Sound Bites & Snap Shots

My BBFF (best blogging friend forever) was braver than I to pull out a camera in the torrential downpour. 

Our church hosts what I grew up calling a church carnival.  Around these parts, they are called summer socials but our current parish renamed it last year as the Summerfest. No matter what the name, its main goal is to bring people together and to raise money for the parish. There are games, rides, entertainment and rides and a lot of volunteers help make it possible. 

We had responsibilities to be there every night from Thursday through Saturday.  Bill was coordinating the Boy Scout volunteers for the parking lot and the Cub Scout volunteers for the ring toss booth and I had a shift on Thursday night for Mother to Mother.  With two boys and two adults, we made it work but work is what we did.

As life repeatedly teaches us, there are things we cannot control.  Thursday when we headed down to set up the parking lot, the skies looked black and ominous.  I pushed my strong desire to go back home deep down, way deep down.  I got the volunteers for the parking lot squared away and headed to the booth for my Mother to Mother shift.  No sooner was I there than the skies opened up and the downpour happened.  It started lightening and all the volunteers took shelter in the school.  About an hour later, it had cleared up but by then I think the damage had been done.  The parking fields were really wet and the message that the weather was iffy had gotten out.  Consequently, the Thursday crowds were fairly light. Once the weather did clear, I did get to work my shift until 6:30 pm Friday night and I spent a lovely time with another friend catching up. 

Friday the evening forecast was no better but I was better prepared.  I wore rain boots and a poncho and I was pretty happy because I was dry.  The weather was again dreadful to the point that there was a tornado watch.  The fest shut down by about 8 pm. Despite the impending storms, the kids got to run around and hang out with friends, riding a few rides.  Mason and I even rode the Ferris wheel.  The pictures were again, thanks to my BBFF.

Saturday the weather was glorious.  Not a cloud in the sky threatened to dampen the festivities and the crowd responded in kind. My hope is that the coffers overflowed as the rain gutters had the nights before.   Bill and Walker worked a shift in the parking lot early afternoon, we went to 4 PM mass, and then our ring toss shifts started.  I worked with Mason and then Bill came over and joined us. At 8 PM, Bill sent us home so we could get the boys, specifically Walker, in bed because he had an early departure for Boy Scout camp in the morning.   

Besides volunteering our time, I made Perfectly Peppermint Brownies for the dinners that were served in the school building.  I love to bake even though I don’t eat any of what I make and I love to share what I make so that it does not stay in our house.  This was a great way to get to marry those wishes.  I thought they were very pretty when they were all cut and ready to serve.

The best kept secret is that I made these using the leftover candy from Walker’s Valentines.  I am always when what I have on hand can be put to good use.