Playing Catch Up

I wanted to clone myself this weekend so that I could be in three places at one time! But alas, I never was very good in science. It's why I write about history and geography.

My son-in-law from across the

continental U.S. was here for a short visit.

My Delaney sales business called me to an English Language Arts conference where literacy guru, Dr. Timothy Rasinski, was speaking.

And the lovely writers from SCBWI Southern Breeze region hosted the annual Springmingle.

Since Springmingle required the entire weekend, I knew that wasn't an

option, despite my wish to be there and hang out with other authorly-type people. Sigh. I hear I missed a great conference and a lot of fun. Sigh, again.

I did go to the ELA conference with a carload of books and tablecloths and book racks and computers, etc. The conference was at Radium Springs Middle School of the Arts. When I met one of the teachers from this particular school, I asked if these kids were the cream of the crop. Not necessarily, she said. Some of them are students the principal is mentoring. They are doing something right over there at Radium Springs.It's an absolutely beautiful school. Students lined the hallways at short intervals offering smiles, greetings, and assistance. It's probably the first sales conference I've been to where there was help in setting up and breaking down. What joy! Help! Amazing! These kids were absolutely wonderful.

I did get to hear Dr. Timothy Rasinski deliver the keynote address. He teaches literacy at Kent State University, but he was at the University of Georgia for a while, too, so we tend to claim him. What an amazing teacher and speaker he is. I came away inspired. I know those teachers did, too. At the book signing table, Dr. Rasinski signed copies of his books.

He has written many, and some of them are reader's theater books.

That was one reason I wanted to connect with him. So participants all had a copy of one of his books in the package, and they weren't selling others, so what else was I to do? I took him a copy of MY reader's theater book to sign. Shameless, I know. But hey, it's what we writer's do. I was thrilled to have his encouragement, in his hand, in my book.

Then back home to enjoy dinner and some time with my sweet son-in-law and my husband.

On Monday, my hubby slammed his pinky finger in the door of his 1966 Ford pickup truck. Not nice. Several doctor visits confirmed it was broken, twice, one actually severed completely. So yesterday morning we were at the hospital for surgery on the finger. Ouch.

Today, I'll be speaking to the professional writer's group at the local university about my role as editor of the Infantry Bugler. That should be fun. My old professor is the advisor to the group.

A busy week in a busy season and I still haven't finished that rewrite. Will get it done by the weekend!