Catching Up

Wow!

It's been a busy couple of days.

I knew it was coming.

But I'm glad it's over! 

LOL

Thursday found me in Ft. Lauderdale (Coconut Creek to be exact) for an all-day meeting.

I love those meetings.

It's wonderful to be with the other instructors and pick their brains.

I always come away with such marvelous ideas!

(And a new oomph for my own teaching...)

Except now we aren't instructors/teachers.

Our new title is

Ta Da....

Licensing Coach

Impressive, much?

Instead of just breezing in, teaching for 40 hours and breezing back out again, we are now going to be interfacing with our students a ton more.  Starting with phone calls/emails before class begins to welcome them to class, remind them of what they need to bring, reassure them they CAN do this, etc.

Then when class is over, we are again on the phone/email, encouraging, motivating, answering questions, tutoring or mentoring if necessary.  Basically following through and assisting them to get their license.

Normally I've been encouraging them to take the state exam within 2 weeks of end of class.

The new standard is FIVE TO SEVEN DAYS!!!!!  Whew!  Fast Turnaround!

But when I think about it, we went to school all day Friday, Saturday, Sunday and had a 4 hour review class Monday evening and took the State Mortgage Broker Exam on Tuesday... And it's not any easier than my class... so this is totally do-able.  I just needed to rethink MY position.

Anyhow.  It was a great day.  Full of new information, motivation, inspiration, and sandwiches.

After class I hopped in my truck and dashed up the highway (132 miles) to the house where I packed my suitcase, ate some yummy ravioli (Thanks Sabrina!) and headed on up to Winter Garden (another 97 miles) to my hotel.

Oh.  And at the class on Thursday I met a lady who informed me she was training with me starting Friday.  LOL  I was excited, cuz when I have a trainee - they get to do some of the teaching and ALL of the administrative nonsense.  Yippeeeeeee!  (I "might" get my knitting done yet!)

Four days of a great school.

A great trainee... (she's gonna ROCK)

A hysterical story from another recent trainee.

A good meeting with my Regional Vice President to set in motion the new system.

And a bunch of YUMMY dinners.

(I love Ruby Tuesdays...)

And then it was back in the truck and head for home.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch....

Last week we were struck by lighting.  Probably the power pole in the yard.

It took out the HDMI on Kyle's fancy new TV.

And the DTV box in our bedroom.

And part of the DTV box in the living room.

And the TV in our bedroom.

And the motor on the electric gate into the property.

And the vinyl cutter for the graphics business.

AND THE HEATER IN THE WATERBED!!!!!!!!!

Rod is such a furnace, he didn't even notice.

But let me tell you - I sure did! 

Hopped into bed Monday night after a LONG couple of days (I don't typically sleep really well in a hotel)

and it was COLD!!!  Like sleeping on a slab of ice!

I tossed and turned all night long!

I did finally fall asleep at one point, but dreamed I was at Burger King, writing Brrrrrr on all their signs!

I finally got up (who knows what time, the clock was flashing some random number) and gathered up some blankets to wrap up in.  Helped some, but I was still cold.

Layed there and kept thinking I should really get up and turn off the ceiling fan, but just couldn't make myself.  I figured Rod would be home soon to warm me up.

Poor guy didn't get home until after 6:00 am!!!!!

(So I stayed in bed until after 8 - thawing out!)

Rod met me for lunch (Sonic) so we could actually talk face-to-face for the first time in what felt like Weeks!  (Probably was...)  I'm looking forward to being off Saturday and getting to spend some time with him!

This morning Kyle and I went for a horseback ride.  Checked out all the trails we trimmed a week or so ago.  Some of them were already overgrown again!  Sheesh.  Florida.

That might be everything.

Or it might just be everything I can remember.

But anyway... it's LOTS!

Oh.  And last night I let Rocky out of her cage, into the garden.  I didn't let the others out, since we were leaving to go grocery shopping and the girls get into mischief if I'm not there watching them.

When we got home, it was nearly dark so I dashed out to get Rocky back in her house.

But she had already put herself away!

Good Chicken!!!

(I didn't think she could "fly" up to the door - she's still a little gimpy - guess she's better than I thought!)

And she laid a lovely big brown egg this morning.

I might need to get some more like her...