Wednesday Hodge Podge on Thursday

Welcome to the Wednesday Hodgepodge! So glad you've joined us today, and if you've answered the questions add your link at the end of Joyce's post. Be sure to leave a comment for your neighbor because it's summertime and the commenting is easy. Something like that...

1. When was the last time you chatted with a neighbor? About what? (sharing that last bit is optional)
Frank and I chatted with our neighbors on Tuesday and Wednesday.  Mrs. Peggy was in the yard so Frank walked over to check on her husband who had been in the hospital and then we went to the Assisted Living to see Mrs. Mildred who is there doing rehab from a car wreck.  We live in a small town and neighbors talk to each other.  My favorite venue for talking with neighbors is sitting on the front porch with my Porch People.

2. River, lake, ocean, or waterfall...which one are you most like and why?
I choose ocean and waterfall.  I love them both.

 3. July 13 is National Delaware Day. Ever been to Delaware? Delaware is called 'the first state' because it was the first to declare independence from the British. What's your state's nickname and does that moniker make sense to you? If you were in charge, what nickname would you give your home state?  We've been to Delaware many times.  The official state nickname of Alabama is "The Yellowhammer State". It also called "The Heart of Dixie" and "The Cotton State".  The yellowhammer is a bird.  I am ok with the nickname.

4. What dish did you contribute to the last pot luck meal you attended? Do you have a go-to recipe for pot luck suppers?  I made buffalo chicken rollups. OMG they were awesome!  The men of my church stood there and ate them off the serving plate.   It was a recipe I got on Pinterest and there was not one piece left.  My go to dishes are usually baked beans, poppy seed chicken. hash brown casserole, and cobblers. 

5. What is your number one tip for a brand new parent?   I have to agree with Joyce on this one....Trust your instincts, and remember parenting is a thousand moments spread out over the course of a lifetime. Having a bad moment or even a bad day doesn't make you a bad parent. Rest in the knowledge that the maker of heaven and earth knows your little one by name and loves him more than you can fathom. 

6. Insert your own random thought here.
If you could name your child something else....once they have developed a personality of their own....what would you choose?  My daughter....Kathryn Leigh (and I love her name...and call her Kat)....loves lavender fields and sunflower fields.  She and hubby, Brian are missionaries in Moldova...there a  tons of lavender fields and sunflower fields.  I should have named her Lavender Blue....or Sunflower....after all....her mom was a child of the 60's and 70's.

Happy Happy Happy Hodge Podging

Happy Hodgepodge everyone! It's nice to be back on the blog today. If you've answered this week's questions add your link at the end of Joyce's post, then run say hello to your neighbor here. Here we go-

1. Let's all think happy thoughts...share one of yours here.
I will be spending Thanksgiving in Gulf Shores with Linda, Amanda, and Susan and their spouses.  I cannot wait!

2. There's a Chinese proverb that says, "If you want happiness for an hour take a nap, if you want happiness for a day-go fishing...." What say you? If you want happiness for a day _____________.
Read a book or watch the Hallmark Christmas Movies!

3. Where do you go to decompress from the world around you?
Into the pages of a book, to the beach, or up to the mountains.

4. What song never fails to make you happy?
I am a music lover....so I have to say lots.  Lots! Going with the first few that popped into my head-Don't Worry Be Happy by Bobby McFerrin, Shackles by Mary Mary, Sister Acts version of Oh Happy Day, Happy Together by the Turtles.

5. Wednesday is National Fast Food Day. Should that be a thing? Apparently it is, so tell us what's the last 'fast food' you consumed? If you were putting together your own version of a 'happy meal' what would you include?
Chick-Fil A on Friday was the last fast food I have eaten.  We have not eaten there in a while and it was very tasty.  My perfect happy meal would include mixed fruit, a salad, and some form of chicken.
6. In a few sentences tell us why you blog.
I blog because it makes me happy.  I began when I was dealing with my mom and Alzheimer's and my dad's dying of cancer.  It was survival at that time.  I love to write and it keeps my mind functional.

7. List seven things you're feeling especially grateful for today.
My husband who has a huge heart and helps take care of others, Face Time, Skype, and Instant Messenger so I can talk with my daughter in Moldova.,

8. Insert your own random thought here. When you were in school how many days did you get out for Thanksgiving vacation.  We only got out for Thursday and Friday.  Now, we have a whole week.  I am excited for a fall break!

Racing Time Hodge Podge

Here we are doing another Hodge Podge.  You know the routine.  You read, you answer, you post on Joyce's blog by clicking here.  Then....you hop over and visit a few and give them some bloggy loving.   

1. I read here four creative activities to try this month. They were-calligraphy, make your own cookbook, dance or learn a new type of dance, and letter writing. Which activity on the list appeals to you most? Will you add it to your August?  I like the make your own cookbook and the letter writing.  I think I will add letter writing to my August and I better hurry because August is half over.  I used to love writing letters to people....I wonder what happened?  Oh yeah....email.

2. Bertrand Russell is quoted as saying, 'To be without some of the things you want is an indispensable part of happiness.' Agree or disagree? Explain. Agree.  If we had everything we wanted, we would not be happy.  Most people who get all they want are miserable.

3. August 17th is National Thriftshop Day...are you a 'thrifter'? If so, tell us about one of your best or favorite finds.  I love it!  My best finds were a first edition John Grisham book and  a rare edition Shakespeare book.  I know you are all going....what????  I was teaching English at the time and this book was a big help.  I truly believe that one man's trash is another man's treasure.

4.  On a scale of 1-10 (with 1= almost none and 10=loads) how would you rate your sense of wanderlust? What kicks your wanderlust into high gear?  Mine is a 10+.  Any vacation from school from one day to a month...I love to pack a bag and hit the road.

5. Has life felt more like a marathon or sprint so far this month? How so?  Marathon.....Somethings just seems to go on and on........but...there are a few sprints thrown in there to keep life interesting.

6. What do you need to get a jump on before fall officially arrives?  I need to get ;my fall decorations spruced up and make a few more.

7. What's the last thing you did with friends or family where you lost track of time? Traveled to Michigan.

8. Second week of school is half over.  Is it just me or does time seem to be moving faster? 

Sensing A Good Hodge Podge

Welcome to this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge. Joyce wrote most of this entry last week and saved it in draft, thankfully! She's been sick for a couple of days and am not up for blogging just yet. I missed the link so all you have this week is my post.  I was tied up with the death of my kids dad and just did not sit down at a computer.

1. Describe love using all five senses- Sight would be first.  The sight of my daughter on Skype, the sight of my grandchildren when they facetime me, the sight of my daughter at the Atlanta Airport at midnight when I picked her up to take her to her dad.  Sound would be second - Frank calling me his special name for me.  The sound of Kats voice at the airport when we missed each other, the sound of my son praying out loud, the sound of my son and his family singing Praise songs in their living room.   Smell-the scent of the cologne Austin, Frank and Eric had on this past week.  Taste-The taste of all the foods that people brought out of love to Eric and Roulain's....foods cooked with love.....
Touch is one I have experienced a lot this past week.  The hugs of so many friends and family....at the funeral home and the house.  The feel of Frank's hand in mine as we walked into the funeral home together. 
2. February is Canned Food Month. What's your favorite food that comes straight from a can?
Allen's cut green beans. I can eat them right out of the can and prefer them to fresh most of the time. I love green beans.  Fresh are my favorite...and steamed is the best way to eat them...with some crunch still in them.....
3.A principal in a UK school recently sent home a letter to parents requesting they (the parents!) dress appropriately when escorting their children to/from school (basically saying please don't wear your pajamas). You can read the letter here. It's gotten a lot of publicity, both positive and negative. Your thoughts? And do/did you ever make the school run (or hit Starbucks, Walmart, etc) in your pjs?
I don't think it's worth making a federal case over, but I find it a little disappointing we have to tell adults not to wear their pjs out in public.  I never go out dressed THAT casual.  I may wear shorts and flip flops....but I am not in my pajamas.  My clothes also fit....there is not any body part hanging out.  
4. Crew neck, V-neck, turtleneck, scoop neck...which is most prevalent in your wardrobe?  It is winter here and turtlenecks abound in my wardrobe.  Once spring gets here you will see v-necks and crew necks.  I wear soft t-shirt shirts...year round.
5. I read here recently a list of four things to avoid so you wake up happier. They were late night snacks, hitting the snooze button, social media just before bed/upon waking, checking emails. 
Are you guilty of any of these behaviors? Which on that list do you need to work harder at avoiding?
Late afternoon is my snack downfall.  I set an alarm....but am up before it goes off every single day.    I do check social media before bed, although I'm more inclined to play a game of Words With Friends, Trivia Crack, or Word Chum than check Facebook. I can't check facebook at work....so I usually read it once in the morning....and once when I get home from work.  I don't look at it much after that.
6. Share something you remember about a house you lived in as a child? Of all the homes you lived in as a child, which did you love best?  The house on Georgia Ave was across the street from Palm Beach High School and I loved seeing all the teenagers.  The El Prado house was in an awesome neighborhood filled with children my age.....I met Carol, Susan, Kathy, and Donna there.
7.Your favorite movie based on a true story?  The Blindside.
8. Insert your own random thought here.  I grew up loving musicals.  One (of my many) of my favorites is Oklahoma.  My favorite song is "Oh What A Beautiful Morning."  That song makes all the dark clouds lift on sad days.  What is your favorite song that is attached to a movie.

Happy New Year Hodge Podge

Happy New Year! The Hodgepodge is back and I'm glad you are too. If you've answered this week's questions add your link by clicking here and going to Joyce's blog.  I hope you will join the party. Please visit the blogger who links before you since that's the neighborly thing to do. Here we go-

1.  Are you ready for new? Is 2016 likely to be very different than 2015? Do you want it to be?
I love the concept of the New Year.  It is fresh and pristine.  It is a chance for me to make things right and change things I did not like about last year.  I love it!  I hope it is different...and I am hoping and praying it is.   On New Years Day I was handed 365 clean pages to fill out....I hope it is a best seller!
2.  January 6th is National Technology Day. Currently, what is your single biggest struggle or frustration when it comes to technology?  Currently? The Internet at the house is somewhat intermittent. Many days I log onto the computer and get a message saying I'm not connected. Grrr... I have to refresh it a few times and eventually it connects. The wireless printer has to be shut down and rebooted every time I want to print because of this irregularity, and it affects our phone, tv, tablets....all of it!   The struggle is real, but a very first world problem.  I actually have two frustrations.  It is not bad enough that I live so far back in the woods that I have these problems at home....I teach!  I teach at a rural school with limited technology.  Many of my lesson plans I used at BRHS are designed for classes where each student had access to an I-Pad.  Here...if they have smart phones I am lucky.  We want our students to be able to compete with other schools in the real world....but how can they without the technology to compete.
3.  It's that time again...time for Lake Superior University to present a list of words (or phrases) they'd like to see banished (for over-use, mis-use, or general uselessness) in 2016.  You can read more about the decision making process here, but this year's top vote getters are-  So (at the start of every single sentence), conversation (as in hotly debated topics where we're invited to 'join the conversation'), problematic, stakeholder, price point, secret sauce, break the Internet, walk it back, presser, manspreading (common in larger cities where some men take up the entire bus or train seat by sitting wide), vape, giving me life (refers to anything that may excite a person or make them laugh), and physicality  Which of these words/phrases would you most like to see banished from everyday speech and why? Is there a word not on the list you'd like to add?  None of the words listed bother me too the point of wanting them banished. Break the Internet I could do without....because it usually has to do with the Khardashians...or Bruce/Caitlin Jenner.  If I lived another hundred years I could do without either of them.  What word would I add to the list? Honestly, I can't think of the first one right now.
4.  Share one of your current health related goals.  Manage my diabetes better.
5.  Let's talk fifty shades of gray. As in the color. Gray is currently a popular color in home decor, pain, wardrobes, wedding party attire, and more. Are you a fan? Do you have the color in some variation in your home or wardrobe? Gray hair, the old gray mare, gray matter, gray area...which gray idiom can you most relate to right now?  I like gray. I think the color can be too sterile and cold and needs another color to give it life.  I wear a good bit of gray as a complement color to navy, black, etc.  I have a couple of gray areas in my life right now....and my hair is pretty white.
6.  Certain foods are considered 'lucky' if eaten on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day.  Cooked greens to bring economic fortune, black-eyed peas or lentils also symbolize money, pork which symbolizes progress, fish for good luck, and if you're in Spain 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight.  Did you eat any lucky foods on the first day of the year? Is that a tradition in your home? Of the foods listed, which most appeals to you?  My mother insisted on peas, pork, and greens for New Years day.  It is a custom I still follow.  I actually like them so it is not a big deal to eat them on New Years Day. 
7.  What's the single biggest time waster in your life and what, if anything, will  you do about it this year?  TV.  Plain and simple.  I don't always WATCH it....sometimes it is just on for white noise....but I have stopped being productive when a Hallmark Movie I want to see comes on....even if I have seen it a bazillion times.  I plan this year to watch my TV consumption.
8.  Insert your own random thought here.  I actually have two and can't choose today so I am going to bore you with both.   Did you make Gingerbread Houses over the holiday.  I do not....but a friend of mine did with her grandchildren.  They iced the walls together and the kids went to bed....during the night my friend her a sound in the kitchen and when she went in....the walls of all four of the houses were laying on the ground broken.  That is my luck.  Do you make those cute iced Christmas cookies?  What recipe do you use?  Soft or hard?

A Rainy Day Hodge Podge

It is that day again and here are the questions for this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge and my answers.  Want to play along?  It is a lot of fun. All you have to do is answer on your own blog, then hop back over to Joyce's blog by clicking here to share answers with the universe. See you there!

1. Are you comfortable with silence? If you're home alone, do you like silence or do you need regular background noise? Do you seek out times and places to be silent? What's your favorite place to find silence/be silent?  I love silence.  I truly believe that it is golden.  Frank has a big voice and it interrupts my silence more often than not.  My favorite place to find silence is in Cades Cove in the Smokey Mountains.2. October 28th is National Chocolate Day. Can't let that go by without a mention now, can we? Will you celebrate? How? Let's say you can have one of the following right this very minute... a cup of hot chocolate, a strawberry dipped in chocolate, a bowl of plain chocolate ice cream, or a slice of chocolate pie...what's your pleasure?  Yes, to all of the above....but a hot cup of chocolate right now would be awesome.  It is chilly and rainy and my bones are aching.3. How do you feel about blue jeans? Favorite thing in the world to wear or nope, don't own a single pair? How often do you wear blue jeans in a typical week? Do you own a blue jean jacket?  I love blue jeans.  We are allowed to wear them on Friday as long as we are sporting school colors.  I would wear them everyday if I could.  Did I say that I love them!  I also own a blue jean jacket....but I wear it with skirts and dresses.4. Are you superstitious? If so, in what way?  Sort of....I don't walk under ladders, I don't sweep or wash on New Years, I don't like black cats crossing my path....but do I think something will happen....not really....but why tempt fate.5. If you had to come up with a costume using only things you have on hand right now, what could you come up with? A hobo, a fortune teller, or a hippie.
6. What scares you a little? What do you do when you feel scared?  Storms scare me a good bit.  I read the Bible, or something I am reviewing, when it is storming...unless we have lost power....then I pray...and watch the lightening.

7. Perhaps today will be the day I get the junk room straightened so that it is workable..
8.  This is Homecoming week at RCHS.  It has been crazy. We have been on pep rally schedule all week and there has been some activity each day at 2:15.  We have had a Womanless Beauty Padgent (with the football team), the Olympics, a Basketball Challenge between the classes...and we will have a huge pep rally on Friday.  On top of all this we have been decorating our doors for judging.  Mine is perfect for the local Spanish Teacher.  My niece, Ramona, did the crocheted swag at the top of my door and my door is all about Dia de los Muertos....y dice....Dia de los Muertos para Beulah.  I love it!  I have a picture but for some reason cannot get it to upload this morning.  *sigh*

First September Hodge Podge

 

September is here and so is another round of Hodge Podge.  Be sure to answer Joyce's questions and then hop back over and link up with her.  Be sure to visit some of the other Hodge Podgers. 

1. What's on your September calendar? Anything fun? Wadley homecoming is the 11th and I am working that game.  They have a volleyball game on the 15th and I am working that game.  Milliken is having their big rug sale at the plant on the 12th, we have an inservice day on the 21st, and their is a huge yard sale from here to Newnan on Saturday.  My biggest thing is that Kat and Brian are coming home from Moldova for 6 weeks.  I cannot wait.

2. You might be described as a natural born ____storyteller_________________?

3. September is National Courtesy Month...what one act of courtesy would you most like to see more of in your home, town, or the world at large? Men taking hats off when they enter a building...and especially during the pledge or prayer.  It is my pet peeve.

4. Eager beaver, chicken out, clam up, or let the cat out of the bag...of the phrases listed, which one have you related to most recently? Eager beaver....and I bit off way more than I could chew.

5. What's your movie theatre snack protocol? Do you chow down on snacks during the previews or wait until the movie begins? Do you buy snacks or refuse to pay those kind of prices? What's the last movie you saw in a theatre? How many thumbs up would you give it?  I eat during the previews, popcorn is my favorite snack, Pitch Perfect 2 was the last movie I saw and it was just ok.  Loved the music....but the movie itself was dry.

6. Henry Ford is quoted as saying, "Nobody can think straight who does not work. Idleness warps the mind." Agree or disagree? Why?  I agree.  In the summer when I am off I struggle with ideas and the like.  When I am working during the school year I come up with some amazing ideas.

7. What's the last job you completed or task you performed where you had to 'work like a dog' until it was finished?  House cleaning before I had a party at the house.  I had a large crowd coming for dinner and I had really let the house slide a bit.  Talk about tired.  I was one tired momma.

8.  Insert your own random thought here. College football kicks off this week.  Will you be watching?  Who will you be pulling for?  Are you a fan?  or fanatic?  I live in Alabama and the rivalry between Auburn and Alabama has already reared its ugly head on facebook.  Football hasn't even started and I wish it were over already. 

Hodge Podging in the U.S.A.

If this is Wednesday, then this must be Hodge Podge.  I am so glad you stopped by.  If you are interested in playing, then in a post all your own....answer the following questions, then hop over by clicking here to Joyce's blog and linking up there.  It is as simple as that.  Oh!  And stop by and visit someone else while you are there.

1. On Saturday July 4th America celebrates her Independence. (If you're not American,  feel free to answer in terms of a national holiday in your own country) What is your favorite thing about the day? Your favorite food on the 4th? Do you fly a flag at your house? Fireworks-yay or nay? Any special plans this year?  I love watching the fireworks from Washington, New York on TV.  Favorite food would be hot dogs and hamburgers with family.  We do fly an American flag at the house.  I am not big on fireworks live.  We have them pretty close, there is a Sheriff's rodeo and fireworks in Wedowee, we have Thunder on the Chattahoochee in Franklin, and Calloway Gardens has a fabulous show.  When we lived in Alex City there was always a concert and fireworks at the Amphitheater at Kowliga.  I loved going to that.  We are going to my cousin, Amanda's, house for the day to be with family.  There will be good, music, fun.  I am excited.
2. What's something you recently got for free?  I got a senior citizens drink for free at a restaurant when we were in Knoxville.  That was a pretty good deal and it shaved 2.50 off my bill.3.  The Statue of Liberty, The Liberty Bell, The Washington Monument, or Mount Rushmore...how many on the list have you seen? What is your favorite historical American monument, and why?  I have seen them all, I loved seeing them all, I cried as we crossed to see Miss Liberty.    My favorite...hum.... would be all of them....and every other American monument.  On our honeymoon Frank and I got a National Park Passport.  Yeah, I know...we are a couple of old nerds.4. When it comes to the news are you more ostrich (stick my head in the sand) or hog (they have room to take a whole lot in)? How much attention have you given the recent news reports regarding ISIS and the acts of terror they've perpetrated against those who do not share their beliefs or support their cause?  I wish I could always stick my head in the sand and not pull it out until it is over....but I alas, I am a hog. 
5. We're talking plain ice cream...vanilla, chocolate, or strawberry? Choose one.  Since we are talking about plain ice cream I will have to go with plain Vanilla.
6. Share a song you love containing the word 'stars' in the lyrics or title?  That is an easy one for me, "Stars Fell On Alabama."  I love crooning along with this song...especially the version by Jimmy Buffett 
7. Describe and/or say goodbye to June with an acrostic.

Just spending time

Under the

Night skies

Enjoying myself
8.  Insert your own random thought here. Since Saturday is the 4th of July I thought I would leave you with some of my favorite patriot songs to peruse.  I hope you will take a moment or two and listen.

The National Anthem

God Bless The USA

Patriotic Medley - Josh Groban, et. al

Battle Hymn of the Republic

US Military Songs Medley

Happy and Safe 4th to you all! 

Hodgepodge -Volume 223

Hello Fellow Hodgepodgers! One item of business before we get to this week's questions...according to Joyce, our hostesss with the moistest, there will not be any Hodgepodge next week (June 9/10).  It's crunch time here in terms of her move, and she'll be busy signing papers and hauling bins and boxes from here to there. Thank you for understanding! The HP will return the week after-June 16/17. Once you answer today's questions, link up with Joyce by clicking here.

Now back to this week...here we go-

1. What's something you're looking forward to in the month of June?  Vacation.  I am hoping for a few days in Knoxville to see my friends Chuck and Sue and a few days at the beach.  I want to pack and go somewhere.
2. In what way have you come full circle?  My parents began in Alabama....I began in Florida....we all ended up in Alabama.  I accepted Christ in Roanoke, AL when I was 9 at Uncle Leon's church...Frank and I now live and serve Christ in the Roanoke area. Talk about a God thing.
3. Lonely Planet lists 10 spots in America you should see in 2015 and the reasons why. How many on the list have you seen? Which one on the list would you most like to see? I have been to almost all of them...I would love to see North Conway, NH....and would love to return to Mount Shasta, Colorado River Region....and Western South Dakota.  They were lovely the first time.  Greenville is awesome and everyone should go at least once...visit Mast's General Store, look for the little mice...and eat wings at the Wild Wing Café.  It is lovely in the fall.  
4. A song that describes your mood right now? Anticipation.  We are waiting for the lawyers office to call so we can finally let go of my mom's house.  I thought I was going to be spending all summer empting it out....but the guy offered us a couple of thousand less than we had agreed upon and said he would do all the work....Done deal!  I will be glad when I can put this behind me.  My parents (well my mom) were hoarders...if you have seen the show...you have seen this house.
5. Strawberry ice cream, strawberry short cake, strawberry pie, or strawberries right off the vine...your favorite?  All of the above.  I LOVE strawberries....right off the vine would be my choice if I truly had to pick one.
6. Aesop's birthday is celebrated on June 4th, although there is some disagreement as to whether or not that's accurate, or if he was even a real person. Regardless, the name Aesop is associated to this day with many well known fables. Which of the following best applies to something in your life right now? The Tortoise and the Hare (Slow and Steady wins the race), The Ant and the Grasshopper (Be prepared), The Fox and the Goat (Look before you leap) or The Crow and the Pitcher (Necessity is the mother of invention)?  The Ant and The Grasshopper....hurricane season is upon us and we discovered everyone of our flashlights had dead batteries.  It is off to Walmart to get some more. 
7. The answer is yes...what's the question?  Am I enjoying my summer right now?  Do I love my husband and children?  Am I excited about Lyndi's baby being born?  Am I a Christian?  Which yes do you want?

8. Insert your own random thought here. I was thinking of summer memories....and since I grew up in South Florida....the beach was something we did year round.  Once a year however....we would go to Sanibel Island and Captiva.  Some of my grandest memories are there...and my very first love.  I was around 10.  He was from up north....I don't even remember his name....but I do remember collecting sand dollars, holding hands, and walking on the beach.....time there was idyllic.  The funny thing is....our parents did not have to entertain us....neither of us had electronic games.....and there were no amusement parks.  Kids today are missing making some of the greatest memories ever.  What is one of your best childhood vacation memories.

Graduation Hodge Podge

Welcome to your weekly dose of Hodgepodge. Thanks for playing along...if you've answered the questions today, add your link at the end of my post then go say hi to your neighbors. Here we go-

 1. Did you make someone laugh yesterday? Was it intentional?  I did not laugh or make anyone laugh yesterday.  It is the last week of school and tensions are running high.  There may be laughter after graduation ceremonies tonight....but yesterday....not happening.

2. What's a simple question with a complicated answer?   How are you?
3. Rhododendrons or azaleas...you have to choose. Are any currently blooming in your yard?  Azaleas would have to be my answer.  None are blooming in my yard right now...but they have bloomed recently.

 4.  May 21st is National Waitstaff Day. Have you ever worked as a waiter/waitress? How would you rate the experience? What was the best/worst part of the job?
I have worked as a waitress several times in my life.  I have worked in dives, in a bar and grill, at a nice restaurant.  I enjoyed the money and the experience for the most part.  There are good memories and not so good ones.  I hate the smell of grease to this day.   It gave me an appreciation for my waiter/waitress....and I know that all waitstaff does not get paid minimum wage.  Many of them make waitstaff wage...which is a whole lot lower and tips are very much appreciated. 
5.  What fashion trend for women should be outlawed? How about one for men?
I have to agree with Joyce on her answer.  I hate it when I see a man's underwear because their pants are hanging to their knees.  For women I hate seeing bellys, busts, and stuff....Ladies...look at yourself in the mirror....Don't wear these clothes.
6. Name a writer who inspires you...now tell us why.  Dr. Seuss.  It is graduation week and I have heard many references to Oh The Places You'll Go.  I think it applies to us all at whatever stage of life we are in. 
7.  What well known quote or saying sums up your plans for today or this week?  Ok, so this week I need more than a quote.  I need the whole poem. 

1. The version found written on the wall in Mother Teresa's home for children in Calcutta:

              People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.  Forgive them anyway.

            If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.  Be kind anyway.

            If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.  Succeed anyway.

           If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you.  Be honest and sincere anyway.

            What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.  Create anyway.

            If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.  Be happy anyway.

            The good you do today, will often be forgotten.  Do good anyway.

         Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.  Give your best anyway.

         In the final analysis, it is between you and God.  It was never between you and them anyway.

-this version is credited to Mother Teresa
 8.  Insert your own random thought here.  I have two this week.  What do you remember about your graduation?  How long has it been?  I am celebrating my 43rd year as a high school graduate.  My second one is to remember that Memorial Day is more than a time for bbqing.  It is a time to remember those who have given their lives so that we can still be free.  I agree with Joyce...if you have never been to Arlington....you need to put that at the top of your bucket list.  If you have never seen the Vietnam Wall, the Korean monument, and all the others...you must go to Washington D.C.  It will touch your life forever and you will never be the same again. 

April Fools Hodge Podge

Joyce considered declaring today Spring Break in the Hodgepodge, but since it snowed where she lives this morning she felt it best we carry on. she'll probably take a week off from the HP sometime in April, because that whole A-Z thing will begin to wear her out.  Blogging's fun, isn't it?  Let's get started....here are the questions, you provide the answers, then hop over to Joyce's blog by clicking here and we'll compare, in a good way of course.

1. In honor of the date...when were you last sent on a 'fool's errand'?  I bought the wrong printer cartridge for my printer and had to return to the store and swap it with the correct one.  They were sitting right beside each other. 
2. Peter Rabbit, Bugs Bunny, The Energizer Bunny, The Easter Bunny, Rabbit (Pooh's friend), White Rabbit (of Wonderland fame), or the Trix Rabbit...which of these 'famous' rabbits can you best relate to right now?  Definitely not the Energizer Bunny.  I would have to say Pooh's friend. 
3. When did you last find yourself scrambling to get something done? Explain.  Taxes...it is that time of the year.
4. Last time you were up at the literal crack of dawn? Why? Last time you stayed up all night? Why? Last night was pretty much an all nighter as I tried to get the tax stuff together to take to the accountant this morning.  I went to bed...for a brief period....got sick, started this insane coughing, and just gave it up and got up.  I was in the bed for two hours.  I will pay for this today.
5. Crack a book, crack a bottle, crack a joke, crack an egg...which have you done most recently?  I cracked a book yesterday and could not put it down.  I finished it at 1 this morning.

6. What's your favorite part of a typical weekend? Tell us why that's so. Sunday....because of church.  I love the music, the sermon, the fellowship.  It starts my week out on the right foot.
7. What's something I'd find on a bookshelf in your home? Other than a book I mean!  A steeple and a ceramic doll from Moldova, a zebra my niece made for me, and a gorgeous cross given to me.  All are nestled among the many books.
8. Insert your own random thought here. I am just curious.  How do you celebrate Easter?  I preached on Monday, Frank is preaching today, we will attend Maundy Thursday night services, we are having an egg hunt at both of our churches on Saturday, we will both have son rise services followed by breakfast, and then the morning service.  I love Easter Sunday. 

Spring Into Spring Hodge Podge

Welcome to the weekly Wednesday fun here. The rules are quite simple, Joyce posts the questions, you answer them and post your answers on your blog, then hop back to Joyce's blog and share answers with all your friends and neighbors.  See you there!

1. Share a favorite song, book, or movie title containing the word green?  That is a piece of cake! 

Anne of Green Gables.  I love the story line and so does my daughter Kat (who is a ginger).  When Kat was 15 the two of us took a trip up the Eastern seaboard to P.E.I. to see Lucy Maude Montgomery's home.  It was one of those trips of a lifetime.

2. Ralph Waldo Emerson is quoted as saying, 'Shallow men believe in luck. Strong men believe in cause and effect.' Would you agree? Are you a believer in luck?  I am a believer in faith.

3. Spring water, Hot Springs, handspring, spring fling, spring break, spring fever, offspring...which 'spring' word best applies to something in your day, week, or life right now?  I have to say Spring Break.  Ours begins Holy Week and I cannot wait!

4. What's something you do to make yourself look or feel more confident?  I have a black dress with pearls that I wear when I need to feel confident.  It is my power dress.

5.  It's National Celery Month...are you a fan? If so, what's a snack or dish you enjoy that calls for celery?  I like celery.  I love it stuffed with pimiento/pnut butter/cream cheese, in soups/stews, in salads, in stuffing...sauted...Yep...it is pretty wonderful.

6. What's one thing you wish you'd learned sooner? Finish college while you are young.

7. Would you like to own a second home? If so where would you want that home to be?  The beach....no the mountains....no the beach....either place would be fine with me.  I love them both.

8.  Insert your own random thought here. Yesterday was St. Paddy's Day. Bíodh lá iontach (Have a good day) and  Dia duit go léir (God bless You all).  Have you ever watched...Darby O'Gill and the Little People?  Brigadoon?  These are must sees.  I watched Darby O'Gill on Sunday night.  Loved it....again.

Wednesday Hodge Podge -Vol 211

Grrr...it's the first week of March. We have another possibility for snow, ice, and of course the answers to the  Hodgepodge questions. Answer on your own blog, then come back  to add your link to the party by clicking here and heading over to Joyce's blog.  See you there!

1. 'In like a lion, out like a lamb'...does the first part of this saying describing March weather ring true  where you live?  It usually does.  Sunday, March 1st here was blustery and drizzled all day.  Today is the third and it has been foggy, gray, and rainy since the first....and tomorrow we have a possibility for snow/ice along the I-20 corridor.

2. March 4th is National Grammar Day. What common grammatical error bothers you the most?   Here we go...learnt, oncet, twicet, chirren, seen, they're, their, there. 

3. William Arthur Ward says- 'The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.' Which one are you?  I little realist/optimist.  I do expect it to change.....but will adjust the sails if need be until then.
4. What's something you need to 'march forth and conquer' this month?  Spring cleaning and getting my parent's house ready to sell.
5. An ongoing debate around here...do you dust first, then vacuum or vacuum first, then dust? Of the two routine household chores, which do you dislike the least? How's that for wording? Dust first and then vacuum.  I dislike dusting because everything has to be moved and then put back.

6. According to thrilllist.com, the ten most photographed sites in the U.S.A. are- Cinderella's Castle in Orlando, Southernmost House in Key West Florida, The Space Needle in Seattle, The Site of the Boston Massacre in Boston, The Bellagio Lake/fountains in Las Vegas, The Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC, Coit Tower in San Fransisco, The Art Institute of Chicago, Niagara Falls, and snagging the number one spot-The Guggenheim Museum in New York City. How many on this list have you photographed? Which on the list would you most like to visit and photograph?  I have actually photographed.....Cinderella's castle, both by day and by night, the Southernmost House in Key West, The Space Needle - inside and out, The Lincoln Memorial in D.C., Niagara Falls, day and night from both sides,

 (In the picture they are setting up for Nick Wallenda's crossing, see the rainbow off the falls.  This is made from out hotel window., and the Guggenheim in NYC.  There are so many more places I think are worthy of this list and I really don't care if I photograph the ones I missed.  There are so many other places I have yet to shoot.  Have camera will travel is my motto. 

7. Fifty years ago Monday (March 2, 1965) The Sound of Music premiered at the Rivoli Theatre in NYC. Have you seen the film? Do you own a copy? On a scale of 1-10 how much do you love it (or not)? Ten=best movie ever. If you're a fan, what's your favorite scene or song from the movie?  I have seen it many times.  I own it.  I love it....and would have to give it a 10+.  My favorite scene is when they are trying to escape and singing in the concert...and when she and the children are on the mountain in their play clothes.  Who am I kidding....I love the whole movie. 

8. Insert your own random thought here.  I spent all day in the hospital waiting room while Frank had surgery.  When I got home last night I was wiped out.  Which makes you the most tired.....working 8 hours at your job....or waiting in a waiting room?

To Hodge Podge With Love

Happy Hodgepodge! A heart-felt welcome to everyone reading or playing along here today! If you participate and you've answered this week's questions, be sure to add your link at the end of Joyce's post . Also, please say hi to the blogger who linked before you, because there's no love like comment love. Here we go-

1. Have you ever written a love letter? Have you written one recently? Had one written to you? Did you keep it?   I have written a few love letters and received them too. Frank is not a huge fan of writing....but he has scrawled a few small love notes to me in the past 15 years. I have kept them all and my favorite is the one he sent me when I took an Emmaus Walk.
2. What's a movie that ends in a way you especially love?
White Christmas with Bing Crosby.  I love everything about it.
 3. Something that makes your heart sing? And for those of you who are parents, I mean something besides your children that makes your heart sing?
Rainbows,  If it is a visible double then it is like the Hallelujah Chorus in my heart!
4. What's the last event you had to attend, phone call you had to make, routine task you needed to complete, or meal you had to prepare, that you did do, but only half-heartedly?
I half-heartedly dusted.  I usually move whatever is on top and use the spray and really dust....this time I just passed the Swiffer duster around what was sitting there....and the sad part is....I can tell I did it....and it is driving me nuts.
 5. Tuna fish salad-yay or blech? If you said yay, how do you like your tuna salad prepared? Hey, this is the Hodgepodge, right?
I really love both tuna  and chicken salads.  I usually make them up on the weekend and then take them for lunch.  I like mine with a little bit of chopped sweet pickle,  finely chopped celery, and a very little bit of mayo-not soggy. I like it on a bed of lettuce with some crackers, or on toast topped with lettuce and tomato and some sliced bread and butter pickles on the side.  I also love to stuff tomatoes with it for supper when tomatoes are in season..  
6. What's something you 'know by heart'?
I know a lot of stuff by heart....and I know some things that I may drop a lyric or two....but for the most part...I know it all.  I do know the entire song of "El Paso" by Marty Robbins, American Pie, by Don McLean, the Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald, by Gordon Lightfoot, the National Anthem, the Pledge of Allegiance, the Lord's Prayer, the words to Amazing Grace and It Is Well With My Soul....and a whole lot of useless trivia.7. In the spirit of Valentine's Day, what two or three word phrase would you write on a conversation heart for someone you love? That someone could be a spouse, child, parent, cousin, bestie...anyone at all whom you love.
At Last - and now I will have that song in my head all day.
8. Insert your own random thought here.
How many of you celebrate Valentine's Day? I don't like to....and don't think I am anti-love....but  I love my husband....365/24/7 and I think our Valentine's Day is the day we married and every day we spend together.  I don't need overpriced roses, a card, or jewelry on the 14th of February to know he loves me.  I love the days when for no reason he does something special.  One year on Valentine's Day we went to a Hallmark store and read each other special cards....it was so fun.  What say ye?

Auld Lang Syne Hodge Podge For 2014

Welcome to the last HP in 2014, but no worries...there will be plenty more random fun in the new year. Just not next week. Next week Joyce will be in full on post wedding mode, so no Hodgepodge January6/7. The HP will be back to it's regular posting schedule the following week-January 13/14.   I hope the wedding is fairy tale and cannot wait to share it through posts and pictures.  Now for this week's questions...Happy New Year everyone!  Click here to join in and play.

1. Share a favorite moment from your Christmas holiday celebration.
Any one of them that involved my children when they were munchkins.  Best one ever was when we gave them their "Big Present" in a small box....and they discovered we were leaving for Disney World early the next morning.

2. What would you say has been the biggest news event during your life so far?  Griefus....I am 60.  The end of Camelot(for those to young to remember - the end of the Kennedy era), 9/11, moon walking, the end of Vietnam, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Cuban Missile Crisis, ....9//11 impacted the way life was and will never be again.

3. The Pantone Color of the Year for 2015 is Marsala. What say you-like or no like? Would I find this color anywhere in your home or wardrobe? Will you add something in this shade to either?  I love the color. I do not have it on any wall in my house....I live in a parsonage....plain white walls. I do use it in decorating pieces.  I have a bed spread that is marsala, green, and gold.  It is beautiful.  I have not added the color to my wardrobe yet.

4. Would you rather meet your ancestors or your great grandchildren? Explain why.

I have a great grandchild and she lights up my life.  I would love to meet my ancestors...prior to coming to America.  I have so many questions.

5. Share one life lesson learned in 2014?  It is ok to move your cheese.  I left a job of 25 years and began a new one....and am having a blast.

6. What was your best or favorite purchase made in 2014?  The gifts Frank and I purchased for Galina.  We bought her Christmas and met many new people getting it to Brigadoon so it could be mailed to Moldova.  It was just like being Santa when the kids were little.

7. What is one thing you're looking forward to in the new year?  Traveling more.

8. Insert your own random thought here.  Here is to everyone.....Happy 2015 to you all!

I Am Dreaming of a White Hodge Podge....NOT!

Welcome to the weekly Wednesday Hodgepodge. Nobody has anything else they should be doing today, do they? So why not join the party here? As a reminder the Hodgepodge will be on Christmas vacation next week, so no questions/answers on Dec 23/24th. We'll be back to ring in the new year together the week after, December 30/31.  If you want to read everyone's answers or participate then jump over to Joyce's blog and check it out.

Here we go-

1. Time magazine has selected The Ebola Fighters as their person of the year for 2014. Do you agree, and if so who do you think is a close second? If you disagree with their choice, who do you think should have been chosen?  I am glad it is at least someone/some group that has made a positive impact on the world.

2. This question comes to you courtesy of Susan who blogs over at Stew Mama Says. She knows we have a wedding happening any minute now and she asks, "What's your favorite something old? Something new? Something borrowed? Something blue in your home? Be sure you hop over and say hi to Susan today!  Something old? My grandfather's Tater Bug mandolin.  Something new? My 2014 monogramed ornament that Miss Wendy made for me.  Something borrowed? An Amish Christmas book borrowed from Miss Jane.  Something blue? The blue candle Renee gave me for my birthday.

3. Fudge-yay or nay? Your favorite flavor? Do you make it yourself? With nuts or without?
Not a huge fan of fudge....I like fudge, but don't love it. It is way too rich. I enjoy a sliver and that's enough. My favorite flavor is just chocolate and walnuts and preferably from Mackinaw Island.   

4. December 17th is Wright Brothers Day, commemorating the first successful flights made by Orville and Wilbur Wright in 1903 in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. How old were you when you made your first flight? Do you like to fly? Have you ever been to Kitty Hawk or other parts of the North Carolina Outer Banks?  I flew to see my grandparents when I was 9.  I actually got wings from the stewardess for this flight.  I like to fly...prefer to drive so I can see more.  I have been to Kitty Hawk and loved it.  

5. Do the people in your family tend to follow a particular career path, and if so what's the path?

Most of my family are in some form of the medical profession.  There are a few of us who teach.....but no one really has followed any particular career path.

6. What is one thing you absolutely, positively must accomplish today?  Make sure all my semester exams are graded and entered into my gradebook.
7. This Christmas I hope______________________________________.  I have to agree with Joyce on this one.  All is calm. All is bright.  

8. Insert your own random thought here.  Are you finished shopping?  Remember there is just one week until Christmas.

Let Us Give Thanks for Hodge Podge

Welcome to this pre-Thanksgiving Holiday Hodgepodge! If you've answered the questions add your link at the end of Joyce's post and then go say hi to the blogger who linked before you.

Thank you for joining the party here every Wednesday. It's a day brightener for sure, and always fun to see all the many directions people run with their answers. Please don't miss next week's HP, because Joyce has a special little giveaway planned in honor of our 200th Wednesday Hodgepodge.  

Feeling especially grateful today for the way words connect people. Happy Thanksgiving!

 

1. Besides U.S. Thanksgiving, it's also National Game and Puzzle Week...what game have you played most recently, and who were you with? Have you worked a puzzle of any kind in the past week?  I do jigsaw puzzles every day on my IPad and love it.  Frank and I compete for time completed.  I usually win.  We play Mexican Train dominoes often with friends.  We are all highly competitive so it makes for an exciting evening. 
2. What is one place you were thankful for this year?  I was thankful for the beach this year.  There was something very relaxing about hearing the waves roll in and being with good friends.
3. Take a nap, watch football, go for an after dinner walk, or hit the stores...which ONE is on your must-do list for Thanksgiving day? For those of you playing along who aren't in the US, answer as it relates to any big holiday meal. We will be sharing a meal with about 50 family members and then traveling to Knoxville to spend time with two of my oldest and dearest friends.  I do NOT shop on Thanksgiving and wish stores would not open until midnight like it used to be.  I believe salespeople should be allowed to stay home and enjoy their families.  The Auburn vs Alabama game will be the highlight of Saturday and the Macy's Parade will be on too.
4. Besides Thanksgiving, what's your favorite home cooked meal?  Beef Stew, soups, mac and cheese. Not together.  I love the comfort provided by these three things....if you add bread pudding with praline sauce I am in heaven.
5. What product from an infomercial would you most like to own?  The green frying pan but you can get it from an As Seen on TV store....or Walmart if you are lucky.
6. Christmas shopping? Have you begun? Finished? Will you shop on Black Friday? How do you feel about stores opening on Thanksgiving Day? What percentage of your Christmas shopping is done online?  I am finished....Frank still has some initials to make for me to give as gifts.  I will not shop on Black Friday and I hate the fact that stores are opening on Thanksgiving Day.  This year I did a good bit...50% of my shopping on line.
7. What are you most grateful for that adds beauty to your everyday life?  The ride I have down Co. Rd 15 from RCHS to Wadley High.  There are several old churches, beautiful trees, some old barns, an abundance of wild life.  I have seen several hawks, a fox, and a fawn.  I also love crossing the Tallapoosa River.  There are turtles that sit on logs and it is just gorgeous.
8. Insert your own random thought here. Just a thought....Everything happens for a reason.  So often we wonder about the "whys" in life....."Why did this happen?" "Why me?"  "Why now?" But there is a secret that wise men know...Bumps in the road are an inevitable part of life that soften us, make us grow, and bestow upon us the virtue of compassion.  Often it is only with the passing of time that it becomes clear that the could really did have a silver lining, and now we have wisdom, strength, and hope to share.  And at last we understand the true meaning of the phrase "Everything happens for a reason."