Hodgepodge Is King

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. Did you watch the coronation of King Charles III? Share some of your thoughts about that, or about the royal family in general. 

We were out of town, but did manage to watch most of the coronation thanks to the time difference between here and the UK. I enjoy following many of the Royals on Instagram, and also some royal watchers including-What Kate Wore and royalteawithjam which are two of my faves. 

Nobody does pomp and ceremony like the British and I enjoyed the pageantry, the solemnity of the ceremony, the fashion, and seeing the various family members supporting the King. While Harry and Meghan were a huge distraction leading up to the day, I'm glad very little attention was actually paid to Harry on the day itself. 

I think the monarchy is in a tricky position in this day and age, but I do think Charles, and then William and Catherine behind him, are trying to modernize the roles. There is a lot of criticism aimed at the monarchy, but I don't think you can discount the tourist dollars and attention the royals bring to their country. Personally I love watching them work. And I'm a teensy bit obsessed with Catherine's hair, wardrobe, and her natural elegance. 

2. What are you the uncrowned queen of? 

The Hodgepodge of course. 

3. In a box of chocolates which one do you usually go for? 

I like a lemon-orange-or raspberry cream and will go for that if there's one in the box. I also like the chocolate crinkles, anything with nuts, and also the caramels. I don't care for anything with a maple flavoring. 

4. Something learned at your mother's knee? 

So many things...a love of books, cooking, and Jesus are three that spring immediately to mind. 

5. 'Like mother, like daughter'...in what way is this saying true for you? 

I wrote a whole post about this a few years ago, which you can read here-One Of These Things Is A Lot Like The Other. Besides a love of family, great books, cooking, and Jesus you could also say we share a similar streak of stubborn lol. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

My bookclub read a really interesting book this month-The Daughters of Yalta: The Roosevelts, Churchills and Harrimans: A Story of Love and War by Catherine Grace Katz. If you like history, biography, and a WW2 setting, you might enjoy this one too. 

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Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 503

Here are the questions to this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge. Answer on your own blog, then hop back here tomorrow to share answers with all your friends and neighbors. See you there!

1. Did you watch the coronation of King Charles III? Share some of your thoughts about that, or about the royal family in general. 

2. What are you the uncrowned queen of? 

3. In a box of chocolates which one do you usually go for? 

4. Something learned at your mother's knee? 

5. 'Like mother, like daughter'...in what way is this saying true for you? 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

The Happiest Hodgepodge On Earth

Welcome to another edition of the Wednesday Hodgepodge. If you've answered this week's questions add your link at the end of my post, then go say howdy to your neighbor. Here we go-

 

1. It's Mickey Mouse's birthday (November 18)...happy birthday Mickey! He reads here, right? Have you ever been to Disney, any of the parks at all? Are you a Disney superfan or something less than that? They're open right now so tell us, would you go if you had the time/money/a free trip?

I've been to Disney World and Disneyland Paris, but never Disneyland California. It's been a number of years since I've been to any of the parks, but hopefully when my grandsons are a bit older I'll have a chance to see the magic again through their eyes. I shared some of our Disney memories in a post linked here, and reading it back just now made me wish the world was normal, my grandkids weren't an ocean away, and a trip to Disney World was on the calendar. 

I enjoy the parks, but am not a superfan. I'm not someone who wants to go every year, but for sure wouldn't turn down a free trip either. And I soak it all up when I'm there. 

2. Your favorite place to go when you want to be quiet as a church mouse? Would those who know you well describe you as more churchmouse or perhaps more like mighty mouse? 

When I'm looking for quiet I head to one of our porches. This time of year especially the lake is quiet and I love the view, a fire in the fireplace or in the fire table, a blanket on my lap, and a good book. Or a good nap. Or both. 

As far as which mouse? I think I'm a bit of both. 

3. The day before Mickey's birthday happens to be National Homemade Bread Day. Did/will you celebrate? Do you bake your own bread? Last time you had hot out-of-the-oven homemade bread? What's your favorite kind of bread? 

I used to bake bread on a pretty regular basis, but not so much these days. I try not to eat a lot of bread. I had homemade hot-out-of-the-oven bread a little over a week ago. My neighbor brought me a loaf of her sourdough and it was scrumptious. I took half the loaf to my sister and brother-in-law because momma of the bride does not need to eat an entire loaf of homemade bread. ahem. 

My neighbor is going to bring me some starter and I'm excited to make my own sourdough loaves. I plan to wrap them up and share with friends and neighbors though because see paragraph above.  

It's hard to choose a favorite bread, but I do love a sandwich on rye. I might say my absolute favorite bread is homemade cinnamon, lightly toasted please.   

4. What's something you might say is 'the greatest thing since sliced bread'? 

Not to be a broken record here, but Facetime is pretty much the greatest thing since sliced bread. Maybe even better than sliced bread. 

5. Let's keep the gratitude theme we started last week rolling on through November. Share with us five little things you're grateful for today. Small blessings. One catch-they all must start with the letter T. Gotta keep us thinking, right? 

turning leaves

Thanksgiving memories

tiny handprints

afternoon tea 

a warning instead of a ticket

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Who's watching the newest season of The Crown? Your thoughts so far? I think the program is so well done, but I do wonder if the royals watch? And I wonder how accurate some of the Diana storyline is? If it's even close to accurate it's awfully sad. 

Also I miss England. 

Carry on.

Queen For A Day

Today's word comes from my brother-in-law, and he is something of a joker so I knew to expect the unexpected. When he sent the word he said it was the first thing that came to mind.

Day 20-T is for Tiara

Hmmm...so is he saying when he thinks of me he thinks princess?
Or that I'm a royal pain?

I'm sure it's the first one-ha!

This word will be fun and and since it's Thursday I'm going with the ever popular Thursday Thirteen. Can I come up with a list of thirteen thoughts related in some way to the word tiara but also to me? We're about to find out-

1. We'll start here. This little sign sits on my bathroom vanity and was a Mother's Day gift one year from daughter2. The sentiment is sweet and also true teehee.

2. Next up is the first thing that popped into my head when I read the word. My summer camp friends are nodding, thinking 'no problem' because back when I was young and spent summers as a camp counselor they lovingly (I think?) referred to me as Princess J. Here's the short version of how that came about-

3. Picture summer camp. An idyllic setting nestled into a bluff beside the Chesapeake Bay. Tall trees. An open air chapel in the woods. Dirt. Gravel. Latrines. Troughs to brush your teeth in. You get the idea.

Camp meant shorts and t-shirts and no makeup and your hair pulled back into a pony tail or tucked under a baseball cap, and it definitely meant hiking boots or sturdy tennis shoes on your feet so 'root man' wouldn't get you. I was fine with all of that. I love the outdoors and I love camping and I love spending time in the woods.

The staff were all college students and were given one day off per week, 24 hours to rest and recharge and maybe pop home to see the folks, and on my one day off per week I liked to put on real clothes.

As opposed to camp clothes.

A cute dress. Roll my hair. A little makeup. And my most favorite thing-shoes with heels. I have always loved shoes with heels.

So there I would be, one day a week, in the middle of the woods, wearing a summery dress and heels, walking across the dirt and gravel road to get to my car so I could enjoy my day off. Voila! a nickname was born.

4. The short version was actually not that short so it earned more than a couple of spots on the list.

5.  Moving on...when I mentioned the word of the day to my daughter and asked what in the world I could say about it she said, 'Well you know mom, whenever we play Yahtzee you always write your name as Princess J on the score sheet.' Guilty.

6. If hubs and I ever renew our wedding vows I will be wearing a tiara when I say mine.

7.  I love the cake named in honor of Queen Victoria aka the Victoria Sponge. Strawberry or raspberry jam and cream between two layers of fluffy vanilla sponge dusted with sugar or topped with more whipped cream. What's not to love?

8. I like the music of Queen.

9. I might be slightly obsessed with Princess Kate.

10. When my girls were growing up the favorite board game in our house was Pretty Pretty Princess. They loved it best when Daddy played.

11. The house we rented while living in England was so cozy and was on one of the first housing estates of it's kind outside of London. The house was built in the 1920's and when construction was completed the Queen Mum visited there. Sadly no royals came to stay while we were in residence.

12. I am not a drama queen.

13. Once upon a time I married my Prince Charming.
   
And we lived happily ever after.
The end.

Hodgepodge Royale

Welcome to the Wednesday Hodgepodge! If you've answered this week's questions, add your link at the end of my post, then go say howdy to the blogger linking before you. Here we go-

1. The last place you visited/patronized where you felt like you were given 'the royal treatment'?

I'm struggling to think when/where this would have been. Probably my birthday which was spent right here at home this year. No matter where we celebrate hubs always makes sure I feel pampered and well-loved on my birthday. 

2. The last task you completed that was a 'royal pain'?

Our tax returns. Or maybe it was reprogramming the TV. Both were royally painful. 

3. How have your strengths helped you succeed? How have your faults hindered you?

I think my biggest strength lies in my ability to always see the bright side. I'm an eternal optimist and I think when you're an optimist you find a way around life's obstacles and challenges, or at least a way to deal with them. 

As far as faults that hinder me I guess fear and worry have at times kept me from seizing the day. Course I'm married to someone who always seizes the day so that helps. 

4. If you found a remote that could rewind, fast forward, stop and start time, what would you do with it?

I'd remove the batteries and crush it with a hammer. I don't think we want to mess with time, or at least I don't. If I have to choose an answer from the options listed above I would say rewind. I suppose there are moments I'd like to relive, but I wonder if they'd feel the same? I know for sure I don't want to fast forward. Time is moving fast enough on it's own. 

5. Any special plans for the Memorial Day weekend? Will you in some way honor or recognize the meaning of this day (remembering people who died in service to their country)? Have you ever been to Arlington National Cemetery? Does your town do anything special to mark the day?

Our special plans involve a whole lot of nothing and we can't wait. I think Daughter2 and her fiance are going to come hang out at the lake, and we're all looking forward to a very low key, go-where-the wind-takes-us kind of weekend. There will be lots of porch sitting and lake swimming, a little corn hole, something on the grill, probably a nap or two...

We'll fly a flag of course and I will certainly think about the meaning of the day. I've been to Arlington many many times. My dad is buried there and it's a sacred place. Every American should see it at least once. 

Our little town has a 2-day festival over the Memorial Day weekend which includes carnival rides, concessions, and live music but we have no plans to attend. Like I said, we're keeping it low key here. 

6.  Insert your own random thought here.

On this Memorial Day weekend may God be especially near the families missing loved ones who died in service to our country. I love this beautiful song-






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Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 353

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

1. The last place you visited/patronized where you felt like you were given 'the royal treatment'?

2. The last task you completed that was a 'royal pain'?

3. How have your strengths helped you succeed? How have your faults hindered you?

4. If you found a remote that could rewind, fast forward, stop and start time, what would you do with it?

5. Any special plans for the Memorial Day weekend? Will you in some way honor or recognize the meaning of this day (remembering people who died in service to their country)? Have you ever been to Arlington National Cemetery? Does your town do anything special to mark the day?

6.  Insert your own random thought here.

A Right Royal Weekend

Good Monday Morning! I guess it's technically now Monday afternoon, but it was a.m. when I started this post. Monday mornings quite often get away from me somehow.

I'm regrouping here after a fun weekend on the lake with nine of my college sorority sisters. In spite of the less than stellar weather we had a fabulous time catching up with one another in person. One friend was there who most of us hadn't seen in 36 years so that was really special.

There were ten of us all together and two of us have houses on the same lake so we spent Friday at her house and Saturday at mine. Half the group slept there, and the other half here, everyone brought food and drink, and it was all so easy peasy. We talked and we laughed and we told stories and put our collective brains together to remember things we'd forgotten. So much fun!

It was mostly cloudy all weekend, but we still spent a lot of time outdoors, sitting on porches and patios and docks. The sun popped out long enough for a boat ride Saturday evening which was nice. Hubs acted as Cabana Boy and waited on us hand and foot and took pics so yay hubs! He knows all the girls and I think enjoys catching up with them as much as I do.

Hey, did you hear there was a wedding this weekend? Ha! The hype leading up to the day was a little over the top, but we loved watching it together. I thought she looked lovely and let her natural beauty shine. People are sometimes just plain awful aren't they? So many mean spirited comments in the world of social media. What is it about weddings that brings out the inner critic in everyone? She might be marrying into the royal family, but I thought the ceremony felt like it belonged to the bride.

I have to say I felt for the mother-of-the-bride. How hard to be on your own in that particular setting, but she seemed to handle it with grace and I admire that so much.

Also, Windsor. Sniff. How I miss you. I loved seeing the town almost more than I enjoyed watching the wedding. We spent a lot of time in Windsor back in the day and have our own favorite photo taken on the long walk.

And now it's Monday and we're back to a quiet house. Hubs has already repaired a broken door lock and is power washing the dock because he always needs to be doing something. I'm tackling the laundry mountain, straightening the house, putting away stray dishes-table leaves-and the like, catching up on my blog, and drinking gallons of coffee. There was a whole lotta fun packed into these past three days, but not a whole lotta sleep.

So did you watch the wedding? What did you think? Happy Monday all!

It's The Hodgepodge Calling

Welcome to the Wednesday Hodgepodge. If you've answered this week's questions add your link at the end of my post, then go say howdy to your neighbor. Here we go-

1. They say you learn something new every day. What did you learn yesterday?

I reprogrammed the TV.  Not sure I could do it again without the tech walking me through the process, but still I learned I could do it. 

2. Have you ever had a now or never moment? Elaborate.

Never is a big word. I guess in the sense it's used here, more as an expression than a firm never-ever-ever, then my answer would be yes. There are things I've done that required a leap of faith, and that's what I associate with this saying. As in- go for it because this particular opportunity might not roll around again. 

Moving overseas, various professional roles I've filled as well as some volunteer assignments...I'm sure there's more but I'm blanking. 

3.  April 25th is National Telephone Day. Do you still have a land line or have you gone mobile only? When you receive a text message do you respond immediately? Last time you turned your phone off?  In two or three sentences share with us a story/memory/incident from your childhood (or something current if that's too hard) where the telephone is featured.

We are strictly mobile in this house, but I do miss the landline. I don't like carrying my phone around when I'm in the house.  

I think in general I respond to text messages in a timely fashion, but that may not always be the second they're received.  I do try to always text hubs back right away because if I don't he'll call me and say, 'Did you get my text?' "You didn't reply". 

The last time my phone was turned off was during Sunday morning church.  

An incident featuring the phone? Hmmm...well there was that time when my brother was babysitting my sister and I and we accidentally started a smallish fire in the kitchen. This was back in the day when your phone was attached to the wall, but had a ridiculously long chord allowing you to make it somewhat 'mobile'. My brother had the phone cord stretched all the way from the kitchen into the den and was happily chatting away while my sister and I put butter on the stove to melt and promptly went back to our game upstairs. A large amount of panic ensued but thankfully we can all laugh about it now. 

Well most of us can laugh about it now. My mom I'm not so sure. 

4. Close call, at someone's beck and call, call the shots, call a meeting, call it quits, call in sick, call on the carpet, wake up call...which call have you 'heard' recently? Explain.

I'm going with close call. We had a small plumbing issue in our storage room on Monday and fortunately I happened to go in there and see it before it got out of hand. We don't go in that room every day so it could have become a large headache. Thankfully just a close call. 

5. What subject do you wish you'd paid more attention to in school?

French. I wish I were fluent. And I did pay attention, but I didn't practice enough.  

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Who else thinks Princess Kate is adorable? They looked so cute bringing their new baby home. And with her in heels no less! I so admire her poise and patience with the media .

Stray Thoughts and Minor Obsessions

That title makes this post sound more interesting than it will be, so fair warning. I've been keeping a list on my phone of what I suppose you'd call stray thoughts, and this seems like a good place to put them. Some of those stray thoughts might be considered borderline obsessions of mine at the moment, and oftentimes my blog is where I go to figure that out.

In no particular order...

Iced coffee. Definitely an obsession. I refrigerate whatever is left in the morning pot and drink it over ice later in the day. Like right now. I'm having an iced coffee. When you spend the summer moving it's the little things that keep you sane.

The Royals. Almost an obsession. As in I adore them and read the websites and look at all the pretty pictures every time one's posted. Kate's hair, Kate's clothes, George's soft blue cardi and mischievous grin, baby Charlotte and her fabulous pram, the English countryside...they're all happy distractions from so much turmoil going on in the world.

Earthquakes. Trying not to make it an obsession. Mostly succeeding although hubs and I may have ordered an earthquake kit for our daughter and son in law yesterday. We're not crazy or paranoid but we do have a little too much time on our hands right now, and this is where your thought train travels while in limbo.

Who read the super scary article in The New Yorker called The Really Big One? The tag line under the title is 'An earthquake will destroy a sizable portion of the coastal Northwest. The question is when.' Huh? Why is this the first I'm hearing about plates colliding somewhere besides California? The article goes into great detail about the likelihood of a major earthquake striking the Pacific Northwest.

The same Pacific Northwest where my daughter1 and son in law live.

When my daughter first told me she and her now hubs would be moving to Washington after they married I was sad about the distance, but a little bit happy she was leaving D.C. In D.C. she rode the metro every day and worked a block from the White House, and I remember thinking how much safer she'd be under the soaring evergreens of Washington State than in our nation's capital.

Safety is an illusion. I suppose deep down we know this, but some weeks it's made more real to us than others, and this has been one of those weeks. I've heard so many sad things in the past few days, and that combined with everything splashed across our headlines and TV screens can make me want to hide away somewhere with all my people.

Which brings me to another obsession. This song by King and Country. Oh my word I am obsessed. I play it loud and sing along only slightly off key. I let the lyrics and the melody wash over me as I remember I'm not carrying the weight of the world on my own two shoulders.

None of us are. So many people I talk to feel a general sense of uneasiness these days. The world is shifting in ways that are sometimes confusing and hard to understand. Despair feels close enough to touch.

But then so is hope.

We don't have to carry the burdens of this world alone.  We can set them on the shoulders of the One who knows our every need and weakness. He set the world in motion and nothing is too big or too hard or too heavy for Him. Sometimes it's good to write that down and say it out loud.

Sometimes it's good to sing it at the top of your lungs and a little off key.

Fabulous Fall Fragments

The fragments are not really all that fabulous, but fall is. I know there are people who say they don't like fall because it signals winter right around the corner, but how can you not love the staggering beauty of this season?

October skies are the absolute best. Sunrise, sunset...morning, evening, late afternoon. Whenever. The autumn light does not disappoint.

I saw Gone Girl on Wednesday evening with some friends, and we all thought it was pretty intense.

INTENSE. 

Much more so than the book, in my opinion. In fact, this is one of those rare times I can say I actually liked the film better than the book. About midway through the book I started thinking the plot had taken a turn towards the ridiculous, but the film felt much more believable. Plus Rosamund Pike is utterly perfect in her role as the 'gone' girl.

Just for fun I'll post this pic of the gone girl before she was gone.

We took this at the Cartier Polo Match in Windsor back in 2008.  At the time we only knew her as one of the 'Bond' girls (Die Another Day), but I've become a fan of some of her work since.

There were a number of celebs at the match that day, including this guy who ended up standing almost beside me, and whom I almost missed because I was busy trying to spot Prince Charles.

Yes. I know that's him.
Hubs thought it was hilarious.

I'm excited to celebrate my Daughter1 this weekend at her very first bridal shower. Excited to see my Daughter2 as well, because I do not see nearly enough of Daughter2 in this season. The weekend will be far too short, but sweet nonetheless. We take what we can get.

My two sisters will be there too, along with my own mama, my mother-in-law, and one sister in law so lots of family fun on the weekend calendar.

Your turn...what's on your calendar or your mind this fine fall Friday? Why not share over at Half Past Kissin' Time?  Enjoy your weekend everyone!