I went for a walk after dinner so I could watch the sun setting over the city from a hilltop near my house. I was doing my iPod thing when I noticed an SUV slowly cruising next to me. Figuring it was someone who needed directions (as is often the case), I looked over. It was a couple who used to live on my street and they were frantically trying to get my attention. I put my iPod on pause to see what they wanted. They told me the photo I'd donated to the local school for a fundraising auction went for SEVENTY-FIVE dollars!! The opening bid was 25 dollars which escalated into a bidding war. I was quite surprised. They kept thanking me for my donation (I didn't even know they knew about it) and I told them I was happy to do so. Sure made my day! It was a good thing I had a stack of business cards on hand. Sounds like those were a popular item.

I was working in the front yard today when the Lady down the street pulled up to the curb. She was on her way home after picking up the kids from school and wanted to thank me for agreeing to donate one of my photographs to the Silent Auction. She told me that my photograph (U.T. Tower lit up for the National Champion Longhorn Football team) will be displayed alongside a football autographed by Darrell K. Royal. He's a former U.T. football coach who was no stranger to National Championships. I told her I hope my work does the display justice based on what she just told me!

Guess what? I was asked today to make a donation to the Spring Festival/Silent Auction at the local Elementary School. I was asked to donate a photograph of the U.T. Tower lit up for the National Champion Texas Longhorns Football team. I felt honored. This is an opportunity for my work to gain some 'exposure'. Ahem. Okay. I admit it. That was terrible. :)

In the middle of watching an old X-files episode, the doorbell rang. It was a little girl from next door. A walkie talkie fell down the storm drain and they needed my help. I met her mom who had a socket set so I could remove the manhole cover. We looked through the hole and guess what? The walkie talkie was at the other end of the drain. Murphy's Law you know. There was no way a straightened metal coat hanger would reach it.

It was time to send someone down there. Someone who could fit through the manhole opening. But who??? None of the ones small enough wanted to volunteer. Another mom from across the street came to see what the commotion was about. She said one of her kids would do it! She went back home and got her first grader. Mom lowered her down, the girl got the walkie talkie and mom pulled her back out. The hero of the day! For her efforts, she received some reward money and a homemade thank you card. All is right with the world once again. We now return to our regularly scheduled rerun of the X-files.