Hodgepodge for November 8

 

 It's Wednesday again, and time for the Hodgepodge -- the linkup where Joyce, at  From This Side of the Pond, asks the questions and bloggers provide the answers on their own blogs.   I'm a little late posting -- we were out of town all day Tuesday -- but today's questions are doable, so here we go!

 1. Are you too hard on yourself or not hard enough? Elaborate. 

I think I'm both too hard on myself and too easy on myself at times.  Too hard on myself in many ways -- but not in any way a perfectionist! Yet I can also tend to cut myself a lot of slack in certain areas.  I'm definitely a work in progress and will probably be working on diligence and self-discipline until the day I die.

2. What's the role of gratitude in your life? 

It has a big part in my life.  Gratitude is hugely important.  I am grateful to God for every moment of life and for the guarantee of eternal life to come.

Sweet graphic  by Abby at Little Birdie Blessings

3. Where do you get your news these days? How much attention are you giving it currently? 

We get most of our news from The Epoch Times and are extremely thankful that this news source exists.  We subscribe to the print newspaper, which only comes out once a week, but it has so much excellent content that it takes us more than a week to read it.  Our subscription also includes email news and access to Epoch TV, which has great news shows, amazing documentaries, and even old movies like early John Wayne westerns.  Highly recommended if you don't have a trusted source of news.

As to how much attention I'm giving it currently, well, there is a lot of fascinating stuff going on.  I'm trying to stay aware and generally informed, but not get caught up in it all.  

4. Do you like potatoes? Last time you prepared potatoes in some way? Which of the following is your favorite...baked potato, mashed potato, french fried potato, sweet potato, hash brown potatoes, roasted potatoes, or potato salad? 

I do like potatoes and I enjoy them every one of the ways that were listed.  If I had to choose a favorite, out of all of those I would probably choose the simple baked potato.   I guess it probably has to do with childhood.  My mother served baked potatoes as a side with lots of main dishes -- pork chops in a tomatoey sauce, creamed chipped beef, meat loaf, Swedish meatballs, and many more that I can't recall right now.  My dad would always cut a baked potato in half, scoop out the inside, and place a pat of butter in each potato skin half.  We kids thought that was the greatest thing ever -- and we were allowed to do it too!  Now I realize that was probably a ploy to get us to eat the potato skins, where so many of the vitamins reside.  But it sure tasted good and I still eat them that way when we have baked potatoes at home.  My hubby adopted the custom too.

Oven fries are pretty good too.

5. Are you a veteran? Are there any veterans in your family? Will you do anything special to honor them on Veteran's Day/Remembrance Day this year? 

I'm not a veteran, nor is my hubby. Two of his brothers are veterans, one Army and one Navy.  All of the other veterans in our families have passed away.  My dad was a Navy veteran of World War ll and was, obviously, the veteran I knew the best.  He did sacrifice much in the course of the years he served.  I'm so thankful to have had a godly man of such sterling character in my life, and particularly blessed to have had him as my dad. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Yesterday was rather balmy for November in New Hampshire.  Today is much more seasonal.  Not getting out of the 30s, with a sharp wind blowing.    It's currently 35º with 10 mph winds and with the wind chill, feels like 28º!  Snow is predicted for tonight and tomorrow.  I guess it's to be expected!

Photo is from a previous November.  But it may well look like this tomorrow.

 Happy Wednesday, everyone!