Sometimes You Just Never Know...

who's going to be on the other end of that phone line!

Today was a busy day. 'A' wanted to go to Target to pick up some things to amuse herself while stuck home after having her wisdom teeth extracted tomorrow. I was expecting a guy to be picking up a set of keys around noontime, so we made the dash to the mall mid-morning and were back home by 11 a.m. When I got in the house there was a message on the machine from the key guy. He was going to be a little early and hoped that would be convenient. So, got him in and out and then had lunch and checked email. There were a couple messages that needed semi-urgent replies, so I took care of that. 'A' worked at 3 p.m. and we arrived there to a full parking lot. Why? Well, we're due to get another 8 or so inches of snow tomorrow. Yep, here we go again and I've got to get her to the oral surgeon and back, then pick up prescriptions for her. What fun.

Anyway, I was having a leisurely afternoon, working on some necklaces, eating ice cream, and watching some DIY on television when the phone rang.

I looked at the caller id. Florida. Pinellas County (where we lived). But the number wasn't familiar. I answered in my best business voice thinking maybe it was some tech with key work.

Nope.

You'll never guess this one in a million years.

It was the community liaison and volunteer coordinator for San Jose Elementary School, in Dunedin, FL. This is the school 'A' attended and where I was a volunteer. So what's up with this call, I thought.

The woman carried on and on about it being the 50th anniversary year of the school. She told me about all the special events that would be happening. (I get it! She's going to ask for money, right?)

Wrong.

They had decided to use a painting that I had done depicting the school (and I had donated to the school) as the feature in their program. Some people had requested that it be made in to art prints, to be sold to benefit the school PTA. And, they needed my permission.

WOW! Sure go for it! Just please would you send me a copy?

So there you go. How totally unexpected. I asked how they found me and she said that she had not really known how to start, other than to call everyone in the county phone book with my last name. She came across 'A's dad by doing that, and he gave her my phone number and address. They are also printing up a bio for the program taken from my staff bio on the WHOA web site, which they found while searching for me. She's going to send a packet to me with everything from the celebration. They had hoped I could be there, but of course that's a no-go.

Oh yeah, she said that the school's media center (library) was being renovated and she hoped to have a plaque made to go along with the painting as it is displayed in the media center.

How cool is that?