Hot Hot Hodgepodge

Hey to the Hodgepodge! It is Wednesday, and time to share a little Hodgepodge. Be sure to enjoy my answers, then click over to visit Joyce, our hostess. From there you can visit the rest of the bloggers who are Hodgepodging with us today. Enjoy!

1. How often do you check the weather? How do you check the weather?

I'm not a serious weather watcher. I am, however, married to a farmer, and farmers check the weather, watch the weather, talk about the weather, complain about the weather, or are thankful for the weather all the time. And I mean all. the. time. And you can't really blame them, now, can you? I'm more of the opinion that it's gonna do what it's gonna do no matter how much cussin' and discussin' we do about it. This summer, of course, the weather has been a hot topic around these parts. And I do mean HOT. The drought has caused serious stress on the crops and the farm families who depend on them. We are still praying for rain, and that some of the crops might still be saved.

As for how I check the weather, on my iPhone, of course. This was last week. I told you it was hot. :)

2. Since this is volume 84 of the Wednesday Hodgepodge, and since I got married in 1984, and since I'm attending a wedding this weekend it only seems right to post something related here.

"Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance. If the dispositions of the parties are ever so well known to each other or ever so similar beforehand, it does not advance their felicity in the least. They always continue to grow sufficiently unlike afterwards to have their share of vexation; and it is better to know as little as possible of the defects of the person with whom you are to pass your life."

Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

Agree or Disagree. Why?

Joyce does like to make us think, doesn't she?

I believe there are a couple of thoughts going on here. First, that happiness in marriage is a matter of chance. Disagree. 

For me, happiness in marriage is a matter of shared faith in God, love for one another, give and take, weathering the storms together, being thankful, remembering why you fell in love, forgiving, laughing, praying, and praying some more. A house is built with a blueprint. A map guides us on a journey. How could happiness in a marriage be left to chance? Happiness is a choice. Be happy.

Second is that we should be unaware of the defects of our spouse-to-be. 

Defects? Who said we have defects?  Surely not that lovely couple in the photo below. :) 

That was a hot July day almost 31 years ago. We haven't changed a bit. Still smiling, defects and all.

And while we are on the topic of marriage, we have been blessed to have our parents as an example to us in that department.

Jim's parents celebrated their 70th anniversary in March. That's right, 70th.

Here they are as newlyweds...

and at the wedding of Jennifer and Bryan in April.

My parents celebrated their 55th anniversary with the family trip to Mackinac in June.
Here they are on their wedding day...

and 55 years later in Mackinac last month.



 3. Do you like to dance? Have you ever taken dance lessons? 

Have I EVER! I started dance lessons when I was 4 years old, and continued at the same studio through high school when I taught dance one night a week after school.

This picture is from my first dance recital. 

Yes, as I have mentioned before, it required a bribe involving a Barbie doll for me to do my dance on stage (by myself, I might add). 

And yes again, I can still do that dance. :)

I took tap and jazz, and also took square dance lessons, which was also a tap class. 
This is one of my square dance classes posing on dress rehearsal day. I am second from the left.
My grandma made my skirt and petticoat. I could probably still find it at my mother's house.

 I do still like to dance. I may or may not have been seen doing the Electric Slide at our daughter's wedding.

4. Fresh from the oven peach pie or home made peach ice cream? Pick one.

Ice cream please! It is always my choice. I know a great cook who makes the best home made peach ice cream. When I asked her for the recipe it was, a little, well, vague. You know, the ones that say 'add sugar until it tastes right.'

5. Should people accept unfairness and learn to make the best of it?

When our children often occasionally lamented that something was not fair, our usual response was, "Life's not fair." I think it's best to learn to make the best of it.

In the wise words of John Wooden,

"Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out."

6. The top five all time summer movie blockbusters (released between May and August and grossing at least 100 million dollars) are-Jaws, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Star Wars (the original), Ghostbusters, and ET. Which one's your favorite?

 I have to say E.T. How can you resist flying bicycles, Reese's Pieces, an adorable little Drew Barrymore, and a lovable alien?

7. If given the chance, would you like to visit the moon?

Nope, don't think so. Too hot, too cold, no beach.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

For today's random thought, I would like to poll the audience on a couple of items.

First, I am considering purchasing a laptop to replace my old desktop computer. Should I buy a Mac or a PC? I use my computer primarily for photos (lots), email, blogging, and internet. Advice?

Second, the book club I lead will be starting back up again in the fall after our summer break. It is a church group, made up of a small group of great women, mostly in their 80s. Historical fiction seems to be a favorite genre, but we enjoy and appreciate a wide variety of books. So, have you read any good books lately (or ever)? Suggestions?

Thanks for the help, and have a great Wednesday!