Wednesday, March 11, 2026

It’s time for Hodgepodge with Joyce!

1. Are you a naturally trusting person? Is trust built on logic or ‘gut instinct’? Does everyone deserve a second chance? Elaborate. 

Yes and no. I do tend to believe people but as a Scorpio (haha), I also can be suspicious. I am a very good judge of character. I have “called it” on guys my friends dated back in college. I get a sense of a person right away.

I think it’s a little of both – logic and gut instinct. I do think women should follow their gut more. If something doesn’t feel right, there is a reason. I don’t know if everyone deserves a second chance. Can people change? I think that’s a tough one. I think you can quit a bad habit, but I think people are who they are at their core and that we can only change how we react to that behavior. I think expecting someone to change is an exercise in futility. Also, I love the quote, “believe people when they show you who they are”.

2. ‘Beware the Ides of March’…March 15th on the ancient Roman calendar, these words were made famous by William Shakespeare in his play Julius Caesar.  Caesar was assassinated on March 15th 44 B.C. Have you read any Shakespeare? If so, do you have a favorite? Have you ever been to Rome? 

If you had told me how many Shakespeare plays I would have to sit through I wouldn’t have believed you. Both of my kids loved his work and were in many of the plays. I find them hard to follow. I have seen Shakespeare in parks, in the woods, in a parking lot, and in theaters big and small.

I have not been to Rome. I have only been to Venice in Italy. I would like to see more of Italy.

3. Do you like a Caesar salad? If given the choice between a garden/house salad or Caesar which do you order? Anchovies or no? What’s your favorite salad dressing? 

I do, but it’s usually not what I would pick over a garden or house salad. There is a place here that has a fabulous one with pumpkin seeds. I also love when they grill the romaine. No anchovies if I have a choice but I probably am not bothered if they are in the dressing. Tom and I both love honey mustard or balsamic at a restaurant.

4. Where do you typically work (or blog if that’s easier) at home? Do you have a dedicated home office space? Are you happy with that space? 

I would love to have a desk upstairs one day. We don’t have a home office, either. I have a desk in the basement in a little corner, but we don’t let Eddie Otis go down there yet, so I blog at the dining room table. It is not formal at all. It’s a table that doubles in size if you unfold it and we have only four chairs. I am thinking about putting a desk in one of my kids’ former rooms. I am a brand new empty nester.

5. Snow drops, daffodils, lenten roses, crocus, hyacinth, or early tulips…what’s your favorite early Spring flower? 

I have a little row of daffodils right beyond my fence and those are always the harbingers of spring for me. I feel hope when they first pop up. I love all flowers, though.

It was fun to watch these develop so quickly this year due to all the rain.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I know it will get cold again before these 60s and 70s are here to stay. I hope we get a true spring this year. I love the weather in April, May, and June usually. I don’t like it when we don’t transition properly.

Also, if you don’t have a comfortable outdoor chair, it’s worth it to get one. Even if you have to fold it up and put it away when you are done, it will add value to your life to have an outdoor spot.

I love this chair so much! I think we have been through four at this point. At one time, we had a set of two.

We also have a dining table and a sectional under a roof so we can sit there if it’s raining…

And two chairs on the upper deck

I also love this time of year when the bugs aren’t too bad yet.

Here’s what I finally decided…

I thought about what I loved most about going on vacation (like a beach vacation type) and one of my answers was drinking my coffee outside in the morning. So, why not bring that habit home with you? Why would you only derive that pleasure one week a year or less? It adds so much happiness to my life to be outside.

I also decided not to be too precious with my outdoor furniture. I bring my upper deck cushions in after using them every time so that helps, but the furniture does get weathered from being outside. It’s just going to happen. We got a burn hole in one of the sectional cushions from our Solo Stove but it’s outdoor furniture so It’s the price of doing business. Also, our furniture is comfortable. I know some people who have a gorgeous yard, but they don’t have anything they want to sit on.

This year, I also want to upgrade our portable chairs for outdoor concerts and events.

Anywho, who knew I could write so much on this topic?

Amy