When I woke up just outside of Houston on Wednesday morning the cars were zipping by outside my hotel room window. I psyched myself up for three hours of driving into San Antonio across I-10 West. The ‘upside’ of driving is that you don’t really see a country until you see its back roads. I thought you’d enjoy this snapshot of George, the cowboy. I met George at a rest stop between Houston and San Antonio. George trains horses and, where he lives, he doesn’t even have access to a telephone!
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George, a genuine cowboy.
The first stop I planned to make in San Antonio was a parent/teacher store known as The Education Shop. I was greeted by Pam and Kristy who run the place. Later I met the owner, ‘Harvey Jack’, upon his return to the shop. Apparently, in Texas, men are often called by BOTH of their names. The folks at the Education Shop were very hospitable and we had an enjoyable visit. The store is 25 years old but has been in its present location for seven years.
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Kristy Frese and Pam Phillips [top left], Harvey Rogers, the Owner of The Education Shop [top right], Inside The Education Shop [bottom left] Outside The Education Shop [bottom right].
Down the highway and around a few corners I was able to locate The Learning Zone. This family owned and run business has now expanded to two locations. The first and original store, located close to the Teachers’ Credit Union, is in an older building that has lots of separate rooms with different themes. The second store in a newer location has a brighter more airy feel. Both stores offer very important resources for teachers and parents in the San Antonio area.
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Amanda, the manager of The Learning Zone [left] and the inside of The Learning Zone [right].
By this time I was really looking forward to meeting my host for the evening, Betty, an elementary reading teacher. Over Mexican food, Betty and I found that we had loads in common. Music and singing is ‘instrumental’ in Betty’s life. She sings in two choirs and is very involved in a harmonica organization. She even taught the harmonica to her class last year and found that it did wonders to boost the self esteem of slow learners, especially when they did a great job at mastering the harmonica. Betty is looking forward to her involvement as a volunteer at the IRA (International Reading Association) conference taking place in San Antonio in May of this year.
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Betty Welch, my B & B host in San Antonio, Texas.