For Tracy

The first text came while I was at church on Sunday morning.  Then a Facebook message from another class mate.  When I saw the words, "News about Tracy Fentress" I knew.  I didn't want to believe it, but I knew.

Tracy and I met in elementary school.  We became fast friends and then when the school district reorganized, I went to a different school until we were reunited in junior high.  She had become active in girl scouts and so I still saw her on occasion - as my mother was one of the troop leaders.  The year that my mother organized a troop trip to Bermuda (of all places), I got to tag along and stayed with friends of my parents while the girls camped not far away.  I have a great picture from that trip of Tracy, throwing some shade (before throwing shade was a thing) while we are all on the beach.  But you can see it even in that picture, the bubbly friendly personality that embodied Tracy.

We graduated high school and went off to different colleges and our lives diverged further. When my mother died in 2006, one of the people I remember seeing at both the wake and the funeral was Tracy and her mother.  Tracy continued in girl scouting, becoming a leader for her daughter's troop and cookie mother.  Tracy would often contact me at cookie time, because she knew that I would buy boxes from her, knowing full well that I wasn't going to be able to eat them - but I made the donation to her - because that's what she wanted (and it's what my mother would want me to do).

Once Facebook began to bring old friends back together, Tracy and I reconnected as I did with many others from my high school class.  I now am the moderator for a group dedicated to my class, which is a little weird for me, because I wasn't the most popular kid in high school, I was just one of the class, in the middle of the pack.  But I am happy with the way the group has turned out and that so many of us from our class (we were over 500 people in our class) have been able to reconnect and reminisce about old times.  I post each week the birthdays that are ahead and almost without fail, Tracy would be one of the first people to comment, wishing everyone a heartfelt happy birthday.

In 2010, I attempted to use Facebook to organize a 25th Reunion, which did not manifest itself very well - though those of us who came had a good time.  Tracy was involved in that reunion planning, but unfortunately she had begun her battle against cancer and she was unable to attend our mini-reunion. I was urged by my classmates to give it a go again for our 30th, set for 2015.  I knew my own limitations and found one of the few remaining reunion companies to help me organize the reunion the right way.  Once again, Tracy reached out to me and volunteered to be there for whatever I needed as the plans moved forward.

As several of us met in the bar before going upstairs to the ballroom for the reunion, I got tapped on the shoulder and turned around to see Tracy.  As with so many of us that evening, it was like we were back in high school and not 30 years later and the night just got better from there.  Later, as we tried to get everyone's attention to say a few words - it was Tracy who managed to get everyone to listen for a few minutes so that I could express my thanks to everyone for making the night such a success - but it was Tracy's words that echoed with everyone - because when Tracy talked, you listened.

She made a point of saying to several of us that evening that she would be back for the next reunion - but unfortunately that won't happen.  A few months ago, she posted on Facebook that she was back at Sloan-Kettering because she was having some pain.  I commented then that I was sure she would get through this as she had been doing all along.  But after fighting the bravest fight, Tracy lost her battle with breast cancer on Sunday morning.  She was 49 years old.  She leaves behind her husband and daughter, her sister and brother, both her parents, and all of us from the Class of 1985.  Tracy is the 14th Brave to leave us from our class - Once a Brave, Always a Brave.

Tonight family and friends gathered to remember Tracy and tomorrow she will be sent home.  I really wanted to be there - but couldn't make it happen.  I know that Tracy would have understood, but she would have also given me a little lip about it.  But she didn't quite know how to stay mad at people.

God speed my dear friend. You are free of pain now. I am sure that you and my mother are having a grand time talking about anything and everything.  And eating girl scout cookies.

DIY Tagalongs

Yesterday would have been my mother's 85th birthday.  She was involved with girl scouting for most of her adult life.  And for many years, that meant being the cookie mother.  And the living room would be full of boxes of Thin Mints, Trefoils, and of course, Tagalongs.

These might have to be made in her honor. Via Spoon University

Girl Scout Cookie Upgrade: Tagalongs with Bittersweet Chocolate and Sea Salt 
Prep Time: 60 – 80 minutes
Cook Time: 13 minutes
Total Time: about an hour and a half
Servings: 32 cookies

Ingredients 

• 1/2 cup confectioner sugar 
• 1 cup butter 
• 1 tablespoon vanilla 
• 2 cups flour 
• Pinch of salt 
• 1 cup peanut butter 
• 1/2 cup confectioner sugar 
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
• 1 tablespoon butter 
• 3/4 cup milk chocolate morsels 
• 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening 
• 3/4 cup bittersweet morsels (I used Ghirardelli 60% bittersweet chocolate, but anything that has a 60% cocoa content or more is a good option) 
• 1 tablespoon shortening 
• Sea salt for sprinkling 

Directions

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together confectioner sugar and room-temperature butter until smooth and creamy.
2. Add vanilla and beat until fully incorporated. 
3. Add salt then slowly add flour until combined. Dough should be crumbly but not over-mixed.
4. Press cling-wrap gently onto surface of dough then refrigerate for 20-30 minutes. 
5. As dough refrigerates, preheat oven to 350ºF. 
6. After 20-30 minutes of chilling, form dough into a large ball then place onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out dough to a 1/4-inch thickness.
7. Use a a 2-inch round cookie cutter (or if you lack such a thing like me, use a 1/4 cup measuring cup) to cut out the cookies and place rounds 1/2-inch apart on a baking sheet. Re-roll leftover dough and continue to cut out until all dough is used. 
8. Place cookies into preheated oven for 13-15 minutes, or until just beginning to brown around the edges. 
9. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack and let cool completely.
10. As the cookies cool, heat peanut butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat until it reaches the consistency of a thick milkshake: it should be liquefied but not runny.
11. Reduce heat to low and add confectioner sugar, butter and vanilla to saucepan. Stir to combine.
12. Remove from heat and using a knife, spread approximately 2 teaspoons of peanut butter mixture onto each cookie. Try and spread it out as smoothly as possible so the surface is even for dipping in chocolate.
13. Place peanut butter-topped cookies in the refrigerator for the topping to set (approximately one hour). 
14. To melt the chocolate for dipping, start by combining the milk chocolate morsels and shortening in a microwave-safe container.
15. Microwave on half power for 30-second intervals, stirring after each time until chocolate has completely melted.
16. For dipping, place cookie peanut-butter side down into melted chocolate. 
17. Submerge into chocolate so that the edges are completely covered and the chocolate begins to get on the bottom of the cookie (but do not completely dunk the cookie).
18. Remove from the chocolate and continue to hold cookie upside down so excess chocolate drips down back into the bowl. 
19. Flip cookie over and place on baking sheet or large, flat surface lined with wax paper.
20. Continue dunking in milk chocolate until half of the batch of cookies are coated. 
21. For the second half, melt the bittersweet chocolate with shortening following the same method as the milk chocolate.
22. Once the cookies have been dipped in the bittersweet chocolate, sprinkle a pinch of sea salt on each.
23. Place all cookies in the refrigerator and chill until chocolate coating sets!
24. Choose your side: milk chocolate or bittersweet chocolate. Or just eat them all.

National Girl Scout Cookie Day!

Today is evidently the first National Girl Scout Cookie Day.  To celebrate, BuzzFeed posted a list of Girl Scout items that are available through eBay and Etsy.

I need to get me some boxes of Girl Scout cookies.  If I don't get some soon - I am sure to incur the wrath of my mother.  A friend from home, who was in my mother's girl scout troop, and now leads her own daughter's troop, contacted me to ask me to contribute to Operation Cookie - which is an effort to send cookies to the troops overseas, something I am happy to do.

Recently, LBA had an Oral History project to do for school.  After some discussion, we decided to write the project on my mother - the project called for the individual to have made a difference.  Both Mrs. BA and I helped LBA with the project, providing him with the answers to the questions as to why my mother made a difference in so many girls lives.

So what's on the list?  And how many of them lived in my house growing up (or were brought through my house by girl scouts on their way to an international opportunity)?  Here's my favorite 10.

1. 1960s Official Girl Scout Camera (etsy)
2. Girl Scout Toiletries Bag and Comb (etsy) - I feel like I saw this growing up
3. 1960s Girl Scout Metal Canteen (etsy) - I'm almost positive one of these was around the house
4. Girl Scout Tie Clip (etsy) - if I wore ties more often (or still used tie clips), maybe.
5. Girl Scout Flashlight (etsy) - again, feel like there was one of these around the house
6. 50s/60s Girl Scout Charm Bracelet (etsy) - my mother had a charm bracelet with at least one girl scout charm on it.
7. Vintage Girl Scout earrings (etsy) - my mother had Girl Scout earrings.
8. Girl Scout Handkerchief (etsy)
9. Girl Scout Thermos (ebay)
10. Girl Scout (Brownie) change purse (ebay)

Later this month will be the seventh anniversary of my mother's passing.  I miss her each and everyday.

Girl Scouts (cookies)

Back in September, Girl Scouts of Nassau County celebrated their 100th Anniversary by planting 100 trees at Camp Blue Bay in East Hampton, NY. As most of you, my faithful readers, know, my mother was a lifelong girl scout and spent several weekends at Camp Blue Bay.

That's not to mention the number of years she served as "cookie mother" and our living room would be crammed full of cartons of cookies that we were unable to have. Have a look at the chart above - where do you fall?

Now, I have also spoken of the many girl scouts (and girl guides) that came through Nassau County (and my house) over the years as part of the International Hostessing Program, which my mother co-chaired for many years. I don't recall this being utilized by any of them - but I guess it's new.

Happy Birthday to the Girl Scouts! Thanks for everything you've done. And Happy Birthday to my sister!

Snow Stories II

[second in a series]

Yes, I know it's winter. Last week I started a series about snow. The first post was about my public school days and how it had to be really bad before we got a snow day. The post was partly due to the incredulity on my part that LBA's school closed early before a flake had fallen from the sky. The next morning he had a two-hour delay, which I begrudgingly accepted, as I was fully expecting school to be canceled altogether.

That happened yesterday. On Monday evening, we began to get the dreaded "wintry mix," which is so much worse than snow. Snow can be plowed, shoveled, pushed aside. Wintry mix has to be treated. The wintry mix that started on Monday evening was supposed to change over to rain by mid-morning, which it did, but not before my son's school went from a two-hour delay to being closed altogether.

Now I'll grant you, even the Federal Government opened late (on a two-hour delay), and I reiterate that I understand the abundance of caution exhibited by school officials, but it would be nice if we could get a little tougher about it. There's more wintry mix expected for Thursday night into Friday, so Mrs. BA is preparing to be home if schools close again.

Our story today boys and girls is about how one can amuse themselves on a snow day. Yesterday involved movies, some games for the brain, and some Wii. And I made sugar cookies. And dinner. It was a good day.

However, years ago, my mother had organized a trip to the circus at Madison Square Garden in New York City. There were about 100 Girl Scouts expected to go. On the night before the trip, it snowed. A lot. When we got up that morning, my mother foolishly told me that surely one of the girls wouldn't show up and I could go to the circus, too. We arrived at the train station and wouldn't you know it, every. single. girl. showed. up. Parents were surely at a loss at what to do and hey, the trains were running and the [circus] show must go on. It was not a pretty scene on the platform of the train station, when I had to be left behind. That was not a good day.

There were suggestions from neighborhood parents yesterday about how to amuse cooped up children. One of the better suggestions was increased physical activity (i.e., a dance party marathon). As it was the neighbor's suggestion, I asked if I could come over instead as it was time to get out of the house.

It was partially my own fault, for did I mention the roads were fine by noontime? But we had fun anyway - and a few years later after the circus snow incident, I got to go to the circus. So it was all good.

Recipe Monday

As today is the anniversary of Juliette Gordon Low starting the Girl Scouts, I offer to you a recipe that makes use of Girl Scout Cookies, in this case Tagalongs, or peanut butter patties, my favorite. To find the recipe, I "googled" "cooking with girl scout cookies" and found this recipe on the Totem Council Girl Scouts of Northwest Washington webpage.

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER PARFAIT:

Filling:

• 6 individual Soufflé dishes, buttered and lined with wax paper on all sides
• 8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
• 4 tbsp. butter, softened
• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ tsp. vanilla
• 2 boxes Tagalong cookies
• 2 ½ cups whipping cream
• 2 tbsp. confectioner’s sugar
• ½ cup smooth peanut butter
• chocolate shavings for garnish

Melt chocolate with 2 tbsp. butter in top of double boiler. While chocolate in melting, prepare crust for parfait. CRUST: Finely grind 1-½ boxes of Tagalong cookies. Divide mixture evenly between six prepared molds. Gently pat down cookie mixture to form bottom crust of parfait.

Whip 1 cup whipping cream with ¼ cup sugar and vanilla just until slightly thickened. Add cream mixture to melted chocolate and fold together. Divide chocolate mixture evenly between six molds and tap down lightly.

Whip 1 ½ cups whipping cream with confectioner’s sugar until soft peaks form. Mix peanut butter with 2 tbsp. butter until very smooth and creamy. Fold the 2 mixtures together and divide evenly between the six molds. Smooth tops and tap lightly. Refrigerate at least 4 hours.

Remove from refrigerator at least 30 min. before serving. Place parfait on plate and remove mold. Gently peel away wax paper. Garnish with remaining cookies that have been coarsely chopped and shaved chocolate.