HERE, THERE AND EVERYWHERE!

After what seemed to be a brief interlude, it was Monday.  As the saying goes, the older you get, the faster time flies, or words to that effect.  I felt rather robotic as I got up and started with my routine. 

It seemed as if there was a lot to do this week.  My extra-curricular activity list seemed to grow each day.  Dana called the garage where I usually take my car, and asked if it was possible to have an appointment sometime this week, or very early next.  "How about tomorrow morning?"  I was rather surprised.  However, as schools have re-opened following the summer break, perhaps it was not so strange that they had a space for me, as the busy time for getting repairs done, etc., would be during the holidays.  

Shortly after the appointment was made, I received a note from my
dentist. "We have an opening on Friday at 12 noon.  Please respond if you would like this".  I did not.  What a silly time to have a dentist appointment.  Lunchtime!  I thought about it before responding, and normally it would be 'anything to get it over and done with', but then started to think like a rational person!  Friday at noon would not be convenient!  I actually surprised myself at my rationale!

It was still Monday, and the pace was picking up.  There were threats of rain throughout the day, and a tropical storm was looming, with a hurricane brewing which would be heading towards the Louisiana coast.  Temperatures for the following week, as August gave way to September, were going to be triple digits.  Once again, the weather became the topic of conversation!  

Driving downtown on Tuesday morning was quite the trip. Our main 'expressway', goes north and south, or as Samantha and I refer to it, 'backwards or forwards on Mopac!'  Our usual route, for no other reason than familiarity, is to go 'backwards'.  When going shopping, we head 'backwards' to the stores.  When going to eat, we generally do not head in a southerly direction, because the places 'backwards' are nearer.  Sometimes we go 'forwards', and find an array of new possibilities, and alternative cuisine, but we tend to forget about gthem when thinking of something different to do!  However, my trips to Joe and Michelle require me to go south, as does the trip to the mechanic.  

I was going to be early.  My appointment was for 8:30.  They had suggested eight, but I wanted to give myself some extra time.  As I was going to be early, I assumed that they would be able to start on my car immediately.  However, I was lulled into a false sense of security and by the time I left my house, I was actually running late!  I went forwards on Mopac, and drove along focusing on the fact that I was running late, rather than on where I was going.  Admittedly, when I come to the 'split', which continues across town, rather than down town, I can go either way.  Going to Michelle, I go across.  Going to Joe, I go across, but the most efficient way to the mechanic is to go right and go down.  I laughed as I pulled across two lanes to get to 'First', and follow the familiar road to 'Congress'.  I laughed because it was familiar.  Despite my time here, it still makes me laugh, sometimes, that the patriot who was never going to live anywhere but the country form whence she hailed, is now living in the country to where she  said she would never emigrate!  I arrived with a minute to spare!

I sat for the best part of an hour, reading my book. I received a message from my daughter.  "Are you bringing in breakfast tacos?"  Very English!  I said I had not planned to, but was reminded that the garage was literally next to a taco place, and it would be easy for me to just walk in there and buy them, without having to find a parking space, and without having to go out of my way!  Very efficient!  However, the taco place did not open until 9:30 and I was hoping to be gone by then.  Of course, I knew that I would hang around and wait for the restaurant to open, as it would be unfair not to!  My car, it appeared, was going to take a little longer.  It was not because there was too much to be done, but because I took it in at 8:30, rather than eight, and someone did take the eight o'clock appointment, and someone else had driven in a moment or two before me with a 'quick fix' problem!  I picked up tacos!

My car was serviced, inspected, and in good shape!  I drove her back across town, and was tempted to go into deep downtown but did not. At a little before ten in the morning, there was never much sign of life, as sixth street was a night bird!  I would not get much of a feeling of nostalgia, and the tacos needed to get back to the office while they were at least a little warm!

I was late again on Wednesday.  My plans for dinner were slightly thwarted as the custard slices were a little more complex than I had first thought.  However, I did follow the recipe almost to the word, but deviated enough to actually make it work!  The cleaning up took much longer than the making, and I did not want to come home to a mess!  

After nails I returned to the office.  I checked the mail and thepostman had put someone else's envelopes in our box.  The problem was that the person whose mail we received, does not come into his office on a regular basis, so if he had ours, it could be weeks before we saw it.  "Can you call your buddy?" asked my husband.  I had to explain to him how his postal system worked!  "He only deals with pick-ups", I said.  "But he is a supervisor, isn't he?"  Indeed he is, but he only supervises the pick ups!  The 'drop offs' are the responsibility of the local post office, apparently, or so I have been told.  As the conversation seemed to be going nowhere, I spotted the mailman driving past my window.  I ran out, and was stuck with yet another 'north or south' dilemma.  Do I run up to the postman and tell him what has happened, or do I check to see if the post we received, that was not ours, was an extra delivery. After all, if this was Wednesday's delivery, and we had picked up Tuesday's on Tuesday, it would appear that the wrong mail may have been an extra.  Are you following? No, me neither!  So I ran south!  (I only know it is south because if I was in my car, I would be going 'forwards' on Mopac, which runs parallel with the road on which our office sits!)  As I was running, I saw a car pull into the car park, and the driver appeared to be waving me out of the road.  I moved over as far as I could, wondering why she needed me to move, as I was on the edge anyway, and she stopped her car.  "You were not in the way.  I just wanted to say that you run beautifully."  What an odd compliment, but I took it!  "Thank you, very much", I responded.  "And your dress, it is so pretty!"  I thanked her again, more profusely,, as the dress I was wearing is one that I bought because it was on sale, and such a bargain, but wondered why afterwards!  It is, in my opinion, okay, but not one of my favourites.  "You just look so perfect", she continued.  "Thank you so much", I responded, again, and then added, for good measure, "You can come again!"  She found this remark so funny, that she sat and continued to chat.  I wanted to tell her that the reason I was running 'so beautifully' was to make sure that the postman had delivered our post, and if he had not, then I would have to get him to open up the whole box and check to see where he had put ours, but she was jeopardizing the operation!  After so many compliments, it seemed a little rude to interrupt.  Thankfully, the postman had made an extra delivery, or so it appeared, as we had an abundance of mail.

Dinner was a success, and the custard tarts, despite being slightly botched, were a huge hit.  As my friend Gail told me many years ago, "No one knows what the finished product is supposed to look like or taste like!"  How right she was!

I had a meeting on Thursday.  Our homeowners association monthly meeting was at five. After the meeting, I went to have a swim, and saw my neighbour's girlfriend.  She had been going through some drama with an ex-husband, and I had listened to her a few weeks ago, and given her some advice from my experience.  She was most grateful, and told me that the results were exactly as I had said they would be.  My experience was not all my own, but from years of working with courts and judges, and social workers, albeit at different times.  I did not arrive back home until after seven. Dana was laughing at me.  "You really are 'at home' here, aren't you.  Meetings, and counselling.  What's next!"

I could not believe it was Friday, when it was Friday.  The week had really flown by!  Work had been erratic, but that is something to which we have been getting used to.  Either it is busy all day, or there is a lull in the morning, and then at three o'clock everyone wants everything done today!  Sometimes it is the other way around, but not often.  My usual 'pick up' mailman did not come into the office, and the one picking up from the box, obviously did not get the memo that the Englishwoman should not have to run down the slope in her heels to drop off her mail!  I had to drive around to drop it off.  However, dropping off mail here could not be simpler, as it really is a 'drop off' without getting out of the car!

Friday evening was lovely.  I swam and then saw my friend Roxanne had come poolside.  We had seen each other last week, and she had given me the biggest hug, as we had not spoken for almost a year!  We chatted for a long time, and laughed at a couple of young girls playing with their father in the water.  It reminded us of our childhood.  She has two sisters.  We said how we had relished the time playing with dad, and it brought back a lot of happy memories for us both.  When the father said he almost didn't come to the pool as he was tired, we told him that he should treasure every minute, as there would come a time when the girls would no longer want to be with dad, and he would miss the time. We knew!

Again, I arrived home after seven.  Dana smiled.  He knew I must have met someone at the pool!  

Samantha and I went shopping.  We laughed a lot!  Sometimes you not only need a friend, but a fellow Brit!  Our conversation goes from slang to slang!  Sometimes only slang will work!  

I was sitting enjoying a snooze when another neighbour arrived.  She and her husband had returned from Dallas where she is undergoing chemo.  It was her 'week off', and she was allowed home.  Thankfully she could travel.  She thanked me for taking care of her plants, and watching out for her house.  I told her that it was a blessing to be able to help!  She has been through so much.  It was lovely to see her looking so happy and healthy!  We chatted for a long time, and then the rain started.  It just appeared to come from nowhere, but it poured for about five minutes.  Then an hour later, the same thing happened.  We assumed that it could be a 'break away' from the impending storm that was due to hit Louisiana by nightfall or possibly sometime Sunday.  The disturbance can cause all sorts of weather patterns.  We did not leave the pool until quite late, and Dana said he was just about to send out a search party.  "I know, it sounded like a freight train was going by", he said when I told him about the rain!  

Another cloudburst happened around seven, and traffic slowed to a virtual halt.  It really was quite impossible to see too far ahead, but when it stopped, it was as if there had never been any rain.  

I finished my week putting the world to rights with a couple of neighbours, all three of us of similar age, watching the younger generation playing in the pool.  We sat and reminisced over bygone days, and found ourselves laughing as we were now 'that' generation.  It was fun!

Next week should not be quite as busy as this on the extra-curricular activities.  However, I am never sure what will happen from one day to the next!  Despite the hurricane making landfall and the brutal destruction it appears to have caused, the rain does not appear to be coming this way.  It will probably make its way up and across.  The people of Louisiana are in my prayers. I shall check back next week with ........... another story!