Exploring the Depths!

Hodge Podge Wednesday  really came around fast for me this week...  I like this  meme because it really makes me think.   
1. It's hard to believe, but next week's Hodgepodge will find us in the month of September. What's one thing you want, need, or hope to do still before summer officially ends?

This one is  very easy.....  our  daughter's family is coming Labor  Day weekend and  the  weather   report   is  showing  hot...  wish it was  a bit milder...  but  we found  daughter's  old  Mickey Mouse  lawn sprayer  in the  garage that still works and  I   hope to see Birdie    play around in her little  bathing suit..   She is  23 months old... and  just such a  delight....  she just got a cast off her leg...   took a topple and had a cast for good measure...and I am hoping the three days she spends with us will be   memorable for her and fun...  Planning to  celebrate her birthday with a cookout....    our biggest  celebration of the summer!

2. When were you last at 'your wit's end'?

That one is easy as well... this has been a summer   where things well planned  flopped miserably...   our trip to the beach house  that I posted  recently is a prime example...  well,  my   ancient old timey  cell phone finally   croaked  so  we were all excited about   purchasing  new  smart phones.We studied and planned  and had our mind set to  get  prepaid phones  that didnt require a particular  contract, because we  were going to use a  T Mobile or Att  pay as you go plan...  and save  a bit of money....  well, we  ordered our phones   .. mind you, no where on the  item  write up  from the   well known online shop   did it mention these were  international phones,   but when they came  mine was  from Czechoslovakia  and  Lynn's was French.. the manuals were as well, or course...  the online  manual  not  that   great....  and,   of course, the  charger  gadgets were  European...besides all that my  battery  was  a dud....  After all the waiting  and trying to figure  out our  foreign phones,  mine just would not  charge  and after  a lengthy time on the phone with customer service...  after all the  planning and excitement and the  waiting not only for the phones but then the  sim cards and everything, we   very gratefully said we would accept  a refund that they offered us,   but   today  our new covers came and  we probably wont  buy this kind of phone  again. so  it is just such a  mess all around.. packing everything back up,  remitting it  and  everything else,     and  now  another long wait and  to tell the truth...  Ive lost interest in a blame phone now!

3. Describe a time you were figuratively thrown into 'the deep end'?

The first  "deep end"  experience I  thought of   besides the time when I was four and a gang of  rough housers actually did push me in the deep end where I almost drowned and have feared swimming ever since......was several years ago at  my work place....we had undergone a lengthy  evaluation of our  school  by the state department and I happened to be chosen as the chairman of the  committee that  evaluated the  administrator.....  now she was  a very  high energy, married to her job kind of   principal who   put   really unrealistic expectations of her staff....  because she had no  personal life she  didnt understand     those of us who did.... In order to  attain to  her  objectives and directives  it meant  many hours spent after work hours  at school.  the morale  had dropped to an all time low...  all in the  name of trying to make our school and our  administration look   top rate  in the state .Well, after  quantifying all the data from teachers, students, and patrons,  we had a lengthy report to    take to the  administrator to share prior to  presenting it to the   evaluation team from the state.   I  actually got thrown under the bus... no one would attend that  meeting with me....  My knees were actually quaking....  but  as it  turned out,   and I know this was  due to   God's intervention,  He gave me  extra grace and to her   extra humility and   the meeting  went very well....    we actually  developed an understanding and appreciation for each other we never would have had otherwise,proving that prayer  really  works in time of  trial!

4. Does the end always, ever, or never justify the means? Explain.
I wrote what I considered to be a very thoughtful piece on this topic and when I shared it with my husband he convinced me that I shouldn't put it online.... not that it was an unlawful act by no means.... but this is a very serious question and one that I mulled over for a long time. To answer it truthfully in my case was to admit a time that 30 years ago I over stepped a line in explaining what I might or might not do in a given situation( I didnt actually lie, but somehow got away with skirting around a direct question)..it was actually a Biblical line that I would adhere to in my actions, but even then to follow this particular Biblical standard was considered by our society to be wrong...and when in fact I knew full well that I would follow my Bible based wisdom on the topic... but,also, knew that if the person I was relating to knew that, it would be very detrimental to us and to others involved. So for the betterment of a situation and how over the years only goodness and blessing has continued because of the blurring of that line , .... such a powerfully positive outcome. I would have to say that sometimes the end does sometimes justify the means... I know this sounds really blurry... as it should..But clearly circumstances dictate these issues!
5. What makes your hair stand on end?

Trying to rewrite and explain question #4.. but more seriously, this morning when I saw on our local news about the horrific shooting of the two news reporters from our hometown and realizing as I saw the victims names and photos, I knew the young man, Adam Ward. I remembered him from second grade. I had taught his older sister and everyone in our school loved this family..... Adam was brilliant, gregarious, always went way beyond the mark in all his school work... IN second grade I remember he built a huge replica of the white House that lit up.... such a senseless loss, and I can not even imagine what his family to going through today! I do ask for prayers for all the victims and the community who was touched by these folks...!


6. I read an article on the website Eat This! Health, that listed 11 foods we can eat to help end bad moods. Basically it's a feed your brain so you're less anxious, grouchy and lethargic. The foods are-mussels, swiss chard, blue potatoes, grass fed beef, dark chocolate, greek yogurt, asparagus, honey, cherry tomatoes, eggs, and coconut. Which of those do you think would most help end your own bad mood? Which do you fear, if forced to eat, would put you into a bad mood?


Great question! My freezer is actually filled with bags of dark chocolate kisses... we were in Hershey, Pa a month ago! heheheheheh! I begin each day with a helping of Greek Yogurt and coffee... which surely should be on this list!!!I am just learning to enjoy mussels, but only in Boston where they are wild caught fresh each day... don't want any from here! Yuck! I am an egg eater, and actually enjoy most all those items... my Grannie was a huge fan of Swiss chard... don't think I've had that one. but would probably like to try it. Now "BLUE" potatoes sound pretty awful.. I'M not a proponent of blue food. anything that turns my tongue blue I try to stay away from. I think Blue potatoes would prob have to be forced on me and I probably wouldn't want to be in good company thereafter for a while... just sayin'!
7. What project around your home, office, or life in general feels like there is 'no endin sight'? 


Have you been reading my blog... obviously it is getting our kitchen cabinets painted! Enough said on that one!
8.  Insert your own random thought here.
Sometimes one can spend too much of a day on a post... time to just say God bless until next week!