Wednesday, June 24, 2026

Happy Wednesday and that means it’s time for Hodgepodge with Joyce!

1. Summer’s here!  In the northern hemisphere anyway. If you’re in the southern hemisphere substitute winter for the word summer. What do you love most about summer? What’s your biggest summer pet peeve? 

Love Most:

Reading outside! Being in or near water! Boating! Nice weather! Summer drinks!

Pet Peeves:

Being hot! Sticking to the seat/booth/chair! Mosquitoes!

2. What song always reminds you of summer? 

“Summer of 69” by Bryan Adams. My cousin Kelly and I made up a dance to it and made the aunts and grandmas watch us do it.

“School’s Out (for the Summer)” by Alice Cooper. I must admit that as a teacher, this was my personal summer anthem, and I sang it to myself when I was giddy about being done for a year!

3. What’s something you remember about your childhood summers? Do you think kids today get to enjoy summer the way you did as a child? Elaborate. 

Playing in the neighborhood with all the neighbor kids, being barefoot, flashlight tag, swimming in the lake (I grew up on a lake), riding bikes, roller skating, doing Chinese jump rope in someone’s driveway. My family took lots of road trips, too, so I have lots of memories of reading in the car. I guess I remember the days at home the most, though.

I personally think today’s kids will also remember the small moments at home the most, too. The pressure is off, parents! I don’t think summer should be as structured as the school year. I see lots of kids in my neighborhood having the same summer as I had and it makes me happy! We have kids on bikes, lemonade stands, fort building – love that!

So, I do think kids today can have that summer!

4. We celebrate Fathers Day on June 21st. Do you favor your dad in looks or temperament? Tell us something about your dad. Or your husband as a dad. Or a son/son-in-law as a dad. Or your grandpa. 

I never had a grandpa relationship, sadly. My Dad’s dad died before I was born. My mom was estranged from her dad (her choice because of her parents’ divorce) but I did get to meet him maybe 3 times? I think she opened up to more of a relationship as she got older. He faithfully sent us birthday and Christmas cards with money and he enjoyed making things from sea shells he collected – a shell covered mirror, a shell covered jewelry box. I don’t think I have any of them anymore, sadly.

I think I look like both parents. I am like both of them, too. I favor my Dad in my early bird habits, reading, and my routines. He had a great memory and I do, too. My Dad was someone everyone enjoyed being around. He was pleasant and funny. There was no one who didn’t like my Dad! I found out after his death of all kinds of military honors he had received that he never told us about.

My husband Tom is a lot like my Dad. He was an excellent father when the twins were children and then he struggled to connect as much when they turned teens. Teens were my wheelhouse as a high school teacher and I constantly said to him, “listen more than you talk”. He still continues to like to do projects with them and teach them how to change out a headlight or do house things. He has so much in common with them as adults. They all love music and movies. I have enjoyed seeing this adult relationship transform. Even though I was the teacher, I fully believe Tom was instrumental in their reading. He read and read and read to them. He started leaving out words to see what they would catch! He was also in charge of bath time. I fully believe the mom needs to step aside for things for the Dad to do for that bond.

5. Let’s wrap up with a summer this or that-

• flip flops or sandals – flip flops but I love both.
• beach or pool – beach – except sand really annoys me!
• watermelon or peaches – watermelon
• shorts or sundress – shorts
• iced coffee or ice cold lemonade – iced coffee
• amusement park or water park – water park

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I traditionally always got a little scared when the 4th of July rolled around because it meant I would start work in just a few weeks. I don’t feel that way anymore!

4th of July meant so much excitement in my hometown growing up. We had the Madison Regatta which is a hydroplane race on the Ohio River. We had a parade, fireworks, hot air balloon race, and other events. It meant all of your friends were downtown! It was the place to see and be seen! This was especially fun in high school and college. In college and after college, I brought friends home with me for the event. One gal met her husband there because I brought her! The hydroplanes were owned by different companies and Budweiser had one. In my early 20s, I was drinking a Miller Lite on the street (as one does) and the owner of Budweiser came up to me and said, “Here, honey, buy yourself a real beer” and handed me a ten-dollar bill.

Kroger had this bin of cocktail plates, cocktail napkins, and regular napkins on sale for $1.24 a pack! That’s cheaper than The Dollar Tree as they are now technically “The Dollar Fifty Tree”.

That was fun, Joyce! Thank you!

Amy