Volume 42 of the blog saving Hodge Podgeness

1. Do you think the world became a more dangerous place on September 11, 2001 or did we just become more aware of the danger? How has your own life changed as a result of that day?

I think that we did become more acutely aware of dangers but also I think it did become more dangerous. I think there are always dangers out there and many we are generally unaware but I feel like the meanness of the world got turned up a notch or two that day. Maybe it is like a type of ripple affect. x does this to y, y reacts and does this to x and z. z retaliates and then c figures out they there is a whole world of mayhem they had not considered before. Maybe it just seems that way because we were all blissfully ignorant to the majority of evil lurking. Thanks to the media saturation there is no ignorance about the world for the most part these days which is both bad and good to me.

2. Did you think your parents were too strict when you were growing up? How about in hindsight?

I am sure there were times when I felt like they were too strict but I even then I knew that for the most part I had it pretty easy and looking back now I wish they had been stricter in some ways.

3. Share one random but candid fact about yourself.

When I was very young my goal in life was to become an actress and then be on Circus of the Stars as a trapeze artist.

4. Would your nearest and dearest describe you as simple or far too complicated?

I think complicated but I could be wrong.


5. What is your favorite stadium or carnival food?

I don't think I have ever had stadium food so I will go with funnel cake.

6. Tornado, hurricane, earthquake...how many of these natural disasters have you experienced? Which event do you think would be the scariest?

I have been in a hurricane and a slight earthquake. I find them all equally scary and unpleasant at this point.

7. Labor Day weekend is approaching so a work related question seems appropriate. Growing up, did your parents assign you regular chores? Were you paid for doing those chores? If you're a parent do you assign chores to your own children? Why or why not?

I had several chores I suppose growing up but not because they were assigned but because my mother was very ill, my dad was usually gone at work and if something needed to get done I had to do it. I was doing my own laundry by 7.
I do have my children do chores and as they get older I add more. I do not pay them for basic things like making their bed, etc. I feel like they are part of this family and live in this house and help make messes so they need to learn to help clean them up. If they do extra things though like volunteer to help with yard work or sometimes when I spring clean I will have them draw chores out of a jar that they can get paid for.



8. Insert your own random thought here.

I really really wanted to do another post before Hodge Podge so I was posting more than once a week but it did not happen. I could blame it on lots of things, first week back at school, preparing for our first big visit from family, crazy day yesterday etc but I think it boils down to the fact I am getting lazy. I don't like that.


You can join in by linking up at Joyce's page here.

If only Joyce supplied titles with the questions...

So I have not blogged in a bit and now I am getting out two posts in one day. It is like I forget about it and then once I start typing I remember, "oh ya I love to talk and typing is kinda like talking and hey don't you want to be a writer anyway so why aren't you writing everyday" and then I only stop blogging because my kids find it unnecessary for me to spend more than 5 min. on the computer. Of course if they won't to use it heaven forbid I stick with the 30 minutes of playtime rule.

Anywho enough of the mindless rambles let's get to the questions. It's Hodge Podge time!

1. What is something that bothers you if its not done perfectly?

Well everything. I am a bit of a control freak and have a tendency to just do it myself rather than delegate but then I had kids. Three of them who don't allow me to be perfect anymore and while at times I look around and see things "un-perfect" and it drives me nuts I like to think that I have mellowed out and realized that there is more to life.

2. Do you think a 6th sense exists? Explain.

Yes. I think that we do have an "intuition", and whenever I listen to that "still small voice" or go with a feeling I have it helps me and has kept me and my family out of harms way. I think mothers especially have this gift or maybe we just have to hone and use it more.

3. Do you say your goodbyes slowly, quickly, or not at all?

I usually pretend the goodbye is not happening. For example when we just moved I wrote cards to my dear friends, gave them to them and then just said "see ya" and gave them a hug like I would be seeing them in a few days. There are some people that I missed seeing but I have cards here for them which I really need to get mailed. I find it easier to not say "goodbye" but just treat it as "see you later" which hopefully will turn out.
I think one of the worst goodbyes I have ever done was saying goodbye to my sister a few months ago while I sat bawling in her car and then called her a stupid hooker for having a job so she couldn't just come with me. Not one of my finer moments but I was heartbroken and couldn't pretend it wasn't happening when she had been helping me pack up.

4. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being hot hot hot, what level of spice do you like in your food? What is your favorite spicy dish?

I am not huge into super spice. I like a little kick but the emphasis on little. Maybe a 3 or 4...maybe maybe a 5. Pathetic I know. My favorite spicy ... hmm... a good salsa I think.

5. What is one of your all time favorite commercial jingles?

I can't think of a single one which is nuts because I sadly watch a lot of TV.


6. Plane, train, boat or auto...your preferred method of travel?

I like the speed of planes but the freedom traveling by car gives you.

7. What is something you take for granted?

How close my family and best friends were before we left. I wish I would have made a lot more time to spend with them.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

There is a great quote that I love which is: "You can't roll your sleeves up while you wring your hands." I love that. I try and live by that. Terrible things happen, sad things occur but rather than wallow, take your moment and then roll your sleeves up, get to work and move on. Much easier said than done though.

You can join up here at Joyce's page it is great fun!

Live from unprepared Hermitville

Well I am doing a craptastic job of blogging as of late. Last week I missed doing Hodge Podge (which usually guarantees one day of blogging) and anything else in the blog sphere because we had company in town and we were running around visiting parks, castles (I have photographic proof above), eating too many sweets, etc. The week before though I have no excuse to give or pictures to share.

So company came and left and now we are preparing for another visit. So I am frantically trying to finish hanging pictures and unpack the last few boxes we have because you can hide that you are not done for a week from good friends but I am pretty sure in the 5 weeks he is going to be here my Dad might stroll into the garage and wonder what the heck I have been doing with my time when it looks like such a train wreck.

Also mid last week it dawned on me that school was starting soon. Too soon. We are woefully unprepared . England is not the ideal place when you are a hermit procrastinator. Not only is my son not starting with his new backpack that I very recently ordered (typed while I hang my head in shame) but we had to buy clothes and shoes with no black sole which was no easy feat. I am still missing the canvas bag that I am to label and put them in but oh well. Luckily for me the library has given us like 8 canvas bags to take home our many books in each week so I think I am about to re-purpose one of those. Lucky for me he is only in 1st grade and hopefully won't care that I have reduced, reused and recycled to get him school supplies because I am slacker. I am a classic procrastinator and so I am accustom to letting things go to long but then I can run out to a plethora of stores and grab what I need. Oh how I miss thee Target, Walmart, Hobby Lobby, Archivers, Old Navy, the list goes on and on. Let's not even get into the restaurants.

So not only am I a procrastinator but I am turning into a hermit here. It is hard to take three kids downtown with you to wander store by store and find things. Especially when one of them is a strong willed two year old. I don't know where to go, parking my van is a pain and it is just more expensive here. Now, while I have just been ranting about it let me assure that I love it here. Aside from lack of Olive Garden and Target and friends it rocks. It is beautiful here which I really can't say enough & there is lots to do but I am not out doing any of it.
I was talking {and by talking I mean whining} to one of my friends recently and I told her I was so bored and why wasn't she awake when I was, it was cruel that it would be breakfast time here and 3am there so we couldn't chat. And she said how could you be bored you just moved to England. Well said and excellent point.

So I am signing off for now so I can go finish the mass gathering of school supplies which really considering I have until Monday the kid should be lucky I am on top of this today and not Sunday night :) Then we are off to explore something even if I have to drag my kids away from the TV and toys kicking and screaming and I am sure by the end I will want to scream. I am excited about adding more cool pictures to my England album though for sure.

It's HodgePodge Time

Thank goodness it is HodgePodge time or else my blog would still be stuck in the writing rut I seem to be in. Here goes :)


1. If you could work for any one government agency which would you choose and why?

Well when I was younger, much, MUCH younger my goal was to join the Air Force and work at Area 51 and learn all about the aliens they had there. Then I graduated Junior High and my dad told me I would never make it past basic training. Currently I think that working maybe with the FBI on "cold cases" would be very interesting. I have an affinity for Nancy Drew that I have never outgrown.

2. How difficult is it for you to forgive someone who refuses to apologize?

I do not excel at forgiveness. I can forgive my kids anything even though when the same things continue over and over again I am frustrated but the rest of the world not so much. I am a bit of a grudge holder and I hold onto the hurt of what happened. It is one of my big goals of the year to work on forgiving quickly and absolutely.

3. What is your favorite meatless supper?

I have three boys and a husband I am not sure meatless suppers are allowed in my house. I do really love a salad with spinach leaves, craisins, almonds, feta cheese and a vinaigrette dressing. Super yumo! And if I am feeling to lazy for that cereal.

4. Wednesday August 10th is National Lazy Day...will you be celebrating? If so, tell us how so we can be lazy too.

Well last night after I put the howler monkeys to bed I got a jump start on National Lazy Day by laying on the couch, eating oreos, drinking Diet Pepsi and watching bad TV until 2am. This morning however my presence was requested at an oil change appointment. So we dropped off the dog, dropped off the car, walked across base to a playgroup, walked out into a rain storm, walked to get lunch, walked back across base to get my car. Went to the library, BX, Shopette, Thrift Store, Commisary pick up the dog and home. Wow I am exhausted just typing that... glad I got some lazy in last night. Maybe it should be a monthly lazy day with supplied nannies for moms... hmmmm...

5. As a child did you have any special back to school traditions and if so, what were they? If you're a parent did you carry on those traditions with your own children?

I have no recollections of back to school traditions and this is only my second year of taking a child to school so I have not really established any of our own. I took his picture on the first day last year and will probably do the same this year. Other than that I have no ideas yet.

6. Write a summer tongue twister.

Well while we were wilting out in the rain today we came up with the following little ditty,
"The rain drained my brain and now we are soggy and groggy" If I try to think of a summer theme I came up with: Instead of Beach Blanket Bingo Babies Beach Blanket Bounce. I know I am super fabulous with twister and lyrics. I should open the Grammys.


7. Would you be interested in observing a surgery or do you turn away when the nurse brings out the needle?

I would not observe a surgery and I do not watch shots or blood draws. When I have been involved in emergency situations in the past (example when my child fell off a porch and cracked his head open as a toddler or when the other fell into a fire pit and burned his hands) I am able to be calm for the duration and can handle anything and fall apart later.
On a semi random note once when I was having my blood drawn the guy asked me if I needed to lay down and I told him no I was always that pale. Stellar moment in time let me tell you.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I have a favorite quote, "You can't roll your sleeves up and wring your hands at the same time." I like that a lot and try to live that way. Buck up and move past whatever is happening. You are allowed to feel sad, etc but you can't wallow and do nothing. You have to move forward. Lately though I am not "wringing my hands" but I am thinking "crap I have a lot to do I better sit on the couch , watch Dating in the Dark, eat some oreos and think about it more." No bueno folks. No bueno.

Join up by going to Joyce's page here

Wednesday HodgePodge

So I found this cool thing on someone else's blog and thought I would try it this week. It is called Wednesday HodgePodge & I figure anything that helps give my brain a break and yet provokes thought at the same time is golden. Here goes.



1) Favorite Song Lyric:

Hmmm. I love about a million songs but the one stuck in my head now is "My universe will never be the same, I'm glad you came."
I am slightly embarassed that it is a Hanson song (pointed out to me by my hubbie no less) but it reminds me of all the amazing people I have in my life and all the friends I am really missing right now since moving.

2) Last time someone yelled at you:

I am sure my kids have yelled at me more recent than this but the incident that sticks out in my mind is when we were moving. We were in my hometown driving down the street and someone speeds up and starts honking at us and so I roll down my window and she yells, "Hey that was a school zone" So I look at the spedometer and we are going 18 in a 15. Yes we were speeding and I don't condone it but 3 miles.. but how fast did she have to crank her speed up to catch us? Oh and by the way... it is a block long and school wasn't even in session.

3) Money, fame, happiness - are they mutually exclusive?

While I think happiness does not depend or equal money I think that many people think they can purchase happiness with money. A quick lift of happy when you buy a new pair of shoes, etc. But lastning happiness ... no. I think you can be happy without out money or fame. How's that for a rambling unclear answer :)

4) What is your favorite dish to prepare for family and friends that doesn't require turning on the stove, oven or an outdoor grill?

Initial thought was ice cream. One because it is my favorite and two I couldn't think of anything you could prepare without cooking. Now typing though I think salad or chips and salsa.

5) The 1st week of August is National Simplify Your Life Week. What is one thing you could do this week to simplify your life? Will you do it?

To simplify my life I could just not stress as much as I normally do. Mellow out and just let things happen. Not overthink everything and try to do too much.
Will I do it? Probably not.

6) On a scale of 1 - 10 (with 10 being 100% and 1 being not at all) how tuned in are you to your country's national political scene?

Growing up my mom was VERY involved in politics and we traveled to Republican Conventions etc. Then I completely got away from it in college. I have been slowly easing my way back into things. So I use to be a 8 or 9... now I am at a 3.

7) What are your final parting words to the month of July?

Oh July I wish I could have enjoyed your weather more instead of unpacking boxes.

8) My own random thought

I was looking at the calendar and was thinking, "Yay it's August, oh crap it's August." I have zero school clothes for my children and yesterday afternoon they each had one pair of jeans that did not have holes or stains. After our park outing that is down to zero. I just don't want to deal with it though.. ordering online, hoping it fits, driving 20 min back to base with three kids to return it if it doesn't. I am too lazy for all that. Maybe I will bribe my sister with doing it for me and mailing it to me. (Insert evil cackle here)

Thanks Joyce that was fun! If you want to play go here to Joyces page:
http://joyce-fromthissideofthepond.blogspot.com/