RAINDROPS KEEP FALLING ON MY HEAD!

The message I received from my daughter, last Sunday afternoon, was not received in a particularly welcoming manner.  They were considering altering their flight home, and were looking into postponing it for a day.  Arriving home a few minutes before 2am, after attending her friend's wedding, and having to head for the airport a few hours later, was not the best laid plan!  To my delight, the alteration and administration charge made the option null and void, and I received a more welcoming message a little after midnight, my time, to say that they would shortly be heading out to the airport.  Handing back the dog was probably the highlight of my week.  He did not sleep on Sunday night, possibly sensing my relief that the 'exchange' would take place the following day.  Perhaps he did understand me when I repeatedly told him that 'momma's coming home'.  Every sound, every movement, every breath caused him to jump up and run to the door, barking furiously. However, by eleven thirty, on Monday night, I had waved cheerio to the dog, daughter and son-in-law, and was ready to go to sleep. 

Despite the temperature having risen back to the norm, swimming became a challenge.  The water had not recovered its heat as well as the atmosphere, and I struggled with my exercise for a couple of days.  Remembering the sadistic temperatures in which we were forced to swim as children, in our 'inter-school team' competitions, it was tolerable.  Diving into ice water may be invigorating to some, but as a ten year old I found it to be excruciating.  It is quite humourous how my school pals and I will always compare the temperature of our chosen aqua venue to Kingsbury swimming baths!  However, I digress!  The rain had disappeared, and for a couple of days, at least, swimming was an option.  I returned home at lunchtime on Tuesday, to take up the water challenge, and was met by one of my neighbours, who was rather concerned about a vehicle that was partially blocking the entrance to our community. I told her that we had observed it earlier than morning, but was not sure as to what to do to have it removed, but assured her that if I saw our maintenance man, I would mention her concerns.  As I bid her farewell, I espied the white truck that belongs to Russ, (who is our main man, and an absolute jewel of a janitor,) and waved for him to stop. He let me ramble on about the Chevrolet that was causing us to slow down to the recommended speed limit when entering the complex, and how I did not know what to do, or whom to call, about having it removed.  When I had completely run out of metaphors, he smiled politely and let me know that he had taken care of the matter, and someone should be removing the offending article in the very near future.  Samantha was rather amused as she pointed out that she had not before seen him smile!  I was not sure whether to be delighted that I had managed to add some humour to his life, or be embarrassed that he found me such a source of entertainment!  I chose the former! 

Samantha and Edward not changing their plans, was the only plan that was not changed for me!  My schedule for the week had been laid out, quite meticulously, but altered quite drastically.  My nail appointment was to be followed by haircut, and during these frivolous excursions, my car was going to have its annual inspection.  The phrase 'if you want a job well done.....', came to mind, as I had left the arrangements for my vehicle to my husband.  The mechanic had not been phoned, and therefore, my car was not booked in for its routine maintenance check.  There seemed little point in spending an inordinate amount of time on the south side of town, waiting for a noon appointment at the coiffures, so the white stripe down the middle of my head remained, and the appointment to go au natural was postponed for a week.  Not to be deterred by hiccups, I drove to Joe's on Wednesday morning, hoping to enjoy a hot cup of coffee, and some good old fashioned conversation.  As I entered the parking lot, I noticed the absence of a familiar truck, and illumination.  The lights at the Third Coast Coffee roaster were not burning, and the door was firmly locked.  Strike one!  'I knew I was meant to call someone', was the message I received from Joe, to my question, 'Are you not working today?'  It appears that at least one annual event was going to plan!  Joe was out of town for a convention, and I was sat whimpering, and decaffeinated outside his establishment!  Having an hour to kill, I drove to a nearby coffee-shop, also bearing the name of my favourite roaster, and set up temporary residence in the back of the lounge, with a medium cup of something hot and brown, but which lacked flavour.  After finishing a conversation with Samantha, I ran my eyes around the room and established that I was, indeed, the only geriatric to be present, and the only person without a larger mobile device sitting on the table in front of me.  The only 'tablet', that I had available to me was in the form of a painkilling capsule.  I continued to sit, sipping on the insipid beige liquid that seemed to be never ending, and watched the current day world turn on the tap of a fingertip tap! 

Finally, the time had come for me to leave the world of Internet dependency and get into my unserviced, uninspected car, and drive back across the river, to have my nails embellished with creativity! 

My lunchtime swim was very pleasant, but by the end of the day the clouds had gathered and the lightening was starting to strike through the dark skies.  Thunder rumbled as I headed home from the office, but the rain did not start to fall until after I had prepared dinner, which was fortunate as I was cooking on the grill in my sun room, which is not covered!  By late evening, the weather lady, who looked as if she had been called into work from attending a cocktail party, was telling us to 'turn around, don't drown!'  The low level crossings, she pointed out, whilst twirling around in her ankle length gown, were to be avoided, as they had already started to flood.  Pirouetting back to the screen, and pointing in the general direction of Texas, she announced that we were going to encounter some rather severe storms, and a 'weather warning' would be in effect until around 4am! 

Despite the electricity around, the rain was rather soft during the night, and did not wake me until around 2:30am.  I could hear the precipitation pounding against the outside wall of my bedroom, and a rather significant 'splat', as if the raindrops were right next to me.  It was when I came out of the semi-conscious state, into fully alert status, that I considered the dreamlike effect of feeling the rain as it dropped onto the ground, was actually not an illusion.  Sitting up, rather swiftly, on the edge of the bed, I looked up in the darkness and was instantaneously shot by a round of wet pellets coming from the direction of the ceiling.  The surprised howl awoke the sleeping Dana, and he immediately turned on his light to see what was causing the distress.  After establishing that I had not just returned to bed after having taken a shower, he suggested that I retrieve a bowl from the kitchen to catch the 'overflow'.  'Well done, Sherlock', was on my lips, but I chose not to award him this week's prize for stating the obvious, as I had already stripped the soaking sheets from my side of the bed, and laid towels down to soak up the excess water.  With a bucket placed strategically on the bed, I decided there was nothing more I could do, but wait, and pray! 

I did check the other bedrooms, and bathroom, to make sure there were no further incidents, and informed the sleepy being that this task had been carried out, when he made the suggestion a couple of hours later.  The ceiling, despite bowed, and sagging, did not split, and I left for work the following morning having taken precautions to make sure that the possible flood area was covered with bowls, buckets and towels, and that the bedroom was in pristine condition, in case an inspection of the damage was required by our maintenance man.  The illusion that I am a domestic goddess may have made up for the fact that I appear to be a bumbling fool in other areas!  Why I should care is beyond me!

Dana had called the powers that be, who act as agents for the maintenance for our property, and they were going to advise him as to when someone could come and survey the damage!  Although the weather was not conducive to swim, I did come home at lunchtime on Thursday.  Russ and his trusty companion were inspecting some other flood-like damage around the properties.  I approached him and asked if he could perhaps take a look at our roof, if he had a minute or two to spare.  He said that ours, along with another roof, were the only two not to have been replaced in recent years, and mentioned another property.  'Yes, that is mine!' I said proudly.  'No, you are number 3!', said Samantha firmly.  Acknowledging that I was completely unaware of my address, caused another rather wry smile from the maintenance man, who promised that he would check out the area, and at least temporarily fix the problem.  It appeared that I had made a new friend, without the need to claim my propensity for housewifely prowess!

The roof has not yet been replaced, but the motions are in hand!  A repair man set about 'plugging' the leak, and Russ promised to enhance the project by adding some further deterrents.  I sat up for most of Thursday night, as the rain continued to pour, and the weather lady, pulled from yet another party, adorned in her finery, twirled around the studio like a swan from the Bolshoi ballet, and suggested that we once again, 'turn around, don't drown'.  The efforts of the jewel in our crown, namely Russ, had been successful, and my roof did not leak.  My bed was dry on Friday morning,and the bucket empty!

We encountered some rain on Saturday, but it was in the form of a few short sharp showers.  The ceiling dried out quite nicely, and the bow all but disappeared.  I chose to enjoy the final few hours by the pool on Sunday, as it is going to be closed shortly, for a complete make over!  It, too, has been leaking, but as it was not overhead, I had not noticed! 

I plan to stay dry for the forthcoming week, with an umbrella in one hand, and faith in the other!  The car will be attended to, and my cravings for real coffee should be quelled, as Joe is due to return to work on Monday.  There are no more storms on the horizon, as far as the outstanding weather app on my phone is concerned.  However, all that may change in ....... another story!