FIRST HODGEPODGE OF SUMMER!

     Today is the first day of June. If the first day of April is April Fools day doesn't that mean that the first day of June is June Fools day? Well, that's for smarter heads than mine to figure out. Thank you Joyce Daley for another Wednesday Hodgepodge. Enjoy it folks!

1. Tell us about one fun thing on your June calendar.
     The week in June that ends with Father's Day is the annual Laconia Bike Week. It is one of the top three motorcycle rallies in the country. I try to go every year. I do not ride a motorcycle. You could not get me on a motorcycle at gunpoint. The attraction for me are people watching, the amazing motorcycle works of art, the smell of Italian Sausages with peppers and onions cooking on the grills and the pithy, if not vulgar, sayings that can be found on apparel, bike stickers, and the like. I worked the law enforcement detail there a couple of times which is a story in itself. Suffice it to say that I'm now happy to be a civilian spectator. 

2. How careful are you in the sun? Do you tan or burn? Do you make it a point to see the dermatologist every year?
     I am reasonably careful. I do tan but if I'm at the beach I often burn. I have never seen a dermatologist ever in my life.

3. Describe a time when you wanted to 'throw in the towel'?
     While I was stationed overseas in the United Kingdom I took some college classes. I took a Philosophy that kicked my butt. I wanted to drop the class but the teacher convinced to persevere and that I would do well. He was correct. I persevered and I did do well.

4. What's a song you love that has a day of the week in the title or lyrics?
    There are two songs that come to mind..."Monday, Monday" by the Mama's and the Papa's, and "Tuesday Afternoon" by the Moody Blues.

5. Are you a fan of berries? Which one's your favorite? What's the most recent berry dish you've eaten? Which blueberry breakfast food appeals to you most-blueberry pancakes, blueberry yogurt, or a blueberry muffin?
     I love berries. My favorite is Strawberry. I also like Black Raspberries and Blueberries. I think I prefer Blueberry Yogurt and then Blueberry Muffins. I'm not a fan of any type of pancake.

6. What's something you want to do before your next birthday?
     I would love to lose a bunch of weight and get my blood sugar under control.

7. June 1st is National Say Something Nice Day, so let's all say something nice here.
     "Something nice here." You're welcome. Seriously though, I appreciate the effort that Joyce expends to come up with these questions most every week.

8. Insert your own random thought here.
     I recently heard someone use the common phrase "God forbid." For some reason it struck me. How many times have you used the phrase yourself? It occurred to me that there are so many things that God forbids but occur all the same. God forbids murder, adultery, theft, and a whole litany of things that occur all the time. How is that possible if an all powerful God forbids it? The thing is, this same God who forbids also gave us free will to choose whether to obey Him or defy Him through disobedience. I believe that too many choose defiance rather than obedience. I urge you all to choose obedience so that it may go well with you. Think about it! Have a great Wednesday!

END OF SPRING WEDNESDAY HODGEPODGE

     I am writing this blog post on auto pilot. I was able to attend the Red Sox/Rockies game last night at Fenway Park. I got home in the wee hours this morning. The Red Sox won, thank you for asking! I was up and going again at 7:00 a.m. and I feel a nap coming on quickly. In fact it is here and slapping me in the back of the head. So I may nod off in mid.....Okay, I'm back! Now onto the Hodgepodge!

1. How should success be measured? Using that as your standard, who is the most successful person you know? (Or one of the most successful?)
     This is really a great question! The measure of success, like so many other things, depends upon context. Some might use wealth as a measure of success. Others might use power. Others still might use achievement in a particular field of endeavor. Some use a combination of the aforementioned metrics to define success. I don't believe that there is only one way to define success. The Beatles achieved great success. President Reagan achieved success. I can't say who the most successful person is.

2. Have you ever been to a hot air balloon launch/fest/party? Ever taken a ride in a hot air balloon? Is that on your bucket list? According to Frommers the ten best hot air balloon adventures in the world are-
Loire Valley (France), the Serengeti (Tanzania), Napa Valley (California), Lake Champlain (Vermont), Cappadocia (Turkey), Istria (Croatia), Gstaad (Switzerland), Yarra Valley (Australia), Muelle (Costa Rica), and Albuquerque (New Mexico).

Which one on the list would you most like to experience?
     I was stationed in Albuquerque, NM, in the mid 1970's. I was able to witness firsthand their annual balloon festival. From time to time a balloon would inadvertently land in a "Restricted Area" which inevitably led to some interesting interaction between heavily armed security response teams and the balloon crew. I would love to go back to Albuquerque some day.
     I have never taken a ride in a balloon.

3. May 25th is National Brown-Bag It Day. Did you/will you pack a lunch today? When did you last pack a lunch for someone and what are your go-to ingredients for a brown bag lunch?
     I will not be brown bagging it today. I can't remember the last time I packed a lunch. My go to ingredients are Bologna & cheese sandwich, potato chips and a piece of fruit.

4. What's one of your favorite dance scenes from a movie or television show?
     I'm sorry, I don't dance don't ask me!

5. John F. Kennedy made famous the line, '...Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." So what can you do for your country?
     I've pretty much have done it already. I served in the U.S. Air Force for almost eight years. I served my community as a police officer for thirty years. I have voted in every election in which I was eligible to vote. Now I just vote!

6. Weekends are made for __________________________________.
     Michelob! At least that's what a beer commercial used to say. Weekends are made for relaxation and recreation!

7. On this last Wednesday of the month, bid farewell to the month of May in seven words or less.
    Goodbye Sweet May, as you go away!

8. Insert your own random thought here.
     Our church is currently in the second year of a two year Bible reading program. I have taken to posting the day's Bible reading on the church Facebook page with a pithy spiritual thought. Yesterday I posted the following..."Is the existence of God a matter of fact or of opinion? Does God cease to exist if a majority of people say that He does not exist? Does God cease to exist if you decide, for whatever reason, that He does not exist? The answer is a resounding "No!" 
God exists...Period! There is so much evidence for the existence of God that it seems to me that it takes more faith to believe that He doesn't exist than to believe that He does. "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse." (Romans 1:20)" I think that this quote from Scripture is pretty clear. Think about it!

IDES OF MAY HODGEPODGE!

      Welcome back Wednesday Hodgepodgers. Thank you Joyce for another weekly essay test. Not that you asked but my beloved Red Sox are playing some pretty decent baseball. It's been quite the turn around fom last season. However, experience as a long time Red Sox fan tells me that it could unravel at any moment and for no particular or forseeable reason. Now onto the Hodgepodge.

1. Tell us about a time you found yourself 'in the middle of nowhere'. Was this deliberate?

     I was hunting one year. When the day started it was cold and overcast. I knew where I was in the woods. I could see the landmarks. I could clearly see the trails. It began snowing heavily. Everything got quickly covered in snow changing the landscape. I had no idea where I was or how to get back to my car. I couldn't see the landmarks. I couldn't see the trails. I was in the middle of a snow globe that was being shaken violently.  This was the first time I had to rely on my compass to safely get out of the woods. If it wasn't for my compass they'd still be trying to find me today.

2. What's something you're 'in the middle of' today or this week? 

    Today I was in the middle of my granddaughter. SWMBO had to take August to the vet for a follow up appointment. August was having ear problems but is doing much better now. Thank you for asking. Anyways I was home with Divine watching the girls. We watched My Little Pony together until SWMBO and August came home.

3. At what age do you think 'middle age' begins? What does it mean to be 'middle aged'? 

     In my humble opinion middle age begins at 40. It lasts until 55-ish. Middle age is where a man considers his legacy. He also contemplates his mortality. He often panics and goes a little crazy and does some ill advised stuff. 

4. Ravioli, stuffed peppers, samosas, deviled eggs, steamed dumplings, pierogis, or a jelly donut...your favorite food (from this list!) with something yummy in the middle. Your favorite not on the list? 

     The only ones I'm not partial to are samosas, steamed dumplings and pierogis.  

5. Albert Einstein is quoted as saying ''In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.' Would you agree? Have you found this to be true in your own life? Feel free to elaborate. 

     I say sometimes yes and sometimes no. It depends entirely upon the circumstances and the nature of the difficulty. There is little opportunity when you are battling a life threatening or chronic disease. In other circumstances there may be opportunities that present themselves to you. Einstein was a pretty smart fella, maybe he is right. I am certainly no Einstein!

6. What's a song you remember loving from your middle school years? Do you love it still? 

    One song that I loved was the Rolling Stones' Jumping Jack Flash! I used to blast it out of the front windows of my house as I played in the street.

7. May 18th is National Visit Your Relatives Day. Will you celebrate? Which relative would you visit if time, distance, and expense were not considered. 

     I won't be celebrating Relatives Day. If I did, however, I'd take a trip to San Diego, CA, to visit my Son, Daughter in Law and Grandsons.

8. Insert your own random thought here. 

     The Bible is true and we reject it at our peril. That is all!

A MAY DAY WEDNESDAY HODGEPODGE!

    On May 1st the Soviet military prades through the streets of Moscow showing off their vast array of armaments to bolster the confidence of the Russian people that their military is well prepared to protect them from any invaders as it protected them from the Nazi invasion of World War II. 
    Every Wednesday Joyce Daley parades a series of eight questions to bolster the writing skills the Wednesday Hodgepodgers. Here is this week's edition!

1. What's something fun you're looking forward to on your May calendar? 

     Taking my beloved SWMBO out to eat at one of her favorite restaurants for Mother's Day.

2. What are some images that come to mind when you hear the word mother? 

     It depends on the context. It can mean the woman who brought you into the world or it could be half of a perjorative and vulgar term depending on who is saying it, how they're saying it and in what context. 
     That said, I'm sure Joyce meant the former. I was blessed with two mothers. The lady who birthed me passed away when I was in the 5th grade. My Stepmother came into my life years later and never tried to take my birth mother's place but made significant contributions to the man I have become.  I was doubly blessed.

3. What's something beautiful you own or have seen that's made of glass? 

     I literally have nothing of the sort. SWMBO has a few things.

4. Was today typical? If not what made it unusual? 

     Today is fairly typical. I drive SWMBO and the "Littles" (Our two little dogs) to work and daycare respectively. I return home and do some writing on my Facebook page. I do chores around the house. I pick up SWMBO and the Littles from work/daycare and drive them home. Meals are prepared, dogs get fed. We settle in for the evening. Like I said, fairly typical.

5. What is a quality you wish you could have more of?

     I wish I had Vision, the ability to see how certain decisions would play out in the near and far future.

6. What's the next major purchase you need to make? Will it happen in the month of May? 

     I think that we might have to purchase a new vehicle, but probably not in the month of May.

7. What responsibility/job/work did you dislike while growing up but has proved helpful to you as an adult?

     I am certain that there were a few but nothing comes to mind.

8. Insert your own random thought here. 

     One of my hobbies is that I play guitar. Now when I say I play guitar I mean that I know a number of chords and strum as I sing words to the song, sometimes the song I'm actually playing! Normally I would play until the tips of my fingers became calloused. Then I would put the instrument away for months or years. Then I'd get the urge to start playing again and so I'd begin playing again. I began playing again about six weeks ago.
     I have three acoustic guitars. My oldest and dearest is a Hohner acoustic I bought sometime between 1977-1980 in Louisiana. I call this one my Louisiana Guitar. It still has a sweet resonant sount. My next oldest is a Mitchell MD-100S which I bought in 2011 after I retired from my law enforcement career. The Police Association gave me a few bucks as a gift so I bought a guitar. I call it my retirement guitar. My third guitar I received as a birthday gift last month. It's an Epiphone electric-acoustic guitar. I call it my birthday guitar.
     I have taken to playing one of them for a week or so and then swap to another. I've been doing this for about three weeks now. I'm currently playing the retirement guitar. Some of the songs I play are like old friends stopping by for a visit after a long absence. Other songs are just fun to play because of the chord progressions. I am thankful for the gift of music and for my guitars. SWMBO says that she likes hearing me play. I think that she's just being kind because the dogs seem to have the opposite opinion. My musical philosopy is..."Never Let Music Get In the Way of Your Playing!"

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!"