Wednesday, March 6, 2024

A Saucy Hodgepodge





And, it's Wednesday again, it rolls around very regularly and Joyce always shows up with new questions.  And, here's my answers...........


1. Has March come in like a lion where you live? If not a lion then what animal would you use to describe the weather in your area this first week of March? Does the weather affect your emotions? When did you last feel 'under the weather'? 

My goodness gracious (as my Grandmother use to say), March has most definitely come in like a lion here.  We had a storm to beat all storms Monday afternoon.  Blinding rain and damaging force winds.  It was crazy and electricity was out for about 10 hours following it.  It was one of those times that we were so thankful we put in a full house generator when we built.  

Yes, when it rains for several days it definitely affects my emotions. I am a sunshine kinda gal and when all I see is rain it's a real downer.

I had strep throat about 6 weeks ago and I really thought that was a "kids thing." But, guess not.  I was quite uncomfortable for a couple of days but once the injection and meds went to work, I felt fine.

2. Do you know what your name means? Does the meaning of your name fit with your personality? Do you like your name? If you have children did you consider the meaning of their names before choosing them? 



I never think about the meaning of my name but am pretty sure I've looked it up before.  It means, delicate, weary, meadow. 

 Hummm........  No, the meaning of my name does not fit with my personality.  I'm not delicate, feminine, but not delicate.  I can be weary but it's not all that often and I'm not even sure how meadow relates.  

I do like my name. My middle name is Beth and I was called Lea Beth until my late teen years and then I dropped the Beth and have been called Lea ever since.

Our children's names are, Brandon and Bridget and the meaning of those names never entered our minds when we named them.  I just thought they were cute names that began with the same letter. No joke!  I will say that with their middle names they both have very nice family names but, I'll keep their middle names a mystery. ~smile~

3. It's National Sauce Month...what's your favorite sauce? Last thing you ate that used a sauce? 

Well, not sure this is considered a sauce but I use it as a sauce as well as a dressing.  I always dip chicken stripes in it and that was the last thing I ate using it as a sauce.  And, it's the BEST!

4. Something you've seen, tasted, done lately that you'd describe as 'awesome sauce'? 

I cannot think of anything I've tasted lately that I would describe in such a fashion.  


But, we have been to watch this little cutie (our 9 year old granddaughter) compete in gymnastics the past two weekends.  That was definitely 'awesome sauce'.  I almost have to hide my eyes when she does her beam routine but she did very well in both competitions and she has a couple more coming up.


Hubby and I were at friends this past weekend and 5 couples engaged in a Cornhole Tournament.  We've never played and dear readers, we were the champions (that's definitely 'awesome sauce').  Yes, you read that right! And, might I add, I made the bulk of the points.  I truly had no idea what I was doing but, obviously I had the hang of the throw.  

5. What kinds of things do you love to collect? 

At his point in my life there is nothing I love to collect.  But, over the years I have enjoyed collecting Santa's, pretty dishes, pottery, Andrea birds and on it goes.  But, within recent years I've quit collecting as I truly do have PLENTY and I need no more to have to get rid of 'down the road.'  Now, I do love to add to my cookie recipes if that counts. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 


After the storm Monday, we were left, as I said, without electricity and also internet and cable.  We do have a generator but that does NOT help with internet and cable.  It went out about 2:30 and was restored about 5:00 Tuesday afternoon.  That's a little over 24 hours.  Well, folks, I felt like I had had my right arm cut off.  I'm a bit ashamed to say that but it's the truth.  I do so many financial things on my computer and yes, I do use it for pleasure as well.  I'm so use to going to the computer, pulling up what I need when I need it and that didn't happen for a whole day.  It truly is a bit scary that, as a society and as a country we are so dependent on the internet.  That's all I'll say about that.......... Thankfully Audible still worked and I got in a whole lot of listening time.




 

Monday, March 4, 2024

March Prime Purchases



And, here we are in March! Time flies when you are having fun or time flies when you are older. ~chuckle~  Either way, we are almost one third through 2024.  Now, let's take a look at some of my Amazon grabs.



AIRWICK  ESSENTIAL  MIST  DIFFUSER




I have tried different types of diffusers and I've tried Pura.  I'll take these Essential Mist Diffusers by Air Wick over anything I've tried over the past few years.  These are soooo easy to use and there are several choices of fragrances.  I am using two of them in our bedroom at night to diffuse Lavender.  When you turn them on they run for 8 hours and then will turn on at that exact time the next day.  They are battery operated.  There is no filling with water, or dropping oil in the water.  I also got some for my Dad's apartment at the assisted living facility.  I'm using a citrus fragrance for him and it has definitely given his little space a fresher fragrance.  And, the containers are non-descript and just sort of blend in with any decor.  It's a win, win!



KITCHEN  TOWEL  AND  WASHCLOTH  SET

I don't know about you, but I like for my kitchen dish cloth and kitchen hand towel to match. These are just perfect and come in 4 different colors.  They are the perfect thickness and I'm thrilled that I found these.  I got the red and grey sets. 

AMAZON



LATERN  SLEEVE  BLOUSE


The silky blouses are still all the rage and the prints in this one are so pretty.  I love the lantern style sleeves.



METAL  COFFEE  BAR  SIGN


I reworked my coffee bar area and got this black metal sign to stick on the subway tile where the coffee pot sits.  It is too cute and more importantly, it makes me happy.  I used command strips to hang it and they work like a charm.



WAXED  AMARYLLIS


I had this same amaryllis at Christmas except that it had a silver glitter waxed bulb.  I had so much fun watching it grow and it was perfectly gorgeous and lasted and lasted.  I decided to get another one in a spring colored wax and perhaps it will bloom around Easter.  I have no idea who came up with these waxed amaryllis but they are a genius.  You do nothing but sit them where you want them and then just enjoy watching them grow.  I mean, what's not to like about that?  And, they make the nicest gifts.



ROUND  HAMMERED  COPPER  TRAY


This is a beautiful tray and I do love hammered copper.  I will be using it in various ways and likely stand it on its edge on the counter against the wall when I'm not using it.  It's a lovely decorative piece as well.



SEASALT  CARAMEL  BAKING  CHIPS


Who knew about these?  Not me!  A sweet lady at our church that enjoys baking cookies as much I do told me about them a couple of weeks ago.  I could not find them at either of our local stores and was pretty sure that I would find them on trusty Amazon.  And, I was right!!!  They come 3 to a package. Just take your favorite chocolate chip recipe and use these in the place of the chocolate chips and you can thank me later.  What's not to like about Sea Salt Caramel???



5  PACK  READING  GLASSES



I ordered some of these about 3 years ago and now need to up my readers to 1.75 so I ordered another package.  And, they have the blue light blocker.  They have several color packs to choose from and if you are like me, I want a pair laying wherever I need them.  I do not want to have to go hunt down a pair.



HAMMERED  COPPER  TUMBLERS



Do you get the feeling that I like hammered copper?  Well, I do.  And, these little tumblers are so cute.  I will not be using them for tumblers but rather for floral arrangements for something I have coming up in April.  Won't they be the cutest?  And, so affordable!



PEDESTAL  DRINK  TABLE



Okay, have you ever heard of a drink table? I had not until  I saw one of these in a catalog I was looking at the other day and I have 2-3 places I could sure one of these.  But, I'll start with just this one and their easy enough to move around.  I like to have a place for a drink by all chairs.  I am using this one by a rocking chair that has no room for a side table, but this "little jewel" works great.

AMAZON

Okay, that's it for this month.  Perhaps you saw something that you need/want.


GO  MAKE  IT  A  GOOD  ONE!!!!!



Wednesday, February 28, 2024

The Wednesday Hodgepodge





It's Wednesday and that means the Hodgepodge. Enjoy!

1. February is coming to a close. Give us a two-word phrase that tells us something about how yours went.

Mighty fast
I can hardly believe that we are one day away from March, the 3rd month of 2024. 

2. If you had to describe how you're feeling right now as an amusement park ride, what ride are you on? Explain. 

The steady running train.  Most park rides are tilting, rocking, up and down, or herky jerky. A train is one of the smoothest of all rides and things are fairly smooth going right now.

3. What's something on your desk or a nearby wall that cheers you up when you see it or walk past? 

This, by Toby Mac, hangs in my home office and serves as a daily reminder to me as I walk past it several times each day.

4.  Are you a salad eater? How many salads do you typically eat in a week? Your favorite kind of salad? 


I am most definitely a salad eater but not too much at home but 75% of the time when we eat out, I order some type salad.  I probably eat 2-3 a week and my favorite would be Caesar. And, add some grilled chicken and that makes it even better.

5. Without telling us the category give us your top five ______________. 

1.  Half way pulling into a parking space or straddling two parking spaces
2.  Leaving your shopping cart in the middle of the parking lot, people, it only takes a minute to roll it to the cart caddy
3.  Calling and getting customer service and punching number after number before finally getting a human that barely speaks English
4.  Facebook posts that air folks "dirty laundry", some things don't need to be made public
5.  Rude people
And, I'm pretty sure you have no problem knowing the category of my top 5








Saturday, February 10, 2024

February 10 on the 10th



It's Saturday the 10th and I decided to link up with Marsha in the Middle  for 10 on the 10th. Interesting questions for sure and I certainly didn't have to stress my brain to answer them.  So, here' goes..............

1. Would you rather have fruit dipped in chip dip or potato chips dipped in chocolate?


I like sweet and salty, so give me chips dipped in chocolate, sounds good to me.

2. Would you rather publicly sing a love song or recite an original poem to your significant other?
I use to have a good voice and sang a lot but that "ship has sailed." And, I enjoy writing but not a poem, so I'm going to have to say I'd rather not do either one. ~truth~

3. Would you rather share the best meal of your life with Willie Nelson or Dolly Parton?


Hands down, Dolly Parton!!!  I've loved Dolly for years and years.  I've seen her in concert, been to her theme park, watched her movies and on and on.  I think to share a meal with her would have to be a one in a lifetime experience.

4. Would you rather receive a dozen perfect black roses or one rose in the color you love most?

NO black roses for this gal!
But, one yellow rose would be just great and so would a red one.  I sometimes think red roses are a bit over rated.  

5. Would you rather spend an entire week of February dressed only in pink with purple hearts or red with orange hearts?
Okay, both of these sound way more tacky than I care to be.  I have 4-5 sweaters that I wear in the weeks prior to Valentine's and they are so cute.  So, I'll stick with them.

6. Would you rather be treated to a day driving a Maserati around the Indy 500 race track or go for a carriage ride in the Scottish Highlands?


I'll take a carriage ride any day.  We've done a few carriage rides over the years and they were so enjoyable.


7. Would you rather have your Valentine pizza delivered by Dwayne Johnson (The Rock) or Jason Statham?
I'm sorry but I don't think I have even heard of either of these.  So.........

8. Would you rather sleep on red satin sheets or flannel sheets with teddy bears on them?

How about flannel sheets with penguins on them? Hubby and I tried a set of satin sheets one time and one time only.  We did NOT like them.  We love flannel sheets in the cold winter.  They are so, so warm!

9. Would you rather receive a box of chocolates with your least favorite fillings or a bouquet of flowers to which you are allergic?

I don't think Hubby has ever given me a box of chocolates but if he did, there would likely be several that I would enjoy and the rest would go in the trash.
Since I'm not allergic to flowers, I'll just take flowers.

10. Would you rather go on a surprise date or have planned it yourself?
I'm not much into surprises, so I'll just plan something myself.  Even though I'm not a fan of surprises, Hubby has pulled off a couple of BIG ones in the 52 years of our marriage.  

I guess this would be officially Valentine weekend but I'm pretty sure Valentine's is not on the minds of folks.  It would be Super Bowl weekend for the majority.  Whatever you end up celebrating this weekend, ENJOY!!!!


Monday, February 5, 2024

February Prime Purchases




And, here we are, the 5th day of February, 2024.  Goodness gracious, how can it be? But, it is and here's my Prime Purchases for this go around. 


100% COTTON  FLOUR  SACK  TEA  TOWELS


I was introduced to flour sack tea towels by my paternal grandmother at least 60 years ago.  It was ALL she had in her kitchen and she used them for everything.  Well, if you have never used flour sack tea towels then you are missing out and I'm not joking.  There's just nothing like them for absorbency. I have a towel to dry my hands on with a matching dish cloth but I always have a tea towel out as well.  If I'm doing a lot of baking or cooking I keep one nearby to wipe my hands on, clean up spills and on and on.  This is a pack of 12.



GLASS  PICTURE  FRAME


These are the neatest frames.  Our daughter gave Hubby a couple of these with pictures of her family in them and they are so pretty.  They are all glass with a black edge and give the nicest appearance and they come in a whole bunch of sizes.  I like a more traditional looking frame for our house, but these are so nice for Hubby's office.




CREAM  TO  POWDER EYE  SHADOW  STICK




I am not sure why I ordered this but I ran across it and loved the color and decided to give it a whirl.  I'm a big fan of powder eye shadow and have never had much luck with the cream to powder shadows.  But, this one works beautifully and I've used it every day since I got it.  I ordered two more colors after liking this one.  After I apply it, I take my eyeshadow brush and blend it out. I'm a fan!



6 QUART  CLEAR STORAGE  BINS WITH  LIDS



Who doesn't need more storage bins? ~grin~ I saw these on someone else's Prime Purchases last month and ordered them immediately.  They are the perfect size for our bathroom cabinets and I used 4 of them getting all kinds of things organized in our master bath.  They would work for all kinds of storage and I love having a couple extra as I'm pretty sure I'll have a need for them sooner than later.

AMAZON


SLOW  COOKER  LINERS


I started not to include these but, just in case there is someone out there that does not use these or, heaven forbid, has never seen them.  These are game changer if you ever use a slow cooker. Until these came out, several years ago, I hated using my slow cooker because I didn't want to have to clean it.  But, no more! Whoever came out with these was genius!



STRIPED  SWEATER


If you need/want a cute casual sweater, then here you go.  It comes in several colors and is oversized but not tacky. ~at least in my opinion~  I wear this black and white stripe with my white joggers.  A cute, fun everyday outfit.



CRUX  ELECTRIC  SKILLET


I do not use an electric skillet a lot but I do like to have one for the occasions that I do need one. I use it for sauteing or browning meat.  This one is 3" deep and I love the platform it sits on so much better than the legs my last one had.  This is a non-stick surface and you have to use plastic utensils in it.  


And, there you have it.  Maybe you saw something you need or want.  Enjoy this new week and, as always, thanks for stopping by.

In this day and time we need to never forget this verse.


Wednesday, January 31, 2024

A Puzzling Hodgepodge



And, it's the last day of January, 2024. Yikes, how can that be? Life just keeps right on moving along and at a much faster rate than I would prefer.  But, it is what it is and now on to this weeks HP.

1. January 29th is National Puzzle Day. Do you enjoy puzzles? What kind (crossword, jigsaw, sudoku, etc)?  How often do you work a puzzle? 


There was a time that I was into jigsaw and sudoku puzzles but that was a long time ago. I've thought about getting back into sudoku because it's so good for our brain.  There are several sudoku apps for the smart phone so I might just do that. Truth be told, I'll probably need a refresher course in how to work them.

2. Something you currently find 'puzzling'? 

Oh, it's so hard to just name one, but I'm completely baffled by those who desire to change their gender.  I'll just leave it at that.

3. What's your go-to dish to take to someone who needs a meal (new baby, bereavement, etc)? 


I do this quite often and I have several "go tos" but pulled pork is a favorite. I use the McCormicks seasoning package and other ingredients it calls for, put it in the slow cooker, and I promise you it will make you "slap your pappy."  I will take some baked beans, potato salad or cole slaw, baked beans and buns and it's a winner every time.  And, I always do a lot (of the pork tender) so we can enjoy it too and perhaps put a container in the freezer for another time.  It's as easy to do a lot as it is a little.

4. Do you watch any HGTV and/or The Food Network? If so, what's your favorite program there? 


I do enjoy HGTV more than The Food Network but I don't really watch it all that much.  I enjoy shows like Fixer Upper (I think they have their own network now) and Home Town. I love seeing them take a terribly run down house and turn it into a home buyers dream.  I'm not sure I have the ability to see the potential but these folks sure do.

5.  Wrap up your January in five words, with a five word phrase, or with a five word sentence. 

A lot of dreary days.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I have so many random thoughts that I don't know which one to express.  So, perhaps I'll just do a whole post on my random thoughts. It would likely be quite enjoyable.  I'll give it some thought, stay tuned.