Is the world falling apart?

This has been a rough week for me, but I'm not going to complain even those that is this old lady's favorite hobby.  I'd be ashamed to complain of my trifling little problems.

If you've been anywhere near news in the past couple of days you know that a horrific earthquake hit Japan followed by a even more horrifying tsunami.  I can't even begin to imagine what it must have been like to witness that. My heart goes out to the people in Japan and their friends and families around the world.  I can imagine what they must be feeling now, but thank Heaven my imagination isn't good enough for me to grasp the whole experience.

If you want to help the people in Japan or New Zealand (or other countries around the world), please donate to your favorite charity.  The Salvation Army had set up relief stations in Japn and New Zealand within hours of the quakes even though their own offices were damaged.  If you want to know more or if you can donate, please visit Salvation Army International.

Frank Woodruff Buckles

The last known surviving American World War I veteran, Frank Woodruff Buckles, died February 27, 2011 less than 1 month after his 110th birthday.  


Watch the CBS YouTube video,  World War I Memorial, about Mr. Buckles' and Daid DeJonge's efforts to restore a forgotten WWI memorial in Washington, DC.  The memorial will be a tribute, not to the war, but to those who fought for the world in the "forgotton war".

Visit www.frankbuckles.org/ to learn more about Mr. Buckles and the memorial. 

We salute you, Frank Woodruff Buckles, for your patriotism, your service to America, and your perseverance. 

Cheese Enchiladas

I just finished supper and thought I'd share the recipe with you.  It's easy and quick to prepare.  I usually make the sauce in the microwave. 

Cheese Enchiladas

Ingredients:
2 (8") tortillas 
1 cooked chicken breast half, shredded
2 - 4 tablespoons minced onion (minced as in "finely chopped")
4 oz shredded cheddar cheese (or use a "Mexican cheeses" combo)
1 ½ tablespoons butter
1 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
2/3 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup sour cream
1 oz chopped green chilies (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
2. Divide the chicken, onion and most of the cheese between the tortillas. Roll them up and place in a greased baking pan, seam side down.
3. Melt the butter in a pan over a medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until it begins to boil. Add the broth, stirring continuously.
4. Add the chilies (if desired) and sour cream. Stir occasionally and do not let the mixture boil.  Pour this mixture over the enchiladas when hot and thick.
5. Bake the enchiladas for 20 minutes then top with the rest of the cheese and bake for a further 5 minutes or until you think the cheese is melted enough and is  a nice color.
6. Garnish with chopped tomatoes, sliced green onions, and/or sliced black olives, if desired. 

Side notes:

1. I served this with a tossed salad and tortilla chip and I'm a happy little camper right now. 
2. I didn't have any chicken prepared tonight so I just used the cheese and onion. 
3. I like the lesser amount of onion.
4. Sometimes I spread refried beans on the tortillas in a thin layer before adding the other ingredients.  But I didn't have any beans either. 
5. And I've thought about using cream cheese on the tortilla instead of the beans, but I didn't have any cream cheese either. 
6. If I don't have broth, I use milk.  It makes the sauce a little thicker.
7. I say the chilies are optional because I never seem to have any so have never used them in this recipe, but I don't think I've missed them.  Of course I won't really know till I've tried it with as well as without, will I?
8. If you use corn tortillas, you'll need to fry them a little first to make them soft enough to roll.
9. You can add chopped spinach with the cheese and onion if you like.  If using a 10 oz package of frozen spinach, thaw it and drain well, squeezing out most of the water.  You'll only need about 1/8 - 1/4 cup of spinach for each tortilla, but you can put the rest of the spinach on the bottom of the casserole dish as a bed for the enchiladas.  
10. I haven't tried this with shredded or ground breef, but I'm sure it would be good and am going to try it some day.Maybe next time.

I'm boring

I've got nothing to write about.   I'd say all the excitement has gone out of my life, but I never had any to start with.

Work is the same old give-me-my-paycheck-and-let-me-go-home sort of job.  I like the work I do, but the job is sucking the life out of me. 

I'm taking a photography course, but I'm not far enough along in it to be able to talk about it.  It's been too cold to take any pictures to see if I've learned anything. 

The book I'm currently reading is fiction.  The premise is a little upsetting - about a large national business that gets larger and its CEO gets richer by killing 1,000 of its employees in a little factory in a little town in Ohio.  The mass murder is fiction, but in many ways large companies are murdering the hopes and dreams and lives of people everyday through down-sizing, cutting benefits and salaries.  While the greedy little CEOs get richer.

I've been watching Season 7 of Thomas Magnum, PI (it was on sale for 75% off).  Since I watched the Wagon Train DVDs I haven't watched much current TV.  The old shows are so much better than what's on the air today.  You don't realize how much better till you see the old shows again.  You don't realize how much less sex was on TV just 20 - 25 years ago until you see this show with 4 bachelors on it.  (You meaning me, of course.)

I haven't had breakfast yet and it's almost lunch time.  I suppose I could eat brunch.  That's about as exciting as my day is going to get.

Great Americans Day

Today is Great Americans Day.  On your calendar it will probably say "Presidents Day" or maybe "Washington's Birthday, but I propose that we change it to Great Americans Day.

Why? you may well ask.

And I'm glad you did.

We NEED Great Americans Day because:

1. Every great American deserves a holiday, but everybody can't have a holiday or we'd get no work done. 
2. We need to recognize and honor Americans who went above and beyond for their country, their communities, their fellow citizens.  With Great Americans Day we would honor our national and local heroes.
3. Our history is full of men and women who deserve to be remembered for what they gave to us.  That deserve to be celebrated.  To be emulated.  To be honored.   

Take a few minutes today to remember somebody you think deserves to be called a Great American.  Then tomorrow try to be just a little more like that person. 

Maybe someday you'll make the list of Great Americans.