Wednesday, March 26, 2025
It’s Wednesday and that means hodgepodge day with Joyce.
These may be my favorite questions ever for a Wednesday Hodgepodge!
1. Spring has officially sprung (in the northern hemisphere anyway)…did she roll in more like a lion or more like a lamb in your neck of the woods? What needs more of your attention in terms of a good spring clean this year-your house or your garden/yard?
She rolled in like a lion! It was so cold on the first official day of spring! I wasn’t too mad since we have had some great weather. And, I know how fickle spring can be in my area.
Goodness – both! I will be more focused on the house. Can I tell you my excuses? Puppy. Four people living here again. Tom will have to deal with the yard since it’s all I can do to keep up with inside. The kids do help and I leave notes almost everyday. The biggest thing they help with is puppy who requires a lot. Some of the stuff I need to do or want to do. Decluttering is at the top of the list. We have a pretty small house and if I am not careful and let too much in it becomes a problem.
2. What’s put a spring in your step lately?
Spring clothing! All the color! A few new things!
Less clutter in my closet that enables me to see what I have!
Patio time!
Reading on the patio!
Being intentional to see friends again after a long winter of not much socialization and then the sadness that came with 2025. I saw friends, but not in a fun visiting sort of way. I also have not been able to do much for friends. I have been hanging on by a thread.
3. When you were a kid, what was the best snack to find in your lunchbox? If you didn’t do the lunchbox thing, tell us what was your favorite after school snack.
I remember discovering string cheese in Wisconsin on vacation. I think we were watching a water skiing show. Cheese and you could “string” it? But, at home we had Little Debbies in our snack drawer. I guess I liked those in my lunch, too. I remember my quarter taped to the top of my lunch box to buy milk. The tape would get crumbs in it and it was gross. This was when lunch boxes were metal.
I still love string cheese but I think Little Debbies are really gross and artificial tasting now. Why did I like them?
4. In what area of your life are you planting seeds ?
I guess in my relationships but only in the ones that I feel are mutual. For the people that don’t give much to me, I have put them in the peripheral. I think I am getting more like my Dad as I get older in that I don’t need as many people in my social circle but I want those people to be quality people. I am done with toxic relationships or people that don’t mutually check on me. I’m not going to throw anyone away, but I will just not expect much. Does that make sense? I also am trying to understand that people are going through things just like me and it’s not necessarily about their feelings toward you.
This may sound bad, but I will not keep up with many people from work. Not many people said anything to me when my mom passed. You could say it’s on me that I haven’t cultivated work friendships but that is not the case. I get to know as many people as I can and ask about them. I offer help to them. when I can. So, that is fine. It makes it easier. Some people say that elementary and middle schools have more friendly cultures because they are in the trenches together. At a big high school it is easy to be more distant and cliquey perhaps? Also, some subjects think they are superior to others. Ha!
I don’t want to become bitter and I hope this doesn’t have me sounding bitter. I really don’t feel bitter. I am trying to say this in a matter of fact way because that is how I feel.
5. Why do you live where you do? Would you consider living somewhere else? Why or why not?
I guess you could say I live where I live because it’s close to home or has always felt like home. I was raised in Madison, Indiana and the closest big city was Louisville, Kentucky. We came here for the zoo, for museums, for shopping, for dates, for prom dinner, and more. I went to college near Lexington and then lived there for four years and then was ready for a change and thought Louisville was the answer. Then, I met Tom who was living in Louisville and it all came together to move here.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
It’s hard to believe that exactly a year ago we had just said goodbye to Ernie and that we were already looking for a new puppy.
New puppy:
Look at my baby!
We are definitely in love. We miss our Ernie, but we have a new love, too. Their personalities could not be more different. Ernie was the easiest we have had and a bit of a loner. This one wants to be touching one of your body parts at all times.
We just don’t deserve dogs, do we?
Amy
Coffee and Cocktails at the Casa 
I think the quality of all those snack type foods (ie Little Debby treats) has gone down tremendously. Cheaper ingredients and whatnot so that Debby gets more $$- just my theory but I have had the “Little Debby” discussion with a number of people our age and we all agree (deep convos here in our neck of the woods, lol). Based on my observation, I think that there is a culture of camaraderie present in some places and not in another such that friendships seem to flourish more in certain places. In the one school where I sub, teachers seem to be friends with each other (based on pictures I see near teachers’ desks of socializing with other teachers) and conversations that I hear. At the other school where I sub, it’s much larger and I don’t get the sense that many of the teachers are friends (I could be wrong but those are my impressions). My circle is small but that is fine with this introvert :).
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I am so glad you have your new little (big) love! EO had to be the best medicine after losing sweet Ernie.
Gosh, I remember my metal lunchbox, it was Holly Hobby! For the life of me I cannot remember any snacks but I’m sure they were there!
xo,
Kellyann
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Me too!
I might have also had Holly Hobby!
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Ernie will always be missed but so glad EO has come into our lives and is as needy as he is- will keep you on your toes! Love your spring fashion and can definitely see why it would put a spring in your step!
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Our March is going out like a lion too but at least we had some really nice warm and sunny days sprinkled in. I bet Little Debbie snacks have changed a lot through the years because I remember really enjoying them too but then again it could just be MY tastes have changed; who knows? But I loved finding one of those in my lunch box.
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We grew up in the Little Debbie culture, but I probably haven’t had one of those snacks since childhood. I do snack on string cheese though! I am so thankful for our friends here on the blog and glad you are one of them!
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My grandmother told me once, years ago, as you get older you can count your true friends on one hand w/ fingers left over. I have found this to be true. Ernie is a cutie! Always love seeing his pictures here.
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I grew up in Tastykake country so never had a Little Debbie until I went to uni in Tennessee. My hubs used to eat those oatmeal cream cakes by the box ful. Ick. I always thought Tastykakes had a more natural taste. There’s a Little Debbie park near my daughter’s home (they’re made in her area) and kids can climb on the snacks they’ve recreated in the form of playthings. We keep in touch with a few close friends from hubs years of work, but not nearly as many as you think you will when you’re still working. One of the biggest surprises of retirement is how little you miss the job and all that went with it. (Except the paycheck of course lol). Have a great day!
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Our son and his family just got a new puppy, and he is darling like your sweet pup! You’re right, we don’t deserve their devotion!
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I don’t mind getting the odd bad day of weather if it’s surrounded my nicer days but we have to expect that in spring.
Ahh! I have never had string cheese as I was allergic to cheese in my younger years. Hmmf. My girls did love it though.
I always say it’s quality over quantity when it comes to friendships. Sometimes you have to stop making an effort if others don’t.
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I cannot believe how big EO is! It’s hard to believe an entire year has passed. I love Little Debbie Swiss cake rolls! They are my absolute favorite, but I haven’t had one in a long time. I do think Twinkies (not LD, I know) are atrocious. I only have one friend from my teaching days. The others were all peripheral even though I tried so hard to be friends…maybe that was the problem. But, I’ll take one really wonderful friend over ten meh ones any day.
https://marshainthemiddle.com
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What you said about not cultivating work relationships really resonated with me. I am bad about it too. That said, the way I work right now doesn’t lend well to making friends anyway but when I worked for the Legislature, I thought I was making friends but when I was let go, only one person seemed to care. So oh well, I guess.
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It’s so funny how each dog has their own personality. Mollie is the 4th dog we have owned together. She is the goofiest, most clingy, and most active. Aside from the chewing issue (still working on that), she is such a sweet dog! Your comments about work place friends really struck a chord with me. After I “retired” with the birth of G, I went back up to the school to show her off to some teacher friends. It was such a blow to me because it was as if I had never worked there. No one was rude, but they just weren’t that interested. And that was after 10 years at the same school. Since then, I have given advice to several friends/family to NOT stay in a job just because of the people or friendships you have in the workplace. It may sound cynical, but life moves on. It was a big life lesson for me. You had me on memory lane with the quarter in the metal lunch box. 🙂
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It really is funny! We’ve had 3 choc labs but that doesn’t mean they are the same at all!
Work friendships are weird.
I have two very good friends from schools. That’s it. Erica and Elizabeth will be 3 and 4. 31 years and only 4 friends that stuck stuck. I love seeing babies! How can you not be excited?
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Where did you go to college? Asbury in Nicolasville? If so, I have a funny story to tell you.
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Georgetown! But we had a Latin teacher at my current school who came from Asbury.
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Ah okay. I will tell you my funny/cool story anyway – 72 years ago Milan from Nebraska went to college at Asbury, where he met Marjorie from Ohio. M & M – they fell in love, got married, settled in Nebraska and had three sons. Then 40 plus years ago, their oldest son Randy from Nebraska went to Asbury and met Rachel from Ohio. R & R – they fell in love and got married. A few years later, the youngest son of M & M went to Asbury – everyone was holding their breath, wondering who Keith would meet from Ohio and fall in love with – Karen? Kim? Katherine? Unfortunately for them (and fortunately for me), he didn’t fall in love with anyone during college, came back to Nebraska to meet me 20 years later. Even though I am not from Ohio, and my name does not start with a “K”, I have been accepted in the “one letter family”.
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Haha
That’s so funny!
Nebraska and Ohio connections don’t seem that common either!
I’m glad Keith didn’t end up with a Karen!
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I loved reading your responses. Sarah mentioned Little Debbie’s too- my dad always had some in the kitchen cabinet for dessert when we were growing up. I love what you said about patio time – it’s nice to sit on the porch and relax. I know what you mean about friendships …if it’s too lopsided, I’m out. I’ve always kind of been that way. Definitely quality over quantity. I’m sure you miss Ernie and what a blessing EO has been. We got Homer a few months after losing our last dog. Sometimes it felt too soon but it was summer so we were able to have lots of time with him. He’s great for us and I’m happy he’s chilled out a bit 🤣
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I agree about planting seeds in mutual relationships and friendships the older I’ve got the smaller my circle but it’s a lovely circle.
Ernie looks like he was athe goodest boy, you must miss him terribly. I hope the new pup brings you lots of love and joy.
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Same!
Both of those pics are Eddie Otis. I should have also done one of Ernie.
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I chuckled when I read your comment about Little Debbie cakes. I imagine there are more chemicals in them now :-). I loved a frozen Swanson spaghetti (the size of a frozen single serve chicken pot pie) when I was a kid. I saw some in the store one day (as an adult) and bought it and was so excited. It was NOT good. I was so disappointed. I read your newer post before this one and enjoyed the photos of your outfits of the day!
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