Sum-sum-summertime!

Our Hodgepodge leader Joyce has returned from her vacation and is back with a new list of questions for this week.  Below are her questions, and my answers.  Play along!   Answer them too!

1.  Since you weren't Hodgepodging last Wednesday, how did you pass the time? 

I'm thinking back to what I did last Wednesday.  I had just returned from my Nashville trip (see blog post below this one) so I think I was doing laundry, and just catching up on things here at home.  I brought back with me a little cold so I was trying to take care of it…although as colds go it needed to run it's course anyway.  I still have the last remnants of it.

2.  What's the first word that comes to mind when I say marriage?  Yes - one word. 

Commitment.

3.  Summer officially arrives later this week.  Does it feel like summer where you live?  Describe your idea of the perfect summer day. 

Oh - yes, summer has arrived here in the low country of South Carolina!  We have hot and humid afternoons, and balmy evenings.  It's been a continuation of a strange weather pattern. First, the unusually cold winter here, and now the heat has come earlier than usual.  Many say it feels like August!  We haven't had enough rain…  and I'm concerned that all of this may lead to a more active hurricane season.  I hope I'm wrong.

My perfect summer day?   During the day I would either be on the boat with my hubby exploring nature around these parts - or with him on the golf course.  The day would finish with a nice cookout on our deck and a glass (or two) of wine.    Ahhhhh….  

4.  "Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability." (Sam Keen)  Is laziness respectable?  Do you have a lazy summer planned, or something semi-ambitious? 

First, I must quote a Jackson Browne song:   Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time!  So, if being "idle" or doing something easy, or doing nothing at all, is good for the soul…it's fine.  We all need to stop and chill - and reflect.  We need to give ourselves a break.      Unfortunately, in this fast-paced society the word "lazy" has only a bad connotation.   It's definitely a political "hot" word.  Used about politicians - and used BY politicians and others about the poor and needy.      

Do I have a lazy summer planned?  I am blessed in my life that I can make many choices on how to spend my days.  I enjoy a bit of "wasting time" for my soul…and I think it helps keep me sane.  I know what pace I like.     But, when summer comes around I find plenty to do - and enjoy!  So, I'm not lazy.  In fact last summer I never once made it to my community pool to sit and read, and I hope to get there this summer.  I love summer activities in general.  I love being outdoors everyday.  I love the music concerts that happen in summer.  I love the family gatherings that are annual summer events.  So, lazy? No.

5.  Past or present, what's your favorite television dad?  Why is he a favorite?  Is he anything like your own dad? 

I love Phil on "Modern Family," played by Ty Burrell.  He's a goofy, fun-loving, interactive dad.  He loves his wife and kids.  He's certainly NOT perfect, but he's very endearing.   I also loved Ray on "Everybody Loves Raymond" - probably for the same reasons.   Both funny guys, with sweet, caring  hearts.

My dad?  He has a sense of humor - and as a kid growing up I definitely enjoyed it at times!   He made others happy around him.   I never questioned his love for my mom and family.   He was not demonstrative about it, as the TV dads are.   But, yes, I see some similarities.

6.  June 18th is International Picnic Day… share a favorite picnic memory. 

First off, I must say I am not a picnic fan.  Why?   It takes planning, and preparation, and often the result is not that spectacular.  I prefer a restaurant meal.  Nothing fancy. But I like to sit at a table, and not worry about bugs, rain, and the like.   I have not gone on a picnic in years - and years.    Thinking back though I do remember the annual church picnics I attended that were "all afternoon" events.  There were games that made it fun.  Remember potato sack races?   Running with an egg on a spoon?   Playing softball?   As a kid they were fun - but then, I didn't have to do any of the preparing for it!

7.  The travel site Trip Advisor lists the top five islands in the world for 2014 as - Ambergris Caye in Belize Cayes, Providenciales in Turks & Caicos, Bora Bora in French Polynsia, Marco Island Florida, and Lewis & Harris in the Outer Hebrides (Scotland.)  Have you been to any of these?  Of those listed (and if price were not a factor) which would you most like to book for a holiday? 

One of the top five beaches is in Scotland?  I'm surprised!  I knew Scotland was known for beauty but never thought it had such a great beach.  Now I need to google it and take a look!    I have never been to any of the world's top beaches for this year.  I live at the beach and I suppose when I go traveling I look for other things to do, and explore.   I have been to Belize - and Florida - but not to the beaches listed.

Which would I like to see?   Oh, probably Bora Bora in French Polynsia.  It sounds so exotic!  Pictures I have seen of it look gorgeous!   But it sure is a long, long way away!  

8.  My random thought. 

Perhaps too serious to end on, but I am so sad and concerned about the mess over in Iraq again.   I do NOT want American intervention if at all possible.   But, I feel so bad for those innocent people who live there and are now going through another nightmare.  And I feel for the Iraqi soldiers that the US trained, but have been taken over, and killed.   War is hell on earth.        Why can't we learn to co-exist?  (I love the bumpersticker!)  And why can't there ever be peace on earth??  

I think back to my daughter and her 2nd grade class (many years ago) singing "Let there be peace on Earth - and let it begin with Me" at the school program. Each child held up a flag from a different nation of the world as they sang the song.  Sweet, innocent children…    it was beautiful.  It made me cry.


Sorry.  Heavy…       Ok.  Back to "summertime - where the living is easy!"    

Have a good week everyone!!