A Garden State Hodgepodge

I've had my share of of travel frustrations and snafus this past week, but I did finally make it home last night. Just in time for the Wednesday Hodgepodge! If you've answered the questions on your own blog, add your link at the end of my post then leave a comment for the blogger linking before you. Now put your seat backs up and be sure your tray tables are stowed because we're off-

  

1. Security or freedom? Can you have both? Explain.

Absolutely. I think maybe a better question would be can you have freedom without security?

2. If you could visit any historical American site what would it be? Why?

I’ve seen a number of what would be considered the top historical sites in America, but I’d still like to visit Mt Rushmore and Pearl Harbor. I think Mt. Rushmore is something that must be seen in person to truly be appreciated and of course Pearl Harbor is significant in our country's history. I like history. 

3. Free as a bird, free reign, be free of, free enterprise, free trip, walk away scot free, free for all...which 'free' phrase can best be applied to your life in recent days or weeks? Explain.

Well I’ve been on two American Airline flights this week and am happy to be free of that airline for a while. One cancelled flight rebooked a day later, eight hours sitting in an airport waiting on the newly booked flight which was delayed-delayed-delayed, then more sitting in the airport on the return leg, again waiting-waiting-waiting on delay-delay-delay. 

4. Something in your frig that's red? Something in your house that's white? Something in your view that's blue?

Something in my frig that's red-salsa.

Something in my house that's white-call me crazy but I do have a white couch. Two actually. 

Something blue in my view-there are certain times of day when the lake looks green, but mostly it's clear blue in color.  I guess technically it’s just clear, but it definitely looks blue.

5. July 27th is National New Jersey Day. Have you ever visited The Garden State? If so where did you go? Are there diners where you live? Have you tried Taylor Pork Roll? Do you like to play Monopoly? Salt water taffy-yay or nay? How do you feel about shopping at the mall? Springsteen, Sinatra, or Bon Jovi-you have to pick one.

I’ve lived in NJ three different times and as a result have spent almost half my life in the Garden State. She gets a bad rap, but there’s much to love there too. In fact I was in NJ last week visiting family so NJ is one of the places I feel most at home. 

We do have a little restaurant here in tiny town that bills itself as a diner, but it’s nothing like the diners I’m used to. If you're in NJ you must eat at a diner. The menus are the size of a novel and there is definitely something for everyone anytime of the day or night. I miss NJ diners. 

I’ve tried Taylor pork roll or Taylor ham as it’s also known. There's a bit of controversy as to which name is the right one. 

I don’t dislike Monopoly, but I have to be in the mood to play that game.  

Salt water taffy? Yes please. 

I’m not a big mall shopper anymore, but there was a time I enjoyed it. These days I prefer stand alone stores with parking out front. Or online shopping in my pjs. 

Silly question-the Boss of course. 

Raise your hand if you know why these add-on questions are appropriate on National NJ Day.

For anyone scratching their head...NJ has more diners than anywhere else in the world, and more shopping malls in one area than anywhere in the world with seven malls in a 25-mile radius. Taylor pork roll and Salt Water Taffy originated in N.J. The streets of Monopoly take their name from Atlantic City and Springsteen, Sinatra, and Bon Jovi are all Jersey boys.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

I need to regroup here a little bit (or maybe a lot), and since next week's Hodgepodge lands on the 4th of July I think we'll declare that our summer holiday. No Hodgepodge next week (July 4th), then we'll be back in action the following week-July 11th. 




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Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 357

Another week, another Hodgepodge. That's all the blogging I've had room for lately, but maybe it's better than nothing? I have lots to catch up on here, but for now this will have to suffice. Answer the questions on your own blog, then hop back here tomorrow to share answers with the universe.

Here we go-

1. Security or freedom? Can you have both? Explain.

2. If you could visit any historical American site what would it be? Why?

3. Free as a bird, free reign, be free of, free enterprise, free trip, walk away scot free, free for all...which 'free' phrase can best be applied to your life in recent days or weeks? Explain.

4. Something in your frig that's red? Something in your house that's white? Something in your view that's blue?

5. July 27th is National New Jersey Day. Have you ever visited The Garden State? If so where did you go? Are there diners where you live? Have you tried Taylor Pork Roll? Do you like to play Monopoly? Salt water taffy-yay or nay? How do you feel about shopping at the mall? Springsteen, Sinatra, or Bon Jovi-you have to pick one.

Raise your hand if you know why these add-on questions are appropriate on National NJ Day.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

A Backyard Hodgepodge

Welcome to the Wednesday Hodgepodge! If you've answered this week's questions add your link at the end of my post, then leave a comment for the blogger before you. That's what good neighbors do.

Here we go-

1. Summer is upon us this week in the Northern hemisphere. Tell us three things on your summer bucket list.

See a baseball game in the small big city.

Sliding Rock is a natural water slide about an hour and a half from here, a gentle slope about 60 feet long that ends in a deep 'pool' of icy cold water. I'd like to try it on a hot summer day.

Dinner al fresco somewhere romantic. That might be under the Edison bulbs on my own back patio, once they're installed.

2. Something fun you used to do as a kid in the summertime?

Once I was old enough my sister and I used to love riding our bicycles to the swim club, a six mile ride that included careening (sometimes no-handed) down a ginormous hill and crossing a picturesque covered bridge. The feeling of freedom and independence was intoxicating. 

3. Rooftop or backyard? Why?

This is a toughie because I love both. We have a lake in our backyard so it's hard to beat the view. We love sitting on one of our porches or on the dock or down at the fire pit and letting the peace and quiet wash over us. 

I'm part city girl too though, and I love me a great rooftop with a view of the skyline. Daughter2's wedding reception is a rooftop venue and I cannot wait! 

I need both.

4. Do you read food labels? Place importance on them? Make an effort to find out/care about where your food comes from?

I do read labels, maybe not religiously but I definitely do with products I'm thinking about buying for the first time. I especially check out the sugar and sodium content. I think we all need to pay attention to where our food comes from. Just recently there have been issues with romaine lettuce and cut watermelon from particular areas of the country so I don't just throw something in the cart without thinking about it. 

5. A song you'll have on repeat this summer?

It's a little early to say because I know there will be some great summer songs released soon, but this one by The Lovin' Spoonful is always on my summer playlist. An oldie but a goodie. Also I'm currently loving this one (The Long Way) by Brett Eldridge. I think it came out last summer, but it's getting a lot of air play now. 

6. Insert your own random thought here.

I was supposed to be writing this HP from the comfort of my mama's house in NJ. My Tuesday flight was cancelled because American Airlines is experiencing some pretty major hiccups that are wreaking havoc with travel itineraries. On the bright side, the agent who rebooked me was very pleasant after what I know was a long day on her end, and I'm rebooked for another day. Here's hoping they've sorted out the computer snafu before I need to fly. 

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 356

Here are the questions to this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge. Answer on your own blog, then hop back here tomorrow to share answers with the world wide webbers. Here we go-

1. Summer is upon us this week in the Northern hemisphere. Tell us three things on your summer bucket list.

2. Something fun you used to do as a kid in the summertime?

3. Rooftop or backyard? Why?

4. Do you read food labels? Place importance on them? Make an effort to find out/care about where your food comes from?

5. A song you'll have on repeat this summer?

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Splurging On The Hodgepodge

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

1. What happens to the mail at your house?

Well for starters I feel like there's a whole lot of it. We don't get a lot of magazines, but we do get quite a few catalogs and so many credit card offers. I especially dislike the ones that fill in my name and address in multiple spots on the form when I didn't request a card to begin with.  

I try to sort the mail when it comes in, leave anything pertinent for hubs to look at before I file, and immediately shred the junk along with any mail that has our personal info printed on it anywhere. 

2. Something you always splurge on? Any guilt associated with the splurge?

Is coloring my hair a splurge? No. It kind of feels like one every time I pay, but really it's a necessity so let me think of something else. I don't splurge on much, but I guess maybe getting pedicures year round would be considered a splurge by some. No I don't feel guilty about it. 

3. There are many, but what are two important questions you think every bride and groom should ask/answer before they plan their walk down the aisle?

It's hard to narrow it down to just two, and I think even the two I've come up with have several subcategories of questions, but for brevity's sake-

 Do we share the same values when it comes to matters of faith, the importance of marriage, and the desire for children? 

Do our ideas about spending and saving mesh? 

4. What's the best advice your father ever gave you?

My dad was more a lead by example kind of father as opposed to one who sat us down and talked a whole lot about how we should live our lives. I do know he told me to 'always work hard' and my siblings and I have all heeded that advice. 

5. Your favorite movie where a father features heavily in the storyline?

Father of the Bride. Steve Martin as the dad reminds me so much of my hubs in the way he sees his daughters.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

A little housekeeping here today...first off Blogger. It used to be that if someone commented on my blog via Blogger I would see that in my email. Blogger no longer sends comments to email so now if you're on Blogger you have to go to your sidebar and click on comments awaiting moderation in order to see new comments. It's not a huge pain, but it is a tiny little one.

Also, I've had my blog linked to Networked Blogs for years. Whenever I wrote a new blog post it was automatically published on my Facebook page via Networked Blogs. I have quite a few people who follow my blog via Facebook, but Networked Blogs is no longer operating so now it's up to me to add  new links on my Facebook page. Again not a huge pain, but another tiny little one. There are a couple of pay services out there, but I don't think I'll go that route yet. 

Technology tries to get the best of me, but it's not won yet. 

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 355

Here are the questions to this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge. Answer on your own blog then hop back here tomorrow to share answers with all your friends and neighbors. Here we go-

1. What happens to the mail at your house?

2. Something you always splurge on? Any guilt associated with the splurge?

3. There are many, but what are two important questions you think every bride and groom should ask/answer before they plan their walk down the aisle?

4. What's the best advice your father ever gave you?

5. Your favorite movie where a father features heavily in the storyline?

6. Insert your own random thought here.

The Monday Evening Gazette

I had every intention of blogging this morning, but hubs and I had a gazillion errands to run and that meant going to town. I sound like Ma Ingalls when I say that, but we literally had to 'go to town'. Town isn't all that far, but it's not real close either so it makes sense to tackle your errands with some forethought.

Also, one of our errands involved a stop in Academy Sports to look at 'just one thing' which is code for we'll be there for hours. Hubs could spend all day in that store and we practically did.

Since I missed my Monday morning deadline how about I share a short list of random unrelated nonessential information that for some reason I feel needs to be written down somewhere?

Great! Here we go-

1. We had a house guest this weekend. You're shocked I know, but we actually weren't expecting house guests this weekend. This was a last minute happy surprise visit from hubs brother who lives in Virginia but had been in Tennessee visiting my mother-in-law. Hubs suggested he detour through SC on the way home and that's what he did.

2. I think he and hubs had a great time catching up in person. I had a brutal headache all day long Saturday and barely lifted my head off the pillow so I can't say for sure. I do know they kayaked and later took the boat out and visited all the fun spots on the lake. They were gone all day which made me feel less like a party pooper so I'm calling it a win.

3. We also had house guests last weekend that I never got around to mentioning because one day rolls into the next round here and I'm what's affectionately known as a slacker blogger.

Actually I don't know if it's affectionate or not, but this blog does hang on by its fingernails from week to week.

A friend I've known since high school and who still lives in NJ was vacationing in Charleston last week, and planned a weekend stop over at the lake on their way down. She and I actually met while working at a summer camp in Maryland back in 1970-something and discovered we were from the same NJ town although rival high schools. Our guys get along great too, which is always a bonus.

Hubs and I made sure they tasted some of the foods from the Southern Food Groups (yes that is so a thing) and I think fried green tomatoes, pimento cheese, and shrimp and grits were all hits.

4. A new generation of bluebirds are about to be born in our back yard. There are five eggs this time and incubation takes a couple of weeks so not long now.

In case you're wondering, I'm not a bluebird expert, I just play one on my blog.

We had so much fun watching the first round of babies hatch, peep out of the birdhouse, learn from their parents, and grow into teenagers. Do birds experience the teen years? The teen weeks? Whatever the case, they are so pretty and we're looking forward to round 2.

5. It's almost summer which means I will unapologetically be posting too many pictures of beautiful sunsets. I took this at the gas dock the other night while we were filling up the boat. #sorrynotsorry

Also, who else is a fan of 9 o'clock sunsets?
Have a great week all!