Hodgepodging Is For The Birds

Welcome to another year of random mid-week fun, aka The Wednesday Hodgepodge. If you've answered today's questions add your link at the end of my post, then leave a comment for the blogger before you. Happy new year and here we go-

1. Share one happy moment/memory from the holiday season. 

I recapped our holiday 'month' in a recent post (link is here-Square One) so not sure I have something new to add.  I guess I'll go with the obvious and say having daughter2 and her hubs here with us the week before Christmas. 

2. Let's be reasonable with our expectations going into this new year, k? What is one thing you'd like to accomplish/improve/complete/do in 2022? 

I'm still pondering the new year so am not going to wade in with anything too deep just yet. One thing on my list every year is to go somewhere I've never been, and that's my hope for 2022 as well. 

3. Every January 1st since 1976 Lake Superior University has published a list of words they'd like to see banished from the Queen's English. Words may be banished due to misuse, overuse or just general uselessness (go here to read more about how the words are chosen). Here are the words/phrases they'd like to see banished in 2022-

wait, what?-no worries-at the end of the day-that being said-asking for a friend-circle back-deep dive-a new normal-you're on mute-supply chain

Which of these words/phrases do you use regularly? Which of these words would you most like to see banished from everyday speech and why? Is there a word/phrase not on the list you'd like to add?  

I am not a fan of circle back, deep dive, or new normal (what's old normal anyway?) so those three are my top picks for banishing. I like and use 'no worries' on a pretty regular basis, and have no real plans to quit. 

A word or phrase to add...how about quarantine? 

4. Best thing you ate in the month of December? 

Wow. Now this is a hard question. Hubs and I are members of a local wine club and we hosted the December dinner. We don't cook it, we just work with the chef and the wine vendor to make it happen. We went with a Korean BBQ themed meal, the chef's take on it anyway, paired with some California wines, and it was wonderful. 

In terms of sweets, my daughter made a soft, iced gingerbread cookie this year and it was scrumptious. 

5. January 5th is National Bird Day. Are you a bird lover? What's your favorite bird to see in the wild? Choose a phrase from the list that follows and tell us how it relates to your life currently...eat like a bird, bird's eye view, early bird, bird-brained, free as a bird, or a little bird told me or kill two birds with one stone.

We are big bird lovers here. We can't have a regular bird feeder because somebody won't stand for it....

....but we do have a bluebird house and these beauties are some of my favorites. Hubs whistles as he approaches the house and they come from all directions and flit around him while he fills their bowl. 

We also love the hummingbirds that hang out beside our kitchen window and of course the blue herons that fly overhead and sometimes perch on our dock roof. 

In terms of phrases I'm going with 'eat like a bird'...as in that's the plan rolling in to the new year. Less carbs, more salads.  

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Does anyone else need about six or seven days to get into the swing of a new year? I am still trying to de-Christmas my house, organize my new calendar, and empty the big desk in the office so it can be moved to make room for the Murphy bed delivery happening tomorrow. For the record, there are many rabbit holes to scurry down when one is emptying a desk, but I have mostly stayed on task. And then yesterday, on a bit of a whim, I signed up for a writing accountability group that starts TODAY! New year, new you...isn't that how the saying goes? 

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Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 446

Hello and happy new year Hodgepodgers! After a brief holiday pause we're back with our regularly scheduled random. Here are the questions to the first hodgepodge of 2022. Answer on your own blog, then hop back here tomorrow to share answers with the universe. See you there!

1. Share one happy moment/memory from the holiday season. 

2. Let's be reasonable with our expectations going into this new year, k? What is one thing you'd like to accomplish/improve/complete/do in 2022? 

3. Every January 1st (since 1976) Lake Superior University has published a list of words they'd like to see banished from the Queen's English. Words may be banished due to misuse, overuse or just general uselessness (go here to read more about how the words are chosen). Here are the words/phrases they'd like to see banished in 2022-

wait, what?-no worries-at the end of the day-that being said-asking for a friend-circle back-deep dive-a new normal-you're on mute-supply chain

Which of these words/phrases do you use regularly? Which of these words would you most like to see banished from everyday speech and why? Is there a word/phrase not on the list you'd like to add? 

4. Best thing you ate in the month of December? 

5. January 5th is National Bird Day. Are you a bird lover? What's your favorite bird to see in the wild? Choose a phrase from the list that follows and tell us how it relates to your life currently...eat like a bird, bird's eye view, early bird, bird-brained, free as a bird, a little bird told me, or kill two birds with one stone.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Square One

I didn't mean to take a three week hiatus here but that's what happened and I'm not mad about it. Course we can't move forward without looking back so let's talk December. 

Christmas came. It always does thankfully. This year's holiday looked a lot different than the one I'd been imagining in my head all year long, but we are nothing if not resilient here so we adjust and adapt and carry on. The weather was fabulous so hubs and I started the day with coffee on the porch. Eventually he made us yummy bacon egg and cheese breakfast sandwiches and we opened gifts, took the pup for a nice long walk, then got the house ready for company coming later in the day. 

We were so glad to have friends also on their own this year, and together we did the traditional ham dinner with all the trimmings served on the Christmas china kind of meal. A really nice afternoon and evening spent with some of the nicest people we know. 

We missed in person time with the cutest little men on the planet, but we did FaceTime and loved hearing about all their favorite moments of the day. Little ones are extra precious this time of year, don't you think? 

We did manage an early somewhat traditional Christmas celebration with Daughter2 and her hubs a few days prior to Christmas and that was loads of fun. They arrived the Sunday before Christmas and left for the in-laws on Thursday morning. 

We declared Wednesday our Christmas with them, and woke up to stockings, breakfast casserole, gifts, and a prime rib meal which the men loved planning for, talking about, cooking and eating. Emphasis on the talking about-ha! Men and their bbq! 

We took them into tiny town one night to see the lights, played darts at the local beer station, played mini golf in a light rain, and just enjoyed being together. 

Backing up to the week before their arrival when we spent a really fun Saturday night with a big gang of friends and strangers-now-friends at a Santa pub crawl in town. We all agreed we have not laughed that much in a long time and it felt great! 

So many Santas, but 'Santa Baby' was my favorite costume.

What else? Oh yeah...construction. Can't forget that. I mean we've only had this project on the books since May so of course the install is going to happen the week before Christmas. Still not done but well on it's way. The wood that's been in our garage for the past three months is now on the wall, waiting on the painter (mid-January), the electrician (sometime), the Murphy bed install (happening this week!) and just a few other small loose ends to tie up before we call it a day. We are loving the look of what's been done and think we might actually wrap this thing up before too long. 

'Too long' being a relative term, ahem. 

Neighbors invited hubs and I for an oyster roast one night about a week before Christmas and it was so much fun. And because there were so many oysters they invited us back two nights later for a repeat and we were happy to oblige. Another neighbor provided the oysters, fresh from their trek to the coast, and we had them raw, steamed, and Rockefeller style. 

Hubs and I had a night on the town in the nearby big city one evening, with dinner and a holiday show courtesy of the local symphony. It was fabulous and I'd definitely like to make this a regular thing going forward. 

My sister lives about an hour from us and since her birthday is the day after Christmas we made plans to celebrate both occasions at my niece's new home on the 26th. We had too many wonderful hors d'oeuvres and loved spending time with family. 

What else? Hubs gave me a new computer for Christmas (whoohoo!) so he and I trekked to the mall last Thursday to do some sort of transfer blah blah blah at the Apple Store. If anyone is wondering what everyone is doing, I can tell you...they're at the mall. Have mercy it was a zoo! I haven't been in a mall since before Covid and I guess I thought that wasn't a thing anymore (the mall, not Covid-ugh!) but it is most definitely a thing. 

We hung out at home on New Year's Eve which is our favorite place to be at year's end. It was absurdly warm and we grilled scallops and were asleep before the clock chimed 12, which is pretty much how our end of year always goes. I'm more about a champagne toast on Day 1 anyway. 

How many times can I mention the weather? My daffodils think it's time to pop up and it is definitely not time.

On the bright side, since the new year rolled in with 70-something degree temps and crazy humidity we made the little brown dog's day and let him swim. Nothing makes him happier than dock diving and we aim to please. 

Our neighbors joined us for dinner New Year's Day and we played some pool after dining on the traditional 'lucky meal' like all good citizens should. Pork tenderloin, cornbread, collard greens, and black eyed peas. I hope everyone reading here also did their part-ha! 

And I guess that catches us all the way up. 

Wait....did I tell you I'm going to be a Nana again?!?!? This is what happens when you neglect your blog. I'm going to be a Nana again!! Here's sweet daughter2, the momma-to-be, with the nightgown I gave her this year. Hedgehogs of course, because it's not Christmas in my house without a hedgehog wrapped up somewhere.

Never have the words happy new year been more appropriate. 

Happy new year!! 

Ho-Ho-Hodgepodge

Hi Friends! And strangers lurking here too. A reminder this will be our last Hodgepodge of the year. We'll return to the regularly scheduled random on Wednesday January 5th, so mark your brand new calendars and plan to be here. 

If you've answered today's questions add your link at the bottom of my post. Be sure to leave a comment for the blogger before you because 'tis the season. Here we go-

 

1. How young is young? In the past, according to various organizations who decide these things, age 60 was the 'border age' to old. The World Health Organization has done new research recently and divided up the categories as-0-17 (underage), 18-65 (youth or young people), 66-79 (middle-aged), 80-99 (elderly senior), 100+ (long-lived elderly). Your thoughts on this particular breakdown, and also your thoughts as to where you land?

Well I for one am loving where I land-ha! Is it accurate? Hmmm...depends on the day I suppose. According to this chart I'm young. Or youthful which sounds even better. I feel more middle aged than young but I like that our 60's and early 70's  are still considered middle age. That definitely feels accurate. 

2. TIME magazine has declared Elon Musk person of the year in 2021. What say you? If you want to know more about how they choose you'll find that info in the link here. If you were choosing, who would be your person of the year? 

I've asked this question several years in a row now in the Wednesday Hodgepodge, so I know the criteria is essentially the person who most influenced the news and our lives, for better or worse. I don't often agree with the magazine's choice, but I think this year Elon Musk is not a bad selection. He has for sure made a lot of news. 

As far as who I would choose if given the chance...I can think of thirteen soldiers who lost their lives in Afghanistan who are certainly worthy of the title. Remember Afghanistan? 

3. I read here ten habits of extremely likeable people which include-they greet the world with a smile on their face, they ask questions, they're consistent, they put the phone away, they remember names and use them, they keep an open mind and don't pass judgement, they're authentic, they're kind and generous, accountable for their mistakes, and they send thank you notes.  

So, are you likeable-lol? Which one of these habits could use some further developing in your own life? What is one habit/quality you'd add to the list? 

Am I likeable? Don't we need someone else to answer that question for us? I think I'm pretty likeable. 

I'm an optimist and if I were adding something to the list it would be 'likeable people see life's glass as more than half full'. 

4. One non-holiday related task/job/goal/dream on your to-do list that you hope/plan to make happen before the new year rolls in? 

I'd love to say my office reno, but it's unlikely to be completed before the calendar turns. It's underway though so I'll take it! I've been reading through the Bible this year and I got a little behind but am catching up now. My goal is to finish before the clock strikes 2022.

5. Share with us some of your holiday plans.

I will not have my daughters or my grandsons here on Christmas Day, which was not at all the plan but is now the plan. I'm not on board in case you're wondering. 

Sometimes we have to work to see the glass half full, don't we? 

Daughter2 and her Mr. will be here a few days before Christmas and we're going to have my mother-in-law with us for about ten days which will be nice. Hubs recognizes I am struggling to find my holiday spirit this year, so he's putting things on the calendar, inviting friends here, accepting invitations, all to help make the season feel more merry. He's a keeper. 

Hubs and I are lighting our church advent wreath on Christmas Eve at the 9 PM candlelight service. The Christmas Eve service is almost always the thing that really and truly reminds me all is calm, and all is bright. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6

~Merry Christmas to you all~

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Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 445

Hi Hodgepodgers and everyone else too! This will be the last Wednesday Hodgepodge of the year. We'll be back on track Wednesday January 5th, so plan to ring in Hodgepodge 2022 with us then. 

We are here this week though, so don't forget to join the party. Answer on your own blog then sled back here tomorrow to share answers with all of Santa's elves. See you there-

1. How young is young? In the past, according to various organizations who decide these things, age 60 was the 'border age' to old. The World Health Organization has done new research recently and divided up the categories as-0-17 (underage), 18-65 (youth or young people), 66-79 (middle-aged), 80-99 (elderly senior), 100+ (long-lived elderly). Your thoughts on this particular breakdown, and also your thoughts as to where you land?

2. TIME magazine has declared Elon Musk person of the year in 2021. What say you? If you want to know more about how they choose you'll find that info in the link here. If you were choosing, who would be your person of the year? 

3. I read here ten habits of extremely likable people which include-they greet the world with a smile on their face, they ask questions, they're consistent, they put the phone away, they remember names and use them, they keep an open mind and don't pass judgement, they're authentic, they're kind and generous, accountable for their mistakes, and they send thank you notes.  

So, are you likable-lol? Which one of these habits could use some further developing in your own life? What is one habit/quality you'd add to the list? 

4. One non-holiday related task/job/goal/dream on your to-do list that you hope/plan to make happen before the new year rolls in? 

5. Share with us some of your holiday plans. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Somewhat Current Events

I have a to-do list as long as my arm, but how 'bout let's blog instead? I want this space to catch up with my  real life space so I'm going to throw down some random words and pictures today in hopes of making that happen. 

Last Friday some 'NJ friends' vacationing in a neighboring state detoured to the lake and spent the night at our house. The Mrs. worked with hubs back in the day and we had not seen her in person since she came to visit us in England many moons ago. How many moons you ask? Well daughter1 celebrated her 16th birthday during that visit so very many. 

Let me not go down the England rabbit hole today, or the one where daughters turn sixteen and then get married, move away, and have babies either. Let's stick to the here and now and the absolute most picture perfect December weather in the history of weather. 

Our friends got to the lake just in time for us to boat over to lunch because that's what you do on a clear blue 77-degree December day. 

And because it was still spectacular after lunch we motored around a bit, showed them the nearby waterfall, and some of our favorite little coves before heading home. 

We then ventured into town (by car of course) for happy hour at a favorite local wine bar. We shared a charcuterie tray and talked and caught up and then went over to tiny town's little main street to see the Christmas lights.

We live in a sleepy little burg with not a lot going on other than the great outdoors, but let me just state for the record, the Christmas lights in this town are something else. They're set to music and it's fun to see people of all ages out enjoying holiday cheer. 

This year there were several fire tables set up in the street with a booth nearby selling s'more kits. We did not partake because we were headed to an Italian restaurant for a late supper, but maybe next time.  

Our friends caught the beauty of the early morning sunrise before heading home Saturday morning. Let's pause because I feel like we should. 

Photos do not do the winter skies here justice. 

Saturday evening was our neighborhood Christmas party which was a nice way to ring in the holiday season. I bought a pair of super sparkly pants for the occasion and it's impossible not to have fun when you're wearing sparkly pants. We had fun. 

Speaking of dressing for the holidays...this handsome boy had a haircut over the weekend and came back to us wearing a Christmas bow tie. 

He knows he's cute. 

In other completely unrelated-to-the-holidays-but-still exciting-to-us news, our carpenter came by on Monday and taped the stairwell wall where wood will be installed. 

Never mind that the wood's been at the house for a month, progress is progress and whoohoo for progress! They're supposed to start on my office wall on Monday, the electrician comes to wire for stair lighting on Tuesday, and then the rest of the pieces should magically fall into place to finally get this project done. I will update you with all the pieces once we're really and truly underway. 

In completely holiday-related news ours will be unexpectedly quiet. I know I want to write about how that looks or maybe I don't. 

Maybe today I'd rather just soak in the beauty of a lake that looks like glass and the beauty of a Christmas tree shining there.

A Bright and Merry Hodgepodge

Welcome to another edition of the Wednesday Hodgepodge. If you've answered today's questions add your link at the end of my post, then leave a comment for the blogger before you. Comments make the blog world merry and bright and the blog world needs more merry and bright. Here we go-

1. 'Tis the season to be jolly....so are you? 

In a word, not really. I know that's two words but eh. 

I have a pretty little carved nativity set I bought once upon a time on a trip I took with friends to the Christmas Market in Cologne. 

Remember travel? sigh. Anyway, this year I set it in my kitchen window, a reminder to keep my focus on the main thing. 

This is the main thing. 

2. Do you trim a tree this time of year, and if so is yours all done? What's something in your home-closet-life that needs to be trimmed in the new year? 

We do, normally more than one, but we're having a very low key holiday so just putting up one tree this year, and it's done. 

Something that needs trimming? My closet always, our file cabinet at the start of a brand new year, and my waistline but let's not think about that today. 

3. Are you 'dreaming of a white Christmas'? Is that a possibility where you'll be celebrating? According to this site the top ten places in the US you can count on for a white Christmas are- North Pole Alaska, Crater Lake Oregon, Yellowstone National Park, Winthrop Washington, Aspen Colorado, Ketchum Idaho, Mt. Washington New Hampshire, Whitefish Montana, Duluth Minnesota, and the Lake Tahoe town of Truckee California

Of the snowy spots listed which would you most like to visit? 

I do love a white Christmas, but in sunshiny South Carolina that isn't likely. For the record, a sunshiny Christmas is a-okay too. Honestly I wouldn't mind a trip to any of those spots but since it's Christmas I'm going to say Aspen. I'm sure it's especially beautiful this time of year. 

4. December 8th is National Brownie Day...will you be celebrating? How do you like your brownies-chewy or cake-like, frosted or plain, nuts or no nuts, a piece from the middle or give me the corner? As a child were you a member of a brownie troop? 

Brownies are one of my favorite desserts...chewy-no nuts-no frosting-and gimme a corner please (p.s.-I won't turn down the middle either) I don't think I'll be celebrating because we've had an abundance of treats lately and brownies in the middle of the week feels like something I should miss. See question #2. 

Yes, I was a member of a brownie troop, and at least one year my mom was the leader. 

That's me on the left and my baby sister keeping the tooth fairy in business on the right. I just noticed we're holding hands and is there anything more precious than sisters? 

 My girls were both brownies too, and I was a leader for Daughter2's troop. 

5. Share a favorite line or two from a Christmas carol or holiday tune. 

Every year on my blog I post the Casting Crowns version of I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day. I normally like hymns as they were written (this one is based on the Longfellow poem entitled Christmas Bells), but this particular song has been made better for the tweaking. I love the lyrics so much, this line especially-

'Then rang the bells more loud and deep

God is not dead, nor doth He sleep

The wrong shall fail, the right prevail

With peace on Earth, good will to men.'

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

If I  listen to this song a couple of times I might have to change my answer to #1....

'Do you hear the bells, they're ringing? (Peace on Earth)
The light, the angels singing (Peace on Earth)

Open up your heart and hear them (peace on Earth)

Peace on Earth, good will to men'

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