My busy season has begun!
Last week, I attended the NASCSP (National Association for State Community Services Programs) Conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan with five of my coworkers, including my CEO. It was a whirlwind of activity from meeting at my office at 5:15 a.m. on Tuesday morning to arriving back at my office at 11:45 p.m. on Friday night.
We flew out of Bentonville, Arkansas. I'd never been to that airport before. I liked it. The drive from my office to the airport was approximately an hour, and then we loaded onto the plane to fly to another airport to hop on another plane.
The trip to Grand Rapids went like clockwork. We didn't really have any issues. Coming home was different story. I won't bore you with the details, but I nearly killed myself running through Charlotte, North Carolina's airport to catch my connecting flight because the first one was delayed so long that our two-hour layover turned into ten minutes to get from one gate to the other. There was no sky tram, so we had to run!
Our hotel was opulent and gorgeous. We stayed at the same place the conference was held, Amway Grand Plaza. It's a huge hotel. There's an old part, which is where my room was located, that oozed old world charm and luxury. It was built in 1913 as The Pantlind Hotel, and it shows. The below photo is of the Pantlind Ballroom where most of my sessions were held.
My bosses stayed in the new part of the hotel, which was lovely in a modern way. They had nice rooms with modern furnishings and views of the river and tennis courts. My direct supervisor's room was above The Kitchen by Wolfgang Puck, and the aromas wafting up from that restaurant were amazing, inspiring us to try the food.
While I had a good conference and fell in love with the hotel, I was happy to get home. The trip took a toll on me. My plantar fasciitis flared up, making every step I took pure torture. If that wasn't enough, I caught a cold during my travels, which I apparently shared with my husband (or so he says).
I'm taking very good care of myself this week, drinking my Emergen-C and my unsweetened apple juice. (I have to be careful of orange juice due to some of my medication, but apple juice is okay.) I'm doing my best to get plenty of rest, and I plan to make a big pot of chicken soup for dinner tonight and lunch tomorrow. I'm also going to start taking my Oscillococcinum. Whatever it takes.
I must be healthy for my book signing at The Joplin Writers' Faire on Saturday, October 7, 2023. I'm so looking forward to the event that it would break my heart to miss it. Forty-eight authors will be in attendance, meeting people and selling autographed books. Many of those authors are my friends, and I'm excited to share this signing with them. Of course, I may purchase a few of their books, too. It's just a neighborly thing to do.
I've participated in The Joplin Writers' Faire before, and Joplin Public Library always welcomes us with open arms and makes us feel like rock stars. I'll be signing both my new novel, Sally's Secret Legacy https://amzn.to/3t92jIg and my short story collection, Moonbeams and Ashes https://amzn.to/3EYDQZ5. I hope to see you there!
I am an Amazon Associate and receive a small commission for purchases made through affiliate links. #ad
Thank you for reading Ozarks Maven! If you have enjoyed my seeds of wisdom and joy, you can have it sent directly to your email every week by hitting that subscribe button.
Comments