Wrapping up

I'm assuming most people that check this blog are on our holiday card list, but if not, here's this year's edition:

I say "this year's card" like we send one every year, but we totally skipped 2018 and sent out a St. Patrick's Day card the year before

Things are definitely slowing down at work for the year. I finished all of my shopping and it's been kind of nice. I'm feeling like I have a little extra time to read, listen, watch, and hang out.

When clicking around online, I discovered that I am Enneagram personality type 9 (the Peacemaker). I think this is the most common. I was at dinner the other night with a couple of friends and 3 out of 4 of us were 9s. We were also all middle children, so that is probably not all that surprising.

I finished Sally Rooney's first book, Conversations with Friends, which I loved, and then wasn't sure I liked, and then decided was a pretty excellent book after all. Read it (or listen, which is basically how I read these days) and decide for yourself. Plus, I really want someone to talk about it with!

Jason and I went to the movies (gasp!) and saw Ford v Ferrari, which was a fun one to see on the big screen. I hope we're able to see a couple more movies over the break. Little Women, Knives Out, and The Rise of Skywalker are all on my list.

On the small screen, we started Season 3 of The Crown, and I am loving the new cast. Especially Helena Bonham Carter as my namesake, Princess Margaret. I'm also catching up on This is Us (on nights when Jason is out of the house). Sometimes it's fun to have a cheesy/heartwarming show to unwind to at the end of the night.

We also had 2 really, really good dinners with friends. Cafe Cancale - French seafood in Wicker Park - and Marisol - the restaurant at the Museum of Contemporary Art.

And for a little holiday fun, Jason and I went to what we think is our 4th Gezellgheid concert - Andrew Bird at the Fourth Presbyterian Church on Michigan Ave. It's one of my favorite things to do in December and never disappoints.

Overall I'm feeling good about 2019. We still have a few more things to look forward to this year (um, Universal Studios and Christmas with the fam). But I'm really looking forward to next year. 2020 is going to be big. We have Susie and Sean's new baby to meet, a family trip to Switzerland, and then Jon and Adina's wedding in Portland. Not to mention a 40th birthday for a certain blogger ...

If I don't write again this year (and let's be honest, I probably won't!), have a happy, happy holiday season!

Joyeux anniversaire à maman

Now that I've recovered from the jet lag, it's time to post pics from Paris. It was a perfect weekend and I can't think of any better way we could have celebrated my mom's 70th birthday.

Since we've all been to Paris, we did a mix of "greatest hits" (Luxembourg Gardens, Napoleon's tomb, Rodin Garden, Musée d'Orsay, Musée de l'Orangerie) and things no one had done before (Toulouse-Lautrec exhibit at the Grand Palais, Musée des Arts et Métiers, Musée des Arts Décoratifs). 

But mostly, we just had fun walking around, exploring the different neighborhoods, chatting away, and eating alllll the good food and pastries. Happy birthday, Mom!!

View from Montparnasse Tower

Pizza and champagne for Mom's 70th birthday dinner

Your author atop the Arc de Triomphe at sunset

Susie about to dig into some falafel on the Rue des Rosiers

Visiting Monet

Macarons at McDonald's ... not bad

Nawlins

A few pics from our food, drinks, drinks, food, music, food, drinks tour of New Orleans:

Local beers from Gnarly Barley Brewing at the Longway Tavern. Our waiter was from Cincinnati and gave us a list of really good recommendations for the rest of the trip

Heirloom tomato salad with popped sorghum, white chocolate, and sorrel 

Napoleon House for a quarter Muffuletta sandwich and Boudin sausage

Does this even need a caption? Beignets and cafe au lait at Cafe Du Monde

The happy travelers at Kingfish cocktail bar for Pimm's cup and sazerac.
I have no photos from K-Paul's, but rest assured we had all the favorites for dinner - fried green tomatoes, shrimp remoulade, chicken and andouille gumbo, pan-fried flounder with jambalaya ... It. Was. A. Feast. 

"Trash grits" for breakfast at St. Roch Market (a bit off the beaten path, but SO worth it)

Drinks on the front porch of The Columns Hotel overlooking St. Charles Ave.
Next up were oysters at Peche. Tip: talk football with the guys at the raw bar shucking oysters and they'll slip you a couple extra

More gumbo and boudin at Cochon. This was described as the Publican of New Orleans. I'd say that's about right 

Our final destination ... Bacchanal Wine. Also off the beaten path and well worth the trip. Enter through the wine store, pick up a bottle, and join the backyard party for live music. An absolutely perfect end to a perfect weekend

Sharing the love

I've made baguettes the last two weeks and am loving the results. The best part is, each batch makes four, so I can share the love with family and friends! Last week, I made pan con tamate (Spanish tomato bread) for friends at a BBQ. Today, I dropped off my extra baguettes with unsuspecting neighbors. I felt like a hero.

This is actually a photo from last week. The baguettes I made today were even better! 

A few other good things to share:

• This lovely article about Prince and his grand plans for an autobiography.
• The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead - not an easy read, but absolutely excellent.
• Derry Girls, a funnier than expected (and sometimes heartwarming) comedy on Netflix about a group of high school kids in Northern Ireland in the 1990s.
• Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew with Sweet Cream. I feel a little weird recommending something from Starbucks, but I am obsessed with this stuff. Bring your mug in and treat yourself! 

Back to school

I'm a couple of weeks late, but here's the fourth grader:

Molly, age 9. I'm late posting, but this WAS taken on the first day of school

I'm throwing this one in there, just because. We're not sure why this photo happened, but I think it's worth saving. My mom titled it "Whitesnake" (if  anyone remembers Tawny Kitaen)

We've had an interesting start to the school so far ... some of Molly's friends have been a little inconsistent. I think they're starting to notice who's popular and are on the lookout to upgrade. But overall, Molly seems more happy than not. There's always someone to play with. She's spreading her wings and starting to walk to school with some of the neighborhood kids. We'll see how it all goes. She's got to go through this stuff at some point or another ... might as well toughen up before middle school when the real drama hits!

Worth the wait

"It takes time. It takes patience. But the rewards are great.
Every loaf you bake is slightly different, but most of all, it is uniquely your own.
Nothing you can buy at a store will give you as much satisfaction."

- Nancy Silverton

Molly and me with sourdough loaf #3

I'm definitely feeling pretty pleased by my efforts so far! I've baked the last couple of weekends and have ended up with some really good bread. It takes about 2 days to make, but most of the work takes place on the morning of the first day. The rest of the time is spent watching and waiting for the dough to ferment and rise.

I burned the bottom of my first loaf, but we were able to turn the inside of the bread into croutons for Jason's homemade gazpacho, so no big deal! And I also experimented with using some of the leftover starter to make sourdough pancakes, which were absolutely delicious. Speaking of my starter, we've named it "The Yeast Beast" and now it lives in the refrigerator between baking sessions (much easier to maintain). 

I think I need to keep working on the basic loaf of country white bread for the next few weeks, but am looking forward to branching out and trying some different types soon. Baguettes, rosemary olive oil bread, raisin brioche ... I can't wait!

Inter-National debut

I am so proud. Jason's first ever gig poster SOLD OUT and received more than 7,500 likes on Instagram. I wish we would have been able to attend the concert to see it in person, but alas, it was in Portugal and we weren't able to make it! They sent us 10 copies though (Jason did the artwork, but it was printed by someone else in London). I love it!

Happy camper

Ever since we moved to Evanston, we've been hearing about Camp Echo. It seems like half the kids in Evanston end up going to this camp at some point or another and they all just love it. Molly and her friend Ryan have been talking ... and talking ... and talking about going for about as long as they've been friends. So the build up has been pretty intense.

Finally, it was Molly's week to go. The night before departure, she had a complete meltdown. She was worried about the swim test. She was sad that Jason was out of town and wouldn't be there to see her off. She was just plain nervous.

I was kind of nervous too. She's never done anything like this before. Would she be responsible enough to put on her sunscreen? Would she be homesick? Would she like the food? Would she have drama with her friends?

It turns out, our fears were unfounded. Molly had a wonderful time. She made bracelets, went kayaking, bought stuff at the trading post, stayed up late every night, burned a couple of marshmallows. All the best camp things. Next year, she wants to go back for 2 weeks!

Ready to go

A duffel bag as big as the camper

About to ace the swim test - she earned the highest level swim cap

When I saw her face as she was getting off the bus, I knew she had had a good time

Reunited!

Sourdough starter

I think I mentioned in a previous post that I've been watching a show on Netflix called Chef's Table. Well, I was totally inspired by the Nancy Silverton episode and have become obsessed with the idea of learning to bake bread.

And not just any bread. I want to make sourdough from my own personal starter. I've always kind of wanted to do this. A bread starter is basically a science experiment and I've been a sucker for science experiments for just about as long as I can remember. 

So, here we go. I used Nancy Silverton's recipe -- flour, water, and grapes wrapped in cheesecloth. I'll let it ferment and grow and then in a couple of weeks, let the baking begin!

Sourdough starter - Day 1

Family fun

We went back to Cincinnati this weekend, for the second time this month. This time, we were there to catch up with family.

We sent Molly on Friday with my parents so she could get extra time with my cousin Emily's daughter, Ella. Molly and Ella are about 9 months apart and total kindred spirits. They both love ducks, cooking, dress up, playing games, and avoiding the boys. I think it has been at least 3 or 4 years since they've seen each other, but it was like no time had passed. They were thick as thieves all weekend and I just caught glimpses here and there as they ran by us or paused to request another cookie or cup of lemonade.

That left me with plenty of time to keep an eye on my rambunctious dog, who probably had the most fun of anyone this weekend, running around the back yard with my cousin Katie's dog, Birdie, and my Uncle Neal's dog, Sparky.

But best of all was spending time with my Grandma & Grandpa O, who drove up from Tennessee to see all of us. I know they got such a kick out of seeing their great-grands run around. And I think they're looking pretty darn good for 90 plus!

We missed my cousins Patrick, Scott, and Brian, who had other stuff happening this weekend. But that just gives us a reason to plan another reunion, so we can get everyone together.

Molly and Ella - second cousins (if I have that bit of genealogy right)

Betsy's boys also played really well with Emily's kids. Here's James with Max

Back row from left: Archie, B, Me, Sean, Jas, Sus, Aunt Sue, Uncle Roger, Mom, Dad, Uncle Neal, Aunt Terry, Paul, Katie, Emily, and Joe
Front row from left: Molly, Grandma O, Grandpa O, Ella, Max, James, and George

And now, she's nine!

Happy 9th birthday to Molly!! We celebrated with what I have been calling "A Grand Tour of the Midwest" -- Evanston, IL to Minneapolis, MN to Elkhart Lake, WI, then back to Evanston, down to Cincinnati, OH/Covington, KY then home again. We drove approximately 1500 miles over the course of a week and it was equal parts fun, relaxing, and exhausting! I'd write a recap of the trip, but think the pictures are probably worth a thousand words :)

Making her wish

Molly's little face in this just kills me!

With Grandma Janet, out lovely host in Minnesota

Family photo (minus Riley)

Celebrating with G'ma and Papa

The full gang in Minnesota -- Keith, Janet, Lori, Terri, Jeff, Marsha, Me, Steve, Molly, and Jason

Gorgeous Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin

Stunning views from our room at the Osthoff resort in Elkhart Lake

Cincinnati fun at Dana's pool with Daphne, Eva, Cole, Houston, and cute new baby Chloe!!

Molly and Violet in Cincinnati

Hey summer, can you hear me?

We've had a very rainy June -- it hasn't really felt like summer yet. But Molly is in full camp mode and I've been able to play a few rounds of golf and tennis, so we're getting there. Here are a few highlights from June.

Molly graduated from 3rd grade and Riley graduated from Basic Obedience class

Race Against Hate 5k with my favorite running buddy 

Dinner and night out with the fam - a late birthday celebration for ME

Here's some other stuff that I've liked in June ...

TV:

• The very excellent Chernobyl miniseries on HBO -- intense, fascinating, and very well-acted
• Chef's Table on Netflix -- these chefs are true artists. I promise, you will feel inspired

Books:

• Where the Crawdads Sing, by Delia Owens -- a beautiful Southern story / mystery with an unforgettable main character
• Outlander by Diana Gabaldon -- I'm almost embarrassed to list this, it's a total bodice-ripper, but so good!

Podcasts:

• My Favorite Murder -- I feel like I'm late to the game on this one. Despite the title, it's really funny. You have to like true crime though!

That's all I've got for now. I'll post again in July with summer roadtrip updates! 

A little trip to the Poconos

I always love exploring new parts of the country and the Pocono Mountains did not disappoint. Everything was green and pretty, there was so much to do, and we got to hang out with Jon + Adina for 3 days. Here are a few of the highlights:

Rafting trip on the Lehigh River. Molly was totally part of the team. 

Hiking in Hickory Run State Park

Taking in the view of the Lehigh River from above

Our travel companions

Family pic

Enjoying every minute 

Odds and ends

So what's new in O'Grady world?

Molly ...

• ... is alllmost finished with 3rd grade, which is hard for me to believe. It's been a pretty good school year overall. She loves her teacher (total hero worship situation) and is happy to go to school every day, though I'm still waiting for her to discover A Great Love for books. The lack of interest in reading could be related to her general lack of time, however. We've somehow managed to let Molly get completely over-scheduled this Spring. I swear, this ridiculous schedule is all her fault as she has refused to drop anything from her list of activities (except for gymnastics, because something had to go!):

• Monday: Girls on the Run from 3:30-5:00, Lacrosse from 6:00-7:30
• Tuesday: NOTHING but homework (and YouTube)
• Wednesday: Girls on the Run from 3:30-5:00
• Thursday: Origami from 3:30-5:00 OR Brownies (once a month), Lacrosse from 6:00-7:30
• Friday: Sticky Fingers (cooking) from 3:30-5:00, Swim team from 5:00-5:45
• Saturday: Lacrosse game, usually 9:00-10:00am
• Sunday: Swim lessons from 9:30-10am, Swim clinic from 12:00-1:00pm

• Next up for Molly? She is running a 5k on May 15th with her Girls on the Run club, looking forward to her first week of sleep-away camp in August, and eventually starting oral immunotherapy (OIT) to get rid of her nut allergies (yes Mom, we're officially on the waiting list 😃)

Jason ...

• ... has added a couple of new art shows to the schedule this summer and has been using every spare moment in between work, travel, and family to draw, plan, and print. See what he's been up to here: repeaterprinting.com. And if you find yourself in Chicago or Evanston this summer, come see the booths at:

• Wells Street Art Festival: June 8-9, Old Town | Chicago
• Fountain Square Artisan Summerfest: June 22-23, Evanston
• Bucktown Arts Fest: August 24-25, Bucktown | Chicago

• He's also working on a gig poster for one of his favorite bands, which is super exciting. I promise to post more about that closer to the date!

Riley ...

• ... has a really bad hair cut. But other than that, she's been loving the dog park, getting into plenty of trouble whenever Jason is out of town, and enjoying the (sometimes) warmer weather. 

  

  A girl and her scrawny dog

Maggie (ME!) ...

• ... has mostly been busy with everyone else's stuff. I decided to go All In at Molly's school this year. Partly because she asked me to, but also because I have a feeling that as she gets older, she might not ask again! Also, why else am I working a 4-day week if not to sign up for this stuff? This year I've been the class communications parent, the class celebrations parent (because no one else would sign up), in charge of bulk school supply orders for the PTA, treasurer for the Brownies, and unpaid chauffeur to the nonstop list of activities (see above). It has been keeping me busy on those Fridays "off," that's for sure. 

• I've also been sticking to my New Year's resolutions and going to the gym a good 4 days a week on average. In between the typical elliptical and treadmill work, I've been mixing in a few classes to keep it interesting -- a delightfully retro step aerobics class on Wednesdays at lunch, and a super intense group barbell class called Body Pump on Sundays.

• No matter how busy I am, you know I still find time for my books and TV. I don't think I could survive without a couple hours a day to lose myself in someone else's story. I've been reading Becoming by Michelle Obama, listening to Calypso by David Sedaris, catching up on past seasons of Schitt's Creek on Netflix, and consuming all things Game of Thrones with whatever time I have left (try this podcast if you're a fan). 

• Speaking of Game of Thrones ... sigh ... I just can't decide how I feel about the final season. The acting is so good, and I'm so invested in these characters, that part of me is just eating up all of the crowd-pleasing moments that the HBO show runners are serving up to the fans. But at the same time, I know this isn't quite the way George R. R. Martin would have wrapped everything up. I guess it's his fault for not finishing the books, and I can only hope that one day I'll be able to read the real ending. Until then ... the show is what I've got and I hope that it ends up delivering in the in the final two episodes. I have a bet going with Jason and my neighbors for who ends up on the iron throne. My pick is Tyrion - I know, I know, so many people would have to die for this to happen, but it's the kind of unexpected ending that could totally happen in the world of Game of Thrones. There's a bottle of champagne on the line, so fingers crossed that the Imp gets his act together and finds a way to outsmart the rest of the would-be kings and queens!