History Reading Recipes Travel

Promotion to Brigadier General

We were blessed last week to attend the ceremonies and festivities around our DF Leon’s promotion to Brigadier General.

You might remember I shared a recent trip to Fort Smith, Arkansas and a tour of their Air Force facilities.  Our friend the Colonel who hosted us is now the General and we could not be more proud.

And lucky us! We were there.

As wife and son, Michelle and Angelo pinned Leon.  It was so touching to see a wonderful family supporting each other.

I’m not sure of all the military titles, but the colonels, captains and airmen we met were all such nice people.  Everyone made us feel welcome and I am impressed our country is in such good hands.

Cookies and punch were served at the afternoon ceremony.   The party hosted at the Marshall’s Museum on the Arkansas River was a gorgeous setting and was quite a spread.

A pic of the four of us is already bringing back fond memories.

Celebrating important moments with loved ones means so much.  The ceremony was live streamed on FB, but we were beyond happy to attend in person.

What I’m Eating

You know.  Baking doesn’t come naturally to me and I don’t love it.  Said that 100 times by now.  But.  Here’s the problem.

Three gigantic ripe bananas.  Seems so wrong to throw them away.  Not with some many ways to use them up.  Right?

On Sallysbakingaddiction.com I found a recipe for Cinnamon Swirl Bread and thought I’d give it a whirl since I have such good luck with their recipes.

And then. 

I ran out of time.  And the butter was melting.  So hub stepped in and took the wheel and whipped up the recipe.

And he’s been eating it ever since. 

It came out kind of lopsided, but taste is better than presentation in my book.

What I’m Reading

On audio was If The Creek Don’t Rise by Leah Weiss. I knew nothing about this book or author and stumbling on it was a rare piece of good luck. 

The story takes place in 1970 in remote Appalachia which becomes a complete and interesting character in the book.

The book is told from the perspective of several of the different characters, Sadie Blue being the primary.  She is a young woman in a new relationship with a bad boy who intrigues her and convinces her to marry him.  When she’s pregnant.  Then the beatings begin.

She’s stronger than he thinks and this is not a tale of submission.

I hope there is a follow up to this book.  The ending is good, but I want to know more about the other characters.

The best kind of book – one you don’t want to end.

On Kindle I read The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix.  Who is a man.  Writing from a woman’s perspective.  And thinking he’s doing a good job.  It’s sexist and dumb and treats women as such.

I think my sister may have recommended this one, so I may have to check on her.

It’s supposed to be a fun horror but it’s just insulting.  The writing is actually okay, but I almost didn’t finish and then wished I wouldn’t have.  Don’t bother.

Wow, such a busy August and it’s still early in the month. Phew, happy to share what we’re doing and happy you’re coming along.