A look back at 9/11/2001 from 9/11/2021

I was 28 years old, in my second year of teaching music at Robertson Elementary School. In a way, our campus was “mourning” already because the move of our beloved principal to another campus. We were slowly getting accustomed to this new principal and working hard to give him an opportunity to be a different leader than we were used to.

I don’t remember a lot of details about first thing that morning, it was just like any other. I started the day with my planning time while classroom teachers started their day in their regular routines with students. I walked to the door of my classroom to welcome a 3rd grade class to music a few minutes early so I could chat with my classroom neighbor Cheryl while she got her day started.

This was an era in which we had TVs and VCRs in all our classrooms with (limited) cable TV connected. The TVs in our (Cheryl and my) wing were rarely on so when I got to the hallway and saw her intensely watching something that looked like a movie on her TV, I was thrown. I remember asking her, “what are you watching? Is this a movie?” when the second plane hit the World Trade Center Tower 1.

Here comes the class that I need to teach music to, walking down the hallway and the world is literally changing before my eyes on this broadcast I’m watching over Cheryl’s shoulder. Everything from that moment on is in my memory in segments or short phrases, but I can’t remember exactly what order anything happened in.

  • I remember going to my computer to check my email to figure out how we were going to be asked to handle this situation.
  • I remember trying to search and find out how I can get updates on the situation. (this was before smart phones and instant notifications)
  • I remember hearing that the Pentagon had also been hit and worrying for my oldest friend Tiger, who was living in DC at the time. I think I tried to call him but phone lines in DC were all busy and I couldn’t get a hold of him right away.
  • I remember Tina, a kindergarten teacher, learned a friend she had just reconnected with was on one of the flights that went down that day. She and her friend hadn’t seen each other in many years before that summer and now her friend was gone.
  • I remember Kay’s son Michael was in the Pentagon that morning and for a bit, Kay couldn’t get ahold of him (phone calls into DC were difficult to connect through).
  • I remember being told by RRISD to turn off the TVs in classrooms and to not talk to students about this incident until we knew more and feeling both relieved and frustrated. I was still a brand new teacher and having the responsibility of knowing what to say to not overly upset these young children was such a relief. On the flip side, there was a sense to me that it wasn’t fair to keep them unaware of history in the making. It was a teaching moment and even being just a music teacher, I wanted to take hold of it. Still, I did as I was asked and kept the news to myself and taught whatever lesson I had in store for that day.
  • I remember being told that our neck of the woods could possibly be a target with the large campuses of Dell Computers and the Dell Diamond nearby.

For several days, all I watched on TV at home was news about the events of that day. It was all that was on. Watching it everyday caused me to feel my first bout of major anxiety and after about two days of it, I had to just turn it off. No new information was coming and reliving what I saw on TV that morning all the time was not good for my mental health. The first non-tragic thing I saw on TV was David Letterman and his iconic monologue on 9/17. Was it really only 6 days later?? I remember it feeling like it was WEEKS or MONTHS later.

Now, I’m 48 and the events of that day feels like it was just a few years ago. There are memories from that time that are just frozen in time. I don’t think anyone I worked with at Robertson is still there. Several friends (including Kay and her son Michael) have since passed away. I’ve taught in several other grade levels and areas of Texas. I’ve gotten a masters degree, started a second as well as a doctorate. I now teach band back in Round Rock ISD and am working towards a move into Central Administration. The kids we taught were between the ages of 5 and 10 at the time. That makes them between 25-30 now. Wow! I’m so glad to have taught at Robertson with THOSE colleagues 20 years ago. I’m not sure I would have experienced that whole time in the same way. I’m not even sure I would have stayed teaching if it hadn’t been for the love and support we all gave each other there. I’m so grateful for them!

Installing a BBQ Grill Patio

I used to have a great Weber grill when I lived here before. I had to leave it so I made it a part of the lease of the house but I had a tenant who, in dire financial state, sold it. Those are the risks in leaving things not attached to the house when you rent out your home.

So today (June 3, 2020), I’m getting a NEW GRILL!! It’s kinda fancy (in my book) because it’s a multi-fuel grill. I can grill with propane for ease but there’s a drawer for charcoal or wood chips or I think even pellets. More on that after I pick it up later today. For this new grill, I wanted to create a little paver patio so it wasn’t just sitting in the grass and sometimes mud. Here’s what I did:

Supplies you’ll need:

  • Shovel(s)
  • Rake
  • Large broom
  • Crushed granite (I bought 2 bags but only needed 1)
  • Pavers (I used 20 – 12”x12” pavers)
  • Playground sand (I bought 1 but ended up needing 3 bags)
  • Weed control fabric (this cuts easily with scissors or razor blade)
  • Scissors and/or razor blade
  • Dogs to supervise and approve your work (optional).

Step 1: dig a hole

Step 2: put down weed prevention cloth.

I measured and the hole was exactly the space I needed for my 20 pavers. It’s not recommended but I guessed the dimensions as I was digging….

Step 3: put down sand.

The dogs determined I needed 3 bags of playground sand for this area.

Step 4: lay down the pavers.

Because I had dug exactly the amount of space I needed for the pavers, I had to open up a little more space as I was laying the pavers down. I need to be a little more calculating next time.

Step 5 (final step): sweep in crushed gravel in between the pavers and cut away excess weed prevention cloth.

Stan checks and approves my work. The dogs now have a dance floor!

And I’m done! It’s THAT easy. I have a big root I tried to keep in tact and in hindsight, I probably should have cut it out. I think that’s what’s making the middle bulge up a bit. I don’t mind because I’m figuring it’ll keep rain from puddling in the middle.

I was going to put in a decorative edging but I think I’m going to add more pavers once I put my grill on the space. I also think I’m going to make a paver pathway from the gate into the backyard as well. Once some of that is complete, I’ll figure out which decorative edging will work. I also need to get rid of all the excess soil from the hole and mow my yard. But first, I’m grilling dinner tonight! 😃

Coronavirus and cleaning

We live in a very unique time with all the threats of coronavirus, COVID-19 surrounding us. People aren’t going out (shouldn’t be going out) unless absolutely necessary, there’s social distancing happening when we do have to get together and grocery stores are sold out of water, toilet paper and basic cleaning supplies.

We’ve talked about and heard about how to wash our hands – Alton Brown’s video is great, until the very end. There’s been debates about if hand sanitizer is actually effective when taking on a virus (again, see Alton Brown’s video about why not). The thing I haven’t seen a ton of is about cleaning surfaces and being careful when cleaning your home and objects in it.

No sob stories, anecdotes or anything here, just a “let’s think about this for a moment” post. Be careful as you deep clean during this time. A big thing not being mentioned that we need to avoid is chemical burns. If you’re using bleach or hydrogen peroxide to clean, you MUST dilute them. The Clorox website, as well as others, say 1:30 ratio, which means 1 part bleach to 30 parts water. So if you’re filling an empty, clean spray bottle, you have to know how much the volume of that spray bottle is and do some math.

You also have to make sure that spray bottle (or whatever you choose to dilute chemicals in) is CLEAN of old chemicals. Remember from high school chemistry, you’re going to want to put the bleach in first then add water slowly. If there are old chemicals in that container, bleach may react terribly with it.

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is another used chemical for cleaning that must be diluted. Did you know you can buy H2O2 in various dilutions already? YOU STILL HAVE TO DILUTE IT WITH WATER FOR CLEANING USAGE! I found this website for various dilutions but it seems 1:11 is a good solution for everyday use.

We also don’t think about how using chemicals such as bleach or hydrogen peroxide react with our skin with extended use, even if it is diluted properly. Make sure you wear gloves when you clean using chemicals, even the pre-made Clorox wipes (or an equivalent). Wash your hands with soap after using chemicals.

Better yet, consider using vinegar as a cleaning solution. You still have to dilute it but it’s a lot safer for you, your kids and your pets to use in cleaning. There are a TON of websites talking bout using vinegar as a cleaning solution.

Also, as a little self-plug here, I sell Norwex towels. If you’re interested in cleaning with NO chemicals, check out my Norwex website – https://cathybenford.norwex.biz.

Thanks for reading through this personal PSA. Have a great day and enjoy time to yourself, your family and pets during this time.

Lemon Pepper Chicken in an Instant Pot

Lemon works so well with chicken – it’s bright and flavorful and doesn’t add a lot of calories to your meal. A sauce is created from the chicken broth and natural juices of the chicken.

Lemon Pepper Chicken in an Instant Pot

  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

  • 2 TBS dried lemon peel graunels
  • 2 TBS pepper
  • 1 1/2 TBS kosher salt graunels
  • 8 oz chicken broth
  • 2.5 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken (your preference on which part).
  • 1 lemon sliced (wash first)

Combine lemon peel, pepper, salt and chicken broth in the bottom of the pot so they become a very thin slurry. Place the chicken in the liquid so each piece is well coated with seasoning. Place cover over pot (but not locked on) and let marinade for 10 or so minutes.

Lock the lid, make sure the vent is on “secure” and set the timer to manual for 20 minutes. If this is your first time using a Instant Pot, it’ll take a bit for the device to get to temp before the timer counts down so 20 minutes is really more like 40 minutes.

There will be a bit of a gravy or sauce from the chicken broth, natural juices in the chicken and seasonings. If you’d like it be more like a sauce, it can be thickened in a pot by just cooking it down or adding a teaspoon of corn starch in a slurry.

Serve with pasta, rice or veggies, whatever your preference may be. Enjoy!

Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken)

I love fried chicken. When I was in Japan this summer, we had some amazing fried chicken in Hamamatsu. I’d had Japanese Fried Chicken (Karaage) before but nothing has been like what I had in Hamamatsu, and probably will never be. I’ve also tried a few recipes I’ve found online and I think I found one that may be my go to until I figure out exactly how to recreate that Superior Rating chicken from our trip to Japan.

Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken)

  • Difficulty: medium
  • Print

Chicken:

  • 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thigh

Marinade:

  • 3 tsp of grated ginger
  • 3 large cloves of garlic, grated
  • 3 TBS sake
  • 5 TBS low sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tsp sugar

Coating:

  • 1.5 Cups potato starch
  • 1/2 tsp coarse kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper

Oil:

  • Safflower oil or peanut oil or any other high smoke point oil

Cut the chicken thigh into roughly 1″ strips.

In a baking dish, combine the marinade ingredients. Add chicken.

Let the chicken marinade for 24-48 hours (or more!).

Heat your oil in a pot that is fairly tall. Having a pot with a larger base also helps. You’ll want at least 2 inches of oil and at least 3 inches of wall above the oil. Heat the oil to 350 degrees. Use a candy thermometer to test the temperature of your oil.

Line a cookie sheet with paper towels and cooling rack. You’ll want another cooling rack over a cookie sheet (or countertop) separately as well.

While your oil is heating up, mix your dry ingredients in a bowl for the coating. Take your marinaded chicken and coat each piece with the coating and place on your rack over cookie sheet (or countertop).

Once all your chicken is coated, start frying! How many pieces you can fry at a time depends on how wide your pot is in diameter and how large your chicken pieces are. I have a fairly wide diameter pot and smaller chicken pieces so I put in 6-9 pieces without the oil dropping below 300 degrees. Let the pieces fry about 3-4 minutes. Place on your rack with paper towels to cool.

Once you’ve fried up all your chicken pieces, let the oil reheat to 375 degrees. Refry all your pieces for about 1 minute, until golden brown and extra crispy (don’t try for crispiness until they’ve cooled a touch).

Serve with cucumber or lettuce and rice. If you’d prefer, squeeze a little fresh lemon juice over chicken pieces (I don’t find the need).

Enjoy!