MARCH MADNESS ENDS HODGEPODGE!

      If you're a college basketball fan today is a sad day for you. The college basketball season came to an end last night when the University of Connecticut defeated the University of Kentucky in the NCAA Championship game. At least you still have the Hodgepodge to cheer you along your way.

1. April showers bring May flowers, or so the saying goes. When did you last 'shower' attention on someone or have attention 'showered' on you? Did you love it, or did all that attention make you squirm?
     I am uncomfortable having attention showered upon me. It really does make me squirm. The last time I showered attention on someone was when SWMBO and I celebrated the 31st anniversary of her 29th birthday in March.

2. Share a favorite 'spring break' memory. Not talking about just the 'college spring break' thing, but any favorite spring break memory you'd like to share. Keep it family friendly please!
     One of my favorite "Spring Break" memories is from several years ago. I had some extra vacation time so SWMBO suggested that I fly out west and visit our son 's family. So, I did. SWMBO hates to fly. I love to fly. So off I went. I had a wonderful time but it wasn't the same without SWMBO being there. I became homesick even though I had a good time.

3. It's National Pecan Month...are you a fan? If so, what's your favorite dish that calls for pecans?
     I am a huge fan and my favorite dish with Pecans is Pecan Pie! Yumm!

4.  'Put all your eggs in one basket', 'egg on your face', 'rotten egg', 'walk on eggshells', or 'a good egg'...which egg-spression could most recently be applied to your own life?
           I will go with "rotten egg." You may recall my prank on SWMBO on April Fool's Day. That earned me the rotten egg award that day.

5.  In my experience___________________________________.
     …there is some good in all people. You just have to dig a little deeper to find it in some people, but it is there!

6. What's a  favorite song with the word rain in its title or lyrics?
     I am a huge fan of Creedence Clearwater Revival. My favorite "rain" song is CCR's "Who'll Stop the Rain?" I also like CCR's "Have You Ever Seen the Rain?;" Eric Clapton's "Let it Rain;" The Beatles "Rain"; and James Taylor's "Fire and Rain!"

7. What does the word hope mean to you?

    There are two meanings of the word "hope" that form my thinking. One definition is "a wishful desire." Examples of this kind of hope is found in statements such as "I hope the Red Sox win the World Series again!" or "I hope my wife doesn't get mad because I'm late."
     The second definition is the Biblical definition. Hope is "confident expectation!" A Christian's "hope" of Heaven is not a wishful desire but rather it is a confident expectation based upon God giving his promise that those who have obeyed the Gospel call can be assured of a place in Heaven.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.
     I am participating in this years A to Z blogging exercise. The letter for today is "G" so I wrote about the Granite State, AKA New Hampshire. This random thought is from that blog entry.
     Our state motto is "Live Free or Die." These words were sent as part of a toast to a reunion of soldiers who participated in the Battle of Bennington which took place during the American Revolutionary War. These words were written by the hero of the Battle of Bennington, General John Stark who was too ill to attend the reunion so he sent along this toast with his regards. The full quote is "Live Free of Die, Death is not the Worse of Evils."
 This motto speaks of a mindset that we have a God given right to live free and we shall live free at ALL costs. You gotta love General Stark's attitude which is still alive and well in the Granite State.