Wednesday, January 9, 2013

It's Always Sunny in the Hodgepodge

When I posted these questions yesterday I thought they were just eh, but I actually enjoyed answering them.  Be sure to add your link to the bottom of my post and then run off and see what everyone else is saying~


1.  What is one thing or area in your home or life you hope to report is completely organized when 2013 draws to a close?  Do you have a plan to make it happen?

I'm pretty sure I have said this every January since moving into this house, but my photos are still not organized the way I'd like for them to be.  Maybe 2013 will be my year?

2.  What's the worst uniform you've ever had to wear for a job?

When I was a senior in high school I worked in a nursing home. I had to wear a white dress made of polyester and to top it off, a hair net in my hair.  That seemed cruel at age seventeen. 

I also worked as a camp counselor and we all agreed some years the staff shirts were better than others. The shirts were paired with red shorts and worn on Sunday afternoons as we greeted incoming campers.  A bunch of us discussed this very thing at a recent summer reunion and everyone remembers the summer of the collared shirt.  It was not our best look.  

3. What was your last kitchen 'mishap'?  This question comes to you courtesy of Betty who blogs over at A Glimpse into Midlife...everyone go say hi to Betty!

I don't have too many mishaps in the kitchen, at least not so far as food is concerned.  

Would not being able to figure out how to operate my new food processor count as a mishap?  My mother bought me one as a gift back in the summer and I finally got it out over the Thanksgiving holiday. Everything seemed like it was aligned, clicked, and ready to go, but it would not run.  Hubs to the rescue...who knew the lid had to be on to make it work?  

A couple of years ago I ruined a perfectly good brand new juicer by juicing a batch of fruit with the machine's direction booklet still inside.  

My family keeps a close eye on me when I operate anything with a plug.  Or a blade.  Or a motor.  

4.  How do you protect yourself against other people's negativity?

If you're perpetually negative I will keep you at arms length.  If something negative is said I'm the person who likes to point out 'the bright side'.  Because there always is one ya know!  

If you're perpetually negative and I have to interact with you on a regular basis I will try to get you to see circumstances from another angle.  You should also know on the inside I'll be sighing with impatience just a little.   

5.  Who in your family do you most resemble (physically)?  If you have children, who do people say they favor?  Do you agree?

Growing up all four of us kids were said to look like my dad.  As I've gotten older though, I most definitely favor my mom.  

Daughter1 has always been the spitting image of her dad.  I remember when she was little someone commenting on that and her questioning how she could look like her dad when he's a man and she's a girl.  As she's gotten older her face has changed some, and while she is no doubt still her father's daughter, I do see some of my family in her too.  

Daughter2 is my mini me.  People who know me and then have seen her out somewhere have come up and asked her if she's my daughter...the resemblance is strong.  

6.  January 8th is National Bubble Bath Day...will you be celebrating?

I do love a bubble bath so why not?  

7.  Some of the 'world's best winter festivals' are...Mardi Gras (New Orleans), Quebec Winter Festival (Canada), Sundance Film Festival (Park City Utah), Rio Carnivale (Brazil), Sapporo Snow Festival (Japan), Venice Carnival (Italy), and the Harbin Ice Festival (Northern China).  Of those listed (and if cost were not a factor) which would you most like to attend and why?

If you read here regularly you know how much I love Italy, but in this case I'm not choosing Carnival.  I've been to Venice and prefer to see it without the crowds.  Hubs chaperoned a French trip to Quebec during Carnival season, when Daughter1 was in grade 9. They loved it, although it was maybe the coldest they'd ever been. Quebec is on my list of cities to see, so I might say Quebec.  I will add here though, that I'd never heard of the Harbin Ice Festival in Northern China, but after seeing the pictures that one is on my list now too. 

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

That last question reminded me I have some cute semi-organized photos of the hubs and Daughter1 in Quebec.  How's that for random?  

Hubs chaperoned the trip partly because there was a lot of fun stuff on the itinerary,  and partly because I'd just had surgery on my hand and was in a huge cast. 

The French club went in February '03, and the trip coincided with Carnival.  


They did a lot of sightseeing-


Saw the frozen Montmorency Falls from a great vantage point-

Went snowshoeing-


Did some super cool tubing-


They even went dog sledding-


Daughter1 has always been petite and in 2003 she didn't weigh enough to stand in back.  Consequently  she was swooshed across the snow like some sort of Russian princess.  

They also spoke French, made maple candy in the snow, and had to extend their stay by one day,  because while they were in Canada the great state of Maryland was buried under a little snow of its own.  Nothing like Canada, but it was determined the buses wouldn't be able to maneuver through town or get parked anywhere near the high school.  They ended up spending that extra day...


...in a ginormous indoor mall!  

I think hubs would have been happy to skip that extra day.  If you've chaperoned school trips you know that as much fun as they are, when it's time to go home, you are ready.  

I love this picture-


...and I don't think they look cold at all.  


49 comments:

  1. Your pics and commentary made me glad I picked QUebec (have never been) ... not that I'm *going* to Quebec ... but I can dream ...
    Fun Hodge Podge this week - I liked the questions!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I like your #4 answer. ;) I just go "you know i may not have or am unable to do somethings but i am happy i have 'this or that' etc." Hope that makes sense to you.
    Anyway i love the snow & haven't been sledding in so long! Hopefully we'll get to Tahoe before the snow melts. Where i used to live the closest was about 30 miles away, and where i live now its like a 4 or 5 hour drive. ;/

    ReplyDelete
  3. I had the same problem with my mini-chopper. If that lid isn't exactly locked on it won't work. Who knew?
    A hair net is pretty bad, especially for a teenager!
    Thanks for another great Hodgepodge :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Had to chuckle at your lack of mechanical prowess. I love gadgets and am usually quick to figure out how they work. Now the cooking part...that's when people come running in my house...or more like OUT of the house!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I laughed out loud about juicing the machine directions. Bwahahhahaha! These were fun questions to answer.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Yep I definitely want to go to Quebec now. Beautiful pictures and what a fun time. Enjoyed your answers. Thanks for all your hard work on the Hodgepodge!
    until next time... nel

    ReplyDelete
  7. That looks like a great trip to Quebec. I am Canadian and have never been.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I know only "yes", "no", and "thank you" in french, but now I REALLY want to go to that winter carnival in Quebec!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I see no linky tool. I'll try and return later in the day. It's early.

    Anyway, I love the bobsledding photo. And the frozen falls. As for the kitchen mishap and the booklet --that was funny. Not to you I'm sure.

    Once again, great questions. Your work is always much appreciated.

    My Wednesday Hodgepodge

    ReplyDelete
  10. Quebec is lovely. I went during October with all the autumn leaves. Probably a bit warmer than your pictures but pretty chilly for this girl.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Love the pictures of Quebec. I too thought eh when I read the questions but really enjoyed answering them. Thank you for hostessing this each week.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Your pictures were fun, and somehow I thought you might answer pictures for #1. I'm always glad when you share some with us, although looking at those pictures made me cold.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Yes, I long to get my photos better organized too.
    Liked your negative answer too.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Looks like a fun time in Canada. Thanks again for the Hodgepodge.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I'd love to go snow shoeing... but dang, those pictures look COLD!!!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Oh, the old nurses aide uniform - wasn't that fun! I didn't even read your answers before posting mine and I chose that same uniform!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Thanks for sharing the photos.....I'm not much of a fan of winter and mostly choose vacations in the Spring or Fall. I don't like large crowded vacation spots but prefer to spend time with my Honey Bear in some out of the way spot....In the Winter if we go somewhere it is usually to an inside venue such as Opryland Hotel.
    Mama Bear

    ReplyDelete
  18. I am SO with you on the negativity thing... I try to help people see things from a different perspective... a dear relative of mine is suffering from depression, and she has always been a "glass half empty" kind of person anyway... and I'll admit, as much as I love her, I'm sighing a bit in impatience with her lately... oh dear...

    Great questions this week!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I burst out laughing when I read about you blending up the manual! Oh, Mom...

    Thanks for sharing these pics from Quebec- I am cold just remembering that trip. But even with frozen eyelashes (think last scene of Titanic...) it was a fun to go with Dad!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Fun answers. Snow shoes always crack me up. They look like people have strapped tennis rackets on their feet! LOL

    ReplyDelete
  21. I love your juicer story. Glad I'm not the only one who occasionally has 'mishaps.' :) One time my brother got terrible blisters from new shoes. Turns out he had failed to remove the paper inside. :) Have a great day!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Such interesting answers today, Joyce. Polyester dresses and hair nets...blending up instruction manuals...Loved it! The snow pictures were a nice added bonus, too.

    Thanks for hosting :)

    ReplyDelete
  23. I was up late and thought I would be one of the first on the list and the linky wasn't there. I believe I will never get my photos organized but maybe if I accomplish my goals for this year I can do that next year! That's pretty funny about the juicer :) I think it is so amazing how we get our looks. Now that looks like a fun trip they had. Love the photos! Have a great day Joyce....

    ReplyDelete
  24. I guess you were really anxious to use that new juicer, being as you juiced up the instructions too. Funny!

    What wonderful photos of Quebec. It looks like they had quite a trip and tons of fun. It does look pretty cold though. Hope they had some good hot chocolate or coffee at the end of the day.

    ReplyDelete
  25. I don’t think that’s how you add fiber to your juice! I have that alternate internal conversation going open when I have to deal with negative people too.

    I went to Quebec with my HS French club in July. I thought Carnival sounded like fun, but Quebec in July was colder than I wanted a July to be so I figured there was no way I’d want to experience the winter there! The photos do look like they had a great time!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Oh NOOOO.....a new juicer ruined??? Those things are expensive! We have one too, and I was happy to have a coupon for $20 off!
    Your daughter's trip looks like it was really nice!
    Thanks for the blog hop! Nice to meet you! =)

    ReplyDelete
  27. Oh I have been reading this at Anni's and I always think it is so much fun.

    I finally made my way over here and added you to my roll so I can join in on Wednesday.

    I love the pictures!! I love everything about this!! I hope you have a great day!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Quebec pictures look so cold but so fun! I think your D1 looks so much like Hubby and D2 is a combo! Your kitchen disasters remind me of mixers I'd strip some how I blame them on being left handed I'd put in wrong or not sure what but I went through a few in my day! Happy Wednesday!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Loved the pictures, and your answer for #4 was so perfect, I quoted you!

    ReplyDelete
  30. I'm with you on the negative people, playing keep away is the goal but sometime that just doesn't work....

    Loved all the pictures...

    Blessings
    R

    ReplyDelete
  31. Hey I thought the questions were good right off the bat!
    I totally remember the story of the Juicer! Too funny. In a laughing WITH you sort of way of course. :)

    ReplyDelete
  32. Oh and I the last time both my daughter and Hubs went away on a week long mission trip I used that time to get my pictures organized. I had the uninterrupted time and the space to lay them all out and get them organized. I did not have to worry about getting them cleared away at the end of the day. It was great!!!

    R

    ReplyDelete
  33. Yes, Quebec for me as well. It is beautiful there.

    ReplyDelete
  34. The tubing picture looks like fun!
    I enjoyed your questions this week. They always bring back some memories.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Thank you for helping me laugh today. The bit about your kitchen mishaps was good for a giggle! It's funny how much I LIKE YOU even though we've never truly met!!

    ReplyDelete
  36. That's just waaay too much snow for my taste lol I've had my fill of it while living in Germany.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Ah, the school trips. The husband and I never got to go on any of the really awesome trips like to NYC, because there were always 3 daughters still at home to keep an eye on. And the husband, while he loves his girls, was not the best at getting them up and ready for school or to this and that on time...or the right day for that matter. LOL I don't usually have kitchen mishaps either but lately I've been burning things...well, only three times in the last few months but still..

    ReplyDelete
  38. Oh wow! You used my question and I barely saw it. So sorry, I've been too busy to read blogs, but I will be answering my own question on my blog in just a little while. Thanks for using it, now I'm going to go to everyone's to read the answers. :)

    ReplyDelete
  39. Wonderful pictures and it does look fun....but I am cold just looking at them. Not a fan of winter.

    ReplyDelete
  40. For 2013, I hope to be more disciplined. There are so many things that could go better for me if I just were more disciplined!!

    ReplyDelete
  41. School trips are so much fun-loved the pictures.

    ReplyDelete
  42. What a good Daddy, chaperoning a school trip! These were good questions and it's always fun to read everyone's answers. Loved your kitchen mishap!

    ReplyDelete
  43. i really need to organize my photos too. snow shoeing and dog sledding look like so much fun!

    ReplyDelete
  44. Looks like they had a great time!

    ReplyDelete
  45. what great photos!
    I think I had to wear that same awful uniform!

    ReplyDelete
  46. Now I know I picked the right carnival! That looks like so much fun to me. One day! Just like one day, I will get to enjoy national bubble bath day:)

    ReplyDelete
  47. Did I see HOCKEY in a MALL!! OMG! I'm impressed!

    ReplyDelete
  48. I always love a good meme!

    ReplyDelete