Back in the Hodgepodge Game

What else would you do other than answer Hodgepodge questions when it’s 3:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning and you can’t get back to sleep after letting the dogs out? Time to get back in the Hodgepodge Game!

1. Have you ever been to and/or lived near the desert? What did you think? Travel and Leisure lists the 'coolest' American desert towns as-

Palm Springs CA, Virgina City NE, Bend OR, Winslow AZ, Marfa TX, Grand Junction CO, Silver City NM, Moab UT, Taos NM, Yakima WA, Borrego Springs CA, Terlingua TX, and St. George UT, and Tubac AZ

Have you been to any of these? Would you like to visit a desert town? Which on the list would you most like to see?

I've never been to any of the places listed, but I now have the Eagles Take it Easy running through my head after seeing Winslow, Az on the list! I have been to Phoenix, and it was just beautiful! So different from E. Tennessee, but really pretty. After watching some Overland videos of Moab, that's one place I'd like to visit.

2. What's a plan or project you've deserted in the past year? 

I was going to paint our bedroom this summer, but it didn't get done.  I was also going to call someone about cleaning the house...that didn't get done either. (Oh, you just wanted one...I'd better stop here!)

3. Desert-dessert? Share two or three words you find yourself having to think twice about when it comes to spelling.  

I have to think when writing their vs. there.  I don't have to think twice about lose vs. loose, but it drives me crazy to see those mixed up!

4. High and dry, like watching paint dry, dry run, dry as dust, not a dry eye in the house...which phrase can you relate to currently? Explain. 

Dry as dust. I had to look that idiom up; I've never heard it before, but I would have to pick that one. Things are pretty dull around here, but that's good, right? 

5. How often do you frequent the dry cleaners? Starch or no starch?  

Hardly ever. CH hasn't had to wear suits to work for a while; that was the only reason I went. He definitely likes starch in his shirts.

6. What's a food or beverage you enjoy that's named for a place? 

I'm coming up with a big fat nothing for this one.

7. Do you need solitude? 

Don't we all? There are times when I just like to be alone. The older I get, the more I want those times!

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

I'm really beating myself up this morning. Yesterday, in the grocery store, there was a young couple with a baby a couple of customers ahead of me. Apparently they thought they had more on their food stamp card than they had. They ended up leaving the cart and leaving the store. I don't know why I didn't tell the cashier that I would pay for their groceries. They weren't getting anything crazy, just staples. When I told the cashier that I would've paid for them, she told me it was $50. I told her it would've been okay, but I didn't speak up. I've got to learn to speak up. 

{Foto Friday Friends} Few And Random

Linking up with Breathing in Grace for Friday Foto Friends, even though I'm a day late!

I didn't take very many pictures over the past week, but here's what I have:

Sunday, CH & I drove a little over an hour to our favorite apple place.  We met friends who were in the area from NJ for brunch. On the way there, I panicked just a bit because google indicated that it was closed on Sunday, but they must not have updated their seasonal hours.

They have a delicious restaurant on site, and a large variety of apples for a very reasonable price. I wrote about Carver's Orchard & Applehouse Restaurant here, just in case you're going to be in the area!

After days of frustration after my computer crashed while attempting to download the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, I decided to bite the bullet and just get a new laptop. My previous laptop was about 3 years old; I bought it as a closeout and only paid about $200 for it. So, I guess it was time. My brother's reasoning put me across the "do I buy a new one or not" line by saying, "Just get a new one. It's just money." Luckily I had backed up my laptop in July, so there weren't very many things that I lost...nothing important, anyway. 

Y'all: this is the best bag ever!  Do you see how much stuff it holds? And I had room to spare! I bought this bag a couple of years ago from Initials, Inc. Their bags are reasonably priced and are great quality. This really is the best bag ever!

I really was making an effort to post more often, but...life gets in the way & there just isn't time. Hopefully I can get back on track soon! This coming week is a short work week for me: Sisters' Weekend starts Thursday evening!!!

Foto Friday {10}

Linking up with Breathing in Grace (now that I know there's a linky & I'm not just out there on my own!)

It was a busy week...next week is going to be even busier!

Sunday, CH & I bought some new couches, and we brought them home on Monday.

Sunday was my daddy's 91st birthday. Just a few of us got together at his house for cake & ice cream.

Monday I powerwashed the back porch. When I powerwashed the steps, I made sure not to get any of the sidewalk so I wouldn't have to powerwash that, too.

The granddog is visiting again. He had no trouble settling in!

As busy as it was, I didn't take very many pictures! 

Laborious Weekend Wrap-Up

WHEW! What a weekend, y'all! The good news: I think I've got my mojo  "moto" (as in "motivation") back!

On Saturday, I spent all day cleaning. I met one of my sisters at my dad's house, and we cleaned for a couple of hours, then when I got home, I cleaned my house. I was afraid to sit down because I knew if I did, I'd stop. So I cleaned. All. Day. Long. And then I was so hyped up that I couldn't go to sleep. {sigh}

Sunday started out as the usual: Mass followed by coming home & writing a blog post. CH & Laika went camping Saturday night with some friends, so after he came home, unloaded his truck, and rested, we headed out furniture shopping. Our couch & loveseat was 12 years old, so it was time. They served us well, but when you treat your dogs as part of the family (meaning you let them on the couch), they just don't hold up as well as they would. We opted for more "pet friendly" couches this go 'round. And, we ended up getting 2 couches because it was actually cheaper than getting a couch and a loveseat with the Labor Day Sale going on. 

Sunday night, we celebrated someone who had his 91st birthday. He was such a good sport about letting us have the party at his house...even though he tacked on the condition of us cleaning his house!

It was a small intimate party...only 10 of us there, but we had a good time.

Monday, I did what should have been done last Spring Break, except CH & I played at Edisto instead: Powerwash the back porch. I also snipped the butterfly bush that was starting to take over the porch. It's amazing how just getting rid of 1 thing changes the look!

Back to powerwashing: what a sense of accomplishment! It's kind of like painting: you can slowly see it transform. After 2 hours (our powerwasher is small), it was done. 

Then it was time to go pick up our couches. After the first trip (it took 2), we asked them to go ahead and take the other one out of the wrapping before we put it in the trailer. That made it much easier for CH & YS to get it in the house. Getting the old couch & loveseat out of the house was a little bit harder. YS said he wanted the loveseat for the basement, but we took the couch to the side of the road. Within an hour, someone got it. But, he was nice enough to ask if he could have it instead of just taking it. He turned out to be the son of a teacher at the Small Town Middle School, who MS & YS had when they were students there. 

We're very pleased with the new couches...CH's chair will stay until he gets a new one. We actually had picked out another couch/loveseat and were looking for the recliners when we found our couch...we never made it to the recliners! 

Now I just need this motivation to transfer to work this week!

Foto Friday {9}

I discovered the selfie stick that we got when we were in the Outer Banks this summer really does work! (I really thought I had my phone on the right setting!) Obviously we have no idea where we're supposed to look when we take a selfie!!!

When I carried a limb across the street at my dad's house, I saw this in the driveway:

I was 7 when the driveway was paved. Oh, the memories!
We had a tragedy in our county last week. A police officer was killed in the line of duty. He was an officer for the Rival Town, but everyone in the county, regardless of whether you're from the Small Town, Rival Town, or the county, has pulled together. One of the elementary schools have this in front of the school:

This is why I try to make it a point to leave school right at 3:00, or definitely before 4:00:

Jennifer Fulwiler is a former atheist who converted to Catholicism. She always has the most interesting guests on her show!
Hope everyone (all 3 of you who read my posts!) has a safe, wonderful holiday weekend!