A Piece of the Hodgepodge Pi

How was your weekend? We kicked ours off at a lovely birthday party at one of the most beautiful homes in the village. The guest of honor and her hubby are so darling. Our accomplished hostess with the mostess outdid herself.

Sweetness & Surprises

 

Thank you for all your sweet comments and notes addressing my new promotion to Grandmother.  I am planning a post in the near future sharing my new name and what I am looking forward to the most when our new little granddaughter arrives.

Today, I am back in the Hodgepodge seat.  My friend, Joyce, from From This Side of the Pond, writes the creative questions, and bloggers answer them.  Stop over to Joyce's blog to read other blogger's answers.

From Soup to Nuts

Hello, dear friends.  I hope this finds you well.  How was your weekend?  Ours was a lot of fun.  I talked the Mister into hitting a few consignment shops with me.  We didn't find anything, but I let him pick out our lunch destination.  If you haven't guessed, both Millie and the Mister are food-driven.

Speaking of food, we went out for a delightful dinner with friends on Saturday night.  If you ever find yourself in or around McKinney, I highly recommend Harvest.  The food, as well as the service, was exemplary. 

Today, I am meeting an old friend who happens to be a decorator for lunch.  She has helped me with a few projects in my last Texas home.  I still haven't tackled my home office, so I will ask her to help with the design and implementation.

A Hodgepodge Full of My Favorite Things

 

Hello, dear friends.  I hope that you are having a good week.  Today,  Millie is headed to camp, and I have a lunch date, so all is well in my world.

Today, I am linking up with my friend, Joyce, at From This Side of the Pond for some hard-hitting questions on her Hodgepodge series.

Back In The Hodgepodge Seat

Hello, dear friends.  I hope that you are enjoying your week.  All is well here except that it has been quite nippy.  After watching the weather report this morning for the rest of the country, I can't complain.  

Millie has continued her digging gardening with more gusto than ever.  We have tried three different pet-safe products to deter her from her new hobby, but nothing has proved effective.  Does anyone have any recommendations?

By the way... as you can see from the photo, Millie has developed a taste for our pillows. 

A Good Old Hodgepodge

Hello, dear friends.  How is your week so far?  I worry about my friends in Houston.  We lived in The Woodlands during a couple of those storms, and it was no fun.

It's great to be back in the Hodgepodge seat!  If you are new here, my friend, Joyce, at the helm of From This Side of the Pond, comes up with creative questions and bloggers answer them. Play along with me and leave your answers in the comments below.

A Binge-Worthy Hodgepodge

 

Hello, dear friends.  I hope you are having a good week. The weather has been chilly around here.  It's lucky that I have been listening to a great book - otherwise, I would skip my daily stroll.

Yesterday, I had a delightful lunch with my buddy, Susan, of Sophistication Is Overrated fame.  I forgot to take a pic so here is one from her book signing in December.

We enjoyed a two-and-a-half-hour lunch, of which most was spent laughing.  Susan is a hoot and a wonderful storyteller.  You can follow Susan and her sister, Babs, on Instagram here.

Today, I am linking up with Joyce who writes the questions.

Feel free to give your own answers in the comment section.

1. Have you done more binge-watching this past year than in 'normal' years? 

Yes, we have done a lot more binge-watching.

Any plans to break that habit in 2021?

Maria Archibald

Absolutely not!

I have finally found my niche in life.

If anything, I hope to perfect my binge-watching skills.

Tell us one or two shows you binged last year that you really liked.

 

I guess by my answer to the last answer you have sensed my overachieving tendencies in this area.  

I will increase the number you asked for by two.

You're welcome.

No extra charge.

* a bit off-color, but funny.

2. January 26th is Australia Day. 

Have you ever visited or lived in Australia? 

No, I have never had the pleasure of visiting Australia.

Have you ever tasted Vegemite, and if so what did you think?

 

No, I have never tasted Vegemite.

I have sworn off any food that contains the word "mite." 

Is a trip down under on your bucket list?

It is not on my list due to the length of the flight.

I do, however, have a few favorite Australian television shows.

I told you I was an overachiever...

We answered a question about travel three months ago (the October 21st Hodgepodge), but let's revisit now... where are you when it comes to planning or even imagining travel this year? 

I hope to travel to NYC if these two wild and crazy kids don't make a visit to Dallas soon. 

3. Something that zaps your energy? 

I am a habitual mask-wearer, but every time I throw on my mask, I feel exhausted by the pandemic predicament.

Something that energizes you? 

Spending time with these two and...

facetiming the Newlyweds.

4. On a scale of 1-10, what are your eating habits like these days? (1=all junk food all the time and 10= juicing every green thing in the frig) The healthiest meal you've eaten in the last week or so? 

I have done pretty well sticking to Weight Watchers.

The Mister, not so much.

5. What's your most often 'Back in my day....' thing to say?

 

Sticking with my newly-acquired, late-in-life skill set...

Back in the day, we used to have to get off the couch to change the channel, and we had to wait a whole week to see the next program episode.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Amazon

I just finished this powerful and unforgettable novel.

I highly recommend it.

Until next time...

Today I am featuring a long-time reader of mine, Joan, and her darling pooch, Jussi.

This is Jussi, our 5yr old lab rescue ‘living the dream.’ Jussi (Finnish for John (stole it from the Wallander TV series)) started life as a puppy of an elderly owner who kept him kenneled almost all day. Jussi never learned to play with toys or socialize with other dogs. When his owner passed away, the owner’s relatives left Jussi with the animal shelter from where we took him in.

Jussi has become very attached to my husband (which means I’m invisible unless I have food in my hands!). However, he’s very sweet, good-natured, and gets way too many treats!

Thank you, Joan!

If you have a cute dog, email me a picture with a short bio, and I would be honored to include your little furbaby on my blog.

  

Something Old & Something New

Hello, dear friends.  

Happy Hump Day!  

I hope that you are having a good week.  

We've had some seriously chilly days here in Dallas.  I don't mind, though, because it makes me move faster on my walk. 

There is no news on the house hunt. 

As the Mister assures me, the right one will come along.

The fun part is agreeing on the same one.

Today, I am linking with my friend Joyce over at From This Side of the Pond for this week's Hodgepodge.

 

 1. When were you last a guest at an event or in someone's home? Tell us about it. 

A couple of nights before we hopped into the car and headed for Texas, our dear friends and next-door neighbors, Kathy and Jim, asked had us over for champagne to wish us luck.  It was a chilly October night, and we sat on their deck appropriately six feet away.  It is one of my warmest memories of our Massachusetts days.

Do you enjoy having guests in your own home? 

We love to entertain at home.

The last time that we had friends over was in June, and we had Annie and Bob.

Another night full of wonderful memories.

2. What has you 'tied up in knots' currently or recently?

Every time I watch the News, I get a stomach ache.

I cannot wait until Covid is a distant memory.

Are you any good at tying actual knots? 

I can tie a knot... on my sneaks.

The thing I can't do is untie knots.

This is what the bottom of my jewelry box looks like.

3. What's something you've been wanting to do and have decided 2021 will be the year you 'take the plunge'? 

All we need is the right house that the Mister and I can agree on to take the plunge.

If we don't get moving, we'll be looking at rest homes.

4. Something in your home that's old? 

This is my Grandmother's desk that has been moved nine times.

Presently, it is in storage, and it is over 100 years old.

The subject in the portrait is a little long in the tooth, as well.

Something new? 

This is a Christmas gift from the Mister.

Something borrowed? 

I borrowed this from my daughter/neighbor.

I just realized I never gave it back.

Something blue? 

Another present from the Mister.

I better get a new kitchen soon.

5. Share a favorite quote, a verse of scripture, and/or a bit of wisdom for couples getting married in this challenging and seemingly unpredictable season we're currently/still experiencing. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Trailer

One of my favorite shows is back!

We watched the first episode last night, and it hasn't lost its charm.

Until next time...

This is Tina, one of my loyal readers, and her beautiful family.

They live in Michigan and adore their furbaby, Clementine. 

Meet Clementine, our Daisy Dog!  The Daisy dog breed is specific to a breeder housed in MI, of which nobody knows what they are made up of.  They are sweet dogs who enjoy people more so than being around other dogs.  We love our Clementine and typically dress her to match our love for Lilly P!  She also was featured in Golf Digest as a lover of Golf!  

A Timely Hodgepodge

Hello, dear friends.  I hope this post finds you well.  I don't have a whole lot to report from here.  We are in quarantine because we visited one of the "hot" states. It's Day 6 and we haven't tried to kill each other yet. That's a record for us.

Amazon

I do keep this book on my bedside table just to keep him in line.

I'm back in the old Hodgepodge saddle.  For those of you who are new here, I am linking up with Joyce who writes the questions over at From This Side of the Pond.  

1. What's one thing you learned at the ripe old age of whatever age you are now?

2. I read here a list of foods that can help you look younger-

extra virgin olive oil, green tea, fatty fish, dark chocolate, vegetables, flaxseeds, pomegranates, avocados, tomatoes, spices, bone broth

How many of the foods listed have you tried? How many do you eat regularly? Your favorite from the list?

Younger?
If that were true, I would look as young as this baby from all the chocolate that I consume.

One of the best days of my life was when the study came out claiming that dark chocolate is good for you.

Now I'm waiting for the next study to come out that states sitting on your duff watching Real Housewives makes you skinny.

3. Something you miss from the 'good old days'? When were the good old days anyway?

When I think of the good old days, I think of 2019 and before.  I miss the afternoons of enjoying a leisurely lunch and shopping unencumbered by masks, hand sanitizer, and paranoia.

This captures my shopping expeditions in 2020.
I wish the paparazzi would leave me alone.

4. What are two or three of the most rewarding things to be found in growing older?

Hmmm... let me think.
Still thinking...
Uh, can I phone a friend?

5. What's your favorite part of your life right now?

I am looking forward to our next chapter that will not includes scenes like this.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Need some escapism?

Have I got a show for you!

It's on Prime Video.

Until next time...

Pets for Homes


Linking up with:
My Girlish Whims
A Little Bit of Everything
Wednesday Chat
Party In Your PJs
Wow on Wednesday
Keep In Touch
Classy Flamingos
Creative Muster
Tuesday Turnabout