Being Prepared!

guide-badges
Rev. Master Jiyu’s Guide badges.

‘Be Prepared’ our motto went! Early training as a Girl Guide stands me and so many other ‘Guides’ in good stead. Perhaps especially at this time of year with festive meals, well let’s say multiple days of festive cooking. But there is a shadow side to being prepared. That’s being over prepared; with anxiety-driven days of to-do lists and recipes to ponder on. I have got a policy of not bringing recipe books out of the kitchen office however, deep breath, there is internet searching isn’t there!  And once a recipe has been found  the ingredients need to be multiplied, but by how many times? I see the ‘meal count’ at the moment stands at 23 and that should hold true for weeks to come. No coming and goings as is the case usually as we segway into January.

Ah, January 2020! Memories of so many people here to cook for the community. So many arrivals and departures. Keeping track of the meal count was a real challenge at times. And yes people were serially dropping like flies with a heavy cold/flu. Many now think, on reflection, that we had the virus Covid, early but I have my doubts.

Back to being prepared since this is very much to the fore at the moment. Yesterday, perhaps later than was good I realized, with cold clarity, repeating a mental laundry list of the multiple projects I need to be prepared for is NOT HELPING! Not helping me to actually get stuck in and prepare in an orderly way (another early-learning Girl Guide thing). So one last time and for the record there is; meal planning for six days from the 22nd, talk preparation for the New Year Retreat 28th – 1st January, ceremonial preparation for the Secular New Year Ceremony.  And then prepare for the ceremony on the 1st remembering Rev. Master Jiyu.  (January first being her day of birth, making her 90 years old this year. Had she lived on). See her Guide badges above, she was in the Heather Patrol and that’s her second class badge along with her GG badge, shamefully unpolished!

Having paused, reflected, taken refuge by writing here, having decided NOT TO vacuum my carpet! I’ll get stuck in. Activities such as dusting, taking a walk, sorting out cupboards, cleaning, while ‘good’ to do, need to be recognized for what they sometimes are.  Displacement activities! If reading this has assured or comforted you to know others can become drowned in details it has been worth writing. A post was well overdue and one of the ‘must do’s’ on my project list.

Merit to all cooks and cooking activities everywhere these holidays. It is a joy to nurture friends and family and to create beautiful meals. BTW I volunteered to cook next week. What a privilege, what a joy.

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3 thoughts on “Being Prepared!”

  1. That was lovely. Thank you. Good luck with the cooking. Wish I was there and could help you. However, we are going to be treated to roast cauliflower next week by a close friend, which will be lovely. In gassho

  2. Yes,over-preparedness can be less than helpful.But “be prepared” is a good motto.
    It’s poignant to see RM Jiyu Guide badges. They seem to speak over the years.

    Good cheer with your kitchen stint.
    Everything you produce will be delicious!
    In gassho

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