Tales From The Circ Side

Substituting, Tree Decorating, And The Boot Lurking

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Phew, it was a week at the library, let me tell ya! Right now I am currently noshing on some homemade guacamole and tortilla chips, and it dawned on me that I am more than a touch happy that it is the weekend, for this week was more meat-grindery than a Hormel plant.

The upside down work circus started on Tuesday with a text from our Youth Services librarian that she wouldn't be in to run the children's programs that day due to a family illness. Normally that sort of thing isn't a problem for the Mother Ship (main branch) sends in subs to run things in a very efficient fashion.

Well, illness abounds in the area right now, and the head of youth services was out ill too. EGADS! This of course meant that we had to run story time and the after school program. My role at the library is supposed to be circulation. Somehow over the years my role has evolved to include many things that are not typically housed under the circ mantle. I have taught classes, managed the library, trained new employees, and frequently helped out in children's programming land. We are a small, rural library, so this job description hopping thing is not too surprising, but until Tuesday I didn't actually have to ever be in charge of kid's programming. Ugh.

That said, I have helped Miss M run things enough times, that faster than you could say Pete The Cat I had story time ready to roll. Story rug out, toys staged, craft set up, snack ready to go, man, I was sure that Miss M would have been proud. My boss then derailed my confidence train by saying:

"You'll read the stories too, right?"

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Um, what? I thought, to myself. I mean, I already had to be a candy distributing Secret Service Elf for Mrs. Claus this upcoming weekend, now I had to pretend to be Miss M too? This week was definitely starting off with a sense of humor.

"Sure." I replied with confidence in my tone that I wasn't feeling. Not that I am afraid or nervous about performing or speaking in front of a crowd. This week I just wasn't feeling like dealing with people. Not even a little bit, not even at all. I just wanted to go to work and for once do my normal job description things like process holds, check-in books, and do a bit of book surgery.

Well, life has a way of laughing at you before throwing a bit of character developing pie in your face, and as story time rolled around I found myself asking a bunch of toddlers to show me how to sing their start of story time song. Okay, it was a little bit fun to sing and dance with the little kids. I also might have employed an over the top performance reading a book about Santa visiting some forest animals. Even the parents were giggling.

However, it was the after school program that proved to test my mettle the most. Not only do we have to provide a snack to the heathens, but Tuesday's It Club agenda was Holiday Crafts. Great.

The crafts were supposed to be coffee filter and tracing paper snowflakes, some paper plate and tissue paper ornaments, and pipe cleaner candy canes. It should have been pieces of cake.

Around three o'clock the lifeforms started drifting in. "Where's Miss M at, Kat?" they all inquired.

"I'm afraid you are stuck with me today." I replied.

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As I am usually around doing helpful things for Miss M and taking pictures for board reports, the kids weren't freaked out by my presence, I, however, was more than a bit disturbed by the fact that I had facilitate a program for twenty-eight kids for over an hour. Thankfully the group of kids were merciful and we all had a pretty good time, even if they cut out square snowflakes and turned the tracing paper into balaclava-like masks. I'm sure they'll put their homemade face coverings to a festive use.

The next day I arrived at the library to this sight:

Instantly I was reminded of my dear friend @ddschteinn's Shoe Shots series of posts that I so enjoy. However, there is something disconcerting about a lone boot in a library parking lot. I mean, footwear belongs in pairs! Where was the appendage that the boot belonged on? Why did the solo boot persist in lounging on my sidewalk? Wasn't it missed? Its whole existence was most perplexing.

Every so often I would walk by the office window and gaze upon the lone boot. No one came forward to claim the lonely foot covering, and I felt a bit sorrowful about the situation.

My moroseness was not long lasting, for my manager arrived back from town with a tree in her truck bed. After she, @jacobtothe, and I wrestled the fir into the Christmas tree stand, my boss informed me that,

"You should totally decorate that lovely tree, Kat."

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Hmm. I could think of worse things to do while getting paid.

And decorate the tree I did. Opening the box of tree ornaments was like delving into a time capsule, for there were bits of tree adornment from managers of old, bits of artistic flair from children's programs of years gone by, and selections of festive finery gifted from generous patrons.

A short while later, with a reborn attitude of mirthful joy, I stood back from my ornamental labors and beheld my seasonal handiwork. I think the tree turned out right nicely.

It was also a Christmas bonus to go home smelling like a car air freshener.

That said, the moral of my eclectic workweek summary is this: Sometimes the dessert at the end of the occupational buffet line makes sliding the tray through the spilled hectic gravy part worth it!:) Happy Friday to you all!!

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And as most of the time, all of the images in this post were taken on the author's tacky from craft glue and fir tree scented iPhone.

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