Joyce From This Side of the Pond hosts a weekly Wednesday Hodgepodge of questions for fun and for getting to know each other.

Here are the questions for this week:

1. Do you and your family enjoy camping? What do you enjoy most/like the least when it comes to family camping? When was the last time you camped?

We camped a good bit when the boys were younger. I think my last camping trip was when I was expecting Jesse. After TM (and now middle age) I would have a hard time getting up from sleeping in a sleeping bag on the ground and would not enjoy hiking in the dark with a flashlight to the bathrooms in the middle of the night. Things I liked: family togetherness without distraction, letting the boys feed bread crumbs to the ducks in the lake, my husband’s camp cooking, the taste of food outdoors, sitting around the campfire at night making s’mores. What I didn’t like: all the preparation beforehand and cleanup and putting things away when you get back home, waking up damp from dew, bugs, not being an outdoorsy sort of girl in the first place, the aforementioned nighttime bathroom hikes, sleeping on the ground. And this might sound irrational, but I also felt a little exposed and unprotected in a tent. Unprotected from what, I don’t know. Bears or crazy people wandering in the woods at night. I like actual walls and doors with locks. Multiple locks. 🙂 Jim took the boys on a yearly father-sons camping trip for a number of years, and they enjoyed that. One year I went out with them for the evening while we ate and visited for a while and then I drove home while they slept at the campsite. We’ve talked about the possibility of RV camping (at least the bathroom would be right there!), but those are expensive and pretty cramped from what I have seen. I could see maybe occasionally renting a little cabin in the mountains or on a beach, but that’s probably way expensive, too.

2. Did you attend a summer camp when you were a kid? Is that a happy or not so happy memory?

I attended Girl Scout camps a few times as a child and then church camps a couple of times as a teen. They were overall happy memories.

3. Over the course of your life, what have you probably spent more time pondering than anything else?

I spent years wrestling with assurance of my salvation.

4. Which of the seven natural wonders of the world would you most like to see? There are many lists of ‘wonders’ but this is the standard natural wonder list-Mount Everest, The Great Barrier Reef, The Grand Canyon, Victoria Falls, The Harbor of Rio de Janerio, Paricutan Volcano and The Northern Lights.

Hmm. I don’t know. Maybe the Northern Lights?

5. What was your first real job?

I think baby-sitting is a real job, and I had a very short stint at a fast food place and a longer one at the bakery department of a grocery store. But my first jobs as a grown-up was at the library at college and then one summer at the bookkeeping department in a bank where my mom was assistant head bookkeeper.

6. Lemonade or Sweet tea…which do you prefer on a hot summer day?

Unsweetened tea. No lemon.

7. What is something that always brings a smile to your face?

Malapropisms, especially in church. There are times when the pastor will unintentionally confuse words with a funny effect, and I just can’t look at my husband when that happens because I know he will probably have caught it, too, and if I look at him and see him smile, I’ll probably laugh at loud. And of course now I can’t think of a good example of one…

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I’ve been thinking we should probably eat more fish, but I don’t eat it often enough to remember which kind I like, and I only know one way to cook it: baked with a little butter, salt, pepper, onion, and garlic powder. That’s fine but I’d like to learn some other ways of making it. What’s your favorite fish, and how do you prepare it?

Joyce From This Side of the Pond hosts a weekly Wednesday Hodgepodge of questions for fun and for getting to know each other.

Here are the questions for this week:

1. What reveals more about a woman-her refrigerator or her purse?

I think the refrigerator. My purse is full of things that I think have to be there, so there’s not much choice involved except brands. But people’s preferences in food and drink are interesting.

2. When was the last time you went to the zoo? Where? What’s your favorite zoo animal?

Oh, let’s see — maybe when we lived near Atlanta and went to the big zoo there. That’s the last time I remember, but then Jesse would have been under 4 years old, so he wouldn’t have any memory of going to a zoo, and that’s sad. Maybe we did go when we were in SC again, but I don’t remember. The zoo was in a town 30 minutes away, so it wasn’t something we’d just pick up and do. Hollywild Animal Park in SC set up drive-through Christmas light displays that we went to for several years, though, and they had a petting zoo. Favorite zoo animal? Maybe the giraffes. They’re just so unique.

3. What social issue fires you up?

I am not sure what constitutes a social issue, but if abortion is one, that would be it. It’s just so hard to understand people not understanding that a life is involved.

4. Are you a coupon clipper? If so, are you extreme?

I clip them once every few months and sometimes even remember to file them, but often forget them when I dash off to go shopping. So the next time I clip and file, I throw away the expired ones and lament the money I could have saved. I just hate to mess with them, especially the ones that have persnickety restrictions.

5. What is one of your favorite souvenirs brought back from your travels?

A little heart shaped ornament from Asheville, NC.

6. Lemon meringue or key lime?

Lemon meringue. Not a big lime-flavor fan, though I do like lime jello just very occasionally. Not a big jello fan, either. 🙂

7. What is the most beautiful word you know in any language?

Love.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

These are the kinds of conversations that go on in my head sometimes:

We’re having a cold snap now, but a few days ago the temperatures were at the level that I needed the AC on in the car for a bit, but then it would be too cold and I’d have to turn it off, then back on, etc. I remember thinking, “The dial on the AC setting needs one more notch between the lowest setting and ‘Off.'”

Then I thought: “You should be ashamed of yourself for being so picky and discontent. Some people don’t even have AC. Be grateful for what you’ve got.”

And then, “Yeah, but being content doesn’t mean we never see things that need improvement or let people know who could work out the improvements. Contentment doesn’t mean we sit around mindlessly grinning and never advance.”

It’s interesting….

Joyce From This Side of the Pond hosts a weekly Wednesday Hodgepodge of questions for fun and for getting to know each other.

Here are the questions for this week:

1. Have you ever been served breakfast in bed? Do you enjoy that? If someone were serving you breakfast in bed what would you hope to see on the tray?

My husband and I did that for one another a couple of times in early married days, but didn’t really like getting crumbs in bed. If you’re counting eating in a hospital bed, yeah, I guess you could say one perk of being there is breakfast in bed served on a nice rolling tray so you don’t have to balance it all on your lap. Not enough of a perk to cause me to want to visit there again, though. 🙂 If I ever were served breakfast, in bed or otherwise, I think my first choice would be an omelet with ham and Cheddar cheese and some orange juice with a bit of ginger ale mixed in.

2. What is one piece of advice you would give a new mother?

Sleep whenever you can. Accept help, even if things aren’t done exactly as you would do them. Savor the moments — they pass so quickly. Keep some time with the Lord, even if it is shorter or different than it was before (see Encouragement for Mothers of Young Children for more.) Oh, wait, you said just one piece of advice….

3. When was the last time you wanted to scream? Explain.

I can remember it wasn’t too long ago but I can’t remember what it was about. It does happen more often than I’d like to admit. 😳

4. Can you hula hoop?

Probably not any more.

5. What is something people do in traffic that really bothers you?

Tailgate, change lanes too closely and recklessly, fail to use turn signals, pull in front of me and then slow down for a turn.

6. What do you do when people don’t admit they’re wrong?

Honestly? Seethe inwardly. Then hopefully before long put it in perspective. If it is some little thing that doesn’t matter in the long run, I try to just let it go — some things you have to “agree to disagree” about. But if it is something that I think will have serious consequences for them or others, I’ll pray for them, that the Lord will open their eyes and change their hearts and maybe seek another opportunity and way to bring it up again.

7. What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word ‘fun’?

Something with the family — pizza and movie night, going out to eat together, playing a game.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I frequently hear an owl in the trees around our house. I’d love to see him some time. Some years ago at a different house and state, our kids and some others were playing on the trampoline in the back yard when an owl flew out of the trees, perched and looked at them for a few minutes, and then flew away. It all happened too fast to even think about getting the camera. We probably woke him up and he came out to see what the commotion was about. We never saw him again.

Joyce From This Side of the Pond hosts a weekly Wednesday Hodgepodge of questions for fun and for getting to know each other.

Here are the questions for this week:

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

Oh — too many things. I hate when I am trying to put an address label or stamp on an envelope and get it crooked. I hate to send it out like that but life is too short to try to peel it off without ripping the envelope. There are plenty of things I live with less-than-perfectly (my bed, for instance. I like to make it, but it is nowhere near military or hospital precision.) Crooked wall frames bug me, too.

2. What is one of your best childhood memories?

Once when the power was out we all slept in the living room and did shadow hand puppets on the wall and such. It was a cozy moment in a not-always-so-cozy childhood.

3. Do you plan to watch the Royal Wedding and when was the last time you wore a hat?

a) I haven’t decided yet. I didn’t get up early to watch Diana’s and then kind of regretted it. Maybe I’ll tape it. b) Last Sunday.

4. Where do you fall in the birth order in your family? Do you think this has influenced your personality?

I am the oldest of six, and yes, I think I am the typical (mostly) serious, responsible firstborn.

5. Where do you think you spend most of your money?

At the grocery store!

6. When you need to confront someone would you rather communicate in person, on the phone, by email or by letter? Why?

I hate confronting people and would rather do it in writing where I can get my thoughts and tone the way I want them — and avoid eye contact. 😀 But that’s rarely as effective as communicating in person.

7. Dodge ball, freeze tag, kickball or jump rope? You have to pick one.

I’m guessing the question is which do I prefer to participate in? Well, these days, freeze tag — I’d get to stand still. 😀 But in my youth I enjoyed all of those.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I am grateful for the lady at the customer service desk at W-mart who came over to check my purchases out this morning, though it earned us both a frown. I like shopping there right after I drop Jesse off at school because it is much less busy. But they usually only have one regular check-out lane and one “speedy” lane open. This morning they had two regular lanes open, but one had five people waiting in it, so I went to the other. But the guy in front of me was having some trouble buying a gift card with his corporate credit card, and I waited — and waited, and waited. The other line continued to have several people in it. The lady at the Customer Service counter was zipping over to one of the lanes limited to 20 items to check people out if she wasn’t busy at Customer Service. She saw I had been waiting for a long time and waved me over: I let her know I had more than 20 items, but she said that was ok. But wouldn’t you know right then someone came to the customer service desk who wanted help right NOW. The lady’s supervisor started fussing and the person waiting was glaring — she probably thought I hadn’t heeded the sign about 20 items or less. I felt bad that the cashier was getting some flack for trying to be helpful and wished I could do something nice for her besides just profusely thanking her. But I was also convicted by the thought that if I had been the waiting customer at the service desk with no service, I probably would have been glaring, too. 😳

And that turned into a longer story than I’d planned. But here are two more quick random thoughts:

a) Why does no food on the Biggest Loser ever look or sound appealing to me?

b) Why is it that when I start to think about the need to lose weight or my doctor mentions it, I start craving every unhealthy thing I can think of?

Joyce From This Side of the Pond hosts a weekly Wednesday Hodgepodge of questions for fun and for getting to know each other.

Here are the questions for this week:

1. What are your plans for Easter Day/weekend?

I’m not really sure yet — this will be a different kind of Easter for us since my oldest son now lives out of state and my middle son and daughter-in-law will be out of town to visit her mom and attend a friend’s wedding. We likely won’t have our usual egg hunt (with money in plastic eggs) with just one teen-ager at home. I don’t know if we’ll do Easter baskets. I do know our church is having a special, longer Sunday morning service and no evening service. And we’ll have our usual Easter dinner of ham and some kind of potatoes.

2. Besides Jesus, what one person from The Bible would you most like to meet and why?

I’ve been thinking about this question off and on since I saw them yesterday (Joyce posts the questions a day ahead) and have found it very hard to choose one, but I think I’d choose Martha. I tend to be like her and would love to hear more about how she balanced serving with worship.

3. What is one modern day convenience you didn’t have as a child that was easy to live without?

That’s hard to say as I lived without them easily seeing I didn’t know about them then. 🙂 But I have gotten quite dependent on my dishwasher, microwave, cell phone, computer, and GPS. And fast food. But I think one feature of many modern conveniences that I could easily live without is the beeping signals. The microwave, washer, dryer, coffeemaker, and I don’t know what all else beeps or buzzes when they are done and it drives me buggy. With most of them I know when they are about to be done, and if I don’t come running immediately it isn’t a disaster. Thankfully most of them have an option to turn off the signal. I can hardly eat in some fast food places because of the incessant machinery noise.

4. Are you more right brained or left brained? If you don’t know what that means there is an interesting little quiz here.

According to the quiz, I’m 56% left-brained and 44% right-brained. Some of the analysis seemed fairly accurate, some a little “off,” but that’s the way with most of these types of quizzes. According to this list (just googled it and found this chart, not clicking on the weird links!), I’d say I am more left-brained. But the analysis of the quiz mentions a lot about math, and I am not a math person, and says I am not very verbal, whereas I would say I am.

5. What is something you intended to do today but didn’t? Why?

I need to send some cards that I have been meaning to sign and address for days now. I’m not sure why I haven’t gotten to them yet — just distracted by other things, I guess.

6. Cadbury Creme Eggs or Reeses peanut butter?

Reese’s!!!

7. Who was your favorite cartoon character when you were a child?

Underdog.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

My knee was hurting to the point of hardly being able to walk on it last night, but thankfully it is better today except in certain positions (which I am trying to avoid.) My knees were x-rayed some time last year before we left SC, because they do give me trouble some times….but I don’t remember the results of the x-rays. 😳 I think it just indicated beginning arthritis. I’ve had a fear of someday needing knee replacement due to age and weight, and after hearing about what was involved from a friend who had both knees replaced at the same time, I want to avoid that! Last night I was all set to call the doctor first thing this morning, but I am thankful for a reprieve! This is the first time they’ve given me much trouble here since our new house does not have stairs. I do have a physical scheduled soon, so I’ll mention it then. (Edited to add: I may have spoken too soon about it being better — it just started up again just before lunch time. 😦 Hoping ibuprofen nips it in the bud.)

Joyce From This Side of the Pond hosts a weekly Wednesday Hodgepodge of questions for fun and for getting to know each other.

Here are the questions for this week:

1. Would you rather talk to everyone at a crowded party for a short time or have a significant conversation with two people?

Definitely the latter. Although I feel I should get around to say hi to other people (though not necessarily everyone) rather than just holing myself in a corner, I’d much rather talk with just one or two people about something significant than chitchat with a lot of people.

2. What objects do you remember from your parent’s living room?

My mom collected owls, and I can’t remember how many she had at one point when I tried to count them — I am thinking over 100, but that may be exaggerated imagination. But she had scores of them, anyway. Most were figurines but one was a humongous wax one about 2 ft. high. She and my step-dad had recliners and there was a couch and love seat for the rest of us. And a pretty big entertainment center.

3. Do you hog the bed? Steal the covers? Snore?

I pretty much stay in the same spot all night, near the edge of the bed (so I can reach lamp, alarm clock, water bottle, tissues, etc., if needed.) In the morning, if my husband has not been in bed, my side of the covers is just folded back and very easy to remake the bed. I think he thinks I hog the covers because if he has gone to bed first, I sometimes have to pull them over — but he tends to “take his half out of the middle” (a phrase my mom used for people who drive down the middle of the road). I don’t think I snore when I am lying down, but sometimes I have woken (waked?) myself up snoring if I have fallen asleep in the desk chair or couch sitting up.

4. Speaking of Easter dinner….what is your favorite way to cook/eat lamb? Or does just the thought of that make you squeamish? If you’re not cooking lamb what will be your entree du jour on Easter Sunday?

I’ve never had lamb. I love meat in general and don’t have a problem eating animals, but there is something about the thought of eating a cute little lamb that makes me not want to. Though lamb would be fittingly symbolic for Easter, we usually have ham — and I feel funny about celebrating the resurrection of Jewish Savior with ham, but…..that’s what we usually have. I don’t know how it got to be tradition to eat ham for Easter, but it is. A local grocery store has a spiral-sliced brown sugar version that is very good and much cheaper than the name brand stores for such things. I usually also make cheesy potatoes and either broccoli or salad or Vegetable Medley. And we have Resurrection Rolls with breakfast.

5. Let’s throw some politics into this week’s mix-oooohhh…Do you know the whereabouts of your birth certificate and when was the last time you had to produce it to prove you’re you?

I couldn’t find it when after we moved here and the local DMV required it for driver’s license registration, though we have a file for that kind of thing. I need to send off for it — I still don’t have my TN driver’s license (sh, don’t tell…). The last time I remember needing it was when we applied for our marriage license. I don’t remember needing it for driver’s licenses in other states…but maybe I just don’t remember.

6. As a child, how did people describe you?

Quiet.

7. What do you complain about the most?

Out loud — probably being hot. Inwardly — probably thoughtlessness.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I don’t understand why people put mushrooms in anything. They seem rubbery and don’t have any taste to me. They kind of gross me out — I usually pick them out of food if I can do so unobtrusively. (This just came to mind because I was disappointed to see some in my Chunky Soup today.)

Joyce From This Side of the Pond hosts a weekly Wednesday Hodgepodge of questions for fun and for getting to know each other.

1. National Read a Road Map Day falls on April 5th. Would people say you have a good sense of direction? Do you rely on a GPS when you drive somewhere new? When was the last time you used a map?

No, I don’t have a good sense of direction at all. I need exact instructions. I haven’t used a fold-out paper map in…..oh….some years….but sometimes I do print out maps and directions from the Internet. Our satellite coverage from the GPS doesn’t seem to cover all the area here since we’ve moved, so printed directions help if we get stuck or the GPS can’t find the road we need. But I prefer the GPS to trying to read directions while driving. It’s been a tremendous help since we moved.

2. What’s your favorite cookbook?

The church cookbook from our previous church.

3. What painting would you like to “walk into” and experience? Why?

Wow, that’s a hard one. One of the first that comes to mind is The Journey to Emmaus, where two disciples were walking and discussing the events of the crucifixion and resurrection, and Jesus joins them, though they do not know it is Him yet. “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27.) That would have been quite an interesting conversation!

4. What annoys you more- misspellings or mispronunciations?

Depends on whether I am reading or listening. 🙂 I don’t know — both annoy me. But I can understand typos and have them all too often myself, so maybe mispronunciations from newscasters and public speakers — seems that if they’re planning what they’re going to say they’d check out pronunciations ahead of time.

5. What is something your mother or father considered important?

My father’s biggest issue was respect.

6. Do you like or dislike schedules?

Yes. 🙂 I don’t particularly like them on a daily basis, but I do get more done with them than if I just meander through the day. But when any kind of big event is coming up, they’re essential and a big help.

7. Let’s have some fun with National Poetry Month (that would be April)…write your own ending to this poem-

“Roses are Red
Violets are blue…”

Incidentally if you’d like to read the history behind that little ditty you’ll find it here.

“It’s the time of year
Many people say, ‘Achoo!'”

8. Insert your own random thought in this space.

A few quotes seen here and there:

— “A chip on the shoulder is too heavy a piece of baggage to carry through life.” — John Hancock

— Every time history repeats itself the price goes up.

— A clean desk is a sign of a cluttered desk drawer.

Joyce From This Side of the Pond hosts a weekly Wednesday Hodgepodge of questions for fun and for getting to know each other.

1. Sunday was the first day of spring. So they say. Ahem.

What is your favorite outdoor springtime activity?

I don’t actually do much outdoors in springtime because of allergies. So I guess I’d say — noticing when we drive somewhere what new things are growing and blooming.

2. Who would you want to come into your kitchen to cook dinner for you?

The people who cook at Cracker Barrel. Or one of the guys from Kanpai — those Chinese places where they cook the food on a big grill right in front of you. Except then we’d need to get one of those big industrial sized grills — unless they bring their own. 🙂

3. When did you last fly a kite?

Oh, let’s see….over 16 years ago, I think, when the boys were younger. Maybe less than that. If it were 16 years ago, Jesse would’ve been just 1, and I think we’ve flown kites with him. It’s been a while, anyway.

4. What topic puts you to sleep faster than anything?

Politics.

5. Which flowers do you associate with specific people, places, or events?

I tend to associate carnations with corsages worn at special programs, concerts, etc., at college. I wonder why we don’t see them in arrangements much? They are one of the few flowers which has a scent I like that doesn’t make me sneeze — at least the last time I had any. I know one or two people who really like sunflowers and a couple who like daisies. I grew up in Texas and of course associate bluebonnets with TX. Azaleas and dogwoods remind me of SC.

6. What significant historical events took place during your elementary school days?

I remember when JFK was shot and watching footage of some of the moon landings. I also remember when the end of the Viet Nam war (or our involvement in it) was announced.

Joyce From This Side of the Pond hosts a weekly Wednesday Hodgepodge of questions for fun and for getting to know each other.

1. Your favorite chocolate treat?

That’s hard to narrow down as I love many things chocolate. Of store-bought chocolates, it would be Lindor Lindt Truffles, especially the milk chocolate ones. Of cake mixes, it would be devil’s food with chocolate fudge icing. Of home-made things, it would be Texas Sheet Cake. Cracker Barrel has a Coca-Cola cake that’s pretty similar to it.

2. What more than anything else makes you feel loved?

That’s a hard question to answer. Of the supposed “love languages” — words of affirmation, gifts, touch, time, acts of service — different ones make me feel loved at different times, but other times not so much. I think what colors each of them is attentiveness, being “tuned in” to me. A gift, for instance, can be an expression of love even if it is not what the recipient wants or likes, but it makes the recipient feel loved when it’s particularly suited to them. But I think overall my main “love language” is acts of service. My husband usually fills up the gas tank if he uses the van and it’s at all low. So when I’m heading out and think, “Oh, yeah, I need to get gas first,” and then notice the tank is full — the thought that he noticed and took care of it makes me feel loved and cared for. Or when the kids go from doing something reluctantly because they have to, to doing it to please Mom.

3. Cherries or blueberries?

Not a big fan of either, but I like blueberry muffins and cherry[flavored slushies. 🙂

4. What is the one trait you most want the leader of your country to possess?

Integrity. I may not agree with his views, but I want to be able to trust that he’s not just wavering with the political wind or out to make a name for himself — I want an underlying character to uphold what he says and does.

5. Are you a saver or a spender?

A spender, to my shame.

6. If you gave a party for all of your friends would they already know each other?

No — I know people from different states where I have lived or different organizations or walks of life who don’t know each other.

7. Are you interested in antiques?

Mildly. I like the idea of an item with a history, and, sadly, we don’t have much that’s been passed down through the family. But I don’t frequent antique stores much. I don’t know enough about antiques to know what’s a good deal. I go more by what appeals to me.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I hate to wade into the sewage of the spam folder of my blog because of the kind of muck that gets caught in there, and I often wonder….don’t these people have anything better to do with their time? But my spam-catcher does sometimes rake in a legitimate comment, so I check it once a day or so. I’ve found that if I scan the addresses rather than the text, that saves my mind from a lot of garbage, but every now and then I catch a hum-dinger. One spam comment recently said: