The “It’s All About Forty” Hodgepodge…

Today’s Hodgepodge is about all things forty!  If you’d like to join in the “forty fun” click on Joyce’s button at the top of this post and jump right in…

1. In a single sentence tell us something about your 40’s. If you haven’t reached that milestone yet tell us (in a single sentence) something about whatever decade you’re in now.

Life, as I’d previously known it, changed forever, when rheumatoid arthritis began attacking my body.

2. Life begins at forty. Agree or disagree? Tell us why. And if not at forty, when?

I disagree! (see my answer to #1)  My forties were filled with working a full-time job, raising three children through their middle school/high school years, all while dealing with a multitude of health issues.  Give me the twenties or thirties any day!

3. Share a favorite book, song, or quote with a number featured in it somewhere.

How about the oldie, but goodie, One (is the Loneliest Number)?  It kind of sums of the season of “social distancing” don’t you think?

4. A picture’s worth a thousand words, a stitch in time saves nine, back to square one, catch-22, on cloud nine, my two cents…pick a number phrase and tell us how it applies to your life currently.

“A picture’s worth a thousand words.”  I’ve seen so many crazy things on television during this season of quarantine.  For instance, the picture of those large white circles painted on the grass of a NY park, last weekend, will be forever etched in my brain…  The circles were for sitting in–to remind people to keep distance between them while relaxing in the park…  Really?

5. Last time you drove more than 40 miles from home?  It’s been quite some time since I “drove” more than 40 miles. (I rarely drive since Ed retired.)  However, Ed and I went to the dermatologist’s office together in February.

More than 400 miles from home?  At the end of February.

Where were you going? Ed and I went to Florida to visit family.

Was it before or after this current season of social distancing? It was just before covid 19 burst onto the scene with a vengeance.

6. It’s harvest time here in our neck of the woods!  If you look closely at the picture, you will see us picking our green beans.  (Our daughter snapped the picture without our knowledge)  We’ve canned 35 quarts of green beans in two days and we are tired!  It’s raining today, so we’re resting.

A Cinco de Mayo Kind of Hodgepodge…

 

I wasn’t feeling well, so I missed last week’s Hodgepodge.  Fortunately, I’m feeling better and am able to participate in the fun today!  If you need a fun little distraction from the gloom and doom of the news, feel free to click Joyce’s button at the top of this post, and jump right in!

1. Question day this week lands on Cinco de Mayo. Are/were tacos on your Tuesday night menu? Hard shell, soft shell or just gimme all the tacos? Are you even a fan of Mexican food? Do you like your salsa mild, spicy, or somewhere in between? Margaritas-Frozen, on the rocks, or no thank you? Have you ever been to Mexico?

Tacos were not on my menu, last night, but left-over bar-b-que was.  We’ve learned to embrace left-overs in this house, and it’s a good thing with things headed in the direction they’re going.  A dollar won’t buy much food, these days, but $1.67 will buy a gallon of gas!

Whenever I do eat tacos, I prefer a hard shell, and I like my salsa on the mild side.  I’m not really a fan of Mexican food, but occasionally I’ll make tacos for something different.

You know, I’ve actually never tried a Margarita, or been to Mexico, and I don’t have any plans to do either.

2. What’s something you may do this month?

I “may” cook lunch for my family on Mother’s Day.  We’ve been “social distancing” for well over nine weeks, and only visiting with family while sitting outside spaced  several feet apart.  The last time our family shared a meal together was the first weekend of March.  So, if the weather permits, we’ll be eating a home-cooked meal [outside] on Sunday. (still trying to social distance, but to a lesser degree)  Sunday is also our oldest son’s 38th birthday. (He was my “Mother’s Day baby)

3. Tell us what’s happening in your state or town as far as restaurants/salons/parks/beaches/businesses opening up. How do you feel about it? Are you out and about or hunkered down? Do you wear a mask?

As most of you know, the state of Georgia led the way in opening back up.  Restaurants, salons, gyms, tattoo parlors, etc. have been open for over a week–with many restrictions.  Many restaurants and other businesses are open [with restrictions] as well.  Personally, I think our state opened too early, but only time will tell.  Our local number of cases haven’t changed, yet.  Our county stands at nine.

I’m still hunkered down! I’ve only been out three times, in over nine weeks, and two of those was for “Walmart Pickup”.  I broke the ‘hunkered down’ tradition for the third time, and went to get my hair cut, yesterday!  My stylist wore a mask, and so did I.  I had my temperature taken upon entering the door, answered a questionnaire, she sanitized before I was allowed to enter…  If I happen to catch the corona virus after all of that, I’ll look better and die a happy woman with a new hair cut!

4. Mother nature, everybody and their mother, mom jeans, like mother like daughter, soccer mom, mother hen, mother lode, necessity is the mother of invention, stay-at-home mom…pick one and tell us how it fits into your life right now.

“Like mother, like daughter” fits my life quite well, and has for a long time.  My daughter and I look alike, think alike, and often act alike.  We both have autoimmune diseases and are frequently suffer with the same symptoms, but usually at different times, thank goodness.  We jokingly say when one of us is “up” the other is often “down”.  Because we share the same kinds of symptoms, we understand just how crappy autoimmune disease can make you feel, and we try to help each other out when we can.

5. April showers bring May flowers…what’s blooming in your yard or garden today?

In the yard – the gardenia bush is blooming in all its glory, as well as our huge magnolia tree.  Such sweet smells! Then we have a few hibiscus bushes beginning to bloom (the yellow is my favorite), as well as some assorted pots and hanging baskets filled with petunias, gerbera daisies, lantana, begonias, geraniums  and impatience.

2020 garden (after ten inches of rain within a week)

In the garden – our squash bushes are blooming, as well as our garden peas and green beans.  So far, it’s been a tough gardening year, between the cooler than normal nights and the over-abundance of rain, but I think it’ll be okay.  If all goes well, we should be eating fresh squash in just a few more days!

Random:  Today is our oldest son’s wedding anniversary.

(picture taken at our neighbor’s strawberry farm)

He and his wife have been married for fourteen years, and have two boys, ages eleven and eight.  Happy anniversary you two.  May you have many more happy anniversaries!