Soccer

Soccer
Will at play

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Dickens' Thanksgiving Reunion - Naples Florida


Rob, Finley, Kyle & Aly


Janet & Aly


Janet, Rob, Aly & Finley

Excellent, quick and easy Holiday Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

This pie was Will's favorite, I am so sad and hurt that he is not here these past 3+ years to enjoy it. The Dickens' family enjoyed it during our Thanksgiving holiday in Naples, Florida.

Ingredients:

1 6 ounce package of vanilla pudding
1 cup of milk
1 (15 ounce) can of pumpkin
16 ounces of cool whip
1 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin spice
1 graham cracker pie shell

Combine instant pudding, milk, pinch of pumpkin pie spice, can of pumpkin and cool whip. Save some cool whip to cover the top of the pie. Pour mixture into pre-baked pie shell. Cover pie with remaining cool whip. Sprinkle top with pumpkin pie spice.


Aly's Oysters Rockefeller - Merry Christmas - Home from college for the Holidays

Richard and I picked up fresh oysters from Cook's seafood earlier this week. Aly made the tastiest Oyster Rockefeller that we thoroughly enjoyed.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 10 oz package frozen chopped Spinach, thawed and drained
8 oz Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
8 ounces fontina cheese, shredded
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fine bread crumbs

Directions:

1. Clean oysters and place in a large stockpot. Pour in enough water to cover the oysters. add garlic, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat, drain and cool.
2. Once oysters are cooled, break off and discard the top shell, if it is not already removed. Arrange the oysters on a baking sheet. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
3. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic in butter until soft. Reduce heat to low and stir in spinach, Monterey Jack, fontina and mozzarella. Cook until cheese melts, stirring frequently. Stir in the milk and season with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over each oyster, just filling the shell.
4. Bake until golden and bubbly, approximately 8 to 10 minutes.

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

This centerpiece is made out of wine barrels by Bob Dixon at RE Designs,Inc. For more information or to place an order for custom made wine barrel furniture, contact Bob Dixon at robertdixon158@comcast.net.

Monday, November 5, 2012

Ken Dauber for Palo Alto School Board

While the Presidential race and California ballot measures are consuming most of the oxygen this election season, there are also important local races. One of the most critical is for the Board of the Palo Alto Unified School District, which has drifted in recent years and ceded too much authority to the Superintendent and his staff. Four candidates are running for three seats. I'm most enthusiastic about Ken Dauber and I urge you to support him too. You can learn more about Ken at Ken Dauber for School Board. Ken is a data-centric software engineer at Google, who also has deep experience with education policy and advocacy. He's been a consultant about education data and achievement for the Education Trust, Gates Foundation and U.S. Department of Education. His five kids have attended many local schools, including Barron Park, Nixon, JLS, Terman and Gunn. And for the past two years he's led successful local parent advocacy about student emotional health and achievement. Ken wants our schools to enable all students to thrive academically, social and emotionally. His priorities -- student achievement and health, transparent and accountable governance and data-driven innovation and planning -- make sense to me. Over the past few weeks Ken has mounted one of the most energetic local campaigns I've ever seen. He's earned key endorsements from 7 current City Council members, many other local officials and dozens of community leaders. The Palo Alto Weekly has endorsed Ken. So has Palo Alto High School's student newspaper, the Campanile: "We feel most compelled to support non-incumbent Ken Dauber . . . . Dauber has helped shape homework policy, drive discussions on student well-being and Project Safety Net and more." Last year, my now-graduated daughter Meghan was the Opinion Editor of the Campanile, so I know first-hand how seriously the students take their endorsement responsibility. Thanks for considering this special request to vote for for a special candidate: Ken Dauber.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Pancake breakfast to benefit Project Safety Net Palo Alto firefighters to serve flapjacks at fundraiser Saturday From Palo Alto Online Project Safety Net's first annual Pancake Breakfast is scheduled for Oct. 20. The fundraiser is the brainchild of Palo Alto firefighters, who had been looking to forge a relationship with a local charity. "We felt a connection with PSN (Project Safety Net)," Palo Alto Fire Department Captain Carter French said. Referring to the youth suicide cluster in 2008-2009, he said, "When those suicides were happening, we had to deal with that. It was difficult." Carter said that the partnership with PSN "is the perfect connection. We want to help bring awareness and funding to this organization," he said. Facebook chefs will also be on hand for the breakfast event and plan to do the actual pancake cooking. Other activities include a fire engine show, a jaws-of-life demonstration, door prizes and a safety fair. It takes place Saturday, Oct. 20, at Fire Station 6 on the Stanford campus, 711 Serra St., starting at 9 a.m. Tickets are $5. Friday, October 19 is the 3rd anniversary of Will's death. We love and miss him dearly. The partnership of PA Firefighters and Project SafetyNet (PSN) is wonderful. If you are in the area, please support the partnership by attending the 1st annual Pancake Breakfast at the fire station on Stanford Campus this Saturday. Janet Dixon-Dickens

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Richard's Signature Salad-Nicoise Use the following steps to make the salad: 1. Cooks the potatoes and make the herb dressing 2. Prepare and assemble the salad Ingredients 2 lb potatoes salt and pepper 3/4 lb green beans 6 eggs 1 lb medium tomatoes 10 anchovy fillets 2 6 1/2 oz cans solid light tuna 3/4 cup black olives For the dressing 3 garlic cloves 7-10 sprigs of fresh thyme 1 bunch of fresh chervil 1/2 cup of red wine vinegar 2 tsp Dijon-style mustard 1 1/2 cups of olive oil Preparation Peel and boil potatoes Make dressing Peel and finely chop garlic cloves, strip thyme and chervil leaves from the stems, finely chop the chervil leaves. In a bowl, whisk the wine vinegar with the mustard, chopped garlic, salt and pepper, slowly whisk in the olive oil Drain the potatoes, rinse with warm water, drain again, cut potatoes into chunks and put them in a large bowl Briskly whisk the herb vinaigrette. Spoon 5-6 tbsp over the potatoes, stir thoroughly and let cool Top, tail and cook the beans for 5-7 minutes, drain, rinse with cold water, drain again. Put the beans in a bowl and whisk the rest of the dressing and add 3-4 tbsp to the beans tossing so they are coated with the dressing Hard boil eggs, peel and cut lengthwise into quarters Peel and cut tomatoes into 4 wedges each Flake the tuna with a fork, whisk the dressing and add 5-6 tbsp to the tuna Arrange potatoes in a large, shallow serving bowl Put the green beans in the center, then spoon the tuna on top Alternate a few egg and tomato wedges on the tuna and the remaining wedges around the edge of the bowl. Briskly whisk the remaining dressing and spoon it over the salad Arranges the olives and crosses of 2 anchovy fillets inside the egg and tomato border. Serve
Richard's Signature Salad-Greek Use the following steps to make the salad: 1. Make the Herb Vinaigrette dressing 2. Prepare the vegetables 3. Cube the cheese and assemble the salad Ingredients 2 lb medium tomatoes 2 medium cucumbers 2 green bell peppers 1 medium red onion 6 oz of feta cheese 3/4 cup Kalamata or other Greek olives for the dressing 3-5 sprigs of fresh mint 3-5 sprigs of fresh oregano 7-10 sprigs of parsley 3 tbsp red wine vinegar salt and pepper 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil Preparation Dressing Strip mint and oregano leaves and coarsely chop, whisk together red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Gradually whisk in the oil. Add the chopped herbs, then whisk the dressing again and taste for seasoning. Salad Core and cut tomatoes into 8 wedges Peel and scoop seeds out of cucumber,cut in half lengthwise and , cut strips into 1/2 inch pieces Remove bell pepper core, halve the peppers, scrape out the seeds, cut into strips to dice Peel and cut onion crosswise into thin rings Cut the Feta cheese into 1/2 inch strips, cut strips crosswise into cubes Put the tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, and onion rings in a large bowl. Briskly whisk the herb vinaigrette dressing and pour it over the top of the salad, toss the vegetables thoroughly in the dressing, add olives and feta and gently toss again. Allow flavors to mellow for about 30 minutes before serving.
Richard's Signature Soup-Vichyssoise Ingredients 2 leeks chopped 1 onion chopped 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 3/4 cup thinly sliced potatoes 2 1/3 cups chicken stock salt to taste ground black pepper to taste 1 1/8 cups heavy whipping cream Directions 1. Gently sweat the chopped leeks and and onion in butter until soft, about 8 minutes. Do not let them brown. 2. Add potatoes and stock to the saucepan. Salt and peer to taste; do not overdo them. Bring to boil and simmer very gently for 30 minutes. 3. Puree in a blender or food processor until very smooth. Cool. Gently stir in cream before serving.
In August, several dear friends, mother's of kids that were lost to suicide, joined me for lunch at our home in Lincoln, CA. My husband, Richard, made the lunch consisting of his 2 signature salads (Nicoise and Greek) and 1 signature soup (Vichyssoise). Sharing his talented gift of making terrific food and being with our friends made for a lovely Saturday afternoon. The next 3 posts will provide the recipes for Richard's signature dishes. Below is a poem that I have written to honor those grieving the memory of lost loved ones like Will. I know moms Moms that have lost children to suicide. Moms that know that pain day in day out, gut wrenching, one foot in front of the other. Marking time or not. They have found their children shot, hanging in their rooms. They have been told by police that their sons and daughters have died at the tracks by train, the bridge, and asphyxiation. They have endured the greatest loss a mom can and will ever endure. What could I have done, it is my fault, if only… Still, there are those that depend on us, that need us, the ones left behind, we need to be here for them, too! They are living on earth not at peace and no longer in pain as some may say. Alas the pain is right here in the guts and hearts of the survivors. Trying to put on that public face of “don’t worry, I’m (we’re ok)”. We’re survivors- sad & empty dads, broken hearted & crushed moms, sisters and brothers wanting them back here, now just like it was- the perfect world, all on top of our game gone now forever. I know those moms, I love those moms I am one of those moms. J Dixon-Dickens 8/8/2011

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Aly & Auburn University-Go Tigers

Aly and I are at Auburn University in Auburn, AL. I am dropping her off at school. Auburn is a great school and a college town with a good feel to it. Aly starts school next week, this week she is taking part in the sorority rush. She is so excited and happy. She lives in a women's dormitory, 1 block off campus, her roommate is from Mobile, AL, they hit it off-her room is so cute. Her major is architecture. We miss everyone at St. Bede's and are looking forward to coming to church when we are in town on August 25.

Monday, June 25, 2012

Back from Auburn, Alabama, where Alison is a student majoring in Architecture. What a beautiful campus and town. The weather was nice, warm but not very humid. We go back in August to move Aly in to a women's dormitory one block off campus. I am so proud of Aly, she has worked so hard to get out of high school and into one of the top 20 Architecture programs in the country. Another chapter opens in our lives, proud parents of our college student, Alison. Our grandson,Dylan,turns 16 today, also. Time passes so quickly.

Monday, May 21, 2012

Will Dickens' 19th birthday

Will, it is your 19th birthday today. I wish you were here with us. We love and miss you so much. Such a beautiful person with so much to give. Yesterday was a beautiful day with the scholarship given in your memory to fellow youth group member, Sarah Bradbury. I felt your presence all around on a lovely Spring day in May. Love, Mom Thank you St. Bede's Parish for sharing this special day with us. The Dickens' Family

Friday, May 18, 2012

Hi Will, From winter 2012 journal entry I am sitting in Emily’s backyard waiting for Janet. I am hanging out here today while Aly goes to Middle College to visit with Amanda before her doctor’s appointment. We stayed with Grandma this past weekend. Attended a dinner at Sheila’s then hiked at Steven’s Creek reservoir. Went to St. Bede’s too! Aly came. Will, things are changing here although I feel your love and spirit abound. Will, I’m sure you’ve been here many times over the years. I wish we knew the Levine family better when you were alive. I think it may have changed things. We’ll never know. Healing progress is slow and steady. It is so hard to imagine that it has been over 2 years. Our lives have changed so much since we lived at Stanford. Aly is now 18, will soon graduate from high school be off to university in Auburn Alabama studying Architecture. Where have the years gone? Sometimes I feel we are not making any progress. I know we are. We miss you so much Will and love you. How it would be so different if you were here with us on earth. I love being in nature with my dog, Millie. Took Millie on a short walk and hear our heavenly friend, Mr. Blue Jay! He visited. I believe that you sent him, Will as a sign that you are nearby. Close always with me. Nature, so much to do in this life. Why did you leave us so soon, so young with so with so much ahead of you? Every time I seen a handsome, athletic, vibrant young man, I think of you, Will. I am so proud of you, my son, our son, our brother cousin, uncle & friend. Talk soon, Will, you are always in my heart, and on my mind. My love to Grandpa, Love, Mom

Monday, April 16, 2012

Will's memory lives on in 2012 and beyond

Will Dickens

Son, Brother, Teacher and Friend

Will had a natural talent for teaching. Being an assistant Sunday school teacher for years at St. Bede’s gave Will the opportunity to share his gifts with the children of the parish.
He excelled in math and science. His special need was in the area of reading since first grade. He worked so hard and accomplished so much during his short life.
Will was also an accomplished athlete in water polo, soccer, tennis, basketball and swimming. On June 7, 2010, an award was given to a Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) high school special needs student who shows enthusiasm for aquatics and pursuing a university education.
Also annual award can be made, in memory of Will Dickens, to the Special Olympics California Aquatic program, 3480 Buskirk Ave., Suite 340, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 or www.specialolympics.org.
Working with St. Bede's in 2012 to establish a Will Dickens' scholarship fund.

To heal, our communities must focus on the natural gifts, strengths, talents and interests that all kids have to offer. With this shift in focus and communities connecting with youth, wonderful things do happen.

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Will's Story: his life, death and beyond-a trilogy of love

I am writing a book Will's Story: his life, death and beyond-a trilogy of love. I resonated with Lee Hirsh when I saw him interviewed especially with the family that lost a child. The bullying madness has to stop for all.
http://lifelonglearning-l-cubed.blogspot.com/ is dedicated Will, who died on Oct 19, 2009, 16 years old. His memory will live on forever. He had such a wonderful impact on so many lives. I hope others grieving loss will be able to gain hope, healing and ideas to honor lost loved ones.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Ceviche in Morea

Back in February on the beautiful island of Morea in French Polynesia, we were on a lunch cruise to swim with stingrays, sharks and other beautiful sea life. At the picnic area, I was selected by our guide, Seeki, to help make Ceviche, so delicious. I am the last person to help make food, anyway it was fun and the 25 other people on the cruise enjoyed the show. Seeki referred to me as Mum. Here is the recipe:

Ceviche prepared by Seeki and Mum

4 lb Ahi cubed
Salt
4 liters of water
lime or lemon juice
cucumber cubed
onion diced
tomatoes cubed
1-2 cups of coconut milk fresh squeezed

Place cubed Ahi in a large stainless steel bowl. Add water, stir and rinse. Add other incredients stirring up and down at each point. Serves 25-30