Hello Blog Friends!
Another full week has passed in the tiny world of Day Camps 😊. Last week I reported that three camps had taken place and that I had sent off evaluation forms to the coordinators. This past Monday I received an email from one of those people saying that they had, in fact, changed the dates of their Camp and so it was happening this week and not the previous one, Ah, the differences that occur when travelling teams are NOT involved!
Of course the community had every right to change the dates and, technically, do not need to inform the office about it, but it was slightly confusing! Meanwhile we did receive the evaluations from the other TWO Day Camps and thankfully they were both positive 😊.
The two, Montreal-based, coordinators whom I approached about writing articles for the next issue of the Diocesan newspaper have both agreed to do so. The deadline is July 26th so some badgering may need to take place early next week but, hopefully, both people will submit their content in a timely fashion 😊.
Of course the week has also been sprinkled with day-to-day banking tasks, such as sending advances to the to Junior Youth Camp cooks who need to start grocery shopping very soon (JYC takes place in early August). Guylaine has also been busy posting the flyer for the CTM fundraiser, taking place on September 7th so I have been encouraging some Team Alumni to volunteer as helpers for that event.
Wide Games and a BBQ are not really my personal “scene” and my attendance would involve finding someone willing to sit with Thomason plus at least an hour-long bus and metro trip. I have decided it would be best on my part to make a financial donation and of course to also commit to praying for the event. If it turns out that there are is other way I can help from home base, of course I shall volunteer for that too 😊.
Outside of office time, the final inspection of the water pipe installation took place on Wednesday morning. The two men who came were very nice and efficient, one of them was the tall young man who’s hard hat had accidently smashed an overhead light bulb on a previous visit to my basement and I noticed him warning his “confrère” to mind his head, which was very thoughtful!
Of course there has also been the usual string of (welcome!) visitors. Tuesday Mikaela finally made it over for a quick lunch visit on a workday. It was super hot and humid so I served a Pear Butter Loaf with pear butter cream cheese, slices of cantaloupe and pineapple and ginger, lemon & turmeric Iced Tea, which hit the spot for both of us 😊.
Wednesday evening was Jessica’s monthly “Supper & Kdrama” visit. As the heat warning was still in effect I made Turkey & Cashew Lettuce Cups (an adaptation of a recipe I found on my favourite New York Times Food App) with steamed rice and Korean Jeju Tea. I had only recently found this tea so it was the first time we had tried it, we both found it very good.
Yesterday afternoon I was scheduled to finally have a meeting with Eli, from St. George’s Place du Canada, to discuss the restoration of an historic white chasuble. This meeting had been rescheduled on several occasions so we were hoping to connect at last, however. it was not to be as I received a message in the morning to say Eli was running a fever and going to test for COVID (still rearing it’s nasty head !), so hopefully we can reschedule sometime next week😊.
Evenings, I have managed to complete the second pair of fingerless gloves that I am amassing in my Christmas gifts stash . The first glove of the third pair has now been cast on, so production continues!
In an hour or so I’m expecting Mae Anne to join me for lunch. When she comes for her monthly visit we usually schedule it at this time as her church is only about a 15 minute drive from my house whereas she both lives and works on the West Island, which is much farther away. This will be the first time I have seen her since her trip to see family in California so I will be very interested to hear all about her adventures 😊.
Due to expecting yesterday’s visit I did my baking prep on Thursday and so was able to get everything in the oven quite early this morning after walking Thomason and doing my garden “whiffle”. As soon as the sourdough boule is out of the oven I’m going to dash off with Mr. T. for in his second walk before Mae Anne arrives at around 1230pm.,so I expect to be actually publishing this post later this afternoon 😊.
Before it is ready we still need a recipe! The Turkey & Cashew lettuce cups, which Jessica and I shared on Wednesday, were so tasty I thought I would write up my adaptation of the recipe for you as they make a simple and refreshing summer meal.
Smoked Turkey & Cashew Lettuce Cups
- ½ lb. cooked smoked turkey, coarsely chopped
- ¼ cup chopped fresh chives
- ¼ cup coarsely chopped raw cashews
- 1 red pepper, julienned
- 3 Tbsps. rice vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 Tbsp. Asian oyster sauce
- 2 tsps. Tamari
- 1 tsp. ground pepper
- 1/3 cup Okonomiyaki sauce
- 1 Romaine Lettuce
- Steamed white rice, for serving
Combine the rice vinegar, oyster sauce, olive oil, Tamari and ground pepper and set aside. Heat a cast iron skillet and add the turkey, chives, cahsews and red pepper. Stirfry for several minutes then stir in the reserved sauce. Stir fry over medium-low until heated through. Wash the lettuce and arrange, on a platter approx. a dozen of the smaller inner “cup –shaped” leaves. Diners spread a small amount of Okonomiyaki sauce on a lettuce leaf and top with a generous spoonful of the turkey mixture. Serve accompanied with bowls of steamed rice.