Today’s post is a writing challenge. This is how it works: participating bloggers picked 4 – 6 words or short phrases for someone else to craft into a post. All words must be used at least once, and all the posts will be unique as each writer has received their own set of words. That’s the challenge, here’s a fun twist; no one who’s participating knows who got their words and in what direction the writer will take them. Until now. My words are:
crave ~ sand ~ satire ~ require ~ bake
They were submitted by: Baking In A Tornado - Thank you, Karen!
Six years ago - it just popped up in my Facebook memories the other day - our late friend Jules from The Bergham Chronicles posted this to my Facebook wall:
It required a bit of creativity, but then it was born: the slide into the ball pit cake!
Hahaha, IKEA had some satire coming their way!
Back then I immediately I thought we should do better than that and bake an actual cake for IKEA!
Yes, ball pit, not sand box, because that's my idea of IKEA's Småland (play area for kids while parents shop).
It came complete with our LEGO man who got a job as a furniture carpenter and the Swedish Shopping @ IKEA Barbie
Aww, can you believe how small Colin was? He's now taller than me, did you know?
This is him, last month.
Why does he have a Swiss flag and I have a Swedish flag? He ordered 20 meatballs, cause he's a hungry teenager! They didn't even fit on his plate, so they gave him an extra container ;-)
There are only ten meatballs on my plate. I was gonna have dessert later to make up for it!
We were on our way to the mall that is located just a block away. My teenager needed clothes because he had outgrown his T-shirts, sweaters, jeans and shoes.
However, we had another reason to pay a visit to the shopping center, and it may not be the obvious one: I had my Booster scheduled.
Kudos to my country for making vaccinations accessible and convenient! Up until last summer you had to go to a hospital for your jabs.
This fall and winter they got inventive. There were "Vaccination Busses" positioned in front of school yards and businesses. Small or remote communities could schedule the bus to come to their village for a day or two. Vaccination tents were set up, and barracks were converted into temporary Covid test or vaccination centers.
I especially liked to hear that there were some available next to ice rinks. Thank you for thinking of us hockey folks!
As for me, as I was saying, I went to the mall. I knew exactly what I was craving for my reward!
That's right! Coffee and cinnamon roll.
Unfortunately at the time, boosters were not recommended for kids under 16, and Colin, even though he wanted it, didn't get it.
What he got instead three weeks later, was Covid :-(
He had a fever, a sore throat and headaches for two or three days, missed a hockey game (boo) and a week of school (yay), and a day or two after he tested positive, some of his schoolmates followed suit, and they had a great time playing online video games together, while hubby and I (who both tested negative several times) were working from home until our quarantine was lifted.
Hubs occupied our office room on the upper floor, and I got myself a nice little office space in the living room:
I did not particularly like it though. I mean, the decor was fabulous, and I had my cozy break room just next to it....
...but being isolated was not fun.
I enjoyed and appreciated going back to the real office a few days later. Even more so because my colleague is on a three weeks' non-Covid-related sick leave, and our customers are embracing the new year that comes with a new IT infrastructure budget.
Someone has to ensure the delivery of goods on site after all!
I hope you've enjoyed looking back at a fun baking project with me, and it gave you an opportunity to think of Jules who kept inspiring us on so many levels, and who shared our love for writing and coffee and many other things!
Do you have a favorite memory with her you would like to share below?
Please don't leave before checking out my blogger friends' posts:
PS: For the full tutorial and bake fail episodes in connection with the IKEA cake, please go to the back story!
PPS: what's Colin doing in the very first picture? Three Kings' Cake!
I'm not a lover of Swedish Meatballs (sorry), but I sure would love a piece of that cake and/or cinnamon roll. Guess I'm destined to always go for the sweets.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry Colin got covid, but I am relieved to hear he wasn't terribly ill and recovered fairly quickly.
ReplyDeleteLove, love love. Interestingly, when I get Swedish meatballs they come with pasta, not mashed potatoes. I am wondering if it is the boosters that are really helping keep the covid away. Our son, who had the vaccine but was not boosted got it but the rest of us who are boosted, did not. I must confess I have never been to an Ikea store. There aren't any really close - about 45 minutes away. Have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteJanet’s Smiles
Jules was so sweet. I miss her. Loved the IKEA cake though (both) they were hilarious. Colin was such a little guy when I joined up with the challenges! He's grown up way to fast.
ReplyDelete