Mardi Gras!!!

After four hours of watching yeast rise, shaping it, then watching it rise again, I finished making a king cake from scratch.  Although the whole process may sound a little daunting, it was actually a lot of fun and easier than it appears.  I think I might make it a Mardi Gras tradition.  It would be a fine tribute to my love of Louisiana.  I couldn't have managed it without the help of Josephine who helped me with the first phase of making the dough.  Now I'm so ready to eat it not all by myself of course.  [smile]

Just, Margaret 

Add oil.

Check this link out.  Scroll down and you'll see that my paper on Hurricane Katrina landscapes was accepted by the Association of Social Anthropologist Conference to be held at the University of Bristol in April.  Be excited.  I am and to be honest a little freaked out.  I've presented papers before, but never at a professional conference with international participants.  But I'll leave freaking out for a little later and just be all smiles today.  

On that note: I want to express a quick thank you to my friends in Louisiana.  You were totally my inspiration... you a people of vibrant resilience and life.  I just hope that this paper can help continue to bring awareness of the devastation that still exists in some regions of Louisiana and Mississippi now almost 4 years later.  Thank you and Happy Mardi Gras!

Just, Margaret

*By the way the title of this post may seem a little strange, but "add oil" is a phrase used in Hong Kong to say "keep up the good work" and my friend Josephine has gotten into the habit of reminding me to keep going when the pressure of our studies gets to be a bit overwhelming.  Don't worry I make sure to say it back to her too.  [smile] 

King Cake Query

I'm looking for a good and fairly easy recipe for Mardi Gras King Cake. I'd really like to try making one for my international housemates and share another part of my US Southern culture with them.  Too bad I didn't bring any of my Mardi Gras Beads with me.  Any suggestions for the cake would be very welcome. 

Just, Margaret

Georgia On My Mind

So the last couple of days have had me thinking of home and Georgia quite a bit... at the beginning of the week I received a pound cake, yes a homemade pound cake, in the mail from my Grammy.  I literally could not believe it, but leave it to my grandmother to defy the postal service.  I mean I thought it was awesome when I received pecan pies in the mail when I was living in North Dakota, but I never expected to receive a cake in the mail.  And of course it still tastes amazing!  I shared it with some of my housemates and I think I've convinced them all that they need to visit Georgia if only to get another piece of pound cake from my Grammy.  (I will say in addition to care packages of grandparent love, I also had the treat on Monday night of receiving a lovely Skype call from Mom and Pop.  So much fun to speak and see them at the same time.)  It has turned into a week of care packages... yesterday I received one from my friends in Louisiana.  I was almost in tears while I read Kayla's letter begging me to come back.  And the Twizlers were a special treat as I've not been able to find them in the UK yet.  I also have to say a thanks to my faithful blog readers in Louisana... I'm so glad to know that you guys are following along on all my adventures.  It really makes me feel close to you.  

Then this morning I received an emails from Blair and Megs about a recent post on Blair's blog Curbside Conference.  It was all about my friends (the girls, The Nine, ect.  I've talk about them at least once before).  Lovely post and the best part is that the sentiments could have been written by any of us although I have to give Blair props for her eloquence.  I especially loved how she wrote about "living in overlapping forms"- thats exactly how it feels.  And the post that inspired her by Sara brought up such great memories of college.  After checking my email and feeling so close to my fellow alumni, I noticed that the predicted temperature here and in Warner Robins, where my parents are was exactly the same.  So as I walked to class, I imagined for a bit that I was walking through Georgia.  It is so nice to connect in small ways with home.  Especially since Thanksgiving is coming up so soon.  

Anyway, there are so much about my archaeological adventures yesterday that I want to share, but as my photos aren't loaded on my computer yet that will have to wait for tomorrow.  

Just, Margaret

Promised photos

Have you ever turned on the shuffle on your MP3 player, iPod, iTunes, ect. and the exact song you needed to hear but didn't know it began to play.  I was getting ready to write about how these photos are the best ones I've shared on this blog so far and was kinda feeling down about it and then what begins to play through my headphones but the sweet sounds of Nancy Griffith's "This Old Town."  The song has these crazy lyrics about a town "that should have burned down" after all these things that happened there, but "it still stands."  I don't really know why it connected with me tonight, but it totally put me in the best mood.  So glad that I accidentally turned my iTunes on... now I'm jamming out to Indigo Girls.  I'm listening by genre.  Some James Taylor and Kathy Mattea is sure to turn up shortly.  You can blame my obsession on folk rock music on my parents, but mostly my dad. [smile]  I miss them.  I consciously try to keep this blog upbeat, not that I'm really depressed or anything (although we have had the awful British half rain weather pattern today), but I try to stay positive on my blog because it helps put my mind in the right frame.  Ah... Derek Webb, "Love is Not Against the Law."  Lovely.  Anyway I don't think missing my family really qualifies as a sign of not enjoying my UK life.  So I miss them... and thats okay.  Finally some James Taylor from his new album Covers.   

Okay on to a brief explanation of my photos:  The first three are from my service night with the Bristol Rotary Club.  (As a side note I did give my first Rotary presentation today to the Bristol Rotary Club and it went great!  Wahoo!)  So on the service night we visited the Water Survival Box Depot belonging to the Chichester Rotary Club and got to put together several boxes... actually 26 total.  It was so nice to meet some more Rotary folks and hang out with some of my club members in a more relaxed setting.  Also totally reminded me of my time in Louisiana packing health kits with my Grammy, Grandaddy, Mom and Pop.  More Nancy Griffith, "From Clare to Here."  I'm so loving this impromptu mix.  The service project was exactly what I needed Thursday night.

Okay so these are the best photos I have of Bonfire night and I know they aren't great, but maybe they'll give you an idea of what I was doing.  Any confusion left after looking at the photos... join me next year for Bonfire Night in the US or where ever I am.  I'm thinking that some where on West Point Lake in LaGrange will be a perfect setting for a bonfire and fireworks.  We'll see... 

Now more Indigo Girls, "Multiply Life by the Power of Two."  About to change so I'll tell you what's up next... James Taylor's cover of "Why Baby Why."  Could it get any better?  

Just, Margaret

My best friend in Louisiana

I'm not a participant in the Big Brothers, Big Sisters program, but I might as well be. Since beginning to attend Asbury UMC last February, I've acquired a curious shadow, by the name of Kayla. Kayla is a first grader- well as of last week a second grader- and attends church with her "MawMaw," i.e. great-grandmother. I'm not sure why, but from the very beginning Kayla chose me to sit by during church. She's a rambunctious young lady, of course, and sitting in worship over the past year has not been one of the most peaceful activities, but I've not looked forward to worship so much in a long time.

Over the last month, Kayla and I have missed seeing each other in church for various reasons and as I'm going to be moving in a few weeks, I was beginning to worry that I wouldn't get to see her before I left. Happily yesterday she greeted me with a big hug as soon as I entered the sanctuary. It was such a gift to see her again and I could tell she was excited to see me too. We sat together in church and although she tried really hard to be quiet at the appropriate times, I was blessed to have her whispering rather loudly beside me. Once in response to the pastor's statement that your friends can sometimes fail you, Kayla leaned over and said, "Not me." Its true she has been such a faithful friend to me. I am blessed.

Just happy to be Kayla's friend, Margaret.

Family Day (cajun style, of course)

Today I celebrated the beginning of summer and workplace community with my at-work family. Many crawfish were sacrificed for our celebration and now my hands bear the scent of spent shells, potatoes, and corn. I think its going to take a manicure to get my nails back to normal. [smile] Hope you enjoy the pictures. I've tried to caption them when appropriate.

Laissez les bon temps rouler, Margaret

Bags of live crawfish above... and me holding (just barely) a extra large live crawfish below. The crawfish I'm holding escaped the feast because on of the kids wanted to make him a pet.

Freddy, our warehouse foreman and cook for the afternoon.
Below crawfish hot out of the boiler.

Have you ever eaten a crawfish? It's hard work.
Members of our family pose behind the cake.