Sunday March 29th 2020

It was a beautiful sunrise. One that promised it was going to be an even more beautiful day. A Sunday. A warm, sunny Sunday. The perfect adventure day. But today wasn’t going to be any kind of adventure. Unless you count moving between Costa de la Living Room and Balcony de Sur and El baño as an adventure.

I opened the windows as wide as they go. I wish these windows were like those really cool floor to ceiling windows that slide to one side so there would be no ugly poles 1) blocking my view and 2) blocking my sun. I had a real cup of tea sat on the ottoman with Rio, looking out at the silent world below.

You might be wondering why I emphasised on the whole real thing. It’s not like I’ve been sitting at home with a toy tea but sometimes I think I may as well have. We don’t have a kettle anymore. Why? Because we stored it for ages and never used it. They are bulky. They don’t match my surfaces and it’s just irritating. You might not have guessed but we’re very no stuff people. But in the same way, I love stuff. I hate things on show. Unless it’s because they’re not been put away yet then I just hate seeing stuff. I hate ornaments unless it’s a candle, or a little elephant, or snow globes or a mini Disney ornament. I much prefer stuff hidden. Which is why the kettle (and the toaster) went.

Now, you might think that now it’s lockdown we might order one online? Saves the whole having a cold weird tasting tea by using the coffee machine (which is allowed to be on display along with the smoothie maker) but instead, boiling water on the oven top means no kettle required and a good cup of tea. Tea making facilities have been restored.

After my tea, we had bacon sandwiches. We both sat in the balcony room with them and it was almost like being out for breakfast. Whoever decided to cover over our balcony room made a terrible idea. It’s clearly meant to be outside but you don’t get any sun on you as you’re sitting. Alex pointed out that if we had some comfy outdoor furniture there it might be a nicer room, but I’m still not sure. The furniture would have to be low and by the window to even get the sun and without sun it’s just… weird? Also, I’m sure some outdoor style furniture might look out of place.

I wrote my blog for the day before but this time on the ottoman. The sun was beating down, the waves could be heard crashing from the shore and laughter from the garden. Wait… laughter… from the garden? I now know how a dog feels. Jumping to the window to see any sort of commotion going on that I can’t see. There was a family outside playing football and another person working out. Now, the garden is huge so they were nowhere near one another, but it does say being in a communal garden is against the rules.

Personally, I don’t see why we can’t use the garden. Ok, somewhere like Madrid or Valencia, I get it. Hundreds of people using a communal garden? No way. But in Benidorm, most of the apartments are empty. There aren’t many permanent residents here. You look out at night and there’s probably 5-10 lights on for each building. Each and every one of us in Benidorm could go down to our communal gardens and still be distanced. Much more distance than say… the supermarket. Or the door we all touch to open to leave. Granted they’re disinfected every week day and we all wash our hands after but, I’m saying we could be distanced very very far apart. More so than if we all sat on our balcony rooms with the window open.

One rule fits all in these times though. I get it. I don’t blame them for being in the garden. I’d love to go down. But I’d be a nervous wreck thinking the police or army might walk by, as they do, and tell me off. They would only move you on and say go to your home, but still I’m a very sensitive person. (Oh no, should I say that on the internet?? I’m not sensitive at all ha ha ha words don’t hurt!!!! I don’t scrutinise what people say in case they mean something else and overthink some texts thinking that their tone might be completely different to what they intended…)

I decided to continue sunbathing on my ottoman with Joel Dommett‘s audiobook playing. Humour whilst getting a tan. I’d specifically worked on my abs through yoga and treated myself to a new Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger bikini thinking it would be perfect for summer and perfect for the road trip. Well, the road trip isn’t happening any time soon and there are talks of being cooped up in summer too so I guess I need to make use of the bikini now.

I think I’d go mad if I was cooped up in summer. It would be difficult. Now is upsetting when it’s lovely and sunny but it’s bearable. Summer would be unbearable. 40 degree temperatures in a small apartment with no air con. The thought makes me want to sweat.

We watched the end of Avengers after lunch and I did my yoga out in the balcony room. I did a yoga for text neck, which was stretches to counteract being curled and crunched over your device. It’s perfect for during quarantine as obviously a lot of us are using devices much much more than usual.

I sat for a while with a glass of wine watching military vehicles go by and not a lot else. It was quiet, peaceful, yet eerie all at the same time.

The sun set really late tonight. The claps and applauds usually happened at 8pm in pitch black. But tonight, it was the beautiful pink sky when the cheers roared. I think it made it more beautiful.

We watched the Aristocats for the first time and I quite enjoyed it. I always thought not being a cat person that I wouldn’t enjoy it, but I did. The kittens are super cute and you have no choice but to love Duchess, plus Uncle Waldo is a hero and being drunk shall only be referred to as being marinated from now on.

We had a Houseparty video call with Amy and Max before we had dinner. I think keeping in contact with friends and family keeps you sane during these times. Glimmers of normality. It’s like the highlight of your day playing some online game with your mates.

We had Pasta Bake for dinner whilst we watched an episode of Lizzie McGuire. It made me wonder, how many kids would bully other kids if they hadn’t seen it on a TV shows or movies? How many would have the idea if they never saw it? Of course, they’ll always be those that replicate what they’ve been through themselves but thinking about it, I think a lot wouldn’t have half the ideas if they hadn’t seen it on TV. Although the bullies are always made to be horrible and you’re supposed to sympathise with the victim who is usually the main character, they always make the bully much cooler and much more popular. Which is what a lot of kids crave.

We went to bed about 11pm ready for another day in lockdown. Tomorrow, or today as you’re reading it, the tighter lockdown rules come into force. There is a full list of the jobs that are allowed to happen such as Steel and Metal construction, deliveries for products ordered online, pharmaceutical and health, emergency services, public transport operators, supermarket workers and others along those lines. I think the biggest change on normal life is everything closing by 7pm meaning that people shouldn’t be out by then, and normal construction now can’t happen.

I hope you’re all keeping well. See you tomorrow,

L x