*** I Am Grateful ***

Wow, what a day.

I had been up until 3am, so slept late this morning, not good as I had things to do in town before going to the Centre. I forget just now what I had to do on the computer at home, though guess I did it, lol. I phoned around to find some tickets for the 50/50 draw and did some other stuff. By the time I showered and got out of here it was 2pm or a bit after... probably an hour after what I should have left.

I went to Superstore and rushed around. Got bagged salad (iceburg lettuce, carrot, red cabbage) and some celery, red peppers, green onions as well as salad dressings for Pasta Productions, and a couple bottles of Club Soda for me. Next, the water store for a bag of ice cubes. Then a discount store for 50/50 tickets and tea light candles. I got the the Centre about 3pm, half an hour late.

Took everything in and found there was only one of my volunteers there. Another one came not long afterwards, one was a no-show, so it was a good thing I had some spares lined up. One other I had found out a couple days ago would not be showing up as promised. Lots of 'stress' giving them instructions and getting them going. Kitchen stuff is not my strong point. One of my volunteers, thankfully, is very good in the kitchen. I'd forgotten to get garlic bread, so was going to get it and he had me get 2 tomatoes and a long english cucumber too for the salad.

Around 5:30 I finally had the chance to slip away and get changed, after posting two volunteers as greeters at the entry, to welcome guests and take their tickets. While I was getting ready, my Mom & sister Marcy arrived, as well as others. Dinner was supposed to be at 6pm, and didn't get served until around 6:20pm. Because there was less vegetarian lasagna than meat, I had the vegetarians go first to get their meals, then the rest of us went by table. I had one person from each table pick a playing card and then went by the highest card to the lowest. (I took an old deck that was missing some cards along for this purpose. Hey, I've never been accused of playing with a full deck, so why start now, lol) There was 6 lasagnas, and I figured there's be loads of it left over to freeze for Pot Luck on the first Sunday of May. There were 28 people (a lot less than I'd wanted, only 14 paid, 5 brought lasagna, the rest were voluteers or musicians, juggler, me). I was totally shocked at the end of the evening when I found that there was only 2 pieces of vegetarian lasagna left, and not much of the huge salad. Apparently we had some pigs that went back for 2 and 3 helpings. Most of the garlic toast was also gone. I ended up bringing the last of the lasagna and garlic toast home with me as there was just not enough to put away, and someone else would just eat it anyway. It was not supposed to be an "all you can eat" smorge, so I wasn't really impressed. I will do that differently next time. The volunteers were supposed to dish out the food, then put it away and eat theirs. They sat down to eat theirs before everyone was even dished up, having let someone else take over their job. Those two will have to pay next time if they want to come as I won't have them as volunteers on my next Production. I learned a lot, and there are changes I will make.

The concert portion was awesome. It went very well. Fabulous music, incredible juggling act, and my poetry was the entertainment of the evening, and it all went very well. I was the MC. The only thing I was unhappy about with the concert portion is that it somewhat got changed into a talent show. Hannah had Bev do a duet with her, then do a solo on the piano. Bev is a piano student of Hannahs. I wasn't happy. One act was to be Linda & Jim, and she had a friend of hers come and do 5 songs with her rather than just do the duet with Jim. Little things, I'm sure, though not keeping with what I (the Productions Manager, or as Don nicknamed me, Pasta Masta) had planned for the evening.

Little irritations and minor problems aside, it was an awesome evening and it all went very well when you look at the whole picture!!

- I am grateful for the volunteers that helped with this evening. I could not put on such an evening without them. I am especially grateful for the two that worked hard, and I am even grateful for the two that hardly worked.
- I am grateful for the quality of talent I had backing me up, preforming to entertain our guests this evening.
- I am grateful for all the people that showed up tonight.
- I am grateful that so many seemed to really liked my poetry that I read
- I am grateful for all the compliments on how good I looked tonight. I wore a really nice black dress and I wore make-up, something I rarely wear.
- I am grateful Mom & Marcy came. It is rare the family supports what I do and when they do it means a lot to me. I think they enjoyed it.
- I am grateful to everyone who brought lasagna tonight
- I am grateful Pasta Productions #2 went so much better than #1 did.
- I am grateful for all the things I learn each time I put on something like this, so each one can be better than those that went before.
- I am grateful these give me the opportunity to 'preform'. I love being the MC, and reading my poetry to people.
- I am grateful everyone seemed to have a great time.
- I am grateful it's over for another time and that I don't have to think about #3 for a day or two.
- I am grateful my Saturday this week will be all about me. No Toastmasters speech to prepare, no Pasta Productions to work on... just me and my critters.
- I am grateful for the bed that awaits me now. Nite nite!!

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