As usual, it has been quite a full week around here, but then sitting idle is really not my style🙂 An inveterate planner, there is one notebook in which I list larger goals for the week and then scrap paper on which I make a daily list, mapping out the details, enjoying the satisfaction of ticking off items as they are accomplished.
The week began with Sunday afternoon’s CTM Board meeting, followed by typing up the minutes on Monday. Sadly I still had no good news of Day Camp applications to report to the Board members but I was able to tell them about the DC committee’s preparations for the virtual Team Gathering, on July 2ndand also about our more long term plans for the autumn “Cook-Along” series and the Team Alumni Day Retreat.
Last Saturday Miriam and Donna got together and recorded all the songs we will be singing at the Team Gathering. The PowerPoint for the event is saved on Google Drive so Monday morning I opened the file to see which Taizé songs had been chosen, not realising that they would be embedding their recordings right in the slides. Seeing the icon for the first piece I clicked to listen. I must confess that hearing their voices and Donna’s ukulele, I really lost it and burst into tears. It is so hard after more than 30 summers as Day Camp director to face the second year with no Day Camps happening and it is especially hard as we feel that, even if we can maintain the ministry by providing quality resource packages to church communities it will just not be possible to return to the Travelling Team model.
Prior to the pandemic, today would have been Team Training Day, the coming week-Training Day Camps and next weekend the start of the Team Training Retreat, so I guess I need to resign myself to a few more meltdowns. It is necessary to grieve, even while trying to focus on some of the smaller blessings that have come out of the pandemic. The virtual Team Gathering will be a good time to give thanks, as in the past we would never have considered having a TG online but by doing so we now can open the experience to Team Alumni who will be joining us from across Canada, from the USA and even from the Philippines!
On both Monday and Tuesday afternoons I had lovely FaceTime visits with committee members, one in Nova Scotia and the other in Manitoba. It was good to catch up with each of them and hear their plans for the summer. On other afternoons I’ve been sewing the rompers that I cut out last week as baby Owen arrived last Saturday so I am anxious to get his “welcome” gift to him as soon as possible. A friend has also asked me to do some small sewing alterations and since we are in for a few wet days I shall be working on those starting this afternoon.
Thursday was a Provincial Holiday “Fête St. Jean” but since I work from home it really didn’t make much difference to my routine. I had thought I might sleep in a bit but that plan was foiled when Thomason began whining just after 630 am! It was a beautiful sunny day so people were able to hold picnics and barbecues outdoors and thus conform to restrictions while enjoying a day off work.
Evenings I have been knitting silk and bead earrings as a birthday gift for a special friend. They are now completed and I’ve folded origami boxes for each pair and hemmed a furoshiki to wrap the gift. Now I’m back to knitting another stripy scarf before returning to some Newfoundland Gloves that are the next project on my list.
Yesterday I mowed the lawns early in the morning before it got too hot and sticky then spent most of my office time putting together the basic format of a new Day Camp Resource, which we hope to offer to communities some time in the autumn. It will be an e-book of All Age Gatherings, informal worship times following the progression of the Liturgical Year. I am adapting material I developed during the 4 years in which I was responsible for coordinating the monthly All Ages Gatherings at St. Stephen’s Church. More on this project as it slowly takes shape 🙂
So today is rainy and the plan is to get the baking started and then do the sewing alterations as I would to also like to sew a patchwork skirt for myself before the borrowed sewing machine is returned to its owner, all of which means I had better wrap up this post with a recipe and get back into the kitchen.
Last weekend I mentioned that I was baking my Mum’s recipe for Norwegian Crispbread and a friend has asked for the recipe. I remember years ago when Mum and I used to frequent Ikea they sold a Swedish crispbread that was very similar to this recipe. Hope you give it a try.
Norwegian Crispbread
- 1 Tbsp. yeast
- ¼ cup warm water
- ½ cup sunflower oil
- 1 cup warm milk
- 1½ tsps. each, crushed fennel and anise
- 2tsps. salt
- 3-4 cups rye flour
Dissolve the yeast in the water and when it is foamy add the oil, milk, fennel, anise and salt. Stir well then gradually add the flour to form a fairly stiff but pliable dough. Knead well then allow to rise for 45mins. (or overnight in the fridge).
Divide into 3-4 balls and roll each into a thin 12” circle. Using a 2” cutter cut a circle out of the center of each piece. Transfer to parchment lined baking sheets (or pizza pans) and prick each piece all over in a decorative pattern. Let rise for 45minutes. Bake in a preheated 425º oven for approx. 15 minutes or until crisp. Transfer to cooling racks and immediately brush each crispbread with warm water. Store in an airtight container to keep it crisp. Delicious with cheese or cold cuts and pickles 🙂