Teaching, our business, Mama

I was required to teach classes on both Monday and Tuesday. It was a strain on my voice, but I was somewhat helped by the use of a smaller classroom. In that room I did not have to project my voice as much as I am typically required to do in the larger room we occupy. The fact that it was what we call an “internal class” – for EWN employees only – gave me liberty to place ourselves in a tighter seating arrangement without the discomfort that would accompany that closeness in a group that does not know each other. Closer was better. I did not have to talk as loudly.  Being in-house classes gave the opportunity to cover the materials in a way I do not have liberty to do with folks outside of the company. Both were good classes.

One was my first attempt to teach the class; the Tuesday class. I can see some serious need for improvement in that presentation, but no one in the class would have known what mistakes I made. It is not a class I am anxious to teach again. It is not one I like. I find it has a very limited application – in life and work. Even though it reflects something our company has produced, only one or two employees use the portion of our system demonstrated on a daily basis. I am not one of those employees. Most of the information covered in the class is a direct repetition of information I had taught the previous day and only one of the students on Tuesday had not attended the class on Monday. To make it somewhat interesting was a challenge. Fortunately, it was all fellow employees so I could be brutally honest about the content. On the good side, I got to go home after the class was over – about 2:30. In reality, it may be the one and only time I teach that class. Time will tell.

I say that because Mama and I are closing on our second house Monday April 1. That is quick in the foreclosure business. I only agreed to purchase the house on the 11^th of March. I do not mind the early timeframe. It will work to our advantage in the long run. That, and it clearly demonstrates to me the funds I have available for the auction I am attending in Arkansas on the 3^rd.  Even though I am not prepared to buy a house in Bowie, I hope to take a couple hours away from work next week (April 2^nd) to attend an auction at the Montague Count Courthouse. I say I am not prepared to buy because even though Mama and I have driven by the prospective property, I have not done a title search on the property. Without that, I have no assurances that the property does not come with judgements, liens and other outstanding obligations attached. But I do want to witness an auction. Just for future reference. That side trip will only cost me a couple hours rather than an entire day.

Next week will be a busy week for our business. I wish Mama was here, but alas, that is not to happen until Thursday. Mama flew to Maggie’s Monday morning. I had to have her at the airport at 5 am for a 7 am flight. And, yes. I had to teach an eight-hour class after getting up at 3:45 am. Mama told me on my lunchbreak that day, that it was not her best flight. Lots of turbulence. On more than one occasion, the pilot instructed the flight crew to sit down and buckle up. Not a good thing. But she made it to Raleigh, NC safe and sound. Maggie and Kathryn picked her up there and drove back to Wilmington. About two hours each way. Mama, Maggie and the kids have gone on daily forays in anticipation of not being able to do so once Maggie has her procedure tomorrow. For now, they are having fun. That is as it should be.

So far Mama is not having trouble with the stairs at Maggie’s apartment complex – all three flights of them. I am relieved by that.