Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 441

Welcome to another week in the Wednesday Hodgepodge. Lea over at Cici's Corner recently prompted me to look back at my first Hodgepodge post and I discovered the date of that first post was this very week in the year 2010. It doesn't feel like that long ago but blogs don't lie. They might exaggerate at times, but they don't lie ha! 

I thought it might be fun this week to repeat some of those same questions. When I started the HP I asked seven questions adding a space in #8 for your own random thought. Thinking about that now I don't know how I kept up the pace. I was smarter then I guess lol. 

I downsized to five questions in May of 2017 before calling it quits in September of 2018. It was becoming more of a chore than a fun mid-week break and the timing felt right. I brought it back in the early days of the pandemic (remember when it was 'early days'???) and we're still at it. In more ways than one, but that's a post for a different day. 

I still enjoy this little weekly random, so keeping it going until I don't. Thank you for sticking with it, re-joining, or landing here for the first time ever. Here we go-

1. How did you name your blog and do you now wish you had thought about it maybe another five minutes before hitting publish? Would you change your blog title if it were not a huge pain in the derriere? 

2. What bill do you least like to pay? 

3. What is your favorite word? Okay okay, calm down. How about one of your favorite words? 

4. Is the glass half full or half empty? Elaborate. 

5. Were you here for that very first Hodgepodge post? If so, were your answers then similar to what they are today? Tell us what was happening in your life in November of 2010? 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Happy Halloween! And Other November Things

I am obsessed with autumn this year. Every year I guess, but this year especially. 

I think it's the light. The light is pure gold and the lake off peak is gentle and still. 

I know the days are shorter, but the way the sunlight breaks through the trees makes up for that. Blue jeans, fires, cozy mornings, change...just give me all the autumn things. 

Hubs and I took a drive across the border a couple of weeks ago to have lunch at The Greystone Inn on Lake Toxaway. 

Spectacular. 

Let's see...what else...hmmm... hey, remember Halloween? Ha! 

Cutest family ever. I love all the 'themed' costumes you see young families coming up with today. 

Speaking of cute, do you also remember the newlyweds? 

They were here this past weekend en route to their new home some distance south of us. West of us? Somewhere that's not here, but not too too far from here either. We had a wonderful visit as evidenced by this picture taken late Saturday afternoon-

And I'm sure you remember Hunley-

He won the Garden and Gun Magazine Reader's Choice award and continues to live his best life every single day. You can read a link to the article on their website here. 

The contest was a lot of fun and he received over 90,000 votes. People had to detox from their phones and their Facebook when it was all over because friends, and friends of friends, and former coworkers, and their friends, and Boykin Spaniel lovers the world over were all in on this thing for an entire month. 

I've thought about the way we entered this contest on a lark and how it literally took off, and why that was. I've decided it was about so much more than a dog photo. I think people were so eager for a distraction from this upside down world we are living in, so hungry for a break from all things political, anxious to forget all the scolding and the judging and the lecturing and the shaming and the canceling, so much so that they devoted themselves to something simple, something happy...

A little brown dog, who for a time in the middle of a beautiful autumn and an angry world, connected us in a way that made us smile.

Let's keep smiling. 

Saving Daylight In The Wednesday Hodgepodge

Welcome to November and another edition of The Wednesday Hodgepodge. If you've answered today's questions add your link at the end of my post, then before you run off leave a comment for the blogger linking before you. Here we go-  

1. Three things you're grateful for this first week of November? 

a daughter mid-move which puts her seven hours closer to 'home', the staggering beauty of fall around the lake, friendly neighbors who invite you over for dinner on a Monday night-such a treat! 

2. Is Daylight Savings Time a thing where you live? Do you think we should continue setting the clocks forward and back? Why or why not? If you could add an extra hour to your day would you want it added morning-noon-night? Do you think it likely you'd be more productive or more likely that you'd just waste more time? 

It is a thing here in our state although I think there is talk/legislation to end it.  I don't really mind either way. If I could add an extra hour to my day I'd like late morning please. Adding an hour at the end of the day wouldn't make me any more productive. 

3. Who is  your favorite author? Your favorite book by your favorite author? 

A tough question so let's go with one of my favorites-Pat Conroy, The Prince of Tides

4. It's National Sandwich Day...will you celebrate? How often do you eat a sandwich? What's your favorite? 

We eat sandwiches sometimes if we're at home for lunch. Not daily but at least a couple of times a week. My favorite is ham and cheese on rye but we mostly do turkey on wheat here, which somehow feels healthier. 

5. Have you started your Christmas shopping? If so when did you start? If not when will you start? Do you give more or fewer gifts than you did five years ago? 

I have started my shopping which is somewhat unusual for me. I'm more of a December shopper so feeling pretty proud of myself for doing the little bit that I've done. In terms of how many gifts we give I think it's probably about the same as five years ago. I buy less for adults but have grandchildren now so I think it all evens out in the end. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

My baby sister celebrates a big birthday this week. That's her on the left and me on the right in this photo, wearing super cute dresses our mom made for us. Those were the days....

We are one year apart and every year I send her a bag of sugared orange slices on her special day. For the curious, ten years ago I wrote about why in a post here-Orange Slices And Life Lessons. 

Happy birthday Sissy! Sharing is caring lol. 

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Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 440

Small blip here in getting these questions posted, accidentally deleted, accidentally posted with answers, now just posted-ha! Here are the questions to this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge. Answer on your own blog, then hop back here tomorrow to link answers with your friends and strangers. See you there! 

1. Three things you're grateful for this first week of November? 

2. Is Daylight Savings Time a thing where you live? Do you think we should continue setting the clocks forward and back? Why or why not? If you could add an extra hour to your day would you want it added morning-noon-night? Do you think it likely you'd be more productive or more likely that you'd just waste more time? 

3. Who is  your favorite author? Your favorite book by your favorite author? 

4. It's National Sandwich Day...will you celebrate? How often do you eat a sandwich? What's your favorite? 

5. Have you started your Christmas shopping? If so when did you start? If not when will you start? Do you give more or fewer gifts than you did five years ago? 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Two Cute For Words

Almost.  

It seems I always have words.

This little man celebrates a birthday today and if you ask him how old he's turning he shouts TWO! I read a quote which I think is attributed to Jerry Seinfeld, that said having a two year old is like having a blender without a top. Sounds about right because baby boy is busy. 

Also chatty, adorable, hilarious, smart, and precious. 

Dear Max,

Nana likes to write to you and your brother on your birthdays. I like to look back at the year that was and at who you are now and marvel at all the ways you've grown and changed and burrowed yourself deeper into my heart. 

In so many ways it feels like time has moved at a snail's pace these past two years (thanks to lockdowns, pandemics, political divides, and the like) but you my darling boy, have somehow grown from squishy newborn to full fledged toddler in what feels like the blink of an eye. 

Wasn't I just boarding a plane for South Korea to await your arrival? 

We are so grateful you're back in our time zone and are now just a car ride away. A longish car ride to be sure, but still no flights to book, no airports to navigate, no oceans to cross. We always have a choice in how we see things and life is sweeter if you look for the silver linings.

Also, you're not technically in our time zone, but close enough. 

My absolute favorite thing about you is everything, but if I were making a list at the very top would be the way you speak in complete sentences, ask questions that show thought and logic and a firm grasp of syntax,  and then of course there is the way you tell a joke....'no chicken nuggets'...

Readers here won't understand that last bit but we do and I feel confident in telling you now that we'll be grinning ear to ear, repeating it just the way you say it at age two, forever and ever amen.

You might be the little brother but you can hold your own with your favorite big. You are rough and tumble, love to run and jump, throw balls of every size and sport, play with your trains, helicopters, cars and blocks, and in general do whatever your big brother is doing.

You are also super snuggly, love books read to you after you've backed up into the nearest lap, love your stuffed dog Noah and your Mickey Mouse, holding hands with Daddy and your head on momma's shoulder, and really just everything about your momma because she is somethin' special. 

You and your brother remind me so much of your momma and her sister when they were two and four. 

You are so much like your Aunt M was at this same age which means you keep us laughing, but also on our toes!, and always always our hearts full to overflowing.  

Happy birthday baby Wheel. I love you more than even all my many words can say. 

Keep spreading your sunshine wherever you grow. 

xo

Nana

"Stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Let all that you do be done in love." 

1 Corinthians 16:14-14

Nothin' Scary About The Hodgepodge

Welcome to another edition of The Wednesday Hodgepodge, our last in October.  If you've answered today's questions add your link at the end of my blog, then leave a comment for the blogger before you.  Here we go-

1. Is Halloween a big deal in your neighborhood? Was it something you celebrated as a child? With your own children? Do you like candy corn? 

It's not a huge deal in our neighborhood, but it's not no deal either. There are not a lot of young children in our neighborhood and the driveways are long and the roads a bit dark so not ideal for trick or treating. Last year someone organized a trunk or treat in the clubhouse parking lot which was fun and made trick or treating easier for everyone. We don't get trick or treaters at our door, which is just as well because I tend to buy way too much candy and consequently eat way too much candy. 

We did celebrate when I was growing up, nothing over the top but it was a fun day and much looked forward to. We always had a costume parade at school and then we trick or treated around the neighborhood that evening. This was back in the day when you wore those plastic masks that covered your face, had tiny little slits for eyes, and a rubber band that went around your head to hold it in place. If you know you know and if you don't, well you're young and lucky lol. 

My dad always carved a pumpkin but we didn't do any extreme decorating. Early on in my blog life I wrote a (very wordy) post about my Halloween memories. I've linked it here if you're curious-It Was A Dark and Stormy Night...

We kept it pretty low key for our own children too. Costumes and trick or treating around the neighborhood with the dads leading the way. We carved pumpkins but again, I wasn't in to a lot of Halloween decor. 

As far as candy corn goes...I can take it or leave it. 

2. Are you a scaredy cat? About what? 

Hmmm...we probably all have one thing or another that would qualify us as 'scaredy cat'. I have done and still do a lot of things many people would define as 'living unafraid'...international travel, swimming in a deep lake, public speaking, etc. 

How about traversing a gorge in a hanging cable car? I'm fraidy scared but I still do get on them and go so does that really count? 

I know...bats. I am a scaredy cat when it comes to bats. Shudder. 

3. Last time you were somewhere that should have been busy but felt like a 'ghost town'?

Maybe a restaurant on a Friday night that would normally be hopping but these days is not?

4. Do you like chili and if so how do you like it? Beans or no beans? Meat or no meat? Beef or chicken? Spice or no spice? Favorite toppings? 

I love chili and I love chili weather. I make mine with beans-meat-spice, but can happily eat chili all sorts of ways. I tend to use beef but also have a white chicken chili recipe that's tasty. We like spicy and then hubs also needs a side of jalapeños because there's no such thing as too hot for him. I like shredded cheese and sometimes a small dollop of sour cream on mine along with a side of cornbread.

5. Would you describe yourself as a night owl? What time of night qualifies? What are you doing while everyone else is asleep? Do you then 'sleep in'? Define 'sleeping in'. 

Ha! No. What's the opposite of a night owl, because that's what I am? I'm an early bird and love the wee hours of the morning as the sun is rising, not the wee hours of the night after the sun has gone to bed. My level of productivity goes way down late afternoon, and sleeping in for me would be 7:30. If I'm still in bed at 8 am I'm probably sick. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

"I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers." L.M. Montgomery

So is the little brown dog...

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Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 439

Here are the questions to this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge. Answer on your own blog, then hop back here tomorrow to link your answers with the rest of the world wide webbers. See you there! 

1. Is Halloween a big deal in your neighborhood? Was it something you celebrated as a child? With your own children? Do you like candy corn? 

2. Are you a scaredy cat? About what? 

3. Last time you were somewhere that should have been busy but felt like a 'ghost town'? 

4. Do you like chili and if so how do you like it? Beans or no beans? Meat or no meat? Beef or chicken? Spice or no spice? Favorite toppings? 

5. Would you describe yourself as a night owl? What time of night qualifies? What are you doing while everyone else is asleep? Do you then 'sleep in'? Define 'sleeping in'. 

6. Insert your own random thought here.