Y The Hodgepodge?

Welcome to this week's edition of The Wednesday Hodgepodge and (yahoo!) the second to last letter in the April A-Z blog challenge. Not that I'm counting. I've included letter Y in my random thought today (question #6 for anyone new). 

If you've answered today's Hodgepodge questions add your link at the end of my post then leave a comment for the blogger before you. Y not?  

1. Are you feeling more reset, restart, or full speed ahead as we move into May? Tell us why. 

Can rest be an option here because that's what I'd like right about now? If not then full steam ahead it is. 

2. Painting, sculpture, architecture, literature, cinema, theatre, music...what's your favorite form of art? Elaborate.  

Impossible question. I like them all and while each would be considered art, they're not at all the same kind of art. My answer is all of the above. Each one appeals to me on some level. I suppose if you forced me to choose I'd say literature, but I love museums, beautiful architecture, live music, and live theatre too. 

3. What time is dinner at your house? How do you feel about leftovers? 

Dinner time varies here. In the summer it's generally sometime between 7 and 8. In the winter months we dine earlier, usually between 6 and 6:30.  My hubs would love for us to eat late year round and I'd love to eat at 5 so we're most often somewhere in the middle. 

As far as leftovers my feelings are mixed. I am good with things like pasta or pizza leftovers, but I'm funny about meat. I don't usually care for leftover meat warmed up, unless it's in a casserole. A leftover piece of chicken warmed up? No thanks. Chicken pot pie left over? Sure. 

4.What's the last thing you fell down a rabbit hole investigating? 

My husband shared something he was reading about AI doing an analysis on the Shroud of Turin and I then went down the rabbit hole myself reading about it. Don't ask me to explain it though. 

5. And now for a question from the book Marilyn (Memphis Bridges) gave me...

At what are you 'self-taught?' 

I'm going with all things computer related. I'm the only one in my family with no formal computer classes or training. I've muddled through and learned by doing. I'm a work in progress here still. Obviously. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

We're nearing the end of the A-Z blog challenge and I'm using this space for today's letter. I didn't think too hard on this one, but instead ran through a mental list of things that start with Y and picked one I could work with. 

Day 24-Y is for Yardstick 

Do you own a yardstick? Do you know where it is? I own one and bonus, I know where it is. I feel like a yardstick is one of those things you need very rarely, but when you need it you need it. 

Mine lives tucked into a corner of my pantry and it has a felt sleeve to fancy it up.  This yardstick was part of an end of year gift from a kindergarten student I taught in the year 1999. 

His mama made the sleeve and I've kept it all these years. fyi-it does have my full name down the front but I try not to put my full name here on the blog. Anyway, I've used this yardstick from time to time, and when I do I think of that super sweet kindergarten class, the wonderful parents who made that year an absolute joy, and the little boy (Brent-yes I remember his name) who would be 33 years old today. 

That's the kind of math that makes me feel another Y word-not young. 

Five Things Friday

Three posts in the same week-whoohoo! I haven't done that in a while. And there's not even a whole lot to say or maybe there's too much to say? but either way it feels good to try to get back into some sort of rhythm here. 

I say that a lot but maybe this time it will stick. 

Since it's Friday let's go with an old fashioned list of five unrelated things, which used to be a regular occurrence in the blog world on Fridays. Like most things online the blog world is also topsy turvy, but don't worry...today's post won't strain your brain.  

1. This bit of loveliness bloomed big on Wednesday and makes me so happy. 

2. Daughter2 teaches in a snowy state and y'all!!...her students tote their snowpants and boots to school and she helps her entire little flock of 7-year old cuties get into that gear and then outside for recess. Prior to moving to said snowy state the bride spent her entire teaching career in the sunny south so helping a classroom full of second graders into snow gear every day is something new for her. 

I'm so happy they are in person learning and also in person playing. And I guess if they didn't go outside when the playground was covered in snow they wouldn't go outside for a big chunk of the year, so hooray for parents who remember to send snow pants and hooray for teachers doing what needs to be done.  

3. Remember this? 

Three months later and the repair is almost complete. Crazy I know, but the windows for the dormer were backordered and didn't arrive in the shop until January. They couldn't finish the dormer rebuild without the windows and then there were a bunch of other things that needed to happen, but they're happening now and it's just about done. I've almost forgotten what my house looks like without the blue tarp front and center. 

The sky looks almost the same today as it did three months ago. 

Minus the hurricane thank goodness.  

This post is interesting so far, isn't it? Ha! 

4. Something else you'll find super interesting...the TV situation here. It's so annoying. Hubs would add the amount of time I've spent mentioning how annoying I find the whole thing is also annoying but whatever. 

In hindsight we are wishing we'd made a different choice, and probably if we'd been less distracted during the sales call we would have. The agent, who was perfectly nice, turned up at our front door at 6 PM on a chilly evening, three days before the wedding. We reluctantly listened to his entire lengthy spiel and conducted all the signing and account set up on our front porch, six feet apart, because we weren't letting anyone whose level of Covid exposure we didn't know inside the house two days before the wedding. It just seemed easier to say yes, plus the new option was quite a bit less expensive which at the time seemed worth it. Now not so much. 

We're not tech people. I just want to turn on the tv in a single step and have it work. Same for my computer, although the internet portion seems fine. Long story long, hubs called in the professionals and we have someone (not the cable company!) coming to sort everything out for us and I really hope I don't have to be present for the sorting. Ha! Just make it work please and thank you. 

5. Let's finish on a high note...the winter sunrise sky. Swoon! 

Happy Weekend Everyone...may your souls find rest and beauty there. 

The Merry Merry Very Very Month Of May

It's funny how there's so much time to blog, but not a whole lot to blog about these days. Thursdays were made for lists of thirteen, but can I even come up with thirteen things today? It's almost the end of May so let's go with thirteen randoms from the longest May ever.

1. Seriously. Normally I feel like if you blink you miss this month, but not 2020 May. I keep looking at my calendar thinking surely it's time to flip to June, but nope. Still May.

2. The weather isn't helping. I cannot remember a gloomier grayer spring than the one we've had this year. On the bright side the grass is green (and soggy), my knockout roses are falling over from the weight of blooms (and water) and my tomato plants have tomatoes so whoohoo! Trying to keep them from drowning is the new obsession round here.

3. There are bigger problems in the world I know.

4. How about some happy news? I got my hair done this week and feel like a new woman. My appointment was first thing Tuesday and the shop had been closed for two days prior due to the holiday weekend, so I felt good about the timing.

The 'new normal' way of doing things is you wait in your car until the stylist texts and when you do come in you take your temperature with a side of hand sanitizer for good measure. We both wore masks and she wore gloves and it was just the two of us in the shop the entire morning. A day brightener for sure.

5. In other happy news May-June means we have three nephews, a niece, and a daughter all marking birthdays within forty days of each another. That's a lot of Amazon-ing.

Besides the other Amazon-ing I mean. ahem

We have ordered more than a few things online this month including our drug store essentials, a cap for the Septic tank, a new pair of pjs, a filter for the ice maker, a door mat, phone chargers-cases-and cords, dog food, replacement cereal bowls for my everyday dishes, binoculars, a photo canvas, an herb garden stand for the deck, baby gifts, engagement gifts, a hammock stand, and this that and probably the other too. I'm thankful for online shopping and the US mail right now.

6. Also during this season of not making plans my niece is making plans. She got engaged about a month ago so we're going to look at some venues together tomorrow. At an appropriate distance while wearing a mask because it's 2020 and that's how 2020 rolls. They won't be getting married this year because bless their hearts, brides everywhere y'all.

I know people are struggling with so much serious stuff, but we know more than one bride who has had to cancel, postpone, or hugely adjust plans and deal with enormous disappointment in the past few months and it's hard. We understand this sort of sadness very well and I do hope the heaviness of navigating what should be a joyous time will lift and people can celebrate all that should be celebrated.

7. I do think the wedding industry is in for some changes, and couples are spending more time thinking about being married as opposed to the wedding itself. A silver lining take away perhaps?

8. We've had a lot of storms this spring, including a couple of tornados striking tiny town, although not our particular neighborhood. About a week ago we noticed one of our ginormous pines was seriously leaning. It sits beside a rock wall, the construction of which we knew disturbed its roots. The tree was holding it's own until it wasn't so removal was in order.  

9. These tree guys are amazing. This tree was about 100 feet high and he scampered up there like it was no big deal. Sometimes they can just fell them, but because of the proximity to the house this particular tree had to come down in pieces. It was fascinating to watch them work.

10. Truthfully my stomach was in knots and I couldn't watch the whole thing, but hubs gave him his camera and tree guy helpfully snapped a photo of our house from on high. Hubs was green with envy and if there'd been an extra pair of spurs? tree climbing shoes? he'd have been right up there with him. Another reason I had to wait in the house.

11 Quick topic change...Blogger has changed it's format. For once I think I might like the new better than the old. Once I  get used to it of course. Technology always gotta be changing but I guess that keeps us on our toes.

12. Speaking of technology my teacher daughter made an end of year slide show for her class, and y'all it made me so teary. Three quarters of the year spent with big smiles on their faces, doing all sorts of learning and growing together in the classroom, their best buds beside them, and then the last quarter pics of at- home learning that parents sent her. The contrast tugs at the heartstrings.

Parents have rallied in this season, and truly they've done what needed to be done, but it's just so different and strange and you could see so clearly some of what's been lost for these little ones. I pray they can return to the classroom come September.

13. Hubs and I were enjoying our coffee the other morning when we spied a beautiful blue heron on the shoreline. He started making his way across the width of our property with his eye on something we could not see.

We thought maybe a snake, but then all of a sudden he plunged his head into a tiny hole and came out with a chipmunk in his bill. He quickly got back to the shoreline and proceeded to prep his breakfast.

By prep I mean drown it before he ate it because this is what they do. I always thought herons were pescatarians, but evidently I thought wrong.

Guess I was also wrong about not having anything to say today. Ha!

Light In The Wednesday Thursday Medley

Today is National Lighthouse Day. Who knew?

Actually it was yesterday, and I did write my answers yesterday but then it all got away from me and I never made it back to my blog to hit publish. Also, the only reason I know yesterday was National Lighthouse Day is because that's the theme in this week's Wednesday Medley hosted by Terri over at Your Friend From Florida. The questions didn't sound like a brain strain so thought I'd play along.

Here we go-

1. Let's start with a number-how many lighthouses have you visited?

Hmmm...maybe this will strain my brain? We have lived mostly on the East Coast which I'm pretty sure is where you'll find a fair chunk of the lighthouses in America. I'm sure there's more but the ones that popped into my head are Cape Hatteras, Portland Head, Mystic Seaport, the Baltimore Harbor Light, Point Lookout, and Thomas Point all in Maryland, Point Arena and Heceta Head in California, and Cape Blanco on the Oregon coast. I guess about ten, but there are probably some I'm forgetting. 

Portland Head Light

2. Have you been inside a lighthouse and did you walk to the top?

I have been inside a lighthouse, the most recent being Cape Blanco on the Oregon Coast. 

Cape Blanco Lighthouse

3. Do you seek them out when you're traveling or are you not that big of a fan?

I wouldn't say we seek them out, but if there's a lighthouse along a route we're traveling then we'll definitely make a stop. 

Point Arena

4. Do you have a favorite scripture or another reference to share with us concerning a guiding light in your life?

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." Psalm 119:105

5. If you don't collect lighthouses when you travel is there something else tangible you tend to collect as a souvenir when on vacation or a road trip?

I don't collect lighthouses but I do try to purchase a Christmas ornament wherever we roam. It's one of my favorite things about our tree each year, the lovely reminders of places we've been all around the world. 

6. Please share something with us about your week.

On Monday I met daughter2 in her classroom to help with some of the cutting-taping-gluing-that needs doing prior to a  new school year starting. Technically she doesn't need to report until sometime next week, but she's already been in her classroom working on set up because that's how most teachers roll. 

Anyone who still thinks teachers have summers 'off' hasn't been around a good teacher in recent years. Sure there are a few who might do nearly nothing over the summer, but most of the teachers I know are hard at work preparing for the next school year in some form or fashion all summer long. 

My daughter took an online class that lasted most of the summer. She also took an in-person class, wrote curriculum for the county, read several new books on classroom discipline and related topics, attended tech in-services and assorted other meetings, and spent many an hour and dollar at Michael's-Target-Dollar Store-The Teacher Store searching for interesting, new, and necessary items for her classroom. 

Thinking of all the great teachers out there as they return to the classroom and the noble, often thankless, still honorable, hard work they do every day. 

"Teaching is the greatest act of optimism" Colleen Wilcox

It's Not So Elementary

My daughter2 has been teaching school for over five years now. She started her career as a third grade teacher but transferred to kindergarten last year. I've visited every one of her classrooms at least once to help with some sort of special project and to read a book to her students. Shhh! Don't tell, but my real reason for going is to see my girl in her natural habitat. When it comes to teaching she is a natural.

Until yesterday hubs never had the opportunity to see her run her classroom like a boss. Yesterday he spent a couple of hours in her classroom, ate lunch in the cafeteria, and basically tried his best to keep up with the crazy pace and activity level of a room full of five year olds.

Here's his takeaway-

1. His daughter is amazing.

2. Seriously, if he had to do what she does on a daily basis he said he'd likely pull the covers over his head and never come out. It's a steady stream of walking, talking, not sitting, re-directing, suggesting, guiding, consoling, herding, answering, having a Plan B, smiling, encouraging, helping and whew! 

Teaching is not for the faint of heart!!

3. Kindergartners are busy busy busy. There are many moving parts and they ask a lot of questions.

4. A whole lot of questions. Not always about the topic at hand.

5.  Besides a room full of students there were chickens.

6. Baby chickens. Daughter2 had seen a program available to teachers through I think the Cooperative Extension where you could pick up eggs and everything you'd need to hatch chickens in your room including feed, brood box, water bottles, incubator, and instructions. They will also take the new baby chicks back unless someone takes them home.

No she is not taking them home, but don't think for a minute she hasn't considered it-ha!

7. Anyway, one evening after school she trekked down to the Extension Office and picked up all the necessary materials and three weeks later she and her room full of kindergartners watched six baby chicks enter the world right before their eyes. One is still struggling to make his way out so here's hoping today was the day. Her students have recently completed a unit on animals and there's nothing like hatching your own chicks to make it all come to life.

8. Hubs brought her chick-fil-a for lunch. Circle of life?

9. He read a book to the class too. Horton Hatches The Egg because great teachers know how to work a theme.

10. After he read the book Daughter2 told her students they could ask him questions. She told them he knows a lot about a lot of things, for instance snakes. He knows a lot about snakes.

11. He was then asked approximately 546 questions about snakes.

12. This profession is under appreciated on so many levels.

13. And his daughter is completely amazing.

Thursday Things

Let's discuss some random things because that's what Thursday blogging is for, right? Sometimes random isn't that interesting, but nine years of blogging has taught me you can't predict what people will latch on to and say 'hey I feel the same'. That's one of my favorite things about writing and partly why I enjoy it so much.

First! Let's pause and give the weather it's due. 70 degrees in the middle of February feels absolutely fabulous. I almost feel like I could get in the lake today, except the lake temp isn't quite 70. Soon though!

Keep calm and winter on.

And by winter I mean 70 degree Thursdays.

We had a nice Valentine's Day yesterday. When you wake up to skies that look like this it's really hard not to feel the love-

Also, when you're this boy's Nana, but I digress-

I had a doctor's appointment in the morning then worked on our tax organizer a little in the afternoon, but still...a nice day. Hubs and I relaxed before dinner with a yummy cheese tray and a glass of bubbly while we listened to power ballads from the 1980s. Shoutout to the Wednesday Hodgepodge for inspiring our Pandora search.

On Tuesday of this week Daughter2 came out to the house for dinner and I helped her make slime for her kindergarten class. Technically I was making dinner while she was making slime, but it was more of a project than she'd anticipated so I helped.

I'm a bit of a messy cook and she's a bit of a messy cook and there was glitter (shhh...don't tell hubs!) but we finally got 'er done.

Excellent teachers are such a gift. They're always thinking about what they can do to help students learn-grow-feel valued. When they're not at school they're thinking about school and I'm not sure that's always recognized and appreciated the way it should be. Teachers are called upon these days for so very much and if you don't understand that you're not watching the news.

We've had Daughter2's dog with us all week and hubs and I have enjoyed walking the neighborhood trails with her. So pretty in the woods right now.

Did I mention it's 70 degrees today???

Who's watching the Olympics? What are you loving most? I think the US pairs skating duo (Alexa and Chris Knierim) are adorable and I'm a little bit surprised at how much I've enjoyed the snowboarding competitions, male and female both.

I think it's kind of funny the way the commentators talk about the medal categories. Like anything less than gold is just eh. Speaking as someone who can't climb down a step ladder without a trip to the ER I think silver and bronze are pretty great too.

I had to run in the drug store for one thing this week and who else has a hard time peeling themselves away from the drug store? I love the mix of random merchandise...makeup, greeting cards, holiday treats....it's hard for me to run in for 'just one thing'.

Tomorrow is Friday and I'm determined to participate in the Five Minute link up (here), no matter the word prompt. These last few prompts have been doozies and felt too deep for my winter brain so I've
chickened out passed. Tomorrow's the day though. I mean it can't be all random nonsense round here now, can it?

An Ultra Violet Hodgepodge

Welcome to the Wednesday Hodgepodge! Christmas is right around the corner and I'm invoking the hurry less, worry less mantra in order to participate today. If you've answered this week's questions add your link at the end of my post, then go say Happy Hodgepodge to the blogger linking before you. Here we go-

1. 'Hurry less, worry less'...what's your strategy for making that happen this holiday season? How's it going so far?

My strategy is one day at a time. I have a mental list of a few Christmas related tasks to tackle every day and I do my best to tackle them. That being said, there have been a lot of interruptions to my daily plans this month, and I probably haven't rolled with them as kindly as I could have. I'm a work in progress. I don't think I feel hurry and worry so much as I feel pressure to accomplish so many things. ALL THE THINGS. 

My survival tips are few and simple-start the day sitting quietly by the light of the Christmas tree. Watch the sun rise and remember the God who made it happen has the day in hand. Have a conversation with Him about my to-dos and my people, my hurries and worries. Have a cup of coffee and take time to ponder. This season is made for pondering. One day at a time. 

2. Do you have a list of to-dos that need accomplishing in order to prepare your home and/or property for the winter season? What are some of the jobs on your list? Are you a do-it-yourselfer or do you hire someone to accomplish these tasks?

Sort of. It's not written in stone, but certainly there are jobs that need doing this time of year and somebody needs to do them. Mostly that somebody is hubs. Hi hubs! We have loads of tall trees and hubs collected all the leaves into piles, but we did pay someone to come in and take care of mulching them. I think they mulched them? They may also have hauled some away. Whatever the job is done. 

The boat needs winterizing and we paid someone to do that job this year. Some thing-a-ma-jig was due for tweaking or replacing so we had the marina guy winterize at the same time. Hubs was on top of things and we managed to get that done right before the cold snap hit so yay hubs! 

It's clear why I'm not in charge of winter prep around here, isn't it? Ha!  

3. According to dietitians surveyed, the most popular health foods for 2018 will be -turmeric, sprouted foods (bean sprouts, breads with sprouted grains, etc), veggies in place of grains, dairy free milk, and pulses (lentils, chickpeas, etc).  What's the first thought that ran through your head when you read this list? Of the foods listed which one might you add to your regular diet? Also, can milk really be dairy free? Is it still milk?

My first thought was blech! That list sounds a little bit too healthy to taste good. I do like turmeric and I love veggies and lentils and chickpeas too so I guess pulses, but ewwww...in my opinion the healthy food industry needs some new terminology. Also, I like milk. I know there are people out there who cannot tolerate lactose, but I'm not one of them. And I read somewhere that non-dairy doesn't necessarily mean milk-free, so it's all pretty confusing. As far as what item from the list will be added to my diet, well I already eat quite a few. I love lentils so will maybe find some new ways to use them. 

4. The Pantone Color of the Year for 2018 is Ultra Violet. According to the Pantone site 'Ultra Violet communicates originality, ingenuity, and visionary thinking pointing us to the future.' What say you? Do you like the color purple? Did you see the movie or read the book-ha!?  Is purple a color you wear often? Describe for us one purple item in your home without using the word purple.  If you were in charge of such things what color would you select for 2018?

I do like the color purple, and wear it on occasion. Something in my home that's this color? One of my most favorite pitchers, purchased in a tiny little town called Nove in the northern part of Italy. The trip there might be one of the reasons I love it so-

It's a fig, and the perfect shade of 'aubergine'. FYI-saw the movie, didn't read the book. If I were in charge of the world I think I'd choose a sunny yellow. Don't we all need a little more sunshine in our lives? 

5. Favorite book you read this year?

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

6.  Insert your own random thought here.

I'm helping in my daughter's kindergarten classroom today. Her students are working on presents for their parents and she needed some extra hands. Kindergartners are my favorite. 

Kindergarten teachers too. 

From The Hodgepodge Desk

Welcome to the new and improved Wednesday Hodgepodge! Less questions, more fun! For me anyway. teehee Thanks for playing along today. If you've answered the questions add your link at the end of my post, then go say howdy to your neighbor. Here we go-

1. Share a favorite memory of your mother or share a favorite something from your own life as a mother. If you're a mother (or stepmom) tell us how your experience as a mom differs from your own mother's experience.

My most favorite memory of my own mom is sitting snuggled up beside her on the living room couch, my little sister snuggled up on the other side, as we listened to her read aloud. Books feature large in my childhood, as does my mother's sure love.  

I also have very vivid memories of her sitting with my sister and I to cut out paper dolls. My mom is artistic and was always so careful to cut them just so, never taking off a tab that would have to be taped on later. I always wanted to take great care with mine the way she did hers, but usually became impatient and lopped off the tabs. My mom would always fix them for me though. She could make any little wrong right.  Happy Mother's Day Mom! I got the best one. 

2. In May we celebrate teachers (May 9) and nurses (May 6) both. Most every family has at least one in their midst, so tell us something (or a few things) you appreciate about the teacher or nurse on your family tree.

My daughter2 is a teacher and easy to appreciate. That's her on the right in this photo, waaaay back in July, hard at work setting up her new classroom. She moved from third grade to kindergarten this year, which in teacher speak is the equivalent of starting from scratch. Her sister was in town visiting so we went over and helped her cut, hang, and sort. 

Also, teachers have summers off, right? 

This girl always wanted to be a teacher, and as far back as I can remember she set this goal for herself and worked hard to make it happen. Teaching comes naturally to her. She loves children, words, books, and being in charge. Ha! Her mother's daughter for certain! She is organized, creative, hard working, dependable, patient, and funny. She has high expectations but knows all children cannot be put in the same box. She has a mega watt smile that can light up a classroom, a dark day, or a life. I know it's lit up mine. 

It's easy for teachers to feel under appreciated and discouraged these days, but I pray she continues to use her gift for a long while.

3. Chicken salad, egg salad, tuna salad...which would you go for if all three were on the menu? On bread or a bed of lettuce? If you answered bread, what kind of bread would make it the perfect sandwich?

These are three of my favorites, and on any given day I could choose any of them. I like chicken salad fixed a variety of ways, but it must be white meat only and either small bites or shredded, no big chunks. The egg salad needs plenty of mayo and the tuna salad too. And as much as I love tuna I really do need to be in the mood for that one, so how about we go with egg salad on rye and put an end to all the overthinking? 

4. Do you have a desk? Is it organized? If so, share your secret to keeping it that way. If you don't have a desk, where in your home do you take care of family paperwork and business? Where do you normally sit to blog?

I do have a desk and it's mostly organized. 
Can you be partly organized? Is that a thing? 

It's totally a thing. I need to go through my files and purge, which is something I haven't done since the move so in that sense it's not perfectly organized. Everything is filed, I just need to weed out some of last year's paper, so let's say I'm semi-organized. 

I keep bills to be paid in one spot, file receipts as I go, have pen-stapler-paper clips-scissors within arm's reach and my calendar handy for easy reference. Also, the paper shredder sits just behind the desk, and if I'm offering an organizational tip that would be it-keep a working shredder within reach and use it often. Don't let paper accumulate. 

I like to write on the desktop as opposed to a smaller device, so almost always blog from the office. This room is tucked away in a far corner of the house so it's quiet, and I like quiet for thinking and writing. Given it's location (below and behind our screened porch) we didn't expect to have much of a a view from this room, but...

Alternately inspiring and distracting. 

5. When I was nine years old....

I had long hair and skinny legs. I loved to read and still played with paperdolls and my sister. I liked to swim, ride my bike, and roller skate. 

I was in the fourth grade and loved my teacher, mostly because she was pretty. My dad returned from Vietnam and Okinawa that year, and he visited my class to talk and share pictures (slides). I remember being slightly disappointed he didn't wear his uniform, but so proud he was there. 

That's me on the right and my little sister on the left, front and center which was her modus operandi back in the day. We're wearing silk p.j.s my dad sent from Okinawa. 

My siblings and I all remember the day that same year, he took us to the circus and bought us every edible treat we asked for. This was soooo unlike my dad, which is probably why that day stands out in all of our memories as a favorite from childhood.  

6. Insert your own random thought here.

I think I finally have one fireplace mantle to the point I can quit fussing with it. 

This fireplace is in my keeping room, an extension of my kitchen.  I love all things French and already owned the Epernay sign, but I was excited to find these jars in an antique/home decorating shop just a couple of weeks ago.  




SaveSave

Hodgpodge Questions-Volume 307

Here are the questions to this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge. I'm going to try a 5-question format this week. Several of you said you felt seven was too time consuming on a regular basis anyway so let's see how this goes. Rest assured there will always be one to make you think, because what fun is the Hodgepodge if every answer comes quickly and easily?

1. Share a favorite memory of your mother or share a favorite something from your own life as a mother. If you're a mother (or stepmom) tell us how your experience as a mom differs from your own mother's experience.

2. In May we celebrate teachers (May 9) and nurses (May 6) both. Most every family has at least one in their midst, so tell us something (or a few things) you appreciate about the teacher or nurse on your family tree.

3. Chicken salad, egg salad, tuna salad...which would you go for if all three were on the menu? On bread or a bed of lettuce? If you answered bread, what kind of bread would make it the perfect sandwich?

4. Do you have a desk? Is it organized? If so, share your secret to keeping it that way. If you don't have a desk, where in your home do you take care of family paperwork and business? Where do you normally sit to blog?

5. When I was nine years old....

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 301

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

1. Setting aside the real March Madness (NCAA Basketball) describe something happening at your house this month that might earn the title 'March Madness'?

2. What's a favorite made up word from your childhood or a favorite from your children's childhood? Does your family still use the word today? If there's a story behind the origin please share.

3. Will you be doing any spring cleaning now that the season is upon us? I read here a list of 15 quick (under one hour) spring cleaning tasks. They were-

clean out a drawer, vacuum furniture, whiten tile grout, dust the nooks and crannies you don't get to year round, degrease kitchen cabinets, wipe down walls, go behind furniture, wipe down ceiling fans, vacuum the mattress, clean the range hood, wash baseboards, shine the stainless steel, clean out vents, tackle the windows, and wipe down gadgets

Of the fifteen 'quick' tasks listed which two most need doing at your house? Will you do them?

4. A favorite movie set in Paris or New York?

5. What's put a spring in your step this month?

6. Did you ever want to be a teacher? Why or why not?

7.  What's your favorite floral scent? Do you have this somewhere in your home or maybe in a perfume? How do you feel about florals in food? How about wines with floral notes-yay or nay?

8. Insert your own random thought here.
SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave

Brought To You By The Letter B

B is for Birthdays-

A friend posted a little thing on Facebook, filled with questions you're meant to ask your hubs or wife and the first one read, 'What's something I say all the time?' And my hubs replied, "It's almost my birthday." Ha! I guess there's some truth there, particularly during the month of September.

Y'all it's almost my birthday.

Also my baby girl entered the world 26 years ago Saturday, and we loved celebrating with her this past weekend.

I made her favorite dinner and her favorite cake on Friday night and she opened our gifts and told us all about how her sweet students (and their moms!) made her school day so special and then she went home because she teaches kindergarten and kindergarten wears a body out.

She is so precious.

B is for Boating and Beaches-

We've spent a lot of time on the boat this summer and it requires a fair bit of schlepping and such to make it happen, but once we're underway it's all good. There are many many little islands in the lake and a fair number of them have little beaches so we've had fun exploring and checking them out.

They're not beaches as in white soft sandy beaches, but there's sand and there's land and we set the anchor and swim over with our chairs and our lunch and our sunscreen and we enjoy.

B is for Building-

Still at it. We were excited to see actual stairs go in this week. Hubs can finally sleep at night and quit worrying about me accidentally stepping off the edge where there was no railing, just a big drop down to the lower level. I only almost did that once or twice
or every time I'm there so no biggie.

They still need to be stained, but they are beautiful.  

And that's our weekend in a nutshell. Just for fun, leave a B-word in the comments that describes your weekend.

Wait, did I tell you it's almost my birthday?

Feeling All The Feels

So much has been happening here that trying to condense it into something readable feels a little overwhelming. Still I'm gonna give it the old college try. Where did that expression come from anyway? I googled the phrase and it goes back to Babe Ruth or maybe even further to the evangelist Billy Sunday, but that's got nothing to do with what's been happening here so let's carry on...

Daughter1 has been here visiting since a week ago Wednesday, and then her hubs was able to join us several days later. He is conveniently attending a medical conference in the Palmetto State which allowed him a couple of days to see his family too. So very glad we live near his parents and don't also have that layer of complication to work around.

The distance is hard. In a funny way I think I feel it more when she's home than when she's actually on the other side of the country. Somehow the nearness of her, the happy knowledge that she's sleeping in the other room, sitting beside me at the pool, baking cookies in my kitchen, it all makes me long for more.

If you have children who live far from you I know you understand. You anticipate these visits to the nth degree, but you're also acutely aware of how quickly you'll be sending them on their way once more, and it takes an act of will not to let that overshadow the time you do get to spend together. We do our best.

Arrival day Daughter2 went with me to the airport to collect her sister, we had a leisurely lunch in town, then hit the Teacher Store because the start of a new school year waits for no man mother-daughter-sister reunion.

The three of us have a deep and abiding love for paper products and school supplies so we were happy to help Daughter2 find some fun things for her new classroom. She's moved to a different grade this year, which essentially means completely re-doing classroom plans, organization, library, everything.

We met up with hubs later in the day for a fab dinner downtown.
Made me ridiculously happy.

Him too.

We spent Thursday at the lake because suddenly there are a million and ten things happening with the house, and we needed to make some decisions on big giant boulder placement, drainage, and paint colors.  I know! Can you believe it???

We also had to sort out garage doors, check out the trim and ceiling progress, and then meet the landscape designer to figure out a plan to lay down some grass and concrete in place of the mud pit we've got going on. Rain y'all.

In between all that we swam and hung out on the dock.

We took a late day boat ride and Daddy let her drive (name that singer) which only made the day sweeter.

She has always loved the water.

I feel like these sunsets are made especially for me right now.
God knows I need pretty sunsets.

Friday morning we walked around the lake at Daughter1 and 2's alma mater.

Weren't we just moving her in to this dorm?

We stopped by the in-laws to say hello and pick up some eggplant, but really that was just an excuse to see these girls-

Ha! They are super cute! Also a tiny kitten appeared out of nowhere and I can't be certain my daughter didn't put him in her suitcase when she left there today.

We baked cookies because kitchen time with a daughter ranks high on my list of favorite things. Peanut butter cookies rank high on my son-in-law's list of favorite things so I like to have some in the house when he's here. He wasn't actually here yet, but we also took a dozen with us to have for dessert at my sister and brother-in-law's house that night.

Cousin time and southern BBQ make for a picture perfect Friday night.

The next couple of days were spent at the lake and they were splendid. Yesterday Daughter2 went to work in her classroom and Daughter1 went furniture shopping with me.

Hubs and Daughter2 met us for lunch then he went back to work and we followed her to school to check room progress.

There are some lucky, lucky kindergartners meeting their teacher for the first time next week.

We all went to dinner together last night at a favorite local spot, and let me just state again for the record how happy I am we're living in the same geography as the in-laws. We have a nice time together and it was fun sitting around a great big table sharing a meal and our kids.

The Mr. and Mrs. left for the conference today, and only a few
hundredtears were shed. I'm almost recovered from the goodbyes and the see you soons and the can't wait til next times. Almost. 

But hey, how about that sunset?