Thursday, November 17, 2011

Coming Home


by: Jen Kinsella

“There’s nothing half so pleasant as coming home again.”
--Margaret Elizabeth Sangster

I am counting many blessings this year: my family, good health, wonderful friends, and a job I love. But I am particularly thankful that my family and I have “come home” to Jacksonville.

Two years ago, we moved to the Washington, DC area because my husband had accepted a two-year assignment on the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon. While it was a great professional opportunity for him, I was sad to leave a city that I had grown to love and the many friends I had made while living here.

I joined the JLJ after moving here in 2007 as a way to meet new people and get involved in the community. Over the course of the next two years, I had the opportunity to volunteer for some outstanding community projects, like CARES, and I also made some wonderful friends along the way. When I was pregnant with my oldest son in 2008, four other FYAs were also expecting their first children. Those women and I became very close while we shared the joys (and aches and pains!) of pregnancy. We found support in one another as we anxiously awaited the arrival of our little ones – with our five children being born about 7 weeks apart (and two of us actually delivering on the SAME day!).

When we moved to DC in 2009, I was able to keep in touch with everyone - thanks in large part to Facebook, email and the work travel that brought me down here on a monthly basis. And when we found out last year that the Navy was bringing us back to Jacksonville, I was thrilled!

My husband and I have often asked each other, “What is it about Jacksonville?” “Why does this city feel like ‘home’ to us?” It isn’t perfect – there are so many needs in this community, but there is also so much potential. And as members of the JLJ we are charged with helping to make Jacksonville a better place for ourselves, our families and those less fortunate than us. So this Thanksgiving, let us all count our blessings and continue our work to improve this special place that we are blessed to call “home.”

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Deep Frying Turkey 101

by: Jenny Fitzpatrick

We started frying a turkey when we decided we were tired of waking up at o'dark thirty to put a bird in the oven. Frying a turkey is much faster than the traditional baking (3-4 minutes per pound versus 15 minutes per pound), it frees up that coveted oven space for other yummy treats, and provides a tasty alternative to the bird that is basted hour upon hour. The only drawback is there are no drippings to be used to make turkey gravy, but that is a small price to pay, trust me.

If you are thinking of trying this alternative for turkey day this year, please be mindful of the following, no need to turn a happy holiday in to an episode of Rescue 911:

  • Don't put too much oil in the fryer pot - If the cooking pot is overfilled, the oil may spill out of the pot when the turkey is lowered in. Oil can hit the burner and cause a fire. Follow the owner's manual to determine the proper amount of oil to use.
  • Don't drop a frozen or partially thawed turkey into oil - Frozen or partially frozen turkeys placed into the fryer can cause a spillover and may result in a fire. Make sure your turkey is properly thawed and slowly lower it into the pot.
  • Don't keep the fryer too close to structures - More than one-third of fires involving a fryer start in a garage or patio. Cook outdoors and maintain a safe distance from any buildings and wooden structures.
  • Unattended cooking - Normally, we say a watched pot never boils. When it comes to deep fat fryers, an unwatched pot may very well burn your house down.
Another bonus - it gets your husband out of the house for at least an hour, depending on the size of the turkey.

No matter how you choose to cook your bird - just remember the most important part of the day - spending time (safely) with family and friends and being thankful for all that we have! Happy Thanksgiving!


(Photos: Matt Fitzpatrick fries the family turkey - like a pro!)

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Dig A Little Deeper: A Classical Christmas


Come on out on December 3rd and support the Davis Performing Arts Center while attending the holiday recital, "A Classical Christmas." Mocktails will be served at 5:30 pm and the show begins promptly at 6:00 pm with dinner to follow.

The Davis Performing Arts Center is a non-profit organization in the Jacksonville area and is designed to provide inner city, underprivledged children a place to explore their talents in the arts. The performing arts center offers training in the art of theatre, dance and music while giving at risk youth an equal opportunity in the performing arts. To learn more about this organization, please visit their website at davisperformingarts.webstarts.com.

RSVP details are provided below.

Date: December 3, 2011
Location: 2839 West Beaver Street Jacksonville, FL 32254
Information: Performance starts at 6:00pm with dinner to follow. Tickets are $25 per person.
Contact Information:
R.S.V.P by November 23 to Mary Davis Johnson at
davisperformingarts@yahoo.com or call 904-303-3193