Wednesday, March 9, 2016

HODGEPODGE WEDNESDAY


Time again for the HODGEPODGE...click on the picture below to join the others.  Sorry my answers today were quite lengthy.  I do try.....lol



1. March is National Women's History Month.  In that vein, who are three women who've been influential in your life?  How so.....Goodness, this answer could take awhile so I will try HARD to give the condensed version.   One woman who played a significant role in my life was a friend of my mother's.  She later became my friend too, but at first she was definitely more of a mentor. She lived across the street from us so I saw her often.  She was a beautiful woman inside and out.  She was a former model, but when I met her she was a school teacher.  She was an avid seamstress as well.  She was a strong Christian woman who was kind and generous to everyone whose good fortune it was to know her.  When I was young she helped me constantly with my curiosity and desire to sew.  Can't tell you how much she inspired me in this area.  But it was her Christian influence that played the biggest role.  I attended Bible studies at her house as a late teen, and she both mentored me in this area and gave me wise council in MANY areas of my life.  I modeled myself after her in every way I could as she to me was the perfect example of a godly woman.  She made my wedding dress for me. I could go on and on, but I am pretty sure you get the idea. She lives far away now, and is in her mid eighties, but remains a strong leader in many lives.  Another person who played a huge role in influencing who I am today would be my maternal grandmother.  The thing that always sticks out in my mind when I think of her was that she LOVED me...unconditionally.  She was always interested in whatever was happening in my life, and asked about everything unfailingly.  Looking back I wonder how she kept everything straight about who I talked to her about and what was going on etc., but she always did.  I remember thinking...THIS is the kind of grandmother I want to be to my grandchildren someday. I want them to KNOW beyond any doubt that I WILL always love them and be their biggest cheer leader and advocate.  I want to follow their lives, and KNOW what's important to them.  And then finally I would have to say my mother.  Sooooo much of who I am came from her. The influence she played really could hardly be described.  I find myself sounding more like her, acting more like her, and understanding her the older and older I have gotten.  I miss her more then I could ever express.  In many ways, my mom and I were very different.  But her influence will remain forever.  (not all that condensed, lol, sorry)

2. In what ways do you think women have it easier than men?  Well, goodness this could take a while too, but I will try harder this time, lol.  I believe that women have it easier in many ways, or THIS woman does anyway, lol  I am sure you are looking for a more general way, but I can only think right now why it is soo much easier being ME today then my hubby.  He has always been the bread winner in our house.  He has worked hard and taken that responsibility HUGELY ever since we first married. Now when we were younger I too had huge responsibilities as most of the household duties and child care chores ect. belonged to me.  We were very much the old fashioned traditional family.  I cooked, cleaned, did laundry, took care of the kids, and handled most things related to all of that.  Hubby worked and brought home the money. Now that's again not to say he didn't help out at home, as few husbands could ever top him in that area either.  He was VERY VERY involved.  But now that the children are grown and gone, and the household responsibilities are very minimal, I am in essence retired, but hubby trudges on.  He has always had the responsibility of being the spiritual leader in our home too.  He is the protector, the provider, the leader, and the strong one both physically and spiritually.  Since he's always carried out his responsibilities soo well, it has made everything MUCH easier for me.  I know this isn't the case for all women.  I know that I have been and remainvery blessed in this area.  But for ME being a woman is much easier.

3.  What do you need most right now;  faith, love, hope, or peace.  Hmmm, guess I feel I need ALL of those things, most of the time, lol.  But right now at this moment, I guess I will go with "hope".  I am hoping everything works out that we are able to go to my daughters house in April.

4.  Do you have a collection?  If so what do you collect and why?  I have a few collections.  I have not collected anything in them in years, nor do I intend to.  It seemed important at some point in my life, but not anymore, lol.  I USED to collect Gone with the Wind paraphernalia.  I have plates, music boxes, figurines, and even dolls.  I also collected precious moments figurines, and have a whole curio cabinet full of them.  I also collected Thomas Kincade paintings and accessories as well.  We have 4 of his oil paintings and numerous other "things" he did.  I could easily get rid of all of these things with the exception of the paintings, We have enough to leave one to each one of our children some day, which at one point again seemed important, but no longer does.  Funny how this has changed for me as I have aged.

5.  Plaids, checks, polka dots, stripes....your favorite?  Definitely polka dots.  Love them everywhere but on me.

6.  In what ways are you like your childhood self?  Oh goodness....I am not sure, lol. Maybe in that I still love spending time with my sisters.  My best friend today was my best friend in childhood too.  I still love sewing and all that goes with it.  Still love babies...still love to read....still love to eat....still love a good laugh....still love a sappy love store movie...still love to bake but hate to do dishes...still love Christmas...guess I could go on, but as I think about it there is a lot of the old Deb very much present.

7.  Your a contestant on the TV game show Jeopardy.  What category will you ace?  wow, lol, probably wouldn't "ace" much, but might do OK in SEWING, BIBLE, AUTHORS or BAKING.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.  My machine was NOT done yesterday and I am hoping it will be today....(this could count in #3 as well I guess, lol) I am eager to try out a new "in the hoop" design for a baby doll softie.  It is soo cute.  I am hoping it comes out well.  Watched the finale last night finally of Downton Abbey.  How I enjoyed that series.  And it will forever remind me of my mother.  She LOVED it too.  Though she frequently had to back it up as she didn't understand their accents very well,lol. For me I was quite pleased that Edith finally pulled off some happiness...and that Anna and Bates had their baby...and that Mary seemed to meet her match,  But I especially liked the way they had Burrows turn out being someone you could cheer for and like.  My favorite character through the whole series though was the Dowager Countess.  She kept me in stitches with the way she delivered her hilarious lines.  I will miss her.










9 comments:

  1. You mentioned having some of Thomas Kincaid's oil painting...I have some Paula Vaughn framed and matted prints. Have you heard of her? Her work is centered on family and has an almost Victorian feel. My tastes over the years have changed a lot...I've given some thought to selling them on eBay, but haven't done so yet. They're in our attic right now collecting dust.

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  2. I really could have made my answer to #1 a whole blog post. I kind of did : ) Other than my pottery (which I do use) I don't like to have a bunch of stuff to dust, so steer away from collecting. Enjoy your day!

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  3. I think that most of us really are our younger selves inside. :-) I like your Jeopardy categories. Those are fun ones. I too loved the way Downton Abbey was wrapped up. I think it was especially fitting that Edith came out on top. I always felt somewhat for Mary because she had pressures on her that Edith didn't, simply because she was the oldest daughter. But, I'm amazed that Mr. Fellowes could have us cheering for Thomas when we all thought of him as such a villain earlier in the series. LOL

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  4. I am sure going to miss Downton Abbey too!!!! Hope you got your machine back!!!
    xo Kris

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  5. Yes, the final Downton Abbey was just great and ended on a very good note. Enjoyed all of your answers.

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  6. You had some great influences in your life...what a blessing!

    Oh, so sad that Downton Abbey is over. Winter Sunday nights will never be the same. That said, we certainly were treated to a delightful wrap up by Mr. Fellowes!

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  7. Love the Hodge Podge for getting to know a gal a little better. I, too, had a dear mentor in several of my mother's friends. They could sometimes get a thing across that I would not have been able to hear from any other. Oh winter Sunday evenings are never going to be the same. Hope that someone somewhere comes up with something great!

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  8. I thoughts on collections has changed, especially since the death of my in-laws. They had several collections and now that they are gone the collections seem so meaningless. It's made me look at my own stuff differently too. Hope things work out for your visit to your daughter, have a blessed week

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I am so glad that you would take the time to comment on my thoughts and feelings, it is such a blessing to me!