Creatures of habit

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Julian told me that he had been busy on Thursday getting their house out on the coast ready for summer. He says that each year the family - mum, dad and two young children - abandon the town and head for a small house they own out at Los Nietos beside the Mar Menor where they will live until the children go back to full days at school in mid September. The San Juan celebrations are the trigger for them to start making preparations proper for the move because it is also the time, more or less, when children finish school for the summer. Some of my students had similar stories.

As we drove away from Cartagena today Maggie pointed out a family loading up the trailer on the back of their motor with lots of beach gear. Maybe they are off to La Manga. Lots of Cartaganeros seem to go there or to the resorts on the Mar Menor and nearby Med.

I've just been watching the nine-o-clock news. First heat wave of the summer, 40ºC all over Spain, here's some advice from a doctor. And some pictures from the beach. Odd how the cameras always linger on the topless women.

And, with the sun, the nasty bumps and lumps caused by insect bites and stings. Use factor 30 at least. Drink lots of water. Try to avoid sudden changes in temperature. Stay in the shade.

Aaah! Summer

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