Wed. Hodgepodge 12-31-2014

Happy New Year!!

This is our last Hodgepodge for the year. Thank you, Joyce, over at From This Side of the Pond
2014 will soon be history and 2015 holds all sorts of promises. I wish you all a happy, healthy new year ahead.

1. Share a favorite moment from your Christmas holiday celebration.

My favorite moment from each Christmas holiday celebration is when my children and grandchildren come through my back door. That moment always comes with lots of hugs, kisses and smiles. I love it.

2. What would you say has been the biggest news event during your life so far?

At my age, I have seen and heard so many big news events, but I would have to say the biggest was the day John F. Kennedy was assassinated. No, maybe the biggest was 9/11. I can remember each one as if it was yesterday.

3. The Pantone Color of the Year for 2015 is Marsala. What say you - like or no like? Would I find this color anywhere in your home or wardrobe? Will you add something in this shade to either? 

I like. It's a beautiful color we always called 'wine' colored, hence the wine with the same name. I used to have a blouse that color that I got many compliments, each saying it was a good color on me. I loved it and wore it often. Yes, I would add another one to my wardrobe.

4. Would you rather meet your ancestors or your great grandchildren? Explain why.

I would love to meet my ancestors. I have so many questions for them that only they could answer. But when it comes to my great-grandchildren, I feel blessed that I'm here to meet my first and pray for him each day that he has a happy life. Now, since I plan to be here another 30-40 years, I will no doubt meet them all plus the first of my great-great-grandchildren. I would love to see what kind of adults they become and what they do with their lives.

5. Share one life lesson learned in 2014?

Never take anything for granted. I learned this long ago, but this past year I was reminded that people can be very unpredictable and we should never assume anything. It can lead to hurt feelings.

6. What was your best or favorite purchase made in 2014?

I didn't make any major purchases this year, only groceries and necessities. I guess that could be my favorite because I didn't go hungry.

7. What is one thing you're looking forward to in the new year?

Being more active (for my health) and possibly getting back a social life.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

We have no plans for New Year's eve, except to do what we've been doing the last several years --- stay home where we're safe and warm, and watch the ball drop in Times Square. I'm not even sure I'll stay up that late. I'm often in bed before midnight. Then on New Year's Day we'll probably take down all the Christmas decorations, get the house cleaned and everything back to normal.

Whatever your plans are, may you be safe and warm. Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas 2014

Another Christmas has come and gone with a new year beginning in a few short days. I can't believe it. I feel like I slept through most of it. It's such a blur now. 

Our Christmas was very nice. Even tho' I'm still not up to par, I did manage to bake 2 pies and a cake, cooked 3 kinds of meat, plus my famous baked beans and a few other miscellaneous items for our party. Last evening I fed a total of 16 people, and still with no voice. But I'm getting better.

After we all ate and had the first load of dishes washed and put away, we played "Battle of the Sexes" and sampled each one of the desserts. The game is fun and we enjoy playing it, but when it was my turn to read a card, the room got quiet so they could all hear my squeak. I still laugh about it. 

Our tiny great-grandson Skye was being passed around to almost everyone, poor little guy. But he's such a good baby, he never complained. I didn't hold him, stayed away from him and pretty much everyone, didn't want to breathe in their faces. I don't think I'm contagious, but I wasn't taking any chances. 

Momma Hollie (Lori's daughter) holding Skye with Aunt Teresa talking to him

Grandson Dylan (Lori's youngest) is over 6½ ft. tall

but when I snapped this picture of him, I didn't notice it almost looked as if he was leaning on the top of the refrigerator. 

All in all, it was a fun evening. It's been quite awhile since we had everyone here. Daughter #2 and her husband headed back to Michigan this morning, so they're now home safe and sound. Daughter #1 is hosting her husband's family for dinner this evening. I helped furnish a couple items for her meal. And daughter #3 has spent most of her day alone. The boys are in Columbus with their dad. They called her last night and even tho' it was good to talk to them, she cried hard after hanging up. It's her first Christmas without them. Divorce! It's hard on everyone, but mostly on the kids. They wanted to come home. And Grandma -- I missed them so much, not being here. 

Our weather has been very mild this Christmas. We didn't have a white one, it was a liquid one. But thank goodness the temperature stayed in the 50's so we didn't have to worry about icy roads. 

We've had some bad news and some good news in the last few days. My cousin who has been fighting prostate cancer is doing very well and finally got to come home for the holidays. Then we find out our niece had a mild heart attack the other day. She's doing well and was able to go home. That news was a little late coming because she lives in Switzerland. 

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and may God bless you richly in the coming new year.

12-13-14

I know I've been absent for a very long time, but not because I'd forgotten about my friends here. I think of you daily and I do check in to see if you have posted anything and to see how your life is going. 

This past week I've been down with an upper respiratory thing going on in me. As of right now, I feel fairly good, but I still don't have my voice back. Hubby has had a very quiet week. If I attempt to say anything, I either squeak or whisper. He's been learning some interesting sign language. I hope I get back to normal soon. I have so much to do and only 10 more days to do it all. We don't even have the tree up yet or any baking done, but every time I think of it, I get over-whelmed. I need that genie in the bottle. 

A thought suddenly occurred to me the other day ... I need a new ornament for the tree this year. I have one for each of our 7 grandchildren with their baby picture on each. This year we have a new little bundle of joy to add to the tree.... baby Skye. He is 6 weeks old. 

So far this season, our weather has been very mild here. Last night we had freezing fog and a light drizzle that caused streets to be very slick. There were many reports of cars sliding off the roads. The temperature got down to around 27°. It hasn't been much lower than that this month so far. Now the weather people are predicting we have only a 25% chance of having a white Christmas. 

Until next time..... 

I found a new web page that I'm enjoying. It's called "Only in Ohio" and features some wonderful pictures of my home state, taken by local residents. I have been here, but it was a damp, dreary day. Nothing like this. 

"Only in Ohio"... Marblehead Lighthouse looking over Lake Erie. Photo by Matt Shiffler Photography.