Hippidy Hodgepodge

 

Palm Sunday 2024

Yessiree, it's that time again!  
Sometimes (well, most times) when I've nothing original to offer, it's great having prompts ... being asked for our opinion.

Thank you, Joyce!

🐰

What do you love about your life right now?

Let's see --

Not having to set my alarm for o'dark thirty each morning ...
Living only 40 minutes (v. 26 hours) from my son and family ... and basically, wasting time however I want!
 

March 26th is National Spinach Day...are you a fan? If so, how do you like yours prepared/served? 

Is there such a thing as Spinach-holic?  That's me!

LongHorn used to make the best creamed spinach but I don't see it anymore.  These days we're more apt to saute a bag of fresh with bacon or pork chops.

   

In this current season would you say you need to spend more time looking inward or that you need to get out of your head? Tell us why. 

I already spend what some might say is an 'inordinate' amount of time in my head, but that's my comfort zone.

When necessary, sure, I can get out.  But sometimes people-ing can be exhausting.  Or pointless.  Gotta choose my audience carefully!

Are you following the 'March Madness' madness? (That's US college basketball in case you're out of the loop) What's something that feels like actual madness to you right now?
 

I won't even pretend to like basketball, but Tom's following.
Thankful for ear buds and audio books!

What feels like madness?
Washington DC ... politics.  I'd better leave it right here.

How will you celebrate the Easter/Passover holiday this year?

I've no idea!

We've had steaks sitting in the freezer for months now that Tom may grill after church.  Speaking of spinach, I may look up a copycat recipe for LH's creamed variety.

This is the first year I've not rotated our table settings by the season.  Has it really been Christmas we last sat in the dining room?

Easter 2023

I should at least make an effort to bring out my mother's pretty china.  Maybe I'll pour bag of Pistachio nuts over the fake grass and call them preemies?  

Insert your own random thought here. 

Until next time ...
egg-on, y'all!

Hugs, Myra

Monday Matters* (Vol. 9)

 

*Matter: (noun)  An affair or situation under consideration; a topic
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G'morning!

Did y'all wonder if I'd forgotten how to blog?  For no particular reason I've been caught up in the mundane ... leapfrogging imaginary obstacles.

Anyway!

Here we are on the cusp of a brand-new shiny week.  And in spite of my distaste for all things pastel, Mother Nature's busy showing off her Spring wardrobe.  Glorious!

Even Grace-E, our little sun worshiper, loves being outside.

Her favorite spot -- atop the septic tank!

😆

Thank you so much for your sweet birthday wishes!  

Sunday afternoon Tom and friends performed their Spring sing-along.  'Little Boy blue, come blow your horn'!

He claims to never having heard most of these songs before but faked it pretty good.  At least no-one threw rotten tomatoes! (lol)

Who'd have guessed a rainy St. Patrick's Day would draw such crowds on 'restaurant row'?   Instead of going inside, I voted to go get my Publix birthday freebie (carrot bar cake) which I enjoyed in the kitchen -- a fork in one hand, a glass of wine in the other.

My kids generously gifted me some green -- that I promptly took to Amazon for a 3" gel mattress topper .... and a whiz-bang kitchen sink stopper.   (Don't I know how to live on the edge? lol)  My birthday, my rules!  

🌻

How do y'all feel about tradesmen who 'no call, no show'?  We were sure put-out yesterday afternoon, not inclined to give K a second chance.  Except, his parents are good friends.  Awkward!

Then, K called first thing this morning.  He wants to come late today to look at the bathrooms and give us a quote to renovate one or both.   No pun intended, the master bath is circling the drain.  I don't know how many more years we'll be able to stay here -- and as everyone knows, it's kitchens and bathrooms that sell houses. 

🌻

This morning I'm excited to meet a friend for lunch.   D and I met a couple of years ago at Bible study and were starting to get close.  Then all of a sudden, she put out a PM (that) she was parting ways with Robinson Springs, effective immediately.   Rumor has it, someone felt threatened by her larger-than-life presence and informed D, "You don't run this church!"  Why are people so cruel to one another? 

Is it still considered gossip when you hear it from the horse's mouth?Hopefully I'll find out in a little bit over a juicy plate of carbs! 

Tomorrow we're back to Alex City for another appointment with Tom's pulmonologist.   I'm not wild about the hour's ride -- particularly via 2-lane rural roads.   Still, there's no escaping a certain charm.  I love many of the older homes -- fading gingerbread appointments above tired porches.  Yet tended so nicely.  As my favorite columnist might say, 'Proud.'

So God willing, I'll be back soon at the Hodgepodge. 

'Til then, have yourselves a sweet day .....  thanks for stopping by!

Hugs, Myra

   

Bucket? ... or Chuck-it?

 

    ca 1956 ...

    Happy Birthday to me!

Top o'the morning to y'all!

So, I woke up to find the skies drizzling (again).
Two cups of coffee later, I chose to skip church services and spend time here with some of my favorite people.

We had such a good time with Troy and Lois yesterday -- catching up on all things that matter while consuming an indecent amount of carbs.  Tom's playing in another concert/sing-along this afternoon which means I'll have to get presentable.  In a little while.

'Til then ...

Many long years ago I drafted a Bucket list.  Ah, the life and times of a daydream believer!

Inspired by another blogger, a few years later I created a Vision Board.

You know what happened next?
2020: The world, as I knew it, came to a screeching halt.

I don't know what's so compelling, but every now and then I go back and check obituaries for those folks who played a huge part in shaping the person I am today.

Thankfully, there were few surprises.  Still, a reminder how fragile our lives really are.

I think most of you know how much I want to travel.

Right now, Tom's health concerns mean I don't stray too far from home.

That doesn't mean I won't make a new, more realistic Bucket List!  For the record.

I hope 2024 finds me  ...

 ☘️ in Florida, Texas and New Mexico

"Once is not enough!

☘️ at Cheese University 
"Cheese education without pretention."

☘️ Attending a friends' weekend getaway.
"Girls just wanna have fun!"

☘️ Meeting those of you for whom I've come to care so very much.

and finally ...

☘️ Enjoying a transAtlantic voyage --
NYC to Southhampton

While this used to be a pipe dream, the older I've become, it's something I really (really) want to experience one more time.

Thankfully, my 'chuck-it' list is small.

I love what the author Sarah Ban Breathnach has to say:

"Birthdays are not only new beginnings, they are also moments of personal closure."

For instance .....

☘️ Stop trying to please all the people all the time!
... not a 'Karen' exactly, but I really need to start standing up for myself.

☘️ Nail Salons

... not in the slightest way relaxing.  I can't pretend I'm not put off by all the giggling and chatter in tongues I can't begin to decipher.

☘️ Church
... while I adore my little church family, there are some Sundays I feel more in symphony with what someone's published or sung.  No dress code required!

☘️ Diet
My new 'ideal' weight isn't the same as it was 20 years ago, but I'm okay with that.  A low-carb lifestyle may not be everyone's cup of tea, but ...

Happy New Year to me ....

Thank you for coming along!

Hugs, Myra

 

Water Cooler Wednesday

 

What's in a name?

Recently I saw a poser on Facebook:  "What names were popular when you were in school?"

Oh ya!  Without having to consult my yearbooks, I could rattle off a baker's dozen.

Like it or not, certain names date us.  How many of you of a certain age hear 'Jennifer' and immediately their minds go to 1970's Love Story.   More recently?  Brittney. Taylor. Addison.

During my teen years I so wished my parents had given me a cute name.  Like Kathi-with-an-i ... Patty ... Debby ... Cindy.

I can't tell you how many people have called me 'Ira' or 'Myrna.'  'Elvira' even.   Sure, I toyed with the idea of having it legally changed.  Instead I've finally grown to appreciate my government name.

I love what Sean Dietrich posted last evening:

"Personally, I've always thought a name was one of the most important elements of a person's jumpstart in life.  Your name is the first thing anyone will ever say about you.  Your name is the last thing that will ever be written about you."

He went on to list some of his personal favorites.  Some checked my Ick Meter 'just because.'  Some I disliked for no other reason than they remind me of someone.  Even as far back as grade school.  Hey, I'm not too proud to believe there are people who wrinkle their nose when they hear my name!

I'm so old, I remember when a baby's gender was a surprise up until the moment of birth.  Unlike most young people today, the baby's name was only learned when something like this arrived in the mail:

From my own baby book

So, I need to wrap this up!

Before I do -- and keeping with the theme of WCW ...

* Do you like your own given name?

* What are some of your favorite names? 

Not because you asked (lol!) -- but I'm adding mine at the bottom.

Have yourselves a wonderful Wednesday!

Hugs, Myra

The only names I'm likely to bestow would be on little 4-legged creatures.  Nevertheless, my 'right now' favorites are:

Caroline, Jacqueline, Emily, Shea, Ryne

I'd love to hear some of yours! 

Off the top of my head ...

 

    G'morning ... happy Saturday!   

I've not a lot going on, but wanted to say 'hey.'
You know, it recently occurred to me, Blogville's a lot like a Food Court -- with cozier seating.    Most every day I can laugh ... learn ... empathize and yes ...  even envy.
I'm come away nourished.  

So, yesterday we took Macie Ann to have her stitches removed and learned the tumor they removed was benign.  (Thank you, God!)   She's such a good-natured little soul.   The wounds still look raw and she desperately needs bathed, but I'm not sweating it.

Feeling a little let down that our Bible Study (Hosea) concluded.  Nevertheless, this "Gomer girl" will probably be going out on her website and spend $14.99 to stream the series.

If anyone's interested, here's a brief sampling:

Okay.  I'll admit there are times my mind gets to wandering.   It's not improbable I might miss the Big Picture.    My ears did perk up, however, when she spoke about "cords of love" ..... God's boundaries -- and likened them to her little dog's leash.

Are any of you familiar with the Playground Study?   I'd never heard of it, but Jennifer talked about an experiment where school children were observed at recess.   There in a fenced yard, the children ran this way and that -- playing with gleeful abandon.   Yet, when the fencing was removed, they tended to gather together in a group.  They huddled.   Like God's cords of love, the fencing gave them a sense of security. 

What else?

This is me after last night's storms.   

Because my back's feeling like our tree looks (above), I'm may hook up the TENS unit and binge-watch Mike Rowe's 'Dirty Jobs.'    

'Til next time ...

This is my wish for you!

Hugs, Myra

 

Crafty Sunday Stealing

 

Good morning, friends!

Because I'm still feeling the effects (carbohydrate hangover) of yesterday's outing with son and DIL, I've declared this a pajama day ... just right for joining the Sunday Stealing crew!   

Want to play along?  Click here!

☘️

What (if anything) are you doing to celebrate St Patrick's Day?

That's my birthday!
Because Tom's playing in another sing-along that afternoon, we'll probably go out the day before.

I may or may not enjoy an adult beverage (no green beer!) to mark my personal 'New Year's' eve.

What is your least favorite color (to wear, to craft with or to decorate with)?

Blue.

At a yellow light - do you speed up or slow down??

Depends.
If there's another vehicle close behind, I'll floor the gas pedal -- and pray the engine doesn't stall.
That (gas saving) feature's only happened twice, but I liked to have a coronary.

How many pairs of scissors are in your craft room?

What's that?
(I'm the least likely crafter on the planet.)

What are the first three items you have 'saved for later' on Amazon?

Hat size reducer strips

Lancome Tonique

Nexxus Finishing Hair Spray

Did you plant any springs bulbs in your garden and if so, have any of them come up yet?

Nope.
As evidenced by the return of an obnoxious armadillo, I'm going to enjoy the neighbors' blooms.

What book, if any, are you reading right now?

Do you prefer ball point pens, gel pens, or thin tip markers to write with?

Gel, provided it's the 'no smear' Zebra brand.
Being a 'leftie', that's critical.

What is your favorite crafting item - the craft item thing you use the most or can't live without? (Exclude basic items like scissors and glue).

One that somebody else creates.

What are the first 3 items on your grocery list and what is your favorite grocery store?

Ground chuck
Bottled water
Sharp cheddar cheese

I've a serious crush on Publix Supermarket.

What unfinished craft projects are you working on (or not:) at the moment?

Nada.

What was the last item you pinned on Pinterest? Or hearted on Instagram?

Gosh, I used to be addicted to Pinterest.  But now, it's been years!  What a hoot to revisit my site.  At the same time, I realize pining for 'things' or places only served to make me dissatisfied with what I already have.

My Instagram site is largely dormant, but I probably 'hearted' something Sean Dietrich posted about his blind dog.
That, or William-and-Catherine's precious children.

What is the biggest tourist attraction where you live?

Jackson Lake (Goat) Island.
5 mi. away, much of Tim Burton's 2003 movie, Big Fish was filmed there.

Troy and Lois

What color is your favorite sweater?

Black

It's more than 20 years old, but I'm not emotionally ready to part with it. (LOL)

How does your family react when you get a big pile of mail?

We're each curious to see if anything doesn't need tossed in the trash.
Aside from the water bill or an occasional greeting card, anything worth having arrives via UPS or FedEx.

T-t-that's all folks ....
Have a blessed day!

Hugs, Myra