Wednesday Hodgepodge

It’s time for Wednesday Hodgepodge.  Joyce has some thought provoking questions for us today.

1. Setting aside the real March Madness (NCAA Basketball) describe something happening at your house this month that might earn the title ‘March Madness’?

The only thing I can think of that might be considered “March Madness” would be the wind and dirt blowing here in West Texas.  We can have beautiful Spring weather but, we also get a lot of wind and the dirt blows terrible.  It’s hard to keep the porches clean.  Matter of fact I read that tomorrow and Friday will be windy up to 50 mph gusts.  I plan my errands around windy days.  

2. What’s a favorite made up word from your childhood or a favorite from your children’s childhood? Does your family still use the word today? If there’s a story behind the origin please share.

I am nine years younger than my youngest brother.  I took care of my two brothers while growing up; we were all very close.  My baby brother couldn’t say Beverly, so he called me Bell0.  I can still hear him saying “I want my Bello.”

3. Will you be doing any spring cleaning now that the season is upon us? I read here a list of 15 quick ( under one hour) spring cleaning tasks. They were: clean out a drawer, vacuum furniture, whiten tile grout, dust the nooks and crannies you don’t get to year round, degrease kitchen cabinets, wipe down walls, go behind furniture, wipe down ceiling fans, vacuum the mattress, clean the range hood, wash baseboards, shine the stainless steel, clean out vents, tackle the windows, and wipe down gadgets

Of the fifteen ‘quick’ tasks listed which two most need doing at your house? Will you do them?

I love keeping my house in order and clean.  So, yes…I will and have been spring cleaning.

The two items from the list that I need to do would probably be vacuum the mattresses and wash baseboards.  

4. A favorite movie set in Paris or New York?

I love Hallmark movies and I recently watched one called, “Love Locks.”  It took place in Paris.  It was a Valentine movie and our son and daughter in law were visiting Paris the weekend that I watched this movie, so it was fun seeing some of the things on the movie that I knew they were probably getting to see.

5. What’s put a spring in your step this month?

We just returned home after a week in Branson, MO.  The last few years we have attended the Praisefest in Branson.  It is always so nice to get away and hear uplifting music and encouraging words from the guest speaker.  It’s so good to be around people that love God, our country and one another.  Such a needed change from what is going on in our country today.  We also were around many of the students from College of the Ozarks.  Talk about refreshing!  What a treat to see young people that are serious about their education and are busy working and serving.  This is a big change from what we have seen on the nightly news from college campuses around our country.  

6. Did you ever want to be a teacher? Why or why not?

There was a short time that I wanted to be a Kindergarten teacher.  It was a time as a teenager when I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with my life.  I did end up teaching my own children as we homeschooled from elementary all the way through graduation.

7. What’s your favorite floral scent? Do you have this somewhere in your home or maybe in a perfume? How do you feel about florals in food? How about wines with floral notes-yay or nay?

There is a lily that I love the smell of.  I’m not sure the actual name of it, but I know what it looks like.  At Christmas I try to get an arrangement with this flower in it.  I also love the smell of a nice rose.  I don’t really like floral scents in my home or as perfume.  I haven’t used florals in our food at all.  I wouldn’t know how to do that, I guess.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I enjoy reading blogs and I subscribe to many so I won’t miss their latest post.  I’ve noticed lately that many of them have so many popups that it is hard to read.  I don’t mind advertising on the side of the blogs but, with all the advertising within the blog post and then things popping up everywhere, it takes away from what I’m trying to read.  Even the pictures are faded due to being ready to pin on Pinterest.  You have to scroll to the side of the picture in order to view the pictures.  Maybe it’s just me, but it takes the fun away from reading some of my favorite blogs.  I’ve actually stopped reading some blogs because it was so annoying.  Maybe, I need to just get over it.  

Thank you for joining me today on Wednesday Hodgepodge.  I’m linking with From This Side of the Pond 

1. ‘Slow and steady wins the race’…tell us about a time this was true in your own life.

I would like to think that through life, we should be slow and steady.  I don’t want to hurry through life.  Time passes so quickly, I do my best to take each day in and make it the best.  When we have a big trip or event coming up, I have to force myself to not spend most of my time looking forward to it and missing out on today.

2. ‘As slow as molasses’…Do you like molasses? How about maple syrup? Caramel? Butterscotch? What’s your favorite of the slow moving treats mentioned here, and what’s your favorite food made with that sweet treat?

I’m really not a fan of molasses, caramel or butterscotch.  I know, strange.  I will take some maple syrup over some light fluffy pancakes with a little bit of crunchiness on the edges.  I don’t make pancakes at home unless it is a special occasion.  When we travel and stay at a hotel with a nice restaurant, I love to order pancakes for a special treat.

3. Your favorite slow song?

Hmm…this is a tough one for me.  I never remember names of songs.  The song that comes to my mind right now is, You Were Always On My Mind by Elvis Presley.  That song always brings tears to my eyes.  This song was written in the thought of an estranged couple I’m sure, but when I hear it I always think of my dad.  I’ve always wondered if I was ever on his mind.  Did he wonder where I was, what I was doing, how I was making it in life?  Those are questions I’ll never know the answer. 

4. Your favorite thing to make in a slow cooker or crock pot?

My favorite thing to make in a slow cooker is a roast.  I love the way the house smells when a roast is cooking.  

5. ‘You may delay, but time will not.’ ~Benjamin Franklin Are you more a hurrier or a delayer when it comes to unpleasant tasks that need doing? What are you currently either delaying or hurrying to get through this week or month?

I am a procrastinator and constantly forcing myself to not be.  I operate with lists.  I love to mark things off of my to do list, so I do my best to get them done as soon as possible.  I am an easy going person so it is easy to put things off, but, I know I can’t or I’ll get in a pickle of some kind.

This week my plan is to switch my closet over to spring.  I will put away my winter things and replace with spring/summer.  I also have a list of some drawers and cabinets I’m going through this month.  I love the feeling of having things organized and getting rid of things I don’t need anymore.

6. Tell us three things you encounter regularly or even just occasionally that you find to be annoyingly slow.

1.  I don’t like to wait in long lines…..at all.
2. When having to sit at a long traffic light.
3. When at a meeting or conference and it doesn’t start on time.  

7. March is National Craft Month. Are you crafty? Tell us about something crafty you’ll try in the next thirty one days. Or something crafty you’d like to try or wish you had the skill to make happen.

I am crafty!  I have a craft/sewing room.  My husband gave me a monogram machine a couple of years ago for Christmas and I still haven’t tried it.  It is on my list to get everything out and give it a whirl. 

Our five grandchildren were here for a few days and the girls love to go in the craft room and create.  They left yesterday and I haven’t gone in to straighten up yet.  I love the site of all their creations everywhere.  The evidence of spilled glitter, markers, cut paper and fabric.   When I was a little girl and if I got free reign in my grandmothers craft room, I would have had a blast.  It may be a mess when they leave, but I love to see them go in and create.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I listened to our POTUS last night as he spoke to congress.  I thought he did a good job.  I’m really getting weary of all the negativity and disrespect that is going on in our country towards our leaders and country.  I’m amazed at the adults who are acting like spoiled children because their candidate didn’t win. When elected officials sit and read their phones while the President is speaking and then put their thumbs down while he’s talking is really embarrassing.  I hope their districts that elected them think twice about who represents them next time.  It is time to grow up and get over it and move on!  Show our young people how adults handle tough situations.  Let’s get together and get some things done to make America the greatest and safest country ever.  

This post is linked to From This Side of the Pond.

Time for Hodgepodge Wednesday!  Last week was so much fun.  Let’s see what the questions are this week.  I’m ready!

1. What do/did you call your grandparents? If it’s something unusual tell us the story behind the name. If you’re a grandparent what do your grands call you? Who chose your moniker?

I called my dad’s parents, Grandmom and Grandad. I didn’t get to be around them very much, but when I did, I loved it. My Grandmom was a very gracious lady and I loved talking to her. I remember one time she told me how she loved my letters and to keep writing to her. She said I had very good penmanship. As a little girl, that meant the world to me. I was always wanting to write her letters after she told me that. My Grandad was a sweet man from what I  remember. He liked to tease. They took me on a camping trip one time and when we were traveling on a long West Texas highway, a mountain was at the curve of the road ahead. He told me we were going to run into the mountain. I believed him and was very worried. To this day when we travel that very road, I remember sitting in between my Grandmom and Grandad and believing we would run into that mountain.

I called my mother’s mom, Nanny. I didn’t see much of her growing up, but, when I was in high school she came to live with us for a while. Yes, I have some interesting stories to tell about my Nanny. She taught me how to make a big pot of beans. Whenever I make pinto beans, I remember her teaching me the way she did them. The only thing I don’t do is add sugar to them. My Nanny added sugar to everything…..lot’s of sugar.

We have 5 cutie pie grandchildren and I’m called, Mimi.  My husband is called, Papa.  I have always loved the name Mimi.  My favorite aunt was called Mimi by her granddaughter and I fell in love with the name.  I always knew I wanted to be called Mimi.  I’m so thankful it stuck.  I’m sure I would have been thrilled with whatever the kiddos would want to call me.  I love being a Mimi….sounds french, doesn’t it?  Maybe?  By the way, I had to look up the definition for the word, moniker.  I’ve never heard that before.  I learned something new today.

2. Ever taken a road trip along the California Coast? If so what was the highlight of your trek? If not, any desire to do so? If you were to take a trip along the California Coast what’s one attraction you’d have on your must-see list?          I’ve never taken a road trip, but, last year we took a Pacific Coast Cruise. What fun it was! We began in San Diego and went up the coast and stopped in Canada. Each port we stopped at was amazing! I loved the Carmel area and we have plans to go back and spend more time in that area. I can’t wait! The California Coast is beautiful! Click here to see highlights of our trip.

3. What are three things you don’t know how to do?

So many things that I don’t know how to do, so this is a hard one to only choose three.

1. I don’t know how to knit. Looks complicated. I’m not sure if I really want to learn.  I do love seeing what others create.
2. I can’t draw. I used to want to be a fashion designer. Probably a good thing I didn’t pursue that because when I try to draw some fashion ideas, it just isn’t pretty. I have several fashion drawing books that I play around with.
3. I can’t play the piano. Oh, how I would love to play. I’ve tried taking piano lessons lately, but I just can’t stay focused and stay at it. It’s seems too much is going on for me to sit down and concentrate on it. Maybe I’m just not wanting it bad enough. Maybe someday.

4. Tom Peters is quoted as saying, ‘Celebrate what you want to see more of.’ If that’s true what will you celebrate and more importantly, how will you celebrate?

I would love to see more of our country. I have a list of places I want to visit. We are slowly getting there. I’ve seen more than I thought I ever would, but there is still so much more to see out there. I’ve never wanted to travel overseas. We talked about a European cruise, but, I’m not sure yet if that’s what I want to do. We will see.

I looked up to see who Tom Peters is.  He is a writer and writes on business management.  Something else I’ve learned today.

5. Thursday (February 16) is National Almond Day. Do you like almonds? Which would you prefer-an Almond Joy or a macaron? What’s something you make that calls for almonds?

I do like almonds, but I’m not crazy about them. I buy the small 100 calories packs of almonds for a snack. I eat them raw due to them being more healthy for you. I really like the salted and roasted ones better. If I had to choose between an Almond Joy or a macaron, I would have to go with the Almond Joy. The coconut filling with the almond and chocolate is delicious! I do love macaron’s though.

I’m trying to think what I have made using almonds.  I like to put almond slivers in salads and I’ve also tried making my own macarons.  When making macarons, you have to use almond flour.

6. What does Saturday morning look like at your house?

Saturday mornings are very relaxing and quiet. My hubby and I usually are reading and just relaxing after breakfast. We like to go to a late lunch/early dinner on Satruday afternoons. I love Saturdays. Very relaxing and peaceful.

7. Share with us a favorite book you’ve read this winter.

I’ve read several books, but this one comes to my mind first.  I keep it out for reference as I’m still working through it.  I’m in the process of decluttering my closets and storage areas in my home.  The book is titled,  The Complete Book of Home Organization by Toni Hammersley.  She has a great blog at, A Bowl Full of Lemons.  Click here to visit her site.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I am in the process of trying to lose some weight. I’m really struggling in staying strong. I’m an easygoing person and love to just enjoy life and not worry about things. Having to constantly think about what I’m eating and not eating is very tiring. Hopefully, I will have good news to report soon on this issue! Enough of that! Next subject!

This post is linked to From This Side of the Pond.