Wednesday Hodgepodge

Surprise! Surprise! I'm back with the HP today.  One day I'm going to be regular as I do love to answer Joyce's questions.  But, life gets in the way sometimes and it seems to get more regular. ~smile~

1. What's one thing you're excited about in the coming month? 

Well, there are a couple of things and they both involve the Grans.

Next weekend we will be going to Lafayette to watch this cute little redhead play ball.  Her All Star team won 1st place in their district, so now they go to state.  It is going to be hotter than hot but we are going prepared with battery operated fans, sun screen, comfortable chairs and a sun umbrella. They are so much fun to watch and I think are really good players considering they are 8-9 years old. And, I can get real excited, as if you even wondered. ~chuckle~ I still have to be a bit careful with getting too excited with my hands and arms as it hurts my neck. But, that won't be for much longer and I don't do well not being able to fully express my excitement.

We will go to Oklahoma the end of July to see these "knuckle heads" show sheep.  It is a Jackpot Show and that means that the siblings of those showing are allowed to show.  The "legal" age for showing is 9 and Coleman is 7 and Case is 3, but they have been around sheep showing their entire lives, so they know the ropes.  I cannot wait to watch them and since you can't get too excited or loud at these shows, I will definitely have to use full control.  The show is actually on my birthday, so what a fun celebration it will be.

2. What was your life like when you were ten years old? 

My Mom and me when I was 10 years old

My Dad entered the ministry when I was 8 years old and his first church was in Alma, Arkansas. We lived there for 4 years so that included my 10th year. We lived in the church parsonage off of a dirt road and Daddy put up a rope swing immediately for my brother and me.  The house was surrounded by woods and we spent countless hours playing outside, building forts, and playing hide and seek.  I have fond memories of being 10 except that I did not care for my 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Brown. Funny the things we remember.

3. What's something from your childhood you still enjoy today? 

My paternal Grandmother loved to play games and anytime we were at her house, we played some kind of game.  Now, mind you, there were not that many games available, mainly Dominos and Old Maid.  Those two and Chinese checkers were the main games.  As a result I have always enjoyed game playing.  Growing up our family played monopoly a lot and now I enjoy playing games with the Grans.  The gran girls are generally ready to play anytime and as long as I can keep them from getting too competitive, we do just fine.  

4. What state (that you haven't been to) do you most want to visit? Tell us why. 

To be honest, I am not jumping at the chance to go anywhere right now outside of seeing family.  But, I think going to Wyoming/Montana to see Yellowstone National Park would be quite an experience.  In all of my travels, that is one place we have yet to go.

5. Do you like to drive? Tell us how you learned to drive. 

I don't mind driving, but I'm not  a fan of driving on trips. I do try to drive some on trips to give Hubby a break.

I learned to drive on a Dodge Rambler (pictured above) with a standard transmission.  My Daddy taught me to drive because my Mom was a nervous Nellie at the thought of it.  He took me out on some none busy roads. Now, driving a standard shift car is not the easiest car to learn to drive but that's what most folks had "back in the day."  And, once you learn to drive a standard shift, I'm not sure you ever forget.  

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Front of pillow

Back of pillow 

I was looking through some items in one of our guest bedroom closets a few months ago.  I pulled down a container and inside it was my Daddy's Navy blues.  They were in mint condition but I had no idea what I or anyone else would ever do with them.  I was telling Bridget about it and she immediately said  that I should have a pillow made out of it for my youngest brother.  Well, I thought that was a genius suggestion, especially since I knew just the gal to do it.  She is the same gal that made me teddy bears out of some of my Daddy's shirts for the 5 Grans.  Anyway, I met with her and told her what I was wanting and she exceeded my expectation.  You can see above how she used the entire top on the front and back of the pillow.  I thought it was about the neatest way possible to preserve his uniform and my brother was very pleased and has it displayed in their home.  You can check out my friends Facebook page under, Peggy's Stitches and yes, she has done work for folks long distance.  Her work is impeccable!

June Prime Purchases

Wow, the year is almost half over! I know it sounds trite, but it is the truth, time flies by. Hope you will enjoy this month's Prime Purchases.

5 STRAND  STRETCH  BRACELET

This is such a fun bracelet and I love that it stretches over your hand.  The beads add such a nice touch and it makes a lovely bracelet.  I wear a bracelet almost everyday and a necklace and earrings.  It doesn't matter if I'm dressed casually or more dressed up.  I love accessories! And, it would make a great gift.

AMAZON

NECK  AND SHOULDER  HEATING  PAD

I saw this over at Katie's blog, The Preppy Empty Nester, the week of my neck surgery and I KNEW that I had to have it.  I used it multiple times a day to help with the muscle spasms the first few days following my surgery.  It is the "cats meow" for sure.  I'm sure I will use it a lot because heat always feels good on your neck and shoulders. Just sayin'.......

AMAZON

CHUNKY  CHOKER  NECKLACE

Ladies, this is a lovely, lovely piece of fashion jewelry and looks wayyyyy more expensive than its actual cost.  It is very well made and I get many conpliments every time I wear it.  It's a statement piece for sure.

AMAZON

SCONE  OR  CORNBREAD  PAN

I do love scones but I rarely make them.  But, I make cornbread a lot and I decided I needed this pan that would bake it in perfect wedges.  It's a Nordic Ware brand and so heavy and well made.  I'm pretty sure it is made to last a lifetime.

AMAZON

LUCKY  BRAND  WEDGE  SANDEL

I love these shoes!  I'm a fan of Lucky Brand because their shoes run narrow and I can generally wear a medium just fine and I can't say that about many brands.  Lucky does not make narrow shoes so I'm really glad these fit as they have the perfect height heel and such a cute look.  I got both the above color and navy.

AMAZON

HAMMERED  TEARDROP  EARRINGS

These are so good looking and go perfectly with the necklace I mentioned above.  The disc on the above necklace is hammered so these look as though they were made to go with it.  They are also great to wear without the necklace.  

AMAZON

BLACKOUT  SLEEP  MASK

I have never ever had a blackout mask but decided that I might enjoy having one when Hubby is reading and I'm ready to go to sleep.  He usually only has on a small light but any light in an otherwise dark room is bright.  This little jewel does the trick and is very comfortable.  I always take it off the first time I wake up in the night.

AMAZON

SILICONE  MAGNETIC  CABLE  TIES

I've posted about these little jewels in previous posts but, I just ordered more and decided I'd tell you about them again.  They are the best cable/cord ties in the world.  This is the short ones but they come in several lengths.  I have them all and use them all the time.  I cannot stand tangled cords!

AMAZON

MINI  HAND  HELD CORDLESS VACUUM  CLEANER

Folks, this is the neatest little vacuum and when I say little, I mean little.  But, I often need to get into tight places to clean and this little jewel does the job.  I had a coffee pod explode in my coffee pot a few weeks ago and simply could NOT get all the coffee grounds cleaned out.  That is what prompted me to go looking for a mini vacuum cleaner.  I had taken the coffee pot apart to the point that I could but there were still pesky dry grounds.  So, when this came in, I could hardly wait to give it a try.  Now, it is definitely NOT made for big jobs but it works great for small crevices, tight places and the such.  I really have a love affair with vacuum cleaners.  I have the dandy Black and Decker cordless handheld vacuum that I use all the time, a cordless Dyson and now this.  I think I'm set now for any and all needs of vacuuming.

AMAZON

OAK  MILKING  STOOL

This is the cutest, very well made, little stool.  I wanted something to sit a small fan on that I run at night.  It's my white noise to sleep by. ~smile~  It is 9" high and  and made of oak.  I'm pretty sure it could be a step stool for a small child but not this gal.  But, it is just perfect for my fan.

AMAZON

And, there you have it for this go around.  I hope you saw something that "spoke" to you and you can go add it to your cart.  I enjoy hearing that you ordered one of my "prime items" and are so enjoying it.  I guess I should let Amazon know that they owe me a "seller's fee." ~joking~

Have a great new week!

An AI Hodgepodge

It's Wednesday, yipee! It's Hodgepodge time and Joyce posts the questions and we give our answers.  It's always fun and hopefully enjoyable for you, my readers.

1. Do you know much about (or understand) Artificial Intelligence (AI)? Does it worry or excite you? 

I know very little but enough to know that it definitely doesn't excite me, especially for my Grans generation.  I mean, for a computer to be able to replace humans in tasks, decision making, visual perception, etc is very scary. VERY!

2. What was the last song you listened to? Your favorite movie soundtrack? What song always puts you in a good mood?  

It was one of the old hymns but I can't remember which one.  I listen to the old hymns by John Troutman on my Alexa almost every morning.  They are so soothing and inspiring for me and a great way to begin my day.

I have many favorites but GREASE was the first one that popped into my mind. I can probably still sing along with every word of every song.

Outside of the old hymns, any song by Lionel Richie can lift my spirits and bring a smile to my face.

3. What were you doing ten years ago? 

Well, this was fun. I looked back through my photos from May 2013 to see what I was up to.  It appears that was when I tried my hand at chalk painting.  I had 2-3 items that I tried it on and it proved to me that I AM NOT A FAN.  I did enjoy doing the items but they were all left at our old house and were a part of the estate sale that happened after we moved.  I'm pretty sure chalk painted furniture is still a very popular thing but I am just way too traditional and LOVE all my mahogany, walnut and cherry furniture.  It almost grieves me to think that one day every piece of it will likely be chalk painted by someone after I'm gone to my heavenly home.  Oh, well, at that time it will not matter a bit!

4. Your favorite no-bake summer dessert?

Millionaire Pie

2/3 c sugar

8 oz cream cheese

1/2 small tub of Cool Whip

1/2 c coconut

1/2 c pecans

1 can crushed pineapple, drained (8 oz)

1 graham cracker pie crust

Mix softened cream cheese with Cool Whip (I use a whisk but you can use a mixer). Add the other

ingredients and mix well by hand.  Put in crust, top with additional Cool Whip if desired

(it gives it a smoother look). Refrigerate and serve.  You can also add chopped

maraschino cherries if you desire.

I served it a couple of weeks ago to my study club and it was a big hit!

5. Something you're looking forward to in June? 

I'm hoping that June will bring total relief to the muscle spasms between my shoulder blades caused by my recent neck surgery.  I have done so well but these spasms are NO joke. Thankfully they are getting better and my Dr. assures me that they are just a part of the healing process and will go away.  I am 5 weeks post op tomorrow so I'm probably expecting too much too soon.  I do have medication to take and when they are really bothering me I do take it. I'm just trying to keep my eye on the prize and am more than just a little thankful that I can go on about my day to day activities.  I still modify the way I do some of them, but oh, it could be so much worse. 

6. Insert your own random thought here

I mentioned in my HP post a couple of weeks ago that our daughter was coming to see us ALL BY HERSELF.  It was so nice to have her undivided attention without constant interruption.  We enjoyed our time with her so much and I'm pretty sure it was just as good for her.  She never heard the the word "Momma" or heard the yah, yah that can come from 3 children.  It was a special, special visit and we so appreciate her making it happen.

The Wednesday Hodgepodge

You know the drill, Joyce asks the questions and we answer them. Always so interesting to read all the varied answers. Hope you enjoy!

1. What surprises you the most about people? 

Oh, my, there are many but one would be what some folks will share on social media.  Good grief, they air their dirty laundry for all the world to hear and, the world doesn't want to hear it and most importantly, doesn't need to hear it. 

2. Would you rather have a chauffeur, nanny, gardener, maid, personal shopper or cook? Tell us why that one? 

No bones about it, a cook!  I LOVE to bake, but regular cooking, not so much. And, I've gotten worse the older I've gotten.  Now, I can get real motivated when it comes to soups, stews, chili, gumbo, etc and I don't mind that kind of cooking at all.  But, to do a regular meal, I'm a slacker.  If we are entertaining I must say, I can come up with a really enjoyable meal, but on a day to day basis, I'd love to have a cook.

3. May 18th is National Notebook Day. No idea what that means but let's run with it anyway. What's something you currently keep in a notebook? Have you seen the movie The Notebook? On a scale of 1-5 how does it rate? (5=a favorite, can watch and re-watch and re-watch again) 

I use a notebook for my prayer journal and have for years and years.  I don't generally care for the formats of designated prayer journals.  I always seem to find a cute one (like cuteness matters) and my current one is so thick that I'm on my 4th year of using it.  I love looking back through them and seeing the way the Lord has answered the many requests.

Oh, my goodness, a chick flick for sure but one I loved.  Such an involved story with so many twists and turns and such a tear jerker ending. I would give it a 4 rating.

4. Do you like mushrooms? Last dish you made or ate that had mushrooms on the ingredient list? Your favorite dish that calls for mushrooms? 

I love mushrooms and my favorite dish is stuffed mushrooms. I had the best I've ever had while we were visiting our daughter and her family in April.  We went out to eat (and I cannot remember the name of the restaurant) and I ordered stuffed mushrooms and a salad.  They were TOPS!!!

5. What would you say is the most annoying thing people do in public? 

Talking on their cell phone for all the world to hear.  Have mercy! I've heard it in waiting rooms, grocery stores, bathrooms, etc.  I think we have to remind ourselves that there was a time when cell phones did NOT exist and we all survived. But, I suppose the youth of today have no recollection of those times. And, don't get me wrong, I do love my cell phone but I do try to be respectful of where I am when talking on it.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

We are looking forward to this coming Friday.  This sassy gal, our daughter, is coming to visit us by herself.  Yes, that's right, it will be her first visit alone since having children 14 years ago.  She called a couple of weeks ago to tell us that she wanted to do this and while we were shocked, we are so excited.  It will be very unusual to have her to ourselves,  and to enjoy uninterrupted conversation.  I remember going to visit my parents 2-3 times without our children and they were such great visits that I still cherish.  Our SIL's parents will keep the two youngest and Clancy will stay home with his Daddy.  Everyone will be enjoying themselves while we make some sweet memories with our "favorite" daughter.

A Kingly Hodgepodge

 

And, the HP moves right along.  This is issue #503. I'm always glad to be a participant as I enjoy answering the questions and find it so interesting to read everyone's answers.  

Hope you enjoy!

1. Did you watch the coronation of King Charles III? Share some of your thoughts about that, or about the royal family in general. 

I turned it on about 2 hours into it and kept it on but never just sat down and watched it. I find all of it so fascinating and I do love the pageantry, just beautiful.  I cannot even imagine the work that goes into something of this magnitude nor the money.  I will say that I found myself thinking how absolutely stunning Diana would have been by Charles side. ~just sayin'"~

I wish the royal family was in one accord but they are not and that was pretty obvious.  And, I cannot even imagine living in such a spot light every waking minute of my life. I'll hush by saying, The Queen left some mighty big shoes for Charles to fill.

2. What are you the uncrowned queen of? 

I'm pretty sure if you asked anyone that has known me any time at all would say that I am an organizational enthusiast.  I was raised by two very organized parents so I came by it very naturally, it's just like breathing for me. For me, an organized life is a happy life. ~chuckle~

I might also be referred to as "the Queen of Cookie Baking."  I've always loved baking, cookies being a favorite.  But, while we were housebound in 2020, cookie baking took over my life.  It served as therapy for me and I happily shared with family, neighbors and friends to brighten their day.  Just yesterday I made two batches, Almond Joy Cookies and Chocolate Chip with walnuts.  

3. In a box of chocolates which one do you usually go for? 

I love the boxes of chocolates that have each chocolate identified in the lid of the box. That way I don't have to "hope" I get one with a caramel or an almond, or both. I'm not much on the others.

4. Something learned at your mother's knee? 

The importance of being a homemaker.  She valued that role and did such a great job and set a wonderful example for me, her only daughter.

This was the last picture ever taken of my Mom and me.  This was in Oct. of 2008 and she suffered a massive stroke on Dec. 1st, just 6 weeks later and entered heaven's gates.  As a precious lady said to me, "you will get through losing your Mom, but you will never get over it." So, so true!

5. 'Like mother, like daughter'...in what way is this saying true for you? 

                                                                     Taken in 2011

While I am like my Mother in many ways, for me, 'like Father, like daughter' would be more fitting.  Mom would often talk about how much alike we were. I have two brothers and the oldest would be the most like our Mom. 

6. Insert your own random thought here.

I can't believe I just posted this picture of myself from two weeks ago tomorrow evening.  I'm pleased to report that I have done really well from my neck surgery.  I only wore the neck collar for the ride home from the hospital and haven't used it since.  The Dr. told me it was for my comfort only and I found that my neck pillow served the purpose better when my neck got tired the first week.  I have about a 2-3 incision in the front of my neck that is hardly noticeable now.  He glued it together and it is all so amazing.  I mean, gluing skin, how do you do that?  I have very few restrictions, lifting no more than 8 pounds, leaning my head backwards and leaning my head forward when I pick something up.  I've learned to accomadate these restrictions and I've done very well.  I have very little discomfort at this point and in 3-4 more weeks I should be "good to go." full steam ahead.  My Neuro Surgeon told me that it was the easiest of all neck surgeries and I believe he was right. I had a fusion of C5/6 and 6/7 and the removal of bone spurs.  I've dealt with it in some fashion for about 12 years so I thought it was time to "get er' done."