Houskeeping

I hosted a luncheon yesterday for my gourmet group. Each person prepared a dish and the theme was French food. Ooh-la-la everything was tres delicieux. There should be some accent marks in there somewhere but that particular task remains outside my current skill set. Ha-doesn't that sound so much better than saying I haven't got a clue?

Anyway lovely luncheon, lovely day.

Which reminds me...I need a trip to France.

Immediatement!

There is a lot going on around here lately. I need to stop and smell the roses this weekend so while I will take some pictures for the photo challenge it's likely I won't post them until next week.

This is not breaking the rules.

And yes, Thursday is too the weekend.

Also, I have some things I want to write about and the words are not fitting with photo prompts like phone and button and drink. I'm going to step back, put words into sentences, and get a grip on all my swirly thoughts these next few days.

Before I do that though, I will post a picture for Day 16 of the February Photo Challenge. The prompt is-'something new'.

I had to get a new passport last fall. So sad. My previous passport was wonderfully worn and extra thick...a trip to the embassy in London to have extra pages added ensured I wouldn't have to replace it before its expiration date. It was chock a block full of visas, stamps, and memories. Flipping the pages in my passport makes me happy.

Life goes on.

My new passport arrived in the mail just before Thanksgiving and until last week it was blank. Who wants a blank passport?? Although I have yet to take a trip with this one I did have 'something new' added to it so that's a start.

Some countries require visas for entry.

My new passport now holds a visa to one such country.

I realize I'm doling out details bit by bit but there's still a few hoops to jump through before our trip happens. Rest assured I will be spilling out more words than you can handle once I get started.

It is not France.

Or England.

But there will be passport stamp(s) involved.

And I will be showing that visa to someone somewhere.

A Presidential Wednesday Hodgepodge-Vol 66

Welcome to the Wednesday Hodgepodge! Add your link at the end of my post and then go see what the neighbors are saying. Here are my answers to this week's questions-

1. George Washington-Abraham Lincoln-Thomas Jefferson...who would you most like to meet and why?

I think any of the three would be fascinating but I'm going with Jefferson. He authored our Declaration of Independence and I'd love to hear what he has to say about America in the 21st century.

2. What's your favorite chain restaurant?

In general we prefer to eat somewhere besides the chain restaurants. We only have a couple in our town anyway-Burger King and Paneras. I don't do Burger King but I do like Paneras. I guess if I have to pick a chain I'd say Chilis. I wish we had one of those here.

3. I spied this question on the Bears at Home last week and she gave me permission to steal borrow it.

When you look back on your life do you imagine you'll think about the goals you failed to meet with regret? Or will you look at what you accomplished and say it was good?

I don't have a lot of regrets. I think there is always more to do but when I look at what I consider my most important job-raising children-I will say it was good.

4. Grapefruit-take 'em or leave 'em? Given the choice between an orange and a grapefruit which would you choose? Would you prefer it served as is or squeezed into juice?

I love grapefruit. I also love oranges. Isn't this my usual response to any question involving food? I prefer the actual fruit as opposed to the juice but I like that too so either way is good.

5. When was the last time you cleaned out a closet? Is there a closet in your home that currently needs cleaning? What are you waiting for?

I cleaned out my bedroom closet sometime after Christmas so that's quite recent. My closets are in pretty good shape but let's not talk about the boxes in the basement, k?

6. You get to have lunch with three famous people...who would you like to see round your table?

This one's hard because I feel like the three would need to mesh in some way...Nigella Lawson, Princess Kate, Bono.

7. On a scale of 1-10 how would you rate your ability to parallel park?

I lived in England.

I give myself a 10.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I'm using the random space today to post my picture for Day 15 of the February Photo Challenge. The prompt today is -'phone'.

Huh?

I just could not get my head round this one so I went with an older favorite photo....

My girls, then ages 13 and 15 and my precious niece at the age of 9 in the requisite picture of a London phone booth.

2003.

Feels like a lifetime ago.

Feels like yesterday.

I haven't mentioned my niece in recent posts but I know many of you have been keeping her in your prayers as she battles leukemia. She continues to need your prayers and please know they are very much appreciated.

I heart the Hodgepodge Questions-Vol 66

Happy Valentine's Day! I hope your day is filled with love and chocolate. Before I post this week's Hodgepodge questions I'm going to subject you to my picture for the February Photo Challenge. Today's prompt is-'heart'.

This has been on my kitchen island for the past two weeks-

Honestly, it's a good thing Valentine's Day isn't at the end of the month. The fact that there is a candle plunked down in the center of these conversation hearts does not deter me in the least. Perhaps I should keep it lit?

Now on to something else I love...the Wednesday Hodgepodge. Answer the questions on your own blog and then hop back over here tomorrow to share your answers.

1. George Washington-Abraham Lincoln-Thomas Jefferson...who would you most like to meet and why?

2. What's your favorite chain restaurant?

3. I spied this question on the Bears at Home blog last week and she gave me permission to steal borrow it-

When you look back on your life, do you imagine you'll think about the goals you failed to meet with regret? Or will you look at what you accomplished and say: it was good?

4. Grapefruit-take 'em or leave 'em? Given the choice between an orange and a grapefruit which would you choose? Would you prefer it served as is or squeezed into juice?

5. When was the last time you cleaned out a closet? Is there a closet in your home that currently needs cleaning? What are you waiting for?

6. You get to have lunch with three famous people...who would you like to see round your table?

7. On a scale of 1-10 how would you rate your ability to parallel park?

8. Insert your own random thought here.

This, That, and the Other

I have lots of little bits and pieces to share today and since I know you're waiting with bated breath I'll dive right in.

I had my first lesson with a local photographer on Friday afternoon. We're starting at the very beginning since that's a very good place to start. Did you know there was math in photography? Nobody told me there'd be math. I really enjoyed the lesson and felt like my brain hit the engage button....it's been on idle for a while now. He left me with a couple of pages of notes which is a good thing because even though my brain engaged it still feels a little bit rusty. He also left me a small assignment to complete before my next lesson which I'll probably try to incorporate into the February photo challenge.

Speaking of the February photo challenge...was there a prompt yesterday? Yes, yes there was. I know I said I like to follow the rules but I took a pass on Sunday's word-'inside my closet'. I recently cleaned and reorganized my closet so it's actually quite tidy at the moment. You'll have to take my word for it though, because that felt just a little too personal to put out there.

Even for me.

ahem.

Back to the weekend...hubs was in Turkey on business last week and returned home Friday evening. We may have opened a bottle of champagne to celebrate the fact that he has no work travel scheduled for the next month. Whoohoo!

'They' said we'd have some snow Friday night into Saturday but we awoke to what was really just a dusting. It spit a little off and on all day but nothing accumulated. The temps however, plummeted over the weekend. I guess February felt the need to remind us we shouldn't get too comfy with the milder weather we've had so far this winter.

We carried on with our Saturday plans which included driving closer to the city to attend a big dog show. We've got the fe-vah. Puppy fever to be more precise and its sweeping thru our house. Hubs especially has been stricken, but it's contagious you know. We have a Gordon Setter who is the sweetest thing on four legs and we're in love with the breed.

Look at that face. Setters in general have lovable personalities and that's my #1 criteria in a dog. We knew there'd be a lot of Setters at this particular show and we hoped to talk to a breeder or two.

You don't see a lot of Gordons around and it was so much fun to see a whole gaggle of them. I know a bunch of dogs are not called a gaggle but there are so many long legs in this bunch the word seemed to fit.

We're pretty set on another Gordon but we've also toyed with the idea of an English Setter. Hubs says he'd like one of each-an English, an Irish, and a Gordon. Uh, I might be crazy but I'm not that crazy!

The Gordons are black with tan markings but the English have varying coats. This guy is black and white which in dog speak is known as blue belton. Gorgeous. And guess what today's photo prompt is-'blue'. There ya go.

Anyway, we did meet some breeders and we'll likely put our name in for a puppy to arrive late summer. Gives me time to get my head around it.

We had our 'Valentine dinner' on Saturday evening. Actually we eat out most every weekend but we designated this one as our Valentine dinner because Tuesday doesn't sound as romantic as Saturday. We had a long lovely meal and talked our way thru five courses while the wind whipped outside and snowflakes danced in the moonlight.

Yesterday afternoon we went to see a movie-Safe House. Holy moly it's intense. And there is mucho violence. Can I ask here why parents feel the need to bring their ten or twelve year old child to a movie that has been rated R because it is inappropriate for a ten or twelve year old? Why?? I had a knot in my stomach watching this one and I wondered if they did too. Or if they didn't? Either way it's a problem.

Today I'm heading to the doc's office for some 'jabs'. In England they use the word 'jab' when they're prepping you for an immunization. fyi-if you tell a child they're going to have an immunization they might not catch on right away but if you say jab they pretty much catch on immediately. Anyway, a while back I mentioned some fun plans we have in the works for later this spring and I need the 'jabs' in order to carry on with the fun. Three jabs in one visit. Happy Monday!

Sunshine on My Shoulders

Y'all know I don't blog on the weekends, but I also like to follow the rules. I'm posting a picture for Day 11 of the February photo challenge, just like the rules say.

Are there rules?

In my mind there are rules.

I didn't take this photo today but I did take it recently so I think that counts. Today's prompt-'makes you happy'. As soon as I saw that one I knew I would post a picture of my favorite thing-sunlight on water.

From the smallest puddle to the widest sea, the twinkle of sunlight on the water speaks right into my soul.

All About Self

Continuing with the February Photo Challenge-today's prompt is 'self-portrait'.

Does anyone over the age of 25 really enjoy taking self portraits? First of all, it requires a coordination I'm not sure I possess. Secondly, they're usually super close up. No thank you.When I'm in a photograph I like to adjust 'things'...the angles, my chin, my hair...that's hard to do when you're taking a picture of yourself. Hubs took a picture of me in Central Park that was a close up of my face. Goodness, are those lines around my eyes always there?

I'm no quitter though, and I'm determined to see this challenge through to the last day of the month. Enjoy your weekend everyone...

'In every corner of our life, to lose oneself is to be the gainer; to forget oneself is to be happy. ~Robert Louis Stevenson

A Door By Any Other Name Is Still A Door

Today's prompt for the February photo challenge is -'front door'. I need to tell you we've had more than a few. I know a lot of people who've lived in the same house all their married lives but we are not those people. We've opened many doors to many houses we learned to call home. A door is just a door. It's what's behind the door that's home.

Door Number 1...this door opened to newly wedded married life.

Our first together home.

Just us.

An ugly couch and a TV sitting on a wooden crate. Behind this door we learned to manage our money, our time, and our expectations. We learned to make plans.

Opportunity knocked on this door and led us to Door Number 2. A rented townhouse while we figured out which end was up in a brand new city.

We did.

Door Number 3...our first 'house'.

Kids signing papers for what felt like gobs of money. A messy back garden transformed into a small slice of paradise. Fun neighbors. Time for some grown up furniture.

A baby on the way meant a whole new kind of bliss.

We learned to make room for more love.

We carried that with us to Door Number 4...another house.

Far from our roots. A door behind which just-us became just-us-three. Better than bliss. It was here we learned how to love in 3-D.

We struggled to find Door Number 5.

Insane real estate markets in Northern NJ. Always. Especially in the late 1980s. Interest rates above 10%. Add to that a crazy commute.

Then. A ray of sunshine.

Just-us-three became a family of four. Complete behind this door. We learned the well of love never runs dry.

We welcomed a move.

Door Number 6...breezes off the Bay. Crab feasts and water skis. Ballet and music. Kids on the backyard swing. Home. Let's never leave. This is bliss.

Behind this door we learned about growing pains and bedtime prayers. How to pick a crab and ride a bike. How to grow up girls.

Behind this door we discovered the current of life can flow suddenly fast round an unexpected bend. We learned its best to grab an inner tube and hang on for the ride. We learned to never say never.

Which brings me to Door Number 7...the one where adventure called our name.

We walked thru this door and never looked back. It was the door that led us inside to a whole new outside. The door to a world of people and places and opportunity we had never considered. It was behind this door a family grew rock solid together in the game of life. Cemented. We learned to stamp all that is behind this door onto our hearts.

We left door Number 7 open just a crack.

We like to look behind it now and again.

But we walked on through Door Number 8.

Behind this door is an empty nest. Just us. Still learning. Like a long time ago only different. Behind this door are full hearts. And our tapestry of door upon door.