Weekending

I am a few days late with the weekly round up, I had a very full weekend and had no brain space to write it.

We started the week with our usual trip into town for shopping and a library visit.  I found a book on knitting stitches to give some inspiration for a project that I would like to put together in the future.  I have really enjoyed doing do much knitting recently as I make Christmas presents.  I don't want to get to Christmas and have no knitting.  So I am thinking about post Christmas present knitting, a project for myself of my own design.

We spent time with out home edding friends on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.  Catching up after time away, visiting a new house for the first time, eating lunches together,  drinking tea whilst the children played.  They had, as they always do, a great time.  It doesn't matter what time we arrive they never want to leave!

On Friday I spent the morning writing a shopping list and cooking tea and most of the afternoon shopping!  Many months ago a good friend of mine had asked if I would cook for a weekend camp to celebrate 10 years of Explorer Scouts in our area and I agreed.  The numbers were approximate at that stage but ended up being about forty five.  I had to provide a supper meal (hot drink and cake) on Friday, all meals on Saturday and up to lunch on Sunday.  The shopping filled the boot of my car and my boot is very big!  After emptying the food out the car into the kitchen of the village hall we were using I travelled up the road to our friends where we were sleeping for the weekend, most others were camping in the grounds of the hall.  After sorting out tea I headed back to the hall to meet everyone and get myself organised.

Saturday was a very long day, up at six at the hall for half past breakfast ready for seven.  I provided cereal, tea, coffee and hot chocolate and bacon roll or vegetarian sausage roll.  I also had to put out ingredients for everyone to make sandwiches and bits to make up a packed lunch.  By ten we had cleared and washed up and had a break before starting on tea, shepherds pie.  I had someone helping without which I would never have got everything done.  We peeled 12 and a half kilos of potatoes and made up a large pan of sauce with mince, veg and herbs, it took nearly hour to put together the six large pies sauce at the base with mashed potato on top.  I also made a vegetarian version.  I also put together a vegetable soup as a starter.

They were having a party in the evening so I put together party food late in the afternoon ready for the evening.  Some of this was provided by the young people themselves some from the shopping I had done.  I made mini pizzas using english muffins cut in half, cooked sausage rolls, made dips, cut up bits to dip and emptied crisps into bowls.  By the end of the cooked meal, there was plenty of food phew I was starting to feel tired.  I cleared up with help and got the party food out before heading up the road to our friends house for a much needed bath.

Up early again on Sunday for a slightly later breakfast, cereal and toast.  Lunch was to be all the leftovers from the previous day plus more soup which I needed to make.  We had to be out of the hall just after lunch so it was all hands on deck to clear and wash up and clean the hall.  By the time I got home I was exhausted and missing my children.  I had hardly seen them all weekend.  They had been out canoeing and driving a power boat on the Saturday with their dad and a friend and headed home after breakfast on Sunday.  It was an interesting experience not one that I would want to do regularly but good fun!