A Tragedy in So Many Ways

Many people have asked me if I plan to blog about the tragedy that occurred yesterday at Fort Hood. This is a logical question based on the fact that I am an Army wife and that I tend to blog about pretty much whatever crosses my mind. My initial reaction has been that I would not. I say this because I'm not sure what to write regarding this tragedy. The Army is like one giant family. I know people all over the country, and around the world, including at Fort Hood. As far as I know, no one I personally know was injured or killed in this attack (Thank God!). That is a small blessing for me. However, my Army family is hurting. I spent the better part of yesterday afternoon and evening glued to my television set. I was holding my breath, waiting to learn exactly who or what was behind the attack. While I waited, I debated with myself. I was trying to figure out which possibility was scarier: an attack from an outside entity or an attack from within? I still don't know. The thought of an attack from outside the Army family scares me because it might not be limited to one base. The thought of an attack from within is scary based on something else. How one can turn on his brothers- and sisters-in-arms, plot against them, and actually take from them their physical well-being and their lives is beyond my comprehension. If we cannot trust our own, those who we are supposed to trust with the lives of our loved ones in war zones, then who can we trust. I know I'm probably getting a little extreme here. But I also know that I cannot be the only one feeling this way. My heart is broken for those who were personally affected by this senseless tragedy. I hope that my extended Army family can recover from this swiftly.

What I've Been Reading

I've just finished up two books. They are both fabulous and very different from one another.

First up is Rhett Butler's People by Donald McCaig. I thought it was a breath-taking story. It was almost heartbreaking in many parts. But, honestly, what well-written drama set during the Civil War years isn't? If you've never read Gone With the Wind, there is a good chance you will be lost if you read this novel. (FYI: The novel Gone With the Wind is totally different and waaay better than the movie....and I love the movie.) The saga of Rhett and Scarlett is always captivating. This novel explores it and so much more of Rhett's life. I loved it.

Next, I read this fabulous book called Mechanically Inclined by Jeff Anderson. It is a guide to teaching the fine art of grammar, usage and style. Obviously, not everyone is going to read a book like this for pleasure (although, I'll admit that I did, because I'm a nerd like that). Anderson makes teaching the scary subject of grammar seem fun and almost easy. I would recommend this book to anyone responsible for teaching grammar to middle and high schoolers.

I'm not sure what I'll be reading next, but I'll be sure to share. Anyone read anything good lately?

Just Don't Burn It

As promised earlier this morning, I am posting a new crock pot recipe. This one is for apricot chicken. The kiddos liked it. The hubby is a nerd who ate two sandwiches 30 minutes before dinner and wasn't hungry. So, his opinion doesn't count on this one. One word of advice before I pass this one along: The sauce will burn if you cook this too long. Trust me. I might or might not have burned the first attempt at this recipe.

Apricot Chicken

1/2 jar Apricot Preserves (it was an 11 oz jar)
1/2 bottle Russian Dressing (it was a 16 oz bottle)
1 packet onion soup mix
1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts, cut into thirds or quarters depending on the size

Mix the preserves, dressing and soup mix in the crock pot. Add the chicken and stir to coat. Cook on high for 3 1/2 hours or low for around 6 hours.

I served it over rice.

Coming Up...

I'm rushing out the door to school right now, but I wanted to tell you guys that I have some fabulous stuff to blog about later today.

Coming up I have

• a new crock pot recipe
• reviews of what I've been reading
• and a lovely little rant about disrespectful drivers and funeral processions.

I know, you are on the edge of your seat. I almost feel bad for making you wait...

No Creative Name Today

Woo hoo! It's Tuesday! That means it's time to get random, so let's get this show on the road...

**I needed 4 things from the Commissary today. I managed to remember all 4 things. Yay!

**I was doing so well about drinking water for months after my daughter was born. Then I quit pumping for her and have slid back into my coffee/soda guzzling ways.

**I'm extremely annoyed with a certain college at the education center here on post. I need to take one course through them to transfer into my university in order to graduate. The course is a sophomore level British Literature course. Freshman Composition is a pre-req for it. I've received credit from 2 large universities for the courses because I took the CLEP exam and my current university gave me credit for the courses based on a huge writing portfolio I turned in. I've proven my writing abilities. Not to mention the fact that I'm an ENGLISH major and have taken numerous upper level courses. But, nooo, this freakin' tiny school won't accept those credits, so I can't take the course I need to. Oh, but they will award my hubby about a zillion hours of credit for "life experience".

**I may have gotten a little worked up on that last point there.

**William Blake's wife, Catherine, was illiterate.

**I actually managed to burn something in my crock pot recently. I didn't even realize it was possible. I've since corrected the problem (didn't cook the meal so long) and the recipe turned out well. I will share it soon.

**The father-in-law is coming to visit this weekend. I'm ambivilent about it.

**The flying monkeys in The Wizard of Oz scare me so much that I won't even watch the movie.

**I also have a fear of peacocks.

And that's about all the random I've got in me for today. Go visit The UnMom for more fabulous randomness and enjoy your Tuesday!

Bedtime

Sometimes I wonder what my hubby will be like when we get old. I fear that he will be that old man who wakes at 4 am to make his coffee and get the newspaper, then eats lunch at 10 am and spends the rest of the day waiting for the mail to arrive followed by an early bird dinner at 4 pm and bedtime at 7 pm (after the nightly news and Wheel of Fortune, you know). You may wonder what leads me to this conclusion. Well, my friends, let me share a little conversation that occurs on a nightly basis (usually around 7:45 pm) in our house

The Hubby: Are you ready for bed yet?

Me: Um, are you serious?

The Hubby: Yes, it's (insert obnoxiously early hour of the evening here).

Me: Be a grown up and wait until after 9 before you ask me that again.

See?! He's totally going to be that old man! I think I can live with it as long as I don't turn into that crazy old cat lady...crazy old cat ladies tend to smell like wet cat food and I just don't think I can handle that...

I'd Like to Thank the Academy

The lovely Vicki over at Frugal Mom knows Best has seen fit to bestow not one but TWO fabulous bloggy awards on me. I'm so very excited! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I'm feeling a bit like Sally Field right now...you like me, you really like me...Ok, sorry...Here are the awards...

One Lovely Blog

The rules of the "One Lovely Blog Award" are:

Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link. Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you’ve newly discovered. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

Love ya! Award

This award is bestowed on to blogs that are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose six more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.

See, aren't they pretty?! So, these awards come with instructions to pass them along. I don't know that I can get up to 15, but I definitely have some lovely ladies that I'd like to recognize. I'm just going to pass them both along to the following fabulous bloggers:

1. My favorite cousin, Ashley of Love Grows Best in Little Houses: She's just starting out, so go visit her!
2. My lovely friend and fellow military wife over at Losing 90. I've reconnected with her recently and am oh-so-glad that I did. She's a wonderful person!
3. The mouth-watering, oh-so-yummy Java Cupcake. Seriously, I think I gain 10 pounds every time I check it out :)
4. 2 Toddlers and Me: She is so charming and always seems to have the greatest ideas for her little ones.
5. My fabulous friend, April, at A Labor of Love. She is making her way through the adoption process and sharing it with us all.
6. Jen, at Random Blitherings of a (Not So) Domestic Goddess: She never fails to crack me up, on her blog or in real life :)

I know it says 15, but I just can't pick that many. Sorry :( But again, a big THANK YOU to Vicki for these lovely awards!!