Wednesday, July 19, 2017

Wednesday Hodgepodge

From this Side of the Pond
 
1. Growing up, were you close to your grandparents? Tell us one or two specific things you remember about them.

I was close to my maternal grandparents. They lived walking distance from us most of my childhood and then only about ten feet away the last few years before I got married. I have so many wonderful memories of them, but one I will cherish for always is how after they built their new house only a few feet from ours, I would go over every evening, often taking some kind of treat or a sample of a new recipe I had tried for Grandpa to eat. His health wasn't good, and his appetite almost non existent, but he always ate what ever I brought over. After he was finished eating he would launch into telling stories from his childhood, teenaged years, and their young married life. It was great seeing his transformation every evening from being tired, and shaky. To coming alive reliving the things he was sharing with me. He had a talent for story telling, and I was able to travel right down memory lane with him. I can't quite put to words how thankful I am that I have these precious memories, and how glad I am that I spent the last years of his life doing this.

2. What's an item you were attached to as a child? What happened to it?

I loved my rag doll, Sally. I still have her tucked away in the attic.

3. When you look out your window, do you see the forest or the trees (literally and figuratively)? Explain.

If I look out the window that is directly in front of me I look right into the big maple tree here in front of our house. It kind of blocks me from seeing anything else.


Other windows, I can see the forest, and more trees.

Figuratively, I think I do both. I know there are times when I'm focusing on little details that I have to remind myself of the bigger picture. (Though the big picture is made up of little details, isn't it?)

4. Do you like sour candies? Which of the 'sour' foods listed below would you say is your favorite?

grapefruit, Greek yogurt, tart cherries, lemons, limes, sauerkraut, buttermilk, or kumquats 

Have you ever eaten a kumquat? What's your favorite dish containing one of the sour foods on the list?

I don't care for sour candies. I used to, but something has changed over the years and I prefer my candy to be sweet.

I love lemon and lime desserts. I have a grapefruit for breakfast occasionally, and I really like Greek yogurt. Nothing beats my mother-in-law's tart cherry pie. She makes the best filling. I've tried copying it often, even following her recipe to the "T" and it never comes out tasting like hers does.

Sauerkraut, buttermilk, and kumquats I can live happily without.

5. July 1st marked the mid point of 2017. In fifteen words or less, tell us how it's going so far.

Fifteen words or less???

Our most eventful, filled with change, rollercoaster, stressful, busy, interesting, fun, insane, bureaucratic, year ever.

That about sums it up, but doesn't do justice to the past six months. Most of it has not been documented on my blog, and it's also largely to blame for my somewhat sporadic posting. Bear with me ... things should be slowing down, evening out, getting more normal soon. Hopefully. Maybe.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

I'll be continuing my task at hand today. Stripping and refinishing our dining room furniture. My fingerprints are basically worn off my right hand already, but I'm not done. I'm at the point where I'm beginning to think of all sorts of unpleasant things I would rather do than strip another chair.

12 comments:

  1. When I was still married to the Late & Unlamented, my morning got off to an absolutely
    Horrible start. I had to get him out of bed so I could get my car out of the drive - the reverse gear had died - and he groused that he hoped "things got back to normal around here". I hated to tell him that THIS was normal!

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  2. Ohh my goodness, I don't envy you stripping even a chair, but all the dining room furniture? What a job! I think the time we spend with loved ones is never regretted.

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  3. What a blessing to have had that time with your grandfather and I'm sure he felt blessed by your company, too.
    Ugh! to stripping furniture, but I am sure it will be beautiful when done.

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  4. What a blessing you were to your Grandpa. He knew your effort and showed his thanks.

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  5. Such a precious memory you have of your grandparents. It is sad that as a grandmother I don't live near any of my 7 grands. Thankfully, most do stay in touch through media and we are close. Trusting your "eventful, filled with change, rollercoaster, stressful, busy, interesting, fun, insane, bureaucratic, year ever" will also be your best ever. Hope to see after pictures of your dining room furniture when you've completed your task.

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  6. Wow, what a job! I can't imagine doing an entire dining set. Good luck with that! I've enjoyed reading all the grandparent memories today. Really makes me so aware of how different the world is a couple of generations out. My girls have always been close to their grandparents and I hope my own grands will feel the same.

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  7. I love that you would take goodies to your grandfather each day! I'm sure he looked forward to your visits. What a thoughtful thing to do. <3

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  8. Oh what sweet memories you shared of your grandfather. Even though I did not know any of my grandparents, I feel so very blessed that our two boys will have memories of both sets of theirs and their own children as well. I have stripped wood furniture before and I know that it is no easy job! The final result will be so worth it, I'm sure!

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  9. As a child I was attached to good ol' Raggedy Ann doll. I was a small child, and we were going into the grocery store, so my mom made me leave her in the car. We did not lock our car in those days. But when we returned to the car my doll was gone. My mom regretted that for a long time. I imagine I was missing my doll.
    Today I think about my mother who has passed years ago. Thank God for good memories!
    I enjoy your blog. Thanks for sharing about yourself and your family. You have a good heart.

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  10. what sweet grandfather memories ... and best wishes on that dining room set! I once stained & poly-urethaned & stained & poly-urethaned & assembled 9 bookcases for my husband. I told him he can never doubt my love after I did that for him!! :)

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  11. Memories are really all we have in this world. I'm so thankful for those precious memories of my grandparent's too!

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  12. My grandparents also lived in our yard. My Paternal grandma just a stones throw from our house and my Maternal grandparents were just a skip, hop and a jump across the yard from us. We were over at both houses plenty of times during the day, more than they probably wished we were, ha! But, I have come to realize through the years how blessed we were to have them in our yard. We also took them goodies, or plates of food for supper etc. Did the chores they needed doing. you are a much better woman than me if you are stripping and re-finishing a whole dining room set. Ugh! You go! Wendy

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Thank you so much for taking time to comment. I love hearing your thoughts.