Wednesday, July 2, 2025
Today we have a twofer – Currently with Jenn and Hodgepodge with Joyce!
currently loving
I feel like I am on a retirement tour! So, I still haven’t figured out a party – if I should have one, when to have one, how big it will be, etc. I just don’t feel like I have the energy and I have a bit of a mental block.
Instead, several friends are taking me out or celebrating me and I have been spoiled!
currently savoring
I love a slow morning. I love mornings and enjoy them so much and that makes me reluctant to plan to do things too early. I drink coffee and tons of water and then like to make my breakfast around 9-10. This is mushrooms, onions, potato, shredded cheese, one egg and some Bob Evans egg whites.
I miss being able to start my day outside. It’s just been too humid.
currently celebrating
Myself! Ha! I told you I am on a retirement tour! Today I need to go to the store and get my red, white, and blue candy and some 4th of July traditional foods. I think I will actually go in store to see what they have on display!
Tom is off Friday and I am hoping to do something fun to celebrate the good ol’ USA.
currently remembering
I am trying to remember to look at my bucket list! I have it on the kitchen memo board. If you missed that post, here it is.
currently trying
I am trying to figure out a better routine/structure. I am trying to eat more protein and healthier and lighter meals. I made tuna salad with a hard boiled egg and had some saltines this week. I made my Tostitos queso and jarred salsa mixture but I had run out of the Tostitos bite sized which are my preferred.
1. What does freedom mean to you?
Freedom means the ability to speak freely, worship freely, work the job you want, and live the way you want. We take freedom for granted in this country I think.
2. How will you celebrate Independence Day this year? If you live outside the USA answer this question as it relates to your own country’s patriotic holiday, wherever that may land on the calendar.
It’s always weather dependent. We usually don’t go anywhere for fireworks anymore. There are people who set them off behind our house in the school playground. Eddie Otis wasn’t bothered by them last year but he was only 5 months old. I think they could bother him this year.
I would like to go out on the boat with some festive boat friendly foods. That would be fun!
3. This or that…red, white, or blue? Stars or stripes? Watermelon, home made ice cream, or blueberry pie? How do you feel about fireworks?
I am having a blue moment. I love all the shades of it. I love stars. I would like some star earrings. I rarely have pie and I would like to try blueberry. I love to make a red, white, blue fruit pizza and maybe I will do that!
4. What have you purchased recently that made you excited?
My new Aerie sweatshirts that are so soft and cozy!
5. I’m thankful to live in America (or fill in whatever country you call home) because____________.
It’s home and it feels comfortable and familiar to me. I have dreams of living in another country but it would have to be short term, I think. I miss the little things when I travel. Even with our problems, it’s the best place to live! I love the USA!
6. Insert your own random thought here.
This salad is so good. It has a big chunk of feta in the middle, sweet beets, blueberries, strawberries, and a lemon vinaigrette. I picked salmon to go on top. I would love to try to make this myself!
Do you ever successfully make restaurant meals you have had?
What would you say to any of the currently or hodgepodge topics today?
Amy
Coffee and Cocktails at the Casa 
That salad does look delicious! I’ve been pretty successful recreating a few restaurant meals at home but I don’t often take the time to bother. I enjoy my slow mornings too and rarely eat breakfast before 9:30; I like that I’m then able to push off just a bit too and then I’m not hungry and snacking before dinner.
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It really is! If I am in a slump, I pull up a restaurant menu sometimes!
Same – I like a later breakfast if I can and then I don’t need much until dinner.
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All things BLUE for me here too! So glad you are being spoiled- you deserve it! You truly were a legend and in case I haven’t told you, my oldest wants to study elementary ed in college- she wants to give back to students the way her teachers did for her. It made me cry and I can’t wait for all of her classroom stories!
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I’m really having a blue moment! Thank you! I love that so much. We have to make changes in the field of ed and attract good people!
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Slow mornings may be one of your favorite things this fall and winter!! I am the same way- it’s what I appreciate during the summer and on days in the school year when I don’t sub. I do try to recreate restaurant meals and have been fairly successful at it. I love it when we’re at a restaurant and one of girls says, “Let’s try this at home!” That means they know this is something we do and are at least sometimes successful at it! That salad looks really good. I love fruit in a salad as well as a protein like chicken or salmon. Have a great day!
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I know! Well, slow after I exercise. I have to start doing it first thing.
I think that is such a fun challenge. We are going to try a thai salmon bowl soon.
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How lovely that your friends are taking you out and celebrating you, you deserve it! Good on you celebrating yourself too!
I hope you have a wonderful 4th of July and Eddie Otis is OK with the fireworks.
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I have felt so spoiled! Thank you! I hope so, too! Have a wonderful week!
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I love what you said about America feeling comfortable. We have gone all over this country and even when it’s an unfamiliar town, it still feels like America. I have been abroad and it never really feels like THAT.
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Thank you! Yes! And, we are so friendly. Even in Spain they don’t say hi to strangers. My former student was talking about that yesterday after coming back. We literally tell strangers our life stories!
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The salad looks so scrumptious!!!
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Freedom isn’t benefitting Americans when we have a Congress that passed a bill that deprives millions of disabled, children and the poor of medical care and strips away food aid. All the while shoving democracy and freedom down foreign country’s throats by way of drones, missiles, depleted uranium bombs.
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I love your retirement tour! I kept asking my husband how he’d like to celebrate and he finally said a party so we are having one next weekend. When I eventually retire I have no idea what I’d do.
I am proud to live in the USA, no place is perfect but anytime I leave the country I always feel so grateful for all we have!
xo,
Kellyann
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I love how well your friends are celebrating you and your retirement!! I’m feeling the blue lately, too! My closet is slowly growing with blue tops! Happy 4th!
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Be careful with re-creating meals from a restaurant – once you master it, you might not want to go back to the restaurant as you can do it at home. 🙂 Are the beets in the salad pickled? That salad looks delish!
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Congratulations on your retirement. Soon you’ll wonder how you ever had time to work! 🙂
I’m visiting from the Hodgepodge and had a good time scrolling down and reading both sets of prompts and your answers.
Enjoy whatever you come up with for your fourth of July celebration!
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Blue – my blue AE shorts arrived and I love them. The sweatshirts might be here today. Today, I put out my flags…the 4 th snuck up on me…but maybe it’s also because I’m in denial that it’s July. Haha
I hope EO does ok with the fireworks. Homer seems unbothered which I appreciate.
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I love that you’re having a retirement tour (planned or not)! It’s such a fun way to connect and reconnect with your friends. Jack, our Westie, does not do well with fireworks so I’m dreading the 4th. He will just be shaking from the minute the first one goes off until he finally falls asleep. I have tried some restaurant ideas with some degree of success. I’m having a bit of a yellow moment…on the search for a pair of yellow linen pants.
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
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My husband has spent a lot of time overseas and, especially in Europe, he said you wouldn’t believe how racist people are. He thinks it’s laughable, what people complain about here. In Europe, there is no political correctness. (Poland, Lithuania, Germany, specifically)
So freedom is definitely something we take for granted!
All that being said, I have a whole family who doesn’t do great with fireworks so I’m definitely waiting for the 4th to pass lol.
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Slow mornings are one of life’s simple and best pleasures. We’ve had grandkids here this week so mornings start off a little more like fireworks : ) It’s fun but we love returning to a quieter start to our days. That salad looks good…I’m on a halloumi cheese kick currently and that would be good with it too. Happy 4th!
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That last salad looks soooo good. And I love mornings when I can start them slowly, outside, with a cup of coffee-hot chocolate.
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It is so good! I love that salad and get it most times I go there.
Yes! My fave is slow mornings!
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