ONE WEEK LATER

THE DUST HAS SETTLED

since Mum died.... we have been to the probate office only to find my parents didn't have their own wills, only copies.  So a call to the Blackpool solicitors and now, 5 days later, I am still waiting for them to arrive.
The paperwork was unbelievable........... 4 pages on what money and assets Mum owned....almost nothing I might say.....together with 38 pages  (yes, 38) of notes.  Plus another 4 page form about her and all her relatives.  How many siblings died before her...that was easy.  But how many of their children are still alive...I have no idea.  We never saw the Sussex side of the family though cards were sometimes exchanged.
Then there were questions about Mum's aunts and uncles............... can you believe it?  I didn't and I had no idea either.  Oh, and their surviving children. 

Dad is doing well...he's very quiet and sleeps a lot but he is still reading a lot and enjoying a nip of brandy occasionally.

We have Mum's ashes on the coffee table at the moment.  She's in recyclable paper and card.  We are going to plant a rose bush and scatter the ashes round it.  There is a query about whether you need permission to scatter ashes but since folk do it all the time I can't see why a registrar would be needed.
so, next decent day we'll take Dad to the garden centre to choose a rose and have a cuppa in the café.  We need to get him out and about.

DIET AND FASTING

It's a week since we started the fasting diet and we will weigh in this evening.  We seem to manage the fasting bit OK, starting after the evening meal and skipping breakfast, soup for lunch and a slightly later evening meal so we fast for the 24 hours.  It means we have 2 alcohol free days so that's good. 
The calorie counter on myfitnesspal.com is really helpful. 

So what are we eating at the moment?   Sunday I tried a new recipe voted terrific by the menfolk.

BACON WRAPPED CHICKEN

Halve chicken breast pieces and wrap each in a half rasher of bacon...I used smoked.....you get more flavour for your money.

Peel potatoes and cut into small pieces, and some carrots.  Put in the roasting tin with some small onions.  Lay the chicken pieces on top and add fat...duck fat or butter or olive oil.  Season with salt, pepper, a tsp of thyme, and 1/3 bottle maple syrup.

Cook reg 6 for an hour.  Lift out the chicken and keep warm.  Leave the lid off, pour off the excess liquid and put the vegetables back for 1/2 more.  Serve with peas/beans/roast parsnips or whatever you like.

My oven turned itself off at one point but since I didn't notice for ages the timings are a bit hit and miss!

POT LUCK SOUP

All through the winter we have a soup pot on the stove.  I start with a good stock.....  either chicken carcase or clean veg peelings covered in water with onion, peppercorns and bay leaf added.  Pressure cook for an hour or so, strain and use.  Who needs stock cubes?

To this I add a handful of red lentils and a chopped onion.  Then diced carrot, diced squash, a bit of sweet potato, celery, a red pepper, seasoning and anything else in the veg rack.  Cook till all veg are soft then liquidise and adjust seasoning.
If it's too thick add passata.

As the week progresses I liquidise and add any left over veg.  It's really good for getting those of us who have hang-ups about veg to consume things we wouldn't otherwise eat!  Win-win.  I wash up the pot every week and start again.

FRUIT PUDDINGS

I bought lots of cooking apples at the harvest auction so it was time to  use them.  I stewed them and then what to do with it all!  We have lots of blackberries in the freezer so I made apple crumble, blackberry and apple crumble and an apple sponge pudding. 

Crumble topping
8 oz plain flour
2 oz sugar  (there's plenty in the fruit)
4 oz marg/butter

Rub fat into dry ingredients then spread over the fruit.
Cook 40 minutes or so at reg 6.

Sponge topping
Cream together 8 oz butter/marg with 8 oz sugar.
Mix in 4 eggs, 1 at a time, with a little flour from 8 oz SR flour.
When the eggs are mixed in add the rest of the flour and stir gently.
It should be what's called a stiff dropping mixture ie when you hold up a spoonful it should gently drop off.  If it's too stiff mix in a little milk.

Spread a layer on top of the fruit and use the rest to make a batch of plain buns.  It will make about 15 buns, fewer if you make muffin sized buns.

The buns take about 10 minutes at reg 4/5.  the sponge pudding will take longer....20 minutes +... but it depends on how thick the layer of sponge is. 
Stick a skewer or knife into the sponge to check if it's done.....it should come out clean.

LONG TIME NO BLOG!

It's such a long time since I posted anything here but life just got in the way.

First it was all the fruit and veg in the garden and I started jam making etc.
 

Then we had our holidays.
Then we had Messy Church to organise.

Then we had another holiday and came back with our granddaughter, who stayed for 6 months whilst she attended Bradford college.
And then our daughter decided she was getting married.....with a couple of months notice.

Then we took the granddaughter back and had a few days in France.

And so on............till  3 weeks ago when Mum was taken ill.  I spent 5 days at the hospital and then they arranged for her to go home to Springfield, where she died later in the day.  So then there was/is all the stuff that comes after a death. 

So here's to a new start.......we need to lose a bit of weight and so we, hubby and I, are going to have a go at the 5:2 diet.  The science seems to make sense, with the 2 fast days triggering the body's repair mechanisms, which results in weight loss and improved health.  I've tried cutting down generally....I always get up from meal still a bit hungry....that's deliberate........but I still don't lose weight.  SO........... let's hope that this will work. 

Today we weigh ourselves and set a target weight loss.  We're also going to measure our waists...apparently your waist should only be half your height and mine's a bit too big!  Of course, I'm the shape my Mum was at this age but that's no help is it?  She didn't lose weight till she was really, really old.....80 +....... so I need to do something now.

So, weight 64kgs
      waist   39 inches.............and I'm only 4ft 111/2 inches so something has to go!

Tomorrow is our first fast day....500 calories for me, 600 for hubby .... homemade soup and no bread at lunchtime and if we skip breakfast we'll be almost there.... if we can not snack this evening and have no alcohol then the fast will actually have started after this evening's meal so it shouldn't be so bad.

Foods for a sore mouth!

I've just had a tooth out.......rather a nasty one if truth were told.  The dentist had to loosen it first and then chipped a piece of the next door tooth before she managed to pull out the cracked tooth............so it's very careful, soft eating for a week till the other tooth can be fixed.

 Easy Corned Beef Hash

Chop up the contents of a tin of corned beef...... keep the pieces fairly big or they'll disintegrate completely in the pan.

Add them to a pan with a tin of baked beans.

Add chopped, cooked potato or a tin of new potatoes and gently stir it all.

Heat through gently, stirring carefully.  Don't let it stick to the bottom of the pan or it will burn.

Serve topped with a fried egg.

Quick, tasty and easy to eat with a sore mouth.

Ham/bacon and cheese omelette

Beat 3 eggs with a little black pepper.

Melt a knob of butter or a splash of olive oil in your pan over a moderate heat.

Fry bacon cubes or  ham cubes till just about brown.

Pour the egg mix in and swirl round to fill the pan.  It doesn't matter if the ham/bacon lands up all on one side.

Use a spatula to lift the egg mix as it sets so it doesn't stick.  Move the pan to keep the liquid egg moving till it's more or less set.

Add grated cheese.

Flip over one half of the omelette to make a semicircle (mine always break at this point!)

Cut in half and serve with salad (if you haven't got a sore mouth) or peas.

Brown sauce/ketchup is allowed!

Variations

Omit ham and/or cheese.  Add fine herbs or finely chopped parsley.  You'll need to add a little salt to the eggs if you're not using bacon.

Super scrambled eggs

If you have had a nasty time in the dentist's chair you need some pampering and a touch of luxury.

Beat 3 eggs with a little salt and black pepper.

Melt a knob of butter in a small pan; add the eggs and stir with a wooden spoon.

Keep stirring the mix over a lowish heat till it starts to set.  Make sure you don't let the eggs stick and burn.

Once it starts to set turn off the heat (you can always turn it on again if you need to) add smoked salmon pieces and stir in gently.

Eat and enjoy.  If your mouth isn't sore serve it on hot buttered toast.

NB If you let the egg mix get too dry you'll get a watery liquid which spoils the texture.

Easy Biscuits

Easy Biscuits

Ingredients

8oz flour, self raising is best (gluten free if necessary)

+ pinch of salt (it brings out the flavours)

5oz butter or margarine (soya margarine if it's for vegans)

beaten egg or milk to mix (soya milk, rice milk if for vegans)

4oz sugar, castor or granulated

Sifted icing sugar and halved glace cherries to decorate or glace icing and chocolate sprinkles or hundreds and thousands.

Method

Rub the butter or margarine into the dry ingredients.

Mix to a stiff dough with the milk/egg.

Wrap in cling film and leave in the fridge for 1/2 an hour or so. (this is not essential but it helps!)

Knead on a floured board and roll out to about 1/2 inch thickness and cut circles with a pastry cutter. Place on a buttered baking tray and prick with a fork.

Bake gas 4/ 350F/ 180C for 12 minutes or so until they are pale golden and leave for 10 minutes as the biscuits are fragile when very hot.

Put onto a baking tray and sift icing sugar on the biscuits whilst they are still warm. Pop on a half glace cherry whilst still warm.

or

use glace icing to decorate, with or without sprinkles on top.

This is a nice easy recipe to use with children.

A great site for really delicious recipes and good ideas visit:

http://www.bakerella.com/mix-things-up/

Hasselback Potatoes

Scalloped Hasselback Potatoes

by Shelbi Keith on June 7, 2011 in Potatoes, Sides

See this recipe post on Shelbi Keith’s site

Recipe Description

Cheesy, creamy, potato-ey!

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Scrub potatoes.
You need 2 wooden spoons with handles of the same width. Place a spoon on each side of the potato and start slicing the potato into thin slices. The spoons will stop the knife from cutting all the way through the potato.
Slice the butter into thin pieces. Alternate the butter and the parmesan, stuffing them in between the slices of the potato. Season the potato with garlic powder and kosher salt. Drizzle the potato with olive oil.
Bake at 400ºF for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and drizzle heavy cream over the potatoes. Top with cheddar cheese.
Place back in the oven for 10-12 more minutes. Remove and serve!

Ingredients

• 2 whole Golden Potatoes
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 piece (about 2 Inches Long) Parmigiano-Reggiano, Sliced Thinly
• ⅛ teaspoons Garlic Powder
• ¼ teaspoons Kosher Salt
• 2 teaspoons Olive Oil
• ¼ cups Heavy Cream
• ¼ cups Cheddar Cheese Blend

Utterly irresistible (and fattening!$) recipes

Chocolate Chip Lava Cookies

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups (210 grams) all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 (11.5 oz) bag milk chocolate chips (I prefer Hersheys)
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a standard size muffin tin with cooking spray. Place 1/2 cup chocolate chips in a Ziploc bag, and seal shut. Lay the Ziploc bag flat in the microwave, spreading out the chocolate chips in a single layer. Microwave for 30 seconds. Remove bag and flip, microwaving for an additional 10-15 seconds until all the chips are softened. Set aside to cool.
2. With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add egg and vanilla and beat until well combined. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Add to the wet ingredients and beat on low speed until just combined. Add the remaining chocolate chips (1 cup) and stir to combine.
3. Using half the cookie dough, scoop 1.5-2 tbsp of dough, flatten it out a bit, and place in the bottom of the muffin tin. Repeat for a total of 10 cookies. Cut a small tip in the corner of the Ziploc bag, and gently squeeze a layer of chocolate over the cookie. Scoop and flatten the remaining dough and place on top of the chocolate layer. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, until the edges are just browned. As soon as they come out of the oven, run a knife around the edges to make for easy removing later. Cool completely before removing from the muffin tin, running a knife around the edge to help loosen.
These are good as mini muffins, too! Try baking at 350 for 9 mins. Enjoy!

The picture is a muffin with ice cream and chocolate sauce!

I shall try this at Messy Church.

Read More http://www.kevinandamanda.com/recipes/dessert/chocolate-chip-lava-cookies.html#ixzz1tAUDkSvk

 This is one to impress the French neighbours with!

Baby Cinnamon Buns

1 can Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
1/2 cup (1 stick) softened butter, divided
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in the bottom of a pie plate. Add the brown sugar to the butter and stir to combine. Unroll crescent dough and pinch seams together to create one big sheet. Spread with remaining softened butter. Combine white sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the buttered dough. Roll the dough back up into a log, and cut into 8 cinnamon rolls. Place rolls in prepared pie plate. Sprinkle with any remaining cinnamon sugar. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Top with vanilla glaze (recipe follows) and serve warm. Store leftover cinnamon buns (who am I kidding??) at room temperature.
Vanilla Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
4 tablespoons heavy cream (or 2 tablespoons milk + 1 tablespoon butter)
1 teaspoon vanilla
With a fork, stir together sugar, cream, and vanilla until smooth and pourable. Add one tablespoon of milk if needed to thin. If using milk and butter instead of cream, heat the milk and butter in the microwave to melt the butter, then add to the sugar and stir in vanilla.

Read More http://www.kevinandamanda.com/recipes/breakfast/baby-cinnamon-buns.html#ixzz1tAVkmih8

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2AA97Z/:1NnNEyfS3:Q!wzKjLG/www.kevinandamanda.com/whatsnew/new-recipes/chocolate-chip-lava-cookies.html/

Video no-cook cookies

This is a super, funny video where the ingredients put themselves in to the bowl and mix up no-cook cookies. Click and enjoy!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/25/the-ultimate-no-bake-cake_n_1453282.html?ref=kitchendaily

Macaroni and Cheese Cupcakes

http://www.framedcooks.com/2010/08/macaroni-and-cheese-cupcakes.ht.

• Ingredients
• categorized
• original

• This recipe is vegetarian

• Cooking & Baking
• Salt and pepper (1)

• Pasta & Grains
• Elbow macaroni (8 ounces)

• Dairy
• Cheddar cheese (2 cups)
• Milk (1 cup)

• Refrigerated
• Eggs (2)

Preparation Read recipe preparation on framedcooks.com

More recipes to make you fat!!!!!

 I have just discovered this super recipe site thanks to stumbleupon.

Enjoy!

 /http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/90Jfnr/:$x5bM6Eh:Y.3X2c+e/punchfork.com/from/Framed-Cooks/

Black Pepper and Lime Fries

http://www.framedcooks.com/2010/06/black-pepper-and-lime-fries.htm

• Ingredients
• categorized
• original

• This recipe is vegetarian
• This recipe is gluten-free

• Produce
• Black pepper and lime fries (1)
• Lime (1)
• Potatoes, small wedges (1 1/2 pounds)

• Cooking & Baking
• Olive oil, extra virgin (3 tablespoons)
• Pepper, freshly ground (1)
• Sea salt (1)

• Dairy
• Parmesan cheese, grated (1/3 cup)

Preparation Read recipe preparation on framedcooks.com

Recipe........... Slutty Brownies

This is a recipe found on Stumble Upon......have you tried the web site yet??  Brilliant.  You put in a lost of interests and they find websites for you, different every time you click!  You find all sorts of stuff you wouldn't otherwise....hence this recipe.  I swear I have put on weight just reading it.  Definitely one for the holidays when I won't have to move for a while after baking/eating these very sinful brownies.

Find the recipes and more delicious pictures on
 http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2bFBhn/:1$E3._fbc:XgQpSHAm/www.thelondoner.me/2011/06/slutty-brownies.html/


For those who are gluten free here is another version.

I’ve only been gluten free about two months so I’ve not yet mastered the art of gluten free baking. To be honest I never really mastered the art of baking at all and many of the gluten free recipes I’ve found online look not only time consuming but risky and costly so I’ve not experimented as much as I used to. I have a serious sweet tooth so passing on cakes and cookies at social gatherings has been though but I know what the outcome would be if I chose to indulge which keeps me in check, but still longing.
Recently many of my non gluten free friends have been blowing up Facebook with a recipe for “Slutty Brownies“. Ok so the name is wildly inappropriate I’ll admit, but this dessert is a chocolatey trifecta! The bottom layer is chocolate chip cookies followed by a layer of Oreos cookies then topped with brownies – what’s not to love?
On Friday a coworker brought in a batch to work and gave me one to try. I sniffed it for awhile weighing my options then decided that choosing to intentionally gluten myself the day before a 12 mile run was nothing short of insanity so I opted to give them to another coworker.  I watched her as she sunk her teeth into this heavenly treat, creepy yes, anxious to hear her response, which went a little something like this, “I’m in love.” It was at that moment I knew I had to figure out how to make a gluten free version of the “Slutty Brownie”.
There are a lot more gluten free options in the grocery stores these days for everything from Bisquick to Brownies.  I’ve experimented with a few and have found that some have a funky aftertaste while others taste very much like the full gluten versions of my past.
For this recipe  I choose Betty Crocker’s Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix in a box, mixed according to the directions , for my bottom layer;  for the middle layer I used Kinnikinnick Kinnitoos chocolate sandwich creme cookies; and for the top layer I used Betty Crocker’s Gluten Free Brownie Mix in a box, mixed according to directions.  It took a whopping 10 minutes to mix and assemble the ingredients. I placed each layer in an 8×8 glass pan and baked on 350 degrees for about 40 minutes.  It was just that easy and even more impressive, I didn’t burn them.
I waited a total of five minutes before I cut into them for a little taste test. The consistency and taste of each layer was just as I remembered. I cut up the rest of the pan once they cooled.  I was worried that they might crumble or fall apart but they came out perfectly. I enjoyed three-ish brownies today, my kids and husband each tried one and everyone gave them two big thumbs up.   I will definitely make these again, but next time I’ll try to show a little more self control.

 http://www.glutenfreeislife.com/?p=4822

Messy Church takes over your life!

Or at least it takes over the living room.  We have so much stuff, all essential and no-where to store it in church so it stays here at the vicarage.

April 17th                   Theme.....Prayer

I plan for a dozen or so children and find by 3.45pm we have 27 children and 18 adults!  I have to go home for more jelly beans and we use up all the colouring sheets from Good Friday...thank goodness there were lots left over.

Snack this week....... hot dogs and ketchup....very popular.

Crafts..... cotton bud painting for tinies and water colours for older children.
Printing to decorate the Jelly Bean Prayer sheet
Puzzle sheets and colouring/drawing.
Books for a quiet read.

Service a bit noisy...the Easter Garden cuts down the space where the children can sit down but we had the story of the Importunate Widow, the Lord's prayer, singing and percussion and finished with quiet hymns.

I need to make more of the laminated hymn sheets with the qiet hymns on.

I stagger off with all the cover-up shirts to wash...how does little M get paint up the sleeves to the very top?

April 24th                Theme.... I am The Bread of Life

Crafts....making bread, I make the dough at home and we all shape a bread bun, after playing with it.  Thank goodness they are cooked before eating!

Playdough with rolling pins and shape cutters... this is rather sticky so lots of flour is employed and much fun (and mess) is had by all.  Much to my surprise the bigger children head for this table as well as the tinies.
Cotton bud painting and brush painting for the older ones

Puzzle and colouring sheets.  And plain paper added to this table by popular request.

We have sandwiches as the snack this week because we need the oven to cook the bread buns.

There are at least as many as last week.....J is trying to keep a register.

Fr D tells the story of Feeding the 5,000 and illustrates by sharing one of the very bread buns we have just baked.  Everyone is most impressed!

We need to keep the service part VERY short because some of the children have incredibly short attention spans.

IN A TOWN CALLED GROOM, TEXAS

 These photos and comments came via the internet.  What an amazing work .

IN A TOWN CALLED GROOM, TEXAS

This is about 70 miles from Amarillo outside of town
called Groom, TX.

(There is always someone stopped here to visit, pray, or meditate.

Trucks, buses, or single vehicles. Groom is a tiny town on I-40, but gets lots of visitors because of this.)

These are the pictures of the crucifixion of Christ, Sculptured from metal by a man near Amarillo, TX. The crosses are made of metal also. The man did this out of the kindness of his heart. Someone donated the land on which to erect them.

IN CHEMISTRY, HE TURNED WATER TO WINE.

IN BIOLOGY, HE WAS BORN WITHOUT THE NORMAL

CONCEPTION.

IN PHYSICS, HE DISPROVED THE LAW OF GRAVITY

WHEN HE WALKED ON WATER AND THEN LATER,

ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN.

IN ECONOMICS, HE DISPROVED THE LAW OF DIMINISHING RETURN BY FEEDING 5000 MEN WITH 2 FISHES & 5 LOAVES OF BREAD.

IN MEDICINE, HE CURED THE SICK AND THE BLIND

WITHOUT ADMINISTERING A SINGLE DOSE OF DRUGS.

IN HISTORY, HE IS THE BEGINNING AND THE END.

IN GOVERNMENT, HE SAID THAT HE SHALL BE CALLED WONDERFUL COUNSELOR, PRINCE OF PEACE.

IN RELIGION, HE SAID NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH HIM; 

 SO, WHO IS HE?

 HE IS JESUS!

 LET'S CELEBRATE HIM; HE IS WORTHY.

THE EYES BEHOLDING THIS MESSAGE SHALL NOT

BEHOLD EVIL.

THE HAND THAT WILL SEND THIS MESSAGE TO

EVERYBODY SHALL NOT LABOR IN VAIN.

AND THE MOUTH SAYING AMEN TO THIS PRAYER

SHALL SMILE FOREVER

 REMAIN IN GOD AND SEEK HIS FACE ALWAYS. AMEN.

IN GOD, I'VE FOUND EVERYTHING!

The Greatest Man in History, Jesus, had no servants,

yet they called Him Master.

Had no degree, yet they called Him Teacher.

 Had no medicines, yet they called Him Healer.

 He had no army, yet kings feared Him..

He won no military battles, yet He conquered the world. He committed no crime, yet they crucified Him. He was buried in a tomb, yet He lives today.

What an incredible display.This could be one of the last

surviving Christian symbols in the country!

Messy Church 3

I've been so busy I missed posting the last 2 weeks of Messy Church.  Tuesday of Holy Week saw a predictable absence of folk.  I don't understand why folk think that Church Services stop for the school holidays.  Messy Church/Family Service is NOT a playgroup or club.  It's a Church Service and so runs every week, just as Sunday Services run every week.  We'll just have to educate them I suppose!

Holy Week.....weather too cold for the Easter Egg Hunt and we only had 2 folk so we made cards and ate pizza and had a lovely time.

Easter Week... I sent round a text so folk realised we were 'on' and we had much better attendance.  Once everyone had arrived and was busy with stencils and pictures I went round the Church garden gaily dropping Easter Eggs and then realised that anyone passing could come in and take them all so I dashed back in, gathered the children, showed them my empty basket and they were off.  Soon my basket was full again and much fun was had by all. They fell on the pizza and garlic bread with relish! and then went back to finish off their art work whilst I bagged up the little chocolate eggs and chicks.

Our service:  we had lots of little ones so we did the 'where is ...., there she is...' song (See and Know) adapting it to 'come to messy church' rather than 'see and know'.  Then we had the Easter story whilst sitting round the Easter Garden, a percussion accompanied song and quiet prayers.  D blessed the eggs and we all went home clutching works of art and bags of goodies.

Wednesday I spent the whole day preparing the next 2 months Messy Church activities.  It took the whole day but by teatime I had a shopping list and 9 week's activities planned.  This is especially important because we are away for 4 of those weeks and our helpers need plenty of notice of what they will be doing.

Passover

Passover

Each Holy Week we have a Passover service, which incorporates a 3 course dinner. We have a form of service which has a similar form to the Jewish service but which incorporates the words which Jesus said as He shared the bread and the wine. During the service we remember the Exodus, eating bitter herbs (watercress for us) dipped in salty water for the bitter tears of slavery, unleavened bread (Matzos) eaten with haroset (chopped nuts, grated apple and a little wine) and we have a few hymns. We drink all the toasts.

Then dinner is served. If we could we would have a roast lamb dinner but with the numbers we have and the tiny church kitchen it's not possible, so we do what we do for Burn's Night and use the slow cookers. These are plugged in during the afternoon so the casserole is good and hot. We have a bread bun for everyone, casserole (veggie alternative if needed) gateau or trifle or fruit pie and cream for dessert, cheese and biscuits, tea and coffee.

Then before anyone gets up to go home we finish the Passover with a final toast, prayers and a last hymn.

It's a lovely service which helps us to follow in Jesus's footsteps during that last week before His death. Most people then go to the Maundy Thursday service and vigil, the Good Friday noon vigil and the Easter Eve service. By Easter Sunday we have walked with Christ, as near as we are able, and Easter comes alive again.

Organising it

We have a version of a bring and share meal....I work out what we need and then tell everyone what they need to bring. So there's no money to collect and we can accommodate last minute extras. I ask Mums to make the casseroles... they know what their family likes, single folk bring wine, some bring the cheese and biscuits, some bring desserts....one of our Polish Mums makes spectacular tray bakes so that's what I ask her to bring.

I get a small team to help set up the day before; this year it will be after Tuesday afternoon's Messy Church. We lay the tables, use place cards and generally make it look inviting. People arrive a little early to find their places.

One of the Polish girls said how nice it is to have a meal together and get to know one another. They don't do that in her church (not sure if she means in Poland or here in the UK) It's a really good way to draw new folk into the congregation. This year I'm expecting 40 but it could change as there's a nasty bug going around!


Images from Bitsela 


Tuesday


My husband realises there won't be enough service booklets.  Numbers have risen to 44 after Messy Church.


After Messy Church we get the tables set up and laid with place settings.  We really need to get more side plates...some have to use brightly coloured  paper side plates.  Still it looks very jolly.  D puts all the church candlesticks on the tables.  I hope I haven't forgotten anyone and that I've seated everyone with the folk they want to sit with.


At home I make a list of all the bits and pieces I need to take over tomorrow and then I count the slow cookers to make sure we'll have enough.


 Wednesday 12 noon


There's snow on the ground though it's thawing fairly quickly.   
The phone rings, it's one of the folk coming tonight and she says she's snowed in!  Since she's cooking the main course for her family of 8 she's not sure what to do and neither am I.  She doesn't really live very far out.  I try ringing her daughter and leave a message.  We can cope with a couple extra but if 8 of her family come without their share of food then there'll be a problem.


2.30pm I head over to church to plug in the slow cookers, turn on the heating and check over the tables.

2.45pm D arrives with R out keyboard player to set up for tonight.

 

3pm  Home for a while.

 

5pm Nip over to stir casseroles and turn down as needed.

 

6pm  Back to church to finish setting up....putting out haroset, matzos, salty water, watercress.

 

6.15pm  Folk start arriving and I am busy sorting out plates for desserts, cheese boards and putting out the bread buns.  The family of 8 arrives, minus the 2 girls who apparently have gone to town and not come back yet!  We open lots of wine.

 

6.40pm  I text the late comers and they soon arrive.

 

Looking down the tables I see we have Roman Catholics, Polish families, a charismatic (in the church sense) Frenchman, people from Lancashire and the Yorkshire folk.  Quite a mix. 

6.45pm  Passover begins with hymns and prayers very similar to those Jesus would have used.

7.10pm  We eat dinner.

 8.10pm  Dinner being over we finish the Passover with more prayers, toasts and hymns.

8.30pm The big clear up begins....church needs to be put back to Sunday format for the Maundy Thursday services tomorrow.

The dirty pots and glasses go to the Vicarage to be washed in the Vicarage dishwasher.  We stagger off home.