It's A Grand Old Hodgepodge

Welcome back 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 linking before you. Here we go-

1. The Hodgepodge lands on June 14th this week, Flag Day in the US of A. Do you fly your country's flag at home? Sometimes, often, or every single day? Have you ever visited the city of Brotherly Love (Philadelphia)? Did you make a point of seeing The Betsy Ross House? Have you ever made a trip to Baltimore? If so, was Fort McHenry on your itinerary? (where Francis Scott Key was inspired to write The Star Spangled Banner)

Normally we do fly a flag, but we haven't put a pole or any other sort of holder out in the new house yet. On our to-do list. 

Along with 101 other things. 

As far as those two cities go, I've lived near both a fair chunk of my life. I've been to the Betsy Ross House on more than one occasion, but in all the years we lived near Baltimore I never visited Ft. McHenry. The Betsy Ross House is pretty touristy, and I think most historians question the validity of Miss Ross actually stitching up the flag right there. Still, Philly is full of wonderful history and a great place to visit. 

2. Red flag or white flag? Which have you encountered most recently? Explain.

Probably a white flag. We've had a lot going on here of late, and I've had to adjust my expectations in terms of how this summer might look. I wrote about it here, if you are curious. 

3. Are you a stay in the car listen to the end of a song kind of person? What kind of person is that?

Absolutely. Hubs and I both are. We've been known to pull into our garage and sit there through more than one or four songs if they keep playing ones we love. 

What kind of person is that? I think a sentimental person, a person for whom music and memory are linked in a way that's hard to define. In the words of Eric Church...'funny how a melody, sounds like a memory...' In fact let's just go ahead and play the whole thing, because he's captured it-



If you don't get what this song has to do with this question, then you're probably not someone who sits in the car and listens to the end of a song. 

4. What are some of the traits or qualities you think a good dad possesses? In other words, what makes a good dad? What's an expression you associate with your father?

I don't think there's any such thing as a perfect dad, and I also think love covers a multitude of imperfections when it comes to parenting. I felt like that needed saying before I answered the question. 

I think a good dad is a man of integrity, a man who sets a good example for his family in all areas of life (no pressure-ha!), he provides for the physical needs of his children and loves sacrificially. He's available to his children, makes them a priority, and encourages them in their giftings and endeavours. He extends grace and mercy in abundance, and treats his children's mother with the utmost kindness and respect always. 

A good dad recognizes he has been given an awesome responsibility and asks God regularly for wisdom and guidance. He teaches his children to do the same. 

As far as expressions go there are several. There was something my dad used to yell when it was time to come to the table, and I think it was in Japanese. I tried to find the phrase by searching phonetically but no luck. We thought it was hilarious. 

Another expression would be, 'You look like a hoot owl in a bush.' If you came to breakfast with bed head you could expect to hear this one. I used to say it to my girls and somehow they morphed it into 'You look like a hootie in the woodie' so that's how we've always said it in our house. Still makes me think of my dad. 

5. What's one rule you always disagreed with while growing up? Is that rule somehow still part of your adult life? Is that a good or bad thing?

Eat all your vegetables? 

I love vegetables now, so nobody ever has to tell me to about vegetables or anything else , "...just eat two more bites, and then you can be done...'  

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Have you ever posted anything on Facebook Live? Are you on Instagram (I'm at Daleyshots) ? Do you use the Instagram story feature? Tell me one of your favorites to follow there.  

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 310

Here are the questions to the Wednesday Hodgepodge. Answer on your own blog, then hop back here tomorrow to share answers with all your friends and neighbors. See you there!

1. The Hodgepodge lands on June 14th this week, Flag Day in the US of A. Do you fly your country's flag at home? Sometimes, often, or every single day? Have you ever visited the city of Brotherly Love (Philadelphia)? Did you make a point of seeing The Betsy Ross House? Have you ever made a trip to Baltimore? If so, was Fort McHenry on your itinerary? (where Francis Scott Key was inspired to write The Star Spangled Banner)

2. Red flag or white flag? Which have you encountered most recently? Explain.

3. Are you a stay in the car listen to the end of a song kind of person? What kind of person is that?

4. What are some of the traits or qualities you think a good dad possesses? In other words, what makes a good dad? What's an expression you associate with your father?

5. What's one rule you always disagreed with while growing up? Is that rule somehow still part of your adult life? Is that a good or bad thing?

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Five Minutes of Expect

As per usual here of late I missed the boat on Five Minute Friday so am going with Five Minute Sunday instead. That's not really a thing, but I'm making it a thing. Go here to read what others had to say this week, and no it's definitely not too late to add an entry of your own. Here we go-

Today's prompt-expect

I like this word. I might just be the queen of expectation. I like a plan. I like to know what's on tap for today, next week, this summer, the retirement years-ha! As a mother and a teacher I was intentional in setting clear expectations for my daughters (and my students), because I think children typically do better if they know what's expected.

I guess I'm like a kid that way.

I like knowing what's next. I like making lists and checking them off. I can live quite comfortably with a full calendar and a busy schedule, with people coming and going and all sorts of travel and crazy, if I know to expect full-busy-and a-little-bit-crazy.

Recently we've had to make some significant changes to our summer calendar and plans due to unexpected family illness. We've preemptively canceled some of what we were expecting to happen in order to be present in what is actually happening. We need blank space in our lives right now that will allow us to come and go as needed, to rest and recharge, and to tend to whatever needs tending.

We're told to live one day at a time, but do we really do that? Don't we more often attempt to outrun unwanted change, avoid difficult circumstances, plan and plot so there are no interruptions or detours in the way we think life should go? How we expect it to go? Raising my hand here.

There's an old Yiddish proverb that says something like 'Man makes plans and God laughs', and while I don't think that's true, I do get the point. Perhaps a better way of saying it would be 'Man makes plans and God makes different and better plans because He knows us down to the very fiber of our being.' 

Our pastor in his message this morning (don't you love when that happens?!) reminded us that nothing is unexpected in God's eyes. Nothing surprises Him. He knows what was, and is, and is to come, and He is sovereign over every last bit of it.

I've set some new expectations for the next couple of weeks and they look something like this-

Trust Him. 
Take one day at a time.

I'm thinking it's a pretty good plan.

Birthday Wishes Really Do Come True

My first born baby girl.

She celebrates a birthday today.

In just a few short weeks my baby is having a baby of her own, so technically she's a grown up married lady.

Except your baby is always your baby, right?

She was absolutely the sweetest little thing with soft blonde curls and a gentle heart. She loved baby dolls and books...

...dress ups and playing house.

Very soon now she'll be momma to a baby boy.

And she is still the sweetest little thing.

She's funny and fearless and full of adventure, and she'll soon love dump trucks and Legos and throwing a ball in the back yard.

She will  always love books and there will always be a pile just waiting to be read.

When she was home for her shower in March we pulled out her baby book and read through the milestones and the memories from her first year of life. At the end of the book were two letters, both of them written on her first birthday, one by me and one by hubs.

In my letter written all the way back in 1980-something I penned these words..."I wish for you, my sweet little daughter, good health always, that you will grow to understand the values Daddy and I are trying to teach you, that you will come to trust Jesus in a personal way, and most of all, that you will always be as happy and content as you have been in this first year of your life...."

Those wishes were the prayers in a mother's heart as baby turned toddler turned teen turned momma-to-be.

 In 2017 I stand amazed at how those wishes came true.

Happy birthday Daughter1! Watching you grow is still my favorite thing.

Note to Hodgepodgers

Hi All! Just a note to say there will not be a Wednesday Hodgepodge this week (June 7th). Hubs and I had to make an unexpected out of town trip last week, and as a result I'm behind on the blog. I hope to catch up on life here soon, but watch for the next edition of the Wednesday Hodgepodge June 14th. Thanks for understanding!

Accomplishing The Hodgepodge

Somehow we've landed in the last week of May. Does anyone else feel like it was just Christmas? June is one of my favorites so no complaints here. The Hodgepodge is rolling right along too...answer on your own blog then hop back there tomorrow to add your link to the party. See you there!

1. What makes you feel accomplished? Explain.

It's the little things. Hosting a dinner party. Completing a tough hike. Keeping a plant alive for an extended period of time. Successfully preparing a complicated recipe. Building a house. Writing. 

2. If you had your own talk show, who would your first three guests be? Tell us why.

Princess Catherine because I adore her, Tim Tebow because I so admire how he has used his fame for good, and the President because he's the President. 

3. Do you have a great burger recipe? What's in it? What do you like on a hamburger and where is your favorite spot to order one out?

I don't really have a recipe, just good ground beef, lots of salt and pepper, and one of our favorite steak seasonings, either Sauers or Chicago. I need lettuce, tomato, mayo on my burger with a side of dill pickle. I don't do the fast food thing so much, but there are a couple of local spots here that make a good burger. I do like Red Robin's burgers too. 

4. What's the biggest anxiety producing thing you do on a regular basis?

It's a toss up between flying and docking the boat. Now technically I'm doing neither, but!...I am flying that plane from my seat, and while hubs is normally doing the actual boat docking, the first mate role makes me sweat.  

5. This is the last Hodgepodge of May. Tell us about your summer plans.

Well, first and foremost I'M HAVING A GRANDBABY! Other than that it's all about the lake. Lots of company coming and going, so lots of boating, corn hole, and porch sitting. I'm also going to a little reunion with friends from the church I grew up in, and I'm really looking forward to that. A fun, busy summer. 

Is there any other kind on this side of the pond? 

6. Insert your own random thought here.

A neighborhood friend invited me to lunch last Friday, along with two other women. Three of us lived in the UK at roughly the same time, but didn't know one another there. We went to a gorgeous spot out in the country, a small farm with an interesting menu and a spectacular view.

The weather was picture perfect, and it was a completely lovely afternoon.




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Five Minutes of Visit

If you're looking for this week's Hodgepodge questions, keep on scrollin'. 

Linking with Five Minute Friday on a Tuesday because I didn't have five minutes on Friday. We had a full house this weekend, which makes for the perfect segue into this week's prompt...

Friday's word prompt-visit

The idea of house guests sends some people running for the hills, but around here we make up beds, gas up the boat, fluff the porch cushions, and say come on over. Sidebar-I'm a bit of a control freak and it used to be when company was coming I'd exhaust myself trying to make every little thing just so.

Over the years I've learned that visitors don't care about just so. In fact sometimes just so stresses them out. They care about you, their host. They want to sit on the porch in their yoga pants and hear what's new with you. They want to play dominoes and listen to soft rain on the roof.

They want you to hand them a stack of plates and let them set the table.

They want to bring snacks for the boat or chicken salad for lunch or homemade Italian sausage for the grill.

They want to come upstairs in their pj's sans makeup and done hair and see you in your pj's sans makeup with undone hair too.

They might even do your hair if you ask nicely.

They don't judge unless you're so busy running around doing that you miss the point of a visit with friends, and then they might sigh and say they wish you'd just sit a spell.

I haven't completely let go of my need to make things comfortable but I do cook ahead, put on my glasses and my sweatpants with the coffee, and watch the sunrise over the lake with my guests. I'll wear a swim suit and breathe in the scent of sunscreen and the water right along with the view.

I will float in my pink flamingo.

And I will make time to visit. Time to remember the years roll by...

That moments make a memory and these are the times of our lives.
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