Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Take it slow

Well, I'm back at the Hodgepodge today.  I missed a couple of weeks.  I'm glad to be here, and answering the following random questions.

1. 'Slow and steady wins the race'...tell us about a time this was true in your own life. 
In this generation it seems like much, often too much, comes at us very fast!   We get everything in a quick click, or a fast download. We ask Alexa a question and she responds.  We text an order and it's to our door overnight. 
So, learning to be patient, and waiting for something good to come, or to be 'earned,' is becoming a lost art.
I'm thinking back to times of slow and steady in my life.  I suppose it has to do with child rearing.  Remember how long a day could be back then?  Even if it was active?  Sometimes especially when it was active!  Teaching a child, and raising one to be a good person, can take a lot of work - and a lot of love. It takes a slow, and steady pace... each and every day.    The result doesn't "pay off" until you see an adult standing in front of you, and realize this person is smart and caring and funny!    

Yes, raising a child (actually two)  is a "long term project" but one of the best things I ever did!! 

2. 'As slow as molasses'...Do you like molasses? How about maple syrup? Caramel? Butterscotch? What's your favorite of the slow moving treats mentioned here, and what's your favorite food made with that sweet treat? 
Okay, I don't think I have ever had molasses.  Seriously.    But, I love maple syrup and caramel.  Butterscotch can be overly sweet.
  Even though I love maple syrup and caramel I can not remember the last time I poured it over pancakes or ice cream - or anything.  It's been years!  I don't have a sweet tooth, and when I do splurge on anything sweet as a treat it is usually made of chocolate.

3. Your favorite slow song?
"Look At Us"  - by Vince Gill

4. Your favorite thing to make in a slow cooker or crock pot? 
As I have said before, I am not a chef - or a lover of kitchen culinary time.  So, about the only thing I have made in a crock pot is homemade chili.   
Next Wednesday, I got 'volunteered' to make a children's soup for our Lenten Soup & Bread meal before the church service.  Anybody have a great recipe or suggestion for something children will love?     I may just buy cans of alphabet soup and pour them into the crock pot!  ha
5. 'You may delay, but time will not.' ~Benjamin Franklin Are you more a hurrier or a delayer when it comes to unpleasant tasks that need doing? What are you currently either delaying or hurrying to get through this week or month?
I'm a bit of both.  If it's a task I want done, then I will move on it quickly.  But, if it's both unpleasant AND I don't really care about it, then I have been known to delay starting the task or project.   If it's been 'assigned' to me....  I will sometimes wait a bit out of spite.  (I'm bad.)   
Thankfully, I can not think of an unpleasant task that needs done, at least one that I am responsible for right now.  If there is one, then I must have put it out of my mind!?!


6. Tell us three things you encounter regularly or even just occasionally that you find to be annoyingly slow.
1.  Traffic!  Especially going up and down Highway 17, our main drag to get anywhere around here.  Between the tourists, the elderly, and just rude drivers, the traffic moves under the speed limit too often.  Grrrrr
2.  My dogs when I take them on a walk....which is really just a sniff, stop, pee, and repeat adventure for them.  

3.  People in supermarkets, especially the ones with the cart parked in the middle of the aisle and they are lost in thought reading a label!   I outwardly patiently stand there, waiting for them to acknowledge me and move aside.   Inside, I'm not feeling so patient.


7. March is National Craft Month. Are you crafty? Tell us about something crafty you'll try in the next thirty one days. Or something crafty you'd like to try or wish you had the skill to make happen. 
I am somewhat crafty.  I used to enjoy doing crafts more in the past than now.   I have tried lots of things and I certainly enjoy going on Pinterest to get lots of ideas.  Yes, I "pin"  them, but then never get around to actually making them.  
What would I like to try?   I can't think of anything off hand.  I guess I better go check my Pinterest pages!
8. Insert your own random thought here. 
Interesting air today here!   We have had warm temperatures for weeks now so our spring is arriving early - and so is the pollen!  The past two days all the cars have become covered with yellow and green layers of it!  And, today, we also have some purposeful fires set in areas nearby to clear out underbrush, etc.  It's done here each year.  But, the smoke is stagnant and just hanging in the air.  It's a good day to stay indoors! 
So, it's a good day to do the Hodgepodge!  

Monday, February 27, 2017

Monday morning quarterbacking

Hi everyone!   I haven't posted on my blog for a few weeks. 

Why?

Well, I have been feeling a bit afraid, and a bit fed up, and just a bit annoyed with all the stuff out there.  And, I know just by finally posting I will probably upset someone.   I constantly struggle with what to say, how much to say, and IF I should say anything.

I started my blog years ago for a couple of reasons. I wanted to use the outlet as a way to express myself. I wanted to work on my writing skills (or try to get some! lol) I wanted to put down my thoughts so that my daughters can see me as a whole person, not just mom.  (Although being mom has been my greatest joy! )

Sometimes I have used the blog to post personal stories. Sometimes I have given a review.   I have used it to honor a family member or friend.  Sometimes I have used it as my soapbox to express my opinion on politics, and the direction of the country.  Sometimes I have tried to open up about being a Christian.  Everyone has their own story.  I'm not extra-ordinary.  But, I am unique - and I find my blog as a place of therapy.  A place to put down my thoughts.   A place for some 'Monday morning quarterbacking."

So, here I go...

*  Although it's been a mild, and really lovely January and February, I still struggle during these months.  It is still a time of 'waiting.'   I wait for spring when it is safe to plant. I wait for events that are on the calendar a bit later in the year.  And, this year I wait for a buyer for our Willbrook home.  I wait and wonder what to do. 

*  I prepare for Lent.  Ash Wednesday is in two days. Will I give up something - or add something to my life?  And why?  I need to decide. 

* I struggle with 'not doing enough'...  in just about everything. 

*  I miss people.  But I also love being alone.

*  I turned a new decade two months ago.  In reality, I know I am blessed to reach the age. I plan/pray on having many, many more years ahead.  But,  it's been a tough acceptance.   I know it sounds shallow to say it.  But, growing old is tough. I have always considered myself just naturally in good health, lucky to have good genes, and in having an understanding of how to keep it together.   But, lately, I realize it is not easy anymore.  

*  Mondays are reflective!  ha!!

* I have made 'kindness' my mantra.  Every since the song "Stay Humble and Kind" came out and touched me so, I have purposely tried to live my life being kind.  I have tried to share a smile, or lend a hand - equally.  I post uplifting phrases about kindness.  I even wear a "Kindness" My Intent bracelet.   I truly believe being kind can change the world. 

*  I love being home, and in my beautiful spot on this earth.  So many of my friends travel and I sometimes feel that I should also... I see the pictures and I hear the stories.   But, I don't have an aching desire to pack a bag and leave home.

* I admit I still don't 'get' the other political side.  My brain just can't figure them out.  But, I realize they feel the same way about me and others that are 'like minded' with me.  I really don't think people can be changed in their thoughts.  And, I really think we can not come together unless we teach our children the art of compromise.   But, we don't. We teach winning, and children mirror the adults in their lives.  We don't set a very good example.

*  Thank you God for music!  

*  I have never been a person who needs the finer things in life.  Name brands don't mean anything to me (except higher prices), and I worry about leaving behind too much stuff.  I want 'reliable' and I want 'convenience'... yes.  But, I don't want to collect, or put my joy into inanimate objects. 

*  I love to read but I get really annoyed with myself because I start to doze while reading after about a half hour.  It has nothing to do with the book!   It can be an amazing story.  And amazing author.   Does it have to do with age?  Probably.

* Well, one good thing about aging: I have learned to stop and smell the roses.  I appreciate nature.  When I was young I concerned myself with other 'stuff' and never gave myself time to appreciate the beauty of the world. Perhaps it was where I was living too.  I love this place here.

*  I like social media.  I don't deny it.  I like Facebook -and the way to keep in touch on-line, and to share pictures.  I do not fear it as some do.  I love texting too and wonder how different my connection with my own parents would have been with it.  When I went off to college I only spoke with my parents on the telephone once a week.  I became self-reliant (actually I always have been) but we never got to share 'moments' or funny things... or just a quick hello.   I am so blessed to have it with my daughters.  Thank you technology!!

* As I type this I have a pug on my lap and one on the back of the sofa by my shoulder.  Pets are the best! 

* I will never ever understand why people who own guns can't see the big picture and won't personally give up their own gun for a safer society for us all.  I feel there is too much "me" in this world...and not enough "we."   Anytime a child is killed by a hunting gun, or an unattended pistol, or by someone who has been careless - or by an 'accident' - my heart breaks.    Why are people so selfish?

So, do I sit back and stay quiet?  Or do I blog?  Or, do I do more?   Do I become an activist without fear?  

*  Monday mornings are a time to regroup. To plan.  It's a chance for a start fresh...to start a new week.  I will make a list of things to do today in a minute - and I will check my calendar for the next days coming.   Expectations?  Appointments?  Lenten choices?    Exercise? 

Let's get this week going!!

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

The passing of time...

The passing of time - the joys and the struggles.


1. What do/did you call your grandparents? If it's something unusual tell us the story behind the name. If you're a grandparent what do your grands call you? Who chose your moniker?

My grandparents were called Grandma and Grandpa.  Nothing unique or different. 

Our leader Joyce is about to become a grandparent for the first time (very exciting!!), so I think she is getting ideas from us all who answer this question!  ha!   I don't blame her!   Wonder what she wants to be called.  I guess I will find out tomorrow.

If I become a grandmother, I don't know what I want to be called yet.    I love the idea of becoming one though!   If it happens!!



2. Ever taken a road trip along the California Coast? If so what was the highlight of your trek? If not, any desire to do so? If you were to take a trip along the California Coast what's one attraction you'd have on your must-see list?


We used to live in California.  We have traveled by car from the SF Bay area up north along the coast.  We have also gone the other direction, along Big Sur, and Pebble Beach.   Beautiful areas!  Definitely different than East coast beaches and the large expanses of sand and marshes.  I love the marshes!  So calming.   But, the high, rocky coastline is amazing too.


3. What are three things you don't know how to do?

Well, when it comes to car maintenance there are more than three things I don't know how to do.

I'm also not unable to do a lot when it comes to computer issues.  I love when my computer works right, but if there is a glitch, or a screen pops up that I don't understand, I am clueless. 

I don't know how to  play the guitar and there are times I really wish I could. 


4. Tom Peters is quoted as saying, 'Celebrate what you want to see more of.' If that's true what will you celebrate and more importantly, how will you celebrate?

Well, I want to see my daughters more often than I do - and I celebrate them!   But, I also know they have their lives and I am proud of who they are, and what they do.

I celebrate music - and I love seeing live concerts - and hope to see more of them.


5. Thursday (February 16) is National Almond Day. Do you like almonds? Which would you prefer-an Almond Joy or a macaron? What's something you make that calls for almonds?

Yes, I like almonds.  I will take an Almond Joy over a Macaron. Macarons have coconut, right? I'm not a big coconut fan.   I sometimes will add almonds to a green salad - along with mandarin oranges. It's a nice combination.


6. What does Saturday morning look like at your house?

Saturday morning here means up around 7:00am.  Coffee, news, and computer time.  Then we take our two pugs to the beach for a walk around 8:00am. They get to play with other dogs there. and get some exercise. We get exercise too - and get to experience a beautiful East Coast morning!  


7. Share with us a favorite book you've read this winter.

I have read two Sue Monk Kidd books recently.  I am loving her writing style and content.  The second book I read was written every other chapter by her daughter Ann. They traveled Europe together.  It's part a travelogue, but more importantly, part mother-daughter connection.  Family interactions - and age concerns.  A woman's book.  It's called "Traveling with Pomegranates."

Right now I am reading "Hillbilly Elegy" by J.D. Vance. I wanted to read it because people told me it helped to understand some of America's thinking these days.  It focuses on people of Kentucky and southern Ohio - from small towns, or "hollers," and why the areas have stayed in poverty.  It is a biography from a man who grew up there.  I am enthralled so far...but I am worried it is not going to end well.


8.  Insert your own random thought here.

So, I opened mouth and inserted foot in a way (again.)  Here is my dilemma:  I try to stay aware, and concerned with my country - and I try to be Christian and say what I think is what Jesus would say and want.  But, often it can go against the grain of what is happening.  In Bible Study today we discussed that Christians are not 'normal' Americans and we live differently - and really, we try to see the country and world as Jesus would... and, yes, sometimes it's tough.  Thinking about what God wants, and how Jesus would have reacted to certain situations and issues in today's world.  Man, I struggle.  I WANT to and TRY to think about that all the time. I fall short.  I miss the mark.

Heavy!!!

Sorry.  It's been one of those days.










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The passing of time - the joys and the struggles.


1. What do/did you call your grandparents? If it's something unusual tell us the story behind the name. If you're a grandparent what do your grands call you? Who chose your moniker?

My grandparents were called Grandma and Grandpa.  Nothing unique or different.  

Our leader Joyce is about to become a grandparent for the first time (very exciting!!), so I think she is getting ideas from us all who answer this question!  ha!   I don't blame her!   Wonder what she wants to be called.  I guess I will find out tomorrow.

If I become a grandmother, I don't know what I want to be called yet.    I love the idea of becoming one though!   If it happens!!



2. Ever taken a road trip along the California Coast? If so what was the highlight of your trek? If not, any desire to do so? If you were to take a trip along the California Coast what's one attraction you'd have on your must-see list?


We used to live in California.  We have traveled by car from the SF Bay area up north along the coast.  We have also gone the other direction, along Big Sur, and Pebble Beach.   Beautiful areas!  Definitely different than East coast beaches and the large expanses of sand and marshes.  I love the marshes!  So calming.   But, the high, rocky coastline is amazing too.


3. What are three things you don't know how to do?

Well, when it comes to car maintenance there are more than three things I don't know how to do.

I'm also not unable to do a lot when it comes to computer issues.  I love when my computer works right, but if there is a glitch, or a screen pops up that I don't understand, I am clueless. 

I don't know how to  play the guitar and there are times I really wish I could. 


4. Tom Peters is quoted as saying, 'Celebrate what you want to see more of.' If that's true what will you celebrate and more importantly, how will you celebrate?

Well, I want to see my daughters more often than I do - and I celebrate them!   But, I also know they have their lives and I am proud of who they are, and what they do.

I celebrate music - and I love seeing live concerts - and hope to see more of them.


5. Thursday (February 16) is National Almond Day. Do you like almonds? Which would you prefer-an Almond Joy or a macaron? What's something you make that calls for almonds?

Yes, I like almonds.  I will take an Almond Joy over a Macaron. Macarons have coconut, right? I'm not a big coconut fan.   I sometimes will add almonds to a green salad - along with mandarin oranges. It's a nice combination.


6. What does Saturday morning look like at your house?

Saturday morning here means up around 7:00am.  Coffee, news, and computer time.  Then we take our two pugs to the beach for a walk around 8:00am. They get to play with other dogs there. and get some exercise. We get exercise too - and get to experience a beautiful East Coast morning!  


7. Share with us a favorite book you've read this winter.

I have read two Sue Monk Kidd books recently.  I am loving her writing style and content.  The second book I read was written every other chapter by her daughter Ann. They traveled Europe together.  It's part a travelogue, but more importantly, part mother-daughter connection.  Family interactions - and age concerns.  A woman's book.  It's called "Traveling with Pomegranates."

Right now I am reading "Hillbilly Elegy" by J.D. Vance. I wanted to read it because people told me it helped to understand some of America's thinking these days.  It focuses on people of Kentucky and southern Ohio - from small towns, or "hollers," and why the areas have stayed in poverty.  It is a biography from a man who grew up there.  I am enthralled so far...but I am worried it is not going to end well.


8.  Insert your own random thought here.

So, I opened mouth and inserted foot in a way (again.)  Here is my dilemma:  I try to stay aware, and concerned with my country - and I try to be Christian and say what I think is what Jesus would say and want.  But, often it can go against the grain of what is happening.  In Bible Study today we discussed that Christians are not 'normal' Americans and we live differently - and really, we try to see the country and world as Jesus would... and, yes, sometimes it's tough.  Thinking about what God wants, and how Jesus would have reacted to certain situations and issues in today's world.  Man, I struggle.  I WANT to and TRY to think about that all the time. I fall short.  I miss the mark.  

Heavy!!!

Sorry.  It's been one of those days. 










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Post a Comment





My Favorite People

My Favorite People

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Tuesday, February 7, 2017

All we need is love...

Somehow a week has rolled on by already.  It's time for the Hodgepodge.   So, let's get going...
 1. What's the last thing you did that someone else thought was super? 
I don't know.  Guess you will have to ask them.  

2. The last thing you ate that tasted superb? 
Well, my hubby prepared brussel sprouts just the other night and they turned out really well.  Grilled on a cookie sheet, drizzled with olive oil... sprinkled with salt, a bit of garlic, and pepper.   It wasn't too hard to do,  but it was his first time, and we really enjoyed them!! 

In general, I'm pretty easy to please when it comes to food.  I think a plate of loaded nachos can be superb!  


3. Supersensitive, superstitious, superwoman, superambitious, supercilious, supervisor, superficial...pick a super word from the list and tell us how it relates to your life in some way recently or currently. 
I had to look up the definition of supercilious, and guess what?  It means thinking highly of yourself, higher than other people.  Oh boy.  Who does that make you think of??   
I do not consider myself superambitious, and certainly I am not a superwoman.  I am not a supervisor of anyone but my dogs! ha  And,  I am not superstitious either.  So, I guess that leaves supersensitive and I think I am at times.  I can be easily hurt.  Depending on my mood or if I am tired, I can cry alone.  I can feel defeated... saddened.   So, yes, at times I am supersensitive. 

4. Do you love easily? If you're comfortable doing so, explain why you think that is. 
I think I love easily, but I don't express it easily.   I am a work in progress on that.  I'm trying to tell those I love that I do love them more often - and I try to remember that tomorrow might be too late to let someone know.  

5. Valentine's Day lands on a Tuesday this year. Will you mark the day in some way? If you're celebrating with a dinner out somewhere will it be on Tuesday or will you celebrate over the weekend? 
I don't think hubby and I plan to do anything special for Valentine's Day.  If he is reading this, I hope he realizes I would just as well save money spent on flowers and chocolate, and use it for something else.  We enjoy nice dinners out together often, so we don't need a special day (especially a Tuesday) to go out together.  Plus, on February 14th most restaurants are very busy - and sometimes offer a limited menu.    No thanks.

6. What's something you are loving right now? 
I am loving the wonderful weather we have been experiencing the past few days!  This afternoon our temps went into the 70's and I took the dogs for a walk.   I love the new home I am in, and the new neighborhood.  I love the people I know here.

7 Write a three word (or less) phrase you'd like to see on a Valentine candy heart.  
 Love never ends

8.  Insert your own random thought here. 
 Anybody watching "The Bachelor" this time - with Nick?   Fess up! ha   If so, who do you see him with of the ladies that are left?   I'm beginning to think none of the women are right for Nick.    Poor guy.  He may never find love!  ha