I’m getting a bit of a head start with this Post, since tomorrow will be the first Team Gathering after a Day Camps summer. Following an extraordinary amount of badgering via social media and other forms of contact, it appears that approximately 16 people will be descending upon the house at 6pm!
Sadly, the forecast is for rain so that will mean a quantity of wet shoes, however that is easier to cope with than the multiple pairs of boots covered in snow, ice, salt and slush, which will need dealing with throughout the winter months!!!!
This afternoon I shall make a start on my contribution to the PotTrust supper- a Middle Eastern Veggie Stew (chosen, in part, to counteract a rumour that someone is bringing donuts as one of the desserts, AGH!!) The buffet table is also going to be set up so that tomorrow will not be quite as wildly hectic.
Usually the day of a Team Gathering is punctuated with various calls, texts and emails about minor crises and since it is still important to deal with the regular Saturday chores, anything that can be started today, is a help!
Watch for a report of tonight’s events, in tomorrow’s Sunday reflections Post.
One of the main tasks this past week has been the editing and reconfiguring of the Clergy and Coordinator’s Planning Guides. A decision was made to merge these into one comprehensive document, to improve the choice of font, and generally update various sections to reflect the newer aspects of the Program. The work is done but it seems best to find someone willing to read the final draft and see if anything important has been omitted in the course of the streamlining process!There have also been some extra bits of general office work as October 1st was the deadline for Networks content and thus some badgering had to take place to ensure our Editor received articles on time.
The Fall Coffee House poster looks great! (Thanks, Jillian) and I am hoping to distribute copies tomorrow evening so that Team Members can take them back to their home churches and do a bit of advertising. Mrs Philmore and I have also been exploring the labyrinth of Facebook (not very successfully) more will need to be done in this area after a promised tutorial!
And at home? Well Christmas gift making continues, as does fall gardening, some Children’s Ministry work, a meeting with a group in our diocese which focuses on the Stewardship of the Environment, and on-going knitting of multiple pars of slippers (a project for Christmas gifts, commissioned by a friend)
There was also one baking afternoon and next week I am hoping to make a start on my Christmas Mince Pies.
Since the subject is now food, perhaps it is time to include the recipe of the week!This is certainly tomato season and one day this week a big basket of them was sitting ripening on the kitchen counter so fresh tomato soup for dinner sounded like a good idea, it being soup season too!
Fresh Tomato Soup
- 3 oz. lean beef, cut into thin strips
- 4 cups beef stock
- 2 Tbsps. tomato paste
- 6 large tomatoes, cored and chopped
- 2 tsps. sugar
- 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
- 1 egg white, lightly beaten
- ½ tsp. sesame oil
- 2 Tbsps. minced chives
Place the beef strips in a large saucepan, cover with boiling water and cook for 2 minutes. Drain and set aside. Bring the beef stock in the same pan. Stir in the tomato paste then add the tomatoes, sugar and beef strips. Return to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch to a smooth paste with 1 Tbsp. cold water. Add the paste to the soup, stirring constantly and continue cooking until slightly thickened. Whisking briskly, add the egg white to the soup in a thin stream. As soon as the white changes colour, remove from the heat and ladle into bowls. Top each bowl with a drizzle of sesame oil and sprinkle with chives. Serve immediately. Serves 4.