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...)