Oklahoma City Visit

September is probably the cruelest and least enjoyable month in Arizona.  While Fall is making itself felt in other parts of the country, it’s still consistently over 100 degrees in Phoenix and Tucson, and the nights are not cooling down.  To add to that, the chances for monsoon rains and their cooling breezes are starting to die down.  The constant air conditioning gets very tiring.  But, I am never one to complain about heat, and 90% of the year, I love it here.  We were lucky enough to spend much of the summer in the mountains which was delightful. When we’re home, I try to make sure I get out early mornings for walks and some afternoons to the pool.  It seems if I can get a little sunshine every day, I don’t really mind the heat.  Staying indoors with the shades drawn is very depressing.

Our vacation this year included a stop to Oklahoma to visit our good friends Terry and Jerry.  They treated us to the grand tour of what must have been most of the state.  Downtown Oklahoma City is charming, but we also made stops in rural towns and ate foods we’re not used to here in Arizona.  The most memorable restaurant was Blake Shelton’s Ole Red in Tishomingo where Jerry ordered the BS Bloody Mary which was garnished with a slim Jim, a chicken finger, okra, tomato, olive, pepper.  Good grief.  I had a Michelob Ultra and was quite happy with that.

On the top of my wish list was a visit to the Oklahoma City National Memorial.  It’s hard to believe the events of that terrorist attack happened almost 25 years ago.  Of course, the events of 9/11 have overshadowed OKC, but I think most Americans clearly remember the horror that occurred right in our Heartland.  Where the original Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building stood, the National Parks have erected a touching, healing and peaceful memorial.  It is very well done.  There is a reflecting pool flanked by bronze Gates of Time marking the time 9:01 prior to the bombing which depicts the last moment of innocence, and 9:03 after the bombing which depicts the beginning of healing.  This is the inscription on the gates:  We come here to remember Those who were killed, those who survived and those changed forever. May all who leave here know the impact of violence. May this memorial offer comfort, strength, peace, hope and serenity.

On the ground where the actual building stood is a beautiful grass field with 168 glass, bronze and stone chairs inscribed with the names of the victims.  The children who were killed are represented by small chairs.  It is so heartbreaking to remember a building was attacked that housed a daycare.

The museum is very comprehensive in telling the story and took us at least a couple of hours to go through.  Of course, as with everything I get curious about, I started researching the events and refreshing my memory about what I knew.  Timothy McVeigh was tried and sentenced in Denver and Terry Nichols is serving his life sentence in the Supermax prison in Florence, Colorado where my mother lived.  With those Colorado connections, I think I probably heard more about the case than I normally would have.  I do remember the conspiracy theories around there being other participants who were not brought to trial and about the friction between the FBI and ATF possibly causing many details to fall into the cracks.  None of that was addressed at the museum.

As we approach September 11^th, I am always aware of a heaviness in my heart, but I’m thankful for the monuments to victims and that they will never be forgotten.

What I’m Reading

I am STILL reading Handling Sin.  I’m really enjoying it and its crazy antics and moral insights; however, I think the author could have driven us down the road in a bit fewer pages.  On audio, I am listening to the seventh Ian Rutledge mystery A Cold Treachery.  I enjoy the series, but the narrator on this one is not great and I cannot keep the characters straight while he’s talking. 

Not sure if I have addressed this or not, but through my local library I use two apps Every. Single. Day.  They are RB Digital which automatically streams and downloads audiobooks I check out onto my phone and Overdrive which I use to borrow ebooks for my Kindle.  Overdrive has a great assortment of audiobooks I can find if RB Digital doesn’t have them.  I get 98% of my reading or listening material free.  I will purchase a book or an ebook if I want it on hand for reference or if it’s too obscure to find through the library.  Chris mentioned that she loves to read hard-copy books and take a leisurely stroll around Barnes and Noble, and I totally agree with that activity.  Anything we do that brings us peace and joy should be done, and done frequently.  I love the thought that I am a great library patron and love reading for free.

What I’m Eating

Funny story this week.  My friends Cindy, Evon and I were chatting over some amusing meatloaf stories, and when I related them to my husband and remarked I an still surprised he doesn’t like meatloaf.  He said he loves meatloaf and couldn’t figure out why I never make it anymore.  Wow, talk about miscommunication after 31 years of marriage!  So, I made a small meatloaf with roasted vegetables yesterday and he’s as happy as can be.  I guess that will be back in our regular meal rotation now.  I’m not sharing a picture of meatloaf, because let’s be honest, there’s no way to make that pretty. My recipe in case you’re inclined to eat meatloaf:

Meatloaf and Roasted Vegetables

• 1 pound super lean ground beef (or ground turkey)
• ¾ cup oatmeal
• 1 egg
• Minced onion to taste (we use very little)
• Salt and pepper
• Ketchup and barbeque sauce for topping

Mix ingredients (except ketchup and bbq sauce) together and press into a small loaf pan.  Top with ketchup and bbq sauce and cook uncovered at 350 degrees until done through.  In my small convection oven that took 30 minutes. 

I chopped potato, carrots, onion and zucchini, dried thoroughly and tossed with a little olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted them at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes.

And last, here’s a mocktail I made myself this week and is a new favorite. So simple:

• 8 oz sparkling water
• 4 oz cran-mango juice
• Juice of ½ lime