Wednesday Hodgepodge - Volume 646

 Welcome to the Wednesday Hodgepodge!  Here are this week's questions, which you should answer on your own blog and then pop over to Joyce's blog (click on the graphic for the link) Wednesday to add your link to the party.

 

1. It's officially spring in the northern hemisphere. Does it feel like spring in your part of the world? If you're in the southern hemisphere it's officially autumn where you live. Does the weather say autumn? Which do you prefer-spring or autumn? Why? 

It's spring here in the Pacific Northwest, along with our usual rainy days that keep everything so green.  Daffodils and tulips are popping up everywhere.  I like the newness of spring, but autumn is my favorite.  I love everything red, orange, yellow, and brown, pumpkins and hayrides, and the coming of the holidays.

2. What's your favorite thing about spring? 

It's nice to be able to sit out on the deck with a cup of coffee while Malone romps around in the garden.

3. Spring into action, spring in your step, spring to life, spring to one's feet...which spring idiom currently applies to your life in some way? Explain. 

Spring into action and spring in my step are hand in hand right now because I have a couple of fun things planned and really looking forward to them. 

4. Which spring food from this list is your favorite? What's a dish you like that includes your favorite spring ingredient? 

asparagus, strawberries, salad greens like mesclun, artichokes, spinach, eggs, peas, spring onions

I love strawberries.  I saw a post just the other day that it's 100 days until Wimbledon and that says strawberries and cream to me!

5. What's one task on your spring cleaning list? Do you actually have a list? 

I need to declutter and organize my Kallax storage unit.  I have TOO many scrapbook supplies and I need to get serious about which ones I will actually use.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

If this is Tuesday, it must be England #199

 

It's been a while since I put up an If this is Tuesday post but I wanted to make sure I added a couple of photos from last week's visit by the Nigerian President and his wife to the UK.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his wife, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu were welcomed by The Prince and Princess of Wales.  The Princess wore a beautiful coat highlighting a British-Nigerian designer, Tolu Coker, which had an interesting corset design at the back.  It was hard to find a really good photo, but I think this one gives you a good idea.

The ceremonial welcome was held at Windsor Castle, and I loved this photo of King Charles III assisting President Tinubu down the steps from this dias as they walked over to the inspect the Guard of Honor.

That evening, there was all the pomp and ceremony the British do so well at a state banquet, attended by British Royals, Nigerian officials, business leaders, and cultural figures of Nigerian heritage.

The Princess of Wales looked stunning in an emerald green gown by Andrew Gn, one of the colors of the Nigerian flag.  Sartorial dressing for the win on this state visit.

It was interesting to read about the adaptations that were made to the menu as President Tinubu's stay in the UK is the first incoming state visit in nearly 100 years by a Muslim leader during the holy month of Ramadan, during which many Muslims fast and refrain from eating between dawn and sunset.

A special mocktail, a twist on the classic Nigerian drink, the Chapman, usually a mix of Sprite, Fanta, cucumber, grenadine syrup, and Angostura aromatic bitters, is one of a number of adaptations made at the banquet.  Canapes were offered ahead of the dinner to offer sustenance to Muslim guests who were unable to partake in iftar - the breaking of their fast - earlier at sunset.

The menu featured fish rather than a traditional meat course with fillet of turbot, lobster mousse wrapped in spinach, beurre blanc sauce, sprouting broccoli with Hollandaise sauce, fricassee of peas and broad beans, and Jersey royal potatoes for the main.  The starter was vegetarian consisting of a soft-boiled quail egg tartlet with watercress and kale and a basil sabayon, and the dessert was an iced blackcurrant souffle with red fruit coulis.

I would love to work in the Protocol office that researches the details that go into a state visit and the particularities of various cultures when coming up with the perfect menu.

The Chapman

If you enjoy mocktails, check out the details here.

Life Last Week (16-22 March 202

  

The weather for the week ahead:::

On my reading pile:::

 

Finished this one - quite a twist and turn toward the end, a great read.

The Champagne Letters

On my TV:::

The Pitt on Thursdays followed by Outlander on Fridays

Couldn't resist - thanks to PBS Passport, I binged my way through the first season.  It was interesting and different.  I think Just Watch Film on Facebook summed it up perfectly - it isn't just an update; it's a complete transformation.

Checked off the list:::

• VA appointment for Vic meant grabbing lunch at Le Panier, our favorite French bakery, in Seattle.  It really is a good thing that we are there so infrequently.

Espresso Eclairs - divine

• We also had a quick browse in Sur la Table and picked up a glass citrus juicer.  Vic's still got a war on plastic, and our old one was plastic.
• Picked up lamb shepherd's pie from a local restaurant and some Irish soda bread for our St. Patrick's Day celebration.  Everything was delicious.  We also worked out way through three Irish-themed movies on Hallmark+ over the 16th, 17th, and 18th of March.  They can't even get through the opening credits before we both have the same thought - we need to move to Ireland lol!
• Video call with Jodie - is it too early to talk about December Daily?  Never!
• Took Malone to the vet for his vaccinations and I got a haircut.
• Vic crawled up in the attic to check where we had a leak, and all is well.  His roof repair took care of the problem.

Crafts roundup:::

Started the London album - title page complete!

And in other news:::

Looking forward to an overnight getaway and that's about it.

Spring Bucket List

Joanne over at Slices of Life inspired me to make a bucket list for spring.  We have a few things already on the calendar, but here's a few more.

1.  Finish the London album.

2.  Take a Viking River Cruise with pre (Paris) and post (Oxford, England) extensions.

3.  Experience the Eurostar.

4.  Check out bathroom and roof ideas at the Home and Remodel Expo.

5.  See The Devil Wears Prada 2 at the cinema.

6.  Take Vic, Sophia, and Fayez to the Seattle Aquarium (I'm the only one who has been there and it was back in 2016).

7.  Visit two more of the Pacific Northwest Trolls.

8.  Take a trip to North Cascades National Park (the only Washington National Park we have not visited yet).

9.  Resume celebrating Vic's port visit special menus each month.  On Vic's 20th anniversary in the Navy, I started a themed meal in celebration, planning to use the country of each one of his port visits as a guideline - we worked our way through Spain, the United Kingdom, and Germany and then stopped.  I'll have to dig out the map and double check, but I think next will be Denmark, France, and Italy.

10.  Declutter and organize one complete row of my Kallax scrapbook unit.

 Ten things on the list for now until the first day of summer on June 20.

It's Spring

 

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Life Last Week (9-15 March 2026)

 

The weather for the week ahead:::

Last week's weather took an unexpected turn when we woke up to this, and it snowed all day.

Rear deck and backyard

Looking from our front door across to the neighbor's house

On my reading pile:::

 

Still working through this.

The Champagne Letters

On my TV:::

The Pitt on Thursdays followed by Outlander on Fridays

Checked off the list:::

• Ran to Target on Monday for a few things I had on my list.  Found a Target gift card in my wallet left over from our Christmas Bingo game which came in handy.
• Purchased our travel insurance for Paris - not sure what made me double check whether we had insurance or not and it was one of those things on the list that I was going to do and didn't.  All sorted now.
• Emotional day on Wednesday when Sophia had to say goodbye to Ginger.
• It was our week for snacks for our small group, so I whipped up some Olive-Nut Spread and Almond Joy Cookies - both were a hit.
• Lunch with two of my former co-workers on Thursday to catch up on all the workplace news.
• Fortunately, I had pulled my car into the garage in anticipation of rain so the windshield repair person would stay dry.  As it was, it was snow and not rain so she was shielded from the elements.  The ding was right smack in the middle of the windshield (a casualty of a rock on the Interstate when we were coming home from Sophia's) so the repair was easy.

• Vic worked all day Saturday, so I tackled a filing project I had been putting off and spent the afternoon with Ragnar and Rollo from the Vikings.  We went out to dinner at a local barbecue place when Vic got home.
• Sunday is for bagels and smoked salmon and assorted jobs around the house.

Crafts roundup:::

Paris planning still in full swing so no crafting this week, or for the next few weeks.

And in other news:::

I need these in my life - it's time for a trip over to the British Pantry

Hope all of my UK friends had a lovely day yesterday!