Wednesday, August 12, 2026

It’s Wednesday and that means it’s Hodgepodge with Joyce day!

Before I start, many of you know and love Jenn. Last weekend, her love sadly passed away. Please keep her in your prayers.

1. I saw a meme on Instagram that went like this-‘The movie Dirty Dancing came out in 1987 and was set in 1963, so if remade in 2026 it would be set in 2002. Now I need a little lie down in a dark room for a while.” 

Time is crazy isn’t it? So…what were you up to in the year 2002? 

First, of all, I was 16 in 1987. I loved that movie. I still love it now. Two words – Patrick Swayze. My sister Molly always says, “I carried the watermelon” from the movie whenever she has watermelon.

2002 was a really big year! I had been married for two years and had been teaching at the school from which I retired recently for two years. In January of 2002, Tom and I were walking our beloved first dog Archie at the dog park and we decided to start trying for a baby. We did not start right away at the dog park for clarification. In February I was pregnant and took a test before leaving for a West Virginia ski trip. I skiied! Can you even believe that? I don’t think I really believed the pregnancy test because it was from The Dollar Tree.

My twins were due in November but came early in September and that was a crazy rest of the year, to say the least.

2. “Me? I’m scared of everything…” What’s something that scares you that you’d like to try anyway? 

I would pee my pants, but I think a tethered hot air balloon would be an experience of a lifetime. Notice that I said “tethered”.

3. Watermelon-yay or nay? Which melon is your favorite-watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew. Of the watermelon food/beverages listed which would you say yes to…

watermelon salsa~watermelon feta salad~watermelon sorbet~

a watermelon Jolly Rancher~a watermelon margarita 

Watermelon is my favorite of these but it doesn’t have much flavor in my opinion. I don’t eat the other melons. I am anti-melon. I’d rather drink a big glass of water. He he. I do, however, love pineapple, but that wasn’t a choice. I craved fresh pineapple during my pregnancy in 2002! Now, if the watermelon is perfectly ripe and the perfect color, I do enjoy it.

I have had watermelon flavored cocktails, and they just don’t have much flavor, in my opinion.

I would go with the watermelon feta salad since I love feta.

My sisters and I standing in birth order. I think they were visiting me at college? I am the oldest, Kate is the middle, and Molly is the baby. There are 3 years between each kid.

4. August 12th is National Middle Child Day. Are you a middle child? If not, where do you fall in the birth order in your family of origin? Do you think this has influenced your personality? Elaborate. 

I think birth order and how it affects personality is fascinating and I think a kid’s role in the family is put upon them by the parents without them intending to usually. My sister Kate is the middle but if Molly hadn’t been born, she would have been the baby. So, that is interesting to think about. Kate is liked by everyone. She is a peacekeeper. She is the most go with the flow of all of us. She had the most friends growing up and I would say was the most “popular”. I admire how Kate can focus on one thing and be in the moment where I am often thinking about the “next thing” and sometimes don’t live in the moment.

I am the oldest and I definitely am a true “oldest in the family” personality. I think the oldest has a lot of responsibility and it can be hard on them.

I also think birth order in marriage is interesting. Tom is the oldest and I am the oldest. An oldest and a baby sometimes struggle is what I have heard.

5. Would you rather talk to everyone at a crowded party for a short time, or have a significant conversation with two people? Explain. 

I think at a party I would rather make my rounds to everyone.

I love to have a significant conversation with two people but that doesn’t seem appropriate at a crowded party. I definitely don’t want to have a shouting conversation! I also don’t want to be anti-social sitting in a corner in a deep conversation with only two people. See? Classic over-thinker, oldest daughter. I am worried about everyone feeling included.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I’m out of random thoughts!

Amy

25 thoughts on “Hodgepodge”

  1. Wow, the nature (from your car window) is so beautiful! It looks like a mix between England and Sweden!

    You didn’t start at the dog park… HA HA – you kill me!

    Amy out of random thoughts? Nah, I don’t believe you!

    Enjoy your Wednesday! ❤

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    1. Thank you! I love that road.
      Haha – I had to clarify.
      I know – I had written another post so that was probably why.
      You too! I am getting my brows tinted today!

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  2. I was out of random thoughts, too, but I decided to go with flies as a theme. I’ve never had so many in my house and it’s driving me cray cray! My sister in the middle was also super popular and outgoing which I mentioned as well. I answered close to the same way about the crowded party/conversation. I didn’t realize how close your boys were to Abby in age! I guess because your boys graduated a year before Abby, I thought they were more than a month older than she is :). Her b-day is actually early Oct. so they could be really close in age! Agree about watermelon…

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    1. I think that’s a perfect random thought!
      I wonder if popularity is a middle child trait. Oldest are too anxious to let loose and have fun!
      I didn’t realize that, either. Girls seem older and more mature!

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  3. Yep, I don’t think watermelon has much taste either! I did a ton of studying about birth order and how it shapes our personalities in college through my psychology programs. Weirdly I have aspects of all 3 since I’m technically a middle in the family I grew up in but am a baby on my dad’s side of the family… and yet my younger siblings and I have a huge age gap so I also acted as the oldest at times. I began making dinner for the family in middle school and I can remember helping my older sister with her math homework a time or two when we were at my dad’s house and she was struggling. I don’t think I was ever really a peacemaker though…

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    1. Right? I do like it when it’s really ripe but don’t need much of it.
      That’s interesting.
      You need a break from all the cooking and helping with school work! You have been doing it for a very long time.

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  4. I have been thinking a lot about Jenn, what devastating news. My eldest was born in September 2002 and it was such a big year for me too! I do not trust hot air balloons, I understand how they are controlled but I don’t get how they just don’t blow away. lol

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    1. Thank you for that; she appreciates it, I’m sure. So close in age. Mine were born September 5th. I agree! It’s a mystery and seems crazy and so old fashioned.

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  5. I am the oldest too! I think we have alot in common. I agree on watermelon sometimes- it just needs some jazz to bring out its beautiful flavor- love how you remember when you decided to try for a baby- so sweet!

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    1. I think we do, too. We both seem like high energy go -getters. Well, I used to be! I agree. I am way more into veg than fruit, though.
      I hadn’t thought about that for a long time! It was fun to remember!

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  6. Hi, I’m so shocked and sorry to hear about Jen’s boyfriend. What happened? I’m so so sad for her. I wouldn’t have known if you wouldn’t have mentioned it in your post. thanks for that.

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  7. Glad you clarified lol. My hubs is first born and his parents always tried to act like he wasn’t treated any differently than the others, but the world revolved around him-ha! His siblings love to weigh in on that. He is very typical first born. My oldest sis is not. My oldest daughter and my hubs did a tethered balloon at Disney Paris. The middle of the balloon ‘floor’ was open and they said it was slightly terrifying. If you go on a safari friends say this is something to try as you see the animals from above and it’s really cool. Maybe would try that, although a safari is not really on my list right now. Have a great day!

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    1. I felt I needed to! Ha! That is so funny about your hub. It’s hard not to have these “roles” in the family, you know? Oh wow. What a cool but scary thing. I am scared of something going wrong on a safari and I always worry about things involving animals.

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  8. I’m so sad to hear about Jenn’s significant other. I’d like to send her a little something if you could help me figure that out. Maybe if you could send me her email address privately. Absolutely no worries if you aren’t comfortable sharing.

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  10. I am the oldest so I can’t comment on the middle child question! So sad to see the news about Jen’s boyfriend. Will keep her in my prayers 🙏❤️

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  12. “In January of 2002, Tom and I were walking our beloved first dog Archie at the dog park and we decided to start trying for a baby. We did not start right away at the dog park for clarification.” LOLOLOL good thing you clarified!

    My husband and I are both middle children, and we both call ourselves “the normal children in our families.” We must mesh pretty well, because our 40th anniversary was last weekend!

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  13. That is so interesting about birth order in marriage. Michael and I are both oldest. I loved hearing the story about 2002!

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  14. I have been thinking of Jenn all week after seeing the news alluded to in a few blogs I read. I hope she knows that she is surrounded by lots of love here in the blogging world. Your thoughts on birth order reminded me of my (oldest child) envy of my brother (middle child) – he was always knew everyone and things seemed to come so easily to him. Then my other brother (the baby) came along and he seemed to get everything he ever wanted. Of course, I know that was from my perspective as a child and I know they probably had their own feelings about me as the oldest and only girl. Funny to think about now.

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  15. I actually cackled at your line about not trying for a baby right then at the dog park. Hahahaha. Isn’t it interesting how we remember such significant conversations and where we were when we have them?

    Continuing to pray for Jen!

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