Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Hodgepodge: Easy As 1-2-3

Welcome to another edition of the weekly Wednesday Hodgepodge. The April A-Z blog challenge has come to a close, so I should be able to visit everyone playing along this week. I was out of town last week, and that combined with the A-Z didn't leave much room for blog hopping.

Okay, here we go~

1. This week's Hodgepodge is Volume 123. What's something you've done recently that was as easy as 1-2-3?

I ordered a personalized gift online from Lisa Leonard's website. It was super easy and I cannot wait to see the finished product. Have you ordered from her? She has some really lovely pieces...you'll find her website here.    

2. The Wednesday Hodgepodge also happens to fall on the first day of May...what is something you may do this month?

We may spend a long weekend with my sister in law and her family. We haven't seen them since last summer and kids grow up you know. We have to sort out arrangements for the pup, but we're going to try and make it work.

3. The Englishman Horace Walpole is credited as saying, "The world is a tragedy to those who feel, but a comedy to those who think."  How do you see it?

I guess I'm a feeler and a thinker, because I'd say it's a bit of both. There is much to break our hearts in this world, but also much to make us smile and laugh. 

4. May is National Hamburger Month...how often do you eat a burger?  What are your must-haves when it comes to burgers?  I assume you vegetarians won't be celebrating so tell us what you'd like instead?

I consider hamburgers summer food and I never cook a hamburger in the winter months. Actually I never cook a hamburger indoors, no matter what season we're in. I might order one out someplace on occasion but for the most part I like my burgers grilled and eaten outdoors. My must-haves are lettuce, tomato, mayo, and pickle.  

Now I'm kind of craving a hamburger.  
It's still not 'al fresco' weather around here, but hopefully soon.  

5. Pansies, petunias, geraniums, impatiens...of the four mentioned which is your favorite in a patio pot? Will there be pots on your patio this spring? (Or whenever spring comes to your part of the globe?)  Who does the gardening at your house?

I don't know if I can pick a favorite, maybe pansies...partly because they're so hardy and partly because there is something very sweet about a pot full of pansies with their hopeful little faces turned upward.  

I do love petunias and am always swayed by their wonderful color in the garden center, but petunias need to be 'dead-headed' as my mom would say....that is, they need all the dead heads plucked on a daily basis, otherwise they get too leggy.  For people who travel a lot that's a problem.

We can grow some impatiens...we had the most beautiful bed of impatiens around our front tree when we lived in Maryland, but we have a bit of a 'critter' issue up here so I pretty much have to stick to pots that can be moved if an animal drops by and thinks its breakfast.  

I never used to be a fan of geraniums, but these days you can find some really beautiful varieties so I've been won over. Plus, they're hard to kill which is always a bonus if you're a plant in my care.  At our house hubs manages the yard and I'm in charge of the flowers.  

6. When did you last (literally or figuratively) shout "Mayday, Mayday!"

Mayday comes from a French word which literally means-help me!  

When was the last time I called for help? I honestly can't remember. I'm trying to think of any recent technical disasters where I might have called my girls for assistance, but nothing is springing to mind.  

7. Say farewell to your April in ten words or less.

Thanks A-Z for reminding me why I blog.  

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

I think I already mentioned that last week I was here-  



It's worth mentioning again.

Hubs and I had a quick getaway to Ft. Lauderdale just because, which is my favorite kind of trip. We flew down on Wednesday morning and back home Sunday night.  The weather was perfection and we spent most of our time planted in a lounge chair beside the pool.  



The chairs had little flags attached to the back side, and if you wanted something tropical with a little umbrella in it, or even just lunch or sodas, you popped up your flag, and voila! A waiter appeared.  I thought about bringing my flag home with me, but then I remembered at home I am the waiter.  

I hardly took any pictures, and the ones I did take were with my phone. I was too busy lounging and too lazy to keep up with my big camera. Plus there was sun to seek and naps to chase down. I had what might qualify as the best nap of my life on the very first afternoon we were there. I plopped myself into a lounge chair beside the pool and fell into what can only be described as coma sleep. 

You're interested in my nap, right?  



This ship pulled out one day while we were on the beach.  I reminded hubs again to never let me get talked into a cruise. I know people love them, but it is not for me.  

In a funny twist of events, it turned out two different couples we know, from two different places in life, also happened to be in Ft. Lauderdale last weekend. We ended up having drinks with one couple on Friday night and dinner with the other couple on Saturday night. 

So that was the weekend...swimming, napping, reading and sunning. 



Oh, and raising that little chair flag every now and then.    





33 comments:

  1. Get away trips on the spur of the moment can be a lot of fun. Yours sounds wonderful. We will be in Fort Lauderdale in October to get on one of those cruise ships for 42 days.

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  2. I love the beautiful geraniums these days too. Not at all like the 'old timers' of red, pink, and white only. Nothing like the beach. And as for burgers, I too like them grilled only. Of course, where I'm at, we can cook them outdoors year 'round. :o)

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  3. I want one of these chair flags! What a great idea!

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  4. Looks like a great get-a-way for some R & R time! I have wanted to go on a cruise but hub is dead set against this.

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  5. I am looking at that wonderful trip you took to Fort Lauderdale. Looks so nice and beautiful there. And so clean. Going with your hubby. What a nice time. sandie

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  6. enjoyed this as always! The trip sounds soo nice and right up my alley. And the flag on the chair? Perfect! haha..Glad you enjoyed yourself!

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  7. We never cook burgers in the house either, though we do grill them no matter the weather! It's just worth it.
    I don't think I'm a cruise kind of gal either, but I guess one should never say never.
    I need to get one of those chair flags. :)
    Have a great Wednesday.

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  8. I was wondering if you were down in Florida! I figured as much when I saw the picture of the ship the other day. I lived in Coral Springs, not too far from Ft. Lauderdale, ten years ago. That's such a great area for having things to do...quite different from north Florida, where I currently live.

    I wonder why you don't want to cruise though. We've been on four or five and love, love, love being pampered! The last one we went on was to Alaska, and it was breathtaking. We got up close and person with the Hubbard Glacier...truly an awesome moment!

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  9. Okay. Now I'm officially jealous. That sounds like the most perfect getaway!

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  10. Your "get away" sounds delightful! I've never heard of little flags on chairs, but what a great idea :)

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  11. OK... your pictures are making me want a vacation VERY badly now

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  12. Oh, I love the flag concept, wonder who dreamed that up. Surely it was a woman! :0) These were some deep thinking questions but a lot of fun. I'll miss your A-Z blogging as they were so enjoyable. Have a good rest of the week!

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  13. I love your random thought. I love the idea of lounging by the pool, basking in the sun reading, people watching or napping. The flag idea is a really good idea too. Thanks for the Hodgepodge!

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  14. Um color me jealous.. We rarely make burgers, even outside. I think we burned ourselves on them when we first got our grill. Now it is chicken and pork snd veggies.

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  15. What a wonderful vacation! And I agree, that flag idea is genius!! (And I just noticed your copyright statement on the side of your blog - is that new? Or am I just not observant?) have a great day!

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  16. I love geraniums, they did much better in our Utah house. I really only have hamburgers in the summer occasionally at a restaurant mid year. Glad AtoZ is over was gonna do a MAY photo challenge but think I will wait until June. I miss picking up my camera. Florida looks perfect and just long enough. I need a get away! Happy Wednesday!

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  17. Ok, I'm definitely jealous ... I want some beach time! Thankfully I'll be at the beach in 18 days. ;-)

    I'm not a big fan of the cruise ... I didn't dislike it, but I'm not in a huge hurry to do another one. ;-)

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  18. I like the idea of putting the flag on the back of the chair! What luxury! :D

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  19. A trip to Ft. Lauderdale seems to be just what the doctor ordered! You know, we've taken 5 cruises and I'm in no way close to wanting to go, again. They wear you out! I don't like the lack of flexibility when you're on them. You have to be back on the ship by a certain time when you're in port, you have to eat dinner at a certain time...and there are lots of people onboard!

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  20. Pretty cool how you ran into some friends while in Ft. Lauderdale. Sounds like the trip was meant to be! How wonderful that you got away and relaxed. Love the flag on the chair. What a great idea! Enjoy the rest of your week.

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  21. Wow, what fun! Some days I wish I had a little flag I could raise for a waiter to bring me a little something with an umbrella in it... hmmmm... like right now. LOL.

    Have a great rest of the week!

    Julia @ Mom on the Run x2

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  22. Today's a perfect day for swimming! I may just go over to the park but i dont like paying $$.. i miss having our own pool. ;/

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  23. Glad you had a relaxing time!

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  24. I just want one of those flags...and a waiter! I think it's so cool when you bump into people you know on vacation. It's like a shared secret memory!

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  25. Oh man I am sooo looking forward to a little chaise lounge napping myself! We're heading to the desert later today, kind of like the beach, but not. ;)

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  26. What a great way to spend a few days- lazing around. I love it! Thanks, loads, for getting that ABC-123 Michael Jackson song stuck in my head. Sheesh. LOL

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  27. 1. I have ordered several things from Lisa Leonard and the personalized ones have turned out really nicely.
    2. I hope your arrangements work out to see your family!
    3. Good thoughts and a great outlook.
    4. Hamburgers are good summer food.
    5. All of those flowers make me happy. Geraniums remind me of my grandma.
    6. I'm yelling "Mayday, Mayday" today because it's snowing here. Yes. It is.
    7. I enjoyed reading your A-Z posts.
    8. I need a little chair flag. ;)

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  28. I am with you on the geraniums...hardy is a good thing to be when you're one of my outdoor plants. I tend to either drown them or let them get too dry. :/

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  29. Hamburgers not cooked on the charcoal grill just aren't real hamburgers. The beach looks great - and I totally agree with your opinion of cruises. My cousin loves them. I can't imagine being cooped up on a ship.

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  30. I think I only say Mayday! Mayday! in blog posts. I seem to need help a lot. ;)

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  31. It must have been really nice to get away, just because, and there is no better place to that than the beach.
    Hamburgers have always been on our weekly menu for as long as I can remember. My Dad could have eaten them three or four times a week and my husband is almost the same.
    My sister and her family are about to take their first cruise, I can't believe she is going, especially out of the country. I don;t know if I would like it or not. I would be afraid that I would get seasick and be miserable the whole time.

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  32. Small world when you get away for a trip and run in to people you know. How fun! Good luck with the trip to see family! We went on a day cruise on our honeymoon years ago and I ended up feeling sick, so I am not so sure I could handle a cruise. Would love to go to Alaska...talk about pictures! But I am so afraid I would be to sick to take them. lol Hope you have a great weekend!
    until next time...nel

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  33. You are such a dear to come and comment on my Hodgepodge post when I was a total busy nut and forgot to link myself up! Good grief...phew...I wrote it as soon as I got the questions and then Wed morning I got distracted. Oops! I always LOVE LOVE LOVE your pictures!!

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