If this is Wednesday ....

… it's time for the Hodgepodge!

Shout-out to our hostess, Joyce, for crafting each week's questions!

The US of A celebrated Memorial Day this past Monday. Does your family have any military ties?  If so, tell us about them.

You'll recall, I already addressed this on Saturday's meme.

At the time I didn't realize, Tom's grandson is (hopefully) about to become a U.S. Marine ..... 

pending his successfully completing one final challenge.

Beginning yesterday at 2AM, Victor and his team were to have entered the Crucible. Families are lighting candles on their social media pages, asking for prayers.

I'd never heard of The Crucible, but learned it ...

… takes place over 54 hours and includes food and sleep deprivation (2 hrs. max) and over 45 mi. of marching. The Crucible event pits teams of recruits against a barrage of day and night events requiring every recruit to work together to solve problems, overcome obstacles and help one another along the way.

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Cole slaw, potato salad, baked beans, potato chips, mac and cheese, macaroni salad .... your favorite BBQ side?  How many of these do you make from scratch v. buying from the deli?

  

Tom would probably buy himself small containers of cole slaw, potato salad and macaroni salad from the deli. Personally, I'd rather have pimento cheese. This morning I spotted a recipe that looks mighty good:

(Copied exactly as she wrote it ... I think this lady is my spirit animal!)


Pirate Pimento Cheese

8 ounces (one brick) full-fat Philadelphia cream cheese (Yes, Philadelphia and yes, full fat.)

2 cups (a little more is a lot better) hand-shredded Cabot Extra-Sharp Cheddar (Don’t substitute any other brand and on pain of death, do not use pre-shredded cheese. Heaven forfend.)

1/2 cup Duke’s Mayonnaise (If you can’t get Duke’s, you can’t make this recipe. Sorry not sorry.)

(Just kidding. Use your favorite mayonnaise.)

8 ounces mushed-up pimentos (Drain the little suckers out of their jar or jars, dump them onto your cutting board, and work them over with a mezzaluna or appropriately businesslike knife.)  

Generous dollop (do not measure and have no fear) Giuliano Hot & Spicy Jalapeno Spread* (Mount Olive makes a similar product so if you can’t secure a jar of Giuliano, go with second best but deduct one-half of a style point.)

Coarse ground black pepper and kosher salt to taste (If you still use that whiny-thin free-flowing excuse for salt and/or garden-variety black pepper dust, you are on your own and you haven’t made my recipe.)

Lemon pepper (A free-spirited sprinkling.) to taste. And totally optional.

Stir, stir, stir!  Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.  Will stiffen as liquids are absorbed. Add more Duke's to taste.

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 Joyce enjoyed asking this question back when the Hodgepodge was a regular thing.  Lake Superior State University posts a list each year of words they think should be banished from the Queen's English for misuse, overuse, and/or general uselessness.  The 2020 list includes:

quid pro quo, artisanal, curated, influencer, literally, I mean, living my best life, mouthful (word used by foodies to describe texture of food in their mouth), chirp (basically an insult), jelly (should for jealous), totes (short for totally), vibe and OK Boomer (internet response from millennial to older generation.)

Of the words/phrases listed, which would you most like to be 'banned'?

Have to admit, I'm not familiar with some most of these. I'm tempted to say 'living my best life' because it sounds really stupid ... but I grudgingly admire the intent.

Because 'OK Boomer' strikes me as sarcastic and/or demeaning, that's my pick.

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I'm sure next year's list will be filled with words springing out of this weird season we're all in currently. What word or phrase associated with the Corona would you be happy to hear less often?

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The month of May wraps up in just a few days. Bid her adieu in 10 words or less.

Thanks for showing me I'm not in control -- (&) never was.

(The ampersand won't count as a word, will it?)

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Insert your own random thought here.

Love y'all ... keep safe!

Hugs,

Myra