TO LIFE!

It has been an 'interesting' couple of weeks.  I had thought about putting the word 'harrowing' but that would not really have been completely true, as there was only small sad details, despite its affect.  

I had fully intended writing a post last weekend, as the week leading up to memorial day had been quite amusing. On the Friday before the long weekend, I decided to make a trip to Ikea.  I wanted to buy some wardrobes and some replacement furniture for the abyss.  Samantha drove her truck and Grant came with because I was concerned that we may not be able to lift some of the heavier items.  Grant had not been to the store for about fifteen years, and was amazed at how different it was.  Suffice it to say, we were out of the office for the best part of four hours!  Admittedly, this included an outing to the 'State Inspection' facility, where I booked our car in for its annual overhaul.  Although I arrived as the inspections began, I was number eleven in line, and they said they would call me when it was done.  "Between three to five hours", said the nice man behind the desk, who advised me that I had been to the facility before, albeit six years ago.  I remembered vaguely having a tire fixed.  I tried to do 'the math' and calculate what time that would be.  I apologised for my lack of mathematical skills, as it was early and hot!  He laughed and said, "Between three and five".  As I got into the truck (Samantha had followed me down) I began to wonder where he went to school.  Three hours from nine thirty was not three o'clock! Welcome to Texas, y'all!

After loading up the truck with all my supplies, the tailgate would not shut.  Grant started unloading everything so that he could shut the door and let the boxes hang over the edge.  I stood, guarding the box with the picture of the glass printed, and watched.  "You are doing a great job!" said a fellow walking past.  "I do my best!" I responded. I chuckled as he and his wife laughed.  

As I had not received a call by four thirty, I began to think that perhaps the mechanics teacher was not as bad as I had first thought. However, upon calling, I found that they had called and left me a voicemail.  Not me, I thought, as I checked my phone, and wondered again, "Where did they go to school!"  Upon arrival at the facility I asked if they would check their system to see if they had the correct number for me.  "Oh, its right.  I was going to call, let the computer know I called, and then...well...I dunno!"  Welcome to Texas y'all!  I collected the car, and returned to work.  

Our weekend was not the traditional Memorial Day weekend of the past.  Dana asked several times if I wanted to take a trip somewhere, but I decided it was unnecessary.  One of our servers, in San Antonio, had lost his wife the week before, and my neighbour (and good friend) had died, having overcome so many health struggles previously.  It seemed like a bad time to take a holiday, even though life goes on.  I had wondered if we should meet our server and take him out for lunch.  Dana had the same idea.  The server accepted the offer with delight, and said it was just what he needed, and said we should meet half way.  However, the restaurant choice in New Braunfels, which is nearer to him than us, was much better, and I said as we were going almost to San Antoinio, we should drop in on Dana's daughter, and see her almost new house, which we had not yet visited.  It was a plan.  

I swam Sunday morning and put the 'post' on hold until this week.  We had a very pleasant afternoon, lovely late lunch and returned home just in time for an evening swim.  A detour to Buc'ees was of course, necessary, and a list had already been given.  We walked into the giant convenient store and I headed for the centre, and approached a sales assistant.  "Do you have..?" I asked.  She leaned over a box and gave me the first item.  The second item was asked for and she told me to stay in place and she would find it.  As she left, Buc'ee arrived.  "Go on", I said to my husband.  "Go stand with your pal so I can take a picture".  He dutifully obeyed my command.  "Do you want a picture, ma'am?" asked the very helpful sales assistant, who had returned with the second item.  "Gosh, no!  I am an adult", probably was not as polite as it could have been.  I sent the photo to Samantha, who almost immediately send me one of the previous year, where Dana had met Buc'ee and both were wearing the same clothes!  Not the same clothes as each other, I might add, but as they had been wearing the previous year.  "I can understand Buc'ee not having a change of wardrobe..." was the comment!  The third item on the list was not immediately accessible, and the sales assistant went off to find it.  She did not return.  "Perhaps she went on her break", I said, and went to look for her.  I found her half way up a ladder.  "Oh I am so sorry.  I forgot to tell you.  We don't have it", she said, in a very pleasant tone.  I couldn't be upset with her.  We went to the check out.  "Welcome to Buc'ees", said the cashier.  "Do you have orange mints?" I asked.  "On the counter, ma'am" he said with the usual smile. "Are these mints?" I asked, as they said, 'Orange sours'.  "They are all we have!" he said, most un-Buc'ee like.  Oh dear, I thought, you are not much longer for here!  

My mission on Monday was to clear the abyss....again!  No matter how much I try and un-Samantha the room, it doesn't seem to happen. It is as if it is built on a 'landfill' and things rise from the bottom.  I took the books that my sister-in-law had very judiciously separated into 'authors', from my brother-in-law's collection, and managed, somehow, to fit them all on my book cases.  It took hours.  I did not realise how long it would take, but after stacking enough to fill a good portion of a small library, and moving things from one place to another, to try and maximise my space, I saw that it was nearly one!  I had been on the go for six hours!  

The afternoon was lovely.  I sat and read, attempting to 'get into' the book that I had started.  It was a 'new' author to me, but there are several options by this writer in my 'new' stack, and I decided to give it a go!  It was tough going as I could not really 'join the dots', and sixty pages in, I wondered whether I should just give up!  However, I usually persevere, and I did not put it back on the shelf!

I opened up a couple of packages on Tuesday morning, and spent my time taking boxes up and down the stairs.  I loaded the truck with cardboard and with Samantha's assistance, took it to the recycling bin.  I went to work with the intention of starting to assemble the wardrobe at the end of the day.  

The 'board' meeting went on for a long time.  I managed to connect on my phone, once I realised that the number I had been dialing into for over a year, and now apparently was 'not allowed access', was because it was the wrong number!  It was not until I went to get Dana's phone, and insert the number, did I notice that it was not the same as was in my phone!  I called the new number and was granted access immediately.  "Oh yes.  That is because we use those other numbers for when the chairman and secretary want a private meeting", said the organiser.  "I should have let y'all know, I guess".  Welcome to Texas, y'all!   I was curious as to why the chairman and secretary, of all the other boards, did not do what our chairman and secretary do, and that is simply call on their phones, one to another, but I kept quiet.  I was not the only one to enter the 'wrong' chat room!

"There is a piece missing", I announced.  "One side of the wardrobe is missing", I said, full of frustration, as I came down to howls of laughter, and 'air' fist punches.  Dana and Grant were playing pool and obviously it was a very interesting game.  "Are you sure it is not in one of the other boxes?" came the helpful suggestion.  Why would it be?  Surely all the pieces belonging to the first picture would be in the same box.  "It is Ikea" came the helpful suggestion!  As is always the case, I wonder why I bought the item from this particular store, and then once I am in 'full swing', realise that it is not that bad!  I muttered a bit, peeled some potatoes, made some croutons, and cleared the kitchen.

"What do you mean, 'splodges'?" said Michele, as I tried to explain what I wanted painted on my nails.  "You know when you were a kid, and you took a paint brush, and went like this?" I said, trying to show her what I meant, by taking an invisible paintbrush, and pushing it down on to the desk, "And then twist it".  She looked at me with a vague stare.  "No", she answered.  She swished a colour on top of the white background.  "Like that?"  I looked, shrugged, and said, "That will do".  She painted something different on another nail.  "Sure", I responded.  It was not what I had in mind, but it looked good.  By the time she had finished, the outcome was far from my mind's eye picture but I liked it.  I would have to take an example in on another day.  

"I found it!" I announced on Thursday, as I opened the third box.  The second side was, indeed, in another box.  I could not put the thing together, because I had not opened up all the other boxes, which contained the screws, nails and things that held all the parts in place.  That would have to be left for another day, when I had time to concentrate. I was not quite sure when that would be, but my patience was wearing thin, and I knew I would make a mistake if I did not walk away.  I do not always walk away, but I had enough presence of mind to be sensible.  I am not always sensible, but ... !

The butterfly that was in the sunroom was enormous.  In fact I was not sure what it was to begin with, but upon closer inspection, it was definitely a butterfly.  Further research revealed this was a Black Swallowtail.  It seemed to enjoy the space because it was still there in the morning, and stayed for a couple of days.  

As mentioned, earlier, my friend had lost her battle with several illnesses.  Her life had a common thread.  She had battled childhood bone cancer, received treatment which had caused heart failure, had a heart transplant six years ago, developed breast cancer, and then lung cancer.  She had battled through them all and come out the other end. However, her last battle treatment had caused a problem with her heart anti-rejection medication, and try as they might, they could not find one that would work.  I list the complications in her life, as this was part of her husband's eulogy, at her memorial service in Austin. 

I walked into work on Friday morning, wearing a very bright, colourful dress.  White on top fading down into bright red, pink and purple flowers with leaves of varying green.  The dress was slightly above the knee, and this is not my usual format.  I asked Dana if it looked alright.  "No!" he announced.  I was taken aback.  "You are going to a memorial service!"  I realised he had not seen the 'invite'.  It read, "Please wear something bright, colourful or fun".  When he saw it, he changed his mind.  "It's perfect".  "Not too short", I asked.  Of course, no one would be looking at me, but I am conscious of looking 'out of place'.  Wearing what I wear, e.g. formalwear, I am usually 'out of place', but I did not want to draw attention to myself, not at this outing!  

The service was quite beautiful.  She was an amazing woman, who went from being the worst patient as a child, to always telling the nurses that she would be their 'star' patient.  She battled so hard, and always won, that no one ever thought she would not 'win' this time. However, she did not 'win' this time, and all who knew her were devastated.  Her husband, as introvert as she was extrovert, was so pleased to see the few neighbours who were able to attend.  

Friday afternoon, after the service, was one of the busiest afternoons we have seen!  More work pumped in during the last two hours, than is usual for a recent all day Friday, and I wondered if we would ever get to go home.  However, we managed to shut up shop and headed out. 

It was a 'regular' weekend this weekend, and our little community is coming to terms with the loss of one of our most loved neighbours.  It is a testimony to her, and her family, at how much we were all impacted.  We have had neighbours come and go, and depart from this world to the next, but never has it had so much effect on the whole community.  However, she wished to be remembered with a smile and for us not to grieve, but to celebrate who she was, so I intend to do that!  The funny thing was that her friends seemed to know us, as she spoke of her neighbours to them, as she spoke of her friends to us!  "Oh you are the neighbours", a few people said!

We shopped.  I walked into one store, as Samantha waited outside, and stood in a long queue with my bag of apples.  They appeared to be giving away 'okra' as everyone had enormous bags full.  Said store is an Indian grocery store, and they have some amazing fruits and vegetables, lots of which I have tried upon recommendation of some of their customers.  "Is that all you have?" asked the man in front of me.  I half heartedly pondered on whether he was judging me, as the lady in front of him appeared to be shopping for the month!  I nodded, and he asked if I would like to go ahead of him.  "Are you sure?" I asked.   As I got into the truck, I repeated the performance to my daughter and said, "How silly is it to ask, 'Are you sure', because they would not ask if they were not!

I was glad that I persevered with my book.  It got better, and the dots started to join.  I sat and read, and was really getting into it, when it was time to leave the area!  I had not realised quite how long I had been sitting and reading!

Next week is going to be hot. When I say 'hot', I mean 'hot'.  Triple digits all week.  I am hoping for reprieve!  Hopefully the overnights will drop enough for us to recover!  'Outside' may not be an option! Welcome to Texas, y'all.  Every few years, we get a heatwave.  A real Texas heatwave!  I guess we are due!  Find out if we fry, here, next week, in ............. another story!