Not a Morning Hodgepodge

It's Wednesday, and I'm glad to have a chance to join with my friends over at Joyce's place for the Wednesday Hodgepodge. She faithfully poses the questions, and we do our best to share our answers. Thanks, Joyce!
After you finish reading here, be sure to click the Hodgepodge button to visit Joyce and the others.

1. What's your favorite time of day? Why?

I'm not a morning person. While I appreciate all the raves I hear about the quiet of the morning and a good cup of coffee, I don't do either.
I prefer sunset. Most any sunset is fine, but I particularly enjoy them over the water. Ocean, gulf, sea are all spectacular, but I also love the sun over the water at day's end on 'our' little lake. Meat on the grill, wine in my glass, and light sparkling like fireflies dancing on the surface. Priceless.

Speaking of sunsets, I caught this one over the grain bins earlier this week. No water in sight, but beautiful just the same.

2. Waffle iron, toaster, coffee maker, mixer, blender...which small appliance would you say most needs replacing in your house?

We don't have a waffle iron at our house, although a friend recently gifted one to us at the lakehouse, so I guess I'll say waffle iron.  

3. It's National Grouch Day (October 15)...what's something that makes you feel grouchy?

Mornings. See #1.

4. Ever been to Canada? Is that a country you'd like to visit? According to Trip Advisor, the top ten best destinations in Canada are-Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City, Victoria, Calgary, Niagara on the Lake, Niagara Falls, Whistler, and Halifax. Which city would you most like to see?

My parents took us to Montreal in the summer of 1967 for the World's Fair, Expo '67. So while I have been to Canada, it has been a looonnngg time! The trip was an add-on to our summer trip to northern Vermont to my grandparents' lake cottage. We also made a stop at Niagara Falls.
There I am with my dad and brothers, looking quite fetching in our stripes and plaid. :)

Our son visited Vancouver recently, for his job, and I looked up some attractions for him to see while he was there. He didn't, but I think it sounds like a beautiful place to visit.

5. What was your favorite food (or one of your favorites) when you were a child? Is that still a favorite?

I have written about my Mamaw's banana salad, which she made once a year for the family reunion. It was definitely one of my favorites. Besides that, my favorite was ice cream. Still is.

6. Do you cry easily?

My brothers used to say I cried watching Little House on the Prairie, which I did. I also cry reading books. In church. In Haiti. So there are times, yes, when I cry easily.

7. Have you started your (gasp!) Christmas shopping? If so when, and how much? If not, when will you even begin thinking about it?

Nope. Although I did order a stocking for our soon-to-be daughter-in-law to add to the growing group we hang by the chimney with care. No backing out now, Court!

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

I recently finished the book The Boys in the Boat, by Daniel James Brown, which my book club will be reading in a few weeks. It was so good! It is the story of the 1936 American Olympic rowing team who competed for gold in Berlin. 

I am a sports fan, and I am always interested in the story behind the story. (Yes, I watch those pre-game pieces before the Super Bowl, Derby, and Olympics.) While this is a sports story, it is so much more than that. I learned about rowing, but I also learned about the young men from the University of Washington who came together through hardship and found their 'swing' as a team. Read more about the writing of the book (with a movie in the works) here. But don't wait for the movie, go ahead and read the book!