Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 619

Here are the questions to this week's Hodgepodge. Answer on your own blog, then hop back here on Wednesday (Sept 10) to add your link to the party. See you there!

1. What gives you energy? What takes it away? 

2. How often do you shop for clothes? What accessory do you always wear? 

3. What's something free that you feel grateful for? 

4. Breakfast, lunch, dinner...which meal of the day do you enjoy most? What's your go-to comfort food? 

5. This week the world remembers the tragic events of 9/11. Do you mark the day in any way? How do historical events shape your perspective on your personal challenges? 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

September Hodgepodging

Welcome to September and 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. Next Sunday is Grandparent's Day. Share a favorite memory, photo, recipe, or something you learned from a grandparent. 

We've had a busy August so I'm trying to catch up now on some of the business of life that gets set aside when you have houseguests coming and going. Let's just go with one of my favorite pictures here for now-

My precious grandmother, known as GiGi to her grandgirls (it stands for great-grandma), but she was Grandma to me. Here she is with my daughter2 and the sweetness of this photo can make me cry.

We lived with her when I was a year old and my dad was overseas and my mama had an 8 year old, a 6-year old, me, and my baby sister who got off to a rocky start in life. I spent a lot of time with my grandma and loved her so much. 

I'm so thankful my girls got to know her and I had her in my life well into my adult years. I'm thankful for her wisdom, her prayers, her made from scratch dinner rolls, and her love. 

2. What's a quote from a book (besides The Bible) that has stayed with you? 

I could write a book with quotes I love from books I've read, and how do you choose an answer here? Pat Conroy is one of my favorite authors so I'm going with one of his-

"I could bear the memory, but I could not bear the music that made the memory such a killing thing." Pat Conroy in Beach Music

3. What's your number one food pet peeve? 

Someone talking with food in their mouth. 

4. What's one thing about you that is still the same as it was when you were young? 

I still love books, walking barefoot, sweet treats, and a full table with family and friends gathered round. I'm still an optimist, and it takes a lot to make me angry. 

5. September is National Preparedness Month...does your family have an emergency plan? Do you have some sort of preparedness kit you keep on hand? If so, tell us one thing that's kept there. 

We do not currently have an official emergency plan, but we are also not totally unprepared for an emergency. We've had plans in the past, mostly when the girls were single and we were all living in different parts of the country, but circumstances change and we don't have a firm plan in place in this house. 

It's become something we all laugh about (except me because I'm serious about this sort of thing), but my girls will tell you I give them some sort of emergency preparedness gift every Christmas. Everything from weather radios and fire starters to an earthquake evacuation kit for Daughter1 when she lived in Washington State. She was living there as a newlywed when the scary New Yorker article about the risk of earthquakes along the Cascadia Fault came out. The article was called The Big One and the title alone was enough to make me hit purchase.

6. Insert your own random thought here.  

My basil has absolutely exploded this year. I think it's loved all the summer rain we've had and it has thrived. My grands love it right off the stem and they snatch a leaf to snack on every time they walk past. 

I harvested a big bowl full over the weekend and made pesto with it. I used this recipe  and it is delicious. 

For dinner Sunday evening I sauteéd some tomatoes from our tomato 'tree' (seriously, it's a tree, not a plant) and a little bit of onion and garlic, and then boiled some pasta. I stirred the tomatoes and pesto into the noodles, topped it with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese and it was molto delizioso!

It's also good topped with some shrimp or grilled chicken, but we'd had a big late breakfast after church and wanted a lighter dinner.

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 618

Here are the questions to our middle of the week Hodgepodge. Answer on your own blog, then hop back here on Wednesday (9/3) to share your answers. See you there! 

1. Next Sunday is Grandparent's Day. Share a favorite memory, photo, recipe, or something you learned from a grandparent. 

2. What's a quote from a book (besides The Bible) that has stayed with you? 

3. What's your number one food pet peeve? 

4. What's one thing about you that is still the same as it was when you were young? 

5. September is National Preparedness Month...does your family have an emergency plan? Do you have some sort of preparedness kit you keep on hand? If so, tell us one thing that's kept there. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

FORE! It's the 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 before you. Here we go-

1. August is National Golf month...do you play? Do you enjoy following golf? Have you ever been to a professional tournament? 

I do not play golf, but I enjoy following golf. Not in an over the top way, but I have my favorite players. Golf is huge where I live and lots of my friends play. It seems like a commitment, and it already feels like I don't have as much time as I'd like for my current hobbies, so have resisted joining in this one. 

I enter the lottery for Augusta tickets, but so far we haven't won. Hubs and I went to the Barclays when we lived in NJ one year. 

His company had a booth there and if you worked a shift you got in to the tournament. 

Our shift was first thing early morning and only lasted an hour so we had the full day to watch players. It was a lot of  fun. 

Also I like golf clothes. Does that count? 

2. Astronaut Jim Lovell of Apollo 13 fame passed away this past Thursday. Are you interested in outer space and what's happening today in terms of space exploration? If space travel became common in your lifetime would you go? How do you personally relate to the idea of exploring something vast and mysterious...does the idea excite you, intimidate you, or something else? 

I'm interested in space, and my hubs is super interested. He often shares with me things he's reading relating to space, and I also follow a couple of space related sites on social media. 

I won't be venturing in to space, but that has more to do with my propensity for motion sickness than a lack of interest or fear of the unknown. 

3. Describe your communication style in three words. 

Too many words. 

4. Do you have a favorite cookbook? A favorite celebrity chef? Do you watch any cooking shows on TV? 

I know you can get any recipe you need or want online now, but I still love cookbooks. There's something so aesthetically pleasing to me about a hold-in-your-hand cookbook. I have a few favorites depending on what I'm making, and I know which book has my squash casserole recipe, which one has my favorite peanut butter cookie , which one has the stuffed peppers we like, and so on. 

I go to my Joy of Cooking book often, and have several Junior League cookbooks from around the south that have recipes I love in them. I have quite a few cookbooks that are lovely but probably not well known. I like Nigellas cookbooks and own a couple of hers, and I own some of the Pioneer Woman cookbooks too. 

Some of my favorite well known chefs are Bobby Flay, Ina Garten, and Geoffrey Zakarian. And while he's maybe better known as an actor I love following Stanley Tucci too. He has some wonderful recipes! 

My daughter2 and I always watch The Great British Baking Show Together when new seasons roll around. I like The Kitchen and the chefs there. 

5. As a child did you have any back to school traditions? If so, did you carry on those same traditions with your own children? Do you have any back to school traditions you've started on your own? 

The only real tradition I remember from my own childhood would be buying new back to school clothes and shoes. We didn't do a first day photo that I can recall. I do have my 'school pictures' that were taken at school sometime during each year. 

My girls definitely got new clothes prior to a new school year. Then they'd have a little fashion show for dad. I took a front porch first day of school photo most years. 

Those back packs don't look heavy at all. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

When hubs and I were leaving Harbour Town to go back to our airbnb in Palmetto Dunes on Thursday night I spied something pink out of the corner of my eye. I told hubs I thought it might be a Roseate spoonbill. 

Now I know that sounds like a true old lady thing to say, but y'all they are such beautiful birds and I've never seen one up close. I don't care if I sound like a Progressive commercial, these birds are unusual and so pretty.  

Also, we've always loved seeing birds in the wild. That's not something that happened once we hit a certain age. Yes hubs turned the car around for me so I could see for myself,  and there they were-

Their beaks look like spoons. 

Your fun fact for today. Have a nice week everyone! 

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 615

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

1. August is National Golf month...do you play? Do you enjoy following golf? Have you ever been to a professional tournament? 

2. Astronaut Jim Lovell of Apollo 13 fame passed away this past Thursday. Are you interested in outer space and what's happening today in terms of space exploration? If space travel became common in your lifetime would you go? How do you personally relate to the idea of exploring something vast and mysterious...does the idea excite you, intimidate you, or something else? 

3. Describe your communication style in three words. 

4. Do you have a favorite cookbook? A favorite celebrity chef? Do you watch any cooking shows on TV? 

5. As a child did you have any back to school traditions? If so, did you carry on those same traditions with your own children? Do you have any back to school traditions you've started on your own? 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

A Midsomer Hodgepodge

Welcome to August and this week's 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. The midpoint of summer (believe it or not) is August 7th. Describe a perfect summer day. Have you had one this year? 

A clear bright blue sky, although a few puffy non-threatening clouds are okay too...coffee on the porch, a book on a float on the lake, an outdoor shower, friends dropping by, hubs grilling a steak to perfection, music under the starry night sky...that would be one formula for a perfect summer day. 

We've had a few. 

That being said there are may ways to have a perfect summer day. Case in point-

2. What's one thing you wish you knew before starting high school? 

There's a lot of pressure in high school, both socially and academically. Lots of big feelings you're trying to manage. These can be, and often are, wonderful years, but you're still learning who you are and who you want to be. These are not the best years of your life. 

3. What's something that bothers you if it's not done perfectly? 

The way the dishwasher is loaded. Ridiculous I know, but there is a right way lol. 

4. What's the most overrated food you're convinced people are just pretending to enjoy?

Matcha

What's a trendy food you actually do enjoy and would say is definitely not overrated?  

sushi, oysters 

5. Wrapping it up this week with five fun this or thats...

personal stylist or personal chef? 

Stylist for sure

dance like nobody's watching or sing like nobody's listening? 

hmmm...I've been known to do both, but probably singing

unlimited tacos or free pizza?

free pizza

bookshelf organization-by size or by genre? 

by genre, but then within genres by size

ten minutes late or ten minutes early? 

early of course

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Vitamin Sea...

...for when life feels a little too salty. 

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 614

Here are the questions to our regular mid-week Hodgepodge. Answer the questions on your own blog, then hop back here on Wednesday (August 6th) to add your link to the party. See you there! 

1. The midpoint of summer (believe it or not) is August 7th. Describe a perfect summer day. Have you had one this year? 

2. What's one thing you wish you knew before starting high school? 

3. What's something that bothers you if it's not done perfectly? 

4. What's the most overrated food you're convinced people are just pretending to enjoy? What's a trendy food you actually do enjoy and would say is definitely not overrated? 

5. Wrapping it up this week with five fun this or thats...

personal stylist or personal chef? 
dance like nobody's watching or sing like nobody's listening? 
unlimited tacos or free pizza? 

bookshelf organization-by size or by genre? 
ten minutes late or ten minutes early? 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

A Hodgepodge For The Ages

Welcome to the Wednesday Hodgepodge, our last one in July. If you've answered this week's questions add your link at the end of my post, then leave a comment for the blogger before you. Here we go...

1. On July 29th 1957 The Tonite Show premiered with Jack Parr as it's host. This marked the beginning of the modern day talk show. Do you watch any daytime or late night talk shows today? Do you have any thoughts on the hubbub surrounding the cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, or are you more in the camp of 'who is Stephen Colbert? 

I don't watch any talk shows these days. Mostly because I find celebrity culture exhausting and not all that interesting. In my opinion the night time shows have become less entertainment, more political commentary and who wants that when they're trying to quiet their mind for sleeping???

Eons ago we would fall asleep to Johnny Carson or David Letterman, but this new crop is too full of their own self-importance for me to enjoy. Sure there are some funny bits now and then, but the overall content is very one-sided. Not everyone shares my opinion and that's fine, but I'm not tuning in and apparently I'm not the only one. 

I paid very little attention to the outrage over the cancellation of Colbert's show. It wasn't making the network money, and there's a merger happening, and entertainment is business so it's gone. Pretty sure it's not the end of democracy as some folks want us to believe.  

2. What's the best part of your day? 

"The best part of waking up is Folgers in your cup"....raise your hand if you remember the jingle? I checked to see when that ad first ran and it was 1984. The year I got married. 

I don't drink Folgers but that first cup of coffee in the early morning hours is definitely one of the best parts of the day. Early morning in general is the best part of my day. I like the quiet, the sunrise, and easing in to the day with my coffee and what feels like endless possibilities. 

3. What's something your generation does that you actually dislike? 

I can't think of anything I truly dislike. I will say I think it's normal as we age to become more resistant to change...our routines, technology, the way the way the world works...we want those things to stay as we've always known them to be. 

We're all a product of the times in which we're raised, but...the world does change and we have to cultivate some flexibility if we're going to age gracefully. I get it. Sometimes you just don't want to learn how to do something a new way. 

Time marches on with our without us, and we can't always be looking blissfully at what was and criticizing what is. I want to keep learning and growing and that means accepting that the world in 2025 looks a lot different than it did when I was 'young' (er). Some things are better, some are worse. I'm sure my parents felt the same. 

4. When you cook do you clean as you go, or clean it all up once you're finished cooking? What's the last thing you cooked/baked in your own kitchen? 

I don't exactly clean as I go, but I don't save it all til the end either. Hubs is 100% clean as you go. He's been known to wash a pan I'm planning to use again.  If he enters the kitchen while I'm baking it can make him twitch a little. 

I would say I clean as I need to, but save most of it for the end because I like to focus more on the actual measuring-sifting-mixing. If my hubs were answering he'd say I definitely lean more towards the clean it all up at the end side of things. Hi hubs! 

The last thing I cooked in my kitchen was a pesto pasta dish I made for dinner Monday night. I answer the questions Monday or Tuesday usually.

5. Sum up your July in ten words or less. 

An ankle fracture. That's it. That's July. 

I mean there were lots of lovely bright spots too, but if I'm summing it up that's the highlight. Or lowlight depending on your point of view. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

When we added the waterfall to our backyard we asked the guys doing the work to add a few plants around it...

That's it. That was the level of instruction we gave them regarding landscaping which, if you know us, you know this is not us lol. 

Mostly we didn't get specific because we didn't realize at the time how large the finished space would be. 

But no matter because they made it so pretty. There's actually a fair amount of planting all around and we love it. These verbena have been blooming since May and show no signs of slowing down. 

Happy Wednesday everyone! 

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 613

Here are the questions to this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge. If you'd like to join the fun answer the questions on your own blog, then jump back here on Wednesday (July 30) to add your link to the party. See you there! 

1. On July 29th 1957 The Tonite Show premiered with Jack Parr as it's host. This marked the beginning of the modern day talk show. Do you watch any daytime or late night talk shows today? Do you have any thoughts on the hubbub surrounding the cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, or are you more in the camp of 'who is Stephen Colbert? 

2. What's the best part of your day? 

3. What's something your generation does that you actually dislike? 

4. When you cook do you clean as you go, or clean it all up once you're finished cooking? What's the last thing you cooked/baked in your own kitchen? 

5. Sum up your July in ten words or less. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

A Beachy Hodgepodge

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

1. When does time pass slowly for you? When does time past quickly for you? 

Slowly? I could answer this in a number of ways but let's go with the obvious...time passes slowly while  wearing a boot in the middle of summer in order to heal a stress fracture. 'nuff said. 

Quickly? Now. This season of life. After a certain age you are just hyper aware of the passing of time, or at least I am. 

2. Do you have a favorite beach? What's your favorite 'beach' activity? Tell us what we'd find in your beach bag.

I wrote a post on Tuesday about my favorite beach. I love many beaches but if I have to pick a favorite the one I wrote about would be numero uno. Marco Island Florida. You can read the post here-Just Beachy

My favorite beach activity-a low beach chair at the edge of the water,  just far enough in to the surf to feel it wash over my feet, but not so far in that the water swamps me and the book on my lap. 

In my beach bag-sunscreen, a towel, a book, snacks, goggles, a coverup, chapstick with spf,  diving rings for the kids, a comb, a pair of quick dry shorts, and my accupressure bands for any unanticipated rocky boat rides.  

3. Your favorite book or movie with a beach setting? 

Book-The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher...if you've never read this one I recommend. 

4. What's a food you love, but find it's a pain to eat? Is it worth it? 

Steamed blue crabs coated in Old Bay. Is it worth it? 1000% yes. Now look at these babies...

This picture was taken the day we met our now son-in-law for the very first time. He was doing a stint at Walter Reed Hospital, daughter1 lived in D.C,  and we were in Annapolis for something, so we all met to spend the day together. You should know we lived in Annapolis for nine years and are crab snobs. 

Maryland blue crabs (they're blue before they're steamed) eaten beside the water are the best and I won't argue about this. 

Anyway, we walked around town and made him  asked him to pose in front of the Naval Academy sign, much to his dismay (he was Army). Afterwards we had a crab feast at one of our favorite places on one of the hottest days of the year. And now here we are twelve years later, they have three kids and are living 4 miles from us in a South Carolina lake town. Time is funny. 

5.  Do you like roller coasters? What's the best (or worst) roller coaster you've been on? 

I am not a fan of roller coasters. I have never been a fan of roller coasters. In fact, I will go so far as to say if I never get talked into taking a ride another roller coaster ever ever ever it's all good. 

I liked The Thunder Mountain Railroad at Disney. Is that considered a coaster? 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

We've been living on tomato sandwiches this month. Daughter1's mother-in-law brought us a big bag full from their garden,  and now we're dining on some from our own plant too...

I know I'm breaking one of the cardinal rules of tomato sandwiches here by making ours on wheat bread, but we don't eat white bread and wheat, very lightly toasted, is delish.  I do use the required mayo which is a no-brainer since I live in the land of Dukes. 

Also it's the best. 

Grab Your Mug...It's The Hodgepodge

Welcome to our mid-July random aka The Wednesday Hodgepodge. If you've answered today's questions add your link at the end of my post, then hop over and leave a comment for your neighbor there. Or all your neighbors if you've got the time. Here we go-

1. What's a characteristic you admire in others? Elaborate. 

There are many, but one of the biggest is selflessness. I so admire people who think of others first. Humility and integrity are other traits I greatly admire and they often go hand in hand with selflessness.

2. Do you have a favorite mug? Let's see it. Why is this one your favorite? 

This is my favorite-

And it has somehow disappeared. It may have broken and no one told me because they knew it was my favorite? It's also possible I set it down somewhere and it's still sitting there waiting for me to re-discover it's whereabouts. Too bad it's not linked to my watch the way my phone is. Bother. 

Daughter1 gave it to me because she knows how much I love the verse in my blog header and the mug design reminded her of that verse. Now I'm going on the hunt for it, because I'm wondering if I stashed it somewhere when I made room for the Christmas mugs. Do you need to know this? Carry on. 

I have other favorite mugs in terms of size, both the width and the depth and especially the handle. I'm particular about the handle. I have a couple of others that are favorites in terms of the giver and the meaning behind them. You know I have a hedgehog mug because of course I do. 

3. July 15th is/was National Give Something Away Day...will you (or did you, depending on what day you answer these questions) give something away? If so what? Do you regularly give away or do you 'accumulate'? 

I didn't give anything away on the 15th, but I keep a bag in my closet that once filled will be donated. We pretty regularly get rid of clothing we no longer wear. Hubs thinks our attic is full of things we could give away, but I disagree. We'll see once we get up there for the great clean out, which will not happen until the temperature drops about twenty degrees and I can walk without a boot. 

4. You're planning a trip. Do you prefer exploring big cities or smaller, more off the grid towns? World Atlas lists these 12 'off the grid' towns to see in 2025. How many on the list have you seen? Of those listed which one would you most like to visit? Tell us why? 

Boothbay Harbor Maine, Middlebury Vermont, New Hope Pennsylvania, Rehoboth Beach Delaware, Brevard North Carolina, Saugatuck Michigan, Medora North Dakota, Ouray Colorado, Lamoille Nevada, Neah Bay Washington, Hood River Oregon, or Cambria California

*You can read more about each destination by clicking the link above. 

I can get on board with a trip to a big city or a small town, as both appeal to me in different ways. I live in a small town, and I've been to a few of the small towns that made this list-New Hope PA (really cute!), Rehoboth Beach Delaware (we vacationed in neighboring Bethany Beach several summers) Brevard NC (not far from where I live so an easy day trip for us), and Cambria California-

California is such a beautiful state, one of the prettiest I think, but between the cost of living and the crazy politics there I would never want to call it home. 

It's hard to choose just one, but if I must I'm going with Medora North Dakota. Why? Because I've never been to that particular state and it's in a part of the country I'd like to explore.  Also my hubs has read several books about Theodore Roosevelt who is a really interesting man, so I know he would enjoy making the trip with me. 

5. Have you ever...ridden a motorcycle? been to a Disney park? met a celebrity? won a contest? Tell us something about whatever you answered yes to on this list. 

I had a brief ride on a motorcycle when I was young, about ten I think. My cousin gave my sister and I both, plus another cousin, a short ride around the neighborhood on his bike, and he went super slow. Still it was exciting to my ten year old self. That being said, my son-in-law is an orthopedic surgeon and not a fan of motorcycles. He's worked in ER Trauma and has seen too much, which kind of puts me off motorcycles. 

I've been to Disney World in Orlando three different times, and Disneyland Paris once. 

I've never been to the California Disney park. And I've never won a contest, but I have met a handful of celebrities. Here are two that stand out-

When we lived in the UK I was invited to a small luncheon in The House of Lords with David Cameron. I think there were about a dozen guests at the table.  He wasn't Prime Minister at the time, but became Prime Minister a couple of years later.  The club I was president of did a lot of fundraising for a charity very close to his heart and I was invited to the luncheon as a representative of our group. I sat next to Felicity Dahl who was Roald Dahl's second wife. It was a completely surreal experience for me. 

Closer to home-I met George Clooney in a NYC hotel when hubs and I were there with a group of his co-workers for an event. Meeting George now wouldn't be as exciting as it was then because I'm completely over celebrity culture in general, but especially celebs who bring politics into every situation. Still it was a fun night. 

The blogger  who hosted the random dozen which was the precursor to the Wednesday Hodgepodge sometimes mentioned George on her blog in a humorous way, and when I told her I'd met him once she demanded an explanation lol. I've linked the post with all the details here for anyone who's curious- George Clooney...here's the 411. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

So who here has joined the Mah Jong craze? I learned to play towards the end of the Covid 'era', and I still play almost every week in my neighborhood. When I was growing up Mah Jong was a game Jewish grandmas played and that's kind of what I associated it with. That and China which is where the game originated. Who knew it was so much fun? It's surging in popularity now with lots of young moms playing too. So who here plays?  

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 611

Here are the questions to this week's Hodgepodge. Answer on your own blog, then pop back here on Wednesday (July 16th) to share answers with the universe. See you there! 

1. What's a characteristic you admire in others? Elaborate. 

2. Do you have a favorite mug? Let's see it. Why is this one your favorite? 

3. July 15th is/was National Give Something Away Day...will you (or did you, depending on what day you answer these questions) give something away? If so what? Do you regularly give away or do you tend to  'accumulate'? 

4. You're planning a trip. Do you prefer exploring big cities or smaller, more off the grid towns? World Atlas lists these 12 'off the grid' towns to see in 2025. How many on the list have you seen? Of those listed which one would you most like to visit? Tell us why? 

Boothbay Harbor Maine, Middlebury Vermont, New Hope Pennsylvania, Rehoboth Beach Delaware, Brevard North Carolina, Saugatuck Michigan, Medora North Dakota, Ouray Colorado, Lamoille Nevada, Neah Bay Washington, Hood River Oregon, or Cambria California

*You can read more about each destination by clicking the link above. 

5. Have you ever...ridden a motorcycle? been to a Disney park? met a celebrity? won a contest? Tell us something about whatever you answered yes to on this list. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

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? 

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

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. 

Adventuring Through The Hodgepodge

Welcome to the weekly 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 does adventure mean to you? 

This word is used a lot today, so I looked up the definition because I was curious. Here's what I read-' an unusual, exciting, and possibly dangerous activity, such as a trip or experience, or the excitement produced by such an activity'

I'm not what you'd call an adventurous person, yet I've lived a somewhat adventurous life. I'm a mostly cautious person married to an adventurer, and as a result I'm often out of my comfort zone. Once I'm back on level ground, so to speak, I'm almost always thankful for the adventure, or at least for what I've learned from the experience. 

For me personally adventure has helped grow my confidence, it's shown me I have hidden strengths, and it's definitely given me a greater appreciation for the wider world and all it's possibilities. 

I think adventure looks a little different in the various seasons of our lives, but even in this 'third act' it's still exploring new places, trying activities new to me, and learning new skills. 

2.  What are your thoughts on tipping? What businesses or service providers do you regularly tip? Do you resent being asked if you'd like to add a tip? What about when a suggested amount is presented? 

I'm not opposed to tipping and try to be extravagant when the occasion and service calls for it. I love to leave a 100% tip now and then, especially if the server is having a bad day, but is doing their best anyway. 

I always tip my hairdresser because I know I take up a lot of her time when I come in for an appointment. The nail technician always gets a tip. If our yard guy goes above and beyond and does something extra for us I'll add a tip. And I always tip in a sit-down restaurant. 

After that it gets murky...I don't feel like I need to tip when I'm ordering at a counter and carrying my own food to a table. I dislike the cashier watching me opt for no tip though so sometimes I'm guilted into it. I don't really mind suggested amounts because math. But! I don't think the suggested amount should start at 25%.  I realize prices have risen, but 20% of the bill is still 20% of the bill, right? 

3. I scream you scream we all scream for ice cream...do we? Is ice cream a favorite treat at your house? What's your favorite flavor? Regular, soft serve, gelato, sherbet, or some sort of non-dairy version of ice cream...what's your pleasure? 

Ice cream is hubs favorite after dinner treat so I try to always have some in the freezer. I very very rarely have ice cream at home, but I do enjoy going out for it now and then. I love home made ice cream so if that's on tap I'm in. 

My favorite ice cream flavors are rocky road, strawberry, coconut, and peppermint. If we're talking gelato I'd definitely opt for stracciatella and that's my answer for the last part of this question. That's my number one. 

4. What's your 'back in my day, we____________________ ' story or saying? 

Well there's a thousand things I could say here, but lately I'm wondering why we get heat warnings for 90 degree weather? When did this start? 

Back in my day summer meant it would be hot. Really hot. It was summer and it was supposed to be hot. We didn't have ac in our house until I was in the third grade. School was never cancelled for heat. 

I understand there are people who work out of doors, but in general they understand what they need to do to manage the heat. People need to bring their pets inside when it's super hot, but the ones who don't likely won't just because a weather person tells them they should. 

This is super trivial I know. 

Also...because this blog is nothing if not educational... heat warnings and advisories started in 1979, which in my mind feels like just a few years ago, but in reality was almost half a century. Specific heat-health warnings started in the 1990s. 

Also...back in my day only old people said back in my day. 

5. Somehow this is our last Hodgepodge in the month of June. Next week's Hodgepodge lands in July. Wow. Sum up your June using three adjectives. 

celebratory~family filled~chock a block 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Hello summer...

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 608

Here are the questions to this week's Hodgepodge. Answer on your own blog, then hop back here on Wednesday (June 25th) to add your link to the party. See you there! 

1. What does adventure mean to you? 

2.  What are your thoughts on tipping? What businesses or service providers do you regularly tip? Do you resent being asked if you'd like to add a tip? What about when a suggested amount is presented? 

3. I scream you scream we all scream for ice cream...do we? Is ice cream a favorite treat at your house? What's your favorite flavor? Regular, soft serve, gelato, sherbet, or some sort of non-dairy version of ice cream...what's your pleasure? 

4. What's your 'back in my day, we____________________ ' story or saying? 

5. Somehow this is our last Hodgepodge in the month of June. Next week's Hodgepodge lands in July. Wow. Sum up your June using three adjectives. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Sum-Sum-Summertime Hodgepodge

Welcome to the mid-week random known as 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. Summer officially begins this week (in the northern hemisphere)...what was your favorite thing to do in the summer when you were a kid? What do you like most about summer now? 

My favorite thing? Oh my...lots of things....spending all afternoon at the neighborhood pool, going barefoot, a week at camp, big games of kick the can with dozens of kids from two and three streets over, sitting on the ice cream freezer to keep it from moving while my brother turned the crank...

...the freedom to be a kid and believe anything is possible. 

What do I love about summer now? 

dining al fresco, daylight that lasts until 9 PM,  fresh fruit, swimming, and sitting outside beneath a starry night sky

2.  Something you'll celebrate this summer? 

June is a big month for us and we've already marked a nephew's birthday, a nephew's high school graduation, a daughter's birthday, a grandson's birthday, our 41st anniversary, and Father's Day. Whew! Lots of fun family events and milestones.  

My oldest grandson has a birthday in July, as does my momma who will turn 95 years old. And we love celebrating our nation's birthday on the 4th, one of my favorite days of the year. 

3. Summer tastes like? Smells like? Sounds like? 

Tastes like...red, ripe, watermelon, ice cold sweet tea, hamburgers on the grill, peach cobbler

Smells like...charcoal burning, coconut oil, freshly mown grass, and chlorine

Sounds like...crickets chirping, kids laughing, water splashing, childhood 

4. June 18th is National Splurge Day...what's the last thing you splurged on? What might you splurge on today? 

I splurged (only a little) on some jewelry to wear to a wedding we're attending. In my defense, I had purchased several dresses and narrowed it down to just two. One was pretty pricey but I preferred the slightly less expensive one, so adding the jewelry made it all come out even. Something like that. I might have even saved money-ha! Hi hubs! 

I don't think I'll be splurging on anything today, but never say never. 

5. Share a favorite summer quote, saying, song lyric, or meme. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

In these very troubling times I remind myself every day He's got the whole world in His hands. 

'You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.' Isaiah 26:3