Matters Of No Great Importance

Which is more or less the theme of my blog, and I guess that's okay. Ordinary gets a bad rap but how would we define extraordinary if not for all the in-between ordinary? 

We've pretty much just been livin' life here in the neighborhood. Hubs and I took a couple of pretty hikes over the weekend and the little brown dog was in his glory. 

He makes life feel less ordinary. 

Don't get excited. It's just a sign. 

Saturday morning we were enjoying a nice walk through a nearby park when we stopped for a water break. That's when we discovered the pup's paw was bleeding profusely, so we quickly loaded him up (literally) for the trek back to the car and a stop at the vet before they closed. 

He'd ripped a toenail but never yelped or cried, just carried on in his efforts to get to the river. It was fast moving so we didn't want him to swim but he was definitely trying to find a way around us. 

Anyway, hubs ended up carrying him about a half mile and we met another couple coming in to the trail who said they had a first aid kit in their car, so they very kindly walked back up to the parking lot with us and helped us get his foot wrapped.We normally have a first aid kit in the backpack but neglected to grab it before we left the house. 

People are nice. Mostly. I know not everyone, but in general the people we encounter while going about our everyday lives are nice. 

We made it to the vet's office just before they closed and a mere $400something dollars later our pup was right as rain. Actually since we were there they refilled his arthritis meds for three months and did his heartworm check too, so technically the injury we came in for was just a teeny tiny part of the bill. 

Dog ownership is not for the faint of heart, but we love him. 

Sunday night hubs grilled duck jalapeno poppers to have while we watched the Superbowl, and they were delish. Boursin cheese and Benton's bacon made them extra so. 

I grew up in the Philly area so we were definitely rooting for an Eagles win. My sister sent me this picture of my momma at a party with my sister, brother-in-law, and nephew, all cheering on the hometown team. 

We didn't win, but my mom looks awfully cute. 

I've been doing a fair amount of reading and just finished our book club selection for this month-The Rose Code by Kate Quinn. I'd give you my review but our book club meets tomorrow and a few of the members read my blog so I think I'll save it. I've also been listening to a biography of Prince Philip (which if you read The Rose Code you know it ties in) and I'm really enjoying that one. (Prince Philip's Century 1921-2021: The Extraordinary Life Of The Duke Of Edinburgh by Robert Jobson). He was a very interesting man with a difficult childhood he dealt with mostly by, in his words, 'well you just get on with things, what else can you do?'.  

I feel like we don't do a lot of getting on with things anymore. 

Not an entirely bad thing, but not entirely good either.  

In case anyone is keeping track hubs and I are still listening to Napolean. I think we started this one back in July on our road trip north. In our defense we haven't been on any more long car trips recently and that's mostly when we listen. Also, the book is 976 pages long which means the audible version is over 36 hours. Maybe not everyone's cup of tea but we've both enjoyed it and learned a lot. 

Wait! I do have something that is (thankfully!) out of the ordinary and it's this-

A week ago Friday hubs and I were at a birthday party for a friend. We came home and hubs took the dog out and immediately came back inside asking if we'd had a package delivery or WHAT IN THE WORLD!! SOMEONE HAS DRIVEN ACROSS OUR FRONT YARD!!

Bother. Bother bother bother. 

We don't live on a cut through street and we're near the very end of the road where the cul de sac begins.  Our driveway is long too so this was no easy feat. A camera caught the whole event, and long story short(ish) the driver was looking for a house two down from ours, it was really dark, she was extremely distressed about some personal goings on, and I guess just panicked when she mistakenly came down our drive. 

Did I mention hubs likes to keep our grass looking like Augusta? True story. 

Not sure why she turned into the yard as there is plenty of room to turn around in the drive, but she did and that's that. She was extremely apologetic and of course offered to pay for repairs but hubs told her no need, it's not a big deal. 

I mean it is a big deal, but it's not a big expensive deal. Hubs has been wanting to sand the whole front yard to level it in a few places ever since we moved in and I've been saying it's unnecessary. Except now I guess it's necessary and he's not mad about it lol. 

So that's a peek into goings on here lately. 

'There isn't any such thing as an ordinary life.' L.M. Montgomery

Love Is In The Hodgepodge

Welcome to another edition of 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 before you because bloggers LOVE comments.  Here we go-

1. Something you've done recently that might be considered a labor of love? 

Christmas. The shopping, wrapping, cooking, decorating...all a labor of love. 

2. What's one thing you love about being the age you are now? 

I know myself very well. I know what I like, what I dislike, and where my strengths and weaknesses lie. I know what's important to me and I worry so much less about what others think than I did in my younger years. 

3. What do you value more: careful planning or the freedom to be spontaneous? Elaborate.

Hmmm...hubs likes to say I sometimes have to be dragged into fun of the spontaneous kind and I suppose there's some truth to that. However, there are times I truly value spontaneity and a road trip (or travel of any kind) is definitely one of those times. I like a loose itinerary, but also want to leave room for any unexpected discoveries, feel free to veer off the 'planned' route to see something beautiful, and have time to linger over a meal we're enjoying without feeing pressured to get on to the next thing. 

I don't think careful planning is a bad thing in and of itself. It's the inability to let go of a plan, to be inflexible when flexibility is required, that gets us into trouble. I love a plan but I can always get on board with a plan B when a plan B is needed. 

4. A home cooked meal or a fancy restaurant? pink or red? watch the sunrise or watch the sunset? wine and cheese or champagne and chocolate? 

All of the above? 

Okay if you make me choose...home cooked, pink, sunrise, champagne and cheese. I know I cheated a little on that last part, but since I wrote the question I'll allow it.

5. What's your definition of romance? Are you a romantic? 

The Oxford dictionary defines romance as 'a feeling of mystery and excitement associated with love'. 

While we most often think of roses and candlelight I'm here to tell you a man who vacuums, who sometimes brings home your favorite candy bar for no reason whatsoever, and who fluffs your pillow and folds the covers back exactly the way you like them every single night also qualifies. 

Am I a romantic? I believe in happily ever after so yes I guess I am.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Had a spontaneous road trip to my daughter2's earlier this week and have had so much fun with this little guy and his momma-

I was able to watch his swimming lesson on Tuesday...

He loves his bath but hasn't quite made up his mind about the pool lol. 

The weather was perfect for walks around the neighborhood and chats on the porch. Sweet Baby J is working on some teeth, trying lots of new foods...

...and just generally making the world a brighter happier place. 

Happy Valentine's Day Hodgepodgers! 

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Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 491

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. Something you've done recently that might be considered a labor of love? 

2. What's one thing you love about being the age you are now? 

3. What do you value more: careful planning or the freedom to be spontaneous? Elaborate.

4. A home cooked meal or a fancy restaurant? pink or red? watch the sunrise or watch the sunset? wine and cheese or champagne and chocolate? 

5. What's your definition of romance? Are you a 'romantic'? 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

 

The Absolutely Amazing GOAT Hodgepodge

After a brief hiatus the Hodgepodge returns. 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. Tell us anything you want about your January. 

After nearly a month away from my blog I finally wrote a post on Monday recapping January (click here to read Picking Up Where We Left Off). As much as I love blogging I definitely needed a short break and am thinking there might be another built into my year somewhere down the road. I know that is somewhat contrary to how blogs are supposed to operate, but I see a lot of value in stepping out and coming back to it with fresh enthusiasm. 

2. Lake Superior State University posts a list each year of words they think should be banished from the Queen's English for misuse, overuse, and/or general uselessness. The 2023 list includes GOAT, inflection point, quiet quitting, gaslighting, moving forward, amazing, Does that make sense?, irregardless, absolutely, and it is what it is.

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? 

Hmmm...is irregardless commonly used? It strikes me more as poor grammar rather than a word we overuse. For the record it should never be used, right? I had to look that up and it actually can be used in the same way as regardless. Who knew? 

None of the words on the list bug me too much, but if I have to pick one I'll go with gaslighting. Not so much the word, but the action itself. 

What might I add to the list? The word unprecedented would get my vote.  

3. February 2nd is Groundhog Day. What's something that feels repeated in your life right now? 

I feel like this has a negative connotation, as in habits you want to change but you never do for whatever reason. And I guess our days can sometimes feel like the same old same old, but in my mind that's not necessarily a bad thing. I like routine. I also like to break up routine so hope for some spontaneity and unexpected fun thrown into the mix too. 

4. What's a food you love that's named after a place?

There are many...Korean barbecue, Prosecco, Parmigiana-Reggiano, and Eton Mess to name just a few. 

5. What's the best season of the year to visit your part of the country? Tell us why. 

Well that depends on how you feel about heat. I mean HEAT. I live on a lake so the summer months are primetime here. Also the humidity so you need to be okay with that (there is a lake remember). I live in a mostly quiet small town but it's definitely busier in the summer months, particularly on the weekends. 

We always tell houseguests coming in the summer months to aim for at least one weekday on the lake to enjoy the solitude. If you love swimming, boating, and sunshine then summer here is for you.  

My favorite season on the lake though is autumn. Maybe that's because Autumn is my favorite season period, or maybe it's because I love the solitude that rolls in when the summer people head back to regular life. 

The humidity in September-October-November is down and we can spend time hiking to some of the many waterfalls in our area or wandering the quaint mountain towns nearby. 

The lake water is warm enough to swim well into October, it's quiet here in the fall, and it is absolutely beautiful. 

Yes I'm absolutely going to continue using the word absolutely. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I need to tweak a couple of things on my blog and want to know how you read blogs these days? Do you follow the blogger on social media to see new posts? Receive an email when a new post is up? Use some sort of app? Inquiring minds want to know...

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Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 490

Hi again. Long time no Hodgepodge. We're back now though, with a brand new month and a brand new set of questions. Answer on your own blog then hop back here tomorrow to share the love. See you there!

1. Tell us anything you want about your January. 

2. Lake Superior State University posts a list each year of words they think should be banished from the Queen's English for misuse, overuse, and/or general uselessness. The 2023 list includes GOAT, inflection point, quiet quitting, gaslighting, moving forward, amazing, Does that make sense?, irregardless, absolutely, and it is what it is.

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? 

3. February 2nd is Groundhog Day. What's something that feels repeated in your life right now? 

4. What's a food you love that's named after a place?

5. What's the best season of the year to visit your city or your part of the country? Tell us why. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Picking Up Where We Left Off

Sort of. 

When last we spoke on the blog it was the second day of a brand new year, and now here we are rolling in to February. I might need to jump in somewhere in the middle.  

I know many people dislike January, and there are all sorts of memes about how January is 85 days long, but around here we need a January. We need time to catch our breath, rest, walk, think, figure out our calendars, and come up with a plan to organize this new year. 

We have mostly succeeded. 

I mean we definitely rocked the resting part and honestly that was the main thing. 
We were tired. 

"Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home."-Edith Sitwell

January here means reading books and watching HGTV curled up under a blanket. It's calling a friend I hadn't spoken to in a long while and taking care of a significant car repair. It's scheduling a couple of (hopefully) minor home repairs that need doing and it's dealing with the small mountain of paperwork that accumulated while we were holiday-ing and not January-ing.

It's spending a low key weekend out of town, saying cheers to a new year with old friends, and then everyone taking a mid-day siesta because they can. 

It's a walk in the woods on a crisp blue sky day and a swim in the lake right after...

That last bit is maybe not for everyone but some of us live for a swim in the lake. 

Mostly January says it's okay to be a little bit lazy after months of non-stop doing and I'm here to tell you it felt good. Better than good actually because we are not meant to go and do without adding a little slow and easy into the mix too. 

Last week hubs went with some buds on their annual duck hunt so daughter2 and her little guy drove over to spend the week with Nana. Her hubs was traveling for work so the timing was perfect and I absolutely loved having my girl in the house. We might have gone to bed at a ridiculously early hour every single night, but we still enjoyed chatting about all manner of things throughout the day, sipping tea by the fire, and playing cards. 

Speaking of perfect...

Be still my heart. 

This little man is just so precious. He literally lights up a room, a day, your whole entire life, with his bright blue eyes and his gentle disposition. Wednesday we drove over to my sister and brother-in-law's house because my sister is also over the moon for this little cutie and needed to see him. 

Who can blame her? 

I was reminded this week how long the days can feel when you are momma to tiny humans. Life revolves around their waking and sleeping and you learn to let go of your own agenda and needs in order to first meet theirs. 

What a special joy it is to watch my grown up girls be mommas to their littles. To realize we're not just mother and daughter any more...

...we're mother and mother too. 

Hoping your January brought peace and rest, order and energy, stillness and warmth, to the beginning of this brand new year. 

So What's New?

Besides the year I mean? Are you like me where it takes you about ten days in to find your rhythm post-holidays? I made peace with that years ago and honestly don't feel any pressure to have a long list of resolutions ready to go on Day 1. Nor do I feel any urgency to jump back into all the things or even to put up/clean up Christmas. 

Although as it happens, today I did do a bit of de-Christmasing. My plan was just to get all the ornaments off the inside tree, but one thing led to another and both trees are now un-decorated, the main tree is out of the house, Christmas dishes have been swapped out for the everyday ordinary (mostly...there's always a stray or two that hang out in the dishwasher), many many many towels have been washed, dried, and folded, and the furniture we rearranged to make room for our big Christmas crew is back where it resides the other eleven months of the year. 

Hubs and I had a mostly quiet New Year's Eve. We spent a couple of hours catching up with our neighbors, watched a lot of exciting college football, took some walks and some naps and did the tag-team thing we've almost perfected after nearly 40 years of marriage where he vacuums and I strip the beds and then I make him a BLT and he makes me popcorn and we talk about how cute our grandchildren are and how busy and how much we love having everyone here and how we also love just us. 

Yesterday I cleaned out my pantry which had gone totally rogue over the holidays and it makes me so happy to open the doors and see it all nicely organized. I was going to clean out my frig today, but I didn't have the energy for a full 'take it all apart' kind of clean. I settled for emptying all the bits of left overs and running the dishwasher. 

Tomorrow is another day filled with new mercies and enough grace to carry us through. 

I know some people like to charge into a new year as if it's something to be conquered, but I prefer a gentler approach. No big leaps, just do the next thing that needs doing while I contemplate what exactly I want this year to be and how I want to fill my days. 

I need to take some deep breaths at the start of a new year. Carve out time to pray and regroup here at home. I'll likely make a few plans and then remind myself not to hold them too tightly, and I'll let a few or maybe a hundred ideas bounce around my brain to see what sticks. 

Some people declare the first month of the year no-wine January. I'm declaring it no Hodgepodge January. I need some space right now to do all of the above so I'm taking a mini-break from the regularly scheduled random to make room for other kinds of random. The Hodgepodge will be back February 1st, which conveniently lands on a Wednesday. 

Wishing you a new year filled with lots of peace and joy...

 With pinky pink sunrise skies reminding us He's got the whole world in His hands.