Hops to the Hodgepodge

Joyce, who hosts the Wednesday Hodgepodge, noted that today is Hodgepodge #99. That's a lot of Hodgepodge! She also noted that the number 99 reminds her of the old song '99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall.' Everyone's favorite for those long junior high bus rides. Ha! I'll bet there are more than a few of us who annoyed an adult or two ten by singing that song. I wonder if current youngsters know it? Enough of the bus ride down memory lane, and on to the questions...

1.  So, do you like beer?
The short answer is 'no.' I have never learned to like beer. Recently, we have been frequenting a brewery in Nashville, and I have attempted to join the fun. The last time we were there, I was on my third beer. Ever. I am ok sipping from the small sample glasses, but I don't know if I will ever acquire a taste for it.

2.  What's your least favorite repetitive task?
Loading and emptying the dishwasher. Definitely a first world problem.
Let's see how this goes, "Oh how I dislike putting dishes into an electronic machine that fills with heated water automatically, then washes and dries all the dishes at once while I sleep, or shop, or get my nails done. And then, later, I have to take all the clean dishes out of the machine and put them away in my cabinets." Yep. First world problem.

3.  When was the last time you rode a bus?  Where was it headed?
When we were in New Orleans last month, the streetcars were being repaired, so we had to take a bus to the Garden District. Definitely not as cute as a streetcar.

The bus did, however, get us where we wanted to go, and we enjoyed a delicious lunch.

Complete with this for dessert. Bread Pudding Souffle. Yes, I may have mentioned it a time or two before.

4.  What song from your childhood or from your own children's childhood could make a parent's nerves stand on end?
I don't remember our children singing songs that made my nerves stand on end. I think I was singing right along with them. Remember Raffi? Or Friendship Company?

However, from my own childhood, I remember singing Donny Osmond's Puppy Love all the way to Florida. All. The. Way. I had a little cassette player/recorder about the size of a cigar box, and the batteries held up for a good long time. I imagine my parents were a bit on edge by the end of the trip.
Someone help me, help me, help me, please.

(source)

That's probably why we got out of the car at the Welcome Station. To give their ears a rest. :)

5.  The US Presidential election cycle is drawing to a close (can I get an AMEN??), and the third and final debate was held last night...what was the last thing you 'debated about'?
AMEN!
I try not to debate too much. I do think we learn more by listening.
I remember a family debate between my two brothers over who was the greatest athlete, Tiger Woods or Lance Armstrong. How's that one working out?

6.  Can a person make too much money?  How much is too much?
How much is too much? It seems after the first several million, how much more does one really need? Not that I would know, of course. It does make me think of the verse from Luke 12:48b:  From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

7.  Pop-soda-coke-something else...what's it called where you live?
I hear several different words used in our part of the country. Pop is used frequently, and I often say soft drinks. Speaking of which, have you all seen the Coca-Cola Freestyle Machine? One of the restaurants in our little town has one, and it is pretty slick indeed. With a tap of the touch screen, you can serve yourself  a custom drink from 127 different choices. Just don't get behind the little kid who wants to try all 127 in the same cup!

8.  Insert your own random thought here.
With Halloween approaching, I thought I would share one of my favorite vintage photos. That's Cowardly Lion (Jonathan 1 1/2), Tin Man (Andrew 4),  Scarecrow (David almost 6), and Dorothy (Jennifer almost 3).
Jonathan recently asked me if, when he was born, I immediately started formulating my plan for these costumes. Well, yes. Yes I did.

They hope to reprise these costumes (with a few additions to the cast) in a few weeks for Breakfast Club at Purdue. Breakfast Club, as you may know, is a Purdue football game-day tradition that includes the wearing of costumes and the drinking of orange juice (among other things). It does not include pancakes. You will not be surprised to know that I do still have the parts to these costumes, carefully preserved, and some may even be utilized in the encore performance. Stay tuned.