So here we are at the end of February, which is frequently referred to as the “longest shortest month”, too true!
This week has been pretty full. It started off with computer woes so I had to call in the CTM techie whiz, Wentworth, who spent Monday morning here sorting it out while I amused myself with the usual shovelling in -30 weather. Sigh.
Once that was fixed, the next couple of mornings were spent compiling the 2015 Church Supply List and Team Supply List. This task involves a lot of toggling back and forth between different chapters of the Program Manual trying to do my best not to leave out any vital supplies. By yesterday both lists were pretty well wrestled into submission so this morning I sent off the Church one to all the Coordinators who are signed up for the coming Summer and a copy has been added to the Churches and Communities Tab of this blog.A couple more church applications have also arrived, which is encouraging but I’m still waiting for the first Team Application.
There have been a bunch of meetings, mostly Parish or Diocesan so there were minutes to take and type up as well. No time for any sewing but a few hours have been squeezed in to make a good start on my first dozen Pysanky.
The last week of February and first week in March are challenging days for me because my Mum died on March 2nd and her funeral was on the 6th. After 15 (yes FIFTEEN!) years I have realised it is not possible to avoid the strong grief but better to put my head down and push through. Changing the Decorations is a good thing, because, in a way I try to make the house lovely to honour her memory and I plan to begin that task on Sunday afternoon.
It is unusual for me to talk much about family in these posts, largely, I guess because there is really no (biological) family to talk about! However, today I felt that it was important to remember her here, especially because it is highly improbable I would be directing Day Camps if she and my Dad had not opened our home in the summer of 1980, to some of the first wave of Team Members, many of whom in those early years, came from the UK and other countries and were in need of a place to stay. Between 1980 and 2000 (the year Mum died) we had over 200 young people come through our doors and I was taught a tremendous amount about the gift of hospitality.
My Mum was also the cook at the first Team Training. It was just a weekend then but she continued to be in charge as it evolved into a week-long Retreat over the next 10 years, with myself, and many others as her kitchen helpers!
Cooking was a huge part of her life and thus became as important to me. I pretty well
grew up in the church kitchen at St. Matthew’s, often sitting doing my homework at one end of a long butcher block table while everything from jams and pickles to casseroles and cookies were being prepared by the ladies of the ACW and Catering Group.
grew up in the church kitchen at St. Matthew’s, often sitting doing my homework at one end of a long butcher block table while everything from jams and pickles to casseroles and cookies were being prepared by the ladies of the ACW and Catering Group.
Maybe I could say that one of the reasons that each of these weekly posts ends with a recipe is that it gives an opportunity for me to link with that heritage and to pass it on to others.
This post has been written Friday evening since tomorrow I shall be out for a good part of the day co-leading a Toddler Leaders Training event at St. Stephen’s but before I sign off I’m
choosing to share a recipe which has been enjoyed by many of those previously mentioned billets. There is even one person I specially remember who could eat six at one sitting!!! I can manage two for dinner myself but have seen whole platters of them disappear pretty fast. I give you my Mum’s…
choosing to share a recipe which has been enjoyed by many of those previously mentioned billets. There is even one person I specially remember who could eat six at one sitting!!! I can manage two for dinner myself but have seen whole platters of them disappear pretty fast. I give you my Mum’s…
Tuna Buns
(Lest you should think these come even remotely close to junk food, I hasten to point out that our version is made exclusively from organic ingredients and the hotdog buns are made with kamut flour!!)
- 2 hardboiled eggs, diced
- 1 tin water packed tuna, broken into small chunks
- 2 spring onions, chopped
- 6 large green olives, pitted and chopped
- 100grams marble cheddar, cubed
- 2 Tbsps. Veganaise
- 6 hotdog buns
In a large bowl combine all the filling ingredients and fold together with a wide spatula so they do not get squashed. Place the buns in a shallow casserole dish and fill each one generously. Cover the dish with parchment paper or foil. Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 30mins. Serve hot!