Hello Blog Friends!
Goodness only knows when this post will get published as tomorrow is our annual Diocesan Synod and I expect to be deep in the weeds of Minute-taking for at least 8 hours! (6pm, just home from Synod and hitting the “publish” button)
So this post is getting a start on Friday, in the hopes that, if there are some breaks during the Synod proceedings, it will be possible to publish as, of course, there is WiFi access in the hall where the business Synod is held. But let us first rewind and give a recap of this hairy week!
As the week began, we still had not received the Google Slides, which Miriam had promised to complete by mid-May. In her defense, there had been a death of a family member, living in the Philippines and she is also juggling university summer courses in engineering so she has had a lot to deal with. Being stuck in the middle, I have been fielding (while trying to respect Miriam’s privacy) emails from host community Coordinators, anxiously looking for said slides. Sigh. Overnight Sunday, the slides appeared in my Drive but, sadly, in reviewing them, I found that the audio files for all the songs had not been embedded.
Tuesday, this problem was rectified and then Jillian began the complex task of making the tutorials, which must accompany the files in order to give host communities the help they need in properly accessing the various slide presentations. Meanwhile, preparations were in full swing for the small training gathering, which took place Thursday evening. It has been next to impossible to work out a running order as the number of participants and committee helpers, was changing on an almost hourly basis. Having managed to track down and recover the AV projector (which had spent nearly a whole year at the home of a Junior Youth Camp Staff person!) I was determined to make use of it and have some sort of a slide presentation and so spent a few hours each day making changes and additions to the template.
Wednesday morning, I was confronted by several emails from the CTM Treasurer who needed me to print, stamp and mail some Tax documents “before the end of the week” AGH!! That same morning Jillian and I FaceTimed to speak more about the tutorials and there was hope of being able to circulate them by the next day.
Thursday, after reviewing the tutorials, it was possible to share the links with all the host communities, what a big relief. With that huge problem resolved I immediately turned my attention to preparing for that evening’s training meeting. Between cutting up pineapple and melon, I kept washing my hands and having a go at linking up the projector with my laptop. In the end it required five different adaptors and a dongle to get it working but, by early afternoon, it was all in place. YAY!! Then it was back to prepping snacks for the evening.
Sadly, the young woman who will be in charge of the group, was the only one unable to come, as she has a summer job and could not find a replacement for the evening, Fortunately, she was also part of last year’s group and so has a good handle on what will be unfolding, next week. Due to the Fête St. Jean holiday falling mid-week this year, the Day Camp is scheduled to run from Tuesday to Saturday, instead of Monday to Friday. Travel plans from Montreal are being organised by the two cooperating churches so, thankfully, that is one issue I do not need to worry about!
As one might imagine, there has been precious little time for handcrafting, although most evenings a few rows have been knitted on the first of, what I expect to be, at least six pairs of socks , destined as Christmas gifts. And, last Sunday afternoon, having completed the sewing of a gardening apron as a birthday gift for a special friend, I REALLY enjoyed embellishing it by painting on a mauve foxglove! Although I cannot begin to think about touching it until early next week, I have also agreed to do some alterations on another Prom dress, EEK! This one is for the best friend of Seren (who’s Prom dress I altered last month).The Prom is next Friday night!!!
Today (Friday) after an early start on office work, much of my day has been spent preparing meals for tomorrow and doing the Saturday Bake. It is fortunate that this is not a week for gluten free loaves, but a friend gave me some fresh rhubarb from their garden and that really needs to be dealt with as it is already looking a little tired! For my packed lunch I am falling back on my favourite-Summer Rolls, but tomorrow’s dinner must also be prepared, as I will not be back home from the Synod until early evening. The Bake will also be including- Digestive Biscuits, Stewed Rhubarb, a Breakfast Custard and a batch of Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. Dinner tomorrow is going to be a coconut-lime rice dish, served at room temperature.
As the post now seems to have morphed into a foodie monologue, it is probably time to wrap up with a recipe. A friend recently gave me several purple sweet potatoes, here is a tasty simple main course dish, it’s a good way to use these very nutritious tubers.
Purple Sweet Potatoes with Tahini Sauce
- 4 purple sweet potatoes
- ½ cup full fat plain yoghurt
- ¼ cup well-stirred Thamin
- 2 Tbsps. Maple syrup
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- Sea salt and ground black pepper
Scrub the potatoes and steam, whole, for about 45 minutes, or until a knife is easily inserted into the flesh. Meanwhile, combine all the remaining ingredients and stir gently, but thoroughly., until smooth. When the potatoes are ready, slit each one lengthwise and fluff the flesh with a fork. Place two on each serving dish and dollop with the sauce. Serves 2.