Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Have you ever been to and/or lived near the desert? What did you think? Travel and Leisure lists the 'coolest' American desert towns as-

Palm Springs CA, Virgina City NE, Bend OR, Winslow AZ, Marfa TX, Grand Junction CO, Silver City NM, Moab UT, Taos NM, Yakima WA, Borrego Springs CA, Terlingua TX, and St. George UT, and Tubac AZ

Have you been to any of these? Would you like to visit a desert town? Which on the list would you most like to see?

I've never lived in the desert, but we had a relative in Grand Junction that we went to visit on occasion when I was a kid.  Beautiful city.  I love it there.

Of the ones on the list, I'd probably go to Moab next.  No particular reason.

2. What's a plan or project you've deserted in the past year?

Trying to get organized.  For my next birthday, I'd like one of those people who comes in and tells me where everything is SUPPOSED to go to make my life easier.

3. Desert-dessert? Share two or three words you find yourself having to think twice about when it comes to spelling.  

Separate and desperate always trip me up.  I spelled both of them wrong just now.

4. High and dry, like watching paint dry, dry run, dry as dust, not a dry eye in the house...which phrase can you relate to currently? Explain. 

Not a dry eye in the house.  Scout is in his last year of elementary school, and as I was waking Sunshine yesterday, I noticed how very long her legs are getting (she's a restless sleeper--was half out of bed and everything).  It's a humbling experience watching them grow.

5. How often do you frequent the dry cleaners? Starch or no starch?  

I almost never go to the dry cleaners.  Husband has a couple sweaters I need to take to them, but other than that, all the clothes we wear on a regular basis are machine washable.  And no starch--if I have to wear something, it better be comfortable.

6. What's a food or beverage you enjoy that's named for a place? 

New England clam chowder.  My kids probably wouldn't eat it, but that won't stop me from making some sometime soon.  

7. Do you need solitude? 

Doesn't everyone?  To be fair, I've gotten way more of it than I bargained for since we moved here, but it'll all work out.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

...my kids probably won't eat this chile relleno soup I made earlier, either.  Guess it's up to me to finish it...

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. What's changed in your life, home, or community since your last birthday? 

Well, ordinarily I'd say this seems a little unfair, since my last birthday was less than a month ago.   But then yesterday, we got rid of my van.  It was well over 100,000 miles and the engine was starting to burn oil, the rockers were rusting, the body was in meh shape, and it was having electrical issues.  Now I drive this bad girl:

Help me name her!

2. September is Classical Music Month. Do you like/listen to classical music? If so what's a favorite piece and/or who is a favorite composer? 

Not often, to be honest.  It's rapidly becoming my son's favorite thing, though, and he seems to have a preference for Bach.

3. Besides The Bible, what's a book that has positively changed your life, relationships, career, or perspective? How so? 

Interesting question.  I'm having a hard time coming up with an answer.  I've been reading nonfiction lately--The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom is the one I most recently finished.  The story is a sad one, but it makes me approach things with just a little more care in mind.  We're reminded to be thankful in ALL things, not just the things that make us comfortable.  Corrie and her sister were imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp, and if they can find gratitude in their situation, all of us can.

4. I read (here) these ten hobbies will make you smarter...play a musical instrument, read voraciously, meditate regularly, work out your brain (puzzles, sudoku, board games, etc), exercise often, learn a new language, write your feelings down (blog, journal, just write), travel to new places, cook different kinds of meals, participate in sports actively

Are any on this list your current hobbies? Which hobby on the list would you be most inclined to try? 

I play guitar, I read all the time, I pray, I take yoga twice a week, I cook, and I write when I remember to.  So this kind of IS my hobby list...

5. What sports traditions does your family have? 

Everyone else ignores them and leaves me alone while I watch football.  It kind of works.

6. In a few words, weigh in on the current football/National Anthem brouhaha. Keep it family friendly please.

Had the people protesting been doing so by jeering or mocking everyone, I would be less understanding.  But...I'm not proud of the way our country has handled civil rights, and I think sometimes these men and women have a point.  Their protest is one of quiet civil disobedience, and that is respectable.  I hope they're somehow able to effect positive changes. 

7. Where do you have loads of patience, and where do you most lack patience? 

I have loads of patience when it comes to food.  If it takes me three hours to prepare something, so be it.  I have no patience when it comes to getting my kids to cooperate in the morning.  I'm a breath away from announcing it's time to put on shoes, and I'm guessing Scout is nowhere NEAR ready.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

SCHOOL FUNDRAISERS, man.  Augh.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1.  Are there any men or women in blue on your family tree?
No, not that I'm aware of.  Lots of friends, though.

2. Are you someone who suffers from the Sunday night blues? What helps you get over it?
I can't say that I am.  By the time the weekend is over with, I'm ready for the week to start again.

3. I read the color blue is an appetite suppressant since there are very few naturally blue foods out there. How do you feel about blue cheese? Love it or blech? If you're a fan, what's something you like that's made with blue cheese?
No, no, no, no, no.  I cannot tolerate it.  Every time I've tried to get over my distaste for it has ended in regrets.

4. We can't head in to the Labor Day weekend without a related question, can we? Complete this thought: I work best when____________________. 

I have a list.  I love lists.  I make lists for everything.

5. 'Everything yields to diligence.' Antiphanes Your thoughts? (on this particular quote or on diligence in general)
Well maybe not EVERYTHING, but a lot of things...
6. The National Park Service turned 100 years old on August 25th. Have you been to many of America's National Parks? If so share with us a favorite or two. Which National Park would you most like to visit before the next birthday rolls around? 
Quite a few, actually.  I have seen the Flight 93 Memorial, Mount Rushmore, Rocky Mountain National Park, and the National Mall.  I love the Rockies and I would love to go see...something? before next August.

7.  Bid farewell to August in seven words or less.

Farewell overwhelming humidity!  Bring on autumn!

8.  Insert your own random thought here.
Sunshine had her most recent round of tests at the hospital today.  She came through with no complications.  Thank goodness that's all over with...

Wednesday Hodgepodge

I'm early this week!  Wow I feel so organized!

1. It's National Waffle Day (August 24th)...what decision are you currently 'waffling over'? (or share one you've recently 'waffled over')

Buying a new vehicle.  My current one is a van that hit 100,000 miles over the summer, and it is not handling its age well, mechanically or otherwise.  The paint job it received after I was rear-ended six years ago has not held up well.  The engine can't keep oil for very long.  The transmission has this lurch about it every once in a while.  It probably doesn't have another one of our long road trips left in it.  I've decided what I'd like my next one to be, but I hate buying new vehicles.

2. It's the middle of August, but I'm already seeing lots of autumn-related posts. Do you think we rush the seasons? If so, does that bother you? I saw (here) an end of summer bucket list that included-

make s'mores, read a new (or favorite) book in the park, eat something delicious and bad for you at a state fair, be a tourist for the day, have a pot luck picnic, book a last minute summer getaway, relax by or in the pool, take a hike to watch the sunset, have a day on the lake, try a new summer recipe

Which activities on the list might you squeeze in before summer officially comes to a close? 

It's a mark of a great summer that I've already gotten to do a lot of these things, or they're on the schedule.  I'd like a day on the lake, but "the lake" is three to four hours away and we don't actually have a boat.  Maybe a last minute getaway/hike to watch the sunset in the form of one last camping trip.

3. Your favorite summertime 'art' found in nature?

Clouds.  Anytime my kids are outside playing, somehow it always turns into finding shapes in the clouds.

4. Stephen R. Covey is quoted as saying 'We judge ourselves by our intentions, and others by their actions.' Agree or no? Do you define yourself based on your intentions, your actions, or something else? 

Sort of.  I think a lot of us are harder on ourselves than we are on others, but I also think it's easier to take our intentions into account because we know what they were to begin with.

5. Are you useful in a crisis? Elaborate. 

It really depends on the crisis.  For the most part, I think so, yes.  As long as I'm not the one in charge, I can handle a lot of things that need to be done.  In general, I don't know how to do anything but keep moving forward.

6. What's been your go-to dish this summer? Is it something you'll continue making as the seasons change?

There's been a couple of them.  Well, one of them is actually my son's.  He's got his mac and cheese that has been a big hit around here.  And I've been making a lot of fruit salad.  (Scout won't eat it because he doesn't like strawberries, but more for me!)

7. Adult coloring books are a thing now. Have you jumped on the bandwagon? If not is this something you think you might enjoy?

I have, and I love it when I have time to do it.  But summer isn't really a good time of year for "free time" in any form.

8.  Insert your own random thought here. 

School starts Monday, and my kids' classroom assignments arrived in the mail yesterday.  My daughter was disappointed to hear that most of her girl scout friends were going to be together--in a different classroom--until we found out her best friend was going to be in her class again.  Now she can't wait for school to start!  (They're good girls, but you'd think the school would have learned their lesson last year...)

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. I read here four creative activities to try this month. They were-calligraphy, make your own cookbook, dance or learn a new type of dance, and letter writing. Which activity on the list appeals to you most? Will you add it to your August? 

Probably make a cookbook.  I started a project some time ago for each of my kids, where I'd write down recipes I'd made that they enjoyed so they would have a collection of recipes when they moved out.  Now that Scout is full-tilt into learning to cook, it's time to get that project back out again.  (He's been making mac and cheese ever since I said something about it on Facebook...people at church keep requesting it!)

2. Bertrand Russell is quoted as saying, 'To be without some of the things you want is an indispensable part of happiness.' Agree or disagree? Explain. 

I think I agree.  Once you have everything you want, it seems like it'd be easy to stop trying.  That would be sad.

3. August 17th is National Thriftshop Day...are you a 'thrifter'? If so, tell us about one of your best or favorite finds. 

Not...really.  We don't have any good thrift stores close by.  I envy the people that find something simple and turn it into something fabulous, but that's never been my superpower.

4.  On a scale of 1-10 (with 1= almost none and 10=loads) how would you rate your sense of wanderlust? What kicks your wanderlust into high gear? 

I would guess it's about a 5.  It once was much, much higher, but I've been told to stay and keep waiting for so long that I'm not sure I want to go most of the places that were once on my "bucket list". 

5. Has life felt more like a marathon or sprint so far this month? How so?

This entire YEAR has felt like a sprint.  August is calmer, but still full of things.  Summer camp and a weekend of camping as a family and appointments and school starting and...oof.

6. What do you need to get a jump on before fall officially arrives? 

cleaning up this mess.

7. What's the last thing you did with friends or family where you lost track of time? 

A couple weeks ago, one of my friends (and the mother of one of Sunshine's friends) invited us over to spend an afternoon together while Scout was at church camp.  The girls played and we talked and before I knew it, it was four hours later and we had to go so we could have dinner ready when my husband got home.

8. Insert your own random thought here. 

Sunshine's next procedures have been scheduled for the end of the month, and I still don't know what time she's supposed to be at the hospital.  Very frustrating.

CSA

At the beginning of the year, we signed up for a CSA package.  So far, it's been amazing.  We've eaten more vegetables, more fruit, and different cheeses, we've gotten jars of raw honey and good maple syrup, and locally made tomatillo salsa, and it's been fantastic.

But then it gets overwhelming.  To be fair, it's been kind of a crazy summer, and our ability to stay home has been uncertain to say the least.  I'm trying to keep up with the vegetables, but it hasn't worked well (and that's after two weeks of eating nothing but salads for lunches).

For instance, right now, I have eight ears of corn, eight HUGE zucchini, four cucumbers, a pound of beets, two pounds of green beans, a whole LOT of salad greens, four pounds of peaches, a pound of blueberries, a pound of jalapeños, and a big jar of applesauce that are all gonna go bad if I don't do something soon.  And I don't really have a good kitchen for canning a lot of stuff.

So I broke out my dehydrator.  Right now, the zucchini is in it, and it's full, and I still have one and a half zucchini left to go.  (There's more stuff from above, but if you have a dehydrator, and a small kitchen like I do, you do NOT want to dehydrate four big heads of garlic.  WHOO that gets overwhelming.)

I'll keep the green beans, the corn, and most of the peaches around.  The rest of it is all going to get dried.  I think I'll turn the vegetables into a veggie powder so as to hide it in things like meatballs and soups (THEY WILL EAT THEIR VEGETABLES, BAHAHAHA!).  The applesauce is going to make a fantastic fruit leather.

It's going to take a while to do it, and I'll have to eat some of the salad stuff while I'm at it (that's okay, I know I need to lose weight anyway), but at least it'll all get done.

A side note--I know I'm getting green tomatoes soon, and I know someone with my heritage is supposed to be super pumped about the idea of fried green tomatoes, but...they're not my thing.  What else could I make with them?

Another side note--know what's good with chevre?  EVERYTHING.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your summer so far? Why?
(1=eh and 10=best summer ever)

It's been so full of extremes I don't even know how to answer.  Vacation and getting to see my sister and her family definitely rates a 10.  There's a lot of other things that rated a 1.  As this is supposed to be my attempt to keep on the sunny side, I don't talk about the lows much here.

2. July 26th is National Aunts and Uncles Day. Did you have many aunts and uncles growing up? Were you especially close to any one or maybe all of them? Are you an aunt? (or uncle for the men who join here on Wednesdays) Share a favorite memory relating to one of your own aunts or uncles or relating to a niece or nephew who call you Aunt (or Uncle).

I wouldn't say I had many.  I had three uncles and two aunts, and I wouldn't say I was particularly close to any--we had one that was around more than the rest, and I always thought he was pretty cool (most people think he's weird, and he is, but he's friendly and he's fun and he's definitely his own person).  I am an aunt, I have three beautiful nieces and I adore them.  

A favorite memory is a little hard to come by, but I'll go with one from when I went back home for my grandmother's funeral earlier this year.  My sister was kind enough to let me stay at her place, and early the next morning I heard tiny footsteps accompanied by "Do you think Aunt B is awake yet? Let's go see!" and giggles.  

The joke was on them--I was indeed awake, and ready to surprise them.  :)

3. What's your favorite food dipped in chocolate? What's your favorite food dipped in cheese?

Dipped in chocolate: strawberries, or pretzels.  Dipped in cheese: probably bread chunks. 

4. When were you last astonished by something? Explain.

Scout has been honing his cooking skills.  The other night, he made pancakes for everyone for dinner.  Start to finish.  I didn't stir, I didn't pour, I didn't flip, all I did was get out an egg for him.  He did the rest, including the recipe tweaks (which pretty much amount to a splash of vanilla and a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar).  They came out really good and I'm really proud of him.

5. Surf board, paddle board, ironing board, Pinterest board, score board, clip board, bulletin board...which board have you most recently encountered?

Well I tripped over the ironing board this morning, does that count?

6. What's your favorite story from scripture? Why that story?

Jesus heals on the Sabbath.  The reason why is best summed up in Luke 6:9--Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?”

7. If you were to travel from the east coast to the west coast in your own country, which five cities would you most want to see?

Wow, just five cities...it's a big country!  But I choose Juneau, Alaska; Denver, Colorado; Chicago, Illinois; Nashville, Tennessee; and Charlotte, North Carolina.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I'm ready for cooler weather!

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Pokemon Go...your thoughts? Are you playing? Do you even know what it is?
NO.  I do know what it is, but I am not interested in fighting people I don't know for cartoon animals to have more fights.  If I want to interact with strangers, I'll go to the coffee shop and talk to people in person instead of trying to steal their turtles or whatever.  (And I do that on a regular basis, when it isn't summer.)

2. What was something you collected as a child? Do you still have that collection? If you're a parent what's something your own children collected? Have you ever camped out, stood in a crazy long queue, or paid a ridiculous sum for a 'collectible'?

This one's tough.  I collected little miniature animal figurines for a while, but that collection is long gone.  My daughter seems to collect stuffed animals and My Little Pony figurines.  My son collected Legos for a time, but that seems to be fading.  I have never done anything crazy for a "collectible".  My scrapbooking hobby is expensive enough without adding a collection of anything to my world.

3. "Collect moments, not things"...tell us about a moment you've added to your collection this summer.

Visiting my sister and her family.  The conversation in one particular moment was when my niece crawled int my husband's lap and said, "I love you, Uncle L!" which was almost immediately followed by "Can I have some Cheez-its?"  Our nieces are so adorable.  (Uncle L caved almost immediately.)

4.  What's something collecting dust in your home right now? Any plans to do something about it?

Everything?  Oh that isn't what you meant.  But seriously, everything.  We are currently in the middle of throwing out a great many things.  I like to think I'm not terribly materialistic, and I'm tired of the stuff that seems to accumulate.

5. A favorite song relating to time?

Turn Turn Turn by the Byrds.  I tried to link a video but it wouldn't let me.  :(

6. What's been your most frightening or your most interesting encounter with wildlife?

Hm...probably the night (it was about 3 a.m.) when my son was a young child.  He'd left his pacifier downstairs, and had started crying for it, so I went to get it, and on my way back upstairs, something swooped past my head.  We were no strangers to birds getting into our house, so I assumed it was a bird and woke my husband up to get help in dealing with it.  Turns out, it was actually a bat.

7.  On July 20, 1969 Apollo 11 Commander Neil Armstrong set his foot down on the moon. If you could travel to the moon would you go? Why or why not?

NOOOO.  No no no no.  My fear of flying notwithstanding, I have no interest in the current dangers of space travel.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

It isn't that I'm trying to rush through summer or watching my children grow, but I'm looking forward to the quiet moments that will happen once school starts...

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. How did you welcome the month of July, and tell us one fun thing you did to celebrate the 4th. (or the weekend for any non-USA residents playing along today)

I welcomed the month of July by packing for my daughter and me to go to camp.  Am I the only one who keeps saying things like "Great, one thing left and I'm done!  Just three more things and we'll be ready to go.  Yup, nineteen more things to cram (oof) into this (grr) suitcase..."

As a result, we spent the fourth celebrating at Sunshine's favorite place: church camp.

(the view from our "home" in the forest)

2. Right now..what's your favorite red thing? white thing? blue thing? 

Red thing: strawberries.

White thing:  um...ice cream?

Blue thing:  the sky.

3. Wave the white flag, raise a red flag, fly your freak flag...which 'flag' have you flown most recently? Explain. 

waving the white flag.  This year has been an overwhelming one, and I've had to let go of control over a lot of things.

4. According to Cond Nast Traveler these are the seven best places to visit in July-

a boat safari in Botswanna's Okavango Delta, Riviera Maya Mexico (it's whale shark season and apparently you can swim with them), Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons, Pamploma Spain, St. Petersburg Russia, the Fuji Rock Festival at Mount Naeba Japan, the Salzburg Festival in Salzburg Austria

If time and money weren't factors would you want to see any/all of these? Which would you most like to see and why? 

Riviera Maya.  I love, love, love Mexico.  Other than that, I would love to see St. Petersburg, but I think I'll wait till the political climate changes.  (Can I say that out loud?)

5. Grilled cheese, pimento cheese, or mac and cheese...your favorite from the cheesy treats listed? 

Grilled cheese.  With just a little bit of grilled onions.  But seriously, grilled cheese.

6. What makes you sweat? 

Apparently, hiking up the side of the mountain in the fog when it's overwhelmingly humid.

7. Your favorite movie with a 'patriotic' theme of some sort?

I actually really liked Patton and is anyone gonna think it's ridiculous if I add Independence Day  to the list?

8. Insert your own random thought here. 

One of our favorite games from camp was a human version of Hungry Hungry Hippos:

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. It's officially summer (in the northern hemisphere anyway). Which summer month is best and why?


There's a few things I love about every month of it.  But I'll say August, not just because it celebrates a bunch of family birthdays, but also because I think the kids do better at enjoying the time that's left before school starts again.

2. Can you swim? How did you learn? June 27th is National Sunglasses Day. How many pair do you own?

Not very well.  I can keep myself above the water and I can get from one end of a pool to another but that's about it.  I won't win any races or anything.

I have one pair of sunglasses.  I had to replace my last pair because I slipped and fell when we were in Cancún, and long story short, the dolphins took my previous pair.
3. What characteristic do you judge most harshly in yourself? How about in others?

I'm very impatient.  I like my results immediate and I get discouraged if they aren't (and they almost never are).  In others...being rude to store employees.

4. Robert Frost wrote the now well known poem entitled The Road Not Taken. What's a road (literal or figurative) you've always wanted to travel, and where do you hope it takes you? 

Excellent question.  There's a lot of places I'd like to see, most of them in Europe, but I'm reluctant to get my hopes up too much.

5. Popsicles-yay or nay? If you answered yay, what's your favorite flavor? 

Yay! Strawberry please.

6. Brexit-on a scale of 1-10 how knowledgeable are you on what's involved here? (1=very knowledgeable and 10=what's Brexit) Is this news you'll follow or is it something you think won't impact your life in any way shape or form?

...eh, probably an 8.  I know it happened, and that most people aren't pleased.  I'm pretty sure it'll impact us all somehow, but I also think that things will eventually resolve themselves.

7. Share a favorite song on your summer play list.

I don't really have a summer playlist, as such.  But I kicked off my summer by attending our church's Annual Conference, and I think this song kind of sums things up nicely:

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

Well, this year has been an adventure for our little family.  I would like to sleep through the second half of 2016.  Since I realize that would be ridiculous, I'll continue taking things five minutes at a time.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. If you could sit beside and/or jump in any lake in the whole wide world today, which lake would you choose and why? 

Does it have to be a lake?  Because I'm on vacation this week/right now, and this is just outside...

We're in Cancún, and I will gladly take the ocean.

2. What's your favorite 'fruity' drink? 

Lemonade, especially with strawberries.  So perfect.

3. I read a list here of thirteen things to do right now to simplify your life. They were-

clean as you go, re-evaluate your relationships (cut toxic ties), unsubscribe (too many blogs and websites), de-clutter, write down your daily goals, reply to emails right away, forget multitasking, create a morning routine, re-evaluate your commitments (which hobbies and responsibilities are most important to you), say no, clean up your computer, and plan your day ahead

Which of the tasks listed do you currently find most helpful in keeping life simple? Which item on the list should you adopt in order to simplify your life this month?

Cleaning as I go.  If I can do some of the dishes while dinner cooks, everything is so much easier.  I wish decluttering was easier.

4. What did you do the summer after you graduated from high school? 

Almost immediately moved away for college.  My university has a non-traditional schedule, and classes started just after the Fourth of July.

5. Are you a fan of podcasts? If so what's a favorite? 

Not in particular.  I'm a much bigger fan of music.

6. Do you think today's fathers have it harder, easier, or just different than fathers in the past?

I think it's just different.  Every generation has their struggles, and I wouldn't want to say ours are necessarily one way or the other.

7. Tell us one way you're like your father? Or not at all like your father if that's easier?

We're both sarcastic.  Not that THAT should be a surprise.... :)

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

Have I ever shared a picture of my whole family with y'all?  I'm not sure I have...

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Tell us about one fun thing on your June calendar. 

June is full of a lot of fun things for us.  We're headed to Mexico, for starters.  There's also community celebrations and a dance recital.

2. How careful are you in the sun? Do you tan or burn? Do you make it a point to see the dermatologist every year?
I tend to err a LOT on the side of caution.  I burn easily, and it almost never fades to a tan.  Not that any precautions will help me on vacation...

I do not see a dermatologist every year.  I probably should.

3. Describe a time when you wanted to 'throw in the towel'? 

TRYING TO GET THESE PATCHES TO STAY ON SUNSHINE'S SCOUT VEST.  So frustrating.

4. What's a song you love that has a day of the week in the title or lyrics?
Ruby Tuesday by the Rolling Stones.

5. Are you a fan of berries? Which one's your favorite? What's the most recent berry dish you've eaten? Which blueberry breakfast food appeals to you most-blueberry pancakes, blueberry yogurt, or a blueberry muffin?
I LOVE berries, especially strawberries.  I made a batch of fruit salad consisting largely of strawberries the other day and I've been having that for breakfast lately.  

Blueberries not so much.  But if I had to pick one of the ones listed, I'd probably choose blueberry pancakes.

6. What's something you want to do before your next birthday?
Get through the summer without losing my temper.  It's gonna be a pretty big favor to ask. 

7. June 1st is National Say Something Nice Day, so let's all say something nice here.
I got a sweet message from a friend the other day who wanted to check in on Sunshine and her issues.  She's one of those people who lifts her spirits when she's feeling down (and she is, poor dear) by trying to lift the spirits of others.  She's beautiful and wonderful and I hope someday to be just like her.

8. Insert your own random thought here.
It's gonna be a hot day here.  Good day to not cook inside.  It's a pity the kids won't eat most of what I could make on the grill...

(update: dinner was awful.  As in, "Let's order pizza instead" awful.)

Wednesday Hodgepodge

HELLO HODGEPODGE!  I'M BAAAACK!

(It's been a long, stressful few weeks for my family--here's hoping things settle down again eventually!)

1. Tell us about a time you found yourself 'in the middle of nowhere'. Was this deliberate?
My daughter and I went to a week of church camp last year.  It isn't exactly "nowhere", but it's a quiet, more secluded little area than we were used to.  It was nice.

2. What's something you're 'in the middle of' today or this week? 

Quite a few things, actually...laundry, vacuuming, a pot of coffee, my plans for world domination....

3. At what age do you think 'middle age' begins? What does it mean to be 'middle aged'?
I always thought of it as somewhere around 40.  I've thought of it that way since I was very little.  I still do.  I think it means mostly that things ache a little more--I'd say it means when things slow down, but I've known some very vibrant 60-somethings.  Besides that, when I'm 40, my children will be teens and that definitely does NOT mean slowing down is a luxury I'll have.

4. Ravioli, stuffed peppers, samosas, deviled eggs, steamed dumplings, pierogis, or a jelly donut...your favorite food (from this list!) with something yummy in the middle. Your favorite not on the list? 

Of the things on this list, steamed dumplings.  Not on the list...does pie count as a stuffed food?  If not, then stuffed chicken cordon bleu.

5. Albert Einstein is quoted as saying ''In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.'Would you agree? Have you found this to be true in your own life? Feel free to elaborate.
Oh yes.  Difficult situations are excellent education.  

6. What's a song you remember loving from your middle school years? Do you love it still?

Neil Young, Heart of Gold.  And yes, I do still love it.  (I was not your average early-nineties middle schooler.)  If it's supposed to be a song from the early nineties, I'm afraid I don't have an answer.

7. May 18th is National Visit Your Relatives Day. Will you celebrate? Which relative would you visit if time, distance, and expense were not considered.
I wish I could.  I did try to call my father, but he didn't answer his phone.  If time, distance, and expense were not considered, I'd go visit my sister again.  She's heaps of fun (and as an added bonus, I'd get to see my father, my nieces, my brother-in-law, my uncle, my cousins....)

8. Insert your own random thought here.
I somehow managed to get roped into chaperoning a field trip tomorrow for the kindergarteners, Sunshine included.  So I'm hoping for the best (and to get her and her two besties in my group, because I know them and I love them).

Wednesday Hodgepodge

Well, there's been a longer-than-intended hiatus here...after my grandmother's passing at the beginning of the month, we lost my father-in-law about a week and a half ago in a terrible car wreck.  Between the two, we celebrated my son's birthday (he's TEN, y'all!) and the had his Blue and Gold Banquet, cookie booth sales for Girl Scouts, went full-tilt into a landscaping project, and I think occasionally there was time for a nap, but I'm not sure.

But around here, the goal is to find the silver linings, and while I'm not necessarily doing it out loud, I am definitely counting my blessings this week.

To the Hodgepodge!

1. What are two or three expectations you have of yourself?
My expectations of myself are pretty low...I expect myself to get my chores done, does that count for anything?  My goal for tomorrow is to vacuum out the sofa...

2. In what way does your outdoor space need sprucing up this spring?
Oh, goodness.  Remember the re-landscaping project I mentioned?  It's actually nearly done.  We had this huge old rock garden with some weird...birdbath or fountain or whatever in the middle of it.  It's gone now, replaced with rhododendrons and some things I can't identify, but they're pretty.  And the ornamental grass in the backyard with the fluffy stalks of doom that set off my allergies are either gone or getting ready to be gone.

3. According to this site (Roadtrippers), six of North America's most wondrous waterfalls are-Webster's Falls in Ontario, Upper Whitewater Falls in North Carolina,Havasu Falls in the Grand Canyon, Multnomah Falls in Oregon, The Lower Yellowstone Falls, and Niagara. Have you seen any on the list? Which one on the list would you most like to visit? Prettiest waterfall not on the list that you've seen in person?
The only one I've seen is Niagara.  Tahquamenon Falls is very nice, though, and I recommend that one.  Of the ones on the list, though, I guess I'd like to see the Lower Yellowstone Falls.  I just don't want to drive that far.

4. Looking back, what's something you wish you'd done as a teenager?
hm.  There's an answer to this question, but it's backed by a long, ugly story.  Suffice it to say, I would have ended up spending more time with my besties.

5. Ham...yes please or no thank you? If you said yes please which of the following do you like best-baked ham with all the trimmings, a ham and cheese sandwich, prosciutto with melon, a ham biscuit, a bowl of split pea and ham soup, or a slice of pizza topped with ham and pineapple?
Love ham.  Had it for dinner tonight, even.  Of the ones listed, I guess I'd say a ham biscuit.

6. Are you typical of your generation? How so?
I have NO idea.  I doubt it. 

7. April rolls in at the end of the week, and in keeping with that theme...'act the fool', 'nobody's fool', 'a fool's errand', 'could have fooled me'...which foolish idiom most recently applies to you? Explain.
Nobody's fool.  I don't trust easily, and treat most things I'm told with an unhealthy amount of cynicism.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.
The past month has been a hard one for my family.  If it's okay with everyone else, I'd like the next middle-of-the-night phone call I get to be about a baby being born, okay?