Happy February & HodgePodge!

Woody the Woodchuck is Michigan's Official Groundhog.

Her schtick is she has to come out of her stump and stay for 30 seconds to signify an early spring.  If she goes back in before that - 6 more weeks of winter. 

Fun fact - she's got a better track record than Phil does!  

She's got a 65% accuracy rate, where Phil only has 38%.  But this year, she agreed with him. 

How about....

If winter could stay around 30* - that would be perfect.  

Last weekend was the VFW's Dept of Michigan Mid-Winter Conference and one of the main events is a banquet announcing the Patriot's Pen and Voice of Democracy winners.  

In a quick nutshell - middle school kids write an essay on the topic that the VFW chooses, and high school kids record a 3–5-minute speech on their topic.  Ever since I've been the chairpeep at my post for this program, there have been 2 separate topics, but this year it was the same for both - "How are you showing patriotism & support for our country?"  

The entries are judged at the post level - the winner goes on to compete at district level and then onto state and national levels.  So, this banquet had the 12 district winners there and the state winners were announced.  

I know there was one very proud family (and VFW post who sponsored them), since their kids won both the PP and VOD!!  

These kids can win a truckload of $$, (idk about other posts, by mine gives $300 to the VOD winner), district gave I think $500 and the state winner got $6000 and an all-expense paid trip to Valley Forge and will compete against 51 other kids for the $35,000 national win.  

Anyhooo.  I took last Friday off work and drove the 2 1/2 hours to Kalamazoo and spent 2 peaceful nights alone in a hotel.  Heavenly!  

Saturday during the day, there was various meetings & trainings that I really didn't need to go to, but it makes the post look good to have more people in attendance.  Saturday night was the banquet.  The last couple years it was just the people from my post and maybe one or two others at our table, but this time the hall was packed!  We had 5 old guys from various other local posts with us, which means we got to hear some great stories!  

 Sunday, I got up & had breakfast, then chilled in my room until time to check out.  I had planned to go explore a couple cemeteries (because I like to do that!)

But I had no desire to risk getting stuck!  

I went to a second cemetery and was able to drive thru, but I decided not to get out to walk around because it was like 12*F out, even tho the sun made it look nicer. 

So I went home. 

**********************

Time for the Wednesday HodgePodge!

1. The Winter Olympics kick off on Friday, February 6th...on a scale of 1-10 how excited are you? (1= eh and 10=watching every event all day every day). What's your favorite Winter Olympic sporting event?

A solid 1.5.  I enjoy watching the opening ceremonies and maybe whatever events I happen to catch.  But I don't plan my day around it or set an alarm reminding me to turn on this or that event.  

2. In other sporting news, the Superbowl (American football's championship game) will be played on Sunday, February 8th. So tell us...what's your superpower?

This one required a LOT of thought!   Creativity?  Imagination?  I like to make things. 

3. Are you a romantic?

Hmmm.  Maybe not in the traditional sense.  The Spouse & I just like to be together.  We don't have to do anything per se.  Pre-covid & grandkids we used to have date nights where we would park the car at Tim Hortons, walk down the block a little bit and get dinner at Taco Bell, then go back to Timmy's to get a coffee, then we'd go walk around thru the Salvation Army.  Ridiculous, yes.  But we were together and that's all that matters.  We really need to start doing that again. 

4. Blue cheese-yay or nay? How about feta? If you said yes to one or both, what's a dish you like that calls for one of these?

Yes & yes!  Feta more than bleu, tho.  We always have Sunday breakfast at the same local diner and they have a "capri scramble" that's scrambled eggs with tomato, mushrooms, spinach & feta.  It's so good!   And I have had a burger somewhere called a black & bleu that had bleu cheese & mushrooms that was delicious, too. 

 
5. What's more important - doing what you love or loving what you do?

My first thought was the Clay Walker song, "if I could make a living" - it's got a line similar to that!

I agree with Joyce - this is a trick question!  At first it seems like the same thing.  But once you think harder - it's not.  Doing what you love is more for hobbies, or what you choose to do.  Like I love doing Halloween stuff.  Loving what you do?  When it comes to work... eh NO.  I don't ~love~ my job.  It's a paycheck and since I've been there almost 26 years, there's a definite sense of possibly misguided loyalty.  The search & rescue team?  Enjoy.  The VFW?  Enjoy most of the time.   

6. Insert your own random thought here. February is the month of ❤️...

You'd think with a last name like our's (Love!!)

that we'd go all out.

Nope. 

This is the best Valentines meme ever!!!

Linking up at From This Side of the Pond!

Icy HodgePodge

Happy Wednesday! Welcome to the latest edition of Wednesday HodgePodge!

I'm linking up at From This Side of the Pond like I have been for the last couple weeks.

 

1. I live in the south so we're pretty much only talking about the weather right now. Give us a weather report from where you live. Does the kind of weather you're having today affect your mood in some way?

I'm in SE Michigan so winter weather isn't much of a surprise to us.  However, this single digit, cold-hurts-your-face, frozen nostrils nonsense can go away anytime.   We had an insanely hot summer last year, so maybe this is balancing it out?   I was supposed to go to Arkansas last weekend (see my last post) but I'm kind of glad my flight was cancelled since getting home probably wouldn't have happened when planned.  We have snow here, but they got the ice, too - and ice sucks no matter where you are! 

The last couple days, the sun has been breaking thru the clouds and makes the snow sparkle & everything seems a lot less BLAH than if it was continually dreary.  It's blinding but it's pretty. 

2. Avocados, kale, cauliflower and cottage cheese have all had their time to shine. 2026 brings us the year of the cabbage. Is this a vegetable you like? If so, what are some of your favorite dishes that call for cabbage?
Meh, I could take it or leave it.  I've fine with wraps or whatever that include cabbage and I enjoy coleslaw, however I don't like it cooked.  I just learned that!  I honestly hadn't thought about it until now. 

3. Was a Cabbage Patch Doll a part of your childhood? Or maybe your children's childhood? What's a toy trend from your childhood you remember wanting for your own?  

My mom was one of those people who never bought name brands, so I had a homemade by somebody / wannabe that looked like it had a run-in with a trash compactor. 

I am the youngest of 5 so I got a lot of hand-me-downs.  I don't remember ever wanting a trending toy anyway.  I had Barbies and Breyer horses, tho. 

4. Something you've spent a lot of time doing lately?

 Ummm - being lazy?  I look at the disaster that my house is and I just don't wanna deal with it.  

5. Somehow it's the last week of January...sum up your month in just three sentences.

I'm glad the days are getting longer. 

I wish I had a heated driveway so I didn't have to shovel snow!

I feel guilty that there are still skeletons on my patio. 

6. Insert your own random thought here.

I took all the Christmas blowmolds in a couple weeks ago, but I leave the snowmen out until sometime in February.  It helps with the long dark evenings. 

However, this guy doesn't look happy!

Thanks, Joyce! 

Adventures in (non)travel!

I was ~supposed~ to go visit the Spouse in Arkansas this weekend.  

Yeah, that, too

Seeing as how this post is happening on Friday, it clearly didn't happen!

I went last year, too. And it started out pretty dicey. 

2025 part 1

2025 part 2

I sense a trend of this NOT being an easy trip for me!

Anyhooo.  My flight was supposed to leave out of Flint Bishop Airport at 5:44pm.  I was up early, at work at 6am, did a half day in the office, then came home "worked" from home until 2pm. 

Normally I travel and do stuff with a 3 foot skeleton with googly eyes who wears a tux (aka Chuck) but I only took a carry on so there wasn't room for Chuck in all his glory.  

Welcome to Mini Chuck.

I almost didn't get him in time, but as I got in the car, I saw the mail truck on the other side of the street.  By the time I got gas in the car and came back - the mail had been delivered!

Perfect travelling size!

The Flint Airport has paper airplane art!

I got to the airport with plenty of time.  I prefer coming here over Detroit Metro because it's smaller and less traffic / fewer people. 

However, this means that my flights require a change of planes in Chicago before going on to Little Rock. 

The Spouse was watching FlightAware.com and was keeping me informed, usually faster than the airline itself was!

At this point, I'd already missed my Little Rock connection and was going to have to stay at a hotel in Chicago for the night.  

When I clicked "view other flights" there was nothing. 

AAARGH!!!

We were told there were significant mechanical issues also and they had to change planes. 

And then the snow started in Flint!

But we got a plane.  

I don't remember the plane last year being this small, but it must have been.  It just goes back & forth between Flint & Chicago.

And we proceeded to sit there until after midnight because visibility was only about 1/2 mile.

Watching the plane get fuel. 

We'd watched it land and there was already more than an inch of snow on the wing. 

As we waited, we heard about a maintenance snow sweeper truck that got stuck on the runway, so even if visibility had cleared, we would have had to wait for that to get moved.  And that late, airport workers were already going home so they had to find someone to move that truck, make sure the de-icing crew was on standby, etc, etc. 

Then they just cancelled the flight until today. 

And had to track down workers to put the jet bridge back.

I felt sorry for the people who were trying to get home!  I feel very fortunate that I was able to just cancel my flight completely and come home.  Yes I'm bummed that I didn't see my Sweetie or get to go to the bathhouse (or eat real southern BBQ) but I didn't have any solid plans for the weekend.  An older lady (who was quite hilarious - she sang happy birthday - loudly - to another passenger who was trying to go to Nashville with her friends to celebrate and then prayed - loudly - to Jesus & all the saints for everyone to get to their destinations safely, etc) and her daughter had been in town for a cousin's funeral and were trying to get home.  

By the time I got back out to my car, there was 4 inches of powdery snow and crazy drifts from the wind.  It only took me 45 minutes to get to the airport, but an hour & 15 minutes to get home. 

It was hard to see the lanes on the highway.  I followed a truck for 35 miles because the wind was tossing his trailer around and I was afraid to pass him!

It was well after 3am when I got home and thankfully the Spawn kept the grandkids quiet and they left me alone until I woke up on my own at 11!  I haven't slept that good / long in I don't know how long, guess being up close to 23 hours will do that to a body. 

Maybe next year's attempt will be less eventful...?

Sigh.  Guess I'll save a vacation day and go to work Monday. 

Boooooo. 

Wednesday HodgePodge - Volume 637

Go ahead - I DARE you to kick my snow booger! 

It was frozen solid and probably would have broken toes. 

Here's yesterday's forecast.  

This is disrespectful! 

(temperature, I mean!)

I also came down with the Plague. It hit me Friday evening.  Pretty sure it was a sinus infection since my sinuses were (and still are somewhat) clogged and draining down the back of my throat, which in turn gives me the lovely Louis Armstrong-type singing voice.  Yay me!

It's to be expected - the grandkids had been back to school/daycare for 2 weeks after the holiday break, so plenty of time to pick up all the germs & cooties from their friends and bring home.  Too bad they gave them to me!  

Let's jump into this week's HodgePodge....

1. Ice skating, skiing, sledding, snowshoeing, playing in the snow, or a snowy walk...which winter activity do you choose? Have you done any of these activities so far this winter?

I had many a sledding adventure as a kid, from using whatever we had available to sled upon (a vinyl doll bed mattress comes to mind) to being pulled on a sled by a galloping horse (that was actually an adult thing - the Spawn was probably still a tween). I've taken the grandkids out to play and on several walks around the neighborhood this winter - they need to get the crazies out and fresh air + activity helps.  But with it being this insanely cold?  Ugh.  Staying inside. 

2. Everyone is posting pictures from ten years ago on their social media sites so let's jump on the bandwagon too. Share one photo and one thought to go with said photo from the year 2016. And maybe everyone isn't doing this, but many are and we're going to be part of the fun.

1/2016

Me & the Spouse in Arkansas

We used to spend every other Christmas & New Years at his Mom's house in Hot Springs.  Then January 2, 2020, the grandson was born, and then Covid happened.  His Mom is also a cancer survivor, so we didn't want to invade her home and possibly bring cooties to her.  Last January was actually the first time I'd been down to visit her since then.  The Spouse goes to see her a couple times each year.

I went thru a bunch of other pics from January of 2016 - Spawn had already graduated but was still on her dance team and we had several competitions and then Nationals in June.  

3. What's a trend you hope disappears in this new year?

I personally don't wear much makeup, but I do like to watch people put makeup on (especially drag queens and people who turn themselves into the Grinch or whatever - you know, the major transformations) but when they hold up a bottle or some item and tap all their nails on it - 😡🔪🔪🔪

oh, and 6 / 7 . The grandson makes me crazy with that!

4. 'They' say there's a day for everything and January 21st proves it. National Granola Bar Day. Do you like granola bars? How about just regular granola? Do you like bars of other kinds?

Yes, yes & yes!

Yesterday was "Penguin Awareness Day", too 😆  

5. A frozen lake, a trickling stream, a raging river, or a deep well...which one describes something about your life right now? Elaborate as much or as little as you like.

A literal frozen lake. I don't want to elaborate right now but I will soon. I'm sure this will be added to the "winter adventure" category!

6. Insert your own random thought here.

It's amazing how something can look cool (chilly) and less than a minute later and 6 inches to the right makes it look warm.  

Water globes in 2 of my plants at work at sunrise. 

Artistic picture from Sis1's house - cat & dog print in the snow

Linking up over at From This Side of the Pond

Thanks, Joyce - these were thought provoking!

SkyWatch Friday 011526

This is probably one of my favorite pictures I've taken lately!

Check out the eyeballs on the truck window!

This is from the front door at work.  I'd been watching the sunrise off & on from my desk, with the intent of getting some pictures.  Then it got dark - this truck had pulled up in front of my window and I had to giggle watching the eyes.  They blink and look around.  

OK, so on 53-foot trailers, the driver has to "slide the tandems" as needed.  Basically the 2 sets of tires in back have the ability to be moved forward toward the middle of the trailer for loads, but they need to be all the way back for loading and unloading.  That's what this driver was doing - he had to get out and pull a lock pin out of the axle, then get back in the truck and pull forward a couple feet.  The tires don't roll for this, so it's pretty loud.   

What made it funny was when the eyeballs appeared to squint when the trailer moved.

Thanks, Alan!

SkyWatch Friday

 

Wednesday HodgePodge - volume 636

Here's something new! 

I was looking at the A-to-Z Challenge blog (I'm loving their 2026 banner & badges!) and poked around last year's sign up sheet and was checking out some blogs.  I came across From This Side of the Pond where Miss Joyce hosts a weekly linkup event called the Wednesday HodgePodge.  She asks 6 random (you know I love random!) questions and we just need to link back on her post and then do some visiting! 

I thought, why not?

Hi, new visitors!  My name is Lisa and yes, my last name is Love.

I am happily married to "the Spouse", my adult daughter still lives with us (aka "the Spawn") along with her 2 kids, the Grandson who just turned 6 and the Granddaughter who turned 4 in October.

We live in Michigan.  I work for a trucking company and have been there for over 25 years <gasp>, I volunteer on a search & rescue team. I love Halloween.  I spent 8 years in the US Navy.  

You can read the "about me" tab up above if you want to know more! 

Let's jump into this.... 

1. What kind of winter person are you-snow lover, fireplace snuggler, winter adventurer, or indoor hibernator? Elaborate.

Welp - I'm kind of a mash of all of them. I love to sit and look out the window and watch big puffy flakes come down.  And seeing everything with a fresh layer of white.  If I had a fireplace, I'd enjoy sitting with the Spouse and doing as little as possible.  Maybe reading, maybe cross-stitching. Definitely wrapped in a blanket.  As I mentioned above - I volunteer on a search & rescue team, which means we could get called out to look for missing peoples any time of the day or night, 24/7/365, anywhere in the state.  That's enough adventure for me!   I wouldn't 100% be a hibernator since I do like to go outside and breathe the cold once in a while. 

2. The Pantone color of the year is cloud dancer, described as a gentle, billowy off white shade. The color symbolizes 'peace, clarity, quiet reflection, renewal, and a soft reset'. Of the terms just listed which do you need most in your life this winter?

Peace.  I didn't even need to think about it.  It's so crazy in my house with the kids - I only had the one child (she's 28, btw) so one kid in the house when I was young vs multiples while ~not~ young is culture shock!  Man o man, those kids have their moments where I want to sell them - and their mom - to the circus!  People who have a lot of kids - I applaud you! 

3. Every cloud has a silver lining, on cloud nine, head in the clouds, storm clouds gathering, or cloud of suspicion...which 'cloud' idiom do you most relate to currently? Explain.

Every cloud has a silver lining.  I continue to hold on to hope that eventually the Spouse and I will become empty-nesters and I daydream about how amazing that will be!  I know the cat agrees, too.  

4. Coconut, cauliflower, cottage cheese, mayonnaise, onions, ranch dressing...of the white foods listed, which would be the hardest for you to give up? Do you like all or any of the foods on the list?

The hardest to give up would be cottage cheese, since I use it when I make lasagna and I love to eat it with canned peaches or mandarin oranges and I've been meaning to try it with sliced tomatoes.  I like ALL the food which is why I'm currently a member of Weight Watchers!  

Onions, tho.  Depends on the variety.  Purple/red ones - NO!  One of the few foods I avoid.  But white/yellow ones?  No problem. 

5. Thomas Wentworth Higginson is credited with this quote- "How many lessons of faith and beauty we should lose, if there were no winter in our year."   Agree or disagree? Tell us why.

Agree.  If there were no winter, the year would just kind of bounce between green & brown, which has it's own appeal, I guess.  But I love living in Michigan with 4 distinct seasons, so we get the wonder of springtime, little sprouts popping up and the crocuses peeking out of the flattened lawn, reminding us that warmer times are on the way, along with the tulips & hyacinths. I especially loved when my lilac bush bloomed at the same time as our crabapple - the combination of bright pink and purple was so pretty -and the scent was amazing.  Truly a feast for the senses.  Summer with the warmth and sunshine.  Listening to the birds and selling fresh cut lawns.  Fall - my favorite!  The colors of the trees changing.  Even the air smells different.  The leaves, maybe.  The crisp mornings.  The excitement and fun of Halloween.  Then the silence of winter.  The clean, freshly fallen snow. Also, another change in the smell of the air.  That time when everything seems to slow down and not be in a hurry. 

6. Insert your own random thought here.

There's been a lot of "white" questions, but when it comes to Christmas lights and decorations...I want all the colors!  Plain white is very elegant, but colors just scream joy & fun & happy to me. 

Thank you, Joyce - this was fun!

Can't wait to read everyone else's answers!

Wednesday HodgePodge

This & that...

How crazy was that???   6:51AM

We had some insane wind on Friday, too. I have a corner office with windows on 2 sides and I really thought the one side was going to be blown in!  

(It's not that special - it's ground floor!)

I got my giant tote!!  I killed some time after work taking Christmas blowmolds to the shed, waiting for the Grandson's bus to drop him off...just so I could throw him in it! 

The problem is....  the horse skeleton I got from Tractor Supply last year filled up about 75% of said tote, so I couldn't fit the other horse and pony in with it.

So I got a 2nd one! 

Don't ask me about the rest of the skeletons, tho. 

Random. 

The USPBL mascots are really cute. 

This is the United Shore Professional Baseball League field that's nearby. 

It was dark so you can't see the physical sign, just the screen.

I had a slow day at work one day and was watching some videos on YooTube.  One of the people I follow who usually post Halloween videos had one of their Christmas stuff and they had some blowmolds in their yard.  I've been wanting another Mrs. Claus, so I went on eBay just for fun to see how much they're costing nowadays.

The very first listing was the exact Mrs. C I wanted, at an unusually low price with very reasonable shipping.  So I said NEENER NEENER to the 14 people watching her and I bought her! 

Too bad she went directly into the shed with all the rest, but I'll have her for next year!

OK, call me weird.  

I was watching a video, I don't even remember what it was about now, but this popped up. 

I love it.  

That's something that I would totally put on my future headstone. 

I have occasionally wondered about how my headstone would read. 

I am a veteran.  I enlisted with my maiden name, however my discharge papers have me with my ex's last name.  I remarried and that's the name I fully plan to die with, but not any time soon - I hope!!

I think this is something I need to check with the VA about.  Because I do want at least a veteran plaque! 

Excuse my morbid minute.  

More random - 

this person who signs for freight at a place we deliver to at work spells out how to pronounce his name!

And you thought I was weird!

SkyWatch Friday 1/8/26

Happy New Year!

Welcome to my first SkyWatch post of 2026. 

I took both of these photos on Christmas Eve.  

The sunrise above is from the front door at work.

(Ignore the coworkers' cars!)

 (at approximately 11:30pm)

According to the Norad website, Santa had been seen in the area so we had to look! 

SkyWatch Friday