Weekend Wanderings

We had us a little 1100 mile road trip this weekend and are in recovery mode here today. Recovery mode means an extended coffee hour on the deck before tackling laundry, grocery shopping, an oil change so the truck is ready for the next road trip coming up quick, and then maybe a nap in the summer sun. 

Friends from way back when had a daughter getting married in Northern Virginia on Saturday so we hit the road Friday to join the party. We drove as far as Richmond stopping for an overnight visit with hubs brother and sister-in-law who live there. We had a lovely dinner out and caught up on all the things which was fun. 

Saturday morning found us on the road again, driving the (supposed!) two hour trek to the D.C. suburbs. We lived in the area once upon a time so we know traffic, but ya'll! The traffic north of Richmond into D.C. is completely ridunkulous. We are truly country people now lol. 

I had booked a hair appointment for Saturday afternoon, and while I should have been there with plenty of time to spare, I barely made it. Whew. Afterwards we checked into the hotel then rode a shuttle out to the wedding venue with some of the other out of town guests. 

So fun to see friends from our girls growing up years...

Hubs and the father of the bride also worked together for three decades so having in person time to catch up was really special. 

Sunday morning we were back on the road, heading just past Richmond to spend the night with some college friends who live in the beautiful Virginia countryside. I took not a single picture but these friends are so precious. We spent lots of post college time with them in the early years of our marriage when we too were living in Richmond. The mister even helped us find our first house back in the day. They built their current house in the country about the same time we built our lake house, and while they've visited here we'd never been there. 

One of their now grown sons lives nearby too, so we got to meet the granddaughters and life just felt so very sweet in the way it comes full circle. 

Monday meant another day of driving with a stop for fresh from the orchard peaches and then another at the kennel to collect the pup. We listen to books on Audible while we drive and are currently listening to Napolean by Andrew Roberts. Kinda makes me wish the French countryside was my next road trip destination. 

Although visiting our newest grandbaby will be pretty great too. 

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 470

Welcome to another week in the Wednesday Hodgepodge.  Answer the questions on your own blog then hop back here tomorrow to share answers. See you there! 

1. Last time you drove more than 100 miles from your home? Where did you go? 

2. Something that drives you batty? 

3. Do you feel like you're 'on track'? For what? 

4. Your favorite car snack(s)? 

5. Something you've done recently 'on the fly'? 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Catchin' A Hodgepodge Wave

Welcome to another week in 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. Do you like the beach? How far do you have to drive to get to the nearest beach? Your least favorite thing about the beach? Last beach trip you took? 

I do like the beach. How far do I have to drive to get to the nearest beach? I guess it depends on how you define beach. We live on a lake and there are lots of little islands in the lake, many of which have beaches. These beaches are small but they're sandy and we often anchor our boat off one of these islands and set up chairs and hang out. 

I'm in South Carolina where 'real' beaches abound so only about three hours to one of those. My least favorite thing about the beach is leaving lol. As far as our last beach trip...when our grandsons were here a couple of weeks ago we spent a morning on one of the island beaches. But if we're talking big beaches then it was the week before Covid shut everything down-March 2019. We'd gone to Florida to visit friends. 

On the bright side, we have a little beach getaway planned with Daughter1 and her family coming up soon. 

2. Are you known for making waves or are you more of a 'go along to get along' kind of person? Explain.

I am a go along to get along kind of person for the most part. I'm not going to get into an argument with a stranger on the internet over political points but I will make (gentle) waves in real life if those waves will turn the tide for the better in some way. 

I don't think social media is where tides are turned. The water there only gets choppier. 

3. A favorite song that in some way references the beach? A favorite book and/or movie with a beach-y setting? 

I love what is (or was?) called 'beach music' and a lot of that music references summertime, the ocean, etc. Summertime's Callin' Me by The Catalinas is one of my favorites. 

Don Henley's The Boys of Summer is not beach music per se, but it's a beach setting and it's another favorite. 

Movie-Jaws

Favorite book-The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy. 

4.Tuesday is National Simplicity Day...what's a simple pleasure you've enjoyed this week? What's something you could eliminate from your life to make things simpler? 

Just returned from getting my hair cut, one of life's best simple pleasures. 

I'm in the process of cleaning out my closet and have taken several bags of clothes and shoes to a donation point in the past week. It was overdue. Cleaning out my closet makes my whole life feel less messy. 

5. What's something you love to do? Do you do it often? Why or why not? 

Write. I do it as often as I can. Sometimes life gets in the way but I try to leave room, if not daily then at least weekly, to write something. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Greetings from the Carolina Coast and my almost three year old self, taken just a few decades ago...

If I didn't know this was me I'd swear it was my second born baby girl. 

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Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 469

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. Do you like the beach? How far do you have to drive to get to the nearest beach? Your least favorite thing about the beach? Last beach trip you took? 

2. Are you known for making waves or are you more of a 'go along to get along' kind of person? Explain.

3. A favorite song that in some way references the beach? A favorite book and/or movie with a beach-y setting? 

4.Tuesday is National Simplicity Day...what's a simple pleasure you've enjoyed this week? What's something you could eliminate from your life to make things simpler? 

5. What's something you love to do? Do you do it often? Why or why not? 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Summer Sunshine

Are these the dog days of summer? The Farmer's Almanac says 'tis true and so does my hair. In case you didn't know humidity and thick wavy hair don't mix. Today though, we woke up to lower humidity and even had a slight breeze with our coffee. We know it won't last but we'll enjoy it while we can. 

This is one of the first weeks we've had in a while where we've been without houseguests, have slept  in our own beds every night, and had some time to catch up with friends and events around the lake. Hubs and I were out doing fun things Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday night, which sounds like a lot but didn't feel like a lot. 

There was mah jong, dinner with our next door neighbors at a nearby favorite restaurant, our monthly wine club dinner with a fun table of friends, and on Saturday a music fest 'amongst the trees'...

Bands and BBQ in a cozy corner of the forest. 

My limelights are blooming.

Well, two out of three are blooming. A mama deer gave birth in our backyard and then promptly ate every single bloom on one of the plants. We forgive her. The fawn was precious and we're partial to new and expectant moms 'round here.

Speaking of new moms...this sweet little family had newborn photos taken recently and I love them so much. 

We facetime this little cutie patootie pretty much every day and cannot wait to see him in person again before August arrives. 

And speaking of expectant moms...

Daughter1 is expecting a little girl this fall which means we're going from two grands to four in less than a year, and we could not be more excited!

We're not the only ones. 

Chicken Fried 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. Here we go-

1. July 6th is National Fried Chicken Day...are you a fan? Do you make your own or have a favorite place to buy from? Do you own chickens? If not chicken what's your favorite fried food?

I very rarely fry anything, and I try not to eat a lot of fried foods. Fried isn't my favorite and I'd rather have grilled chicken if given a choice. That being said I do love homemade fried chicken and here in the southland you can find good fried chicken at a lot of the local restaurants. I do not own chickens but daughter1's in-laws do and they keep us in a steady supply of fresh eggs. 

My favorite fried food would be shrimp. 

2.  What's something you're too chicken to try?

Probably a lot of things. Skydiving (am I chicken or am I smart?) and returning the boat to the lift exactly completely precisely right (am I chicken or is hubs too chicken to watch me try?) are two things that came instantly to mind. 

3. When did you last find yourself running around like a 'chicken with its head cut off'?

I like to plan so it's not often I'm running around last minute. Maybe the weekend of daughter2's baby shower when there were many moving parts, lots of logistics, and a lot to haul hither and yon. 

4. Something you've done recently that makes you think 'I'm no spring chicken'? 

Tried to read something without my glasses on. 

5. 'Winner winner chicken dinner'...tell us about something good that's happened in your life lately. 

This darling little boy arriving almost three weeks ago...he is so precious-

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

We had a nice July 4th weekend which always culminates in our neighbors spectacular fireworks display over the water. She lives opposite us on the cove so we have prime viewing from our dock. Boats come from all over the lake and anchor out to watch the show....

God bless America! 

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Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 468

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. July 6th is National Fried Chicken Day...are you a fan? Do you make your own or have a favorite place to buy from? Do you own chickens? If not chicken what's your favorite fried food?

2.  What's something you're too chicken to try?

3. When did you last find yourself running around like a 'chicken with its head cut off'?

4. Something you've done recently that makes you think 'I'm no spring chicken'? 

5. 'Winner winner chicken dinner'...tell us about something good that's happened in your life lately. 

6. Insert your own random thought here.