Well there may be a light at the end of the tunnel as regards wrapping up Day Camps 2013!
Right at the start of the week I began sorting and reading over the comments gleaned from Teams, Coordinators and Clergy all of which are pulled together when completing the Feedback Forms, sent to each Church or Community that hosted a Day Camp week. Before the finished documents can actually be emailed out we still need to prepare the 2014 Application Forms and a new Flyer advertising next summer’s Program, “Follow the Leader”, both of which will be included in the mailing.
Tuesday morning 2 volunteers joined me to help empty the Supply Tubs and replace everything in the Supply Room storage bins. Mercifully we did not find anything rotting or mouldy although, of course, there were a few bizarre and inexplicable objects that were most certainly NOT in the tubs when they were sent out 8 weeks ago!
The rest of the week a large portion of each day was devoted to filling out the Feedback Forms and happily, they are now completed! They still need to be checked for spelling errors etc. since the job is usually done in fits and starts thus leaving odd, half-completed, sentences.
“Office” time was limited yesterday as Anna (a former Team Leader and newest Committee Member!) came with her son Nathanael for a lovely lunchtime visit. Anna’s husband is an Armed Forces Chaplain and they are just in the process of relocating from Borden Ontario to the Base at St. Jean, just South of Montreal. Nathanael is 3 years old, very talkative, no longer shy with me and full of amusing conversation!
Last evening, I was invited out to dinner by Brett (friend, mentor and founder of Day Camps), who is currently living in Bristol, UK but is in Montreal to visit with family and friends and to officiate at both a Wedding and a Baptism. Brett had called the day before and asked where I would like to go. I had launched into my “organic/eco-friendly/locavore” spiel, so it was decided I should check for possibilities on Google and send him info. Since being invited out to dinner is an extremely rare occurrence in my life it was most exciting to “search” and send a page of suggestions. Brett chose Bonnys and it was truly fabulous-small & funky/organic/vegan& vegetarian with a really great vibe!
During dessert, Brett brought out his iPad and showed me slides of his recent trip to India. As a former architect, he is a person who takes good photos, full of great architecture and
of historical and cultural interest. All in all a very special occasion!
of historical and cultural interest. All in all a very special occasion!
On home front- Alice’s cardigan is
finally finished , Hallelujah! Mandu
assisted in blocking it (see photos!)and I hear it is just the right size, with room to grow.
Alice and her sister slept over at their Grandparent’s house last night so they all dropped by this morning to bring me a “thank-you card.
I am now hoping to begin knitting a sweater with the gorgeous Alpaca yarn given to me last Christmas but it looks as if I shall have to design my own pattern since I have not found any inspiration in my numerous books or on line. Meanwhile, I am also starting another shawl as a Christmas gift.
As of tomorrow, the great “Changing of the Decorations” begins, officially ending Summer and preparing for Harvest Thanksgiving. Still no news of possible Boarders so I continue to pray, taking each day at a time, and trying very hard to TRUST!
Thursday afternoon, I made a batch of tortillas. Having originally planned an Asian stir-fry for dinner that night I changed directions and as I could not resist fresh tortillas a fusion recipe was invented
Italian-style Burritos with Japanese Eggplant
2 Japanese Eggplant- 1 egg, beaten with 1 Tbsp. of milk
- ½ cup coarse cornmeal
- 4 slices bacon
- ½ cup grated cheddar
- 4 Tbsps. Italian Tomato Sauce
- 4-8” Whole-wheat flour tortillas
Cut the eggplant, on the diagonal, into ½ inch thick slices. Lay the slices on paper towels, salt lightly and cover with a flat weight. Leave for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, over medium heat, fry the bacon in a cast-iron skillet, until crisp. Pat the slices of eggplant dry then dip first into the egg mixture, then in the cornmeal. Set aside the bacon and fry the eggplant, in the bacon fat, until crisp on both sides. Remove eggplant but keep skillet
on low heat. Lay the tortillas out on the flat surface. Spread each one with tomato sauce, lay several slices of eggplant along one edge, top with a bacon slice and grated cheese. Fold in the ends and roll firmly to enclose the filling. Arrange burritos in the skillet and heat, gently for approx. 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve immediately.
Serves 4.
on low heat. Lay the tortillas out on the flat surface. Spread each one with tomato sauce, lay several slices of eggplant along one edge, top with a bacon slice and grated cheese. Fold in the ends and roll firmly to enclose the filling. Arrange burritos in the skillet and heat, gently for approx. 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve immediately.
Serves 4.