Peaceful Easy Hodgepodge Feeling

Welcome to another edition of the Wednesday Hodgepodge. Please only link here today if you've answered the questions. And be sure to skate over and say hi to the blogger linking before you...we're all about being neighborly here in the middle of a week. Here we go-

1. Speaking of skating...when did you last 'skate on thin ice', 'skate over the details', 'encounter a cheapskate', or just plain skate?

Our financial planner sent us some information last week relating to all the recent turmoil in the stock market, and I might have 'skated over the details'. I like hubs to worry about that stuff-ha! I did read it, got the gist of it, but didn't get bogged down in specifics. I will if I need to, but for now I'm gonna skate. 

2.  What would you say is the biggest problem of people your age?

Staying on top of your health and finances. As you reach/enter retirement there are so many decisions to be made relating to your future which by the way, is no longer on the far off distant horizon. It's now. Also, I think I mentioned here last week that once you pass the 50-mile mark you no longer take your good health for granted. 

Or it could be that we talk too much about retirement planning and the fact that our health isn't what it used to be? You decide. 

3. What's your favorite accessory? Is it something you wear every day, often, or only on special occasions?

My wedding band because I love the sparkle and the sentiment behind it. My watch because I feel naked without it. A bracelet Daughter1 gave me for Mother's Day is also very dear to my heart and I wear all three of these every day. 

4.  January 20th is National Cheese Lover's Day Are you a lover of cheese? What's your favorite dish made with cheese? Last thing you ate that contained some kind of cheese?

Never met a cheese I didn't like. We've had some fabulous cheese trays in our recent travels, this one just last weekend-

It was every bit as yummy as it looks. We sampled a cheese I hadn't tried before-bellavitano, which was delish. My favorite dish made with cheese would probably be my mama's homemade enchiladas.  

5. What's something guaranteed to make you roll your eyes?

Walking behind someone wearing their 'pants on the ground'. Seriously, isn't it past time we retired that trend? The other day I had the misfortune of riding up an escalator behind a young man struggling mightily to keep hold of his trousers and step off the moving staircase. I do not understand the appeal or the message of this 'fashion statement'.  Not even a little bit. 

6. Your favorite book series?

The Anne books...Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea, Anne of the Island...

7. Why did you choose your profession?

I always knew I'd work with children in some form or fashion, and started college as a nursing major. I suffered through many torturous hours of organic chem, only to change my major to speech pathology at the end of my freshman year. I don't remember exactly how I got there, but I think an advisor pointed me in that direction. It was a great fit for me and I enjoyed working in the field for several years. 

Motherhood has always been my passion though. 

8. Insert your own random thought here. 

Hubs and I were away for the weekend, then extended our travels for another couple of days, so getting the HP questions written and posted was a little challenging for me this week. There's a lot going on here in real life at the moment, and I'm giving myself permission to keep the questions light or to take a break now and then. I have a lot of blogging to catch up on, but am spending very little time on the computer so a conundrum.

I don't blog from my phone or ancient iPad which means I need to be at home if I want to write anything of substance. Life will happen and I am trying to roll with it.

In other news, I was so sad to hear Glenn Frey passed away. The Eagles are the soundtrack of my youth and I love their music still. A reminder yet again that life is short. Too short to spend hours on the Internet. Love your people and catch us up when you can.  

Eight on the Eighth

There's only so many ways to say Friday Fragments.  Here's hoping I actually have eight things to say.

1.  I was having just a so-so day yesterday, when hubs phoned from work and asked if I'd be interested in seeing The Eagles at Madison Square Garden this weekend. Um, yeah.

2.  The Eagles are probably my all time favorite band. U2 is second. I wrestle with who should get third, but Marshall Tucker is definitely in the running. Does anybody need to know this?

3.  I haven't been to anything at Madison Square Garden in a long time. Before moving to the UK hubs and I saw a production of A Christmas Carol in the theatre there. The lobby had been decorated to look like a Dickens village, and when we came out of the show snow was falling from the New York sky. 'Twas completely magical.  

4. Yesterday was Billy Graham's 95th birthday, and last night I watched what was billed as his final message to our nation. The short film is being replayed on various stations over the next few days, but wow...what a remarkable man. He's lived a long life with the utmost of integrity, has never allowed himself to be sucked into the vacuum of fame, and has never deviated from his calling of pointing people to the cross.

5. If I were to describe November in a single word, I think that word would be brown. I don't dislike brown, but it's not autumn gold, or fiery red, or sunlit orange, all words I might use to describe our October.

What a difference a month makes...

The seasons, they go round and round...

6. I'm starting to plan and look forward to the holidays. Thanksgiving is my favorite day of the year with Christmas Eve coming in a close second. My daughters will be home in 18 days. Whoohoo! I haven't seen Daughter2 since August 11th, which in case you're wondering, is too too long.

Hubs and I are signing up to participate in our tinytown Turkey Trot (5K) on Thanksgiving day. The girls are maybe not quite 100% fully on board with joining us, but I've registered them anyway. Hi girls! Hey you get a t-shirt so that's something, right? They know forced family fun is kind of our thing, and we haven't had any of that in a long while so bring on Thanksgiving!

7.  I leave you with this. A woman in the UK has created a five foot tall Johnny Depp cake as part of a baking competition. I'd post the picture, but it's courtesy of the BBC and I'm not sure that's okay. You can see it for yourself and read the full story here.  He's very life like, and it's only a little bit creepy.

8. Actually I leave you with this...one of my favorites by one of my favorites.



Have a great weekend everyone!

A Peaceful Easy Feeling Never Gets Old

Our weekend kicked off early with friends arriving from Maryland Thursday afternoon. The two hubs work together and we've known each other for manymanymany years. Our friends also have two daughters and our four girls have been pals since they were tiny tots, our youngest girls since birth. We've shared countless meals and numerous beach houses and we even lived thru our oldest girls 7th grade year together. This was our first real visit since we moved back to the states last summer and those 7th grade girls are now both university graduates. Oh my. How did that happen??? Sigh.

Anyway, it was fun to catch up again this weekend and since we also share a mutual love of music we were all excited about seeing The Eagles. The concert was held in the brand new Meadowlands Stadium (home to the Giants and Jets) and the hubs was meeting us there. Thankfully another friend drove because NJ traffic is NJ traffic at rush hour heading into or out of NYC or points nearby. We had a little tailgate in the parking lot before the concert and then the rains came followed by a beautiful double rainbow over the ugly highway and we figured we should get inside the stadium while the getting was good. The stadium is super nice and will host the 2014 Superbowl. If you're a football fan best start saying your weather prayers now because NJ in February can be a teensy bit snowy.

Just sayin'

The concert was absolutely fabulous. Here's my brief recap...yes, I can so be brief. And my pictures aren't great because I was too busy singing along so words are all I've got.

First up-Keith Urban. He is adorable and we were all happy we remembered the binoculars so we could get a closer look. Well, maybe the guys didn't care but we girls did. At one point he went out into the audience and sang while playing his guitar all the way round the entire perimeter of the stadium. Did I mention he is adorable? Even when he's all sweaty from singing and entertaining the crowd. Maybe especially when he's all sweaty from singing and entertaining the crowd. Anyway, he talked briefly, just enough to introduce his band. Raise your hand if you love the Aussie accent like me. He sang all his hits and sounded great. And he's adorable. Did I say that already?

Next up-The Dixie Chicks. It's kind of a shame the first thing that comes to mind when I hear Dixie Chicks is Natalie's rant back in 2003 because these girls are so talented and can really sing. And they are amazing musicians and changed out their big guitars for little guitars for fiddles, for banjos etc etc etc. all throughout their performance. I absolutely love Natalie Maines voice. They sang almost all our favorites...we wanted them to sing There's Your Trouble because we love that one but even without it they did not disappoint. Speaking of trouble....Natalie did not look like she did when last we saw her...Thursday night she had her hair cut EXTREMELY SHORT and dark. Remember Demi Moore in GI Jane? Well, we all kinda thought Natalie had the identical look going on. Whatever... the girl can sing and they didn't say anything controversial so, yay!

Finally-The Eagles. Wow. They are still so awesome. I saw them way back when and they sound exactly the same. Just like they did in 1979. And 1994. Seriously, they have the best harmonies and they can all step in as lead singer and flip flop who plays what instrument. So happy to have seen them again. Their music is beautiful. They had a nice camaraderie on the stage too and they seemed to enjoy singing the songs I'm sure they've sung a bazillion and ten times before. When I hear music like theirs I wonder what bands if any are out there now that will be as timeless as The Eagles...can't think of many.

And of course since it isn't 1979 or even 1994 anymore we all agreed that a corporate box with big comfy seats, away from the elements, with easy access to food and drinks and a restroom with no line is now our preferred way to see a concert. Remember when you wanted to be on the front row and you didn't mind standing for five hours and you didn't have to worry about your ears ringing the next day? Yeah. Corporate box is the way to go people.

Our friends who were visiting used to live in this area back when we were here years ago so Friday morning we did a little drive around tour of the town followed by a nice lunch overlooking the lake. Later that evening still more friends joined us for a bbq at our house. We had all been at the concert together the night before and I suspect its unusual to be so chummy with so many co workers for so many years but we are and I love that about hubs company. The weather was nice and we sat out on the deck before dinner and because The Eagles never get old we might have looped their music ten or a thousand times during the night.

As per usual I'm long winded and I haven't said a word about World Cup...I think I will save that for my next post. In the meantime World Cup is 'soccer' for anyone who doesn't know. Except soccer is football everywhere but here. It comes around once every four years and its kind of a big deal. Particularly on a small island affectionately known as Great Britain.