NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION!

Perhaps it is time for a new year's resolution.  Not being the first day of the year for most of the world, it is the first of a new season.  Independence Day, or 4th of July was the first of the new world!  The banter in the office was lighthearted.  "Is it hard, as a Brit, to celebrate what was, basically, your loss?"  I grin and reply, "Is that why there are so many of us here now, to get you back on track, again!"  The banter continued.  "Fireworks to celebrate the triumph over the Brits", was responded to with, "Not fireworks.  They are distress flares!"  Of course, my favourite, which is always a mystery to me, is when I am asked, by an American, "Do you have July 4th in England".  As always, my response is, "Nope, we skip from the third to the fifth!"  When the irony is missed, and the question is posed in a different way, thinking I am misunderstanding their meaning, "No.  Do you celebrate 4th July in England?" I respond, tongue in cheek with , "Yes.  We call it, 'Cutting away dead wood' Day!"  (Or as I was told by my friend Lynda - whether her original comment or not, it matters not to me - the first Brexit!)  Obviously, those who ask the latter question, do not quite get why the fourth is such a big day here.  That is sad!

The New Year's resolution is mine.  I am starting again.  I have been remiss in my posting, and have no excuse.  It is just been a bit of lethargy on my part.  I think it was a mindset.  With everyone telling me that I am getting a bit older, and need to take care of myself, (which I believe I do,) and slow down.  Actually, I am not sure that I really do need to slow down.  In fact, I think that 'slowing down' may be the end rather than the beginning.  Coming up to twenty years on the other side of the world, life has been very different.  The American way of life 

Much as we thought most would be taking a four day weekend, and perhaps the first two days of the week would be busy, we found it quite amazing that a lunchtime departure for most on Wednesday, did not happen.  I was hoping to leave a bit earlier and not have to rush to get dinner ready. It didn't happen.

The heat index was a lot hotter than the actual temperature.  It is often said that the English are obsessed with the weather, but no more than the Texans!  Will it rain?  We need rain?  How hot is it, really?  How hot does it feel?  It doesn't take much to know how hot it feels!  Just go outside and burn!

Samantha had taken a trip to Florida, as one of her 'new' mums friend had moved there.  It was for a second birthday party.  She had gone alone, and I was amazed at how well she handled the whole trip. I wasn't so much amazed at the fact that she had negotiated the airport, the flight, the journey to her friend, the time there, and the journey back, but I wondered how I would have managed! As always, if my daughter puts her mind to something, she will do it!  I sent her a message each day.  "Are you still friends?"  Being a good friend with someone, and living with them for five days, does not always mean you will be good friends at the end of the visit, especially when you have only been friends for just over a year!  However, they did get along, and have planned a return trip!

The week continued, and finally Thursday arrived.  The fourth of July!  Dana and I decided not to take advantage of the four day weekend and go somewhere, but instead stayed at home.  We wanted to achieve some things that we had not really had time to achieve, together!  The first stop was Mozart's.  The coffee shop on the lake.  Breakfast was a spinach and feta empanada.  It was quite delicious.  Samantha and Teddy joined us a little while later.  She had been to a parade.  "If I am the mum of an American, I really should do something American for him!" she had said.  They went to the fourth of July parade in her city, and left while it was still in full swing.  However, it was getting hot, and he needed a nap!  We left Mozart's, and came home.  

Whilst the little one was napping, we went for a swim.  It was not too busy.  Two other neighbours were at the pool with a couple of friends.  When she went up to get the baby, I followed on and filled a cooler with some snacks.  We headed back down with some fruit and chips, and some vegetables and dip.  By the time we got back down to the pool, there was no one there, but it started to fill up a little later, albeit it was still not too busy.  

Dinner was at an Italian restaurant, and the waitress was very new.  Samantha, Edward and the baby joined us. She took our orders and disappeared to the preparation centre at the back.  Our order came out, and I looked at mine a little perturbed.  "Is something wrong?" a waiter asked.  "My chicken scaloppini appears to be just scaloppini", I said.  I searched but could find no meat.  He looked at the plate and informed me that I had, indeed, been given the wrong dinner.  He went back to the kitchen and appeared to be rather verbally abusive to the waitress, who appeared at my table and apologised, profusely.  In fact, she apologised with such fervour, it made me wonder what was said.  "It was very rude of me", she said.  I insisted that it was not 'rude', but a mistake.  After all, the cook had placed the dish in front of her with the implication that it was for her customer.  She was still apologising throughout the meal, and when we finally left, after she brought an enormous ice-cream (with three spoons?) to the table, for my birthday.  As we left, one of the waiters apologised about the waitress!  I was rather quick to respond that it was not her fault, and 'these things happen'.  "I wish there were ore people like you around", he said.  I almost responded with, "Give the girl a break", but chose not to continue.  Least said, soonest mended.

The weekend came and went, and the rain poured on Saturday. Beryl, the storm that came through, was threatening the Corpus Christi area, and they were given instructions to 'batten down the hatches'.  However, it rerouted and once again hit the Houston area.  Monday was rather overcast, but we did not get any rain.  It was a busy day, and everyone was catching up from the four day weekend.

The phones stopped ringing around noon on Tuesday, and we could not access the Internet.  Thankfully, we had a little device that allowed us to get 'on line', but it was a slower process, and we were not able to be as proficient as we would like.  It appeared that a tower, in the Houston area, had been affected by the storm.  Many people were without internet and phones, but thankfully we had power.  Our colleagues in the greater Houston area were (and maybe still are) without power.  Many in the Dallas area were also without power for a while.  We took the opportunity to catch up, and enjoyed the lack of 'spam' calls.  When the phone did finally ring, at 5:15, we jumped out of our chairs.  It was a 'real' person.  "Do you know that your phones have not been working?"  We did!  

Trying to find the football (soccer) match online was a challenge on Wednesday. England were in the Semi-finals of the European cup, against the Netherlands.  I did not think they would stand an earthly, and I was not alone.  I started to watch what I thought was the match, but it was a video game that had been created to look real.  I watched for a while and then realised that the half time whistle had not been blown, and the match was already in the second half.  I had been texting with Dana's daughter, and she said all she could find online was a strange video game.  She laughed when I told her that it was in fact the video game that I had been watching, and had gone back to watching three guys watching the game and giving commentary. When England finally scored what was to be the winning goal, I sat mesmerised for four minutes until they cheered as the final whistle was blown.  It was as if the whole country, along with ex-pats and those on holiday, uttered the same phrase.  "They don't stand a chance against Spain!"  "Why not?" asked my step-daughter.  "They played well in the first half".  I explained that it was natural for an Englishman (or woman) to be so negative about their team.  "That way we are not disappointed!"

The winning email was sent to Grant.  Lunch at the radio station!  I was ready for something a little bit different!  We headed out and were greeted like celebrities as usual.  Lunch was quite excellent.  One of the swanky restaurants in the Domain catered, and I was able to bring a box home for Dana!  As we took our seats, at the back, by the sound manager, a young man hovered around.  "If there is only one of you, there is a seat there", said the sound man.  The seat next to me was vacant, and I pointed to it.  "I saved it for you!" I said, with a smile.  The sound man then added, "I have it on good authority that she doesn't bite".  I turned around and said, "Really?"  He retorted with, "Well, good authority doesn't always mean it is true".  I nodded, turned to my new neighbour and said, "I don't bite...hard!" I added.  The artist on the stage, 'Sir Woman', was starting to have a 'back and forth' with the DJ.  One of her group was making fun of the guitarist, and it was like we were experiencing a 'warm up' act.  By the time we were on the air, everyone was in fine form, and cheered very enthusiastically.  It was a great performance.

Friday afternoon was a little overcast.  I spoke to our gal in Corpus, who confirmed that they had been given warnings to make preparations for a disaster but nothing had happened.  However, Houston was still without power!

I was not expecting rain on Saturday, but the thunder rumbled.  Two neighbours joined me at the pool and we listened as the soft rolls turned into more aggressive thuds.  The rain came, but was quite soft.  My neighbours stayed in the water.  I was under my umbrella and actually fell asleep! I awoke as the drops got bigger and bounced off my umbrella.  It reminded me of when my sister visited, and it rained.  She sat, in the rain, reading a newspaper, adamant that this was her vacation, and she was not going to move!

Dana and I enjoyed dinner and had a nice evening. Unlike last weekend, we did not have to dodge raindrops, as the storm had gone through and rain was now a thing of the past.  Perhaps next weekend.  

New year's resolution?  We shall see how long it lasts.  I am going to be more diligent!  However, we are all aware of how those resolutions are short lived for most!  Otherwise, why would we need to have a new one each year!

After having a reasonably relaxing day, I came back to my home and decided to take the bull by the horns, and edit this post so that it could be posted.  So here we are, new year's resolution completed.  Hopefully, next week there will be ............ another story!