Hello Blog Friends!
Here we are approaching the end of August. It has been a full week around here. Monday morning I sent off an invitation to a list of prospective musicians and artists whom we are approaching for Carols & Cocoa. Although December is still 4 months away we need to pull together at least half a dozen “sets” and so it will most likely take a fair amount of badgering to collect enough presenters.
The best bit of office work accomplished was the signing of (I fervently hope!!) the final document relative to the Police Records Checks “Protocole”. This bureaucratic nightmare has been unfolding since May but on Tuesday afternoon, Di, who is the substitute “Responsable” was able to pass by the house to add her signature and that evening Thomason and I walked to the post box and mailed it, I trust that everything is now in place for the next 3 years! The instructions even included that the signatures had to be in blue ink! There are many jokes made about the levels of bureaucracy in France and sadly it can be the same here in Québec, although I must say that the SPVM officer with whom I have dealt throughout the saga, has been most polite and helpful.
We have recently decided on the title for the upcoming Team Alumni Autumn Day Retreat so I was able to complete the flyer design and begin advertising. Over the next couple of weeks I really need to focus too on finding a couple more recruits for the Day Camp Committee as we are currently managing with only 5 active members, which is just not quite enough as we move from a quiet summer season into a more active autumn.
There have also been visits from CTM people during the week. Monday Janice, Matthew and Maddie came for an early lunch. Janice was, for several years, such a mainstay of the Day Camp Teams and the committee and I have missed her so much since she moved to BC. She was transferred to Simon Fraser University with Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, although of course at present is on maternity leave. I had not seen her since 2019 so it was great to spend a couple of hours together and meet baby Maddie 😊 .
Wednesday Victoria and her three boys, my Godsons, who I had not seen in person since February 2020, came for lunch. They had originally planned to stop here on Tuesday, on their way for a short holiday in New Brunswick, but the trip had to be cancelled due to Victoria’s mother being ill and unable to travel so she and the boys drove down from Ottawa to see me. I was able to give William his Birthday Crown just one day late, which was super. Of course managing Thomason through the various visits was extremely stressful but pushing through is the only way he will improve and relax as other people come with more frequency. It was totally worth it to see those boys and to have each one give me a special hug and tell me how much they had missed me.
Wednesday had also been set aside to begin the “Changing of the Decorations” but since Jenna and I had arranged to meet over dinner to discuss the day retreat it really seemed prudent to postpone pulling the house apart that day 😊
Thus Thursday afternoon the task began in earnest and as you will see from this week’s photo gallery, the Pentecost/Harvest theme is now mostly in place. There are still a few things to tweak and I have to play catch up on other tasks like making a big batch of food for Thomason and continuing the chasuble alterations. After a couple of days of chaos it is special to look around and see everything looking clean and fresh for the season ahead.
So here I am at Saturday with the pot of dog food boiling on the stove, gluten free bread rising, and once I’ve hit the “publish” button, I can start sewing the red chasuble 😊
But first let’s close off with a recipe. Plums are in season around here so this week I baked a Plum Galette and have been enjoying it for breakfast with a dollop of plain yoghurt.
Plum Galette with Cornmeal Pastry
- Pastry:-
- 1 cup flour
- ½ cup cornmeal
- ½ tsp. each salt & sugar
- ½ cup butter
- 3-4 Tbsps. ice water
- Filling:-
- 2 lbs. Italian Plums, pitted and quartered
- ½ cup cane sugar (plus additional for sprinkling)
- 2 Tbsps. cornstarch
- 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
- pinch salt
- 1 egg, beaten
In the bowl of a food processor combine the flour, cornmeal, and salt. Cut the butter into small bits and pulse with the dry ingredients. Slowly pour in the ice water, using just enough to bring the pastry into a ball without letting it get sticky. Form the pastry into a disc and chill while making the filling. In a large bowl toss the prepared plums with the sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice & salt. Remove the pastry from the fridge and roll out into a thin 14”circle. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet (with a rim to catch the excess juices during baking). Pile the filling in the centre leaving at least 2” of pastry around the edges. Fold the edges up over the filling, crimping and pleating as necessary. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle liberally with raw cane sugar. Bake in a preheated 375º oven for 1 hour. Cool completely before transferring to a serving plate.