Crafty in the Med

I am here to enjoy meeting other bloggers and to share my love of craft ,mostly crochet, my thoughts and my daily happenings here in Alicante,Spain, my adopted country. I belong to a local choir because singing and music makes me happy. Flea markets and book shops are two of my favourite places to be. I read lots......sci´fi/fantasy,buried treasure, and off world adventures. I have a passion for history! I walk and walk and walk for about 10 months per year during the hot months I swim.

Wednesday 30 June 2021

So it continues...

 


 Many thanks indeed for all your good wishes regarding my health issues. The test I had on the 18th was negative although I am waiting for biopsy results. There have been no changes with the digestive problems that I am having. I go back to my GP today to ask her what next. I expect I will be sent for further tests until they find out what is wrong.


Roll them down!

 During my first months living in Spain it struck me as odd that the inside of people's houses were always so gloomy and dark. Coming from the UK where you don't get so much fabulous sunlight as you get here I thought it was such a shame to live in darkness when there was glorious sunshine outside. The few months we lived with my in laws I just didn't understand why my MIL (mother-in-law) would tut at me so much because I would open all the wooden shutters she had on the windows to let the light in. She'd hastily come up behind me mumbling rapidly and close the shutters again ( I didn't speak a word of Spanish then). At that time I thought she was being really fussy until Sr P came up to me one day and told me not to do it and why. MIL had had a word with her son about it and what she thought was my strange behaviour.  

One of my first culture clashes!

 

(Source: Josu Mendicute)

 All this has all been brought to mind due to Chris's last post on Days in my Life where she mentions the way she keeps her house cool as she also does something very similar to the way they cope with the heat here.  

I have roll down shutters and they go down at different times of the day depending on the orientation of the rooms. 

 

I wanted to remove this shutter over the balcony door as there are shutters also on the balcony windows. I never use this one!  Sr P doesn't think this is a good idea. We hope to sell this apartment in the near future (post Covid) and downsize to a small bungalow or apartment in front of the sea and he thinks it is a fitting that possible buyers would find necessary.  It stays then and I use it occasionally to stop drones from having a nose!   Yes we get them here to!
 

The shutters do keep the heat out as their main function although they also keep out some bugs and bats too. I usually pull them down as from midday except for the living room. It is one of the coolest rooms in the apartment. I always felt it was so depressing having a dark gloomy living room even if it was kept cool thanks to the shutters, so I had a sun awning put in on the main window which meant I don't have to close the shutter until the evening and I still get quite a lot of light.    

 


 

The shutters are good for when it rains too. There is less to clean if I can get the shutters down on time.

Mine are pretty old shutters now we had them installed when we moved in to replace the cheap flimsy ones that came with the apartment when we bought it thirty two years ago.There are lighter easier to clean ones now which I would dearly like to have to replace these old heavy ones but it is quite costly as there are quite a few windows in our four bedroom apartment.  

By the way those shutters are a pig to clean!  I usually do it once a year but sometimes we get them cleaned professionally. It is a hefty job and can take about two to three days as they lift each shutter out of it's box and give it a thorough clean. They look like new afterwards though;so worth the expense.  

 

Beach Walk

As I can't go to the beach at present we went for a short drive and walk yesterday evening along the promenade at the Arenales beach which is about 10 mins away by car from us.    The cool sea air was very welcoming and relaxing.


 You can just make out Alicante City there in the distance and Santa Barbara Castle.


 Turning to the right a reasonably clear image of Tabarca Island. An island which was a penal colony in the 18th century during the Napoleonic Wars but that is another story 😊

 


Happy blogging


Amanda :-)





37 comments:

  1. I hope you get a diagnosis for your health issue soon - it must be a worry.
    My other half suggested we should have venetian blinds on our front room window which looks out on the street. I said that was fine as long as he cleaned them but funnily enough, he hasn't mentioned it again since! That beach looked very inviting.
    Best wishes
    Ellie

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    1. Hello Ellie, I had to laugh at this comment. I had several Venetian blinds installed in my flat which lasted for approx 10 years. They looked lovely ( I like blinds more than curtains) the first year or so but to keep them clean is a real chore, so I told Sr P I wanted to change them to roll up blinds. He immediately said they were too new to change so soon but not to worry he would help me clean them. That just didn't happen even though I frequently reminded him of his offer. Last year we changed those blinds for roll-up blinds and he didn't quibble about the change over at all! A x

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  2. Hi Amanda, I will have to say that our new lake house is positioned to be able to enjoy more light in the day than our woods house was. I don't want to be sitting in the darkness either. The couple weeks when we were close to 100 degrees f the full sun was blaring through that wall of windows overlooking the lake. We have these cool curtains that work like shutters when closed can be totally dark or I can turn the slats to be open, or I can slide the whole thing to the sides for a full view. our air conditioner was running constantly during that time trying to keep up with the hot sun-so I was forced to close them for a few hours-it did make a big difference.
    that would be awesome to get a view overlooking the sea when you move-I am thinking you would have lots of birds to watch as well.
    I would really suggest a test for celiac (no gluten) or other allergies from foods-if you are allergice to foods it will cause major problems good luck with discovering the issue hugs

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    1. Hi Kathy. Many thanks for your kind advice. I shall mention that to my doctor as I speak to her tomorrow and she will be giving me the results of the blood tests I had today. At present nothing that I eat stays in my body for long. I would like to see a photo of your curtains that work like shutters. Sounds neat! The shutters definitely do their job and keep a great deal of the heat out of the house. I have AC throughout the house too but I get headaches from it if it has been on for too long. A x

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  3. I remember shutters like that when I lived in Syria, I was glad of them because of the heat and they kept out the flying cockroaches and huge flies. I remember they were made of wood and were very heavy, gosh it brings back memories. I hope they get to the bottom of your health problems, I have still to get mine investigated and I have constant shoulder pain which I want investigating too, there's not much point at the moment as the waiting lists are months and in some cases years long because of covid. Beautiful beach views! have a great week. xx

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    1. Thank for your kind thoughts Linda :-) I have had some more tests and get the results tomorrow lets hope it is something concrete and I can be treated for whatever the cause is. Just thinking of those flying coackroaches makes me shudder. It isn't so bad here as the shutters keep them out.. mostly. However,when we lived in the Canary Islands it was awful. I had to spray the patio every evening and go in each morning to sweep up the dead bugs. Yuk! so horrible! A x

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  4. So sorry the tests proved negative, but at least that's something ruled out! I hope you soon get some answers to your problems, though. Even here in the "sunny" North West UK, if it's hot (I'm talking 24+) we close all the curtains at the front of the house, as that's where the sun is. It certainly keeps the house cooler. I don't cope well in the heat, and can't begin to imagine what parts of Canada are going through at the moment. xx

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    1. Hello HH,Thank you for your kind thoughts. Exactly what I thought and I was very relieved that the result were so good. It is 33 degrees here and so the temperature will rise from now on. I plan to just soak in the pool as much as possible. A x

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  5. Ours is a warm climate as well. My home is surrounded by trees and the shade keeps the place reasonably cool, though I often wish I had more natural light for indoor photography. Last winter a tree in the garden fell down during a storm and you wouldn't believe the difference it has made to the room it was shading. Amazing.
    Amalia
    xo

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    1. Natural shade from the trees is far better than the gloom of all shutters pulled . Nevertheless when it’s 33 degrees and rising everything is appreciated to keep the heat at bay. A x

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  6. Oh, I do you you find out the reasons for your health issues. I can imagine how frustrating it is for you. I enjoyed reading about the shades and how the heat is coped with. I can also imagine your MIL mumbling behind you. I've had interactions like that when I visited Japan and didn't understand something. :-)
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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    1. Many thanks Betsy for your kind thoughts. More tests this morning so tedious! A x

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  7. Sending hugs for good news {{O}}
    Growing up in Africa, we used to pull the curtains closed to cool the house, simple muslin fabric which was light and airy and stopped the house feeling gloomy. Even here in the norf (where it is supposedly grim, boring and slow!) I have light curtains that in summer I close to help cool the house down - and it works well - keep safe xxx

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  8. Keep hanging in there my friend. I NEED YOUR computer address.......can you give it to me on rave?

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  9. Wishing you well with your health Amanda. Cleaning blinds and windows is not high on my list lol
    Lovely sea pictures too Take care 😀😀

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  10. We definitely need to shut out the sun today! However, in winter the sun shines in unimpeded and warms things up.

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    1. Like you Chris I fling the windows open during the rest of the year and the winter sun can flood the rooms. I so love the sunlight but summer it is just too much and the shutters have to go down. A x

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  11. I hope you get good medical help and you feel better soon Amanda. As your weather hots up you must be glad of the adjustable blinds similar to the ones in our house in Italy. The awning is a good idea too. Our local daughter is thinking about installing an outside weatherproof awning so that we can sit outside in her garden -when we have rain showers! Best wishes to you and your family during these Summer days.

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    1. Thank you Linda. It is a good idea to install an awning outside in the garden and be able to sit outside when its raining and still enjoy being in the garden. I rather like the smell of a wet garden straight after a summer shower. A x

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  12. I do hope you are able to get some help with your medical issues and that a diagnosis is forthcoming very soon. There seems to be heat waves all over, which I am sure I would not be able to cope with. So although I would like a little heat I am content with the miserable 11 degrees it is here today. Beautiful beach.

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    1. Many thanks for your kind thoughts Lorraine. It is actually 27 degrees here at present and it is 9:30am. It is going to be another hot day! I can't get to the beach my health issues has put a stop to that for the moment but I will get a dip in the pool this morning. I so miss not going home to the UK. I normally pick the end of July or August to go to see the family and to get away from the fierce heat here. It is out of the question at present of course. Pool it is then :-) A x

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  13. I'd choose to have the blinds cleaned for me every time. After all, it supports industry, perhaps local. That's my excuse.

    I hope they sort out those medical issues soon.

    xx

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    1. Hello Joy, You are so right! I shall have to use this excuse on my husband who frequently repeats we can do it between us! Ha! A x

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  14. I do hope that you will soon have some answers to your health problems.
    Coming from such gloomy, grey days in the UK, when we first came here I, too, wanted to open up all the windows and let the sunshine in! In summer I very quickly learned to follow the local example and now close the shutters (persianas) before the sun comes round. It certainly makes a big difference to the temperature in the rooms. As I type this, half the house windows are closed up, and the other half open until mid afternoon.
    Some years ago I went on a day trip to Tabarca Island, with our local U3A. Quite an interesting day, and we were able to explore the whole island. It was relatively unspoiled, and reminded me of my very first holiday to the Costa Brava, many, many years ago! I seem to remember reading that there were plans to develop the island?

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    1. Hello CG, thank you for your kind thoughts. We used to visit Tabarca quite frequently always picking up the boat from Santa Pola as it is a shorter stretch and staying the day there. It is a wonderful marina reserve and the waters are perfect for snorkel diving which we like to do. I remember we stayed there one long weekend at the Casa del Gobernandor Hostal. As part of this old building is built on the sea rocks it was so relaxing going to sleep with the sound of the sea below and right outside of our window. Mid September or October was a great time to do this as there were less visitors to the island then. There have been a lot of changes and some holiday homes have been built there to attach more tourism and I hear there is another hotel too. It has been awhile since we have been back. A x

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  15. Hi Amanda, I wish you the best of luck with your health.
    When it's warm, we leave the shutters all the way down, so it stays cool.

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    1. Hello Loes, The sun was such a scorcher yesterday my shutters were down until about 10pm and then I opened everything to try and catch the cooler night breeze. Looks like today will be a repeat of much the same. A x

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  16. I like my rooms to be a bit dark, which I believe is because I live in such a sunny place. My bedroom windows always have the wooden shutters pulled closed. I just like it that way. The sun is so intense here, I get very sick of it. Stay cool my friend.

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    1. Hi Mere, I imagine Florida is very similar to this area of Spain. I find dark rooms to be gloomy but on the other hand the sun is such a scorcher that I keep the shutters closed as much as possible. I fling them open at night if there is a breeze. Anyhow I have found it is always best to go along with the customs here after all they know what is best! A x

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  17. I am just playing catch up on my blog posts Amanda. This bought to mind when I lived in Australia - I felt exactly the same as you - why did they all pull their shutters down & close their blinds in the middle of the day??!! Now I realise it was to cool the rooms & can understand why they did this. I hope you get good results from your GP Amanda. xx

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    1. Many thanks for your kind thoughts Julie. I hope to get results of more tests today and speak to my GP. It is 9:30am here now and as soon as I finish this reply to you I am shall be pulling down the shutters as I can feel the heat already. It is 27 degrees at present and will most likely go up to 30 nearer to midday...phew. The Pool is the remedy! A x

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  18. Your seaside images are fantastic

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    1. Thanks for calling in Kathy. I never tire of the seaside in any season. Did you get my email? A x

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  19. Sorry to hear about your health problems m'dear. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a happy outcome and a solution. Jean. xx

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    1. Many thanks Jean. It is so tiresome and taking far to long to find out what is causing it but at least the last test was negative so nothing wrong there. A x

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Thank you for your comments. I do read them and try to reply to all as well.Please keep them coming. Amanda :-)