Recovery, packed evenings

After four days of teaching eight-hour classes I get one day to recover in the office. The paperwork and records generated by the classes will take me most of the day to compile, but at least my voice can rest. All four classes were very good classes. Three of the four were in rooms that were small enough that I did not have to project my voice too loudly. One of the four was in a rather large classroom. That was the class on Wednesday. That evening at church, I had someone else lead the singing. My voice was nearly gone, and I had one more class to teach on Thursday. It all worked out. The room I had on Thursday was a smaller room and I moved everyone closer to me so that I could speak in a comfortable volume and all of the participants would hear clearly. Two of the attendees had hearing aids in both ears., so I was pleased that my voice held out well enough to accommodate them. Mama’s and my biggest concern was that I not get sick with the flu she brought back from North Carolina. Our prayers for me to make it through this week, through these class, through talking for eight hours every day, was answered. I am grateful for that answered prayer. I am even more grateful that I do not have to teach a class today.

The class I taught yesterday is my favorite class. I only get to teach it once per quarter – and I enjoy it each time I get to present it. With the classes I teach, each one is slightly different. The material is the same from one to the next, but the focus of each class is unique to the needs or interests of the participants in that class. It is interesting to me to see how the focus of the class shifts each time I present any one of the classes, but especially the one I presented yesterday. Whether or not that is my last hurrah (teaching all four classes in one week) remains to be seen. The next scheduled time to present the class I presented yesterday is July. When that class comes up, if I am still working here, I will be auditing someone else teaching the class. I told Mama, if this was the last time I was to teach the class, it will be a great memory of the class to take with me as I move into our real estate business.

Because of the teaching regimen this week I have not been too energetic in the evenings. I have worked to get things done, but I have not really tackled anything overly difficult. One evening I laid pallets out in the shape of the building I will build with them in our second paddock. I watered the plants every evening. Mind numb types of tasks. Last night Mama and I planted some nursery grown vegetable plants in our garden; which is doing very well because of cool nights and warn, sunny afternoons. Another task that required little effort either mental or physical. Another one of those tasks that is gratifying to have accomplished. Fruit trees and berry bushes have flourished in the current weather conditions as well. And my grapevine is showing signs of producing ten to twelve clusters of grapes this year. Of course, all that could be thwarted by the intense heat of our typical summers if it comes as quickly as it did last year. Time will tell, but for now we are enjoying watching things grow.

Mama and I will be going to a garden show this weekend at the same facility where I spent all week teaching classes. It will be interesting to see the venue used in that way.