Wednesday Hodge Podge ... say bye to February!

It's that time of week, again!  Thank you, Joyce :-)


1.  When were you last facing an ocean? Using just ONE word, describe how you felt as you faced that ocean. 

The last time I faced the ocean was back in October; Ocean City, MD.  One word?  small

2. What are three sounds you hate to hear?

Children wheezing with asthma; very loud claps of thunder; sirens at night. 

3. This question comes to you courtesy of some real life friends. Hi real life friends! When you shop for yourself, do you try everything on in the store before buying or do you buy, try on at home, and then return what you don't like or what doesn't fit?

I do a little bit of both. Sometimes, I am just not in the mood for trying on, so I hold it up and try to judge. I can get away with this for tops but usually not bottoms. A couple of weeks ago, I got away with both!

4. February 26th is National Pistachio Day...are you a fan of the little green nut? Do you use them in cooking and baking or prefer to eat them right out of the shell?

Munch, munch, munch; salted and right out of the shell! I don't like pistachio ice cream, though. 

5. When did you last have to compromise with someone?  Were you happy to reach the compromise or slightly irritated it was necessary? 

If you're married, then you have compromised! Probably it was vacation details...do we stay in a cheap hotel where we get points or try a new place that looks great online? (last week) We were both happy! However, what type of new living room sofa do we buy? (two weeks ago)  Two big stores but couldn't find "my" color, but we really couldn't wait much longer! Honey liked the reclining sofa in the color tomato red and I was ok with it. But now we'll have to get a new rug, new curtains (already on the list) and 2 end tables :-)

6.  Have you ever written a letter to an elected official? Did you get a response?

I wrote to my state representative regarding the closure of a hospital; the only hospital in the county (where there are two ski areas and a major interstate highway.) The county to the west also had their hospital close 10 years before. He was very concerned and shared my sentiments but supposedly the #'s spoke for themselves, but that is another story....   He's a nice guy, though, and we're facebook friends. 

7. We 'March' into a new month at the end of this week...what's something on your March calendar guaranteed to make you smile?

My next encounter with an ocean :-)  See? I'm smiling already!  We're headed to the east coast for about a week, taking in the boardwalks on Virginia Beach, VA and and Ocean City, MD.  If the extended forecast does not look warm enough to us, we'll head for Myrtle Beach, SC instead. 

8.  Insert your own random thought here. 

Can't wait to find the first peek of springtime!  We'll spend about 7 - 9 days enjoying the ocean, some family and friends: 

From this ...

...to this!

Well, I'm a few days late, but ... here goes!

1.  This week marks the beginning of Lent...will you be giving something up or adding anything to your life during this season of the year?  

No to Lent. Yes to adding a day and a night away with my sweetheart.

2. The day before Lent is Shrove Tuesday... tradition states you eat pancakes on this day. In some parts of the world Shrove Tuesday is actually known as 'pancake day'. How do you like your pancakes? Or don't you? 

Real maple syrup OR hamburg gravy.

3.  I'm sure there are many, but what's one love song you really love? 

Wow!  Lets go way back to our engagement:  "Just You and Me" by Chicago


4.  What are some things you do to let others know you love them? 

Tell them! Bake, cook, buy presents or cards, too.

5.  Roses...red, pink, or do you prefer another color? Can you recall the last time someone gave you flowers? Given your choice would you like to open the door and see a dozen red roses, a dozen purple tulips, or a dozen pink peonies?

Yellow roses are my favorite but NOTHING can beat the fragrance of a dozen peonies!

6.  President's Day will be celebrated in America next Monday. Does US Presidential history and trivia interest you?  Many Presidential homes are open to the public and offer guided tours...Monticello (Jefferson's home), Mount Vernon (Washington's home), Montpelier (James Madison's home), Hyde Park(FD Roosevelt's home) and The White House (home to the sitting President) to name just a few. Of those listed which would you be most interested in touring?  Why?

I suppose the White House since so many presidents have lived there ... I really enjoyed Mt. Vernon.

7.  Are you good at keeping secrets? 

Pretty good. Better than when I was a kid! HAHA!!

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

I love how my husband and I celebrate Valentine's Day! We look at each other and say "I love you." ... oh, wait, we say that EVERY day!  Well, sometimes we make it an excuse to eat some candy... and once, on Valentine's Day we went to the movies and two of our three adult children tried to call us and couldn't find us at home and then called each other and got all worried that something had happened to us ....  YEAH, like, we went on a DATE, Kids!!!! 

A Repeat of a Favorite Poem

Playing In Winter 

Snowsuit stuffing
Huffing, puffing;
Boots too big for little feet

Mittened fingers;
Fuzz balls linger
at the tips where fingers meet

Scarf wrapped 'round;
Hat pulled down;
Two eyes, one nose now showing

All ready for
the opened door
to meet cold wind now blowing!

It might be 11:00 PM but it's not too late for ....

1.  Chinese New Year will be celebrated on February 10th, and 2013 is the year of the snake. When did you last see a snake?  Are you okay around snakes or do they give you the shivers? 

Snakes only give me the shivers when they slither up my leg; happened once upon a time when I was about 14 years old.  Never felt it til it got past my sock....  I let a scream out of me and shook my leg so hard the snake flew off and landed across the road, bouncing once.  I didn't stick around to see if it even survived the landing.  Last time I saw a snake was autumn of 2010. It was curled up in the sun near a bale of hay. I left it alone and it left me alone, as well!

2. The color red in Chinese culture usually means good luck.  Do you believe in luck? 

No. I believe all things happen for and with a purpose. 

3. sledding-ice skating-building a snowman...if given a choice, which activity would you choose?  Which of the three have you done most recently?  

Not enough snow this year, yet, but a Snowman would be 1st on my list. It doesn't take a lot of time to make and lasts a long time ... unless there is an early spring.  Sledding is a VERY close 2nd. I've been known to just whip out our grandkids' saucer and take it for a spin down the hill by our house! You are never too old for sledding :-)  Ice skating was always a favorite but I'm a bit afraid of falling. 

 

4.  Ralph Waldo Emerson is credited as saying, "The years teach much which the days never knew."  Where have you seen this quote played out in your own life?  

I suppose lots of places, but mostly in parenthood...somewhere along the line I learned how to be a parent. One year led to another and the next thing I knew, the kids were grown up and there wouldn't be any more;  Which was too bad, because I finally had it all figured out :-) 

5. When was the last time you ate a cupcake?  

Right after Christmas. My daughter-in-love, Kristen, makes the BEST cupcakes! 

6. What's something you can't say no to?

I can't say "No." to the grace and mercy provided me by God through Jesus Christ!  I also can't say "No." if Bill wants to go out to dinner! 

7.  Are you a doodler?  

I'm a bit of a doodler but not very artistic. I used to doodle more when I was a kid.  Incidentally, my nickname as a little child was "Doodles" but it had nothing to do with drawing and everything to do with another child not being able to say my name! 

8.  Insert your own random thought here.  

We're finally getting a snow storm! That's what the weatherman says :-)  I love snow and except for about 8 inches back in December and some little 1 and 2 inch squalls lately, we have had nothing to blog about!  They say at least 9 inches ... I'm hoping for a bit more. I hope my back yard and my granddaughter looks like this: