I am not sure what happened last weekend. When I say I am not sure, I know exactly what happened, but am unsure as to why I did not 'post a post'. I think I was feeling a little overwhelmed by everything that had been happening. I had been feeling a little bit guilty on the Monday before Good Friday, when I heard that there were still a lot of houses without power. Looking straight ahead going into work, with the sun shining and a few lonely clouds in the sky, it was impossible to tell that the weather had been bad over the previous weekend. However, as we walked on Monday. and looked up into the trees, there were broken branches, which were hanging loosely or appeared to be balancing and waiting for a convenient time to drop!It had been a relatively quiet week. I felt a little lost in some respects. Having been completely overtaken with the passport process over the past few weeks, organising tea parties, helping to orchestrate a surprise twenty first birthday bash, as well as having to cater for various events, a week of having no 'deadlines' was rather strange. Much as I was looking forward to having nothing to plan, I felt as if I was missing something.
The day before Good Friday we had a 'breakfast' time 'meet and greet'. I was not particularly alert but as we entered the studios, the smell of food was rather invigorating, as was the sound coming from the other side of the wall. I had listened to the 'featured artist' the day before, and somehow it did not match with the seventies like disco music bellowing through the divide. Munching on a potato and egg taco, I found my feet tapping on the floor, and my head going from side to side with the beat. I thought about the times we have said, "Things you never thought you would say" and laughed. "Munching on tacos for breakfast" was added to the list.
The "Don't Mess With Texas" campaign has been going for over three decades, and promotes a 'litter free' state. There have been many famous home grown celebrities who have taken part in the cause, and being a very proud, and independent state, it was quite exciting to come and see the 'song search' winner. This year there were two winners; Whitney K. Lane, and Papi Chulo. I knew we had come to see Whitney, but had no idea about the other person, who actually turned out to be the group that had been performing the disco music. After eating a second taco, and drinking a very nice cup of coffee, we went into the lounge area.
I am no expert when it comes to a singing voice, but I know what I like, and as far as I was concerned Whitney had the most spectacular voice, which was perfect for any music but suited her so well as a country singer. She played two of her own songs, and then a cover. The plan was to sing another one of her own and then the thirty second jingle that won her the prize. However, and I am sure it has happened to the best, she had a block. It was a little distressing for her, but for some reason I thought this was an 'experience'. I know I have seen several concerts where the star has forgotten the words, ad-libbed, and the audience has gone wild. We sat patiently while she explained that she rarely does live performances anymore, and we would have sat there listening all day! However, it would appear, that it was the radio station and not the audience that had a time schedule. We were ushered out, and then ushered in again to hear the second band. Papi Chulo were, to me, reminiscent of seventies Spanish bands, whose music could be heard across the beaches in Europe, and at many discos. It was loud, lively, loud and lively. I cannot think of another adjective. My feet were tapping, my head nodding, and if I had a little less self control, I think I would have been up dancing!
After the performance, we got to meet the singers, and I thanked Whitney for her part. She apologised profusely, and I tried to make her feel better by letting her know I have often thought it must be amazing to be part of the audience where the singer forgets the words. It's a special show! Of course, my choice of words, and the vast difference in our language may not have indicated what I meant to say, but I don't think I did any damage! Papi Chulo could have sung all the wrong words and I wouldn't have had a clue. Apart from Manana, I knew little of what they were singing about, other than they seemed to be rather happy about it!
Photo's were taken, and we were asked to take the tacos, which we did, as Dana had been left behind with no breakfast and no show!
Someone must have woken up on Thursday afternoon, and realised that Friday was a holiday in some parts. Our courthouse was open, so we were open! At around four o'clock, we started to get busy and doubled our daily count within an hour. I was glad to get home!
Friday felt as if it was a holiday. We had a few phone calls, but not as many as a normal day. Emails slowed down after two, and by 'quitting time', we were ready to walk out of the door. It was a welcome change! The weather was beautiful and I was looking forward to a power-cut free weekend.
The roads were not particularly busy on Saturday, and the warehouses were not as full as usual. It appeared that people had left town for the holidays. The weather was perfect, and I was looking forward to a nice, quiet Easter Sunday.
Sunday came around and I could have slept for a week, but we had a reservation for 11:30 at a restaurant to celebrate my son-in-law's birthday. I thought I would perhaps get a nap by the pool in the afternoon, as the weather was so beautiful, and everything was so quiet. Within minutes of my arriving at the pool, a couple of neighbours appeared. "Have you been in yet?" I said I had not, as it was still rather cold. "Must be cold if you have not been in!" they both said. Another neighbour arrived with her daughter and granddaughter. "What's the water like". The first couple answered in unison, "Tracie hasn't been in yet". The newcomer looked at her daughter. "Tracie hasn't been in yet. Must be too cold". We stood and chatted for a while, and then another couple came down. "What's the water like?" they asked. "Tracie hasn't been in yet", came the chorus. "Must be too cold then", came the response. I found it rather amusing, almost empowering! It appears I have become the benchmark!
After a while everyone left, and I decided to brave the water. It took a while but eventually I took the plunge and swam a few lengths. It was more than refreshing, but it did feel good! The temperature was obviously not quite as cold as it felt, as I did not feel the need to stop and get out! I made a mental note to email my neighbours and let them know that the pool is officially open!
Whilst still in the water, another couple came down to the pool. We chatted about life and Austin. "He has been out of town for a few weeks, and just wants to do Austin things", said the wife of the man to whom she was referring. We discussed SXSW and other Austin events, and my recent flurry of 'meet and greets'. "I still treat the town as if I am a tourist", I said, and they agreed that it was the best thing to do. After all, you explore more when you are on holiday than when at home!
Although Monday was not officially a holiday in these climes, it was particularly quiet. A blessing indeed! The weather was beautiful, and day felt like Christmas Eve! It was a good thing as we had another breakfast time 'meet and greet' on Tuesday morning, and whilst I had enjoyed the breaks and impromptu shows, I do not like coming back to find my 'in box' overflowing and little time to complete the 'contest' pages in a timely manner. Of course, if I do not enter the contests, I do not win! It is a vicious circle, and vicious is a good term to describe the amount of work that is generally awaiting my return! However, as Monday had been so quiet, and Tuesday's post is generally only a piece or two, I felt little pressure. Yes, I could say 'No', but then that is a vicious circle in it's own right!
The storms started to gather on Wednesday morning, and driving across to Joe was quite a feat. Thunder and lightening crashed and sparked, and the message to 'turn around, don't drown' came over the airwaves loud and clear. From there I went to have my nails decorated and the roof of the salons was leaking. Michele was late, as there had been so many accidents along the way. I had seen least three 'clean up' crews along the way to the salon, and two on my way to Joe. I arrived back at the office at around ten fifteen. "We have a meet and greet at lunchtime. Do you want to go?" Samantha showed me the email. It was Wednesday. My late morning and early finish day. Did I want to go? Did I have time to go? "You should go!" said Dana, who was concerned that we may be the only two there, and if we did not go, there would be no one other than radio staff to listen to 'Who is it?'
There was one other person in the foyer, and staff were called down from their offices to be part of the audience. We sat in the studio and waited for the singer to appear. Suddenly, there was a crack of thunder and everything went quiet. Power to the audio equipment and the lights in the back had been cut. The staff looked at each other, and one was heard to say, "This is not good". However, all was restored rather quickly, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. I was thankful that I was not relying on my crock pot to cook dinner, just in case! Tucker Beathard came on stage before the pizza arrived. Again, the performance was really enjoyable. Samantha nudged me during the first song and told me not to look so 'bored'. I was not. I was just tired. However, I sat and listened to the song, and the lyrics were really rather good. It appears that the talented young lad is the son of a famous song writer, who has written for a bunch of 'Country' artists, and his brother is the quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers. No doubt he will achieve fame in his own right. He was very gracious when it came to the 'greeting' part of the show, and thanked me for taking time out of my day to come and see him. How sweet! I was glad we made the effort. The 'other' guest had sat on the front row settee, and spread herself across so no one else could sit there. Oh well! The young man with the ripped jeans had an 'in tact' pair of trousers on today, and Samantha pointed out that when I said, "See ya Tamara", I was, in fact, talking to everyone! We were invited to take 'as much pizza as you can carry', and we did. The radio staff were fed as were our office staff!
The storms cleared and the temperature rose. By Saturday it was warm enough to swim again. "This isn't your first time in the water, is it?" asked Jen, my neighbour opposite who was sitting with her legs in the water, next to her friend, to whom she introduced me. A few other neighbours were by the pool, and one of their guests had just jumped in. "I knew you would be the first in", she said, I started to wonder if I now had a 'title' to defend!
I 'facetimed' with my sister on Sunday morning, and she said the temperatures had dropped at home, and the wind had picked up. I told her of our storms and the tragedy they had brought in some parts. However, it was a bright weekend and I would probably swim at sometime. "Is your pool heated?" she asked, and I said it wasn't. "But if you swam in Kingsbury.....". Her eyes widened. "Oh that was freezing", she said. I think all my contemporaries who were brought up in the same area remember, and compare the temperature of that pool, when swimming anywhere! Quotes such as, "We will always have Paris", (Casablanca), or Mary Tudor's (Queen of England) quote, "You will find Calais engraved on my heart", (Perhaps misquoted by moi,) are joined by, 'Kingsbury will remain the ice in our bones!'
The wind is picking up, again, and my 'smart' phone is indicating that next week will, again, be turbulent. 'Jim', the weatherman from KXAN, who sends me emails, (a television station, not radio, surprise, surprise,) says that we are expecting storms on Tuesday and into next weekend. Thanks Jim! I am sure Jim sends emails to lots of people, but I always tell Dana, 'Jim emailed me', when he asks, "How do you know?"
Hopefully, I shall get to have a swim and a couple of hours poolside today. It is still early in the season, but I feel like a bit of a celebrity at the moment! I am not sure if my current 'celebrity' status will be challenged next year, as we have a lot of new people in our complex, but then I shall just go into my own 'Hall of Fame' like the people whom I meet at the radio station. (Yes, I know their Hall of Fame is real, and people outside of the community know them, but I think I have a modicum of a following! Yes! I am laughing to myself at this moment!)
I feel as if I am 'back', and life is somehow smoother again. Turbulent weather, news and other things will come to trip me up, no doubt, but with the large 'once in a decade' items having been taken care of, I feel the pressure has been somewhat released. No one knows what (in my life) tomorrow (or Tamara) will bring. Not even Jim the weatherman! My tale of one city shall continue in ..... another story!
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