Wednesday Hodgepodge - Volume 525

 

I'm joining Joyce over at From This Side of the Pond for the Wednesday Hodgepodge.  Click on the photo above for the link.

1. Besides Thanksgiving (in the USA) what's one thing you're looking forward to in November? 

Believe it or not, knee surgery!  It's almost seven months from when I injured my knee at work.  The whole Worker's Compensation/Department of Labor is not for the faint of heart at all.  If I knew then what I know now, I think I would have crawled out of my office in agony and dealt with the injury on my own!  I say that but of course, since I couldn't straighten or stand on my right leg, that wouldn't have been possible.  I've been navigating life with a cane and so looking forward to that being over.

2. Do you like candles? Your favorite scent? How often do you burn a candle in your home? 

I love candles - they say all things warm and cozy.  I'm a scents of the season type of candle lover - pine and cinnamon in the winter, florals in the spring, clean and fresh scents in the summer, and all things pumpkin and spice in the fall.  I'm a devotee of Bath and Body Works candles although I've been somewhat frustrated lately that demand far out strips their supply and I often can't get something that I've seen advertised.  I'm going to explore Marshall's to check out the DW Home brand that Tanya from The Other Side of the Road recommended here.  I usually burn my candles from late afternoon to evening.  I have one on the kitchen island that burns while I'm fixing dinner.

3. What gadgets did you use today? 

I had a list of things -  iPhone, iPad, Kitchen Aid mixer, Cuisinart food processor, Keurig coffee maker, rice cooker - but they are electronics and appliances not really gadgets.  I suppose you could consider my Epson PM-400 PictureMate photo printer as a gadget.  It will be interesting to see how others answer this question.

4. This question is a repeat from one asked in November of 2014, but I liked it so it's coming round again. Many of you weren't here in 2014. Okay, you can have fifty pounds of something (anything but money)..what will you choose? Also, since I mentioned it...what were you up to in November of 2014? 

After just recently adopting Malone from the Humane Society, I'd have to say 50 pounds of dog and cat supplies.  I know they are always in need.  In November 2014, we had just moved (August 2014) from Virginia to Washington where Vic was stationed on an aircraft carrier.  I was really missing Sophia who had gone off to college.  MudLynn missed her too.  I joined several officers' spouses' groups and kept busy living the officer wife life - lunches, social events, field trips.  November is craft fair time in most places so we explored all the ones in our area.  We spent Thanksgiving on the carrier because Vic had duty and when he got home, we started decorating (our 11th house to decorate!) and took our family Christmas photo.  The outtake was a fun one!

I called it Charlie and his Angels

5. 'Tis the season...what's something you're feeling especially grateful for today?

My family, always.  It's going to be a bit of challenge for us all to be together on Thanksgiving and Christmas with my knee surgery and Malone, who doesn't play nicely with other dogs yet but we'll make it work.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Does anyone have one of these, the Pupsicle from Woof?  Malone has some separation anxiety and I think that might be what caused him to have a couple of accidents in the house when I ran errands.  We put him in the laundry room now, his crate and bed are in there but he hasn't shown any interest in the chewy toy ring that I bought.  I was thinking that a Pupsicle might keep him occupied.

And on another random note, I didn't get a chance to do a proper spring clean this year since I was working - that's in the plan for next year - and I thought this decluttering challenge looked quick and easy but full of things you might not often think about.  You might have to click on it to enlarge it, the print is pretty small.  I'm going to give it a try and I'll put up a separate decluttering post each day.