#16, Banana Bread to Go

Dan is feeling better.  He is starting to try and torment me.   The stories of my getting lost are legion.  At times when I leave for the store or to run and errand he will ask, "Now do you know how to get there?"  and he will proceed to tell me where it is.

I decided to go get us both a fancy coffee at the nearby CityBrew.  I don't go there very often.  Today when I pull up the young man at the window greets me by name.  Smiling.

I mentally review if he is one of my previous students.  I do not recognize him either as a previous elementary student nor as one of my college students.  Perplexed I wait.

He comes back, grins.  "Your husband called and would like a slice of banana bread."

Laughter, "He said, you would be driving a white Prius."  He continues, "We laughed over the call."  He waits for me to approve the addition.  "Now your name is firmly in my mind."

I laugh and look at his name tag - Ty.  His name is now firmly in my mind as well.

Arriving home I put the banana bread in my purse and carry in the two drinks.  I talk about the drinks and my husband tries to see if I have his requested treat.  I pretend to not know what is going on.

Finally he says, "Did you get the banana bread?"

I let him off the hook and take out the bag and hand it to him.

And we laugh.

I Was a Little Bit Stressed

Now that the conference is over I can admit that I was a little stressed.  My presentation was scheduled at 3:25 on Thursday and a different one at  2:15 on Friday.  Both were the last sessions of the day.  Well on Thursday I had gone to the luncheon and listened to James Dashner speak.  He is very good. (Check out his trilogy).  Then I went to look at the vendor's exhibits.

I was in the lady's room when I overheard someone say it was 3:25.  PANIC!!!!  I raced out of the room, picked up my computer at our booth.  Then raced to the room I was presenting in.  I got there NO ONE was there.  I was crushed, I was angry with myself, and I felt devastated.

I went and laid out my materials.  Put out the hand outs.  Then called my spouse to whine.  I told him no one had come and how I was late.  Finally he asked me what time my presentation was supposed to have started.  I told him.

"Ruth, it is 2:37 now.  What time does your clock say?"

How do you spell RELIEF?

Well my mood took an immediate upswing.  As it got closer to my session people started coming in.  All in all it went very well.  My Thursday session was "Thinking Like a Historian: Using Digital Newspapers in the Classroom".

When you look at the whole conference my part was small.  I can't imagine what my stress level would have been if I had been responsible for ALL the planning.  Ah well, all is well that ends well.

Did I mention our council bought 1/2 a pallet of coffee that we have to pay for within 30 days?  That is 320 bags of coffee with our own private label - The Readers Blend.   It is available in medium and bold (ground).  We sold 50 bags at the conference. Not as many as I thought we would.  Maybe I still feel some stress.

Anyone want to buy some coffee for holiday gifts? I know where you can get some!