Recording The 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 linking before you. That's what keeps the Hodgepodge rolling merrily along.  Here we go-

1. Describe your 30's in one sentence. If you're not yet 30 tell us one thing you hope to accomplish once you hit that particular decade.

I asked this question a while back about your 20's and struggled with the one sentence thing. I ended up writing a whole blog post in response (you can read that here) and think I'll do the same with my 30's. For purposes of today's Hodgepodge here is one sentence/phrase that sums up a big huge chunk of my 30's-

Growing up girls. 

2. Is it harder for you to exercise or eat healthy?

Hmmm...depends on the day, but for the most part I more easily drop the ball when it comes to regular exercise. 

3. June 7th is National VCR Day. Huh? Anyway this reminded me of something I saw on Facebook listing household items we no longer have and the VCR was on it. I couldn't put my hands on that list, but found another list here of 21 items we all had ten years ago, but which are now obsolete-

bookshelves (WHAT!!???), drip coffee makers, alarm clocks, file cabinets, desktop computers, printers, printed phone books, answering machines, fax machines, paper shredders, a Rolodex, CD racks, CD burners, china cabinets, home phones, entertainment consoles, DVD players, calculators, takeout menus, incandescent light bulbs, and cable TV

Your thoughts? How many on the list do you still have? Still use?

Here are my thoughts on what's listed and currently in my possession-

bookshelves-I love real books and pretty shelves to hold them. We have a wall of built-ins in my office and we make good use of them. I like bookshelves where books are mixed with 'tchotchkes' for lack of a better word...photographs, baskets, art, mementos...

file cabinet-we still have a small one, although it's out of sight in a storage room. Where do people without one keep those pesky old tax returns? 

desktop computer-on one as we speak but when I change up my office space next year I might go to a laptop

paper shredder-in use regularly...aren't we all paranoid about identity theft? I shred credit card offers with my name preprinted (a pet peeve of mine) several times a week

china cabinet-still have one in my dining room because I like dishes and still use my china on special occasions. Or not so special occasions. I enjoy passing by the cabinet and seeing pretty dishes on display, and I like the easy access a china cabinet provides. I wouldn't mind updating my dining room furniture at some point down the road, but it's low on my list of 'want-to-dos'. 

home phone-no longer have one but I wish we did

takeout menus-there's not a lot of takeout in our little corner of the world, but I do have a couple of menus from local places we frequent sitting in my kitchen organizer. Sometimes paper really is faster/easier than consulting Google. 

cable-we have satellite TV which I know isn't cable, but it's cable in the sense that we haven't cut the chord and gone to subscription channels only

I use the alarm clock and calculator features on my phone all the time and don't miss those items in the house. I think my desktop can fax but I never bothered to learn how and it can also burn CD's which (true confession) I still do from time to time. 

4. What's something you see disappearing in the next ten years?

Keys. Remember when we all had a ring of keys in our purses and pockets? I feel like we're going the way of biometrics, swipe cards, remote entry, etc. 

5. How did you celebrate your birthday this past year? Is that typical?

Last year I spent my birthday right here-

In the water with a book in hand and plenty of sunshine. I floated and read and later hubs grilled me a steak and it was perfect. The day was typical in that hubs always makes me feel special on my birthday, but atypical in that we weren't dining out. My birthday lands in September and I think by the time it rolled around last year I was feeling the effects of a summer filled with activity. A day at home was what I asked for and enjoyed. 

6. Insert your own random thought here.

This little peanut celebrates a big birthday tomorrow-

I'll give you three guesses which one-ha! see question #1 

I know many of you read her blog (you'll find it here) and/or follow her on Instagram so I'd love it if you'd hop over with happy birthday wishes. 

 photo cred: the birthday girl

She's still a little peanut, but also a loving wife to her hard working hubs, and a devoted mother to the cutest baby boy on the planet. Happy birthday Daughter1! You're still a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day! 

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 354

After a much needed break I'm back with this week's questions for the Wednesday Hodgepodge. Answer on your own blog, then jump back here tomorrow and add your link to the party. See you there!

1.Describe your 30's in one sentence. If you're not yet 30 tell us one thing you hope to accomplish once you hit that particular decade.

2. Is it harder for you to exercise or eat healthy?

3. June 7th is National VCR Day. Huh? Anyway this reminded me of something I saw on Facebook listing household items we no longer have and the VCR was on it. I couldn't put my hands on that list, but found another list here of 21 items we all had ten years ago, but which are now obsolete-

bookshelves (WHAT!!???), drip coffee makers, alarm clocks, file cabinets, desktop computers, printers, printed phone books, answering machines, fax machines, paper shredders, a Rolodex, CD racks, CD burners, china cabinets, home phones, entertainment consoles, DVD players, calculators, takeout menus, incandescent light bulbs, and cable TV

Your thoughts? How many on the list do you still have? Still use?

4. What's something you see disappearing in the next ten years?

5. How did you celebrate your birthday this past year? Is that typical?

6. Insert your own random thought here.

It's Tuesday

I felt that needed to be said, because when a weekend lasts three days it's easy to forget what day it is. That also explains why there are no Hodgepodge questions on my blog today. I normally write them on a Monday so they'll post on Tuesday, but I spent all day yesterday thinking it was Sunday so no Hodgepodge this week.

Let's talk about other interesting things. Like the weather! Ugh! Memorial Day weekend feels like the official start of the summer season which I guess is why we expect the weather to be lovely and summer-like. We're almost always disappointed. I keep reminding myself it's May and it's still spring so rain is the norm, but it feels like warm sunny skies should be the norm.

I remember when my girls were young we always went to a friend's parents house on Memorial Day weekend because we lived in Annapolis and the Blue Angels would fly right over her parent's pool. The water would be freezing and the skies were most often gray and cloudy but the kids would try to convince us it was perfect swimming weather and we'd let them swim because it really does feel like the kick off to summer.

In spite of the dreary weather, or maybe because of it, we had a really enjoyable, low-key, restful weekend here at the lake. Daughter2 drove out after work on Friday and made it in time for dinner. Hubs grilled chicken and made yummy margaritas, and we set up a taco bar of sorts. It was perfect.

We ate almost all our meals this weekend on the screened in porch which is my favorite thing to do. The lake is never not pretty, and honestly watching rain fall from the comfy coziness of the porch is good for the soul.

We've had a houseful of company all month long so a quiet weekend was definitely in order. Hubs likes the idea in theory, but in reality not so much. He can create a project where none exists. At one point this weekend I actually uttered these words, which I know some of you won't understand, but if you're married to a do-er like I am you'll get it..."Hon, I really need you to do less this weekend." 

Seriously, how can I stretch out for a nap with a book on the back deck when he's killing weeds, rearranging hoses, and moving rock??? Turns out I can, but 1% of me feels like I should also be 'toting that barge and lifting that bale' right along with him.

Daughter2's fiance arrived from out of town late Friday evening and the four of us had a great time lounging. I actually got the kayak out early Saturday, they're new so this was my first time in ours and it was nice. We're still waiting on the other one to get here because somehow the place we ordered from 'lost' the other one. Not sure how you lose a lime green kayak, but apparently it can happen.

Hubs took my advice mid-morning Saturday and joined us on the porch. There were a few pockets of sunshine late in the day and some neighbors popped over for cornhole on the back drive. We had steaks for dinner and taught the fiance how to play Hearts which was fun. Daughter2 and I both LOVE to play games, the fiance likes to play games, and hubs (once he's talked into the fun) tolerates playing games.

He did grill some awesome ribs on Sunday which is basically an all day kind of process, so while he did that Daughter2 and I played dress up. We pulled out my wedding gown, circa 1984, and I took pictures of her and marveled at my once tiny waistline. I was so in love with those Cinderella sleeves and seeing them again makes me secretly happy.

There's nothing quite like seeing your baby girl in a wedding gown, yours or the very elegant and beautiful gown she'll wear on her actual day. I'm so looking forward to that!

Sunday evening the weather perked up long enough for a boat ride which we all enjoyed. The clouds were impressive!

Monday the monsoon rains were back again. Daughter2 and I spent the morning looking at all things wedding related while the fiance took care of some work stuff on his computer, and hubs...wait for it... napped! in the porch rocker.

Porches make life sweeter y'all.

Before 'the kids' headed back to the small big city Monday we had an afternoon of bowling and burgers at a nearby place. I'm a terrible bowler but it was really fun and we will definitely do that again before summer's end.

Which isn't for a long long while because summer hasn't even started yet.
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Note To Hodgepodge

Hello Hodgepodgers! I knew the month of May would catch up with me eventually and here we are. There will not be a Wednesday Hodgepodge this week (May 30th), but the HP will be back in action the following week (Wednesday June 6th).

June! I know!

Thanks for understanding.

Hodgepodge Royale

Welcome to the Wednesday Hodgepodge! If you've answered this week's questions, add your link at the end of my post, then go say howdy to the blogger linking before you. Here we go-

1. The last place you visited/patronized where you felt like you were given 'the royal treatment'?

I'm struggling to think when/where this would have been. Probably my birthday which was spent right here at home this year. No matter where we celebrate hubs always makes sure I feel pampered and well-loved on my birthday. 

2. The last task you completed that was a 'royal pain'?

Our tax returns. Or maybe it was reprogramming the TV. Both were royally painful. 

3. How have your strengths helped you succeed? How have your faults hindered you?

I think my biggest strength lies in my ability to always see the bright side. I'm an eternal optimist and I think when you're an optimist you find a way around life's obstacles and challenges, or at least a way to deal with them. 

As far as faults that hinder me I guess fear and worry have at times kept me from seizing the day. Course I'm married to someone who always seizes the day so that helps. 

4. If you found a remote that could rewind, fast forward, stop and start time, what would you do with it?

I'd remove the batteries and crush it with a hammer. I don't think we want to mess with time, or at least I don't. If I have to choose an answer from the options listed above I would say rewind. I suppose there are moments I'd like to relive, but I wonder if they'd feel the same? I know for sure I don't want to fast forward. Time is moving fast enough on it's own. 

5. Any special plans for the Memorial Day weekend? Will you in some way honor or recognize the meaning of this day (remembering people who died in service to their country)? Have you ever been to Arlington National Cemetery? Does your town do anything special to mark the day?

Our special plans involve a whole lot of nothing and we can't wait. I think Daughter2 and her fiance are going to come hang out at the lake, and we're all looking forward to a very low key, go-where-the wind-takes-us kind of weekend. There will be lots of porch sitting and lake swimming, a little corn hole, something on the grill, probably a nap or two...

We'll fly a flag of course and I will certainly think about the meaning of the day. I've been to Arlington many many times. My dad is buried there and it's a sacred place. Every American should see it at least once. 

Our little town has a 2-day festival over the Memorial Day weekend which includes carnival rides, concessions, and live music but we have no plans to attend. Like I said, we're keeping it low key here. 

6.  Insert your own random thought here.

On this Memorial Day weekend may God be especially near the families missing loved ones who died in service to our country. I love this beautiful song-






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Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 353

Here are the questions to this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge. Answer on your own blog, then hop back here tomorrow to add your link to the party. See you there!

1. The last place you visited/patronized where you felt like you were given 'the royal treatment'?

2. The last task you completed that was a 'royal pain'?

3. How have your strengths helped you succeed? How have your faults hindered you?

4. If you found a remote that could rewind, fast forward, stop and start time, what would you do with it?

5. Any special plans for the Memorial Day weekend? Will you in some way honor or recognize the meaning of this day (remembering people who died in service to their country)? Have you ever been to Arlington National Cemetery? Does your town do anything special to mark the day?

6.  Insert your own random thought here.

A Right Royal Weekend

Good Monday Morning! I guess it's technically now Monday afternoon, but it was a.m. when I started this post. Monday mornings quite often get away from me somehow.

I'm regrouping here after a fun weekend on the lake with nine of my college sorority sisters. In spite of the less than stellar weather we had a fabulous time catching up with one another in person. One friend was there who most of us hadn't seen in 36 years so that was really special.

There were ten of us all together and two of us have houses on the same lake so we spent Friday at her house and Saturday at mine. Half the group slept there, and the other half here, everyone brought food and drink, and it was all so easy peasy. We talked and we laughed and we told stories and put our collective brains together to remember things we'd forgotten. So much fun!

It was mostly cloudy all weekend, but we still spent a lot of time outdoors, sitting on porches and patios and docks. The sun popped out long enough for a boat ride Saturday evening which was nice. Hubs acted as Cabana Boy and waited on us hand and foot and took pics so yay hubs! He knows all the girls and I think enjoys catching up with them as much as I do.

Hey, did you hear there was a wedding this weekend? Ha! The hype leading up to the day was a little over the top, but we loved watching it together. I thought she looked lovely and let her natural beauty shine. People are sometimes just plain awful aren't they? So many mean spirited comments in the world of social media. What is it about weddings that brings out the inner critic in everyone? She might be marrying into the royal family, but I thought the ceremony felt like it belonged to the bride.

I have to say I felt for the mother-of-the-bride. How hard to be on your own in that particular setting, but she seemed to handle it with grace and I admire that so much.

Also, Windsor. Sniff. How I miss you. I loved seeing the town almost more than I enjoyed watching the wedding. We spent a lot of time in Windsor back in the day and have our own favorite photo taken on the long walk.

And now it's Monday and we're back to a quiet house. Hubs has already repaired a broken door lock and is power washing the dock because he always needs to be doing something. I'm tackling the laundry mountain, straightening the house, putting away stray dishes-table leaves-and the like, catching up on my blog, and drinking gallons of coffee. There was a whole lotta fun packed into these past three days, but not a whole lotta sleep.

So did you watch the wedding? What did you think? Happy Monday all!