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. 

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 585

Here are the questions to this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge. Answer on your own blog, then skate back here on Wednesday (January 15) to add your link to the party. See you there! 

1.  It's been said January is 'the month of opportunity, inspiration, and change." Which of the three do you need most right now? Elaborate. 

2. Do you consider opportunity as something that comes to you or something you create for yourself? 

3. The British Museum opened on this date (January 15th) back in 1759. Do you like visiting museums? Do you have a favorite? 

4. It's National Oatmeal Month (yes, apparently it gets a whole month as opposed to a single day). Do you like oatmeal? How often do you eat a bowl of oatmeal? How do you like yours? What about an oatmeal cookie? Is that a sweet treat you enjoy? 

5.What's something useful you learned in high school? 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Splurging On 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. Comments keep the Hodgepodge sunny! Here we go-

1. What does productivity look like to you? 

Making my bed every day. An empty sink and clean counters when I go to bed every night. A daily to-do list with lines crossed through it. Some days the list is long, other days it might not contain anything critical, but having a to-do list then following through makes me feel productive. 

I don't work anymore so productivity is something of a relative term. I need to have some time blocked for tasks each week, not every minute of every day but definitely something to provide structure. In this season (retirement) that might include times of work, writing, volunteering, hobbies and rest. 

2. What was your fondest (or one of your fondest) memory of High School? 

It's been a while lol. High school was okay, but I loved college. As far as a fond memory...I loved spending time with my church youth group. We were a close knit group, a mix of ages and high schools and backgrounds. It felt like a family, and many of us are still in touch with one another today. 

3. What did you do the summer after High School? 

I spent the summer after high school in one of my favorite places in the world-camp. I was a counselor for the oldest campers who were young teenagers. Camp was so much fun. For the counselors too! 

4. June 14th is National Strawberry Shortcake Day...are you a fan, and if so will you celebrate? How do you make yours? Have you been strawberry picking? If so what do you do with all those berrries? 

I might celebrate. Strawberry shortcake is one of my favorite desserts. My oldest daughter has a June birthday and always asks for shortcake on her special day. I sometimes make mine with Bisquick, or sometimes I make an angel food cake and use that as the cake base. I'm not picky about the cake but want lots of juicy berries and whipped cream. 

I haven't been strawberry picking, but I did buy a big bucket full from a local grower when my mother-in-law was visiting. We ate some, froze some, and I made a strawberry cobbler one night. We might make strawberry ice cream with the frozen berries when we have a houseful 4th of July. 

5. What's something you always splurge on? 

My hair feels like a bit of a splurge. I go about every six-eight weeks and while I know I could do it for about 1/10th of the price with a boxed product, I've never once considered that. I have a lot of hair, it's thick, and needs a professional. Hubs is 100% on board with this splurge. 

Although, I'm not 100% sure he knows exactly how much the splurge actually is teehee. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

My mama is here visiting this week and we're doing our usual puzzle working-card playing-book reading thing. Our neighborhood had a luau on Friday night, we went to church on Sunday, hubs has grilled some five star meals, and today (Tuesday) is book club. Such a blessing to have in-person time together. 

Hubs and I spent the weekend before she arrived at the ballpark. We watched the College Regionals held in our area which meant seeing our hometown team (Clemson) and our all-time always favorite team (Tennessee) go head to head. The game went fourteen innings!! but our Vols prevailed. They won in the Super Regionals this past weekend too, so now it's onward to Omaha. 

I'm talking about the college baseball world series for those of you who don't know. And maybe don't care-ha! 

We care. Go Vols! 

Powered by Linky Tools

Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list...

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 508

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. What does productivity look like to you? 

2. What was your fondest (or one of your fondest) memory of High School? 

3. What did you do the summer after High School? 

4. June 14th is National Strawberry Shortcake Day...are you a fan, and if so will you celebrate? How do you make yours? Have you been strawberry picking? If so what do you do with all those berries? 

5. What's something you always splurge on? 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Zee End Of The A-Z Challenge

We've come to the end of the alphabet and as per my usual way of completing these sorts of challenges I go out with more of a whimper than a bang.

Today's word comes from my nephew (yes, another one), a high school student currently finishing up the school year you know where. While I'm sure the academic side of life is happening, what's missing are all those little extras that make the high school years so memorable.

Memorable in a good way, not memorable in a global pandemic sort of way.

Day 26-Z is for Zest

Is it wrong that when I first saw the word I immediately thought food? Lemon zest. Lime zest. Which leads me to thinking of lemon curd, and key lime pie, and maybe I've been spending too much time in the kitchen? Hey, in the age of Corona you take your zest where you can get it, right?  Life lately has been less salsa, more clear chicken broth and we're ready for a bit more spice.

I read a quote attributed I think to Bertrand Russell that said, 'Hunger is to food as zest is to life.'

Hunger sends you in search of food. Zest sends you in search of life.

As we move into month number three of social distancing confusion abounds. Should we stay in or should we get out and mix it up a little, see what happens? Numbers are up or numbers are down or nobody has a firm grasp on what the real numbers might be? On a scale of 1-10, what is the current crisis level? Expert A says we're a 2 and Expert B says we're at least an 11 so who do we believe?

We're home too much and concerned about the long term effects the precautions we're taking will have on children, the elderly, and the anxious. We miss our people, our paychecks, our classrooms, and our plans.

What is zest for life anyway and how do we find it in this very strange season?

For me having a zest for life means approaching life with enthusiasm. A sense of excitement for what's ahead, but also satisfaction in the here and now. Easy peasy, right? Ha! Sometimes it actually is a pretty simple thing, but lately I think we're all finding it more of a challenge. How do we retain our zest for life when one day looks a whole lot like the next and everything seems to end in a question mark?

Here's my personal strategy for times when zest is waning-fake it til you make it. 

I'm a big believer in the idea that if I tell myself what I want to feel, then act as if I already feel it, eventually there comes a day when I discover I really do. It's not foolproof, but more often than not it works.

Thanks for reading along in the A-Z Challenge this month. And thank you especially to friends and family who've supplied the words. You add zest to my blog and to my life.