Saying bye to 2015...

 Well, I decided to finish off the year with the last Hodgepodge from our leader Joyce.  Sure, there is a ton of other stuff I could be doing, but I like her questions and I have a quiet house right now.   So, here goes...


1. Share a favorite memory/moment from the week of Christmas.

One favorite moment was sitting on our "riva" dock with hubby, both daughters, my son-in-law, and both dogs... enjoying the day after Christmas together, enjoying the peaceful moment, enjoying the weather, knowing the busy-ness of the holiday season was behind me.
 

2.  If someone wrote a book about your life based on the past year, what genre would it fall under? What would the title be?

Good question Joyce!  My past year has been a beautiful year.  Thankfully there hasn't been a lot of drama (which for "book reading" isn't really good). I guess the book could be put into the "adventure" category since we had a big wedding happen, and a few trips, and many fun times at the riva.  Can it be made into a movie?  If so - I definitely would like it to be a musical!  I love musicals!!

The title?   "The Life and Times of the Fabian Family"  Sub-titled:   A lot of fun, a lot of humor, a lot of love.

3. What made you feel patriotic this year?

The 4th of July is a pretty big celebration around these parts.  We have a bunch of friends here (it's perfect beach and boating time), and our town has a parade.  We cook out and have an all-American day.   We usually try to do something special too - like read the Declaration of Independence" aloud, or talk about our freedoms, etc.

But, I think I personally I felt the most patriotic on Veteran's Day when I, as a part of our community band, played the National Anthem, lots of march songs, and "Stars and Stripes Forever" at a Veterans Day ceremony.  It was open to the public but most people there were vets and family members of vets.  I saw many men wearing their special vests and ballcaps,  labeled with the unit, the area, the war they were in. 


We can never know what they have experienced.  The bond they must feel!   God bless them for what they went through.

4. What experience from this past year would you like to do all over again?

Do over again to get it right?   Nothing.  But, do over again to enjoy it again?? That would be my daughter's wedding and the festivities around it (of course without the stress of it! ha)   I didn't get to spend time with so many that came to be there... and I wish I could have "stretched" out the day to visit, and dance more!!

5. What song lyric sums up or is a reflection of your 2015?

This girl is ALL about song lyrics!!    It's one of the reasons I am such a huge country music fan.  Country music has the best writers, and best lyrics! 


So...  here's a recent song from LoCash.  It's the "attitude" that I love so much in this song.  The joy in things.  (Obviously it's written by males so it's not gender-right for me.)   If you haven't heard it, take a listen.  It's a great happy song musically too.

I love my boots broke in, I love my Camo hat
Don't mind a little paint on my jeans, yeah I roll like that
I love driving my truck across the railroad tracks
If you hit it too quick, it'll hit ya right back

I love a fresh cut field with a first frost on
How it shines like gold when the sun turns on
I love the sound of them wheels with my baby singing along
When "Boys Of Summer" comes on

I love my small town world,
I love a country girl
I love a Friday night
Man I love this life
The sound of an ol' dirt road road
Rolling through mind
Man I love, man I love,
Man, I love this life

I love that county line bar where they all know my drink
The way she throws her hands up when that cover band plays
I love that taste of her lips when she's been sipping that wine
I still get drunk on her every time

I love my small town world,
I love a country girl
I love a Friday night
Man I love this life
The sound of an ol' dirt road road
Rolling through mind
Man, I love, man I love,
Man, I love this life

Man I love this life
Man, I love this life (I love this life, I love this life, I love this life)

I love that ragged old barn that my grandpa made
It was my whole world back in my innocent days
I love that little white church, out on 109
It's where I hit my knees and thank the lord for this life of mine

I love my small town world,
I love a country girl
I love a Friday night
Man I love this life
The sound of an ol' dirt road road
Rolling through mind
Man I love, man I love,
Man, I love this life

Man I love this life
Man, I love this life

Man I love this life
Man, I love this life

Songwriters
Myrick, Danny / Janson, Chris / Brust, Preston / Lucas, Chris

 

Now, I can NEVER leave out a Tim McGraw song.  His most current one (on the radio now) is "Sitting on Top of the World".   Part of the lyrics are...

 

Cuz when you got love, like we got love... I'm holding on to heaven, holding on to you.   When you got the one, like I got the one, any way you're looking it's a hell of a view!   Don't you know... we are gonna be sitting on top of the world!  

6. On a scale of 1-10 how would you rate 2015?  (10=stellar) Why?
 
Personally?  A 9.  (I didn't say 10 because who knows what the future holds?!?)

How would I rate the condition of America in 2015?   A 7 if we don't include the presidential candidate - political world (that would be a minus number. lol)   We have a better economy,  less unemployment, etc.  There are lots of numbers to list about ways America has improved.  But, the biggest concerns of course are the fear of terrorism from outsiders and from even those here in our country.   Helping the needy, better education systems.   There are ALWAYS ways to be better and safer - but I do not think we should be all gloom and doom like some "predict" and love to spew.

7. What part of the upcoming year are you most excited about?

I love when spring arrives!  I love the months of April, May, and June.  Nature goes into overdrive!  Everything is so beautiful! I love going to music concerts and festivals - and that's when they start up.  I love warm weather and summer activities! 

8. Insert your own random thought here. 

As I touched on above, there are certainly fears and concerns that we face all the time, but 2015 was a great year - and I hope 2016 will be just as good or better!  Personally, I look forward to the new year very much!!    I have decided my new year's resolution is to keep a "Gratitude Jar" and I will keep  slips of paper by it - and whenever something awesome happens I will jot it down and put it in the jar.  I will enjoy filling it up as the year goes along - and I think it will certainly help me keep positive appreciative, and hopeful.     Yes, I saw it on Pinterest.  It's a cute idea, and maybe when I have a down day, just by looking at all those pieces of paper in the jar, it will lift me up.  

So, here's to a happy, safe, healthy, fruitful year ahead to you, my reader!    I look forward to seeing you back here at the Hodgepodge in 2016!   Cheers!!!