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

Raindrops on Roses

Back on the blog after a couple of very busy weeks. I did manage to sign up for this year's April A-Z blog challenge, at the eleventh hour but still, I'm in. I'm not going to be too hard on myself if I fall behind, miss a day and need to combine letters, or run past the last day of the month. I know I'll reach letter Z at some point, just maybe not in April. 

Except May is also very busy so I am aiming for April. 

If you have no idea what I'm talking about the A-Z challenge is pretty simple. You blog every day of the week except Sundays in the month of April. Yes I know today is Sunday, but I'm just coming up for air here which means I'm already starting off behind. Like I said... I'll get there. 

When you take Sundays out of the equation in the month of April you're left with 26 days of posting, one for every letter of the alphabet. Your posts can be themed or not and mine are generally very loosely themed. I have been participating every April since 2011 and enjoy the process. 

I can't do deep and heavy right now so I'm going with something fun. Although sometimes my blog has a way of going places I didn't anticipate so I guess anything is possible. 

It's 2022 and 'these are a few of my favorite things'. 
26 things to be exact. 

Here we go-

Day 1-A is for America

America is a bit of a mess these days, isn't she? Originally I thought I might write 26 posts on this word alone, but that feels too hard at the moment so I'll keep it to one letter. Probably. 

I love America. I've lived away from America and I have traveled to many many places around the globe, but America is home. I view the wider world from the lens of this country, for better or worse and honestly it's almost always a bit of both. 

America is not a perfect place, but it is a good place to call home. One of the best in fact, yet it seems lately we're determined to hyper focus our lens on all her imperfections and only her imperfections. Do they exist? Of course! We could make a list right now of all that's wrong with this country, but let' s not. Let's focus the camera for just one minute on what's good and right and hopeful. 

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. 

Stars, Stripes, and The Hodgepodge

Here we are at the end of June, still random-ing on. If you've answered today's questions add your link at the end of my post, then leave a comment for your neighbor there. Here we go- 

1. It's been said the best things in life are free...are they? What are a few of those things? 

Hmmm...what do I think are the best things in life? Relationships and daily interaction with the people I care for, the beauty of creation, God's love, grace, and forgiveness...

None of the things listed cost money but there is a cost of another kind that comes with each one. I feel like this is somehow a trick question.

2. Stars or stripes? Red, white, or blue? Apple pie or home made ice cream? Do you like hotdogs, and if so what do you like on yours? 

stars-blue-home made ice cream

I like hot dogs topped with mustard and relish, but haven't had one in over five years. 

3. One thing on your summer bucket list? Any plans to make it happen soon? 

Swimming, boating, story reading, ice cream churning, and lots of hugs around the neck, stolen kisses, and lap time with my grandsons. 

Are there plans to make that happen soon? Yes there are!!

4. What's your summer anthem? Yes, you need to have one. 

I don't know if it's my anthem, but this song gives me all the feels for the sweet days of summer, for youth, for small town country life...

5. What's something you love about America? If you live outside America, something you love about the place you call home. 

Her beauty. Her optimism. The men and women who defend our flag and the freedoms it represents all around this world. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

c. 1998

For what avail the plough or sail, or land or life, if freedom fail?

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Wishing you all a safe and happy Independence Day! 

Thoughts From A Church Pew

Good Morning! And happy Thanksgiving to you all! I love this holiday perhaps more than any other because it feels good to stop and smell the roses, count your blessings, and let a meal wing you back to the memory of childhood dinners on the good china.

A week and a half ago I sat beside my daughter in a church pew on a military base in South Korea. I looked around my seat at the (mostly young) men and women, the newlyweds and the single folks, the families with young children, some with a baby on the way, those who left family on the other side of the world for one reason or another, and I felt so much love for these people who I don't even know, that I wanted to cry.

I listened as the pastor reminded everyone there were sign up sheets out for Thanksgiving dinner, people opening up their homes to share a meal with singles who might want a home cooked plate of turkey and dressing or families who want a full table on this day of gratitude, and I thought this is America. Right here.

I thought about life back in the states, about all the angry noisy noise and how our all day news and our 'friendly' social media feeds and our television screens are filled with so very many complaining about so very
much.

We have that luxury in the land of the free and in 2019 we've run with it full throttle.

Someone said something I don't like. 

They need to be verbally assaulted, eviscerated, labeled. 

Someone is going to give a speech on my college campus and I already know I don't like or agree with anything they will say-think-feel so they should be protested, banned, their every sin laid bare. 

Every little thing an emotional trigger for somebody somewhere.

Me Me Me 

Meanwhile, on a military base in S. Korea young men and women get on with things. They rise at dawn as the trumpet blows. No calling in sick, no skipping class or an assignment, no tweeting their outrage and discontent from the warmth and comfort of a 60K a year dorm room paid for by parents or exorbitant student loans.

They get up and put on a uniform. They head out to pt because there is value in being both mentally and physically fit. They do their jobs, large and small, the seemingly menial and the obviously meaningful because it takes all kinds to make the world go round.

They grow in ways they didn't expect and develop the sort of skills and character traits America was built on...self-discipline, adaptability, patience, courage, selflessness.

As I sit down at the table with family today I will say a prayer of thanksgiving for our military men and women. They can't jump in the car and go to mama's for the weekend, in fact here in S. Korea most don't even have cars.

Or packages delivered to their door 24 hours after hitting purchase.

Or their favorite television shows, favorite stores and restaurants, or a million other things we take for granted every single day.

Some are homesick for America and go to bed tired from the mental energy it takes to live an ordinary day in a foreign country, base or no base.

But these soldiers are tough and resourceful and optimistic and they will find a way to mark the holiday. It won't be grandma's homemade rolls on the table or watching the game with dad, but it will still be a day of giving thanks.

And while we're giving thanks let's also remember the young wife married just a month before moving around the world, far from the only hometown she's ever known. And the mama with a just turned one year old who has yet to meet his grandparents in person because 7000+ miles is just not that easy or affordable to arrange.

Think of the aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, best friends, missing their soldier today and every day.

Think of all we have at our fingertips here in the USA and be grateful without any buts! attached.

Vow to hit pause before hitting send-publish-share on words that do nothing in the way of adding peace to this land we love.

Hug the people you're with knowing there's a mama somewhere who would love to do the same but who settles for FaceTime and phone calls squeezed in around upside down time zones.

May your Thanksgiving day be blessed!

Ho-Hum, Another Weekend

There's an expression you don't hear too often anymore...ho-hum.  I'm pretty sure if you check the dictionary for a definition you'll find the words 'January weekends' written beside it.

Wait, it's February, isn't it?
Why does it still feel like January?

On Saturday we trekked to Home Depot in an attempt to replace three of the approximately seven million CO detectors in our house that were dying slow and painfully annoying deaths.  Seven million may be a slight exaggeration, but not by much.  I know the law now requires smoke and CO detectors in all new construction, but I'm not sure if it specifies how many.  We have over a dozen in our house, and the three CO detectors upstairs all died last week.  It says right on the device you need to replace them every seven years so it was time.  When the previous homeowners installed the originals they put big giant nails in the wall to attach them.

Whyyyyyy???

We were hoping to find replacements with the same hole spacing on back as the ones we were replacing, but no such luck.  Do you know how many options there are for smoke and CO2 detectors?  It made my brain hurt.  Ho-hum.

Afterwards we spent an interminable amount of time in GNC while hubs looked at the eight thousand varieties of protein powder of some such nonsense.  I distracted myself by repeatedly taking my blood pressure in the free checker outside the store. Ho-hum.

It was still early afternoon so we decided as long as we were out we'd see a movie-Silver Linings Playbook with Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence (or Katniss Everdeen as I like to call her, but I digress). We didn't know anything about it before we went in, but we both really liked it a lot.  The film and both leading actors have been nominated for Oscars this year and I always like to see the nominated pics.  I don't think they'll win, but the movie was good.  Of the nominated films we've seen Life of Pi, Lincoln, Les Mis, Argo and Silver Linings Playbook.  I really liked them all, but my pick is Argo.  Not even a little bit ho-hum.

We had plans to meet friends for dinner on Saturday evening.  They live about a half hour from here, on top of another mountain which normally isn't a big deal, but of course it started to snow about an hour before we needed to leave.  We braved it and went anyway and we were fine.  They salt the roads to excess here (not complaining!) and they also spray something on the roads that leaves white lines and makes them less slick, so most of the time you can get out when it snows.  We went to a little Mexican place and had a wonderful meal and a great time catching up.  It was not ho-hum, although maybe reading about it is. Ha!

Sunday evening was dedicated to football watching. What a crazy game!  Did anyone else find the lights going out after half time a little depressing?  It felt like some sort of metaphor for America in 2013, but I won't go there today.

The game was pretty ho-hum prior to half time, but it definitely got interesting after. Yowza-that was a nail biter! I thought most of the commercials were just ho-hum, but I did love the Bud ad featuring the Clydesdales. They never fail to tug at my heartstrings and make me smile. My favorite ad was the one from Chrysler featuring Paul Harvey in a voice over about America's farmers.

Gosh I miss the quiet wisdom of Paul Harvey. Raise your hand if you think America could use a heaping helping of quiet wisdom right about now. We're more like resounding gongs and clanging cymbals which I find completely exhausting.

Back to the ho-hum...we stayed home to watch the game, sat on our comfy couch, ate fabulous chili we'd simmered all afternoon, and were happy to see the Ravens win, even if they did make us squirm in our seats until the final two minutes of the game.

What did you think of the halftime show? Ho-hum? I can think of a lot of words to describe it, but ho-hum would not be among them. I've been married close to 30 years, and I'm (almost) old enough to be Beyonce's mother, but that doesn't stop me from singing along to Single Ladies.

Also, I'd like a day with her personal trainer.
Just sayin'

So that was the weekend.
Like I said, ho--hum.

We do have  a couple of fun things on our February calendar and I'm glad. I don't know about you, but this time of year I need to have something to look forward to. I feel like I spent the biggest part of January on the couch, which couldn't be helped, but still...I'm not really a sit around kind of girl.

I'm thankful for the lovely ho-hum days of ordinary life.
Thankful too for a sprinkling of extraordinary when ho-hum just won't do.

All is Fair in Love and Hodgepodge

Welcome to the Wednesday Hodgepodge!  I'm still sans voice, but thankfully I can use as many words as I want in print.  Here are my answers to this week's questions...be sure to add your link before you hightail it out of here.

1.  The popular saying 'All is fair in love and war' is originally credited to English writer John Lyly.  Is he right?

Only if you strictly adhere to the definition of fair-

adjective-In accordance with the rules or standards; legitimate

adverb-Without cheating or trying to achieve unjust advantage

Hmmm...isn't the object of war to gain advantage over your opponent?  Even so, in times of war we still have 'rules'...how a prisoner is treated for example. If everyone stays true to the definition of 'fair' then yes, all is fair. 

Oftentimes people make up their own definition of the word fair, which is why we hear warlords use it. Or, in the case of 'love', ordinary people who are pursuing someone unavailable (married) might think (hope-wish) this saying justifies their bad behavior.  

2. Are you a cereal eater?  What's your favorite kind?

I like cereal.  I don't eat it every day, but I like it.  Special K with Red Berries is my favorite.

Wait-Lucky Charms is my real favorite.  I'm not answering with that one though, because I never buy or eat it anymore.  Sniff.  

3. A five year old in Pennsylvania was recently given a ten day school suspension for talking with a friend about shooting one another with a Hello Kitty Bubble gun (the toy blows bubbles).  She did not have the gun with her at school.

A psychological evaluation was also ordered and the incident was recorded on her permanent record.  The suspension was later reduced to two days and her parents are suing to have the incident removed from her file. Your thoughts? (If you missed the story, click here for details)

In this particular situation, if you look at the actual product I don't think it even looks like a gun. More like a blow dryer.  It's hot pink and painted with Miss Kitty on the side.  Regardless, it seems we have lost all common sense in this country.  We don't know 'the whole story', but did this instance really warrant a ten day suspension?

I know we're lawsuit happy in this country, but if I were the parents I'd want this removed from my child's record too.  It may sound silly now, but its possible it won't be viewed as such when she's a teenager applying to university, and there's a 'suspension for terrorist threat' on her permanent record.  

I guess what disturbs me most about this story is the notion that innocence in America is lost. Every word uttered must be scrutinized for motive, stuck under the microscope and examined, even in a kindergartner.  We no longer investigate before making a judgement, instead we leap to worst case scenario, which yeah, I kinda understand but not really. We've somehow become a nation that runs to extremes and figures we'll sort out the pesky details later.  When did we lose our ability to thoughtfully work our way towards a conclusion as opposed to being collectively catapulted there in a single bound?

Not everything is a four alarm fire. 

In America everything is a four alarm fire.  
Sometimes out of neccessity, but often because we make it so.

Tangent.  Sorry.  

4. Whatever happened to_______________________?

Common sense was the first thing that came to mind.

Whip n' chill was a close second.  Does anyone remember whip n' chill?  It was a dessert, sort of a very light and airy pudding and the lemon flavored was our favorite.  
I'm sure it was 'lemon flavored' and not actual lemon, probably full of chemicals too, but when I was growing up we thought it was such a treat.  

5. January 23rd is National Handwriting Day, billed as a day to reacquaint yourself with a pen and pencil.  Do you like your handwriting?  Do you prefer to print or write in cursive?  This date was chosen because its the birth date of John Hancock.  What's the last thing you signed your name to?

I do like my handwriting, and it depends on my mood as to which I prefer-print or cursive.  I still love to write with a pen and I have a bit of a thing for pretty stationery, notecards, journals, and paper in general.  The last thing I signed my name to was the back of a check. 

6.  Speaking of John Hancock, ever been to Philadelphia?  Do you have any desire to visit the city of Brotherly Love?

I grew up outside the city, my dad worked there for many years, and I have a sister who currently lives in the city, so yeah, I've been.  I love Philly.  Everyone should visit Independence Hall and eat a (real deal) cheesesteak at least once in their life.  

7. Share something funny you've heard a child say.

One of our favorites is this...when daughter2 was in kindergarten they were doing a unit on nutrition, healthy eating, and growing strong bodies. The teacher must have really emphasized the importance of this because when my daughter said her prayers that evening she said, 

'Thank you God for my strong healthy body.  
Because without it... I'd just be a head.'  

Pretty sure that wasn't the teacher's point, but it still makes us smile some 17 years later.  

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

Have you seen this?  
Super cool!

Portrait of a Marine

It's Veterans Day today and that always gets me thinking about my dad who passed away twenty years ago this December.  He was a career Marine who loved America with all his heart. I can't help but think how sad he would feel today at the division and strife running rampant across our country in the year 2012.

My dad was a man of few words who lived his life with the utmost of integrity.  He taught us the value of hard work and that perception matters. He reminded us we live in a country that is free, not because we wish it so, but because our servicemen and women fight to make and keep it so.  

Today we fly our flag against a bright November sky and I remember the man in uniform, and also the man at the dinner table. The Sunday School teacher, the disciplinarian, the football fan, the wood worker and teller of corny jokes. The man who lit the grill with gasoline and unwrappped his Christmas presents with a letter opener.  The man who churned ice cream by hand and taught me to ride a bike by letting it fly down a hill as he shouted hold on. The man who loved babies and puppies and the Rocky Mountains. The man who swelled with pride at the playing of The Marine Corps Hymn and turned to mush at the sound of a grandgirl calling Poppie.  

The man who held us to high standards, but was always there to catch us when we missed the mark. The man with a twinkle in his eye, and a voice that sang out of tune, but with feeling and gusto and volume. The man always called upon to narrate the Christmas cantata, not because he couldn't sing, but because he had a commanding speaking voice. The man who loved Charlie Pride and Amazing Grace. The man who shined his shoes with spit and polish. The man who taught me to drive, walked me down the aisle, and rocked my babies. 

The Marine who moved his family from coast to coast and base to base. Who led family devotions and lived within his means. The farm boy who became part of the greatest generation and went on to serve again and again. WW2, Korea,Vietnam.   

The man whose grave is marked with a simple white cross on a hill called Arlington.  A cross that save for the wording, looks just like the many thousands of other white crosses planted across that quietly majestic Virginia cemetery.  

The man who lived his life with honor, and in death wanted his grave marked no differently than any other soldier.  It's something I love about Arlington, that in death rank matters not at all...where Colonel and Private are interred side by side. In the end, they are soldiers.  

America can learn a lot from her soldiers.

Today I think of veterans everywhere, some gone and some now old men and women. Some still in the prime of their lives. Every generation is called to answer freedom's call and I'm thankful for each and every one who did.  

I'm thankful most of all for the example of a man who was more than a solider and patriot. He was also my dad.

Bookending Tuesday

Taking a moment to talk politics here today...if you're not in the mood feel free to take a pass.  Come back tomorrow when this side of the pond returns to its mostly light hearted fare.

I wrote a post yesterday and let it brew for a bit, re-read it last night and then decided to sleep on it.  Anyone else do that?  When it comes to matters about which I have great passion, writing, waiting, and then re-reading in the light of day seems a wise course of action.

I have great passion for America.

While I have no plans to turn my blog into a place of political ranting, a Presidential election is a big deal and I want to comment on its outcome.  Perhaps that is my first point.  I know what I say will be judged and judged harshly.  Although this is my blog, when it comes to politics and you sit squarely on the 'unpopular' side of the fence, you do think twice about speaking your mind. What I've experienced in this election cycle is the notion that if you do not support our current President you are either an intolerant racist or an ignorant fool.  I have been called both.  I am neither.

Let's address the issue of race, the elephant in the room that everyone dances around. All my life I've had friends in every color of the rainbow, not because they were a particular skin color, but because life's circumstances threw us together or we had things in common that drew us to each other.  The same is true of all the people in my life, yet I know some will roll their eyes that I feel the need to mention it.  We are told not to judge someone based on the color of one's skin, but in not voting for our current President I'm accused of being a bigot?  I'm supposed to vote for him because of the color of his skin?   Believe me when I say this, I have a long list of reasons why I don't think President Obama is up to the job of running our country and the color of his skin is not anywhere on it.

It makes me sad that in America today if you disagree with the opinions and ideals promoted by our no longer unbiased media you're dismissed as foolish, misinformed, and/or ignorant.  If you've reached a different conclusion than I have based on what you see, hear, read, and know, I won't verbally assault you.  I won't even un-friend you on Facebook.  For the record,  I listen, read, and investigate issues before I vote, and I get information from both sides of the aisle.  Can everyone who voted for our still President say the same?

America is deeply divided. Sure, roughly half the country voted for President Obama, but roughly half did not. The gulf stretching between the ideology of left and right is as wide on the 8th of November as it was on the 4th.  President Obama did not win this election in a landslide, and in fact Washington in the new term will look very much as it does in the current term.  He's got the White House, Republicans control the House, and Dems the Senate. People on both sides of the political fence (myself included) are unwilling to compromise their deeply held convictions on spending and other issues for the sake of meeting a political agenda. I actually admire that and am not a fan of compromise if it means giving up everything you hold dear so the 'other side' can take things as far as they want to go.  I do believe there are areas where compromise is possible, but our country's descent into name calling, vulgarity, and just plain mean talk very often keep that from happening.

I wonder if my President recognizes that while half of the country celebrates, the other half feels something close to despair. No I didn't vote for him, but he is still my President.  He is charged with the task of representing all of America, not just those with whom he agrees.  I don't understand exactly what it is we're celebrating in November of 2012?

The stock market plunged following Tuesday's election and numbers coming out of The Bureau of Labor Statistics remain dismal.  We have massive debt, massive unemployment, and the abuse and misuse of our current welfare system.  We have yet to hear details of our President's plan to move us 'Forward', other than raising taxes (or revenues as we like to say these days) and he has not spelled out fixes to the entitlement programs that are literally bankrupting America.

On top of that we're getting ready to experience the largest tax hike in American history...all of us, not just 'the rich'.  There will also be new 'fees' as more of Obamacare is implemented.  These new taxes and fees will affect individuals certainly, but will also hugely impact corporations. I know some people feel positively giddy at the notion of corporations paying more, but anyone who thinks corporations can be hit with enormous new fees and taxes that won't affect the individual and our economy in general really hasn't thought that one through.

I am so very weary of it being said and/or implied that people who believe in capitalism don't care about the poor. That Republicans care about making money and Democrats are the ones who actually care about the poor.  It is absolutely positively untrue,  and literally makes my head want to come off.

In his acceptance speech on Tuesday President Obama used much of the same language he used in 2008-

He said back then he would be the President of ALL the United States, yet half the country feels disenfranchised, disregarded, and immaterial.  

He promised hope, yet millions of Americans today are without work, have lost their homes, have seen a reduction in hours or take home pay, and have been forced to collect food stamps or visit community pantrys for the first time in their lives.  Many have just plain given up and feel the very opposite of hope-ful.  

He said he would reach across the aisle, work with anyone who wanted to work with him, yet when the time came he threw down conditions before he'd talk, agreeing to raise taxes revenues being one of them.

He promised to unite Americans, that there would be no red or blue under his leadership.  I think the case could be made that President Obama has been the most divisive President our country has ever known.  We are fractured in ways we never even knew existed prior to 2008.  

He promised transparency yet has opted for popular culture venues such as Letterman, Leno, and The View over taking serious questions from White House journalists.  He has not answered basic questions or seriously addressed the nation on the very troubling events of 9/11 (Benghazi) outside of a brief statement early on. 

In his first term President Obama has talked the talk, but he has not walked the walk. Obviously I'm disappointed.  Some will argue that it takes two, that everyone needs to do better, and I'd agree.  I would add that the job of a leader is to lead, to set the example, to take the high road in hopes that others will follow suit.

In spite of all this seeming negativity, I am never ever a person without hope.  My hope for the future does not rest with man and I take seriously my committment to pray for our beloved country and her leaders, all of them, the red and the blue.

I would love to think all Americans will do the same.
Now that would be something worth celebrating.

I'm leaving comments on today because this is the grand ole USA and I'm a fan of free speech. Based on Tuesdays results half the country feels differently than I do, and I think debate is healthy.  If you want to disagree go right ahead,  just please be gracious.  Nasty or personal attacks will be deleted.  

Hello Internets!

What a week it has been. Has it only been slightly more than a week since I was here? As you might imagine I have a few things to say and more than a few things to do, so it's gonna have to be a list here on this side of the pond today.

1. For starters, if you're here looking for questions to Hodgepodge 101, my apologies. I'm going to need to postpone Vol 101 until next week because we had a hurricane, no power for a week, traveled to Tennessee and back getting home late last night, need to elect a new President today, and there's more but I think you get the idea.  I have only just begun reading the links from last week so check back here next Tuesday (Nov 13th) for Hodgepodge Vol 101.

2. The hurricane.  It was scary.  We have a forest full of super tall trees behind our house and did you know tall trees can bend all the way to the ground without breaking? They can, but you hold your breath with every swoosh of the wind thinking this is the one that's going to snap one in two.

3. The wind.  Quite literally it sounded like a freight train barreling right thru the middle of our house.  It was a long night.  Add to that waking to the sound of our dog barfing at 2:30 am and it was a very long night.  The house was pitch black, the wind had not lessened one iota, and the windows were still rattling.  Nerves were still pretty shaky too.

4. We were very lucky. Our brand new landscaping stayed put and while we had many sticks and branches to pick up, no big trees came through our roof.  We did have some damage to our gable which is cosmetic in nature, but our roofer has already been in touch to organize that repair.

5. Our power went out a week ago Monday and was finally restored sometime late on Saturday. It's amazing how much we take for granted things like a warm house and a hot shower, light at the flick of a switch, and unspoiled food in a cold frig. As various parts of the community had power restored,  churches and gyms opened up to offer showers and coffee and the ability to feed our electronic addiction.   We charged our phones and ipads via the car for several days, but mostly stayed off line to conserve precious battery power.

6. Because of all the ginormous and deep rock in the ground here, there are still a lot of overhead power lines in this part of the state, many of which are still down. A number of roads are still impassable and schools in our tiny town have yet to reopen.

7. I keep things mostly light hearted here, but you cannot turn on the television or the computer without seeing photographs of the tremendous damage Sandy wrought, or hearing stories of lives devastated by her power and wrath.  People often make fun of the 'Jersey Shore' because all they know is what they've seen courtesy of bad reality programming, but it's a place many call home. It's also a place people have gone summer after summer to put their toes in the sand, to reunite with family, and to hang with friends at favorite and familiar local spots.  Much of what generations of Jersey-ans have loved for eons vanished in a gust of wind and a tide that burst its boundary. The actual geography of the Jersey shore has been changed by Sandy.

8. It's cold here. In fact we woke up to frost on our back hillside this morning and a winter storm is heading our way on Wednesday. There are tens of thousands of people displaced...homeless...begging for heat and help and hope. If you are able please consider making a donation to one of the many reputable organizations helping with relief efforts.  The Red Cross, The Salvation Army, and Samaritans Purse are three that are legitimate, organized, and doing their best to bring relief and comfort to those devastated by the storm.

9. On Thursday night hubs and I boarded a plane bound for Tennessee.  We'd booked this long weekend away months ago, a trip back to collegetown for a homecoming gathering with old friends and a side trek before and after to visit his parents who live a couple of hours from our university.  While it felt more than a little funny to be leaving the house sans power it felt awesome to climb into a warm bed in a heated hotel room four nights in a row.  I have some pictures but I also have an issue with my camera so I think I'll save talking about TN for a separate post.

10. One of the biggest issues we face up here right now is petrol, or rather the lack thereof.  Some stations are still without power and those stations with power have no fuel.  Due to the ridiculously long lines resulting in rising tempers and confrontations, combined with the lack of product, our governor instituted rationing 1970's style.  You may buy fuel only on an odd or even day, depending on the last number in your car tag. Our cars are both even numbered which meant that we landed back in NJ yesterday, but were not permitted to buy gas. Hubs had enough in his car to get us home, but mine was on fumes.  Gas has become like gold up here so we put out feelers and friends let me know who was expecting a delivery.  Last night, after a busy weekend and a long day of travel, hubs left the house at 12:01 AM  to fill up his car, came home, got mine and filled it too. Yay hubs!  And yay friends who helped us find a station!

11.  Today is a big day in America.  People are distracted in our neck of the woods by things like surviving.  So many have had their lives turned upside down by the hurricane that the last thing they're thinking about today is getting out to vote.  Most of America though has no excuse.  I feel very strongly about this particular election and encourage you to get out and cast your ballot today.  It is our right, our privilege, and our duty as citizens of a still free country.

12.  For the most part I steer clear of politics on my blog, but not today.  I want it to be known that I am not voting out of revenge.  I don't even understand what that means and find it completely insulting, not to mention divisive.  

Out of all the many reasons I will not be voting to re-elect our current President, his discourse is right up there near the top of the list.  I am so hugely disappointed and disgusted to say to my children that the President of the United States is not someone I can hold up as an example.  Not in how to dialogue with people with whom you disagree.  Not in how to interact with people who have legitimate questions about decisions you make that affect their lives and their country  and their future.  Not in how to speak to an audience (all of America) which is diverse not only in ethnicity, but also in what it holds dear.

Our President is an ivy-league educated man, supposedly brilliant, and he shows unbridled contempt for at least half of the people of this nation.

You are free to disagree with me and I know many do. In fact some will likely stop reading here and that makes me sad. America seems to have lost its ability, and seemingly its will, for friendly disagreement.

I encourage you to cast your vote today for whomever your own conscience dictates. This is America and for now speech is still free.

While I often feel that keeping quiet keeps the peace today I'm tired, and I don't feel like keeping quiet.  When I cast my vote today I will think of my daughter entering the field of public education which now expects its people to support a particular political agenda or be ostracized. I will think of the long hours and exhausting schedule my husband keeps, of how hard he has worked all of our married life to support his family and to plan for the future and to pay our bills. Those bills include an absolutely obscene amount of taxes and I will be very aware of the ridiculously large check I sent just today to cover still more taxes. I will think of two very expensive college educations paid for entirely by us through forethought, savings, and hard work...by the choices and sacrifices we made in the immediate in order to be as prepared as we could be for the future.  I will think of my new health insurance premium for the coming year and the dramatic increase in cost for the same service we have always had.

I will think especially of two Navy Seals who lost their lives defending an embassy and an Ambassador, and a country they loved.  Who gave no thought whatsoever to politics when they charged into the fray, and whose families still weep without answers.

I hope today no American takes for granted the privilege that is ours.  People have died protecting and defending that privilege.  Let's not take it lightly.  Get out and vote.     

Born in the USA

Dear Daughters (and any other 20-somethings who happen to be reading here)...

It's an election year in the US of A and I feel like there are some things I want to say to you before November rolls around. And another November in four years and all the Novembers ever after.

The dialogue in America when it comes to all things political (and everything is political in 2012) can best be described as coarse. Don't let the tone discourage you from participating in a process that is your right and a privilege still denied to many all around this world.

When I was growing up we got our news mostly from the three main television channels and the local newspapers. Anchormen and reporters had opinions and political inclinations but the news was presented in a mostly straightforward manner, leaving the listener to form his/her own opinion. That's not the case anymore which is why I encourage you to seek out the truth for yourselves.

If you want to know how a candidate feels on a particular issue, read what they've written in their own words. All of them. Unedited and un-spun. See how they've voted in the past and what experience they bring to the table. Go to the source-their own books, websites and speeches. Read these words in their entirety and in context, not slashed and tweaked and sensationalized in a way the speaker didn't intend just to invoke outrage or create the illusion of scandal where scandal doesn't exist. If you see an ad that's far-fetched or hear the media try to spin something in a way that sounds ridiculous and unbelievable then it probably is.

Avoid bandwagons. You have a brain so use it. Think for yourself. So much of the mess our nation finds itself in right now is of our own making. Expecting something for nothing. The urgent need to keep up with the Joneses, no matter that the Joneses make 10x the salary. A sense that life must be fair and everyone should have the same everything whether they've earned it or not.

No matter what happens down the road always, always work hard. Follow our example, not that of Washington -don't spend more than you earn. There will be things you want in this life-expect to work for them and trust me when I say you'll appreciate them more so for the working.

Learn to save, and sometimes to sacrifice in the immediate for something better in the long term. I realize this is counter to the message our culture spews out at every turn, but I hope you'll be smart and swim against the current here. If you can't afford to pay for cable television, a day at the beach, or a Starbucks latte on your way to work then don't. It's not the end of the world. Food, shelter, and clothes on your back are necessities. 300 channels and a $4 coffee drink every day are not.

Plan for your future and don't assume the future will take care of itself. Planning and saving, and not spending every dime you earn, opens the door to something wonderful in your life. The gift of generosity.

Be generous. Support those people and charities closest to your heart, whether it's an orphaned child through World Vision, teenagers navigating adolescence in a Young Life club, or a cancer research doctor trying to end leukemia. I believe God gives each of us a heart for something so listen to yours and invest your money, time, and talents where you feel His prompting. When you give you get, in ways that cannot be measured by net worth or the bottom line.

Be informed...listen to the news or read it online or whatever the next wave of technology allows, but do it in small doses. Take time to mull over what you hear and decide for yourself if it makes sense. When you listen to a lot of news it's easy to feel discouraged and adopt an attitude of 'what's the point', but there's still a point. When I look at you I see intelligence and compassion. I see big dreams and youthful energy. Don't let the world (or an actor, rap artist, or political pundit) tell you what's important. You know what's important.

Finally, don't whine. Nothing is more tiresome than an over privileged nation that does nothing but complain, so don't add to the noise that fills our television screens, our subway cars, our too long lines at the DMV. Instead, smile at the world you encounter every day. We know first hand that life is a gift and time is precious. Listen more and talk less. Be honest, but kind.

Our country could use a little more optimism...don't let the 24/7-ness of the online world make you numb or jaded. America is not just a plot of land. She's people and ideals and principles, and she needs your tender loving care.

The Proverbial Straw

Is it just me or does anyone else feel like the level of hate, division, and vitriol in America is rising at an alarming rate? Maybe it just feels that way because we are force fed the 'news' 24/7 and the average Joe has a place to weigh in via the many social media outlets. Lately America feels like a pot boiling furiously under a barely contained lid and any minute now it's going to boil over leaving a stain than can never be wiped clean.

I try to keep quiet when it comes to matters of politics, but I have grown weary of words tossed carelessly into the wind. Weary of implied sin or wrongdoing. Weary of jokes that aren't really jokes. The dialogue in America has turned into something I'm not even sure can be labeled as dialogue anymore.

As you've no doubt heard, The Henson Company (Muppets) is ending its partnership with Chick-fil-A over CEO Dan Cathy's interview statement regarding his definition of marriage (one man, one woman). Naturally others are quick to jump on the bandwagon and the mayor of Boston has said because of Mr. Cathy's 'bigotry', he'll make it hard for Chick-fil-a to acquire the necessary licenses to do business there.

Bigotry? If you don't support same sex marriage now you're a bigot?

What in the world is happening to our country?

I'm not debating the issue of same sex marriage here. I'm calling into question a person's right to hold an opinion on that subject and a myriad of other hot topics, and not be penalized, ostracized, or worst of all labeled intolerant, for holding said opinion. This is about far more than Mr. Cathy's view of same sex marriage.

I watched an online news clip where the reporter prefaced Cathy's remarks as 'controversial'. Really? Who was made dictator and given the job of labeling which viewpoints are controversial and which ones are not? It may not be her viewpoint, but America is somewhat split on this topic so controversial isn't the word I'd choose.

For the record I have many gay friends whom I dearly love. I'm also a fan of the Muppets and think a Chick-fil-A sandwich with extra pickle is one of life's little pleasures. God bless America!

The Hensons can do business (or not) with anyone they please, but let's not call names and attempt to start a public boycott. Mr. Boston mayor I'm talking to you and the Chicago politicians who are now spewing something similar. In fact the mayor of Chicago has said he will support an Alderman's recommendation they ban Chick-fil-A from opening a second store in Logan Square. Alderman Moreno has said 'Because of this man's ignorance, I will now block Chick-fil-A's request to open a restaurant in the First Ward."

Okay Mr. Alderman...so I guess you're going to make your way round to all the other folks doing business in the First Ward to be sure they toe the line, your line? Best make certain they don't hold any 'radical' views either.

The word discriminatory was also thrown in for good measure.

Nothing like taking the ball and running with it, right?

Anyone remember Joe McCarthy?

We have lost the plot.

It seems we are no longer a nation capable of rational thinking.

If you aren't left you must be right. Far far left or far far right.

There is no middle ground.

Actually there is middle ground, it's just that we've stopped looking for it. Instead we sprint like track stars to the far side of the pavement. Everyone belongs in a clearly defined slot. If you say you're a Conservative then you must believe abc. If you say you're a Liberal then you must believe xyz. Us. Them. The derogatory 'they'. The pronouns exhaust me.

I'm quite certain Ms. Henson and her company do business every day with folks who differ with her viewpoint on any number of issues. I'm sure I disagree with some of her positions but hey, that doesn't mean I can't still like the Muppets and, as an American wanting the economy to turn around, wish her company and Chick-fil-A both much success.

I think what's happening in this instance is frightening. The wonderful notion that everyone can be who they are, part of the fabric of America for eons, is disintegrating right before our eyes. Not only are we allowing it, we're helping it. What we have today is the less than wonderful notion that everyone can be who they are unless....unless your views are not in line with my views. Then we need to find you out, punish you, and do our best to besmirch your name and run you out of business.

Dear Henson Corporation, Boston Mayor, Chicago politicians, Hollywood, and America,

I'm quite certain there are currently many business owners in fair cities all across this great nation who hold opinions on any number of issues that differ from your own. Do we now start surveying the guy we buy our gas from or the produce man or our hair stylist before we patronize a business? How about their stand on abortion, illegal immigration, and legalizing marijuana? What does Mr. Cathy's viewpoint and personal opinion on same sex marriage, or anything else for that matter, have to do with the price of a chicken sandwich?

If we want to get back to a place where Americans can agree to disagree then I think it has to begin at the grass roots level. Let's start with Facebook. Let's stop posting links, posters, and cartoons that take words and twist them in order to imply something other than what the speaker intended. Let's just not go there.

It's so easy to go there.

To get a laugh, make a point, plant a seed of doubt in someone's mind.

Let's just not.

America takes one step closer to the edge of the cliff every day.

Let's dig in our heels and quit with the sweeping generalizations.

Put the breaks on hate.

Let's step away from the edge.

Quoting Garfield

Good Morning Voting Public.

Yes, that would be you.

And me.

We're it.

We're all we've got.

And I'm speaking to everyone here.

There is much to complain about in our political system. Much bickering. Much that disgusts. Much that saddens. Much that makes you want to put your head under a pillow until the quadruple whammy of political advertising ceases and desists. Living in Northern NJ means we get to see and hear all the ads run by all the candidates in FOUR states (NJ, NY, CT, and PA).

You're jealous I know.

When I said I was quoting Garfield today I'm sure you know I was referring to James Garfield the former US President, and not Garfield the cat. If you were hoping for a quote from the cat I'm sorry to disappoint. But Garfield the former President said something pretty wise a hundred and thirty some years ago and which continues to ring true today-

"Now, more than ever before, the people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless and corrupt it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness, and corruption. If it be intelligent, brave, and pure, it is because the people demand these high qualities to represent them in the national legislature...If the next centennial does not find us a great nation...it will be because those who represent the enterprise, the culture, and the morality of the nation do not aid in controlling the political forces." President James Garfield, 1877

'The people' isn't someone else.

It's us.

You and me.

We're it.

We're all we've got.

Will you be voting today?

From California to the New York Island

Yesterday I answered questions in the weekly random dozen and one of those questions has stayed with me. It was this- ‘Are you more of a NY or California type?’ And I guess I should say that its really the answers to that question that have stayed with me. Its funny that most people who played along instantly thought California=sunny beaches, laid back people and warm weather all the time and New York=busy crowded streets and loud aggressive types.

I’ve never lived in California but its true the first thing that popped into my head was sunny beaches. I have lived on the East Coast and currently am just a hop skip and a traffic jam away from New York City but the question didn’t even say NY City…just NY. Pretty much everyone read it and immediately thought city.

I think one of the lessons living in an international community has taught me is not to make assumptions about people based on stereotype. I’m not at all criticizing anyone from yesterday. I get it...for the most part people were thinking of the weather and based their answers on that or the idea that Californians are laid back and New Yorkers aren’t. I will just point out though that Northern California is known for some pretty good skiing and the Hamptons are not too shabby if we’re talking beaches. And I’m pretty sure that Silicon Valley houses more than a few driven types and Warwick NY is sleepy town USA.

The question made me pause yesterday. I thought about it before I answered and I'm not so sure I would have a few years ago. As Americans living in England we were sometimes on the receiving end of a few stereotypes. I attended a field trip with my daughter's 8^th grade class shortly after arriving in the UK and a speaker from a middle eastern country informed the students he wouldn’t want to live in America because it’s not safe to go out after dark. You might be shot-everyone owns a gun right? The kids were bewildered. They laughed. This was not the America they knew unless you count paintball and water cannons. My husband took part in some team building ‘events’ during a work conference with people from all around Europe and his team insisted he take the golf shot because 'he’s American and don’t we play a lot of golf'?

And no one has a passport?

And everyone is really loud?

And they all dislike George Bush?

And they don’t know anything about politics outside of their own country?

Those are a few that come to mind. Of course we weren’t innocent either. We had the notion like most people I think that the Brits are all reserved and not terribly friendly and the food would be not so great and the weather would be dismal. Oh wait. That bit about the weather was mostly true. And I guess in most stereotypes there is a kernel of truth, which is how they got to be stereotypes in the first place.

I find myself giving more thought to my interactions with people these days, taking in what I know of their background, pronouncing observations less broadly. We were often called upon to ‘defend’ Americanisms…to point out that yes, some Americans are loud, especially tourists on the tube in London which could sometimes make me cringe and want to fake a British accent, but not all Americans are loud. Some are gentle and soft spoken. And plenty have passports we’d say, as we pointed out that a flight from NY to California requires no passport yet takes several hours and does indeed cross a few time zones. And obviously not everyone dislikes George Bush because he was elected President of the United States. Twice. And as for politics…well, America is a great big country and I think we can agree that just keeping up with our own political nonsense is a full time job these days. In fact lately Americans seem to be tuning in more closely than ever before.

We had to face our pre-conceived ideas about the British too. The day after we moved into our house in the UK my British next door neighbor arrived at the front door with a cake. It was wonderful as were most things we ate over there. Ask me about English cream, sausage and mash, sticky toffee pudding and scones with clotted cream and jam. My across the street neighbor took me shopping in Windsor my first week in the village…just a fun day out to show me the route and the best places to go. Are the British more reserved than Americans? In general yes. Are they unfriendly? No. Some are, some aren’t. Just like Americans. And the Dutch. And South Africans. And so on. I remember quite clearly a misunderstanding I had with a German friend. She became quite angry and later apologized. She explained with some embarrassment that it was her English (or lack thereof) that was at the heart of the matter. She interpreted something in a way it wasn’t intended yet she hadn’t wanted to tell me she really didn’t understand what I was saying. She worried so about her English. She didn’t want me judging her. And the whole time we were talking all I was thinking is wow, I wish I spoke three languages like she does.

The world is huge. That sounds so simple and in essence it is. We don’t all approach life or hardship or celebration or work or leisure in the same way. Even within America there are ‘cultures’ and when I read the question yesterday I found myself thinking about what I know about California and New York. About people I’ve met who call those places home. About how California and New York are different in geography, cuisine, fashion and climate yet people are people. Maybe there is a California type and a New York type and also everything in between. Yet for every person who ‘fits the type’ there is another who breaks the mold.

'Some people weave burlap into the fabric of our lives, and some weave gold thread. Both contribute to make the whole picture beautiful and unique." Anonymous

Try a little kindness

Did you notice that the calendar turned to February yesterday? Because I didn't. This is one of the problems that comes with an empty nest. My life is not dictated by my calendar like it was when I had children at home and lived by a more rigid schedule. Anyway, it is now February. You're welcome. I think to have an interesting blog you need to have a mildly interesting life. Things have not been terribly interesting around here lately, mostly because it is too cold to do much more than wrap up in a warm blanket while sipping hot cocoa or warm soup while daydreaming about island breezes and sand between your toes. I think you see where I'm headed with this thought....straight to a post about nothing interesting.

Today Dr. Phil saw his shadow which means six more weeks of winter. I live in the Northeast and didn't need a groundhog to tell me that. We had snow as late as Easter when I lived in this part of the country before so I will consider it a good thing if winter only lasts six more weeks. And I'm wondering if Phil the Groundhog is your facebook friend because he has a fb page and he has friends. Oh and apparently he texts too. I read a quote by Tom Chapin, editor of the Punxsutawney Spirit newspaper who said, "Groundhog Day is a lot like a rock concert but the people are better behaved and there's a groundhog involved." Wow. They know how to work the holiday don't they? Did you know that Phil's cousin has made his home in the rock wall of our back garden?

I guess that makes him a rock star too.

So sorry!

In other news, I went to Walmart yesterday. I know. I think I gave you fair warning that life hasn't been too interesting around here lately. Anyway, I was shopping for this and that and I bought a bottle of Febreze. There are 687 scents to choose from because this is America and just one would never do and I finally decided on this one.

Can anyone tell me what exactly is the scent of light?

I read a sweet post on Rebecca's blog today...she talks about kindness which is something I've been thinking about alot lately. As I was navigating the craziness that is Walmart an older gentleman and I came round a corner at the same moment and were both attempting to squeeze thru a narrow space. He flashed me a great big smile and as he backed up his cart he bowed low and said, 'Beauty before age.' It made me smile. It lightened my heart. It brightened my day. A small act of kindness yet here I am writing about it on my blog. Small acts of kindness are just that. They are small. But their ripple effect can be huge.

In this month of hearts and flowers and groundhogs I want to be kind. To brighten a day. To lighten a heart. As Rebecca says, 'it only takes a little effort.'

Mama said there'd be days like this

Well, my mama didn't actually say it but plenty of my friends did.

We watched about 5 minutes of America's Got Talent the other night. I turned it off after I heard Piers Morgan tell Sharon Osbourne she was 'barking', as in barking mad. As in crazy. The expression was just too much and made me tear up. My husband and I made eye contact and I had to change the channel. Ridiculous I know.

For the most part we've been so busy we haven't had alot of time to think about missing life in England. But every now and then something sneaks into daily life and I'm caught off guard by a wave of emotion. Like yesterday. My mom is here visiting for a few days and we went to see Julie and Julia which we both liked a lot. It made me want to rush home and whip up some boeuf bourguignon. And it made me a little bit homesick too. For another kind of life. For my old life in another place. For a country that is not my own yet is my own.

And I know these feelings come in waves and some days I am happier than I can say to be back in this place-in this little town, in this house that is now home. Happy to drive on great big wide roads and park in great big wide parking spaces where I can swing my car door all the way open. Where I can shop any time- day or night and eat twizzlers and ranch dressing (not together of course), and have family within driving distance and my children on the same land mass... I love all of this.

But there are moments y'all...moments when I miss the teeny tiny scary roads, the shops that close at 5 pm, a plate of sausage and mash, the landscape, the language, the humor. Especially the humor.

I'm just sayin'...there are moments.

Riding in Cars with Boys

As I may have mentioned in a previous post or six, we have been waiting on our sea shipment to be released from captivity (that's US Customs in non-angry English).  Our shipment actually consists of  two containers which are the size of very large moving vans. One is filled with all of our (hopefully undamaged) furniture and the other contains  a little car my hubs bought not long after we arrived in the UK.

She's cute.

She is a sweet reminder of England.

And today she is at home in our garage in the USA.

 

Finally.

And this is one happy boy.

Dixie is pretty excited too.

Course you can't unpack all your clothes and put them away in a little car.  And you can't cook dinner in a little car.  And you can't plop down in your jammies and watch tv in a little car.   For those things you need honest to goodness furniture.  Which is STILL in US customs. 

Whatever.

Life is like a box of chocolates

My husband planned to go into work late this morning since we were waiting to have a refrigerator delivered and he would need to connect the water before they jammed it into place.  Turns out it couldn't be jammed and had to go back to the shop for a slightly smaller replacement which, surprise surprise, has to be ordered.   Just  a tiny blip in the radar that is life these days.   We both said last night that based on how 'smoothly' things have gone so far we were pretty certain the frig wouldn't fit when delivered.

Anyway, not a total waste of time because hubs did manage to get our new computer up and running in the house without a single service person of any size shape or variety having to come out three times to make it happen.  In fact I'm typing this post on my brand new Mac.  Which I don't really know how to use.  Kinda like my new phone.  And the sat nav.  And the tv remote.  I keep saying I'm going to read the manuals and I have all kinds of time to do just that but I don't.  I like to say I'm learning by doing.  

While waiting on the frig delivery we spotted two big wild turkeys in our back garden.  (Don't worry-they were alive and well when they walked up into the woods).  The dog never even blinked.  Hell0!... aren't you a bird dog???  She's far too busy trying to figure out how to get into the front garden and catch her some groundhog.  We think we've got her temporarily outsmarted though.  The fence went up yesterday.  Well, almost.  It was supposed to be finished yesterday but had to be finished today because they ran into a small problem with a huge boulder that required a special tool to break it up.

I'm suddenly struck by the randomness of this post.   I think I may have mentioned (at least 157 times) that I'm spending my days sitting in a house with no furniture waiting on repair/service/installation people.  And that this is day 42, not that I'm counting or anything. And I have to say that spending your time this way doesn't really inspire creative thought.   I do know though, that this is a season and one day soon life will return to normal.  Have I also mentioned that I don't have a clue what the phrase  'normal life' will actually mean for me here? I think maybe you're going to have to stay tuned to find out.