Wednesday, August 19, 2020

High Five From The Hodgepodge

Welcome to this week's edition of the Wednesday Hodgepodge. If you've answered the questions add your blog link at the end of my post, then leave a comment for your neighbor on the list. Here we go-


1. Five years ago this month hubs and I relocated from New Jersey to the Palmetto State. What were you doing five years ago this month?

I mentioned we moved, but when I glanced back at my photos I saw a few other things were happening too. I have some thoughts so instead of writing a short answer here I think I'll make this the subject of my Thursday post. Why use fifty words when you can use 250? 

2. What was the last 9-5 job you worked? Tell us about it.

It has been a long time since I've worked a 9-5 job. The last full time job I held was serving as the Director of a local church preschool in the state of Maryland. To put it another way that was four moves ago. 

I loved it though. I remember standing in front of a crowded sanctuary filled with parents, and telling them I was leaving. I got so teary I could hardly speak. It was a job that was well suited to my temperament and training, the people were wonderful, and it was a really nice place to work. 

3. Plead the fifth, high five, take five, it's five o'clock somewhere, or the big 5-0...which number five phrase relates to your life in some way currently? Tell us how.

Hmmm...maybe the big 5-0? I wrote a whole post about that decade here (Check Engine Light), and with another big birthday coming up fast I suppose the calendar turning has been on my mind.  

4. During this season of spending so much time at home, what distractions get in the way of being your most productive? Or have you been extra productive since this whole thing started?

Definitely not standing in the extra productive camp. I need a little pressure to get things done and the past few months have (in a sense) been pressure free. No deadlines, no company coming, no trips  to plan, nothing to shop for...everything feels like it can be done another day.  

I do meal plan, grocery shop, cook, and all the basic household chores get done, but I'm not one of those people who've learned to speak Italian, took up painting, or reorganized their attic just because they've had a lot of time to fill. I'm more of a let's read a book on the porch kind of pandemic survivor. 

5. Give us a list here of your top five anything.

Not sure if this is my top five, but here are five Instagram accounts I enjoy following, all pretty much politic-free. I am so over that side of social media. 

Chateau de Gudanes-the ongoing restoration of an old chateau set in the south of France. 
Cristin Cooper- a semi-local instagrammer sharing southern style, home and all things beauty
Half Baked Harvest-NYT best selling author of HBH Super Simple Cookbook
National Trust -protecting special places and outdoor spaces in the UK
Ruth Chou Simmons-mom to six boys, artist and author, founder of @gracelaced

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Life feels like a whole bunch of random lately, which is maybe why I've been struggling to fill this question #6 space the past few weeks. We had friends come for dinner Tuesday night (on the patio because 2020) and I made a delicious creme brulee for dessert. How's that for random? I use the recipe found here.






17 comments:

  1. It's so reassuring to know I'm not the only one who hasn't learnt a foreign language/practised new recipes/taken up a new hobby/redesigned their house etc etc during this pandemic. A book and the sofa works for me lol!

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  2. I've spent a lot of time reading on the porch, too! I'm also over social media. This blog linky is about the only way I really engage. I love it because there are lots of lovely people linking up each week. I appreciate you!
    Jan
    Laughter and Consistency

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  3. Oh, I bet you were an awesome Preschool Director and I can so see you in that position. It's always such fun to answer your questions and then to see how differently we all interrupt and answer them. Have yourself a GRAND day!

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  4. You are my kind of pandemic survivor, Thanks for hosting Joyce. Have a great day :)

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  5. I thought about big things I could accomplish during this pandemic but it just seems overwhelming to do anything more than the usual at such a time as this. I think slowing down a bit has been beneficial and important during this time, especially for those of us that find it hard to slow down ;)
    Thanks for another week of great questions.

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  6. Hi Joyce. I enjoyed your answers. I like seeing what others are looking at on Instagram. I find so many good accounts that way. Thanks for sharing.

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  7. Why are random thoughts so difficult to come by these days? Although most of my thinking these days seems to be random, I find that none of those thoughts bring anything the least bit worthy of sharing. But, life is still good and going on and I am content. Interesting random thoughts and activities will surely return one of these days.

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  8. I'm so with you on the productivity question. Thanks for those Instagram sites. I'm going to add the National Trust right now. I'm so over facebook. I'm approaching the big 7-0 next March. Yikes! How did that happen. Hope the rest of your week goes well.

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  9. It does get hard to fill that random space with all this same old, same old. I don't do Instagram at all. I suppose I should finally jump on the bandwagon. Those accounts you listed sound pretty interesting.

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  10. I think I might need to rest a tad and enjoy a good book even though I read mostly at night.

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  11. I think I would be happy if I would at least read a book. I have like 500 books on my Kindle app. I get most of them for free and sometimes I will pay 99 cent. I need to step away from the TV. I've never planned any meals other than company coming over. Good for you! Those Instagram accounts sound wonderful. I will have to check them out. That's a great random. No one has been in our house since early March and that was the cable guy. That preschool sounds like a very nice job. Yes Facebook is hard these days and I admit I'm starting to voice my opinion there.

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  12. Hi Joyce, can we be your next patio guests. ;-) Yummy!!
    I like how you are surviving the pandemic.
    What is your latest read? I just finished, The One in a Million Boy.
    Carla

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  13. This house is not a productive camp either! I totally identify with your answer to #4!! Fun questions and thank you for them! Time really does fly, even though it seems like three years instead of three quarters of a year so far in 2020.

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  14. How well I remember your building and moving posts! You have a beautiful place, and I know it was worth every headache :) That view!!!
    Thanks for the tip about reverting back to the old blogging format. I may try that if I get frustrated!

    Kathy (Reflections)

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  15. I am definitely a read on the porch kind of pandemic survivor too. My last 9-5 job was substitute teaching but that was 8 or so years ago before I began homeschooling my boys.

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  16. I definitely enjoyed the back porch time earlier in the spring. Not so much once the summer temps hit here!

    Thanks for hosting. I look forward to reading the questions and coming up with answers. Thinking /hoping I'll blog more with more of a routine now that school started.

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  17. I learn so much from everyone here. I am usually late, just part of the life I Lead, especially currently with so many things happening and going on. I try to get here weekly, it is fun to answer all the questions. Thanks for sharing and you have a lovely phamily and home too. HUGS across the miles. XO

    I posted today at my original blog: annesphamily.blogspot.com

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