Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Wednesday Hodgepodge-The Initiation

Welcome to the Hodgepodge! Before I get started I must first send a big thank you to daughter1 whose patience truly knows no limits. Trust me, I tested it to the nth degree on Tuesday. Why is she so sweet? Why am I so technologically challenged? Sigh. Daughter1 I finally got the code sorted for our fabulous hodgepodge button and you'll find that on my sidebar. You can include it in your post as a link back here. If you'd like a cute bloggy button of your very own visit daughter1 and she'll create something fun for you too.

If you missed yesterday's post with the questions and you want to give your own answers before reading mine then click here. And if you have questions you'd like to see in future hodgepodge posts please send them my way. Thanks for playing along today...everyone is welcome to join in the fun.


1. Are you more like your mom or your dad?

I'm quite stubborn...hmmm...which parent wants to claim that one? I suppose I see bits of both of my parents in me just as I see some of both hubs and myself in each of our daughters. And if I'm being honest I see the good and I see the not so good. I have a lot of my mom in me and I think my sisters would agree they do as well. I want to value all the good things she has passed on to me but there's a few things I try to keep in check. I look at how I have mothered and that has definitely come from my own mom and has been a huge positive. But I also know my mom is a world champion worrier and I fight that tendency in myself.

2. Do you like roller coasters?

No. Wait, let me answer that again-NO! Actually I do have a thing for speed so its not that so much as it is the fact that my stomach cannot handle the dips, drops, and spins. And here's the thing about people who love roller coasters...they are constantly trying to convince those of us who don't that we need to ride them. Whyyyyy? If I never ride another roller coaster ever ever ever in my life I will not feel like I missed a thing.

A few years ago I was in Disney chaperoning a school choir trip and I ended up riding the Rock n' Roller Coaster. When the ride ended I was so dizzy I seriously thought I was going to need to lay down in the infirmary. Don't you just know Disney has an awesome infirmary? Anyway, the dizziness lasted for hours and I was responsible for children who most definitely needed chaperoning. I am not designed to ride roller coasters people so enough with the peer pressure already.

3. How did you name your blog and do you now wish you had thought about it maybe another five minutes before hitting publish? Would you change your blog title if it were not a huge pain in the derriere? (French makes everything sound a little nicer doesn't it?)

Oh oui. La langue francaise est belle! I just decided that I'm going to throw some French into every hodgepodge post I write. I think that would most definitely add to the hodgepodgedness of it all, don't you?

I was living in the UK when I started blogging. I had absolutely no idea what I was signing on for or that anyone would ever actually read what I wrote. I wanted to call my blog 'the other side of the pond' but that name was taken. I fiddled with the phrase a bit and came up with my current title which actually suits me better since we moved back to the states less than a year after my first post. As titles go, its kind of long but I don't think I'd actually change it given the chance.

4. What is the best wedding gift you received? Not married? Didn't get any gifts? Then what is the best wedding gift you've ever given?

I've been married for 26+ years so its a little hard to remember but I know one of my faves was a quilt that hubs sweet grandma gave us. We've been to a couple of weddings recently and it seems that everyone wants cold hard cash these days. We certainly could have used some cold hard cash when we married but instead we got mostly dinner plates to our china and goblets to our crystal and other such items. And I'm glad...I love pulling out all our special things and seeing my wedding china on my dining room table. They are items we might never have purchased for ourselves so I'm glad we have them now.

5. What bill do you least like to pay?

Property taxes. If I told you what we pay in property taxes you would want to curl up in the fetal position and suck your thumb. Oh wait, that's me. Seriously, the number is that bad. We are appealing them this year so we'll see how that goes. A reduction of any kind would be the equivalent of a lottery win.

6. Is the glass half full or half empty?

always brimming to overflowing...I'm an eternal optimist

7. What is your favorite word? Okay okay, calm down. How about one of your favorite words?

Y'all know I can't do one.
I know I came up with the question but still...

Hodgepodge

There. That's my favorite. Or close to it anyway.

You thought I was going to say gobsmacked, brilliant, cheeky, gutted or knackerd didn't you?

8. Insert your own random thought here-

Last weekend we came within mere millimeters of taking out two sweet and lovely deer standing in the middle of the highway. First of all, deer, why are you in the highway when there are woods to the left of you and woods to the right of you and essentially woods all around you?

More importantly, why, when you are standing on my back hillside and you happen to catch a tiny glimpse of me many feet away watching you from inside my house, why do you run away faster than a speeding bullet, but when we are close enough to literally tap you with our car bumper you stand stock still and stare at us like...a deer in the headlights? Hey, I think I might finally understand where that expression came from.

Don't forget to add your blog to McLinky before you go visiting other hodgpodgers. And tune in every Wednesday for more of the same. Only different. You know what I mean, right?


22 comments:

  1. WTG Joyce! It worked. Enjoyed your answers, you always crack me up. I am definitely with you on the roller coasters. And yeah I guess I have a stubborn streak too, I forgot to mention that. Enjoyed the questions! thanks again for hosting!
    until next time... nel

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  2. My mom is a huge worrier, too. I really have to back off and get back in my little bubble where everything is perfect when I find myself worrying! She came by it honestly, though: her whole family were worriers!

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  3. This was so fun, thank you. My answers are up and I made the link! Had my fingers crossed on that one. I too don't like roller coasters! Keep my feet as close to the ground as much as possible. Thanks again Joyce.

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  4. Roller coasters -- it passes me how anyone can actually enjoy them.

    This was really fun, Joyce -- I'm glad you've taken it on!

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  5. Great job!!! Looking forward to reading these this afternoon...I, of course, messed up my link...my blog name didn't come up, just the address...Oh well, next time I will be more careful...I guess I was just TOO EXCITED....

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  6. I envy your optimism--that's a wonderful quality to have.

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  7. I'm up and linked! lol. I guess I'm the "freak" in the group cause I love roller coasters. Can't help myself. I'm a thrill seeker. I ride a Harley for cryin out loud. ahahaha. Thanks so much for hosting this. Blessings, SusanD

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  8. Yay! You did it--and it was good! I loved the questions and the random thought, and just like the old show-- "Eight is Enough". LOL I couldn't see a button in your sidebar though, just the code and a red x, so I used that code in a link--just like you showed me :)
    I didn't think about taxes, but you are so right to complain! We are over taxed! We are facing a huge tax bill on the family farm--and it's always due just before Christmas...Whose idea of a joke is that?

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  9. Hodgepodge and knackered? You clearly know your fantastic words.

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  10. I've posted and linked up.....Tell your daughter, great hodgepodge button:)

    I feel your pain on property taxes. NJ is just plain crazy on what they expect us to pay to live here.

    I will tell you that I am a roller coaster person, but I would never convince you that you should go with me:)

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  11. Thanks, Joyce, for taking this on! Funny that we both listed our real estate/property taxes as the bill that we hate to pay! ha! Good luck on the appeal!

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  12. I love your optimism, your love of words, your hatred of roller coasters and your blog! Thanks for hosting this meme, it's a lot of fun!

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  13. Thank you Joyce, that was fun. Loved reading your answers. I had to go to my husband for the bill paying, he should have said the taxes!

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  14. Gobsmacked and knackered might be my new favorite words. :)

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  15. It´s a success! Yeah!! Loved your questions and I especially love your answer on Nr. 2. You are so good with words. :)
    Thanks again for hosting!

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  16. Very fun!! Yeah California property taxes are a mint too.

    I promise that if we are ever at an amusement park together, I won't make you ride the roller coasters as long as you don't make me ride the merry go round.

    Deal?

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  17. Do you live in Jersey? Looking at my property tax bill? Cause not only was I in the the fetal position, I was also sobbing when I last paid my taxes.

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  18. I haer you on Property taxes. Connecticut stinks. Still, I have to pay luxury taxes on my cars and that's the most annoying since a car is a necessity, NOT a luxury!

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  19. Such a fun meme! Thanks for doing that.

    I don't know why I didn't think of property tax and school tax. Shudder.

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  20. Hats off to you for coming up with another Wednesday Random. I'm just now finding it so I'll be "on board" next week. Thanks a million!

    Loved all your answers, brought many smiles to my face. What fun!

    Blessings to you!

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