One armadillo, two armadillo....

The weekend has come to its conclusion, once again, and once again, I have not achieved quite as much as I anticipated.  This is probably due to the fact that my list is probably rather too long for such a short space of time, and it also includes some reading time by the pool.  Once I get my nose into a book, I normally find it very difficult to put it down.  Much as I love the book, I love to finish it and start another.

Saturday morning came and went, and with the household chores completed, it was time to take it easy, or at least, easier.  I had called my sister, after she had sent me a message to say she had her list ready for when I came home.  I am aware that there is a customs restriction on alcohol, tobacco and perfume, but I have not seen one for M&M's, which is fortunate, as my suitcase will contain virtually the entire Texas quota for this year and next.  Perhaps I should invest in the parent company, as I am sure there will be a run on the stores before long.  Glad to oblige, however, I am filling as many orders as the luggage allowance will let me! 

Samantha had made an appointment for the dog to have his nails cut, and I said I would accompany her. My trip to Costco would have to be delayed, but it was not essential.  It would have to remain unticked on the list in favour of this non-listed item. Fortunately, although the dog was completely traumatised before, and during the visit, as soon as we left the vet, he became the naughty little boy that we have come to know and love.  Dana was at home when we returned, so we left the 'boys' to have some 'male bonding' time, and we took ourselves down to the pool.  Usually we have the pool to ourselves early Saturday afternoon, but this Saturday we found we had gate-crashed a birthday party.  Two thirds of the party, including the birthday girl, were already present, and the third person arrived shortly after we plopped into the water.  Unfortunately, the party was not attended by all invited, as was loudly announced by one of the ladies.  They did, however, have cake and ice-cream.  It was rather hard not to look up when they dished out the 'sorbet', considering it was 98 degrees outside! (Yes, we had a cold front come through!)  Drinking sorbet was apparently a very interesting experience by all accounts and complimented the vodka.  Although only three feet away from the party, we were not invited, which was rather a shame.  The catering seemed to be rather amazing!  However, the entertainment was open to all.  I now know more about people I do not know, and probably will never know, than those I do!  Although my current reading book is holding my interest and is very gripping, it was in no way as exciting as what was happening to 'Maxine' and her current boyfriend.  Of course, none of the ladies were 'ones to gossip.....but.....'  Unfortunately, Samantha had a prior engagement, and I had to go to the mall, so our lounging around came to an abrupt end, and my book remained unread, and as unfinished as the account of Maxine and her current boyfriend.

Going to the mall used to be an all day event.  Before we moved to the USA, our visits consisted of shopping for friends and family, and then some!  Now, going to the mall has become less than exciting. Dana and I decided we would go our separate ways once inside, and I marched off to Abercrombie.  I found my product, went to the cash desk and inquired as to whether they had any sleeveless tops.  They did not.  However, there was a 20% off jeans special.  I did not want jeans.  The nice young man rang up my purchase, and asked if I wanted to look at the rack to my right, which contained jeans.  They were $20 a pair.  I still did not want jeans.  I handed over the cash and smiled.  'Do you......', he started.  'If it has anything to do with jeans, I am not interested', I shouted.  I was not being rude, it is just rather difficult to hear over the wailing of the latest 'American Idol' failed entrant, blasting through the speakers. 

I left the mall without most of the purchases I wished to acquire, so my day was not as successful as I would have liked. 

Sunday morning was slightly more successful in the 'things to do' category.  I made a jalapeno cheese loaf, a french loaf and a 'cadbury' loaf.  The latter is my latest 'yummy' loaf.  I roll up almonds, raisins and chocolate into the dough, thus creating a 'fruit and nut' loaf.  Variety is supposed to be the spice of life!   Breakfast was at the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store and Restaurant, and we were back home by midday.  We had planned to go to a matinee so taking care of food first thing meant that I could juggle everything. 

As I read approximately two pages of my book the previous day, I was looking forward to some catching up.  I was quite pleased to see the absence of others, and I threw my 'floatie' into the pool.  I placed my book on the side and plunged into the water.  It is an art to place oneself on the floatie, lay flat, and then retrieve my book from the side of the pool.  It is an art that I have yet to perfect.  I do manage to get on to the plastic contraption, but rather more ungainly than would be preferred!  After spending a considerable amount of time getting myself set up to laze away the afternoon, there was something that caught my eye.  Was it a rabbit?  Was it a rat?  Hopefully the former.  However, it neither.  It was a baby armadillo.  Like a Hedgehog, an armadillo is a creature rarely seen alive.  It is usually found flat on a road with tire marks across its back.  This one was snuffling around by the pool.  He seemed to be totally unperturbed as I took pictures with my phone.  'What is that?!!' asked Elise when I sent her a picture.  I explained the whole hedgehog thing.  I then called Dana as I was quite certain that the poor little animal was trying to find his way home.  However, when Dana came down to 'check it out', we found another snuffling around under a bush. 'Amazing', said Dana.  'You don't often see them alive', he said.  Both the 'dillos ran, yes ran, to the opposite end of the area, and scuttled away into the woodland area, at the back of the condos, as if they knew exactly where they were going.  Obviously they had not strayed from their home and were not lost.   Back into the water I went, and the little animal decided to return.  Not one to miss an opportunity, I went back to the condo to get my camera, as my phone was in dire need of a charge.  On returning to the waterside, some neighbours joined me.  I pointed out the armadillo.  'I have heard they spread leprosy', said one.  'You don;t often see them alive', said the other.  We watched with amazement, and I clicked away on my instamatic.  'Perhaps he is searching for water', said one of the ladies, and went searching for a receptacle.  'Don't touch him', said the other, 'your nose will fall off!'  We spent the next twenty minutes or so, watching the armadillo hop, skip and jump across the grass, and in and out of the woodland area.  After a while, however, the ladies left, as did I, as I had to get ready to go to the cinema. 

Once again, I did not get to read much of my book, and my summertime reading project may not get completed.  It is only a self imposed project, so I will not miss any deadlines, but I pride myself on finishing what I start.  We did go to the cinema, and I did get round to writing this post, which was also on my list. 

Texas never fails to bring something new into my life, and next week there will be ...... another story.