Sweating the Small Stuff

Due to a complicated series of events, I became a co-chair for the PTO social committee.  Well, really, it wasn't all that complicated.  I opened my mouth to complain and was promptly invited to participate by an adroit PTO president.  Good for her!  So, the upshot is that I am to work with another parent to provide refreshments at various events throughout the school year.  I thought this would be a low key way to support the school.  Instead, I have managed to turn it into a veritable wasps' nest of stressballs merely by being myself.  If I don't hear from the other chair I panic - never mind that she has three children and two jobs.  I wake up at 2am to worry about the budget.   I fret over cake orders even after confirming the pick up date.

 

So, my latest little stressball is really no surprise.  Next week, there is a Girl Talk meeting.  I have only the vaguest idea of what the meeting is about.  I think there are some girls and they will be talking.  It's some anti-bullying initiative or character-building initiative or some other sort of initiative for either preteen girls or mothers of preteen girls.  The one thing that I know is that it is girly.  Between my (almost entirely) self-imposed budgetary stress and my knowledge of the girlyness of said event, I hit upon the perfect refreshments for the event.  The menu would include coffee, cocoa, biscotti, and fruit.  What preteen girl would not thrill to a mocha and an oh-so-adult biscotti?  What mother would not appreciate a variation from the standard meeting fare?  The PTO puts out a great spread, but it can get a little monotonous after 6 or 7 years of school meetings.

 

So, one would think that all is fantastic!  It's an easy, enjoyable, inexpensive menu.  All was well until around 3:30 am this morning, when I realized that I have no idea how to operate the school's coffee urn.  So,should I take a risk and try to figure it out on the fly?  Or should I retreat to the tried and true?