ONE MORE TIME AROUND THE SUN HODGEPODGE!

     Welcome back Wednesday Hodgepodge! I hope that you enjoyed your week away! This month I begin another trip around the Sun riding on this big blue marble called Earth. The more trips I complete, the less significant they become. It's kind of like seeing the Grand Canyon over and over and over again. After a while it becomes ho hum even though you still appreciate it's beauty. So, though I may be a little ho hum I am still beautiful. Now on to the Hodgepodge! 

1. This is the last Hodgepodge in April. Share something you learned this month. 

     I learned that birthdays aren't that important the older you get.

2.  It's National Poetry Month, and we all know you can't escape an April Hodgepodge without a little poetry. Keeping the first line as is, change the rest of the wording in this familiar rhyme to make it your own - 'Hickory Dickory Dock...

     Hickory dickory dock...I found a single sock...It once was a pair...the other's somewhere...maybe behind the clock?

3. What were one or two rules in the home you grew up in? Growing up, did you feel your parents were strict? Looking back do you still see it that way? 

     One rule we had was we had to be in the house when the street lights came on. My parents were fairly strict. The passage of time has not changed that assessment.

4. Tell us about a kitchen or cooking disaster or mishap you've experienced. Do you have many from which to choose? 

     I once incinerated a bag of microwave popcorn. It takes about 2.5 minutes to pop most of the kernels in a bag of popcorn. I would set the timer for three minutes and hit the stop button when the sound of popping kernels slows to almost a stop. One time I got distracted and the popcorn burned and stunk up the house for hours. Thankfully, I don't have a lot of cooking disasters.

5. Plant a kiss, plant doubt, plant a tree, plant yourself somewhere...which on the list have you most recently planted? 

     I plant a kiss on my beloved SWMBO's lips every day. I also plant myself in my recliner every day.

6. What's your most worn item of clothing this time of year? Are you tired of it? 

     My Boston Bruins ballcap. I will never tire of it.

7. I'm wrapping up the A-Z Blog Challenge this month and our Hodgepodge lands on letter W. What's one word beginning with W that describes you in some way? How about a word to describe your home, also beginning with W?

     I am witty, thanks to a liberal arts education and wonderful life experiences. My house is warm, thanks to a functioning wood pellet stove.

8. Insert your own random thought here. 

     I wonder how deep in self delusion will society descend and how many of us will willingly go along? Now, if a man "self identifies" as a woman he can legally use the women's bathroom and we have to go along with it. Also, a number of nationwide companies are going along with this nonsense, namely Target and Planet Fitness. Prudence now dictates that children must be accompanied by an adult when they have to use a public bathroom.
     Gender is a matter of biology. If you are born with specific genitalia you are male or female depending on this genitalia. Proclaiming yourself to be the other gender despite your biology is a delusion. 
     I for one will not participate in this delusion. Woe be to those people who may try to force me to! 

APRIL SHOWERS HODGEPODGE!

     April showers bring May flowers! If that old saw is true then New Hampshire should look spectacularly colorful next month! It has been raining for the past several days. I'm not complaining mind you, I have nothing to complain about. People in the southern part of the country have reason to complain. Serious weather that spawned softball sized hail with the attendant severe winds and property damage. Of course, neither rain nor snow nor gloom of night shall keep the Wednesday Hodgepodge from it's appointed rounds.  Thanks, as always, to our Hodgepodge Mistress, Joyce Daley, for another set of probing questions.

1. What's the last thing you did that could be described as 'taxing'?

     Recently, my beloved SWMBO and I played "Who has the cold germs?" It's kind of like the game "hot potato" only with a cold. We swapped a cold back and forth, to and fro, and neither one of us could stop playing. We are doing better now thankfully. That was fairly taxing.

2. If you could plant a garden of anything, what would be in it?

     I could plant a garden. The problem is as soon as the seeds germinate and begin to sprout, the garden turns into a hospice for vegetables. I try to grow tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, green peppers and onions but usually without much success.

3. April 10-16 is National Library Week...will you celebrate with a visit to your nearest library? When did you last make a trip to the library? What are you reading right now? What's one title on your want-to-read list?

     I haven't been to a library in quite awhile. I am reading the Bible. I am also reading "Redigging the Old Wells." It's a history of the Restoration Movement of the early 19th century. There are a number of Tom Clancy novels that I haven't read but would like to.

4. Share a saying or an old wives tale you heard while growing up, you believed to be true or that you paid attention to 'just in case'?

      God gave us two ears and one mouth. We should listen twice as much as we speak.

5. Are you a fan of onions? Garlic? Ginger? What's a dish you love that contains one, two or all three items listed?

     I am a huge fan of Onions and Garlic. I love using both in a meat spaghetti sauce. I use either one in different dishes. I like ginger in ginger ale, other than that, not so much.

6.  Where does nurturing end and indulging begin? What are some skills or qualities you think a person needs to posess in order to be viewed as mature?

     Nurturing leads to independence whereas indulging leads to continued dependence and caretaking. Where one ends and the other begins depends on the character of the individual. A person achieves maturity when they take full responsiblity for their lives, independently.

7. What leading figure in any field would you like to hear speak, and why?

     I would like to hear Lieutenant General (Retired) Michael Hayden, former Director of the National Security Agency, speak. I have watched him on CSPAN a couple of times and have found him to be a remarkably intelligent and well spoken individual. He is particularly knowledgeable in the area of combating terrorism.
     Another person I would like to hear speak is Vice Admiral (Retired) William H. McRaven. He was a former commander of the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC). He's been part of the special operations community for most of his career in the Navy. He oversaw the operation that capture Osama Bin Laden. 

8. Insert your own random thought here.

      Major League Baseball has begun the 2016 season. My beloved Boston Red Sox made some significant changes over the off season which has given us hope that this year  they will make the playoffs. This would be a good thing considering that they ended up in the bottom of the standings for the past two years.  GO SOX!
     We are also in mourning over the end of season collapse of our beloved Boston Bruins who have missed the NHL playoffs this year.   This is the third year in a row that they have missed the playoffs. They last won the Stanley Cup in 2011. They deteriorated significantly by losing players to free agency, trades and retirements. They have not been able to field a team that could compete at their formerly high level. Wait until next year!

A SENIOR MOMENT HODGEPODGE!

     Good morning everyone! A funny thing happened to me last week on the way to the Hodgepodge...I got lost! I copied over the button and the questions and the next thing I know it's Wednesday night and time for bed! I must have experienced a "Senior Moment" sometime on Wednesday!
     Not to worry, I am here this week! So onto this week's edition of the Hodgepodge!

1. What does retirement mean to you? Are you planning for it, not thinking about it, looking forward to it, or dreading it?

     I am living the dream, baby! I retired August 1, 2011 after a 30 year career in law enforcement. Retirement means never having to call in sick!

2. It's International Guitar Month...do you play? Does anyone in your family play? What's a song you especially like to hear played on the guitar or a favorite song featuring the guitar?

     I do play guitar. I really enjoy spending time with my acoustic six string guitar. I had an electric six string but I didn't play it much so I gave it to my daughter who also plays, as does her husband. Two of my favorite guitar songs are "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin and "Crazy on You" by Heart.

3. What's your comfort food?

     I have several favorites...popcorn, potato chips, whoopie pies, cream horns, and pizza just to name a few.

4. What's one activity or area of your life where you absolutely never procrastinate?

     When I have to answer the call of nature.That is one call that you cannot put on hold!

5. Who does the grocery shopping in your house? Does your local store bag the groceries for you or is it a do-it-yourself kind of place? Do you like someone packing your groceries?

     I generally do the grocery shopping in our house. Our store does bag groceries in bags that we provide. I don't mind someone bagging my groceries.

6. What's the coolest thing you've seen in nature?

     I have seen a humpback whale close up during a chartered whale watch. That was awe inspiring. I have also been up close to a Moose. He was a bull moose and he walked up on me while I was sitting against a rock waiting for a deer to walk by. That was pretty awesome too!

7. Share a favorite quote about home.

     Home is anywhere my beloved SWMBO is. Kind of "Home is where the heart is." She has my heart and where ever she is, is home!

8. Insert your own random thought here.

      We recently observed the Easter holiday. This holiday, for some, is about brightly covered eggs, chocolate bunnies, and other candy. For the Christian, Easter is a kind of Independence Day. It's importance cannot be over stated.
     The Apostle Paul in his letter to the church in Corinth asserted that the resurrection was a FACT. He recounted the instances where the risen Jesus appeared before the apostles and others. He wrote that Jesus appeared to 500 disciples at one time. He challenged the Corinthians to speak to those witnesses who were still alive if they did not believe him. 
     The Apostle Paul also taught that if Jesus was not raised as some claimed then all of Christianity is a fraud and all Christians are still in their sin because we have believed a lie. (1 Corinthians, Chapter 15.)
     So the Christian celebrates Easter because Jesus was arrested, He was crucified and He died and He arose on the third day. This is historical FACT. So on Easter Sunday some Christians greet each other by proclaiming "He is risen! He is risen indeed!"

A SNOWY SPRING HODGEPODGE!

     Have you ever wondered if grocery stores are in cahoots with tv weathermen? It seems to me that weathermen over hype a weather event so that people panic and stock up on food provisions to get them through. Maybe I'm being cynically paranoid.
     Today is Wednesday Hodgepodge so here is this weeks offering of Joyce Daley's Wednesday Hodgepodge.

1. Has spring sprung in your little corner of the world? Other than the calendar how would I know? What's your favorite thing about spring?

     My favorite thing about Spring is that it isn't Winter! DIE! WINTER, DIE!

2. Besides the weather, what's put a spring in your step recently?

     My beautiful granddaughter turns 7 years old today. She and her younger sister were visiting us yesterday and played "Dolls" with their Granny, A.K.A. my beloved SWMBO. That puts a spring in my step!

3. How does Easter impact you?

     As a Christian, Easter is my independence day. Oh, it's not the bunnies and brightly colored eggs. It's the celebration of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. The debt of sin has been taken away! The sting of death has been removed! The love of God was profoundly demonstrated to the entirety of humanity. Hallelujah! I say again, Hallelujah! That's how Easter impacts me.

4. I saw this somewhere on Facebook and thought it would make a fun Hodgepodge question. Which of the following would you find most disappointing...

a just stuffed taco shell breaking open and spilling out before you take the first bite? dropping a just-purchased Starbucks/Dunkin Donuts coffee? opening the peanut butter jar and finding it empty? upending onto the sidewalk a just-purchased ice cream cone? a burnt bagel popping up in your toaster when you're rushing breakfast? or cutting into an avocado and finding out it's rotten? 

     I'm going with the coffee thing. I remember a morning where I stopped by my local Dunkin Donuts and purchased a large regular hot coffee. I drove the short distance to my home. I placed the coffee down so I could remove my coat. As I removed my coat, my hand knocked the coffee down the stairs. I was profoundly disappointed! 

5. What's something held together with tape at your house? Or a paper clip? Or a wing and a prayer?

     We have a venetian blind in one of our windows. Some of the slats broke somehow and are now held together by scotch tape. As for me, I am held together on a wing and a prayer and sometimes, on rare occasions, by two fingers of scotch...neat!

6. Do you feel underappreciated? In what way?

     Not at all!

7. What's something you'd build if you knew how?

     I've got nothing!

8. Insert your own random thought here.

     Last week the weather prognosticators warned us of an impending nor'easter that was due to hit us in the Granite State sometime Sunday night into Monday. They said depending on the track of the storm we could see lots or snow or nothing at all. Well, we got about four inches of the white stuff. Not the snow-magedon that was implied.
     The nice thing about it is that by the time the Sun went down on Monday, most of the snow had melted and was gone. 
     So we survived another snow storm. Also, NH experienced a 2.9 magnitude earthquake centered northwest of our capitol city of Concord. We will rebuild! 

POST IDES OF MARCH HODGEPODGE!

     Yesterday, in 24 B.C., Julius Caesar, famous inventor of the Caesar Salad, went to the Roman Forum and was immediately stabbed to death by a cadre of carnivorous Roman Senators. Either that, or they killed him to prevent him from becoming what they believed would be a totalitarian emperor. I'm not sure which one. This occurred during the ides of March. So beware the ides of March.
     Today is Wednesday and of course time for another Wednesday Hodgepodge. Thank you Joyce for another set of questions. I hope that you all enjoy this week's edition. 

1. What do you think about luck?

     I believe that preparation combined with opportunity is what we know as luck. I also believe that there are times when we are inexplicably fortunate. For example, you often hear of people who miss their flight only to find out later that that flight crashed. This happened to some people on 9/11/2001. That is luck. 

2. Not counting your own backyard, what's a favorite green space in your town, city, or state?

     There is a ridge in the lakes region of NH where there's a ledge that overlooks a beautiful valley. To the left of the valley is a gorgeous lake. Across the valley are a couple of mountains. The view is breath taking.

3. How do you make your life more complex than it needs to be?

     I have made my life more complex by getting married. I then made it more complex still by having children. Seriously, I make my life more complex than it needs to be by procrastinating. 

4. I read here the three places you should visit with friends. They are-New York City, Hawaii, and Amsterdam (rent a bike, walk along the canal, visit one of their world class museums). I felt the need to expound on that one. Moving on...Of the three places listed which would you most like to visit with friends? What's one place not on the list you think should be visited with friends?

     Of course, I'd love to visit Hawaii. I am also intrigued with the idea of riding bicycles around Amsterdam.

5. What's the last live performance you saw? On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being best) how would you rate it?

     I think the last live performance I saw was a folk group called "Atlantic Crossing." On a scale of 1-10 I'd give them an 8 or 9. They were really good, but it was several years ago.

6. March 14th is National Potato Chip Day. Are you a fan? Your favorite flavor? Besides potato, what's your favorite chip type of snack?

     I am definitely a fan of potato chips. Rippled chips are my favorite. SWMBO and I also like goldfish crackers.

7.What rule is most important in your home?

     We have two rules...(1) Mom is always right! (2) If Mom is wrong, see rule #1. Another rule is If Mom ain't happy, nobody is happy. 

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

     There is a hole in our lives that can never be refilled. Becke, the Wonder Dog, crossed the Rainbow Bridge on Monday after a period of declining health. Becke was a remarkable dog in oh so many ways. She was a yellow Labrador Retriever who lived over 16 years giving unconditional love and service to all with whom she came in contact. 
     Becke had a unique way of knowing how frisky she could be with people. She was able to sense if someone was afraid of dogs and she would adjust her behavior accordingly. She was able to help our grandson to get over his fear of dogs.
     She was a certified pet therapy dog, visiting our local Veteran's Administration Hospital. She was also a R.E.A.D. service dog. She would patiently listen as children would read out loud to her. This allowed children to improve their reading skills in a non-threatening environment. 
     Becke became a member of our family 12 years ago. She has been a constant blessing to our lives ever since. We thank God for bringing her into our family and for how she uplifted and enriched our lives. 

PRE IDES OF MARCH HODGEPODGE!

     "Beware the Ides of March!" so the three witches advised Julius Caesar. He failed to take their warning to heart. Well, history tells us that Caesar got the point which was the last lesson that he learned. The Ides of March will soon be upon us. The Wednesday Hodgepodge is now upon us. Thank you Joyce for another series of questions that challenge our minds. 

1. March is National Women's History Month. In that vein, who are three women who've been influential in your life? How so? 

     The three women who most influenced my life are (1) My beloved SWMBO. She has extended to me the privilege of being her husband for almost 44 years. She is most responsible for any success that I may have achieved and for the man that I became. (2) My maternal grandmother. She taught me how to cook. She taught me manners and how to get along with adults. I was her favorite because I made her laugh. (3) My stepmother. She was one of the first people to treat me as an adult. She kept my course straight and true.

2. In what ways do you think women have it easier than men? 

     I don't know that women have it easier than men in contemporary times. They are held to the same standards and often have to work harder to meet them and they, more often than not, do meet them.

3. What do you need most right now: faith, love, hope, or peace? 

     I can use a little peace please.

4. Do you have a collection? If so, what do you collect and why? 

     I don't currently collect anything, however, in my youth I was a numismatist...a coin collector. I have long sold my collection. 

5. Plaids, checks, polka dots, stripes...your favorite?

     I prefer plaids.

6. In what ways are you the same as your childhood self? 

     I am still very silly at times and tend to be a bit of an imp much to the chagrin of my beloved SWMBO.

7. You're a contestant on the TV game show Jeopardy. What category will you ace?  

     I would ace "History." I love history! I believe the axiom that those who fail to learn history are condemned to relive it. So, I enjoy reading ancient history, modern history and 19th century history. My favorite period of history is World War II era, 1933 - 1945.

8. Insert your own random thought here. 

     I mentioned in the previous question how I enjoy history, particularly the World War II era. Once the Nazi regime consolidated their power they were able to use the power of the state to perpetrate the atrocities that occurred. Most of what they did to the Jews and other people was legal under German law. 
     The point is that the same thing could happen here in the good ole U.S of A. That is why fidelity to the U.S. Constitution is so critically important. If the time ever comes when the government can run roughshod over it's citizens, the horrors that was Nazi Germany can be repeated. I pray God that it never happens...but I am convinced that it could. Think about it!

IT'S BEEN A SAD WEEK HODGEPODGE!

     
     Something happened this week which hasn't happened for four years. February has an extra day. Why do they call this a "Leap" year anyway? Are people jumping up and down more than they did last year?  Inquiring minds want to know. 
     Well, it is of course Wednesday which means that it is time for another Wednesday Hodgepodge. Welcome back Joyce. Thanks for another series of questions.

1. February ended with an extra 24 hours in 2016. What did you do with your bonus day?
     We did what we normally do every Monday. It is just another day.

2. What's something in your life that's grown by leaps and bounds in recent days, weeks, months, or years? I'm giving you lots of room to come up with an answer here, so no fair passing on this one.
      What has grown in leaps and bounds over the course of my adult life is my appreciation for God. As I look back over my life I see episodes where doing things His way would have saved me a lot of grief.  Doing things His way has made me a better father, a better husband and a better man.

3. Do you read reviews about a film before deciding if you'll see it? Did you watch The Oscars this year, and if so your thoughts on the program? How many of the Best Picture nominees had you seen prior to the broadcast? (Spotlight, The Martian, The Big Short, The Revenant, Mad Max: Fury Road, Room, and Brooklyn) If you watched The Oscars who gets your award for 'best dressed'?
     I do read movie reviews but I seldom base my decision to see a movie exclusively on them. I watched some of the Oscars. I flipped channels back and forth. I thought Chris Rock's comment about the In Memoriam segment showing black men who were shot by cops going to a movie was gratuitous and not funny at all. I also do not like the political posturing of some of the winners. I think that they should thank whoever they want to thank but they should leave their opinions on the issues of the day for a more appropriate venue such as a talk show or news program. I have not seen any of the Best Picture nominated movies.

4. When did you last have overnight houseguests? Give us your top three tips on being a good houseguest.
     It has been quite a while since we've had overnight guests. The top three tips on being a good house guest (1) Clean up after yourself (2) Be considerate of your hosts, don't make excessive noise  (3) Leave a thank you note.

5. March 2nd is Peanut Butter Lover's Day. Will you be celebrating? If so, would you prefer a home made peanut butter cookie, a Reese's peanut butter cup, an old fashioned peanut butter and jelly sandwich, or shall I just hand you a jar and a tablespoon?
     I'll take a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup please. I also like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and I'm okay with just a jar of peanut butter and a spoon.

6. Why is failure important? Or isn't it?
     Failure is very important because we almost always learn more from our failures than from our successes.  Good examples of this would be Thomas Edison invention of the light bulb, NASA's Space Program and many scientific advances.

7. Share with us one fun thing on your March calendar.
     There are two things on the calendar. Our granddaughter turns seven years old in March. SWMBO turns ???? years old in March! I get to live a bit longer for not revealing that number!

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

     It has been a sad week last week. New Hampshire State Police Lt. James Geraghty lost his valiant fight against cancer last week. Lt. Geraghty was the type of police officer who was exemplary. His character was above reproach and he rose through the ranks to command the State Police Major Crime Unit. He served the State of New Hampshire for 24 years. He leaves a wife and four children.
     Officer Ashley Guindon, PrinceWilliam County, VA, Police Department, was killed in the line of duty during her first shift after graduating from the police academy. Officer Guindon grew up in Merrimack, NH. She dedicated her all too short life to service. Before being sworn in as a Prince William County Police Officer she was a Marine Corps Reservist, and she served as an intern with the Prince William County Police Department before being hired and going to the Police Academy.
    To date, there have been 13 police officers killed in the line of duty in 2016. The sacrifices of these fine men and women increases the utter contempt that I have for the aforementioned comments (Question #3) that Chris Rock made during his Oscar's monologue.