A LITTLE BIT OF THIS, A LITTLE BIT OF THAT!

 The new truck had steps.  It was a lot easier to get into the passenger seat.  Of course, getting into the mini just meant dropping into place, but when Grant came to pick me up on Monday, he looked with sorrowful eyes at the small model next to him.  "To many bells and whistles" he said, when I asked him how he was enjoying the rental.  "I miss the little car!"  

"I think I will resign", I told Samantha when she called me and asked how my day was going so far.  I was walking around the perimeter of our complex, and had been stopped twice by neighbours.  Answering her question as to why, I responded that I was being bombarded with questions as to what was being done about certain issues.  I had answers, but this was my time!  "So, you are going to resign because people are expecting you to do your job?"  I answered in the affirmative.  "I am pool monitor and that is it!" I said, tongue in cheek.  Of course, I have no problem with people asking me questions, and I am happy to oblige with answers if I have them. I repeat a phrase that was once issued by the head-teacher of my kids primary school.  "All parents are part of the PTA. Some are on the committee which makes them more active, but you are all members!" It was a statement made to those who expected things to be put right when they were not willing to take the time to help.  "Why didn't you do such and such to raise more funds?" would be a question from someone who constantly refused to make any effort to help in the proceedings.  Adapting the rhetoric, I let everyone know that the are all part of the association, and should attend the monthly meetings if they have suggestions or comments.  It is their right.  The board takes care of the specifics.  We are, quite literally, 'by the people for the people'!  

My day continued and I found myself immersed in emails regarding our community.  One resident had asked if he could make some alterations to the little patch outside his unit.  Of course he could!  Last year he had the most beautiful array of flora and fauna that made the community green with envy, but delighted as the area looked so pretty.  Why did he have to ask?  The reason is because it is in the bylaws, and to alter the bylaws is a mammoth production!  Would anyone object to the project; of course not!  However, when the system works, it works for all.  I found myself becoming the epitome of 'reason'.  No reasonable request is denied, and no reasonable request should ever be denied.  The 'board' is not a dictatorship.  It is a 'function'.  However, I digress!  

Politics has fascinated me from a young age, and the manifestoes presented in years gone by, have sounded as if they would be perfect.  Of course, we do not live in a perfect world, and said manifestos are rarely adhered to, as most of the time it is an impossibility, but I am not delving into a subject that is too profound for an essentially 'light hearted' blog.  Suffice it to say, I try to be the voice of reason in most things. Apparently, this was why I was co-opted on to the board. "She is so nice about everything", I heard someone say.  They obviously did not hear me on the phone to my daughter on Monday morning!  Nice would not have been the adjective used!  

All was put into perspective when I noticed shoots in my planters! Everything else paled into insignificance, as my spinach popped up, and the peas shot through the earth.  I squealed.  Yes, I really did squeal.  I would have to look up how to 'thin' out the crop if this was to be a successful project!  A market gardener I am not, but there may be enough to grace my table and perhaps a couple more.  A case of food from thought rather than food for thought!  

Having seen how the garden was progressing gave me a sense of creativity, and I put a great deal of thought into my dinner for the 'crowd' that varies each week. Diversity was the name of the game, and I pondered on how I could 'diversify' chicken.  In my kitchen was a bag of tangerines that were slowly dying.  Perhaps I could use them in my dinner!  "Oranges and Lemons", I started to hum the old nursery rhyme, laughing at the last verse, which would be considered totally unacceptable in today's society.  "Here comes the chopper to chop off your head".  As kids we thought not of the implications of having our heads separated from our body, but of being 'outed' from the game.  If your head was 'chopped' you were 'out'.  No more, no less.  I wondered if kids still learned the rhyme.  However, I put the deeper thought to 'bed'.  I prepared dinner.

It was windy but warm, with the temperatures rising to above seasonal, although they always rise and fall this time of year, so 'seasonal' is based on 'what'?  One day cold, one day hot.  It is Austin! I presented my dinner as St. Clements chicken.  "What's St. Clements?" asked my guests.  I presented them with the ancient rhyme. They flinched at the chopping of the head ending. "Did you have nightmares as kids over that?" I was asked.  "No!" came my answer, in a 'firm but kind' tone.  "Is the recipe as old as the rhyme?" came the next question.  I responded that the recipe was at least six hundred minutes old.  A slight pause, and then, "But that is about ten hours".  I smiled.  The St. Clements rice was as good as the chicken! I was delighted at something new to add to my repertoire!

Storms predicted made me unsure as to whether my plants were going to be flooded.  I spent some time thinking up how I could protect them without bringing them into the house.  It was a dilemma. I could, perhaps, put them in the car port, but that would leave them without sun all day.  My neighbour, whom I had come accustomed to meeting in the morning, could see no resolution.  However, the thought materialised and the answer came in tomato cages and bubble wrap!  Grant helped me to set up the cover, which would not stop the rain from completely getting to the soil, but would protect the plants.  Two new ideas in one week.  I was on a roll!

A trip to the post office was required and I must admit, I was not happy!  The deluge I was expecting in terms of the storm came not as rain, but paperwork!  I was busy, and did not really relish the thought of taking time to drive to the facility, stand in line, and drive back. It would be at least thirty minutes of my valuable time wasted.  Perhaps, 'wasted' is too stronger term, but I was not happy!  However, as always, I came out smiling.  One of the newer employees was alone behind the counter.  He was having a little bit of difficulty with a customer, and then proceeded to chit chat whilst the line got longer. I was number six!  Vikki arrived in the nick of time.  She took the next customer, and then shouted to me.  "Hey sweetie.  How are you.  Didn't recognise you without your hat".  I called back that I was doing well, and had come out in a hurry.  The proverbial tennis match ensued, with everyone looking at me and back at Vikki.  "How are those grandbabies?" she continued.  Everyone smiled.  I felt rather special.  Perhaps I am 'nice'!  As I reached the counter, it was obvious I was going to get 'the new guy'.  He was rather confused.  Why had I put stamps on my envelopes?  Why had I not removed the receipt from the sticker?  What was the sticker?  Once he started the process, the 'lights' started to flicker, and finally a spark lit!  His knowledge had been expanded and a new lesson had been learned.  If he was 'training on the job' the customers were his best teachers!  I left the facility with the knowledge that my knowledge of his country's system was good enough to get my post to the right place!  I had to laugh.  The Englishwoman abroad hit a home run, again!

The rain never came.  I covered my plants before bed, with some canvas, as I have been doing for the last week. It was not cold, but I just wanted to make sure the elements did no harm.  I awoke on Saturday quite early, and waited to be collected to go shopping.  The temperatures were high, but so was the wind.  Samantha and I both commented on the fact that this was the first weekend of 'South-by' and we were not going downtown to see what was 'going on'.  It was not like years gone by.  The activities were not the same.  We could have strolled and probably taken part in some things, but there was not the draw of ancient times!  Perhaps our heads had been chopped!

The water was still cold, but warmer than last week, and I managed my usual quota of laps, at which I was rather pleased.  After sitting for a while, I found myself a little restless, which is unusual.  I started to read, and became fairly engrossed in my book, but my garden beckoned and I came back to tend to the plants that were already showing signs of strength, and I planted some new seeds.  My idea that I was not going to have as many as last year, and to concentrate of quality rather than quantity, went flying away within a very short period of time.  The seedlings in the spare room were coming along splendidly, and those I had put outside were doing just as well.  A bumper crop?  Time will tell.  

The clocks 'sprang' forward on Sunday morning, and I was not at all ready to get up.  However, I was glad I made the early start, as the dawn chorus was magnificent.  Not quite as noisy as I am used to in England, but rather melodic nonetheless.  It went on for quite sometime, and the wildlife was stirring despite the hour.  I am sure they do not need alarm clocks to wake them during the week, and equally as sure that the hour change bothers them not.  

After checking the skimmers, and feeling how tepid was the water, I was ready for another weekend dip.  The water temperature was actually warmer than the outside high.  Swimming in March always feels rather decadent, but I was not the only one.  Another family came down, and the younger children jumped in, without hesitation. The older generation found it to be too cold.  Mad kids and Englishwomen!

Once again, next week will be a bit of an enigma.  Dana asked if I was going to venture downtown, to which I replied, "Maybe".  It was not a coy, "Maybe" as in, "You know I will", but more of a serious comment.  After all, I may win seats to the front row of the live radio show!  Of course, I went in for the contest!  Why would I not?  The fact that Samantha may not be able to be my chaperone is neither here nor there.  I have decided I can manage this on my own, should the opportunity arise, or at least coerce Grant into being my 'plus one'.  I may have nothing to report next week, but there again, who knows what I will have to put in ........... another story!