Happy Thursday Hodge Podge TBT

 

The cat often has this look at our house!  Stop by Happy Thursday and join the fun.

It's true and you know it is!

TBT 1988 with Rebekah and Pastor Pettit at her baptism. What a wonderful person this gentleman was. He was a very dear friend to my hubby. We think about him often. He was the ultimate kind person. Martha has been busy tracking storms and you know, everyday life issues, so she has not brought back TBT but since I use to do it at social media, before all the politics ruined 2020, I love sorting through all the old photos and posting my kids and other loved ones. 

1. It's the 11th day of the 11th month and bloggers often makes lists on days like today. Let's go with a list of 11 things you're grateful for today.

Being relatively healthy, having a great phamily, enjoying the weather even though it has been colder than I like it, drinking hot tea when the weather is cold, enjoying conversations with friends, enjoying a few good TV Programs, making waffles from scratch, enjoying baking this time of year, watching CHRISTmas movies, getting my household organized, downsizing lots of things we set aside and never use. Grateful!

2. What's something you decided to do or act on in the 11th hour?

Definitely blogging! I Love it, it is something I thoroughly enjoy,  but the days get away from me. I am normally not a late comer but lately I wait until the last minute to put all my thoughts together. But when I have the opportunity to see the grandbabies or catch a lunch date with the grandson and his babies, it is too hard to resist. I am a planner but I can roll with it to! I guess having five kids helped me not focus on perfection. I think too often, it is highly overated.

3. Apparently, the Kentucky Fried Chicken recipe has 11 herbs and spices.  What's a dish you make that calls for exactly 11 ingredients?

This is a tough one for me. I Make lots of dishes that require 5 or 6 ingredients. The closest I cam get to 11 is between 10 to 15 lol ! The first one is  Chicken Tortilla Soup:  (15 ingredients) Sauté a medium onion, finely chopped with 3 garlic chopped garlic cloves in a tbsp. of olive oil and add a diced and seeded jalapeno pepper. Add a tsp. of ground cumin and a tsp. of chili powder. Add a 14 oz. can of crushed tomatoes and a 16 oz. can f diced tomatoes with chilies, like Rotel. (I Like the original, the hubby loves the HOT). 3 cups of chicken broth, a can of black beans, rinsed and drained, a can of whole kernel corn, also rinsed and drained.  ( I love the Mexi-Corn ). 2 chicken breasts (which I Like to toss in the crock pot then chop or shred before serving.) 1/4 cup of chopped cilantro, 1 lime, juiced and one avocado, sliced. I basically toss it all in the crock pot and cook it on low for at least 8 hours. When serving it you can add tortilla strip chips and sour cream. 

My other recipe is Grandma Hazel's Hearty Cowboy Soup: 10 ingredients: 2 lbs. lean ground beef,  Brown and drain the meat and cut up 3 Yukon Gold potatoes, in small cubes,  Add to crock pot with 2 28 oz. cans mixed veggies, 1 can sweet corn, undrained, 1 can condensed tomato soup, 1 can petite diced tomatoes, 1 can cut green beans, A pinch of salt and a dash of pepper and 2 tablesppons of sugar (trust me this makes the recipe :-)).  The sugar makes the recipe  in a class of it's own soup.  Mix well and Cook 3-4 hours.

4. Something you remember about your 11 year old self. 

Having attended Catholic school from k to 11 the parochial school was k to 8. High school was 9-12. It was the year I lost my BFF Grandmother. I was blessed with many good friends, still keep in touch with many to this day, so the pain was eased simply by their kindnesses and their presence. My grandmother remains in my heart always and I look forward to seeing again one day , on the other side. 

5. The 11th of November is Veteran's Day in the USA. This is a day to honor those who served their country in war or peace - dead or alive  although according to the government's website, it's largely intended to thank living Veteran's for their sacrifices.

Memorial Day is when we honor military personnel who died in service for  their country. 

Share a thought related to Veterans Day or tell us something about a Veteran you know-love-admire.

My list of heroes from Veterans Day is quite long. So I will speak about Donald Stratton. He served on the USS Arizona in WWII at Pearl Harbor. If you know history, you know the story. Mr. Stratton was one of the kindest men who a large heart of gold who was very proud of his military service and those he served with. Our middle met another Pearl Harbor survivor when she and her hubby visited while on their honeymoon in Hawaii. She bought the gentleman's book and read Mr. Stratton's book. She was fortunate because he lived in Colorado Springs so she sent her copy of his book to his son and Mr. Stratton signed it for her. His story is quite amazing and he is a real American hero. When he passed away in January of this year Rebekah and her husband and our daughter Noelle attended his memorial service.  All I can say is  we are losing these heroes every day and their stories need to be told and retold. If you value your freedom you will honor each and every one. If I wrote about each Veteran I knew personally, I would have to write a book. God bless all Veteran's living and gone who gave selflessly to insure our freedoms which are leaving us daily in our once fine country.

6. Insert your own random thoughts here.

Number 5 said all I needed to say in regard to the USA , our Veterans and our freedoms.

 

THANKFUL THURSDAY

 

If you click on the photo you should be able to read the punchline. Lord, some folks have no common sense.   As a small child, I remember my dad telling me that turkey's were not very intelligent. In fact, that is why they are in a covered area as they will drown in a rainstorm because they are not smart enough to seek shelter. Also they can not fly!

Welcome to ThankfulThursday. You need humor in order to survive 2020 so this t shirt certainly came as no surprise to me! HaHaHa! What were they thinking, if you dropped a bird from a plane and he could fly, do you think he'd fly directly to you? HaHaHa!

A 2020 exclusive! At first, I did not catch the WPP friend. This was too cute not to share.

This one is from Hope, who works in the country music industry in Nashville. If you know the Bare Naked Ladies, they sing a song titled "You Can Be My Yoko Ono". It is a song that will also help you through 2020. As the old Indian Chief said, only the government would cut off a foot of a blanket on a sew it back on the top and think they had a longer blanket when referring to the time change. As for Hope she is a survivor. She has turned us on to some great new country performers and I always listen to their tracks. I Love when they hit the spotlight! She always knows terrific new performers.

My sister's friend Joan shared this list. I sure enjoyed reading it. She is struggling with that rotten cancer again so keep her in your thoughts and prayers please. She is a lovely person and very kind. 

1. How do you define peace?

I firmly believe there will never be peace on earth until Christ returns. I do not believe there is real peace without Him.

2.November 3rd is Election Day in the US of A but did you know it is also National Sandwich Day? Let's vote shall we? egg salad or tuna salad?  chicken salad or grilled chicken on a bun?  peanut butter and jelly or a bagel with cream cheese? turkey and swiss or ham and cheddar? grilled cheese or pimento cheese? roast beef-corn beef-or make mine veggie?

I love both egg or tuna salad. My mom made the best egg salad and a gal I worked with once gave me $20 to have my mom bring her lunch on a Friday! HaHa. I do love tuna salad on an everything bagel with provolone or pepper jack cheese.  I do love chicken salad. YUM! I Love turkey but with avocado and provolone cheese.  Grilled Cheese with tomato soup, a go to winter lunch that is true comfort food for me. I will take roast beef in the form of a French dip and corn beef with thousand Island dressing and an occasional veggie sandwich too. I love food, what else can I say?

3. When is the last time you said (or felt) no rest for the weary?

Most everyday as I am winding down my day. There is always a dish or two to load in the dishwasher, laundry to fold or toss in the wash and clothes to hang up. I also make sure the pets all have fresh water and I double check door locks before I fall into bed. I also make the hubby and I a cup of Sleepy Tea Time.

4. This time last year, where were you?

Here, making sure everyone was being taken care of ,  Preparing for the Thanksgiving holiday and grateful to know our girl and her new hubby would be back to visit for Thanksgiving.

5. Share a favorite song, verse or quote with the word 'peace'.

" You will keep him in perfect peace, who's mind is stayed on You, because He trusts in You." Isaiah 26:3

A favorite Scripture. No matter what happens in this world, God is in control.

6. Insert your own random thought here:

Back to my Scripture verse, no matter what goes on, God will be here, He is in charge, no man, no woman no other being, just HIM! Taking care of all our needs and one day He will send Jesus back here to remove His believers in the rapture. 

I hope you join the postcard giveaway/exchange. Just e mail me 53strait@gmail.com whether you want to have me just send you a card or you send me me one and we both send them! Either way I will have a nice giveaway gift to send one lucky winner. 

Hodge Podge

Joyce wrote:

1. Five years ago this month, the hubs and I relocated from New Jersey to Palmetto state.
    what were you doing five years ago this month?

     We were getting our youngest child ready to head back to college. After two years at Cowley Community College (2012-2013) Nick moved to Salina, Kansas and the Kansas Wesleyan University. Those were some of the most wonderful years as he started running in the fifth grade, went on to high school to run for an amazing coach and then headed to Cowley to run for yet another great coach. At KWU he ran alongside some wonderful kids just as he had during his younger school years. But he also ran for Coach Brent Bailey. Without his coach's guidance and love for all his runners, Nick would never have had the experience he did.Being able to travel to many races and watch his run was a terrific time for us. The memories we have will forever be etched inside our hearts.

My #227. I Use to take the bib number and search the  Scriptures to match and would pray for all the runners. I really enioyed the opportunity his scholarship afforded us and so did my hubby.

2. What was the last 9-5 job you had? Tell us about it.

For 12 years I worked for an ENT surgeon. In the early days it was a great job with a terrific staff. When the office manager became very ill the doctor dumped her  so quickly and put a nightmare in her place. She was a nightmare but her replacement a few years later was a direct descendant of Satan himself! Theresa was rude, bossy and twisted. But she did her share of the work for a while. Then her husband kicked her to the curb and she lost it. She would spend all day on line  and finally started to steal large quantities of cash from the office. He let her go the week before Christmas and in her place was his sister-in-law.  She was hateful, racist, loud and overbearing and had a filthy mouth. One day I was called into his office after I had completed all my work and I was let go. I was angry and hurt but it took me lots of praying to heal. I realized if I had still been there I never would have had the opportunity to care for my grandson Colton's first child, Harrison James. I watched that little guy grow from an infant into a two and half year old before their life was changed and they no longer needed my help. It was a time I cherish and always will. Good things often come from the bad and it took me a while to learn it.

That Mickey Mouse table and chairs still is in use ! Harrison was enjoying his yogurt and toast with a fresh Colorado peach! (2017)

3. Plead the fifth, high five, take five, it's five o'clock somewhere, the big 5-0...which number five phrase relates to your life  in some way currently? Tell us how?

I Plead the fifth! With all the things going on in our world today I often plead the fifth instead of arguing or getting into a hate for all which many try to lure you into. i.e. A few people I know can not let the mask thing go. We are not ignorant. Most states still have government telling us we have to wear our mask in public. I do not believe that the majority of people are so dumb that they do not understand this. Yet they make a federal case about it every single day! It is so annoying and I wish I had the patience of Job. Pre pandemic times, I never really wanted to get into someone else's space. I am respectable and keep my distance as I would see most folks do too. Today everyone is so jumpy. I guess in some instances my faith is stronger then whatever some people choose to believe in. I do not want to die from anything but I trust God to do His will for me in His time.  So instead of arguing, I plead
 the fifth!

4. During this season of spending so much time at home, what distractions get in the way of being your most productive? Or have you been extra productive since this whole thing started?

Personally, I spend more time at home, which I Love, then anywhere. There were times when I got so much done I would be exhausted. When the hubby was off every other week in May, we worked on several projects. Yesterday, as I started to try and finish this post, I was sitting next to a pile of clothes that just needed to be folded in one pile for giveaway and folded in a another pile for putting away. This week as been very productive. I rearranged one closet for the most part and started on another. My problem is I have so many clothes and they fill two small closets. Don't worry, I have a free standing closet as I would never push my hubby out of our closet that we share. The days that the youngest son is off, because he works from home, I am lazy and he and I order out. He is good about saving the extra fees so he picks up lunch for us a couple days a week. Our garage needs to be cleaned out, but not in this heat wave. I pray cooler weather sets in during the fall so we may tackle that problem. Our son-in-law and daughter that share our home are great cooks so a couple nights a week they cook for all of us. I like to daydream and I collect American Girl dolls, mostly recycles ones, so I get to dreaming about clothes I could find for them. I am child at heart. Perhaps I never grew up. I will never tell.

5. Give us your top five of anything.

I am going to repeat myself. I am sick of the politics everywhere because it is too easy to catch up in it all so here is what I love, in the top five order.

Search the Scriptures. In these times, I want to be prepared. Plus no matter how many times I read a Scripture, I learn something new about it.
Search for American Girl dolls
Send cards to people in our encouragement group, that I usually do not know but love to be a source of encouragement to others .
I still write old fashioned hand written letters. Mostly to my oldest childhood friend who lives in Idaho.
Searching homes for sale and picking and choosing what I love most about different ones, the style,
the square footage and daydream.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

I am gearing up for the cooler months with tons of books that are waiting for me to pick them up and read them. I like the touch of a real book, I do not like kindle or any of that stuff. If the power goes out I have a handy dandy little bright light that runs on batteries. Plus books are easier to handle for me. I have gone through at least 5 copies of To Kill A Mockingbird, 2 of the Good Earth, 2 of Don Quixote and I have at least six bibles including the very first one my hubby gave me 38 years ago before we were married. It is tattered and worn but I still cherish it.