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Wednesday, July 29, 2015

True Confessions Hodgepodge

Hello dear friends.  So happy to be back in the Hodgepodge swing of things.  Can you believe how quickly this summer is going by?  For me, at least.  I was behind a young mother in the grocery store line with two little boys.  She told me that she was counting the days until the first day of school.  Oh, how I remember those days.

Once again, thank you Joyce for always coming up with such provocative questions.







1. I recently read there are about four secrets to happiness from around the world.  They were -


Overcome your fears by facing them head on, allow yourself to relax and reset, work to live versus living to work, and find the good in life.   Not sure these are the actual secrets to happiness, but which of the four do you struggle with most?  Which one comes most easily to you?



I've mentioned this before and I am not proud of it.  I have a fear of "down" escalators.  "Up" escalators are no problem.  It drives my family crazy.  I am always running around searching for an elevator.  When I find one, I am usually on the receiving end of dirty looks from  moms young enough to be my daughters with strollers. I try to buffer the situation by commenting how cute their babies are, but the babes join their moms with their disgusted sneers.  

I have no intention of facing my fear for the sake happiness.  I will continue to be in search for the nearest elevator for the rest of my life. 





This is where I make up for not facing my fear.  I have no problem sitting back and chilling.  That is probably my greatest strength.



2.  How would you spend a found $20 bill today?





The twenty dollar bill would accompany every other red cent we own and would go straight to Petco.  Let's just say our little ones have their "issues." 



3.  Ego trip, power trip, guilt trip, round trip, trip the light fantastic, or trip over your own two feet ... which 'trip' have you experienced or dealt with most recently?  Explain.




Definitely the round trip.  I've done more travelling this summer than I have in a long time.




4. If you could master any physical skill in the world what would it be, and how would you use that skill?


I would like to learn to play the piano and be a gymnast.  I would take my talents and join the circus.



5.  As July draws to a close, let's take inventory of our summer fun.  Since the official first day of North American summer to June 20th have you... been swimming?  enjoyed an ice cream cone?  gardened?  deliberately unplugged?  watched a ball game?  picked fruit off the vine?  taken a road trip?  read a good book?  Are there any other activities on your must-do-before-summer-ends list?





I've done my share of gardening this summer.   



I have not picked fruit off the vine, however, I have enjoyed my share of the fruit after it was picked.











I have read some wonderful books this summer.




6.  The Republican Presidential candidates will debate on August 6th.  What's your question?




What are you going to do about this guy?




7.  What's your most listened to song so far this summer?





I LOVE this song.  Every time I hear it I want to shut up and dance.  I am going to visit my girls soon.  God forbid this song is played in Target - I will get happy feet!



8.  Insert your own random thought here.


I was going to do a post about this, but I think I will cover this mind-blowing, controversial subject right here in the privacy of my home in Hodgepodge.

Does anybody become ravenous the minute they leave home for a trip?  I begin this downhill journey by looking for old sticky tic tacs on the bottom of my purse after I fasten my seat belt to head for the airport. 


As soon as I get there, I weasel my way as quickly as I can through security, so I can check out all the eating places in the terminal.


How do you like my new hair extensions?

  Sometimes I don't even take the time to put my shoes back on... the Mister has to pick them up.  It doesn't matter if I just ate a huge lunch or dinner - I practically get dizzy from my hunger pangs the minute I set foot in an airport. 


On our last vacation, we stopped into the airline complimentary lounge. After eating almost everything on the buffet line, I boarded the plane with mustard on my chin, and immediately grilled the flight attendant about the menu on the flight. It was Air Italia, so of course it was pasta.  When it was served about an hour later, I shoved the worst-tasting pasta in my mouth and ate it like I just got out of jail.

My eating streak continued for the next ten days.  I'm in search for acceptance.  Do any of you suffer from the same eating disorder?

One more question...what's the best book that you read this summer?  Time to re-load my Kindle.


Until next time...




   
   
   
Preppy Empty Nester
Preppy Empty Nester

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25 comments:

  1. I agree with you on number one - I also have no problem chilling out! And I think whether one is a republican or a democrat, we can all wonder what in the world we're going to do about Donald Trump. Shut up and dance is such a fun song. My kids love it too, but probably not the way mom dances to it. :)

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  2. Love that song too - my daughter and I made sure the band was playing it at her wedding this month. Best book - Station Eleven but I looking forward to my next book Primates of Park Avenue.

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  3. Hehehe. Another terrific post, Katie. Our reading tastes are very similar, so I very enthusiastically recommend Love Child (I'd underline that title if I knew how), by Sheila Kohler. It's a beautifully written novel that you will probably finish in two days! Enjoy! By the way, I frequently check your old posts for book suggestions
    myself. Thanks.
    Cathy from New Jersey

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    Replies
    1. Cathy... thanks for the recommendation. I am going to download it this AM. I'm not even going to read the description - I trust you. How hot is it in NJ? It's pretty warm around here!! Hope you have a great week!

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  4. Great, post full of fun!! Love the song, very feel good! I have been looking forward to a good book so will be checking out your recommendations! I am very good at chilling out by the way!


    xoxo
    Karena
    The Arts by Karena

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  5. Always love these posts, as I've said before. Give me a good laugh to start, well, further, my day. If I found a $20 bill I'd send it to you so you could spend it on your sweet pups. Well, maybe not, but um, I might just get something for MY sweet pups. Love the last photo. I'd rather travel on a plane full of dogs than people. Love the photo of you chillin' LOLOLOL

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  6. Have you read The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay? Technically it's YA, but our book club read it and we all loved it. We're in the car headed to Maine. Left 30 minutes ago, but I've already broken in to the Twizzlers and am thinking about when we'll stop for lunch. Travel eaters unite!

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  7. My little man, Gavin would love for me to spend an extra $20 on him, especially for chicken strips! He is a glutton and only wants to eat treats, not his food. I think he may have your travel disease! LOL Actually, I think I have it whenever I travel anywhere. It is like I give myself permission to be a pig because I am not in my house! Love your hair extensions. I may need to get some…bwahahaha!!

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  8. You always make me laugh and after a crazy and hectic morning I needed it:) I laughed out loud at that last paragraph about eating and the mustard on your chin, you need your own show, forget the housewives....you blow them away in entertainment value and lets not even get started on the glam factor:)
    Funny just ordered on good ol Amazon, Tina Little Thing. My final thoughts- your house looks GORGEOUS with the windowboxes and does Kim actually think she looks good in those tight dresses?
    Enjoy your day:)

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  9. You slay me!!! Ha Ha Ha! Our local grocery store plays the best music. My kids refuse to shop with me anymore!

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  10. How lucky to have traveled so much this summer! I got a kick out of your answers ;)

    I hope you can stop by:

    http://collettaskitchensink.blogspot.com/2015/07/hodepodge-72915.html

    Colletta

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  11. I would use the $20 bill to have lunch with a friend.
    Yes, traveling means snacks. My favorite airports have a Cinnabon or Krispy Kreme donut shop - can't resist!

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  12. Sadly, I have the same problem when arriving at an airport, I get immediate anxiety about having enough food to make it to my destination. What if plane is delayed, what if plane is delayed on runway, what if they run out of peanuts, what if they run out of my meal selection, what if, what if, what if . . . I’d love to hear your thoughts on the best airports for food! I’ve been traveling back and forth to Seattle quite a bit lately and have come to look forward to the two hour wait for my connection to Bellingham. Seattle has great food and shopping . . . so many options, so little time. Nevertheless, once I deplane (love that word) I’m ready to eat again!

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  13. Katie, I'm currently liking Honey I'm Good by Andy Grammer. I'm trying to figure out how to make it my ringtone. Try to stay cool.

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  14. You are hysterical!!! I can't wait to get my traveling shoes back on whenever we finally get settled in our new house. It's been too long for sure. Loved the pictures!!!

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  15. Hilarious as always! I'll be thinking about you when I go to the airport in a few weeks! Have not finished it but am absolutely loving The Paris Bookshop - so many books to read and just not enough time!

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  16. Katie, you're soooo funny! But, yes, traveling (especially air travel) makes me ravenous. I think it's the stress of it all. So I make sure to set out with a good supply of nuts, some raw and some roasted, in my purse.

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  17. Yep....the down escalators terrify me!! Like you, I'm ok with the " up", as long as I don't turn around and look behind me. I used to be ok with the "down" as long as there was a crowd in front of me and I had two free hands to hold on to the sides. Like you, I have scrambled more than once to find the nearest stairs or elevator. Hope that someone can cure us!!

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  18. I haven't done much on your summer list!I better step it up a NOTCH!The GARDEN is in DROUGHT MODE........I am reading books but don't ask me the TITLE I never recall...............no picking fruit!Did that in FRANCE and WE can NEVER out DO that experience!ROad trips...........NOPE did pop on an airplane for a quick trip SOUTH but you already know about that!!
    AND NO bathing suit for me either...............SEEMS I AM FAILING at enjoying SUMMER!!!

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  19. I cannot express enough how delighted I am that dear Mo has introduced us. I've signed up to get each and every post. Yay! Grinning here hugely. That photo of the gymnast and the piano. OMG. Too funny. And no, I promise never to share with you the time my daughter has a weensy incident that involved a down escalator. Promise.

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  20. I cannot express enough how delighted I am that dear Mo has introduced us. I've signed up to get each and every post. Yay! Grinning here hugely. That photo of the gymnast and the piano. OMG. Too funny. And no, I promise never to share with you the time my daughter has a weensy incident that involved a down escalator. Promise.

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  21. I'm doing a happy dance here seeing that you and Kelly have connected!
    I love the photos, especially the gymnast piano player. Seriously, did you google "gymnast piano player images"? Where do you find these priceless shots!
    I have the same problem with travel induced gorging. Road trips are a real problem. There is hardly room for luggage once I've packed all my coolers and bags of rations. Sadly, I'd have to go with "tripped over my own two feet"... ;-)

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  22. Hi there. I just had to read this again for fun this morning. I love your style. Also, I can totally relate to the travel munchies. I think part of it is that I'm out of my normal routine, and that calories on a vacation don't really count. Why do I believe this?? Hope you're having a great weekend. Pet those cute, spoiled pooches for me. I look at the dog hair around here and wonder if we should have considered the non shedding variety instead. But we love our hairy critters (who don't know they're not people). Lol

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  23. Having just discovered your blog, I was reading this while eating 3 (yes, 3) unripe (yes, unripe) plums prior to taking a 15 minute (yes, 15) T ride. I will now have to read on!

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