7 Quick Takes Friday #25

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Yesterday was Corpus Christi, which is a public holiday in Trinidad and Tobago.We are having a super long weekend since today is another holiday, a four day weekend so I am trying to make the best of it. I have a barbecue to attend tonight, I am making potato salad and brownies.

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I decided to attend one of the smaller Corpus Christi Masses and processions instead of the main one with the Archbishop yesterday. One reason their procession is shorter, also it's less crowded, it is much easier to handle a little over 150 as opposed to thousands upon thousands. Many parishes, mine included, do not have a separate Mass, instead you are encouraged to attend the "big one" so the crowd is HUGE.

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As I looked at the kids in their school uniform at Mass yesterday and in front of the procession I remembered when I served my time also used to represent my school for Corpus Christi. We belonged to the Cathedral at that time (both the school and my family) so I have always gone to the main procession, in fact this is the first time I have gone to Corpus Christi Mass at another parish.

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The priest shared with us after the procession that he and the alter servers were approached with questions about the procession and the monstrance and what it represents. There were a lot of people who came out to watch as we passed by praying and singing, there was even one guy taking pictures. Some people stood in there houses, others came out, there were a few older gentlemen who sat lawn chairs outside to watch us pass. The passing traffic was very respectful and patient, they allowed the men to direct them and waited for proper chances to pass.

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In Trinidad Corpus Christi is a rainy day and it did rain yesterday morning but by the time the processions started and for the rest of the day afterwards we had beautiful sunshine. Corpus Christi is also a traditional day for planting, I remember growing up my grandparents planting peas and corn, I don't remember if they dug up or planted cassava (yucca) on that day as well but there were other vegetables but I always remember the corn and peas because they always did well. I remember the tomatoes but they did not always come in plentiful

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I didn't take many pictures of the procession and some of them were blurry, I had asked my friend (whose parish it is) whether they didn't process because so many of these women came wearing heals. I have always worn sneakers so I felt a little under dressed but these women walked in their heals.

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A song to end the week.

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St. Joseph and I

This year I found myself developing a great devotion to St Joseph. I have had one for Mary for a long while now and I had just attributed it to that. Last week my company put out an internal placement ad for a higher position in my department. I had seen it an ignored it but a friend of mine is encouraging me to apply for it. I can see where a few things that have happened recently has been possibly preparing me for this, however I am not sure I want it. I am preparing my resume and praying, could also use some additional prayers for guidance and the right outcome.

7 Quick Takes Friday #24

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A friend of mine recently got engaged and while I am happy for her and whole-heartedly meant my congratulations and well wishes there was that little "when will it be my turn" going on in the back of my mind. I had one friend get married a couple weeks ago, another one next month and four in the last year so it feels like all my friends are getting married except me.

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I am trying to write these and multi-task at 4 am Friday morning although I started them since Tuesday. I don't know if this is a sign of how busy I am or how much of a procrastinator I am. Procrastinator is in the lead since I am currently cleaning up the kitchen from last night which I kept putting off until I was so tired I had to get to bed.

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I'm going shopping tomorrow. I hate shopping. I can get excited about buying ingredients but I dread thinking about dresses and tops. I like buying jeans, I typically buy one brand and always the same size, no thinking involved except for colour. However there will be no jeans among tomorrow's purchases.

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I received a couple itunes gift cards yesterday, I was actually supposed to get since earlier in the month (but hey they were free to me so I shouldn't complain) so I also have some music shopping to do, although that seems to be giving me some anxiety as well. I spent yesterday afternoon trying to decide if I wanted the whole album or just a couple of songs from a few artists.

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Sunday is Trinity Sunday, the Feast Day of Trinidad which was named after the Holy Trinity, La Trinite as named by Columbus later became Trinidad under the British, there is more of a story there involving the Dutch, French and Spanish again but History wasn't exactly my best subject except for the big events and dates. In fact French for Trinidad is also La Trinite.

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I have a three day work week to look forward to this week, Corpus Christi is a public Holiday here and Friday we have another holiday.

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A song to end the week.

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7 Quick Takes Friday #23

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I am a little late for this party but I had a hard time deciding between readers so I decided to go with both bloglovin and feedly

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I made my Italian Cream Cake for Mother's day but it didn't come out well. The cupcakes I made from the batter was great  but the cake itself was a little heavy, I put too much batter in the pan.

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Work was a bear this week, I felt like I wasn't accomplishing anything because there was too much to get done but I did manage to finish a few things by deadline so I guess it wasn't all that bad.

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Last Friday I got really sick at work and my uncle had to come get me. He drove my car and had a friend drive his car back, I had never realized this before but I drive like him. I supposed that is to be expected since he has always been the one to step up as the father figure in my life so I copied him but it was a little freaky yet nice.

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Saturday as was I out I happened to pass a local bakery that does some really great cakes and they had a mob (can't really call what I saw a crowd) waiting to collect their mother's day orders. I had almost ordered some pink champagne cupcakes I saw they had but I am so glad I forgot.

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Sunday is Pentecost, may we all experience our own personal Pentecost by welcoming and receiving the Holy Spirit.

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A song to end the week.

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7 Quick Takes Friday #22

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This past weekend was beyond hectic. Friday night at sometime after 10 pm my friend texted me to remind of a planning meeting that she had previously forgotten to tell me about that was to take place the next day (Saturday) at 2 pm. I already had a packed day for Saturday but I really wanted to make the meeting so I ended up spending most of the day in the car and exhausted at the end of the day.

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Somehow at that planning meeting from QT1. I agreed to be on TV. I am extremely introverted and have managed to avoid on-air appearances even though I have been on this committee for over a year. We will be doing a live panel show with the topic/theme "Trusting God" appropriate since I am trusting Him that I won't embarrass myself, sit there like a mute or get sick on camera.

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Sunday, that same friend (QT 1) invited me to her youth group meeting, we belong to different Parishes. I got lost because traffic was diverted so I got there a little late but they had a very lively praise and worship session going on. I know a few people there so I didn't feel totally out of place but the group was very welcoming and inclusive. I will most likely be going back it was fun and I saw a few genuine magic tricks.

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I made a Pineapple Cheesecake Flan on Saturday for Sunday, except for the fact that I tried to remove it from the pan before it was cooled enough it came out great and was a hit. I only manage to get 2 pieces.

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Sunday I also made a enchilada casserole in keeping with my whole Mexican theme for Cinco de May. That was also a hit. The taco shells were on special, tequila was also on special but I don't drink.

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Sunday is Mother's Day so Saturday I will be making an Italian Cream Cake, one ingredient has been eluding me although it's usually easy to find so there may be a substitution but I am looking forward to some baking this weekend.

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A song to end the week.

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Cinco de Mayo

Sunday was Cinco de Mayo and I decided I would celebrate it by adding to my culinary skills by making a flan. I had quite a few cheesecake flan recipes and all the ingredients on hand perfect excuse. I decided on pineapple flan because I thought it sounded more tropical-ish although I toyed with the idea of using orange juice instead of pineapple and making orange flan.

 ingredients plus eggs and sugar.

The recipe called for 6 oz of pineapple juice but the next time I would probably use the whole 8 oz or reduce the condense milk from 14 oz to 12.

My favorite part was cooking the sugar, it was exciting and scary (candy making may be in my future). You had to stir the sugar the whole time and pour into your pan as soon as it was ready, it will become after a very short while but that's okay, I was worried I had done something wrong but it's supposed to do that except the recipe doesn't tell you that.

   
The last one is the colour to aim for

















The rest of the ingredients are mixed together into the blender and poured over the caramelized sugar in the pan.. I used a springform pan and double foiled the bottom since the flan is baked in a water bath.

 in waterbath about to go in the oven

 out of the oven

 in too much of a hurry to wait for it to cool properly

Despite my haste in flipping it, it came out really well, after being in the fridge for 4 hours it thickened up just as it was supposed too and tasted great.

The recipe I used is from kraft.

I'm linking up with Bobbi's ROL Pinterest Party

7 Quick Takes Friday #21

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It's May, the month of Mary. I have been very lazy lately in writing posts although I have quite a few partially finished ones so for May I want to write, finish and publish a few on Mary. I am typically cautious about putting that out there but I need some accountability to get out of this rut. I have a strong devotion to Mary and always ask her to pray for me.

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Sunday is Cinco de Mayo so I am planning some Mexican cooking. I am still trying to find a casserole that I think I might like and my sister will eat but I am definitely making a flan. I have three flan recipes to choose from pumpkin, pineapple and plain, I am thinking the pineapple sounds better or I might switch up some ingredients and make orange. I definitely want to write a post on that as well, the flan at least.

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May is also mother's day just a week away, for that I am planning to make an Italian Cream Cake, I had one for my birthday a couple years ago and fell in love. I am looking forward to making this, the recipe appears simple enough, hopefully it will be a hit.

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This has been a week of gift cards for me I now have 2 $25 i tunes gift cards, I know a few songs I want to get and a few new to me artists I want to try but I am open to suggestions. When the money does not actually come out of my pocket I am more inclined to try new and experiment a little. My amazon gift card is kind of already booked I have a wish list a mile long so I am getting "Fill these Hearts" by Christopher West, "Men, Women and the Mystery of Love" by Edward Sri, 2 books by Art Bennett. I am also trying to decide between this one and this one, I am getting all these as kindle editions so while I contemplate books I already ordered some quilting stuff which is supposed to be delivered today even though I only ordered it Wednesday using super saver free shipping which is supposed to be 5 to 8 days. Whenever I order it always comes early so I am not afraid to cheap out with shipping.

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Headed to Adoration this evening after work, I usually only go once a month but a friend suggested it last Friday as a last minute thing so I went. It was just the two of us for a while in the Chapel, this church has Perpetual Adoration which I didn't realize, although it is too far for me to venture during the week is definitely something for the files.

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Just an update on my friend's nephew who I mentioned last week, test results show no tumors but he is still losing his sight so there will be further testing but the family is so thankful that at least brain surgery is not in his immediate future.

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A song to end the week.

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