This coming weekend Mary, Rhonda, Renate (AKA Sam), Penny, Alison, Phyllis and I are having a reunion at an Air B and B house we rented on Kalamalka Lake.  As you may know, I met some of these women in grade one when we were six, and some came later over the years.

Sam’s coming from California tomorrow, and Alison will arrive on Thursday, then Friday we’ll head to the house to meet the other four women.  Naturally I’ve gone berserk with baking, cooking, gardening and cleaning in preparation.

Due to all of the food prep, I lost my mind for a moment and put my plastic bowl from the Cuisinart onto a hot burner.  Imagine my surprise when I went to pick it up a while later only to find it had glued itself to the ceramic cook top.  I did get it off, but it never fit onto the base again as it was warped from the heat.

For Christmas Nicky gave me a powerful Ninja brand blender.  I wondered if it could sub in for a Cuisinart, so yesterday I put in some raw cabbage to see if it would shred.  For some stupid reason, I pushed on the cabbage and sliced the Bejesus out of the middle finger of my right hand.

Blood began pouring out, so I wrapped it in a paper towel and checked every few minutes.  Nope, not gonna stop bleeding as it was a deep gash.  I then thought oh crap, I have so much left to do in the house to get ready for the women I’d better get it stitched so I can continue to work.

I hummed and hawed, then drove off to the Orchard Park Medical clinic.  I was all excited at the light as I could see there weren’t many cars parked there, however when I arrived the reason for that was clear as it was closed!  I then went piffle to the cut and drove home.

I bandaged it up very well, but strangely no matter what I do, I seem to hit that finger.  I can’t wring anything out, chop or prune as those motions are killers on the cut.  However, in a few days it’ll be a distant memory, though hopefully one I remember every time I use the Ninja.

For everyone’s enjoyment while here, I made two kinds of muffins, buttermilk oatmeal and bran.  And for the weekend with the women I made a three layer chocolate chunk torte for our desserts, and a banana loaf for breakies.

For dinner tomorrow Sam’s getting wild salmon topped with giant shrimp and all covered in a rich cream sauce.  I have broccoli and cucumber salad for the sides; then homemade panna cotta for dessert.

On Thursday it’ll be lasagne with garlic bread and Caesar salad followed by meringues filled with a mixture of strawberries and rhubarb from my garden.  Then on Friday Alison’s volunteered to take over the cooking duties for the seven of us for the weekend.

On Sunday we’re renting bikes and doing a 26 km trek on the new rail trail, so I hope I can survive that given I haven’t been on a bicycle in 35 years.  I’ll keep you posted.