This week I decided to get the post started today (Friday) because I am currently in the middle of a Diocesan Conference Synod and tomorrow is the business day from 830am-6pm. AGH!!!
That means that the two secretaries (myself as lay secretary and my clerical colleague, Sophie) will be taking minutes for about 8 hours. The Minutes of Synod are usually about 10 pages long so, as you can imagine, by the time I wearily cycle home tomorrow evening I don’t think typing a Blogpost will be my favourite choice of activity!
The week has had its series of ups and downs in the world of Day Camps. After last Sunday’s fantastic news that Emmanuel had been freed up to join the Travelling Teams, there has not been any more positive progress on the Team Member front. There is a possibility of a young man from Ontario but I have not yet been in direct contact with him and am waiting for an email.
Tuesday we received news that two communities on the Gaspé Coast REALLY want a Team to come and run Day Camps and then later that day confirmation of the Camp at CFB Bagotville. All of this now means, if we do plan to serve these communities, then a 6thTeam needs to be formed. Unfortunately there is no Leader presently available and time is quickly running out. One person is praying about it and I shall email a couple of others who might be remote possibilities!
Most days this week my office time has been spent combing through lists looking for potential Team Leaders, putting the finishing touches on the Training Retreat plans, sorting out the Team configurations for the 3 Training Day Camps etc.
Afternoons there has been a lot of sweeping of maple keys (they are all down now ALLELUIA!!) and a bit of sewing, as in finishing Tighe’s birthday Crown! This afternoon Jessica came to work on assembling the Team Leaders Binders and we had supper together afterwards before her husband picked her up to go to his sister’s high school graduation this evening.
In the morning I need to be up at 6am to leave for Synod so I’m off to bed now, more tomorrow!
Saturday Lunch Time…
Here I am at the secretaries’ table eating a rather under ripe pear and hoping to finish writing this post. Sadly I don’t have the wifi password for this venue and so will have to wait until I get home this evening to upload and add the photos.
It has already been a long day, the best part was cycling down in the quiet of the early morning. I expect the ride home will be less pleasant with a lot more traffic and late afternoon heat. I just popped outside to check on my trusty bicycle that is locked to the fence outside the church. We are right downtown and I feel a bit nervous leaving my bike outside for so many hours, oh well at least it is in daylight!
Tomorrow is almost as busy as after housechurch in the morning we have the last CTM Board meeting before the summer ministries and then Monday is our final Day Camp committee meeting before Training starts. I’m hoping there will be time tomorrow afternoon to make the dessert for Monday’s dinner, Prune & Pistachio Semifreddo. It really needs to freeze overnight.
Last night when Jessica came to dinner we had a tasty Italian meal of Pasta with Peppers and Clams, I think I’ll close off by sharing the recipe.
Pasta with Peppers and Clams
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 4 large peppers, 2 yellow, 2 red, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 cup white wine
- 2-15oz. cans clams, drained
- ½ cup chopped flat leaf parsley
- 1 lb. spaghetti
Start a pot of water to boil for the pasta. Meanwhile sauté the peppers, garlic and red pepper flakes until softened. Add the white wine and deglaze the pan. Turn the heat to low and add the tomato sauce and clams. Allow the sauce to simmer gently while you cook the pasta. Once it is al dente, drain well and fold it into the sauce along with the parsley. Transfer to a large serving bowl and serve immediately.
Serves 3-4