SCISA Teachers' Conference

The day started at 5 in the morning. It wasn't raining or anything but felt like a Friday the 13th once getting to Columbia. Thursday evening, Ms. Barbara, a member of the local Sisters in Crime group, had written a check for two copies of Finally Home for her granddaughters and some bookworms she had purchased; she banks at Bank of America. I knew I wouldn't be able to cash the check at my bank since I would already be in Columbia by the time the bank opened. I decided to cash the check in Columbia at a Bank of America because I knew I needed to stop at Walmart and pick up a few items for my workshop. We got to Columbia about 10 minutes before 8 and found the Bank of America (which happened to be almost across the street from Walmart) and was going to sit in the drivethru until they opened (the thinking being that since my bank opens at 8 AM so would this one). The drivethru didn't open until 8:30. So we headed over to Walmart and got the items we needed. I went back to the bank about 8:25 to wait in line. I finally get to the window and then they tell me that I have to come inside because they need to fingerprint me since I don't have an account with them; well, how fun the inside doesn't open until 9 AM (now I'm supposed to be at the conference about 8:30 so I could set up and help my friend Shelley while she did her workshop). So naturally I sat in the parking lot waiting for the inside to open. That said and done, I went back to Walmart and made my purchases and then headed to the school. It was a bit drizzly on the way over to the school, but we made it about 9:30 and got the table set up. Had a few teachers walk by the table and pick up bookmarks and sold 7 bookworm bookmarks.

About 11:15 I headed to the building where my workshop was and had a few teachers waiting for me - lol I wasn't late really but just had to walk a mile to get from the gym to the multipurpose room (okay not that far but it felt like it) and they were early. In all, I had 7 teachers come in for the workshop. I hope they took away enough information to help them with the writing process that they can help their students. They all enjoyed the make-and-take and playing my Road Trip game. Those teachers were as competitive as the students who have participated in my workshops and played the game. After the workshop, we basically had to head home. No time for workshop attendees to do any shopping (that was a bit disappointing as I got back to the gym and I was basically the last one still set up - lol). No one bought any books but I'm hoping that enough people picked up my bookmarks and have information to take back to their schools that their social studies or ELA or other teachers can use the information.

On the way home, we decided we needed lunch as we hadn't eaten anything but a banana which I grabbed off the refreshments table when I walked through the building after parking the car. I called my finance guy to find out about the van I had looked at Thursday (found out on Wednssday that daughter just got a job and with her in classes in the mornings and now starting a second shift job I knew I had to seriously look at vehicles and get something by the middle of the week coming up). I had gone to a car place last Friday (the 28th of October after having my eyes dilated) and they were trying to get me in a PT Cruiser - not really what I wanted and my finance guy couldn't get it approved because they weren't willing to take what he could pay on the vehicle. So anyway, I had looked online at a couple of places in our small town and found a Kia Sedonia EX van at one of the places. After receiving the text from my daughter Wednesday about her getting this job, I went Thursday before the Sisters in Crime meeting to test drive the van. I loved it. I contacted my finance guy and set the wheels in motion. I called Friday on our way out of Columbia and he said everything seemed to be a go - yay! I had a van and I was on my way to get it as soon as I got back in town. I had to call the insurance company and get the insurance put on the van and all but I didn't tell them to fax the proof of insurance to the finance guy so by time I got back in town and got te van and got over to the finance place, the insurance place was closed. Sad thing was that the finance guy called the car place and told them the situation and he said I had to bring the van back until I could proceed with the paperwork Monday - wahhhh :(( - I didn't get to bring my van home yesterday. I totally wanted to cry. But not to fret, Dennis has assured me that the van is mine but it's a matter of getting the proof of insurance and filling out the paperwork first thing Monday morning. So the good news even after the harrowing day I had is that I get a new van and it's all me - no one had to cosign for me, no one had to put their name on the van but me - first vehicle I've ever had that I can actually call my own.

Monday will be here soon enough and I will be driving my new van and not be carless any more. The last couple of months of not being able to run errands during the day and having to wait for my daughter to get home from classes have been weird for me. You'd think that with me working at home that I wouldn't really miss the car during the day but it's the whole idea of not being able to go anywhere and if an emergency happened at the school not being able to get my son or just running to the grocery store when I wanted something to munch on that bothered me the most. I'm very dependent on having transportation for anything and have felt the helplessness the past couple of months. Now I will no longer feel that way - so yay!!!! - new vehicle coming to my house Monday - lol.

See you all in the postings and keep your chin up and happy writing - Mrs. E & the JGDS :)