Hello Blog Friends!
The most exciting happening around here this week has been the completion of the 2024 Signposts Program Manual, woot!!!woot!!! It has just squeaked into the month of April but, since there are still only 4 communities who have fully filled in their application forms, it isn’t as if a ton of coordinators were clamouring to receive it. Each Day Camp is of great import to the community where is happens so I’m sure those 4 Coordinators will be happy to receive a sharing link giving them access to this core document.
Wednesday we also received some more craft sample photos from one of the group of volunteers who have been working on this important aspect of program prep. After receiving this second bunch of photos I sent off a “badger” text in the hopes the others will feel impelled to complete their sections.
Still not much good news about any more host communities. We have our May (EEK-MAY!!) committee meeting next week. At our April meeting several members offered to reach out to contacts to try and find some more potential locations and I continue to send emails and leave voicemails. Sigh. One church that, pre-pandemic, had hosted Day Camps for many years has at least replied to one of my messages saying they will “pray about it”. As we move into May and summer creeps closer I tend to wake up in the middle of the night worrying about this situation. I know there is nothing I can do at 3am but turn to prayer myself (which I do 😊)when it becomes increasingly discouraging with only a few signs of hope.
On a brighter note, Tuesday evening I met with Jessica, our long-suffering layout person, and she offered to tidy up the layout for the Extended Day Program Guide, which I have finalised. The spacing was not as perfect as that in the Manual so I’m grateful to have her give the document a once over and fluffle it up a bit 😊.
Of course a good chunk of Monday and Tuesday was also spent typing up the AGM minutes. The meeting (thankfully!!) was not too long or acrimonious but AGM minutes are always a bit intense to transcribe as our Treasurer is required to send an excerpt from them when doing our charity tax filing with the Canada Revenue Agency.
Outside of hours on the laptop there have been several nice visits. Monday morning an old friend (and my predecessor as Day Camp Director 😊) dropped in for coffee and that same afternoon Bishop Mary came for High Tea, then as mentioned above, Jessica was here on Tuesday for a supper visit and another episode of Korean Soap Opera. Yesterday, Jillian and baby Amelia were supposed to come for lunch but sadly both Mum and Baby have nasty colds so we have postponed until next week.
Finally, this morning Mae Anna came for her monthly visit, this time joining me for brunch, before heading over to her church for worship practice.Also, this morning, Jeff (one of the Day Camp Coordinators) dropped by to pick up his bundle of banners and Mae Anne has taken with her the ones for her church. I am so glad that the banners, which have been languishing in tubs in my basement for the past four years, will now be seeing the light of day again since they illustrate each of our Program themes and used to be hung up either outside a host church or as decoration in the Main Presentation area at each Day Camp. There are six sets, as they used to go out with the travelling Teams, and the DC committee has decided to give them to communities who have had a long association with CTM as they serve no purpose sitting in tubs 😊.
I was also in the middle of the Saturday Bake and had to keep leaping up from the table to juggle things into and out of the oven as well as answering to door but Mae Anne and I still managed to have a pleasant visit over some decadent chocolate chip bread pudding, mochaccinos and bowls of fresh watermelon, so now I don’t need to bother about making any lunch 😊.
Last Sunday afternoon the stripy baby pullover was completed and I’m very pleased with the result, although making the ten buttonholes and sewing on the corresponding buttons was quite challenging! Now yet another baby pullover has been started, this one in the Fairisle design I knit a few weeks ago but this time in a sheep’s grey wool with blue accents.
This afternoon I hope to have time to whiffle in the garden although rain is expected so it may not last long outside 😊. Before I put on my gardening gear, here is my recipe for…
Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding
- 5-6 cups bread chunks (from a homemade loaf 😊)
- 1 cup each whipping cream and whole milk
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 cup raw cane sugar
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
- 2 Tbsps. butter
Grease a 9”x12” baking dish and fill with a bread cubes. Sprinkle with half the chocolate chips. In a large bowl, whisk together the cream, milk, eggs, vanilla and 3Tbsps.sugar. Pour over the bread, cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning heat oven to 350ºF. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips, cinnamon and remainingTbsp. of sugar over the pudding then dot with the butter. Bake for 20-30 minutes until bubbly and finish, briefly, under the broiler. serves 4-6.