The record breaking temperatures were supposedly not going to go
"We're not gonna take it", I crooned along to Twisted Sister on Sunday evening on the way home from picking up our take out. "You know this song?" asked my husband. "What is it about". I looked at him with a smile, and replied, "Everything. I am going to apply it to the heat!" When he saw the name of the band, he wondered to whom he was married! The next song came on and I sang to that too. "How do you know this?" he asked. "Dunno. Just do!" said I. We had just picked up our dinner, and I had not had to say a word to the men behind the counter. "Usual?" the first guy asked. "Cobbler to go!" shouted the next. "Just remember the words", I said to my husband, like the guys at the barbecue place remember my order.
It was almost a relief to get back to work on Monday. I was invited to 'work out' with the 'young'uns' but declined. I cannot do one arm planks or push-ups or anything else involving putting all my weight on my wrists. It was not an option. Off they went to their outside gym and I continued with my own, much less strenuous exercise routine!
"Who was the gypsy with the gold capped tooth", asked Dana half way through the morning. I wondered if we were going to have a challenge question after his lack of knowledge on Sunday evening. He does not see himself as competitive, but he is, and I know I am, so it is an amusing coupling. I had no idea as to the answer to his question. No one had an idea. "You should know", he said to me. "It's a line from a song from your favourite British Band" I knew it was an old song, as he would not have a clue about anything past 1972. I knew it wasn't The Beatles, not that they were my favourite. It was not Gerry and the Pacemakers, one of my 'likes'. I could not think. "1964". I remember a lot of titles from that year, but as for complete songs, no way. I was still singing nursery rhymes! Apparently, the line comes from Love Potion No. 9, and it is 'Madame Rue', but I just stood shaking my head. "The Searchers", he said. I looked at him quizzically. It then occurred to me which group he meant. "The Seekers?" I asked, wondering if he got the names mixed up. "Yes, that is them". I told him that Judith Durham would not be too happy to be referred to as British. Yes, they were one of my favourites, but they were Australian. Even back in 1964, they were Australian! Now, had he asked, "What wouldn't you find, if you searched the whole world over", I could answer, "Another you!" He neither asked the question, nor knew the answer. Two completely different bands from different hemispheres. Nothing in common really.
However, the two names were very much in common during the week. We were searchers and seekers of some relief from this wretched heat. True, we were not in Death Valley, where the record temperatures reached 130!
The promise of some respite during the day did not come. A couple of clouds appeared, seemed to join, and became a little grey, but they soon gave way to bright sunshine, and the chance of rain was gone. Tuesday was cooler by perhaps a degree.
I took up the challenge on Wednesday morning. I would go and 'work out'. Had I have known what was in store, the line from a song would have been on my lips; no, not Twisted Sister, as I obviously had decided to 'take it'. No, the line from my favourite musical, staring my heroine, the lovely Julie. "Totally unprepared am I!" Far from 'sixteen going on seventeen' (other than the years I have been here) I was totally unprepared for what came next! The 'workout' was quite targeted.
I did keep up. Well almost! I didn't do anything that involved me using my hands as feet. Instead, I 'skipped rope'. However, half way through I did get a little bored. "My imaginary rope has lots of knots in it. I have to be careful I don't trip over them", I announced. Samantha started to laugh. "Be quiet!" she demanded. The second exercise that I could not take part in saw me skipping again, but this time I was extending my arms to the side, and was 'polishing'. "What now? These windows are so shiny, the sun is blinding!" I was once again reprimanded. I managed two 'planks', and some 'lunge hops'. "I look like a Leprechaun" I said, after a dozen. "Shhh", came the response. "Is that all?" said I, when the routine was completed, and the two 'young'uns' were out of breath! Of course, some of their exercises were harder than mine, but I thought I had kept up quite well. I was not searching or seeking for an oxygen tent as I had imagined I may be, but felt quite invigorated.
"Get her to do it!" said my daughter to Grant, when they were discussing an addition to their routine. It was a simple 'step up' exercise, wherein the second and third step (up and down) were done with the same foot. Up, down, up down, starting and finishing with the same foot. Simple, right? No! I tried. Co-ordination is not my forte! It appears my daughter had the same problem. "See where I get it from!" came the statement rather than a question. However, I found a way of working it out. It took a lot of concentration.
I was not invited to the 'session' on Thursday, or on Friday. Apparently, I talk too much! Can you imagine that! I did not admit to the fact that my legs ached far more than they had from anything else I had ever done, and that I really was not into defining muscles as much as just 'keeping fit', so it suited me. I would not be a searcher and seeker of a further invitation!
After a few hiccups which saw my pool closed, it was reopened again on Friday afternoon. It was a good thing. My daily walks would give way to swimming. I had offered to be 'pool monitor' over the weekends when our maintenance man was not on site, and that proved to be a popular solution!
We decided to go to our favourite taco place for take out. I just nodded my head, and my tacos were made. Scary!
The heat continued into Friday evening and then came the storm. I was not sure what we were expecting, but I knew there would be rain. Little did I know how much or for how long. The lightening was giving the impression of daylight at three in the morning, and the thunder rumbled almost continuously for hours. By nine, it appeared to have stopped, but it was very wet, and the debris was everywhere. However, I had my shift to complete! The pool looked like a watering hole in a park, that had been unused during the winter months, and cleaning had not taken place since 1972. (When my husband stopped listening to the radio!) The storm had apparently caused more damage in different parts of the county, and the water levels were rather high. I did not swim as I had to go shopping, on my own. My daughter was out negotiating a vehicle change!
I returned from my rounds and headed down to my favourite weekend spot. There I stayed until I was joined by Samantha, and her new vehicle was parked outside. A long awaited change!
The water was perfect on Sunday morning. Cool temperatures and low humidity. Funny how the 'h' word is now a factor in my life! It appears that we may have some more erratic weather on the horizon. Of course, (all together now,) this is Texas. There are two tropical storms causing havoc in the Gulf, Laura and Marco, I believe, and although not unheard of, it is unusual. They are going to be close to, if not actually hurricane force. Marco is due to possibly hit land on Tuesday with Laura coming in second! The last time two storms were this close in the Gulf, was in 1959. My husband was still listening to the radio, and I had not yet been born! The Searchers had just been formed, but the Seekers were not yet a band!
Perhaps swimming will be out again this week and I can spend my time trying to work out how to add pictures to the 'new look' posts. I have tried, but I think it is more the lack of patience than expertise!
Texas in the summer, and life slows down. Now I know why everyone goes out of town. Still, I shall be looking, both searching and seeking for more fun stuff, in .......... another story!
No comments:
Post a Comment