After my encounter with the tailless beast, (yes, I know it was my fault,) anything else would seem quite trivial!Our Texas summer has been reasonably comfortable so far, and the breeze has helped. However, it is always at the expense of others. When we get a strong breeze, there is a wild tempest ravaging somewhere.
Still nursing a slightly bothersome limb, I found that I was more able to cope with my Monday morning chores than last week. My harsh taskmaster was still no more lenient, which is probably why the injury, whatever it may be, is taking as long as it is to heal. I am my own worst enemy in matters of sickness and ailments! However, I managed to finish what I had started and headed into work.
Raul, our maintenance man, was not on site on Monday, and we presumed that he had gone to visit his mother, hoping that it was to see her rather than anything more fatal! I did not walk around the buildings to make sure that everything was copacetic!
My neighbour, Dorothy, was at the pool on Monday, and she was pleased to see me. We do not share the same political views, but as a lady (and she is a lady) in her mid-eighties, she is used to debate and embraces the difference of opinion. After a brief lively conversation, which we both enjoyed, she had to leave, as she was expecting a delivery. I felt a renewed sense of energy and swam quite vigourously, completing more laps than usual in my allotted time.
We headed out on Monday night, late again, and took advantage of the 'buy one, get one', at Macaroni Grill. "Oh wow, hey guys. Haven't seen y'all in forever. How have y'all been? Where have y'all been?" I was not sure if this was a good thing or not, that the hostess greeted us with such fervour. My immediate instinct is to tell her that I do cook. I do not eat out all the time. I am a good homemaker. This would clash with modern day thinking, of course, that women should not be tasked with the household duties, and that they should be shared, but I am old-fashioned. We took our seats in the middle of the restaurant, and I asked how she had been. Other than seeing this young girl every few weeks, I know her not, but she told us how her mother had just remarried, and her father had driven her to the wedding with his new, well not so new, wife, and their kids, and they all had a wonderful time, but everyone is moving to a different part of the state, and where should she go, or should she stay, and .....! I sat and nodded. I frowned in places where I thought it was appropriate, and asked a couple of questions when they seemed relevant. I felt like an agony aunt, and wondered if she had mistaken me for someone who had a column in the local paper, before thinking that 'agony aunts' are probably too last millennium! I was in need of an agony aunt on Tuesday. "Dear Deirdre. I had a fellow resident wanting to swim laps today!" I had been swimming for a couple of minute, when a young(ish) male came down, wearing a University of Texas t-shirt, UT shorts and then put on a UT swimming cap. He meant business! I thought I would be polite and suggested we could 'share' the pool, and gave him the option of swimming length or width ways. He told me he was going to ask me the same question. I refrained from commenting that it was obvious, and asked what he preferred. "I swim from corner to corner", he replied, I responded with an "Okay", and he suggested we 'keep our eyes open' for each other. "Does he know you swim with your eyes shut?" asked Samantha. I do swim with my eyes shut mostly. I do not necessarily swim in a straight line, but then I do not necessarily swim in a straight line with them open! The 'work-out' was stringent, and I battled against the waves, taking care to stick to the sides of the pool. I was not in his way and he was not in mine, but I think he wanted to write his own letter to Deidre!
With another late night at the office on Tuesday, dinner was 'left over surprise'. It is always a surprise as the sticky labels fall off the bags! I know I should be more like my mother and place the bag upon which the sticky note is attached in another bag, but I am not that good! All the years I vowed never to do it like that, and now I am wanting to be more like my mum! My mum always had the answers. However, her bedside manner would have precluded her from being an agony aunt. She was better suited for the military than social work! However, I digress. The surprise was Italian with an English twist. The defrosted dinner was none other than a 'Mrs Sainsbury's' pasta bake! No Tex-Mex in sight!
Driving to Joe on Wednesday, I took in the the breathtaking sunrise. Although the 'event' takes place a little before seven, it was still very much on the horizon as I took to the road. The road I take to Joe still makes me smile. All those years ago when I used to travel here on a two monthly basis, we took this road to and from the airport, and I would marvel at the width of the lanes, and the open space that surrounded it. I hoped I would never get used to the feeling of being somewhere 'different', and amazing as it may seem, this road always makes me feel like I am still visiting. I sang to the song on the radio, and hurtled down the road attempting to keep up with the traffic, even more thankful for the lane widths! Everyone appeared to be dazzled by rays this morning, and whilst I am not opposed to sharing what I have, I would rather not share the same space in the same lane whilst driving! "Dear Deidre. How do I keep a polite tongue in my head whilst driving?" If I were the agony aunt, I would remind the driver that my fellow Austinites don't know all the offensive words from their British cousins!
It was very quiet on Wednesday. It was as if everyone had left town and we had not got the memo! I received only three or four solicitation calls. Even the recorded messages appeared to have the day off! Perhaps this answered the question, "should the AI have the same rights as mankind?" Oh please, don't get me started!
Deidre must have written a personal letter to all residents on Wednesday, as I swam alone, and then returned to put dinner in the oven, and create a dessert from my Marks and Spencer cookbook. Steamed syrup sponge pudding for dessert in the summer would have been frowned upon by my cookery teacher. I can hear her now, "Tracie. When is that a good idea?" (Brief interlude. Our cookery exams were coming up, and we were told to learn the 'attributes', e.g. carbs, protein etc, of a meal. I knew the 'ins' and 'outs' of Beef Stew. The question: "You are going on a picnic. What are you taking, and what is the breakdown of the meal?" Of course, Mrs Hunter asked, "Tracie, how would you take beef stew on a picnic?" Quick as a flash, I said, "In a flask, Miss!" Silence, then, "Beef Stew? On a lovely summer day?" Quick as a flash, I said, "It didn't say a summer picnic. It may have been autumn, or a coach trip in winter!" Silence.) I would be able to answer Mrs. Hunter's question with complete honesty. Who cares when you are in Texas! "Dear Deidre. I have a wayward student!....".
Samantha had planted a cake in my living room, and a balloon in my cupboard. It was Dana's birthday on Thursday, and whilst he does not like a fuss, she was going to make a rather large understated one! The balloon had printed upon it, 'Get well soon', and the cake was bought, not made. Each time I went into the cupboard, I shrieked with surprise as the balloon hit me in the face. I had to make an excuse as to why I was making strange noises without alerting my husband to the surprise.
It was our anniversary on Thursday. Fifteen years ago we packed up our suitcases and left Blighty for foreign climes. Fifteen years! Almost a quarter of my life and nearly half of that of my daughter. The cake was presented, with the balloon. "Get well soon?" asked Dana. "No home made cake?" Samantha was quick with her response. "Birthdays make you sick, and you don't like a fuss. It was the least I could do. It will all be over tomorrow!" Laughter was heard all around, and Dana appreciated her humour.
I wondered if my neighbours thought of writing to Deidre. "There is a resident who thinks she owns the pool". A young family were occupying my territory on Thursday evening, when I took my second dip of the day. They are a lovely family, and respect everyone's space. The pool is split down the middle by a 'safety' rope to separate the shallow from the deep, and when I swim, or when anyone swims laps, people usually stay over the other side. When I got out, I thanked them for their courtesy and their father said that they take up a lot of room. I remembered when the elder child, a girl, clung to the sides of the shallow end, before her brother was born, and how her brother did the same. Now they were diving for 'gold' in the deep end, without a care in the world. Have I really lived here this long?
I was amazed, again, at how quickly Friday came around. I managed to make some pastry for the quiches that Samantha had 'ordered', without too much trouble, and made a few to take into work. Deirdre had obviously written very harsh words to all those who had wondered if it was a good idea to swim between twelve and one!
I took myself shopping on Saturday morning, and filled up my car.
After I had unpacked my shopping, I headed down to my second home. Laughter started as I walked down the steps. "Hey" said my neighbour Jenny. "We heard you coming!" I laughed. "Do I stomp?" Her friend started to take things off 'my' seat. "Are you moving?" I asked. She nodded, and told me I could have 'my' seat. "You don't have to move. This is not really my seat". I responded. "Oh yes it is. You earned it" said Jen, as she patted it with her hand. I didn't know whether to laugh or not. Had I really become so famous, or infamous!
Dana and I headed to the mall, again, and then to Samantha and Edward's house for a party to celebrate our 15th anniversary. A few people were there and then a few more arrived. "Is that trifle?" said one of her guests, who happens to be English. I responded with an affirmative nod. "Can I have some?" I told him he could, indeed. After a first helping, he told Samantha that this was going to be his dinner for the evening! "I feel like I am at grandmas", he said. I was quite flattered.
The rain caused the temperatures to drop slightly on Sunday. I don't think anyone wrote to Deidre. They didn't have to. I sat and read, and swam, and read. I was joined by one other person, my husband, who certainly did not write to Deidre. In fact, agony aunts would not even exist in his world!
I am going to make the most of my time at the pool before I head home, and hopefully I will be gracious to those who wish to join me. The temperatures are rising rapidly this week, and it may be too hot for the locals to venture down to my oasis, but I shall be on the other side of the Atlantic! All will be revealed in ..... another story"
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