old news...i'm late..i'm late...for a very unimportant,trivial, blog-date!

friday morning we had a training in tulia, which was a tiny drive from lubbock. it was great driving up there with sarah! we got to catch up and she was able to share the background of the schools we would be working with. although we didn't see any jackelopes, nor any other type of wildlife, a gentleman did later tell us about a his run-in with a bird of prey. he arrived late to the training because this bird dive-bombed him and then went flying up 20 ft and then fell to the ground. he felt so guilty that he was actually thinking about going back to check what kind of bird it actually was. we told him just to pretend it was a pheasant and be done with it-no worries. he didn't return for the afternoon training, so perhaps he actually did go back to check on it...?

doing some station-activities with reports

this one-she makes me smile laugh! truly enjoy working with her!!

the training went well and almost everyone returned after the lunch break, minus that one lady who entered and her first words were: WHAT? THIS IS AN ALL DAY TRAINING?! (body language suggested that her mind was processing some inaudible filthy language) but everyone else was very pleased that they stayed, because we had some really good information about the reports, and they found it useful.

after all was said and done, we made our way back to the airport. my original flight was scheduled to leave at 8:50 pm, but when i got there, i stopped at the ticket counter, and heard the lady say that they'd been on a ground stop in dallas, and the 2 earlier flights hadn't left yet, so i asked her to put me on standby. as was making my way up to the gate, there was a man who was running late, so i told him to chill, the flights had been delayed. he looked at me and said i looked very familiar, so the only things i mentioned were dallas isd and kanakuk (the two places i'd probably have the most contact with the largest number of people). nope, so i let it drop and went to the gate, thinking i wouldn't have to deal with him again. my southwest app said i had a boarding spot (b17), but the lady at the gate said no, that i was on standby and had a boarding spot for the later flight...hmm, ok, whatever.

 the time kept getting pushed back so finally i got a personal pizza and when i went to sit down, the guy i met at security (damon) brought his culinary purchase and sat at the table next to me and began to strike up conversation. so we discussed what he was doing in lubbock-interviewing for a chief IT position with the district. anyone who has followed this blog for a time knows that i do not LOVE small talk. unfortunately i happen to be really good at it, and the conversation kept prolonging itself until finally he finished his food and decided it might be important to go back and check on the flight. i might have been more inclined to keep the conversation going, but guy had a ring..and braces (which made him look 15) so i allowed for ample separation time to try to ensure that we didn't run into each other again. nice guy, but i was out of conversation. the lobby was so cold that i had to go grab some coffee to warm my hands (note to self-start bringing hand warmers).

finally around 7:15 they decided to allow the 2:40 flight to board (they'd already cxld the dallas portion of the 2nd flight and sent them on to nashville).  so i again approached the counter, and the same lady from before said no, i didn't have a boarding spot, step to the side with the other standbys, and wait. and then pony tail agent approached and began to help and started to clear passengers. after she'd cleared about 12 passengers-NONE OF THEM ME...she looked at her list and said into her radio that they were about to clear the last two standbys because there were two no-shows...she said my name and another, and i stepped up and said that's me! i just didn't have the boarding ticket-she said well, you should! here-and printed it. i wanted to crane my neck to look at the other agent behind her who was saying i didn't have a boarding spot (because she was still trying to tell ponytail that i didn't have a boarding ticket) i wanted to wag my finger and say, "shame on you!" from now on--just trust the app. anyhoo, no hard feelings, i got on the flight, and we finally got off (good thing because the later flight, my original, the 8:50 was cxld as well).

as i was walking down the jet bridge, the flight attendant met me at the plane and before she could even say anything, i said, "i have to gate check it, don't i?" she nodded, and had a tag, so i knelt down because i keep my lock and key to lock it up just in case and she was pretty impressed (doesn't take much), and i expressed my frustration, because i would've been on the plane in plenty of time to get a spot that would accommodate my bag, but they screwed up inside. and then i found a middle seat not too far from the front of the plane. after a few minutes, she made an announcement about the bag that they were going to gate check and i waved, she told me they found a spot for it-actually in the overhead right in front of me. am i the lucky one, or what? so i pulled out a card and found the starbucks gift card that i try to keep on-hand for just such occasions, and expressed my gratitude for her listening and making an effort.

upon arrival, the whole thing seemed like a repeat of the previous friday-groundhog day-trainers edition. so once we were finally afforded a gate, and able to deplane (go ahead, say it like tattoo-fantasy island), i was able to get home and once again, driving home at 10:30 pm, exhausted, thinking about people who were probably on their way out for the evening- i was dying to put my head on my pillow!

then saturday i picked up the boys and spent some time chatting with joanne. then we relaxed at home and that evening i got to do dinner with solange and the crowd to give a farewell for her twins who were going off to start college! every time we get together, the group feels a little more comfortable, and it keeps me up to date with my spanish-smile. snuffers fried pickles never disappoint (the taste-buds..they disappoint the scale, and my thighs, but never the taste-buds).

sunday funday consisted in a 6-hour poster-making-marathon with nafia and nicolette. we had a delicious breakfast of blueberry waffles, sausage, hashbrowns and fruit-great company, funny conversations, laughter, and we finished a ton of posters! then i made my way home and was able to help nicolette with some name-tag/ofishally first grade tags-and looking for a special beginning-of-the-year book (which target, walmart and barnes and noble were all out of)...oops. hopefully she was home in time to get a good nights rest for her first day of school!

i hope all of my dallas school friends have had a great start back to school!!
julie