Saturday, June 28, 2008

VBS or Bust!

Vacation Bible School came to town recently. 35,000 little people parachuted into the church and ran rampant for 5 days. 200 adult volunteers were driven to drink, and 100 teenagers had a head on crash course in birth control through interacting with the logical consequences previously addressed as the parachuting pixies.

I kept notes all week as ideas came to me about sharing the experience with my readers, but the insanity hit hard around 5 each day, and I ate my inked words. All I have now is indigestion and fading recollections.

The mass was divided into groups and were expected to follow birdhouses on sticks. I dreamt bird dreams all week.

There was so much activity flowing through the hallways, that the construction crew forgot how to construct. On Friday, when I left, I poked my head in the -now- gutted Sanctuary, and I swear I saw a giant Birdhouse where the altar used to be.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Messy Chef Summer somethings

I've been messy cheffing for a camp at home church for a few days. Here is one of the desserts that get requested each year. For the kids' camp, we just call it "Seconds"
Second To Sex
1C. all purp flour
1 stick butter
1 cup or more pecans
Melt butter in a pan that is about the size of a manila folder. Mix flour with it and press into pan Add nuts and press into crust.
Bake 350 til golden. Cool
Meanwhile-
1 sml package of instant chocolate pudding
1 C milk
Mix and set aside
Next-
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
½ or ¾ C XX sugar
6 oz cool whip ( ½ of a 12 oz container)
Mix and set aside.
Save other half of coolwhip.
When crust is cool- layer this way:
Crust
Cream cheese mixture
Pudding
The rest of the coolwhip
Eat a corner, then cover it up and put container in frig.
Will keep well for just a day or two.

Friday, June 13, 2008

Delayed reaction

Something is happening around here. It's been building up for several weeks, like a storm on the prowl. I have been trying to keep myself behind my desk to avoid catching the mystery, but i got "bit" anyway.

The symptoms are disorienting. I woke up one Wednesday morning and thought it was Saturday. I came to work in shorts and tennis shoes, hoping to get some cobwebs off of my desk. I thought everyone else must have had the same idea because everyone else was here, too.

Everyone AND some extras. A few kids roamed the hallways before lunch.

About 3pm, I got a call from a church chick friend. "Hi. What are you doing?" I asked.
" I"m working on meeting minutes, how about you?" she commented.
" I'm trying to clear my desk a little bit. Hey- how did you know to call me at work?"
" Well, it's Wednesday. Aren't you usually at work on Wednesdays?"
I looked at my watch. The day/date blinked at me. "Has it been Wednesday all day?" I asked.
" I'm not sure, but I think that's how it works. Why?" she asked.
" Well, it's just that I woke up in Saturday and somehow I'm now stuck in Wednesday afternoon."
" Probably Alien abduction"
"It's not just that. I've lost my focus, too."
" Like you ever had any?" she smirked over the phone to me.
" No, really. Something is going on. I'm seeing littler people in the hallways, and I've been obsessing over bringing my lap top and beach chair so I can work on the lawn before it gets too hot outside."
"Oh. That's what you mean about something going on.... School's out. Summer's on the train into town, and, like a cold front, it is pushing time and focus out of the way."
I felt myself slump into my chair.
For a moment, I was homesick for summer vacation. The days of being at the pool all day.

I felt a click click click inside my head. I think it was a delayed reaction to reality.

Somehow the old days of pooling equated with today days of wearing shorts to work. No matter the shift, the feeling remained. It still feels like summer, and that's a good thing.

I look forward to the coming weeks. I'll get lots of prep work done for Fall without a push from the clock. I'll clean out my closet, and watch the birds feed at the window. I'll enjoy the chaos of Vacation Bible School, and I'll stay in a constant state of confusion because every day will be different. Different staff ( Who's on vacation this week?), different friends ( my how your child has grown!), different spin.

Hello, Summer-