However, this was not the reason for my being unimpressed. After returning from my oasis, I followed my usual pattern, to wit, edit my post and publish! I feel I have a better perspective once I have had a few hours of perusing famous authors and gleaning hints on better sentence structure, or capturing vocabulary that I can slip in somewhere during conversation during the week! Unfortunately, what will probably be the penultimate book of the season, although very well written and quite funny, did not contain the vast vocabulary contained in what will no doubt be the ante-penultimate book of my season! However, I digress.
The reason for my being unimpressed on Sunday was that I received an electric shock! An electric shock from a mouse! Of course, it was not a living rodent that attacked me, as that would have been a little more demoralising and shocking! (Mainly due to the fact that not only would it have meant I was attacked by an actual mouse in my home, but because it was electrified!) The mouse in question was actually my daughters. A present from a friend many years ago, the piece of equipment was beautifully bejeweled with sparkly objects creating a Union Jack. I am not sure that she used it, but I have been taking advantage of the pretty accessory for a long time. However, it has not been working very well and when I plugged it into the laptop on Sunday afternoon, a smell of burning hit my nostrils before the shock hit my nervous system, and I realised that it was my hand smoking and nothing else! I pulled the device from the computer, and inspected the lead, which seemed to contain a split, and an exposed wire. Just below the join of my thumb and forefinger was a nasty brown mark. I would have to now go 'mouseless'!
All other events of the weekend were far less shocking, and the new week started as it does, with an intrepid step! Intrepid is not a word that my neighbours use lightly. In fact, I don't think they use it at all, but at this time of year, when I go down to the pool, around seven in the morning, they call me fearless. Actually, they call me mad, but it is said in a way that can be interpreted into intrepid! All I was thinking was, "What can Monday bring forth!" I was pleasantly surprised.
One of my emails contained a "Congratulations" header. Another Zoom 'Meet and Great', with Ava Max. "Ava Max?" I said to Samantha before entering the contest. "Yeah, you know Ava Max", she responded, and proceeded to play one of her songs. Of course I knew her. Perhaps I should say I was familiar with her music. The meeting was to take place on Thursday. Being familiar with someone's music and actually being knowledgeable about the singer are two different things, so I had done a little bit of homework. I was rather impressed. Born in the USA, this young lady had Albanian parents, who had moved across the pond some years beforehand. She had changed her name as she did not like her given name, and had become very popular! When entering the contest, I had to provide a question that I would ask, should I win. My question was whether her parents accepted her as Ava? I wondered if I would get to ask!
Monday seemed to go on forever. I felt a little tired, but attributed it to not having a break in routine. Obviously, I could break my routine any time I like, but it just doesn't come naturally. Hurricane Delta was making its way up through the atmosphere, and once again Louisiana was a target. It looked like we may get some rain towards the end of the week, but nothing was set in stone! Normal operations would not be interrupted, again!
I found out Tuesday that although I can glide across the water and be pushed around with the wind whilst wearing my wet suit, this is only in the first few laps. The more I swim, the heavier the suit becomes. This is not a scientifically controlled experiment, but one I have decided is fact! I swim for twenty two minutes each morning. (No idea why twenty two. I think I have mentioned that my timer is set for twenty two for some reason and I have not changed it!) At the beginning of the year, I manage about seventeen laps up and back. By mid-summer I can complete at least twenty. Last week I counted twenty three! However, in my wet suit I only manage between nineteen and twenty. Facts such as these are basically boring to anyone else, but I record them for posterity! I am sure my grandkids would be fascinated .... with something other than this piece of information!
"Where's your suit? Are you mad?", said Charlie, the pool guy. Of course, he meant 'intrepid'! I told him that the water was quite warm. He dipped his hand in the pool. "No it's not!" he shouted. Perhaps he did not mean 'intrepid'! I got out before he started to clean, and made my way home. It was a little chilly out! My dinner was already prepared. I had received an email regarding 'National Indian Food Week' and decided to participate. It was only when I saw the recipes were in metric did I realise that it was not here to which the 'National' referred! When I mentioned that it was 'National Indian Food Week' and I was cooking Chicken Tikka Marsala, and Aloo Gobi, I received some strange looks. Traditional food for native Americans would not include Aloo Gobi! However, I prepared an 'Indian from the sub-continent of India traditional dish!' Or dishes! Interestingly enough, (perhaps, for some,) I had been talking to Grant about the yoghurt I buy from the Indian grocers. (Such exciting topics of conversation are had!) I had given him a spoonful of the yoghurt and said it was preferable to Greek (yoghurt). He had agreed. My recipe had called for natural yoghurt, and had specified 'Not Greek'. Obviously, I have no idea if there is a conflict between Indians and Greeks, but would assume that it is not personal! The process of yoghurt making is obviously different! However, I digress.
Moving from topic to topic, and creating rather a diverse post, sums up my week! Thursday arrived. I had been communicating with the sender of my email regarding the Ava Max meeting, and he had given me some ground rules. They seemed obvious. He told me that I must not share the 'link' with anyone else. As if! This did raise a question though, and I asked if it was okay to have other people with me, in my house, in the same room, when we had the meeting. Did the 'not share' refer to other people 'linking in', or just other people. "Excellent question!" came the response. Excellent? Really? Okay, I will take the compliment! Of course, he told me, I could have anyone I wanted sharing my screen. It was my meeting!
Samantha and Grant postponed their evening 'work out', and joined me. The 'crew' from the radio station arrived on my screen and we had a bit of a chat before the main attraction! What a sweetie! Ava was, indeed, a bright spark, a bundle of joy! She was full of life, chatty and very personable. She shared stories with us, and answered my question. "NO!" she responded. Her parents did not call her Ava! In fact, they often shouted to her, during events, calling her by her given name and people would say, "Who?" Our call only lasted fifteen minutes, and although very relaxed, was not as 'laid back' as my previous meeting with Drew Fish. It was a little more structured. I was told I could 'jump in' with questions when I wanted to, but the radio crew were experts, and although not quite as structured as a regular 'meet and greet' at the station, they were in professional mode! However, it was a wonderful experience, and it was personal! Not all singing stars get to see my living room! The whole concept of seeing celebrities in their own homes was reversed! Celebrity sees fan in her home! I could perhaps start a ..... perhaps not!
I received a text from Samantha a little later. "Finished work out. Went for a swim. Please bring me a towel!" The pool was just a little too cold! I knew this because I took my punishment directly after the meeting!
Friday was warm again, and Saturday hot. With temperatures topping 95 degrees, it would appear that October did not get the memo! The slight breeze was a blessing! I started what is probably my final book of my season and wondered if I would get to finish it this year. No one joined me by the pool. Despite the heat, it is October, and there was a big ball game on the television! The Longhorns lost to Oklahoma in fourth overtime. Amazingly enough, I understand that jargon! I did not see the game, but knew they lost as Dana was not texting me with the score! However, Missouri won their game! Not all was lost! Yes, it is football season again, and Saturdays become different!
No suit on Sunday. Temperatures predicted to hit 100! Sounds like a cricket score, but this is Texas. Although the alcohol content of the winnings this week was zero, and I would have had to provide my own pizza to make it a real 'meet and greet', I am still optimistic as to what I will receive next week! Maybe it will be pizza without the 'meet and greet', but I don't think I have entered a contest that has pizza as a prize...at least not since the one I won in another state! Thank you Ava for being a star, and taking the time to visit with your fan base! Thank you to the radio station, Mix 94.7, Booker, Alex and Sarah! Plug due where plug is deserved! It was fun! I am now going to finish off my weekend with less electricity than with which it was started! (I hope!)
Optimism is my new word of the week. It was meritorious, a word that should have been substituted for 'Excellent', but it is Sunday afternoon, and a new week beckons! Once again, I apologise for the lack of pictures, but my skills on navigating procedures on this new layout are rather inept! I shall persevere! Have a good week, one and all, and see you in ............. another story!
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