It was a 45 minute drive to Sentinel. The library is in a store front and one of the few used in the two block business district. The library is open three afternoons a week and quite small. We set up and waited for time to start.
A lady came in with 8 little bitty kids from her day care. One was going into Kindergarden but the rest seemed like 2 and 3. A couple more kids came in about the same age. We had one mother come in with two elementary girls and there was another girl about 1st grade. All in all we had a very young group. They “listened” to the story and then tried to play with theirstrings. Only about 5 could make a triangle. We kept things very simple for them. There was only one parent and the rest were grandmothers and the day care lady but they seemed happy with what we did.
Every one had a good time and we wrapped it up and headed for home. Got home about 7:30 after a busy day.
Dave
We drove the 30 minutes to Clinton and arrived in time for lunch. Mike Hull told me of a good Chinese place so we at at Wong Buffet. Had to park across the street because it was so full. Very good food.
The Clinton is a nice remodeled building with a great children’s area. Cee Jay passed out strings and then got involved with the computer and checking his face book and playing a game that he was lost. Again we had a nice age group with lots of kids that could do most of the things. I am getting lots of compliments on how I handle groups. I have been doing this for )((*& year after all.
After the program, I took care of the table. When we were ready to pack up, Cee Jay was very apologetic about leaving me do it. We stopped at Braums for ice cream before going to Sentinel.
Dave
Cee Jay, my helper and I were in Thomas early so we went across to Millers for biscuit and gravy. (When in rural Oklahoma do as they do). One of the men there asked if I was the string man. He said it had been in the paper for two weeks. He also said that he knew that I was in Piedmont because his grandkids were showing him lots of things that they learned. We had a nice visit with the “coffee table”.
The group in Thomas was very good. There was a school group with 5th graders and they really got involved. There were a lot of others that got most of the things. A couple of the adults had as much fun as the kids. Cee Jay took care of the table.
Dave
In Cordell I ask where to eat and Mike Hull from the Western Plains Library System told us that the best greasy spoon in Western Oklahoma was in Cheyenne. We were going there for the next program so off we went. An hour later we were sitting in this little place with 4 tables…one long. We shared a table and had a great hamburger. Cee Jay got a bar-b-que and it was huge.
Of course everyone knows everyone else so they saw me with my string on my wrist and one women ask if I had done the string program yet at the library or was it later. Small town. She picked up her daughter from swimming to come to it.
We had time to spare so we went to the Western Plains museum. It has a great display of the battle of Black Kettle. It was a sad moment in our history when Custer attacked a village of women and children, killing many. We watched the movie and looked at the exhibits then went to the Library.
There was a program in the meeting room so I went on the internet and checked my email and Cee Jay went to his Face Book account. We had a smaller turnout there. A day care came and one older woman came alone because she wanted to see the program. She does a lot or Oragami and other art things.
Cee Jay was a great help passing out strings and taking care of the table of books and dvd’s. People helped him make change properly. On the way home he saw that I was going to be in the same area tomorrow and ask if he could come. I am picking him up at 7:30 to go to Thomas, OK. We did stop for ice cream on the way home. Just because of him, of course.
Dave
What a nice day. I started out by picking up Cee Jay, a 7th grader that goes to my church. He went with me to help. We drove to Western Oklahoma. Cordell has a wonderful courthouse in the center of town that you drive around. We were early and went to a truck stop for coffee, etc. The ranchers were in there shooting the bull.
Good program with about 110 kids and adults. The 5th graders came from summer school. One of the teachers was LeeAnn Blackburn, a young woman that I taught at Cameron University. She had emailed to me to expect her kids. We had a nice visit. One of the storytellers from Territory Tellers also came out to see the program, Loralee Cooley. She and her husband are living in the area now.
It was a good time.
Dave
It was a beautiful day to drive across Oklahoma. They were harvesting the wheat and the fields were so clean and groomed. Some places they were bailing the wheat and the round golden bales in the fields were a sight to see. Windmills in one area, cattle grazing all over and just a glorious day.
I had sketchy directions to the camp so when I got near I called for better directions. I didn’t fully understand and drove around a while before calling again, but I did find the camp.
It was parents night at the camp so instead of the 115 kids I was expecting I saw 350 parents and younger brothers and sisters. I was taken aback and wondering how it would all work. They were in the middle of a church service and I was due to go on at 9. About 9 the wrapped up the service and sent everyone to the dining hall for ice cream.
Most of the families left after that taking the younger brothers and sisters….there is a God.
About 9;45 I had the kids to do strings. They were hyped on sugar and cranky from a full day of camp. We did our best and they learned a number of things. They would get in groups and practice instead of being ready for the next one. We did have a good experience and they all know some string figures and hopefully they heard the stories that go with them.
Drove home and got in about 11;45.
Dave
Kim McNaughton the librarian was very helpful in arranging things for the mixup at Wetumpka. She also told me of their best ‘greasy spoon’ that had great hamburgers. She was right. As I said earlier I also had my tire fixed and then went back to the library.
We had a good group of about 40 with parents and kids. They all were involved. We had lots of laughs and had a good time. A couple of people bought books and many of the kids bought extra strings. They want all the different colors.
Left there to drive to Western Oklahoma for an evening program at a chruch camp. It was a busy day.
Dave
I drove almost three hours to get to Wetumka for an 11 program. When I got there the library was locked but soon Joan Hill, the librarian came to unlock it. She saw me and asked why I was there when the program wasn’t till 2. I was taken aback because I was due in Holdenville at 2 for a program. We had some discussion and I said that I knew that someone would be dissapointed and I felt that I should go to the program that I had down for 2 in Holdenville. She was not happy.
After I drove to Holdenville I was going to call her and offer to come later that day or come over the next day. It is a very small library and they can have the kids come back. She had called in the meantime to Holdenville and wanted me to do a program at 3:30. That worked for me.
Driviing over there I had the light on my car saying that a tire was low…The same tire that was just fixed. I put air in it and had it checked in Holdenville during the lunch time. They put a new plug in it.
I did the program in Holdenville and had a good crowd with a number of adults. I then drove over to Wetumka and Ms. Hill said that things were just fine. The performer that was due next week came at 2 to do a program. He stayed and did his program for the kids so no one was dissapointed and she had those that wanted to stay for the 3:30 string program.
We had some great kids. They had the books from last year and showed me a number of things that they learned from them. One boy wanted me to show him the horse. I said there wasn’t a horse and he said “you know, the skin horse.” I said that was house and showed him how to do it. We had about 12 kids.
Since there was the mixup I ask her to just pay the mileage and skip the booking fee. She was happy with that and God worked out all things.
I have not done Lawton Public Library in a number of years. You know about a prophet in his own land. We had two programs. One at 11 and one at 1:30. The program at 11 was filled with day cares. They brought the younger ones in the morning since they nap in the afternoon.
There were over 400 with at least half of preschool age. Many 2,3 and 4 year olds. They had fun listening to the story but with the string stuff they got bored quickly. It was hot in the room and there was a lot of commotion. I think that this is the youngest big bunch of kids that I have ever had.
We did something for everyone but did need to do some things for the older children that came out to the program. People had a good time but things were kept pretty simple. Two year olds and three year olds just can’t sit away from their caregivers with out getting up and talking. It was really work.
The young ones were napping at the 1:30 session and we had another 400 but they were older and able to concentrate. It was a really good time. The room was still hot but they set up a fan on me. Some perks to being the leader. Heather the librarian really does a good job eith all the kids and parents. I had a lot of fun.
Lynna went with me to watch the sales table. It was the first time she has seen the program.
Dave
We ate at the Boomerang restaurant in Shawnee and had time to sit around and visit until the 2:00 program. Set up everything and Glenda had everything planned. She had pulled all the string materials and some story books also. It is summer reading club so let’s push books.
We had a big group with lots of entheusasm. They all tried everything. What a good time. There was one girl with develomentally short arms who was a real trooper. She was in the middle of trying everything and doing quite well. I love the energy that some kids have.
Good comments from the parents at both programs today. They talked about how the kids were busy from last year to this with their strings. One family at Noble had each child show me one of their favorite things that they can do. Makes me feel like I am doing the right thing.
Made it home safely and picked up my car at the tire store. They had fixed it and I drove home. James called me 15 minutes later to say that they had had a blowout on one of the tires. God does watch out for children and fools. It could have happened when we were going 80 mph on the turnpike but instead it happened on a city street right here in Lawton where he could get help.
Dave