Wednesday, February 17, 2021

Wednesday Hodgepodge - Volume 408

From this Side of the Pond


1. This week's Hodgepodge lands on Ash Wednesday which signals the beginning of Lent. Do you mark this season in some way? If so tell us more. Did you grow up 'celebrating' Lent? Is attending church part of your weekly routine? Are churches open for in-person worship where you live? 

No, we don't mark Lent in any way.  I didn't grow up celebrating Lent.  Attending church has been part of our weekly routine but with Vic gone, and COVID, it's just not happening right now as churches are not open for in-person worship here.  I hope that when he is home again, we will find a church home and be a part of a worship community again.

2. When is the last time you sat beside a 'real' fire? Do you have a fireplace in your home? Wood or gas logs? Favorite thing cooked over a fire?

When our family celebrated Christmas in England, my parents searched high and low for just the right holiday cottage.  It HAD to have a coal fire, that was non-negotiable for my Mum.  I still have the brochure that she used to circle and usually then cross out various properties until she found the right one.  It was a wonderful trip and we spent most of the time in the cottage in front of the fire.

We have a fireplace at home, with gas logs.  I suppose s'mores would be my favorite thing cooked over a fire.  Several years ago, when I went to a reunion with four of my friends from our MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) days, there was a gourmet s'mores bar.  It was a great idea if you're having a family or friends gathering.


 3. Something that's currently got you fired up?

I had to look up the definition!  Fired up - Very emotional or excited, positively or negatively, regarding something.  I'm excited about Vic coming home, of course, but all the details are not finalized.  I mean, he is coming home in July, but I don't know the exact date yet.  We're putting our rental house on the market in the spring (yay, end of landlordship, is that a word?) so I'm excited about that.

4. February also happens to be National Cabbage Day. Who knew? Do you like cabbage? Is cabbage on your menu Wednesday? Of the following cabbage dishes which is your favorite-coleslaw (mayo or vinegar?), sauerkraut, cabbage rolls, cabbage soup, kielbasa and cabbage, grilled cabbage, bubble and squeak, kimchi, or haluski? 

I LOVE cabbage, cooked or raw.  It's not on the menu for today but my favorite from this list is bubble and squeak - such wonderful comfort food.  My Mum's coleslaw (mayo) was amazing too.

5. Do you hang on to pennies? What do you do with them? Last thing you purchased for $1.00? Last thing you purchased for $5.00? 

I wouldn't say that I hang on to pennies specifically but I do put small change in a jar.  I used to turn it in to the change machine at our bank where it would be deposited into our account, but they got rid of the machine.  Rolling coins is such a pain so I'll have to find a new machine.  One of the grocery stores in Virginia would give you electronic gift cards for change for places like Amazon or Starbucks.  The last thing I purchased for $1.00 was probably two cards - Dollar Store has two cards for $1.00, a great deal, and as they are by a division of Hallmark, they are just as nice as any at the Hallmark store.  The last thing I purchased for $5.00 was probably some Valentine candy.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

We've pretty much recovered from Winter Storm Uri.  All the main roads are plowed, some side streets still need some attention but the temperatures are going up so I would imagine that most of it should be melted by the weekend.  I hope so, the gardener is coming on Saturday!

9 comments:

  1. Great post! We don't observe Lent, either. I save all of my change, and I roll it. It's fun to take it to the bank and turn it in for "real" money or if we're traveling, we put the rolls in the car to use on turnpikes. We're chilly here for the next two days (60s) but warming up for the weekend. My son is KS has been surviving through rolling blackouts with temps in the single digits and negative digits. No thank you!

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  2. I just bought some of the 2 for $1 cards the other day. They really are very nice. I'm sure I will be buying more.

    I don't even know what bubble and squeak is. I'm going to have to go Google it.

    Have a great day.

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  3. That Smores menu is too cute! I'll have to remember that and make those with the Grans. I go to Dollar Tree all the time but have never checked out their cards. I will check them out if I can ever get out of this house again. :o)) Blessings abundant!

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  4. Our supermarket has a machine you can pour your change in and it gives you a receipt you take to the cashier for cash. I rarely have enough change to make it worthwhile anymore. I feel like we are slowly but surely heading towards a cashless society. Not sure I like it either. Cards are so expensive now, but I still love sending them. I've gotten some good ones in the two for one deal too. Have a great day!

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  5. I don't shop anywhere but the dollar store for cards anymore. Can't beat 2 for $1 or even their 1 for a $1 is a great value. What a sweet memory about your mum finding the perfect cottage. Love that! I would be a horrible landlord. Glad that responsibility will be off your plate soon.

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  6. We don't have a church home presently, but I do usually observe Lent in some way usually by giving up something that comes between me and better relationship with God. Maundy Thursday services (or Holy Thursday, the day before Good Friday) at our previous church was incredibly meaningful.

    We had a real fire this week when the power, and therefore the heat, was out. Our fireplace sends about 3% of heat into room, and 97% up the chimney. Always disappointing.

    I love cabbage too. I discovered Haluski a few years ago, and loved it. I should make it soon!

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  7. I have not heard of bubble and squeak. It sounds like a kids toy! I liked the smores menu, what a cute idea!

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  8. Pamela,

    Thanks for stopping by yesterday. S'mores are a great treat to make over an open fire. Incidentally, I wanted to point out that your Gravatar profile you use to sign in with on my blog and I'm sure others does not have your blog connected to it, which makes it tricky to get back to you. I figured you were visiting from Joyce's hodgepodge group, so I found a Pamela listed then I viewed your Blogger profile and from that I was able to match up your email address to what you used on my site. That's how I knew I was doing a return visit to the right 'Pamela'. :) Stay safe and warm. It's been so cold in the Tennessee Valley but thankfully we haven't had to deal with the snow.

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  9. I now know where to shop for cards! I spent a fortune on Valentine cards for my daughters and granddaughters at Hallmark. I was so glad to see there is an actual Hallmark store near me after having all of ours close where I recently moved from. It's hard to spend upwards of $5 on one single card, so will now try to find a $ store nearby. Thank you for stopping by and visiting my blog this week. Hope to visit again next week.

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