Thursday, July 9, 2009

library treats

We perform in libraries in the summer and generally it is a good gig : staff is ready for you, kids are excited and often there are bottles of water waiting for you. One day often blends pleasantly into the next. Sometimes you have to deal with tiny spaces or cords plugged into the ceiling, but every once in a while you hit a day that is outstanding, even by summer standards. Today, team member Amy and I went to Potomac Library in Woodbridge, VA. I've been to this library several years in a row and always have a nice time. This is the location of the fairy tale reading pit i shared last year. It has a large meeting room with a great black and neon footprint rug. The audience was large, well-behaved and enthusiastic. There was one parent that i thought was gonna hurt her hands from clapping so much and another that almost fell off of her chair laughing at one point. Amy and I were really in-synch and the show was awesome. It helps that this is how the day began at 10:15 : Bonnie, the Librarian : Before you start setting up can i get you some coffee? Are you coffee drinkers? Niki : Oh, no thank you. Amy : I don't drink much coffee. Bonnie : How about ice cream? Can i interest you in ice cream? Every summer we bring in treats so that we can survive and right now the freezer is full of ice cream. Would you like some? (i remind you that it is 10:15am) Niki and Amy : Yes, please! Without unpacking any equipment, moving the tables or getting ready in any way we abandoned set-up without a backward glance. Bonnie took us to the staff lounge for our choice of treat. She wasn't kidding about the freezer being full. So Amy and I munched on Drumstick Ice Cream Cones while we set up the show. [hey kids, remember never to eat or drink in the laboratory, okay?] After our awesome, fun show we were cleaning and drying glassware when Bonnie came back, Are you ready for more ice cream? Heck, yeah! This time i went with a cup of cookie dough (dontcha love eating out of those wee cardboard cups with the little wooden paddle?) and Amy had an ice cream sandwich. Munch, pack, munch, munch, pack. Bonnie watches us working and proclaims, Those treats are small. You need to try the Dove bars. I just had one. They're fabulous. I'll go get you some! Really, lady? Really? You might be the best hostess librarian, ever. Thanks, Bonnie!