As we still had an abundance of turkey, we had more leftovers! I was not quite turkey'd out but it was close. Enjoying Thanksgiving dinner a third time was starting to get a little 'old', but I was determined not to waste anything!
Gloves had to be worn on Monday morning, as we took our constitutional. It was quite chilly. It was also particularly busy. The bulk of our work was pertaining to something that had made news headlines about a month earlier. It is never nice to see disasters, obviously, but interesting when you are part of the process. The law suit details the 'facts' in quite a different way to the way the media reports, in many cases, and 'opinions' are not relevant. I do not generally read the contents of the papers we deliver (as I would not have time, and most are very generic) but I have to scan them to mark relevant documentation for an affidavit. Sometimes, when scanning, something will catch my eye. Rare as it is, sometimes I find that we are involved in a major news story, and the 'facts' can sometimes be quite enlightening. I suppose it is like having your own private (although most are accessible by the public) newspaper!
I did not read the 'suits' on Monday, as we have had several come through our office already, and as I said, it was rather busy. The day continued as if it were a lull before a storm, or perhaps the aftermath/ Despite being busy, it was quite eerily quiet. I had packed up my 'new' wetsuit, ready for return, and had printed out a form to stick on the package, which was going to the post office. I did not have any more faith in the post office than I did in the previous parcel delivery service, but once it was sent, it was out of my hands. I was armed with tracking numbers, not that it would necessarily do any good! I sent my trustee girl Friday out to deliver it to the facility, and she took off in her big red truck around lunchtime. My other two tasks were to change appointments. I had to alter my nail appointment, and my dental appointment. The nail appointment was easier to change than the dentist. I had been quite adamant that I would be free for the appointment I had made, despite being so close to the 'holidays'. However, I realised on Sunday that our office will probably be closed on that day, and whilst I had no particular plans, I could not make any if I had a morning visit to the tooth fairy! "Our earliest appointment is March" came the response to the text I sent, wondering if it was a viable number. "Okay", I responded, thinking that they could send me details another time. After all, it was the dentist, and I didn't really care! One step at a time! Get the month of availability, and then work out the details at another time! They could let me know which day in January and what time in February, and I would be okay with that! Nothing set in concrete sounded like a good idea! However, my phone rumbled and a time and day was given, with an option for a cancellation appointment. I said that would be a good idea, not really thinking, but in retrospect I should have guessed, as my phone rumbled again within a minute, "How about Thursday at 11!" This Thursday? Um, well, oh, um, I guess! I did not write that but I was thinking it as I replied. "Thank you so much, sounds good!"
Turkey for dinner on Monday night saw off the last of the bird! The huge beast that had been christened Bertie, had been brined, cooked, eaten and divided up into 'take home' boxes, and had fed us for half a week! Being thankful seemed to be never ending! I was thankful, however, specifically on two counts. Firstly, I was able to celebrate Thanksgiving in my own home, with family and friends (or friend to be precise) and the feast items were purchased without difficulty or hardship. The second reason I was thankful was because we had finished eating the turkey! Lovely as it was, I had not been creative with the leftovers!
I repotted my seedling tomato plants on Tuesday evening, after doing some research, and promised the pepper plants that they would receive the same care and attention on Thursday. I pottered around in the sunroom for some time, and was amazed to see how many tomatoes were still on my current plants. After all, we were now at the end of November, and winter should be upon us in a short while.
The plan on Wednesday was that there was no plan! The cake needed seventy five minutes, so I calculated my walk time, and if I put it in the oven minutes before I left, I would have time to walk, chat to Raul and be back in time before the buzzer went off! It all seemed pretty straightforward, and I would still have time to get dinner in the crockpot and clear away. However, I did not calculate my mistakes! Mistakes are very time consuming! I checked my spice boxes. Opening and closing each pot was not a problem, until I did not put the lid on one of the pots properly. As I popped it back into the box, the lid popped off and it spilled. A spill would not have been as bad if it was just a spill, but it spilled in between the two boxes where I keep my spices. It spilled in between and into the two boxes. It spilled over the edge, and on to the floor. About a teaspoon of spice made a mess that would keep a whole party of 'domestic engineers' busy for at least a day! It is like sugar, or worse still cornflour (starch). It goes everywhere! The cleaning was only part of it. As I said, I did not have a plan, but I needed to get the cake started at a certain time to get it into the oven at a certain time, so I could go on my walk and be back to clear away and get to work! I unloaded the boxes of my oodles of spice packs, stacked everything up on the counter, in front of the microwave, and proceeded to empty the abundant quantity of spilled spice into the sink. I spent sometime wiping up the remainder, and then realised it was time to start the cake. "Soften the butter in the microwave" was the first instruction. I could not get into my microwave, as I had stacked the spices in front of it! I was now running behind schedule! Even 'no plan' leaves me in a 'best laid plans' scenario!
Eventually, the cake was cooked, the walk was walked, and the kitchen cleaned! I left for work! It was nonstop! All day, I worked furiously, knowing that I had to leave early and get home to finish what I had started.
The cake was quite the success. "You have a talent", said one of our guys when he munched on the leftovers. "Have you ever thought of doing this for a living?" It took a lot of effort not to laugh. If he had seen the state of my kitchen on Wednesday morning, after spilling a teaspoon of spice, I think he may not have offered such a question. "No", I responded. Of course, I have! Samantha and I had often talked, in the earlier days of our emigration, about starting an 'English kitchen', but we had given up on the idea, in part because we are such messy workers! It would be one thing to supervise, but then the fun of baking would be lost! "Perhaps you could teach?" he continued. "No", I responded. Me, a teacher? I had contemplated the idea once upon a time, but I think I am too much of a 'doer' and would want to put it right rather than have a student complete the task. Then there are the other aspects to take into consideration. How could I teach a class when I don't even speak their language? I had enough trouble 'translating' a recipe a couple of weeks ago, when talking about tablespoons, and pints! "Maybe", started the next suggestion. "No!" I cut him off abruptly. I was not rude, just firm. I had an excuse. I had to go to the dentist. Actually, I was fine until I left the office, and by the time I drove into the car park, the serene aura had worn off and I was fighting to look nonchalant. I sat in the waiting room wondering why I was asked to come early, if I was going to have to sit and wait. Was it a ploy? The nice lady called me through and chatted away in a very happy voice. I sat in the chair, and opened my mouth. Questions were asked and answered by the hygienist, and she seemed to enjoy her own conversation. Thankfully, the procedure did not take long and I was informed that I was doing everything right with my teeth! That was a relief! I thanked her very much, and made another appointment, which I wondered if I would keep!
By the time Friday rolled around, I was exhausted. I was unsure as to where the week had gone, and the temperatures did not help. One day it was cold, one hot. Heating came on one day, air conditioning the next. It does not help when we do not have control of the thermostat, and our neighbours at the office (as obliging as they are) were not in for a day or two. It was very hot one day, and very cold the next! I sat in my summer dress on Friday, melting! However, the week did come to an end, and I was delighted!
Despite being happy about the weekend, I was not at all ready for it. I am unsure as to what I dreamed on Friday night, but I got up with a start on Saturday morning, thinking it was Monday and that I had slept through my alarms! I was in a wild panic for a few moments, before I realised that I had not been shopping! Dana and I enjoyed coffee and reminiscing, and I reminded him of a few events that he had forgotten. He knows better than to question my memory and was not surprised at the vividness of my recollections!
The routine shopping trip was just that, and it was much shorter than last week's adventure. Upon returning, I was not surprised to find out that no one else was poolside, and I sat for a few hours glued to my book before, once again, being forced to leave because of lack of light.
Another week of work awaits, and I am a little more raring to go than last week, although tomorrow may tell a different story. I am told there is a lot going on next week, but it appears to be mostly for other people! I am happy for everyone else to have the busy time, just so long as I have a little bit to put in .......... another story!
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