Not more green beans!

The banquet hall

Terry and I attended the Red Heart Ball for Ronald McDonald House Central Valley last night. We had been asked to attend so that Terry could take photos of the evening. It was a lovely event with over 700 people in attendance to raise money for the local Ronald McDonald House for whom I have been doing some volunteer work.

Enjoying a glass of wine with the executive director

I got a good friend to volunteer at the house, and I went along for support and found lots of places where Terry and I could use our skills. Because Terry does photography for another nonprofit organization, one of the Ronald McDonald House employees asked if he would do likewise for them. Of course. It’s our way of giving back.

Last night, not only were Terry and I in attendance, but so was my friend who has been volunteering at the house. Here she is, pouring wine:

Another dear friend, who just retired from the same school where I taught for 21 years, was there last night with her husband who serves on the board of directors for Ronald McDonald House.

Dinner was a fabulous meal with filet mignon as the main course. The vegetable was green beans. I would usually be happy to see green beans, but we have been getting this veggie in our CSA box for the last four weeks. We have been eating a lot of green beans, so when I saw the ones last night, I sighed. Not more green beans.

Today, after operating the camera at church and teaching Sunday School, Terry and I came home to work on editing over 400 photos that were shot last night. It took much of the afternoon and suddenly it was dinner time. I quickly threw together some chicken patties, carrots, cornbread dressing, and, guess what?Green beans. Yep, we still have some left from that last CSA box.

This week’s project

A few months ago, while attending the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce monthly networking breakfast, I met a woman from Ronald McDonald House who was looking for volunteers to work with siblings of the hospitalized children who have to stay long term at our regional children’s hospital. Although not a task I was interested in, I knew of just the right person who would be interested.

A friend of mine, Gladys, with whom I worked for 21 years at the large inner city high school, had a granddaughter born with a congenital problem and had to remain hospitalized, in San Francisco, for nearly a month after her birth. The parents, and their other two children, were able to stay at the Ronald McDonald House there. Gladys wanted very much to return the favor, and she would be perfect for helping the siblings.

After much delay due to appointments and trips, we finally arranged a meeting on Monday with the volunteer coordinator. I went along to make the introductions, and to see the house for myself and what they offered. Gladys’s daughter-in-law wanted to help, too.

I did not realize that all cleaning and food services must be donated to the Ronald McDonald Houses as there is only a small administrative staff on site at each house. Seeing the kitchens in which parents could fix meals between visits to the hospitals, I realized this WAS an area in which I could help. The volunteer coordinator, Janie, said that hand-held, easy to eat foods were good for the families so they could take the food with them to the hospital. My Zody Red Wagon Pies would fit the bill.

Gladys and Corinna were planning to return on Friday to help with the siblings so I spent the rest of the week buying ingredients and preparing five dozen pies for them to deliver on their return trip.

I made apple, blueberry, blackberry, and peach: 

Some of the blackberry pies fell apart when I took them out of the pans so I sent them along to Gladys for her to enjoy:

The rejects

Upon my retirement, the girls in the business department gifted me with a cart which I used a lot in San Francisco. Since returning to Fresno, it has resided in the hall closet. It came in handy to transport the pies:

Pie delivery

Next time the girls go out to Ronald McDonald House, I plan to send berrocks. I’m glad they go on Fridays so I’ll have a whole week to work on the project.

Leap Day

It didn’t start raining hard yesterday until I was headed home from a very busy day. We desperately need rain here so it was a good way to end Leap Day.

The day had started very early in the morning, reminiscent of those days when I was teaching and had to be at school at 7 a.m. for department chair meetings. Yesterday’s meeting was farther south, in downtown, at the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Hub. It was a meeting of chamber members and guests to hear a couple of speakers and to mix and mingle. We learned more about a couple of job fairs coming up, sponsored by the California Department of Employment. As with rain, we need more jobs around here, especially for young people. The other speaker talked about how small businesses can become certified to bid on jobs for the State, especially CalTrans, the state transportation organization. Again, more jobs.

I also got to meet some new people and make some connections. One being a lady from Ronald McDonald House where we had donated my late friend’s bedroom set. This lady was looking for volunteers to read to siblings who stay at the house. I have a friend for whom this would a perfect activity.

The Hub serves breakfast for these meetings. This one was hosted by Mi Casa, a local Mexican restaurant, and chorizo burritos were served. Much better food than I ever got at those school meetings.

After the meeting, Terry and I walked down the Fulton Mall to see what was going on and to get some exercise. The daffodils are blooming:

We stopped at a fairly new business, Fresno Brewing Company, and had coffee. Cappuccino for Terry; cinnamon soy mocha for me. It was fun chatting with the owner about old Fresno and that fact that his coffee house was once a shoe store. I sure hope his place can stay around. He makes very good coffee, and the space is wonderful:

Terry and I parted ways at this point as he was going to check on his mother at the hospital, and then he had another meeting to attend. I would go later to work with the history committee at church. Although the deadline date is looming for the celebration, it seems that more changes are being made on the report. Grrrr. The stress is beginning to be felt in my back. Then, when I came home, as it poured rain out the kitchen window, I fell back into my old habit of stress eating.