Hodge Podge! Where have I been???? Just Busy!

 

1. How would you define 'old'? At what age is someone old? 

Old. Not me. Not yet. Hopefully, never.  "Old" is a state of mind, really... a beloved 90+ year old woman who thought "young" and loved a new outfit on occasion, loved to bake cookies, loved visits from kids and grown ups alike, died at 97 because of cancer. She still was not old; just very ill.  :-(  

2. A place you've been that's old? Tell us something about your visit there. 

Savannah, GA.  What a beautiful old southern city!  Architecture was awesome...  beautiful gardens with old trees were just a few blocks from each other. I would love to go back! Great restaurants, too!  

3. Something you miss about the 'good old days'? When were they anyway? 

The good old days were when we all were little. We didn't have to shop, cook, clean (except our room) and school was fun for the most part. Vacations were looked forward to and so was the first day of the school term! Every season was celebrated - Spring brought out the bicycles, jump ropes and wild flower contest in Miss Spalding's 4th grade; summer brought out the baseballs, handballs, beach balls and trips to the creek or community pool; fall brought out the sweaters and walks down the lane through the leaves to hear them crunch, smell them burning at the edge of the road, wondering when Mom was going to make her "crullers" (doughnuts) and when were we going to stop at Bud Duncan's Farm Stand for some cider?  Winter brought the excitement of the first snowflakes, Santa coming, the Christmas program at church, sledding on the hill by our house  and ice skating on the pond if Mr. Hoovler thought it was safe enough (he would plow it off and then we knew!)  Ah, yes! The good old days! 

4. In what way are you a 'chip off the old block'? Or if you'd rather, in what way is your child a 'chip off the old block'? 

I look like my mom. I'm shaped like my mom. I sound like my mom. But that's about it.  She loved to cook... I only "like" it. She could sew and crochet and made some pretty cool stuff for my friends and me.  Me? Eh...  She loved to write poetry when she got older. I wrote poetry when I was younger.  She loved her family, though, just like me and loved the Lord, too... just like me. I loved her very much and miss her still...

5. Old fashioned, Old Testament, old timer, same old same old, old glory, good old boy, old wives tale...choose an 'old' phrase that relates to something in your life or the wider world currently and explain. 

Old...   so many to choose from!  I love the Psalms from the Old Testament; Old Glory waves from my front porch; some people think I'm old fashioned but I'm really just practicing to be an "old timer!"  How about an interesting expression but not exactly an "old wives' tale" ...  My husband and I often chuckle and comment when we see this in the sky:  The sun will be shining through some clouds and the rays will be directed toward earth... but my mom would insist that "the  sun is drawing water."  Now, why the sun would need water is beyond me... or perhaps it was drawing it up to be placed back into the clouds, but we never understood her expression and simply had to accept her idea .  No clue where she got it from, except that it was passed down to her as she grew up on her family farm in NJ.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Back to masks in public places. Winter is coming. I sure hope next fall and winter, this pandemic is over. I don't know the answer but it sure doesn't seem to be vaccinations with endless booster shots, since those of us vaccinated can pass the different variants of this virus on and not even know we are carrying it. Sometimes the best laid plans of men are not effective. Praying that God will show mercy on us and help heal our lands... in more ways than one.