Welcome to Hodge Podge Wednesday. Here I am, just writing a post on Wednesday morning. I have not been able to get back to having a post ready to go first thing (and/or scheduling posts), but it is what it is. I did, however, have a great first morning walk. It is supposed to be 95 degrees here (!!) today, so I did not want to wait until later today. But goodness, it was a beautiful walk..and a beautiful morning. I hope your day is off to a good start as well. Enough chit chat, and I will jump into Joyce’s questions for today.
1. Tax week here. Do you do your own taxes? What’s something you’ve found ‘taxing’ lately? Yes, I do our taxes. With the help of TurboTax. (There was a day when I did them with pen, forms, tax charts and a calculator. Ugh.) Our taxes are, for the most part, pretty straight forward, but it is still a task I do not enjoy. Even though I use a website, it is too much like math. Too many numbers. And I don’t do math.
As far as something taxing? Something burdensome or that is wearing on me? That would be a situation at church. The other day, I was sharing this week’s questions (for Hodge Podge) with my husband. As I read this one, he immediately said, “XYZ at church.” Either we are both on the very same page…or the situation truly is burdensome. (Maybe both):) I know it is stealing way too much of our joy and contentment. We obviously need to pray about it and leave it there. Moving on…….
2. When it comes to travel are you a last minute packer or a lay it all out a week in advance type? Do you struggle to pack light? Share a packing tip that has worked for you. I usually begin packing the night before and finish the next morning. I’m not sure how folks pack a week in advance. I would need those things. I am a light packer. My husband used to be much more of an over-packer, but he is getting better and better at packing light. He has a good teacher.
My packing tip is a bit hard to explain. But, it works. It has to do with laying all the clothing pieces lengthwise across the suitcase. Then alternatingly folding the pieces over each other. I saw this “hack” on an airline hostess’ YT video and have been using it ever since.
3. April is National Grilled Cheese Month. Do you like a grilled cheese sandwich? What ingredient do you add to take yours to the next level? I LOVE a grilled cheese. Easily one of my favorite sandwiches. Well, not my husband’s idea of a grilled cheese. He likes his grilled cheese (and any sandwich) on plain white bread. (Kindergarten bread, I call it. Ugh.) He also likes Kraft cheese singles. That is not my idea of a yummy grilled cheese. I like “real” cheese and hearty bread! I used to get the most amazing grilled cheese at a restaurant not far from home. (It has been sold and they took the grilled cheese off the menu – so disappointing.) It included thinly sliced apples and fig jam. Definitely a grilled cheese taken to the next level!
4. There’s a well known quote that says- “A ship in the harbor is safe, but that’s not what ships are built for.” John A. Shedd Is constant growth necessary or do you think it’s more important to prioritize stability and peace in your life? Of course, I like stability and peace. Don’t we all? But if maintaining peace and stability means “never leaving the harbor,” I don’t think that is a good goal. That attitude leads to stagnation and (to continue with the analogy) a barnacle crusted boat. I want to be useful and/or moving forward. Especially in a spiritual sense. It is a process called sanctification. Maturing, transforming and continually becoming not only fit for His service but also more like my savior. Sometimes that takes some rocking of the boat, should I say, but I am thankful for the process.
5. Let’s wrap this up with a fun spring this or that-
- daffodils or tulips (this one is hard, but….) tulips
- lemonade or iced tea (not hard…) iced tea
- gardening or hiking gardening (if that means putzing in the yard)
- ladybugs or butterflies butterflies
- umbrella or raincoat umbrella
- floral patterns or polka dots (also not hard) polka dots:)
6. Insert your own random thought here. If have been reading that leggings are out. And not a minute too soon, in my humble opinion. I’m pretty sure that less than one percent of society has the body to actually “look good” (much less appropriate) in leggings. But there are a whole lot more wearing them daily. I hope the memo gets out there, and catches on, quickly. Said that, what do you think of the new wide leg pants??
Another popular trend that is, supposedly, waning is grey walls. Color is trying to make a comeback. I was thinking about that while I was walking this morning. In our home before this one, we had an accent wall in just about every room. We had a forest green one. A mustard yellow one. Even a fun orange one in the upstairs hallway. And, no, we did not paint when we put the house on the market. Actually, we had so much positive feedback on the decor and the walls. I will admit, though, it was a bit much when the house was empty and we were doing one last walkthrough. Our new home had been recently professionally painted. Not gray but a very handsome tobacco color. If tobacco is a color. Every single wall (not the bedrooms) was the same color. It looked cohesive, fresh and, yes, professional. We loved it. Fast forward seventeen years and I am wanting some color. But do I want a whole room change? Or accent walls again? Are accent walls a thing? And what color?? Choosing paint could be an answer for something taxing! Not sure where this will lead…but I am ready for a change.
Hi,
Ha, I loved what you said about leggings. Ha, I am still laughing, the memo has not gotten to my neck of the woods. I am always puzzled by the the leggings that are in prints (huge snowflakes) that I see women wearing while grocery shopping, I am not sure if they are PJ’s or what?
Ha!
I am with you, real cheese and hearty bread on that grilled cheese.
I am writing fig jam down on my grocery list. I must try that.
What an enjoyable read today! Your answer to #4 was so good. Peace and stability are things that I prize, but steady growth is necessary. In fact, I dare say that true peace and stability are not arrived at without spiritual growth.
Church situations are indeed so taxing, aren’t they? I could so relate to your thought concerning “taxing” circumstances. And I so agree with your random thought about the leggings. I too hope they are on the way out!
Church issues are so taxing. And often quite painful. I was never a gray person in terms of paint as I prefer warmer colors. Our house is pretty much neutral walls everywhere because there’s a lot going on outside our windows and I didn’t want to compete with nature. While the walls are neutral there is a lot of color thanks to the lake and we also have warm wood tones which I love. I am not big on AI but you can try inserting a photo of a room you might want to paint and see what they come up with. I’ve only used it in decorating here but found it helpful. Have a great day!
Ugh! Doing your taxes does sound stressful and no fun at all. Not packing in advance we really stress me out.
The only time I wear leggings is around the house, they are my comfy clothes and I am so glad that grey walls are out too! Everyone needs a bit of colour in their lives.
Hi, thanks for your comment on my blog. I am also a Christian living in Virginia. We are Mennonites. I have a fit whenever trying to choose a paint color. No matter how many samples I try, I never seen to get it right. I am impressed that you do your taxes! It can be frustrating even with Turbo Tax.
It depends on the trip; when we used to go to Disney in February I could easily pack a week or even 2 in advance as I did not need our spring/summer stuff but I would keep a list with things like toothbrush, deodorant, etc. on it that we would use up until it was time to actually leave.
I totally enjoyed reading your responses to the Hodge Podge questions, Jennifer. While I can do the taxes, that task falls in my husband’s lap. He actually did them earlier this year and groused the entire time. LOL I hope your taxing situation at church resolves itself. I love a good grilled cheese sandwich and even this noncook can make one. It is fun to try different cheeses or combinations of cheese. Yes to stability and peace, but growth is needed even to have stability and peace. I have never seen the allure in wearing leggings as a main component to an outfit. Now that being said, I have worn leggings under shorts when I belonged to a gym. I am not a fan of the wide legged pants especially on short people. They just look messy to me. Happy Wednesday!
Our taxes are *fairly* straightforward, too, and we use TurboTax which is what we’ve used the past 25 years. It is not an enjoyable task that is for sure. Even with getting a decent sized refund! Add in the knowledge of all the government waste- it’s depressing to see how much is taken out in taxes and knowing that A L OT of it squandered is hard to think about too much! I like your answer for question four- you answered it so well and I agree with you. No one in OH has gotten the leggings are out memo. I saw a teacher in leggings the other day (granted it was jeans day which has morphed into leggings day for some). Have a great day!
Great answers especially #4. I hope the situation at your church resolves itself. Ha I haven’t got a memo about leggings but I only ever wear plain black and always with a long top or jumper over them. In answer to your comment on my blog about builder’s tea, it’s just an expression for ordinary black tea that’s brewed quite strong. I’m happy with strong tea as long as it’s not been stewed too long.
That packing tip sounds real interesting. I think I can picture and understand it. Oh my, leggings on middle aged and older women, not flattering at all. Sorry about that situation that is burdensome. Hope things can be resolved.
I love wide leg pants, but don’t come at me – I also love capri leggings to wear under too short mini dresses or tunics. Very comfy on my old lady body! And, I do my takes with an on-line tax program, too. I don’t have anything complicated. Yet. One of these days I may do what my mother did and just pay someone to do it for me.
I like my gray walls (kitchen and both bathrooms). I much prefer neutrals to colors in my house. Pops of color are fine. This was another fun Hodgepodge! I enjoyed your answers and much prefer wide-leg slacks to leggings. I do not have a body for leggings!! LOL
I do like a wide leg pant and jean, however, I do like my leggings in the winter to wear with a long sweater, t-shirt of sweatshirt. Trends come and go so much with fashion and paint it seems!
I hope to the Lord leggings go! LOL! I wear them for the appropriate things like hiking or exercising but not for daily outfits. But to each their own. 🙂 No judgement but I am just saying… bye bye leggings.
I love a grilled cheese.
I am keeping my gray walls. LOL! Partly, because I hate painting and I also still like them.
We have gray walls. It’s very light though and exactly what I had in mind when I was picking for our new house. It’s called Campfire Ash I believe. It’s an old house and the counter and cabinets are old. Style and trends don’t influence me much I don’t think. I want to like the wide leg pants but don’t love them.
We have a situation at church as well that needs many prayers.
Enjoyed your answers. I love a hearty grilled cheese, but I will admit, one year at our churches youth camp, the cooks served your husbands style grilled cheese and I admit, I enjoyed it…took me back..haha. I also admit, I like wearing leggings, however, I always wear something long with them. I’m at the point where I just want to be comfortable…lol.
LOL to the leggings. I have never understood people wearing them as pants to places. I totally see wearing them under dresses and things, but just odd for actual pants. I am too self-conscious for all that, and think no one wants to see it anyway. I don’t even like wearing them to the gym, and I am in a personal trainer situation, so it’s usually just 8 ladies there at the time I go. Anyway, lovely answers, I love color in my house, but maybe not as bold as I once enjoyed. Have a good week. https://encounterswiththedavisfamily.blogspot.com/