Wednesday, April 30, 2025

It’s Wednesday and time for Hodgepodge with Joyce!

1. My very first edition of The Wednesday Hodgepodge was published on November 10, 2010 (linked here if you’re curious). Tell us something about your life from that era. 

My twins were 8 years old in 2010 and I was really embracing the elementary years if I remember correctly and I am not romanticizing the time period. We belonged to the pool in the summer, we watched the nieces one day a week, we went to the library, book store, zoo, park, and school playgrounds. We played soccer and baseball to try our hands at those sports. We had playdates. It was a sweet time for me! I was very happy! I am still very happy, but I just remember really loving being a mom and feeling so grateful. Tom was involved in everything we did after 5:30 on weekdays and all weekend!

My kids would sit with me and “cuddle” until they were maybe 11 and they still will sit close to me now. I loved mornings with them. They would wake up so happy to see me and I felt the same.

2. What’s a song you love that relates to time in some way? 

Jim Croce’s Time in a Bottle was a player piano roll we owned. Yes, my family had a player piano that you pumped with your feet (pedals) in order to make it play. It is still in my mom’s house and will be part of the estate sale if a family friend doesn’t want it. We would sing when we had people over. So weird, right? I really remember the player piano the most in our childhood home and it was not really used in my parents’ home after that. I only lived in two houses with my parents, by the way. I lived in one until I was 5 and then the other house was their house until I was 34 and I had my hands full with 3 year old twins, so I’m not sure how much I was able to get sentimental.

But, the place I grew up is extremely special to me. I know long time blog readers have heard this, but my dad thoughtfully dug up a periwinkle hydrangea from the childhood home and brought it to my current house.

My childhood neighborhood friends are having a reunion this summer and I am so excited! It’s three families that were all really close and only one still lives there – my dear Terry. Terry is like the cool aunt/big sister to me. She moved across the street when she was in her twenties with a 6 week old baby boy and I spent so much time at their house.

The house we are working in right now was never “my” house so my sisters and I have commented many times how this is easier than our special childhood home would have been. And, yes, we were very sad when they decided to move but we understood their decision. It was in the same town but out in the country in a neighborhood with a lake so they wanted to be closer to town.

The lyrics are so melancholy, no?

If I could save time in a bottle
The first thing that I’d like to do
Is to save every day
‘Til eternity passes away
Just to spend them with you

If I could make days last forever
If words could make wishes come true
I’d save every day like a treasure and then
Again, I would spend them with you

And, who doesn’t love “I’ve Had the Time of my Life” from Dirty Dancing?

Now I’ve had the time of my life
No, I never felt like this before
Yes, I swear, it’s the truth
And I owe it all to you
‘Cause I’ve had the time of my life
And I owe it all to you

I’ve been waiting for so long
Now I’ve finally found someone to stand by me
We saw the writing on the wall
As we felt this magical fantasy
Now with passion in our eyes
There’s no way we could disguise it secretly
So we take each other’s hand
‘Cause we seem to understand the urgency

3. May is nearly upon us. When did you last need to yell ‘MAY DAY-MAY DAY!!’? 

At my job! I’m done! Ha! This week my principal had asked me to come up with a “who should teach what” plan. I have been department chair and that position will also need to be replaced. So, there is some department drama bubbling beneath the surface because several people feel entitled to my good classes and my position. You know what? It made me so glad/ready to be done with that.

I also had to call in help with my sisters for some things that I was working on. Kate took over a couple of phone calls and I took the rest of her thank you notes because they have always been the bane of her existence and I have always loved writing – lol.

Our other deal is that Kate is going to work on getting my mom’s two years of Storyworth questions/answers turned into books. I got my mom Storyworth and she loved it so much she did it for more than the year and I think she upgraded to already purchase a certain number of copies. If you are looking for a Mother’s Day gift, that would be a good one! And, how special are her answers/stories going to be for us now?

4. How do you feel about food trucks? Is this a dining experience you enjoy?  Do you have a favorite What’s something you’ve ordered from a food truck? 

Here’s the thing…I am not a big fan. I do partake at the outdoor concert we go to once or twice a year because it is a nice atmosphere and we sit and listen to music while eating. I just don’t enjoy eating out of styrofoam with no atmosphere or ambiance. I guess it can be nice at a picnic table sometimes? I feel like food truck food is really expensive, too!

I love a cute restaurant atmosphere or a patio, you know? I am not opposed to food trucks, but they just aren’t as nice. If you love a food truck, tell me why and I will try to embrace them more!

5. We’re bidding farewell to April…what are three adjectives you might use to describe the month you’re leaving behind. 

Wet – we started the month with severe flooding. My beloved Captain’s Quarters just opened back up Monday. My favorite little farm to table market just opened back up. Our spring break here in town was wet and disappointing.

Full – it has been a full month and a busier month than usual for me. On April 12th I had so much fun with my sisters in our hometown, on April 18th I had such a lovely time with my friends from Spain, and then last weekend, I met and formed friendships with 5 fellow blogger ladies. I am so glad I said YES to fun.

Social – oops! I should have saved all the full answers for social. Ditto! The reason why it was full was because it was social. I feel like I come alive again after the winter and want to do all the things and see all the people. I have several people on my list to plan things with and I also want to celebrate my retirement with the people in my life. More to come on that…

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Sometimes when I feel happy I say, “I feel happy”. The funny thing is that I usually feel the happiest just doing ordinary things or seeing ordinary things.

Last night I went outside to read after dinner and the temperature was literally perfect. It got up to 84 during the day but when I went outside at 7:00 there was a nice breeze and I just felt so happy to be able to enjoy it.

I still haven’t put any pillows out or any type of decor…I am not sure what I can have out with pup. Also, I left pup inside with Tom so I didn’t have to be on high alert for naughty behavior.

What’s on your mind this Wednesday?

Amy