Hodgepodge Sort Of Wednesday

Here we go!

1.July 15th is National Give Something Away Day.  What can you give away? Will you? 
We give away things to thrift stores all the time. It's like recycling.  Of course I also shop thrift store regularly.  I have yet to find something I gave away on the sale racks, so that's good. The next pick up day for the local thrift stores is next week.  I just have to remember to get my bags out that morning...

2. Do you have a mantra? Please share with the class if you feel comfortable doing so. 
Nick and I have a mantra--It will all work out in the end--usually for the better.  Even if things look bleak, we always end up in a better place. It is hard to remember when we are in the middle of the stressful stuff, but we do manage to land on our feet.

3. Who does the grocery shopping in your house? How many times a week do you shop? Do you make a list or pray for inspiration in the produce aisle?
I do the grocery shopping, as I do the majority of the cooking.  I go once a week and I definitely have a list.  Going to the store without a list is worse for me than going when I'm hungry. The list reflects both the dinner "planning" I may have done and the snacking habits of boys. Without a list I can only cover the snacking habits.

4. Is there a TV show you're embarrassed to say you watch? You're going to tell us what it is, right?
I'm not really one for reality TV and those are the most guilty pleasure TV show out there, right? I truly find no fun in watching the "true" life of various levels of celebrities. I can hardly get into the competition shows and really can't find the dedication to watch weekly.  America's Got Talent or American Ninja Warrior would be the shows we would watch, if we can't find anything else to pass the time watching.

5. A recent article listed fifteen words we should eliminate from our (written) vocabulary in order to sound smarter-

that, went, honestly, absolutely, very, really, amazing, always, never, literally, just, maybe, stuff, things, and irregardless

Of the fifteen, which word is your most overused?
Maybe a misuse of That. It's not a word that should end sentences, but I find myself using it far more often than I should.

6. So apparently dying your hair gray (in your youth!) is a thing right now. It's called 'The Granny Hair' trend. Your thoughts? 
If it's truly a gray color, I'm not a fan, but if it's a sort of silver, then maybe...no.  Mast assuredly not one for the "granny hair trend" In our youth obsessed culture, honoring the elders of society is one thing, this doesn't seem to be doing any honoring.

7. A while back Buzz Feed asked members to share the most beautiful sentence they've read in a piece of literature. A hard thing to narrow down, at least for me, but let's try. What's one of the most beautiful sentences you've ever read in a piece of literature?
When I was 14 I was introduced to David Eddings and the fantasy books he wrote.  I am now introducing Turbo to them by reading in the car when we go on road trips.  He is as thoroughly captivated as I was with these books.  Below is a quote from one of his books.  He has a wry sense of humor and a slightly cynical outlook for some of his characters, but overall the books are about doing what needs to be done despite the apparent odds against you.
“Nothing that ever happens is so unimportant that it doesn't change things.”
― David Eddings, Polgara the Sorceress 
 

8. Insert your own random thought here.
And our weather has gone to pot again.  Well not totally to pot, but we are experiencing thunderstorms and rain and temps that barely make the upper 70s. I can't complain, the hotter it is the harder to cool off at night, but it's not exactly feeling like summer out there. We barely get an inch of precipitation per month in the summer.  So far we have gotten in June and half of July over three inches.  It's strange for us. But nice on the water bill, so there's that perk.

Randomly Tuesday

And here we are at Tuesday again.

Yeah, Tuesday is better than Monday--one day closer to the weekend at least...

So let's Random:

• My foot is getting better.  Having a meeting between foot and nail was not one of the better parts of our 4th of July festivities.  I have noticed that things take a bit longer to heal up any more.  The joys of getting older I guess.
• I ahve fallen in love with the Lindt Touch of Sea Salt Dark Chocolate.  So good!

•  I can believe in this whole-heartedly:

•  With Summer has come the "I'm Bored" calls of the kiddos.  We have two responses for that:

• Cause really, I can find something that needs doing.  They won't like it but they wouldn't be bored...

So have a great week everyone!
Join in on the random fun  with  Stacy.

Nice Mix

So this last weekend was a nice mix of activity and relaxing.  Since nick is headed off this week for work, he really didn't want an activity packed weekend. So we tried to deliver.
Friday afternoon we kept it real and just relaxed. Hung out at home and did next to nothing.  Saturday morning was the parade for our town's annual summer celebration. It was a good parade, but not as long as last year's parade.
Saturday afternoon, we smoked country style ribs and had friends over for Mojitos and good times. I needed to use some mint anyway. Fun was had by all.
Sunday was a pretty lazy day.  We watched Indiana Jones movies and kicked back. A nice way for Nick to spend the day before heading out.
Now we get to face a Monday.

And now for MMMM.  Freebie week so lets see what trips my fancy this week:

Sam Hunt with House Party:

Thomas Rhett with Crash and Burn:

And a throwback: Eric Church with Springsteen

Hodgepodge Water Fun

Here goes:

1. When did you last 'swim against the tide'? Explain.
It is so easy to just go with the flow but far more rewarding to swim against the tide.  The biggest one for me was when I went back to school to attain my Geology B.S. The rewards from that have been great and I'm getting to do interesting work so there's that.

2. What's the last self-help or self-improvement book you read? 
Self Help/Self Improvment are not my cup of tea.  I'm not really sure if I have ever read one.

3. "Tolerance is a tremendous virtue, but the immediate neighbors of tolerance are apathy and weakness." (Sir James Goldsmith) 

Agree or disagree? Discuss. With civility please, because I think we have a good thing going in our very diverse (in geography, age, religion, political persuasion, ethnicity, marital status, upbringing, and cooking abilities) neighborhood here on This Side of the Pond.
Tolerance is a virtue, one that is lacking in today's world.  You believe what you want to believe, I will believe what I want to believe and we can agree to disagree on the things that we have a difference of opinion on.
However, I do think that on most issues, people should have an opinion of some sort. You can stand up for that opinion but you shouldn't take the stand that your way is the only way. Variation is the spice of life.  If everyone thought the same way, life would be terribly boring.

4. What is one of your most vivid memories of the kitchen from your childhood?
Thanksgiving morning.  The image of my mother finishing the gravy and stuffing, another friend working on the mashed potatoes she brought, another working on the sweet potatoes, someone else snitching tastes.  A sort of organized chaos, but still homey and warm ond comforting.

5. How did/do your own children's summers compare with your summers as a child? If you're not a parent, answer as it relates to what you've observed about the current generation of children vs. your own childhood.
They have more varied entertainments. Electronic entertainments.  I grew up in a rural area, outside of a small town--like 3200 people small. There wasn't much to do.  I worked my way through the local library in the summers. I was a voracious reader.  We did watch movies a lot too.
My kids have Kindles, Xbox, Youtube, and computer games.  Books are available to them, but only Bruiser will become a reader for enjoyment, I think.

6. Tell us what body of water you would most like to be on or near today, and why? 
Torch Lake in Michigan.  We stayed in a cabin about 20 yards from the shore and it was wonderful.  The water is clear, blue and warm and perfect for playing in.

7.  Share a favorite song about water, or a favorite song with the word water in it's title, or a favorite song to listen to as you sit beside the water.
Brad Paisley With Water:

8. Insert your own random thought here. 
After a stretch of warm weather, we now have rain.  The rain is nice because we don't have to water the grass, but it has definitely cooled off.  Getting three days of rain is unusual for us.  We more normally get thunderstorm down pours/hail. Not that I'm complaining about the rain, but it is a bit abnormal for us.

Almost Like a Vacation

So, we took an extra day off for the holiday weekend and we had a great time.  Shall we tell you about it random style?

• The weather was fantastic for Friday and Saturday.  Our friends had their campers set up at the lake, close to a cove so the kids (and adults) could easily play in the water.
• We took out our sit on kayaks and they were a huge hit.  So much a hit that several of the people we hung out with just might be getting some of their own.
• There was also a motor boat that was great for twoing a tube.  Turbo had a good run and held on for the entire ride.

• Now, I would have been in the water more but...I just so happened to find a board with a nail in it to step on.  Which necessitated a trip to urgent care for a tetanus shot, as I could not remember when I last had one.  I was gimp girl for the rest of the weekend.

• Sunday we had rain, but since I spent most of it doing laundry it wasn't that bad.  I was totally on top of the laundry too and got everything floded and put away--even the towels.  Go me!
• We did take Bruiser to see the firework show Saturday night.  He loved it, but wished it wasn't so late at night.  The words of a six year old.

 

And that was our weekend.
Join in on the random fun  with  Stacy.

Hodgepodge Freedom

And go:

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 spending the day doing something we all enjoy--usually we go camping. This year, we will be spending time at a local lake and enjoying the sun and fun with friends.  Then we hope to take Bruiser to his first fireworks show.
We don't fly a flag, but have had a flag themed windsock. I love fireworks shows.  Growing up we lived outside of town and had our own fun with small fireworks--glow worms, snakes, smoke bombs, sparklers and a few firecrackers.  I have fond memories of those days.

2. What's something you recently got for free? 
I have two cruiser type bicycles in the backyard, both of which were free.  They need a bit of tuning and then I have a cruiser to pedal to work.

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 climbed to the crown of the Statue of Liberty and have been to Mount Rushmore a couple of times.  I would go see either of them again.  Someday I would like to visit Washington DC just to see all the monuments there.

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 tend more toward the ostrich than a hog.  I like to know what's going on, but I do think we get over saturated with news sometimes.  It seems that the news goes on and on ad nauseam. I'm a more get to the point and move on type.

5. We're talking plain ice cream...vanilla, chocolate, or strawberry? Choose one. 
Chocolate is always good, but I do enjoy strawberry.  Vanilla will do when there's no other option, or that line is shorter.

6. Share a song you love containing the word 'stars' in the lyrics or title?
Kenny Chesney With Big Star:

7. Describe and/or say goodbye to June with an acrostic.
Just chilling in the shade
Under the cottonwood trees
Not worried about anthing
Each day getting better and better.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.
We are half way through the year now.  It seems to be going by so fast.  And we just don't seem to be doing  all we wanted to.  Life keeps getting in the way.  Strange how that happens. But we are in a good place right now.  We don't have to move to a new town.  the kids are healthy.  We are doing pretty great actually.  Now to schedule in the fun...

Oh, Tuesday

Let's random up the joint!

• What is it with boys and hanging out in their underwear?  It's cute at 3.  Not so cute at 12. I can give ground on the shirt, they are boys after all, but I demand that they at least put on shorts.  They can even run around in underwear in their rooms, but not all over the house. A small bit of decorum should be observed.
• This is so true:

• Looking forward to a hot fun weekend at the lake, but I think we are not going to be camping.  The lake is like 25 minutes from town, But tends to have winds.  With a pop-up, wind is a not so good thing.  Bruiser has never seen a fireworks show either.  We always go camping or are out of town, so we thought we'd try to make the show this year.
• The mosquitoes are vicious right now so:

• Chocolate muffins are really just chocolate cake in disguise.
• In honor of the sunburn I got this weekend, food (or drink) for thought:

Have a great week!
Join up for the Randomness with Stacy.

Good Times

It's so nice that it's summer here.  We had a weekend that was full, but relaxed at the same time.
Friday afternoon I took the kids to the outdoor pool and managed to get myself a sunburn.  The boys, I slathered in sunscreen, but not me.  Oh well, it'll fade away to a tan by Wednesday.

Then we had an impromptu backyard cookout.  Coronas and lime and burgers and chips and queso make for a good Friday night.
Saturday was a very full day.  I yard saled with a friend, not that there were very many, but it was a nice morning.  Then Nick and I took the boys out for a paddle.  We grabbed lunch on the way back and then cleaned up the house a bit since the cousins were coming over so their parents could enjoy their anniversary. Nick spent the afternoon cleaning up beside the garage--the area between the neighbors garage and ours.  A bit more clearing out and we can park the four wheeler back there.
Sunday I made breakfast.  Monkey bread, bacon and eggs.

The rest of Sunday was pretty lazy.  I'm not complaining.  I still got vacuuming done and a few loads of laundry--the things that only need washing occasionally, blankets and rugs and such.

Now for MMMM.  Freebie week:
Miranda Lambert with Smokin' and Drinkin':

Blake Shelton with Kiss My Country A**

Jake Owen with Real Life:

Confess It All Friday

Happy Dance everyone!  It's Friday! Whoop whoop!
Alright now that that's over let's confess so the weekend goes well, shall we?

• There was a suicidal spider in the shower this morning.
• OK, so it was an assisted suicide.
• Death by drowning.
• At least I didn't scream.

• We took the fun way to work this morning.
• Rode the Four Wheeler.
• Ignored the strange looks and double takes completely.
• Contemplating playing hooky to go swimming this afternoon.
• Swimming holds tons more appeal.
• Especially because we get to meet friends there.

•  Allergies have been kicking our butts here.
• I really wish the plants would restrain themselves.
• Their attempts at procreation in our noses are not appreciated.

Hodgepodge Wednesday!

Let's Hodgepodge:

1. June 23rd is National Pink Day. What's your favorite something pink?
Strawberry ice cream.  Or shrimp. I can go either way.

2. What did you enjoy most about gym class when you were in school? How about the least? 
Enjoy the most? When it was over. I wasn't much for organized sports and was less than athletic in school.  But I did go out for the swim team all four years of high school, so there's that.

As for the least, any sport where balls were involved--I tended to get out of the way, not try to hit said ball when it came my way.


3. What memory is brought to mind by the smell of roses?
There was an old perfume that Avon sold called Roses Roses (I think) and my aunt wore it.  When I smell roses I think of here and that perfume.

4. Do you prefer to read or write?
 Read definitely.  I like writing my blog, but I'm not one for creating fiction.  I can edit and love reading, but I am not a writer.

5. Sam Keen is quoted as saying, 'Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability.' Would you agree? Is laziness ever respectable? How will you be lazy this summer?
It depends.  If you are not doing what you should then laziness is not respectable, but if you have everything done and there is nothing else to do then laziness is perfectly OK.
Our laziness is oriented on winging dinner, far less structure in the schedule, and do more of what we please than what we should.

6. The Florida Keys, Disney World, or a resort somewhere on the Gulf Coast...which Florida destination would you choose (and why) if the trip were today? 
Disney world for the boys, but I'd do the Keys if it were just Nick and I going.

7. What question do you hate to answer? 
What's for dinner? Planning meals is the most thankless job, aside from the other household chores.  I can rarely please all the participants in the dinner lottery.  I'm happy if I can get 75% approval.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.
We ahve been leaving a list of chores for Turbo to do during the day--doing dishes, water plants cleaning the toilet, etc.
Yesterday the list included Dog Doo Pick-up.  Nick commented that it was a funny way to put that particular chore.  I came back at him with "I hardly think Turbo would understand if I told him to collect the canine excrement from the rear yard. Turbo has a good vocabulary, but that one would sail right over his head."
Nick laughed and agreed.  Turbo would laugh at us for sounding like Sheldon.