnight, and her mother sister niece arrived from the airport (from Peru) about 5 minutes later.

After getting all the luggage up and saying hi to everyone, I went to bed. Lots of craziness happening early tomorrow. But I think the others (except the niece) sayed up for a while. Up just before 8, to find that Dora is late for her 8 AM appointment with teacher at niece's school. And to find that now I'm tagged to get mother into a taxi for her 9 AM appointment.

At the school, Dora has run into problems, the teacher is not there, no one knows about the appointment, director won't tell her anything. [But later her sister joined her, and things got cleared up, the situation is okay.]

So, out before 8:45 to try to find a taxi. I couldn't find one, her parents joined me, and we walked about 1/3 of the way to the medical clinic before getting a taxi. Arrived at 9:05, and the doctor didn't see us until 9:25 or so. I'm not 100% clear on why we're here, but I tried my best. Dora not answering her phone, and then I missed a call from her. Fortunately after 5-10 minutes Dora arrived and took over. Then her father joined them for his appointment, same doctor.

Eventually out, and downstairs to make more appointments, then out. Slow walk, with Dora and her mother talking, and I gave up waiting and went ahead. Stopped at an ATM, which was fortunate. Because got home and found the sister ready to get into a taxi to the airport, and she had no cash on her. Gave her €90 and helped her load up, and finally she's off. I'm home after 10:30. Tired and a bit headachey, haven't had my exercise and shower. Dora and mother home 5 minutes later.

Took a paracetamol, and out with Dora after 11. To a farmacia, where we find we don't have mother's new prescriptions, doctor must not have given it to them. Bought other things, got a refund of past things, the money came to about zero.

To carnisseria and bought a big load of meat. Home by noon.

Dinner, Dora off to clinic, later I'm out to sit in plaza. But it's cool and grey out. Got groceries and went home.

Dora home at 6 or so, bringing the laptop from her clinic, it's not working again. I look at it, the cursor moves but won't click on anything, then parts of the UI start working for no apparent reason, then the whole screen resets and now everything works. Alarming. Installed Malwarebytes and ran it. It found 5 malwares and 8 PUPs; quarantined them.

In the evening, Dora crashed to sleep until midnight; she's going to study much of the night for a Catalan test tomorrow. I think most of the rest of us are out of energy too.

Woke Dora at midnight, and she sat semi-sleeping in front of the TV until 1. Then she started stirring to start studying, and I went to bed. I'm up at 9; Dora has been studying since 1. Dora out after 11 to class and take a test. She came back saying it was okay.

Late dinner. Out in late afternoon, but it's too cold to sit in the plaza. To a shop to buy a frying-pan, then to Dia and fruit shop. Achey; took ibuprofen.

Dora is tired, but she's out to work 7-1. I paid €130 for more tutoring-sessions for the niece.

Dora home at 2 or so. Fortunately her 8 AM patient at the clinic has cancelled or rescheduled. Had to get Dora up at 8:30, because we had to get straight all of our appointments today. Necessary, but she groused at me for doing it. Then she won't go back to bed, and we're arguing about N other things. At 10:15 she's out to see a patient at the clinic.

Out at 12:15 or so with mother. Slow walk to medical clinic, with a couple of stops to rest, through cool windy weather. As we arrived, we were joined by father and niece. Inside about 10 minutes before our 1:00 appointment, but no sign of Dora and she's really the only one who knows what's going on.

Doctor calls us around 1:30, and SNAFU. Niece and mother are in the bathroom. I give health card and list of items from Dora to the doctor, soon joined by the niece. The doctor doesn't understand the list, the niece doesn't like a couple of items on the list, soon we're kicked out of the office.

We mill around, niece back into bathroom, doctor calls us in again. Mother goes in, a bit later niece goes in, 5 minutes later Dora shows up and goes in.

Eventually out, and Dora is mad, nothing was accomplished.

Out and try to decide where to go. Mother and father and I have to be right back here at 4, and it's 2 now. Eventually we end up in McDonald's in HCC for some food.

Then niece and father to school, Dora off to a class, mother and I do slow walk back to medical clinic. Joined by father as we arrive. Up to the place by 3:10, but no chance of getting in early. We start waiting.

I'm surprised when Dora shows up at 3:55. [Turns out her class was cancelled in the last 24 hours, and she missed the notice about it.] Then they're in at 4, later out and over to a ECG unit, later back to nurse's office. This visit is going well, they're communicating well and scheduling lots of tests and such.

Eventually out. Dora off to find a taxi and go look at an office for rent. Mother and I start slow walk home, stopping to pick up lots of heavy fruit and groceries. I carry them all, and it's a bit wearing to walk

Home at 5:30. Tired.

Ten minutes later Dora is calling to say a taxi is coming, she wants us to go to another hospital. I say no, I'm not going.

Before 6, Dora and niece into taxi and they're off.

Around 7:30, I'm out to ATM and then groceries.

Dora and niece home before 9. The visit to the hospital was mostly futile. Headache at dawn; took ibuprofen. Dora out around 9:30 to do errands. I'm out at 10:15 to go meet her at the far end of Sant Andreu at the housing office. I get there by 10:50 and start waiting. Street art: pic.

She shows up at 11:45, just the time her Catalan class is starting half a mile away. Into the office, and we're short a couple of documents, one of which (marriage cert for her parents) is going to be near-impossible to get.

Out, head for her class, but instead into a cafe for bathroom and coffees and she starts working on her homework. After 20 minutes, I convince her to go to class instead. I walk her over to there, then I head home, stopping at the fruit/veg shop. Home by 1:15 or so. [I'm going to try to write less, only about more noteworthy things.]

Dora's family (at least on the female side) has a bit of an old-world superstitious streak in them. Today her mother is lighting candles and praying a rosary to try to ward the COVID-19 virus away. In midafternoon, took metro to Dora's work and had dinner with her in a Chinese restaurant. Today they had a possible case of COVID-19 at her clinic. And she's very critical of their lack of masks and poor procedures: by the time a doctor makes a diagnosis that a patient is a candidate for having COVID-19, that patient has been waiting next to 30 other patients for half an hour or more, then seen by a nurse and then a doctor who are not masked.

After dinner, I strolled down Parallel. Lots of street art, including a whole park-full with half a dozen guys creating new art: pics. To Las Ramblas and into metro and home. At 12:45, Dora asked me to meet her at the housing office on the other side of Sant Andreu. So I hustled to get over there by 1:40, waited 50 minutes until they closed, no Dora. Called her and turns out she never saw my WhatsApp response saying I would meet her there. Sigh. Street art: pics. Out before 11 with Dora's father, to local govt center to get a digital certificate. Had to wait 10-15 minutes, got in and started, and then Dora showed up with her mother in tow. As usual, she tried to get two other unscheduled things done. Today, it all worked, we got a cert for her mother too, and an answer to my padron question.

Around the corner and into the library, to get cards for parents and maybe niece.

Parents went home, Dora and I to a cafe. Later onto a bus, and to housing office. Where everything worked again, we're 3 for 3 today. Got our registration / application all done, now wait for email and get on a web site.

Out and to a cafe. Eventually Dora headed for work and I headed home. Hit an ATM on the way.

Out at 3:30 with mother, to dentist. Then I paid niece's school (€197), bought fruit. Dora sick with fever and aching, starting around 4 AM. Went with her to clinic urgencias at 11, seen at 11:45, she's skipping Catalan class and not going to work. Street art: pic. Back home eventually, a bite of dinner, then she's dragging me out to walk with her to a bank. Did that, and then on way back she stopped in a beauty parlor place for an appointment; I went home. Dora still very sick, although she did sleep last night. There's some non-zero chance she has COVID-19. And I don't know what we can do to keep it from getting to her mother and killing her mother, who has long-standing lung problems. Dora still pretty sick. But pumped up with Nolotil, she felt well enough to go out to Catalan class. She was out the door before I thought to argue with her about it. Dora up at 4:30 AM, feeling worse and vomiting once. She called for an ambulance or home visit, but they told her just to stay at home and take pills, I think. At 5:45 the health service called back, they're consulting with a doctor, etc.

Back to bed for an hour or so. Call at 7, someone's coming at 8 to evaluate Dora.

They arrived before 9:30, two medics, and one put on gown and mask etc out in the vestibule in front of our apartment door before one came in. But they were gone after 10 minutes, all the medic did was talk to Dora and take a throat culture for testing. They didn't even take temperatures from any of us. I think that's crazy.

Later Dora sent me a parody video about the coronavirus. I thought it was in Spanish, but later found it's Italian. Out with Dora and niece for lunch, and when we saw octopus on the counter (pic), Dora couldn't resist ordering some to go for her father (not as much as shown in the picture, and not exactly that one, probably its brother). It turned out to be quite expensive. But her father loved it. Dora went to Catalan class. In late afternoon we went to dentist and found that the planned €1850 bill is to fix just one of the problems in her mother's teeth. All schools in Madrid comunidad are closing for 2 weeks because of COVID-19. Son's medical school in Slovakia is stopping classes for 10 days, at least one student has COVID-19. Dora went to the medical center to get a renewal of her "don't have to work" paper, and they held her in a room for a couple of hours, trying to find out the results of the virus test on the sample taken three days ago. Couldn't find out the result, let her go anyway. And with no examination other than a stethoscope to listen to her lungs. Seems crazy that they're not automatically taking everyone's temperature now, in the clinics and in the airports. And in fact a routine doctor's visit here usually does not include stuff they probably would do routinely in USA, such as checking BP and temperature. Out three times to stores to load up on groceries. Dia is running a bit short on toilet paper and rice. Normal fruit shop is closed; sign says for vacation. In midafternoon, I was out to sit and walk, and then to Dia for more groceries.

In late afternoon, out with Dora to buy medicines, including some extra antibiotics and a thermometer. Then we went home and all had fun taking our temperatures, multiple times. Niece is a little high (37.5), father a little low (35), the other three of us in the middle (35.8). Home for the dinner break, niece says a neighbor of one of her schoolmates has COVID-19. And then the news says all schools in Catalunya will close starting Monday, and stay closed for the rest of the month.

Suddenly before 5, we're told niece's gymnastics class for tonight is cancelled, and school for tomorrow is cancelled too. We hustle to the school, but too late to retrieve all of her books. They say we'll be able to get them tomorrow, probably. Later find the niece has brought them all home already.

Dora's Catalan classes cancelled too. Dora and I take her mother to dentist appointment, and now the office has adopted anti-virus measures: staff wearing masks, and you're not supposed to approach the front desk too closely (but I violated that, didn't realize). And the private clinic where Dora rents an office is closing for the rest of the month (but I'm sure she still has to pay the rent).

Niece woke up sick and running a bit of a temperature.

Out in midafternoon for a sit and walk. Beautiful sunny warm day. To Dia for groceries, and there's plenty of food, but they're mostly out of eggs and pasta and rice and many kinds of bread.

Changed son's plane tickets so he'll come home from Slovakia on Sunday instead of 3.5 weeks from now. His university is closed and no telling when it will re-open.

Out in early evening with Dora to do more panic-food-shopping.

Dora's sister arrived from the South, so now we are six. On Sunday, when son arrives, we will be seven in the apartment.

But later, son is finding there is no transport from Slovakia to Hungary, where he would board the plane. Yesterday may have been the last day he could get across the border. The women are in a frenzy of shopping today, only part of it for food. And everyone out seems a little stressed. Govt declaring a state of emergency for the whole country. Son can't get out of Slovakia, not even supposed to leave his apartment, changed his flight to Mar 27, hopes things will be better by then.

In the evening, we hear that Spain is declaring an emergency; starting Monday we're supposed to stay home except for certain reasons (food shopping, and work, mainly). Dora's sister was able to fly back to the South, which is a relief, if she had been stuck here she would have missed days at work. Cool, grey, breezy day. TV is full of warnings that you can get ticket and fine and even jail for going outside inappropriately, but I see a fair number of people out walking their dogs.

Raining after noon; another reason to stay inside. We can't find out anything about our appointments this afternoon, and the whole medical system web site seems to be saying "no one has or can make appointments", so I guess it's all called off. Online, filed my US federal income tax return. Used https://www.freefilefillableforms.com/ , which is free and good but has one massive bug: it is easy to miss the tax calculation and think you owe zero. [Took two more tries at filing to get it right.]

Out at 12:45 with Dora. To carnisseria and then Dia. Mostly just food shops open, and signs asking people to stay at least 1 meter apart. Dora out to medical center to see if she can renew her "off sick from work" status. They did renew it; she doesn't have to work. But they still have no test results or information about the sample taken from her 11 days ago by an ambulance-type crew. Maybe it was lost, never tested, or tested negative. Who knows ? At the door of the center, they were turning away non-urgent cases, but she talked her way inside and they actually measured her temperature and pulse-oxygen level, which is new.

Out at 1:30 with Dora. To farmacia, where they weren't letting people inside, everything is done through the sliding window in the door. To fruit shop, then home. I went back out to Dia for groceries. They're a little low on eggs, but have everything else, and a big truck was outside delivering more food. Not at all crowded in the store, normal.

In the evening, online, filed my FBAR tax declaration with USA. So I've done 3 out of the 6 tax filings I have to do each year (2 for USA and 4 for Spain). Online, filed my Spanish 720 tax declaration. Dora and her mother are burning some Peruvian leaves all over the apartment, so the smoke will drive away the virus. I'm screeching about the computer hard disks not liking smoke, and demanding to see Dora's medical school certificate.

Out with Dora after noon, to phone shop to recharge mother's and niece's SIMs, then to Dia for groceries. I'm told that yesterday, Dora's sister's family in the North was starting their usual weekly drive from relative's apartment in Bilbao to her house in Ampuero, when they were stopped by police and told they can't have 4 people in the car. Parents and two 5-year-old twins ? They were either turned back or decided to turn back, for fear of not being able to do the return trip on Sunday night. [A day later, they received notice of a ticket.]

Before this all started, niece was taking lessons with a private tutor, a nice former-teacher lady. We just found out the lady's husband is seriously ill in hospital with the virus, and the lady is home and sick (but has family to help her). Apparently she's short of money, so I started an advance payment of €130 for next set of lessons. Headache; took paracetamol and eventually went back to bed for a while. But temperature normal. Raining in early morning, sunny later. Headache; took paracetamol. In midafternoon took ibuprofen.

Out in midafternoon with Dora to do food-shopping. We're wearing masks, and my nice medical mask is too tight on my nose and fogging up my eyeglasses. Almost immediately we saw a police car, which freaked out Dora, but we're doing nothing wrong, and they weren't interested in us. To Dia for a huge load of stuff. They have just about everything except bleach, and the bread shelves are a bit low. Stopped for fruit on the way home. Up a bit late, and Dora's father is already out to a medical appointment. Wish I'd printed a form for him to carry, in case he's stopped by the police.

Cool, breezy morning. Headache; took ibuprofen.

Out in early evening with Dora to go to the farmacia a block away. Cold out.

Airline that son was going to use to fly here from medical school in Slovakia has cancelled all flights through May. Online, I requested a refund of the tickets, but there's no way to ask for a refund of the change fee I paid. And I don't think all the money is coming back. And it's first coming as a credit for future travel, which supposedly later can be converted into a refund of real money. I'm seeing a few workers in and outside the park across the street, which has been under major construction for a year. First time I've seen workers there in more than a week. I think they were just delivering or removing some materials. Maybe retrieving stuff that's needed elsewhere to build clinics or hospital or something ? Total guess.

Out in early evening with Dora. Cold and wet out. To farmacia, but it was closed. To clothing-donation box. Dora to fruit shop while I went to Dia for groceries. Store seemed to have everything but bleach. Noticed that the church was open; no mass happening but a few people inside.

Tried to get Skype working to son in Slovakia. Just could not get it to work properly on Dora's laptop; something has changed. Installed it on a spare laptop and it worked there. In early afternoon, Dora sent me out to farmacia (and to take out garbage). Despite calling ahead to check, farmacia didn't have the medicine.

This is crazy: I have an N95 mask with an exhalation valve. I'm not sure if I'm wearing it upside-down; should the valve be up or down (above or below the midpoint) ? Did a bunch of online searching and can NOT find the answer. And of course there's no simple "this way up" arrow on the mask itself. Finally I looked at the pictures on the plastic sleeve the mask came in, and they're not easy to see, but they show the valve should be up. Niece not feeling well. In midday her temperature read normal, in the evening it read high. Not sure the readings are reliable. Niece feeling better. Dora got her to do lots of homework in the evening. Found out why the niece was doing homework last night; at 10 this morning she got onto a Google Meet video meeting with her class at school. Of course, since it was the first time, she was 15 minutes late getting on, we had to figure out what to do.

Took the school 2 weeks to get started on this, which seems slow. And I was trying to ask what their plan was, a couple of days before they closed. I guess they had no plan in place. Niece had 10 AM school video-call again. School emailed a newsletter that said they're handling grades 1-4 differently from grades 5 and up, and they had a lot of help from parents in setting up the systems. And I think her video-calls are just with one teacher so far, one subject.

Son in Slovakia is part of a group of students etc trying to get Spanish embassy to sponsor a charter-bus to bring them back to Spain. It's complicated.

Out in early afternoon with Dora, to Dia for a huge load of groceries.

Out again in early evening with Dora. To carnisseria for a big load of meat, then to Dia for mostly snacks and such. Before noon, Dora out to bank, and to buy book for niece's schooling.

Supposedly Dora's son will be getting on a special charter-bus in Slovakia tomorrow and probably arriving in Spain on Sunday with 50 or so other Spaniards. But apparently the Slovakia/Austria border is closed, and I wouldn't be surprised if they have trouble crossing other borders. When they arrive in Spain, will they be put in quarantine ? The Spanish consulate in Slovakia is involved, but maybe not helping very much. We'll see. Out after noon with Dora. Fruit shop. Waited while she went into a couple of banks, then we split up and I went to Dia to get a load of groceries. Local church still open, which I don't understand.

Son got on a charter-bus in Slovakia at 10 this morning. Got across Slovakia and through Austria, now at 8:30 PM they're having documents checked at the German border. During the night I was listening to audio podcasts as usual, and I started getting very scared about the virus. Mainly I heard an ER doctor in Teaneck NJ saying how they had a large hospital crammed full of people in medically-induced comas on ventilators, and they'd converted every conceivable space (including the cafeteria) into patient rooms, and were building tents outside and expanding into lobbies of adjacent buildings.

I've been thinking "only old people really get hit hard", but now I realize "hey, I'M old !". Not really, I'm about 60 and healthy, but even some healthy 30-year-olds have been hit hard by COVID-19. We've known all along that Dora's mother will die if she gets a serious case of it, but even Dora and her son have conditions that will be somewhat-complicating factors if they get a bad case. And there's no telling when Dora will have to go back to work and maybe be thrown into the thick of it, and maybe bring the virus home.

I've been working slowly to get my affairs in order, transferring some money to Spain for Dora to inherit, and working to make sure passwords and family photos and such are preserved for my survivors. But I'd better finish getting everything straightened out, today.

See my web page Legal stuff for more info. Mainly you should have a will, a health-care directive, a digital-assets directive, some printed info to help your survivors, and a labeled device of digital documents for your survivors.

Apparently the bus with Dora's son was near Lyon at 7 AM, which means they've crossed the most difficult borders, and maybe he'll be here by late afternoon. Assuming he doesn't get put into quarantine by the authorities after arriving.

Out with Dora before noon. To laundromat, pharmacy, ATM. Enclosed ATMs are closed. Short lines outside stores, as they limit the number of people inside at any one time. Home, then back to laundromat.

Dora's son arrived after 6. His bus-trip from Slovakia was long, about 30-32 hours, but smooth. They only had to get out once, at the Austria-German border, to show ID. They never were checked for sickness or anything. The price for the trip was €300, a bit high but not as bad as the €390 Dora had told me it would be. He says all indications are that restrictions will be getting tighter in the future, inside Slovakia and at the borders. He says students from France were given a free trip home by the French govt, but Israelis at his school had to pay €1000 to get home. Headache; took a sumatriptan and slept late. In late afternoon, I was out to Dia for a big load of groceries. Home, and then out again to buy a big load of fruit. Saw that print shop was open, bought printer cartridges. Out in the evening, on this holy day. Only the fruit/veg shop was open, but that was good. Out in late afternoon, but only the fruit shop was open. I'm out in mid-afternoon to buy two full loads of groceries and fruit/veg. And forgot to look for strawberries in the fruit shop. In late evening, we had a little birthday party for a family member, which was nice. Dora's son baked a homemade cheesecake for the party, and it was good. We didn't have candles, so instead used matches on the cake, and that didn't work at all. Raining. I think the Spanish central government has said construction and manufacturing workers can go back to work starting today, but the Catalunya regional government has said no, it's too early. I agree with Catalunya. I don't see any workers in the big park construction job across the street.

In late afternoon, I went out three times in a row, to Bon Area for meat, to Dia for groceries, then to fruit/veg shop. Maybe a few more people out than usual, and a few more cars.

Had a small birthday party for another family member. Low-grade headaches again, despite taking pills. Slept late and still headachey.

Niece's school finally starting to do multiple "classes" each day, online. The classes still seem to be a bit more socializing than a rigorous class.

I was out in the evening, to ATM, to Dia for groceries, to fruit shop for bananas. Headache; took a sumatriptan and slept late.

I was wrong about niece's school; they're still doing very little each day, no more than half an hour online. Disappointing. I think they're planning to have real classes again in the summer. Niece was pretty disappointed to hear that. Dora went to the local health center to see if she can go back to work, and they said first she has to be tested for the virus. But they didn't test her there, she has to schedule a test somewhere else. She called, and they will call her back to tell her when/where to be tested. Then probably it will take several days to get the test results. We think this is going to be an anti-body test, because she probably had the virus a month ago. If it's negative, then we think she should have a virus test. And the answer about the sample taken from her a month ago is: "Back then, there weren't good controls, we don't know where that sample went or what was done with it".

Dora says there have been cases of patients walking in with COVID-19 and dying right in the clinic where she usually works. Apparently they're not doing screening outside to separate possible virus cases from non-virus cases (such as a broken finger or something), so everyone's mixing in one (the only) waiting room.

I went out in the evening. To carnisseria to pick up a big bag of meat that Dora ordered, then to Dia for groceries. I went out in the evening for groceries and fruit. Rain most of the day, and pretty hard in the afternoon. Raining until afternoon. I went out in the evening to get groceries. Raining. Dora called pharmacy, then went out to it, and when she got there they said "our computers have been down for two days, can't sell anything, sorry". Apparently the NHS computer system went down, probably because yesterday was the first day everyone's supposed to be able to get facemasks at the pharmacies.

In the evening, Dora went out to the pharmacy and bought medicines, and got a couple of free facemasks. They're simple surgical masks, not as nice as the mask I already have.

Three of us trying to help niece with some of her English homework, and some parts are "well, it looks like THIS is the answer they're looking for, but that's not how an English-speaker normally would say it." Windy. Dora out to be tested for the virus. She thinks everyone there to be tested was a medical worker. The sampling involved a swab way up the nose. Results will come in 2-3 days, supposedly.

In the evening, started doing our joint Spanish income tax return. At 10 or so, news that Dora tested negative for the virus, so she'll have to go back to work soon. The results came so quickly that she suspects they sent her sample to a private lab, although she declined to give them permission to do that.

In early afternoon, I went out to get a big load of groceries. Some work going on at a road water/sewer construction site a block away, first work I've seen there since the quarantine started.

Out again in late afternoon, to fruit/veg shop. In midafternoon, out to fruit/veg shop for a huge load of stuff. In evening, out to Dia for a big load of groceries. Apparently today is the first day when people are allowed to take children outside (I thought it was starting tomorrow). I've seen a number of children and parents go by in our quiet street. Online, people are saying that there is recklessly dense people-traffic in some parts of the city, and warning that we may see bad health consequences from it.

In late evening, studied some Spanish for first time in a while. As usual, got into a heated debate with Dora about reflexive verbs, which I still don't understand. In the process of consulting 3 or 4 dictionaries, we straightened out something that I was taught wrong from the start: the basic form of a word is not the "infinitive", but instead the "root". Then based on the root you can have 1 or 2 verbs (and an infinitive is one form of a verb), and also nouns, adjectives, etc. That makes several things clearer. Dora out to local health clinic about her permission to work. Also bought more printer paper; she and niece have been doing an alarming and expensive amount of printing. Then we're out of ink, and I refuse to put another €50 of my money into ink. Dora doesn't want to pay, and so there we sit. Paid €115 (all the cash I have) for the water bill. Then I'm told it should have been €150.

Dora has to go back to work, but she keeps telling me different dates. First it was going to be Monday, then it was going to be today, now it's going to be tomorrow evening.

Dora and niece out to buy printer ink.

In late afternoon, I went out to ATM and to Dia for a huge load of groceries.

Did computer backups all night. Checked the computer backups. Said good-bye to Linux Mint 19.3. Then booted into FreeDOS and updated my laptop's BIOS.

Then booted into a Windows 10 install USB stick and installed Windows 10. Wow, this process has gotten ugly, as Microsoft does everything they can to force you to sign up for cloud accounts and such. All I want to do it test my Bluetooth hardware; it doesn't work under Linux, and I want to see if it works under Windows. Got far enough in to determine the answer is no.

Booted into an Ubuntu 20.04 install USB stick. Disappointing to find that the installer is a bit of a mess, mostly to do with partitioning. Finally got through it and got the basic installation done, and booted from hard disk.

Started tweaking settings. Surprised to find that VeraCrypt is not available in the standard repos; installed it from web site and started copying tons of files from my backup disks.

In the afternoon, installing lots of applications, and slowly getting used to the system and getting things working. Password manager, source-code editor, RSS reader, etc.

Dora out before 6, to work 7-1. We're all worried about how it's going to go.

After 10, a message from Dora saying they have her seeing patients who do not have respiratory problems, which is good. But later I found they still have all types of patients coming in through the same waiting room, and the few examining bays for non-respiratory are right next to the (great majority of) bays that are for respiratory patients. She says on weekends the whole place is for respiratory patients, and the non-respiratory are seen in a separate place. There did seem to be a lot more cleaning going on than usual.

Dora home around 2 AM, seems in good spirits. Dora showed me the mask she had to wear at work, it says "PM2.5", looks made in China, she says she can't breathe through it. No valve. It looks like a construction-dust mask, to me. But on Amazon every single mask says at least "PM2.5", even the ones with added features such as carbon filtering etc. Today's a holiday. Lovely warm day. It's been windy, and there are piles of pollen and stuff that has blown off the trees. Probably a factor in my headaches for the last couple of days. I went out in late afternoon and only the fruit shop was open, got a big load of fruit/veg. Dora out to work 11-11. I went out in midafternoon to get a big load of groceries. Headachey. Dora home at midnight. She was working in the non-respiratory-complaints part of the clinic.

Heard that quarantine restrictions are being eased a little: over-70's can go out 10-12 and 7-8, 14-70's can go out all other times, not sure about rules for under-14's. Everyone must wear masks and stay close to home. But TV showing beachfront pictures and there were loads of people out on the malecon today. Dora out to work 11-11. I'm headachey again, taking pills and napping a bit. Out in late afternoon for a nice longish walk. To fruit shop for a few items. Dora home before midnight. Out in late afternoon for a nice walk. Couldn't get anyone else to go with me. Too many people out on the streets for my comfort. Went to a couple of fruit shops but they didn't have what I was looking for.

Later out to Dia for a big load of groceries. A couple of workers driving forklifts and such in the park under construction across the street. First time I've seen that in 6 weeks or more.

Out after 1, to phone store to recharge SIMs, and to fruit shop. A fair number of the usual shops are re-opening; this is the first time our normal fruit shop has been open in almost 2 months.

Dragged Dora out after 6 to go for a walk. No one in this household except her father and I are getting any exercise, it's unhealthy. And Dora has completely the wrong idea: as we're walking, she's trying to stay more than 1 meter away from ME, when she should be worrying about keeping both of us a couple of meters away from strangers. She and I sleep in the same bed, we're not isolating from each other ! Sometimes I amused myself by walking closer to her, and she'd edge away, then I'd walk closer, and she'd edge away more, until she had to stop or run into a tree.

More businesses are open, still plenty closed, but I'm not happy to see that EVERY barbershop/hairdresser is open. It seems to me that such optional, close-contact businesses should be the last to re-open. Out at 6 in the evening to walk Dora to metro, to work 7-1. Then I went to Dia for a load of groceries.

Fan in big bathroom has stopped working. I pulled a lot of gunk out of it, still no go, took it down and cleaned it more, no go, need to buy a new one. I cooked dinner. Then walked Dora to metro at 2 to work 3-11. Everyone has to wear mask and gloves in the metro, and she says they were giving out free masks the other day. To fruit shop for a big load of fruit/veg.

Out at 6. To ferreteria to buy a new bathroom fan, but there's a waiting list on the wall, you have to sign up to get in, the list has 15 names on it and 10 people waiting outside. Went to a gas/AC shop, but they said no. Went to another repair shop I knew, and guy grabbed a fan off the shelf, here you go. €25. To Dia for groceries, then home.

Sweated and swore a little putting the new fan in. The duct is the standard size, but all the mounting holes are in different places, and we don't have any small drill bits. Managed to make do, and got it in, and it's even square with the ceiling panels, looks good. Walked Dora to metro after 2, to work 3-11. Then I went for a walk to get some exercise, and to Caprabo for groceries. Lovely warm sunny day. Still amazed at how many people aren't wearing masks; I think the law says everyone is supposed wear masks. [Later I found an official page of restrictions, and it does NOT say everyone has to wear masks. In fact it says NOTHING about masks, except on the public transit.]

In early evening, on Zoom did a bit of a free Spanish class (more of a list of tips from a Spanish teacher who runs a school here in Barcelona). Useful, and my first time using Zoom so I wanted to test that. Supposed to go for an hour but went about 1:40. Online, filed my Spanish wealth tax return.

Out to ATM, and then Mercadona for a few groceries.

In late afternoon, had a Zoom call with my brothers and sisters in USA. Quite nice to see everyone and have a nice chat. Mostly family stuff, but a few questions about Spain. They asked if there are anti-quarantine protests here; no, haven't heard of any, and people are applauding every evening at 8 to support the health and EMS workers. They asked if testing is widely available; no, even health workers such as Dora are not getting tested regularly, although we hear that antibody tests are about to become available and maybe eventually routine for health workers. Heavy rain at 7 or so. Headache; took ibuprofen. A fair amount of construction activity has resumed in the park across the street.

Dora out after 2 to work 3-11. Later I was out for a big load of groceries, then again for a load of fruit.

Dora home at midnight. Today she was working in the respiratory-problems side of the clinic. Construction going at full speed in the park across the street. Out in midafternoon to go for a walk and then to Dia for groceries.

Dora out at 6 to work 7-1. Looks like the charger on my laptop stopped working last night. Battery down and falling fast. No laptop for me today.

Out after noon. To computer shop, but no charger. To Dia for groceries and fruit shop for fruit/veg.

Home, and ordered a charger online, should be here tomorrow.

And now I learn some useful lessons: The backups from my Linux machine are not mountable on our Win10 machines; seems to be an incompatibility between two pieces of software that I thought would work. Otherwise I'm in pretty good shape: my phone has a copy of my password database, I have music to listen to, I can deal with some of my email through the phone. New charger delivered around 1, less than 24 hours after I ordered it. And my laptop is charging, so the problem was the charger (and maybe the battery).

Out in the evening, to Dia for a big load of groceries. Dora out to work 11-11.

Out in midafternoon to buy meat and fruit/veg. Cool out, some grey clouds coming over. Dora out to work 11-11. I'm out in early afternoon, to take garbage, try farmacia but they're closed, get a big load of groceries at Dia. Plenty of people out, mostly wearing masks, some with masks hanging around their necks, what good does that do ? Out with niece to a couple of stores, to buy school-project supplies and groceries.

My US stimulus check arrived in the mail: check

Out to ATM. Later out to farmacia and fruit shop. Later out again for more glue for niece's school project. In late evening, out for a walk with Dora. I've been out more today than in a usual week under quarantine. Before 6 (PM), managed to cajol Dora and niece to go out for a walk. I wanted a walk for exercise, but they wanted a walk from store to store. About 1/3 of shops were open, and plenty of people outside. A lot of the shops had a "one person at a time" rule or a table at the entrance or something. We stopped at a church, a bakery, a candy shop, a variety store, fruit shop. Out in midafternoon for a nice exercise-walk, and to Dia for groceries. Warm out.

Dora out to work 7-1. Dora out to work 3-11.

Found out that Dora's gestor filed our Spanish income tax returns, despite me wanting him not to, until I'd reviewed them. And he screwed them up, filed us as individuals instead of jointly.

Out in midafternoon. Hot. To ECI and found that their mailing counter is closed. To Dia for groceries.

I think Dora is working on the respiratory side of the clinic today: pic. Out at noon. Hot. To Correos (post office), and there's a line of 40 people out on the sidewalk waiting to get in, and several more people inside already, I'm not going to wait. To the library to return a few books for Dora, and the library is closed and the book-return box outside is closed. Down to a fruiteria and bought bananas. Home.

Dora out to work 3-11, on non-respiratory-problems side of clinic. Surprise delivery: Dora and son ordered a huge new TV without telling me. It's a Samsung UHDTV RU7100 series, 4K, 138 CM (55"), and it's enormous.

Around 2, there was a little "balcony concert". We had a card announcing it in our mailbox the other day, but it gave date and street name but not time and street number. Turns out it was right across the courtyard from our back balcony. Three people with clarinet, violin and trumpet. Some nice sounds, but everything literally was about 10-20 notes of some popular show-tune, such as music from Mission Impossible or Star Wars. I listened while putting out the laundry, and it was pleasant.

Out to Dia for a big load of groceries. Dragged Dora away from the new TV after 8:30 PM, and went out for an exercise-walk. Loads of people out, more than usual on a nice Sunday evening. Lots of the younger people not wearing masks, and majority of the older people wearing masks. People not respecting the 2-meter distance rule. Found out why so many buses have been coming up our street today: govt has blocked off several major streets so people can walk without having to get too close together. Nice, but with mixed results. Later I was told this is going to be a regular thing for a while. Dora out to work 3-11. Later I was out to Metro to buy a card, and to Dia and fruit shop for groceries. A few bars/cafes are open that weren't open before, but only with people sitting outside, not inside. Out in late afternoon to sit in VA plaza and get some sun. Then to Dia for groceries. Still maybe 1/2 or 2/3 of the younger people not wearing masks.

Received a letter from the US president, taking full credit for sending a stimulus check to me. Only interesting thing about it was that it was in English on one side and Spanish on the other side, I guess because it was sent to my address in Spain. Read a sentence or two and dropped it into the trash. Gave myself a haircut. Out in midafternoon to sit in VA plaza and get some sun. Then to Dia and fruit shop for groceries. Dora out to work 7-1. Out before noon. Warm out. To library, but still closed. To ATM. Still a long line outside the post office. To fruit shop.

Out after 11 PM for a walk with Dora. Dora out at 7 to get a blood test (virus serology test). Apparently all of the staff at her govt medical clinic is getting tested simultaneously. Back home before 9 and back into bed.

Smartwatch that Dora had me buy for her (€100) arrived in the mail. Dora took one look at the size of the dial on her wrist and refuses to wear it.

Out in midafternoon to sit in VA plaza and get some sun. Then to Dia for groceries. People sitting at cafe outside tables and none of them are wearing masks.

Grey and raining in early evening.

I've been trying to mail my US stimulus check back to the USA for deposit. Someone said "use your bank's phone-app to deposit it". So I installed the app, took pictures of the check, it says "in progress", look again in a day or two to see if it went through okay. Isn't modern technology amazing ? Dora out to work 11-11. She's working Respiratory today: pic.

I went out in midafternoon to get sun and go to fruit/veg shop. Dora out to work 11-11. Around 3:15, I heard a car-accident outside, looked out to see that a taxi had hit a bicycle-food-delivery guy at a nearby intersection. Went out in midafternoon. Zoom call with my siblings in USA at 11 PM. Apparently Dora received her virus-serology (antibody) test results on Saturday morning, 24 hours after the test (which she finds suspicious). Results were negative, no antibodies. Dora out to work 3-11. Respiratory. Dora out to work 7-1. Dora obtained some flu-shots from work, being discarded because technically they expired last month. I'm sure they're still good; Dora and I injected ourselves. We tried for 6 months this last season to get any kind of flu vaccine, and failed. Son refuses the shot.

Dora out to work 3-11. Dora out to work 3-11. Tried to order some medical parts/stuff on Amazon, and everything says expect delivery in second half of July. So I guess the delivery systems are getting gummed up, or the supply chain is empty.

Had a little birthday party, for me. I paid €220 for water bill and some taxes. Dora out to work 3-11. I've been fighting headaches for 2+ days now, not fun.

Dora out to work 7-1.

€300 I got out of the ATM yesterday is all gone, spent. Out with Dora at 10 to go to gestor, to get information about retirement alternatives (pension benefits). Complicated.

Late evening, had a zoom call with my siblings in USA. Nice. Dora out to work 11-11. Dora out to work 11-11. Finally got some life out of the smartwatch I bought for Dora. Had to do a firmware update on it, add more permissions on Android phone, mess with notifications on phone, etc. Instructions are written in a typo-laden translation from Chinese, and are so cryptic as to be nearly useless. Dora out to work 3-11. Dora out to work 7-1. Dora out to work 3-11. Dora out to work 3-11. Late evening, had a zoom call with my siblings in USA. I was tired and had a headache, dropped out early. Dora out to work 3-11. Tomorrow is a holiday, Dia San Jordi, so lots of fireworks/explosions going off, especially in the evening. Holiday. Dora out to work 11-11. Dora out to work 11-11. Dora out to work 11-11. Another sign of return to some normalcy: this evening some independentistas are blocking traffic on Meridiana again. Looks organized, looks like they came in on 6 or 8 big buses. Parents and son out to Peruvian embassy to do paperwork. I cooked dinner. Dora out to work 3-11. When she got home, her smartwatch says she did 11K steps today, so I guess her work involves a lot of walking. Out before noon with Dora and niece. To metro and to NatPolice station, to renew niece's ID card. First time I've been in the metro in 3.5 months. Afterward stopped at an outdoor cafe; also first for that in same amount of time.

Dora out to work 7-1. Dora out after 11, to do errands and then work 3-11. I recharged phone services for me, niece, mother. Dora's son and father went to Correos to mail something to Peru, and found that Peru is not accepting international mail because of the virus, so they couldn't send it.

Huge department store near us, El Corte Ingles, is closing. Dora's son says they're reducing from 5 locations in Barcelona to 2 locations, because of the virus.

Zoom call with my siblings in USA. Niece out to a barbecue/pool with friends. It turned into a sleepover. Dora out to work 3-11. Fortunately not working respiratory today. There's a big lockdown in Lleida (well west of Barcelona) but also there have been virus spikes in a couple of center-city Barcelona districts that are served by her health center. [Later she said at least 3 definitely COVID-sick people came in, to the other side of the clinic, and were sent to hospital. I'm surprised to find out that they don't start contact-tracing right away; after a test result comes back positive, then family will be informed, but it's unclear if anyone does any real contact-tracing.] Dora out to talk to people at clinic, then to work 7-1. Around 1:45 as scheduled, home-insurance-inspector guys show up to investigate water maybe leaking from our main bathroom down into the apartment below. They made me nervous by staying for almost 2 hours, fixing a bunch of stuff, we served dinner to them at our table. Nice guys, but I'm nervous about strangers bringing the virus into the house.

Before 5, Dora's sister arrived from the South. Others out after 10 or so, first to govt office, then to Ikea to buy furniture. Dora's parents came back soon, after the govt office, but Dora and sister and niece were out all day, until 8:30 or so. They bought a lot of stuff, people are going to shift bedrooms, small middle bedroom is going to be painted. But they've hired people to paint, deliver, and assemble, so I won't have to do much. Sister and parents clearing out middle small bedroom so it can be painted. Unfortunately half of the stuff is being moved into the big bathroom.

I tried to avoid the whole circus, but got roped into going out to get more paint. Store doesn't have any more, and I couldn't understand anything else they were trying to tell me. [Later, I found out that when they bought the first paint, they asked the clerks to hide the only remaining tin of the same color and not sell it to anyone else. Then they sent me to go try to buy it.]

Dora out to work 11-11. Painter was here from about 10-7. Nice guy, but when he left he shook hands with me, and immediately I went to wash my hands.

Dora home late at night, and soon emergencies are popping up, can I buy this thing online, can I paint the mother's big bedroom on Monday. Instead, I go to bed. Dora out to work 11-11. Most of the family out shopping in the morning. Workman here from 3-11, delivering and assembling stuff. Sister back to South. Lots of craziness in the morning, moving stuff out, workman here for a couple of hours, out to laundromat. After dinner I walked Dora to metro to go work 3-11. Then I recharged niece's phone SIM; previous recharge didn't work, and they don't give receipt, so I lost €5. This recharge worked.

Out before 3 so son and I could take niece to a medical appointment.

After 9, father and I put out a ton of furniture-type stuff for garbage truck or recyclers to take. In 15 minutes or so, someone was taking a bit of it. I think the mattress was too big for their truck. I groan out of bed after 9:30, and immediately everything is crazy. Truck full of boxes of furniture arrives, and of course we're not ready for it. We scramble to move stuff out of the way, and guys carry in lots of boxes. They're done and go, and Dora is off to hairdresser.

Online, I bought bus tickets for niece and parents to go to the north for 6 weeks or so.

Workman comes and assembles lots of stuff in the bedrooms, but there's some problem with the big furniture for the TV in the living-room. He's gone around 3. Pic.

Walked Dora to metro so she can go to work 7-1.

Heavy rain after midnight. Thought of moving the laundry that's outside on the rack, but there's nowhere to move it to, the balconies are full, everything's in chaos. Workman arrived at 8:30 while most of us still were sleeping. He worked all day, left at 5, living-room is done for now: pic. Dora out to work 3-11.

When Dora came home before midnight, we agreed that the new furniture looks nice, but the sofa has no back-support, it's uncomfortable to sit on. TV news says virus cases are increasing in Barcelona, govt is recommending people stay at home, but no new regulation yet. Parents and niece are due to take bus out tonight; I don't think they'll have any problem. Certain cities such as Lleida and Zaragoza have "no one allowed to leave" restrictions.

Dora out to work 3-11.

Had a zoom call at 11 with my siblings in USA.

Dora home late, at midnight. She's unhappy that the bus ticket I bought stops at Lleida, where there is an outbreak of virus. But about 200 places in Spain have outbreaks now, including here. The others arrived safely in the north. Here, I'm moving around furniture a bit. Dora out to work 3-11. Dora out in late afternoon to go to a meeting at work. I badgered her to tell them that in the future they should use Zoom or something instead of in-person, but apparently that's been asked before, and it's beyond them.

New ceiling lights delivered. I thought workmen were coming with lights to install them, but no, it's just the lights and I'm the one who's going to be installing them. I was out to the food-shops a couple of times before dinner. Still fair number of people not wearing masks, or not wearing them over their faces.

Started to put up one of the new ceiling-lights, and of course I have to drill new holes in plaster, and of course I don't have the right drill-bits. After some consideration, decided to let a workman deal with it. And turns out sister wanted bigger lights anyway, maybe we will send these back. But then I connected one temporarily, and it's plenty bright. Then of course I couldn't get the old light back up, because the plaster had come out of the holes.

Dora out to work 7-1. Apparently today is a holiday to make up for one that was cancelled in April.

Out for a late-night walk with Dora. Warm, still night. To an outdoor cafe for coffees. Dora out to work 11-11. Dora out to work 11-11. Dora out to work 3-11. Late in the evening, she sent me a message saying that neighbors say there are thieves in this area, breaking into cars, maybe trying to get into the buildings. Dora out to work 7-1. A nurse in Dora's department (but on a different shift) is asymptomatic but has tested positive for the virus.

Dora out to work 3-11. Dora out to work 3-11. At 11, I had a Zoom call with my siblings in USA. Late-night TV news says the virus death-toll in Catalunya has picked up again, 19 dead in last 24 hours. Will have to see if other sources report that too. In the evening, out for a sit and walk. Then as soon as I got home, out again for a long walk with Dora to look at sites of 4 or 5 offices she might want to rent. Then to an outdoor cafe.

Things are confusing: she needs to move to a new office, should she get one near home (probably yes), she wants to move out of this apartment and get our own apartment, can we get an apartment where she also has a home office in it ? She'd like to buy an apartment, but I'm dead set against that. The cheaper offices are not near public transit, so harder for patients to get to. Best to have an office at street level, but we don't want an apartment at street level. I'd prefer an already-furnished apartment, she doesn't.

Niece has been begging sister to buy a dog for her, which might be enough to drive us out of this apartment. Parent's health situations are going downhill slowly. What costs would we still pay for niece and parents and this apartment if we moved out to another apartment ?

It's August; shops and govt offices are closing or going on short hours, people leaving town for vacation, so hard to get anything done quickly. Which is okay with me. Dora out to work 3-11. Out with Dora in late afternoon to look at an office in Maragall, which turned out to be high on a hill, hard to get to. Dora out to work 7-1. After staying up half the night, Dora was out before 10 to go to her work to get a virus-test. She's had a sore throat for a few days, some headache, a little coughing. Expects to have the test results in about 2 days.

At 12:30, son and I met her on the other side of this apartment complex, and an agent showed us an apartment for rent. It's similar to the one we're living in now (same builder, same complex, different layout, slightly smaller), and only about 300 feet away across a courtyard. A govt-subsidized price of €1050/month, big enough for the three of us and Dora's office, two full bathrooms, balconies on front and back. Still need to get owner's approval to have an office in it, then do govt paperwork also. And we'll need to buy a refrigerator, washing machine, beds, etc. Do utilities etc. Move stuff from the current apartment and from her clinic office. It's on floor 2, so patients would have to be buzzed in and come up the elevator.

We're all inclined to do it. Dora really wants her own apartment, she needs a new office (and a single room in the clinic is costing her €450/month), this place is close to her parents and niece, between two Metro stations and near lots of buses, easy for patients and Dora to get to, there's parking underneath and outside, we know the area well, etc. I joked that we can string a line across the courtyard so we can pass her mother's cooking over to us.

But an hour later, the owner is saying we can't have an office in the apartment. Dora says we should have not mentioned an office, just done it anyway. Too late now.

In the evening, I tried to inject some super-glue into some loose screw-holes in a door, and had my usual experience with super-glue: squeeze, why isn't it coming out, suddenly it's coming out the side and all over my fingers. Narrowly escaped gluing my fingers together. Cleaned up as best I could, tried again with another tube, mostly got the glue where I wanted it to go, but even that tube was not acting quite right. Online, we found that Dora's test for SARS-CoV-2 was negative. Up at 8, out to meet a real-estate agent at 9 to see an office. Not surprised that Dora had the time wrong; we could have slept an extra half-hour, but on the other hand she had time to grab coffee and toast at a cafe.

As I expected, the office was terrible, only the location and price are good.

Dora off to work 11-11. Dora off to work 11-11. Out in the evening with Dora to look at an apartment a couple of blocks from Sagrada Familia. Nice location, apartment in better shape than Dora expected, the agent said no problem to have an office in it, rent quite reasonable (€1150/month). But no air-conditioning, too many rooms with each ending up a little small, I didn't like it so much.

Out, and to a Taco Bell across from Sagrada Familia for ice cream, then to the park to sit for a while. Far less crowded than it usually is. Most of the tourist-looking people were not wearing masks.

As we talked, we slowly changed our thought process from "apartment near current apartment" or "apartment in interesting area such as Sagrada Familia" to "apartment near Dora's work so she saves nearly 2 hours of commuting on each workday and can come home to eat". So we'll have to do some investigating on that angle. Dora out all morning, vacating her private office and having a workman move everything into a storage unit. She's home for dinner, then off to work 3-11. Out with Dora before 4. Metro to go see an apartment between Sagrada Familia and Glories. As Dora expected, not an interesting neighborhood, and the apartment fronts right on a very busy street, essentially a highway. Nice kitchen and bathrooms, other rooms kind of small, basic furnishings, air-conditioning. €1100/month, plus agency charges 10%, something maybe the other apartments have too.

Out, to a cafe a for a while. Then Dora off to work 7-1, I headed home with a couple of stops. Workman arrived around 9:15, started putting up ceiling lights.

Despite continuing lower-back pain, Dora is off to work 3-11.

Two of Dora's relatives in Peru have died recently, one from COVID-19. And the COVID numbers from Peru are very bad, they're having a terrible time there. She says many of her relatives are at home sick with COVID.

Spain has many outbreaks, but death numbers have been slow to increase. I think that's changing; Catalunya alone is having about 30 deaths per day now. Slept late. Dora to work 3-11.

Saw a news article saying they're going to start mass testing for SARS-CoV-2 in Barcelona, starting with OUR district [actually, I found out later, just one isolated neighborhood of our district]. Apparently our district has the lowest average income and the highest infection rate. We're number one !

Late-night Zoom call with my siblings in USA and my aunt. Nice.

Barca played Bayern in Champions League and got destroyed 2-8. Dora out with son to take a load of stuff to a nearby office. I thought she was just renting a storage space, but now it seems she's renting an office.

In the evening, I was out for a nice walk, then out again for a late-evening walk with Dora and to an outdoor cafe for drinks and nibbles. Still plenty of people out on the streets not wearing masks. I haven't been feeling well for a day or two now, headaches and some GI problems and feeling a little tired. But I'm not running a temperature.

Out to sit in the plaza in the evening, then later out for a walk and sit with Dora (pic) and then to an outdoor cafe. But it was noisy and most people had brought their dogs which were barking at each other. Out around noon with Dora, to buy some things, then she wanted coffee in a cafe.

After dinner, Dora out to work 3-11. Dora and son out to her new private office (pic) for the morning and early afternoon. Apparently we're going to a big amusement park well south of here, for a weekend about 10 days from now. I'm not in favor of the trip, but the family of her sister from the north will be there, and we want to see them. We're not supposed to do optional travel during this pandemic. And I'm even less in favor when the price keeps climbing and it turns out we'll only have one day of overlap with them. But Dora and her son really want to go, so Im overruled.

Dora out to work 7-1.

During the night, I couldn't sleep at all for about the first 2/3 of the night. To bank with Dora for 0900 appointment. Trying to open an account for me to get a credit card. The lady was very helpful, but it turned into a huge ordeal, open a bank account then an account with their affiliate, my phone and their computers fighting us at every step. Have to install THREE apps on my phone and allow location services. Finally left after almost 2 hours and it's still not working. Accounts are open, I think debit card is coming in mail, but unable to "unblock" a credit card so I can get it. Maybe have to let things settle for a few days and see if it works then.

Home around 11, and Dora immediately out again with her son to do errands. I'm sleepy and so is she, but she's continuing.

On home Wi-Fi and my laptop, I can log into the new accounts, but trying to get to a credit card fails in the same way, so I guess I'll try again in several days.

Dora and son were home about 3 hours later, tired and hot and having failed at both their errands. Still not feeling totally well, mostly a headache.

Feeling better after dinner. Out to Dia for a huge load of groceries.

Out in evening with Dora and son, to ECI to arrange school uniform for niece, and put it on layaway. Total is going to come to €385 plus a couple of pairs of shoes, which is pretty shocking. Dora out to work 11-11.

In late evening, bought bus tickets for niece and grandparents to return from Laredo, and 5 seconds after I finished buying them, was told a 4th person (sister) will be traveling too. Son did that ticket, but I would have done it if I'd known. Dora out to work 11-11. Out around noon with Dora. To farmacia, to buy shingles vaccine. Apparently you can only buy the old vaccine, and each pharmacy is limited to one dose per day, and it's expensive (€183). So we ordered one dose.

Walked to Dora's new private office, which is at the edge of walkable distance. Nice place, she has a room in a mostly-architects office with about 10 rooms. Put up her advertising banners on the front door.

Out in early evening. Bought vaccine at farmacia. With Dora to another farmacia, and ordered another dose. To a couple of shops and home.

In late evening, Dora and son injected the vaccine into me. Dora and son out all morning, at her private office with a couple of patients.

Around 12:45, I met Dora at the bank and they did more work to get a credit card for me. It's this dance: open a bank acct, open a card account, close the bank acct. They say it's working.

After dinner, Dora off to work 3-11. Around the corner, her shoes started coming apart, I had to dash out to take other shoes to her.

Out later and bought the other dose of vaccine, another €183.

Dora home at midnight. She didn't want to take the shingles vaccine, but around 1 AM her son administered it to her. Dora out to a class.

Dora's mobile phone is half-frozen: the display is showing partially, it still reacts to some buttons on the side and to the charger, but the display never updates, and it won't shut down. Looked up instructions on the internet, and of course the back is GLUED on and you need a heat-gun to take it off to get the battery out.

Out with Dora before 1. To ATM, to phone-repair shop, then printer-ink place, favorite butcher is on vacation, bought stuff at Bon Area. Hot. Home.

Out again about 90 minutes later to pick up the phone, it's been rebooted, no loss of data. I'm lighter by €40.

Dora had been scheduled to go to a medical class in the Canary Islands in mid-September, and was insisting I go with her. I'm relieved to hear that the class has been postponed, mostly because of COVID I'm sure.

Dora to work 7-1. Dora out at 9:30. I start having breakfast, and soon I'm getting messages from her, her shoe is broken, she forgot her glasses, meet her here, meet here there. Argh ! Before she left this morning, I told her to take a spare pair of shoes.

So, after a bit, I go to meet here at ECI. Of course I've brought the wrong eyeglasses; they'll work but the other ones are more stylish. She finishes at the mailing counter, outside, switch shoes. She's off to Metro, I'm into Mercadona for groceries and then home.

Dora not home for dinner, and working 3-11 today. Son out after 7 AM, to catch train to Port Aventura amusement park an hour or so south of here, to meet the family from the north there. Dora and I will make the same trip tomorrow.

Dora out to beauty parlor. I went to ATM, phone shop to recharge my phone, niece's, and mother's. Bought fruit. Home, then out to ECI to meet Dora. Saw about niece's school uniform, then lunch for Dora in HCC. Dora to work 3-11, I'm back to phone shop to put another €20 into mother's phone. She needs to call Peru, where several relatives are in hospital with serious cases of COVID. Two other relatives there have died of it in the last several months.

Dora's private office says she can't see patients there; I guess they expected her to use it just as storage. So she has to find another place.

Rain starting a little after 10. Supposed to be cool and rainy all weekend, while we're at the amusement park.

Zoom call with siblings in USA. Dora home early from work.



Trip to Port Aventura:
Lovely cool sunny day. Dora out to work 12 to maybe 8 [actually 9]. Sister, niece and parents arrive from north around 8. Lots of clamor for a while. Later niece and Dora get in an argument. Finally some peace and quiet as sister and Dora head out to Ikea to buy more furniture (just what we need, more furniture), and son and niece go to ECI to buy luggage.

Dora and sister hitting major snags at IKEA, so we had dinner at 3 without them. I'm very glad I didn't go with them.

Finally at 8 PM they arrived in the truck, and we carried a zillion small items and a few big ones up into the apartment. Crazy !

Son's flight to Poland on 7th is cancelled; he rescheduled for 18th. Maybe that one will get cancelled too. He needs to get to medical school in Slovakia. If he goes by surface (bus or train), he'll get quarantined at every frontier. Usual craziness in the morning, with workman showing up at 8:45 or so and women debating furniture etc. I like quiet while I'm having my breakfast and getting started on the day.

Out before 10 with Dora. Supposed to just go to dentist's office to check something, but as usual the trip ended up with 2 more stops and then a cafe, then she took a taxi back home because she was running out of time to take her mother to a medical appointment.

At 11:45, call from Dora, she's at the mall with her mother, I should bring the niece to buy the school uniforms. What happened to the medical appointment ? [Found out later, hospital only did a virus PCR test on the mother, she'll go back for the real appointment on Friday.] Niece and I hustle over to mall, and no sign of Dora and mother. Turns out they're up in the cafeteria. I hustle back home to retrieve the paperwork I forgot to bring. Back to mall with sister, and wait as Dora does the cashier and various other articles of clothing.

Eventually done, and niece and mother have disappeared. I go home with most of the clothing. Have a shower. Niece and mother arrive in taxi, but no sign of Dora and sister. Eventually they turned up. I did veal and salad, we added rice and lentils, dinner for 8 of us.

Dinner, then nap. Walked Dora to metro to work 7-1. I sat in plaza, then for groceries.

Workman worked all day, finished after 10. We fed him mid-day dinner and some late dinner. I have a desk now, niece's bedroom is almost finished, etc.

Niece ordered delivery from McDonald's using a mobile phone, but all they delivered was mayonaisse, she screwed up the order. :-) Sister back to south, so now we are 6 in the apartment.

Dora out to medical association. Around 11:30, air-con tech and furniture workman arrived within minutes of each other. I had to move ceiling panels before and after the tech was here.

Out a couple of times in early evening, to stores. Groceries, hardware, meat, etc.

Workman stayed until 10 or so. In our bedroom, Dora had us stack one chest of drawers on top of another so she had space to add a big makeup table.

Watched about half of the Germany / Spain football game, and it was a bit boring. But with minus-one-minute remaining, Spain scored to eke out a tie, 1-1. Dora hustled to get to an 8 AM medical appointment for her mother, taking niece with them, only to find that they had the date off by a month. Mother waiting for other 11:15 appointment while Dora and niece go on errand. But then Dora managed to reschedule the missed appointment for 11 today, so all is well.

They didn't get home until around 3. Dinner was waiting.

Around 3:15 a technician arrived. I've been agitating for months to get oxygen for Dora's mother, and Dora's been resisting me every step of the way. Finally after the mother's appointments today, the NHS is supplying us with oxygen. The technician delivered not only an AC-powered machine/tank she can wheel around a little, but a big manual tank also (in case the power fails, I guess), and a wearable machine she can use outside.

I'm surprised to see Dora's mother using the oxygen continuously, right away. She's been resistant to the idea, and I thought she'd use it only sporadically. But she really needs it now, I think.

Out at 5:30 with niece, and met Dora on F-i-P. Into a taxi and to a gymnastics club not too far away. Registered niece for classes, out and to farmacia, then niece says she doesn't want this kind of class. Back into gym and got my money back; extracting it back from Dora was a little more difficult. To a cafe for a while. Over phone, Dora signing up niece for the class she used to take, near the beach but requiring us all to get up at 7 AM each Saturday morning, sigh.

Eventually to Congress metro, to VA, stop for fruit and shopping etc. The three of us got separated and all came home separately. Up at 7. To bus stop with niece and Dora's father by 8:10 or so, just missed a bus, waited 10 for next one. To Mar Bella complex at the waterfront for gymnastics class. Things have changed a bit because of virus, but niece got in (and had her temperature scanned) and had a good class 9-11. Home before noon; I went for groceries. Dora is out to work 11-11.

Son's flight back to medical school in Slovakia on 18th is cancelled. He's going to have to explore land options. Dora out to work 11-11.

At night, pouring rain after 10:30 or so, just in time for Dora getting out of work. But she got out late, got rained on going to the metro, and the rain had almost completely stopped by the time I went to the metro to meet her, after midnight.

Pouring rain again before 1 AM. Dora and her mother and son calling Peru, a family member there is sick. [It turned out not to be COVID, but a couple of very serious chronic conditions.] Before dawn, Dora tells me we have 11 AM ecography appointments.

Just before 10, as I'm trying to get Dora out the door, the workman arrives. He wants to be paid, and Dora spends 10 minutes chatting and explaining that her sister has to pay. Finally we're out the door, and to the bus stop. Run and the bus waits and we catch it.

Half a mile down the road, Dora gets a message on her phone or looks on her phone and realizes the appointments are for tomorrow, not today. Off the bus and walk toward home. She heads off for a beauty parlor, I go home.

In midafternoon, son finds a flight Barcelona - Munich - Vienna - Kosice and I book it. About double the usual price, but if it works to get him back to medical school ...

Dora out before 6, to her private office to see a patient. Son to join her.

Started pouring rain around 7:30. Dora out at 7:15 or so, to an all-day medical congress.

I'm out after 10. To H6 bus, long ride to CIMA hospital, met Dora there. Had appointments, a scan for me and two for Dora, and scheduled three more tests for me in the next couple of weeks. Briefly to the cafe, then I headed out to the bus. Long, slow ride home. Son out at 8:30 to get a PCR test in advance of traveling back to medical school in Slovakia.

Social worker arrived before 9 to interview us and maybe arrange help for Dora's parents. Done before 9:30.

Dora to her congress around 10:45, in taxi through rain.

In late afternoon, SNAFU. "Parents" are supposed to go to a big meeting at niece's school at 6. Dora is at medical congress, son is going out, niece refuses to go, so the guy who doesn't really speak Spanish is going. I get over there and the place is empty, find out the meeting is online. Back home, rush to find out details and passwords etc, finally connect well after 6:20. Some slide-show and talk about COVID prevention measures, classes, rules, etc. Niece and grandmother start watching it. 15 minutes later Dora was connected too, from her congress.

Niece out later to a party with friends at McDonalds. I went to sit in plaza and wait for Dora to arrive on Metro, but then rain and cold wind drove me down into the station. Rain stopped before she arrived.

Later Dora out to talk to other parents at niece's party. Dora up before 5 and turning on lights to search for documents, so I got up too for a while. Back to bed. Up before 9, and she has papers spread out everywhere.

By 9:30 or so, Dora running around yelling at various people, then out with her father to sudden medical appointment and then errands.

In late afternoon, out to plaza and then for groceries. Then as I'm at an ATM trying to do a complicated payment, Dora calls, she's in a taxi and needs me to pay. We manage to meet on the streetcorner and I give cash to her.

Out at 7:30 or so with Dora, to farmacia. A long list of items, stuff for son to take to medical school, and stocking up at home. 28 boxes of medicine for €50. Amazing how cheap much of the medicine is here, although we're lucky that none of us have conditions requiring anything unusual. Son's PCR test results came back negative, so he's one step closer to flying back to medical school on Sunday.

Had a late-night Zoom call with siblings and aunt in USA, but I was tired and couldn't get very engaged with it. Dora couldn't sleep last night, was up all night, and then has to work 8-8 today. And of course she left everything (such as ironing) to the last minute, so she's out at 7:30 with some shouting, and has to take a taxi to work.

I'm out after 8 with niece and Dora's father. To V27 bus, and to Mar Bella on the waterfront. Niece into gymnastics class, and father and I went our separate ways for 2 hours. Niece out at 11.

We all want to go home, but Dora has scheduled medical tests for us at her job. So walk to metro, ride, connect, ride, out and to the big clinic. Where everything is busy, and Dora is finagling paperwork for us. We're back and forth, then waiting outside the building for a long time. I thought niece has to have a PCR test for school, but turns out that's wrong, Dora just wants us all to have PCR tests, and an x-ray of my still-aching ribs. The wait drags on, I park niece and father at a cafe across the street.

Finally they get to go in, but my test has to be done tomorrow. I think I'm going to skip it.

They're out, we want to eat, but Dora is busy, and then she's committed to an x-ray for me. I send niece and father across the street to eat, and I wait. Eventually a technician takes 4 x-rays of my ribs, and they decide no fractures.

We get out, put niece and father into a taxi to go home, and Dora and I have lunch in a cafe.

Done, long metro ride, I'm home before 5.

Dora home at 9:45, and she's tired but not dead, more energy than I expected.

I think we all slept well. Lots of packing etc as son gets ready to fly back to medical school in Slovakia.

I go out, get €400 from ATM, then go for groceries and fruit. Back home, and almost all of my cash immediately gets distributed to Dora's mother, Dora, and son. Poof !

Dora and father and son off to the airport after noon.

Out at 2:30 to meet Dora and father at a metro station and go to a restaurant. But they didn't arrive until almost 4. Someone on the train barged in front of Dora and flagrantly violated social distancing, she had words with them and their two friends, then one of them came over and kicked her and wanted to fight. Sounds like Dora gave as good as she got; she had some martial-arts classes a long time ago. Then she tried to report to the train guards and the real police, and none of them were interested at all. She went to a health clinic and found her blood pressure was sky-high. Finally to me and we went to a Chinese restaurant.

After midnight, son arrived okay to his apartment in Kosice Slovakia. Up before 6:45, niece getting ready for first day of school. She's in the upper grades now, in a new building, and they start an hour earlier now (0800), so it will be an adjustment.

SNAFU. Dora's phone still dead because she lost the charging cord. We hustle to get out the door late, down to school, arrive a little after 8, and find out that on the first day only, they start at 9. No one read the instructions I printed out and handed to Dora and niece, and I should have read them more carefully myself. Dora and niece into a cafe, while I go to an ATM and then home to pick up the bag of stuff Dora forgot to bring.

To the cafe, get niece to practice English a little (she has an exam today, to determine level). To school, and now all the students are there, waiting outside. Dora not pleased to see that a boy she knows had COIVD symptoms (or someone in his family did), is there and going in. Niece herself is not 100% healthy, but doesn't have COVID symptoms. PCR test results should come tomorrow.

Take a few pictures. Kids go in, Dora goes off to do an errand, I go home. Check two stores to see if I can buy a charging cord, but neither of them is open yet.

Niece home from school after 1, and she's feeling bad. Doesn't eat dinner, and eventually to bed and she's not going back to school for the afternoon session.

I go out to sit in plaza, then buy a charging cord for Dora, and then to fruit shop.

Dora home around 5, tired and stressed and ready to bite my head off at anything I say.

Belatedly I try to take niece's temperature, but neither the non-contact nor electronic-with-contact devices are giving me numbers I believe. Her forehead feels hot.

Scramble to find ID cards; somehow Dora lost or had stolen the niece's health card when we went for tests on Saturday.

Then Dora on Skype to Peru, some relative there needs an ICU bed and Dora is trying to pull strings for them.

Out after 7:30 or so. Down to main street and caught a taxi after 5 minutes or so. Started to the local health clinic, but the driver said it would be closed, and we went to the main hospital. Eventually found pediatric urgencies. I got kicked out to wait outside. Waited maybe an hour.

They came out. Niece has a virus but it's not SARS-CoV-2. She has to stay home and isolate for several days.

Down to main road, Dora bought a ton of soda and snacks for niece. Caught a taxi after 10 minutes or so. Home after 9. Out after 8:30 with Dora's father, soon followed by Dora. Lots of people out, lovely weather. Longish walk to a hearing-aid place, long appointment there. To a cafe. We were supposed to go to a bank, but Dora off to a medical appointment. I went to an ATM and paid a bill for Dora's next Catalan class.

In late afternoon, went to bus stop to meet Dora and carry bags for her, and of course somehow she slipped past me and I wasted half an hour of my life waiting.

Dora received a message from a radiologist at her clinic where I had my ribs x-rayed. I DO have a fractured rib. I want more details. Relevant: pic. At 7:45 a crazy woman barges into my bedroom and yells at me to get up, we're all going to be at the bank at 8:30 when it opens. I stagger out, get some breakfast, then at 8:40 she's still copying documents and not even close to going out.

By 9:45, I've convinced Dora not to drag her mother and niece out to the bank.

10:05, she's still copying documents.

Then at 11:20 I'm informed that everyone is going out. Out at 11:30. Dora disappears to one bank for 20+ minutes while the rest of wait on a street. Around noon, she reappears, calls for a big taxi, and there are none to be had. She flags down a normal taxi and she, niece and mother get in. Takes me 5 minutes to flag down another, and father and I get in. To another bank. Wait 10 minutes, and they're out, failed, but found info of office they need to call.

Put niece and mother in a cafe and order food. I go to join Dora and father in hearing-aid place. Takes a while. Out and back to cafe. Dora jumps in a taxi and is off to an appointment at the CIMA hospital. Soon we finish at the cafe, I put the other three in a taxi to go home. I get in a bus, connect to another bus, eventually to CIMA hospital.

Can't find Dora, I go to a cafe, get two bites of lunch, then she calls. I'm not supposed to eat before my test at 5:30. Now I'm really grouchy. Dora shows up. She had her scan, but it was late, radiography is crowded.

Soon we're across to the hospital. She sweet-talks them into doing my blood sample early. Then down to Urgencies. I think she's just doing this as a dodge to get my kidney-ecography without going through the line in Radiography, but it turns out she's in distress. So we end up in urgent/emergency next to each other. It's not very busy. I fib to get my ecography, which turns up normal. Dora turns out to have dangerously high blood-pressure, and is medicated and has to sit for more than an hour as her pressure comes down.

I go back up to laboratory to have blood taken again for much more extensive tests, and they take a LOT of blood. Wait 45 minutes or so for Dora to get out. She checks on one more test, has to schedule it for tomorrow.

Into a taxi. Home at 7:15.

No time to rest or shower; have to go to a private mass at 7:45.

And of course despite planning this days or more in advance, Dora is scrambling at the last minute to find photos etc. We're out late, supposedly to a private mass for just the 5 (actually 3) of us. We get there at 8, find it's a public mass with about 20 other people there, already in progress. Priest says the names of the four people we've come to memorialize, but Dora says he gets two of them a bit wrong. At the end of the mass, zing, he's out of there and lights are being turned off. I say maybe his TV show is starting 10 minutes. We leave one set of flowers we brought, cart the rest of it home. Dora chats with several women who attended, probably trying to promote her medical business.

Home by 8:30 or so, and finally get a shave and a shower, then some food.

After 11, Dora getting ready to go out to police station, to report the Metro altercation that happened three days ago. I've told her ten times not to bother. And she wants me to go with her.

She went around midnight, had to wait about 2 hours, eventually got in, did everything, home by 3:30 or so. Up at 9:30, and Dora has been copying more documents and already is missing one medical appointment at the CIMA hospital. Soon I'm scanning documents and figuring out how to send them electronically to her doctor in the NHS.

Social worker arrived at 11:30 or so. Brought an "alert" device for Dora's parents, and buttons for them to wear, so they can push a button to summon aid. I plugged it into the telephone wire, they tested it, then unplugged it, said a technician will come tomorrow to plug it into the telephone wire (!).

Dora out at 12:45, late for her next set of medical appointments.

Online, I'm starting to send all my medical records from private hospital to NHS. Have to scan paper and send it through an NHS web site, not too bad.

I must say there's method to Dora's madness. Between the police report and the high blood pressure and medical tests, she got a letter from her famil doctor saying she can be off work for up to 49 days.

[Dora told me later: in the AM hours, she saw three guys fighting with bottles across the street from our apartment, called the police, the police came and grabbed them.] I'm up briefly before 6, but get sucked into Dora's orbit, she need documents, and she's going out to a 0700 blood test. I do some things and go back to bed. Dora still here when I get up at 9:15. Finally she's out at 9:45, but to a bank.

I go out to a couple of errands (niece's school, farmacia) and basically fail at both of them. Dora wants me to go across town to see an apartment, but I'm not going.

Dora home at 9:45. Niece still sick, no gymnastics class this morning.

Dora out to class 9-2. Home at 4.

Out at 5:30, into a taxi with Dora and father. To La Rambla, and to a church/monastery that Dora has been going to. Upstairs and into a moderate-sized chapel for a mass to commemorate one of their relatives in Peru who died. I'm a bit alarmed to see that the three of us, plus one more man, are the only ones wearing masks out of about 18 people present. Most of the others live here, this is their home, but still. And half the time Dora didn't have her mask on either.

The mass was okay, but Dora was trying to Zoom it to her relatives in Peru, and typing texts to them, which I thought was a bit embarrassing. Afterward, I got tapped to make a €100 donation to pay for it. Dora chatted with a man for a while, showing him pictures from Peru, while her father and I were itching to leave.

Up to Placa Catalunya, and into a cafe for drink and snacks. Then a hot metro ride to FiP. Independentismos blocking the big intersection as usual, they were doing it last night too. Home by 9. Took a shower. Niece well enough to go out once with Dora, then twice with her friends. Dora supposed to go to 0700 blood test, but she didn't go to bed until 0520 last night.

Niece back to school.

Dora out at 11 or so to medical appointments.

Heavy, heavy rain starting a little after 1, just as kids getting out of school. And we're supposed to go to the bank. I went to school to take an umbrella to the niece, and 5 minutes later Dora's father did the same, but niece slipped past both of us somehow. I headed home, and met Dora's mother going to the bank. So the two of us went there, and got various things done, but it was slow. Home and dinner, as niece is going back to school.

Emailed my election ballot to USA. Now I have to paper-mail it too.

Dora home in late afternoon, then out again for the evening, but not before having a big shouting argument with the niece, probably about her mobile phone or something. Before I could get out the door to go to the consulate, Dora intercepted me and sucked me into going to local health center to fight about paperwork.

Then she wasted another 1.5 hours before we actually got out the door. I started walking to the health center, lugging heavy binders. And of course she pulls up in a taxi, now in a hurry.

We get to the health center and of course there's a long line. Dora disappears inside and goes to some administrative office. Then she starts calling me, telling me to come inside with her father, but I can't get past the guard and receptionist. Then she says she'll come down to get documents from me, I go in, but she doesn't come down. Back outside. Eventually she comes down and we go inside.

Then we stand in the lobby for more than an hour, as she sorts photocopies into big envelopes for each of the 5 of us. Apparently the 50 or so electronic copies I uploaded into their computer system are somewhere that the local administrator can't see or won't accept; we have to do paper.

Finally she goes to a clerk, they take the envelopes, don't need to see me or the father or see any of our IDs. Then Dora is talking for another 10+ minutes. I'm watching it get dark outside; looks like it's going to start pouring rain at any moment. Then she's done, but instead of going out the door, she goes back upstairs. Then she's back down and talking to the clerks again.

Finally we're out, and I walk home fast before she can rope me into a taxi or a cafe or it starts raining. But the weather is clearing, and I get home before 1:45. Dora and father go to bank, I think.

She's home after 2:30 or so, and she's tired and stressed out. But has a medical appointment later.

Sudden heavy rain starting at 4.

Dora out later, out most of the evening. Home, then out to farmacia, then to a small supermercado while I'm waiting at home so I can do travel tickets.

Finally around midnight I buy bus tickets for Dora and niece to get part of the way to the south. Dora out to spend most of the day at the hospital.

I'm out around 10. To metro, to bus, to US consulate. To vote I have to go all the way through Security and inside, which I wasn't expecting. But they nicely gave me a US-postpaid envelope which I didn't know I had to bring. Dropped my ballot in the box.

Tricky to get down into the center from there. Bus, walk, bus, walk. To a gun-shop, where I bought pepper-spray for Dora. To metro and home before 1. First thing Dora said was that she wanted me to buy some for her sister too. Too bad.

Dora's son at medical school in Slovakia is still in quarantine, waiting for virus test results. Classes started Monday, two days ago. He can watch the lectures online, but he needs to do rounds in the hospital.

Dora home before 6, and she's exhausted, didn't eat all day. I buy a BlaBlaCar for her tomorrow. She eats. Then she has to go out to local health center to pick up a paper.

After 7, I went with her to the health center. SNAFU. Instead of a referral we went to pick up, they had some simple printout of a visit we made. They gave us back unopened an envelope we gave them yesterday. Their records for Dora's parents have the wrong diagnoses/codes on them.

Out, then Dora wants me to tag along to two farmacias, but I go home.

As Dora and niece pack, I'm getting a sinking feeling about their trip. They're connecting through south Madrid, and the news is full of stories about how that's a major hotspot for the virus, and the govt is putting new restrictions on movements. I hope they don't get stopped and fined and sent home. They're traveling both for a valid reason (Dora has to do paperwork in the South) and for vacation.

As usual, Dora and niece are late getting out the door. They had planned to take the Metro, but I put them in a taxi at 9:24 to catch a 10:00 bus. Dora and niece made it to Madrid on the bus, and onto the BlaBlaCar to go to Seville. A relief.

I think they arrived in Sanlucar around 5. So about a 19-hour trip.

It's suddenly changed from summer to autumn here. Cool, breezey weather. In Cadiz, Dora has found that her doctor in Jerez never transferred her baja records to Barcelona, potentially costing her nearly a year of pension credit. Her blood pressure is spiking (I'm serious). She's going to yell at him and probably hire a lawyer. And she's upset with her niece, so that's a mess too.

In Slovakia, Dora's son has tested negative for virus, can start classes on Monday, and rounds.

Had a Zoom call with siblings in USA; nice. Changed my laptop from Ubuntu GNOME 20.04 to Ubuntu MATE 20.04.

Recharged accounts for mother's and niece's phones.

In Slovakia, Dora's son's university has cancelled all in-person classes. Apparently all the foreign students were forced to get virus tests, but the local students weren't, and now there are 70 positive cases. Quiet too-cool day, until lots of nice fireworks nearby starting at 10 PM.

Big blowup between Dora and niece has continued in the South. Now they're talking again about the niece moving to the South to live with her mother there. But there are N reasons against doing that.

Finally getting messages from Dora in the late evening. She's going to be in the South at least through Wednesday. Meanwhile her parents here are bored and lonely and the niece is missing days of school. Lots of messages from Dora, looks like niece will be coming back to Barcelona.

Dora's son in Slovakia says the students are going home from university. He's going to wait another week or two before coming back home, will do classes virtually from here. His roommate had one day of classes in person, and he had zero days, before in-person classes were cancelled. Dora called in evening, and I found out most of her reason for her trip to the south was to dump the niece with her mother there. But everyone else in the family (except maybe the niece) disagrees with her about that. So they're both coming back. Typical: after I've been telling her for 2 days that she needs to print the flight itinerary before going to the airport, Dora calls me at 0730 (for 0915 flight) to say her computer can't read the PDF document I emailed to her. So I have to get up and convert it several ways and send it again a couple of ways.

Before 1, Dora arriving at Barcelona airport, and wanting me to come carry luggage for her. Not a chance; it's too late to get there, I don't want to do it, and the police wouldn't let me inside anyway. So I'd travel for a couple of hours to push a baggage cart about 100 yards.

Dora and niece home by 2:30 or so, with a huge amount of luggage.

In early evening, the craziness is starting again. I flee the apartment and go sit in the plaza and ignore half a dozen phone-calls from Dora. Eventually home, then out to farmacia, then out for groceries. Dora is out at her private office, which is demanding rent backdated and in cash, so something dodgy is going on.

Son in Slovakia says a "state of alarm" will be declared there tomorrow, about the virus. So getting him here will be an expensive adventure ... again.

Dora out all evening, first at beauty parlor, then at office. I went to bed early, maybe 11, and she got home maybe 11:30. I got up at 2:15 to find her still up, and having some pain. Got her into bed at 2:20 and she says she has an 0800 appointment at the hospital halfway across town. Why does she do this to herself ? Dora out by 7:45 or so. Niece not going to school, I think she doesn't feel well.

Dora home around 6; she was out of energy, I had to go meet her near the bus stop. But then at home, it was a chore to get her to stop talking on the phone and eat and drink something.

In late evening, I just could not get Dora to go to bed at a reasonable hour. I went to bed around 11. Then at midnight, the niece wakes me up to say she needs something printed for school. It's in Google Docs on her Chromebook, neither of which I've used before. I get our printer known to Google Cloud Print, but can not get her browser / Google Doc to create a print job or see any printer. Finally I save as PDF, take it to Dora's laptop, and print it from there.

Dora to bed around 12:15 and up at 2:45, I think. I give up trying to get her to take care of her health. Up at 7:45, and immediately regretted it. Dora in the usual morning frenzy, and I like everything quiet for an hour or so as I slowly wake up and eat breakfast. Not a chance. Here's laundry to put out, kitchen is full of ironing board etc, find documents online and print them (why couldn't this have been done yesterday evening ?). Finally she's gone around 8:45, with her father.

Now son's medical school is saying they MAY re-open in 2 weeks. But I think almost all the foreign students have gone home. Now they're supposed to fly/train/bus back yet again ?

Went to meet Dora at pastisseria near bus stop, after 8.

Dora finally got a solid 8 hours sleep this night. Up at 7. Out at 8:15 with niece and father, to gymastics near waterfront. Other than missing both of our buses by 30 seconds and having to wait 10 minutes for each, a smooth outing. Sunny, slightly cool, very breezey day. Home before noon. I'm out after 11 or so with Dora, supposedly to go to the CIMA hospital to return the blood-pressure monitor she's been wearing for a day or two. Quickly SNAFU: at the corner of our building, she's not heading for the metro I thought we were heading for. Turns out she wants to go to the Peruvian restaurant for tamales. Then turns out she didn't eat breakfast, she tried all morning to get someone to deliver tamales, and they stiffed her.

Get to the restaurant, and no tamales. So into FiP metro, and long looping ride to hospital are, arguing all the way about 10 different things.

Turns out I've been wrong about the son's medical school in Slovakia. It's split into two parts, a public part for Slovakians, and an expensive private part for foreigners. In March when the pandemic hit, 2 foreign students were infected and the whole foreign half was shut down, but the Slovakian half kept going, no problem for those students. Now again this semester, 20 foreign students tested positive, so foreign half is shut down, Slovakian half is shut down.

On that front, and every other thing we argue about, Dora rejects all of my suggestions, finally I give up.

Out of metro and up to hospital, and I wait outside for 90 minutes or so while she gets tested. It's going to be a week or more before someone tells her what the BP monitors says. Her pressure is too high right now.

Eventually out and down the street, and soon I'm finding out that not only has Dora gone ahead and rented (€561/month including tax, a full year commitment) an office here, she's also rented (€1200/month, a full year commitment) an apartment here for the two of us. So we're moving ASAP.

The apartment is okay, not quite what I wanted (I wanted fully furnished, and 2 full bathrooms instead of 1.5), but all the other items (AC, kitchen equipped, washer, closets, elevator) are there. Rent is okay, maybe good for this area.

I'm going to have to paint the walls in the office, apparently. Didn't go in the office today, but apparently it's almost a full-sized apartment itself (no kitchen).

Down to Diagonal, most things closed today, but found a place for drinks. Found out at least Dora had her accountant review the contracts before she signed for the office and apartment. Moving won't be too hard, but I'm worried about money, and being straddled between two apartments about 45 minutes apart. Dora is pushing the other apartment and niece and (somewhat) parents off onto her sister, with some talk about hiring help for them. I worry about what happens if the health of her parents goes further downhill.

Street art: pics. To metro, and long looping ride back to FiP. To Peruvian restaurant, where I wait outside for half an hour while she chats with the lady. Finally I give up and go home without her. Home after 5.

So, what's done is done. We're moving, for at least a year. Maybe not the apartment I'd have chosen in the area I'd have chosen, but it's not bad. Next to the hospital Dora's been going to, 4 metro stops from her work, near a big set of malls/shopping on Diagonal, area is not without its charms. 2 metro stops from main train/bus station, half as far from airport as our previous place.

Later, I found out that in Peru, the sister of Dora's childhood best friend, aged 38, has died of COVID-19. There will be a mass tonight, and Dora will watch online at 2 AM. Out at 12:30 or so with Dora and parents, and down to bank to try to straighten out the account, splitting it into two. Took over 90 minutes. Afterward, Dora and I to several shops.

Out all evening with Dora, to a real-estate place to sign the contract for her new office. I was mostly able to read the contract (which was in Catalan) and ask intelligent questions. I thought we had to go sign the apartment contract today, but no, Dora did that last Friday (without telling me). Reading the contract, they've back-dated it to a couple of weeks ago, before the new rent-control law took effect. And the rent shows as €1300/month, but then says we pay €1200/month for the first year, again to avoid the rent-control law, I think.

We're waiting to move into the new office and apartment, waiting until Dora can get a refund and get her stuff out of her old office. But to get the refund, she has to send a legal demand. So we're stuck for a couple of days more, I guess.

Niece home at 1 for dinner, and turns out the school is SNAFU too. She doesn't have half of her books, we thought it was because they were back-ordered, now they say we never paid (which is true), I expected to pay on the first day but then they never lined us up to hand out books or told us to pay, etc. Books were bought two different ways, I paid one set but they never billed us for the other set. Niece went for first morning of first day of school, then was out sick all week, then went to the south for a vacation. So all this is just coming to light now. The front desk doesn't know anything, the only person who knows comes in at 5.

Out after 5 with Dora, late for everything. Gave up on most stuff, headed across town to medical appointment. But running half an hour late, cancelled it as we neared the hospital. Instead stopped at new office and then new apartment, doing various little chores. Then to ECI and sent the legal letter. Bought a schoolbook for the niece. Eventually out, and eventually into metro. Home by 10, tired. Out at 11 or so. To farmacia for a medicine, to phone store to charge account of my phone, to Abacus but they didn't have book for niece, to Dia for a few items. Home, and then out with Dora. To ECI to send a second burofax and order book for niece, then to cafe, then to shop to pay a big bill they've run up and get a bunch of binders and such. Home, while Dora is off to get papers from opthamology shop. Which was closed, but somehow she stayed out for an hour anyway, and came home tired.

Dora said we were going out to a govt office at 4, but that didn't happen, then said we were moving starting at 6, but that didn't happen. Now it's 8:10 and counting, and I have no idea if anything will happen.

At 8:45, Dora says guy is coming at 5 AM, we'll move the easy stuff, go to office and move more easy stuff, he has another job at 9. I guess truck will come again another day for more stuff. Crazy !

Finally around 9:30, after I pack all my clothes, Dora gets moving and starts packing things. Up at 0410. Packing, then started moving things down to the street. Of course the "0" button in the elevator has been broken for a couple of days, so after loading the elevator I have to go down the stairs and push the button. Soon stationed Dora's father down there to watch the stuff and push the button.

Benigno and truck showed up before 5. Started moving lots of stuff. Each time I thought we were nearly finished, it turned out we were taking something that I had thought would wait until another day. Dora and I own more of the stuff here than I thought. Pretty much filled the truck, and still left behind two big chests of drawers and three full suitcases on the balcony.

Into truck by about 7, and careful ride to the new apartment. Unloading went faster, with Benigno doing most of the harder work downstairs, loading everything into the elevator, and me upstairs unloading the elevator and carrying stuff into the apartment. Last few loads were the two big mattresses and the big TV.

Done by 8:20, and Dora is taking Benigno to cafe next door for breakfast. I'm sweaty and aching, instead I go upstairs. Drink water and take an ibuprofen. At first no water from hot side of bathroom faucet; figure out how to turn that on. Then no hot water, figure out how to turn on the water-heater. Find fresh clothes, by searching through about 10 bags. Shave and have a nice shower. Lie down. Soon Dora arrives.

I nap for a couple of hours. Up feeling groggy, and start getting things set up. Printer leaked some ink during the move, but otherwise everything seems okay. Dora can't find her new keys at the moment, so right how I have the only set of all the keys. No internet here, and no free Wi-Fi signals nearby.

Dora late for her 11:30 medical appointment, even though now the hospital is 5 minutes away instead of an hour away. I go out at noon to Carrefour and buy some essentials.

Home to apartment, then out to private office to meet electrical inspector at 12:30. I loaf while he inspects and inspects. I think he's inspecting far more than electrical: he draws a floorplan of the whole place, investigates all sides outside, the floor below, etc. Finally done at 1:50.

I go home to wait for Dora, who has had a long slow time of it at the hospital. We're supposed to dash back to the old apartment and meet the truck there again at 3, move stuff, then go to her old office and move stuff. But she's running late. And she wants to go to a govt office later. That's probably going to be pushed to tomorrow, as it has been for each of the last couple of days.

Dora eventually home very late, at 2:45. And announces she's traveling to Bilbao tomorrow for several days of vacation with her sister's family there. She's been trying to talk me into doing that for a week now, but there's a pandemic, we're still in the middle of moving, etc. I'll stay here and relax and cook what I want.

But she's smiling, she's happy we're in our own apartment.

She can't find either pair of her reading-glasses, but eventually I find one pair (that will work, not what she was looking for) in a suitcase. [Later we found another.]

I'm out to Carrefour again to buy various real food this time.

Now workers are coming tomorrow to remodel both bathrooms, and Dora won't be here. Should be interesting. I was looking forward to some peace and quiet. But 5 minutes later, the plan has changed, workers are coming on Wednesday. Dora thought the agreement was a total remodel of both bathrooms, workers thought they were coming to clean the ceilings or something.

Dora cooks spaghetti for dinner. We have new silverware, but the only plates are decorative Christmas plates. Good enough. Pic.

I turn on the hot-spot in Dora's phone and get Wi-Fi access.

Turns out there are no seats in buses or trains to Bilbao today or tomorrow, and flights are not cheap. Requested a BlaBlaCar for her, early tomorrow morning, but no response from the driver. Apparently this is a holiday weekend starting.

Missing a small antenna-cable-adapter for the TV, so no TV.

Dora very upset because of a bad medical diagnosis she's received. Groaned out of bed at 9:20. The BlaBlaCar never answered, so that's cancelled. Dora has bought an open bus-ticket, but there are no seats available anywhere.

Off to an 11:15 medical appointment that I didn't want. Can't find my private-insurance medical card. Had to wait in line, brief visit with doctor where Dora kept requesting tests I don't want, finally scheduled one test. Then wait in line again, as she suddenly remembers an appointment she's missing, in another place.

Out, and she's into a taxi, and I go to Carrefour to buy some things. Try the free Wi-Fi, it has a strong signal, connects right away, and then no internet behind it.

At home, I rest for a while. In the "park" outside our window, they're setting up for a kid's-concert or theater tonight. I clean up tray on washer and start a load of laundry.

Dora home at 5, much later than I expected. She arrived late at her doctor's appointment and had to wait 2 hours for a space. She says she has a bus ticket to Bilbao for tomorrow morning at 11. She found her apartment keys, which is good. Later she's out to buy printer paper, home to gulp a bite of food, out to beauty parlor. Kid's-concert outside has started, it's mostly a puppet-show.

I'm out to go to Carrefour for more stuff.

Saw a message sent earlier: apparently medical school for Dora's son is re-opening. Good news. But later Dora says they're only opening very minimally, and no rounds in the hospital. So still a problem.

Zoom call with my siblings in USA; nice. Groaned out of bed at 8:45. Dora has found my private medical card, that's good. Her father is coming by taxi with lots of stuff.

Sister and father arrived by taxi at 9:30 or so, and I paid. Dora wouldn't let them into the building; they waited on the sidewalk while I carted the stuff up to the apartment. Then they went to a cafe for breakfast, and at 10 Dora joined them there.

Dora back at 10:35, and in a frenzy of last-minute packing. We're downstairs and putting her in a taxi shortly after 11. I fully expect she'll be back in an hour, having missed her bus or finding no seats available.

At 11:30, a call from Dora, she's at bus station and bus is leaving in 3 minutes, she doesn't have a printout of her ticket, can I find it ? I've never seen it, I don't see it here, I don't have internet access. She hangs up, I think they're finding it in the computer. She called again a couple of minutes later, she's on the bus, they found that her ticket is to Laredo, not Bilbao (close enough). So she's on her way.

Loafed all day. Out in the evening for a late walk, but it started raining (I had an umbrella). To an ATM, then eventually to SuperCor for a few groceries. Slept late. Cool, sunny day.

Very quiet. No internet, no TV, no other people. But I have things to do on the computer, and plenty of saved audio and video to play. Did some exercise. No sofa or comfy chairs.

Out in late afternoon. To private office to plan what work needs to be done: sanding and repairing walls, painting walls, cleaning bathroom, cleaning floors. Then for a stroll, checking out parks and looking for Wi-Fi. Eventually found municipal Wi-Fi down along Avinguda Diagonal, and sat there for a while doing WhatsApp and email and a little browsing. Dora is going to Lourdes today, I'm sure to pray for relatives and family and herself. Slept late again. Cool morning. I want to do a couple of things, but I'm pretty sure today is a holiday.

Dora's son called in midafternoon from Slovakia. Now the govt there is shutting everything down, all levels of schools, including both halves of his medical school, everyone has to go home. So he's arranging travel. I can't help, without good internet access, but he doesn't really need help.

Out in early evening for a walk, and to get Wi-Fi. Not many messages. Surprised to see some shops are open, maybe today was just an office/school holiday. Strolled through Lilla mall. Up the hill and through some back-streets to home.

I'd forgotten how much stuff I had saved up on my laptop: videos, movies, TV show episodes, audio podcasts, technical books on PDF, etc. So I've been speed-reading "how to make an Android app" books, watching comedy videos, watched a movie, listening to podcasts on my phone, etc. One problem is that the only chair is uncomfortable. Out in midafternoon. Most useful shops closed, but explored a bit and then went to Carrefour. Finally figured out their Wi-Fi: usually after connecting to public Wi-Fi, you try to access any non-HTTPS address, and the portal kicks in and makes you accept TOS. But at Carrefour, you have to access one of THEIR non-HTTPS sites for that to happen. Exchanged a few messages with Dora, she's starting on her way home.

Out again after 5. To ferreteria a couple of doors away, and bought sandpaper and a stove-igniter. To Dora's private office and sanded walls for an hour or so, getting most of the marks and streaks out. Wearing a black sweater and black shoes, which got lots of white paint-dust on them; not smart. Paid porteria €8.50 for 4 new keys. Down to Diagonal to get some Wi-Fi, but no travel status update from Dora. To another ferreteria and got a TV antenna connector.

At home, got the TV connected and working. It found a hundred channels, but only about 20 of them have signal. Got me excited, then disappointed. Fewer channels than we had in the other apartment, but of course we're just on building cable right now.

Back down to Diagonal to get Wi-Fi and try to figure out where Dora is. Eventually her sister in the north said she is coming by plane, landing before 9 PM. Don't know if she'll take taxi or train from airport.

Dora called about 9:15. She'll take a taxi from the airport. I expected her by 10, but she arrived at 11:35. Among other things, she forgot to tell the taxi driver her new address, and they were talking all the way, so the taxi took her to the old apartment. Stayed up too late last night, groaned out of bed after 9, doorbell rang at 9:10, it's a worker to look at the bathrooms.

Fairly quiet morning, then suddenly before noon we're in emergency mode. Dora needs 50+ pages of medical records digitized ASAP. She wants to take photos of them, but her phone is full, she starts to use mine, but the photos always are bad quality. I can't get the scanner working on our new temporary Wi-Fi network. Finally I connect scanner via USB to her laptop and start scanning documents.

After the first 40+, another 50+ added to the queue.

Out after 3:30, to office and then Carrefour. Home, eat dinner, and somehow the day has melted away. Dora was supposed to go across town to beauty parlor, but I think is skipping it. She's going to lawyer later. I'm staying here to scan more documents.

She's here longer and longer, my stress level is rising, she keeps changing the times she has to be places. Finally she's gone at 6:30, to lawyer at 7:30.

No sign of Dora all night. I go to bed around 11:30, assuming she's sleeping at other apartment. At 3:30, I see I had a voice mail from her at 1:30. I can't hear almost all of it, just a few words. Dora calls at 9, wants N things, everything's an emergency. Vague descriptions of all kinds of stuff to bring to her from this apartment. So I roll out of bed, quick shower, skip breakfast, grab stuff. To metro and to old apartment by 10:30.

Where, other than using the medicines etc I've brought, nothing happens for hours. I thought we were going to SS office, she was going to beauty parlor, gestor, lawyer. I spend an hour or so setting up a new laptop for the niece, and a new printer, only to be told niece is not allowed to use new laptop, Dora hid it.

Niece arrives from school, we eat. I try to get her school-provided Chromebook working with the printer, no luck.

Finally we arrive to the gestor at 5, and the unlucky guy in the office has to talk to Dora for 45 minutes. Then down FiP, first to a shop where I think her Catalan class people work, then to lawyer. Hustled to get there for 7 PM appointment, only to find that the appointment was for 7:30. Dora came out somewhat-happy, then went clothes-shopping for a while to get happier. Then she wanted to go to a cafe, but I was tired. Stop at an ATM, then home by 9:30 or so.

Slept in old apartment this night. Dora was up half the night doing stuff, including buying tickets to fly to the south to get tested by a medical specialist of some kind. Dora said we would be at SS office at 0900 sharp this morning, I bet her €5 we wouldn't. We got there (about 4 blocks from the old apartment) at 11 or so. And the person we needed to see was out on a break, so we went to get coffee ourselves. Not easy to do; starting last night, cafes and restaurants are closed again (except for take-out) because of the pandemic.

Back to SS around 11:45, Dora in, and I waited outside. She has a 1:15 medical appointment, and she didn't get out until about 1:10. She gave me the suitcase full of papers, and gave me instructions, and she went for a taxi. I dashed down to the bank, got stamp and signature of director on two documents, back to SS office, got everything submitted before they closed at 2.

Dinner at old apartment. Dora says truck will come here tonight to do moving. But I was resting later when Dora changed plans again. She called, we'll move tomorrow. So I headed for the metro, got home at 4:30. 5-10 minutes later, Dora arrived.

Out with Dora after 6, late for medical appt. Into taxi, down to Manso, she went in while I waited outside.

Eventually she came out, we walked up to niece's gymnastics office, they're closed. We want to sit and relax in a cafe, but of course that's exactly what you can't do for the next 15 days, they're closed. Into Arenas shopping center. Nowhere to sit, no cafes open except for take-out. Dora in a clothing shop, then a beauty shop.

Finally we're out, down to metro, home after 8:20. News from old apartment is bad, Dora's mother is feeling bad even on oxygen. We're telling them to press the alarm buttons we installed for them, or call 061. Her mother refused to use oxygen most of the day, she's stubborn. She's supposed to use it all day, to ease the strain on her heart.

By 10:30, technicians have been with Dora's mother for a while, but (by phone) Dora is badgering them into having a visiting doctor examine her. Her mother sounds strong/normal (for an 80-year-old woman with critical health problems) on the phone.

At 11, Dora tells me the man with the moving truck is coming tomorrow at 6 AM. Great. Dora up at 4:30, and I have to get up soon after. 95% of the stuff in this apartment is hers, but somehow she's fixated on re-organizing my closet. I thought the guy was coming to take the desk, here for 5 minutes then we're all leaving. But no, turns out he's delivering and assembling a big armario for the front room. He arrived at 6. With plenty of heavy stuff in the truck, including several huge sections too big to fit in the elevator, we're going to have to carry them up 4 floors.

So he and I got busy and carried everything new up. Fortunately only the two biggest sections (which include glass) had to come up the stairs. Then we carried a desk and small chest of drawers down. Done by 7:15 or so.

Into truck and to old apartment. Delivered the desk and drawers. Dora's mother looks normal (weak); last night's medical scare has passed.

Back into truck and off to the old office, to pack it into the truck. Everything I do is wrong, Dora is mad at me. She's leaving things I thought we were taking, she wants me to pack her equipment but doesn't like how I do it, etc. Eventually we get done.

Into truck, and back to old apartment. Son has arrived from Slovakia. Niece has skipped gymnastics class yet again, this time because of a hurt hand/thumb [and maybe class has been shut down, too, because of virus resurgence]. We start hauling stuff out and down to the truck, and the stuff just keeps coming. Apparently half the stuff in the apartment was Dora's, including huge quantities of clothes. Then several pieces of furniture. Finally the truck is full, no more.

Into truck, this time with Dora's father instead of Dora. Off to new apartment, where we unload everything and haul it up, me working at the top of the elevator and the moving guy doing the harder work between truck and elevator. He brings one heavy set of shelves up the stairs by himself. We manage to bring Dora's office desk (which is fairly weakly connected and could snap into chunks), and her big metal-and-glass cabinet, up and in without any mishaps.

Done before 2. I only got a small cut on the base of one hand and a moderate scrape on the inside of one arm.

We call Dora, and turns out she and her mother are in a beauty salon. Moving guy and father refuse offers of food, just have some soda and a nibble. Then the guy is leaving, and I put Dora's father on 34 bus back to old apartment. Up to apartment before 2:30 and I can take my shoes off and relax. Then food and a bit of a haircut and shower and lie down.

What the mess looks like after moving: living room, main bedroom, kitchen, front bedroom.

Out to store in early evening, some Wi-Fi, Dora not sure if she's coming home tonight. She's tired and I'm sure she wants to visit with her son a bit. Out in early afternoon. Got some Wi-Fi; Dora still at old apartment at 2 or so, I thought she'd be here by now. Got directions to a public library and walked down to it, a little far but not too bad, maybe 12 blocks or so. Street art: pics.

Out in evening to do Wi-Fi. Dora leaving other apartment at 7 PM, and she has a flight out at 7 AM tomorrow.

10 PM and Dora still not here. Finally she arrives at 10:30, in a big taxi loaded with more of her stuff from the other apartment. She was hot to get it all moved here before her sister arrives from the south tomorrow, apparently, or else her mother said get everything out of the apartment. And Dora never distributes heavy stuff among multiple bags: one suitcase she brought is all books and must weigh well over 80 pounds.

And then she finds she left important papers at the old apartment, and she needs to take them with her on her 0700 flight tomorrow morning. So now her son is going to take a taxi to bring them here.

Son arrived at about 11:45. Left before 1, "forgetting" to take stuff back to old apartment.

I went to bed around 1; Dora stayed up all night. Taxi buzzed the door before 5:30, and Dora hasn't even showered yet. Tells the taxi to wait, and into the shower. Well, if she misses her 0700 flight, she'll just have to try again another day.

Finally, she's out at 5:40 or so, leaving various messes for me to tidy up. She caught her plane, no problem.

I'm out before 10, to hospital a block away for a simple medical test.

To store, home after 11, out at 11:25, metro to other apartment, carrying a big bag of stuff. To gestor to drop off receipts. Dinner with the family. Initial medical news from Dora in the south is encouraging. To metro and back home before 3:30.

Out briefly in the evening to get some Wi-Fi, but not much info from Dora. Gas inspector supposed to show up at 11, I waited from 10:45 to 12:15, nothing. [Later, I realized probably the sign had said they'll show up any time from 11 to 2.] [Later, Dora says it's probably a scam, it's some company that just wants to charge for an inspection.] Used the time to start nibbling away at the piles of stuff in the apartment.

Down to public library to get some Wi-Fi for phone and laptop. Very nice library, lots of great places to do computing. To medical appointment, to library again, to farmacia, etc. Changed to new daily headache-prevention medicine. Door buzzed at 0930, water service guy here to deliver 4 big bottles of water for the water-machine Dora has in our kitchen. I have to stop this madness. She has these machines in 2 apartments and her office now, they're going to cost something like €30/month each, and pretty much Dora is the only one who uses them.

Went to library in early evening, and it was hard to find a space to use my computer, especially with half of the space X'd-out to keep distance between people. Dora home at 9:40, with plenty of luggage. And already is missing an important medical appointment. [But then it turns out the doctor is sick today, appointment postponed.]

Her trip to the south was a fiasco: her sister forgot that there was a 3-day holiday this week, so the main medical department she went to go to was closed.

And in other apartment, apparently niece was sick for 2 days solid, feeling better today. But Dora says now a protocol will kick in, niece will have to have two PCR tests 10 days apart, and miss two weeks of school. My guess is that it was food-poisoning; she ate sushi. Sister is arriving from the south tonight, and should take her to hospital and to be tested. [Later, Dora said son took niece to hospital last night and got turned away, hospital is full of COVID patients and ICU is crashing. I haven't seen that on the TV news.]

Dora finally doing something about getting internet here in the new apartment, and in the new office. But she's switching us all (including old apartment, and 5 mobile phones, and a fixed phone) to a different company, from Vodafone to MasMovil. Should be cheaper. We need to get new SIMs for our mobile phones. The agent can't answer a simple question "what is the internet speed ?"; the answer comes in terms of MB when it should be in Mbps, and the number (600 MB) is too low to be a monthly data cap or something. But online, in 2H2019 a testing site says fixed broadband speed for MasMovil is better than the speeds of the other three companies tested, including Vodafone. I hope this works.

Out with Dora after 6, and SNAFU. I wanted us to go to the huge hardware store. She didn't bring a bus card, can't pay on the bus, skip it she's tired, but not too tired to go with me to Carrefour and start buying everything in sight. I'm grumpy. Home, and soon she's crashed, sleeping hard.

Late-evening Zoom call with siblings and others from USA; nice.

Dora woke at midnight as I was going to bed, and I think she stayed up all night. Internet installer arrives before 9. Soon up to the roof, he'll have to run a new cable, etc.

In other apartment, niece has sore throat. Dora is thinking COVID. [Niece had a PCR test yesterday, if negative needs another one 10 days from then.]

It's almost noon before we have internet. Most of our (old slow) devices show 30-90 Mbps, but Dora's newish phone and installer's laptop show high-500 Mbps. I show them that speed is Mbps, not MB. Apparently we're getting 600 Mbps service for 3 months for free, then it will drop down to 100 Mbps unless we start paying more.

Dora gives him a snack, then we're out and around the corner to her new private office. Soon up to the roof, which has no railings around the edges. Installer runs into a few snags: a big overhang of the building, too high to get to with his 20-foot ladder, and the wire really has to be snugged up under there. And it takes a bit of drilling to make a hole through the side of the building, more than it took in the other building.

New internet service has some things we didn't have before: guest networks, firewall allow/deny lists. Still no IPv6, no VLANs.

Not done there until 3:15. Installer comes home with us for dinner. He's still chatting with Dora at 4:45 when I go to lie down. He doesn't leave until almost 6.

Dora crashes into bed before 7. But she was up an hour later.

And then she sent me out at 9:15 for a semi-urgent run to a farmacia. One near our front door is closed, but around the block and another is open. Had to interact through a fortified access-port like you'd see on a bank, and Dora had hand-written a bunch of complicated stuff, but the lady accepted it eventually. And handed out the products before I handed in the money, which seemed a bit strange.

Dora stayed up all night. Not healthy. Up at 8:10 (really 9:10 because time has changed), and Dora is in a hurry, she has to take stuff to her sister at other apartment before sister leaves for airport. Won't accept a suggestion that her sister have the taxi stop here on the way to the airport. She's out at 8:45.

Dora has misplaced ALL of her keys, apparently. Searching a couple of likely places in the apartment, I found about half of them, including the most important ones.

I had been planning to go to old apartment, but then Dora said she was coming home. Then she disappeared for a couple of hours, for nap and then Mass, I think. Met her and her father coming out of the metro around 2:15, to apartment, fed them a dinner I'd cooked. She's found most of the remaining missing keys, I think. By 4:15, Dora was out cold, sleeping in front of the TV.

Father goes home around 5. Dora finds the rest of the keys, which is a relief. But then another issue: she's saying alarming things about the new internet/phone contract, it sounds far too good to be true. We're getting six new mobile phones, and use of three routers and internet in three locations, all for about €40/month ?

To bed before 10:30, and I'm relieved to see that Dora gets a solid 7+ hours sleep. But I have a headache, and eventually take sumatriptan. SNAFU. Dora up at 5:45, and messages from son in old apartment saying he's sick. She's going to rush off to there, but the bathroom-remodeling guy is coming here at 8. Dora starts dictating things to me that he has to fix/change, and the list gets up to 20 items or so. I go back to bed, and get up at 7.

But eventually she sees reason, or just runs out of time, or runs out of patience with her son. So (after extracting taxi money from me) she stays to meet the bathroom guy.

Two workers show up at 8:45. Dora gives them a long, non-stop tirade about all the stuff to be cleaned / fixed / changed. She's finished by 9:30, they go to get tools and materials. They're back before 10. Soon I take a heavy suitcase down and put it on 34 bus with Dora.

Son was feeling better by time Dora got to the old apartment. Later, I told her these medical scares are going to be happening to one or the other of the 4 people over there every few days, and she can't keep dashing across town each time. Same thing happened by the end of our stay in Jerez; we were making the hour-long bus+ trip to her sister's place in Sanlucar 4-5 times a week.

Workers done before 4:30, they only replaced the shower doors (and track etc) and all the grout around the tiles in the shower.

Out at 5, to hospital a block away. Went to my 5:15 medical appointment, Dora said she'd meet there but she was 25 minutes late. I showed the doctor a 2-page writeup Dora had given me, but none of it makes sense to him, why did we come to him. I go back out, wait for Dora, back in before 6. He says same to Dora. Out, and she goes to 3 desks making another appointment for me and about 5 more for herself and one for her son. I see one appointment she made for me a few weeks ago that I'm going to cancel. Finally we're out at 6:30. To Carrefour for a huge load of laundry soap etc, and home after 7.

Dora has to make a couple of important phone calls, and of course her phone is down to 0% battery, and my phone is somewhat crippled (and I like it that way). She grabs my phone anyway. Much later, she grabs my computer, too; somehow she left both of her laptops in the other apartment today. Up at 7. Workers arrived at 8:20 or so. They were done before 12, but their boss has to arrange the many other items on our list.

Out with Dora after noon. Stop at farmacia next door, where she takes her time. Then she wants me to go to other apartment with her, for no reason. She needs to go because she left her laptops and critical documents there. Then she's going to rush back for a 4:30 medical appointment.

I stay here. Look for a place to buy printer ink, but the only one in the block is very expensive. Home, and now the moving-guy is coming at 2 to do various things. So good that I stayed here.

He arrived at 2:30, we had to move most stuff out of the front room, and he started assembling a big set of wardrobes.

At 4:20, Dora calls, she's arriving downstairs in a taxi, can I come down and get a suitcase while she continues on to her 4:30 at the hospital. So I go down, and find that "a suitcase" is 2 suitcases, 3 bags of stuff, and a big box of stuff. Now the apartment really is full. But soon she'll be unpacking clothes into the armarios in the front room, I guess.

Worker still going at 7 when Dora arrives. He finished the armario, we went out to look at the office, then he started working on the desk. When that was done, we moved a tall heavy armario from front room to back bedroom, then desk into living room.

Done around 8:30, Dora cooked a delicious dinner, he left around 9:15. By 9:45, Dora had crashed into bed, out cold. I wanted to sleep late, but Dora woke me at 8, and then I realized the phone SIMs all changed last night. Dora is playing music through a new disco-ball music-player; just what I want first thing in the morning. Unplugged it.

With some struggles, got the SIM changed in my phone. I never have been able to get Dora's phone open; there's some special tool we've lost, and I don't know where to apply that tool if we had it. But found instructions on internet, modified a paperclip, got it done.

Found that Dora has bought all kinds of knick-knacks for the apartment, some Halloween things, some little things such as an "I Love You" stuffed toy, some tea-racks and such. She loves it, I worry about money.

Dora to medical appointment, me to ATM and then groceries.

At 3 or so, to V3 bus and to big BauHaus home-supply store. Looked at synthetic parquet flooring, then called the portero at Dora's office and hashed out details for him and his son to do painting and floors and electric in her new office. Not cheap, €3400 for labor and materials, but other (partial) quote wasn't much different, and using those two guys will make everyone happy with us. Now we have to get €1500 cash by 8 PM tonight.

Looked at bathroom sinks, hit the actual bathrooms, out, got takeout from a pastisseria, drank coffee and ate pastries while sitting on a street bench. Eventually back onto V3 bus and home after 5.

Half an hour after Dora tells me the phone/internet installer is coming tomorrow to old apartment, her son calls me to say the installer is there NOW.

I find that somehow Dora's phone has been set to "do not disturb" mode, so she's been missing calls from the new phone/internet company.

Out for a long walk to nearest branch of my Spanish bank, to use the ATM without fee. I need as much cash as possible. I ask for 1100, it says limit is 1000. Fine. I ask for 1000, it says too much. 800, too much. Finally I get 600. Add to the 200 I already have in my pocket. Long walk back home.

Run into Dora in the elevator, right back out. Around the block and she gets 700 out of her account. Down the block, and there's a free desk sitting by the curb, and Dora wants it. But it's too heavy to carry.

Eventually we go around the corner to her new private office, where apartment owner and portero and son are waiting for us. The portero gets a dolly, and his son goes with us to bring back the desk and stash it in the office. Then there's discussion, and signing a document, and we pay €1500 cash to start the work of painting, flooring, and electrical in this office.

They take off, I think to go right away to buy materials and get started tonight. At least the painting part of this job is going to get done fast, I think. Maybe the whole job. Dora and I head home. Tired.

Internet/phone installation in old apartment has been completed. Deliberately wanted to sleep late this morning, just lie in bed. So of course the bathroom workers buzzed at 8:40. But it appears they're not staying to work today, they just came to deliver a refurbished shelf and drawers, they're gone in 10 minutes.

Then I hear that Dora's mother and son are arriving at 10, mother needs to go to dentist, and maybe there's one in the hospital.

Dora's son arrives before 11, with a heavy box, and with no mother (I thought bringing her was the whole point of the trip). I guess he's planning to move in with us, but there is no mattress (much less a bed) for him.

Out at 12:30 with son. To new office, and the guys are hard at work. They show us that the electrical outlets were ancient, they're replacing with nice new ones.

New mobile phones have been delivered to new apartment and new office (one to each place), and the paperwork says they're free.

Dora home around 2:45, and we have the dinner I've cooked. And I find out she's making a sudden trip to the south, leaving tonight, because she has to appear in court with her sister in a civil debt case (don't ask) on Monday. Borders of cities and provinces are being closed again because of the virus, so if she doesn't go tonight she might not be able to go at all. Already there's a curfew 10-6 each night.

Out with Dora to farmacia before 8, and she chatted with the lady for a long time, until I gave up and went home. Soon Dora arrived, and then she's in a frenzy of packing, she has to get to bus station before curfew kicks in at 10. We're downstairs before 9:30, and for the first time the cab rank across the street has NO taxis in it. Always there are at least 3 waiting, but not tonight. But we flag down a taxi within a few minutes, and she's off.

I have fun setting up my new mobile phone, free with our new internet service. It has a slightly bigger screen than my old phone (so need to buy a new case), is faster, is running Android 9 instead of 6, and best of all has 32 GB of storage instead of 8. But lots of work to set up my apps again, especially because I don't like letting Google back up all my stuff. Soon have Wi-Fi and VPN and WhatsApp and email and password manager and a few other key things working. But somehow 1/3 of the storage is used by the time I get 8-10 apps and 800 MB of audio on there. Quiet day. TV news is full of more restrictions because of pandemic. Libraries closing again, for example. Out at 12:25, to metro, to old apartment. Said hi to everyone, checked on some things, had dinner with them. Apartment is much more spacious now that Dora's stuff is out of it. And of course now that we've moved out, govt has finally opened the big park across the street that was being renovated for the last 18 months or so. Was supposed to be open in April, but then the virus stopped everything.

At 3:30 or so, out with son. Walked to Dora's old office to finish her moving-out there. We're both wondering if she'll be able to travel back to Barcelona any time soon; the provincial borders are being closed to stop the spread of the virus. Street art: pics.

Fortunately only a few things belonging to her were left in her old office. I disassembled her examining table and screen, we moved those and a couple of stools out to the street, locked up. Called a big taxi, loaded it up, I got in, home to new apartment. Carried the stuff up, done by 5:15. Soon out to check on the new office, around the corner, then back home for the evening.

At 8, I start getting messages from Dora, she needs emergency money put into her bank account, wants me to go out and get cash from ATMs and put it in her account. I do an online "instant transfer" instead, will see if it gets there. Then I lose contact with Dora for a while. 10 PM curfew starts here, if she didn't get the money, will have to deal with it tomorrow.

She left a big bowl of quinoa soaking when she left here, and now it's time to cook it. I've never cooked quinoa, and I don't even really like it. I've been rinsing it and changing the water etc. So cooked it, and cooked a mess of sausage and onion and garlic, and dumped it all together. Edible, but would have been better with something other than quinoa. Walking around, saw street art up on a concrete wall: pic. Call from Dora before noon. It's a holiday in the south, so her court date is postponed until next Monday. She's going to medical appointments this week, so the trip won't be a total waste. Turns out that on her trip from here to the south, in Madrid she got stopped and questioned by police about why she was travelling, and missed her train because of that, had to catch next train. Around noon, messages from Dora, things are happening. Her bank account has run empty, so I sent money. Then news that the bank has made more steps to repossess and sell her sister's apartment, the one Dora and I just moved out of. That's been hanging over us for a couple of years now. In the evening, in the south, Dora is pretty sick with hypertension and dizziness and severe headache. She went to the hospital ER. Later she felt better. 9:15 in the evening, building power went down for 3 or 4 minutes.

Late night, had a Zoom call with my siblings in USA. In the afternoon, over to old apartment to say hello to everyone, have dinner, get mail, help niece start baking a cake. But she was taking hours doing it, I left before 5.

Dora in the south called me. She's okay but the court/legal stuff is in limbo and the other side is demanding she and her sister pay their legal fees, which are enormous. I had to hang up after a while, it got too depressing. Late-night call from niece in other apartment saying she broke a finger, can I come first thing tomorrow morning to take her to clinic/hospital ? No, she has 3 adults with her, I'm nearly an hour away, and I don't speak much Spanish. After much back-and-forth, it seems niece's finger (or a bone in her hand) really is broken, after school someone will have to take her to clinic/hospital. Not me.

My afternoon wanderings took me to the fancy L'illa shopping center, which turns out to be 3/4 closed because of the pandemic. But a nice design exhibit in the middle with several interesting pieces, from various theaters or shows around Barcelona: pics. Found out niece did not have a fracture.

Pulling my hair out: Dora is out of money again, I had to send more to her account. This can't continue. Rent, moving, remodeling office, legal troubles, travel, medical, it's a lot. Unearthed as many of Dora's shoes as I could find, and counted them. I counted around 77 pairs, plus one orphan, and I know some work-sandals are not included, and whatever she's wearing in the south. Pic. That's up from about 63 pairs I counted about 3 years ago: pic. [Later, I found the mate to the orphan shoe, plus 3 more pairs of shoes. So the total is about 81 pairs.] Found another stash of Dora's shoes, another 10 pairs. So the total now is about 91 pairs: pic. I was going to leave them all on the floor until Dora got home, but her return is delayed and we don't have enough floor space, so some are going back into bags.

Late-night call from Dora. Just found out about another specialist, sounds like she'll be staying in the south until at least middle of next week. Out after 11, to old apartment before 12. I thought we were going to buy a cake and food and have a birthday party at 2. But then I'm told someone is bringing a cake. And first they're going to be here at 2, then 4, then 5 or 5:30. We had dinner. But the place was pretty boring, and around 3:45 I went home. To ophthalmology appointment at 9:15, in the big private hospital a block away. A few language difficulties, but smoothed away by the family history and question I'd written down in Spanish in advance. Technician spoke some English, doctor spoke English well. Check, test, two sets of eyedrops, test, wait, test, done. All looks good with my retina, schedule a macular degeneration test for a week from now, done. Dilated pupils: pic. Dora keeps extending her time in the south. She'll be returning middle of next week at the very earliest, it sounds like.

Late-evening Zoom call with my siblings in USA. Headache. Eventually sumatriptan got rid of it. Woke up with a headache again. Woke up with a headache again. In early evening, to hospital for an appointment. Some wasted time, go directed to wrong floor, eventually saw doctor. Came away with appointments for several tests.

Pretty sure Dora, I, son, niece all were at doctors at same time tonight. To ophthalmology appointment at 9:30, in the big private hospital a block away. Waiting room still running same Buster Keaton silent film they were running last time, and it's still entertaining. Eyedrops, scan for macular degeneration, they will call with results on Monday, I think.

Before noon, workers setting up for some kind of kid's Christmas concert, in the plaza right in front of my window. Pouring rain after 7 PM or so. I think there's a huge storm rolling across most of S and E Spain. Over to old apartment after noon, to say hi to everyone and have dinner. Laughed to see their coat-rack in the hallway: pic. Picked up junk mail, and a heavyish package of 6 (!) security cameras (of all things) that Dora has bought. Several for her new office, the rest for the other apartment ? Test results for macular degeneration are fine; nothing wrong in my eyes. Dora is coming back here on 3rd, then right back to the South on the 8th. And of course I am paying for the tickets. Confusion in the evening: suddenly got a notice that they're going to do building work tomorrow morning affecting apartment #1 on each floor, and we're an apartment #1. I can 90% translate the notice, but can't figure out if they will need to enter the apartment. And I won't be here; I'm going out early to meet Dora's mother and son at the hospital. Sent the notice to Dora, no response. Sent it to her son, he said they don't need to enter the apartment. Then a neighbor rang our doorbell, I handed the phone to her, and Dora's son found out they DID plan to enter the apartment, but they can do without since I won't be here. Up at 7. Out after 8. To metro, to go meet Dora's mother and son at VDH hospital. But exactly what I expected did happen: two stops down the line, I got a message that they did their early appointment, and the later one is cancelled, they're going home. We can't reach Dora. I don't think this is what she wanted, she wanted to show up at the later appointment and have nothing but a talk with the doctor, no test. But it's all cancelled now. I turn around and go home.

Turns out Dora didn't get on her flight this morning, she thought it was for tomorrow, and she's feeling sick this morning anyway. Probably just flushed another €150 down the drain.

I'm on chat to Expedia, Dora calling Iberia, trying to figure out if change flight or cancel trip. Eventually apparently Dora gets it done by phone, changed to tomorrow. Then I found she bought a new, duplicate ticket, so now we have two. Back to Expedia to try to cancel the first one. And no luck: no show, so no changes allowed, no credit, all the money is gone. To dental appointment, a couple of blocks away. Probably my least-favorite thing to do.

Around 2:15, Dora arrives, with the usual pile of luggage. And has to find stuff and take it down to her sister waiting in the taxi.

Had dinner, then it took half an hour to find her phone-charger, and apparently her laptop went with her sister. Soon Dora was crashing for several hours sleep.

After 9:15, typical Dora: suddenly she has to go out and send money to Peru and taxi driver. I'm pretty sure there's a 10-6 curfew in effect. Then we find out that ECI closed at 9 anyway.

We did dash out at 9:45, just around the corner to see Dora's new office.

Zoom call with siblings at 11.

During the night, started changing my laptop to run Linux Kubuntu 20.10. Usual frenzy with Dora until early afternoon. Son arrived. We did several trips to move stuff from apartment to office. Dora out to ECI about 4 hours later than she should have been. And of course their mailing counter was closed on Saturdays.

Instead of using the leftovers from yesterday, Dora cooked a huge spaghetti dinner, and now we're overflowing with leftovers.

Dora and son out around 5:30. Dora back at 9:30. Scanning lots of legal documents.

Out to ATM, and then metro to old apartment in early afternoon. Place is full of Christmas decoration and sister is going wild buying more. They thought we had stolen their Christmas tree, so they bought another, then found the first one. So they're giving us the new tree, and some decorations. Had a big Peruvian dinner (take-out).

I'm a bit dismayed that most of the adults present said they wouldn't take a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine until much later than it was available to them, waiting maybe a year or more until it was clear there are few long-term effects. Dora and her sister are doctors, her son is a medical student, and her mother had a very bad reaction to a flu vaccine years ago. So they're all negative about it. I'm going to get vaccinated as soon as I can (but I won't be in any priority category to get it early).

Then Dora crashed for a couple of hours sleep; she was up all last night. When she woke, I wanted to leave, but Dora kept doing stuff for another hour or two. Finally out, to metro. Had an encounter with a couple of guys drinking beer and refusing to wear masks; they left the train as Dora was talking on the phone to the police. Home after 9:30. Dora surrounded by papers and on the phone all morning. In early afternoon, I did several trips to carry stuff to the new office.

Out with Dora to ECI to send money to Peru. On the way home, she realizes she's left tomorrow's plane ticket situation go to the last minute. She starts calling. At first she thinks both of her tickets have been cancelled. Then we find out the one I made still is in effect, and the one she made has her name misspelled. She tries to cancel that one. Eventually she succeeds, supposedly. We'll see what happens tomorrow.

In the evening, I took a couple more loads to the new office. And Dora finally got over to see new office after remodeling, while the portero was there to show her around and get additional instructions.

Apparently Dora's father passed out again tonight, on the street. He passed out in church about 3 weeks ago, and didn't tell anyone until a couple of days ago. Dora wants to go over there tonight, but her sister (also a doctor) is there, and if they're not willing to call an ambulance, how is Dora going to do anything useful there ? Dora got about 2 hours of sleep and up at 8:45. I thought her taxi was coming at 10:30, but it arrived after 9:45. Finally she's out at 10:20. Fifteen minutes later she's back to take her laptop.

Got a message that the tickets are okay, so Dora got on her flight okay.

Took several loads of stuff over to the office.

Apparently everyone (Dora, son, sister) arrived safely in the south, but their main suitcase full of important stuff did NOT, probably because of short connection time in Madrid. They hope it will arrive tomorrow. Fasting all before medical appointments. Before 4, out to big hospital a block away. Two scans and a blood sample. Home after 6. Out at 9:40 to dentist's office for 10 appointment. Sitting in lobby, exchanging messages with Dora, and she sort of casually tells me that the PCR test she had yesterday came back positive ! So I told the dentist office and cancelled the appointment and went home.

Dora seems pretty casual about it, irritated she has to cancel her medical procedure in the South. She even wants tickets to come home on bus/train or something. I told her she can't travel. And she should do another PCR test.

Myself, I'm vacillating between calling emergency to get tested, or just staying home. My last contact with Dora was 48 hours ago, I have no symptoms, my temperature was normal at dentist, I easily can isolate for several days. I think I'm just going to isolate.

I worry that yesterday I was in hospital for a couple of hours, and also stopped to talk with portero at Dora's private office. I always was wearing a mask and keeping distance and washing my hands, same in dentist office lobby this morning, but still ...

At 12:30, message from Dora saying it was a mistake, another patient with somewhat-similar last name tested positive, she's negative.

At 4, the story is a bit different. Yes, the positive result was for a different person. But the test Dora had was a rapid test (maybe TMA ?), not a PCR test, and her test result was "ambiguous". It was done in the NHS, and they won't re-test her for another 10 days (policy). So she's trying to get PCR and antigen tests at a private clinic right now, and I need to send money. Call from Dora in late afternoon. As far as I can tell, she had a PCR test yesterday, and that result too was "ambiguous". She also had a blood test, for antigens I think. So we're (Dora, son, me) all isolating until Monday, when maybe there will be more clarity. Dora's sister in the south had a clear negative on her PCR test. After 3, a message from Dora: she has a clear negative on a PCR test. So it all was a false alarm. And just delayed her getting the medical procedure she wanted to get. Some confusion around noon: Dora wants my health card info, turns out some medical personnel there are hassling her that her husband (me) should get a PCR test, they're threatening to send police after me ? They are angry that her phone was dead for half a day while they were trying to reach her, they thought she was ignoring them. But she never tested positive. I didn't give her the info, didn't hear anything more.

7 PM: Dora calls and says now they are saying her first test was positive after all. So she's in isolation for 10 days in a hotel in the south, her son is stuck in isolation for 10 days on 2nd floor of sister's house, he has to go get a PCR test tomorrow. And I can't get a sensible answer out of her about what I should do. Dora still waiting to do another virus test today. I called the medical-emergency number here, eventually got transferred to an information person with a translator on the line too, and they said I should just keep isolating. They gave me info about a mass-screening site I could go to for a PCR test, but it's not very near, and I think I will go there only if Dora clearly tests positive, or I develop symptoms.

Before 2, a very angry landlord shows up with a lawyer and some workman. Dora hasn't paid the rent for this month, disputing about minor repairs and a back-bill for electricity. They're going to start legal proceedings if we don't pay today. So I go online and pay. Dora is furious with me, wants me to reverse the payment.

I also didn't know they were coming today; I thought a workman was coming tomorrow to look at repairs, and I told her to re-schedule that until next week because I am in quarantine.

At 7:30, Dora sends results of a "serology" test; she's negative, I can stop isolating. Also she and her son, in the south.

I'm a little confused about all these test types: PCR, TMA, rapid, antigen, serology. Reading online, there are Molecular/RNA/PCR/TMA (current infection), rapid/antigen (mostly for current infection), and antibody/serology (for past infection). Out after 11. Long, scenic bus-ride to old neighborhood. Dropped off papers at gestor. To old apartment, said hello to everyone, delivered papers and stuff, picked up some things. I didn't want to eat with them, to keep a bit of isolation (probably foolish, niece still is going to school in-person, that's the biggest risk). Back home after 2. Messages with Dora in late afternoon; she's still mad at the landlord and wants to fight. Then news that niece (on other side of town) has hurt her hand again, has to go to a clinic. But eventually she got tired of waiting, and left without being examined.

Dora staying in south for a few more days. She can't get the scan she wants, and now is having other medical problems.

I have fun looking online for a new laptop to buy. Top candidates right now are TUXEDO Pulse 15 and KDE Slimbook 15, each with a very fast CPU, 16 GB RAM, 250 GB SSD, for about €1030. Either should be 5x-10x the speed of my current laptop. Choice is constrained by a few factors: I'm in EU, I want English ANSI keyboard, I'd like mouse-buttons but probably will not get them. The Slimbook is made in Spain; would be nice to buy from a Spanish company. The Pulse is made in Germany, and various things about the case seem better. Later I read that the guts of both of them (and of many other machines) are made in South Korea and other parts of southeast Asia anyway. My laptop is locking-up a couple of times each day; I think the overheating a week ago damaged it. Probably need a new one sooner rather than later. Late-night Zoom call with siblings. Laptop on the edge of overheating. Late night, Dora making noises about getting a ticket to come back from the south, but I'm not getting involved. And traveling on this start-of-Christmas time might be hard. Dora in south is sick with touch of flu, so can't travel.

I didn't know, but her son came back to Barcelona last Wednesday. I'd been worrying that maybe I should visit the old apartment to see how things were going.

I went out in the evening. Metro to center, walked, looked at Christmas lights, checked out a few phone and computer shops. Lots of walking, metro, supermarket, home.

Online, tried to buy a new laptop, and payment failed. Sent a query, maybe I'll pay a different way. I don't have a real credit card any more, since my US credit card suddenly got cancelled a year or two ago. Online, ordered the new laptop, and started a bank transfer to pay for it (€1118). I ordered a KDE Slimbook 15 with 16 GB of RAM and a 250 GB Samsung SSD and US-English keyboard.

After noon, I find Dora already bought or ordered a new laptop for me, without asking. I'm a computer guy, you don't buy a computer for me without asking. She's going to return it.

In early evening, long metro ride to old apartment. Dropped off a few things. Surprised to find Dora's son is not there; I don't know where he is. Slow bus-ride home, supermarket, home around 8:15. Dora is on a plane, coming home. In the plaza under our window, they're constructing some kind of Christmas-play thing for kids.

Dora arrived after 2, with 4 heavy suitcases, a smaller suitcase, and 3 smallish bags. Workman arrived at 2:15 to look at the bathroom and other things; Dora thought she had rescheduled him for Monday.

We both slept very poorly at night. Dora is having chronic back pain from her back injury three years ago, and I had a bit of a headache. New case for my telephone arrived via Amazon, about 12 hours after I ordered it. Didn't pay for special shipping, it just came fast.

Dora put together a creche and Christmas display: pic.

Started writing our Christmas cards. Later, wrapping presents. Then after 10, out to go to old apartment to celebrate with family there. Made it through the metro just before they closed for the evening, we probably had 10 minutes to spare.

Had a nice dinner starting at 11:30, then lit up the creche at midnight. Pics. Stayed up until 2, then slept there. Slept late. Breakfast, then Dora and sister argued over money. Eventually Dora and I left, I just wanted to go home, but the trip home took forever with a couple of stops and then a long bus-ride. Home after 3:15. Wanted a quiet morning, but before 9 Dora tells me she's invited the whole family over for dinner at noon.

Finally they showed up at 3:15. Dinner was okay, tons of food but not as hot as it could have been. We had a pleasant time. Over to see the new office. Phone calls with relatives. I slept late, didn't go out at all. Dora out to mass, and later to old apartment. Out with Dora after noon. Cool and windy out. Donated a big suitcase of clothes to the church across the street. To metro, and to old apartment.

Soon out to a govt office. Wrong office, and Dora caught a taxi to get to the right office, where they refused to take her papers, she had to get an appointment for Jan 6. Meanwhile, I mailed Christmas cards, which took almost a 30-minute wait, then went to the supermarket.

Confusion about the time for Dora's mother's medical appointment. We had a rushed dinner, then they got a taxi. They were back at 5 or so.

Later, Dora and I out to a farmacia to buy a ton of medicines; it took about half an hour.

Eventually to a bus, and home by 10:15, tired and hungry and cold. Shocked to hear that the twin brother of my best friend when I lived in California has died of COVID-19, at age 61. Dora across town in midday to do an errand. In evening, a new machine delivered to her new office. Already Dora is unhappy with the new machine: it didn't come in a box so it must not be new, she didn't get an instruction manual, and they want more money. She's out the door early to do errands including bank again.

A quiet New Year's Eve. Dora managed to be in the shower right at midnight. Some nice fireworks from the big park behind the hospital. Drank some Cava, ate too many cookies.

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