We all have things that we aspire to do when we have time. Something that I’ve always wanted to do is to get involved with Hospice in some way – ideally as a volunteer. Going through this crappy cancer journey has reminded me of this goal, since one of the goals of Hospice is to help people who are dealing with a life threatening illness live their lives to the fullest. I’m doing that right now, although I don’t needs the services of Hospice – hallelujah x 1 million.
The Organization
If you don’t know about what Hospice is, you’re not alone. A lot of people have no idea that this incredible organization exists, or if they do, they don’t really understand its purpose.
Generally speaking, when someone is dealing with a life threatening or terminal illness they need support. The family needs support. Hospice provides it. As people reach the end of their lives and are in palliative care, Hospice is invaluable.
Currently Hospice Peterborough is building a new facility on London street. It’s a huge endeavour. Here’s a quote from their website:
“The new London Street building will provide a welcoming, accessible space for Hospice Peterborough’s home support program, day program, caregiver support, grief programs, family support, wellness programming and administrative offices. The scope of Hospice is also expanding to include 10 private bedrooms, offering another choice for end of life care in the community and the first hospice care beds to exist in the City and County of Peterborough. This will complete Hospice’s transition to become a central hub for the delivery of hospice palliative care and grief support in our community.”
looking straight at the entrance
Building is underway!
The Pitch
So I’d like to ask a favour. Will you walk with me on May 6th to raise money for Hospice? It’s the day before my 53rd birthday. It would be the best birthday present ever! I will be in recovery from the chemo (although still having other regular non-chemo treatments) and I should be good to walk the suggested route (or most of it).
The Options
No walking – but can donate! Perfect. You likely live too far away, have small children or are too lazy. Haha!
You can donate by pledging to me that you will give me cash. Just let me know how much you can donate in a comment on this page, on Facie, by text or email, phone me, Insta, come over … OMG. Just let me know how much … then I’ll come after you!
OR….
You can donate by going to my team page on the Hike for Hospice website and clicking on “Donate”. There you’ll find a little ditty that I wrote. After you read it, you can donate something by clicking on the blue button. Easy peasy. (Or you could go to the Hike for Hospice website and search for my team, but that’s unnecessary.)
OR…. Walk with me! Outta site!!! Now that would be so much fun …
Just go to my team page and rather than “donate”, click on “join team”. From there you choose the type of participant you want to be. You can just walk, add a donation, or you can set your own fundraising goal and then harass persuade some of your friends to give YOU money for Hospice. This way you can compete with me to see who can raise more money. (I am very competitive, just sayin’.) If you want to do that, just set a goal for fundraising, and make your own donation (I didn’t do this the first time and it took AGES to figure out how to donate, not just set a fundraising goal…)
The Final Comment
I don’t generally like to hit people up for money, but come on. I have cancer, it’s (going to be) my birthday, and Hospice is awesome. Please walk with me and / or make a small donation to a great organization!!
xoxoxo J
My bald head thanks you. And all of the other parts of my body do too, but my bald head is the most thankful for sure.
Yesterday was my mom’s 83rd birthday … and today we celebrated! Since one of her favourite flavours is lemon, I decided to whip up a light and not too sweet lemon chiffon cake for her. I found the recipe years ago in an LCBO magazine. Could be wrong. Likely am. Chiffon cake in an LCBO magazine? But the font looks right. Check it out. Am I wrong?
Is it bad when you can recognize an alcohol focused magazine from its font?
Moving on.
I posted a few pics of the cake a year or so ago, but I didn’t really pay homage to the cake in that post (it was mostly about my neighbour’s horrible fire). So here’s a wee bit more about the cake.
It is not very sweet. Therefore, folks who don’t generally partake in dessert tend to love this cake. Namely, my foggy friend. Hates sugar, eats the cake.
There three ingredients which you may not have just laying around your house:
A shit ton of eggs. 7 in the chiffon cake, 7 in the lemon topping. Be prepared.
3 lemons – for the rind and juice (oh, no, don’t use the bottled lemon juice. dear god).
A nice big hunk of white chocolate – making large and attractive curls is the best part of this whole enterprise. (Unless you’re like me and forget and end up using a little piece of white chocolate from the bulk food store…)
There’s a lot of folding. And folding is not the same as stirring. Seriously. You must fold. There’s a technique.
The topping takes a lot of time. It has to cook and cool completely before folding in the whipping cream. Be warned.
It’s dead easy to make the cake part. Prep a 9 or 10″ springform pan. Then prep 3 bowls worth of stuff: the dry, the eggy mixture, the egg whites. Done. A bit of stirring and whipping and folding and Bob’s your uncle. (I know, he is.)
Basic ingredients:
Normal stuff. And note the CANADIAN flour. Love that!!
Comes out like this:
Not that impressive, right now, I know.
It’s also dead easy to make the topping … you just cook it all on the stovetop. (Maybe plan to clean out your fridge while it cooks for the 15 minutes. It’s a really long time when you’re not otherwise engaged in a task.)
Once cooled, do the folding. Look at this technique…
Up and over, rotate bowl. Up and over, rotate bowl.
For the Cake: Butter and line 10" springform pan with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 325º.
Sift together flour, 1 cup of the sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
Separate eggs, placing yolks in a bowl and whites in a larger bowl. Whisk water, lemon juice, oil, grated lemon rind and vanilla into egg yolks.
Stir wet ingredients into flour mixture.
With an electric mixer, whisk egg whites until foamy. Beat in cream of tartar. Slowly whisk in remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Take a large spoonful of egg whites and stir into flour mixture. Fold in the remaining whites.
Place batter in pan and bake for 50-60 minutes (until cake is golden brown, springs back when touched and a cake tester comes out clean). Cool in cake pan. Remove. Carefully cut into 3 layers with a serrated knife.
Lemon Filling / Frosting
Mix sugar, butter, lemon rind, lemon juice and eggs in a heavy pot. Stir gently over low heat until mixture is thick and coats the back of the spoon, about 15 minutes. You should be able todraw a path across the bottom of the pan.
Cool completely. Whip the whipping cream.
Stir one large spoonful into the curd to soften the mixture (important!! No lumps here, people!). Fold the remaining whipping cream in.
Spread a thin layer of lemon filling on each layer. Frost the top with more filling and smooth onto sides. Shave white chocolate all over top. Chill to harden lemon mixture.
