It's a Hodgepodge Kind of Day

I'm joining up with Joyce and friends for Wednesday Hodgepodge.

1. When did you last have cancelled plans? Were you happy about that or disappointed? 

Our last cancelled plans were back in March and we were supposed to go out to dinner, but our daughter was in the hospital with pre-eclampsia so we had to cancel. I had mixed emotions. I was glad I could go to be with our daughter.

2. On a scale of 1-10 how much of a planner are you? 

1= I go where the wind takes me

10=I've got a power point on it, no matter what it is

I don’t have a power point on it . . .BUT I do have a detailed list where I can mark things off as I do them and I have lots of Excel spreadsheets!!

3. Do you have a menu plan for the week? If so tell us one or two things that are on it. If not, what's your plan for not having a plan lol? 

I love to meal plan, but it hasn’t been happening much lately. On Sundays, we eat a big lunch at Mark’s mother’s house. Some weeks Mark and I provide the entrée and some weeks one of my sister-in-law’s provides it. We just eat something light for dinner on Sunday nights. On Mondays, Mark is at his mother’s, so I usually grab a salad to eat and study while I eat. On Tuesdays, we host the young adults, so I have whatever we are serving them (I cook for 15-20 folks). On Wednesdays, I work until six and our church chef prepares dinner for purchase by our families, and I usually order a dinner for Mark and me. That leaves Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. We usually eat out at least one of those nights. The other two nights might include some cooking, or they might include a Lean Cuisine.

4. The Hodgepodge lands on National Bucket List Day. Do you have a bucket list? Is it written down or just in your head? What is one thing on your bucket list? If you don't have a list, what is one thing you'd add to a list if you did? Yes, I'm going to make you think about it. 

I don’t have a Bucket List written down (which is crazy since I love lists!!) but there are several things I definitely want to do. I want to go up in a hot air balloon. I thought the hot air balloon was getting marked off this year, but that portion of our trip was cancelled (trip is in October). I want to ride a zip line. Is it called “riding”? I actually said something about this on Saturday night. I think my daughter-in-law wants to do it, too. Mark and I want to travel more – we want to go to Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and I want to see the Northern Lights in Iceland. We want to go to Scotland.

5. Rain buckets, a drop in the bucket, couldn't carry a tune in a bucket, sweat buckets, cry buckets...which 'bucket' idiom applies to your life in some way currently? 

I’m going with cry bucket. Our newest baby granddaughter is having a tough time and her mommy says she cries a lot – as in all the time if she isn’t being held . . . and sometimes even when being held. They are adjusting formula and adding some tummy meds. I could choose sweat bucket because we are getting ready to move into summer here in Alabama and we sweat buckets around here at times.

6. Insert your own random thought here.  

I mentioned here that a local magazine might contact us. They have contacted us and they are sending a reporter and a photographer to our house on Friday. It is a “town” magazine so not a huge publication, but it is still cool.

 

A Simple Weekend In Review

We have been on the road, going and coming, for six straight weeks in addition to the fact that I still work full-time and am taking a class at the local community college trying to finish my degree. I totally hit the wall and told Mark I just had to stay home. We had a women's event at church on Saturday and I didn't even attend. That is a rare thing.

We got up at our regular time on Friday because a guy from the insulation company was coming at 7:30 to put more insulation in the attic. During the day on Friday, Mark worked in the yard and I studied for my final and did laundry. We did go on an evening golf cart ride.

On Saturday morning, I ran to Walgreen's to pick up a prescription and a couple of photos I had printed. I went back home and studied some more.

Our son had called Mark and invited us over for dinner on Saturday night. We went about an hour early so Mark could play Barbies with our granddaughter. She and I also made the deviled eggs.

Our son and his family have lots of chickens. During the day, they are free to roam around the yard but they go into their pens at night. The pen below is for the newer chickens . . . one has turned out to be a rooster.

Here are our eggs prior to a sprinkling of paprika.

Mark and our granddaughter made a structure/shelter for the Barbies out of bamboo that Mark cut from his mother's backyard. I think the Barbies were on survivor.

Dinner was a shrimp boil and it was delicious.

Since Mark's sister and her husband have moved to town, we are able to spend more time together. Glenn had invited them for dinner, too. Mark and his sister, Susie are on the settee to the left. Our daughter-in-law, Lauren, was cleaning the table in the back. Brother-in-law Bob is in the yellow. Our friend Wynn is sitting with baseball cap on and granddaughter is in the middle.

Here is another picture of some of the chickens.

We had a threat of rain on Friday and Saturday but neither day was a wash out. By the time, we left our son's house, it was raining pretty hard.

 On Sunday, I worked the Welcome Desk and then went home. Mark went to church and Sunday School and then to his mom's house for lunch. While I ate my lunch, I listened to the sermon. I actually went home so I could study more. I did wander out into our courtyard for a few minutes to check on the hydrangeas! They are going to have so many flowers! Look at the funny one sticking straight up - it is like a bloom coming out of a bloom!

We finished off the weekend by watching one episode of Bones, one episode  (the last one!) of The Reluctant Traveler, and one episode of Frasier. I must admit that I feel much better after a slower weekend!!

Sunday Stealing Gives Me a Feeling!

It must be Sunday because I'm answering the Sunday Stealing questions from "How Far Will you Go" stolen by our fearless leader, Bev!

1.    What was the best toy you ever owned? Wow! I had a monkey when I was a pre-schooler and he had a tiny banana in his hand . . .and I chewed that banana up! I loved that monkey. When I was a little bigger, I learned to ride a bike and we rode bikes all of the time all over the neighborhood. I even had a calico cat, Missy, who loved to ride in the basket on my bike. As an adult, my toys are more sophisticated. I love my Apple Watch and I love my Silhouette.

2.    When in your life have you felt the loneliest? I worked at AT&T before our children were born. They were born at 34 weeks and I had been put on bed rest two weeks or so prior to their birth. They were born on November 18 and beginning in December through February of that year, I lived through some of my loneliest days. I had two preemies who had to eat every 1 1/2 hours, my father-in-law was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer so Mark was trying to be in both places, and I had not cultivated new friendships.

3.    What is your strongest emotion? I want to say joy, but I think my personal strongest emotion is probably anger. Wow - that sounds really bad. Also, I'm not sure I'm reading this question correctly nor answering it correctly.

4.    When were you the most disappointed in yourself? I'm a number one on the Enneagram so I have an inner voice telling me what I've done wrong all of the time . . .so I probably disappoint myself on a daily basis.

5.    Which law would you most like to change? I'm going to answer this one in a silly way - not with a deep answer. Could we please change speed limit laws? I've talked about this before. I need those speed limits to be suggestions :-). I also need those driving below the speed limit to get a ticket :-).

6.    Who is the person you have hated the most in your lifetime? I can't answer that on my blog. Let me just say that it took learning that hating someone only hurts me. The other person could care less. This person that I'm thinking about did something really bad. I don't hate easily because I actually believe in lots of love and grace.

7.    What has disappointed you the most? Probably myself -- see #4. Actually, my former brother-in-law disappointed me a lot. He had an affair and left my sister after 30+ years of marriage. I had always thought he was a man of integrity. He actually walked me down the aisle when Mark and I married. We were close. I was very disappointed in him and his actions.

8.    What's the best possible attitude toward death? Love and live while we are alive so that we have little to no regrets when we die. As a Christian, I believe that I will be with Jesus when I die, so that sounds pretty good.

9.    What's been the longest day in your life? Recently, the longest day of our lives was the day our newest granddaughter was born. It was a rough day.

10.  What is the biggest coincidence in your life? I don't have that many relatives and a year or so a lady joined our church and it turns out that our grandmothers were sisters! Pretty cool! I'm sure this isn't the biggest coincidence, but it is all I can think of today!

11.  What's the oldest you'd like to live? My mother-in-law is in her late 90's and has lost most of her memory. I want to live a long and healthy life - both physically and mentally. I don't have an exact age of what that would be.

12.    Who is the most amazing woman you know personally? I've been blessed to know many amazing women. My mother-in-law is one of those women. In all of the pictures below, she is over 90 years old.

These girls are 4 1/2 and 8 now so this
was just a couple of years ago.

This was a few years ago, but even in her 90's
she was making homemade birthday cakes for
her children - she made 3!

I think she was 96 in this picture at the beach

13.    What was your best experience in school? I loved school and had lots of great experiences. I experienced fun trips. I was in the All State choir. I was in the Color Guard in high school. I was in the National Honor Society. I was a part of an active youth group at church. Now at 65, I'm also enjoying school again and I've had some great professors who have been so very kind!

14.    What's the most meaningful compliment you've ever received? I'm going to have to think about this. I'm not sure. I guess it would be when someone has noticed something I've done and mentions it. I'm always a tad embarrassed by compliments and also, due to that nagging voice in my head, I often discount compliments. One that was very meaningful was a comment/complement from my Sociology professor. She told me that she was really going to miss reading my various writings!

15.    What is the most you've spent on something really stupid? I'm sure I've bought some stupid gadget that I'm no longer using. I bought a baseboard cleaner and used it once or twice. I try not to make stupid purchases that cost a lot!

10 not on the 10th of February, but on the 19th of April!

I found this really old-- February 10 on the 10th-- that I never answered. Even though I'm not linking up, I'm going to answer now. It was saved as a draft! I actually did start answering the questions back on February 11 but life intervened evidently.

1. I would rather have potato chips dipped in chip dip . . .but of those two, I would rather have potato chips dipped in chocolate. I actually think I went to a party where they had Pringles dipped in chocolate!

2. My significant other would roll his eyes at either one but I would recite a poem probably.

3. I think Dolly Parton would be a cool dinner companion. I would like to hear about her books for kids program.

4. I'm going to choose one rose in a color I love -- pink!

5. I'm going to wear the red with orange hearts!

6. I don't even have to ponder this answer! I would love to go for a carriage ride in the Scottish Highlands. Scotland is on our places to visit!!

7. This was not an option, but Shemar Moore from Criminal Minds could deliver my pizza hahaha!

8. I think I would rather sleep on flannel sheets with teddy bears (since this was back in February). I've never slept on silk sheets. I'm not sure I would like them. I am a little bit of a sheet snob!!

9. What a choice - chocolates with least favorite filling or flowers to which I am allergic! I'm going with chocolates and I can give them away!

10. A surprise date is always fun!

Life Lately . . .maybe a tad out of order

Our good friends and neighbors and traveling buddies have a gorgeous outdoor dining area with a fireplace and pergola. Dave worked his last day during the first week of April and was so excited about retiring! On HIS VERY FIRST DAY OF RETIREMENT, he was changing out decorative lights and he was standing on this four foot platform. On THE VERY LAST LIGHT (isn't that the way it always is?), he stepped back and there was no platform! Off to the ER they went. He broke his pelvis/hip in two places but not the ball and socket so there is no surgery involved. He has been hanging out in their house using a walker and taking medicine to control the pain. Last week, Mark took lunch to him almost every day. What a way to start retirement!!

Mark and I have been driving back and forth to our daughter's house. I realized that I have driven back and forth at least once each week, usually spending at least one night, for the last six weeks. I went down last Friday and held new baby all day. Big sister never changed out of her pj's!

This is me - no make up at all - exhausted but holding sweet baby girl! I held her so much that my arm is still sore hahaha!

Isn't this the sweetest face! She looks so much like her sister and so much like her Uncle Glenn. Uncle Glenn is her mommy's twin brother.

One reason I was so tired is the night before I drove to visit, we had tickets to see "On Golden Pond" at our local community theater. We met friends for dinner at Soho Taco which is literally next door to the theater PLUS you can get a margarita to go to take with you! They serve wine and beer and bottled water at the play, but a margarita is just so much better :-). The theater is owned by someone in our church and so we have season tickets for opening night ALONG with quite a few other church people. It is always funny when we go in. It feels a little like Cheers when Norm entered and everyone shouted, "Norm"!

A large number of the shows have been sold out. This one was very well done and it was directed by a close friend.

Did I already mention this? I should go back and check, but I'm not going to do so. I packed up the Easter supplies and made Easter letters for the sides and top of the tubs for easy attic identification. I want to get the tubs out one or two at a time and clean them out, organize, and relabel.

In order to make those labels, I used my silhouette. It sits on top of this chest all of the time and last time, I moved it over to my tiny desk. This worked much better. I think my laptop was on an overturned plastic crate hahaha!

I went to a tea for the son and future daughter-in-law of another friend from church. It was lovely.

This past Saturday night, we went to supper club with our 20+ year group. Terrie made chicken fajitas and I made homemade guacamole. Phella made Alabama Caviar (bean and corn dip). This is not her recipe, but it is probably something like this. Laura made a frozen lemon/lime dessert with tequila - sort of a frozen margarita pie. I didn't eat any but Mark enjoyed. The piggy below was on her screen porch. He is so cute!

Fun Hodgepodge!

It is time for the weekly Wednesday Hodgepodge!! Thanks to Joyce for the questions. She comes up with new questions every single week!!

1. What's a skill you think everyone should have? I think everyone should be able to sew on a button! I also think everyone should be able to look people in the eye and introduce themselves. I know that someone who is on the Autism spectrum might not be able to do this. I totally understand in that situation. I do think, if at all possible, parents should teach their children how to greet others. 

2. Do you have a special place or organizational system for gift wrapping? Do you still buy 'real' cards to send for birthdays, anniversaries, get-well, etc? I store wrapping paper in our hall closet outside the powder room. Speaking of skills, I have pretty good wrapping skills! I actually love real cards. Mark, being a retired CFO, thinks cards cost way too much. I do agree. I just think a card in the mail brightens someone's day and makes them feel loved.

This is a metal corner "shelf" and it is
inside a coat/storage closet outside
the powder room. I have wrapping
supplies stored here. Pre-fire, I had
TONS of wrapping supplies and they
were organized differently than this. Post-fire,
I don't have that many supplies.

3. It's National Banana Day...are you a fan? What's your favorite thing to make with bananas or, if you're not a cook, your favorite thing to eat that contains banana? I had a banana at breakfast this morning. I like mine very yellow . . .not brown. I do use brown ones to make a high protein sheet pancake. I used 3 mashed RIPE bananas, 3 beaten eggs, 1 1/2 cups Kodiak Buttermilk pancake mix, a big splash of vanilla, and frozen blueberries. I spray a 9 X 13 metal pan with cooking spray. I mix everything together and pour into the pan and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. I cut into squares.

these were actually made on a jelly roll
pan so they are thinner and these
also have frozen cherries in
addition to frozen blueberries

4. Do you believe in second chances? Elaborate. Yes! Yes! Yes! I think God is a God of second chances and I'm so very thankful. When it comes to the human level, I want those second chances extended to me BUT if I'm very honest, there are times that I don't want to extend the second chance to others. I'm just being totally honest. As an example, I would have a hard time offering a second chance to a child molestor. 

5. What is your idea of fun? We love hanging out with friends and laughing and eating and talking! Hanging out with our grandkids can be fun, too!! It is fun to go to the lake and ride in the boat and feel the wind in my hair. It is fun to travel and see the world.

6. Insert your own random thought here. During our staff chapel at work, we are doing a wellness series for several weeks. We are talking about emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual health. In order to serve others, we need to be healthy in those areas. Is there one area where you struggle the most?

It's time for Sunday Stealing!

 I'm joining up with Bev and all of the thieves this week for Sunday Stealing:

1.    What have you been the most ignorant about in your life? I’m going to answer this with the thing that first popped into my head. I believe I’ve been ignorant about racism. I’m not ignorant about all racism. I’ve been ignorant about the depth or racism. I’m not even sure how to put words to my thoughts. Working on a church staff for 20 years has allowed me to see things I might never have seen before. Also, going back to school at my age has been eye opening. I was born in 1958 and I was in the sixth grade when our school was integrated. I could be wrong, but I feel like there were many things we weren’t taught that are a part of our history. I feel like my eyes have been opened to injustices. I hope to do better. I will do better.

2.    What in the world would you most like to see protected? Are we talking about humans here? If so, I would love to see my family protected. Are we talking about our planet and natural resources? We better get on the ball and protect many things.

3.    How do you waste the biggest chunk of time each day or week? I imagine it would be scrolling on the internet. Some might consider writing blog posts as a waste of time but I don’t. I really want to say that I waste time sleeping. I often feel like if I didn’t need to sleep, I could get it all done!

4.    Who is the scariest person you've ever known? I’ve known several scary folks over the years! I had a few teachers growing up that were pretty scary haha! I did have a professor many years ago who terrified me. He was mean. There was a family member, who is now deceased, and he was a bad and scary man. I doubt I will ever tell that story on my blog. I had a boss at AT&T who could go totally nuts. He would shout and scream. I would go to the bathroom and pray – seriously! It was interesting though because he and I actually had a good working relationship most of the time.

5.    What was the job you enjoyed the least? This is my list of employment and it isn’t that long – I wrapped Christmas and Mother’s Day gifts in a local dry goods store (that was what it was called back then) during my senior year of high school. I went to work for South Central Bell on the morning after I graduated from high school. At one point, we became American Bell briefly and then we became AT&T. When I had our twins, I stayed home a couple of years and then I worked part time for the regional manager at Tambrands (it was the mother company of Tampax!). Then I worked part time at a Crane and Hoist company making cold calls and filing. The guy that owned the company was someone I had worked with at South Central Bell and AT&T. Then I stayed home for quite a few years and I’ve been working on staff at the church for 20 years. I didn’t hate any of those jobs.

6.    What thing about your family are you the most proud of? I can’t really take credit but our kids turned into awesome adults. I’m proud of who they are. I’m proud of Mark and his siblings for keeping their mother at home in her house for as long as they have. It hasn’t been easy for them.

7.    What kind of power do you want most? I’m assuming you don’t mean gas or electric? Haha! I don’t know about power. I’ve seen power abused so often that it makes me nervous. I guess I want power over my own self – to eat right and exercise and be kind.

8.    What's the best piece of advice you ever received?  I’m 65 years old. I’ve received LOTS of advice over the years. I do remember my daddy telling me that there were going to be things I had to do as an adult that I didn’t want to do, but you did them because they were the right thing to do.

9.    What's the thing you know the most about? I know my job and I know it well. I know how to cook and know a lot about cooking (but not at the chef level – just everyday cooking and cooking for a crowd). We use a database at work and I used to be the one over the database. At that time, one of my coworkers called me “the grand poobah of Shelby” because I knew so much.

10.    When were you most moved by a ceremony? I have been to several funerals that were very moving. We went to the swearing in of one of our young adults for her branch of the service.  I didn’t expect to be moved by that service, but I was.

11.    What is the best gift you ever gave to someone? I won a bottle of Pappy van Winkle bourbon and gifted it to my husband. It was a great gift!

12.    What is the cruelest thing you've ever suffered? That is a tough question. I’m not sure I want to answer this one.

13.    What's the single nastiest thing you've ever done to someone? I hope I haven’t done many truly nasty things in my life. I did recently think about writing a post and apologizing to people (not name names) from over the years. An example would be where I made someone feel less than in order to build myself up.

14.    What problem do you think is most common among friends your age? We are getting old!!

15.    What is the strongest craving you get? I am not a hugger, but every once in a while, I truly crave a hug. I will ask for a hug. I crave diet pepsis when I don’t have one. Every once in a while, I’ll “crave” an excellent cheeseburger and fries.