A GENERIC WEDNESDAY HODGEPODGE

      Good morning to all my fellow Hodgepodgers and to all who read our scribblings every week. Thanks again to Joyce Daley from "This Side of the Pond" for these weekly writing prompts. 
     Spring is rapidly approaching and cannot come soon enough. We have been blessed with milder temperatures here in the Granite State and by milder I mean with highs in the 40's and 50's. 
     Another rite of Spring is navigating around the frost heaves and potholes in the roadways. Some of them can be quite impressive. 
     Well enough about the joys of Spring, here's the Hodgepodge.

1. Are you currently operating at 100% capacity? If not, what % are you? What's keeping you there?
     I have seldom operated at 100% capacity. Depending upon the day and the circumstances I generally operate from about 80% to 95% on a good day. I have no idea what is keeping me there.
  
2.  Have you done your taxes? Planned/booked a summer holiday? Thought about or started your 'spring cleaning'? Besides what's listed here, tell us one task that needs doing before spring rolls around.
     No, I have not done our taxes, yet. I traditionally procrastinate on this particular chore. I have not planned or booked any summer holidays. I have "thought" about starting my Spring cleaning. One thing that needs to get done before Spring rolls around is I need to renew the car registration and get a safety inspection. 

3. What's a favorite food from your part of the country?
     I have several favorite foods from my part of the country. I love sliced sharp cheddar cheese and sliced cortland apples. I love Boston Baked Beans and sometimes brown bread. This is the season when the sugar houses are gathering maple sap to boil down into maple syrup. I love maple syrup, maple butter, maple candy, etc. Finally, who could resist a slice of Boston Cream Pie.

4. This isn't a leap year, but let's run with it anyway...look before you leap, a leap of faith, grow by leaps and bounds, leap to conclusions, leap at the opportunity...which phrase might best be applied to your life currently (or recently)? Explain.
     I am looking before I leap. With recent life changes this year I must tread carefully before I exercise my options. 

5. As the month draws to a close list five fun and/or fabulous things (large or small) you noticed or experienced in February.
      (1) SWMBO's health continues to improve; (2) My daughter got over her fear and played her guitar on stage, in public, with some bandmates; (3) MLB Spring Training has begun; (4)  The USA Womens Ice Hockey Team took the gold medal in the Winter Olympics in South Korea; (5)  A man asks for 10 volunteers to shovel snow for seniors and over 100 people showed up.

6. Insert your own random thought here.
       There is a lot of discouraging news everywhere. It would seem that nothing good is happening. That is most certainly not true. There are many good deeds being done. For an uplift in your spirit, Google "Good News 2018" and you will be pleasantly surprised.            The fact of the matter is that most people are decent, kind, and compassionate. With all the bad news, it is easy to forget that fact. I urge you to look for the positive news, that news which portrays the better angels of our fellow travelers on this planet.
     May God bless you this week.