Barcelona Diary 2016

Brother's car, train, train, plane, wait (Madrid airport pic), plane, shuttlebus, train, Metro, walk, and I'm back with Dora ! Very tired, body clock totally screwed up, migraine headache, but it's great to be back with Dora, and it's fairly warm in Barcelona. Took a melatonin before bed last night, and up at the crack of 11 this morning. But feeling fairly good.

Out at 1:30 or so. Did some local errands, then into Metro and down to Placa Catalunya. Walked up to Fondacion MAPFRE on Diputacio, and got in line. Turned out to be the line for tickets, and it took almost half an hour. Got tickets for 15 minutes later (2:45), so we dashed to a local shop for a coffee. Back to the museum, started to wait for our time, soon realized we didn't have to wait, and went in.

Lovely building, a little crowded, great art. But only one or two pieces each of the really big names (Van Gogh, Monet, Renoir, etc). Lots of pieces from Cross and others in the same school. No photography allowed. Pictures of some of what we saw are in an article fundacion-mapfre-inauguracion.

Out, and I'm starving. Found Mahatma Gandhi restaurant on Balmes and had a very nice meal, not particularly cheap but good, nice atmosphere. Pics. I'm a bit tired and getting a little headachey; instead of dessert we took pills.

To Placa Catalunya, into Metro, two-stop ride to Drassanes, into Arts Santa Monica. The basement is a cavernous concert area, now sprinkled with odd video art slide/film displays. Lovely leather sofa we sat on for 5 minutes.

Upstairs, more odd displays, then we went into the main feature, a display of puppets and marionettes, and unfortunately got stuck in the middle of a crowded tour group in narrow winding rooms with no way out except through the crowd. I don't like being stuck in a crowd. But the puppets etc were very nice. Bad conditions for photography, but got some: pics.

Eventually out, wandered down to the waterfront, sat for a few minutes, then it started getting a bit cool. Into Metro, connect, ride and walk, home by 7:30 or so.

I'm tired and headachey and crashed for a nap for a while. Later took a Diazepan and a Dolocatil. Out at 5:30 with Dora. To Metro, to Urquinaona, to Palau Musica. In and barely in time for the opening notes of a Strauss New Year's concert and ballet. Our seats were halfway close to the stage, but with our view blocked by the people in front. Lovely music, some glimpses of the dancing.

At halftime, we moved to empty seats in the centerfield area, and had a fine view from then on. A very nice time, and they played the Blue Danube waltz and a couple of extras at the end. Pics.

Home by 9:30, Dora's feet hurting from fancy shoes, but otherwise very happy with our evening. Dora out after noon, and then going to work 3-9. Home well after 10. I loafed and took a couple of walks. Gave myself a haircut. Weather is windy. Lazy day. Dora not working. I went out for a walk, big spaghetti dinner in afternoon, we went out to hit ATM and do shopping in evening (about 4 kilos of meat from carnisseria, yum). Dora out for medical/career errands all morning. I cooked a nice ribs-cilantro-tomato-rice dinner for us in midafternoon.

Out with Dora at 4, rolling two small suitcases loaded with all of her career/work documents. Metro to Universitat, up to 3rd floor office, and I waited for 90 minutes in a fairly comfy chair while she tried to find out why she had been dropped from the work roll. She got lots of help, but it's still a bit of a mystery.

Out at 6 or so, longish walk up to Diagonal, had a snack in McDonald's while she wrote some more prescriptions. Then to nearby farmacia, where I waited for an hour in a chair while she submitted a stack of prescriptions and discussed some expensive medicine. Then of course her credit card didn't work, and I paid €210 for the prescriptions. Between grocery shopping, some clothing shopping, and this medicine, the €300 I got from the ATM yesterday evening has gone poof!

Home by 8:30. Dora's son arrived after 9, home from the north of Spain. We had ribs and rice dinner. Dora out early, to work 9-2 and then 4-5.

Online, filed my ETE (worldwide assets declaration) form to Bank of Spain. Several unknowns in the process, couldn't get any answers, but better to file than to skip it.

We didn't win the $1.5 billion Powerball lottery; bummer.

I went to the local govt office to see if I could get an official copy of the ID page of my passport. Didn't know if such a thing is necessary or possible (have gotten varying answers), and after much consultation, they said it wasn't possible and I didn't need it.

I made a nice stir-fry and had it ready just as Dora walked in the door. And she loved it.

Dora came at me with a needle, and I let her stick me. Influvac vaccine for flu.

Out in the evening with Dora to buy some linens. Then dressed up and out again at 8:15, Metro to Glories, and to L'Auditori. Attended a symphony rehearsal (free tickets), the last general rehearsal before their first performance tomorrow evening. "La Novena de Beethoven" by Orquestra Simfonica de Barcelona i Nacional de Catalunya (OBC).

Seats in 4th row, same level as the orchestra, about 30 feet from the violins. The musicians in semi-casual clothing. The conductor addressed the crowd in English; we guessed he was Italian, but turns out he's Dutch. Marvelous music, then a full chorus and four solo singers. A couple of very nice pieces, a few repeats of passages as the conductor refined a few things, then Beethoven's 9th. Lovely. Pics.

Out at 10:45 or so, coffees in the L'Auditori bar, chatted for a while, into Metro and out at F-i-P, walk home through chilly grey barely-raining weather, home by midnight. Grey, cool weather. Out with Dora for a few errands, hit the ATM yet again. Spaghetti dinner, then she's off to work 2-9.

Online through Expedia, bought air tickets roundtrip PHL-BCN for March-November, and the system did the same thing it did to me in December for the tickets for my mother's funeral trip: get all the way through to the finish, and very last page says "congratulations, you have your tickets, and surprise ! the return flight leaves from Madrid instead of Barcelona". They drop out one of the four flights and keep the price the same. Some problem at Iberia or American.

In December, I let it go, since it was a last-minute purchase, and took the high-speed train from BCN to MAD (for an extra $100 or so). This time, I spent an hour on Skype to Expedia until they fixed my tickets.

Dora home at 9:30, I made a quick stir-fry, she fell asleep on the sofa and slept and slept. Out at 9:45, cold morning, hustled up to Llucmajor Metro, to Trinitat Nova. Met up with a "Nordic walking" group there, to go for a hike. Nice people, chatted a bit as we waited for the others to arrive. Half of them speak pretty good English, I used some Spanish. Eventually we had 4 guys and 8 or 9 women, and we're off up the hill. I've walked this same route 2 or 3 times, in the other direction.

Nice conversations as we walked up to Torre Baro castle. Went upstairs in the castle and enjoyed the view. Then we continued over to the village of Torre Baro, and past it. We walk along the ridge a bit, then start turning away from the city. I'm starting to think of turning back, and then Dora calls me and wants to meet me back at the restaurant on the other side of the castle. So I say good-bye to a couple of people, so they don't think I got lost, and turn back.

To the bus stop at the castle, wait 20+ minutes, but Dora has just missed the bus. It arrives, no Dora, I call her again, we decide I should go down and meet her. Perfect timing, the bus is there in 2 minutes, I catch it and meet Dora in a bar/cafe at Virrei Amat. We chat, then head to a tailor shop, then to a farmacia. Home after 2.

Turkey and rice dinner, then nap. Feeling tired and headachey. Took ibuprofen. Dora coughing.

Out before 5 with Dora. To Virrei Amat Metro, out at Diagonal, walked down several blocks to a church. Up to a 4th-floor meeting room to attend a talk on Islam. Some slides in English, most slides and all of the talk in Catalan, so I didn't understand any of the lecture but I could figure out most of the slides. Dora falling asleep halfway through.

After the talk, Dora chatting with the lady who invited her, and the priest, who was a character. Then we ducked out as they were setting up for some kind of Bible-reading and hymn-singing or something. Back through the cold to Metro, out at Virrei Amat, to fruit shop and then farmacia, home before 8:30. We're both tired and cold, and I'm headachey.

Dora had me try on a sleeper she was wearing last night, and she laughed and laughed as she took pictures: pic. But then I gave it back to her to wear; too small for me. Ate some sandwiches and then lentils-and-rice.

Took a Dolocatil and went to bed early. Still headachey later, took a Nolotil, which worked. Dora worked 9-3; I loafed and slept extra in the late morning. Beef and rice and lentils for dinner. Pic. Dora crashed for a nap around 5, I napped for an hour, then I got got up and Dora kept sleeping until 11. I went out for a walk, and that was it for the day. Up early, Dora packing boxes to send to her family elsewhere in Spain. Dora out to work 9-9, I went back to bed.

Out at 11 or so, did three trips to El Corte Ingles shipping counter to pack and send a letter to USA and two boxes to north and south of Spain.

Dora home at 9:30, tired, it was non-stop patients in Emergency today. Out to dispose of garbage and donate clothing, and ran into someone trying to serve some legal papers on Dora. I played the dumb American and kept going.

Out before 1:30. To Metro, connect, out at Bac de Roda, Dora appeared after 5 minutes. To a nearby bar/cafe for a pleasant lunch. Interesting paintings in the bar: pics.

At 3, Dora was back to work (8-8 today), and I went walking. Walked over to Rambla Poble Nou, finding the lovely Parc del Clot, somewhere I'd never been before: pics.

Down the Rambla to the waterfront, seeing lots of nice shops and some interesting buildings. Back inland and found Llacuna Metro. Long ride to Llucmajor, home after 5.

Around 7:30, I started cooking turkey with garlic and onion. Out at 10:30 or so with Dora. Stop at bank, then picked up in car by a salesrep she knows. They talked while the lady drove us into the center. She dropped us off supposedly near Placa Catalunya, but it turned out to be a long 4 blocks up from Urqinaona instead. I went to my language school while Dora went into the Metro.

No language class being offered in early Feb. Out and walked to Placa Catalunya, found place to wait for Dora, and then she appeared behind me. She came back out of the Metro and stopped for a bathroom and a coffee, it turns out.

Long, slightly cold wait for Dora as she is in the medical administration building. She comes out around 12:15, only to say she has to pay tasa at a bank and go back in. So we do that, and I wait again. Finally she's out just before 1.

Into the Metro, and head for home. She's talking about going to a govt office where she had an appointment at 11:30, but there's no time for that. We get home after 1:20 and start packing frantically. Her son doing his best to get in our way. I pack and dash out for some fruit. We head out the door 5 or 10 minutes to 2.

Trip to Budapest:
Quiet day, some grocery shopping, unpacking, doing laundry, doing computer stuff, Dora out to do some errands, chicken-rice dinner. Headachey; took a Dolocatil. Nice walk with Dora in the evening. Still headachey late; took a Neobrufen. Dora out to work 8-8. I went out for groceries, then out at 1:45 to meet Dora for lunch at Bac de Roda. Then I walked to Sagrada Familia. Street art: pic. Sat there for a while, then into Metro. Stopped for more fruit/veg, home after 4:30. Dora home around 10:15. Lovely sunny weather; out for a walk after noon. Dora out to work 2-9. I went out at 3 to Correos to pay money, looked into a computer place, hit an ATM.

Cooked turkey for dinner. Out for groceries at 7:45. Dora home around 9:45. Dora out to work 8-3.

I cooked spaghetti for dinner, had it ready as Dora came home at 3:45 or so. But she said it needed salt, and her son rejected it as too low-calorie and too heavy in vegetables, and cooked his own high-calorie dinner.

Dora crashed for a long nap. I napped, went out for a walk. Dora up at 8 PM or so, not sure if it's night or morning. I'm headachey; took an ibuprofen. Out with Dora around 11. Up to MASP to pay building fees. Looked for computer shop. Into a cafe for pastries and coffees. Found a computer shop, bought a fan-platform, asked about cleaning/repairing an overheating laptop. Home and then right back to the computer place. Out, separated, I hit ATM (yet again), Dora headed off to work 2-9.

Cooked some beef-garlic-onion-pepper and had it over leftover spaghetti for dinner.

Out at 7 to pick up laptop from repair shop. But found out later, it still freezes. Guy at shop checked fan and replaced three heat-sinks. But Windows still freezes solid, mouse won't move, nothing works, at random times. Have to power off and restart. Seems to be a hardware problem. HP Pavilion running Windows 7.

Dora home after 9, immediately cooked a big mess of leftover spaghetti and leftover beef sauce. Dora working 9-something. I started cooking dinner as she called to say she was coming home, around 12:30. But her son had to leave at 1, just as we were putting a nice ribs-rice-salad dinner on the table; his loss. He's off to school in Slovakia again.

Dinner with Dora, laundry, then handed another laptop to try to fix. Windows 8 in Spanish, a new adventure. Turned out the disk was almost completely full, doing lots of downloading via Spotify and Bittorrent, Windows Update failing because of lack of space, etc. Deleted a big movie/TV download, uninstalled two old anti-viruses and installed a new one.

At 8 or so, out with Dora. Walked down F-i-P and across Meridiana, feeling cold. Found a place for dinner, one we hadn't been to before, as I wanted. A Catalan place called Vermuteria de Sant Andreu. Had a reasonably nice time, but the food was a bit disappointing. Home again by 10:30. I'm out at 10:20 or so. Metro to Placa Catalunya, and hook up with a group assembling for a hike. Supposed to start at 11, but we wait until about 11:20 to catch any stragglers. Chat with some people, and they're a mix: three from Germany, a couple of Spanish or Catalan natives, one from Poland, a guy from Mexico, etc. Mostly English-speakers; found this through the American Society of Barcelona.

Then down into the station, and catch S1 train. About 5 stops and out at Baixador de Vallvidrera. Up the hill. I've done 3/4 of this hike before. Hook up with one woman who's lived in Catalunya all her life, and is an English teacher, and wants to improve her conversational English. We're yakking away, and the leader of the hike is setting a pace faster than I usually go. So I'm getting some good exercise.

Up and up, and suddenly there's Tibidabo just above us, and then we're on Tibidabo and enjoying the views. Nice, but now and then a chill wind makes us all shiver. Into the basilica, mill around outside a bit, I eat my apple and drink more water. More chatting with various people. Pics.

We start heading down, a different way than we came, and we come to part of the town of Vallvidrera, a lot higher up than I expected. We nose into a cafe, but it's too small, and I want to go home anyway. Back uphill a bit, and there's a station for a funicular. Take that down to the railway station at Vallvidrera Superior, right onto a train. A little more chatting as we head home. I say adios and get off early at Provenca/Diagonal, catch L5 Metro.

Home around 2:45. Nice soup-and-salad dinner with Dora, washed a ton of dishes, then I crashed for a nap.

More work on the Windows 8 laptop. Have removed 4 viruses and one unwanted application, and installed about 60 Windows Updates. But something still is eating the disk space nearly as fast as I free it up.

Headachey in the late evening: took a Dolocatil, then a Neobrufen. Dora out to work 9-9. I loafed all day. Tried to fix the Windows 8 laptop and failed. Out for groceries a couple of times in the evening, then out for a walk. Day starts with Dora in a foul mood: both of her laptops still not working, she has to get things done on the internet, bills to argue about or pay, we can't find anything because I organized things a while ago and then she un-organized them again. Soon it turns out that the disk drive I'm looking everywhere for was taken to university by her son.

Out at 10:30 or so with Dora. To bank, to phone store, to locutori, to computer repair shop. Dora argues with them and gets almost nowhere, but unaccountably comes out in a better mood. To another bank, then home to drop off stuff. Back out, to Metro, and luckily we catch a train right away. But there's a Metro slowdown-strike today, trains will come infrequently, and this one is packed.

To end of line at Vall D'Hebron, wait 15 minutes for a bus. Longish ride and then moderate walk to a big hospital. In and I wait while Dora finds the doctor to get results for her son. Then down to the cafeteria for lunch, although somehow we went down one flight from 2 to 1, then up one flight from 1 to 3 ? Coffee and sandwiches for lunch.

Out and walk downhill to university area where a couple of bus lines start. But we can't find the start of the 33 bus for Dora, and it turns out she was going to take a taxi anyway, she's late for work. I get the 60 bus. [Found out later, Dora couldn't find a taxi, and then the 33 bus came, so she took it.]

Long, slow ride on a packed bus, but I have a seat. Eventually get near Rio Janeiro avenue, but it's further out than the section I'm used to, and I go one stop too far. Back uphill several blocks, find stop for 132 bus, it comes immediately, and I get on. It goes right where I need to, off a couple of blocks from home, and home by 3.

Online, ordered a water-pump rebuild kit ($75) for my boat. Ordered a new oil-cooler ($328).

Progress on the Windows 8 laptop: used WinDirStat and found that AVG Web Tuneup is using 284 GB of disk. Got rid of it, system seems okay.

Out for a walk and groceries.

Dora home after 9. I cooked ribs and rice-and-veg for dinner. Out at 11:30 with Dora, to INEM. Late as usual. Waited half an hour for her to be seen, out at 12:50 or so, but it went well. To home by 1:15.

Dora said she had to work at 2, but then said she can go later, and started cooking a big meal. Had a nice meal of ribs and rice-chorizo-egg-vegs. The she went to work and I did the dishes and then crashed for a nap.

Glued a drawer to fix it. Found that Dora's HP laptop which freezes in Windows also freezes in Windows Safe mode, and then found it also will freeze when doing a BIOS disk-test, so it definitely is a hardware problem. And later, I was able to get it to freeze in a BIOS memory-test, so it's not the disk, even better.

Out in evening to exchange fan-base for laptop. Back home, installed temperature-monitor software on my laptop and the one that freezes. Mine is running at less than 50C, the one with problems is running at almost 70C.

Dora home a few minutes after 9. And we went out to a bar/cafe to watch Barca play Valencia on TV. A one-sided game, Barca 2-0 when we got there. I had a big chocolate ice-cream, Dora had coffee and chicken. Score 7-0 when we left a few minutes before the end. Home at 11.

More messing with the laptops. Installed the temperature software on the 3rd laptop. The story seems to be this: the laptop that freezes is running 20C hotter than the other two, but its processor is rated with a max temp 10-15C greater than the other two. So maybe that's not the problem. Dora out to work 8-3.

Dora home at 3:30 or so. I started a ribs-and-rice dinner, and she took over the cooking.

Out at 5:30 with Dora. To Metro, out at Arc, tried to find the Carnaval starting parade. We're a bit late, and found ourselves chasing the tail of it through narrow, crowded streets. Cut across to the end at Born CC, and hard to take pictures with the parade moving and everyone crowding around closely. Some nice music played by a band; lots of lets-get-excited raving in Cstalan by an announcer. Saw the Queen Belluga make her entrance via zip-line from a 5th-story window of a nearby building. Pics.

Out of the crowd, down and around past people queuing to get into a fashion show (Dora was envious), and up Laetana. Into a huge offices-and-classrooms building to ask about medical exam textbooks. Got directed elsewhere. Had coffee-croissant-bathroom stop in our usual cafe next to Jaume I Metro.

Into Metro, out at Verdaguer, found another classroom complex. Bought a textbook for €33, but there are 5 more and they have to be bought elsewhere.

Into a very packed Metro train, and home after 8:30. Out with Dora in late morning. I thought we were doing a quick butcher stop and then into town to take laptop to repair shop. But we went to Correos, then a butcher for beef, then I took the beef home to put away while Dora headed for two banks. I ducked into Bon Area, didn't find any turkey, went to another butcher shop and bought ribs, took them home and put them away. (Women working in butcher shop were wearing face-paint and costume-ears for Carnaval.) Met Dora going into the 2nd bank, and we decided there was no time to take the laptop for repair.

Home again, and cooked beef-rice-zucchini for dinner. Dora off to work at 2, I crashed for a nap.

Out at 4:30. Seeing little kids in costume for Carnaval. Bought a couple of very cheap masks in a shop. Bought a heavy load of groceries at Dia.

Around 5, heard lots of whistling outside, wondered if maybe it was a small parade. Went out, and it was just the primary school next door letting out, many of the kids were in costume, and someone had given whistles to all of them.

Went to the nearby ferreteria, to ask about how to put new formica on the inside of the bathroom door. The man directed me to a cabinetry workshop near Dia, so I went there, but they don't do anything with formica/plastic, only wood. Back to the ferreteria, and the man didn't have any other ideas, he says formica/plastic is not common here. Maybe I should just remove it and sand and paint that side of the door.

Out at 6, to F-i-P Metro, out at Arc. Got totally turned around trying to find Born CC. Finally got there, and went inside, and there's a line to get into the Carnaval dance event.

No one else (except the performers) in costume, but when the line started moving to let us in, I put on my white mask. Got inside, and soon it was hot and crowded. Too crowded to take pictures; took a few and they were lousy. I edged toward the door, watched the first dance number, music not so interesting, left.

Fun to wander through old town, wearing the mask. Sit in Sant Maria del Mar church (without mask) for a few minutes, and did the same in the cathedral. Through to La Rambla, up to Placa Catalunya, over to Universitat, almost no one in costume. Sat for a little while, then into crowded Metro and home by 8:30. I didn't sleep well at all; took a Neobrufen after dawn. And lately I wake up in the morning with a stiff lower back and a foot that aches for a while. I'm only 57 years old ! And in the last month or two, I've strained muscles and tendons in my left forearm, which sometimes aches quite a bit. Blech.

Out with Dora at 11 or so. To Metro and to Universitat, and found the computer-repair shop (Ccom², AKA Chipnova y Datos SL, at Sepulveda 153bis) we used about 18 months ago. Now the laptop won't even boot, just sits there flashing lights. Their diagnosis is that the display chip is gone, same problem they fixed 18 months ago. I ask if that chip is rated for the 70C the processor seems to be running at; the guy doesn't know. We leave the laptop to be repaired.

To Viena coffee-shop for coffees and cake. Pics. Long stop at a lingerie shop for Dora. Finally into the Metro and home by 2:30 or so. I'm tired and soon go to lie down. Dora starts cooking up a storm.

We have a nice "lomo saltado" and salad dinner: pic.

I went out at 6:30 or so, to find a Carnaval parade a mile or so away. Found it, put on another mask, but it didn't work well, fogged up my glasses. Then the parade started moving, hard to get pictures, lots of groups of kids all in identical uniforms/costumes. I watched and walked along for a few minutes, then headed back home. Saw some interesting street art: pics.

Later, Dora and I tried on the Carnaval masks at home: pics. Dora out to work 9-9.

Out at 3:15 or so. To ATM, then to Metro. Out at Arc and down to Born CC yet again for another Carnaval event. A small nice jazz/swing band playing, decent saxophone. Some small kids, and a few adults, in good costumes, but very hard to take any pictures. I had my white mask, but didn't put it on, wasn't in the mood. A bit colder today. Street art: pics.

Wandered over to Laetana in time for the parade starting there at 5 or whatever. Nice, lots of horse-drawn wagons and big groups walking, easy to view.

Back to Born CC. More decent music, a different band. Then the "battle of oranges" turned out to be symbolic, just releasing a lot of orange confetti with bright lights and orange balloons that the crowd can tap up into the air. Pics.

Back to Arc and into Metro. Home after 7, cold and tired and hungry.

Leftover rice-beef for dinner. Soon headachey, took a Neobrufen.

Dora home around 9:30.

Still headachey, took a Dolocatil. Out at 11 to El Corte Ingles to pay the Jazztel bill, but was informed they don't do that there. Got groceries. Home, to find Dora in a cleaning frenzy. So I took out everything from under the kitchen sink, cleared out the clogging in the U-bend, then cleaned, and threw away about 1/3 of what had come out.

Out with Dora at 1. Wanted to make a quick stop at a bank ATM to pay the Jazztel bill, but it turned into stops at two banks, wrestling with ATMs, arguing with tellers, eventually got it done.

Ribs and leftover rice for dinner. Dora off to work 3-9.

Out to buy a squeegee for cleaning windows. Somehow "limpiar ventana" didn't get the idea across. But I got one in second shop I went to.

Headachey again in the evening; took an ibuprofen. Out after 9:15 with Dora, to L5 Metro. I thought we were going on some errand she had to do. But several stops down the line, she informs me she's going to a 2- or 3-hour class ! What am I supposed to do, sit waiting on bench for 3 hours ? So I head back home.

Out at 11 to buy a bulb for the light over the table. LED bulb for €9.

I made a lasagna for dinner. Dora home at 12:30, tired and sleepy. She approved of the lasagna, then off to work at 1:30 or so.

Washed the windows.

Out for a walk, and to buy roses for Dora. I'm flying out the day after Valentine's Day, so I might as well score some points while I'm still here. Out at 11 with Dora. To Correos, two banks, ferreteria.

Leftover lasagna for dinner. Dora off to work 2-9.

Took down the bathroom door and stripped the curling Formica off the inside of it. Sanded the rough surface. May have to use some wood-filler on it before painting. Put it back up for now.

In the evening, looked at the water-heater exhaust pipe. I think birds are trying to nest in it again; that led to an expensive repair/replacement last year. Good news: the pipe joints are held together with metal-tape, and I was able to undo and then re-do the lower joint. Tomorrow I'll take the whole thing apart and install some kind of screen in the outside end of it.

Started doing another Spanish tax form (720), and I have to gather all kinds of bank info.

Drank some more of the herb liquor "Cerchar" I bought a few days ago. Not as smooth as the Tunel, but nice. Some very light rain this morning, first in a month or more [later saw: newspaper says first in 3 months]. It's been a very warm, pleasant winter so far.

Took the water-heater exhaust apart and pulled it in. Out to ferreteria and bought metal screen. Raining. Out again, looked at metal tape, too expensive, decided to re-use the old tape. Bought fruit and veg. Home and put the screen on the heater exhaust.

Dora home at 3. I cooked a nice ribs-vegs-rice dinner. Soon Dora crashed for a nap. Later, I joined her.

Up at 6:30 or so. Wanted to go to a parade tonight, but it's cold and Dora doesn't want to go out. There will be parades the next three nights, too.

Trying to gather bank info for the Spanish tax form, and none of the US banks have routing numbers in any of the European systems.

Looked at Social Security estimators. I'm expected to live to age 83. The monthly benefits I'll be paid look pretty big to me. Out with Dora at 11 or so. To Metro, connect, out at Badalona. To medical office to pick up her medical title. A little browsing in stores, then caught train back into Barcelona. Out at Placa Catalunya, and into a Basque taverna place for coffees and tapas.

Walked down to Placa Jaume; crowds of people everywhere, since today is a holiday here. Longish line to get into City Hall, but it went reasonably fast. Nice tour inside City Hall; I saw it last year, but Dora has never been inside. Pics.

Out, and to Basilica Sant Just, a church I'm not sure I've ever been inside. Pic. Pleasant, and they had a shrine to the Black Virgin, I think. Dora sprinkled holy water all over me a couple of times.

Out, to Jaume I Metro, to Llucmajor, walk home. I'm tired, lay down for a while. Dora cooks up a nice ribs-and-leftovers dinner. Dora crashes for a nap, and sleeps and sleeps. I join her for a while, then back up.

Out at 8 or so with Dora. To Lucmajor, Metro to Jaume I, to Placa Jaume. Jammed with people. We circle around it, see a pitiful little light show at the Basilica Sant Just, go down Ferran to La Rambla. No sign of the parade I expected. Back to Placa Jaume, watch the light show there, which is pretty awful, with huge rumbling bass through speakers. Lots of people everywhere; surprisingly warm evening. Street art: Pics. Eventually to a cafe for coffees and croissant and crepe. Pics.

Still no sign of parade; maybe it was 9 this morning instead of 9 this evening ? Eventually back to Jaume I Metro and home by 10:45.

I went out for a walk; lovely still warm night, and not many people on the streets here. Hit an ATM, also. Gorgeous sunny warm day. Out to a couple of grocery stores, but they're jammed after the holiday yesterday. Went for a walk, then bought a bottle in a liquor store.

Online, emailed my primary vote in the Democrats Abroad primary; voted for Hillary Clinton.

Bummer: washing machine has stopped working, giving an error code that means something wrong with the motor. I took off the side-panel, pushed and pulled at everything, tried everything I could think of, no luck except the error code changed a couple of times. Gave up. Looked in my files, and we bought that machine used a little more than 13 months ago, so no chance of it being in warranty.

Out at 5:45 or so. Metro to Placa Catalunya. Dora sad because I'm flying out in a day or so, for about 6 weeks. Or maybe she's sad about the washing machine, I'm not sure.

Walked down La Rambla, through hordes of people; never seen it so full. Down to Ferran, and no sign of the parade that should be coming through here from Placa Jaume. But after a few minutes, a police motorcycle came out, and soon went back in escorting a tow truck; I think a parked car might have been blocking the parade. We sat in Placa Reial for a while, then went to Ferran as the parade started approaching. It's a carrefoc, a fire-parade.

Lots of people in devil's costumes, whirling around with sparks flying and then a big bang. Group after group of them, probably about 8 groups. And several groups had dragons or other figures, some spouting sparks and bangs. A mix of adults and some pretty young kids; some of the kids were wearing face-shields. They wound around the corner, onto La Rambla, then into Placa Reial. Crowds of people. Pics.

After a while, we were tired, and decided not to go to the next event, outside the cathedral. Instead, we headed across La Rambla and down a side street, and into Hotel España for coffees and chocolates. Sat for an hour or so in a very nice room, all the furnishings very tasteful. Quiet and elegant and even some football on TV, in a discreet sort of way. Pics.

Eventually out, up to Placa Catalunya, and into a crowded Metro train. Home at 9:30. Soon Dora made nice rice-egg-chorizo-friedbanana for a quick meal.

Strong wind and brief fairly heavy rain at 11 or so.

Washing machine giving yet another error code, fourth code so far, one that makes little sense. I fear the main circuit board is failing.

Glued a broken corner on a chair. Gorgeous sunny day, windy and a bit cool. Out for a couple of walks.

Turned on the washer in the morning, left it showing an error code, and a couple of hours later it started running normally. Later, put in a small load of laundry and it ran okay.

Caulked the bathroom sink area. Cooked a ribs-vegs-rice dinner. Out for a walk with Dora.

Online, filed my 720 (foreign assets declaration) form to Agencia Tributaria. A pain, had to list all details of every bank account.

Out at 8:15, over to the big bar on F-i-P to watch Barca play Celta de Vigo. But the place was almost full, and we got stuck at a table in a high-traffic area and far from the nearest TV screen. Several 4-person tables had one person sitting at each; we got grief here a couple of months ago when the two of us tried to sit at a 4-person table, and the place wasn't full then.

The game was okay, the coffee okay, the montaditos mediocre, the service poor. By halftime (1-1), we'd had enough, and went home. Up at 6, out the door at 6:45. To Metro, one stop, two blocks to train station, waited 15 minutes for train. It was packed, but when it got to Passeig de Gracia station in the middle of the city, it emptied, and there were plenty of seats to the airport. Shuttle bus to other terminal.

Iberia couldn't find my reservation; their flights here always are screwed up for me. People at American desk fixed the problem, put me on a flight 25 minutes earlier. Through Security, hustled to gate, waited, got on, flight took off late through stiff cross-winds.

Uneventful flight to Madrid, exciting landing through more cross-winds, train to other terminal, passport check, security questions, more check, finally to gate. Wi-Fi but no AC power.

Long flight; why is this one taking 8.5 hours from Madrid to Philly, when usually Barcelona-Philly takes about that long ? Got headachesy; took an ibuprofen and later a sumatriptan. They kept giving us lots of food and drink. Lots of movies on the screen, and I played backgammon and listened to my MP3 player.

Arrived on time, I think. Plenty of snow on the ground but not on the roads. A couple of degrees below freezing, but it's supposed to be quite warm tomorrow. Through Immigration and baggage and Customs. Got just enough Wi-Fi to send email to my brother. Caught 5:11 train, connect, picked up by my brother, home by 7:15. About 18 hours of travel.

My brother says my timing is good; the weekend had the lowest temperatures of the whole winter, and I missed them. And of course a couple of weeks ago, they had a blizzard that dumped more than 2 feet of snow here. In USA and Puerto Rico and USA again. Cleaning up my sailboat and trying to sell it. Back in Barcelona ! No Security line in Philly airport, because my boarding pass said "TSA PRECHK" on it. Uneventful flight to Madrid, another flight to Barcelona, then bus-train-Metro-walk. To Dora's apartment by 12:45, and she arrived home at 1. Wonderful to be with her again. A nice beef-and-rice dinner, then she had to go out to work after 2.

Napped for a while, did the dishes, then out to ATM, for a walk, then to Dia for groceries. Out again later for a short walk and then bought fruit and veg. Headache and slept until after 11; bad case of jet lag.

Out at noon with Dora. Metro to Horta to go to a tax office. Back home, and I cooked beef-onion-peppers-tomato over leftover rice for dinner.

Dora out to work before 3. I went out before 4, Metro to Universitat and then walked to computer place to pick up repaired laptop (€98). Walked down through CCCB/MACBA area, over to La Rambla. Into Tourist Info to get a bus map, but turns out they're available at office back in Universitat station. Long Metro ride home, some problem with the doors on the train, we sat for several minutes at a couple of stations, and the driver switched from front car to back car halfway through the trip. To hardware store to look (unsuccessfully) for an LED bulb.

Out again later for a few groceries. Dora home at 8:30 or so. Up by 10:30, feeling pretty good. Jet-lag is easing.

Out for a nice walk around noon. Neighborhood is much quieter than usual, most shops closed, far fewer people on the sidewalks, nice. We wandered down F-i-P, then stopped for coffees in our favorite bakery/cafe.

Nice ribs-rice-salad dinner around 2:30.

Out at 4:30 and down the street to Heron City Center to go to a movie. Saw La Modista (The Dressmaker); nice, but in Spanish so I couldn't quite follow all of it. Slept badly. Dora out to work 9-9. I got up around 10. Loafed most of the day.

Suddenly occurred to me that right now, plus or minus a couple of weeks, marks 15 years that I've been retired. [A reader dug up the old log entry: last day of work was 1 March 2001, at age 43.]

Out a couple of times in late afternoon to walk and do a lot of grocery shopping.

Turns out Dora is working 24 hours, so not coming home tonight.

Put something together and into the oven. It was supposed to be hamburger-bourginon, but I couldn't find sour cream (crema agria) in the stores, just kind of put together some hamburger, mushrooms, noodles, mushroom soup, mushroom cream. However it comes out, good or bad, I'll eat it. [It was edible.] Dora home at 9:30, and we crashed until 11 or so. I made French Toast for breakfast, and it was a big hit, Dora has never had it.

Out for a couple of walks during the day. Couldn't get rid of a slight headache; took a Dolocatil early in the morning, a Neobrufen around noon, a muscle-relaxant in the afternoon, finally nailed it with a sumatriptan later. Leftover hamburger-noodle thing for dinner, and Dora said it wasn't too bad.

Out at 9 or so, down to Heron City Center, found a bar/cafe to watch the España-Romania football game while having coffees and some chicken and onion rings. We slept late, and then loafed. Ribs-and-rice dinner at 3. Out to Metro, to Arc de Triomf, walked through Parc Ciutadella, to Born CC, to Santa Maria del Mar church. Loads of people everywhere. I had a dark-chocolate ice-cream cone. Tried to go to our standard cafe near Jaume I Metro, but it was crowded and we gave up and went home. Dora off to work 8-8. I went out after noon, walked a bit, bought flowers for Dora. LED lightbulb store closed earlier than I expected, so no luck there.

Did some caulking in the bathroom.

Out again at 5:30 or so. Bought more caulk. Walked. LED lightbulb store still closed, even though sign says it should be open. To Dia to buy groceries.

Out again at 7, to a couple of stores, but started feeling sick and had to rush home. Out at 11:30 or so with Dora. Metro to Sant Andreu, Dora went into a clinic to talk about jobs, I went walking. Found a ferreteria and bought an LED lightbulb. Back to plaza, waited for Dora, then we went to a cafe for coffees.

Around 2, back to Metro, Dora off to work, I headed home. Stopped at ATM for cash.

Made chicken and leftover rice for dinner.

Out at 5:40, to Metro, change at Vall d'Hebron, down to Lesseps. Found the language school by 6:15. Took a little written test, then a small oral test by the teacher. Paid €183 for a month or so and a coursebook (expected it to be €165).

Out at 6:48 and caught the H6 bus. Which turned out to be a mess: standing room only, lots of traffic, construction, took an unexpected loop. Home by 7:35. So I guess I'll be taking the Metro to and from school.

Studied the new Spanish coursebook, to try to catch up to the existing class. Not too bad, got about halfway there, much of it I've studied before. Dora out to work before 8.

I went out at 8:40, to Metro, connect, to Lesseps, to language school by 9:15 for 9:30 class. Did a little paperwork and studying, then suddenly everyone showed up right at 9:30. Three female students, female teacher, and me. Material is identical to what I had in an earlier class, but a little more room for questions and explanations in English in this class, which is nice. Students from Denmark and Lithuania, and one who is a French teacher here, didn't catch where she's from.

Good class, gave some homework, and I have to read more of the coursebook to cover what they've already covered. But I'm ahead of a couple of the other students in several ways, and struggling to understand some other areas. Typical. Done at 11:30. Outside, checked out an interesting raised sculpture-plaza thing for a few minutes, then into the Metro and home.

Dora home at 2:30 or so, and we had ribs-and-rice dinner, then soon crashed for a long nap. I went out for walks and grocery-shopping in the evening, then Dora went out to work a 9 PM to 9 AM shift. Grey morning. Raining fairly hard at 8:15. Dora home around 9:30, we went back to bed. Up around noon, out to banks and grocery store. I cooked a beef-and-rice dinner, Dora back just in time to eat and then dash out to work 2-9 or something.

Out for a walk and grocery shopping in midafternoon.

Online, ordered a small fan through ebay.es, for delivery through correospaq. Paypal converted €16 to $18.71, which is a rate of $1.17/€. Google shows $1.14/€ today, so not too bad a rate. Euro has strengthened a bit since a couple of months ago, when it was more like $1.11.

Out for another walk. Weather colder, hordes of people on the sidewalks. Dora home around 9. Dora out to work 9-9. I slept poorly last night, so after some internet, went back to bed for much of the morning. Loafed all afternoon. Eventually did some laundry, gave myself a haircut. Went for a walk.

At 7:45, out, and longish walk over to Sant Andreu and the clinic where Dora is working today. Started looking for a bar that will be showing El Clasico (Barca vs Real Madrid) at 8:30. As I expected, every single bar that is going to show it is jam-packed, every seat taken. Went into 4 or 5 bars and not even a stool at the bar is vacant.

Ended up sitting in the plaza and watching an outdoor screen at a bar, from a bit of a distance, with about 20 other people. No problem, I don't care so much about the game. Nice people-watching, and it's a nice evening.

Dora came out of work a little after 9, we walked around a long block looking for a place to watch the game, or just a cafe. Places closing up. Gave up, into Metro. 8-minute wait for a train, because there's a slowdown going on today. Eventually home. Barca scored as we got to our building, and someone came out of a bar and started setting off rockets that went up and exploded loudly. Later, we heard Barca lost 2-1.

Used an electric-stimulation device on the muscles in my arm, to try to ease the tendinitis. Not sure if it helped. Dora out to work 9-9.

Out after noon. To Metro, out at Diagonal, walked down Rambla Catalunya. Today is an event called "Stroll With A Hat", and lots of people are wearing nice or funny hats. Fun to look at, but some of them are strolling at a snail's pace, stopping for photos, clogging up the place. It got to be a bit much.

Down to Placa Catalunya, sat there for a while, then down Placa Angels. Stopped for a while to listen to a nice horn band; I've seen them there before: pic. Down to the cathedral plaza, and sat there for a while. Then down to Placa Rei and into a couple of parts of MUHBA, the Barcelona city history museum, which is free today. Eventually out and into Metro and home, tired.

Ate a sandwich, did some computer, took a nap. Woke up with a bad headache. Took a sumatriptan, but it didn't really work.

Around 7, took a paracetamol-plus, and that worked. Went out and bought a roast chicken for dinner, had some with rice, felt better yet.

Online, filed FBAR tax form with US Treasury Dept. Out with Dora at noon. Grey, cool day. I had hoped to make a couple of stops at hardware-type stores with her to translate, but she needs to go to banks, and her stops didn't go well. I got tired of waiting, and as she went into the third bank, I went home.

Leftover roast-chicken and rice dinner, then Dora off to work at 2. Later I went out for a walk and bought some fruit and veg.

Out for a long walk around 8.

I'm thinking of going on a trip to Valencia, even though Dora can't go (she has to work). She's upset by that, and when I asked her where I should stay in Valencia (she stayed there for a while, once), she suggested "in the river". Up at 7:45. Cold, grey, windy, rainy morning. Out at 8:45, to Metro. Something weird with the Metro train: two drivers, or one driver plus a maintenance guy, and the door-closing was signalled by some kind of old-time horn, we went one stop and then some announcement and everyone got off. Fortunately, another train going the same direction is already waiting, so we all got onto that one.

To the Spanish class. Only two students today, me and the French-teacher. Which was good and bad; lots of attention, but little time to look up words. Asked questions got things repeated, learned some stuff. Out before 11:30, home.

Ribs-beans-salad dinner. Dora off to work; I crashed for a semi-nap.

Out to El Corte Ingles to pay the electricity bill.

Online on AirBNB, submitted a reservation for a room in Valencia Spain (about 3 hours south of Barcelona) for 2 weeks in May-June, about €20 per night ($314 total). I'll be going by myself; Dora has to work. She's very unhappy about me going by myself, and unhappy that we won't be together on my birthday. But I decided I'll never go anywhere if I have to keep waiting to find out when she might be free. Room reservation confirmed a minute later.

Online on RENFE, bought train tickets roundtrip to Valencia for €40.50 (about $47).

Around 7:30, went out and met Dora at F-i-P Metro on the way home from work, and went to a cafe for coffees.

At home, got phone calls about my online order of a fan; apparently their delivery service won't deliver to CorreosPaq.

Watched Barca play Atletico Madrid on TV. Seemed a rough game, lots of yellow cards and a red. I saw about half of the game, and must have seen 6-8 yellow cards. Barca won 2-1. Jazztel installers arrived at 9:30, changed us from DSL to fiber. Internet now 10x faster. Supposed to be the same price as before; we'll see. They were done a little after 11.

Dora out to bank; I started cooking turkey. Turkey and rice dinner.

I walked Dora to the Metro, then she was off to work and I went for a small walk. Gorgeous afternoon.

In the evening, out for a long walk. Out to Spanish class. Only two of us students, again, and class started 5 minutes late and stopped 5 minutes early (not happy, I'm paying about €20 for each of these classes). Wandered afterward, into a church, tried and failed to find a library, tried and failed to get into a big park nearby. My maps for this area are terrible.

Leftover-turkey-rice and salad dinner with Dora.

Headache; took a paracetamol-plus and napped.

Finally got delivery of a fan I ordered online. Vendor didn't give the name properly, so delivering it through CorreosPaq failed.

Still have headache; took a Neobrufen.

Online, bought tickets for Dora's parents to fly to Peru in September, my gift to them. Her father is getting old, this may be his last chance to go, their relatives back home are dying off.

Couldn't get rid of my headache until after I had some fruit and drank a big glass of water. Not sure if the sugar or the water did it. Slept late. Grey, damp morning. I made omelets for breakfast, and they came out okay.

Walked Dora to the Metro after 2, then I went for a walk and to buy some fruit and veg. Sunny, breezey, cool afternoon.

Out at 6 for a walk and to buy an electrical plug. Raining.

Out again at 8 for a walk; very light rain.

Online, bought tickets for a tennis tournament about a week from now. Just for the first day of qualifying, probably won't see anyone well-known. But I've never been to a professional tennis tournament. Dora out to work a 24-hour shift, 9-9. But on her way to work, she called me and said she was wrong, she works "only" a 12-hour shift today.

Did a load of laundry.

Out after noon. Hit an ATM. Longish walk down past Hipercor and into Sagrera area, to find a food-fair at an abandoned warehouse/factory place, Nau Bostick. Event is a bit small, but some nice-looking women. Confusion when I tried to buy something: signs everywhere that you have to buy tokens, but turns out those are only for buying drinks, everything else is cash, and the people manning one table under a sign talking about the tokens aren't selling the tokens, some people at other tables are doing that. Finally got a Chicken Korma, which was tasty but slightly small.

To Sagrera Metro, and down to Placa Catalunya. Hordes of people everywhere. Sat on La Rambla for a while, strolled halfway down, went into a free historic-photography-of-Barcelona exhibit in La Virreina Centre de la Imatge. I didn't know there had been some kind of worker's revolution in 1909, the Semana Tragica. Also nice pics of the exposition in 1929, and some 1930's film, etc.

More strolling on La Rambla, went into Art Santa Monica, exhibits disappointing, but a bathroom and then a comfy sofa. Down near the Columbus statue, then into the Metro, connect, out at Virrei Amat. Grocery shopping, and home after 4, tired and footsore.

Made spaghetti for dinner.

Online, ordered LED lightbulbs. From Hong Kong, for 1/7th the price they cost here. They'll take 6 weeks or more to get here, may not make it through Customs, and we'll see if the delivery through CorreosPaq works.

Yahoo Mail has been down all day. Out after noon with Dora, for a walk and then a cafe.

Ribs, rice, salad for dinner.

Offered to go out with Dora to various things tonight, including dancing at a disco, but instead she chose staying home and watching TV. Slept late, and I didn't sleep well last night. I went out for a walk around noon, stopped in a lot of grocery stores, didn't find what I was looking for. Home, and started taking down the Christmas tree and creche. Dora off to work before 2. I cooked spaghetti for myself for dinner.

Later, brought in an exercise machine from the balcony, but looks like parts of it are missing. Out for a walk, tried to pay tax bill at ATMs but failed, bought groceries.

Online, trying to buy tickets for a vacation to Rome, found the flights I want, nothing happens when I click the "continue booking" button to buy. Tried again and again, closed it for half an hour and tried a couple more times, finally changed to a different browser and it worked right away.

Out for a late-night walk. Again didn't sleep so well last night. Up at 7:45, out at 8:45, to Spanish class. Again we started late, and again only one other student. I'm learning more and more, but still get discouraged every now and then. Still having a lot of trouble understanding the language when it's spoken to me. Out at 11:30, checked out nearby library, into Metro, home.

Beef and rice dinner with Dora. Found the console part of the exercise machine; still missing some tubes.

Out for a couple of walks. Dora home an hour early from work.

Online, started doing my Spanish income tax return for 2015. Slept fairly well last night.

Out with Dora after 11. To government complex, then bank, then Post Office. Need to go to another bank a bit far away, running out of time. Back home, and I cooked spaghetti and a couple of ribs. Quick dinner, then I'm off to a special Spanish class.

Metro to the Spanish school by 1:30. One-hour free class about common gestures on the street in Spain. My usual teacher, but I didn't know any of the other 5 students. Most of them were a little more advanced than me. A fairly fun class, learned a few things. Watched a funny video. A web site about Spanish gestures: Diccionario de Gestos Españoles.

Out at 2:30, and walked across and then up to Park Guell. Past a pretty quiet "Hate the Police" demonstration with some tough-looking police troops watching it from across the alley and staring it down. Into the park, bustling as usual. Eventually climbed up to the top area, sat for a while. Down lots of steps, out, down side streets, eventually found the street I wanted and found a stop for the 32 bus. Bus came in about 2 minutes, home after 4, tired.

Online, plane tickets for Rome trip are confirmed, so that's good.

Tried to use the CD-player in the living room to play my Spanish-class CD, and found the speakers connected all wrong or not at all. Stripped wires, fixed everything, got it going. For some reason, can control volume only via remote control, can control track only via front panel buttons. Then I listened to the CD and understood almost nothing of what they were saying, didn't get the point of 2/3 of the homework; discouraging.

Out later for a walk and to try to add money to a couple of cellphones, but internet was down in the phone place.

Dora home a bit early, and cooked some egg-and-rice for us.

Did more work on Spanish income tax return. Had to switch to a different browser to make it work.

Through AirBNB, reserved an apartment in Rome for our vacation in mid-May: apartment. About $105 per day for a 6-day stay. Slept badly last night. Took a paracetamol at 6. Dora out to work at 7:30. I went out at 8:45. Metro to Spanish class. Tired and a little headachey.

As usual, one other student in class. First 1/4 was mostly listening to audio, and I did terribly (so did the other student; audio speaking much too fast for a beginner class). I'm feeling bad; made it about 3/4 of the way through, then I really started to fade. Out before 11:30, Metro to home, took a sumatriptan, went to bed.

Later, signed for a letter from post-carrier, took a Neobrufen, had some lunch, back to bed. After a while my head started feeling better. Dora home before 3 and started cooking. Ribs and green rice for dinner.

I napped a little, later went out for a couple of walks and to get the cellphones recharged, buy groceries, buy more ribs.

Around 8, we crashed into bed. Up a bit later for a while; if I keep sleeping now, I'll wake up at 3 AM and be unable to get back to sleep. Spent some time cleaning up Dora's Yahoo email Inbox, which had 3000 unread messages and who knows how many read messages. Installed a bunch of filters to try to cut down on the spam that is flooding in, and deleted about half of the messages. Got some decent sleep last night, but also some awake stretches. Took a Neobrufen around 5 AM, and it helped a bit.

Out before 11, to ATM, then out with Dora to Metro and then train. Most of the way across town, to a Justice Ministry building, to find out about legal papers sent to Dora. I started fading again while I waited for her, tired and a little headachey. Finally she was done (with no joy, pretty much a wasted trip). Out to a nearby cafe, took a Dolacatil and had coffee and a sandwich, felt a bit better. Back to train, then Metro, hot and crowded trip back to F-i-P. Dora off in one direction to bank and then work, I went home, in by 1:45, time to lie down for a while.

Napped, took a Neobrufen, ate some leftover rice, had a yogurt, napped some more. Still feeling punk.

Dora home at 8:45, I went out for a quick trip to the fruit/veg shop. There's supposed to be a free concert of some kind at the Nou Barris govt complex at 9, but I don't feel like walking that far, probably not a good idea.

Dora made rib-egg-rice for dinner.

Took a melatonin at 11; we'll see if that does anything. Took a Neobrufen at 11:30. Slept okay, but woke up headachey. Dora out to work at 7:45. I'm headachey, slept late, took a Paracetamol.

Dora called at 10:45, and I took a Neobrufen and went out to meet her after work. Metro through Sants Estacio and to Palau Reial. She was hiding in a Dunkin Donuts, so it took a few minutes to find her. Sipped some coffee, then out and up to Pedralbes Tennis Club to see first day (qualifying) of a tennis tournament. A first time for both of us, just wanted to see it. Pleasant and interesting, but I'm still headachey. Pics. Watched about 90 minutes of tennis and called it a day. Out and down to Avinguda Diagonal, checked out menus on several cafes and restaurants, decided to go home. Into Metro and eventually out, stopped to buy a roast chicken, home by 3:15 or so.

Dinner of chicken and rice, then in for a nap. I'm still feeling bad. Napped for an hour and a half or so, still no better. Took a Nolotil.

Feeling worse in the evening. Running a slight fever, I think, and using an ice-pack gave some relief for a while. Slight sore throat on one side, but looking at it with a mirror, it seems normal. Dora saying I might have the flu, but I'm not coughing or nauseous. Around 10, took another Nolotil and a Melatonin, and soon went to bed. Felt reasonable until 4 AM or so, took a Neobrufen. Woke up tired and still headachey. Took a sumatriptan. Dora off to work at 8:45, I'm soon back into bed. And within 45 minutes or so, the pill had gotten rid of most of my headache ! Slept for a couple of hours, was up and showered when Dora got home.

We had some chicken-noodle soup, then I went back in for a nap for a couple of hours.

Woke up feeling a bit worse. Dora says I have a fever (38.7C, BP 135/95). Out for a short walk, back for more napping, soon headache got worse. Took a Nolotil and a Dolocatil and started Zitromax (Azitromicina) anti-biotic. Used an ice-pack. And Dora thinks she's starting to get sick too.

Ate some chicken and chicken soup, and felt better. Soon took a Nolotil and a Melatonin and went to bed. Felt and slept pretty well. Took a Paracetamol-plus at 5 AM or so.



Feeling pretty good this morning, essentially no headache, temperature normal, still have a sore throat.

Ribs/rice/salad dinner with Dora, then she was off to work at 2 or so. I'm still feeling pretty good, a little tired, still have a sore throat.

Went for a walk, felt tired but okay. Later took a Neobrufen.

Online, read and translated about 30 pages of the instructions for the Spanish income tax, trying to pull out key terms.

Went for a walk and bought some groceries. Dora home around 8:30.

Fading by 10. Took a Dolocatil and went to bed early.

Slept horribly, just could not get settled.

Took a Paracetamol-plus around 5 AM. Up at 7:45, out at 8:45, Metro to Spanish class. Still feeling sub-par, but not bad enough to keep me away from class. But the class was a bit sluggish and low-energy, and I started to fade toward the end of it. Back into Metro, stopped to buy some meat, home. A little more headachey.

Took a Dolocatil and an anti-biotic. Ribs/rice dinner with Dora, then she went off to work.

I felt tired all afternoon. Later went out for a walk, bought some groceries. Dora home early. I took a Neobrufen and we had some tea, and I felt a little better.

Slept well. Woke up feeling pretty good. Still a bit of a sore throat.

Out with Dora to bank, to El Corte Ingles to send money to her mother, to Subway for coffees. Dora's father had a health scare yesterday, but the news today seems good. Home at 12:30, ate yogurt, out at 12:45. Into Metro and to Spanish school.

Another special "clase de cultura" today, this time about Sant Jordi (St George). Saturday is Dia Sant Jordi, when a man is supposed to give a rose to his woman, and the woman gives a book to the man. An interesting class, learned a lot about St George and the holiday, learned some Spanish too. St George probably born in Turkey, was Roman soldier posted to Tarragona area, in 5th century AD. Around 15th century, nobles merged his name and sainthood with a flower festival. Then in 1995, someone stuck a "books and author's rights" component onto it, in Catalunya only, I think.

Out at 2:30, loafed a bit, strolled down Gran de Gracia, eventually to Diagonal Metro. Lots of walking inside the station, and the trains are packed. Eventually out at Virrei Amat, stopped at fruit/veg shop, home.

Out for a walk in early evening, bought some groceries at Dia.

Dora home before 9, and I was cooking stuff. Added a bottle of pesto sauce, boiled spaghetti, and we had dinner. It met with Dora's approval. Very grey, rainy morning. Dora out to work at 7:45 or so, I'm out to Spanish class at 8:45.

Slog through rain to Metro, connect, out into heavy rain, to school. Wet feet. Class was okay, dragged a bit as usual. Listened to a bunch of audio, both of us had a hard time understanding most of it. Back through rain to Metro, home.

Afternoon got sunny, so we did some laundry.

Leftover spaghetti and pesto-egg-etc for dinner. Headachey; took a Paracetamol. Out at 11, to El Corte Ingles, bought envelopes, mailed bank papers to USA. [Received by bank on 27th.]

Turkey-and-rice for dinner. Dora out to work before 2.

Went for a couple of walks, bought some groceries, bought a rose to give to Dora for Dia Sant Jordi. Dora home after 8. Quiet evening. Out at noon with Dora. Started to head for the Metro, but Dora wanted a cafe, so we had coffees and some food.

Into Metro, crowded, connect at Urquinaona, packed, out at Barceloneta, hordes of people. Over to Catalan History museum, free entry today. Spent an hour or two in there, pretty interesting.

Out and sat on the seawall for a little while, throngs of people and lots of souvenir-vendors. Into Costa Coffee, had coffee for Dora and a scrumptious caramel latte for me. Bought another rose for Dora, and grabbed another that someone abandoned on a nearby table.

Into Metro, stopped to buy fruit and veg, home by 4:15 or so. Leftover turkey and rice for dinner. Put laundry out to dry, and soon the sunny day turned grey and trying to rain. Headachey; took a Paracetamol. Out for a long walk at noon; gorgeous day. I cooked a big spaghetti-pesto dinner. Napped. Headache; took a sumatriptan. Out to hit ATM and for a walk around 7; a bit cool out. Tea and popcorn at home. Took burned-out bulb out of microwave. Another gorgeous morning, sunny and cool. Out to buy lightbulb at ferreteria, hit ATM, walk. Put new bulb into microwave. Napped.

Leftover turkey-rice and salad for dinner, then Dora off to work before 2.

Loafed all afternoon. Out in the evening to buy groceries at Caprabo and ribs at the butcher shop. Out again later for a walk and buy fruit/veg. Up at 7:30, out at 8:35 to Spanish class. A Metro slow-down strike today, but I didn't see any effects of it, and arrived even earlier than usual at school, before it was open. Decent class, but told them I wasn't continuing after this month ends.

Ribs-rice-salad dinner with Dora, then she was off to work.

Out for a couple of long walks and various grocery shopping in the afternoon and evening. Sunny and cool.

On the computer, spent some time reading Spanish income tax instructions, until my head hurt. Sunny morning quickly turned to grey. Out for a walk around 11.

Quick ribs-rice-salad dinner, then I'm off at 12:50 to a special Spanish class. Today is the second day of a Metro slow-strike. No delays for me, but the opposite platform was full, and my second train was full.

Spanish class not so good. It was about films, about which I know little, and most students were a much higher level than me, and the teacher made no concessions. Learned some new words, not too bad.

Out at 1:30, and the Metro is worse now. Opposite platform is jammed, and when a train came, only 2/3 of the people could get on. On my side, not too crowded, but the "time to next train" kept hopping up and down. Had to wait 10+ minutes for a train, which was crowded, then slow. Sat at a couple of stations for a couple of minutes with the doors open. Eventually made it to Vall d'Hebron, down escalators, lots of people waiting, and a train arrived fairly soon. We packed onto it, and it sat there for several minutes without moving. Slow trip with the train getting more packed as we went along. Got home at 3:30, took an hour total instead of the usual 35 minutes or so. But at least I was nowhere near the city-center, where it's probably horrible. Dora probably had a bit of slow time getting to work too, but she wasn't going into the center either.

Out in the early evening for a walk, mail a letter to USA, do grocery-shopping. Weather grey and trying to rain.

Headachey; took a Paracetamol. Grey, cool morning. Dora out at 8 to work. I went out at 8:45 to Spanish class. Cold, rainy weather.

To school, and found that the other student won't be there today, so just the teacher and me. A good class, I did a lot of speaking and then we went through everything I said and she corrected it, then we went over some new stuff, watched a little bit of a video, went over some common expressions. Then good-bye, maybe I'll be back in a few months, maybe not. Back to Metro, home after noon.

I started cooking turkey-garlic-onion-mushrooms around 2. Dora home at 3:45, had it over leftover rice.

Dora studying medical stuff for an exam. In the evening, I went out for a long walk, cool weather so I put my hood up. Drew a quick picture of Dora studying (pic); I've been meaning to try some drawing and painting. Guess I have some room for improvement. Dora out before noon to do errands, then we had leftover turkey-rice and salad for dinner, then she was off to work before 2. I went for a couple of walks, took some clothes to a donation container, bought a few groceries. Dora home after 8. Fairly grey morning. Dora off to work 9-9. I loafed all day, out for a long walk in late afternoon, another in the evening. Throngs of people out on the sidewalks. Bought a roast chicken from the Peruvian place and we had dinner when Dora got home at 9:30 or so. Out around noon with Dora, took a little walk, had coffees and pastries in a cafe. Lots of people out, and lots of flower-sellers: it's Mother's Day here.

Rice and leftover chicken for dinner, then crashed for a big nap.

I want to go to the center, but Dora has to study, and she slept late this morning and then napped long this afternoon. So I went out by myself at 5. L1 Metro to Catalunya, strolled down La Rambla, over to CCCB. The advertised "get onto the roof of the museum" turned out to be just "get into the room on the top floor", which I've been in before. Wandered a bit, then found the plaza where there's supposed to be a big flea market, but no sign of it. Over to La Rambla again, into Santa Maria del Pi for a while, over to the cathedral, into the cloisters, then sat out in the cathedral plaza for a while. Wandered to Jaume I Metro, sat there for a while, then into Metro and home by 7:45, feet tired. Gorgeous day. Out for a walk around 11:30. Leftover turkey-rice and salad dinner with Dora, then she was out to work 2-9. Out for a walk in late afternoon, bought wood filler and sanding block and flowers. Out again later for a walk and groceries. Dora home around 9. Dora out at 7:45, to work 8-8. In late morning, I took down the bathroom door and sanded it and applied wood-filler. Out for a walk, looked at paint in the big ferreteria, and sit in the plaza. Home, napped, etc, put more wood-filler on the door. Out for a long walk and sit in the plaza. Home again, but later heard drumming, went out to watch a small drum-band go by. Home again, more sanding, hung the door just before Dora got home before 8. Later, we had leftover turkey-rice, with some wine from a €2 bottle of red wine. Gorgeous, sunny, warm day. Did laundry. Went out for a walk and to ATM, two ferreterias (bought paint), sit in plaza, buy fruit and veg. Cooked ribs and rice and salad for dinner. Dora off to work 2-9. Put more wood filler on bathroom door. Out later for a walk and some grocery-shopping.

Out at 8:30, around the corner to a bar to watch the Real Madrid - Manchester City football game. Dora joined me after 9. We went home at halftime. Game ended with no scoring in second half. Dora out to work 8-3. I'm headachey; took a Dolocatil.

Took down the bathroom door and put a coat of paint on it and the doorframe. Cleanup was a disaster because the paint is oil-based and I didn't buy any paint-thinner. Rubbing-alcohol didn't work. Threw away the brush and roller, and ended up with my left hand fairly white (la mano blanca).

Paint drying slower than I expected; will have to leave the bathroom door off overnight.

Out for a walk and sit in the plaza. Dora home after 3. I'm headachey still; took a Nolotil capsule. Dora cooked mushroom-sauce and pasta and eggs for dinner. I napped.

Out for a walk in the evening; cloudy and threatening to rain. Bought a brush and roller in the big ferreteria, but got confused looking at cans of paint thinner and didn't buy any of that. Dora's birthday. We slept late. I went out to do errands, and got frustrated. Managed to buy paint thinner, but went to bank to pay a bill, and the line is long. Checked 3 bakeries and a supermarket for cakes, didn't find any I liked. Back to bank, waited 10 minutes for 2 people to do their thing, then the cashier said I could pay the bill only at the ATM out front. She walked out there with me and tried to pay it, but I don't have the telephone number needed, and it's not printed on the bill. Went home.

Back out soon, but now there are 4 people waiting at the ATM. Checked a couple more bakeries, tried to pay at the phone store but one customer is doing something complicated there, checked a couple more stores for cakes, went home without accomplishing anything but exercise.

Dora changing her mind about what she wants to do; finally we head out. Down across Meridiana and a long walk to Deutschebank where she has to do something. To a Chinese restaurant for lunch, and they're slow and there's more food than we expected, but it's nice. Finally drop Dora off at the Metro, a bit late for going to work. I walk up F-i-P and try the ATM again, put in the phone number, and now it's asking me for some ID number, and I have 6 of them, which does it want ? Gave up and went home.

Put another coat of paint on the bathroom door and doorframe.

Out for a long walk in early evening. Looked into a bakery, finally went to Mercadona and bought a lovely big cheesecake for only €7. Out for another walk later.

Dora home around 9:30. Dinner of leftover Chinese food and leftover spaghetti-mushroom. Then a couple of big slices of cheesecake for each of us; delicious. Dora off to work a 24-hour shift, 9-9. Grey, rainy morning.

Did touch-up painting on the bathroom door; it may need another coat, which means another can of paint. Also painted the wood strip along the bottom of the mirror in the bathroom. Did that a couple of times; the wood is drinking the paint in.

Finally did a load of laundry, despite the weather. Maybe it will dry tomorrow morning.

Went for a long walk in the evening, paid phone/internet bill at BBVA ATM, bought fruit, then home and cooked spaghetti for dinner.

Out for another walk at 11 or so. Put more paint on the wood strip under the bathroom mirror. Grey and raining. Put more paint on the wood strip under the bathroom mirror.

Dora home at 9:30, and we crashed for a long nap. Later, I put the bathroom door back on, and it looks okay. Better than it did with the formica peeling off, better than it did with the gouges and glue exposed, but not great. Pics before and after.

Dora stirring after 1. he started cooking rice, I went out into the rain, to the Peruvian place, to buy a roast chicken. Group behind me ordered 5 chickens. Home and ate.

Out at 5 with Dora. Down a block or so, to a bar we've never been in, to watch some of the Barca-Espanyol game. Sloppy game but fun to watch, but there's a guy smoking just outside the door and ducking back in, another guy yelling at the ref half the time, and a woman with flu sitting next to Dora. So after 25 minutes or so, at halftime with score 2-0 Barca, we left.

Went for a nice long walk and eventually home. Watched last 20 minutes of another game on TV. Barca won their game 5-0. Out for another walk later.

Online, starting to research details for what we will do on our trip to Rome (3 days from now), and tickets for the big museum Borghese Gallery are sold out already. But there are half a dozen other huge wonderful museums and palazzos to see, not to mention buildings and ruins and shopping and restaurants. Weather still grey and rainy. Loafed, had leftover rice-and-roastchicken for dinner, Dora off to work at 1:45. I went for a walk in midday, bought groceries.

Online, more wrestling with the Spanish income tax forms. They're starting to make some sense: found the pages for interest income, dividends, capital gains/losses from stock trades. Sunny morning. Did laundry. Out for a walk in the rain in early evening; hit ATM. Packing and printing stuff for Rome trip.



Trip to Rome:
Gorgeous sunny morning. Slept latish. Headache before noon; took a sumatriptan. Out for a walk and to buy a couple of groceries. I cooked a ribs-leftoverrice-salad dinner. Dora out to work before 2. I loafed, went out for a walk. Dora home after 9. Dora out to work 8-8. I loafed, went out for a walk and to do some errands. Started preparing for my trip to Valencia, coming up soon. Around 4, started cooking a big batch of turkey-chicken-onion-etc. Had some for dinner, with leftover rice: okay, not great. Out for a walk and to buy some groceries. Finished updating my email account-recovery options. Out for another walk and more groceries. Dora home after 8:30. Turkey-chicken-leftoverrice for late dinner. Warm, sunny day. Out for several walks, and some grocery-shopping. Saw a guy with a motorcycle on the sidewalk, with a knife-sharpening rig on the back, powered by the motor. Cooked rice, leftover turkey-chicken, and zucchini for dinner. Dora off to work 2-8.



Trip to Valencia:
Started dealing with mail. Emailed renewal for registration of my sailboat. Later went out, mailed a letter from El Corte Ingles counter. To butcher shop, but it's closed (forgot it is Saturday). To Dia for a load of groceries.

Made spaghetti for dinner. Feeling tired. Beautiful, sunny morning. Did laundry. Dora home at 9:30, tired from a long and busy shift. I went out to buy fruit. We napped for a while.

I went out to donate clothes and buy more fruit and veg. Then I cooked turkey-rice for dinner. We crashed for another nap. I went out for a walk. Headachey.

We went out in late evening for a walk and to have smoothies at a bar while watching some Brazil-Ecuador football. Still headachey; took a sumatriptan.

Slept very badly; maybe a couple of hours of sleep during the night. Out with Dora at 11 or so, up to the govt complex. But it's a zoo there, and Dora didn't get an appointment, and so it's a wasted trip. Stopped at a bar for coffees on the way back, to cheer her up.

Rice and leftover turkey for dinner, then Dora out at 2 to work.

In the evening, out to butcher's shop and bought ribs. Out again, walked, hit an ATM, sat in the plaza, to Dia for groceries.

Did a little more work on my Spanish wealth tax declaration (form 714), trying to figure out how to pay the tax. Not simple.

Dora home at 8:30 or so. Got her to read several sections of the tax-paying instructions, and it's still not quite clear. Have to file the form and pay at a bank on same day, and I want to do that when Dora is around to translate. Will push buttons on Wednesday morning and see what happens. Slept well but woke up headachey. Took a Dolocatil. Dora out before 8, to work a 12-hour shift.

Out at 2, to Metro, connect, met Dora at a cafe near her work. A leisurely lunch. I headed back home on Metro, through hot streets, stopped at Bon Area for meat, home after 4:15.

Out around 6 to mail letter, hit ATM, walk, buy baguettes. Dora home after 8. On the computer, tried to file my wealth tax (714), but it gives a "must specify a bank account number" error even though I chose the "pay without a bank account" option. Filed two bug reports.

Out for a walk, bought a yoga mat. Out again to the fruit/veg shop.

Looked at the exercise machine, but when we moved apartments a piece of it got thrown away, and some bolts to hold it together also went missing. And I'm not convinced this machine ever did anything to improve the health of the user anyway. I can probably get a dowel and some bolts to make it function again.

Ribs and rice for dinner, then Dora off to work.

Back and forth with tech-support for the tax agency. They seem to require a bank account number before you can submit the form, but then you can pay in ways other than through a bank account ?

Opened up light switch in the bedroom, the twin of the one I replaced a while ago which then blew up within a week, and it's horrible. Burned inside the touch-plate, and wires that are 50 years old and look like the insulation is dodgy. Pic. Really need an electrician to replace all the wiring in this place. Put it back into place and left it as it was, non-functional.

Went for a walk. Later, headachey, took a Dolocatil. Dora home after 8. Headachey; took an acetaminophen.

Online, more back-and-forth with the tax agency. They're painting me into a corner; I may have to open a Spanish bank account solely so I can file this tax form. And everyone complains that the Spanish banks are a nightmare to deal with.

Dora home at 2:30, and I cooked a fried-chicken, rice, zucchini dinner.

Online, renewed my health insurance. Planning to buy into the state health system here when I'm eligible in October.

Still headachey in the evening; took a Dolocatil. Out to recharge the mobile numbers, and take a walk.

Still headachey at bedtime; took a Sumatriptan, and that worked. Dora out at 9 to do lots of errands, mainly at govt offices. I went out around 9:45.

Metro to Verdaguer, found Triodos Bank office. Lots of people waiting. Started waiting at 10:10; spent the time reading an article in their newsletter, looking up words I didn't know. They called me about 45 minutes later. The lady spoke some English but I spoke as much Spanish as I could. Out at 11:10 with a new checking account. But it's empty; they don't handle cash, so all the cash I pulled out of the ATM a couple of days ago is still in my wallet.

Walked down to Sagrada Familia to see it a little. Lots of tourists. Pic. Metro, stopped for a couple of groceries, home at noon.

Cooked a nice pesto-spaghetti dinner, but Dora is stuck in some govt office, finally I ate my dinner a little before 2. Dora never did come home; she went straight to work (with a detour to a cafe).

Later, out to walk and buy fruit and veg. Dora home at 8:30, not in a good mood, because of govt and work. Dora out to work at 9:30, home early after 11. I went out to pay electric bill at Corte Ingles, then stopped at other apartment to pick something up, but no one home.

Big ribs-turkey-rice-salad dinner, then we crashed for a nap.

Out around 6 with Dora. Tried to find the Euro Copa game on a TV in any bar, but no luck. Had drinks and a jamon-croissant in a cafe.

Out by myself at 8:15; Dora has to study. To Metro, long ride to Sants Estacio, connect, out at Maria Cristina. Ducked into a church for a minute to see it: pic. Longish walk uphill to a park where there's a free concert: pic. Nice swing music, with a 5-piece band: trombone, trumpet, clarinet, guitar or fiddle, bass. Lovely evening after a slightly hot but breezey day. Fine crowd, too. The band played some Count Basie, "We'll meet again", "When the Saints go marching in", various other stuff.

Walk and Metro rides back. Home by 11:20, a bit tired. Out for a walk with Dora. Leftover turkey-rice and salad for dinner. Out later for another walk. Out after 9 to retrieve mail from other apartment; we expected only two mail-notices, but instead got a whole stack of mail they'd been saving up for a couple of months without telling us ! Out for another walk later.

My new Spanish bank account now works ! Initiated a transfer to put money in it from my US bank account, and in a few days I'll be able to pay my taxes out of it. Out at 1:45 to walk Dora down to F-i-P Metro to got to work. Then I walked up to Correos to pick up mail, and to Dia for groceries.

Out in evening to buy groceries, and go for a walk. Spaghetti for dinner. Dora home around 8. Dora out at 8:30 or so, to work a 12-hour shift. I went out around 1:15, to Metro, met Dora for lunch at a cafe. Then took Metro to the center, wandered, scored two new bus maps at the 4th place I asked. Street art: pics. Eventually to Arc and Metro. Stopped for groceries, home after 5:30.

Dora home after 7. Her son home from university in Slovakia around 8. Watched Portugal play Iceland in Euro Copa football on TV. Headachey; took a Sumatriptan.

Out for a quick walk, then I cooked a ribs-and-rice dinner. Dora off to work before 2.

Pressed the buttons to file my Spanish wealth tax form, with payment from my new bank account. Then tried to figure out if the money will go automatically, or I have to do something on the govt tax web site, or I have to do something on my bank's web site. Confusing. You're supposed to file and pay on same day, so I need to figure this out soon. Answer seems to be: it will happen automatically in a couple of weeks.

Went out at 7:15. To Metro, to Arc, down to Parc Ciutadella. Free symphony concert next to the big monument.

The first half wasn't so great. Mostly-high-school symphony, their sound wasn't too strong, and the venue was noisy (lots of people jogging by, soft music playing out of the monument, people chattering around the edges of the crowd). But the second half was a different set of students, and they were better and the music was better. A bit of a bummer that I had to stand the whole time. And kids came around 3 times asking me to buy a ticket for something. But a nice place, lovely weather, fun to listen and people-watch. Home at 10, footsore. Dora out to work 8-2. I loafed, went out for a walk. Dora home at 2:30 and I had a nice friedchicken-rice-mushroom-pepper dinner waiting for her. We crashed for a nap, then at 3:45 I walked her to the Metro to go a meeting at work. I bought a couple of groceries and went home.

Dora home at 5:30.

Found a clogged drain in the refrigerator and unclogged it.

Dora headachey and crashed for long nap. I went out to buy fruit, then for a walk.

Watched Germany - Poland football in Euro Copa on TV. Was sipping cognac, some went down the wrong way, my breathing almost stopped ! Took a couple of minutes to recover. Nothing unusual during the day, but at 7:15 in evening I went out. To Metro, to Arc de Triomf. They're setting up a concert or something there, lots of seats. Down to Parc Ciutadella, and they're setting up a science-weekend fair down there. Over to the gazebo, where a symphony is set up, I'm here for the free concert.

A better symphony than the one that was here two days ago, and set up better. I was able to get a seat, and the symphony being up higher means the music is louder. And a nicer selection of music, popular swing and show tunes. Pink Panther, Leonard Cohen's Alleluia, West Side Story, Blues Brothers, more. Quite nice.

At the end, I was planning to go check out a street food-fair in Born, but I looked up toward the Arc and saw football on a big screen there ! Sponsored by Ciudadans, one of the political parties. Tonight is the Spain - Turkey Euro Copa game. So I went up there. Nice crowd, but the seats are full. I stood around the edge with lots of others, and watched the last 35 minutes or so of the first half. Spain scored twice around the 40-minute mark, and the crowd went wild. Pics.

Back to the Metro, home by 10 or so. Walked into the apartment to find the same game on the TV (score now 3-0), and Dora soon handed me a plate of rice-and-egg and a mug of iced-tea. Nice. Watched the rest of the game. Dora's son out at 9, to go to the South. Dora studying for an exam tomorrow. I went out to buy meat. In early afternoon, Dora and I went to a kebab shop for dinner.

Dora's son left a smartphone he doesn't need, so I guess I'll have a smartphone now. But we need the access code.

Had thought of going to Parc Cuitadella today for the science weekend thing, but after dinner I'm sleepy and it's late. Good call: 45 minutes later it was grey, then it was raining.

Decided it was time to upgrade my laptop to Windows 10. Did backups. Pushed the buttons and got it started. Went for a walk. Several restarts. No hurry, let it go over a couple of hours. Finally done, and started testing things, fixing settings. Seems okay. Out to buy fruit, and then for a walk. Tested Windows 10, everything working so far. Did laundry.

Out after 2 with Dora, a little later than desired. To Metro, missed a train by 10 seconds, had to wait 6:30 for the next. Connected at Maragall, ran down a tunnel and caught connecting train with 5 seconds to spare. Out at Vila Olympica.

Dora is going to the university here to take a medical test. Lots of people milling around, posted lists of names hard to read, finally found a receptionist and got the right info.

Down a couple of blocks to find lunch, and the cafe was very slow. After a while, Dora grabbed half an undelivered sandwich that had been sitting near the kitchen since we arrived, and started to eat it. Dora tells me there's a Metro strike starting at 5; I might not have come if I'd known that. Got our sodas and sandwiches, wolfed them down, out at 3:45.

I left Dora to go to the test, and I headed into Parc Cuitadella. The science fair I wanted to go to is closing down; didn't realize it closed early on Sunday. Wandered up to the cathedral, nothing interesting happening in the center. Street art: pics. Up through Placa Angels and to Metro at Placa Catalunya, hoping to beat the strike.

But I got there about 4:45, and it turns out the strike started at 4:44. Board says 10:30 to next train, but the time bumped up a couple of times as we waited, probably was more like 14 minutes. People had to push and shove to get on, and it was packed for another 6 stops or so. Thinned a little after that, but I was happy to get off at F-i-P. Home around 5:30.

Dora home at 7:50. Test didn't start until 4:45, went to 6:15, then a long process of handing them in one at a time, then the Metro was a mess.

Watched France - Switzerland football on TV. Good game, but ended 0-0. Having an occasional slight display-driver problem under Windows 10, and now I find Dell is not supporting my laptop for Windows 10, no new drivers.

With mixed feelings, I'm committing to putting Dora's son through medical school. She's scraped and borrowed and paid the first year, but I'll pay the next 4 years, at about €20K per year (school, living, travel, etc). I have plenty of money and she wants this desperately.

Dora out at noon to banks and govt offices. I gave myself a haircut. I cooked ribs and rice. Dora home after 1:30, lunch, then she's out to work 2-8.

I loafed all afternoon, went for a couple of walks. Dora home at 8:30, soon cooked a big beef-rice dinner for us. Watched Slovakia - England football on the telly. I cooked a turkey-rice-salad dinner. Dora out at 2 to work.

There's a free concert tonight I'd like to go to, but it's far across town, and there's a Metro strike again, worse than the one I hit the other day.

Out a couple of times to buy groceries. Out for a couple of walks. Dora home after 8. Turned on the TV, and there's a warmup for another Euro Copa football game, Spain vs Croatia. Cool ! But a fairly sloppy game, and then Croatia won 2-1. I think I'll try to write less here from now on. Less about the routine stuff. Upgraded another laptop to Windows 10.

Today is the Brexit vote in UK. I'm on a lot of expat online forums in Spain, and people have been going crazy about this for weeks.

Out with Dora around 7:30 in the evening. Walked about 12 blocks to a "carrefoc", a fire-parade. Tonight is Nit de Sant Joan, when there are bonfires and parades and lots of fireworks (only the explosive kind, not the pretty kind, unfortunately). The carrefoc turned out to be stationary and kind of small but noisy. Pics.

We hung around for a while, then headed home, looking for a cafe. Ended up at a Chinese place in a plaza quite close to home, had drinks and a sandwich. Lovely warm evening.

Thought of going to a free concert at 11, but people outside are throwing a lot of high explosives, and we don't feel like going out again.

Dora wrote down bad things on paper and then burnt them in fire; a tradition. A warm quiet day, and a public holiday. So Dora didn't have to work. We went for a couple of walks, loafed, etc. Lots of firecracker debris everywhere.

The HP laptop we had repaired exactly 3 months ago froze again today. Argh ! Dora out to work a 12-hour shift. And tomorrow she has a 24-hour shift. I loafed, did a bunch of grocery-shopping, went for walks, hit an ATM. Dora home in evening. Watched some of Croatia - Portugal football game on TV, but couldn't get into it. Dora out to work a 24-hour shift, 9-9.

I went out at 6:30 in the evening. To Metro, out at Arc, walked across into old town. On the right street, in a confusing section. Looking for a jazz jam session thing that's held the last Sunday of each month. Looking for address 55, so of course I find 59, then 57, then six unmarked doors, then eventually 53. Back and forth, around the block, and eventually decide it must be the little civic center place, and the jazz has been preempted by the election today. Gave up, wandered to Cathedral. Heard a nice French-horn player. Street art: pic. To La Rambla, wandered, sat, eventually into Metro and home. Had a drink and watched Hungary - Belgium football on TV.

Online, reserved a room in Zaragoza for two weeks ($228) in October, for a vacation (similar to my Valencia vacation). And there's going to be a huge week-long festival while I'm there. Looks like yesterday's election hasn't changed much: parties still will have great difficulty trying to form a coalition to make a government. So 6 to 7 months, two sets of elections at cost of €200 million or more to taxpayers, no clarity, no government.

Dora home at 9:30, and we napped. I cooked ribs-rice-salad for dinner, then walked her to Metro before 2, to go work 2-8.

We have a spare smartphone, but can't get it unlocked, so I factory-reset it, and started setting it up. A learning experience: I've never had a smartphone before.

Italy / Spain football on TV at 6. Dora home at 8:30. Dora working 8-2. Laundry. To bank for Dora. Tried to connect my new smartphone to Barcelona's free city Wi-Fi, but there seems to be a catch-22 in the registration process.

Tried the Google Translate app on my smartphone, and was amazed. I knew one could use it to take a picture of a Spanish-language sign, and it would translate the words to English. But I held it up to a Spanish sign, and in real time I could look at the screen and see the words slowly flickering back and forth between Spanish and English. Didn't have to take a picture, didn't have to highlight where the words were, image was moving a little as my hand was not totally steady, and the words magically went back and forth between the two languages.

Out after 8:30 with Dora. Metro, connect, out at Montbau. Up the hill to a free open-air concert. Turned out to be an acoustic guitar trio, with some amplification. In a dell/park among apartment buildings. Pics. Pleasant music, but a bit hard to hear. And some bugs, and firecrackers, and occasional passing traffic were distracting. But a lovely warm evening, and it was nice. We left after 45 minutes or so, had a slow trip home. Dora worked 8-2. I went out to try my smartphone on the free city Wi-Fi, walk a little, buy some groceries.

Dora home from work, but instead of having dinner, she launched into a lot of hair-washing and auto-hemotherapy (a blood treatment) and who knows what else. Eventually I cooked some ribs and rice, and she came out saying "don't look at me".

In the evening, lots of messing with smartphones. Now we have a total of three smartphones (Dora carries two), and four SIMs (one of Dora's has two). Two of her SIMs need recharging.

I went out at 8:15; Dora is doing more beauty treatments. I kissed her goodbye, and my lips felt number for a couple of minutes, probably from some anaesthetic goop she put on.

To Metro, out at Diagonal, caught a bus, off and walked up into Turo Parc. Another free concert, this time with a vibraphone (I think I've never seen one before) and a saxophone (player switched between a couple of instruments, probably soprano and alto, a couple of times). Music a little too slow and soft for the first half or so, and there's a busy cafe just behind the seating. But then they played three loud, lively pieces that were quite nice.

Out and walked down to Hospital Clinic metro. Woman seated next to me talked loudly on a phone for about 5 stops, then paused to answer a second phone, but fortunately she left the train just then. Home by 11. Didn't sleep well last night, so didn't get up until 11 this morning, and feeling headachey. Dora was out before 8, to work.

Online, checked my new Spanish bank account, and the wealth tax payment was taken out this morning by Hacienda, right on time, no problems.

Out after noon. Recharged SIMs at Pakistani shop, changed a bill at a bank, walked, looked in several places for postcards. Back home, and started cooking. Dora home late, and we had turkey and rice.

Out for a walk later, good exercise, but it's hot and humid even at 8:30. Got cash from an ATM.

Could go to another free concert tonight, but Dora wants to watch Portugal - Poland football on TV, and that's fine with me. Headache; took a sumatriptan.

Dora out after noon, to deal with the tax office, then to work.

Now I have WhatsApp on my smartphone.

I felt tired, but went out for a couple of nice walks. Dora home at 8:45. We had been thinking of going to another free concert, but changed our minds and watched Wales - Belgium football on TV. A good game. Then I went out for a late-evening walk. Headachey. Out at 8:45 for a walk/run with Dora. Later took a Dolocatil. Out with Dora for a little shopping. Big turkey-rice-salad dinner, then crash for a nap. Installed about 10 new apps on my smartphone. Out to buy an electrical doodad, buy fruit, then again to go for a walk.

Out at 8:30 with Dora. Metro to Hospital San Pau. Heading for a particular Peruvian restaurant, but first looking for a bar to watch a bit of the Germany - Italy football game. Immediately found a likely place, Bar Castañeira at Calle Cartagena 298, and settled in. Big plates of ham and pan-tomate, a cafe for me and a soda for Dora. Watched the first half of the game, and it was a good one.

Out at halftime, a couple of blocks over to the restaurant, Restaurante Peruano Andino at Corsega 589, and found they're showing the game too ! So we settled in, ordered food and drink, and watched the game. Very good Sangria, an okay mango juice for Dora, Anticuchos (beef on skewers, with potatoes), and some pork-yucca-tomato-onion thing. On the side, a very nice spicy cilantro sauce. Pics. I thought everything was fine, but Dora (who is Peruvian) said the cook must be Spanish, the meat was not spiced at all.

The game was 1-1 at the end of 90 minutes, same after additional 30 minutes. The penalty kicks were wild, some complete misses, some blocks by the goalies, and finally Germany won. We and just about everyone else were rooting for Italy, so it was a letdown.

Down to Sagrada Familia, where the basilica was dark and there was a sardana dance happening on a lighted stage. But we weren't interested, into the Metro and home by midnight-thirty. Out at 8:45 for a walk/run with Dora, then back to bed. Beef-rice-etc and salad for dinner. Out for a walk with Dora in late afternoon: stopped in a bunch of shoe-shops for her, but I ended up buying two nice short-sleeve dress shirts at Humana, then to our favorite cafe for ice creams.

Starting at 9, watched France - Iceland football game on TV. France jumped out to a 4-0 lead by halftime, and won 5-2. Out with Dora to bank, and I paid Jazztel bill (€106). Dora to work in afternoon. Upgraded the HP laptop to Windows 10; that's the last of them. Been doing a lot of tech work on laptops and smartphones in the last week or so. Dora worked 8-3. In the evening, we went to a free concert in Parc Nou Barris. Hoped it would be at the near end of the park, but it was at the far, uphill end. Just a trio, two guitars and a singer. Pleasant. But seating was a little awkward, on stone steps, and at first I sat on a long line of ants going somewhere. And I was totally distracted by some woman who was taking hundreds of photos of her dog and boyfriend (mostly the dog), and then video of the concert (not very interesting video, three people sitting there playing/singing). Slow getting started this morning. Walked Dora to Metro at 1, to work until 8. Hot and sunny. Went for a walk, hit an ATM (then got home and found I had cash left over from the last ATM visit). More walks in the afternoon, bought some groceries. Dora home at 8:30, and Euro Copa semi-finals on at 9: Portugal - Wales. But it turned out to be a pretty boring game, I thought. Hot day. Out for 3 or 4 walks, Dora out to work 2-8. She got home just in time to watch the Germany - France football game on TV, which was 10x as exciting as last night's game. Slept late. Did laundry. Cooked turkey and rice for dinner. Walked Dora to Metro to work 2-8. Paid gas bill. Out for several walks. Hot. Dora home after 8:30. Headachey; took a Tonopan. Dora off to work a 24-hour shift, 9-9. I went for walks, did some grocery shopping, studied some Spanish, watched some TV, etc. Dora home at 9:30, and soon we crashed for a nap. I went out for a couple of walks, we had leftover turkey-rice and salad for dinner, more walking, turkey-pasta in the evening.

Then the Euro Copa final on TV at 9, Portugal vs France. A wild game. Ronaldo out early with a serious knee injury. 0-0 at the end of regulation time. 20 minutes into overtime, Portugal did a hand-ball in front of France's goal, but France got called for it. The free kick bounced off the crossbar. A couple of minutes later, the guy who got away with the hand-ball scored. And ten minutes later, game over, Portugal wins 1-0.

Out with Dora at 11:45 or so for a late-night walk/run. Still hot outside. Headache; took a sumatriptan.

Out with Dora around 11:45. To Metro, to center. I got off at Urquinaona, went to Spanish school and registered for a class (€40). Dora went to a medical building near Placa Catalunya to get her certificate. I walked over, sat for a while, and met her there. Back into Metro, out at Arc, walked to another office to drop off her certificate to be stamped. Found a place for lunch, and the food was cheap and filling but mediocre. Dora back into Metro to go to work 3-8.

I walked down to the park, across to the Cathedral. Hot, lots of people, sun beating down. Sat for a while, bought postcards, up through Passeig Angels, sat some more. Eventually into Metro and a crowded ride home. Into apartment by 3:30, turned on the air-conditioning.

Out for a walk in the evening. Saw a red light with bulb not working, came home and used smartphone app to report it to the city. [Got an email a couple of hours later saying it had been fixed.] Out for another walk. Dora home after 9. I went out later to pay a last-minute bill at an ATM, and buy a phone card for Dora. Weather cooler this morning; nice. Dora out at 8 to work. Sunny and hot later. I loafed, then went out for various shopping and a walk. Dora home around 2:30. I cooked fried chicken and rice for dinner, and it was fine except the breading wasn't right; need to work on that.

Out with Dora at 5:15 or so. To Metro, connect at Catalunya, out at Drassanes. Metro seems to be more crowded these days, hard to get a seat. The stations are warm but the cars usually are air-conditioned.

To Museu Maritim, where there's a free outdoor concert. Supposed to be jazz and Brazilian and Trinidadian, and it was, but I think the group is from Whitmore High School in Harrow (London), and a lot whiter than I expected. But it was fun. A big steel-drum band, and when they took a break, a 6-horn and keyboard and drums combo took over, and they were good too. Pic.

Finished after 7:30, and I had thought of going to a particular restaurant, but it's a longish walk, and Dora is tired. So into Metro. Confused by the entrance, I almost lost a trip, but then we went through together so I got it back.

Onto train, crowded, went 1 stop, and then didn't move. After 3 minutes or more, Security told everyone to get off. 4 or 5 train-drivers walking back and forth, some issue in the driver's cab. A couple of Security guys, later a couple of city cops, then two maintenance guys came running up, keys jangling. A minute or two later, the train left empty, and a minute later another train arrived, already pretty full. We crammed on, one stop to Catalunya, another fairly crowded train to F-i-P. Walked home, doing a little window-shopping, and home around 8:30. Tired. Cool, grey morning. Out a couple of times for grocery-shopping and a walk. Felt tired all day. Dora home around 2:30, leftover chicken/turkey/rice for dinner, napped. Headachey and slight upset stomach; took a Dolocatil. Dora and I out for a walk after 8, under grey and threatening clouds, but we had a nice walk and then stopped in our favorite cafe for coffees and conversation. Sunny morning. Did laundry.

Out at 11 or so, to Metro, to Arc. Went to govt building and picked up Dora's medical certificate, now stamped and apostilled etc. Wandered over into the center, stopping in at Esglesias Santa Maria del Mar, sitting in front of cathedral, sitting on La Rambla for a while. Then into Metro and home by 1:45 or so.

Trying to fix something weird on Dora's laptop: IE opens and starts opening an infinite number of help web pages. Scanned for viruses, removed a program that was giving an error message but not flagged by the virus-checkers. Eventually messed with the keyboard and that may have fixed it, maybe it was a stuck key ?

Dora home, and she was furious that the government people crinkled her medical certificate in several places, and put an unnecessary staple through it.

I made ribs and salad and leftover rice for dinner, crashed for a nap, later out for a walk. Feeling okay today except my stomach still is a little upset.

Out with Dora at 9:30 for a walk/run, under dark grey clouds that sprinkled a little rain on us. A bit headachey. Eventually took a Dolocatil. Dora home in afternoon. I cooked pesto-spaghetti for dinner. Out for walks. Around 11, out for a late walk/run with Dora. Dora shampooed her hair with some concoction involving a couple of raw onions from the kitchen, and came out with hair smelling faintly of ... raw onion.

Out at 1:30 with Dora. Metro to Dos de Maig, and to El Senorio restaurant (a Peruvian place, and Dora is Peruvian).

A bit of a hassle at first: Dora got the waitress to put us at a 4-person table, another guy came and started to move us to a 2-person table, Dora wanted to leave. I talked her into staying and we sat at an outside table.

I had ceviche pescado, Dora had chicharrons (pork), we had fruit drinks. My ceviche was fine, a little too heap-of-fish for my taste, but spicy and okay. Dora's pork entree came out mostly as huge chunks of pork-fat, and she sent it back. They brought out her plate again with mostly meat, and it tasted great. €30 total. Pics.

We strolled down towards Sagrada Familia, stopping to sit for a while, then coffees in Copa Cafe. Did a circuit around the outside of Sagrada Familia, which was the usual frenzy of tourists. The church underneath seemed to be closed for construction or something, so into the Metro. Home, stopping in a couple of shops to look at clothes.

Out at 11:15 with Dora for a walk around the neighborhood. Warm and still weather; supposed to be hot on Monday. Quiet day. Out for a couple of walks. Dora cooked a Peruvian-type ribs and rice and raw-onions-with-lemon for dinner. Caulked the bathtub. Out for a late-evening walk with Dora. Dora out to work 9-9. I went out to a Spanish class from 9:30 to 11:30. Same as one I took about a year ago, a cheap "teach the student teachers" class. But it's fun to be back in it, about 10 students, mostly young, half of them women. And I'm learning more Spanish. After class, I wandered down into the cathedral and sat there for a while, then up to Placa Catalunya and into Metro and home.

Spaghetti-pesto for lunch.

Out for a late walk with Dora. Out early with Dora on her way to work, and to bank to pay rent for her son's apartment. Back home, then out to my Spanish class, 9:30-11:30. Home again around 12:30, stopping at Dia for groceries, then started cooking.

Dora home at 2:30, and we had turkey and rice for dinner.

In early evening, Dora had a Skype-interview with a big ambulance service in Jerez de la Frontera, and it went well. So we may be moving to the south of Spain ! This has been a prospect for a while, but now it's getting more likely. Dora's job situation in Barcelona has been pretty bad, no one willing to do a stable full-time contract. And 2/3 of her family lives near Jerez. Spanish class 9:30-11:30. Metro took me to Glories, then the trains both ways stopped in the station for a while, the other train opened doors manually and evacuated everybody, then our train told everyone to get off. I waited a couple of minutes, but the electronic signs seemed to be saying the whole line was having problems, so I left and started walking. After a few long blocks, waited and caught the 7 bus, which soon got jammed. Got to class about 20 minutes late.

Class was frustrating. Learned a few things, but still can't understand most of what the teachers say; they say it too fast and no gaps between the words. Done with class, went to Metro, seems to be running normally, chatted with Gary from class as we rode home. Stopped to buy fruit.

Leftover turkey-rice-salad dinner with Dora. She went out at 5 to meet with a potential client. Later, we spent a couple of hours on Idealista looking at apartments to rent in Jerez de la Frontera. Spanish class 0930-1130. Six students. Not a bad class.

Cooked spaghetti for dinner. Out for a couple of walks.

Dora home around 9. She's had no luck talking to her boss about a long-term contract, so I think we'll be off to Jerez.

I went downstairs to accept some legal papers from a delivery person. Out for a couple of walks. Dora calling about 3 apartments we've found in Jerez. First number goes to an agency that says there is no such apartment being offered. Second one looks good, but we don't have the exact address yet, and an agency wants a 1-month fee. Third one has been rented already. Looking at some more.

Very grey and hard rain at noon, with some thunder and lightning. Out with Dora at 12:45, but quickly I headed back home while she headed to a bank near work, then to work 2-9. Sunny in midday, then grey and trying to rain again. Went for a couple of walks. Looked for more apartments in Jerez. Dora home before 9. Dora out to work a 24-hour shift. Did a load of laundry. I took a load of books to donate to the library, but they don't want ANY books, wouldn't even look at them, so I put them by a garbage bin. Two loads of CDs put by garbage bins, and quickly people were grabbing them. To El Corte Ingles to mail postcards and find out box-shipping rates. Spaghetti for lunch. Throwing away old medical books and papers, CDs and DVDs, pots and pans. Out for walks. At work, Dora is feeling sick and popping pills. Dora home around 9. I thought she'd collapse into bed, but she's on antibiotics and other pills, and wants to go out to eat something. So we walk to Heron City, nothing open yet, walk to F-i-P and our favorite bakery/cafe. Lots of talk about logistics of moving. When we're done, to a Chinese shop and buy two big cheap suitcases.

After noon, Dora starts working at throwing stuff away. Of course, she's making decisions the opposite of what I would do, keeping dishes I hate and getting rid of the ones I like, but at least stuff is going out the door. Late got her to throw away some papers.

Dora sagged after 5 or so, with a sore throat and achey head. But then after some pills she did some more throwing-out. Dora out to work 9-2, I'm out to class 9:30-11:30. Into center and cathedral afterward. Then up to Placa Catalunya and Metro to home, stopping for some veggies.

Dora home around 2:30. I cooked pesto-sauce and spaghetti for dinner.

Out with Dora at 5, Metro one stop, to a lawyer's office. I waited outside. We walked home, stopping to buy some stuff. Hot, and Dora's a bit sick, and I'm tired. Headachey befroe dawn; took a Neobrufen. Dora out to work, then I was out to class. Headachey halfway through class; took a paracetamol. After class, wandered through some back streets, to Parc Cuitadella, to Arc, Metro to home. Street art: pic. Later took a sumatriptan.

Dora home at 2:30. I cooked a rib, beef, onions, leftover rice, lentils, salad for dinner. Soon crashed for a nap.

Tried to buy plane tickets to go to the South. Screwed it up the first time: got PM instead of AM. Cancelling it took some doing. Then Windows 10 decided to restart my laptop out from under me, losing some small unsaved text. Eventually did a new reservation.

Out for a walk, and the sidewalks are more and more crowded. Out again before 11 for a late walk. Dora out to work, me out to class. Which was a bit chaotic; us students couldn't get much of what the teachers were trying to teach us. Afterward, I sat on La Rambla for a while, then Metro, grocery shopping, home.

Put out laundry, then started cooking turkey-chicken-potato-onion-mushroom. Dora home before 2, and she started cooking rice. Big dinner after 3.

Dora searching her whole filing system (mainly suitcases full of papers scattered around the apartment and out on the balcony) for the title of the apartment. Finally found it.

Out at 4:45 to go to the lawyer. I waited by the Metro. She said it might take about 20 minutes, but it was 90 minutes. But she said everything is now in the hands of the lawyer, who will go negotiate with the mortgage company to take the apartment back (without having to pay any more on the mortgage, we hope). Dora limped home with a broken strap on her shoe.

I threw out a load of Dora's old medical papers and booklets, with her groaning every time I put something in the bin.

Out for a late walk. Still quite warm out. Dora out to work, me out to class. Which was up and down, I still can't understand most of what the teachers say, but I can read reasonably well and write a bit. Then just before the end, any confidence I've been building up was TOTALLY destroyed. They played a 2-minute audio of someone interviewing three people, one at a time, and I got about 10 words out of 500. Just nothing. Crap.

Out of class, wandered down to cathedral, across to La Rambla, up there, sat for a while. Into Metro, home, stopped to buy ribs. Dora home, ribs and rice and salad for dinner.

Got Dora to start throwing away lots of old papers. Went out for a couple of walks, to buy fruit, dump garbage. Still feeling bummed about Spanish class. Out at noon with Dora, after she dithered all morning. What is supposed to be a trip to tax office and then a bank changes into visits to four banks, with me waiting outside for 90 minutes or so. By the time we get home, I'm tired and headachey from not eating lunch. Leftover turkey and rice and then we crash for big naps. Dora's still sick, and I'm slightly headachey.

Sorted out various old electronics to get rid of. About 6 old flip-phones, and matched chargers to a couple of them. Three old cameras, mostly not working. A videocamera, not working. When Dora got up, I persuaded her to let me get rid of them. So I took them to a clothing-donation box and put them in, then went for a walk, then bought a couple of groceries.

Headachey; took an ibuprofen. Made eggs-onion-chorizo-cheese for breakfast. Dora out to work for several hours, then home and dinner and crashed for a big nap. Later, tearing up papers and throwing them out. Then Barca football on TV in the early evening. Out for a late walk; hot and humid. Dora finally starting to feel a bit better. She's out to work several hours. Later I went out for a walk. Dora home, and she's doing an autohemotherapy treatment on herself, saying she wasn't getting well fast enough. So she's extracting some of her blood and centrifuging it and injecting part of it back in.

I cook ribs and salad and pesto-spaghetti for dinner. Later, Dora sorts through tons of clothes and I take a couple of big loads of them to the orange donation box. More tearing up and throwing away papers. I went out for a late walk; warm and humid. Out to Spanish class 9:30-11:30. Of course they didn't play the audio we ended with on Thursday, so no chance to try that again. First teacher spoke very distinctly, and I was able to get most of what she said. Second was terrible, no one understood her, and also she played an audio that we mostly couldn't get at all. Still, not a bad class. Wandered in the center afterward, and home before 1.

Dora out to work around 2:30. I took a big bag of shoes to the donation box. Bought shipping boxes at El Corte Ingles. To other apartment to pick up mail, but no one home. Out for a walk. Later got the mail (just one notice) from other apartment, and took another walk. Dora home around 8:30. Got her to sort through tons of medicines and medical stuff, throwing away half of it. Several large loads of stuff out to the bin. Out to Spanish class 930-1130. Home after noon, to find Dora hasn't sorted through any of the piles of stuff I left for her. So I coaxed and nagged her into dealing with some jewelry, clothes, shoes, medicines. But the pile of stuff that can't be thrown away is much too big for my liking.

I cooked ribs and rice for dinner. Dora off to work at 2:15. I put out the laundry to dry, did the dishes, hauled a huge load of stuff to the donation box. Long hot walk up to Correos to pick up mail for Dora's sister, but they've changed to early-closing hours for August. Groceries at Dia and fruit shop.

Dora home around 8. I convince her to let me throw away a bunch of stuff. Then we take the big wood-and-glass cabinet down to the street, to be picked up by the big-item garbage truck. Most of it fits in the elevator, but we have to slid the biggest section down 4 floors of stairs.

Out to fruit shop. Out for a late walk. Then the guy who was supposed to come earlier to pick up some stuff calls at 10:45, he's coming over. So he arrived and we carried various stuff down to his car: examining table, microwave, curtain rods and coathangers. Then I showered and went to bed, and he came back and Dora did a medical treatment for him. Out to Spanish class. Afterward, Metro to Llucmajor, and to Correos. Waited 25 minutes, picked up letter for Dora's sister. Home, and found Dora has packed only one box. I cooked ribs and salad and leftover rice for dinner. Then Dora packing another box, as I tore up papers going into the garbage. Second box done, then Dora off to work before 3.

Carted first box to El Corte Ingles shipping counter. A shade less than 23 kilos, a shade less than €30 to send. An hour later, sent second box, almost exactly same weight and cost. Bought another box.

Dora home around 8. I got her to do more throwing away of papers and clothes. Her son arrived from the north around 10. I saw the last 30 minutes of a Barca game on TV; forgot it was on tonight. Took a load of garbage to the bins, and a load of clothes to the donation box, which it stuffed full now.

I knew the south of Spain was hot, but hoped our target city, Jerez de la Frontera, wasn't too bad, since it's only about 10 KM inland from the ocean. But the weather sites show it's going to be 97F there for the next couple days, not cooling down to 92F or so until next Thursday. So this is going to be a shock, especially for Dora. We'll be staying in another town for the first week or so, until we find an apartment, but she'll be working in Jerez each day. To last Spanish class, 930-1130. Afterward, to the office and got my E20 refund. Metro to home. Expected to find full boxes, but only one half-filled box and no one home. Fifteen minutes later, Dora and son came home, with two more empty boxes.

Dora starts into a frenzy of paper-shuffling, some into a shipping box, some torn up into garbage. Then clothing, some into the box, some to be donated. One box is filled. I cook ribs and leftover rice and lentils for dinner. Dora manages to fill another box.

Dora out to work around 2:30. I taped and addressed the first box, hauled it to El Corte Ingles, shipped it (25.3 kilos for €32.65), got facturas for all three boxes I've shipped. Then did it all again for the 4th box (19.3 kilos for €26.62). I'm not sure I'm getting cheapest rate of shipping for each box; it's confusing.

Took the garbage paper to the bin. Took a load of clothes to the donation box.

Loaded up a 5th box, mostly with my stuff, plus one of Dora's old laptops. Hauled it off and shipped it (18.5 kilos for €24.89).

Dora home early, around 7, and soon was packing and throwing stuff away. We hustled to El Corte Ingles before they closed at nine, and shipped the 6th box (about 23 kilos, €30.62) and Dora sent a fax.

Back home, showered, and I cooked a pesto-spaghetti dinner. Dora came back carrying two MORE empty boxes to use later.

I went to bed after midnight, Dora more like 2 AM. Dora up at 5, I'm up at 5:30. Another full box (#7) to tape and address, and another to start filling. I take out a big load of shredded-paper garbage. Soon taping and addressing box #8. Out to an ATM. Showers, and then it's 7 AM and Dora's friend Clexon is here with his car to drive us to the airport.

We pile in and are at airport terminal 1 fairly quickly, 20-25 minutes or so. Much nicer than Metro to train to shuttle bus.

Into a long line for Vueling, but this line is for those who already have boarding passes, so it moves quickly. Little girl next to us manages to dump a whole package of cookies on the floor right next to us. Both of our suitcases just a couple of kilos under the 23 kilo limit.

Bathroom stop, through Security, and then a 10-minute halt as Dora searches for a missing earring, eventually found in her purse. Longish walk to the gate, we're there with half an hour to spare, to cafe for coffees.

Dora hustles into line to get on the plane; I dawdle and get on near the end. Her usual griping about not being able to stow her extra carry-on right over her seat; it's 3 rows forward from us, no problem. Uneventful takeoff, and good-bye to Barcelona (for now).



Next diary page