Labor Day sees the start of autumn, unofficially, I believe. After Labor Day, the shops that have not begun filling their shelves with Christmas stock catch up quickly. School starts, and normally the weather cools slightly. (Sorry, here we go with the weather, again!) Labor Day is the run up to winter.
I had a lovely 'girlie' afternoon by the pool on Sunday. A few female neighbours joined me, not by design, but it turned out to be a bit of a 'hen do'. "I have some exciting news", said one of my neighbours. "I know", I replied. "How?" she said. "I am a woman" was the response. She is expecting and all the signs were there! Women are women the world over, and those of us who are more mature (in age, not necessarily in other ways) can spot an expectant mum sometimes before she knows herself! It was a glorious afternoon, and I enjoyed the company.
Monday was warm. It was not hot, but warm enough. Going to the mall in the heat is normally reserved for the Saturday before heading home, but Dana went into the office and Edward was working from home. I had considered spending my 'day off' by the pool, repeating Sunday, but then thought it would be nice to do something different. I know everyone expected me to be there, as it is the norm, but I gave them a surprise by my absence!
Although the temperatures had dropped slightly, the water was still warm. I was rather surprised when I headed down on Tuesday, but considered that the ground was still quite hot and, therefore, the water would have kept some of that heat. I have become quite the geologist! What is more, everyone else thinks I know what I am talking about! "You would know", I am sometimes told, and really do not like to disappoint. Perhaps it is the fact that I often back up my comments with, "Your constitution says....", or "State law is ......".
"What are you doing here?" asked Charlie, the pool guy, on Wednesday morning. I had left home at seven and there was a streak of lightening overhead, so I waited five minutes. After all, it is what we are told to do, is it not! I have stated it many times in my posts. Wait five minutes! The storm started to move westwards. I knew it was westwards because it was in the direction that the sun sets. I felt quite proud of myself. Not only am I a geologist, but I am now a cartologist. (Heaven help anyone who follows a map I draw based on cardinal directions!) Of course, the merging of clouds first cause the streak of light, then the clap of thunder and then the burst, causing the rain. Did I mention that meteorology has become my forte? No? Probably because it has not, but I am quite convincing when I give an explanation as to the reason why I felt safe swimming! However, I digress. "What are you doing here?"? asked Charie, as the rain danced on the pool, and the ground became a river bed. "Living dangerously!" I replied. I explained my theory, as I swam from one end to the other. "I think you are safe!" he said, and ran back to his truck after taking some water samples. It was not worth cleaning the pool as debris was constantly falling. What a swim! It felt wonderful. The rain fell on my head like bullets, but it was very refreshing. As predicted, the storm moved far away, and I headed back home, splashing through the waves in the ocean that was our main road. Was it deep enough to surf? I would leave that for another day!
The temperature dropped quite severely overnight. We went from the hottest temperature on record for the time of year, at one time hitting 107, to the lowest temperature recorded for the time of year, within a week. The overnight lows had dropped to the mid fifties, and it looked as if my paddling days for the year were over. However, I have said that too soon so many times. Although I have often said, "I don't have to prove anything at my age", it appears I do! I have a wetsuit! I know that it does not keep out the water, and if it is very cold, it is worthless, but I thought I would make use of it on Thursday morning. I could not get the thing on. There was a long taper hanging on the inside, and it was getting in the way. The legs would not slide on, and by the time Samantha arrived, I was quite stuck. "You have it on inside out!" she exclaimed. Of course, the legs would not slide because the outside rubber bits for the lower leg were stuck to my limbs and would not budge. The long taper was the help to pull up the zip. The arms would not work because for the same reason as the legs! Once turned the right way round, it fitted quite snugly! I headed down to the water. Despite the sudden drop and colder outside air, the water was still rather warm. Raul found it highly amusing when I came back up. I could see he was trying to hide the laughter, so as not to offend. "It is a good idea", he said. "You can laugh!" I told him, and he did. However, it would be good for a month or too!
"You have won a virtual meet and greet!", said the guy on the other end of the phone. I was a little taken aback. I had to rack my brains to remember what I had entered. I have been avoiding the 'virtual' meetings, as firstly they don't serve pizza, (yes I am shallow,) and secondly, I cannot get my sound to work on my computer. I can hear, but no one can hear me. However, I thought it might be fun to go ahead and accept. "We can do a practice run sometime before Monday, if that is okay", continued the voice. I agreed. What had I entered for? Of course the email confirmed it. A country singer was going to serenade me and I could ask him a few questions, just like it would be in the studio, except it would be in the comfort of my own home, or wherever I wished. Wow! What a surprise! I actually would have preferred to have my routine challenged, and gone to the studio! I shocked myself at the revelation!
"Miss Tracie?" I nodded. The second prize of the week arrived. I have not stopped entering contests, but there have not been so many to enter. What is spiked seltzer? Apparently, I was about to find out. I had half a dozen cans delivered, with a t-shirt, cap, bottle opener, coozie, and stylus pen. In addition, there was a voucher to a local restaurant, for four people. I was delighted, and excited. Two prizes in one day, with a famine in the area of contests!
I did not wear the suit on Friday. The water was warm despite the temperature being cooler, yet warmer than the previous day. We were back to normal for the time of year. I am not sure what 'normal' is as nothing is normal about Austin weather, but apparently the real meteorologists know! "No suit", smiled Raul. "No suit", said I!
My 'practice run' for the 'meet and greet' was quite amusing. I took my laptop into work, so I could set up anything I needed to set up on it, as I did not want to remain at the office that late on Monday, if at all possible. "I can't hear you", said the guy whose face appeared on the screen. I called 'tech support'. She came in from the other room and explained why I had a problem with my sound. The cover I have for the video had been placed over the microphone. When I had removed it, I had not taken it off, but slid it back to expose the camera but not the mic! Now I can be part of our board meetings! Everything worked great! "How did you hear about contest?" asked the young man looking at me through his screen. "Really, you have to ask?" I thought. You are speaking to Mrs. Contest Junkie of the 21st century and you have to ask? "Oh I just love entering all y'all's contests", I heard myself say, in a very English accent, with a hint of Texas dialect. He asked if I was a fan of the singer. My response was rather impressive, or so it seemed from his expression. "He was brought up out of the ranks by Cory Morrow, and I really like Cory. I met him last year, after winning a contest!" If it ain't in the Constitution, and it ain't state law, I have to find something that it is! Name dropping a 'home grown' is something of a coup! Hey, my daughter drives a 'pick-up', and I wear boots and a stetson. I even say "y'all", when pressed. How much more Texan can I be, without letting you know that I am, and always will be, so English! I didn't ask if I had to wear jeans to the meeting!
Dana and I frequented our favourite taco bar on Friday evening. "Those fish tacos look good", said the guy in front of me. "I should have those next time." he said, as he watched the girl behind the counter put on the 'fixins' without having to be asked. "I'm a regular", I said, apologetically, feeling the need to explain.
My afternoon on Saturday was full of naps. I just dozed on and off all through. It had been a short, but busy week. The storm on Wednesday had shocked our database, and we had to run it from a back up that was done the previous week. I had to re-enter most of the data. It kept me out of trouble during working hours! I headed back around five, and we went out for dinner. It was a pleasant evening.
The water on Sunday morning did cause a bit of a shock to the system. It was still not 'Kingsbury swimming pool cold', which is a proper term for all those who were brought up where I was brought up as a kid. My English neighbour always says, "You must have never swam in the North Sea". I use Kingsbury as the benchmark! They were the same temperature, I am sure. The only difference was that the North Sea did not need to have ice cubes added. I am sure that the staff filled 'Kingsbury' with ice before we arrived, back in the sixties! I know I have said it before, but some things define me!
I shall finish the week with another swim, perhaps a doze, and a few chapters of my book, which I am determined to finish before the end of the season. It appears that seasonable temperatures are expected for the time being, so I may be able to do so! Perhaps I shall have some company, but perhaps not, after all, we are now down to the 'home of the brave', when it comes to my pool! We shall see, in ..... another story!
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