Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Shake, Rattle, and Roll into the Hodgepodge

It's Wednesday again already, and that means you get to see a  set of random and fun Q & A here. The questions, as always, come From This Side of the Pond, AKA Joyce.  The answers, as always, come from yours truly.  After reading my answers, why not hop around the Pond? Better yet, link up, even if you've never done so before. Come on, you know you want to.


1. Summer officially rolls in with the Hodgepodge this week, for those of us in the Northern hemisphere anyway. What song says summer 2012 to you?

Specifically summer 2012, not just any summer?  Good question. I'm going to say "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head," for obvious reasons.  I also have the song "Close to You" going through my head because these two dogs of mine would sing that if they could,  I'm sure.

2. What's your favorite quintessential summer food?


Corn on the cob every summer. But THIS summer we have Sonic now "just up the street," so we like their Chocolate Malted Milkshake.  I also tried it with banana and can I just say, "WOW"!  Basically any shake says summer. 

3. I've spent a lot of time traipsing up and down the NJ Turnpike in recent weeks. Did you know the rest areas on the turnpike are named after people who lived or worked in NJ? Clara Barton, Walt Whitman, J. Fennimore Cooper, Molly Pitcher, Joyce Kilmer, Thomas Edison, and Grover Cleveland just to name a few. Of those I listed, who would you most like to have known and why? 


Clara Barton.  She had a heart of compassion for the sick and wounded, particularly soldiers, and mobilized hundreds of people to help in the cause to comfort and aid them.  Like Barton, I have  a special place in my heart for soldiers, the homeless, and the disenfranchised people of society. When I am burdened to help, I also can mobilize people to join the "mission," so to speak.  I would love to ask Clara Barton if she is pleased with the way her legacy is being carried on (the American Red Cross, specifically).  Working in Washington, DC, she probably would've had something to say to FEMA when Katrina hit.  But that's water under the bridge now, I suppose.


One interesting tidbit: Clara Barton died just three days before Titanic sank. Can you imagine how her heart  would have broken at the news ?  

4. At what age did you move out of your parent's house and what prompted the move? 


It was somewhat gradual. I was 18 when I moved away to college in western Pennsylvania,  19 when I lived at the beach for a  summer, and then officially got my own apartment (in Baltimore city) on my 20th birthday.

I was prompted by a desire for independence, which was both good and bad.  Part of me just wanted to be all grown up and responsible --but I wanted to be responsible to no one but myself . Ha! What a foolish thought. I soon learned I had to pay bills so I had to answer to a boss at my job, had to keep my grades up for scholarship, which meant I was responsible to teachers, and I had to answer to my landlord, the phone company, BG&E, my car insurance carrier, and on and on it went.

5. What's more satisfying to you-saving time or saving money?


Wow, another great question!  At first I was going to say time.  It harkens back to my days as a waitress. Save as many steps as possible and do as much as you can in one trip.   But I feel a greater thrill when I save money intentionally. Best of all? Saving both at once, which is why we're getting ready to refinance the home mortgage. Rates are at an all-time low and we're fixing to shave 10 years off our loan. Yay!

6. Name something you think brings out the good in people. 


A crisis.  Tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, blizzards.  Haven't we seen all of them unite neighbors who don't really speak to each other under "normal" conditions? How about the person who runs into a burning house to save  a complete stranger?  How about when someone has outrageous medical bills not covered by insurance, and people rally together to raise the money? Those are just a few ways I can think of.

7. This last question comes to you courtesy of Kathy over at Reflections...will you be taking a vacation or a staycation this summer? If so where will you go? If a staycation is on the calendar have you made any special plans to fill the time? 


We haven't made plans yet, but I am sure we'll go away  in August to a warm place and soak up sun and do some swimming and shopping. ( =I didn't mean to put so many s's --esses?--  into one sentence.  So sorry. Nothing says summer like stuffing  the sedan with siblings and suitcases for a sunny seven at the shore.)

8. Insert your own random thought here. 


Just a question.  Do you think rattlesnakes should be federally protected? In other words, should it be illegal to kill them even if they are on your property?  We were informed that these cold-blooded killers are protected by law in our state because they help control the rat and mouse population.  Guess what? They also control the human and canine population.  What would YOU do if a rattlesnake was on YOUR tomato stake and rattled at you?

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Alliterate much? heehee

BTW, protected or not, I'd scream bloody murder if I saw a snake (I have actually done this before), and I'd have my husband come out and kill it, either with his bb gun or some other tool that would get the job done.

I'm all about protecting animals, but not when they intend to do me harm first. It's called survival of the fittest, and though I am a Christian, I'm liking Darwin just fine as far as this argument goes.

Cherie said...

When it comes to venomous snakes, I say that it comes down to "kill or be killed." Now, I've also heard about people who go out of their way to run over snakes (venomous or not) when they're sunning themselves on an empty road (defined as nothing but range or grassland/farmland, etc. for miles and miles). I'm not cool with that, but too close to homes or businesses where people can be killed, no question.

Krista said...

They are protected by law for real? To me that is insanity! Now I don't think people should go off hunting them to extinct them but I detest snakes so if one got to close to me and mine it would be adios dude.

Becky said...

What would I do if a rattle snake rattled at me?? Scream I think and RUN!!! I remember my sister in law and I went to visit a public garden and were confronted by a HUGE snake. (It was bug but in my mind now it was a monster) I totally froze could not move or speak until it was totally out of site.) So maybe my answer would be that I would die cause I would freeze and suffer the consequences.

Joyce said...

I don't think I'd have a problem disposing of a rattlesnake on my property. Well, getting the hubs to dispose of the snake.

No Sonic here. I suppose that's a good thing : )

I'll be in your neck of the woods this weekend-going to a camp reunion.

Mama Hen said...

Interesting answers, I enjoyed reading them.
I love snakes. Even a rattlesnake won't hurt you unless it feels threatened. Living in Texas, the idea of them being protected is strange to me (we have roundups, here, which are like which are big fairs with contests for most caught, largest, etc, and rattler meat and other products) but I actually like it. It is true that the planet would be overrun with rodents without snakes, but no one wants a venomous snake that close.

Anonymous said...

What would I do if confronted by a rattle snake? anywhere? Run like billy blazes screaming the whole time. What?

Unknown said...

Oh my, your answer to #7 made me laugh! and oh how I love Sonic - especially in the summer! And now, I think I may just take my kidlettes up to Boise to do a few errands and reward myself, I mean, them, with Sonic! Thanks for the idea!

And oh yeah - snakes? nope... see ya!

April said...

If I saw a rattlesnake on my tomato stake...I'd run for the hills as fast as my little legs can carry me! YIKES! Oh, my word...I love Sonic's banana milkshakes BIG TIME!

Susan Kane said...

Clara Barton and Florence Nightengale were women beyond their times. They have always been my heroes.

Rattlesnakes? If they are in my yard and rattling at me, they are free game. Call the Animal Control!

It's Nef :) said...

Milkshakes sound really yummy!!! And I love Sonic's.
Why would you WANT to protect snakes in the first place???!!!!?? Might be just my opinion, but snakes and I don't get along and I could care less if they disappeared. I don't think they should get protected by any means. nope.