When I was still in school, Señora Wilberding (lovely German name for a Spanish teacher, don’t you think?) was my 8th grade grammar teacher, freshman & sophomore Spanish teacher, and junior creative writing teacher. Sometime after my sister graduated, Señora left Newton and went part time at Lehman Catholic High School in Sidney. This past year, however, she returned “home” to Newton and is teaching Spanish there once again. During the year, I and a few others helped her out with her computer woes and she considered us her Computer Gurus (a title that I rather like). To thank us for our help throughout the year, she invited us all over for dinner tonight.

Alas, half of us were unable to attend. The band director had some sort of church function that he had to be at and the English teacher just got home today with her newborn baby (congrats Ann!). But the business teacher and I both were able to attend. I arrived a bit early and found the place with little difficulty, despite the fact that it’s been years since I’ve been to her house^*. Mary Beth arrived soon after. Señora’s husband headed off to watch a baseball game down the street so the three of us had an evening to ourselves. Lasagna, salad, garlic bread for supper, mint chocolate chip ice cream for dessert. It was all very yummy. Kudos, Señora!

We talked all through supper and then had dessert out back on the porch overlooking their lovely garden. And we talked and talked. It wasn’t until I was being eaten alive by the mosquitoes that we finally headed in. And that was nearly 10pm. So, four hours spent with my former teacher and current co-worker. It was quite lovely.

^*Señora is one of those devoted teachers who really cares for her students. She has them over to her house occasionally, calls their homes if they’re not doing homework, and does everything she can for the kids. I was talking with one of my junior boys this year who had mentioned that she’d been calling to check on his homework progress. I said “and that’s the difference between us. She actually cares if you pass or fail her class. I really don’t care if you pass or fail chemistry.” I probably should care more, but I doubt if I’ll ever get to be as caring as Señora when it comes to her students. Something to aspire to, I think.