October is normally the 'change over'' month. I remember after my daughter was born, the weather went from being pleasantly mild to quite cold, and that was the pattern for many years to come. As soon as she blew out the candles on her birthday cake, so out came the sweaters! It is pretty much the same here. A big huff and puff, and out come the jeans and boots! Admittedly, jeans and boots tend to come out while the temperatures would be considered still mild enough to wear shorts and t-shirts 'at home', but with a twenty degree drop (in Fahrenheit) it is hard not to feel the coolness!
The celebrations, however, are a week away, and although there is a definite chill in the air, it is not cold. I sat alone, reading my book, and was thankful for no interruptions.
My current book is a 'whodunit', and I am the third reader in our newly formed (and when I finish the book, disbanded) book club. Samantha bought the novel, read it, loaned it to Grant, discussing his theories along the way, and now it is my turn. Of course, the term 'book club' is quite literal. We have one book, and have shared it, so we have not read a few designated chapters, and discussed it as we have been going along. Instead, the first reader got to hear the second's opinion as he was reading it, and now both first and second are trying to trip up number three (namely me) as she gives her account of how she thinks things are going to end. It is an odd, but strangely interesting exercise. Suffice it to say, I cannot put the book down! However, I digress! I spent longer than anticipated reading at the pool on Sunday.
Although the weather is changing, and all the experts are saying, 'don't', I have started to plant some seeds. My back bedroom is now a greenhouse, and I took some of my seeds from my plants, and put them in pots. I was ecstatic when I saw the first shoot. Joe and Gail had looked at each other with pursed lips, and then tried to encourage me when I said that I had really 'dug' the seeds in the pots. Apparently, they only needed to go down about a quarter of an inch, but by Monday, I could see a couple of sprouts! It was very exciting! I have been watering and nurturing. Once again, I have become an agricultural bore.
Taking the book down to read, after my evening swim, was not planned, but I was intrigued. The story line is set in a small farming community, in Australia, where everyone knows your name! A tragedy happened years earlier and now there has been another, to wit, a father kills his wife and son, and then himself, leaving a small daughter unharmed. It all looked 'cut and dried', but now his parents are asking his old friend, who happens to be a policeman, did he do it? Well obviously not! Otherwise there would not be a book! That was my opinion! However, sitting reading, with the story being set in a drought, the worst in history, with crops dying, and flies swarming, I was transformed to the little town that was suffering. I could feel their pain, I could feel those flies, and mosquitoes. It was then I realised that I really could feel the mosquitoes, and once again, I was being targeted! Too late, I wrapped myself in my towel, said goodbye to my new neighbour, who has become a contender for second place, and quickly left the area. Second place? My new neighbour has come down to read most afternoons, as I have been swimming. My daughter commented on how he was trying to 'catch up' with my 'poolside' hours! I do not think it is a challenge! As you can tell, I am not thinking it is a threat! It has become a source of amusement though, among my family, that someone else is as 'enthusiastic' about the facilities as me, although as of yet, I have not seen him swim! Of course, he is oblivious to this! At least I think he is! However, again I digress. As I left the patio, I met his wife. "Hey, sorry I have forgotten your name. I am so sorry". I hope I did not look too shocked. Forgotten my name! Why, everybody knows my name! Actually, it is me who remembers everyone else's name and I am usually called all sorts of strange variations on mine. I reminded her. We chatted for a minute or two, with her looking very fresh and well groomed, and me looking like I had been dragged through a hedge backwards, swatting the flies that had come forth from the pages of my book. A far cry to the immaculate dresser that everyone at the office perceives me to be! I held open the gate so she could pass through and go and sit with her husband, and after a few more rounds with mosquitoes winning, she said farewell!
The garden continued to flourish, both inside and out. As the week went on, so more and more tomato seeds sprouted, and although the peppers did not appear to want to appear, I was hopeful. It was sunny and bright, and warm.
Of course, my brush with reality was short lived, and our 'book club' once again came to meet and discuss. I was convinced that I had it right as to who and why, but then I changed my mind. Once I put the 'new' suspect on the table, I was immediately shut down. I wondered. Was I being given a 'red herring'? Perhaps. I would have to read some more to find out.
Reading after work does not really take a lot of effort. What takes the effort is to remember not only to take my book, phone, water, and towel to the pool, but also the bug spray. I only carry a bag down at the weekend, and juggle during the week. By Thursday, I was beginning to feel the effects of the drought, and the hard summer the Australians were having, aside from the tragedy that had struck their farms, and community. As they were swiping flies from their faces and hair, so I was swiping bugs from mine!
"Still swimming?" asked a young couple as they walked along whilst I struggled to hold everything in my hands. They admitted that the water had become a little cold for their liking. I told them I was, as I swiped the bugs that had come to join me.
It was Thursday, and I was more than half way through the novel. "You read quicker than me", commented Grant. "Told you she would be through by the weekend", said Samantha. I was not sure.
"Hey girl!" shouted the lady who had forgotten my name earlier in the week. I was unsure as to whether she still did not remember, or if she was merely being 'Texan'. This is the lady whom I recognised from my imagination! Normally, one would base a character on someone they know. As is usual with me, things worked out the other way around. I imagined her, and then a couple of years later, she appeared! It would appear that one of her next door neighbours was having some work done on their condo, and used a rather lethal smelling substance in the process. The smell had filtered through the block, and it was rather unpleasant. She told me that she had contacted the management agency and the chairman and as she spoke, I could hear my fictional character. It was all I could do to stop myself from laughing at her rather serious predicament. It was all a little surreal. Perhaps I was back in my own movie! I promised I would have a word with our 'leader', as she had not heard back from him.
I swam, and read, and then came back to continue with my gardening. We were going to eat late on Thursday, as my commitments both to the 'book club' and the garden had to be kept up!
There was an email waiting for me on Friday morning. Our chairman had spoken to my very real neighbour, aka fictional character, and they were to liaise with the other neighbour. He thanked me for 'reaching out' and letting him know what was going on. The end of the week was looming and I still had just under half a book to finish.
"Hey, how are you. Haven't seen you in a while", said a store employee. "Hey, Tracie", said another, in another shop. It reminded me of the first year I was here, and a shop assistant came running up to me and gave me a hug. "Who is that?" asked my sister, who was visiting at the time. "She works here", I responded. "I have been into Tesco's nearly every day for twenty years", she said, "And although they are friendly, no one has ever given me a hug! You have only been here five minutes". Must be the accent!
"Who is that", said my husband, this morning, as he looked out of our window and mentioned that there were a couple walking. They had looked up, and as I turned, enthusiastically waved. "Oh thats...", and I told him their names and where they lived. He looked at me with a grin! "Does everyone know your name, or do you know theirs?"
I have about twenty pages to read. I was going to finish the book yesterday, but the mosquitoes were finishing me! The clouds are rather dark, and we have had some rain, but the temperatures are still fairly mild. I think I have another week before the wetsuit comes out, but it may all change.
The tomatoes are still flourishing and the peppers have produced but one stalk. There is much to do next week, and whilst I do not wish to proceed forward with sequel three, I am sure there will be ....... another story!
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