My Cabana Ministry

The cabana at my house USED to be an efficiency apartment. I've rented out almost 15 years of the 17 years I've owned the house. There have been more than a few tenants who moved in as an emergency situation and settled there while they straightened a few things out. (and one that never did, but he left anyway, thank the Lord!)

Anyway, I was at my Crown Financial Bible Study last Thursday and there is a young married couple there. They have an apartment on Miami Beach that they've been in for over a year. Long story short - it's time to renew but they are really having doubts due to the neighborhood, landlord, finances, etc.

I offered them the cabana, so they could take their time making a decision about where to go if they really didn't want to stay where they are now. They are moving in on Thursday, and plan on staying through December.

Isn't God amazing? I have space, they need space.....

OUR school has a caterer!

This was the memo regarding the menu for our "gala celebration" to celebrate the new artificial turf and stadium lights on our Upper School football field: (I'll try to find the photos of the halftime fireworks display and post them later.) The food was GREAT, but I don't even know what half of this stuff IS!


A Cocktail Gathering…

upon entering the gymnasium,
the guests are lured by…

Blue & Green Specialty Cocktail Bar

…a made-to-order selection of
classic & modern cocktails including…

the “blue margarita”
( gold tequila, fresh lime juice, gran marnier & a splash of blue curacao )


the “mojito”
( a cuban blend of rums, lime juice, fresh mint & sugar poured over ice )



servers move through the crowd with tempting trays of…

Butlered Hors D’oeuvres

mini “takeout” of pad thai

jumpin' honey-seared lemongrass shrimp

baby artichoke with chèvre,
black olive tapenade & sundried tomato

rustic pizzetta with
chorizo, manchego & romesco

cowboy slider

nantucket mini lobster roll

Cocktail Stations

Mezze

turkey shwarma in pita
offered with fresh cucumber, roasted eggplant,
red cabbage, shredded carrots,
harissa, tahini & tzadziki

fresh mint cous cous flecked with cashews

lemon tabbouleh with sweet tomato, onion & parsley

grilled eggplant, fire-roasted peppers
& marinated artichokes

feta, cucumber & tomato salad
with fresh mint

garlic hummus with baby vegetables

vegetarian dolmas

kibbeh

sesame breads

Bistro

citrus & spice braised short ribs
with creamy mushroom dolce polenta

salt roasted bosc pear & roquefort salad,
toasted walnut relish, lolla rossa lettuces
&
port vinaigrette


pissaladerie niçoise

a tart of caramelized onion & niçoise olives



Sushi Bar



sesame seared petals of tuna

sashimi of
tuna, salmon, snapper & white tuna

edamame

dancing eel roll, salmon rolls, vegetable rolls,
tekka maki rolls, california rolls
& popeye rolls

wakame seaweed salad
with yin yang sesame

asian vegetable soft spring roll
with soba noodles & shiitakes

peanut ponzu,
soy, wasabi & pickled ginger


Butlered Sweets

key lime buttercream cupcake

miniature blueberry & kiwi fruit trifle

grasshopper “milkshake”

miniature gelato cones
of pistachio & vanilla

miniature chocolate volcano


RE-laxation Lounge

… cushiony creamy couches rich with pillows
combine with elegant mahogany coffee tables …
flanked by side tables & cabaret lamps
in an elegant, yet bohemian style
offer a tranquil escape…

My kind of dog

God's smiling today

Welcome to Middle School Boy Behavior

This was an actual e-mail exchange between me and the parents of one of my new 6th graders. They both teach at the high school so I know them well. This is their only child, so mom is not quite versed on middle school boy behavior yet:

E-mail from me to them: We’re sitting outside in concert band today because the air is out in the band room and it’s stifling. I told them to take a study hall. The boys are all teaching each other how to make animal noises instead. Your precious one came to tell me/show me how talented he is at making fart noises with his armpit.

You are SO in the bell curve of normal 6th grade boy behavior. Isn’t middle school AWESOME!

Dad's response: Tooting sounds and bathroom talk are forever funny if you’re a guy. Humor always gravitates to 5/6th grade level.

Mom's response: Oh my GOD! He really needs to learn appropriate/inappropriate behavior for the situation. I know that he’s pretty competent at the flatulent noise, but we have talked about where it’s ok to do that – and where not. SO SORRY!! How do you stand them all day long?????!!!!!

Then I saw Dad after school. He just shook his head and said "Yeah. Mars. Venus. They really DON'T understand each other."

That's definitely a story worth re-telling.

Darwin was right!

Just plain stupid! Repeat after me: "Tropical Storms and Hurricanes are NOT playmates."

Ear Candy

David Byre and Brian Eno just finished a new collaboration "Everything that happens will happen today."

Enjoy!

TRUE worship

One of the reasons I left my previous church was that the new worship/music director preferred to work with professional musicians as it made rehearsals easier for him. Membership to the church or even belief in Jesus was not necessary. Meanwhile, members of the church with lesser talent (including myself) were left with nowhere to serve.

I've been attending my new church's Wednesday night service lately. The worship leader has his two girls (ages about 9 and 7) playing in the band. The pastor's 14 year old son is playing guitar, right next to the adults. The older little girl is playing piano and is growing more confident in her beginner technique. Meanwhile, the littlest one looks like "Little Miss Sunshine" and plays a MEAN shaker while singing her heart out. The band sounds awesome - if you closed your eyes, you wouldn't know the kids were there.

THAT, ladies and gentlemen, is what worship should be!

Tropical Triple Threat

I'm not sure if it's a record, but Gustav just hit, and now Hanna, Ike and Josephine are lined up like airplanes on a runway. Those folks at the The National Hurricane Center are MIGHTY busy these days.

I may just put the shutters up this week and leave them up until December.

The BBQ Song

The Mayor and La Fleur (from Georgia - Go DAWGS!) always say that a BBQ and a cook-out are two entirely different things. This little ditty should clear it up.