Mama Jo takes on PEI: Blissful, hopeful, and powerful.

This week started off with a head ache! It was Career Day on Tuesday, a day where all of the big wig restaurant and hotel employers came to Holland College to convince us to work for them. Among the selection were Delta Hotels, Algonquin Hotel and Golf Resort, Stanley Bridge, Hoffman Hotels, and Mission Hill Family Estate Winery. It was an overwhelming day but a great opportunity to get to know potential employers. I left school that day with my head swimming with possibilities and opportunities. I didn’t feel like doing anything when I got home but sitting on my bed and crying. The prospect of working in PEI for a season would be great. I could live on site at some of the resorts or stay in Charlottetown. I could have a wonderful summer baking pastries by day and strolling the beaches and warm Island evenings by night. But, I want to go home. I want to work in Ontario, be close to my family, and settle down somewhere familiar. But I feel like I am abandoning the Island if I leave so soon. Shouldn’t I stay for another year at least, build more on the friendships I have formed, spend more time with the people I have to come love? What do I do?!?! After talking to the Chef about my dilemma he gave me some very reassuring advice, “This is only the first step. You don’t know if you got the job yet. Just apply and see what happens. And what happens, will happen.” If only all of us could benefit from such rich Austrian wisdom. With those sweet words still ringing in my ears I didn’t waste another thought about what my future holds, I got this far, everything else is just a bonus.

Thursday was one big finger nail biting day. I was informed that my sister had started labour contractions early in the day and my niece was on the way. All day I kept my phone on, checking it every 10 minutes, making sure the volume was audible and loud enough for me to hear over the noise in the kitchen. Impatiently I texted my mother demanding updates. The reply came back the same, “Nothing yet, these things take time, be patient.” What made this day especially hard was the reality of my distance from my family. When my nephew was born, I was only and hour away and I saw him 3 days later. But three provinces lie between me and my family and I don’t know when I will get a chance to meet my niece. Although my family is only a phone call away I am missing the tangible joy of a new life coming into the world. I’m not there to hold my niece and tell her about all the trouble her and I are going to get into. I’m not there to hug my sister and family and play trains with my nephew so he doesn’t feel left out. To ease my anxiety I alerted the good ol’ prayer chain and placed my concerns for the health of my sister and niece and my grief of being so far from home in the capable prayerful hands of my Island church family. With no news of the baby, I went to bed heavy hearted and exhausted. However, an hour into a glorious and deep sleep I was woken up by the sweet sound of my phone ringing. She’s here!!! A precious little girl, Kenzie Catherine Elizabeth, 7 lbs 4 oz, born 8:15pm January 26. I am an aunt again!!! To sweeten this news just a little I won a bet with my roommates on what time she would be born and what gender. Thanks Kenzie, I am $4 richer now, you and I are going to get a long just fine.

The rest of the week was ten times better! Friday night was a wild night out with Charlottetown Community Church, we hit up the bowling alley like a herd of uncoordinated cackling geese. I haven’t been bowling since I was 16 but it came back surprisingly quick. The night was a success for me with 2 strikes, 3 spares, a handful of gutter balls, and one sore left butt cheek from all the awkward bowling lunges. It was a great night and I came to the conclusion that I need to go bowling more often. There is nothing like strapping on someone else’s shoes and rolling a five pound ball down an over zealous polished wooden floor to knock down 5 pear shaped pins. Sign me up any day!

Sunday was a truly fabulous and pleasant day. The morning was filled with rich and tangible holy moments. The church service was dedicated to diving out of your comfort zone and plunging into elongated and abandoned worship. We sang what felt like a dozen songs, spent a lot of time in quiet prayer and reflection and let God speak to us. I felt His presence thick and strong on my heart. I felt His hand guide me into His rhythm to steady and reassure my heart.

In the afternoon I spent two glorious hours getting reacquainted with my favourite parts of the city. I took a long stroll down by the wharf, zig zagged leisurely through some quaint and quiet streets, absorbing the colourful houses and breathing in the elegant age of Charlottetown. It is on these quiet walks when it’s just me and the city that I feel at home and that I could fold into a permanent life here without a seam.

As I rounded one scenic street I was awestruck by a magnificent, three story, stone grey, red roof and evergreen trim house. I just had to stop and stare at it. When I walked down the street a little further I found out my dream home was for sale! Upon further investigation I discovered it had 8 bedrooms, 7 full bathrooms, 2 half bathrooms, a dinning room, library, den, chef kitchen a.k.a dream kitchen, and 3 car garage. And it’s only $1,100,000. That dream didn’t become a reality today but I still hold onto to the hope that someday it will.

I realize now that I didn’t put a word in about what I made this week in the kitchen. Better late than never. Due to awkward scheduling and I only had three days in the kitchen this week because of Career Day. Within those three short days I managed to make apple crisp, orange chocolate pudding, cookie dough cheesecake and chocolate cupcakes. I’m disappointed that I didn’t challenge myself more but three days is a small window to conjure up a new recipe and bake it to perfection so the general masses can enjoy it. I won’t have a chance to bake for another two weeks because I am in chocolate rotation next. Just in time for Valentines Day too, yeehaw it’s gonna be a busy two weeks.

Well that’s all for me folks, I have had a blissful and full week and I need me some sleeps. Good night J