September 3rd, The Wednesday Hodgepodge...

 

Thanks, Joyce, for today's questions!!  Y'all can click HERE to be a Hodgepodger!

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 618

1. Next Sunday is Grandparents' Day. Share a favorite memory, photo, recipe, or something you learned from a grandparent.  I grew up with three sets of grandparents because my mom's folks were divorced when she was 11 years old.  What they all taught me was that differences can be put aside for the sake of family.  They all got along, could be together for family gatherings and holidays, and no one talked trash about the other.  They loved us.  I feel bad for families that weren't blessed the way we were.  Later in life, we were given glimpses of some of the bad stuff, but not while we were young.  Here are my three grandmas at my sister, Patti's graduation...

2. What's a quote from a book (besides The Bible) that has stayed with you?  There are many quotes from my top 4 or 5 books, but a lot of them are from The Once and Future King.  Merlin is a very smart wizard. 

“The best thing for being sad," replied Merlin, beginning to puff and blow, "is to learn something. That's the only thing that never fails. You may grow old and trembling in your anatomies, you may lie awake at night listening to the disorder of your veins, you may miss your only love, you may see the world about you devastated by evil lunatics, or know your honour trampled in the sewers of baser minds. There is only one thing for it then — to learn. Learn why the world wags and what wags it. That is the only thing which the mind can never exhaust, never alienate, never be tortured by, never fear or distrust, and never dream of regretting. Learning is the only thing for you. Look what a lot of things there are to learn.”
― T.H. White, The Once and Future King

3. What's your number one food pet peeve?  Probably when high expectations are not met in a restaurant.  Taste, temperature, presentation...  (...and I don't go to 5-star restaurants; this can be too much grease in a hamburger bun, for instance, or cold french fries).

4. What's one thing about you that is still the same as it was when you were young?  I have always had a 'glass half full' personality and can still be too trusting because of it.  I'm a little smarter now, perhaps.

5. September is National Preparedness Month...does your family have an emergency plan? Do you have some sort of preparedness kit you keep on hand? If so, tell us one thing that's kept there.  Well, I live in Florida.  There are a lot more than just one thing!  I always have plenty of batteries on hand.  I always have two or three cases of bottled water on hand.  I have flashlights, lanterns, and candles on hand.  My pantry has canned food that can be eaten cold or warmed on a grill.  Cat food is always stocked ahead, and the cat carriers are readily available.  I have a generator.  I have first aid supplies aplenty.  I have a fireproof safe full of important documents that I can grab quickly.  I have a blanket and towels in my car, and I make sure to get gasoline (and cash) when a hurricane is coming.  There are two closets to shelter in if necessary.  I also now have one of these fire blankets hanging in my kitchen. And there is that trusting thing... If I have insurance, I won't need it!!

6. Insert your own random thought here.  I am going to my granddaughter's wedding shower this coming weekend, and guests are supposed to bring a recipe for her to keep.  I am having trouble deciding what to give her - mainly because I don't really use recipes most of the time.  I need to pull some of my recipe cards out and give them some thought.  It's been a long time since she was here for a meal.  I think I have settled on my mom's pumpkin bread recipe.  It never fails, and it is just about time to pull that recipe out anyway!  (If you want the recipe, it is in the Recipe tab above!)

Peace and Hugs!

“We cannot build the future by avenging the past.”

― T.H. White, The Once and Future King