OH NICHOLAS, DON'T BE SO REDICULOUS

 Not quite hot on the heals of Ida, but close enough for those who suffered in Louisiana, and other places, Nicholas came roaring into town.  Perhaps not quite as fierce, the hurricane labelled a category 1 as it hit landfall, added insult to much injury!  Rain was forecast for the whole week in our part of the state.  However, as is often the case, we were bypassed, and after a smattering of dainty droplets, which looked like they had been lovingly sprinkled from a high held hand, everything went back to hot and dry!

My Sunday afternoon had been very pleasant, and I chatted for a considerable time with one neighbour, before another couple came down.  Then a group of eight arrived.  Young, and obviously very important, the octet sat themselves in a corner.  "Who have we here?" asked my original companion. No one answered. "Are they with you?" she asked the couple who had arrived shortly before the crowd. "I thought they were with you" said the husband. Not acknowledging the geriatric contingency, the octet kept to their corner. It was unusual, but not unheard of, for no communication, not even a nod, but we continued to talk among ourselves, as did the youngsters.  One by one, my compadres left, and then there were nine!  As I got up to leave, I shouted across, "Have a nice evening!" Perhaps I had my towel of invisibility wrapped around me.  I decided to wave.  "Bye!" I said.  A broad stare, akin to those given by the Midwich Cuckoos, was all I received.  Normally, I would ignore them, and go on my way, not wanting confrontation, but something inside me sparked.  If they were old enough to be at the pool by themselves, (and they were obviously over the age of consent, if only by their conversation giving details of their current employment,) they were past the age of "Do not speak to strangers".  Manners cost nothing, and a simple nod, smile, or if they really wanted to 'push the boat out', a "thanks", would not have gone amiss.  There was not excuse for rudeness. "There is no excuse for rudeness, but you are very rude", I said as I left.  The only response was the eyes bearing down, trying to break down the brick wall!  (Watch the movie, Children of the Damned to get the allegory!)  I was not as much angry as sad.  It is one thing to not want to engage in conversation, but quite another to lack common courtesy.  I can understand that some from that generation consider mine to be of little value, but in my opinion, it is naive and rather ridiculous!  'Nuff said!

Ridiculous was a good word for the day on Monday. I knew I was going to be busy, but had not taken into consideration that on top of the vast amount of papers that had come in on Friday, we would receive our daily quota from our regular sources.  I sat myself down and started to work.  It was well after the time that the postman should have come and collected my mail when I realised there was a stack still sitting in the 'out' box.  Obviously, with my regular mail man, now supervisor, being on holiday, the memo had not been sent in his absence!  Do not let the English woman hobble down to the box on her high heels!  Perhaps it did get round, and they had interpreted it to mean, "Let her take her own mail to the post office!" Yes, it was one of those days.  I ran (yes ran) outside, with my bunch of envelopes, and got into the car.  It was Monday, yet everyone else thought it was still the weekend.  I did not encounter one Sunday driver, but several.  Each one pulled out in front of me, rather precariously, and then all but stopped.  We were not in a 'school zone', nor in a '20 mph' zone, but for some reason, no one wanted to drive up to the speed limit!  After spending sometime reading a 'spy' novel over the weekend, I started to get a little paranoid!  Ridiculous!  Who would want to follow me?  More to the point, why?  Yet here I was being slowed down and hemmed in!  As we approached the next intersection, I put on my turn signal, indicating right.  So did the car in front, and the one behind.  Off to the right the car in front went, and I went straight ahead.  Admittedly the car behind turned right, so he was not following me, or perhaps he was just lulling me into a false sense of security, and another car would come out from no where somewhere down the way.  Had I tricked the car in front?  Of course not, (well maybe,) as no one was following me. (Or were they!) Perhaps it is time to stop being so paranoid!  Perhaps it is time to change my reading material!  Suffice it to say,, by the time I reached the post box, I was the only car in the 'drive through'.  I returned to work, again encountering a couple more Sunday drivers, and carried on entering papers into the system!

Once home, I knew I was not finished for the day.  I had to dig out my cookie recipe, to make a birthday treat for one of our servers.  He was sixty and, apparently, I had been designated to be the baker for this particular occasion.  Rather than make a cake, that would take a long time, and a lot of thought, especially if it was befitting of a sixtieth birthday, I would make cookies, and put them on an edible plate!  He likes cookies, and I had a variety of flavours in mind.

As I swam away the day, my neighbour called out to me.  "We are celebrating!" he shouted.  My patience was not at its strongest, but I remembered the children by the pool the previous day, and decided that politeness should be the rule, even if I felt like saying, "I am swimming, don't interrupt!"  I asked as to what they were celebrating.  "Not sure if I can tell you!" he said, laughing.  I did not find it funny.  (Recounting the story later, I was laughing quite heartily at my lousy attitude.)  His lady friend called down to me.  "I passed my.....".  I have actually no idea what she said, but then this highly educated, and intellectually decorated professor, who teaches at a local university, added, "It means I am half way to getting my doctorate". My gushing response was adequate!  More than adequate! I enthusiastically, and repeatedly congratulated her, whilst all the time thinking, "And I make cookies".  It reminded me of when my daughter-in-law was listening to an Air Force elite, a female, who trains combat pilots, and travels all over the world, when she came to pick up her son from a playdate with my grandson.  Steph said she stood there and thought, "I paint nails!"  Some people are meant for greatness, others bake!  

Exhausted as I was, I could not sleep Monday night.  My head was too full of work!  The rain that was meant to come did not, although Nicholas had poured out his fury on Houston.  Thankfully, it was more of a teenage tantrum by all accounts, but bad enough!  We did not even get a sprinkling of fairy tears throughout the week.  

Tuesday morning saw me whisking, mixing and creating.  Could a doctor make such a variety of spectacular biscuits?  Oh don't be so ridiculous!  Chocolate chip, caramel, mint, coffee, and a plate!  All were in the fridge before it was time to go, and I felt as if I had succeeded in the 'operation'.   How I wish my cookery teacher could see me now!  How I wish I could meet the lady who told my parents, "Tracie will not a cook make".  It would have been more impressive if my science teacher had told them, "Tracie will not a doctor make!" but he actually didn't think that.  Well, perhaps not a doctor, but he was quite encouraging about me wanting to be a pharmacist!  Who knows what would have happened if I had followed the dream.  However, I lay no blame as it is what it is, and was what it was. I took the shorthand and typing options, and they were, as predicted, a life long skill!  Life now, as seen by the Midwich Cuckoos at the pool, quite different!  Life in the USA was also quite different for my generation of women it would appear!  

Once again, I was engrossed in the 'giant job' that had come in on Friday, and once again, I had to play 'catch up'.  Once home, I put the cookies in the oven, and once cooked, put them on a rack to cool.  I handed a couple of broken pieces out to those who were in my house. The coffee cookie was excellent, by all accounts.  As Dana munched on the cookie, he was upset that he would not now be able to enjoy the croutons, something else that I made!  I needed some icing.  I knew I had a recipe for royal icing somewhere, and sure enough, a Christmas booklet from the talented (and famous, and no doubt highly intelligent, despite being a cook) Mary Berry, came to hand. I put my egg whites into a bowl.  Unfortunately, I whisked them too much, and when I added the sugar, they formed little balls, but a splash or two of lemon juice took care of that.  After adding some blue (for a boy) food colouring, and with the help of my talented, and intelligent (although not as famous, but somewhat in her own circle) daughter, the icing went into a piping bag and was squirted neatly around the edges of the plate.  It was amusing to recount how we had worked as a team to get the job done. "Bet your doctorate doesn't have a section on 'how to improvise', does it!" I announced!  

I must say, by the time the cookies were sampled and 'wowed' over on Wednesday, and my desk slightly less of a shambles, I felt quite good!  I have long since come to terms with the fact, that even though I did not, I probably could!  If I had the opportunity, I would have been able to succeed in most fields, but it was not meant to be, and I would not be where I am now!  When asked once, if I could turn the clock back to any time, when would it be, so I could take the 'other road', I responded that I would not, as I would not be where I am here and now.  My children may not be my children, and my grandkids would not be my grandkids, and my husband would not be my husband. Basically, if you are not satisfied, you can only work from this point forward. I am content and whilst there may have been a few changes I would have liked to have made, it is, as they say, what it is!  Doesn't take a doctorate to work out the obvious!

The third dentist appointment was as delightful as the first and second.  I met the second Norwegian goddess, whom in my opinion, is probably the youngest and the most impish.  There is always an impish goddess in the stories, is there not?  There is always one that gets into trouble, and errs on the side of 'naughty'.  This was her!  She bounced into the room to give me an injection.  Like the 'sirens' sang to Odysseus, so she sang to me.  Mesmerised by the song, I did not hear what she was saying.  Her aura just shone!  Of course, I flinched and buckled when the needle went into my gums, but I held tight to the squeezy rubber elephant the hygienist had provided; yes, the one they give to the nervous children!  Apparently, I was very brave!  I left the surgery and drove myself back to work!  

I swam with my 'half' doctor 'half' neighbour on Thursday.  She is a lovely lady, and we enjoy each other's company. I was rather amused as she was soliciting my advice in a couple of matters, and I have, apparently, been a source of information for her.  She has appreciated my opinion, and acted on a couple of suggestions, and they have proved to be positive.  I am glad that I can laugh at my =self, and really (yes really, or should that be 'no' really) do not have a problem with my 'on paper' level of academic achievement.  How many people in Texas can boast that they held a London Taxi License!  There I go again!  Me thinks I do protest too much!  

I could not wait for the 'bell to ring' on Friday.  I was ready for a

weekend.  The week had been so grueling.  At the end of the day, I turned off my computer, and sat for a few minutes, just collecting my thoughts.  Thank goodness for the abundance of work!  Dana thanked me for my efforts, and told me that whilst he was wondering how to organise the large job received last Friday, his part had been relatively simple, in effect to send out the papers to the different servers, and let them deliver.  I had taken on the lion's share, by entering the projects, entering the data following on, collating and combining, and getting everything ready to send back to the client.  Is there a doctorate in administration?  I have a diploma.  Does that count?  Ridiculous as it seems, it is an art!  Is it not? Perhaps it is a science! Does that come under a different course?  Perhaps I could get two 'doctorates'.  "Just call me doctor, doctor!"  

Saturday was fun.  You don't need qualifications to have a giggle!  (Although some might think to the alternative!)  As I was putting my shopping on the conveyor belt, Samantha was putting it back into the cart.  I did not notice at first, although the checkout girl did, and was laughing quite heartily.  I had to smile as it reminded me of something my dad would do.  She was quite pleased when I told her that she had a lot of 'poppa' in her!

Dana found a restaurant for us to go to on Saturday evening.  We had been a couple of times, a decade or so ago, but it had been taken over, and apparently failed.  It had closed.  However, two years ago it reopened, and we were quite unaware.  It is not the usual Tex-Mex fare, and I was eager to try it.  My duck was delicious,, and Dana's Elk as tasty.  A real treat!  It was the perfect end to a delightful day, and certainly helped put the week behind us. The small snake in the car park just finished off my evening!

With no sign of rain in the next week, the temperatures do appear to be going down somewhat.  I know we are in Autumn and the pool will be just a little too cool in the coming month, or two, but while I can, I will swim.  I waved to one of my neighbours this morning, the only one whom I see so early on a weekend.  She was coming back from her walk.  By the time I had finished breakfast and went for a walk, she was perched on her balcony reading.  We enjoy the quiet of early morning!

I have bravely made a follow up dentist appointment, but it is not for a few months.  I thought it better to make one while I felt so brave!  The Hurricanes are still brewing in the gulf, and the coast is bracing itself should there be another 'big one'.  Nicholas, thankfully, has gone through without causing a ridiculous mess.  I am looking forward to a slightly quieter week, but as I said, work is a blessing!  I wonder if I will get to round two with the Midwich Cuckoos today?  What happens next will be in ............ another story!