You may be wondering what these two things could possibly have in common, well the answer is that the handicapped women working at Shantineer (Peace House) produce both these items. In this Islamic context, the opportunity for me to talk with women is very limited, so I greatly appreciate those couple mornings a week I spend at Shantineer with the women.
Home-made peanut butter is probably my favourite snack food in the world right now. It might have something to do with the fact that it keeps really well without refrigeration, and so is the only thing I can eat with my crackers, but nevertheless CCH Peanut Butter is to die for! Well it might not be so good dead, but it's fantastic. There are things that I never realized were so easy to make. Get out the grinding stone and away you go, after not too long, with a little bit of oil and salt, you have all natural peanut butter. That's my update on my food situation and my mention of how much I love peanut butter, on to knitting.
As many people know, knitting is one of those hobbies I learned from Jess last year and have had some fun with it. When I found out that the women at Shantineer knit scarves, I decided I would go knit with them. It was a good way to pass the time and meet some new people. Then I found out that scarves were the only thing these women knew how to knit, what a shame! Needless to say, thanks to my parents for the knitting book with great pictures and some more knitting needles, the women are on their way to making hats and bags, and someday soon a child's sweater! A couple days a week, I love to go in to Shantineer, sit down and pull out some knitting, teach a couple new stitches to the women and give them some new ideas for things to knit. When you leave home for SALT you just never know what kind of serving you will do, and that could not be more obvious to me than when I am sitting there with women teaching them how to knit.
So, the story goes, knitting and peanut butter make my days go by, give me some protein and joy. Life is good.
Shanti.
Steve.
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2 comments:
That peanut butter is so darn good. I loved it. It made my day that much better.
Ah, peanut butter. It took on new meaning for me, too, while I was in Nepal a few years back. When I think back about the year I spent there I find I miss having the time to think & to read eclectically, and having an environment that challenged me to make new discoveries (about myself and the world) every day. Your blog suggests that you're really taking full advantage of the SALT opportunity.
Neat to hear that your knitting skills are proving useful.
All the best,
Nathan Funk
PS: We're seeing the first signs of spring now in Waterloo.
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