Who am I? A wife for almost 40 years. A mom for over 36 years. A sister and a friend, of course. Each of these help describe me. But, even more, I have been a Christian since accepting Him as my Savior when I was 12 years old and, this truth defines each area of my life. I have enjoyed some mountain top experiences but have been through some very deep valleys as well. Valleys of incredible grief and even pits of depression. However, most of my days are ordinary, routine kind of days. But in every one of my days, God has been faithful. He has walked with me whatever the day. He strengthens, comforts, encourages and blesses me with life "most abundant."

A favorite life verse: The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:10

Why do I write? Though not quite as private as my dad, I am definitely my father's daughter. I find it difficult to share. And to let others in. But I do love to write. I love to put words into sentences and sentences in paragraphs that help express my thoughts. I hope my words help me share my heart. Share the life that God has given me and all that He has done for me and through me. I write with the hope of giving Him at least a bit of the glory He is due.

A verse to guide my writing: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. I Peter 1:7

Hodge Podge: On Nachos and Travel

Posted on By jennifer

Happy Hump Day, friends.  I want to apologize for not getting a post up on Monday.  There were many who stopped by – especially my “tried and true” blog friends – and I regret not having a proper hello prepared.  Funny thing with this blogging.  It is a hobby, and one that very much enjoy, but there are times (I’m not going to lie) that it feels like a responsibility.  If I miss a post or I don’t respond to comments (both of which happened on Monday!!), it can feel heavy.  As if I let someone down.  Ah well, if you were the one reader who was disappointed with me on Monday…I am sorry!  But I am glad you came back again today!

And, just like that, we are at the end of another month.  Friday’s post will be my monthly Share Four Somethings post, and so I thought I would round out this month’s posts by joining the Hodge Podge link-up.  Let’s see what questions Joyce has for us today…..

1. America celebrates turning 250 years old this year. Primary cities set to lead the celebrations on July 4th are Boston, Philadelphia, New York, and Washington D.C. Other significant locations for celebrating will be Charleston SC and the ‘historic triangle’ which includes Jamestown-Willimasburg-Yorktown Virginia.   Of the cities listed, how many have you seen in person? Of the cities listed which would you most like to visit this year? Any plans to do so? What’s one place in America you think everyone should see? If you’re not American what’s one place in the US you’d like to see? Most of you know that I live right outside of Washington, DC.  We go there (fairly) often.  Certainly not every day like many of my neighbors who make that dreadful commute into the city.  Every day.  Twice a day.  My heart aches for them.  We go for the entertainment (stage productions) and/or the restaurants.  The cherry blossoms will be coming soon.  Obviously, the photo above is from a couple years ago.  We do actually do a few of the “touristy” things.  I am going to DC on Saturday.  Um, for a play and a good meal:)
Williamsburg is not quite three hours from here.  I have not been there in several years but have been many times in the past.  My brother went to college there and worked in one of the “taverns” in the historic downtown.  We like to revisit those every once in awhile.  Interesting fact, Williamsburg is the hottest spot in Virginia.  Always several degrees hotter than the rest of the state.  And always humid.  Summer visits there are not fun.  Just a note, if you think you want to visit historic Virginia.
As for the others on the list….I have been to Charleston.  We enjoyed it but I also remember it being incredibly hot the summer we were there on family vacation.  So hot!  I have also been to New York City.  My girlfriend and I celebrated our 50th birthdays in the Big Apple.  We saw the original cast of Wicked on Broadway.  We had the best time but I have no desire to go back.  Especially now.  Ugh.  I have never been to either Boston or Philadelphia (although my brother lived in Boston for a spell) but also have no desire to visit either city.
If I could only pick one place (and that is hard), the one place in America I think everyone should see is New England.  Along the coast.  They have amazing lighthouses.  They have beautiful college campuses.  There is beauty, history and lots of charm.  I tend to think of myself as a southern girl but, I will agree, New England is special.  And in the fall?  Breathtaking.  And, yes, we do have plans to visit this September!  I can’t wait!!

2. Three sounds you love to hear? 1 – Birds chirping in the early morning hours.  I’ve said it before but I must be old.  Birds just make me happy.  They are so busy in the mornings.  And so vocal.  It is the perfect morning chatter.  2 –  Babies/toddlers laughing.  Especially when they belly laugh.  How can you not help but to laugh yourself??  3 – The sounds of summer at the neighborhood pool.  That whistle blowing at ten minutes before the hour signaling a break brings back so many memories – from my own childhood and for many decades since then.  I just love the sounds of summer.  Honestly, I just love summer!!

3. Three sounds you hate to hear? 1- The smoke detector. More specifically, the chirping of the low battery indicator.  Why does it always begin in the middle of the night??  We also had a smoke detector that was too sensitive for the kitchen and would go off even if the oven was too hot.  We have since replaced it with the correct detector but that was the most annoying sound.  Similary, the fire alarm (for drills) at schools are ridiculous.  (Is that one or two??)  3 – I would say the growl of a dog.  Or even the barking of a dog that I can’t see or I’m not sure where it is coming from.  I am a bit afraid (ok, I’m afraid!) of dogs and an unanticipated and/or exubertant barking is so nerve-wrecking.  A growl is simply too much for my nerves.

4. February 24th is/was National Tortilla Chip Day. Are you a fan? With salsa, guacamole, queso, or just plain please? Do you like nachos? With what on top? Is there anything (besides nachos) you make that calls for tortilla chips? Oh my, is anyone going to answer “no” to tortilla chips??  I can’t imagine.  Is that not why we all go to Mexican restaurants??  I will say that I do not care for salsa.  You know…tomatoes.  Ugh.  But I do love me some queso and I can be just as happy with plain (well, with salt).  Do I like nachos??  As much as I like eating!  We really enjoy making nachos at home but I cannot think of too many other recipes I make that call for tortilla chips.  Crushed potato chips?  Yes.  But my mind is blank on tortilla chips.  (Except for nachos!!)

5. We march into March with next week’s Hodgepodge…what’s one thing on your March calendar that makes you smile?  Just yesterday, a friend called and asked if I wanted to take a girls’ weekend trip to NC?  To visit the Biltmore?  And she had complimentary passes for the house tour!  Um, yes!!  We will, obviously, drive south and another friend will drive north to meet us.  The three of us will have the best time.  That trip is the end of March…and just thinking about it makes me smile:)

6. Insert your own random thought here.  Thinking of New York City, I have to share the oddest story.  While we were there, we tried the subway.  I’m sure it is easy if you have done it a time, or 3000, before but it can be confusing (and intimidating) for the beginner rider.  But we wanted to at least give it a try.  Our ride was uneventful.  However, we when got to our destination, we had to take a steep escalator to get up above ground.  Somehow, I got ahead of my friend and was waiting for her (just for a minute) at the top.  While standing there, I watched this man who was standing at the top of the escalator and every time a girl stepped off and walked past him, he would quickly grab her backside.  Literally, squeeze her cheeks.  That was odd enough but, even odder, was the reaction of the women.  Several never even stopped and/or turned around.  A few turned around and looked confused like, “what was that?”  And some even noticed the man but simply snarled and walked on.  Not one woman slowed down.  Or stopped.  Or told this creep to get lost.  Nothing.  Do New Yorkers think this normal?  Believe me, naive me suffered culture shock more than a couple times while we were there but this really left me confused.  And shocked.

Trust me, I was a fish out of water in New York City.  And that was several years ago.  But I am grateful for the good memories my bestie and I made.  I have to say that I visited Mexico once.  Our friends’ daughter had her wedding at an all-inclusive resort there.  The majority of our time was spent at the resort but, even still, I was very much a fish out of water there as well.  I did not feel comfortable, or safe, the whole time I was there and was oh so happy to return home.  I’m curious…have you ever felt like a fish out of water?   I like to travel but, sometimes, it just doesn’t work well for me.

Ah well, enough of goofy travel stories.  Thanks again for coming back to the blog.  Hope you will come back on Friday!!

Hodge Podge

Comments (11)

  1. You have such a tender heart, dear Jennifer, to feel as if you left your readers down on Monday because you didn’t post. Trust me, friend, we all have days when posting isn’t in the plan for the day.

    I enjoyed reading your post today. I’ve been to Mexico City a couple of times when our daughter and son-in-law were missionaries there. I understand how you felt as far as feeling unsafe but then when we came back to the U.S., I had the same feeling because we were in Mexico City for two weeks at a time and we got used to the armed guards and dogs in the stores. It was unnerving at first, but we eventually got used to that. That physical presence that we could see with our eyes represented “security” but when we got back to the States and didn’t see that, I found myself checking all around me constantly for a few days when I was out and about.

    Your trip at the end of March sounds like so much fun!

  2. Another fun post to read, Jennifer. It was worth the wait, lol!! I hate to think that blogging is pressure for you but I do know the feeling of almost always participating in a link up and then not being able to… it feels like you’ve let someone down but that is not the case. I would like to live close to the capital for a short time period (you know I’m a Midwest gal through and through) to get to go into the capital whenever I wanted and really take in the sites. Oh, and I want to go to Williamsburg very badly! That is nuts about the man in NYC but in some ways, it tracks. The news coming out of that city (especially now) is crazy. Have a great day!

  3. You don’t have to apologise for not getting a post up on Monday, real life has to come first.
    It sounds wonderful living just outside of Washington DC. I have heard New England is supposed to be beautiful!
    Hearing birds makes me happy too and little one’s laughing. I almost put the smoke alarm beeping as a sound I hate to hear.
    How wonderful to be having a girls weekend trip to look forward to!
    That is weird behaviour about the people in New York City on both side. The man squeezing backside and the woman not really reacting. I would have given him a piece of my mind!

  4. It is always a delight to find a new post from you, Jennifer. And you shouldn’t feel like you have disappointed anyone when you don’t put up a post. I love the Williamsburg area (for the history and for the new cross stitch shop). Since it has opened, I have gotten there 4-5 times a year. Growing up on the outskirts of DC, we would go with family who were visiting and/or school trips. There are so many wonderful places in the US to visit and take in. Looking ahead to March, I have a stitching weekend to attend in the Roanoke area near the end of March. Happy Wednesday!

  5. NYC (and probably all cities) are full of some crazy and unexpected stuff. I’ve been to the Biltmore several times and always enjoy it. I went at Christmas time this year and it was extra beautiful. Have a wonderful time!

  6. Oh, I second the sounds of a smoke detector!!! All ours over this past year let us know they needed battery changes at 3 am. SIGH.

  7. I have only been to the US once and that was when our children were younger and we spent a week in Disneyland Florida and a week meeting up with my American penpal in St Pete’s beach on the west side of Florida. What a lovely holiday! So in answer to your question where a non US person would like to visit I think that New England in the autumn would be my destination. Places like Las Vegas and New York are not on my radar, I prefer places with natural beauty.

  8. What a fun blog idea: Hodge Podge! One of my besties just moved to Williamsburg – and I love the excuse to go visit. It’s a sweet place for a getaway weekend – but like you said, not in the summer. Charleston in August is too humid (need extra changes of clothes for the sweltering humidity). Enjoy the Biltmore – the one time I was there, they had a summer concert series. We got to see the B-52s. We stayed at the sweetest B&B that served the most amazing flourless chocolate torte at the end of the day for guests!

  9. Fun answers. I think if I got invited on a girls trip (which I never do)..I would say yes, no matter where we were going..haha.

  11. Pleas don’t feel bad when you don’t get to post anything. When you do, it is always thoughtful and honest. I always enjoy catching up with you each week.
    Have a great week and I pray that March is a good month for you.

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