Posts of what were up to. To LMA

Hi Louisa,

I wondered all day if momma got the electricity workin at The Lake. I still don't know.

I worked all this weekend being a stage manager for the East Lake View Arts Festival. Heres a link to check it out. http://lakevieweastfestivalofthearts.com

 I met the bands before the the went on all day. 4 bands yesterday. 5! Today. 

Just gave em their parking pass, free beer tickets and paid them when they were about to begin playing. 

Fun! 

This week im taking a sanitation class through the Logan Square kitchen. Totally paid for by GROW, the incubator program. 

So, tomorrow im going shopping for drinks and food for next weekends Goose Island Block Party. I'm in charge of the hospitality. Maybe if it goes well I will find another event to do it for. 

Long week ahead. 

Email me about your weekend up at the lake. Momma, Was the pier taken out by jess n jay while you were there? Any tango this week or yoga tomorrow? 

Off to bed after the bears game. 

Margaret Mary

Sweet vanilla caramels

2 1/2 c. Sugar
2 c hc
3/4 c corn syrup
1 vanilla beam scraped
1 stick unsalted butter, softened in tbsp pieces.
1/2 tsp salt

Use a big pot when making this as it will foam and grow during the temp. Climb to 233 and again to 244.

Cook hc, corn syrup and vanilla to 233 degrees over medium high flame, stirring occasionally. About 13 min. Don't be afraid to dump it all in a larger pot if the one you started with it about to overflow.
Using a whisk, add softened butter and salt and cook to 244 degrees. About 7 min or so. Stir and stir with thermometer in the mix.



When it hits 244, pour quickly into  9 x13 pan sprayed and then lined with  parchment. Use overhang from the pan to pull out the carmel once it cools for no less than 4 hours.
Cut into 1 inch squares using a sharp knife and wrap in waxed paper or parchment twisted at the ends.

I use mine to make turtles!

Gungho

So proud of Beth for her work style gungho! Her post says it all, but the photo is what makes it an awesome sight to behold!
Her comment on 12/15/2013
No I work in the Control Center of an IT company, and I'm supposed to be in charge of stuff, which is kind of how i got this very special award. Because someone didn't want me to tell him what to do and i told him what's what on the phone while everyone in the office listened in.

Congratulations! Seastar!

In the Summer of us 2013

Lots of exciting news for Louisa since last year.
Here are some photos of these moments from these exciting times this summer.

Momma retired this year and moved from Santa Cruz, CA to her own home in Urbana, IL after many plane miles and a road trip across the US where we stopped in Lake Havasu where it was 118 degrees and road the southern route along the old Route 66 til stopping at Onondaga Caves in Leasburg, MO.

 she is a great car dancer.

 And a great road trip companion.

Aimee got married to wonderful Spencer this summer.

 Even Trixie got a ride with the bride!

Beth and Trixie made their return to the US.

 First of many adventured on Beth's back in Chicago

 First Chicago Pizza at Uno's

 First time sittin on Tia Aimee and Spencers porch

First time sliding in Santa Cruz

Greetings from Beth and Trixie

On 12.6 Beth wrote me and here is part of her email about her days since getting back to New Zealand, now with Trixie who might be called Dusty down there, but I'm not sure about that.

New Zealand is lovely.  It's weird getting used to the longer days, sunset not until 9pm-ish lately.  And Trixie has been getting 4 of her top teeth and in tons of pain, so she's waking up constantly, which makes us both a wreck during the day, but we're getting by.  Mostly I try to keep eating all my favorite things, to distract me from my woes.  We go up north for a few nights tomorrow, to meet her grandfather and great-grandparents.  It's kind of in the middle of nowhere, and I'm bracing for the worst, so we'll see how it goes.  Trixie is loving Lori Coles and Mia, and they play with her a lot.  She is walking now holding on to just one adult hand sometimes.  She's so tiny.  And fiesty.  Lack of sleep and teeth pain goes with lots of crying and tantrums these days.  But it will pass, I know.  

She and Josh have a really lovely bond, and it makes me really glad to be here.  Her grandmother is also very sweet.  I know Trixie misses mom, though, because we skyped the other day, and she almost fell into the screen with excitement at seeing her. 

Other noteable mentions in the email about New Zealand:

The government doesn't expect mothers to work until their child is 5, which is pretty cool. I'm putting my feelers out to my recruiters, to see what's out there. 

Ok well when I come up with some more interesting things to talk about, you'll be the first to hear.  Up north where we go tomorrow there is no internets, so I'll be a bit out of the loop.  Alas.

Love,

Beth

And just about a month later I got these great pics of Trixie's teeth coming in. And a comment in an email that was sent with them from Beth in January 2013
"Lately, she's saying "yummy yummy yummy" whenever she is hungry and waiting for food, watching us cooking, watching us eat and wanting some, watching someone eat (especially any kind of noodles), and eating something she really likes.  I think she was sent to me because she knew I'd feed her well."

Article about Aimee-Non-profits atwitter over Rickman's research on rural girls' use of social media

Link:Aimee's research article link!

Non-profits atwitter over Rickman's research on rural girls' use of social media

by Elise King, CSL Communications

Aimee Rickman

March 27, 2012 - 10:23am

Aimee Rickman, a Ph.D. student in human and community development and a research assistant for CSL Professor Christian Sandvig, has a long list of honors and awards for the work she has done studying the social construction of adolescence. Now she can add two new honors to that list: a 2012-13 fellowship from the Illinois Program for Research in the Humanities (IPRH) and the Sadker Dissertation Award from the Myra Sadker Foundation.

“I’m thrilled, I’m so honored to be a part of both these groups,” Rickman said. Both the fellowship and the award will help Rickman develop her dissertation, which will examine how rural girls’ use of and involvement with social media effects their lives.

Rickman says that when girls are online, people often view them in one of two ways: either as people who are at risk and need protecting or as people who are out of control socially and cause problems. “But what they’re doing online often doesn’t fit into these two framings,” Rickman said. Through her research, Rickman has found that these girls have thought a lot about how to keep their personal information safe online and are not being reckless.

“They address the obstacles they have in their life” using the internet, Rickman said. Girls in rural areas often use social media to connect to other people when there is no other way to really connect to them.

“They’re doing some really meaningful things online that help them make sense of the world,” Rickman said. She also said that the internet is a very important part of these girls’ lives; it’s not just for entertainment. 

Rickman has worked with girls for a number of years in several ways, including co-founding a community youth group, working for Women in Engineering, leading girls’ camps and establishing a science camp.

Her research focuses on two groups -- girls and rural youth -- that are understudied populations. Rickman studies girls between the ages of 13 and 22, although she says the boundaries of adolescence are vague. “I’m interested in how we frame this period of adolescence,” said Rickman, who noted that various cultures define adolescence differently, or don’t have a period of adolescence at all.

Rickman has studied other areas including online hostilities (often known as “cyber bullying”) and the effect that comment boards have on public opinion. 

She has also given several presentations about her research. The most recent was on how rural girls’ use social media, which took place in Vancouver on March 8 at the Biannual Conference of the Society of Research on Adolescence. Her next presentation will take place May 19 in Urbana.

Trixie at the beach May 5, 2012

Soon to load video of getting her in this cute suit!

Trixie is 18 days old

Eyes are wide open!

Aimee and Spencer

They went on a Big trip for Aimee's birthday this year. And they came back engaged!
here is the email!
Date: Mon, 9 Jan 2012 10:00:35 -0800
From: aimeerickmansemail@yahoo.com
Subject: Hello from the islands!
To: ehrickman@yahoo.com; jacquebleu@yahoo.com; margaretrickman@hotmail.com

Hey all.

Hope everyone had a nice new years, and break, and that the baby is coming along nicely. Wanted to let you know that, following a whirlwind of awesomeness in Chicago with Meg and Charlie on my birthday night, then onto NY and Becquai (in the Grenadines), Spence and I just arrived in Barbados last night. We went surfing this afternoon and we are on our way to find lunck, and we are engaged! Yay!

A new addition!

Before: Around 12/20/11

After: 1/21/12

A new addition to the family! And as a bonus, Beth has a new last name, too! Demaria, after dad's mom. Her maiden name.

Trixie Stardust DeMaria

She was born at Sutter Maternity Hospital in Santa Cruz on Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 9:40am. She weighed 8lbs 9oz and was 21" long.

A live video on 1/22/12

And a poem about Xanadu
XanaduKubla KhanIn Xanadu did Kubla KhanA stately pleasure-dome decree:... Where Alph, the sacred river, ranThrough caverns measureless to manDown to a sunless sea.So twice five miles of fertile groundWith walls and towers were girdled round:And there were gardens bright with sinuous rills,Where blossomed many an incense-bearing tree;And here were forests ancient as the hills,Enfolding sunny spots of greenery.But oh! that deep romantic chasm which slantedDown the green hill athwart a cedarn cover!A savage place! as holy and enchantedAs e'er beneath a waning moon was hauntedBy woman wailing for her demon-lover!And from this chasm, with ceaseless turmoil seething,As if this earth in fast thick pants were breathing,A mighty fountain momently was forced:Amid whose swift half-intermitted burstHuge fragments vaulted like rebounding hail,Or chaffy grain beneath the thresher's flail:And 'mid these dancing rocks at once and everIt flung up momently the sacred river.Five miles meandering with a mazy motionThrough wood and dale the sacred river ran,Then reached the caverns measureless to man,And sank in tumult to a lifeless ocean:And 'mid this tumult Kubla heard from farAncestral voices prophesying war!The shadow of the dome of pleasureFloated midway on the waves;Where was heard the mingled measureFrom the fountain and the caves.It was a miracle of rare device,A sunny pleasure-dome with caves of ice!A damsel with a dulcimerIn a vision once I saw:It was an Abyssinian maid,And on her dulcimer she played,Singing of Mount Abora.Could I revive within meHer symphony and song,To such a deep delight 'twould win meThat with music loud and longI would build that dome in air,That sunny dome! those caves of ice!And all who heard should see them there,And all should cry, Beware! Beware!His flashing eyes, his floating hair!Weave a circle round him thrice,And close your eyes with holy dread,For he on honey-dew hath fedAnd drunk the milk of Paradise.

Party Brainstorming

Hey y'all - add to this stuff, or comment, and I'll revise as we get closer to a plan.

FOOD IDEAS

kebabs! - mom to expand on ingredients - make on the bbq--maybe a simple greek or oregano and garlic marinade? proscutto, bacon-wrapped shrimp. SPENCE

-crab - if in season (aim) - crab cake (meg?)--i can make crab cakes!

halibut cakes is plan b. beth doesn't like it. mom doesn't either. can we have a plan c. for local fish?

-what is fresh in cali - dates, veggies

-peas

-fava beans

-shrimp, hearts of palm proscuitto and mixed greens, all layed out on a platter...

-salads--see above. or we could use endive as a holder for little cut up veggie combinations!

-breads & chocolate & dips & local cheese

-aim make cheese - needs good milk

-use pumpkin - filo pumpkin feta etc

arincini - pumpkin, fava beans, peas, artichokes

tarts with fillings

SURE FIRE DISHES

-kebabs - bacon-wrapped shrimp. chicken. halibut? others chosen by Spence.

-with dips

-cheese tray

homemade cheese

crackers

-bread and

-chocolate (can Meg bring good chocolate?)

-artichoke dips

-strawberries and whipped cream

-little bite cookies. with sparkles.

-almond macaroons

-peas around for snacking

DESSERT IDEAS

little desserts - based on chicago vanille pastries? or buckeyes! pb and chocolate, yum!

Pumpkin butter with toasted baguette pieces. Meg

Fruit

Sugar cookies

feature meg's cooking--no no. feature all our cooking!

whipped cream

DRINKS

wine - aim @ mom's (1 case)

october cocktails - 4 pitchers & little cups--maybe 2 pitchers. Meg has one.

burnt orange spice???

cucumber? cucumber juice, ginger syrup and club soda!

creamy--beth! how about making a pumpkin themed "grasshopper"?

3 liquors - brandy, whisky, gin, pastis

ice cubes

club soda and lime

coffee

water

MISC Stuff

NO FORKS - vote (tally = "yes, no forks" - Aimee, Beth, Meg, Mo. Yes wins. BUT NO!! The forks are back in. The forks win!).

sparkles

fabric--i can go look at the costume shop for something for the banisters?

food & drink labels

2 helpers

drink glasses - different ones?---momma look on Macy's website, they always have great deals on glasses!

piggy stardust makeup available for guests - meg costume shop? (ha ha ha! beth wrote "piggy stardust"! aim) huh?meg

food in the dining room. tasty snacks around. spread food throughout house

lights outside - white christmas bulbs

congrats on new job

peas

artichokes

pumpkins

fava beans

New Zealand road trip to the South Island

We had a good landing in Wellington. I remember going thru the tunnel and Beth honking the horn of her Mercedes loaner. a good story about a couple who would pass each other on the way to and from work thru this tunnel, as it was the only time they might maybe see each other the entire day.

A wind needle swayed a bit, and as I found out later, Wellington is a windy city like Chicago(Perth, Australia is the 3 windy city).

On the morning trip to the boat we picked up Beth's friend, umm...i forget his name, but for now I will call him a baby daddy. A blustery boat ride thru an amazing sound that looked like something out of Lord of the Rings, and we landed on the south island of New Zealand to begin our road trip.

That is a looming idea. 3 sisters, one momma. A road trip like no other. We drove to find our first place to stay and stopped to see the view and a bird, that was not a Kiwi. Dropped off Beth's baby daddy in a small town, and tried to find out where we were staying for the night.

It was amazing, a steep hill driveway, a view of the ocean from the side of a hill, sheep inbewteen the neighborhood hill. A nap for me and off went Beth, Aimee and momma to find a snack and explore.

Here are some Photos of the first day of our trip.

NZ bound!

New Zealand Driving Times and Distances
Lets you see how long it will take to get to somewhere on the South Island

New Zealand Driving Times and Distances
Lets you see how long it will take to get somewhere on the NOrth Island

coolio.

So far we will be maybe staying in this!

Bionic Brucie,
Wakes up late, then takes a nap.
Rest for pets, squirrels.

Calling all sissies! I have a project for you. Comment here, and we will discuss.

Brucie We Love

The Rickman girls' dog

California doctors put

Pacemaker in heart

Eating liver snacks

He makes momma happier

Giving her guilt-eyes

Just last month he was

a huffin, puffin puppy

confusing the seals

It's hard when things fall

Why can't he live forever?

Good dogs cannot die.