BATMAN VS SUPERMAN!

If anyone had told me, in my youth, that I would be remotely interested, let alone fascinated, with colonies of bats, I would have informed them that they had been a casualty of mistaken identity.  However, once again, I found myself standing under the bridge over the Colorado River at South Congress Avenue, waiting for them to swarm!

Sunday evening, I received a message to say that some friends from my teenage years (and beyond) were coming into town.  I had been talking to Anita for a few months, as she had indicated that they were coming stateside for a wedding in Minnesota.  They decided to take the opportunity to come further south and visit various states, including my own!  Unsure as to the exact dates of their visit to my town, we were playing it by ear.  Anita sent me a message after ten, asking if I was still awake.  It is a standing joke between my daughter and me that anything past ten is an invasion into my sleep time, and as I am traditionally an early riser, the question is, "Don't they know you have to be up in ten minutes?"  I fear, sometimes, that 'age' has forced me into becoming 'old', and 'habit' has forced me into a psychological rut.  Too Deep?  Perhaps!  If I were to follow my own guidelines, (to which I do NOT adhere,) children below voting age, and adults over 50, should not be allowed out, on a 'school night', or any day that has a 'd' in it, after nine o'clock!  However, as I do not think of myself in either category, I forgive myself and occasionally throw caution to the wind!  (Albeit that when my daughter asks, when my behaviour is less than age-approriate, "How old are you?", I always reply, "12!")

I went into work on Monday, and started my work week.  I messaged back a forth a bit with Anita, and she called towards the middle of the afternoon.  It had been a nice day, weather wise, and we had not had any rain.  I had been swimming, and returned to the office.  We discussed dinner and 'the bats', and I did not realise that they thought I was going to join them for the latter.  I had no problem with this, bar two things.  Firstly, the last time (and only time) that I had gone to view the bats, they (the bats) had decided to have a 'night off', and sent for 'take out' rather than going out to collect dinner themselves!  The second reason was a little less pessimistic. I was wearing one of my business  dresses, and a pair of high heeled shoes; not really conducive to walking, nor climbing steep steps!  However, with one car at the office, and Dana having to go to get some office supplies, there was not a chance to go home and change.  "Do you think I will be okay in a pair of leggings?" asked Anita.  "You could wear a swimsuit, or a cocktail dress, and not look out of place in Austin!" I replied.  Yet here was I, wondering if I was dressed appropriately!

It was really nice to see Anita again, as well as her husband, David, with whom I had been very friendly as a teenager, due to be having dated one of his (then) best friends.  (I say 'then' without any actual evidence, but using assumptions - but I digress)  It was also lovely to finally meet their daughters.  I got into their car and we drove 'downtown'.  Dana would meet us later.

My shoes walked me to the bridge, and I negotiated the stairs down to the bank of the river.  There was a large crowd on and under the bridge, waiting for dusk to give way to darkness, to watch the bats to do what the bats do.  A few creatures made their way out of the eaves, but then, nothing.  We waited.  "Do you see a pattern, emerging?" said David, as I told him of my previous experience.  Once again, the bats had called ahead and cancelled their reservations for a 'night out', and chosen to stay in!  I tried to argue that twice does not an epidemic make, but it did seem a little odd.  We walked back to the car.  On our way back, my phone rang.  I answered, and had a brief conversation with the person on the other end of the line.  "Wrong number!" I said a I terminated the call.  They looked at me.  "Only in Texas can you have a full blown conversation with the wrong number!" I added.  They found this amusing, as did I when I first heard it said!

Dana met us at the restaurant, and we had a very nice dinner, and I was quite delighted that the conversation did not veer to, "So, what was she like as a teenager?"  The girls went to the same university as Steph, albeit ten years later, and told us some of what they had achieved.

We arrived home a little before 11, and if to add insult to injury, I

suggest that a cup of tea would be in order!  Rule breaking was becoming rampant!  However, as always, spending time with friends from my youth, had made me 'come alive', and I was full of stories from a bygone age, that I remembered with a smile.  

Tuesday brought a little melancholy to the proceedings.  I had planned to ask Anita and David to come for dinner, as their girls had stated that they were going to go 'downtown' after dark, and enjoy the Austin nightlife.  However, a call from the vet to say that Frank had arrived back, or at least his ashes, put a damper on the proceedings, and I found myself, once again, in the turmoils of grief and unhappiness.  Samantha was surprisingly composed, and it was me who shed many tears on the way home, as I read a beautiful story of 'where dogs go' after life, and how they wait for their masters to join them.  It was comforting to my daughter to have the staff all say that they missed him and that he was loved. She was more affected when she drove home from work, and did not have to comfort her mother.

I went to Joe on Wednesday, after spending a considerable amount of time in my kitchen preparing dinner.  I was rather late arriving, and later leaving.  After sending an apologetic message to Anita, we agreed to meet for lunch, and I sent them some options.  Samantha would join me and we headed out at 11:30.  We arrived at Jason's Deli a little early, and went into the craft store before seeing them arrive.  Lunch was fun. The girls appeared to all enjoy each other's company, and I think there was an air of sarcasm when it came to discussing their mothers!  We did not reminisce but discussed our lives after 'coming of age', and the difference in cultures. Although not a 'native', and despite my resistance on many levels, I explained that Texas is not only a state, it is a way of life, and it is hard to 'kick against the prods' when you are so engulfed by its independence and free spirit!  We bid them farewell, with lots of hugs, as they set off on a long drive to Dallas, and Samantha and I headed back to work.  

We had a 'late' night on Wednesday.  Like the bats, we did not venture out, but had our regular visitor, Paul, to join us for dinner.  Dana and Paul got into a rather lengthy discussion and I sat for a while fighting to stay awake.  The discussion, itself, was not boring, but I was beginning to feel the effects of 'bed' after midnight and early mornings taking their toll.  

"Mind over matter!" said Samantha, as I plunged into the cold water on Thursday lunchtime  and made some squeaking noises.  Saying this from the comfort of a lounger, eating lunch, and then taking a short snooze, was rather less than encouraging.  She had called Emma, my niece, to wish her a happy birthday, while I was wading through waves that the wind was creating, and finding it rather hard to swim.  Apart from feeling the effects of lack of sleep, I had received an email from Andie, my old neighbour, to say that any text messages, regarding dinner this evening, had not been received, as she was awaiting a new phone, and her and Sean were hoping to cook us dinner tonight.  I was not prepared!  After all, I only had one dessert prepared, and that was from last night!  Admittedly, only a couple of slices had been taken from the roulade, but the lack of variety was as upsetting as my having to come to terms with my self imposed limits due to age!  I would have to leave work at five, and get 'cracking'.  I messaged back and forth with Sean to confirm as requested by Andie, and we were all set for seven!

Samantha dropped me off at home and then called me to let me know how the detour that took five minutes had caused her to be caught up in a traffic jam that was miles long.  I separated eggs, whipped cream, made crepes and cooked rice as she bemoaned her situation, and saw no problem in blaming me for the long ride home she was having to endure.  Of course, the accident that had caused the tailback could have taken place before we left the office, but I was going to have to take the arduous journey with her!  At last, she arrived home, and I was exonerated!  Andie had sent me a text, "Messaging you from my new phone".  I replied that it messaged 'amazingly'!

Seven o'clock came and went. My Normandy Pancakes, (or apple crepes as Dana so unimaginatively called them,) were starting to crisp in the oven, which was not the plan!  The meringues (always a good 'fall back') were quite happily filled with cream, and the rice and corn salad sat on the table with a garden salad, awaiting my guests.  I received a text at eight to say they were heading our way.  I was already hyperventilating about another late night, and had to remind myself I was making a mountain out of a mole hill.  However, the thought of climbing a mole hill at my age.............!

Dinner was virtually prepared by the time they arrived.  They had bought shrimp and vegetables.  The veggies were skewered and the shrimp frozen!  Time was marching on. Dana joined Sean in the car port and they 'turned' the skewers awaiting the shrimp to defrost.  "I am so sorry", said I, "but I do not eat shrimp".  Andie looked horrified, but I assured her it did not matter.  I did not let on that eating at nine-thirty was a little late for me, and a meal of vegetables would be very satisfying.  

We had a wonderful evening.  I felt very blessed at sharing dinner with friends this week, both old and new, young and old-er!  The desserts were devoured and like (I assume) the bats, they were given 'take out' boxes!  

"Is this what it feels like to be young.  Do you remember that feeling?" I asked Dana as we headed upstairs at midnight, having left the kitchen in rather a disturbed state.  "Remember when going to bed at midnight felt early?" I said to my husband. He looked at me in one of his "I was born old.  What are you talking about", looks, and told me to forget everything he had said to me earlier, to wit, "No matter what time they go, I have to do the work I brought home with me.  I cannot leave it until the morning!"  Suffice it to say, although the work was not done, we were too 'wired' to sleep and watched some television, which stimulated our brains moreso!

Friday morning was a real struggle.  As the bats were no doubt returning to their beds, I was rising, and finding it difficult to concentrate on the matters in hand.  I had to clean my kitchen as well as take care of my Friday chores.  I had made Andie laugh at my self-imposed cleaning regime, telling her that despite my mother's ardent comments to the contrary, I hear her voice telling me that I need to be cleaner and neater.  "Friday morning's chores are reasonably light", I said when she insisted on helping clean up!  

I fell asleep early on Friday evening, or relatively so, and Saturday morning started at dawn.  I took myself to Costco, and was greeted with a hug by one of the demonstrators, who calls me her 'English friend'.  Austin at its best!

I am unsure as to whether I will attempt to see the flight of the bats again, perhaps in another twelve to fourteen years, but I am sure that their lethargy has nothing to do with my visitation!  Anita, David and the girls made it back to Minnesota, and will be heading home sometime in the near future.  Andie and Sean, who originally came to pick up the things they left with me, left without them, as it was pouring with rain, and have not yet come back to collect them, so I am thinking I need to have another dinner evening, either on a Friday or Saturday, or a 'bank holiday' Sunday!  However, after swimming today, and then sitting on a lounger, reading my book, under an umbrella for a portion of the time, as the thunder rattled, and the rain pelted, I remembered that age is just a number, and although I am not quite superwoman, I am still, very much, in my prime!  

Storms and unsettled weather are headed our way next week.  This is not unusual for our part of the world in October, nor in fact any other time of the year, but I hope to have a more sedentary week ahead, not because I am old, but because everyone needs recuperative time!  I look forward to the challenge, and shall obviously let the results be known in ............ another story!