May HodgePodge

 I did the same thing Joyce did (From the Other Side of the Pond) - the A to Z Challenge ended and I just needed a blogging break!  Actually I took a break here, but I have several posts written & scheduled over at my Halloween-y blog for Cemetery Appreciation Month.  

That sort of ties in with the HodgePodge question we had recently about going down into a rabbit hole.  I like to explore old cemeteries, take headstone pics and then post about them.  The website Find A Grave is a font of information for genealogists and just looking at a random person's memorial can take you down said rabbit holes! 

1. What's something you may do this month?

I may go insane!  Of course that's a good possibility every month.  The Spouse is currently in bed for the second day due to a Man Cold - it actually sounds like bronchitis but being a typical man - he won't go to the doctor.  I just hope he doesn't give it to me!  Surprisingly - he did NOT get it from the grandkids, since they haven't been sick lately!

2. Hola! Hodgepodge Day lands just after Cinco de Mayo... how do you feel about Mexican food? What's your favorite dish? Do you make it at home or is it a strictly dine out option?

I enjoy it very much!  I can make a good enchilada (learned from the Texan former sister-in-law) and tacos of course, but they're never as good at home.   The Spouse & I like to go to this little podunk Mexican restaurant by our house - it's SOO GOOD.  I get a combo plate so I can have more things!  My favorite includes a chicken burrito, beef tostada and a cheese-onion enchilada.   And a margarita, of course. 

3. When the children of today grow up what do you think they'll say about this time period? What do you most hope they remember?

Thinking of my 4 1/2-year-old & 6 1/2-year-old grandkids - probably Minecraft and 6 7 and Paw Patrol.  But really, I hope they remember how much Gramma & Papa love them!  

Baseball season has begun! 

I never had a relationship with any of my grandparents.  I can't even remember having a conversation with any of them!  I'm not even sure they knew my name or whose kid I was.  When Mom's Mom passed away, Bro1 called me and his exact words were "Goldie kicked".   Dad's Dad passed away within a week of Sis1's first horse (who I'd basically grown up with) and guess who I cried for?  Yup. Nibbs. 

4. What advice would you give a new mother?

Document memories!  Keep a notebook or create a document on the computer, whatever!  Just write down what your kid does or says.  It'll be sweet / hilarious to read back when they're older.   

5. What's a phrase your mother often said to you? If you're a mom, do you say it to your own children?

Hmm.  I think I say more of Dad's phrases than Mom's!   Oh wait - Mom (she's coming up on 92 years old) likes to use her age to get away with things.  It started when the Spawn & the niece had dance recitals and she'd always sneak water into the auditoriums because she just gets DRY.  The funny part is how she says it, so now we imitate her.  

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Last weekend, a few of us from the search & rescue team went to give a presentation to an area fire department (they want to learn what to do when someone goes missing and we're not available) and we showed the FD what the different K9s can do, among other things. 

 

I was the "lost child" and for Daisy - the border collie - she's a "scent specific" trailing dog.  The handler went into my car and wiped a gauze on my steering wheel to get my scent.   Her thing when she found me was to sit next to me.  Then she got to play with a frisbee for a reward. 

Glory - the golden - is an area search dog.  She runs loose and has a cowbell and a GPS on her collar.  She just looks for a person, so she might or might not find the correct person.  Her thing was to stand next to me and bark at her handler.  At first, he wasn't in sight, so she ran to him and barked.  He told her to "show me" and she ran back & forth between him & me, barking.  Then she got to play with a ball on a rope.  

We have our monthly meeting tomorrow and also our annual "pack test" where we hike 1 1/2 miles carrying a pack (that identifies as) weighing 25 lbs. 😉 I'm not in the best of shape, but I can handle this! 

#AtoZChallenge - Zen

Welcome to the Blogging from A to Z Challenge for 2026!

My theme this year is simply things that I’m grateful for.

It’s a broad and varied theme but was surprisingly easy to fill in each letter!

Zen

Calming sounds are sometimes just what's needed!

Waves on Lake Michigan

Wednesday HodgePodge

Happy Wednesday!  Let's jump into the Wednesday HodgePodge!

Linking up over at From This Side of the Pond...   

1. Are you feeling more reset, restart, or full speed ahead as we move into May? Tell us why.

Ugh - I just looked at my calendar and apparently, it's Full Speed Ahead!  

There are several events or "demonstrations" with the search & rescue team - I'll have to ask - I might not have to go to those.  I'm sure they want to show off the K9s. We are considered "associate members" of the SE Michigan Dive team so we start having training with the divers as support.  I WILL go to that.  We also have our annual pack test where we hike 1 1/2 miles while carrying a 25lb pack. 

There's a district event at my VFW post this month.  The Day of Service where we go clean up a cemetery and put the flags out before Memorial Day.  Then 2 different Memorial Day events.  

OK, maybe my calendar isn't too bad.  I have an appointment noted, several birthdays and the Spouse will be gone for a couple days so there's a lot of little dots for the month. 

2. Painting, sculpture, architecture, literature, cinema, theatre, music...what's your favorite form of art? Elaborate.

Sculpture - mainly what I see when exploring cemeteries. 

Architecture - I love cool old buildings

Music - altho it's odd to think of 80s hair metal / rock as "art".  But so be it!

3. What time is dinner at your house? How do you feel about leftovers?

The dinner situation is a major bone of contention in my house.  The Spouse is perfectly happy to eat whatever I put in front of him.  But then there's the other 3 inhabitants, aka the Spawn & the grandkids, aka the RiffRaff.  She, in particular, is VERY picky.  The grandkids are slightly less so.  And since I'm not a short-order cook, it makes trying to eat healthy very difficult.  

Dinner is usually 7-ish and the Spouse & I will have leftovers for lunch the next day.     

4.What's the last thing you fell down a rabbit hole investigating?  

Medal of Honor Recipients. 

3552 have been awards and 110 are from Michigan!  I was reading their citations.

5. And now for a question from the book Marilyn (Memphis Bridges) gave me...At what are you 'self-taught?'

Gosh.  Blogging?  I've kind of figured that on my own.  Cooking? Meh.  I definitely can't call myself a 5-star chef by any means.  There are a few things that I can make, and everyone is happy with. But sometimes for other things I'll follow a recipe exactly how it says and my food won't turn out.  

6. Insert your own random thought here.

I mowed the lawn for the first time this year yesterday.  This is a chore that I DESPISE but has to be done.  We have a double lot and it takes about 2 hours to mow, if I were to go non-stop.  It's slightly not as bad now that we got the new mower last year, one that actually starts on the first pull instead of having to practically dislocate my arm.  And why doesn't the Spouse mow the lawn, you might ask?  It's because he's in worse shape that I am and I really don't want him having a heart attack.   So I suck it up. 

Looking at the positive side - I saw an empty robin's eggshell in the grass - which means babies!  And for the first time...

a morel mushroom!  

I sure wish I knew how to cook those! 

Our crabapple tree is in full bloom and smells so good!  

The granddaughter wanted me to go with her to look at it so I pulled a branch a branch down so she could smell it and that reminded me of something....

granddaughter, aged 4 1/2, left

Spawn in 2003, aged 5 1/2, right

same tree!