A Beauty Of A Hodgepodge

Here are the questions to this week's Hodgepodge. Answer on your own blog then hop back here on Wednesday (September 16) to add your link to the party.  See you there!

1. How do you define beauty? 

It may be cliche to say, but beauty comes from within. Of course there are people who are physically attractive, but I think real beauty goes deeper than that. Confidence, the way you treat others, and being 'real'  all make one's beauty something more than just appearance. 

2. Have you ever taken a trip by train? If so where did you go and what did you think of the experience? If not do you have any desire to do so? Where would you like to go? (You might find inspiration here-The Best Train Trips in The World)

No, but it's definitely on my bucket list. I've ridden a lot of trains around Europe, but have never taken a real train vacation. I'd like to take the Rocky Mountaineer as we have several friends who've done that and loved it. Course if money were no object you could book me on the Venice-Simplon Orient Express which runs from London to Venice. There may be options in terms of route, but I think that's the most popular. The original Orient Express route went from Paris to Istanbul, but that service ended in the late 1970's. 

3. Shell shocked, bombshell, bandshell, shellacking, in a nutshell, walking on eggshells...choose one and tell us why you chose it, or how it relates to your life in some way currently.

Our home town team took a shellacking in the college football season opener. It was painful. They looked slightly better Week 2.  Our VOLS won games in weeks one and two both though, which made us happy. 

4. Tacos, pistachios, oysters, clams, eggs...your favorite food on the list that comes in/with a shell? 

I like all of the above so it's hard to choose...eggs would probably be my favorite on the list. 

5. Are birthdays a big deal in your house? Is your own birthday a big deal in some way? Elaborate. 

Maybe you should ask my family lol. I try to make birthdays a big deal, including my own. I like party planning and celebrating the people I love. I want you to feel special on your birthday and I try to do something to make sure that happens. 

As far as my own birthday goes the thing I want most is to know I was thought about prior to the day. I know people say if you want the day to look a particular way then say so, but the main thing I want is someone else to do the thinking and the planning and the booking and the cooking.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I've been a bit off the grid here lately and have so much to catch up on. Just know I probably won't. I want to get back to my blog and hopefully I will. In the meantime...

I'm definitely turning a year older this week. 

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens...' 

Ecclesiastes 3:1