The Wednesday Hodgepodge...

 A big thanks to Joyce for today's Hodgepodge!  You can join in HERE!

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 600

1. My very first edition of The Wednesday Hodgepodge was published on November 10, 2010 (linked here if you're curious). Tell us something about your life from that era.  I was still working at the art museum.  We hadn't moved to Mas Verde yet.  Grandson Tristan came to visit, and we took him on a little vacation with us, over to the Kennedy Space Center, and then to St. Augustine.  Tristan was 12 (I think).  We had a great time.

2. What's a song you love that relates to time in some way?  Turn, Turn, Turn...

3. May is nearly upon us. When did you last need to yell 'MAY DAY-MAY DAY!!'?  A few months ago, when I thought my appendix was bursting, my neighbor called 911 for me.  It was a kidney stone.  Hurt like heck.

4. How do you feel about food trucks? Is this a dining experience you enjoy?  Do you have a favorite?  What's something you've ordered from a food truck?  Food trucks are a big thing here in Lakeland.  They are clean and well-regulated here.  I love the arepas and will buy one whenever I see them.  Corn "bread" with melted mozzarella cheese inside.  They are delicious!

5. We're bidding farewell to April...what are three adjectives you might use to describe the month you're leaving behind?  Renewing, Mild, Busy!!

6. Insert your own random thought here.  I am having such a good time with my company this week!  Kirk's sister, Susan, is great and is now considered my family as well as Kirk and Peggy.  I will have photos and stories for my Friday post!!  Watch this space!! 

 Peace and Hugs!

To everything, turn, turn, turn

There is a season, turn, turn, turn

And a time to every purpose under heaven.

The Tuesday 4...

Thanks to Annie for today's Tuesday 4.  You can join in HERE!

Question Variety

Welcome to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4

This week just a variety of little questions for you to ponder.

 1. What's on TV for you tonight?  Alternatively, do you have plans for Tuesday night?  I have company so we might watch something.  Depends on what they will enjoy.  We are going out for Mexican for dinner!

2. Is there a TV program you hate to miss?  I am streaming The Repair Shop these days.  Check it out on YouTube!!  Why?  The artisans are magicians!  And if not TV is there a club or activity, get together you would hate to miss out on?   I am part of a great small group from church.  We meet once a month and share a meal, prayer, and may have a new Bible study soon.

3.  Do you belong to any clubs or societies or organizations?   Just my church group, now.  When I worked, I was in many groups.  Odd Fellows, Elks, Moose, Eastern Star or anything like that?  Nope. Can you tell us about it? 

4. The internet is filled with ads.   Are there any ads that you enjoy seeing or ones that you hate to see?  I don't see many commercials because I stream nearly every show I watch on TV.

Peace and Hugs!!

For the joy of human love,

Brother, sister, parent, child,

Friends on earth and friends above,

For all gentle thoughts and mild.

Lord of all, to Thee we raise,

This our hymn of grateful praise.

Monday Musings...

 

Happy Monday, everyone!

Musing back to Thursday, my Mas Verde dinner friends and I went to the Metro Diner again.  They have great food, a good menu, and excellent service.  Judy and Tim are traveling, so it was just Larry, Sharon, and me.  I posted about that last Friday.  I think it will be just us again this week, as well. 

On Friday, I did some last-minute cleaning, getting ready for my guests.  Most of you know that my BFF Elaine lived across the street from me when we were growing up.  Her little sister, Peggy, is a couple of years older than my sisters.  We still feel like family, and I claim Peggy as a sister.  Peggy is married to Kirk, and they both retired recently.  Several of you inquired last week, so I am explaining the relationship.  They are here for Kirk's nephew's wedding in a town east of Lakeland.  Kirk's sister, Susan, will be with them today when they come back here for a few more days before they head back to Ohio. 

I ordered pizza to have when Peggy and Kirk arrived on Friday evening.  They didn't need to head east until afternoon on Saturday, so we went downtown Saturday morning, to the Farmer's Market.  We had lunch at The Garden  Bistro. 

The Downtown Farmer's Market was packed, as always.  

Beautiful roses blooming on the way to the restaurant.

I had a salad, and Peg and Kirk shared a meatball sub and some potato salad. 

We took a quick tour through Hollis Gardens.  There were a couple of photo shoots going on.  It looked like a bride and a couple of quinceañeras.  All were beautiful!! We didn't intrude.

On the way back to my house, we stopped at the intersection where the Southside Cleaners sign is.  It made us all giggle, and I got a photo!!

Yesterday was Sunday school and church.  Dee came over with Princess for a few minutes.  Princess got treats, and Dee (across the street neighbor) talked for a bit.  I got my two loads of laundry done.

I expect my company back today sometime this afternoon.  I want to take them to our new park, Bonnet Springs, which just won BEST CITY PARK in the United States!!  What an honor!!  They want to visit some friends over at Clearwater Beach one of the days.  I will keep y'all posted on what we get into.

Thanks for your visit, and I wish you all a blessed week ahead!

First day of school
Back row:  Elaine, Terri, Judy
Front row:  Randy and Peggy

Peace and Hugs!

Proverbs 18:24. “Some friends play at friendship, 

but a true friend sticks closer than one's nearest kin.”.

The Saturday 9...

 Thanks to Sam Winters for today's Saturday 9!  You can join in HERE!

I'll Be Loving You (Forever)

Welcome to Saturday: 9. What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9 questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other times the questions will be totally unrelated. Those weeks we do "random questions," so to speak. We encourage you to visit other participants' posts and leave a comment. Because we don't have any rules, it is your choice. We hate rules. We love memes, however, and here is today's meme!

Saturday 9: I'll Be Loving You (Forever) – 1989

 
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

 

1) A Greek philosopher said, "There is nothing permanent except change." The New Kids on the Block sang, "I'll be loving you forever." Who do you think is right? Or can both be right?  One might ask how change can be permanent.  I believe love can last forever, and I do understand about being prepared for change because we all change.  Over time, everything changes.  Both can be right.  This could turn into a very long philosophical conversation.

 

2) In this week's song, New Kids lead singer Jordan Knight sings that he can't take a broken heart. What advice would you give someone struggling through the end of a romance?  Give yourself time.

 

3) Jordan was invited to join the New Kids on the Block by his friend, Donnie Wahlberg. Has a friend ever gotten you a job?  No.  

4) Donnie began his show business career as a singer/rapper. Now he's probably better known as an actor, appearing for 14 seasons on a popular police show. Can you name it?  Blue Bloods.  I haven't watched the last two or three seasons.  Got tired of it.

5) Much of the video for this song was filmed in the gymnasium of Xavier High School in New York City. When was the last time you were in a high school gym?  I can't even remember.  Grandson Tristan was on the swim team, and we watched him compete in outdoor pools.  Son Jeff played soccer outside.  It has been more years than I can even think about since I was in a high school gym.

 

6) The video also shows the boys enjoying pizza. What toppings are on your dream pizza?  Definitely pepperoni, but I like "the works" too.  Hot peppers are good, olives, onions, sausage... load it up!!

 

 7) The band is back together! The New Kids on the Block will be appearing this summer at the Park MGM in Las Vegas. Do you have any concert plans this year?  No. Big crowds for anything are not on my list anymore.

 

8) In 1989, when this song was popular, Irish golfer Rory McIlroy was born. He recently won the prestigious Masters Tournament. Tell us about a competition you won. (Yes, your third-grade spelling bee counts.)  

My Relay For Life team won Top Fundraising Team three of the seven years we participated.  It was a team event, though - we were a good team!  The name Jeremiah's Friends was based on Jeremiah 29:11, and a bullfrog was our "mascot".

9) Random question – On which game show would you do better: Jeopardy! or Wheel of Fortune?  Probably neither, but I would have a better chance with Wheel of Fortune.

Peace and Hugs!!

Joy to the world

All the boys and girls

Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea

Joy to you and me

Friday Foto...

 

Someone will notice that Foto is singular this week.  I only have one photo to share.  At least there is one.  Some weeks, there are none!  

I have been busy since Easter Sunday.  I got the car washed on Tuesday, to get the pollen off.  I ran a couple of other errands after that.  On Wednesday, I got the oil changed in the car and there was a belt that had begun to fray, so that was replaced.  No pictures.  

Yesterday, I cleaned the guest rooms and made beds for my guests arriving later today.  Kroger brought groceries, and there were three of us out for dinner last night.  Larry and Sharon picked me up and then paid for my meal at Metro Diner.  So sweet.  Speaking of sweet, Larry wanted some vanilla custard from Culver's, so he drove us there after our meal.  I treated us all to custard.  Sharon and I had hot fudge added to ours!!  There were only the three of us because Tim and Judy are off on another vacation for a couple of weeks.  Our snowbird friends have all gone home.

I will clean the rest of the house this morning.  My guests are to arrive around dinner time.  I will order pizza when they get here.  They were fine with my dinner suggestion, since we don't really know when they will arrive.  They are driving from Ohio and arrival time will depend on traffic, etc.

I am so excited that my tomato plants are growing, budding, and have begun to produce little green tomatoes that will soon turn bright red, I hope!!  I can see them from the kitchen window and that is the picture that I took...

I'm not sure how well you can see them, but there are at least 10 tomatoes forming and there are dozens of blooms.  Maybe I will have tomatoes for the entire neighborhood!  So far, so good.  I still have pepper seeds to plant and will get to them soon.  We have a nearly year-round growing season here.  I have been spraying peppermint oil around the legs of the raised bed and around the ground to keep insects and pests away.  So far it seems to be working well, along with the netting.

Thanks for stopping by!!

Peace and Hugs!

Praise Him! Praise Him!

Jesus, our blessed Redeemer!

Whimsical Fashion Fun...

 

There isn't a linky, and there aren't any rules.

Check out the dress and pick the purse you like best.

It's all for fun and just a whimsical thing.

The photos are from the Storybook of Dreams and Beauty.

This outfit made me think of the Kentucky Derby (coming up on May 3).  She will need a purse to carry her essentials in.  Count down 1-2-3 and tell us which one you like best for her!  It's all for fun and just a whimsical thing!!

My thoughts:  I love this color and know many of you do, as well.  I think I'll pick #3 today.  I like that the fabric design makes it more interesting.  I look ridiculous in hats.  The model looks quite smart in hers.  What are your thoughts? 

Peace and Hugs!

Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer!

That calls me from a world of care,

And bids me at my Father’s throne

Make all my wants and wishes known.

The Wednesday Hodgepodge...

 A big THANKS to our hostess, Joyce!  Y'all can click HERE to join the fun!!

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 599

1. The Hodgepodge lands on National Picnic Day...will you celebrate? Do you enjoy picnics? Dining out of doors, picnic or otherwise? What are three or four things I'd find in your picnic basket?  I'm old and don't really enjoy picnics anymore.  It's the same reason I don't care about going to the beach anymore.  There is too much stuff to cart from the car and then back again when it's time to go home.  Eating outside, on a deck, or in the carport... fine.  Fill your plate inside and go eat outside (when the weather is nice).  In the old days of picnics when carting wasn't so hard... fried chicken or burgers if there is a grill, potato salad, chips, fruit, cookies, etc.  I'm not picky about food.

2.  A time recently when you felt 'antsy'?  I can't really think of a recent time when I felt antsy.

3. As the saying goes...' when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.'  Do you like lemonade? When did you recently need to make lemonade out of lemons, figuratively speaking?  I do like lemonade.  I just purchased two blouses that were "on sale," and when they came, I was not crazy about them... but I think I can alter them a bit so that I will like them more.  Getting motivated, though, is always my problem.  LOL  Too late to send them back, so hopefully I can make lemonade from the lemons.  They are hanging out in my workroom.  I just need to figure out how to thread the sewing machine again. 

4. Recently, five 'celebrities' made a brief (ll minute) foray into space aboard Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin rocket. Did you hear about this? Your thoughts? If money were no object, is this something you'd like to do someday?  Yes, I heard about it and just laughed.  I think it was a very expensive publicity stunt.  No, thank you, not for me.  I don't even like to fly.  

5. Favorite thing about the 'space' you're sitting in right now?  I am in my happy place.  My recliner, in front of the TV, with my 'nesting area' next to me. Ahhhh...

6. Insert your own random thought here.  I got my car washed yesterday morning.  The pollen was about three inches thick (not really), and it looked terrible.  Now, it looks like I have a shiny new car sitting in the carport! 

Peace and Hugs!

He lives! He lives!

Christ Jesus lives today!

He walks with me and talks with me

Along life’s narrow way.

He lives! He lives, salvation to impart!

You ask me how I know He lives:

He lives within my heart!

The Tuesday 4...

 Thanks to Annie for today's four questions!  You can join in by clicking HERE!

Spring has Sprung

Welcome to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4/

Spring has sprung as they say and sights and sounds of winter have given way to those of springtime. With each season even the feel of the sun and wind changes and people may also have a change of attitude or a change oe heart.

1. Many of my neighbors have chickens.  Have you ever raised them for fresh eggs or is the grocer your go to for them? Also.. would the sound of a neighbor having them bother you?  No chickens allowed here in my 55+ community, but my son and DIL in Georgia have chickens.  They are five hours away, so I don't get fresh eggs from them.  The sound wouldn't bother me unless there were a few roosters making noise before my alarm goes off in the mornings. LOL

2.  How does the change in seasons effect you personally? Are you happier in some seasons , do allergies get to you, do you perk up or down due to weather?   We still have subtle changes in the seasons here in central Florida.  I am happy in the winters here, but after 36 years, I don't mind the summer heat that much.  I don't have allergies, but the pollen on the car is bad.  I am perky most of the time, so no weather worries (except when a hurricane is headed our way!).

3.   This week, our youngest family member is in France.  She will see Paris, Provence, the Riviera, all very exciting for a young teen.    Most of us don't ever do anything that big...but even the smallest things can have a big effect on us.  What experience do you think stands out most for you in your memory?  Most definitely, it would be our trip to Italy in 2007.  I am so glad that Joe and I were able to do that trip and that we had such an amazing time.

4.  What do you look forward to in each of the year's seasons?  I think most of us look forward to the holidays associated with different times of the year.  I just took down Easter decorations and replaced them with red, white, and blue, with Memorial Day in mind. Christmas, Thanksgiving, July 4th... just the normal holidays and the fun that goes with them.

Peace and Hugs!!

All glory be to Christ our King,

All glory be to Christ.

His rule and reign we’ll ever sing,

All glory be to Christ!

Monday Musings...

 

Easter Monday!!  He is risen!!  

Last Thursday, I treated myself to a pedicure.  I had surgery on two toes back in January, and now it is sandal-wearing time, so it was time to make my toenails look a little nicer.  Not picture-worthy, but they do look nicer.  I went to dinner with my Thursday Mas Verde dinner friends.  We went to the Metro Diner again, and I think we will go there this coming Thursday.  It is so good, and the menu is great!

On Friday, I had my four-month appointment with my primary doctor.  She was happy with the blood work and sent me on my way.  I will go again in four more months - August.  Good golly, time is going so fast.  My church had a Good Friday service, but I decided to let it go this year. My excuse for being tired is no excuse when contemplating what Jesus endured for me. Prayers of thanksgiving were lifted.

I cleaned the house and did Easter dinner prep work on Saturday. My cats always want to check out what I'm doing, so I can't set the table ahead of time, and I have to be careful setting things out that they will get into.  I also have to use Clorox wipes on all surfaces before food comes out and guests arrive.  

I went to church yesterday.  Easter Sunday is always so joyful.  They did an egg hunt after the service, but I didn't stay for it.  When I got home, there was an hour before guests were to arrive, so I had time to get the oven filled up and the broccoli steamed. 

I totally forgot to get a picture of my guests, but here is one of the food (buffet-style) and the table.  I don't have a photo of the "Happy Easter" cake Cheryl brought from Publix, or the cherry cobbler that Shirley brought (along with ice cream).  We were well-fed, and there really wasn't much left.  That's always a good thing!  There were seven of us because Paul was under the weather.  He told Anne to come (across the street neighbors).  I sent a plate home with her for him to have when he was up to it.

I used a tablecloth from Italy, which was Joe's mom's.  It has a few stains on it, and I have repaired quite a few tears, but it just seemed like the right thing to use this year. Plates were not on the table yet.

Today, I  will get things put away and do those two loads of laundry that I usually do on Sunday!  Dinner parties are done for a bit, but I do have company coming on Friday!! I am so very blessed.

Thanks so much for checking in!  

Peace and Hugs!

Christ is risen, He’s risen indeed!

Oh sing “Hallelujah!”

Join the chorus sing with the redeemed:

Christ is risen, He’s risen indeed!

Happy Easter!

 

The Saturday 9...

Thanks to Crazy Sam for today's Saturday 9.  You can join in by clicking HERE!

Here Comes Peter Cottontail

Welcome to Saturday: 9. What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9 questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other times the questions will be totally unrelated. Those weeks we do "random questions," so to speak. We encourage you to visit other participants' posts and leave a comment. Because we don't have any rules, it is your choice. We hate rules. We love memes, however, and here is today's meme!

Saturday 9: Here Comes Peter Cottontail (from the archives)

1) Which do you prefer: colored hard-boiled eggs, chocolate marshmallow eggs, or plastic eggs with coins inside?  I do like all of those, but it would be silly to prefer any above finding coins inside a plastic egg!! LOL

2) What's your favorite color of Peeps (yellow, purple, or pink)?  I am not crazy about Peeps, but I'll pick yellow to answer the question.

3) All this talk of sweets is making Sam hungry. What's for lunch?  I'm doing this Friday night, so I had a salad for lunch with some chicken, a cut-up fresh pear, tomatoes, lettuce, etc. It was quite good with some honey mustard dressing.

4) This song was introduced by country singer Gene Autry, and it's still a favorite. Please share some of the lyrics. (And you're on your own; Sam didn't include a link to the song this week.)  Off the top of my head... Here comes Peter Cottontail, hopping down the bunny trail, hippity hoppity Easter's on its way...  

5) Gene Autry was so popular that a town in Oklahoma named itself for him. Have you ever been to Oklahoma?  Nope.

6) He and his horse Champion also had a TV show. Can you name another famous horse?  Trigger.

7) Gene Autry also recorded "Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer," and it was, of course, wildly popular, too. Who is your favorite recording artist?  I don't have a favorite recording artist.  I like way too many to zero in on one.

8) In 1950, the year Autry recorded this song, Diner's Club issued the first credit card. Think of the last thing you purchased. Did you use cash, a credit card, a debit card, an e-wallet service (Visa Checkout, Paypal, Google Pay, Apple Pay ...) or a check?  I use my credit card for most expenses and pay it off each month.  It is safer than using my debit card, which has limits on how the banks can help you recover money when it is scammed.  I am on my third debit card because it was being used in Chicago, and another one in Miami.  My son suggested I use my credit card and earn cash back, too.  It is working well for me.

9) Easter is recognized as the start of the spring season. What are you looking forward to this spring?  My car is filthy.  Pollen season is about done here, so next week I will be visiting the car wash.  I'm ashamed of how dirty it is.  Yuck!  Our spring season has really been over for a month or so.  Our temps are hitting 90 already.  Summer is here in central Florida.

Peace and Hugs!

Thank you, Jesus!

Friday Fotos...

 

On Wednesday, my friend Mali and I went over to Fort. De Soto Park.  It is in St. Petersburg and is a beautiful and historical place that is well worth seeing.  Mali had been there several times before, but years ago.  I had never gone there.

There is still a lot of hurricane damage visible, and Mali remembered seeing a mulberry tree that we tried to locate.  It is on a map, but even with the map, it remained elusive.  Mali is a bird-watcher, and she talked about the mulberry tree being full of birds.  She was excited to see it, and we were both disappointed to miss seeing it.  

The weather was beautiful.  There were no clouds in the sky.  The beach is long and lovely.  There are restrooms, a snack bar, and a gift shop.  There is a real fort.  Here are some photos I took...

Mali drove (yay!!) so I could take pictures!  Tampa skyline from I-4/I-275

An Osprey and nest in a high (dead) tree...

A gopher tortoise was digging out sand from her burrow.  She was busy!

Sorry, you can't see it in this photo.

One of the several piers...

In the distance, you can see the Skyline Bridge...

This fountain had a whole bunch of honey bees buzzing around it and drinking from it.

I've never seen bees "drinking" water before.

Malie took a video of the bees and told me I could use it for my "blog fodder"!!

I hope it plays for you!

Pretty flowers blooming...

I love seeing our proud red-white-and blue flying against the blue sky.

The Skyline Bridge looks a little closer...

It is 4.14 miles long and is quite an experience to drive across it.

Cruise ships fit comfortably through the center span.

Tropicana Field (home to the Rays) lost its roof during the hurricanes.  

I got this photo as we drove by.

We left Fort De Soto just after 1:00 and decided to stop at PF Chang's 

in the West Shore Plaza (Tampa) for lunch.  I had teriyaki shrimp with noodles.

I also had hot and sour soup.  It was all delicious.

Mali had a chicken (something) with fried rice and an egg roll.

She said it was also delicious.

It was a fun day!!  Mali is between jobs right now, which makes it a good time for us to have a few adventures, like our day trip to Sebring.  We are planning a trip to the Webster Flea Market in a week or so!!   Please keep Mali in your prayers for a good interview with a great organization on the 25th. It would be a perfect place for her next career journey.  Thanks!

Peace and Hugs!

Thank you, Jesus!