Egg salad and more

My last post, I mentioned that I was going to make 10 egg salad sandwiches for a Welcome Center fund-raiser for the Concert Choir. And I did. Last Friday evening, I stayed up late making the egg salad. I used the Cook's Country method of steaming the eggs - two dozen of them - for fifteen minutes, then putting them into ice water. That worked well. They peeled fairly easily, and I used a pastry cutter to smoosh them, mixed in mayo, mustard, chopped celery, pickle relish and salt. The egg salad went in the fridge overnight, and then early the next morning (6:30am), we left for the Welcome center. I took everything I needed to make sandwiches there, so that they would be really fresh: bread, knife, cutting board, cling wrap and labels, plus small paper plates and napkins. Ellen had a whole bunch of baked goods she had made: pies, cookies, quiche, donuts, etc. We met some other early birds there, got things going, and almost immediately were in business. At first, I was put to work slicing cheddar cheese for packets of cheese and crackers, and also to go with apple pie slices. When things were humming along, I made my sandwiches. They started selling immediately. Ellen and I were relieved by the 9:30a.m. shift, and half of them were already gone by then. Everything was by donation - experience has shown that you actually make more money that way - and they ended up netting $2200 for the day! Not bad! 

People flocking to our Concert Choir snack table at the Vermont Welcome Center. 

Nora, who chaired the fund-raiser, chats with customers while Ellen works in the background. My sandwiches are stacked on small plates in the foreground. 

So that was last Saturday. Sunday, we went to the Guilford Church service for the first time since we came home in August, which means the first time since sometime last May - over four months! We got a lot of hugs!

This week has been all about getting ready for this coming weekend of memorial events. There are a lot of details to attend to, but I think the events will be wonderful and Betsey will smile down on us. Tomorrow we go to Chestnut Hill, MA, for a full Episcopal memorial service, with choir and organ, followed by a reception. Sunday, Ellen will be preparing food for the luncheon on Monday, and I 'll be helping by cleaning up. Sunday eve we'll go to Hallelujah Farm to help set up. Monday is the committal service at noon followed by the luncheon at 1:00pm. 50 friends and family have said they are coming! So it will be a wonderful and emotional weekend!