March? Really? Hodgepodge!

 

1.  As the saying goes, 'March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.' Did your March come in roaring or like some other animal? Every month carries with it certain feelings, which is why some people love and anticipate December and others dread it. How do you feel about the month of March? Well . . . on Sunday, March 1, I worked from 7:00 - 11:15 a.m. During that time, I taught a combined adult Sunday School class from 9:30-10:30. After I got home, Mark and I prepared some lunch and then I took not one, but two finals! I rode my stationary bike for 35 minutes and I meal prepped my lunches using a new Pound Dropper recipe. I used all sundried tomatoes and I used turkey kielbasa instead of chicken sausage. I also made a double recipe of hashbrown casserole for Tuesday night's dinner for the young adults. We went for a short golfcart ride around the neighborhood right before dark. I ate a peanut butter on keto bread sandwich for dinner and we watched two episodes of Better Call Saul and one episode of Paradise. To some people, it might sound like my month came in like a Lion, but it was an ok day!

2. Where in your life are you a lion? Where are you a lamb? I am a lion when it comes to defending my family and close friends. Sometimes I come on too strong about other things, too. oops! I'm not sure I'm ever a lamb. Surely . . .I am . . .in some part of my life. Now I'm thinking about it . . .

3. The Hodgepodge lands on National Pound Cake day. Do you like pound cake? If so do you have a favorite flavor? Let's play this or that- We have my mother-in-law's pound cake recipe and it is very good! I don't eat it anymore, but it is good. Our son used to ask for "pound cake with icing" for his birthday cake! A friend makes coconut pound cake and it is sooooo good!!

• pound cake or layer cake? layer cake because of the icing!
• pound cake or cheesecake? cheesecake
• pound cake or angel food cake? pound cake
• pound cake or brownie? how about chocolate poundcake??
• pound cake or pie? what kind of pie are we talking about? 

4. What makes you feel childlike wonder right now? I'm in awe of God's creation. Overnight, trees have flowers. I feel like quite a few things in nature make me feel childlike wonder!

5. What's one thing you need to add to your wardrobe to get ready for spring? If you're in the southern hemisphere, then answer for fall? I need a great pair of jeans. I have skinny(ish), but muscular, legs and I hate those big baggie jeanlegs on my thighs. I'm going to start asking people - where did you get your jeans? I'm rounder in the middle. Anyone have any suggestions on great jeans? I will also buy a few more dresses. I just bought two from Tuckernuck and they are so cute!

6. Insert your own random thought here. Have I told y'all that we are studying the Prophets during Lent? You might think that would be dry material . . . but those prophets are interesting folks!! We are United Methodist and so we participate in Lent. Someone I know is a part of another mainline denomination and he posts every year . . .that he repents all of the time, not like those who only repent during Lent. I can't really respond to this because I would then need to repent from my words (haha!), but why in the world would he think we ONLY repent during Lent?? It is definitely a time of repentance and self-examination, but it is not the only time. Should I step down from my soapbox of random thought? Thank you for allowing me to vent in a safe place!

Monday Monday!

Here is a recap of a few things from last week.

This is a photo of Mark and two of our young women (Tuesday night YA group). One of the young women had a co-worker . . .and the office gossip was that the co-worker had her husband killed while she was out of town (several years ago). Mark has been obsessed with solving this and they were telling him he should have a podcast. We love these folks. We've been having about 18 or 19 young adults every week -- those in their 20's or early 30's, out of college, and not married.

We went with our out-to-eat supper club (from Sunday School) on Thursday night to The Pita Stop. We had a great time. I had shrimp kebobs and failed to take a picture, but this is what they look like (below) - they are served in a 9 X 13 casserole dish with fruit, hummus, pita bread, and greek salad. The plate also has rice, but I always ask for extra salad instead.

It was a dark and rainy night and when I pulled out of their parking lot, I quickly realized my headlights weren't on. I have automatic lights that brighten and dim as needed, but I had no lights! I put my blinker on to turn into a gas station to check. I looked into my rearview mirror and there was a policeman behind me with his lights on. Mark had already stepped out of the car to check the lights and the policeman was telling him to "get back in the car." He didn't give me a ticket, but I felt so weird after. I wanted to cry. That makes no sense what-so-ever!!

Mark went to the farm on Friday and I did laundry and studied all day. On Saturday, I went to my WW (formerly Weight Watchers) meeting and I'm 5 pounds from my goal weight (set by my doctor, not the goal that WW would set for me - he doesn't want me to go that low for some reason). After the meeting I ran to Walmart and picked up a few things that I didn't get in my Target Shipt order.

On Saturday night, we went to dinner with our neighbors and ate at the Front Porch restaurant in a nearby neighborhood. I have been craving shrimp so I ordered them at this restaurant, too, and I remembered to snap a photo! Mark ordered a pimento cheese burger. We both really enjoyed our meal. We even ate at an outside table!

On Sunday, Mark tried out a new appetizer recipe using his wild hog sausage. He brought the sausage up to temperature in the oven, using the oven probe. Then he put a piece of apple and a piece of sausage on a skewer and browned them on the grill. He drizzed honey on some and maple syrup on some. He said they were wonderful.

I, on the other hand, had a 4 ounce 96% fat free hamburger patty with mustard and no sugar ketchup, a small ear of corn, and a half cup of sweet potato. It was quite delicious and we are having leftovers tonight!

On Wednesday's hodgepodge, you can read about everything I did on Sunday. I won't make y'all read through it twice!!

How was your week last week? Your weekend?

 

Sunday Stealing Survey

 

Welcome to Sunday Stealing. Here we will steal all types of questions from every corner of the blogosphere. Our promise to you is that we will work hard to find the most interesting and intelligent questions. Cheers to all of us thieves!

This week's astonishingly random questions were stolen from Love Me Some Surveys. 

Survey Asks ...

1. Did you/will you have coffee or some other form of caffeine today? Yes, I will have at least one Diet Pepsi.

2. Who did you last have a text conversation with and what was it about? The most recent text conversation was with several co-workers about something we saw on social media.

3. Are there regular trains in and out of your town/city? We have no trains. Actually, that is not true. We have an Amtrak station with service to Atlanta, New Orleans, and New York. I wonder how long it would take to ride the train from Birmingham to New York. I need to check on this!! Public transportation is almost non-existent here. We have some bus transportation, but the bus stops are very limited.

4. Have you ever been hospitalized due to dehydration? One time, when our twins were about a year old, I was sick. I guess I had a bug of some sort. My head felt like it was going to split open. A neighbor kept the kids and I was in the car driving myself to the ER when Mark and his brother pulled into the driveway. I was dehydrated from being sick and they gave me an IV and some other drugs.

5. Someone texts/IMs you just as you’re about to go to sleep. Do you reply? It depends on who is texting! I usually glance at it and make a quick decision.

6. Do you grind your teeth?  I don't think I normally grind my teeth, but they have been working on our building and the sound is like a dentist drill and I have found myself clinching my jaw . . .and sort of grinding my teeth.

7. When you listen to music with headphones, do you keep the volume low enough to hear surrounding noise, or do you blast it? I'm embarrassed to say that I crank it up!

8. Are you wearing nail polish? I'm wearing nail polish on my toes, but not on my fingers.

9. Do you have an ice maker in your refrigerator door? When we bought this fridge, we didn't want the water or ice maker on the door. We have water inside the door and the ice maker is right inside the freezer (bottom drawer).

10. Do you have a friend named James? I know several people named James. We have a friend whose name is James, but he goes by Jim. I work with a guy named James and he has a little boy named James Wise!

Quick question - is anyone else shocked that it is already March 1? How did we get here? January seemed like it was a million days and then February flew by.

 

Thank you for playing! Please come back next week.

Hodgepodge!

 

1. America celebrates turning 250 years old this year. Primary cities set to lead the celebrations on July 4th are Boston, Philadelphia, New York, and Washington D.C. Other significant locations for celebrating will be Charleston SC and the 'historic triangle' which includes Jamestown-Willimasburg-Yorktown Virginia. 

Of the cities listed how many have you seen in person? Of the cities listed which would you most like to visit this year? Any plans to do so? What's one place in America you think everyone should see? If you're not American what's one place in the US you'd like to see?  I have been to Boston and Washington D.C. and Charleston so I've only been to three! I have flown through Philadephia's airport and New York's airport, but that doesn't count! I would love to go to New York City!! I would also enjoy visiting the "historic triangle." Philadephia might be fun. As of right now, I don't have plans to visit any of those cities. I think everyone in America should see the white sand beaches of Alabama or the Florida panhandle. The white sand against the blue-green water of the gulf of Mexico is breathtaking!

2. Three sounds you love to hear? Let's see . . .three sounds I love are a baby's belly laugh, a good soft rain on a tin roof, and the waves against those white sand beaches!!

3. Three sounds you hate to hear? I hate - totally detest - hearing someone throw up. I have always loved to hear thunder, but since our house was struck by lightning during a thunder storm . . .I'm not so fond of it anymore. I also hate to hear a smoke alarm - PTSD. We are studying the prophets during Lent and yesterday I compared the messages of the prophets to that smoke alarm on the night of the fire. The smoke alarm is not my enemy. The smoke alarm is mercy. The smoke alarm wants to keep me safe!! Of my list of three, hearing someone throw up remains my number one hated sound. I'm working on the thunder and the smoke alarm.

4. February 24th is/was National Tortilla Chip Day. Are you a fan? With salsa, guacamole, queso, or just plain please? Do you like nachos? With what on top? Is there anything (besides nachos) you make that calls for tortilla chips? I do love tortilla chips. To me, the measure of a good Mexican restaurant is the chips, salsa, and Margaritas. I love tortilla chips with salsa, with guacamole, with queso. I love nachos with meat and cheese and salsa and guac and sour cream and beans! I actually brought 6 tiny tostito rounds in my lunch today. Yesterday I put chicken breasts, 2 cans of corn, 2 cans of black beans, and salsa in my crockpot. I made nachos last night with 12 chips. I brought a cup of the chicken/corn/beans/salsa in my lunch today, along with 6 tostitos that I crumbled on top!

5. We March into March with next week's Hodgepodge...what's one thing on your March calendar that makes you smile? We will celebrate our oldest granddaughter's 10th birthday and our youngest granddaughter's 2nd birthday! We will also host supper club at our house. Yes, I know that I listed three things. This is my blog, right? hahaha!

6. Insert your own random thought here. We are having a cold snap. It was warm on Saturday and that cold wind blew all day yesterday and the high today was maybe 40 degrees. Brr! I've seen photos and videos of New York City. They are getting hammered by the blizzard of 2026, so I can't complain about a day or two of cold weather!

Weekend in Review

On Thursday, after work, I headed to Sapphire Nail and Spa for a much-needed pedicure. I received a gift certificate from Mark for Valentine's Day. He knows where I go and how much I love a pedicure! My toenails are teal!

Friday morning found me driving to the hair salon - 45 minutes away. I guess I will have to find a closer place at some point.

I did a lot of homework this weekend. I had two different presentations that had to be researched, written, and recorded.

Mark was at the farm on Thursday night but got home on Friday afternoon. I have no idea what we did. We went to the Pig (Piggly Wiggly grocery store) because they have an amazing beer selection. I think I made Kodiak waffles for dinner (low key) and we watched a little TV!

Saturday morning arrived and I headed to my WW (formerly known as Weight Watchers) meeting and then I stopped at Walmart. Mark met our son and they headed to Wetumpka to build a swingset for our out of town granddaughters. Glenn was a single man because our daughter-in-law and oldest granddaughter are on a cruise!

I got home and did more homework! Mark walked in while I was recording one of my videos and yelled loudly . . .so I had to start over! Seriously!

On Saturday night, we went to our long-time supper club. Our hostess made Chicken Wellington. I took a beautiful green salad. Kim made some fancy smashed green beans. Terrie brough a charcuterie for appetizer and Laura made an apple cake for dessert.

On Sunday, I was at work by 7:00 a.m. I stayed at the Welcome Desk until 9:30 and then I ran up to the third floor to teach Sunday School. We are a part of the John Wesley Sunday School class which is a large class made up of folks in their late 50's through 72 or so. Last year, one of the young couple's classes asked if they could meet with us for the month of February. They loved being with us and we loved being with them, so they asked if they could come back this year! They are going to meet with our class for the season of Lent (from yesterday through Palm Sunday). Between the two classes, we had about 75 folks in our room. We even had a couple of babies crawling around in the back of the room. One of the moms told me that she would leave if her baby was disruptive. I laughed and said, "Most of us are grandparents. Pass that baby around!" When I closed us in prayer at the end of class, I thanked God for the sweet sound of babies in the room. I love that we are in a church where we can do things with our own age group, but also can be intergenerational!

There was a cold north wind blowing through Alabama yesterday. We ate a thrown together lunch and I recorded my second school "project." Mark helped me prepare homemade lasagna that we will feed the young adults on Tuesday night. I put some chicken in the crockpot for my lunches. I wanted Mark to cook the chicken on the grill, but it was just too cold outside. We both exercised. I ran the dishwasher twice! 

Did you have a good weekend?

 

 

Sunday Stealing - I say . . . you say!

 

Welcome to Sunday Stealing. Here we will steal all types of questions from every corner of the blogosphere. Our promise to you is that we will work hard to find the most interesting and intelligent questions. Cheers to all of us thieves!

This week we're playing word association as suggested by a blogger named Dawn Camp. She said these words "tickled her fancy," and let's see if they inspire you. Feel free to answer with either a single word or a thought/memory. It's up to you.

Word Association. Share what comes to mind when you hear the word ...

1. Biscuit . . .and gravy . . . or sausage

2. Crayon . . .coloring book . . .love to color with our granddaughters

3. Warmth . . . fireplace . . .we have used our gas fireplace so much this winter

4. Flip . . . flops . . . my shoe of choice haha!

5. Slush . . .fund . . I had to look it up after I typed it to make sure I knew what slush fund means -- yes, a stash of money to be used for illicit purposes, especially political bribery. Enough said!

6. Wing . . .and a prayer . . .I've always heard this expression, but I don't think I knew there was a movie made in 1944 with this title!

7. Candle . . .in the wind . . .I loved Elton John!

8. Cinnamon . . . gingerbread . . .I've been making gingerbread doughnuts/muffins since we returned from our trip back in October. I've mentioned them several times. They have a hefty amount of cinnamon in them.

What would be your response to some of the words?

Thank you for playing! Please come back next week.

Procrastination Friday

Do I have time to write a blog post? Nope! What am I doing? I am procrastinating. I have two "papers" to write, but then I have to record myself presenting them. I have my ideas for both, but I have a headache that neither motrin nor tylenol nor peppermint oil has affected. Actually, they have knocked the edge off, but it is still there . . so I think I'll write a blog post.

On Tuesday night, we hosted our weekly group of Young Adults and we celebrated Fat Tuesday or Shrove Tuesday or the last day of Mardi Gras. You choose! I made TONS of pancakes. I cooked 1 pound of bacon and Mark cooked 3 pounds. I made sausage squares. We had cookies and king cake for dessert.

I even decorated a little.

I had beads and candy and moon pies on the table and one of the young men went to Mobile over the weekend and brought a huge bag of beads from the parade (to share). Just FYI, New Orleans is not the original King of the Mardi Gras. Mobile, Alabama, is recognized as the birthplace of Mardi Gras in the United States, with the first organized celebration held in 1703, more than a decade before New Orleans was founded. Founded by French settlers in 1702, Mobile brought the tradition to the area, starting the oldest official Carnival celebration in the U.S. I have given you a fun fact to know and tell! haha!

I love Gerbera Daisies!

Here is one pan of the sausage squares. I made two pans. It is such an easy recipe and soooo delicious! You brown 1 pound regular breakfast sausage (I like Jimmy Dean) and one pound hot breakfast sausage (also Jimmy Dean). When meat is no longer pink, drain the fat. There will be a LOT of fat. Put meat back in skillet and put two 8 ounce blocks of cream cheese in the skillet. Stir until melted and mixed well with sausage. Spray a pan (9 X 13) with Pam and place one roll of Pillsbury crescent roll sheet on bottom of pan. Spoon meat/cream cheese on top and smooth out to the edges. Place second roll of Pillsbury crescent roll sheet on top. If you can't get the "sheets," buy the roll of crescent rolls and smush the seams together. Bake at 375 for 20-30 minutes until golden brown and until filling is hot and bubbly.

Wednesday was Ash Wednesday and I talked a little about Ash Wednesday on our Hodgepodge post. Here are some photos from the worship service. It is SUCH A POWERFUL service.

In the photo below, the couple in the bottom right corner of the photo - see them? That is Mark's identical twin brother and his wife! George has a beard and Mark doesn't and many people still confuse them.

Below is my boss, pastor, friend, co-worker. He is an amazing preacher and pastor.

We all went forward and had the sign of the cross placed on our foreheads. All of our pastors participated. Imposition of ashes is not a sacrament, so even a lay person can do it, but we have lots of pastors on staff.

I snapped the photo below in the car after the service.

On Thursday, we had several special guests with us. We travel with EO - Educational Opportunities and Brian and I have been to Israel/Palestine 4 times together. The Mayor of Bethlehem came to visit us. He shared about the unemployment rate in Palestine and how the people are suffering. The unemployment rate is soaring and they are not allocated enough water per household. Did you know that by law, 17 Palestinian cities must have a Christian mayor and a majority of Christians on their city councils? In 2020 and again in 2023, we were blessed to eat dinner in a Palestinian Christian family's home - a meal cooked by them and served by them. The conversations were rich. Just let me say that sometimes what we hear on mainstream TV . . . is not the way things really are.

Maher Canawati, mayor of THE Bethlehem and Brian Erickson, Senior Pastor at Trinity UMC Homewood, AL

I love this hug photo!

He presented a gift to Brian and he brought all of us

a small Olive Wood cross from Bethlehem

Here is the gift he gave to Brian

I cannot make this photo turn right side up and with this headache . . . Below is a specialized, symbolic medal. It consists of two side pieces made of olive wood from the roof of the Church of the Nativity, surrounding a large central "coin" featuring a mosaic from the original Basilica. The side pieces look like the space where you kneel down in the Church of the Nativity. (I've posted a stock photo of the medallion in the church below)

See how the side pieces are similar!

Anyway . . .I still have the headache. Pollen is beginning its fun for the season - the trees are all having sex this week (that is a phrase a friend's husband says and it is so true). I might need to take a 20 minute snooze to see if that helps!

I hope you are having a great Friday!