Lines In The Sand

Lines in the Sand


You’ve undoubtedly heard the metaphor “Don’t cross the line in the sand” or in my case on the North Shore of Lake Superior “Don’t cross the line in the beach rocks”…never was this truer than the hallways of Cook County High. CCHS was not unique as I am sure all small town high schools have their social lines that for whatever the reason, are never crossed…though these lines are not visible to the naked eye, I am sure we’ve all had our days when we wish they were. It would make life easier in some ways if we just knew who wanted to be friends and who could care less. As student council president and senior class vice president I tried to avoid having any lines drawn around me that would make anyone feel unwelcome or at odds. (A true politician with an open door policy –haha) It was always nice when I would find a way to cross a line, like the time I had a new lab partner. I found out the really smart guy was also a great dancer and loved music. Swish, line erased. New friend made.

One big line was around a girl in my senior class. She was not afraid to stand up to anyone, including the teachers. Even her boyfriend was a much younger man and this was unheard of in high school. She didn’t care who knew it and she would threaten physical harm to any girl who even thought about looking at him. (Her name came from a Tarzan comic book for goodness sake!) Needless to say, I was intimidated. Smart cookie that I was, I avoided any contact all together. I am sure she thought I was “stuck up”. I didn’t care if it kept me from being smacked, even though I never actually saw her “hit” anyone. After high school we both moved to the cities. Our mothers, being friends, decided we should get together when they found we lived only a few miles from each other in Plymouth. “Why, why, why” I would plead with my mom. “I don’t know her and I am sure she doesn’t like me”…to which my mom would say “Ridiculous, you just went to school with the girl for the last six years!” Finally the mothers conspired against us and her mom asked me to deliver some cookies to her daughter. Now not only did I have to call her but I had to actually go OVER to her house.

This visit changed the course of my life FOREVER. First of all, she was funny! She had married her young high school sweetheart and was very, very pregnant with their second child when we got together that first day. Her little daughter was jumping on the bed in the other room. Her mom told her to knock it off and all we heard was this tiny little voice “No”! (Can you say the apple hadn’t fallen far from the tree??) After a few weeks of hanging out together I admitted that I was afraid of her in school and she admitted that she thought I was a snob. We laughed because she said she still thought I was a snob and I ducked! She told me about a claims training class at Prudential. They were hiring twenty new recruits to pay medical claims for them and she had an interview. She convinced me I should apply too and luckily we both were hired. (We turned the Dean Vaughn medical terminology training into a drinking game.) She aced the 350 word test and I got one wrong with a score of 349. (Never again will I confuse ptyalism with phagocytosis…one is excess spit the other is bacteria eating bacteria or something like that.) I worked in insurance for the next 17 years as a claims examiner and claims manager. I am so thankful I was forced to jump that line and make the friend I could have had all through high school. She clearly would have been great protection! Peace, Sandy

Preconceived notions are the locks on the door to wisdom. Merry Browne

Nothing can bring two friends together faster than homemade margaritas!



Mango Margaritas

Ingredients

For the Mango Margarita Mix:

• 1 pounds fresh mangoes

• 1 cup water

• 1/2 cup sugar

• Course salt

• Makes about 3 cups mix

For the drink:

• 3 cups ice

• 1 and one half cups Mango Margarita Mix

• 4 ounces tequila

• 2 ounces triple sec

• Lime wedges

• Mint Salt, recipe follows

Directions

Peel and pit the mangoes and cut them into large chunks. Place the mango in a blender with the water, sugar, and a pinch of salt. Blend until smooth. Taste and add more sugar, if necessary.

Fill the blender with ice and add the Mango Margarita Mix, tequila, and triple sec. Blend until smooth. Rub the rim of a margarita glass with a lime wedge and dip into Mint Salt to coat rim. Fill glass and enjoy!

Mint Salt:

1 cup fresh mint leaves

1 cup coarse sea salt

Clean and dry mint and roughly chop. With a mortar and pestle, crush equal parts fresh mint and salt.

Yield: about 1 cup salt



Watermelon Margaritas

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon lime zest

• 1/2 cup water

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 3 tablespoons coarse salt

• 1 lime wedge

• 1 cup watermelon puree (suggest using seedless watermelon, puree in blender)

• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

• One half cup premium 100 percent agave tequila

• 2 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur (recommended: Grand Marnier or triple sec)

• 1 cup ice

Directions

In a medium saucepan, combine the lime zest, water, and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat, and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat. Cool to room temperature and strain out the zest. (Can be made in advance; keep in a covered container in the refrigerator.)

Chill a margarita glass in the freezer for 30 minutes. Place the coarse salt in a shallow dish or saucer. Wet the rim of the glass with a lime wedge and dip the glass into the salt, coating the top edge.

In a cocktail shaker, combine 2 tablespoons of the cooled lime syrup with the watermelon puree, lime juice, tequila, orange-flavored liqueur, and ice. Shake until frothy and well chilled, at least 1 minute. Strain into the prepared glass and garnish with a lime wedge.



Blueberry-Lime Margaritas

Ingredients

• 2 cups ice

• 1 cup frozen blueberries

• 1 cup blueberry nectar (or blueberry juice)

• One fourth cup seltzer

• 2 tablespoons frozen limeade

• 1 tablespoon lime juice

• 3 ounces tequila

• 1 lime wedge

• Coarse salt

Directions

Combine ice, blueberries, blueberry nectar, seltzer, limeade, lime juice and tequila, if using, in a blender and blend until smooth. Rub rim of 2 glasses with lime wedge and dip in salt. Divide the margarita between the prepared glasses and serve.