Hodgepodging Across the USA

Sweet little Lucy, learning a game from Grandpa
She can't quite get the hang of how to hold her hands. :-)





Join Joyce and the Gang
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She writes the questions;

we write the answers.

Plug them into your own post

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1. On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your summer so far? Why?
(1=eh and 10=best summer ever)

If anyone from Wisconsin ever rates summer an 'eh,' they need to be ashamed of themselves. Our summers are so short compared to our beastly long and cold winters, that I couldn't rate the worst of one anything lower than a 3. So, I'd say this summer has been somewhere between a 6 and 7. I've been out and about exactly twice, but have enjoyed our porch, the screened room, the wonderful views and glorious breezes. Okay, let's make that a 7. I'm hoping for a great August, September, and October, and most likely they will be rated a 10+.  Stay tuned for an update on that.

 Cute daughter and cute son-in-law

I put this on Instagram with the caption, 

'Green Acres is the place for me...'

In reality, they both love living in the city.

Driving our old Ford while here on the Fourth.

2. July 26th is National Aunts and Uncles Day. Did you have many aunts and uncles growing up? Were you especially close to any one or maybe all of them? Are you an aunt? (or uncle for the men who join here on Wednesdays) Share a favorite memory relating to one of your own aunts or uncles or relating to a niece or nephew who call you Aunt (or Uncle).

I have lots of fun memories of my aunts and uncles. My dad was one of eight children and my mom was one of five. My dad's siblings all had a fine-tuned sense of humor and I loved being around them. There was one exception, and that was when, at my high school graduation party, I opened a lovely box to find a pair of panties with the name Orlando Cepeda written on them (you'd have to be old and have been a baseball fan to remember him).. I never forgave Aunt Elaine for that. ;-) Actually, I loved all those aunts and uncles. They loved silly jokes, puns, saw the funny side of life, and laughed easily.

3. What's your favorite food dipped in chocolate? What's your favorite food dipped in cheese?

For chocolate, I'd say first of all that it *must* be dark chocolate, the darker the better, and dipped in almonds or Brazil nuts is quite wonderful. PLEASE do not get any cheese soft enough to dip anything in. That is a horrid thought. I like hard cheese, please. If I'm going to harden my arteries, I want to get it done fast!  I'll admit that when I was a kid, I did like Velveeta on rye with sliced green olives on top. Now I'll just take the olives (green, black, or kalamata) and a slice of Dubliner or Stilton.

My favorite sandwich when I was a kid.

Better when accompanied by a cherry phosphate.

Kinda nauseating, isn't it.

4. When were you last astonished by something? Explain.

I am astonished at how fast the body heals, when given half a chance. What a wonderful Creator, who thought up all the systems in our bodies and then how to make all those systems do what they do in order to cause healing. Just think of the last time you had even a paper cut. It hurt like crazy. And yet a couple days later, it had all but disappeared. All healed. Praise God! I mean, REALLY!

 Jazzie on the front porch

5. Surf board, paddle board, ironing board, Pinterest board, score board, clip board, bulletin board...which board have you most recently encountered?

None of the above. But maybe Jazzie looks 'bored' in the photo above. Really, she was enjoying being outdoors and observing her domain. I took this photo late afternoon on Monday, when that golden light was coming into the screened-in area of the porch. (The porch is L shaped.) I love that time of afternoon/evening. 

Speaking of bored, that's what comes to mind when watching the political conventions. It's the same old same old. I told a friend that I was writing in his name for President. I'm sure he thought I was kidding.

Cheery daisy

6. What's your favorite story from scripture? Why that story?

Hmmm. Well, when I was much younger, I think my favorite was the account of Jael and Sisera, where she drove a stake through his head while he was sleeping, pinning him to the ground (like never to awaken again). But that might have been when I was mad at Mr. C. about something.

Maybe the account I like best is of Rahab the harlot. Why? Because it shows that God is not playing favorites, but has his arms open to all who will put their trust in him, regardless of what they've done or not done in their past. And because 'he knows our frame, that we are but dust,' it's not like he's counting on us being shining examples of virtue even when we do choose to follow him. But what he does do is put his Spirit in us, that will cause us to recognize God in his grace and mercy and want to respond to him in praise, out of gratitude. And over time, miraculously, we want more to love people and less to drive stakes through their head(s). God is in the business of forgiveness, restoration, reconciliation, and making us more like his Son.

7. If you were to travel from the east coast to the west coast in your own country, which five cities would you most want to see?

Boston, MA; Beaver Falls, PA; Great Falls, MT; Flagstaff, AZ; San Francisco, CA.

The Mighty Mississippi River on a gray day in June

8. Insert your own random thought here.

 Jazzie is back for a visit while her family is on vacation.

She's enjoying being here, I think.

Note Mr. C's fashionable neon yellow construction shirt.

***

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