Adventures

I don't suppose this first one actually counts as an adventure, but it was quite an experience. I pulled up to the gas station and hopped out of the van, when up strolls a gas station attendant. "I'll take care of this for you today," he offers as he takes my card and starts filling. He makes small talk as twenty-eight gallons of gas transfer ownership and, finishing up, hands me my receipt and sends me on my way. Now, you know, Texas has self-serve gas stations and I've never seen any attendant talk that much with a customer. Interesting.

Driving back from running errands, with one more stop to make, I found myself in a right-turn-only lane one street too soon. Rather than try to change lanes and continue, I decided to turn and make my way over down the street. As I was approaching the first light, I noticed a left-turn-only sign for the lane I was in, which was exactly what I wanted and, conditions being favorable ( i.e. green light, oncoming traffic way down there), I turned...onto a one-way street...the wrong way. Apparently the sign was for the next light. Faced with a wall of cars, my split-second decision was to pull up on the sidewalk and let the back half of the 15-passenger van hang out on the lightrail tracks while all the one-way cars made use of their green light. As soon as they were cleared out, I backed myself right around, made a right on red and got out of there. If you can think of a time when I was that embarrassed, I'd like to hear about it. At least they all just thought I was from Illinois.

Friday, forty minutes before EXCEL graduation, ten minutes before we're supposed to be back in the kitchen cooking for the reception, the power went out...with a little girl stuck in the elevator. So while everyone's running around trying to open the elevator, get the generator started, and finish preparing for graduation, I'm thinking, "Well, at least all the cold reception food is ready." After forty minutes in the dark with no air conditioning, just in time for graduation I might add, the generator kicked in enough to power the main hallways and the meeting room...but not the kitchen. It was another ten minutes before there was enough power for that. With forty-five minutes before the reception, the kitchen was a flurry of activity as hot appetizers slid onto pans and into the ovens. Punch flowed; cake was frosted and decorated; plates, napkins, plasticware, and trays piled high all made their way to the line. Finishing touches for a beautiful reception were placed with plenty of time. Success!

The final adventure of this series must wait till I get some pictures, but feel free to stew and wonder what in the world it could be.

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Real gold fears no fire.