Wednesday, June 18, 2025

It’s Wednesday and time for another round of questions with Joyce. I feel like readers kind of like these posts. Bloggers like hodgepodge because Joyce does all the hard work!

1. Summer officially begins this week (in the northern hemisphere)…what was your favorite thing to do in the summer when you were a kid? What do you like most about summer now? 

I remember long unstructured days of summer as a kid. I feel like I had a really idyllic childhood. I lived across the street from a small lake. There were houses directly on the lake and then houses across the street. I had so many friends around my age. We roller skated, biked, played Chinese jump rope, swam in the lake (I am not freaked out by dark bodies of water), explored the woods around the subdivision, looked for the boys’ forts (sorry – it was the 80s and we had no female engineers), and just had all kinds of fun. We were in and out of each others’ houses. We played spotlight tag at dark when we were a bit older.

We also wrote and performed plays and provided concessions and had tickets and got neighborhood people to come watch.

I was always outside – still love to be!

I read a lot – we took car trips a lot and my nose was always in a book – still do this!

I was social and always in the mix – still am!

I think the same applies today. I like the slower and less hurried feel of summer. I have lived life on a school schedule for 48 years!

2.  Something you’ll celebrate this summer? 

We have already celebrated Tom for his birthday and Father’s Day and I hope to figure out how to celebrate my retirement. I am having a brain block on what I want to do. Our 25th anniversary is coming up in July, too.

3. Summer tastes like? Smells like? Sounds like? 

Lemons! Tomatoes! Fresh vegetables!

Coppertone sunscreen! Is there a better summer smell?

Lawn mowers! Goodness – could we all coordinate and do it the same time so we can get some peace?

4. June 18th is National Splurge Day…what’s the last thing you splurged on? What might you splurge on today? 

Well, ok! I will now feel that I have permission! This is silly but I felt like I splurged on an HBO/Max subscription to watch some shows I have been wanting to watch. This has made me very happy – watching White Lotus and Just Like That.

5. Share a favorite summer quote, saying, song lyric, or meme. 

I will admit I had to look some quotes up but the above all spoke to me!

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Try a tinto de verano if you are looking for a light summer drink. It’s red wine with any lemon lime soda! Add a lemon slice. I like this Rioja Tempranillo for this drink.

Amy

17 thoughts on “Hodgepodge Wednesday”

  1. Beginning with next summer, your summers will never be dictated by the school year. This summer will never end for you, metaphorically (though of course the temperature will change, the days will get shorter, and fall will arrive, lol). You kid summers sound really nice and idyllic. Have a great day!

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  2. Trump is about to crap on everyone’s summer, by getting the US involved in another forever war in the middle east, ala Iraq. SMH.

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  5. Love those quotes! Will have to try that cocktail- thanks for the suggestion- sounds yummy and refreshing. I miss the days of being outside all day, every day- summer when we were young was heaven!

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  7. I loved your answers! Yes to the Coppertone sunscreen being the smell of summer. I answered in that same way! That is a great drink idea; I will be trying this at some point. Thank you! Happy Wednesday, friend. Go do something fun today!

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  8. Ahh! Those summer days when we were younger were so much fun! What wonderful memories!
    I hope you have a great celebration for your retirement.
    Here everyone seems to get their lawnmowers out on a Sunday morning, when I am trying to have a little bit of extra sleep. lol
    Good on you treating your self to the TV subscription.

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  10. Your childhood summers sound like mine. We lived on a cul-de-sac and played so many games of tennis, kickball, and bicycle dodge ball 😂 We spent almost every day outside! My parents and grandparents bought a depression era lake cabin when I was around 8. We would all go spend the weekends there during the summers. I wouldn’t trade my childhood for any amount of money!!

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  11. Your childhood summers were similar to mine except we didn’t live near a lake. But, we did live in a huge neighborhood and were outside from dawn to dusk! I loved that first quote the most! I hope you find a way to celebrate your retirement, but if not, consider the rest of your life your celebration! Happy 25th anniversary a little early! We hit 49 this year, and I can’t believe I’m older than 49 in the first place let alone married that long!!

    https://marshainthemiddle.com

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  12. I joke that I have been on a school calendar for my whole life – through my kids schedules. This is the first year it feels different because they aren’t home. It sounds like we had similar childhoods with lots of time outside and reading! I tried that wine mix in Spain and loved it. 🙂

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  13. Spotlight tag! Yes ! Id forgotten about that childhood memory. We had a good neighborhood but nothing like what my kids have grown up with…lots of kids although now most of the kids are older.
    The wine sounds interesting!

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  14. I’ll have to try the beverage…a way to make a red wine feel summery. Have you tried the spicy sauvy? Jalapeno slices in chilled sauvignon blanc? I haven’t yet, but its on my list. My favorite summer drink is Pimms. I haven’t seen The White Lotus. We’re watching 1923 currently. Happy summering all the way into the fall : )

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