Prelude to a Visiting Teaching Conference

Today is the day

The theme is built around a Mid-winter Picnic, complete with ants (the program)

I have been purchasing food for the last two weeks as things were on sale Cost Meat $12, Cheese $5, Mayo-$3--good sales
I have already been to the store and purchased the remainder of the foods needed. Cost, less than $30--good.
I bought the paper for decorations yesterday from the elementary school! Cost, $4--OK
We have all the paper goods we need. Cost--$0 the best price yet!
Pat decided we had Milk he wanted used (as opposed to going bad in the fridge) Again, cost-$0 Wahoo!

But how much food do I really need?

Only last week when I was making the invitations--very cute--that I realized I had 75 visiting teachers and not the 48 I thought I had. The food assignment were already made. Sunday we thought we needed more.
Darn it, I hit my are on the post sticking out of the wall at Church. Sure I was reading while walking (The Bishop had just informed me he had chosen a theme he wanted presented in the first Sunday lessons--and I was on my way back to RS room while reading the article, yes, while I was fast walking. . . the same arm I broke 18 months ago, ouch!

Monday
My Vt Coordinator and I spent two hours getting the data into the computer at the Church and rearranging the routes Again. We had another episode of people moving in and out, it was the end of another semester at the university. UGH!
The invitations personally extended to less active Sisters to participate on our little "show" program got mixed reactions. Actually we were having a hard time finding participANTS :)
Monday at Presidency meeting I was nformed my counselor was having a hard time just getting sisters to commit to giving the prayers. and the RS pianist had another commitment that night. She would look for a substitute and wait until the night of the activity to get the prayers.
Monday, maybe we will have enough food. Call my Coordinator and tell her we probably will be ok, expect less of a turn out.
But my arm hurts and has a pretty good bump on it.

Tuesday
I had to put together all the packets for the Vt companionships. Match the partners, match and add (previously labled) information collection cards to their appropriate teachers, and add the presidency/ time of meetings/greeting cards to the rest. I finally got that done about (p.m. after the Ward missionaries stopped by . . .and left. (I am not making this up!)

I was visiting with a sister Tuesday evening when I was informed that the Young Women would be joining us. I carefully clarified that they were not asked to babysit, no. The young Woman clarified, they were not going to serve either, they were coming to eat. the mother was not a Visiting teacher, "she is too busy." Now she was coming also.

What? No one invited the girls, why would they want to come anyway? I left 4 invitations, complete with the names of the leaders plainly written on each one, in the YW room on Sunday. But that is not an invitation for all the girls. 14 more (girls and leaders) to feeds, (who knows how many previously uninvited mothers) Tuesday, maybe we need more food. Too bad it is too late to call my coordinator and ask her what I should do now.

Only a subtle green bruise on my arm but it still hurts, even more now. Last time I endured, thinking I was being a cry baby, for 5 weeks before going to see the orthopedic doctor. I had been told in the emergency room it was not broken the day of the fall.

Wednesday,
Solution 1-- shopping. Bring extra meat, buy extra bread and chips, call my Coordinator and tell her what is going on. OR
Solution 2 --Pretend I didn't know they were coming.
I went for the first, but may claim the second if people look really hungry.
"My arm, "you ask. I called the Doctor (they are closed on Thursday and very full on friiday, don't you want to go to insta-care or the emergency room? NO) and they cannot get me in until 5 p.m., I can get the X-ray at 4:30. That's is not good I pleaded, just let me get an X-ray and call me and tell me it is not broken so I can go on with my life and not worry about doing more damage, PLEASE :( "No." "I will even come in now and pay the co-pay for a visit." "No"

OK, I was supposed to do the food at 4 and decorate at 5pm as the room is being used by Cub Scouts from 3:30-5. Now that isn't going to work. So I called everyone and they can meet at 2:30. We will do the food and decor then. We will leave a note for the Cub leader, maybe they can use a different room OR carefully guard my decorations, I am making large paper trees, putting green paper on the ceiling for the canopy of leaves and a hugh yellow sun on the wall. But Cubs and really ants they are everywhere and very fast, attracted to bright colors. . . Will it work? I am trying to do the Lord's work, help! Call my coordinator so she knows what is going on.

No kidding, The doctor's off ice called back, they can get me in at 3:30. Oh, golly! I need to write this down, nobody will ever believe what it took to get this thing together. So, we will do what we can 2:30-3 something. Then I leave the rest to them.

Oops, I forgot to call the Elder;s quorum president. His wife just told me they were not planning on helping to set up tables at five (but she gave me his cell number and told me to call him,) The High Priest leader and his wife are working, so I cannot ask them if they were planning on helping. Never mind we will just do it ourselves. Oh, I may not be there and my one counselor is 80 years old, very active but tables? Who knows what time I can get there. and my arm still hurts.

Tomorrow, the results!