Aloha Hodgepodgers

Welcome to July and this week's edition of the Wednesday Hodgepodge. If you've answered today's questions add your link at the end of my post. And be sure to leave a comment for the blogger before you, because that's what good neighbors do. Now here we go-

1. July 5th is National Hawaii Day...have you ever been to Hawaii? Any desire to visit or make a return trip? Pineapple, mango, or guava...what's your pleasure? 

I drew my first breath in the Aloha State and would love to make a return trip someday. I like all the fruits listed, but if you make me choose I'll say pineapple. 

2. Last time you were 'thrown in at the deep end'? Explain. 

I took on a volunteer position at church and because I was a late add on (to fill a vacancy) I missed all the training. I'm learning as I go, but am loving it. Deep water is challenging, but swimming there can be lots of fun too. 

3. Sun, sea, sand, salt...your favorite when it comes to summer? 

Hmmm...it's a tough call but I'm going with sunshine. 

4. Bury your head in the sand, the sands of time, draw a line in the sand, pound sand, shifting sands...pick one and tell us how the phrase currently relates to your life in some way.

Maybe the sands of time...see # 6. 

5. On a scale of 1-10 (1 = make your own rules and 10=like a warden), how strict were your parents? If you're a parent where on the scale do you land? 

I hope my girls answer these questions today. I'm curious as to where they'll say I land. My parents were not overly strict, but they weren't lenient either. There were household rules to follow, chores to be completed, and consequences to your words and actions. There was also a whole lot of love, so a good balance. I'm going to say my parents were a 7 and  I'm probably in the 6-7 range as well. 

6. Insert your own random thought here.  

We had to say goodbye this week to the sweetest, gentlest, most loving dog we've ever known.  Daughter2's greyhound...

When daughter2 told us she was getting a greyhound several years back, hubs and I both kind of scratched our heads. We didn't know much about them, other than they were bred to race and sweet Gemma was a former racer. 

As it turns out greyhounds make wonderful pets. We used to laugh and say it was like living with a stuffed animal because she was such a quiet soul. We are so grateful for all the tender love and comfort she has added to our family. We've known and loved a lot of dogs y'all, but this one was something extra special. 

"Dog's lives are too short. Their only fault really." 

Agnes Sligh Turnbull

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 426

Hello Hodgepodgers, and welcome to July! Here are the questions to this week's random. Answer on your own blog then hop back here tomorrow to add your link to the party. See you there!

1. July 5th is National Hawaii Day...have you ever been to Hawaii? Any desire to visit or make a return trip? Pineapple, mango, or guava...what's your pleasure? 

2. Last time you were 'thrown in at the deep end'? Explain. 

3. Sun, sea, sand, salt...your favorite when it comes to summer? 

4. Bury your head in the sand, the sands of time, draw a line in the sand, pound sand, shifting sands...pick one and tell us how the phrase currently relates to your life in some way.

5. On a scale of 1-10 (1 = make your own rules and 10=like a warden), how strict were your parents? If you're a parent where on the scale do you land? 

6. Insert your own random thought here.  

Tuesdays Were Made For This

Does anyone else feel like this summer is blowing by faster than most? Maybe it's because our calendar has been so full, but really? Labor Day weekend? Already?

Hubs and I declared last night date night as it was long overdue.

Tuesday night dates on the lake are easy breezy. Grab your swim suit (or not, teehee) and a towel, then load up the cooler with a bottle of bubbly and your favorite kind of easy to eat supper foods. Our favorites include peel and eat shrimp, a great cheese and some crackers to go with, veggies and hummus, grapes, plus an excellent bar of dark chocolate.

The lake on a Tuesday night is practically deserted. We made a short stop at the waterfall and ran into some neighbors there. The lake is a whole lot like a small town in all the best ways, and we rafted up with them for a while before moving on.

Eventually we made our way to a quiet cove (fyi-they're all pretty quiet on a Tuesday) with not a single solitary house/boat/person in sight, dropped the anchor and our worries, and went for a swim.

There's nothing like swimming in crystal clear water sixty five feet deep as the sun sets to make you feel all the feels.

We agree this should be an every Tuesday kind of thing.

Why isn't this an every Tuesday kind of thing?
Putting it on the list.

I love watching the sun get lower and lower on the horizon, but my favorite thing is the sky immediately after the sun sinks out of sight. That's when the sky turns all the pastel colors in the paintbox.

For reals.

 In the words of Dr. Seuss, '...when you stop and look around, this life is pretty amazing."