Here She Is....the Wednesday Hodgepodge Vol 62

Welcome to the Wednesday Hodgepodge...so glad you're playing along today. I've been out of town for a week and am not quite back in the blog groove just yet. What that means for you is that I'm not as wordy today as I normally am. You're welcome.

Be sure to add your link to the bottom of my post and see what other hodgepodgers have to say. Here are my answers-

1. A new Miss America was crowned on Saturday night-did you watch? If you were a contestant what would your talent be?

My daughter and I watched and were kind of disappointed in the top 5 this year. My talent? Ha-there's a reason why I was never in a pageant.

2. Do you have houseplants? Real or fake?

I do have houseplants, real ones, which I challenge on a weekly basis. I'm kind of like the 'Jillian Michaels' of the plant world-I make them work to stay healthy! Hubs says when a plant gets moved to our master bath it knows its in trouble. In my defense we do travel a lot. I'm not a big fan of the artificial so even though my plants have a near death experience at least once a month they don't actually die so I keep at it.

3. When you were in school did you speak up or were you more of the hide your face, avoid eye contact, and pray the teacher didn't call on you type of student?

I will be truthful and say I loved school, did my homework, enjoyed taking tests and, while I didn't do any of that crazy arm waving nonsense, I was happy when the teacher called on me.

4. Next Monday marks the Chinese New Year....what do you order when someone suggests Chinese food?

My favorite is crispy duck but it has to be prepared just right...otherwise something spicy, usually chicken in garlic sauce.

5. How would you define a miracle? What would it take for you to consider something a miracle?

An extraordinary occurrence that could only have happened thru God's supernatural power. The stars in the sky, the ocean, and the incredible way the human body works are a few things that never cease to feel miraculous.

6. What's your favorite Disney song? If you're stuck you'll find a list here.

Feed the Birds-Mary Poppins

7. I should have __________yesterday.

'worn a hat'

I know that's kind of a lame answer but I was outside most of the day and it was cold and windy. Plus did I mention I've been traveling and my brain still hasn't caught up with the rest of me yet?

8. Insert your own random thought here.

My daughter and I had so much fun watching this video last week. I'd seen it posted over on Boomama's blog a few days before Saturday's Miss America pageant. It's the opening number from Miss America 1988. My daughter could not get over a) the dancers b) the hairspray c) the contestants and their matchy matchy hairstyles and Barbie cake dresses and d) the camera technique when the shorter girls were introduced. I dare you not to smile...

Though the mountains divide and the oceans are wide...

Its a small world after all!

In spite of being geographically enormous there are times when the world feels oh so small.

A few things have happened recently to remind me of that fact...

I was traveling with friends in the tiny town of Salzburg Austria last week.

One of the girls traveling with us heard her name called and turned to discover a neighbor from Virginia standing right there in front of her.

Neither knew the other had a trip planned and as lovely as it is, a side street in Salzburg is a somewhat out of the way spot to run into a neighbor.

The author of Expats Again lives in Munich and reads my blog.

I'm not sure if she shares her name so I'm just going to call her Expats Again.

Anyway, we have never met in person but were hoping to work something out when I was in Germany last week.

If you read my blog you know I was delayed getting there so I was already a day behind starting out.

Since I missed the Munich day of our itinerary a meeting never occurred but the day after I got home she sent me an email.

Turns out she'd spent that day at a tea hosted by the Women's Club in Munich and

guess who was in the seat beside hers?

You guessed it...

she was seated beside the very friend I'd been staying with in Germany.

They have a mutual friend and when Expats Again heard my friend A mention she'd had a houseful of visitors she asked if one of them was me.

Who else loves this story?

This morning I learned that a neighbor I've just recently gotten to know is the sister in law and best friend of someone I knew in England.

Facebook connected the dots.

Do you have a small world story to share?

If so, I'd love to hear it....

Have a very merry weekend!

Oh, and if the song replays in your brain ad nauseum all weekend, don't thank me...thank Disney composers, Robert and Richard Sherman.