Front Porch Hodgepodge Sittin'

Welcome to this July edition of the Wednesday Hodgepodge. Add the link to your answers at the end of my post, then grab your ice cold lemonade and go say hey to all your friends neighbors. 

1. July is National Anti-Boredom Month. When was the last time you were bored? What's your go-to cure for boredom?

Hmmm...I don't even know. Maybe 1974? I'm never bored. 

My go-to cure for boredom? Read, write, nap, cook, call my mom, a cup of tea on the patio or in my sunny sunroom, make some lists...any or all of the above work for me.  

2. What's the last thing you made a reservation for?

Have mercy. We have been the reservation making fools around here in recent days. I will attempt to outline it for you here. Strap in-

a) planes, rental cars, pet and human lodging for our beachy getaway later this summer 

b) an 80th birthday celebration for my father in law happening in Tennessee that has me arriving from SC, but returning home from TN with my hubs, who will either drive or fly from NJ after we figure out what to do with the dog, who will only have been home from the kennel following our beach trip the week before, and then my girls also coming from hither and yon 

c) firm date and logistics for family and bridesmaids to travel/stay in MD the weekend of the bridal shower when the bridesmaids alone live in 8 cities, 6 states, and two countries, let's not even count the places family comes from

d) Christmas arrangements which may or may not involve travel, rentals, a kennel, and 

e) can't forget a fabulous wedding soon after, many states away, which definitely involves a whole lot of reserving everything under the sun including travel, hotels, rentals, a caterer, photographer, florist and more. 

Do you see why hubs and I need that beach trip???
And why I'm never ever bored???

3. What's one thing on your summer bucket list? Any plans to make it happen?

A week with my toes in the sand, a book in my lap, and a glorious sunset sky.

Any plans to make it happen? Absolutely. 

4. What's your favorite summertime sip?

Pimm's, but that's a rare treat. My most sipped summertime sip thanks to the daily email reminders from the boot camp instructor is water. 

5. What do you find is the best way to handle another person's hostility and hopefully ease the tension?

Do.not.engage. 

Step away from the offender if at all possible. Of course there are oftentimes where that's just not possible, and if that's the case then I try to say very little. In my experience lots of words just add fuel to their fire. 

Hostile people. Shudder. Ugh. Ick. But...

I do try to remind myself that person has a story, and perhaps their story is painful and hard. I don't think that excuses bad behavior, and in my opinion hostile behavior is near the top of the list of bad behaviors, but still they are the way they are for some reason and it's not me it's them. 

6. Your favorite film set in summer?

That's a toughy, but I'm going with The Parent Trap, either the original with Hayley Mills or the remake with Lindsey Lohan. It's one film that makes my top ten in any setting. 

7. What's a word you're using too much of lately.

I'm stumped. I think that second question did me in-ha! How about 'book' as in reserve that plane seat, hotel room, venue, rental car, you get the idea.  It's all fun stuff that I'm excited about though, most especially #2-e. 

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

Humans are awesome-

Post by Jacquès O. Beatty.

and a little bit crazy! 

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 181

Today's my mama's birthday and she likes to read my blog so happy birthday mama! Now on to less important stuff-The Wednesday Hodgepodge. I've asked the questions, you provide the answers. Don't forget to hop back here tomorrow and add your link to the party! See you there..

1. July is National Anti-Boredom Month. When was the last time you were bored? What's your go-to cure for boredom?

2. What's the last thing you made a reservation for?

3. What's one thing on your summer 'bucket list'? Any plans to make it happen?

4. What's your favorite summertime sip?

5. What do you find is the best way to handle another person's hostility and hopefully ease the tension?

6. Your favorite film set in summer?

7. What word are you using too much lately?

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Weekend Wrap Up

Not an original title but my brain is too full to come up with something clever. It is likely to remain so until at least the second week of January, 2015. And this is a weekend wrap up sooooo...

The weekend. It was fun. And full but it seems all weekends around here could be described as such. Maybe not next weekend. Next weekend is looking like I might finally get a long overdue nap. Maybe.

We headed to my brother's house on Friday morning to celebrate Independence Day. My brother lives about two hours south of here and his house overlooks a river. They have a deck out back, then beyond that a path through a little bit of woods, then the property opens up and voila-the river. Conveniently it is directly opposite their spot on the river that their little town shoots off fireworks every fourth of July. Let me just say for a small town they put on a big show. Some of the best we've ever seen anywhere.

The weather was odd, but delightful. I'm not normally in jeans and a sweatshirt on the fourth, but I think I enjoyed that more than the ridiculous heat and humidity we typically have on the day. Daughter1 trained it to Philly on Friday afternoon,and we've just decided to have her come home as often as she can this summer and fall, since she's getting married soon and moving thousands of miles away.

Carpe Diem!

Back to the fireworks. I have not mastered the art of photographing fireworks, but I don't think I'm alone in that. Plus I think fireworks are something we should watch with our eyes as opposed to viewing through an iPhone camera lens. On top of that, we were so close ash was literally falling at our feet, so I had to pay attention.

After the big and very grand finale we moved back up to the deck to sit for a while. Remember that scene in E.T. where there's a whole slew of people rummaging through the woods with flashlights looking for the alien? Well my brother's back woods looked a lot like that after the fireworks ended. There must have been six or seven firemen with flashlights patrolling the woods all along the river, I guess checking for any lingering hot stuff. Worrisome and reassuring at the same time.

Daughter1 brought her mandolin home and my brother and a friend of his played their guitars while she
pickedpluckedstrummed along on her almost new mandolin.  My brother gave it a try too, but his guitar was too big for Daughter1 and the mandolin is made for brides with dainty fingers.

I love the way a mandolin makes any song sound a little folksy. We were pretty impressed with her playing since she's only had it a month and she was following along with guitar chords. Apparently the mandolin is set up more like a violin and the placement of your hands for the chords is reversed from that of a guitar. Something like that...I'm not the one to explain it (obviously!!), but suffice it to say it took some skill.

Which she got from her father's side of the family.

Saturday morning we took my mom out to breakfast because she is celebrating a birthday tomorrow, and that calls for breakfast out. We drove home Saturday afternoon, and Daughter1 and I got busy addressing save the date cards for her big day. I ordered special pretty stamps that should be here today, and will be happy to have something ticked off the to-do list. Almost. I still have the mother of the groom's list to address but we're 2/3 of the way there and that's something.

We had a leisurely, low-key dinner beside the lake on Saturday evening which was really enjoyable. We knew we had a long list of things to tackle on Sunday before Daughter1 headed home, so we all sank into the tranquility of sunlight dancing on the water, an al fresco meal served lakeside, and a to-do list that would still be there tomorrow.

And of course it was.

A wedding to-do list is pretty much three steps forward and two steps back, because as soon as you tick three things off the list you remember two more things you need to add. Daughter1 and I attempted to synchronize our calendars for a trip to wedding town, made a list of questions for the wedding planner, photographer, and videographer, screened potential bands, went through items the bride and groom want on their still unregistered registry, confirmed an October shower date with a special family friend who will open up her beautiful home as the venue, discussed welcome bag containers and contents, previewed invitation options, and attempted to capture what we want in terms of the 1001 details that we'll lump under the heading of 'reception'... all in a matter of a few hours.

Hubs grilled out Sunday afternoon and then we did that thing we do so often and so well-take a child to the train station and send her back to her city far away. Not as far away as her new city will be, but it's Monday and I'm not going to think about that today. That thought would be about number 457 on my list of 10,000 things to think about between now and January so it can wait.

Happy Monday!

Thursday Friday Fragment Throwback

Lumping all my end of the week thoughts into one teeny tiny post. Actually not all my thoughts, but some of them. Not teeny tiny either, but you probably assumed that.

It's been a while since I've participated in Friday Fragments, so thought I'd jump in there today. I know it's Thursday, but tomorrow is the start of a holiday weekend which means today is 'Friday'.

It's also July. Is anyone else scratching their head wondering what happened to June? On the bright side, the absolute best corn in the world hits our area this month. There is no sweeter corn than Jersey corn.

Let's talk camp.

Last weekend I was here, catching up with friends from long ago summers spent in cabins beside the Bay. The weather was perfectly perfect and the hours and minutes were too.

I sat beside a campfire and sang old songs, songs whose lyrics reside in the furthest reaches of my mind, yet spill out of my lips like it was yesterday. I participated in an early morning 5K. I swam, and talked, and reminisced. I soaked up the beauty and the bounty found in the woods and the water and the people that are 'camp'. A much needed retreat for body, mind, and spirit.

In other news, this little munchkin gets married six months from today. TODAY!!

She's coming home for the holiday weekend, because planning a wedding with the bride-to-be in one state, and the bride's mama in another state, and the groom-to-be in yet another state, and the wedding itself in yet another state presents some challenges. Thankful for the Internet, Facetime, text messaging, patient vendors, the US Army, friends and family willing to rearrange life to celebrate with us on the day, and sweet gentle girls who grow up to be brides.

Is a bride only a bride on her official wedding day? Is she a bride-to-be until then, or is a bride a bride once she's engaged? 100 meaningless points to anyone who can answer. And another 100 to whoever can tell me the name of the blogger who used to award meaningless bonus points.

Hubs and I just booked a little getaway for later this summer. It's a sit by the pool, toes in the sand kind of getaway, which is my favorite kind.

I love the July 4th holiday weekend. I love BBQ's and fireworks and little people dressed in red white and blue. On that note, here's my shoutout to Throwback Thursday-

My girls pretty much spent their entire childhoods watching fireworks like this.
Maybe they still do? I don't know for sure because it's been a while since we were all together for fireworks.

What I can tell you for certain is they do now have all their front teeth!

Wishing you all a safe and happy Independence Day! 

Three Cheers for the Red, White, and Hodgepodge

Welcome to the Wednesday Hodgepodge! Please add your link here, only if you're participating in the Hodgepodge! Wishing everyone a safe and happy 4th of July!

Here we go-

1. Speaking of 180...when was the last time you 'did a 180' on something?

Winter weddings.

It's not that I had anything against a winter wedding, its just I always imagined my summer girl would get married in warm weather.  As we were trying to pin down a date I prayed God would wrestle the calendar from my tightly held grip and take command of the calendar. Daughter1 and her groom will have a winter wedding, and I am absolutely loving all the possibilities. 

I love the elegance and  the twinkle lights and the no humidity and the fact that its less common so feels a little bit original and so much more. At one point we thought we might have to push the date out to next summer, and I was actually disappointed to think about giving up the winter theme. So glad it all worked out to keep it there!

2.  It's Independence week in the US of A! What's your favorite thing about America right this very minute? Favorites only! Let's hear what you love about America!

'The mountains, and the prairies, and the oceans white with foam....'

3. Stars or stripes? Red, white, or blue? Watermelon, homemade vanilla ice cream, or blueberry pie?

All of the above. 

Okay, I'll play along...stripes if we're talking clothing, but stars if we're talking Christmas-ha! 

Navy blue. 

Watermelon, but I wouldn't turn down any of those last three!

4. When did you last see stars, figuratively speaking?

I think the expression is normally associated with a bonk to the head and thankfully I haven't done that in quite a while.

5. 'Clear as a bell', 'with bells on', 'lots of bells and whistles', 'saved by the bell'...which phrase 'rings' truest for you lately? Have you ever seen The Liberty Bell?

Hmmm...these type questions always tax the brain a little, don't they? I'm going with 'lots of bells and whistles' which is loosely defined as things not necessary, but that make something more exciting. 

We're deep into the wedding planning round here, and really the only thing necessary is a bride, groom, and officiant, right? Except we want lots of bells and whistles! 

Not literally, but details help make the day more memorable I think, and they're the fun part of the planning. 

6. Are you caught up in World Cup Fever? Have you watched a lot, a little or none at all?

Definitely! I don't always find 'futbol' exciting to watch, but there have been so many last second wins (and losses, sigh) in this series it has been fun tuning in. We became real fans living in the UK, plus Team USA's star (Clint Dempsey) went to the same small uni as my girls, so we love rooting for him to do well. Such a tough loss yesterday!

7.  Bid farewell to June in ten words or less.

Over already? Huh? Wait, what? It's July???

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."~ Thomas Paine

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 180

We've hit Edition #180 in the Wednesday Hodgepodge Hodgepodgers! Whoohoo! You know the drill...answer on your own blog, then hop back here tomorrow to share answers with the universe. Newcomers are always welcome to join the party! See ya there!

1.  Speaking of 180...when was the last time you 'did a 180' on something?

2. It's Independence Week in the US of A! What's your favorite thing about America right this very minute? Favorites only! Let's hear what you love about America.

If you're playing along today, and you're not an American but have been to America, what do/did you like best about this country? If you've never been to America, do you have any desire to visit? What's the number one thing you'd like to see?

3. Stars or stripes? Red, white, or blue? Watermelon, homemade vanilla ice cream, or blueberry pie?

4. When did you last see stars, figuratively speaking?

5.  'Clear as a bell', 'with bells on',  'lots of bells and whistles', 'saved by the bell'...which phrase 'rings' truest for you lately?  Have you ever seen The Liberty Bell?

6. Are you caught up in World Cup fever? Have you watched a lot or a little or none at all?

7. Bid farewell to June in 10 words or less.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

Throwback Thursday Summer Camp Style

I'm busy. Always it seems, and I accept that. 'Tis a season, and when this season ends there will be another season, because that's how mid-life goes. Not at all how I imagined it would be, but life is full of surprises and I mostly like surprises.

Anyway I have a lot on my plate today, so in the interest of time, I thought I'd join the Throwback Thursday Revolution and post something light.

That's me on the right, wearing braids and a blindfold and brushing someone else's teeth. Good Morning Campers!

They know who they are. They read here.

This weekend I'm headed back to camp. The place I spent many a summer first as a camper, later as a CIT, and then eventually a counselor. We used to on occasion have something called a counselor hunt, which was essentially a ginormous game of hide and seek. The way it worked was the counselors would hide from the kids and the kids would try to find them.  Relax...we weren't hiding to get away from the kids, we were hiding to avoid being caught, because if you were caught there was a penalty.

I was never ever caught. I had a most stellar hiding place and at age 18 was not afraid to squeeze myself under a building to avoid capture. Some counselors were always caught. Some didn't try very hard to hide, especially if they were with the younger campers, because they knew how much the kids loved finding their 'chief'.

Me, well my campers were teenagers, and I was all about not being caught. What can I say? I've always been competitive and teenagers love a challenge.

They never ever caught me.

Okay, I was caught once along with another counselor, and the picture above was our 'penalty'. We had to stand on a table in front of the group, I was blindfolded, and had to brush the other girls teeth.

I admit as a mother my first thought now is more along the lines of ewwwww, and picturing myself lying in the dirt under that building with all the creepy crawlies kinda makes my skin crawl, but...this is why camp is so awesome.

You do things like crawl in the dirt beneath a building and stand blindfolded on a table with a toothbrush in hand while campers cheer you on. You laugh and smile every single day, not because you're brushing someone else's teeth, but because you're just ridiculously happy to be in a place where you can spend your days outdoors, share life with friends, sleep under the stars, talk about the deep and not so deep, swim-sail-ride and pray.

Christian camp for kids and teens, and for the mostly college aged people who work there, can be life changing. For me it still is. We started these reunion weekends in the summer of 2010, and imagined they might happen every few years. As it happened though, that first one was so much fun we've made it an annual thing. It's a weekend I look forward to, and one I now view as a retreat. A time and place to reconnect not only with the people who knew me when, but also with myself.

Some of the buildings have moved and changed, and it all looks a little bit different not different. It's still the best place I know to sit in the middle of God's glorious creation and remember His goodness all those years ago.

...and His goodness still.