Friday 3 April 2009

This and that

The Texas weather forecast is as dependable as the belief that your hips will always be the size and firmness as when you were 16 years of age. The heat and humidity here are so wacky that it’s a topic of daily conversation with the populace. Apparently hot and humid is the norm for the majority of the year – oh joy and rapture! I comfort myself with the knowledge that all that humidity will be good for my skin, at least I won’t dry out. I have the weather site on my bloody Browser Bar to check several times during the day and still they get it wrong – I know, I know, it’s the bloody weather, but Crimey get it right once and again eh? Looking out the window doesn’t work here because Texas is so huge that the weather where you are and the weather where you are going? – could be totally different. It’s an adventure.

For two years while I lived in North Africa there were many men with small machines and large picks digging huge holes outside my door in the Oudayas. Since my arrival in America in October 2008 there have been many men with large machines and no picks digging multiple huge holes in front of my house, and on the corner, and at the end of the block – in all directions! A new transportation tube between Texas and Morocco? An attempt to find China and see what they are really stealing from the Dalai Lama through cyberspace? Made up work because they were bad? You tell me!

My ongoing attempt to find some long, flowing skirts in to wear during the nine-month summer season in Houston continues with no joy so far. What do these people wear in the heat? Of course I have been warned that the a/c is such here that everyone carries a sweater or jacket about in the hottest months. Allrighty.

J and I have decided against a house because we just don’t want all that room, and yard, and house-falling-apart-stuff that happens, and would like money left over for travel, and thus are happily looking at townhouses. We found one we were mad for, but it went while we were still angst-ing over house vs. townhouse. However we saw another last week that we liked all right, made a bid for it, and as the days pass we are liking it better inside our heads. The tiny but lovely garden that is out back would be just outside my office, so I love that. It is three stories, giving everyone their own space, so we like that. On the down side, the washer and dryer are in the garage – yes, I don’t know either but it’s not a deal breaker, just a bit odd. There is a corner in the parlour that will not fit J’s huge (ooh my really) plasma television and assorted electronic paraphernalia and where they put these horrid holes in the bookcases. I mean I get it, they put them there to make the shelves adjustable, but yuk – so that corner will have to be torn out and re-done, but that is the only major re-do we both have, all the rest is making it ours and we can do that with our “stuff’. Until we get it done we can put his toys there and I can find some huge books to hide the holes… Oh, and there is a fireplace. A fireplace? I can only assume that when one longs for winter, one turns up the a/c enough to light up the fireplace? No? Then what?

The present owners made a bid back at almost the original asking price so at present we are holding firm at our original bid. After years of haggling in Morocco my skills are well honed and we are prepared to walk away which is the real key. J says the location is great. I have no idea; I’m still acclimating to being in Texas! The wedding is 7 June and we would like to be in by then. His two children (14 and 17-years old) will be travelling and visiting about for most of the summer so that will be a good time to get things moved and situated. I’m hoping that Q will stay a while after the wedding. I have not seen much of her since her wedding as she is hard at work on her Master’s thesis.

My big problem is that I love my little tree house apartment so much I don’t want to leave, but no way there is enough room for all of us and I cannot have a cat here.
My tree house apartment 4/3/09 10:33 AM

Click on the photograph and it will take you to the album.

Yes! I am expanding our family. A took my Chen for the year Q and I were in Africa – he was already enamoured of that cat and I think I knew I would never get him back. By the time Q returned to America those two were best buds, and I had decided to stay another year in Morocco…. If you remember Q rescued a kitty from the streets of Fez and took him back to America with her. MC Solar and Chen have become fast friends in spite of their different backgrounds.
Chen Klong Pa and MC Solar

Again, a click on the photograph will take you to the album.

Therefore – I get a new cat. I’m very excited. I have been looking around at breeders and fortunately there are several within driving distances. I have decided to get another Ragdoll – a puppy in cat’s fur. The one I am hoping for (fingers crossed because they go so quickly) is a flame point. I’ve never had a cat to match my hair before…. He will be ready (12 weeks old) right around when we are planning to have the new house so that is perfect.

On my recent birthday one of my very old friends sent me a new electronic toy – a FLIP digital camcorder. I have never had one of these things – in part because they were so cumbersome but this little beauty fits in my hand. It’s barely bigger than my I Pod! I have been playing about with it a bit; I shall post a movie soon!

That’s it for today. Ciao

9 comments:

jmb said...

Well that is certainly a different neighbourhood from your last one but every place has its charms and I am glad you have found some in Texas.

I Beatrice said...

They're digging holes in my road too - they dig them everywhere! And here in (outer) London, the hole-diggers' vans always bear Irish names, like Murphy and Maguire. There's some sort of historical reason for that I believe...

Loved that post of yours though - and all the yummy photos. I have the River Thames at the end of my little road - and in the lilac tree outside my writing hut, staring in at me as if he were the spirit of someone I once loved, is the very sprightliest looking robin you ever saw!

Good luck with the house-hunting. Seems a pity to leave all those lovely trees - but I see the need.

Anonymous said...

I could just feel the heat.Good luck with the town house.

Over here we know that as soon as the council lay a new road service, a gang will be round from the water ,gas or electric Co. to dig a new hole [out of spite i reckon]

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

The house sounds charming and I hope you get it. I'm so glad to hear about the Moroccan stray again. I can understand your excitement about getting a new cat - can't wait to see the photos when you do! Love from Sicily x

Sparx said...

Wow, wow wow wow, where to start? Good luck finding skirts, they sound a necessity. Love the little spot you're in and... househunting! Nesting! Permanence! Oh Lady M, really? And a new cat, what a lovely lovely thing to be doing. Having a cat to remind one of the true pace of life and the real necessities is an ...er... necessity in this hurley burley of a world.

scarlettscion said...

allrighty, but when ya'll start traveling again be warned that if Flame Boy stays with us he may never leave :-P And with three cats I officially become a "cat lady" (not that I haven't had at least one professor publicly ridicule me for this, in French, already), so I would suggest taking the kitty to a kitty hotel for the duration :-)

Ian Lidster said...

Did your cats have to make a cultural adjustment due to their change in national domain?

Meanwhile, good luck on the dwelling front. When Wendy and I moved in togther I was loath to leave my classy little apartment. It was, in a word, so 'me'.

Anonymous said...

You should get a massive floating house in like a zeppelin thing and float around the world...

lady macleod said...

jmb
A different neighborhood indeed! You have NO idea...but very nice people, those I seem to find everywhere I live and I'm grateful for that.
Thank you for coming by.


I Beatrice
Oodles of history outside your door! I love the sound of your writing environment.
Thank you for coming by.


Moannie
Better you feel the heat than me! :-)
Thank you for coming by.


Welshcakes
Oh yes MC Solar is doing very well. He has integrated the American lifestyle with no problem and I believe loves his extended family.
Thank you for coming by.


Sparx
Mission partly accomplished - still no skirts (don't ask me!) but I did find two lovely sun dresses, strapless - that I can now wear with my new um... higher.... um....lifted...from the surgery in my chest area...you get the idea.
Ye gods, don't say "permanence" too loudly, makes my teeth itch - does this give you any idea what an amazing man J is?
Cats are the supreme beings of how to live well as far as I can tell.
Thank you for coming by and hello to Spud.


scarlettscion
Do you think for one minute I would let you within a mile of any new cat of mine?! Shocked I would be or deathly ill! Back off cat lady. Animals love you too much on sight - get away.
Thank you for coming by Dearest.


Ian
That's it - this place is me - so full of light and set in the trees with my birds and squirrels that I have named, sigh - but not nearly big enough for a family. And the new place has a wee garden!
Thank you for coming by .


mutleythedog
Brilliant! F***ing brilliant!
Thank you for coming by.