The Hodgepodge Wasn't Built In A Day

Welcome to this week's 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. Here we go-

1. It's March 15th (Tuesday) and as the saying goes-"Beware the Ides of March"...have you read/studied much Shakespeare? Do you have a favorite Shakespeare play? How do you feel about a Caesar salad? 

I wouldn't say a lot, but some for sure. I lived in England, visited the Globe in London, Windsor (those Merry Wives!) and Stratford-upon-Avon which was his birthplace. The exposure to Shakespeare venues and so many references in the language made me want to know more, and consequently I read more. 

I honestly don't remember reading a lot of Shakespeare in high school (Hamlet and Julius Caesar, I think?), but when I was in the fifth or sixth grade I was in our elementary school's very small production of Midsummer Night's Dream. That was probably my first introduction to Shakespeare and it's probably my favorite.

I love a Caesar salad! 

2. Have you ever been to Rome? If so what do you love about the city? If not, any desire to go?

Yes I've been to Rome...what's not to love? The traffic maybe, which is ka-razy! I love the food, the light, the people, the history, the air, the beauty, the shopping, the language, and the wine. It's a city I'd love to get back to one of these days. 

3. What's your favorite place to 'roam'? 

Europe. Since that's not been possible in recent years I'll say a woodland path with hubs acting as gps. I'm directionally challenged and never is that more obvious than when we're hiking through some unfamiliar woods. 

4. Do you like pizza? Thick or thin? Red sauce-white sauce-other? Your favorite toppings? How do you feel about pineapple on a pizza? 

I love pizza, thin as opposed to thick but not too thin, red sauce, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, tomatoes and mushrooms. No thank you on the pineapple. 

5.  'Rome wasn't built in a day'...tell us how this expression applies to something in your home-life-job currently (or recently)? 

Have I mentioned our home improvement project? Ha! I think maybe only once or ten times here on the blog. Here's the latest-the electrician was able to install the lights in the stairs so that section of the project is essentially done. Except! He needs to come back and sort out something with the wall switch, which still needs a cover. 

The office is almost-almost done. Shiplap is up, murphy bed installed, window treatments made and installed, new table purchased, new chairs purchased, new lamp purchased. What I still need in there would be a new chair for the table, a small table/chest for between the two chairs in the sitting area, a couple of pillows, and art. We have a plan for the art so we need to wrap it up. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Here's what we did to our stairwell...it was a lot of wall. A lot of wall for little hands to run across (big hands too!), a lot of wall for luggage to ding on the way to the guest rooms, a lot of wall to fill period. 

We have a stained coffered ceiling in our foyer so we had judges paneling installed all the way down the stairwell, stained to match our trim and ceiling. 

The paneling comes halfway up the wall and the trim guys (who did our original trim work) did a fabulous job. We love it so much we can't remember how it looked without the wood.

The green tape was to mark which steps would get lights. We had small lights installed every other step to help at night. The lights are on a dimmer and the effect is really lovely.

Now we just need to get the switch sorted and the switch plate attached and we can call this part of the project well and truly done. 

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Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 455

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. It's March 15th and as the saying goes-"Beware the Ides of March". Have you read or studied much Shakespeare? Do you have a favorite Shakespeare play? How do you feel about a Caesar salad? 

2. Have you ever been to Rome? If so what do you love about the city? If not, any desire to go?

3. What's your favorite place to 'roam'? 

4. Do you like pizza? Thick or thin crust? Red sauce-white sauce-other? Your favorite toppings? How do you feel about pineapple on a pizza? 

5.  'Rome wasn't built in a day'...tell us how this expression applies to something in your home-life-job currently (or recently)? 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

To Infinity And Beyond

We made a little road trip loop around East Tennessee last week, and had so much fun house hopping from one daughter to the other, then back again. It's a three hour drive to Daughter 2's house, a gorgeous drive actually if you go the back way-

Twenty miles of the road look like this-

The road hugging the Ocoee River, with lots of pull offs that are hard to resist. 

We headed to Daughter2's house first and spent the night, treating her to dinner out, then spending the rest of the evening sitting beside her on the couch so I could keep my hand on her belly and feel baby boy kick. 

She's used to me. Plus, isn't that what all mothers do? 

Daughter1's house is another three hours further so we got back in the car the next morning and made our way there. We'd given Daughter1 and her hubs a hotel gift card to use in Nashville one weekend and since my son-in-law was celebrating a birthday this was the weekend. They don't live far from the city, but live music venues + toddlers don't make for the best mix, and we wanted them to experience the music while they're living nearby. We were in charge of the boys. 

Or they were in charge of us? 

The grown kids didn't head into the city until Saturday so we had one day with our daughter too. It was absolutely gorgeous weather wise, and she took us to a nearby trail for a walk. 

The boys brought their scooters and we brought the dog, and everyone enjoyed the morning. 

Hubs and I had a full day planned for Saturday because when you're in charge of littles distraction is the name of the game. We went to a nearby park and did all the things. 

We see-sawed...

and climbed-

and swung-

and picnic-ed-

Hubs taught the men to play horseshoes...

Which he would say was a little bit like grenades, but they had a lot of fun. On the way home we made a stop at a shop we'd passed that advertised fish and reptiles. As it happened a family was in the store with their ginormous boa constrictor wrapped around the dad so that was pretty exciting. The mom told me they had four more at home. Shudder. 

Everyone was good and tired but we opted to skip naps and watch Encanto instead, all snuggled up on the couch. We liked it and the music is good. 

There's a big pond in the kid's neighborhood with a nice paved walking trail all the way round and it's a great place to walk the dog. After the movie was over it was back outside for a trek around the pond. Everyone wants to hold the leash so there's always a bit of negotiating, but life is all about taking turns and we make it work. 

Our pup is off-lead trained and very rarely on a leash, but he's patient with all the clipping and the unclipping and then the re-clipping and more unclipping. Perhaps he remembers the mancub from his puppy days and knows he was loved by him from the beginning?

After our walk we loaded back up in the car for an early dinner at Chick-fil-A then home for showers and bed. The kids too. Ha! Seriously you don't have to worry about getting your 10,000 steps when there are toddlers in the house. 

Their parents arrived home late Sunday morning, which meant there was time for one more game of Guess Who before we said a tearful goodbye and made the three hour drive back to Daughter2's house. 

Her hubs grilled wings and we spent a relaxed evening sitting beside the firepit in their backyard. Then we got up Monday and drove another three hours home to our own house and felt happy and sad all at the same time. 

If ya know ya know. 

While there's still quite a bit of to-ing and fro-ing in getting to our girls and our grandchildren, there is far less than at any other time in their married lives. We'll happily take it. We're so grateful for the time we spend and the memories we make with these boys who love us big and wear us out...who keep us young and fill our hearts to 'infinity and beyond'!

Hodgepodge Headlines

Welcome to this week's 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. Here we go- 

1. Where do you get your news these days? 

Define news. Everything is so biased, so curated to present a particular point of view, so full of double speak and opinion and 'facts' presented as 'facts' before we even know the actual facts that its hard to find the news. 

I watch almost none and listen to very little. I peek at what's trending/making headlines on Twitter most days, and then I go on the hunt for details. I like to check 'news' sources on both sides of the political fence knowing the truth lives probably somewhere in between. 

2. It's National Crab Day...do you like crab meat? What makes you crabby? 

My favorite kind of seafood so a definite yes for me! There's nothing like sitting beside the water with a table full of friends and a pile of steamed blue crabs to end a summer day. 

What makes me crabby? See #1. 

3. Does freedom mean more choices? Have you ever felt there were too many choices? Elaborate.

Maybe the converse would be a better way of stating things...the more choices we have the more freedom we have. But an abundance of choice can also weigh us down, create anxiety or regret (did I choose correctly/I wish I'd chosen differently), and leave us feeling not quite satisfied. Sometimes choosing between A and B is simpler and more satisfying, more freeing if you will, than choosing between A and B, C, D, E, F..... 

All that being said, I'm grateful for all the choice we have about so many things in the land of the free. 

4. Barbara Millicent Roberts was introduced to the world on March 9, 1959...that's Barbie to most of us. Did you have Barbies as a kid, or did you let your own children play with Barbies? What well known Barbara (living or not) would you most like to meet? 

We did have Barbies when I was growing up and my sister and I set up elaborate games with them. Sometimes in our living room but also quite often under the great big tree in the corner of our backyard. We spent a lot of time dressing them and assigning them boyfriends, less time actually having them go anywhere or do anything. 

My own girls had Barbies and also enjoyed dressing them. Really wasn't she all about the clothes? I mean you could call her lawyer Barbie or Senator Barbie or Doctor Barbie but if the outfit wasn't appealing we were't buying lol. 

A famous Barbara I'd like to meet? Barbara Bush...she lived an interesting life. 

5. What are three things you value most in another person? 

kindness, optimism, faith

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Hubs and I have been on the road quite a bit in recent days and have been listening to a most fascinating book on Audible. Do you do Audible? Anyway, the book is called Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keefe. It's long (18 hours and six minutes on Audible) but reads like fiction so it moves. Sadly it's not fiction...the Sacklers brought us OxyContin and it's quite a story. Highly recommend the read, just be forewarned it's not light.

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Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 454

Here are the questions to this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge. Answer on your own blog, then hop back here tomorrow to share answers with the universe. See you there-

1. Where do you get your news these days? 

2. It's National Crab Day...do you like crab meat? What makes you crabby? 

3. Does freedom mean more choices? Have you ever felt there were too many choices? Elaborate. 

4. Barbara Millicent Roberts was introduced to the world on March 9, 1959...that's Barbie to most of us. Did you have Barbies as a kid, or did you let your own children play with Barbies? What well known Barbara (living or not) would you most like to meet? 

5. What are three things you value most in another person? 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Marching Into The Wednesday Hodgepodge

Welcome to March and welcome back to the 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 before you. Here we go-

1. Somehow it's March? Is it coming in like a lion where you live? Tell us one fun thing on your March calendar. 

No lions here. Going to be a sunny 77 degrees here on Hodgepodge Day and you won't hear me complaining. As far as something fun on the calendar this month? High school friends of my son-in-law are hosting a couples shower for the soon-to-be-parents and I'm looking forward to the celebration. 

2. In what way(s) do you 'march to the beat of your own drum'? 

Lots of ways I suppose. I'm not into a lot of today's trends, I still love paper and pen, I hold what might be deemed very tradtional and old-fashioned views about marriage and family life. I'm okay with all of the above, which I guess is how I beat to my own drum. 

3. The Hodgepodge lands on Dr. Seuss Day (March 2nd). Do you like eggs? How about ham? Share a favorite quote from one of his books. 

I like eggs, I like ham, and I like Dr. Seuss. One of my favorites is short, simple, and sweet...

"Think and wonder, wonder and think." from Oh The Places You'll Go

4. Have you read Little Women? How about Alice in Wonderland? Did you love them, like them, feel just eh about them? Why is this question in the Hodgepodge today? 

I have read Little Women and also Alice and loved them both. Since I asked the question I won't answer the why, but am sure if you've read the books you can figure it out. 

5. How do you meal plan? How often do you shop for groceries? One homemade meal that was on your menu last week or is on your menu this week?

I plan about a week at a time, sometimes ten days at a time depending on what's going on here and what the company situation is at any given moment. I do it the old fashioned way, with a pen and a pad of paper because it helps me see how the week looks, and if meals feel balanced. 

I do a big shop about once a week, but in 'company season' I usually have to make a stop to fill in with more fresh produce or an item I forgot or couldn't find. I made spaghetti sauce with meatballs last week when the grandboys were here and they were big fans of the meatballs especially. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Friends invited us to meet them at a winery about an hour and a half from here on Saturday, and it was such a fun day. They had rented a cottage on the winery property and it was just what we needed in terms of a change of scenery and time spent with 'no drama' friends we've known since college. 

The weather was perfect and we spent all of Saturday sitting amongst the vines, chatting, charcuter-ing, and chilling. 

Another friend, who was on his own for the weekend, joined us for two of our stops. I look at these men and see the boys they were, and sometimes still are, some 44 years ago. 

Friends who knew you when, sunny skies, and a glass of wine sipped slowly in the North Georgia countryside...

...all adds up to Saturday perfection. 

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Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 453

We're back Hodgepodging this week and you'll find new questions below. Answer on your own blog, then hop back here tomorrow to add your link to the party. See you there! 

1. Somehow it's March? Is it coming in like a lion where you live? Tell us one fun thing on your March calendar. 

2. In what way(s) do you 'march to the beat of your own drum'? 

3. The Hodgepodge lands on Dr. Seuss Day (March 2nd). Do you like eggs? How about ham? Share a favorite quote from one of his books. 

4. Have you read Little Women? How about Alice in Wonderland? Did you love them, like them, feel just eh about them? Why is this question in the Hodgepodge today? 

5. How do you meal plan? How often do you shop for groceries? One homemade meal that was on your menu last week or is on your menu this week?

6. Insert your own random thought here.