Hodgepodging Like An Adult

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

1. What's an adult problem nobody prepared you for?

I think adulting is somewhat of a learn as you go proposition. My parents prepared me in many of the ways that count-work hard, don't spend more than you earn, prioritize the eternal, and so on, but so many things we learn by doing. Or sometimes by not doing and suffering the consequences. 

The amount of 'administrative' tasks you have to do-schedule-be on top of-plan for, etc is something I still don't feel prepared for. I mean we're retired and we're empty nesters...why is there still so much paperwork??? Yes, much of it is digital now, but it still requires attention. There are taxes, insurance, medical 'stuff', home repairs and maintenance, automobiles, etc. Pretty sure I imagined at some point some of these things would somehow go away or take care of themselves lol. 

2. How tuned in are you to all the recent food related health news? Have you gotten rid of your scratched cookware? Did you pay attention to food additives before they made the news? What's one healthy eating/cooking/food shopping habit you need to adopt? 

I'm tuned in. Have I made any big changes? Not really, but I will be getting rid of any scratched pots and pans I still have. I grew up in a home where my mother cooked every night. From scratch. We had a salad with every dinner, lots of fresh fruits and veggies, and we drank milk, not soda. I also cook from scratch so we've never eaten a lot of processed foods. 

I do eye the ingredients if I'm buying something boxed, bottled, or canned (like cereal, cooking oils, etc) and while I know it's a big shift for some of these companies I'm glad to see unnecessary additives removed from our food. I'm somewhat amazed at how quickly major companies have gotten on board, once we started really talking about it. 

One healthy habit I need to adopt? Less sugar. 

3. What's getting worse and worse as you get older? How about better and better? 

Worse and worse...my eyesight. I miss my 20/20 vision and my un-spectacled face. 

Better and better...I know what's important and can keep my eyes on that. 

4. Are you more of an indoor person or an outdoor person? Elaborate. 

I'm a bit of both. I love the outdoors, love being out in nature, but if being an outdoor person implies adventure then it's less true. I'm not mountain biking, skiing, that sort of thing.

I like to hike and camp and swim in the lake and read on the porch and I feel nearer to God when I'm out in creation than almost anywhere else. 

5. If you had an expert personal assistant today, what would you have them do? 

Strip all the beds, wash the bedding, and then remake the beds. I've had a houseful for over a week and all the guest beds now need changing. All the guest beds are downstairs and my laundry is upstairs so there's no way I can knock that out in a boot. I'm trying really hard not to go up and down the stairs so hubs will be my personal assistant this week in terms of laundry. 

Also, the next several weeks. 

Also driving, putting things on high shelves, getting things from the lower level garage frig, vacuuming and more. Hi hubs! 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Who went shopping on Amazon Prime Day? What did you buy that I need to know about? 

Boot Scootin' Boot-y and the 4th of July

Good morning friends. Before diving in to the holiday recap here, it feels wrong not to mention the devastation and heartbreak that hit Texas over the weekend. I grew up going to a Christian camp on Maryland's eastern shore every summer, and I worked at the camp as a college student. The experiences I had there as both a camper and counselor helped shape me in to the person I am today, and it holds a very special and tender place in my heart. 

The pictures out of the Guadalupe flood and the young campers especially, are hard to see...the stories so very hard to hear. I pray the God who knows our every ache brings peace and comfort to the many families struggling to cope with the weight of their grief and loss.  

We celebrated America's birthday this weekend, and it was the absolute nicest 4th I can remember in terms of weather. 

Let's recap...

Daughter2 and her littles were here all last week and the cousins had so much fun hanging out together, both in the lake and in the neighborhood pool. 

My daughter has this darling outdoor mud kitchen which Sweet Baby J could not wait to play in. 

She had us all come for dinner Wednesday night and made a scrumptious dessert with the blueberries we'd picked the week before. I'll definitely be making this myself all summer long. 

Nana and Pawpaw are tired. Carry on. 

Daughter2 and her crew left around lunchtime Thursday to get back to their own home, and to her hubs who'd been traveling for work all week. Hubs and I got busy putting away some of the kid stuff-high chair, portable crib, toy box, etc, and then he ran the vacuum and I cleaned bathrooms. 

About four hours after they pulled out of the driveway hubs brother and sister-in-law rolled in from Tennessee. They brought fabulous steaks for us to grill that evening and I made baked potatoes and a Caprese salad to go with. 

After dinner we sat on the upstairs deck and caught up. I'm in a boot which is super annoying and I try hard not to go up and down the stairs unless it's absolutely necessary. I knew on Friday there would be more up and down than would be good for me so I tried to balance that with no up and down on Thursday. 

Friday was America's birthday and she dawned bright and beautiful. I'd made a quiche to have for breakfast and hubs grilled the rest of the Benton's bacon my sister-in-law had brought to have as a bloody mary garnish. Hubs is the master when it comes to handcrafting a bloody mary. 

Traffic on the lake is higher than normal on the 4th, so we took a morning cruise to get out before the rush. We came home and floated and then I made a charcuterie for us to snack on between breakfast and dinner. It's no simple thing to get me to the dock. I wear the boot down the walkway, take the boot off just before the dock, hubs helps me down the dock steps into the water, and then I just hang on the float, suspended, without moving my feet. 

Then someone helps me out, I dry off, reboot and hubs helps me walk back up to the house on the cart path. 

I'm a lot right now and I know it. 

Daughter1, her hubs, and their three littles arrived mid-afternoon and spent a few hours in the water having a grand time. We have a big lily pad they like to jump off of, and hubs and his brother and sister-in-law make it shake (we call it an earthquake) and they fall and laugh and love it.  I watched because I want to get out of this boot sooner rather than later. 

Hubs grilled wings and brats for our July 4th feast. 

I made baked beans and cole slaw, and daughter1 brought a pasta salad and dessert, this patriotic and delicious trifle-

We ate outside and then pulled out the corn hole and relaxed on the patio for a while. Daughter1's in-law's popped by to say hello, then we were joined by friends who also had their grandkids visiting. We're the primo spot for viewing the fireworks, and another friend brought a boatload of his family over to tie up to our dock and watch too. 

The grands had some pre-game fun with sparklers we'd purchased before we all settled in to watch the absolutely fantastic show my neighbor puts on every year. 

It's a solid thirty minutes of fireworks and just when you think it's over a few more go off. I think this was the best we've seen in the eight summers we've been here. 

Little Miss slept through the entire show on her momma's lap lol. 

I didn't go all the way to the dock to watch because of my ankle, but instead planted myself in a chair at the fire pit  and the view was top notch there too. 

Saturday morning was super relaxed with coffee sipped leisurely on the deck. We had a light breakfast then took the boat out to see what we could see. We came home and floated before showering and making our way to daughter1's house for a tour. This was her aunt and uncle's first time seeing the new house, plus they brought gifts for the kiddos which were thoroughly enjoyed. Little Miss may have worn her tiara to church Sunday morning. 

Saturday evening hubs and his brother grilled the most delicious pork chops ever. They'd purchased them in Tennessee from a place called Simpson's Meats, bone-in and about 2 1/2  inches thick. So so good. I made a big salad and that was plenty. 

After dinner we went out for a sunset cruise. It was a beautiful evening and I love a sunset cruise. 

Where I go the boot goes. 

Sunday morning we all went to church together. So special having an entire pew full of family. We went to our usual and favorite breakfast spot right after, and then my brother-in-law and sister-in-law got on the road home. I planted myself and my bum ankle on the couch to watch movies with the hubs. 

And that's the weekend that was. Happy birthday America and have a great week everyone. 

Linking with Holly and Sarah today for their every Monday morning weekend recap blog hop. Come on over!

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 610

Here are the questions to this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge. Answer on your own blog, then hop back here on Wednesday of course,  (July 9) to share with the universe. See you there! 

1. What's an adult problem nobody prepared you for? 

2. How tuned in are you to all the recent food related health news? Have you gotten rid of your scratched cookware? Did you pay attention to food additives before they made the news? What's one healthy eating/cooking/food shopping habit you need to adopt? 

3. What's getting worse and worse as you get older? How about better and better? 

4. Are you more of an indoor person or an outdoor person? Elaborate. 

5. If you had an expert personal assistant today, what would you have them do? 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

A Star Spangled Hodgepodge

Welcome to this week's edition of The Wednesday Hodgepodge. If you've answered today's questions add your link at the end of my post, then leave a comment for the blogger there before you. Here we go- 

1. What does freedom mean to you? 

In terms of being a citizen of the US of A I see freedom as having the ability to make choices, to speak and act according to my beliefs and values, and to choose the path I want to walk in this life. To move, change course, raise a family, worship, get an education...all without unnecessary constraints. There are so many things we take for granted that I don't want to take for granted. 

That being said, the word freedom holds an even deeper spiritual meaning for me. I'm free not only from the punishment of sin, but also from its power. God sent His only Son into the world to pay the penalty I deserved. Because of that, I’m free to live joyfully and with the hope of heaven—even when the world feels confusing and dark.

2. How will you celebrate Independence Day this year? If you live outside the USA answer this question as it relates to your own country's patriotic holiday, wherever that may land on the calendar. 

I love the 4th and all the goes with it. The food, decor, music, fireworks, lake time, family, the flag waving...all of it. We'll have hubs brother and sister-in-law here for the weekend and we always have fun with them. 

On the 4th daughter1 and her family will come for lake time, a cookout, and then fireworks once it gets dark. My across the cove neighbor puts on a fabulous show and people come from all around the lake to watch. We have prime viewing from our shoreline and dock which makes it extra fun. There will be a lot of boats anchored outside the cove and whenever a particularly beautiful firework happens the boaters honk.  

Wouldn't be the 4th without one of my favorite throwbacks shared here...

c. 1998

3. This or that...red, white, or blue? Stars or stripes? Watermelon, home made ice cream, or blueberry pie? How do you feel about fireworks?  

Red, white or blue...depends what we're talking about but probably blue. 

Stars or stripes...stars in nature, stripes in my closet.

Watermelon, homemade ice cream, blueberry pie...a tough one, but I'll say watermelon. 

How do I feel about fireworks? I love fireworks and enjoy seeing them on the 4th. 

4. What have you purchased recently that made you excited? 

Maybe not excited, but happy. We haven't made any large purchases lately but I love this cute Kelly and Katie purse I bought recently to carry at the wedding we attended.

It's a nice size, has a fun summery feel, and was a good price. It can be a clutch or a shoulder bag with a slim gold chain strap. 

5. I'm thankful to live in America (or fill in whatever country you call home) because_____________

Back in 2022 I wrote a whole post on this topic. It's linked here (Raindrops on Roses), but this was the heart of it all-

What do I love about America? 

I love her can-do spirit. 

I love her wide open spaces and her too noisy cities. I love her diversity of thought, experience, culture, food, and climate. I love her music, college football, and small town USA. 

I love her many freedoms and the men and women who fight to preserve them. 

I love her natural beauty and her volunteerism. Her history and her modernity. Her compassion and her fortitude. Her southern drawl, New England clam chowder, purple mountains majesty and the way the sun sinks into the Gulf on a warm July night.

I love her optimism. It may be harder to find these days, but step away from the angry rhetoric filling our screens and our news feeds and sometimes even our neighborhoods, and you'll find the extraordinary. Everyday people working hard, loving their families, helping their neighbors, and praying God's blessings on this nation we call home.

 6. Insert your own random thought here. 

"In summer, the song sings itself." 

~William Carlos Williams

Hello America How Are Ya?

Raise your hand if you sung that? 

Some of you are too young, but I love that song (City of New Orleans by Arlo Guthrie) It somehow stirs up feelings of nostalgia in me that always surface around the 4th. 

So how was your weekend? Do you want the good news or the bad news first? I like to get the bad news over with so...

Somehow I have a stress fracture in my ankle, and I cannot think of a less pleasant month to have your foot encased in a warm and toasty soft cast than the month of July. I suppose August would be just as bad, but here's hoping I don't have to confirm that through personal experience. 

I've been walking on it for a couple of months (oops), but I honestly thought it was my achilles, and if I just rested it enough it would improve. That wasn't happening and I was annoying my hubs who had taken to saying, 'come on granny' anytime we needed to walk somewhere so I finally saw my doc. 

Also, I am a granny so no offense taken.  

My doc did get an x-ray, but not the official kind like the orthos use. She couldn't see a fracture, but said I might need a different sort of scan, so I ended up with a referral and finally made that happen last week. 

And came home with the boot. 

Bother.  

I've never worn one of these but do people need a new hip when they get out of a boot, because it feels like one hip is higher than the other when I walk? I'm going to wear one cute wedge on my left foot to make me even. 

Did you come here today to read my medical chart? Let's talk about more pleasant things.  

Blueberries. 

Friday daughter1 came over with her kiddos so we could go blueberry picking one street over. Yes in my boot and with the temperature like the surface of the sun. 

One of my neighbors has an abundance of blueberry bushes in her yard, planted by the previous owner who must have really really loved blueberries. I think there are about thirty bushes still, even after our friends had some removed. 

They're super generous and put an announcement on our neighborhood facebook page every year for people to come pick anytime because there is no way they could harvest all these berries themselves. 

So we picked our share in the summer sunshine, then went home and jumped in the lake. 

Well, Nana did not jump. Nana hobbled down the cart path in her bathing suit and her boot, then took off the boot and ever so carefully climbed down the steps into the lake, and floated. The doc said it was okay so long as all I did was float. No actual swimming or kicking or fluttering or anything that involves moving my ankle. 

I always jump off the dock at the start of summer with my oldest grandson and my middle grandson was all in this year too, but I guess it will be an end of summer happening as opposed to early summer this year.

Friday night hubs and I toasted to my bummer summer with a glass of rose and a view. I can deal. I mean I kind of have to, right? 

Dinner was a hit and this recipe for Shrimp and Avocado Bowls with Mango Salsa and Lime-Chile Sauce  is for sure a keeper. It's a great summer meal and I'll be making it again soon. So easy and so delicious. 

The recipe says you can adjust the jalapeno and the siracha if you don't like spice, but I did not cut back on the spice at all and we both absolutely loved it. 

The Lime-Chili Sauce is definitely spicy so if that's not your thing, you could use less. The mango salsa would also be good with some pita chips. 

Saturday we had painters here most of the morning. You might remember we had to cut a hole in one of the guest room ceilings a couple of months ago because we thought there was a leak happening. There was not, but we had a nice hole nonetheless, two actually because the plumber also had to cut into the master bath on the wall behind the shower. The holes were not large and were finally repaired, and then the painters came to repaint Friday and Saturday. 

It took two days because hubs had them repaint the garage while they were here. He never misses a chance for home improvement. 

After the painters left we trekked to the grocery store to get most of what we'd need for the week, including the holiday celebrations. Hubs offered to go himself, but the list was long and I needed to be in charge lol. 

It kind of wore me out though, so we came home and I was on the couch until dinner. 

Hubs grilled a pork tenderloin and afterwards we re-watched an old favorite movie-Mr. Holland's Opus. I was thinking about what an original story that was and how we don't get a lot of original stories anymore in terms of film. 

Sunday I hobbled to church and we went to breakfast/lunch afterwards with daughter1 and her hubs and our grands. Then it was home to do a few last minute housekeeping tasks because daughter2 was on her way to the lake with her two littles to spend the week while her hubs is working. 

They arrived around 3:30 and sweet baby J immediately spied the lily pad floating by the dock and said we needed to swim. So we did. 

Boys will be boys, but these little girls y'all! 

They are fearless! 

Little Miss was here Friday and she just steps right off the dock or the lily pad and comes up smiling. 

Hubs grilled again Sunday night making fried rice on the griddle with the leftover tenderloin. Everyone enjoyed dinner outside and bonus, it made the clean up of a 16-month old feeding herself rice fairly easy. Hubs got out the hose and the blower and voila...good as new. 

The whole crew will be here this morning for blueberry pancakes lakeside and more swimming and summer fun with the cousin crew. I will try to keep up and as hubs says, 'try not to end up in a real cast before summer's over'. 

#Goals y'all. 

So what were you up to this weekend? I love the days leading up to the 4th because it feels like summer is really here. I hope the weather cooperates so we can spend a lot of time in the water. Enjoy your week and God Bless America! 

Linking today with Holly (Pink Lady) and Sarah (Sunshine and Books) and their weekly Hello Monday blog hop. 

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 609

Here are the questions to our regular mid-week Hodgepodge. Answer on your own blog, then swim back here on Wednesday (July 2nd) to add your link to the party. See you there! 

1. What does freedom mean to you? 

2. How will you celebrate Independence Day this year? If you live outside the USA answer this question as it relates to your own country's patriotic holiday, wherever that may land on the calendar. 

3. This or that...red, white, or blue? Stars or stripes? Watermelon, home made ice cream, or blueberry pie? How do you feel about fireworks?  

4. What have you purchased recently that made you excited? 

5. I'm thankful to live in America (or fill in whatever country you call home) because____________.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Montly Musings-June

It's too hot to think deep thoughts. Plus today's my volunteer day followed by a trip to see the orthopedist,  so keeping it simple. I'm linking with the Monthly Musings girls, Holly (Pink Lady) and Patty (Good Better Best), who offer ten topical questions to answer on the last Thursday of every month. This month we're talking Summer Vacation Guide, and everyone is welcome to jump in...here we go- 

1. Share your summer trips for 2025. 

Our backyard is a summer destination so we try not to do a lot of traveling this time of year. 

We love company in the summer months and typically have a lot of it. We prefer to do our own traveling in other seasons. 

That being said, this year we've booked a house in Hilton Head for a family beach vacation late summer, and I'm looking forward to that. All the grands will be there, along with their parents and I'm sure it will be crazy fun. Have you ever been to Hilton Head? 

Fun fact...this is me on the beach at Hilton Head, aged 3. 

We lived in the nearby area that year. I've been several times as an adult and the island has a relaxed, family friendly vibe, great restaurants, fresh seafood, and plenty of sun, sand, and water for everyone to enjoy.

2. How do you manage the post vacation laundry? 

Pretty much the same way I manage laundry year round. Just get it done. If we're in a rental with a washer and dryer I'll do laundry before we head home, even though that goes against my personal motto NOT to do laundry while on vacation. 

Also I feel like hubs and I have a lot of laundry for two people. Not the point of this question, but true nonetheless. 

3. Most memorable summer vacation? 

Ooh, this is a toughie. From my childhood or my grown up life? How about one of each? 

We didn't take a lot of summer vacations when I was growing up. We belonged to the local swim club and spent our days there, lived an hour from the 'Jersey shore' so always had a couple of day trips there, and went to sleep away camp for a week which we loved. 

But! My grandparents all lived out west and every so often my parents would buy six plane tickets and take their whole crew to Colorado and then New Mexico. 

We absolutely loved these trips. My dad grew up on a farm outside of Denver and my mom grew up in Albuquerque so the landscape, the food, everything was big and exciting and so different than our East Coast life. 

We loved seeing some of our cousins on these trips too. Everyone was spread out far and wide and people didn't travel the way they do now so it was all very special. 

Now as an adult I've had some pretty fabulous trips so picking just one favorite is nearly impossible. Our family trip to Lago Maggiore definitely makes the top five. 

We spent the mornings taking the wooden boat taxis out to various islands in the lake, exploring and lunching and shopping. The afternoons were spent at the pool reading stacks of books. The food was fabulous and we ate our weight in gelato. 

It was 2007 and my oldest had just finished her first year of uni, my youngest was getting ready for her senior year of high school. 

Time moves fast in those young adult years and I'm so glad we hit pause and just enjoyed being together in a beautiful place. A core memory for all of us. 

4. Do you cook or eat out on vacation? 

Depends on what sort of vacation we're having. If we're in a rental house at the beach with five littles ages 8 and under, then we'll definitely be preparing many meals at home. Our plan for the summer beach trip this year is for each couple to plan one dinner, eat one dinner out with the whole group, pizza on the beach one night, and take out seafood at some point. We'll mostly do breakfast and lunch at home too. It's just easier and more enjoyable in this stage of parenting/grandparenting. 

Now, if it's just me and the hubs then I'm all about eating every meal out. 

5. Are you an overpacker, underpacker, or a just right packer? 

If we're traveling by car there's no such thing as overpacking lol. I'm a just right packer when it comes to air travel. 

6. Beach, lake, or mountains? 

Yes please. 

7. Road trip or fly? 

I prefer a road trip, but sometimes flying is necessary so I deal. 

8. Favorite vacation activities? 

A book and a beverage and a beach chair. 

Walking on the beach. 

Walking the countryside.

Exploring foreign cities. 

Going where the locals go. 

Eating where the locals eat. 

museums and history 

Coffee or wine sipped in a European city square.

9. Best packing tips? 

I'm a fan of packing cubes and use those when I'm trying to save space. For road trips I like to pack in tote bags, which hubs is not super keen on, but I feel more organized this way. 

10. Favorite road trip songs? 

I like a mix of 70's (best music ever), country, upbeat, and laid back. It might depend where we're going too. For a beach trip there will be lots of beach music which is one of our favorite genres anyway. On car trips we usually listen to Sirrus radio and switch between the 70's, 80's, The Bridge, and Y2country stations. 

Also, we listen to books on Audible when we have long car trips, and break it up with music. 

Enjoy your summer travels everyone, wherever you may roam.