JUST A FEW MINUTES MORE!

The verbal exclamation of "You have to be kidding!" came as I read the last paragraph of my book.  Thankfully, I was alone, as an explanation may have been a little too verbose!  The book!  The same book that took a long time to 'get into', took just as long to get 'out of'. I apologise to the author, (whom I have not mentioned, on purpose,) who no doubt has a large fan base, but I was disappointed.  In my humble (or perhaps not so humble, but as I am not an author, nor have I had anything professionally published, should I be so bold) opinion, I think the seven hundred pages could have been reduced by, at least, a century.  My thought during the ante-penultimate chapter was, "How are you going to string this out for another seventy pages?"  He did!  However, the last page had me completely aghast.  I did not, necessarily, want a happy ending, but the last paragraph failed to tie anything together. Was it a cliff hanger, where it left room for a sequel, perhaps someone is asking?  No!  There is no sequel, nor room for one in this particular adventure.  I did enjoy it for the most part so I suppose my rant on literary prowess is a little over the top!

Alone as I was, for most of the afternoon, I started a new book.  I was hooked immediately, and was glad for the difference!  I returned home later in the afternoon, and attempted to clear some more mess from the abyss and spare room!

It was meant to rain on Monday.  We were all expecting rain on Monday.  We all sat and watched clouds come and go, and nothing materialise.  I started my day with a surprise.  I had three comments on my post for last week, and I thanked each person for reading!  I had considered taking a sabbatical, and then wondered if I would ever start up again!  I was grateful for the feedback, and decided to keep writing!

At the end of the day, just as we were leaving the office, there was a cloudburst.  The drops of rain were Texas size, and splattered down for a full minute!  Then nothing!  I watered my plants when I returned home as the minute of rain did nothing to alleviate their thirst.  

The thunder rolled, as I walked down to the pool.  I saw the lightening just as I entered the patio.  This was not a good time to go swimming.  Perhaps it would just 'roll on'.  I came back towards my condo. On my way back, I saw my neighbour, and we chatted for a while, watching the electricity go around us.  Eventually, it seemed to move on and I walked back down.  However, a large fork struck and thunder rolled yet again.  I called Dana for an update on weather radar as the birds were singing and I was not sure the storm was overhead.  Another neighbour said he was going to get me a lightening rod so I could swim safely!  I thanked him for his offer! Dana suggested I not swim, and I adhered to that suggestion.  As I reached home, the lightening started to have a show of its own, and the thunder roared in unison.

The storm continued for hours.  By the time my alarm rang in the morning, all was quiet, but the level of the pool was up quite dramatically.  Thankfully there was no real signs of debris, although I know a town not far away suffered quite badly.  The temperature had cooled dramatically, and everyone seemed to be quite pleased with the dip!

Promises of more rain quickly dwindled and once again the heat advisory was hanging over our heads.  The respite would be short lived!

Despite the huge amount of clearing away that I had managed to create, I thought I might have ten minutes to myself and perhaps manage to take a little time to read a little more of my new book during the week.  Working before I go to work, and then working when I come home has made me a very dull girl!  "All work and no play" is a phrase that comes to mind, but then I think most people tend to be the same!  I found that my lack of sleep was due to my mind racing through what I had to accomplish the next day, and perhaps ten minutes (and I would limit myself) would do the trick, and revive me for the next task.  Of course, the best laid plans, etc., etc!  

"My sister threw away one item every day, and before long, she had gotten rid of quite a lot of things", came the suggestion from another neighbour when I said I had a lot to do!  One thing a day!  Perhaps one thing a week, or a month, but a day?  I looked at her in horror! "If I throw anything away, I need it the next day!" I said.  "But do you?  Really?" she asked.  This was a conversation that would have no firm conclusion!  We agreed to disagree!  As it happens, the brief interlude did me the world of good!  We chatted about various topics, as we do, and agreed to disagree on some and agreed totally on others.  All in all, despite not reading my book, I felt somewhat refreshed when I returned home, and full of a new sense of purpose.  I could throw away some things.  I did not realise quite how long I was chatting and could not actually accomplish what I had hoped to achieve, but during my absence Dana had taken a nap, and I was happy to let him snore for a while!  When he awoke, he was surprised that he had slept for so long, as I usually (upon his request) wake him so that he does not sleep all evening!  

Before we had time to blink, so it would seem, it was Friday. As we were heading into (another) long weekend, bets were on as to whether we would be busy.  Samantha and I went out at nine to retrieve some winning tickets, for a local theme park, and Grant was trying to accept some tickets I had won for a concert on Monday. Although I had always wanted to go to see Willie Nelson perform, the thought of sitting in a crowded stadium in heat of over a hundred, appealed less than the want to see the artist!  Grant had also wanted to see the legend 'live' and was excited to get the opportunity, but was having difficulty with the website!  My thought was that if the younger generation has difficulty with a website, there would be no way I could have retrieved the tickets!  However, he finally found he had to decline them in order to accept them!  Trick the computer so to speak!  I was astounded.  I could have done that!  I remember when I told the (young) technician at the call centre that I had solved the problem by telling the keyboard it was a printer!  It had solved the problem when downloading some software.  I remember not how it worked, but it did, and the young man then asked how my keyboard was able to print!  Was it a new piece of equipment that had been specially made?  I remember thanking him for his help and bidding him farewell, as I could not explain what he could not understand!

The end of the day was busy, as I thought it might be.  Everyone had left their offices early, except those who had not!  Those who had not were busy making us busy!  I am not complaining!  However, I left the office later than anticipated, and once again set to when I got home!

"What is her name?" asked my husband when I said that I had spoken to another neighbour.  I admitted that although I had chatted with this girl from time to time, passing the time of day, I had never learned her name.  It did seem a little strange, but I wondered if we both thought that we had learned each other's name and just forgotten and neither one of us would be the first to admit!  Meeting her room-mate along with boyfriend, I just said "Hi" and then asked them to put the furniture back where they found it.  I felt a bit embarrassed to ask, but really should not have done, as I am always putting the chairs back where they belong on the 'communal' patio.  They were quite amenable to my request, and went on their way.   I was taking another 'ten minutes' when suddenly there was a crash.  A tree appeared to have just fallen over!  Another lady said that a truck had purposely pulled it down, but upon investigation, I found that a large branch had fallen behind said truck, and blocked its exit!  I texted the chairman of our board, who happened to be out of town.  What to do?  I knew the truck belonged to the boyfriend of the girl whom lived with the girl of whose name I knew not, and decided to knock on their door.  Which door?  Fortunately, towels were over the balcony, and I rapped on the wood.  After explaining the predicament, she introduced herself. I said that I had seen her around, and had she lived here long. She said she had been here a few months, "But Sierra....."  Ah ha!  A name!  I could now go home, at a later date and say, "Saw Sierra today!"  All's well that ends well!

Dana and I went out for dinner.  Once a year, I receive a coupon for being a loyal customer at a buffet in Round Rock.  Once a year I take advantage of the coupon!  It is nice enough, albeit very 'homely'.  The food is good quality but does not have the abundant choice of other buffets, and we do not frequent it as much as we should to receive the coupon.  However, a coupon is a coupon!  Our waitress came over to take our beverage order.  "I'm Sierra!" she announced.  "Oh my goodness.  You are my second Sierra of the day!" I said, with great enthusiasm.  "Really?  I don't know another", she said, almost disappointed.  I am not sure if she was upset at not being unique, or that she had not met a name's sake!  However, she regained her smile and bounced off to get us a couple of glasses of water!  Dinner was quite acceptable!  

Despite the promise of cooler weather, we are now heading back 'up there'.  It is going to be 'one of those summers', and I should just quit complaining!  I am blessed to have a pool in which to swim, and air conditioning in which to work, and hopefully recline!  The long weekend will be hot, but a day off is a day off!  What to do with it is really quite ............ another story!