Well, yesterday was a bit of a let-down. Picked Leslie up at 7:45 and we got to A.C. about 8:30.
Wow, that Convention Center is huge. The underground parking is $10 for the first 4 hours (we planned to be there all day), and there was a long walk back to get upstairs. Once there, we had to walk about the same distance back again, as the location of our table was far off. I was carrying a big canvas bag with my lunch, a frozen bottle of water, my sneaks (in case my feet hurt midway), and a few other items. However, I was fine with the walk, as I had had to skip my regular with Susan.
To our surprise, Norm was there when we arrived. He then told us there was a surfeit of volunteers: Besides him and us, two other women were coming! Our jaws dropped. More than a month before, he had appealed for people to staff the table and I had e-mailed him then that Leslie and I would go on Friday. He had sounded desperate about getting volunteers for the two days and we had assumed we'd be the only ones there. The problem was that our designated space--actually three small tables arranged into a rectangle with one folding chair--was extremely small. Passers-by could come "into" the area to see bumper stickers, buttons, books, and so on, but there was simply no room for anything or anybody else.
Soon, the two other women arrived, so now there were five of us. Leslie and I hung around outside the tiny area, but that wasn't good either, because we ran the risk of getting in the way of the attendees.
I was steamed. It takes a great deal of planning and preparation for me to leave Pat so early in the morning and it's hard on him. Nobody seems to understand that if he forgets something--leaves his glasses in the living room, say--it's a major ordeal for him to walk in there and back to get them.
Anyway, we finally told Norm we'd stay until 11:00, which we did. Most of the time, Les and I just walked around looking at other exhibits because we'd be in the way at our table. We left a bit crestfallen, but resolved that if we ever volunteered again, we'd check to be sure we were actually needed.
I asked Les if she'd mind if we went down to Ventnor to look at Betty's house (just from the outside), then go out for lunch, and she was fine with that. Having been born and brought up on Absecon Island, I was sure I was headed downbeach when we drove out, but no. The place has changed so much that we were in the inlet before I realized I was driving in the wrong direction!
I corrected and we got to Ventnor with no problem. Betty's house looks good. I took some old print ads out of the mailbox to throw away, then we went around the corner to a little restaurant ("Johnnie's Place"?) for lunch. Had a good C.s (without c.) and Leslie and I enjoyed our little excursion. Called Pat from there and he was okay; got home by 2:30, so the day wasn't a total waste.
Jen wrote to ask if I wanted to go to a concert at the New Egypt high school tonight, but I declined. They aren't going because they all have colds and Alison and Mike will be painting the news rooms, so they can't, either. Jen said she'd let me know if they can get up today or tomorrow, but probably not, so we'll see them at Thanksgiving.