Here in Québec June 24th is a pretty big deal- Fête St. Jean, but in the world of Day Camps it has been an even bigger deal- TEAM TRAINING DAY 2017!!!!!!!
I was up super early in order to get the chores done, walk Wil and be over at Isaiah 40 by just after 830am. Although I had got out some of the dishes etc. needed to prepare lunch for 20 people there was still a lot to do before the other helpers arrived to set up the hall and then the Team Members @ 930am.
Soon the coffee was perking, and registration materials and nametag supplies all laid out, and then general chaos began! Wil was in his element! Happily bouncing around as the official “greeter”.
By 10am we had all gathered and with opening worship songs, the day began.
Team Training Day is designed as a sort of one-day crash course at the end of which the Team Members, reeling with information overload, are dumped willy-nilly into the three Training Day Camps! Today was no exception, but they seemed to have a great time and left the Retreat Centre pretty pumped to get going. As they were leaving I could hear several of them saying, “I am SO excited!!” that is good way to head out on a mission!!
After the last pieces of luggage had been hauled out of the building Janice and I did the final clean up and then headed back to my house where we loaded up her car with all the frozen food for the Retreat Week. When Janice was here visiting on Thursday she had offered to help move the food over to Isaiah 40 and I was delighted to get it into the building well ahead of time as the coming week is pretty hairy with the three Training Day Camps happening and a thousand loose ends to tie up on the Day Camps front.
Actually this week has been just as hairy, with last minute Team additions and a couple of other “possibles” with whom I have held personal interviews. There are still several iffy individuals so final allocations for the actual Teams are still in a state of flux. One girl might have to do summer school, another young man is not available to visit a Training Day Camp until next Thursday and one person today was exhibiting symptoms of homesickness so it remains to be seen how that plays out.
As I was writing a minute ago the first Training Team Leader called in to tell me they had safely arrived at their destination. The three Training Teams will all be holding set-up meetings tomorrow afternoon and then I will have some in depth conversations with the Leaders to see how plans are falling into place.
Meanwhile, this evening, I shall try to catch up on all sorts of bits and pieces, pray for those who a feeling nervous and homesick and be thankful for those who are super pumped and excited!
The week ahead will be another whirlwind with some final baking and cooking for the Retreat, one more host location to try desperately to fill, a House Eucharist one evening, and a small catering order to fill. It would also be lovely if I could squeeze in sewing a new dress to wear at the Commissioning Service. Hmm.
Well before heading off to make a big tuna salad with some of the wonderful fresh greens that came this week in my first CSA Farm Share we need a recipe. Last Monday evening was our final Committee meeting before the start of Day Camps, for dinner that evening I made a Niçoise Salad that was very tasty. I do love dinner salads 😊.
Whole Wheat Pasta Salade Niçoise
- 3 tins wild organic Albacore Tuna, broken into chunks
- 12oz. whole-wheat spaghetti
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 6oz. fresh green beans, trimmed
- ½ cup whole black olives
- 6 hardboiled eggs, thickly sliced
Dressing:
- ½ cup each red wine vinegar and olive oil
- 1 large clove garlic, finely minced
- salt and pepper to taste
Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling water, adding the beans for the last 2 minutes. Drain well and arrange in the centre of a large platter, Scatter the tomatoes, olives, eggs and tuna over the pasta. Drizzle with some of the dressing and serve the rest on the side. Serves 4-6