Wednesday, November 19. 2025

1. Let’s do our gratitude question first this week…what’s the best thing about your home, and have you taken time to enjoy it lately? 

You guys might not believe this. I lived in my childhood home, went to college and lived in dorm/sorority house all four years, lived in three apartments (two with my bestie Heather and one alone), then bought my current home with Tom. So, I have only ever lived in two homes! I feel like that is kind of rare when one is mid-fifties. We bought a modest ranch when I was 28 and Tom was 33. It had four bedrooms and two baths so it was a house we could grow into. One bedroom was in the basement, so it is kind of cheating. We built a garage, added a bathroom, renovated the basement, two bathrooms, added 600 square feet on the back to become our primary bedroom, mudroom, and patio.

It feels like home. It’s comfortable. No space is wasted. I have a basement with a huge storage space. I love my outdoor spaces. Tom had the idea to create a side patio on the garage with an overhang? It’s nice to have a covered space and something I wouldn’t have thought of.

I love my garage and side patio so much and you hear about it often! I would love a new table but there is nothing technically wrong with my old table.

Tom also replaced all the doors and door hardware and now they are beautiful paneled doors and bronze handles.

As you can see the door trim needs a re-paint which is part of the plan.

I grew up in a house that didn’t feel comfortable. The furniture wasn’t comfortable. I didn’t feel like I could set a drink down.

Mason keeps asking for coasters but Eddie Otis eats them so they are put away and you have to go get one.

I don’t really have enough indoor space to entertain so I like to only do that in patio weather. But then I think of people making NYC tiny apartments work or people in Europe entertaining.

2. Do you like squash? Of the varieties listed, which one’s your favorite and how do you like it prepared? Is squash of some sort on your Thanksgiving menu?? 

I love squash! I think I like yellow the best but I also like it mixed with zucchini and I really like spaghetti squash, too. The other ones I have only had rarely or not at all.

We had yellow squash casserole one year that Tom’s brother in law’s sister brought. That is the only time she came to Thanksgiving, but her squash casserole made an impression on me. I can’t remember her name, though.

acorn, butternut, delicata, spaghetti, zucchini, crookneck (yellow squash), patty pan

3. Last time you were ‘squashed in’ somewhere, or felt squashed? 

I felt squashed in a booth for 6 people last Friday night. Tom’s coat was on the seat next to me and was making me hot, too. He did not need to bring it in. It was 70 degrees.

Screenshot

4. Have you ever played squash? What about other ‘racquet sports’ such as racquetball, tennis, pickleball, badminton, table tennis (ping pong)? Are these sports something you enjoy? 

I don’t think I have ever played squash. We used to set up a badminton net in my childhood backyard. I took tennis in college as one of my PE requirements. I like ping pong on occasion. I just rarely have the thought that I’d like to have a paddle in my hand.

5. Something in today’s society or culture that feels like a ‘racket’ to you? If you don’t like that one, tell us about a place you’ve been recently where there was a lot of ‘racket’. 

Fancy manicures with doodads and designs. Drive thru food. Drive thru coffee everyday. Some restaurants like steakhouses. Tattoos. Some beauty treatments and beauty devices like red light masks. Makeup – especially extensive regimens. But it’s a person’s choice to do these things. People have free will to spend as they like.

6.  Insert your own random thought here. 

Tom’s new fence:

He’s got a little bit more to go but he is taking a break to visit the chiropractor. Womp. womp.

Thanks for visiting me today!

Amy

31 thoughts on “Hodgepodge”

  1. I’ve been eying all our trim and doors and thinking about repainting them all… it seems like such a daunting task though. I do think of how pretty it would look all done but can’t get past the work of it all.

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  2. I giggled at I´ve rarely thought I wanted to have a paddle in my hand- that sums up my relationship with paddles as well :). Living in two homes is not very many homes! I am on home three in my life. Our first home as a couple was a nice starter home. It was big enough to grow into and our current home isn´t a whole lot bigger but our first home wasn´t in a school district that we wanted our kids to go to school in so we moved not too far to a different town. You´ve made some great improvements to your home!

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    1. Lol. I was going for some humor. I know! Three isn’t many either. Most of our friends are at least on their second homes as marrieds. School district is a big motivator. I think Tom had a vision because he was adamant about this house in front of a good school and the playground for our dogs. Thank you!

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  3. It sounds like your home is just perfect! Some of your answers on the “racket” question made me laugh and others had me shaking my head in agreement with you!! When you said that about extensive makeup, I am in agreement. My skincare routine (at 67) is to wash my face with dial soap. People gasp when I tell them that, but my skin is in pretty good shape. I do use eye makeup remover pads when I actually wear eye makeup (and when I remember to take it off before bed)! I have always been blessed with good skin. It is wrinkled these days :-)! I’ve never had fancy doodads on my nails, and have no desire. I would imagine they are pricey!

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    1. Perfect for me. No one else would think so!
      I have a secret theory that people are doing too much with their skin. I started using coconut oil to remove makeup and moisturize and it has made the biggest difference. I heard Sophia Loren used olive oil. If your Dial is working for you keep doing that!

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  4. Tom is so handy! I think all the modifications you’ve made to your home have been such a great idea, you really have a great space! I never thought we’d live in our current home this long and who knows what the future will hold but I think we’ve done all of our renovations. I sure wish we had a basement!

    xo,

    Kellyann

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    1. He really is! He has saved us so much money, but he has sacrificed his vacation and weekend time. Since we have tornadoes in this area I don’t want to be without a basement. Your home is lovely!

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  6. I love what you shared about your home! And those doors are gorgeous. That Tom is so handy! Poor guy; hopefully his back will start feeling better soon. Your squash side dish is probably the one I mentioned in my own blog post this morning! It’s my favorite. I hope you have a great day, my friend! xoxo

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  7. Tom is a handy guy to have in the house! I’ve lived in a lot of houses. I always dig right in and make it home though. Paula Deen’s squash recipe is really good too and has cheese which mine does not. You don’t miss it though. I think it’s funny how these very young girls (not even teenagers) are into these elaborate skin care routines. Hope you have a great day and can work up some enthusiasm for your Thanksgiving plans. I understand how it might be hard to get your head around the park idea, but hopefully it turns out to be a wonderful day!

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    1. He really is. You have! I don’t think the one I had was cheesy so I don’t think it needs it. I know! I never did that! I am trying – I need to get my attitude turned around for sure. Maybe we will have gorgeous weather?

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  8. Your home sounds wonderful and how great you have totally made it your own. It sounds like Tom has done a fantastic job with the DIY, especially with the new fence.
    I hate feeling squashed in on an evening out, silly Tom taking his coat! That is practically a summer temperature here. hehehe
    Oh yes! Manicures and nails cost at least £40 here and I do mine for the cost of my nail polish which is usually about £2. lol I think beauty treatments are so over priced.

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  9. My husband and I moved quite a bit growing up. I wanted more stability for our kids, so we have been in the same house for 20 years now. It’s changed a lot over the years. My husband loves fixing things. On another note. Have you tried acorn squash? I made that the other night for the first ever, and it was good.

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  10. Your home is so cute. You and Tom have done a great job adding on and remodeling it. Our house was built in 1968 and we added on and remodeled about 10 years ago. We still have 2 bathrooms to do but overall I love our house. It’s the perfect size at 2400 sq ft and we make use of all the space.

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    1. Thank you! I do wish I had better entertaining space but then I would have to entertain! I think ours is 1968, too! That is about the size of our house if you include basement, which is finished and more like a family room and rec room. Same!

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  12. That made me laugh about “he didn’t have to bring the coat in.” That does seem rare to only live in 2 houses during your life. I am currently now on house #6. Y’all have done so much to your home and love that has fit for all seasons. I have 2 co-workers who get the fancy nail designs. They look amazing, but I would never do that, I don’t think because of the time and cost.

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    1. Anyone that knows Tom knows he is always overlayered. He once wore a full on wet suit in the summer.
      Thank you!
      My sister has started getting nail designs – different on each nail. It’s just not me – but I have done some fun holiday press ons. I’m glad she is doing it bc this is the first time she has treated herself to something.

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  13. Ok I just lost the whole comment ….ugh!!! The basic idea was that we are total opposites when it comes to how many homes we’ve lived in. I think I have lived in about 19 different houses/apartments in my life. The longest ever was 9 years in our past house that flooded.

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  14. Have you tried coaster stones? EO might be able to pick them up, but he sure won’t be able to eat them! They usually have lots of them in Home Goods, probably especially now that all the holiday stuff is out.

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  15. I have lived in several homes and wish I had a basement more than anything! The builder didn’t put basements in houses in this neighborhood. We have a large crawl space, but there’s a big furnace-y thing there I have to crawl under. If we ever move again (this is house number six for us (including my family home), we will definitely have a basement or at least a second floor! At our last house, we replaced all the wood work with Craftsman style, and I loved it. Here, it’s brown-stained wood that we paid extra for so we won’t be replacing it. But, I have a couple of DIY projects planned!

    https://marshainthemiddle.com/

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  16. I can’t imagine staying in the same house all my life – my husband moved out of his parent’s house, the one he came home from the hospital to, the day after we got married. He didn’t understand that I had never stayed in the same house for longer than 5 years! The house we are currently in is the longest I have ever been in one dwelling – a little over 10 years. I’ve been itching for a change for at least 2 years now but just recently feel “settled”. Our first two houses were our favorites – we legitimately outgrew our first house and tried to figure out how to add on but it never made sense (we LOVED our neighbors!) and then we moved out of state so obviously couldn’t stay in the second house which we both swear we would still be in if we hadn’t moved. It’s interesting the story our houses tell about our lives! LOVE that overhang on your garage and yay for a new fence with your new deck this year 🙂

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