It's a Dumpling of a Hodgepodge....

A big thank you shout-out to our hostess, Joyce, for this week's Hodgepodge!  She gives us the questions to answer and we link up with all the other Hodgepodgers!  Join the fun!!

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 323

1. What pets did you have while growing up? We had a dog (and later, cats too). Tell us a little something about them.  Happy was our little black mixed-breed dog.  She was a puppy and my brother was only two (making me 6).  His favorite word to say over and over was 'hap hap happy' so that is what we named her...Happy.  We had her for 10-11 years or so.  I don't have a photo of her. Wish I did. :(

2. What is one thing you absolutely must accomplish today?  There is absolutely nothing I need to accomplish today, other than posting this Hodgepodge!  Retirement is so great!

3. Where were you ten years ago?  September 2007 puts me right here in Lakeland, FL.  What were you doing there?   We were a few months home from our once-in-a-lifetime trip to Italy, I was working at the Museum and Joe still had his accounting clients while working as the accountant at our church.  Life was good.  Life is still good!

4. September 26th is National Dumpling Day. Did you celebrate?  Nope. Didn't even know about it. Apple dumpling, xiao long bao (steamed Chinese dumpling), chicken and dumplings, pierogi, matzoh balls, or gnocchi...which dumpling on this list would be your dumpling of choice?  I like gnocchi well enough but would be dancing a jig if I could have a plate full of my mom's chicken and dumplings again. Have you ever made homemade dumplings of any kind?  I have made gnocchi, apple dumplings, and I have made chicken and dumplings (which were not as good as my mom's).

5. 'There are two kinds of adventurers: those who go truly hoping to find an adventure and those who go secretly hoping they don't.' William Trogdon

So which kind are you? I was more adventurous when I was younger.  Now, I still enjoy a spur-of-the-moment road trip, which Joe and I call an adventure. I don't want to run out of gas or lose my GPS connection, however, so secretly hoping I don't, I guess!

6. Insert your own random thought here.  I'm ending month two of my retirement and it still feels like a vacation to me!  No alarm clocks most mornings and nothing stressful on the calendar.  I do want to begin participating in things at our clubhouse and meeting more of our neighbors.  I also want to volunteer a few hours a week, probably with VISTE, but I'm feeling selfish for not wanting to start putting things on the calendar just yet.  I am enjoying my time with Joe, even when it is just watching TV.  I'm thinking perhaps after the holidays and when we turn the calendar to 2018 I might start fidgeting a bit.  Or not.  (Smiling.)

For my prayer warrior friends, my friend Gregory came through the surgery okay, but instead of a couple of hours and laparoscopy, the surgery lasted about six hours and they had to open him up. (Surgery was to repair a previous hernia surgery that went very bad.)  His dad called me Tuesday night, around 9:30, to let us know he had just gotten to his room and would now be in for 5-6 days instead of 3.  The doctor told them how bad it was and that it was no wonder he had been in such pain.  I had an email from Gregory yesterday telling me he was ok, but in lots of pain and didn't really want any visitors for a couple of days. Prayers for healing will be appreciated!  Thanks!

Thanks for stopping by today!!  Peace & hugs!