Thursday 14 June 2012

Gazebo update and Strike One from my Summer "Bucket List"!!

Well, the weather has sure turned around.  We've had lots of sun and great temperatures.  Today, it's 15* and sunny, with a lovely fresh breeze blowing.  It's an awesome day for a long walk.

First, I have an update on the gazebo.  Roger has been making great progress....considering all the bad weather and the fact that he does work full-time.  He has the sides up and scaffolding in place to start on the roof.  He is considering taking a couple of days off next week to complete the roof and get the shingles on. 


Here's how it looks now.......


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Now, on to the Summer "Bucket List"....................... 

My Summer 2012 “Bucket List”
·         Have a few games of Scrabble
·         Sleep in a tent
·    Sit down with mom and get the last bits of information I need to finish her memoirs, that I’ve started
·         Do the Tely 10 (a 10-mile road race in St. John’s -- I’ve already registered!!)
·         Have several fires in our backyard and do “spider wieners” and S’mores
·         Watch the sun rise & set
·         Lie on the ground and watch the clouds
·         Take an early morning (and a late evening) walk on Signal Hill
·         Paint Mom’s toenails, roller-set her hair, and sit out in her lawn chairs with her and drink her homemade slush
·         Go on a date (with my husband of almost 30 years)
·         Spend at least one full day at the beach, complete with red wine, French bread and a variety of fruit and cheese
·         Play Frisbee
·         Eat Ice Cream at Moo Moos, in St. John’s
·       Make a cake mix, cut it into squares and roll it in (almost set) Jell-O, then roll the jelly soaked squares in coconut (just like Mom used to do for us when we were kids—yummy!!)
·         Walk the old rail bed (from the trestle in Gambo to the Middle Brook Park)
·         Pick blueberries, partridgeberries & bake-apples (Yes…me, pick berries!!)
·    Eat fries in downtown St. John’s (tried it last summer, but before I ate one golden brown, crispy fry from my vinegar soaked brown paper bag, I came upon a homeless guy sitting in a doorway, gave him my fries and 5 bucks and ran to catch up with my sister, nieces, daughter and mom
·         Take a nap in my new gazebo
·         Go on random midnight walk-with Lovey, of course!
·         Visit some place new
·         Spend an entire Saturday morning at the St. John’s  Farmer’s Market
·         Do the “lighthouse picnic” at Ferryland
·         Go “zip-lining” on the west coast of NL
·         Go for a walk in the summer rain
·         Make a cream soda float
·         Donate blood
·         Wear a dress

(I've highlighted the item that I have completed.  Yep, this morning, I was in the mood to bake, so I ticked # 14 off my list!!)


To make these squares, simply make a cake, following package directions.  Cool, after baking, then cut into desired shapes.


Prepare a jelly  according to package directions.  Place in refrigerator and let cool.  The ideal consistency for the jelly is just as it starts to thicken--do not let it set completely.  



Prepare your work area, with cake pieces, jelly (as you can see, jelly is a thick-lumpy consistency)and a big bowl of coconut. 


 Place cake pieces in jelly and cover completely....


 then roll in coconut..... 


 then set on a platter to cool.
   
 
When completed, place squares in 
refrigerator to allow jelly to 
      set completely.    

  

 
This is am awesome summertime recipe.  
You can use different flavors of cake and jelly.  
Today, I used a simple white cake mix and raspberry jelly.

This was a big treat for us, as kids.  
I'll have to get my mom to drop up after lunch and we'll 
have tea and cake squares!!! 

Yummy 
;o)

Let me know if you try these, you won't be disappointed.