Hodgepodge Wednesday

Today is another Hodgepodge Wednesday.


1. Share one way you think the world has changed for the better since you were a kid?
The accessibility of information. When I was in school, the only source of information available was an old encyclopedia or a trip to the library, where I spent hours searching through books to find what I needed for an assignment. Today, all we need to do now is a few clicks of a mouse and we can find so much information (right or wrong).

2. How 'bout one way it's changed for the worse?
Access to computers and the internet has created a generation that has trouble thinking on their own, or have the ability to do things logically. You would have trouble finding one teen-ager who can solve a math problem without a calculator.

3. Starlight, starfish, starling, Starbucks...your favorite 'star'?
Starlight ---- I'm a "sky watcher". I love to look at the clouds during the day and the stars at night.

4. Name a song that's overplayed, but you love it anyway.
I can't think of one. I love music and whatever I hear playing is 'new' to my ears. 

5. When did you last have home made ice cream? Your latest favorite flavor?
Last winter. We have a small counter-top ice cream freezer. My favorite is vanilla. There's so many different things you can do with vanilla -- chocolate syrup, caramel, banana split, or just plain. 

6. What do you think is the best way to inspire or motivate people?
I think to inspire someone is to point out their talents and give them encouragement. In my own life, I'm attempting something that I never thought I could do. It was the encouragement of family and friends that gave me the courage to attempt it. And I'm so glad I did. 


7. When was the last time you were without power?
2 weeks ago... we mysteriously lost power to just HALF of the house. After a long search to find the problem, and thinking it had to be just us since the neighbors weren't affected, hubby gets an electrician to come down. He searches and does some testing then tells us it has to be outside. We got the power company down, they went up on the pole and 30 seconds later, (plus $130.00 to the electrician) we had our power back.

8. Insert your own random thought here.
When I was in high school -- more years ago than I want to admit -- I played the clarinet in band. I quit after a couple years, but I did learn to read music, so it wasn't a total waste of time. Now I have a grandson who is going into band and wants to play the clarinet. I got inspired and dug out my old one. After cleaning and greasing the corks, I put it together and so many memories came back. I didn't have any good reeds so I couldn't play it, but I felt like I still knew how. Remarkable. 

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

This is a special day for our #2 daughter. She and her husband Mike were married one year ago today.

Mike called me this afternoon to tell me about the secret plans he had for them tonight.

They live in Michigan, not far from Frankenmuth (Michigan's little Bavaria). He has made reservations for a honeymoon suite for a couple days of sight-seeing, shopping, "eating a fancy meal" (his exact words... lol), a couples' massage, a hot tub and just plain relaxing and enjoying themselves. I told him that she will love it. Bob and I were there a few years ago and had a great time. The picture above shows just one small area of shops. To see all of them would take more than a day. 
Here's the web site showing what the town is like:  http://www.frankenmuth.org/

I got all the yard work done yesterday. I can't believe it... 2½ hours of bending, pulling, cutting and hauling! But it's all done. All the perennials are cut back and the weeds pulled out. I shouldn't have to do anymore to it until next spring. 

Everything else in my little part of the world is just fine and running smoothly.  Therefore, I'm going to get a bowl of ice cream, cool off and relax my sore muscles.

Until next time...................

A quiet weekend

We didn't do much this past weekend. Saturday we beat the storm when we went out to the grocery store. The sky looked very ominous. I stood in the parking lot, looking at the strange clouds. When we pulled out, I thought.... "I should have taken a picture of that." It was unusual cloud formations, but we were in a hurry to get home and get the groceries unloaded. A few minutes later the sun was shining again. The storm missed us but dumped almost an inch of rain on the town 30 miles east of us. That could be part of the same front that's now flooding the east coast.

Our weather has been very cool the last couple days. I can honestly tell you it's been downright chilly.  I got up in the middle of the night to close the bedroom window. The temperature was 52°! Yesterday, I wore a jacket. Is this July?

My plan for today is yard work. Bob's out mowing now but I need to work on the flower bed on the east

side of the house. I have to wait awhile tho' until it's shaded from the sun. I can't work in the sun. It makes me sick. I don't know if I'll get it all done today, but I'm going to give it a big try. The weather is going to be  perfect... high of 74°.

We were suppose to have the 2 youngest grandsons today, but they decided to stay home with their big brother Curtis (grandson #3 who is in college). There's not much to do at Grandma's. I think they might have sensed something, like Grandma putting them to work, helping me. :)

We didn't make it to church yesterday. Bob didn't sleep well and he was exhausted. So we decided to just stay home and he went back to bed. Since I usually don't cook on Sunday, I hadn't thawed out anything. We just went out to Bob Evans for a hot meal. We haven't been there in a long time, so it was a treat for me.

I got word last night our grand-daughter. Hollie, who lives in N. Carolina, is coming home for her birthday, Aug. 10. This is her 21st birthday!! Oh my! And she wants to spend it with her family. I'm so happy to be able to see her and her mother, D#2, who lives in Michigan. A family reunion... in my kitchen! I can't wait.



Julie, my piano teacher, will be happy to hear this.... I have a new passion. I'd rather practice now than play on Facebook. See what she's done to/for me.   :)


I think our supper will be salisbury steak in gravy with rice.... depending how I feel when I get finished in the flower bed. Or we might just have hamburgers.

I hope you've had a good day. Until next time....................... ♥

The Queen's Riddle

The Queen's Riddle
When Barack Obama met with Queen Elizabeth II, the Queen of England , he asked her . . .
"Your Majesty, how do you run such an efficient government?
Are there any tips you can give me?"
"Well," said the Queen,      
"The most important thing is to surround yourself with intelligent people."      
Obama frowned, and then asked,      
"But how do I know if the people around me are really intelligent?"
The Queen took a sip of champagne.      
"Oh, that's easy; you just ask them to answer an intelligent riddle, watch".
The Queen pushed a button on her intercom.  "Please send Tony Blair in here, would you?"
Tony Blair walked into the room and said, "Yes, your Majesty?"     
The Queen smiled and said,     
"Answer me this please Tony.  Your mother and father have a child.
It is not your brother and it is not your sister.
Who is it?"

Without pausing for a moment, Tony Blair answered…     
"That would be me."     
"Yes! Very good." said the Queen.     

Obama went back home to ask Joe Biden the same question.
"Joe, answer this for me."
"Your mother and your father have a child.     
It's not your brother and it's not your sister.
Who is it?"     
"I'm not sure," said Biden.     
"Let me get back to you on that one."     

He went to his advisers and asked everyone, but none could give him an answer.     
Frustrated, Biden went to work out in the congressional gym and saw Paul Ryan there.
Biden went up to him and asked, "Hey Paul, see if you can answer this question."     
Paul said, "Shoot Joe." 
“Your mother and father have a child and it's not your brother or your sister.
Who is it?"
Paul Ryan answered,     
"That's easy, it's me!"     
Biden smiled, and said, "Good answer Paul!"     

Biden then went back to speak with President Obama.     
"Say, I did some research and I have the answer to that riddle."
"It's Paul Ryan!"     
Obama got up, stomped over to Biden, and angrily yelled into his face,
"No! You idiot! It's Tony Blair!"     

Sat. July 27, 2013

This weekend is the last one of July and the end of another month. The days are flying by way too fast. I think the government is messing with our clocks. :)

Our #3 daughter stopped in yesterday when she got off work. She had a full schedule of massages all day and she was tired. Massage therapists are all limited to the number of clients they can do in one day. Most of them are limited to 5-6 because any more than that, they burn out and hurt too bad. It takes a lot out of them.

Yesterday was her Hospice day. They send her to the patient's home to give them some massage therapy and since each patient is different, she has to have a record of their medical condition to study before she can touch them. Those that are bed-ridden are very difficult for her. Hospice has gotten several favorable reports on my daughter and all have requested that she come back. She knew this would be hard and she's finding that out. Emotionally hard. My daughter has a soft heart, but she wanted to try this. On top of that, she's now getting new clients at the shop that have been referred by their doctor for sinus problems. They've had excellent results. Plus a chiropractor in town with a small office and no therapist, is sending some of his patients to her. We're so proud of her.

Bob's back out in the garage today, still working on that riding mower. He took the starter out to a mechanic yesterday and had it tested. It's working just fine, thank goodness. At $200 for a new one, he's relieved. So now he's working on the next possible solution.

I think we're going to have sandwiches for supper. No heating up the kitchen today. We still have the windows open and the breeze feels good, but it's warmed up a bit since Wednesday. Sunday is suppose to be back down to that comfortable range... 72°.

I guess there's nothing else to write about today.
Hope you've had a good day.
Until later.................

Thursday, July 25, 2013

We are having another beautiful day.
The temperature and low humidity makes it so much more comfortable out there.

This weather has helped both of us with the things we've been wanting to do. I was out on the shady side of the house earlier and pulled some weeds from the flower bed.

Bob's been working in the garage on the riding mower that's been stored in the shed. His brother came over last evening and helped him tear it down to see if the starter is bad. Today he's running around town to several places to see what's available and whether to put any money into it.

I had something happen last evening that I've never seen before. I had gotten a box mix at the store

last week, Betty Crocker Cinnamon Streusel muffins, that I thought I'd bake up. On the back of the box was also the directions for making a loaf instead of muffins. I decided to do the loaf. I got everything out and followed the directions. It called for 1/2 cup of water in the list of ingredients. I added that. Then the directions said to add the eggs and milk. Wait a minute! Milk?? That's the first time I've run into mistakes in the directions on a box. But it turned out ok. The milk would have given it a richer taste, but the water made it less fattening too. With fewer calories, I can have 2 slices instead of one. Right?

Before our #2 daughter moved to Michigan, she lived in a little town south of us, about 70 miles. On our way to see her, we always passed this fabulous building.

This is a picture I took from the car as we were turning the corner. Bob slowed down so I could get a clear shot.  This has always fascinated me. I'd love to see the inside.

From Wikipedia -- "Saint Charles Seminary was a Catholic seminary run by the C.P.P.S (secular priests and brothers who lived in the community) located in Carthagena, Ohio. The first buildings on the site of Saint Charles Seminary were the former buildings of the Emlen Institute. The institute was a board school for African-American youth (children of run-away slaves). In 1861 the missionaries of the Precious Blood purchased 200 acres of land since the institute had failed and the grounds and building had fallen into disuse.  (PS. the failure was caused by local folks threatening the blacks and forcing them out of the area). The first building constructed on the premises was called the Old Abbey. In 1878 a new building was constructed and became the seminary. Then, in 1922, the construction of the seminary was completed which replaced a lot of the functions of the Old Abbey and previous seminary. Around this time enrollment peaked at 120 students.

The seminary closed in 1969 as a consequence of declining enrollment. Theology students for the order now study at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago.  In order to accommodate the retiring priests, which peaked in 1980s and 1990s, the former seminary was converted into a retirement home. Today the center is now in the process of being converted into a retirement home for lay seniors as well."
And that, my friends, is your history lesson for today. :)

I better close this out and get back to the kitchen. I've had a roast cooking for a couple hours now and my house smells so good. I have to get supper finished so Bob can get to his meeting tonight.

I hope you've had a great day. Until next time..................

Hodgepodge Wednesday

1. July 24th is Amelia Earhart Day.  Earhart was the first female to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.  What's something you've recently accomplished solo?

Recently? I can't think of a thing. I do have a few things in my lifetime that I have accomplished on my own, but they were all several years ago. I got my first computer in 1976. Back then, I had to write my own programs in DOS in order for it to do anything. I taught myself how to do that which gave me the groundwork for understanding and repairing problems with computer software, until recently. Now the technology is too complicated and way over my head.

2.  What's one product you use that never ever fails?

My fork? hahaha  I'm at a loss as to a product that never fails. Everything we use these days is disposable, so nothing lasts forever. I'll have to think on this one and maybe come back to it. 

3. Have you found your place in the world? Where is it?

At 66 yrs. of age, I have found my place in the world... right where I am. I've been Bob's wife for 48 years. When I became a mother, I was then responsible for making my girls a beautiful part of the world, intelligent and productive. This is where I'm suppose to be and I feel blessed. 

4.  Worst movie you ever saw?

  All movies I see are on TV or DVD, so if I determine that it's going to be a bad one, I change the channel.  If I have to name just one, it would have to be "The Exorcist". And that's only because of the way it made me feel. I still shiver when I think about it. 

5. What's the last fun thing you did?

Having all my family (3 daughters, 3 son-in-laws and 7 grandchildren) in my kitchen at the same time. We were tripping over each other but I didn't mind. It was all the laughter that filled the house. 

6. The month of July is named for Roman Emperor Julius Caesar...ever been to Rome? What's your favorite Italian dish?

Lasagna! I make my own sauce and Hubby loves it. I don't make it very often because it takes such a long time plus there's only just the 2 of us now which gives us way too much leftovers. Now I only make it on special occasions. No, I've not been to Italy but I'd love to see it.
 
7. What is one piece of advice you'd offer new mom Kate Middleton?

"Raise that child yourself. Don't let the nannies do it all."  It makes no difference whether the mother is royalty or plain Jane down the street, that child needs to bond with his mother and feel secure with her. I loved it when I saw pictures of Diana sitting in the grass playing with her boys and the smiles on their faces were priceless.  

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

The breeze coming through the window feels so good. After 9 days of temperatures in the 90's and high humidity, today we turned off the A/C and opened the windows. We're suppose to have a few days in the 70's and 50's at night. My kind of weather. Very nice.  


If you would like to join the fun in the Hodgepodge "game", here is Joyce's page on how to get started:
http://www.fromthissideofthepond.com/p/how-to-join-wednesday-hodgepodge_17.html