Boo! It's The Hodgepodge

Welcome to the Wednesday Hodgepodge, our last one in the month of October. Somehow time is flying while also standing still. Anyone else feel the same? Let's move on...if you've answered this week's questions add your link at the end of my post. And before you run off leave a comment for the blogger linking before you because comments are a treat and this is the week for them. 

1. Boo, boo-hoo, make a boo-boo, boo(ze)...pick one and tell us how it relates to life lately. 

I'll say boo-boo. A couple of weeks ago the registration and sticker for hubs little red car came in the mail. He keeps the car covered because he doesn't drive it all that often so I took the paperwork down to the office to put with the insurance card. I thought I was being helpful putting the two items together so he could just grab them next time he went out to the car. 

My desk was a mess though and I went into a bit of a cleaning/shredding frenzy and oops, somehow I shredded the registration and sticker. Bother. Turns out when you misplace/lose/shred your documents you have to turn up in person at the DMV for a replacement. Double bother. 

2. Do you like the color orange? Would we find this color in your home? Your wardrobe? Peach-pumpkin-tangerine...your favorite shade of the three listed? 

I love the color orange. I live in Clemson Tiger country so there's a lot of it around, plus we're Tennessee Vol fans so orange pretty much rules the day in terms of our sports teams. I do wear orange, more tangerine than peach or pumpkin and that's probably my favorite of the shades listed. 

Would you find it in my home?

Um, yes. 

This is in the bar, but I also have some orange throw pillows in various shades on my sofas. Our cabinet maker crafted the giant T for us, and we even tracked down the authentic Tennessee orange to make it legit. 

Also, hubs has a smallish bourbon collection. ahem. 

3. October 28th is National Chocolate Day. What's the last chocolate something you tasted? On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being out of this world delicious, how would you rate it? 

Conveniently I just had a small bite of a chocolate cookie Daughter2 brought home from her girls weekend. They came from a bakery called Crumbl which I think is a chain although we don't have one in tiny town. It was a 10. 

4. Life is like a box of chocolates or so says Forrest Gump's mama. Would you agree? Aside from the pandemic fallout tell us one way this saying has played out in your life. 

You never know what you're gonna get...I think that's mostly true. Growing up we'd sometimes have a box of chocolates in the house and I remember poking the bottoms to see what was inside. Hey, I like what I like and some fillings are better than others.  

I guess we can look at a day as the box and while we know it's full of chocolate we don't know exactly what those chocolates hold. We make plans to eat a caramel and bite into a nut instead. 

Anyone else feel like they're working the simile a little too hard?

5. As October winds down tell us three things you loved about the month we're bidding adieu. 

The weather has been glorious

Daughter2 was home for a week and we had all kinds of fun together including a wedding dress fitting (swoon!), a bridal shower, a rehearsal dinner tasting, cups and cups of hot tea sipped on the porch, new episodes of The Great British Bakeoff to binge, umpteen games of cards played, plans made, meals cooked side by each, and a million conversations shared. 

The cutest little almost one-year old I know officially turns one before the month is out. 

6.  Insert your own random thought here. 

My Daughter1 sent us a box of South Korean goodies to try-

This one was particularly intriguing...a bag of Kit Kats-

Sweet potato Kit Kats.

I wouldn't say it tasted like a sweet potato or the traditional Kit Kat either, although it was shaped like one.  It was definitely sweet and the taste was very good. 

Know what's even sweeter than a sweet potato Kit Kat? 

This little canvas that was in the box too. My favorite sweet thing of all the sweet things. 

Happy Wednesday everyone! 

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 392

Here are the questions to this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge. Answer on your own blog then hop back here tomorrow to share answers with the universe. See you there!

1. Boo, boo-hoo, make a boo-boo, boo(ze)...pick one and tell us how it relates to life lately. 

2. Do you like the color orange? Would we find this color in your home? Your wardrobe? Peach-pumpkin-tangeringe...your favorite shade of the three listed? 

3. October 28th is National Chocolate Day. What's the last chocolate something you tasted? On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being out of this world delicious, how would you rate it? 

4. Life is like a box of chocolates or so says Forrest Gump's mama. Would you agree? Aside from the pandemic fallout tell us one way this saying has played out in your life. 

5. As October winds down tell us three things you loved about the month we're bidding adieu. 

6.  Insert your own random thought here. 

Monday Miscellaney

It started out a gray Monday here today and we made a wasted trip to the DMV which is a little snapshot of how it's going so far. Who knew you could make an appointment at the DMV? I think it's a grand idea and will put that in the plus column when sorting Corona fallout, but of course knowing it's a thing would have been even better.  

I try to take care of all DMV business online, but this task requires an in person visit so hubs masked up and went in, paperwork in hand, and they told him without an appointment it would be an hour and forty-five minute wait. An hour and forty five minutes!! And oh yeah, don't leave the parking lot. 

So we left the parking lot and ate Mexican food instead. Much better. 

Let's talk about last week when Daughter2 was in the house and the weather was glorious and we enjoyed a  leisurely fall boat ride in our own backyard. We accidentally took the dog which does put a little kink in your level of relaxation, but nobody wanted to tell him he wasn't going and he was all in. 

He is always all in. When he's wearing his life jacket he thinks he's going for a swim and he was not going for a swim. 

Which took some convincing. 

Hubs and I have not had a 'day out date ' in a while so we made plans Friday to drive over to a nearby mountain town for lunch, browsing the shops, and leaf peeping. It sprinkled a little but was still a gorgeous ride up and over, and the color was lovely. 

fyi-we were not the only ones who thought a day out was a good idea. The place was hoppin'! 

Highlands is a charming little burg with loads of fantastic eateries, beautiful homes, and plenty of shops all plunked down in the middle of a scenic mountain landscape. I don't think I'd want to live here because it's a destination and has destination-like traffic but it is a great day out, and a trip to the mountains helps clear my head. 

Daughter2 had a little bridesmaid weekend with her girls, minus her favorite sister, and she brought me back a fun little mug as a gift. There are many things that make my girls think of me, but tops on the list are London and hedgehogs. Not related in any way shape or form except to say my run in with the hedgehog occurred while we lived near London. 

Also, run-in might be overstating things. More like an encounter but I shrieked a lot so maybe my girls will say run-in is accurate.  

I know, I know it's too early for Christmas mugs, and I'm someone who doesn't like to rush the holidays, but I'm going to rush it for a quick minute. I had a cup of coffee in it last night, snapped a picture in front of the candy corn so as not to confuse anyone about which holiday is happening now (aren't we all confused about the day-time-month-season???) then put it back in the cabinet until Thanksgiving has come and gone. 

Happy Monday and Merry Halloween everyone!

Traveling Into The Hodgepodge

Welcome to another week of Wednesday Hodgepodging. If you've answered the questions add your link at the end of my post, then fly over and leave a comment for the blogger linking before you. Thanks for writing along today... 

 

1. Just your weekly mid-week reminder that it's fall y'all and it's my favorite. I love nearly all the flavors of fall but let's weigh in with an either or today...pumpkin or cranberry? hot apple cider or pumpkin spice latte? cinnamon or maple? apple or pear? ginger or sage? carrot or butternut squash? Yes you have to choose. What's a favorite dish made with one of the flavors listed here? 

I wouldn't say no to any of these flavors, they are some of my favorites no matter the season. Since I have to choose I'm going to say cranberry, hot apple cider, cinnamon, apple and pear (sorry, can't choose), ginger, carrot and butternut squash (again because I cannot choose).  

A favorite dish made with one of these? Homemade apple pie, butternut squash soup, cranberry bread, and I'll have my sushi with a side of pickled ginger please, because that's the best part. 

2. Do you miss traveling? In this season of almost no travel do you think you've grown anxious or fearful about traveling again? Or has all this staying home not going anywhere made you restless to get out and see the world? What book have you read or what movie have you watched that has inspired you to travel? 

I do miss traveling. Or maybe I miss having the ability to travel. I'm eager to plan a trip somewhere I've never been, and if we weren't sticking close to home I'm sure hubs and I would have made another trip to Asia this year. I'm not anxious about traveling, just a little anxious about when everything will open up so travel can be truly enjoyable again. We could get in the car and go somewhere right now, but if I'm going somewhere new I want the locals around and things to be open and not so strange. 

A book or movie that inspires me to travel? Anything set in the French countryside....A Year in Provence, The Nightingale, Suite Francaise...also anything set in the English countryside or London or England. Basically anything England. Wuthering Heights, Rebecca, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society, Notes From A Small Island...anything by Kate Atkinson or Kate Morton. 

As far as films go I'll say Under The Tuscan Sun. Didn't everyone want to buy a fixer upper in the Italian countryside after they watched this one? 

3. A time you felt like you were 'flying by the seat of your pants'? Explain. 

Any time I blog. That phrase pretty much sums up the way I write. 

4. Do you struggle with road rage or are you more of a 'Sunday driver'? Do you like to be 'in the driver's seat (literally and/or figuratively speaking) ?

No I don't struggle with road rage. Like anyone I can become irritated while driving (I'm looking now at you people poking along in the passing lane!), but life is rarely an emergency. Also, I'm someone who allows plenty of time to get where I'm going since I hate feeling stressed by the journey so I typically don't need to rush anywhere. 

Literally speaking I'm okay in either seat, but if we're speaking figuratively I want to drive. 

5. Something you've recently 'put the brakes on'? 

I know I sound like a broken record, but time spent on social media. Talk about road rage! What's the online equivalent of that phrase? 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

We met up with Daughter2's soon-to-be in-laws Monday afternoon for a tasting of the rehearsal dinner menu. It was fabulous. It might not look like it in this picture, but there was a lot of food to go with all that wine tasting-teehee. 

I'm so grateful both of my girls have such genuinely nice in-laws. It certainly takes some of the stress out of married life. 

Hodgepodge Questions Volume 391

Here are the questions to this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge. Answer on your own blog then hop back here tomorrow to share answers with the universe. See you there-

1. Just your weekly mid-week reminder that it's fall y'all and it's my favorite. I love nearly all the flavors of fall but let's weigh in with an either or today...pumpkin or cranberry? hot apple cider or pumpkin spice latte? cinammon or maple? apple or pear? ginger or sage? carrot or butternut squash? Yes you have to choose. What's a favorite dish made with one of the flavors listed here? 

2. Do you miss traveling? In this season of almost no travel do you think you've grown anxious or fearful about traveling again? Or has all this staying home not going anywhere made you restless to get out and see the world? What book have you read or what movie have you watched that has inspired you to travel? 

3. A time you felt like you were 'flying by the seat of your pants'? Explain. 

4. Do you struggle with road rage or are you more of a 'Sunday driver'? Do you like to be 'in the driver's seat (literally and/or figuratively speaking) ?

5. Something you've recently 'put the brakes on'? 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

The Sweetness of Autumn

I think in the age of Corona and conflict and crazy political ranting we have to really look for life's sweetness. It's still there, but you have to step over a lot of dooty to find it. 

Question-does anyone above the age of three use the term dooty? 

My girls will say no. 

Anyhoo here we are on this sunshiny Monday morning where the air is cool and the sky is blue and the leaves are tinged with gold and that right there is pretty sweet. Embrace it. There is a sense of melancholy that rolls in this time of year but I don't hate it. Cozy follows close behind. 

This is cozy and also super sweet.

And NO, the pup is not allowed on the furniture ahem.

My grandson yelling 'Hey Nana!' when we're on Facetime is pretty much the sweetest thing ever. I literally feel my heart dissolve into a puddle inside my chest. 

Baby brother (who still needs a blog name) turns one this month and he is handsome and loud and walking and throwing and clapping with delight and is just the sweetest little almost one year old I know. 

The geographical distance between us is not so sweet, but we see what we choose to see and today I'm looking for silver linings. 

Want to know what else is really sweet?

This beautiful bride who was celebrated on Saturday by some of the groom's family and friends. 

The shower was small because that's the world we live in currently, and was in a private room with plenty of space for the same reason, and everyone turned up wearing a mask because again weird times, but still it was completely lovely.  

We enjoyed every minute including the almost three hour drive there and back because my sister and niece (who is also a bride-to-be) rode with us and we were long overdue for an in -person catch up. 

The weather could not have been more fabulous and there was a delicious lunch, yummy mimosas, fun gifts, marriage advice, and a beaming bride who is loved far more than words can say. 

Everyday we have a choice. Look at this not that. Think about this not that. Focus on this not that. Wedding planning in a season where the rules change on what feels like an almost daily basis is not a simple thing. But love is in the air and all around too and we are keeping our eyes and our minds on this not that. 

Life is sweet and sure it's salty too, but on this gorgeous Monday in October I choose sweet.

Having One's Cake and Hodgepodge Too

Welcome to this week's edition of the Wednesday Hodgepodge. Grab your coffee and some cake to go with, because it is national dessert day and it's also 2020...aka the year in which cake for breakfast is a very good idea. If you've answered today's questions add your link at the end of my post, and before you hurry off be sure to leave a comment for the blogger who linked before you. Here we go-

1. Let's start things off right...Wednesday is National Dessert Day. What are we having? How often do you make/serve dessert? Store bought or from scratch?

Finally a National Day I'm on board with! When dining out I almost always look at the dessert offerings first and plan my entree accordingly. What can I say? I'm a fan of dessert. Wait, I'm going to amend that to say I'm not a fan of just so-so desserts. I won't eat store bought cookies just to have something sweet at the end of a meal, but if you give me a truly delicious, perfectly concocoted, perfectly baked, perfectly set dessert I'm a happy camper. Also, make it pretty. Pretty is good. 

What are we having tonite? Nothing. I mean I'm not having dessert today because dessert is not an everyday thing here. Hubs will likely have a bowl of ice cream because that's his favorite, but I save my sugar consumption for occasions. Dining out definitely counts as an occasion. 

fyi-the month of September was chock a block full of special desserts which is why October needs to be dessert-lite. There's a dress I need to wear in the not too distant future and too much dessert might spoil that. And I am all about from scratch but if it's a really scrumptious store bought treat I won't say no. 

Apparently I could have written a blog post sharing my thoughts on dessert. I kinda did. 

2. Slow as molasses, icing on the cake, that's the way the cookie crumbles, have your cake and eat it too, half-baked idea, that takes the cake...which phrase might be applied to something in your life in recent days? Explain. 

We had a wonderful lunch with a spectacular view on a gorgeous blue sky day where the service was s-l-o-w as molasses. When anything in my world is not moving as fast as I think it should I feel like God is telling me to chill. So I do. Mostly. 

3. Something that's 'easy as pie' for you to do?

Answer the Hodgepodge of course. I mean I do write the questions-ha! 

4. Are you someone who likes to 'sugarcoat' news you think might not be well received, or are you more of a tell it like it is and let the chips fall where they may? Do you like to receive your news the same way you give it? 

Pour a little sugar on it please. Find some tiny sliver of good in whatever bad you need to tell me because I'm going to set my mind on that. I give and receive the same way. Blunt is not my love language. 

5. Something you did recently that made you feel like a 'smart cookie'? 

I've had to figure out a fair amount of technology lately and with a wonky computer to boot. Anytime I accomplish even the smallest of tasks I feel like someone should give me a high five. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Are you watching or listening to any of the Supreme Court confirmation hearings? I don't care which side of the political fence you land on (and please no need to tell me or explain why these hearings should or should not be happening) but Amy Coney Barrett is one smart cookie. She's enduring hours and days of questioning without a single book, note, or index card in front of her. It's both remarkable and impressive. 

I can't remember what was on the grocery list I wrote ten minutes prior to leaving the house. 

She clearly and articulately (and I might add with great patience and restraint) recalls details of a long list of court cases, written decisions and opinions, the precise wording of our constitution, and the rule of law like it ain't no thing. I so admire her intelligence, poise, and grace under pressure and I do hope students are watching.