Table Ministry....

The first thing this morning (Tues), 10 am, was staff meeting. It was a recap of last week’s events and a look ahead at those scheduled in the next two weeks. Murlough House will also offer Christmas Luncheons and Dinners in December. This will be advertised and hopefully the local people will become more acquainted with the facility and the ministries. (And I’m just realizing what that might mean to me…prep work!)

View from the kitchen sink

After the meeting we began work in earnest. It was prep, prep, prep, prep and some more prep!! Wednesday is the One2Four and we are expecting 55-60 guests at Oasis.  Deirdre has worked hard all day and Bebe and I have helped until we couldn’t do any more, took a rest and helped some more! There are five big Shepherd’s Pies ready for the oven, a giant pot of potatoes peeled and sliced for roasted potatoes, four large bags of carrots peeled and sliced ready to cook. We’ll also serve green beans.  There are two trifles, a pear/red and black currant crumble (in an industrial sized pan), shortbread, pear tarts and gluten free cookies.

We have washed pots and pans and measuring cups over and over and over! (Richard keeps a few pots of flowers in this little passage way so that we have something pleasant to see as we wash dishes...and Richard does his share too! The cat is named for the Bronte sisters' brother--can't remember the name.) The only time I breathed in the outside air was when I answered the door bell three times for three different guests. When Ken arrived, he said “I heard there are new interns here”. I answered, “Yes, I’m one of them”. He was a bit surprised that I was not in my twenties which is the ‘normal’ age for interns. The Advisory Board had come for a meeting but Kieron had not put it on his calendar. Bebe and I served tea, shared our story with the board and came back to more kitchen duty! However we made a couple of contacts for how to work with seniors!  One on the board is a retired doctor who arrived on his bicycle. It’s at least a mile or more from Dundrum out to Murlough House. He walks with a cane but apparently that doesn’t restrict his cycling.

Shoeboxes for Samaritan's Purse

Wednesday!! The work on One2Four was from before 9 am until after 4. We finished up cooking, packed up all the food in three vehicles and took off for the Oasis. I followed Richard on a different route than the one we took Friday. Des and Irene had set up all the tables with linens, cutlery, glasses, and fresh flowers (greens from Irene’s garden supplementing the purchased miniature carnations). I set out the pens I had brought with “Murlough House” on them and Des put out our information survey forms. Then the guests arrived! Several brought shoeboxes for Samaritan’s Purse, Operation Christmas Child.

After lunch was served, I told them a bit about me and Bebe and explained the purpose of the surveys. I also told them about the Christmas Lunches and Dinner to be offered at MH. Then the entertainment….a retired surgeon brought an array of “instruments” explaining tone, rhythm and such. He used a garden hose, a piece of pvc, a balloon, a penny whistle, a violin and a cornet. It was a nice program!!

Then came the washup and loading everything back into the cars. Deirdre left us to go be with her daughter who is having a baby tomorrow!

Back at MH, we unloaded and put away the leftovers, the clean pots and pans, the dishes and the other supplies. Then Bebe and I compiled the surveys. We found that this group is very interested in day trips and even had a few suggestions. We hope to get at least two arranged in the next few weeks.

Jenn Shilladay was invited to have a booth with her pumpkin pies at a craft show in a nearby village this Saturday. I thought it would be good to pass out fliers about the Christmas Dinners so I asked Sarah if I could make one. She gave me all the information, we had it approved by Keiron and will get that run off tomorrow.

Jenn invited me to go with her to a craft class at the Presbyterian Church in Newcastle so at 7:15, I was off and down the lane. Bebe opted not to go. The craft class was nice and I met a few folks. We did some painting on glass and made a Japanese “ball” out of folded paper. We came out of the church just at ten. As I was warming up the car, I spotted Leonard walking down the street.

Newcastle is only 4-5 miles away but about 15 minutes. The narrow winding road runs along the sea part way and is a nice drive. Really nice.