Wednesday Hodgepodge - Volume 298

Time to join Joyce and friends over at the Hodgepodge.  Check it out here.

1.  Have you ever been fishing?  Did you catch a fish?  If so, did you keep it or throw it back?  If you haven't been fishing, is that something you'd like to try?

No, doesn't apply, doesn't apply, and no.  Not feeling the fishing thing at all and don't even get me started on the worm part of it!

Fish out of water, big fish in a small pond, living in a fish bowl, packed in like sardines, this is a fine kettle of fish, plenty of fish in the sea, or cut bait...which fishy phrase most recently applies to some area of your life?

Fish out of water.  Vic enlisted in the Navy when he was 27 years old - we were both working in the Western Pacific for a company that was in financial difficulty and when the opportunity came for him to join the Navy, he jumped at it.  It was something he had always wanted to do but growing up in the Philippines, it just wasn't an option for him when he was younger (the quota system was still in effect and there were far too many applicants and not enough spots).  So, after we were married and there were no obstacles like this, his dream came true.  I was thrilled; I'd lost my military ID card when I turned 18 so I was very happy to be getting it back!  Anyway, I digress.  So, here he is, third oldest person in his recruit training class.  He was an enlisted sailor for 17 1/2 years and then was commissioned as a Medical Service Corps officer and as such, he's at least 15 years older than most of his peers.  Guess what that makes me?  I'm surrounded by the wives of his peers, thirty-somethings with toddlers and infants, with conversations full of breast-feeding and cloth diapering and finding the right preschool.  Yes, I'm a fish out of water.  That's ok, though, because for the most part, they see me as just another Navy wife, and value the experiences that Vic and I have had over the years, even though I'm sure it does sound like some of them are straight out of the good ol' days.  What, you didn't have email when Vic was first deployed?  Quel horreur, no Skype, no FaceTime?  No, my dears, we wrote letters!

2.  What's something you're always fishing for in your purse, wallet, desk, or kitchen junk drawer?

My sunglasses.  There are a lot of pockets in the inside of my purse but there needed to be one more for my sunglasses.  As such, I'm always fishing for them in the bottom of my purse.

3.  Your favorite fish tale of movie?

Finding Nemo, so cute.

4.   Are you sunrise, daylight, twilight, or night?  Explain why you chose your answer.

I'm sunrise.  I do best first thing in the morning.  I love to see the dark turn to light, if there's a sunrise within sight that's even better.  I can face anything after I've had my early morning coffee, and a little time to catch up with Facebook and blog friends.

5.  What's the oldest piece of clothing you own and still wear?

Inside the house or out in public?  Inside the house would be a grey tracksuit/sweatsuit jacket emblazoned with a cardinal.  Mum bought the suit for me when she and Dad came to Florida in 1995 so that makes it 22 years old.  The pants have long since been retired to the rag bag but I still throw on the jacket in the house when I need an extra layer or feel particularly nostalgic.  Out in public would be an even older item - my green Christmas dress that I bought in 1994 for Sophia's first Christmas.  It's an evergreen, long-sleeved dress that I have worn to Christmas Eve service almost every year.  I didn't wear it last year, and I'm going to need a few more Whole 30s before I can get into it again this year, but it's as much a part of Christmas as any of the house decor.

6.  We've got one more month of (officially) winter here in the Northern hemisphere.  Are you feeling the need for a getaway?  What's been the best and worst part of your winter so far?

No, not feeling the need for a getaway from the winter weather.  I like the colder temperatures so I'd rather go north in the summer to get away from the heat.  The best part of winter was the winter storm we had - everywhere looked like a Winter Wonderland (before it started to melt) and Vic was off for a few days since everywhere was closed down.  The worst part?  We live in a historic home and it's pretty drafty so that jump in the electricity bill wasn't fun.

7.  The Wednesday Hodgepodge lands on National Margarita Day...will you be celebrating?  Frozen or on the rocks?  Are you a Jimmy Buffet fan?  If so, what's your favorite JB tune?

No, I don't really make margaritas at home but I do enjoy one, frozen, if we're out at a Mexican restaurant.  There's just something about chips, salsa, and margaritas.  Yes, I like Jimmy Buffet but I wouldn't really say I'm a fan.  I had to look him up to see what else he sings besides "Margaritaville"!

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

Along the fishy lines, and tying in with National Day celebrations, mark your calendars for April 16 - Dolphin Day and July 14 - Shark Awareness Day.  I know these things because I recently purchased a set of Random and Wacky Holiday stickers from my favorite planner sticker shop, shout out to Bottled Tea Designs.  If you'd like a set of your own, check them out here.