Afternoon Off

Monday, May 20, 2013

The long weekend is finally mine. Fed the group Scrambled eggs and sausage and toast - hot and cold cereals - yogurts and fruit salad for their breakfast. Prepared bag lunch ingredients - turkey, beef, salami, ham - humus - egg salad, cheese slices for their sandwich making. Cookies, fresh fruit and juice for their water bottles. The bus arrived and they boarded leaving the camp peaceful and quiet leaving the staff behind to clean and reset for tomorrows arrivals.
I cleaned the kitchen went to the cabin - laid down and fell asleep right away. A couple of hours later woke up from a deep sleep nap. Well that was not planned but Needed.
Ok - I still want to go find a geo cache so off to town we go..
What should had been a very peaceful relaxing time ended up in a little tiff - and not so joyful afternoon -- but all is good now - but !!!!!!!!!

Just another day same old same old

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Another day and another dollar - Well from feeding 120 people down to 42 feels like a holiday. I even managed to drive into town and did some banking - visit my mother and stop and buy coffees and go to the drug store. My left knee has been causing extreme pain and I was out of medicine.
Six years ago was the last time this group that is here now was at camp. It was the year before I was hired. I understand the kitchen did not run so smoothly and the food was not so good. The owner actually had to fire the kitchen people of that time. But that was then and today is now. I have talked with the leaders of this group - asking about the food of the camps they have been visiting - lots of process food and definitely not my salad bar option at lunch. They are so pleased and are giving lots of praise so far. So I have placed my self under this stress/ anxiety to make sure that the food is so good they will want to keep coming back to my camp.
I have fed them roast beef -scallop potatoes - cheese omelets - BLT - Lasagna so far not to mention potato soup - French Pea Soup - cookies - haystacks - red velvet cake and tonight nacho's for a snack



So on my way back to the kitchen to cook the evening snack -

Some closer

Went for a evening walk at Alice Lake to check on a new geo cache that I have adopted. While there I checked on another cache I had placed a couple of months ago next to the lake and I was greeted by this family. This is a great place to unwind a bit from the week of stress.
Today one of the girls came back to camp to collect her belongings that she had left behind. It was good to see her - got a hug and a chance to say goodbye - creating some closer to this grief that has befallen the kitchen.
This morning had a rough start to the day - had a little tiff with the camp director - we are all under a lot of stress and extra work loads because we are short staff all over camp and the remaining staff have to do the extra kitchen work. Anyways afterwards I was thinking that my two girls not only helped me get the work done but they also kept me calm. With my involvement in their lives seemed to keep me more hospitable and flexible with the other pressures of running the kitchen and dealing with the other staff. I really enjoyed having them around - no wonder I miss them so much. Interesting observation....
So it is the weekend - well not for Noni and I this group of 15 tables of 8 left and a group of 42 people arrived to take its place. They are here all this long weekend. then on Tuesday another school arrives. I do not know when I will get a full day off... I will take what ever time I can to relax when I can.

Life in the Kitchen ges on

Life in the Kitchen goes on

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Well it is day two within the short staffed kitchen . The other camp staff are working double duty doing dishes and washing pots and helping somewhat with general set up of our dining tent. They are getting the job done kind of - I am biting my tongue and closing my eyes to the standards I train my regular help too do. I really miss my two team mates. When will they be replaced ?- will they bond with Noni and I? Will they be good workers? - Stress ...........
Breakfast today was only 11 tables of eight - lunch we had 9 tables of eight and then as soon as they left we had our second meal setting of 13 tables of eight. Yes another day with just under 200 mouths to feed.
I cooked 49 pizza's in total for lunch and a large pot of chicken soup and our amazing salad bar.
Supper we had beef and I chopped and cooked 60 pounds of potatoes.. and made carrot sticks to place on each table for their vegetables. If I cook vegetables they often don't eat them , so I find if I give them raw they eat more and I have less waste.

All is not well

Alls is not well

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

What a surprise this morning when the owner of the camp met me at the kitchen entrance when I arrived to work. I think I wrote awhile back about a conversation I had with another staff that all the drama would not end well.
Well all I can safely say is that this portion of the drama has ended and it did not end well.

I am not a happy camper - I really liked my two helpers - and they were doing a great job. But this is No more.
I feel the loss - grief - sadness -- and there is nothing I can do about it.

Good bye my Friends --

Another Monday

It's a Monday Again

Monday, May 13, 2013

Monday - It was a good weekend. I accomplished all my plans on Saturday with my mother. Sunday I went to church came home to the cabin and just chilled for the rest of the weekend.
Fed 20 staff breakfast cheese omelets and toast. Lunch time the school group has arrived and I cooked 150 grill cheese sandwiches - tomato soup and approximately a 30 item salad bar. I think they ate 20L of soup.
Supper will be teriyaki chicken - rice - corn - jello... Vegetarians will eat cannelloni and the "high maintenance girl will eat fish.

My kitchen girls had a good weekend. I think it is official girl one is now dating boy one. Boy two is still around but she has made a decision - I actually caught her giving him a hug this morning...
I also was told that both boys ended up going to her home for the weekend. So I was making jokes about meeting the parents....
Girl two - not too much to report on -she went camping with her Irish lad on Friday night. Saturday night they stayed in her cabin since she had it it all to herself ... I understand they also made a quick drive home to her parents home on Sunday..

A Plan for the weekend

Friday, May 10, 2013

It's Friday and I am now finished work. OFF.
So I called my mother - we are going to go out tomorrow. I think as the plan stands right now will go to the Minter Gardens near Agassiz BC - have a look and possible soak at Harrison Hot Springs and may be a meal at Mandarin Gardens restaurant.
I am feeling a little tired - but I must spend some time with my mother - so tomorrow will be the day --I can rest on Sunday if need be. I hope to find at least one geo cache in all this out and about.