MAKING TRACKS: Saratogan Jean Thompson Barrick has just received a copy of her memoir, Tracks Out of Spencer: An Army Wife Remembers. Son Thomas Barrick, Jr. designed the cover and helped with the intricacies of the electronic age.
The memoir evolved from a writing group at Hillview Center in Los Altos where she's been active for 10 years. "I never thought in terms of a book," she says. But, encouraged by others, she began to gather her writings into a three-part personal history.
The first part covers her early years and her strong desire to test herself in the broader world--hence the title, making tracks out of her small hometown of Spencer, N.C. The second part of the story shows her on her own--in San Francisco and London.
Working for the Navy, she lived with two other young women in war-torn London, saw Elizabeth II crowned and investigated London and Paris. On her return to the states she became engaged to Thomas, known as Mac, Barrick. And thus begins the third section of the memoir.
Mac was sent to Korea almost immediately after they were married. She couldn't join him there, or later when he was sent to Vietnam or Iran. But in between, the couple lived in Japan, Germany and the US., moving 18 times in 23 years.
Putting together the book was harder than she had expected--not the writing, but getting it published, as she navigated through one hurdle after another. A book signing for Tracks will be held Jan. 20, 35 p.m., at the home of Anne and Jon Cross. Contacts are Anne at 408.867.1444 or Jean at 408.867.3161.
The book is published by XLibris and can be ordered through 888.795.4274, ext. 479. After 33 military years, Mac retired as a colonel. Son Thomas, Jr. lives in Morgan Hill and daughter Carol lives in Moraga. The book is dedicated to the Barrick's children and grandchildren.
FORECASTER: Zack Lynch, managing director of San Francisco's NeuroInsights, gave the gala address at the Arab Strategy Forum held last month in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Lynch is an economic and social forecaster who advises organizations on the impact of neurotechnology on business, government and society.
His topic was "Tomorrow's World: A Peak into 2050." More than 1,500 government and business leaders attended the conference. Other speakers included Bill Clinton, Madeleine Albright and Dubai's Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Lynch is the son-in-law of Gay and Roy Crawford of Saratoga, married to their daughter Casey. Casey is vice president of research for NeuroInsights and accompanied Zack to Dubai. Zack went to St. Andrew's preschool, Monta Vista High School and UCLA. Neurotechnology is the business of creating tools to help combat brain disorders and diseases.
HAKONE HISTORY: Vicky Ching, owner of Ming's Chinese Cuisine, hosted a luncheon there last month organized by Saratogan Steven Hayes Young. The idea was for the assembled to learn more about the history between the Chinese community, Hakone Gardens and Ming's, particularly in the 1960s.
Six Bay Area families saved Hakone in 1961 when they purchased it from the Tilden family, who were going through financial difficulties and unable to maintain it. The six families were the Eldon and Joseph Greshams of Saratoga; the Dan Lees of Palo Alto, and the John C. Youngs, the George Halls and the John Kans of San Francisco.
Eldon and Joseph Gresham were friends of the four Chinese-American partners of Ming's. The Kans also owned the famed Kan's of San Francisco.
THUMBS UP FOR TURDUCKEN: My family gave an enthusiastic thumbs up to turducken, that poultry package that follows the same format as nested Russian dolls (one unit housed within another in descending order, growing smaller and smaller in size).
In the case of turducken, it starts with a turkey encasing a duck, which in turn plays host to a chicken. Next comes sausage and then cornbread stuffing with a snap to it, a Cajun touch. The whole edifice is de-boned--with one exception--so it can be sliced vertically. The exception being the turkey legs, which remain total turkey.
The concoction cooked for four hours in an outdoor cooker, rested nearly an hour, and then was served up, quite moist. It is prohibitive in cost, but the major cost was shipping. Now that we know Los Gatos Smokehouse carries it, that should lighten the toll, if turducken promises to become a tradition.
COMMUNITY CONCERT: The next Community Concert offering will be Jan. 16 at 2:30 p.m. at Los Gatos United Methodist Church when soprano Sherry Overholt and baritone Lee Velta present a concert that ranges from opera to musical theater selections.
FRACAS: Did you read about the fracas in Newtown, England where thousands of Santas had gathered for a charity run? After the race some over-imbibing took place, threats were hurled and five arrests made. Gave Santa something of a black eye this season, though thousands of pounds were raised for charity.
Got a tip for Saratoga Sampler? Send email to
maryanncook@earthlink.net.
By Mary Ann Cook