Wednesday, November 16th

Wednesday is usually a fun day for yours truly, but alas there are still too many things to do, commitments complicated by not enough fun things getting on my agenda.   Larry & I went for a short bike ride, we made about 3 miles.  We intended to visit the donkey as we have heard it braying quite often, but with Gary not being along to feed it an apple, we opted for a short ride today.  Although the donkey is quite a ways from here we hear it calling, but there is no doubt it is looking for attention.  On returning, I adjusted Larry's patio door as I had left it until they used it a couple of days and told him he had one more adjustment remaining under the warranty.  Hah!
  When I returned it was time to head to the kitchen.  Marg had warned me before coming down and most of the trip down here, not to volunteer us for anything this year.  On arriving and discovering our breakfast team had folded we were anticipating much more free time.  You can imagine my surprise to learn we were working the potato bar, Thanksgiving dinner and seem to be on another breakfast crew.  It was a humbling moment when she confessed to me that she may have made these commitments.  Not only made commitments, but to the busiest kitchen team in the park.  I am still in shock, so can only say - we'll see how it goes.  The couple that head up this team are great and we really enjoy their company, but - well; we'll see how it goes.  Anyway, I digress; it was to the kitchen to scrub 4 sacks of potatoes for the park-wide potato bar for supper.  Some of the biggest potatoes I have seen and very tasty as well.  Later on, a guy asked why his was cut-off on the end.  I told him it was so we could get it through the door, LOL.
  After finishing the potato preliminaries Marg went to water aerobics.  It seems there was some interest from guys in the park and the current group want to keep it ladies and let anyone else organize a men's or all-inclusive event if there is interest.  Not really sure if there really is interest or if it just another example of this gender neutral phase society seems to be going through.  I can see this among the next generation, but among seniors?
  A quick lunch and then back to the kitchen.  The potatoes had to have bits dug out of them and them slathered in oil to be put on baking sheets and in the oven.  There were so many Gary had the convection oven full as well as the stove oven.  We got close to 2 dozen on each sheet or tray and they were full.  We tried to group them by size so they would all cook at about the same rate.  He said it was from 1 1/2 to 2 hours until done.  We also had to set the rest of the stuff out and get the slow cookers all ready.  There was:  chili by the bowl by the bowl, soft cheese, onions, bacon bits, sour cream, broccoli, butter, etc. to dress up the potatoes.  By 5 we were ready when the hungry hoard descended on the hall.  My job was to squeeze the potatoes and make them pop open so butter could be added.  Marg was adding the butter the spuds and serving the counter which included the chili bowls.
  It was a good crew and by the time we cleaned up it was a little after 6, so not too bad.  These events are fund raisers for the tenants association in the park and the proceeds are used to pay for events for the good of all.  The upcoming Thanksgiving turkey dinner will have the turkey, dressing and gravy supplied while participants bring their side dishes.
  Kenny & Doris had stayed back and helped a bit with the clean up, so we had them over to sit out and have a glass of wine before calling it a night.  Well they had wine, I had a brewski.