See This Plant?

That's a 27 year old house plant, folks.  My mentor teacher brought me this tiny little plant for my classroom sometime during my first year teaching.  I kept it in my classroom as long as I had a classroom, and then when I moved to the community college 9 years ago, I brought it home.  It has been near death a time or two due to neglect, but every time, I've given it a new pot and some fresh dirt, and the poor little thing rallied.  It has grown over the years.  In fact, it looks really different than it did way back then.  It occurs to me that I too have grown over the years in lots of ways and I look pretty different than I did back in the fall of 1991.

Yes, my plant is currently living in a Susan Jones pottery pot, but that is not why I'm sharing this with you now.  My mentor teacher during my first few years of teaching was Betty Lohr.  She taught Language Arts at Shelby Middle School where I began my teaching career.  Betty is long since retired and she moved to the Hickory area several years ago. I saw Betty this past fall at the Carolina Pottery Festival.  She gave me an application to the Catawaba Valley Pottery Festival when she stopped by my booth to say hi.  I doubt Betty will remember this plant, but you better believe that I plan to tell her about it tomorrow if I see her. 

All the pots, able drapes, plates stands, rack cards, and business cards are packed in boxes.  All I have to do is get it all in the truck in the morning.  I still need to decide on clothes, but that may wait until the morning too.  This enormous pressure that I've felt ever since I found out that I was in this festival is finally beginning to ease. I'm sure there are things that I haven't done, but you know what?  It will be ok.  I have pots.  I have change.  I have shelves.  I will have something to wear.  The cat has been deposited at her grandparents across town and the dog will go to the other set of grandparents in the morning.  I have money to leave for Sarah who comes to feed the horse when we are out of town.  We have a hotel reservation for tomorrow night.  I think we are good.  Now to rest.  The next two days are going to be long ones. Here's hoping they are really fun too.