January 2018 - Week 2

Monday 8th to Sunday 14th January 2018

Monday we worked like dogs! Including my setting up a telephone banking security number in a call with HSBC that took about an hour and when I went to use it later it didn’t work! So I had to do the whole thing over again but this time with an Indian chap so I couldn’t understand half of what he said! I got there in the end, though. I did a short power walk to get over it. Unfortunately HSBC is a necessary evil. For dinner Sam made a lamb shank broth and I had a pizza (oops).

Tuesday we went into Valletta to get new ID cards. We had posted our old ones back to the ID Cards Office when we moved so they could record our change of address, but apparently that was a big No NO! You have to go in person. Anyway, two years later we have finally gone in person and after queuing for an hour and a half we were photographed, questioned, sworn in and generally approved for new cards. (The ID Cards Office has lost our old ones.) If you lose you ID Card you normally have to make a Police Statement but they waived that formality as it was they who had lost them. We now wait to hear when the cards are ready to collect at which time we will have to go back to Valletta, presumably to queue for another hour and a half to collect them. Bureaucracy here really is ridiculous; in the UK you can get a passport by post but here everything has to be done in person. I even had to go in person to the e-ID office to get an online password! But we had a look around Valletta and a nice lunch – thick slices of toasted Maltese bread topped with mashed avocados, peppered goats cheese and a poached egg – so all was not lost. For dinner I had spaghetti arabbiata and Sam had soup.

Wednesday we worked in the morning, had a Spanish lesson in the afternoon and went out in the evening. We had drinks at O’Reilly’s (Miracles was shut, strangely enough) then went to HOS. After papadums and pickles Sam had chicken tikka Masala with a chapatti and I had chicken jael fresi with a “misty naan” which was advertised a being stuffed with mixed nuts but was actually stuffed with an almond paste. Anyway, it was all very tasty.

Thursday I went to Pama so we are now stocked up again with all manner of healthy fruit and veg. For dinner Sam cooked peppers stuffed with roasted vegetables, cherry tomatoes, black olives and feta. Fantastic!

Friday I walked around town stopping off at The Donut Factory for a cappuccino and at the butcher’s to buy meat for a beef casserole I made for dinner.

Saturday we went first to The Apples Eye then to Munchies for cappuccini. We walked on the beach at Golden Bay; there were even some mad tourists playing in the surf. After lunch I did a great power walk which was hot work in the sun despite the breeze. In the evening Sam and I went to Fat Harry’s. I have been saving up my brass coins and now that we are about to leave Malta it seems like a good time to spend them. I ordered drinks for Sam and I which came to €5.10 and I paid in 5 cent coins. The barman was not impressed! Chris and Tina joined us and we went on for an excellent dinner at Al Sultan. We had lots of different meze dishes and good local wine and we had a lovely evening as always.

Sunday I did a couple of walks. I also had ice cream. Oops. For dinner we had left over beef casserole with roasted parsnips.