Location: Los Alcázares, Murcia, Spain
Summary: A strong week of swimming, over 5.2 km in total, mixed with family tree research, lost keys, new routines, Flamenco music outside the apartment and a painful foot that needed rest.
Monday, 4th July
Morning swim, charity shop hunt and a perfect turkey lunch
I woke around 07:00 and worked on my family tree for a few hours before going for my swim at 09:00. I swam to the rocks and back twice, then returned home for a shower, coffee and breakfast.
I left early for the office so I could check the charity shops near the Arches for a key ring. The ones in the Chinese shops bend too easily and I want a thicker one. None of the charity shops had any. I checked the café to see if Mike was there, but it was empty, so I went to the office. Even though I was early, Martin was already there cracking the whip.
After 90 minutes of light work we both headed home. I stopped at Mercadona for pâté, then saw my friend Colin at Le Petit Bistro and joined him for a pint. It was nice to see Jane working there too. Back home I cooked turkey fillets with herb pâté and salad, which tasted fantastic.
In the evening I binge watched Hart of Dixie before going to bed early.
Tuesday, 5th July
A windy swim, a short work day and Flamenco news
I woke around 08:00 and went for my morning swim. The wind and waves were stronger today, but I still managed my usual routine, even if it took more effort.
After a shower and coffee I headed to the office. Work was cut short because the boss looked worn out and decided to pull a sicky. As I was leaving, Dave arrived and we had a quick pint since Martin had already gone home.
The swim must have tired me more than I realised because I fell asleep on the sofa as soon as I got home. I woke around 16:00 and cooked chicken thighs with salad. On Farcebook I saw that the town hall is putting on a Flamenco show this weekend on the stage outside my apartment.
I ordered a stamp for my Eurobilltracker notes, waited for an Amazon delivery and binge watched more Hart of Dixie before bed.
Wednesday, 6th July
Lost keys, seafood salad and Fantasy Football
I woke around 07:00 and went for my swim. The wind had dropped but there were ominous black clouds over La Manga. After my swim I showered, worked on my computer and had cornflakes for breakfast.
I went to Mercadona for a salad and bought a seafood one for a change, plus a piece of fish in sauce and 12 small bottles of beer for €3.48, ready for tonight’s concert outside my apartment.
As I was leaving, I realised I didn’t have my apartment keys. I retraced my steps in the shop but couldn’t find them. Luckily my neighbour had a spare key. When he came to let me in through the garage lift, he found my keys still in the lift mechanism where I had left them earlier. Panic over.
For lunch I had chicken thighs wrapped in bacon and stuffed with herb pâté, very nice. I spent the afternoon doing family tree research and picking my Fantasy Football team for the new season. The day flew by.
Thursday, 7th July
A windy swim, Eurobilltracker stamp and a hot afternoon
I went for my swim at about 08:30. The wind was strong again and swimming against it took more effort. After a shower, shave and breakfast I sat at my computer. My stamp arrived, so I can now mark my Euro bills more easily for the Eurobilltracker website.
By lunchtime I was going stir crazy indoors, so I went out on my scooter for some air. I stopped at Rocco’s for a pint, but a terrible smell was blowing through the air, so I moved on. I saw Colin at Le Petit Bistro and stopped for a chat, then saw Wayne and Marie too.
The heat was getting too much, so I went home and had a large glass of coconut water, which hydrates you quickly and tastes great. I saw a Bodega trip advertised for the end of July and booked a ticket.
In the afternoon I sat at the chiringuito outside my apartment reading my Kindle. For tea I had pasta and seafood salad with garlic fish. In the evening I binge watched Quantum Leap, one of my favourite shows. Before bed I took a painkiller because something had bitten me and my left foot was throbbing.
Friday, 8th July
A long swim, stuffed aubergine and Flamenco night
I slept well thanks to the painkiller and woke at 08:00. I went for my swim and bumped into my Spanish friend Yuan, who I usually see fishing. The sea was very calm, perfect for swimming, so I did an extra lap, 1200 m in total, plus three sets of water aerobics.
For lunch I walked to D’Pollo and bought stuffed aubergine. On hot days I don’t always want to cook and this little takeaway is excellent.
Most of the afternoon was spent doing family tree research and listening to the Flamenco singers setting up outside. In the evening I took cold beer from my fridge and went to watch the show. I enjoyed a lot of the singing, though not the wailing. The guitar solos were fantastic.
After the show I walked past the chiringuito and saw Matt, Willy and Rosemary. It would have been rude not to stop, so I ended up chatting and having a beer until 02:00.
Saturday, 9th July
A sore knee, English breakfast and a long chat with Diane
I woke around 08:00 despite the late night. My knee was sore, my legs ached and the tendon in my left foot felt like it was about to split. I skipped my swim and went to the Tipsy Thistle for a large English breakfast.
Afterwards I went to Mercadona for next week’s food, then went home, put everything away and turned on the air conditioning. I took a painkiller and settled on the sofa to watch TV.
Just as I got comfortable, Paul messaged me, so I went to the chiringuito to meet him for a quick beer. We were joined by Diane and had another beer to stay hydrated. Paul left for work later, and Diane and I continued chatting. She told me about a day trip she wants to go on next week, and by the time I left she had booked me a place too.
Back home I had chicken wings for tea. My ankle tendon was aching again, so I took another painkiller and fell asleep in front of the TV. I woke around 22:30, turned the TV off and went to bed.
Sunday, 10th July
A perfect swim, cruise website prep and a very hot day
I was woken at 03:30 by the street sweeper. I couldn’t get back to sleep, so I worked on my computer for a while. At 07:00 I went for my swim. The sea was flat, warm and beautiful, warmer than the air.
After a shower I had coffee, cornflakes with yoghurt and banana, then stripped the bed and put the linen in the wash. While the washing was on I worked on my website, setting up the pages, photo albums and menu system for my Mediterranean cruise later in the year. I did three more loads of washing and emptied the basket completely.
It was very hot today and I didn’t feel like eating much. For lunch I had Spanish omelette with salad, and in the evening just a protein shake.
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