Wednesday Hodgepodge - Volume 440

   

It's time for the Hodgepodge.  Click here to join in.

1. Three things you're grateful for this first week of November?

My family, that we're all healthy, that we're gainfully employed and have a little extra to save and give. 

   

2. Is Daylight Savings Time a thing where you live? Do you think we should continue setting the clocks forward and back? Why or why not? If you could add an extra hour to your day would you want it added morning-noon-night? Do you think it likely you'd be more productive or more likely that you'd just waste more time?

It's a thing here in Washington although they keep saying it's not going to be at some point but I'm not sure when that will be.  It doesn't really bother me, I'm just as productive whether it's light or dark.  It's one of those things I don't really think about although an extra hour in the morning would be nice.  That 4:00am wake up call is so tough!

3. Who is  your favorite author? Your favorite book by your favorite author?

Right now I'm really enjoying Kate Quinn and Jennifer Robson.  The Rose Code by Kate Quinn was an excellent read and Jennifer Robson's The Great War series ranks right up there as an all-time favorite. 

4. It's National Sandwich Day...will you celebrate? How often do you eat a sandwich? What's your favorite? 

I didn't know it was National Sandwich Day so I just may swing through Starbucks and pick up one of their turkey and pesto paninis, they are really tasty.  I love sandwiches, everything from tiny afternoon tea delicacies to a foot-long sub.  Some of my favorites are ham and piccalilli (a spicy mustard pickle spread), tuna salad with lots of chopped celery, onions, and cornichons, and the olive nut spread that I make to be served with crackers that turned out to be a great sandwich spread.  Do you like afternoon tea?  Do you prefer fingers or quarters?

5. Have you started your Christmas shopping? If so when did you start? If not when will you start? Do you give more or fewer gifts than you did five years ago?

We're not giving big or many gifts this year - Sophia wants money for her horse business and Vic and I have decided to put our Christmas money into the kitchen fund.  I have a few things that I picked up during the year - planners for Sophia and me from Erin Condren's launch (I think it was sometime in the summer), some items (that I can't list here in case Sophia's reading my blog!) to put into a gift basket, and the inevitable Christmas pajamas.  We'll have our annual Target and Barnes and Noble shopping trips where we pick up stocking stuffers for each other and something to read on Christmas Day but that's about it.  I did buy two fun games for us to play.  I probably give less each year although the total spent stays about the same - the gifts get more expensive, more cash is given - so it seems like less in quantity.  The nephews get cash - we're so far away from them, I wouldn't have a clue what they would like.  I buy some sweet treats for my co-workers and this year, they are all getting joke books as telling jokes has become the opener for our weekly division managers meeting.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Trying to decide what to do for Christmas cards this year.  I've trimmed the list down to close friends who send cards every year and family but the list of cards we receive gets smaller and smaller.  I fear it's going the way of cursive writing, thank you notes, and RSVPs.  It seems social media has taken over and that's such a shame.  Do you send cards?