Today marks our first event of the new season. Not that we have to do all that much but its the first time the residents are gathering for an activity. A potluck supper!
We started an hour later than usual this morning because we're working a split shift. The team arrived at ten and we promptly got to work setting up the tables and covering them with the white plastic table cloth type stuff.
Here's Chris and Carol getting the serving tables ready. Chris, in the forefront, used to be a campground owner with her husband Jim. Carol, in yellow, along with her husband George, used to workamp at Chris and Jim's campground. They became great friends and now travel the winter months together since they sold the campground.
The guys setting up chairs and putting out salt/pepper and sugar. (From left, Richard, Jim and George)
That done, our next task was iced tea making, hence the title of this post. Now last year, in all the months we were here, I was never given the job of making the iced tea nor was I ever around when it was made and therefore didn't have a clue as to how to do it. I've made iced tea at home many, many times but never for a five gallon container. Off to Jeannie I go to find out how many tea bags to use, the best way to do it and any other tips I could get from her. I didn't even know that we had these HUGE tea bags or that tea bags were even made that big! So Jeannie gave me the recipe for five gallons of iced tea and we got started. About 15 minutes later Jeannie happened to walk into the kitchen area but none of us heard her as we were all standing in front the stove staring intently at the pot, waiting for those first bubbles that would tell us water was starting to boil. She started laughing and said she didn't know that it took seven people to boil a pot a water. She also reminded us that this wasn't a government job and that it definitely did not take seven to make something as simple as a pot of tea.
We all got a laugh out of that and soon relaxed at the tables sharing funny stories of our RV adventues. So by some miracle we got it made and I heard it actually tasted pretty good....for unsweetened tea that is. Ewwww yuck! Soon it was noon and our morning shift was done. I sent the team on its way and I hung out for another hour following up on some phone calls.
We all met again at 4:30 as the potluck started at five. At a quarter till our guests started arriving and by 5:05 all forty eight of them arrived, dishes to share in hand. I made the welcoming remarks, Steve, one of the Activity Staff, said grace and it was time to dig in. Let me tell you right here and now, if anyone went home hungry it was their own fault.
We had only two little mistakes made. First, we had the food table up against the wall because crock pots were plugged in but we unplugged them very quickly and pulled the table away so the serving line could go down both sides of the table. That made the line move much quicker! Secondly, we didn't have dinner music playing. I just didn't think of it. Bob mentioned it as soon as I sat down and when Jeannie came in later she asked where the music was. Afterwards, talking to workampers and guests alike I found that it wasn't even missed and some were actually glad there wasn't any playing. I look at it this way, if these were the only two mistakes made,,,,WE DID GOOD!
So there it is, our first "event" if you will, down. Many, many more to go.
No comments:
Post a Comment