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?

Wednesday Hodgepodge (Saturday Edition!)

Sorry it's late, guys...I can explain, honest!

1. February ended with an extra 24 hours in 2016. What did you do with your bonus day?

I went to the doctor.  Also, I found out my beloved grandmother had passed away.  It was not much of a "bonus" anything.

2. What's something in your life that's grown by leaps and bounds in recent days, weeks, months, or years? I'm giving you lots of room to come up with an answer here, so no fair passing on this one.

It sounds like a dismissive answer, but my children.  We were talking the other day about how little and sweet they were when they were born, and fast forward to now, when my son no longer needs a booster seat and is just a shade shorter than I am, and my daughter no longer needs us to read game instructions to her.  It's a bittersweet feeling.

3. Do you read reviews about a film before deciding if you'll see it? Did you watch The Oscars this year, and if so your thoughts on the program? How many of the Best Picture nominees had you seen prior to the broadcast? (Spotlight, The Martian, The Big Short, The Revenant, Mad Max: Fury Road, Room, and Brooklyn) If you watched The Oscars who gets your award for 'best dressed'?

Sort of.  My husband and I occasionally joke that if the critics hated it, we'd probably love it.  I didn't watch the Oscars, and hadn't seen any of the Best Picture nominees.  The last movie I saw in theaters was Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but before that was so long ago I don't even remember what it was.

4. When did you last have overnight houseguests? Give us your top three tips on being a good houseguest.

October, during my daughter's birthday.  I can't claim I have tips on being a good houseguest.

5. March 2nd is Peanut Butter Lover's Day. Will you be celebrating? If so, would you prefer a home made peanut butter cookie, a Reese's peanut butter cup, an old fashioned peanut butter and jelly sandwich, or shall I just hand you a jar and a tablespoon?

I did not, but I would have happily celebrated with a jar and a spoon.  I love peanut butter.  I love peanut butter by itself, or covered in chocolate, or with apples, or with carrots, or in baked almost anything...

My daughter once caught me dipping a spoonful of peanut butter into a bag of M&Ms.  Without a word, she got her own spoon and the jar of peanut butter and handed them to me so she could have one too.  So that's kind of our thing now, at least on occasion.
6. Why is failure important? Or isn't it?

Of course it is.  I went to an engineering college where we're taught failure as experimentation, so to speak.  I'm not sure if most engineering colleges are that way, but they should be.

7. Share with us one fun thing on your March calendar.

March 13 is a day full of all the things for us.  Scout's birthday is that day, and so is his party, and so is Scout Sunday at our church, and so is the Blue and Gold Banquet (which, for those of you who aren't familiar with the Cub Scout year, is the end of season celebration for Cub Scouts).  I'm looking forward to it all.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

After finding out about my grandmother's passing, I made a hurried trip home for her funeral.  I'm glad I was able to make it.  It was a beautiful service and it was, in spite of the heartbreaking circumstances, a joy to see my cousins and uncles again.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Describe love using all five senses.
Sight:  My family.  Without question.
Scent:  This is where I think of my grandma's fresh baked rolls.
Taste:  Any hearty meal that soothes whatever we need.
Hearing: laughter.
Touch:  a nice hug.

2. February is Canned Food Month. What's your favorite food that comes straight from a can?
I don't buy a lot of canned foods, but I guess I'd say home-canned applesauce.  If it really must be from a can, as bad as I know they are for me, I'm gonna say canned tomatoes.  Whether they're for salsa, or pasta sauce, or pizza, or chili, or anything, they're incredibly convenient.

3. A principal in a UK school recently sent home a letter to parents requesting they(the parents!) dress appropriately when escorting their children to/from school (basically saying please don't wear your pajamas) You can read the letter here. It's gotten a lot of publicity, both positive and negative. Your thoughts? And do/did you ever make the school run (or hit Starbucks, Walmart, etc) in your pjs?

I seldom leave my room without having changed.  Even if it's into yoga pants, but that's mostly because I'm getting ready to go to yoga.  Honest, I'm not trying to embarrass my children.

4. Crew neck, V-neck, turtleneck, scoop neck...which is most prevalent in your wardrobe?

Probably crew neck or V-neck.  Turtlenecks are uncomfortable and scoop necks show more than I'm comfortable with.

5. I read here recently a list of four things to avoid so you wake up happier. They were late night snacks, hitting the snooze button, social media just before bed/upon waking, checking emails. 

Are you guilty of any of these behaviors? Which on that list do you need to work harder at avoiding?

I'm pretty bad about hitting the snooze button.  My husband sleeps closer to the alarm, and he likes his snooze button.  I personally just like being under some warm blankets.

6. Share something you remember about a house you lived in as a child? Of all the homes you lived in as a child, which did you love best?

I lived in the same house from the time I was seven months old up until I left for college.  I remember my sister's room and I were across the hall from each other, and we'd whisper to each other through the vents once in a while.

7.Your favorite movie based on a true story?

Men of Honor comes to mind.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

It's been quite a week here.  We got some doors replaced, as well as a large window at the front of our house.  Our living room smells like stain now, and it reminds me a little of my childhood.

In the middle of that project, the landscapers are here to deal with the fact that our backyard floods with every heavy rain.  I'm looking forward to everything being ready to go.