Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Hodgepodge Mayhem

Welcome to the Wednesday Hodgepodge on this merry day in May! Add your link (Hodgepodge answers only please!) to the end of my post, and then go spread some Hodgepodge cheer to your neighbors.  Here we go-


1. It's still May, right? When were you last in the middle of something that might be described as mayhem?

April 26th, Newark Airport. How's that for specific? Terminal A is where most of the regional flights arrive and depart, and it quite often feels like chaos. The gate section of the terminal is circular in design, so there are always a lot of people everywhere. On this particular date, nearly every outbound afternoon flight was delayed and not just a little bit. Mayhem.  

2. When did you last feel dismayed?

Pretty much any time I listen to the news. The media...politicians...the combination of the two...fallout from the aforementioned shenanigans on social media and the nastiness that sometimes ensues. Dismayed feels like exactly the right word.

3. What's a food combination you like, but other people may find strange?

I don't think I have strange food combinations, but as a child I liked ketchup on my rice. Shudder!

4. "It is never too late to be what you might have been." Do you think that's true? Why or why not?

In general, yes I think it's true. Not in absolutely all things (childbirth for instance), but in most things.  If there's something you've always wanted to do or be, then absolutely- go do and be. 

I will add here, that I think its easier to give that advice to some other person than to follow it yourself.  

Dear self-see #4. 

5. US News and World Report listed the best historic destinations in the US as follows-Washington DC, Philadelphia PA, Williamsburg VA, Charleston SC, Boston MA, Richmond VA, Savannah GA, Santa Fe NM, Yellowstone, San Antonio TX, San Francisco CA, New Orleans LA, and Charlottesville VA. 

Of those listed how many have you seen in person? Which two sites on the list would you most like to see in person?


How many have I seen in person? Quite a lot actually. I grew up on the NJ side of Philadelphia so that city is home to me. We spent nine years living on the Maryland side of DC so that also feels like home to me. When we were newlyweds hubs and I moved to Richmond Virginia so that city was also home for a time. 

Home is a complicated thing when you're me. How about the historic destinations on that list I haven't seen in person?

Yellowstone, San Antonio, San Francisco, and New Orleans.  Of the four I most want to see Yellowstone and San Francisco in person. 

6. May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. If you had to participate in a single fitness activity for the next half hour, which activity would you choose?

I am loving boot camp, so I'd probably choose that. If you'd told me a year ago that would be my answer I would have laughed.  Hey-it's never too late to be what you might have been! 

7. What did you like best about the city, town, or neighborhood where you grew up?

My mom and I were talking about this over the weekend, since I was in the neighborhood for Mother's Day. We both agreed it was a wonderful place to raise a family, a sweet place to grow into adulthood.  I started to list the reasons why, but remembered I wrote a post on this back in my early days of blogging.  If you're interested click the link-  My Very Own Wonder Years

Of course you're interested!  

8. Insert your own random thought here.

My girls spoiled me with sweet gifts this Mother's Day. They bought me a really cute new beach bag and two new beach towels. I'm still using towels that say American Girl so am more than a little bit overdo for new beach towels. 


The bag features my signature color which apparently is orange. I didn't know for sure I had a signature color until recently, but I do, and it's orange. My girls are laughing. They would say I've always had a signature color, I was just the last to know. 

The bag is insulated on one side, so you can put drinks or snacks or aloe in there to stay cool. I love it! 


They also got me this water pitcher which I absolutely love. It's shaped like a fish, and is called a gurgle pitcher because when you pour from it, the pitcher gurgles. Like a fish. Too cute! And you can never go wrong with pretty pottery.

That being said, the best gifts I received came in the form of words. I like words. Words are my love language, and my daughters know this. I like reading them and writing them. I like cards and notes and letters. Pretty stationery, post it notes, hearts spilled onto a page and shared. 

This year both my girls wrote such sweet posts on their blogs. They knew this would be a gift I'd treasure, and I do. Their words made my heart happy in a way a wrapped gift cannot. 

Even if that wrapped gift is pottery or something in my signature color. 





23 comments:

  1. "Loving boot camp" sounds like an oxymoron to me. So glad you're finding it enjoyable. Let's meet in New Orleans, shall we? I've never been there either. I'm totally with you on the sweetest gifts being the words from my kids.

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  2. Oh, that pitcher is gorgeous! I would love to hear one gurgle. I love the color especially. I have never tried ketchup on my rice...interesting! Have a lovely rest of your week!

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  3. Ketchup and rice? Oh my word....more than shudder here....gag!! lol

    Love the beach bag...and the pitcher. Now, I'm off to read what your girls had to say...

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  4. A gurgling pitcher sounds delightful! My favorite part of Mother's Day was the letters the children wrote for me, one of them wrote, "you're the best Mom in the whole solar system." Gave me a chuckle, but hey, I'll take it, and treasure it!

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  5. Ketchup on rice is a new one on me. Chris loves to eat ketchup on scrambled eggs...BLECH! I LOVE your beach bag! I am so in need of a new one! How neat that it's insulated on one side. Love your pretty pitcher, too. I'm like you, however, I cherish getting notes from my girls. They both wrote me such sweet things on Mother's Day and they mean the world to me.

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  6. I wrote the same thing about being dismayed by politicians. And, it sounds like you had a delightful Mother's Day! We did too - with a double celebration of graduation & mother's day. FYI: a "birdie" told hubby
    that the ring may be arriving Memorial Day weekend! I'll keep you posted!

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  7. Cute beach tote!! Simple acts daughters do mean so much more, than presents.

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  8. Thanks for another wonderful Hodgepodge. I enjoyed reading your answers, and your M-Day gifts are great!! I am also enjoying Shannon's blog! You have such a beautiful family!

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  9. I think I would have even picked that beach bag for you, I love it! And, the fish pitcher is just the cutest and the gurgle is "icing on the cake." You, as you know, have some really thoughtful daughters. What a blessing!

    I'm so impressed with you and boot camp! Way to go! Think I'd best stick with the treadmill at this point.

    Happy rest of the week!

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  10. I WANT that pitcher... that is the coolest!!!

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  11. So good to be back on the Hodgepodge this week! We're down to the wire here on the wedding! Did your lovely set a date yet or are they going to enjoy being engaged for a while?

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  12. As a child, I often had stir-fried rice colored with ketchup. In fact, the combination has been quite popular among children in Japan. I like it.

    The Mother's Day gifts from your daughters are beautiful.

    Romi @ In the Way Everlasting



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  13. What wonderful gifts for Mother's Day!

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  14. Yes the airport can be a great place to experience mayhem. Yellowstone and San Francisco are awesome, hope you can see them someday! Love the beach bag and it sounds very nice. Glad you can now go to the beach without the American Girl beach towel! The fish water pitcher sounds cool and it's so pretty. Your girls are so sweet and love their mom so very much........

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  15. Oh how I love that pitcher!! Blessings

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  16. That pitcher is absolutely adorable! What fun to serve from it when you have company!! Your girls are a treasure and such a testament to fine parental units. :)

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  17. What fun gifts from your daughters! Love that fish pitcher. I totally agree that the Newark airport is a great example of mayhem. :-)

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  18. Airports today are quintessential mayhem,,,sometimes mayhem on steroids. Ketchup on rice? Really? Glad you had a wonderful Mother's Day. I think my signature color is plaid! Thanks for another fine hodgepodge!

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  19. Love that little fish pitcher. How cute is that! Enjoyed reading your post! Boot camp, wow that is so brave! =) You have such sweet daughters. =)
    Blessings and Sunshine, Valerie

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  20. I see we both would like to visit Yellowstone :)
    I love your Mother's Day gifts. I'm sure you'll enjoy using all of them!

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  21. What a sweet way for your daughters to honor you! I will hop over to read the beautiful words they shared with their readers about you. Thanks for hosting the fun!

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  22. I'd like to visit Yellowstone. I like the pretty colors of the bag.

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