REHEAT OR RE-HEAT!

Isaias stormed through the Carolinas.  It sort of bypassed Florida and

didn't really bother us.  We did experience very bad storms on Monday afternoon, but the sunset was absolutely glorious and despite a minimal amount of debris in our community, we were hardly aware of its existence. 

Hurricane season is upon us.  It is also mid-summer.  I don't think I ever experienced a 'heat advisory' warning, with a 'storm warning' at the same time, before my move.  Stay indoors because you could be affected by the heat, or the storm, or both!  Or just take your pick!  

The news that one of my neighbours was moving to an 'assisted living' community caused me considerable distress.  It was a strange feeling, as she has been my neighbour since I have lived here.  In fact she has been everyone's neighbour since they moved here, as she is an original resident.  She has been the 'grandmother' (rather than the godmother) of the community and will be sorely missed, but obviously, life goes on, and then comes to an end!  I realised that apart from a handful of others, I am one of the longest residents of our small village.  Of course, one of the handful is another Englishwoman!  It seemed odd that tenure should belong to the foreigners, but here were are!

My week!  My week?  It was hot, and a bit wet at times.  "What news have you got?" asked my mother.  "None", I replied.  "What about you?"  She responded, "I never have any".  It was August. Texas in August does not bring forth news, it brings forth heat, and the promise of 'fall', which although expected in September, is not often realised until much later.  'The weather!'  A great opener, closer and interim subject for any conversation.  

However, I am still a foreigner in a strange land, and much as you never lose tough with your roots, it is funny how acclimatised you become, despite resistance.  Of course, the weather is a big issue. "It's hot" said the maintenance man on Monday morning.  Yes.  It was!  "It's hot", said the maintenance an on Tuesday morning.  Yes it was!  Needing a jacket for indoors is always amusing to me.  

"Look what I found?" posted my friend Lesley, showing a picture of a grass snake that had come into her garden. "Welcome to my world", I responded.  "Ours are a little more colourful, and some actually rattle", I said, very matter of fact!  I found it funny that I did not recoil. I haven't seen a pretty invertebrate curled up under a stone this year, but then I have not looked.  I do check if I run through grass, or when I get into my car, or when I go outside, or when.....! Stay inside.... heat...storms...snakes!  Or take your chances!  

"Recognise anyone?" came the text from my sister-in-law, showing a picture of my husband when he was very young, and much shorter than his brothers, whom he now towers over, dressed in cowboy outfits.  "Hewy, Leuy and Dewy", I replied.  They did not resemble Donald Duck's nephews, but actually looked like a family of Americans who were my neighbours when I was a child.  The father of those children was also in the military, and had been stationed in England for a tour.  We had three such families that I remember who lived in what was known as the 'American house'.  All of them were friendly and most welcoming.  It was so much fun to have 'Americans' as neighbours, and they always had 'such fun' stuff!  It occurred to me that I have had American neighbours for about a third of my life!  It is strange to think that the three young boys in the photograph could have been my neighbours, but were shipped to Germany, rather than England, when my husband was a boy!  Dana, too, was stationed in Germany for a couple of years when he was in the military.  It started me thinking that if he had been sent to England, instead, perhaps I would have babysat my future step-daughter!  And that is where the thoughts go when 'It's hot', or there are threats of hurricanes, or there are snakes hiding under rocks each day of the week, with no end in sight!

"No!" came the emphatic answer when I was asked if I wanted to take part in the daily exercise routine. I was not only not dressed for it, I was not going outside to get hot, when it was already too hot. I didn't think about snakes.  I don't know why.  After all, our car park is full of rocky walls.  I suppose my mindset is, "Why would snakes be at work?"  Obviously, the heat makes me think with such clarity!  Walking to the post box had been an effort.  The postman does not have a set time to drop off the mail, and as I go to check to see whether he has delivered our letters mid morning, lunchtime and mid afternoon, I often see others doing the same at the adjoining buildings.  No one skips, we all meander and when the box is empty, we trudge back inside.  

"It's unbearable", said my mother later in the week, as I asked her "What's the weather like?"  Home had been experiencing a heatwave, something to which they have become accustomed to, it appears, over the past few years.  Thankfully, she has fans that were purchased last year, and had them running in the rooms she uses most.  "Same here!" I said, feeling sympathy for her, as she has not reason to acclimatise, "At least you have air conditioning", she said.  "Not outside!" I countered, and regretted doing so immediately, as I have had time to acclimatise.  I didn't mention snakes.

"It's hot!" said Raul on Friday morning.  He had a saddle placed in his passenger seat.  A proficient horseman, he rides when he can.  What could be more typical in Texas than a Stetson, sitting atop a saddle, in a truck.  It was not out of place.  "Yes, it is", I responded, and then asked if he was going to do his rounds on his horse.  He sighed,  "Too hot!"  

We went shopping, as usual, on Saturday.  Although we were not out for long, I found a frozen item that I had not put in an insulated bag, had defrosted by the time we got home, despite the fact we picked it up at our last stop.  Insulated bags are a new way of life for me.   I dressed for dinner and took a jacket.  It might be cold inside!

The weekend came to an end.  I called my sister, as I had not spoken to her in a while.  We had messaged during the week, but I had read an article about two brothers who were separated during WWII and did not see each other for decades.  When they found each other, they did not let a day go by without speaking to each other.  "We need to speak more often", I told her.  "What's the weather like?"  Calls would not be calls without the weather.  "It's hot!" we both said!

Hopefully next week will produce more than heat. Whether or not, I suppose, depends on the weather.  I shall endeavour to write no more about the weather, nor saddle leather or tether, and add some wonder and glory to .............. another story!