COAST TO COAST
Monday, January 28th, 2008I’ve been playing catch-up for over a week now and finally realize that the idea of catching up is just a pipe dream. Now it’s just a matter of dealing issue by issue with an ever-growing list of Things to Do.
I spent 8 days in Florida where the weather was a little cool and rainy - just as it is here in Southern California. (Well, rainier here the last week.) The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs is a current Sunshine State book. I was in Florida 6 times in 2005-2006 when The World According to Humphrey was on the list - and Humphrey is still beloved at all the schools I visited.
My first stop was in Oviedo, next-door to Orlando. I was met at the airport by Kent Rockaway, a parent who happens to be from Missouri, too! (Rolla, not Sassasfras Springs). He delivered me to the Media Specialist at John Evans Elementary, Brenda Chapman, who took me to dinner and delivered me to my home away from home, a historic B&B, King’s Manor, which was lovely. As usual, with a long day of travel and a three-hour time difference, I woke up a lot during the night. When I awoke at 4 a.m., I was amazed to hear the unmistakable crowing of a rooster. (It was distant and didn’t actually wake me up.) Having arrived at night, I wasn’t sure if there was a farm nearby.
Me with Elliott and Brenda Don’t mess with this chicken! Fantastic volunteers Centerpiece
Brenda picked me up in the morning and drove me to Evans, where I met - at last - Elliott Hershey, the teacher who started the ball rolling for this visit. (Was it a hamster ball? Hmmm.) Then I did a couple of presentations and was whisked to the conference room for a wonderful lunch with the theme of : CHICKENS! That’s where I first learned about the famous Oviedo chickens, wild chickens who freely roam around the town. There are legal implications if you harm one (don’t you touch one feather of an Oviedo chicken!) … they occasionally stop traffic a la Make Way for Ducklings … and their favorite hangout is Popeye’s! The room was decorated with old-timey Oviedo artifacts and lots of chicken-themed decorations. And lunch was - ahem - chicken, served up by three moms who are extremely good sports and who looked very fetching in their 50s-style waitress costumes in honor of the Town House, a venerable Oviedo eating establishment. Seven students read their winning essays about the wonders of Oviedo, and attendees included Mrs. John Evans (the school is named for her husband), Officer Mikey - a wonder of Oveido herself, and I was privileged to sit next to the Mayor of Oviedo … Mary Lou Andrews. During our free-ranging conversation, I learned that her now-adult daughter was a huge fan of Welcome to Pooh Corner, a series I story-edited and wrote most of the scripts) - my very first TV series. Some of the attendees seemed a little surprised when I launched into a vocal rendition of the theme song, but at least I didn’t get up and do the chicken dance!
There were more presentations and lots of books to sign and dinner with Brenda, the hostess with the mostest.
MYTH-BUSTING: Roosters don’t ONLY crow at dawn. On the day I left, he started at 4 am and was still going strong when I was picked up at 10:30.
IMPORTANT LINK: You can see the very attractive Oviedo chickens and learn more about them on YouTube. Just type in Oviedo Chickens.
On Saturday, the 12th, I had a wonderful book signing at Barnes and Noble, Waterford Lakes Town Center, with enthusiastic fans of both Humphrey and Sassafras. Brenda and her husband Dave not only drove me and stayed for a couple of hours (and Dave took photos), but also delivered me to Avis where I picked up a car for the next leg of my trip.
The wonderful people who came to B & N gave me a wonderful send-off for my move East to New Port Richey … more about that in a day or two!
