Wednesday, May 17, 2017

HODGEPODGE WEDNESDAY

Ok, I have to tell you that my computer is in the shop and I am "attempting" to do this on my hubby's Apple computer which is VERY different from mine.  Soo I have no idea how this is going to go.  First off the keyboard is not the same (everything is off to the right more) and I am a very quick typist so I am making a bajillion mistakes.  I may have to give up and throw in the towel.   Of course NONE of my pictures are on here either, and I have already tried to leave a comment or two and had trouble signing in as "me" as well....sigh. YEP, no doubt about it....what I don't know about electronics could fill a whole book.  Hopefully they will fix my computer quickly.  Sooo here goes.  It's time for the HODGEPODGE!  Click on the picture below and join the others as well!


1.  May 17 is National Pack Rat Day.  Sidebar-should we be celebrating this?  Hmmm....Are you a pack rat? Even if you're not a full fledged pack rat, most people have one thing or another they struggle to part with.  Tell us what's yours... Well considering I am married to a full blown Pack Rat, lol, I DO NOT think we should celebrate this.  I have it seems fought differed with my hubby in this area since we married 42 years ago!  lol. He has forced himself in the last several years to just let me "handle" this as truthfully we just no longer have the room to store ALL the things he seems to think we should have on hand...somewhere, lol.  I consider myself pretty average in this department.  Most things that are outdated, worn, old, or in most ways pointless are definitely discarded by me.  I do have a sentimental side to me though of course and I do like to have old treasures and memories around to look through occasionally.  But honestly as I have aged I have gotten rid of more and more.  IF I have a spot where a treasured item can be preferably "displayed" and enjoyed then I do so with pleasure (like my mother's rocking chair, my great, great, grandmother's quilt, my aunt's doll) But if I have an item that must be stored away in box never to be looked at or enjoyed I get rid of it as I just see no point in saying..."in my closet up on the shelf I have an old embroidered towel that belonged to so and so"  Now less you think I am ruthless....I DO have a box I keep on my closet shelf with old pictures, books, cards, letters, and the like that belonged to my mother and grandmothers. And I have a baby book, scrap books, and a couple of small items that were my kids I can't seem to part with either, though most of them I have passed along to them.  I DO have dishes that are in my china cabinet that belonged to my grandmothers as well. Soooo I guess this LONG answer is to say...I DO tend to hold on to what I consider to be treasured memento's of things that belonged to my loved family members.  But it takes a lot for me to consider something to be in this category, and I'd say for the most part most things are quickly passed down, tossed out, given away or just generally what I call "ruthlessly pitched".   

2.  What are two things you know you should know how to do, but don't?
Hmm I am sure there are many, but let me think....Work this computer for one comes to mind...I can't figure out snapchat..(no biggie...but WHY can't I work it?)  I can't seem to work our printer either.  Notice a pattern here?  Electronic things are not my friend.

3.  Do you crave sugar?  Do you add sugar to your coffee and/or tea?  Do you use artificial sweeteners or sugar substitutes?  When dining out is dessert a given?  Are you someone who has slain the sugar dragon, and if so tell us how you did it?  Well......I have DEFINITELY craved sugar in the past....a pretty big problem to tell you the truth.  I do NOT add sugar to my tea (don't drink coffee anymore, but NEVER put sugar in it either). I do NOT use artificial sweeteners or sugar substitutes anymore either, but I certainly did in my past, TRYING to kick the sugar habit.  Dessert has never been a given when eating out unless I was at a Marie Calenders, but again, only in my past.  I WOULD NEVER SAY the dragon is dead....though he is fully asleep, in a cage, and locked into my closet for now and has been for a while.  I am somewhat of an addictive person.  Sugar was a big problem for me.  Health FORCED me to address this as I found myself falling into the  pre-diabetic category.  I have had normal readings on my last two blood checks, as long as I just eliminate sugars, and watch my carbs.  The only answer for me was to just get rid of it all. Apparently there is no such thing as moderation for me.  And once I "kick the giant" as I call it by having a little something, it can all begin again and I find myself having more and more.  It's really very sad, lol, as I DEFINITELY miss it, and even now "something sweet" sounds soo good...sigh.

4.  What's a trend it took a while for you to come round to, but now you can't imagine living without?  Well, I don't know if texting could be considered a trend since it's been around for a while, and is definitely here to stay I think, but it did take me a while to jump on the bandwagon.  It drove my kids wild.  I honestly just couldn't see the point.  If you have something to say, pick up the phone and say it.  Now honestly I could NEVER get by without it these days.  I use it countless times every day and it serves a bajillion purposes in my opinion.  I was also slow to coming around to Hulu.  Again, we had cable, we had Netflix, what was the point of Hulu?  We got talked into it again by our kids, and now truthfully I honestly don't know why we drug our feet.  I LOVE it.  We pay the extra so there are NO COMMERCIALS, and we watch everything we might ever want to watch on regular TV this way.  Just the next day, at a time that suits us, and without commercials.  And then of course there a hundreds of movies, old TV series and on and on.  We just got rid of cable altogether.  Now it's either Netflix or Hulu or Amazon Prime for us.  More to watch then we ever have time for.  

5.  What's a song that reminds you of a specific incident in your life?  PLEASE elaborate...Oh my goodness....there are SOOO many of them.  Music just has the power to transport you back to a day or time in your past like nothing else in my opinion.  You can close your eyes and you are just there.  To pick one in particular is going to be very hard for me.  But let's see.....Many of the Beatles songs can float me right back to high school like nothing else.  Hey Jude was a particular favorite, and I can remember dancing with many a guy to this particular tune.  So anytime I hear it now, I am right back at a high school dance swaying away.  Then there is always my whole era where I couldn't hear or get enough country western songs.  We went country western dancing every week-end back then believe it or not, and for hubby and me ANYTHING that required the Cowboy Cha cha was a favorite.  To hear one of those now puts me right there with him dancing away.  Sooooo many praise songs can bring me back to a particular church and time of worship that just honestly can't be beat.  But one that keeps popping into my head right now was the summer I was 16 years old and going to the beach with my girlfriends and driving up and down Pacific Coast Highway and listening to the Beach boys sing California girls on the radio, and singing along at the top of our lungs in my girlfriends old convertible and LOVING life.  It's funny....when my daughter was 14 we all went to a National Softball Tournament in Texas and when we went to opening ceremonies each team was introduced at a HUGE football stadium marching out to the music that best described their state.  The girls chose California Girls and I can shut my eyes and see all those sweet young girls all decked out in their red, white, and blue outfits (the team was called American Pastime) doing cartwheels and throwing candy to the stands.  Such a FUN FUN time and a memory to cherish always.  Yep, music to me is a GREAT reminder of past eras and times that made up our lives.  

6.  Insert your own random thought.  Well I wasn't able to post Monday about our week-end and Mother's Day as my computer was on the fritz, and I did not have access to hubby's.  But I did have a wonderful, wonderful Day, and in spite of some fleeting sad moments of missing my mom, I was very grateful for all of my kids remembrance of me.  Sunday we went to church with Joe's family and came back over there for a yummy dinner of ribs, corn on the cob and strawberry shortcake.  I have read around (though commenting has been difficult do to the computer issue) and sounds like most of you did too.  Saturday evening my middle son and his wife came over and took us out to dinner and then we spent the rest of the evening catching up with them.  It too was wonderful.  We will celebrate this coming week-end with my youngest son and his family, and of course there were face time calls from Melody and hers.   I hope my computer is fixed soon as this took me WAY TOO LONG....goodness I am such a creature of habit.  If I have missed or made any mistakes, I do blame this computer.  Hope you all have a wonderful day, and look for and cherish all the blessings around you!  Got a couple of pictures for you now!

MIDDLE SON JOHN AND HIS WIFE....I HAVE NOT TAKEN ANY PICTURES OF HIM AND I RECENTLY, AND I NEED TO CORRECT THAT.  HE IS THE ONLY ONE LEFT I HAVE NOT DONE SO WITH

AND HERE IS MY OLDEST SON JOE AND I TAKEN SUNDAY AFTER A LONG DAY...THIS WAS HIS IDEA, AND I HONESTLY I WANTED TO PASS AS LIKE I SAID THE DAY HAD BEEN A LONG ONE, AND MY MAKE-UP WAS NO LONGER FRESH, BUT I FORCED MYSELF AND NOW I AM GLAD I DID.

PART OF OUR YUMMY DINNER....OH MY IT WAS SOO GOOD!

AND I JUST HAD TO POST THIS ONE OF MY DAUGHTER'S YOUNGEST, CLAIRE.  FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW THEY LIVE ON A DAIRY FARM IN NEW MEXICO AND THIS MEANS OF COURSE FLYS ARE JUST A WAY OF LIFE.  SHE IS CALMLY TAKING CARE OF THE PROBLEM HERE.  MELODY SAID SHE IS DEAD SERIOUS WITH THIS LITTLE JOB, AND REALLY ENJOYS IT, LOL.  SHE IS ADORABLE IN THIS GRANDMA'S OPINION








11 comments:

  1. I am so glad you were able to spend your Mother's Day with at least two of your boys. They are such handsome men and oh my goodness, little Miss Claire is adorable. So enjoyed your answer about music. Music plays such an important part of our lives as well. "Music prints indelibly on one's soul the text it carries."

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  2. Claire is positively precious. Thanks for introducing us to your family through pictures. Have a wonderful week.

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  3. A big "UGH" to computer problems. It is so hard to work on another device. Of course, techie things are NOT my strength either, so I can relate to your frustration.

    I am only going to say that I am nodding my head with your answer for the first question. ;)

    Look at Claire! Taking her job so seriously. She is darling!

    Glad that you were loved and honored on Mother's Day!

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  4. I'm convinced that sugar, not fat, is our body's biggest enemy! Love your family photos, Debbie. So glad you had a great Mother's Day.

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  5. Oh, loved everything about this post! All your memories had me going back to The Beach Boys too, whom I loved and they were such happy songs. The photos you posted are excellent and especially the pic of you with your song and that sweet little Claire swatting flies. I remember Kate at 3 having a time with the fly swatter and I happened to pick up for her one day a fly swatter that actually talked to those flies. You have a beautiful family! Love Elizabeth's quote above about music. So true.

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    1. If you have the time, watch Anne with an E and tell me what you think. Now I'm going to check out Hulu.

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  6. Sounds like you had a lovely Mother's Day, Debbie. Mine was spent on the run, but my hubby and I went out for supper Monday night and relaxed! Enjoyed reading your answers!

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  7. Well, I think you did a very good post on a strange computer. I probably wouldn't even have tried. I should have said texting too. I rebelled for a time and now I can't imagine life without it. It's just so convenient. Blessings to you my friend!

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  8. You did a great job on the computer that is not yours and that you don't prefer. It is always fun to see where we agree or don't. Good girl for agreeing to the photo! It's a good one and blesses your family.

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  10. OMG Debbie how I enjoyed this post, you know my favorite is Little Claire swatting all those flies, I certainly relate to having to swat as we live on a farm, I thought that was the cutest photo!
    Loved your family photos too, you indeed have a beautiful family, and life I might add! I am with your Dh on keeping things, I call it "treasure keeping" ~wink~ I really feel for my kids when and if Dh and I pass, they are going to have a tough time with all o stuff, I mean treasures! LOL Have a blessed week!
    Love,
    Sue p.s see you on instagram!

    Sorry I had to delete my previous comment, there were some misspelled words

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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!