Hodgepodge: Pinions, Pride, and Patches

Both my Hodgepodge answers and my A to Z Challenge post above are brought to you today by the letter P. I will try to be brief for this post, but don't hold me to it. Brevity is not my forte. Call me the poster child for prolific posting.

The rules are simple for the Hodgepodge at my lodge: Drink up some tea or coffee while you read my answers, then think up, and then link up with Joyce, our happy Hodgepodge hostess.

Let me know if you play along--or just let me know in my comment box. Me and about 59 other Hodgepodge addicts, that is.


1. Spring is in the air (at least in my neck of the woods) and the birds are singing...what's your favorite bird?

Once upon a time it was Cal Ripken, AKA a world-renowned Baltimore Orioles baseball player from (very close to) my hometown. But I couldn't name one O's player now if you paid me. The Ravens are the beloved "birds" in these parts.

But I suppose you meant real birds. The kind that are hatched from eggs. I love hummingbirds, cardinals, robins, American goldfinches , nuthatches, and chickadees. That's my short list. I adore any songbird, really. But I will say that cardinals have a spiritual effect on me because one was an answer to prayer a few years ago when I was despairing. I've shared that story before somewhere on this blog.



So let me tell you a different bird story that my mother once told me of a lady she knew. This one's a comedy-thriller. Or a thriller-comedy, take your pick:

Once upon a time, there was a certain middle-aged woman who was very familiar with the Bible. One day, when the woman was in her mid-40's or so (when the memory comes and goes like a sneeze), this woman was abducted on the sidewalk and forced into a strange man's car.

Scared to death of what this man might do, the lady "took her thoughts captive"; her mind flew to the King James Version of one scripture about God's protection. It says, "He shall cover thee with his pinions."

Pinions are the outer part of a birds' rear wings that contain most of the feathers. In her terrified state, the woman could not remember the word "pinions." She could only picture in her mind what they were: feathers.

She spread out her arms and started flapping them like wings in the passenger seat, trembling and shaking wildly, and began yelling, "Feathers! Feathers! Feathers!" The man yelled back at her to shut up, but that only made her cry and yell all the more. "Feathers! Feathers! Feathers!" Flap, flap, flap, cry, cry, cry.

Certain the woman was more psycho than himself, the abductor forced her back out of the car at the next stoplight, and that was the end of that.

2. Speaking of birds...do you tweet? If so tell us your screen name and we'll come flocking to your Twitter site. Even if you don't let's all pretend here that we do-in 140 characters or less, sum up your week so far.

I don't tweet. My week: Sunday lunch w/ youngest sons and hubby. Monday made 4 quiches. Today cleaned kitchen, bathrooms;laundry. Viewed professional's wedding pics of son and bride!

3. Its been reported recently that employers are not only viewing the facebook pages of potential hires but they're also requesting your facebook password to have a look at what you've kept from public view. What say you?

Butt out.

4. It's April and you know what that means-Major League Baseball is back in action. What's your favorite baseball movie? If that's too hard, what's your favorite sports themed movie?

I can only think of one baseball movie at the moment. Field of Dreams. It was so-so. You know, sad and predictable and triumphant. Favorite sports-themed movie: Remember the Titans.

5. Something else this season brings-asparagus. Yes please or no thanks? If it's yes please what's your favorite way to have it prepared?

Yes, please, but only if it's pencil-thin. I love it simply grilled or roasted with a little salt, pepper, and butter. But if you want to lather it with cheese or toss in some herbs and bacon and more veggies, I won't complain. Or if you're thinking asparagus-crab dip, I'll be right over.

6. What drives you? (Don't you love how I sandwiched that one in between asparagus and jugglers???)

My own selfish desires drive me, more often than not. Whether I am driven to eat, clean, shop, nap, organize, write, decorate, paint, play with the dog, watch TV, snuggle with my hubby, or pray with my youngest child, I usually am driven by desire. Sometimes guilt or compassion or duty will drive me. Also knowing people are coming over will drive me to notice and take care of many things I've neglected. (That's pride shrouded in embarrassment if things are in disarray.) I've almost never been driven by money. As I always say, good thing my husband is. I would make a poor breadwinner.

7. April 18th is International Jugglers Day...can you juggle?

Literally or figuratively? Figuratively, yes. Most women are efficient in juggling all sorts of things simultaneously. Literally, no. I stay entertained by my hubby who can juggle.

Funny story, bless his heart: A few weeks ago my husband came home from the library all excited to show our son a few new hobby books he picked up for him. He had forgotten one little detail ,though: son's arm was in a sling from a broken collarbone. What was the topic of said hobby books? Juggling!! You have never seen a father laugh so hard while trying to apologize.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

My mom had a cornea transplant and cataract surgery on one eye last week. She is doing quite well. Colors are so much brighter. Whites are white, not brownish white. The only problem was that she told the nurses and doctors three or four different times that she's allergic to latex. And yet someone wasn't listening.

Imagine her dismay when she woke up from anesthesia with an itchy ring around her eye. Not on the eye, but a large circle of itchiness above her brow, on her nose and cheekbone. She asked the nurse to please take the patch off immediately to find out the problem. Lo and behold, what was the plastic patch adhered with? Latex tape. Thankfully the nurse was able to sooth her skin with something and reapply the patch with non-allergenic surgical tape.

All in all, my mother is very grateful for her new cornea. When I took a loaded veggie quiche to her yesterday, I do believe it was a sight for sore eyes.