Location: Los Alcázares, Murcia, Spain
Summary: I spent the week battling the intense heat, juggling clinic visits, meeting friends for coffees and meals, helping people with documents, and doing a huge amount of genealogy and website work. I had a couple of worrying moments with my heart rate in the heat, but also some lovely social moments and productive research days. Summer is now fully here, and I felt every degree of it.
Monday, 30th June
I woke later than usual and heard my phone ringing while I was in the shower. When I checked it, Lawrence had already messaged to say he was outside. We went to Café Prensa and were joined by the usual group. We chatted until 11:30, and then Lawrence dropped me at Rio Nalon.
I met Martin and Dave at No Name Café. Since Martin didn’t need to pick up Aria, we stayed there for a change. The beer was the same price as La Sombre, and the water was cheaper. After a couple of hours, we moved to La Sombre for one more drink before Dave dropped me back at Rio Nalon.
I went to No Name Café again, then Harry’s Bar for the air conditioning. Amanda arrived with a friend, and we caught up. Later, I went to Roccos and spoke with Rachid about his upcoming move to a new bar. I walked home in the heat and was glad to get inside.
Tuesday, 1st July
I woke at 07:00, had coffee and realised I had forgotten to take my tablets the previous day. I noted it on my Sintrom sheet. I walked to the clinic for my 10:10 appointment, but the heat made it difficult. I was puffed out and struggling to breathe by the time I arrived.
The nurse was running late, and I waited forty minutes. The trainee cleaned the wound, and the nurse redressed it. She gave me another appointment for Thursday, which felt sooner than usual. I hoped it wasn’t a bad sign.
I walked to Rio Nalon to meet Martin, but the heat overwhelmed me. At Tipsy Thistle, my heart rate hit 147 bpm. I cooled down with iced water and breakfast. Bob, the owner, stopped to chat, and by the time he left, I felt better.
I walked to No Name Café, but even the short distance had me puffing again. Martin and Dave arrived, and I drank more water. My heart rate dropped to around 97 bpm. At 13:45, Dave drove me home because I didn’t trust myself to walk. I spent the rest of the day in the air conditioning.
Wednesday, 2nd July
I felt better this morning. After coffee and Wordle, George called asking for help sending more documents. He and Yvonne arrived later, and I scanned, translated and emailed everything to his doctor. George also managed to fix the stuck zip on one of my Indian cushion covers.
I had a crab stick salad for lunch, which wasn’t very nice, and I won’t buy it again. I had yoghurt, a banana and ice cream afterwards. I worked on my website and heard from Liz, who said she hadn’t been out because of the heat. I also chatted with a possible new relative on Ancestry and ordered some expensive coffee I like from local restaurants.
Thursday, 3rd July
I woke at 05:30 with genealogy ideas buzzing around my head. I got up and immediately found a war record that confirmed details about Daniel Howard Morris. It also suggested I had the wrong wife attached to him, so I updated the tree.
I showered, took my tablets and went to the clinic. The nurses arrived late, but they cleaned and redressed my ankle. It seems to be healing from the inside out. Because I am going to Murcia next week, they scheduled appointments for Monday and Wednesday.
I went home, had a bacon and egg sandwich and worked on my website. At 15:00, I had a Texas wrap salad and checked the news. The tragic death of Diogo Jota and his brother dominated the headlines. I played CIV VI and worked on my family tree until midnight.
Friday, 4th July
I slept well and woke at 07:00. I had coffee and checked my email. A lady researching the same family line sent me newspaper clippings, including one showing my great‑grandfather, Benjamin Morris, attending a funeral in Nantymoel. A small detail, but a lovely find.
I went for a walk before it got too hot. My knee popped early on, but I continued slowly along the beachfront, then through the shaded streets back home. It was already scorching, so I stayed inside afterwards.
I received the PIN for my new bank card, but not the card itself. I sat outside reading until it got too hot, then went inside and turned on the air conditioning. I spent the rest of the day researching my family tree and discovered a distant relative born in Cartagena to Welsh parents. Her father was a merchant seaman, which explains it.
Saturday, 5th July
I woke at 07:30, had coffee and went for a walk while it was still cool. I walked to La Encarnación and then to Estribor Café. The waiter told me the toaster was broken, yet somehow managed to make tostada for the man next to me. I had coffee and read my Kindle before walking home.
I spent the day indoors doing genealogy research. Pat called to say Sheila, visiting from New Zealand, had been looking for me. We arranged to meet tomorrow night at Zarcos Cocktail Bar.
By 22:00, it was still 32°C on my balcony. I stayed inside and avoided the heat. Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun.
Sunday, 6th July
I was woken at 03:45 by a loud English woman blasting her car horn and screaming at her kids. She woke the whole neighbourhood. I eventually fell asleep again and woke at 08:30.
I watered the plants and admired the pink flowers on my Cotyledon orbiculata. I made a banner for my social media sites and wished I could still share things on Farcebook, but my account will be long gone by now.
I heard singing and clapping outside, possibly a church group, but couldn’t see them through the trees. I had coffee, did Wordle and then got absorbed in genealogy research again. I believe I may have found a link to the Davies family of my great‑great‑grandmother, Maria Davies.
I cooked sausage and mash at 14:30, then went straight back to my research. I started a separate tree to trace the Davies line properly. At 18:00, I rested before getting ready to meet Pat and Sheila.
We went to Willys Cocktail Bar. I had a Spiced Mojito, and we talked about New Zealand, holidays and future trips. Sheila invited me to visit her in New Zealand. We stayed until 23:30, then Pat drove me home. The Flamenco show in the square was still going when I got in. I cooled off with the air conditioning before bed.
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