Hodgepodge

 

I normally write a weekend in review . . .but that didn't happen this week! Here we are and it is Wednesday already which means HODGEPODGE. Thanks to Joyce for the questions! I love this group of bloggers!!

1. What's your favorite fall scent? Would we find this in or around your home right now? 

I have horrible allergies so I rarely have anything scented in our house. I can use peppermint oil. I need to find a candle made with true peppermint oil!! For the season, I can tolerate one - yes, I said ONE candle. I think it is apple pie - smells like cinammon.

2. October is Country Music Month...are you a fan of country music? Do you have a favorite country artist? Ever been to Nashville? In terms of lifestyle are you more country mouse or city mouse? 

Country music is not our favorite. We prefer more current music or rock and roll :-). Our kids and friends all love country music, so we do hear it sometimes. We both hate the real twangy sounding songs. Does Kenny Chesney count as country? I do like No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problem! I am a suburban mouse haha!

3. How about 'country cooking'? (loosely defined as rich flavors, familiar foods, large portions, often fried, and often associated with the southern region of the US of A)? 

Yes, I am a southern cook which does involve some 'country cooking.' Mark doesn't want his vegetables to be crisp. He wants them to be well cooked and seasoned. He also grew up on homemade cakes -- don't offer him a boxed cake or a bought cake haha! I LOVE gravy. I think it should be served at every meal. Do I make it? No! That is one southern thing that Mark doesn't like -- gravy, but both our kids love it like I do. 

chicken and dumplings-fried chicken-shrimp and grits-biscuits and gravy-mac and cheese-fried green tomatoes-cornbread-collard or turnip greens-deviled eggs-'barbecue'-gumbo-banana pudding 

Which of the foods listed is your favorite? Any on the list you haven't tried or would say a firm no thank you to if offered? 

I make great shrimp and grits. I can make good mac and cheese. I rarely fry anything, but I do love fried okra and fried green tomatoes. I think my cornbread could win a contest - my daddy taught me how to make it. Let me just say -- it is not healthy. I love deviled eggs and since our son has chickens, our 9 year old granddaughter even knows how to make deviled eggs. We love barbecue and gumbo. My family loves banana pudding. I didn't like cooked greens until I became an adult, but love collards cooked well. My granny made some of the best chicken and dumplings you have ever eaten, but I don't make those. My mother-in-law made great fried chicken. Like I said earlier, I just don't fry. I love biscuits and gravy, but I never make them and rarely eat them. After all of those words . . .my favorite is hard to pick -- maybe shrimp and grits??

4. What's something that always has a positive impact on your mood? 

I know I answered this somewhere recently! Words of affirmation or a kind smile almost always improve my mood . . or when one of the granddaughters runs up to give me a hug!

5. As we say so long to September share a noun, a verb, and an adjective that tells us something about how that month looked for you. 

I pulled up Chatgpt and typed in a few of the things from September and asked it to give me a noun, a verb, and an adjective. Here you go:

• Noun: whirlwind
• Verb: juggle
• Adjective: fleeting
• Chatgpt - thank you! You did a good job.

6.Insert your own random thought here: Since I didn't do a weekend in review . . .let's back up -- Friday morning - I got my roots covered. When the hair stylist finished coloring and cutting, she asked if she could try a fun hairstyle. I said -- sure, why not? She twirled the strands around the straightener. It was fun. I tried to make it do that . . .nope! Won't work for me.

Friday night was supper club at our friend's house. The people in our supper club are our people. I do have a few other friends that I consider my people, too. It is always amazing when I'm with any of "my people" I always feel better! Friday night, I made the appetizer and I was proud of my flowers. They ate a lot of the appetizer (which was good). We watched the sun set. Our host grilled porkchops that were delicious. We sat and talked and talked and talked. 

On Saturday, we made a quick trip to see our daughter and son-in-law's new house. They live about an hour and a half south of us. I took one picture. Those girls have my heart. It was a rare day. We were with our son and daughter-in-law and granddaughter #1 and daughter and son-in-law and granddaughters #2 and #3. It is a rare day when we are all together -- just us. Saturday morning filled my cup.

After our visit, Mark and I headed home where I did homework.

Sunday morning, guess where we were? Church - I was at work and taught Sunday School and went to a Discipleship committee meeting/lunch after church while Mark attended worship and joined me in Sunday School. Then I headed home where we did copious amounts of laundry - there are just two of us!! I don't know how we dirty so many clothes. I did more homework. We went to bed at 10:00 and the alarm went off at 5:02 and we started a new week.

I'll be out of town for work - Wednesday through Friday. I'll try to catch up with comments when I return!