EVERYTHING STOPS FOR TEA!

The pool was rather cold last Sunday, despite the outside temperatures being overly mild.  I did sit with my legs dangling into the water for a while, and reacquainted myself with my book.  I was not quite sure what I was reading until I took the novel out of my bag.  Madame Bovary is the title.  I remembered the content but thought it was another classic; Crime and Punishment (which I think I read about four decades ago) or Les Miserables, which I had promised myself I would attack.  However, I knew it was a 'classic' as defined by I know not whom, and I knew I had enjoyed it up to when I put it down at the end of last season!  The water was too cold to subject myself to an immersion, but I did not realise how cold until I brought my legs out and could not feel them.  In fact, they were still rather numb for a couple of hours, and I was glad I had not been tempted to prove I was made of tougher stock by going for a swim!

Monday morning was glorious.  I left for the office, having thought carefully about my attire, as we were heading to the radio station for lunch.  I am not sure that Madame Bovary would have approved, but I certainly would have felt at home in a courtroom, in perhaps a modern day revision of 'Crime and Punishment'.  We were going to see the 'country' singer, Walker Hayes, and I had planned to wear something that was a little less starchy than normal, but failed miserably.  A white shirt, black pencil skirt and black ankle boots are hardly laid back.  Instead, I was going to walk into the radio station looking like I was going to be prosecuting the performer, rather than enjoying listening to a few of his hits and then having my photo taken with the musician!  I donned a black and white jacket plaited my hair and wore my hat just to tone down the appearance!  

Lunch was pizza.  "Can't you ask them for something different?" said my daughter, who had decided that pizza for lunch again was getting to be tedious.  I did not go into the 'mother' routine and harp on about how fortunate she was to be having lunch at all; how some children do not know where their next meal is coming from, etc.  Instead, I smiled and said I would do my best.  

The performance was very enjoyable, and the story of his rise to fame was quite touching.  I enjoyed the pizza!  We took a couple of plates back to the office, for Dana and Blake.  I think Blake may have enjoyed the performance, but Dana is happy to have the 'dinner' without the 'show'.  

It was another long day, and as I had spent an hour and a half away from my desk, I made up the time that evening.  However, we did not work too late, and were home at a reasonable hour!  I did have a long week ahead of me though, and had to start thinking about preparations for a 'tea party' that I had promised to host for Emily, Grant's sister, in honour of her birthday.  The tea party was not the surprise, per se, but the 'in honour of her birthday' was!  (Forgive the grammatical error, please!)  I started my list upon my arrival at home, but decided that Tuesday morning was too early to start preparations!

I wore shorts for my walk on Tuesday.  It was another glorious day in Austin!  We walked to the 'cleaners' where I deposited two pairs of shoes that needed to be re-heeled, and then walked back to the office for an afternoon of frivolity!  I received several solicitation calls, as is now the norm, but did not 'entertain' them.  I told the caller from 'google maps' that the discrepancies they had found could not be too erroneous as they had managed to find me, and they were not even looking, specifically, for our services!  I was also far too busy to be bothered with wondering if anyone else needed our services!  Of course, it is always nice to get new clients, and if it becomes slack I shall look into the possibility as to why!  

With my dinner prepared, I travelled across the river to see Joe on Wednesday and enjoyed coffee and debate with my friend!  The employees at the roastery were all quite jolly, and in fine form.  From there I came back across the water to my manicurist.  I wanted something stunning but not too complex as my time was rather tight as we had another appointment at the radio station.  Pizza again!  After a short stint at the office, completing all that needed to be done before I left, we headed across the river (again) and headed into the now familiar surroundings of the studios! This time, however, although we were greeted with a smile, and "hello again", we had to 'check in'.  I told the girl behind the glass that there was no need for apology, as she was rather troubled at the fact that she had to ask us for our names, having seen us regularly over the past couple of weeks.  

Kiana Lede is a young, but very talented, lady who was, apparently, told by her parents to go and live her dream in Los Angeles!  Yes, my question was, "Did your parents support and encourage you in your singing career?"  We were ushered in and out very quickly when it came to the pictures, as she had a show to prepare for that evening, which apparently was 'sold out'!  My attire was slightly more appropriate, in my opinion.  I stood in line before the shoot, and looked back a couple of times at a girl standing behind me.  She wore a black patent skirt, and a black and white skimpy top, and looked amazing.  Very young, slim and beautiful, I reminisced.  In my youth, however, I would never have dressed in that way, partly because I did not have the confidence, but mainly because I did not have the 'shape' and height!  As I turned for a third time to say that she looked amazing, she took the lead and amazed me.  "I love your look.  It is awesome!"  Navy always looks good in my opinion, but to have a 'modern' compliment me, always makes me smile.  They never add the 'when I am your age' phrase to the sentence, "That is what I would love to look like", but I hear it every time!  However, a compliment is a compliment!  I returned the praise, and added 'oh to be young again', rather too quickly!  My new best friend!  

The work was rather frantic when I returned to the office, as I had to leave at five to get ready for my guests.  Furthermore, I had to run into Randalls and buy bread and salad.  "Is it fresh", I said to the baker, who was swapping out loaves at the end of the counter.  "Still warm", she said, smiling and handed me one that she was just about to put into the basket.  Since writing the (well earned) review that apparently made her 'employee of the week', I have become her best friend!  

It always amuses me that English fayre, which in bygone years has been ridiculed as being bland and uninteresting, has now gained so much popularity in these parts, it is positively 'gourmet'.  Shepherd's pie, trifle and my offering for Wednesday night, bread and butter pudding, are basically all put together from left overs!  Of course, adding anything to these dishes is permissible, as they are made from leftovers.  The fish pie was nothing like the recipe my mother had used for years.  The most popular fish in these climes, it would appear, apart from the 'shell' variety, appears to be catfish and tilapia.   I am not a fan of either, so when I prepared my pie with a variety of other seafood, the taste was not expected.  Add an egg and a smattering of fresh Parmesan to the potatoes topping and you have a winner! It's basically a science experiment!  There is more to life than 'steak and tatters', or indeed barbecue, although I do enjoy both the former and the latter!

"Do you know what time it is in England?" asked Dana in response to an email he received at three in the afternoon on Thursday.  One of our clients (who did not have an encounter with the discrepancies claimed by the 'google map' team - whom I expect have no relation to the giant 'G' firm) had requested service of papers in London, to be delivered on Friday morning and an affidavit filed with the court on the same day.  They did not seem to take into consideration that most places would be closed at eight o'clock at night, and it would be afternoon before Dana could contact them early in our morning.  When he told me that the papers were being served in the Canary Wharf area, I just laughed.  "It is the city!"  Dana responded to his caller.  "It's in middle of London Town", he said.  "No!" I corrected.  "It is in the city!"  The Londoner in me exploded, and I explained that there is a big difference between 'London Town' and the 'City'.  Area for one!  The city is just one square mile, whereas the town is vast.  However, that was irrelevant. Whilst he was arguing the logistics, I found a process server who was based in Middlesex but covered London.  When he came off the phone, he also found one.  "Found one in Grantham", he said.  "Is that near?"  I told him that it was about from us to Dallas, or nearly Dallas.  "Why would they advertise that they serve in London then?" he said.  "Probably the same reason that you get calls  for service in Texas", I said, adding, "Although I think anywhere in the UK would be near to the city compared with us and far East, West or South Texas!"  He went with my recommendation, as the company website showed their hours from 9am to 9pm.  Thankfully, the other thirty one papers were for service around the USA!  

Friday morning was an early start for me at home, although I arrived half an hour late to work. I had completed all the tasks but one on my list, in preparation for our English tea party on Saturday.  I was unsure about the timing of Saturday's event, as I did not think there would be enough time to go shopping and get everything ready.  Just before lunchtime, my phone rang.  It was a radio station!  "Sandwiches!" I mouthed to Samantha as she came running into my office.  I had won a meet and greet for Tuesday, and it was at a different studio.  She had come running in as she had just missed a call from the same station, and then Grant appeared on the scene too.  We had all won, but they had missed their calls.  I asked the caller if she could put them on her list as they were worried they would not be included due to their not answering the phone.  She was very gracious and added us all to her list!  "Sandwiches", Samantha said to Grant.  "That is unless they say, 'hey, we usually have sandwiches, but we found this great pizza place.....'.  What a bummer!" I joked.  

We walked at lunchtime, picked up my shoes, and then went to Randalls as Samantha needed some essentials.  "The bread nearly made it home in one piece last night", I told the baker.  She found this rather amusing, and asked why/?  "It smelled too good!"  It was true.  I had broken off a piece and eaten it in the car, it was so tempting!

"What discrepancies?" I asked, when the caller from the 'maps' place called again.  They caught me at a bad time.  "On your web page.  It is causing you to have a low rating, ma'am" came the answer.  "But what are the discrepancies?" I asked again.  He reiterated verbatim!  "But how does anyone know they are discrepancies.  What do you know about my business?"  He told me the address, and phone number.  "And...?"  Silence.  "So what do you know about my business that makes you think there are discrepancies?" I said after a few 'back and forths' over the fact that they seemed to be able to find me, etc.  "Hmmmm".  Click!  I doubt he will be the last person to try and scam!  

Our papers were served efficiently and correctly in London, as were almost all in the USA on Friday!  

Saturday morning was, indeed, a rush!  I completed some of my tasks, but not all.  I had planned to be ready to walk out of the door at ten, so that we could be back by noon, or noon-thirty at latest.  The first flaw in the plan was Samantha did not arrive until ten thirty, and the second was that I was not ready to leave.  Instead, we headed out at eleven, ran around Sam's and then went to Costco.  My passport photos that had been taken last week were not up to specifications, and so I had to have another lot done.  We went around the warehouse as quickly as we could, and whilst I queued, Samantha went to retrieve the prints.  As we left, I asked how much I owed her, but she said she thought I had paid.  I went back to the counter.  Customer service at its best!  It appears that they should have known the requirements, and therefore they were at fault.  There would be no additional charge, but perhaps I could bring back the 'thumb drive' that contained the unusable pictures, and they could reuse it.  I was very grateful!

After going to one Dollar Tree, walking out empty handed, racing around Walmart in record time, sprinting through another Dollar Tree, we arrived home at four minutes past one!  With just under two hours to get everything prepared, finished and place on a table that needed to be cleared, I doubted that we would achieve the effect in time. However, the guest of honour was running slightly late and all was well!


Sandra, Samantha's neighbour, arrived with her daughter Sofia, just after three, as I was washing up.  We had laid the table, and I had retrieved my old, but previously best bone china for the occasion. I had no concerns as to its safety as I thought, "What is the point of having it if I do not use it!"  It fitted the 'bill' perfectly.  Finally, Emily arrived.  We walked her into the back room and shouted, "Surprise".  Samantha informed her that it was for her birthday, and she all but broke down!  Not what we were expecting but the tears were of joy!  It was quite humbling.  Just for the sake of my own record, we had sandwiches,  (cucumber, cream cheese and cucumber, salmon and cucumber, BLTs, and egg,) sausage rolls, mini quiches, scones with jam and cream, chocolate crispies, eclairs, mini meringue baskets, mini fruit pies, mince pies, trifles and a Victoria sponge (of course). Samantha had made her (now famous) cup cakes and macrons.  Tea was in an tea pot and drank with pinkies pointed! Emily loved every minute.  "Why do you live here, when you can have this every day in England?" she asked.  We explained that 'high tea' is not eaten on a regular basis!

The afternoon was delightful, but ended with Emily locking the keys in her car.  She called Grant to see if he had any suggestions.  "Look in the glove box for a plastic spare was his brilliant idea", she howled.  We suggested she tell him that she had done that, and then shut the keys in the car again, when she found there was not a spare.  She did.  He groaned at his own suggestion!  However, all was not lost as (for a charge) a local locksmith came and retrieved them!  

Leaving my house with trays of food for their respective families, Sandra, Emily and Cyndi (Emily's mum) went on their way, and after a while, and a great deal of clearing up, Samantha left with her puppy, who had been waiting upstairs with Dana!  Despite the amount of food that was taken, there was still enough left for another party!

I received a beautiful bunch of flowers from my daughter for 'proper' English Mothers Day, today.  We had decided that there was no need for formal celebration, as the tea doubled up as a birthday and mothers' day party!

A trip to the pool will not be on the agenda today.  The temperature is too low! Madame Bovary will have to wait, as will Les Miserables and Crime and Punishment!  I am not sure which one I shall read after completion of the rather promiscuous French lady!  Instead, I shall spend my 'proper' Mother's Day cleaning my counter tops and sorting out my fridge!  Oh what joy! However, the mess was made in a good cause and it achieved the desired goal.  

Monday brings forth another week and another month.  April already!  Our trip on Tuesday should be fun.  Whether there will be sandwiches or not remains to be seen in............ another story!