Wednesday, March 26, 2014

An Easy Breezy Hodgepodge

Welcome to the Wednesday Hodgepodge! When you add your link at the end of my post, please make sure you're linking to your Hodgepodge post, and not your blog in general (or a non-Hodgepodge related post!)...makes for much easier reading for any visitors who wander your way. 

Here are my answers to this week's questions-


1. March is known as the windy month. Which of the following phrases best fits your March so far...'throw caution to the wind', 'three sheets to the wind', 'run like the wind' or 'see which way the wind blows'?

Hmmm...a tough one right off the bat. Figuratively speaking maybe 'run like the wind'? We had a very full weekend, that kept us 'running'. 

Running in a good way, so not like actual running.  

2. Your favorite green food? Your favorite recipe made with your favorite green food?

I'm going with an avocado, and my favorite recipe made with that would be guacamole. You know those quizzes that ask what food you'd want if you were stranded on a desert island? This might be mine. 

3. Ever been locked out of your home-car-office-anywhere? Do tell!

Yes, more than once actually, but I'll share the semi-creepy one. Settle in because it's not short. 

I was in high school and was babysitting one afternoon for the little girl who lived across the street. I sat for her regularly after school until her dad got home from work. One day (the little girl was about 2 1/2) someone knocked on the door, and I looked out and saw what appeared to be a plain white (aka unmarked) delivery van, with the driver standing on the front porch. It was broad daylight, but still I was paranoid cautious. I phoned my house, got my sister on the phone, and told her to watch, that I was going to open the front door, but would keep the glass door locked until I could find out what this guy wanted.  

Babysitters and/or children of mine-don't ever do this! 

People still opened their doors in the mid-1970's, and he seemed harmless, said he had some boxes to deliver and that the people said if they weren't home he should leave them in the backyard. They were boxes you might need if you were moving, which this family wasn't. Seemed odd but not dangerous, until he said, 'And you need to sign something.'  Well I wasn't going to let him in the house, so I stepped out on the front porch while he was unloading the truck, and that's when the little girl who'd been standing beside me, slammed the big front door with me on the outside and her on the inside.   

I went into full blown panic. Every door and window in the house was locked (I really was a good babysitter!), and it was 1975 so the word cell phone was not in our vocabulary. My sister, dutifully watching from across the street and recognizing hysteria, came running over and so did my brother.  The little girl came around to the glassed in back porch so I could talk to her through the glass, and the neighbor called the fire department so they came. The dad arrived soon thereafter (I guess the neighbor called him too), but in essence mucho panic had ensued.  When the dust settled the delivery man (remember him??) was no where to be seen, and the dad said they hadn't ordered any boxes for delivery.  Now I don't know if this guy was simply at the wrong address, or if he had something sinister planned, and those plans were thwarted by all the crazy, but I do think it's possible crazy saved the day.  

4. Yoda, Kermit, Shrek, The Wicked Witch of the West, Oscar the Grouch, The Grinch, or Mike Wasowski (Monsters, Inc.)...of the green characters listed, which one's your favorite, and why?

The Grinch, because he's changed by the love, faith, and kindness of strangers.

5. "The first task of a leader is to keep hope alive."~Joe Batten  Do you agree? Why or why not?

Yes. Think about what happens when hope dies. People stop caring about whatever it is you need them to care about, whether its a project, a job, or the state of their homeland.

6. Share a favorite song with an emotion in its title.

Pride (In the Name of Love) by U2...one of my all time favorite songs.

7. What's a road trip you'd like to take?

A drive along the Pacific Coast Highway in a convertible is definitely on my to-do list.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

Pretty sure I used all the words I was allowed today, in answering question #3.  
Happy Wednesday everyone!





33 comments:

  1. That is a crazy story you shared about being locked out of the house when you were babysitting! Oh, I would have had a major panic attack, too! Aren't you thankful your sister was watching from across the street and that she and your brother came to your rescue? Who knows what may have happened if that hadn't been the case! I'm amazed at how many of our answers are the same this time around. Too funny!

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  2. Wow Joyce, that babysitting incident scared me and I wasnt even there. Thank God you were cautious. And I hope you'd share your guacamole with me. :-)

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  3. I forgot about avocados when I answered the green food question. Love avocados!

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  4. This week's Hodgepodge was particularly fun (not that the other weeks haven't been ... but this week's was especially so, I thought). I've got to get off to my early morning "gig", but I'll go visiting when I get home later this morning. Thanks again for hosting this fun!

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  5. I love U2...my favorite of theirs is it's a beautiful day. Oh my goodness, that babysitting lock-out was scary for you I'm sure. And to have the father tell you they didn't order those boxes is even MORE scary.

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  6. Thar's quite a story about being locked out! I agree...I think the Lord used that locked door to protect you. A drive down the coast in a convertible...sounds pretty nice to me!! :-)

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  7. Wow...your locked out story certainly tops any I've ever heard before...glad that nothing bad happened to anyone!!!

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  8. I love guacamole too - FRESH guacamole. With crispy chips - and a little sour cream… hmmm. might be having Mexican for dinner tonight! ( :

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  9. Your 'locked out' baby sitting story reminded me so much of the panic I felt during my own 'locked out' baby sitting story! There was much panic going on at their house, too--including a grandfather, and an aunt! I'm glad we both had happy endings to our stories :)

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  10. Scary stuff, that #3!! I think you are probably right, that crazy saved the day (and lives)!! Great Hodgepodge (again!)!! Thanks so much!

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  11. ps...I had to check on google to make sure I was correct, before I mentioned this...but the avocado IS a fruit!!!

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  12. OMG! that babysitting story is unreal!!!! Just cannot do avocado, the texture is something I don't like. Silly me! So glad to be back today!

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  13. Good morning! Well I'd say you have the best "locked out:" story for sure. How scary! And yep, I had to go way back to the days of no cell phones too. Makes such a difference. We agree on 2 and 5 I see though, lol Enjoy your day!

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  14. You certainly had a busy weekend. We had a similar locked out story although mine wasn't as scary.

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  15. Wow, your "kicked out" story is amazing, and scary too. Mid-70s was the time when things started to get nuts, razor blades in Halloween candy and such. We still opened doors to strangers but crazy things that happened then were the start of why we don't do it now! Your right, he may have made a mistake but crazy definitely might have saved the day too!

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  16. Running because of a full weekend is awesome! I love avocados too. Oh my gosh, that is some babysitting story!!!! What a sweet answer with the Grinch. Always enjoy reading your answers to your questions :)

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  17. Whoa, good 'locked out' story! We should have a guacamole cook off someday. :) #5, That's exactly what I meant to say. Ha.
    You should totally do that road trip! We'll meet in the middle in our top down buggy. :)

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  18. A drive along the Pacific Coast Highway would be awesome!!

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  19. Oh goodness, that delivery guy story WAS creepy! I have a feeling he was set to rob the house! Sheesh! The Lord was watching over you, that's for sure!!!!!

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  20. Hey Joyce, if you do go on that drive on the coast in a convertible, can I go too? :)

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  21. That locked out story sounds like the intervention of the Holy Spirit to me. While the slamming door of the 2 year old sounds like a scene out of a comedy movie, the ensuing activity sent that "delivery man" and his unmarked van packing.

    P.S. I linked to my main blog before I read your message at the top of your post. Sorry about that. I'll do better the next time. ;)

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  22. Yes, your locked out story is a little creepier than mine. Glad your sister was watching!
    Blessings,
    Linda

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  23. Hi Joyce! That is quite a wild babysitting story. I am glad everyone was ok though, i know that scary feeling. We had to take the lock off the bathroom because my niece used to lock herself in and it was one of those bolted locks.

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  24. Well that story kept me on the edge of my seat for sure. So glad that little one knew to come to the back room and that the end was a funny story to share some 30 years later. How about we join up on the Pacific Coast one of these days when I reach that point on my around the country car trip. BTW, we'll ride in your convertible!

    Avocados are my almost 1st choice too. An avocado a day keeps all sorts of buggers away.

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  25. Thank you for your comments in my blog, and thank you for the wonderful topics to write about.

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  26. Your locked out story was a big hit with all of us. Wow! I had a good time with this week's questions. Thank you.

    PS. question.... how do I know if I'm posting the right link, the one to my hodgepodge post, for any new-comers?

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  27. Grrr... Avocado....Of Course! I went Broccoli - not NEARLY as good as Avocado! And the convertible part of the Pacific Coast is a GREAT addition! Thanks for hosting!

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  28. Your lockout story is very frightening. No way of telling the intentions of the box guy. The drive along the Pacific Coast Highway sounds wonderful.

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  29. Oh, I have a story about #3! Several years ago I was watching the little ones (18 months and 3 or so) of one of my husband's co-workers. The wife was having gall-bladder surgery. I went into the garage to throw out a dirty diaper and the door shut and LOCKED behind me! Remember, the kids were inside. I opened the garage door and went around to the front door. It was locked so I rang the doorbell. The 3 year old came to the door and I asked him (through the side window) to open the door for me since it was locked. He hollered back, "Mommy says no!" Evidently, his mommy had instructed him to never open the door for anyone. It took me several minutes to convince him to let me in. To this day, I have never told he parents what happened. (The mom was a super over-protective mom.) An interesting side note -- that co-worker? He is currently my husband's boss.

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  30. That is a terrifying story!!! It is like all my nightmares rolled into one!

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  31. That's some scary story, I guess the dilemma is deciding if the person is genuine and if we should open the door. Getting locked out as well, now that's not funny.

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  32. Loved all your answers! Your locked out story I can only imagine! Life without cell phones was stressful! Have a wonderful weekend!

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  33. Thank you for always coming up with such great questions. Hope you are having a great weekend.

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