With tomorrow shaping up to be a bit of a marathon it seemed a good idea, today, to make a head start on the weekly review.
The “puzzle” now has some more pieces fitted in making clumps with open spaces in between. A couple more Church Applications arrived this week, cementing vague promises with some hardcopy documents (yay!) and then this afternoon’s mail brought a Team Application from a totally unexpected source (YAY!) definitely a matter for rejoicing.
Yesterday two CTM representatives had the opportunity to go and make a presentation at Emmanuel Christian School, which we hope will bear fruit both for the Travelling Teams and for Senior Youth Camp. When they left the school they reported in via speakerphone and it seems they were well received and that it was a worthwhile experience, all good “seed sowing”!
In more of the “nuts and bolts” work, Jessica ordered NEW BLACK BINDERS!! The Team Leaders’ Binders are a vital part of our Program (hmm, what isn’t?) and the story of one of these precious items left behind in a phone booth has been passed down in Day Camp lore as a cautionary tale! So it was no small decision to purchase 6 new ones. I’m pretty sure they have never all been replaced during my tenure (is it really 20 years?) so it is high time and we’ve been dithering about it for a while but Jessica found a sale so this summer ALL the Team Leaders will have new binders.
And then tomorrow is the long anticipated “Crafts Day” an annual gathering at which we attempt to make samples of crafts used in the Scrambler Devotions, Scrambler Afternoon Program and Creative Connection. Said samples will be used as illustrations first at Kick-off Day (May 31st) and later at Team Training Day and finally during the Retreat Week workshops.
Sadly, we have had to postpone the recording of the Liturgical Dance DVD, which was supposed to close off the afternoon because we are not expecting a large turnout and we do really need a decent number of “bodies” to make a workable version of the Liturgical Dance, useful for instructional purposes.
So today I’ve been scurrying around making sure we have all necessary supplies and am about to phone a couple of people who are coming tomorrow in the hopes of rounding up such vital items as a brown paper grocery bag and an aluminium foil pie plate!
Meanwhile Hamburger Buns, Norwegian Crispbread, Raisin Scones and Gluten Free Bread have been taking turns to bake in the oven and preparations are underway for a short paper flower-making activity which I an about to undertake (after a quick dinnertime sandwich!) with two very small girls, granddaughters of a friend (remember the fairies I painted on a bedroom wall? Same little girls) I have also been asked to discuss mural choices with the younger child who is now considered old enough to express an opinion regarding her bedroom walls!
( Update:- she has requested zebras and tigers; girl zebras and girl tigers, easily distinguished assuch by pink bows on their tails!!)
Other activities this week have included the completion and wrapping of Josiah and Alicia’s wedding gift (delivery still not accomplished), more knitting on my Annabel Cardigan (yay, the extra skein of wool arrived in Wednesday’s post!), a bit of gardening (too much rain for more), and continued inroads into Spring Cleaning, such as the complete overhauling of thePantry Shelves.
One of the things I’ve been baking this afternoon is Norwegian Crispbread. It is a recipe from my Mum’s old handwritten Cookbook. It always reminds me of the crispbread we used to buy at Ikea, when I was a little girl. I do not remember my Mum ever making it herself but it is quite easy to make and really good, especially with a piece of cheddar cheese!
Vortenkaken
-Norwegian Crispbread
-Norwegian Crispbread
- 1 Tbsp. yeast
- 1 tsp. sugar
- ¼ cup warm water
- ½ cup butter or margarine, melted
- 1-cup milk
- ¼ cup agave syrup
- 1-½ tsps. each Fennel and Anise seed,
crushed - 1 ½ cups rye flour
- 2 cups unbleached flour (approx.)
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water, with the sugar. In a large bowl place the milk, melted butter, agave syrup and spices. Add the yeast mixture and beat in the rye flour. Beat in the unbleached flour, adding additional flour if necessary to make a firm but elastic dough. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth. Transfer to a clean greased bowl and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hr. Divide dough into 8 balls. Roll each ball into a thin circle at least 8” in diameter. If desired, cut a small circle out of the centre of each round using a 1-2” cookie cutter. Place rounds on floured baking sheets and prick all over with a fork. Let rise for 45mins. Bake in a preheated 400F. oven, for 10mins. rotating sheets after 5 mins. Remove from oven and immediately spray with water. Transfer to cooling racks. Will keep at least 2 weeks in an airtight container, also freezes well.
Makes 8 crispbreads.
Saturday evening coda:-
And so here I am home again! Thoroughly exhausted, soggy (more rain!) but triumphant!
As anticipated only 3 participants materialised shortly after 1pm at Isaiah 40. I sure was glad to see them, having arrived 30 minutes before to lay out all the instructions and supplies in the Hall. Michael, Gabrielle and Andrea (siblings) have all applied for Team this summer, having also been with us last year. They stayed until 5pm and, between the 3 of them, made ALL the samples on my list!!!
I helped along the way with clarification of procedures, made a snack, and took plenty of photos, see below….
