The idea behind the bucket list [which I personally feel is overused, but here I am using it] is to make a list of things to do or accomplish before you kick the bucket. Well, I don't plan on kicking the bucket soon, but I do feel summer days are numbered. I have 6 more Tuesdays until I am on summer holidays. I don't want to miss out on anything and since when we go to the beach in the summer we use sand pails, I decided this list would be dedicated to things I want to make sure I do this summer. I present to you....my Sand Bucket List. 1. In the downtown across the street from the historic and possibly haunted Bessborough Hotel is a red double decker bus called Bus Stop Refreshments. I have never gone there. The reviews are mixed. It's been there forever so I don't think we have anything to worry about. It might be fun to have lunch and eat it in the park or have an authentic froyo. I want to make sure I hit this place up!The Wheels on the Bus Go....Hot Diggety Dog! 2. Last year I vowed I'd go on a river boat cruise. How did that work out? We didn't do it. It only costs $40 and is a beautiful cruise down the South Saskatchewan. I've been on cruises in Seattle and NYC....why haven't I done it in my own city? Shearwater Riverboat Cruises.A One Hour Tour 3. Of course I will spend time reading books. I think that's a given. I want to spend some time at McNally Robinson book store. I always forget what pretty gifts they have there. Inside the bookstore is an eatery called Prairie Ink. I want to browse books and enjoy some time in the restaurant. There is no blog for this one. I didn't do it. Well, I sort of did it. I went to Indigo books because I had a gift card. 4. This weekend we are going to get out and scratch in the dirt. My flower/shrub bed looks a disaster. Lot's of plants are already poking through. It's tough on me to get out and work in it during the day due to my sun allergy, but I plan on spending many an evening tending to it. The best part is then enjoying time on the patio swinging in out deck glider, hopefully not swatting mosquito's, but gazing at sunsets.My Natural Habitat 5. Football! OMG FOOTBALL! Even before the football season starts.....there will be training camp and if you've followed the news or not....Roughrider training camp is taking place in my very own city. I hope to be able to attend at least once. That starts June 2nd. At the end of that week they hold their annual Green & White Day which I've attended for many years now. Check out Riderville North for what I might be up to! Check out this blog to read all about it! What I Learned At Training Camp 6. Hubby's brodder is going to be coming this way....to the In Law's for a visit. I'm sure we will travel to Norquay to see him, our sister in law and our great nephew! Check this blog out for details of our trip! Weekend with Family. 7. August 14th is the day Hubby and I will go to Regina to the Paul McCartney concert at Mosaic Stadium. That is going to be so thrilling. While we are there.....I've found the Italian Star Deli which has cannoli!!!! My quest for cannoli is never ending. I hope to stop in and bring some home. My Paul McCartney Out There experience. 8. Did you know Saskatoon has a Broadway? It's true. I want to spend some time wandering up and down the street. I also want to stop in at the Broadway Cafe. It's done up in 50's 60's decor and although reviews call it trashy....it looks pretty cool from the outside. I think it might be a fun stop after an afternoon of browsing the interesting shops on the street. As time went on I wanted to do this less and less. I've shopped on Broadway before but there were two armed robberies on this street this summer. I didn't feel safe doing this alone and it just didn't seem as important anymore. 9. Taste of Saskatchewan.This happens downtown near the Bessborough Hotel as well. It's where restaurants open food booths and you get to try different cuisine from all over the province. The last time we went it was what felt like the hottest day of the year. We found a tiny square of shade under a tree. There's entertainment in a band shelter. We haven't gone for a few years and I think this year is the time to go.Our new Taste of Saskatchewan visit with amazing flambe dessert! 10. Picnic! I want to pack up the wiener sticks, the cooler and head out somewhere for a good old fashioned picnic. It feels good to get out of the city, build a fire and cook over it and come home smelling all woodsy. If we don't get to go camping this summer.....a picnic will fit the bill. Wieners weren't involved but I think it still counts! Day Trip & Picnic to Gardiner Dam I don't know if I'll get to do all of these things or just some of these things. I know I will probably get to do things that are outside this list as well. I just don't want to waste a minute after enduring the longest winter ever. What's on your Sand Bucket List?
I wanted to name my blog "commandeered" but I'm a dog. Doggandeered just didn't have the right ring to it. Dog Eared sounds much betterer. And yes....I've dog eared The Mom's blog to record my own thoughts. 1. pant.....pant....pant..... 2. CHEERIO'S!!!! OMG Cheerio's!!! There's some on the counter! *jumps* I can't reach them! OMG it's going to drive me crazy! CHEERIO'S!!! *lays down to wait for Cheerio's to drop off counter* 3. *scratches ear* 4. *runs away from The Mom because she has that Ear Cleaning look about her* 5. IT'S THE MAIL MAN! NO IT'S THE GARBAGE TRUCK! THE MAILMAN! GARBAGE TRUCK! WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF *pant* WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF 6. *lays down on blue carpet* *sighs* Zzzzz.... 7. The Mom loosened my collar today. It was getting a little snug. I seem to be very furry. It makes me hot. *pant* The Mom says Saturday I get to go to the spa. *wags tail* 8. Sometimes after a trip to the spa The Mom makes me wear my red sweater. I like my red sweater even though it makes me look like a Montreal Canadiennes hockey fan. I wish I had a green sweater. The Dad says they cost to much. Maybe if I saved enough dog cookies I'd be able to get one. 9. On the weekend The Dad likes to watch cars going around in a circle. He makes The Mom and me wait until the end. Sometimes there's something called the "lucky dog." The Mom says I get the Lucky Dog Award. *wags tail* 10. *licks netbook screen.* Nope. It doesn't taste like Cheerio's or cookies or chicken & rice. Pfft.
Mom got out of bed really early today. I thought she was crazy. Even though, she hugged and kissed and patted my head I stayed in bed where it was nice and warm. Then curiosity got the better of me when I saw her getting ready for the day. This only means two things. I'm going to the spa or I'm going to the doctor. I laid in the hallway shaking with anxiety over the possibilities! Mom was just about to leave when the guy who lives in the basement came and gave Mom a piece of paper. They talked and laughed. Then Mom got my leash off the shelf of the closet and I couldn't contain myself anymore. I jumped and leaped all over the place while Mom struggled to get it tied on me. I couldn't help myself. *wags tail* Then when we started off in the car I got all confused. Mom wasn't driving towards the spa or the doctor. Where was she taking me? We drove down a road with lot's of tall buildings and people walking. Then we went over a bridge and past a building Mom said was the University. It seemed like maybe we were going on a trip....but I didn't remember any suitcases or food being packed. To my surprise we did go to the doctor!!!! And waiting inside was another dog just like me! Well almost. It was black and white and had a weird haircut. The Assistant said their groomer was training for a competition and used their dog for practice. I thought it looked like it would get very matted and with those long shaggy ears how would you eat or drink water without dragging them through everything? I'm glad Mom doesn't do that to me. I was soooo embarrassed! With all the excitement I did something I never NEVER do.
I made a squishy on the floor. We sure had to wait a long time. *pants* Another dog came in and sat with us. She was nice. She was a big dog and had lot's of spunk. It's a lot more fun when the waiting room has dogs instead of cats. Finally Dr. Powell called us in. He just back from vacation. I said "RUFF!" Which of course means....never go away again because all hell broke loose! The Mom and Dr. Powell talked about all sorts of things and he looked in my ears and at my butt and at the skin on my back. I didn't understand all of it but what I think Dr. Powell said was that all the pills The Mom sneaks to me in NutraGrain bars are good for me and doing things to make me healthy. I wished the pills came in bacon flavour. When we were done The Mom made me sit in the car by myself. When she came out she had a bag of stuff in orange bottles and bag of something that smelled really yummy and had carrots on it. I tried licking it but it only tasted like paper. Before I new it, we were back home! I ran in the house and drank some water. Then The Mom got the bag with the carrots on it and opened it and gave me one. COOKIES!!!! COOKIES!!!! I may have drooled a little.
I would rather think about PIE. It's round, golden, crispy, flakey and filled with a mixture of your hearts desire. Homer would say "Mmmmmmmmm pppppiiiiiiieeeeeee." My favourite flavours include cherry, pecan, peach, rhubarb, huckleberry, chicken pot, shepherds and pizza.
Pizza pie. *giggles*
That's amore.
When I was a little girl, my Mom and I would bake. I'd watch from my perch on a stool on the other side of the counter while my Mom rolled out pie dough into perfect rounds. I remember lot's of apple pie in my childhood even though Dad's favourite is banana cream pie. There was always scraps of pie dough left over. Mom would moosh them together and roll them into rounds for me. My pie. Then we'd spoon jam.....usually strawberry jam.....over the dough. It would get folded over and pinched and would get baked in the oven as well. That was great childhood pie.
I don't care for ice cream with my pie. It melts. The pie gets soggy. You can never get all the ice cream out of the dish. Who wants soggy watery pie? Not me. However, if Cool Whip is on hand then pile it on! I prefer my Cool Whip straight out of container.....not stirred. Never stirred. Just straight up.
My preferred method of eating dessert such as pie is with a spoon. This has become controversial at family gatherings. Oh, Sandra wants a spoon. Ugh! Everyone gets a fork and then I have to pipe up and inquire, "May I please have a spoon." The nerve! I think it runs in the family though because my brother likes to eat with plastic forks. Anyhow, my point is also that if you have no choice how the pie is served and does indeed have ice cream on the top.....how the heck to you eat it with a fork?
Spoon.
A spoon is indeed the correct eating utensil.
One time I took my nephew out for a treat. We went to Tim Hortons. Nephew was maybe 11 at the time. Those were the days when Tim Hortons had pies and cakes. Nephew ordered pie. He told me about an uncle from the other side of the family who had visited. The uncle was a great cook and by the sounds of it a pie connoisseur. Nephew rattled off all sorts of concoctions and flavour combinations that his uncle had made. He ended the story by saying, "Yup, he makes good pie."
This recipe is from the Covenant Women cookbook. The Covenant is the church in Hubby's hometown. The recipe in the book isn't by Grandma Johnson. It's actually by Jean Johnson. That's Larry Johnson's mother. Larry Johnson was an usher at our wedding. It was easy for him because he worked as a funeral director. I doubt it was very much like Six Feet Under. I know our wedding wasn't. But I digress. Grandma Johnson made this recipe a few times when we visited. I'm pretty sure she added a few things too. I've made notes and tried to replicate it the best I can. Ingredients 1 pound hamburger 1/2 pound low sodium bacon 1 small onion, chopped 1 cup rice 1 can mushrooms, drained 1 can mushroom soup 2 tbsp soya sauce 3 cups boiling water Salt and pepper to taste Chinese noodles, crushed Fry the hamburger, bacon and onion in a pan. Add the mushrooms, soup, soya sauce, water, salt, pepper & rice. Put in casserole and bake for 1 hour at 375*F. Stir a couple of times while cooking. Top with Chinese noodles. Bake for 15 to 30 minutes longer.
Since I found out I can pretty much make any kind of cookie using a box of cake mix.....I've gone a bit crazy. I have buyers remorse for the huge bag of flour in the pantry which was supposed to be used up by making sugar cookies. Alas, there it sits abandoned amid an array of cake mixes galore.
These are Red Velvet Cream Cheese cookies. Red Velvet is just a new type of thing in these parts. Strange I know, because it seems to be plenty popular in every other part of the universe. So far there is only one brand of cake mix that makes a red velvet version and that is Duncan Hines.
These are the Cherry Chip but give you the idea of the size.
Ingredients 1 box Duncan Hines Red Velvet Cake Mix 2 eggs 1/2 cup Canola Oil 1 tub Cream Cheese type frosting In a bowl, combine cake mix, eggs and canola oil. Mix well. Using a melon baller.....yes, strange I know, but it makes the perfect size!....scoop out portions of mixture, roll into a ball shape and put onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350*F for 8 minutes. Let cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes then remove to plate to cool the rest of the way. Once completely cooled, sandwich together using cream cheese frosting.
OHMYGAWD, THEY ARE DELISH! *Variation* Cherry Chip cake mix and add 1 cup chocolate chips. Do not sandwich together. They taste like chocolate covered cherries!
I've heard Cherry Chip isn't available everywhere :(
I never had the pleasure of meeting Grandma Larson. From what I know of her, she was a loving type of Grandma who liked to impart snippets of Scandinavian wisdom on her family.....and she did love her family deeply.
I first tasted this casserole back in the early days of dating Hubby. He'd made it with some left over curry rice, I believe, and it tasted wonderful. What's even better is that it is super easy to make and has ingredients that most of us have in our pantry. Especially if you've stocked up at the 10 for $10 sale at the Co-Op like I have! Ingredients Ground beef 1 pound or a bit more 2 onions chopped 1 can of Chicken Noodle soup 1 can Cream of Mushroom soup 1 can water 1/2 cup rice The brand of soup doesn't really matter but I've come to believe Campbell's is best and brings the most flavour. Also, you can try with different flavours of cream soup if mushroom isn't your favourite. In a large frying pan, brown the beef and cook the onions. When cooked, add the soups, water, and rice. Mix it well. Pour into a large casserole dish or loaf pan. Cook in the oven uncovered at 350*F for 1 1/2 hours.
