Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Live! From This Side of The Pond! It's The Hodgepodge!

Welcome to another edition of the weekly Wednesday Hodgepodge. If you've answered the questions today, add your link at the end of my post and then go say hi to your neighbor. Newcomers are always welcome to join the party! Here we go-



1. When did you last have to interact, either by phone or in person, with someone in a government run agency? On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate the experience? (10 being fabulous and 1 being pass the Tylenol)

Government agencies...IRS, DMV, Social Security? Nothing in recent months, unless you count helping my newly married daughter obtain all the many ID docs she needs in her married name. That's been more her headache than mine. 

Wait-The United States Postal Service! I've had a lot of recent in-person interaction with our local PO in the past few months...Christmas, wedding mail, sending packages to the west coast, etc. While the PO can be a frustrating place to do business, my recent experiences there have all been pretty positive, so I'm giving them a 9. 

2. The current governor of Wisconsin is considering a run for President next time around. Walker attended Marquette University but never graduated. In terms of any candidate running for the office of President (not asking here if you agree or disagree with Scott Walker's politics) would the lack of a college degree influence your vote or no? Would that be a factor in your support of any candidate running for public office, even a role less weighty than President?

I don't know many post 40-year old adults in any field, who want to be judged til the end of time primarily on their college career or lack thereof.  

That being said, we do all hold college degrees in my house, so I'm definitely not knocking the value of higher education. I think the way we view higher education is changing, and there will be more and more candidates out there who either didn't complete university or didn't attend at all. 

When it comes to voting I want to know where candidates stand on important issues. I want to know they are persons of integrity who don't wait to see how the winds of political correctness blow before determining their own sense of right and wrong. I want a candidate with experience in the working world... someone who has managed a business or a classroom or a household. Dealt effectively with employees, bosses, co-workers, or cranky toddlers. Accomplished something besides running for office.  

I want my elected leaders to unapologetically love this land and to hold in high regard the men and women who fight to defend our freedoms.

There are so many things wrong with our political system at the moment, it makes me tired.  Love him or hate him, the Governor of Wisconsin has a very public record as a state leader. Let's talk about that. Let's examine how a candidate has performed in real world job environments. If they're already in public office, let's assess how they've managed those responsibilities. 

I can't say where someone attended uni, or even if they attended uni, has ever swayed my vote. 

3. When did you last visit a place or site named for George Washington or Abraham Lincoln, and what was that place or site?

We crossed the George Washington Bridge last Thursday evening, or the GW as it's known round here. For a mere $11.75 ($14 if you don't hav E-Z Pass), you can enter NYC via the bridge. They only charge you to come in...you're free to leave-ha!  Hubs and I met up with a college friend who was in the city on business, so worth every penny. We had dinner at Bobby Flay's which is one of our favorites.  

4. February 16th was President's Day in the US, but did you know it was also National Almond Day. I didn't think so : ) Do you like almonds? If so, what's a food/dish/recipe you enjoy that contains almonds?

I do like almonds, but as far as snacks go, a small handful doesn't really satisfy. I'd rather have a whole apple and feel full. My favorite food made with Almonds? That's easy...an Almond Joy. 

5. The television program Saturday Night Live celebrated its 40 anniversary this past weekend. Were/are you a fan of the show? If so what has been your favorite (or one of your favorite) skits, sayings, or characters to come out of the program?

I was fifteen when SNL first aired. I haven't watched the show in recent years, but as a teenager and young adult I was definitely a fan. Some seasons were much better than others of course, and its hard to pick a favorite, but a few would be-

Dan Ackroyd as The French Chef, Dan Ackroyd and John Belushi as The Blues Brothers, Steve Martin as Theodoric of Yorick-The Medieval Barber, and John Belushi in The Samurai Delicatessen. I also loved Jan Hooks and Nora Dunn as the Sweeney Sisters and Phil Hartman who was on the show in the mid-80's. 

6. Anything purple within ten feet of you? What is it?

I don't have much in the way of home decor or furnishings in the color purple, although I do love it in my closet. I'm in our home office at the moment, and I spy several books on our bookshelf with purple on the spine-Lonely Planet's Guide to Western Europe, Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and Rick Warren's The Purpose Driven Life. How's that for eclectic?

7. Back in December I asked you to submit a question for a future HP as part of a giveaway I was hosting. I grabbed this one from those entries, submitted by Zoanna who blogs over at Penchant for Pens. Thanks Zoanna!

She asks, "How often do you make your bed, and how do you like to make it-pull the covers all the way up over the pillows, tuck the covers in around the pillows, or place all the pillows on top of the covers?" 

This is exactly the kind of question I tend to overthink. 

I make my bed every single day. I'm not a meticulous housekeeper, but I cannot abide an unmade bed unless someone is in it. And if it's past 9 am they better be sick. Kidding! Sort of -ha!  

We have a duvet on our bed so I pull it all the way up, prop the sleeping pillows on top of that, prop the shams on top of the sleeping pillows, and then prop the decorative pillows on top of the shams.  It's not as much work as it sounds. 

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

Thinking I may use my random thought as a place to share some wedding photos over the next couple of weeks. I posted this one on Facebook and it's one of my favorites-


p.s.-they're all my favorite.





31 comments:

  1. Why am I not surprised that all the wedding photos are your favorites? ;-)

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  2. "I want my elected leaders to unapologetically love this land and to hold in high regard the men and women who fight to defend our freedoms." Could not agree more. Thank you! How could they all not be your favorites? There is no doubt the subjects are; just as it should be.

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  3. Ahhh, The Medieval Barber, Bleed em Broom-Gilda!!! LOVED the Sweeney Sisters! I knew I was missing things!
    Amen, AMEN to your #2!
    Loverly wedding picture!
    Have a good week!

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  4. I absolutely hate coming home to an unmade bed...which I do every.single. workday. I don't understand why it's such a big deal to at least pull up the covers! Ok...gripe over! :)
    Daughter1's pictures are just lovely. Love her color scheme!

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  5. Of course your daughters are gorgeous, but so is the color of the dresses, and I like the fact that they're not all identical. What a beautiful, soft color to use for a winter wedding - kind of like frosted Christmas trees. Just lovely! And about those almonds, I love an Almond Joy, but would like it a lot better if Mounds bars had the almonds instead. It's all about dark chocolate, you see.

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  6. OMG! The GW costs that much to cross now?! Crazy! Yes, and to go back to the beautiful state of NJ is free. I love seeing the wedding pictures - so beautiful! I hope the newlyweds are settling into their new lives out west.

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  7. I feel the same way about elected officials-must be someone who I am PROUD to say is an elected official. Keep the wedding pics coming absolutely beautiful.

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  8. Joyce, your way of making a bed sounds like my mom's.
    She would also tuck - everything - in. I hated it!
    When I would crawl in bed for the night I would untuck - everything :)
    I am thankful neither I ,or hubby, like our sheets, blankets...tucked in.
    I just can't sleep with cold feet or those that feel stuck :)

    Beautiful picture!

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  9. The wedding photo today is absolutely stunning!

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  10. We have similar thoughts about #2, only you said it in a nicer way than I did. Joyce, another really fun Hodgepodge! Those young women are all gorgeous! Keep those pictures coming, please!

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  11. Hi Joyce! Here I am making my Hodgepodge rounds and totally forgot to enter my link! Love the wedding photo! Glad to hear that Bobby Flay's was good. Enjoy your week!

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  12. Lovely dresses all. The bridesmaid dresses are a beautiful color.
    Katie atBankerchick Scratchings

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  13. Thanks for sharing your thoughts this morning. I remember Jane Curtain from SNL and the gal that used to be the news lady, but I can't think of her name, until after I post this of course.

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  14. I share your feelings about un-made beds--and late sleepers :)
    The picture of the bride and her attendants is beautiful!

    Kathy (from Reflections by Kathy)

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  15. At home I have a purple cover on my Kindle, but no purple at work.
    I was never a watcher of Saturday Night Live, but I was around a lot of people who were and heard about many of the skits when I was in high school.

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  16. I'm an Almond Joy kinda gal, too! Coconut and almonds..nothing better, in my book! Such a beautiful wedding photo you shared...pretty girls and dresses and perfect composition.

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  17. I, like you, cannot stand an unmade bed. Sometimes on the weekend I wait to see if Mark might make the bed but let's just say that when I am gone it is never made which is really odd because he is so organized and neat.....

    Absolutely beautiful wedding party. Love the color of the dresses and I love that the girls have different styles to please them and their bodies. Beautiful flowers and gorgeous bride. I can just imagine the huge smile on your face as you look at all the photos!

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  18. Thanks, Joyce....I forgot the post office but my last experience there doesn't change my answer......I love the green of the Bridesmaid dresses and I don't even like green....and the different styles are nice...Mama Bear

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  19. I'm loving the wedding pictures! Simply Gorgeous! I can't abide an unmade bed either. Even in hotel rooms I will sort of 'make' it even though I know full well it will be made by the maid. I have not, however, instilled that habit into my children. What's up with that? Therefore, when they are home, there are a lot of closed doors in the hallway. Ha.

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    1. Ha-I've been known to make up a hotel bed too!

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  20. OMGosh...Almond Joy - I did not even think of that, yep that would have to be a favorite. And I love it cause no one else likes them. So if I buy me a bag of the little ones, it lasts forever! Love the pictures! Can not wait to see more of them!

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  21. What a beautiful picture! I love the bridesmaids dresses and of course the brides! :)
    Oh dear I forgot Almond Joy but it isn't my total favorite since i don't like coconut all that much.

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  22. I've been known to not make the bed at all when my hubby is out of town....until the day he comes home. ha. Shocking, I know!

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  23. What a beautiful photo of the bride and her bridesmaids. I love the color of the dresses. I love reading your posts about the wedding. Such joy!

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  24. I enjoyed the questions.

    The wedding photos are fabulous, the dresses are such a pretty shade of green.

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  25. You chose my question! Thank you. I feel so special. Wish I'd discovered it yesterday but i was in a different zone, you could say.
    The bridesmaids dressed are such a beautiful apple green and look wonderful in that lighting. Your daughter is strikingly royal in her gown.

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  26. One more bridesmaid and she would have had as many as Breezy did in her wedding. Which is nuts except that three were her sisters and two belonged to the groom. :) I love the mint green! So pretty! So, NYC doesn't charge you to leave? Too funny! I didn't even think of the post office. But I haven't been there either so...LOL

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  27. The post office is a independent agency. The USPS has not directly received taxpayer-dollars since the early 1980s. Another similar is the FDIC which receives no congressional appropriations. Yeah, I'm being nit-picky but I do think more people should understand more details about our government.
    I was working for the government (USAF) when SNL came out. I'm a big fan.
    Wow (or should it be woe) that was a big wedding.

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  28. The bride and her bridesmaids are beautiful. Gorgeous photo.

    I agree with you on number 2.

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  29. Oh, I can't believe that I've missed the last two weeks of HP. But, with a new Gran and the unending house construction, there just hasn't been enough time. But, hopefully there will be next week.

    Yes, beds are to be made!

    Love the bridesmaid dresses and the color is beautiful.

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  30. I haven't seen SNL in years, but I liked all those cast members you mentioned. Also, Laraine Newman and Gilda Radner. I'm also a huge fan of "the other side of the pond."

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