Last week

Needlework
Louise quilt - finish binding, add label
continue work on Tori's sweater
cut out 6 more aprons for craft fair
begin Christmas cards - today

Yesterday Tori and I wrapped Daniel up in duct tape. It would have been fun to take pictures as we went - he looked a little like a gladiator (except for the tightee whitees peeking out underneath.) I used the basic directions here to make a mannequin of sorts to display my aprons on at the Craft Fair next month. (The fair's only two weeks away but "next month" sounds so much more reassuringly distant.) I have 6 aprons already, and another 6 cut out ready to sew. Plus cards and chicken pincushions, and all the PTO fundraising stuff that'll get put on my table - I'm not worried about looking skimpy. It's as much a social venture as a profitable one, maybe more so, so whatever. I'll sit for a few hours, chat with people I don't see often enough. Drink too much tea, eat too many cookies, work on my knitting. A fun day.

It's been a busy week, and I've really looked forward to the weekend. I slept late yesterday, got the "gotta dos" done, and lazed for most of the rest of the day. Today I look forward to accomplishing something. I hope. Tori passed her permit test Wednesday and has already logged 4 hours of driving time. I won't allow anyone else in with us until she's a little more confident, but she's picking it up quickly. I can actually already breathe again when she's behind the wheel. It's quick, shallow breaths, mind, but it still counts as respiration. Good for both of us.

Thursday was the culmination of a year long project at the elementary school, much of which I missed. Vermont Farm to School provided resources and funding to explore the possibility of bringing more local food into the school lunchroom, and on Thursday we ended the year-long program with a Harvest Meal for close to 400. I offered myself up to the prep of the meal while the other two lunch ladies kept up with the day to day stuff normally done by all three of us. Monday I roasted 4 turkeys, and made enough dough for 400+ rolls (though I didn't have to make them, kids did.) Tuesday I cooked 30 lbs of black beans for a salad and made 45 lbs of local beef, 20 lbs of local potatoes, plus turnips, carrots, onion and peas (all locally grown) into a huge pot of stew. Wednesday I did it all again with ham, more potatoes, milk and corn for a cauldron full of chowder. Thursday morning I baked squash and steamed broccoli and cauliflower. Add to that baskets of muffins (local pumpkin and strawberry,) carrot cake, butter, honey, maple syrup, grape jelly, tomatoes, cheese, beet salad, marinated green beans... enough to feed a small, hungry army. Friday we had leftovers.

This week, only two days of school. Woohoo! And next week, Lisa, our Kitchen Manager is returning part time, so I might actually get out of there early a few times a week.

This week

Dinner Menu
Sunday - pot roast
Monday - soup and salad
Tuesday - spaghetti
Wednesday - pizza
Thursday - Thanksgiving
Friday - leftovers
Saturday - pancakes
Sunday - chicken cordon bleu

Needlework
continue work on Tori's sweater
finish aprons for craft fair
work on Christmas cards
start log cabin blocks for more chicken pin cushions