Happy Birthday, Hodgepodge Hostess!

Let me start by wishing our Hodgepodge hostess, Joyce, a very happy birthday today.  She sounds  a little like me when it comes to her birthday. It's kind of a big deal and we like to make much of it for as long as we can.  

In honor of her birthday, I am going to post this  hilarious card  that my sister sent to me--or at least the text of it, right here: 

GETTING OLDER IS KIND OF LIKE 

     COOKING BACON 

         IN  THE NUDE....

YOU KNOW IT'S GONNA HURT, 

YOU JUST DON'T KNOW WHERE.

         


1. When did you last sing happy birthday to someone? When were you last sung to? Does that embarrass you or do you enjoy being the center of attention on your special day?

I last sang happy birthday to my son who turned 11 on Valentine's Day.  It was a hard day for him this past year because his dad was in the hospital after a traumatic incident at work, and our daughter was moving out, and I put the dog to sleep that day.  I managed to get to the school and sing happy  (???) birthday to him with his classmates because it would have been a TOTALLY lousy birthday if he didn't get any attention at all on his birthday.

I feel just a tad embarrassed about being sung to. It's not horrible, but I feel sorry for the people who really hate to sing because they feel obligated. Being sung to is probably the least favorite part of the birthday celebration for me. 

2.  Name a famous or 'infamous' person (living or deceased) who shares your birth day and month. Is that someone you'd like to meet in person if it were possible?

I share a birthday with Mother Teresa.  I would LOVE to meet her someday in heaven. 

3. Someone hands you a box tied up in a lovely bow...what are you hoping to find inside?

This year, a sewing machine (Janome DC 1050).   I knew it wouldn't have a bow on it, but a UPS sticker was just fine. My hubby was very generous this year.

4. What can you guarantee about yourself?

That I'm a beloved child of God.

5. Talking art and beautiful cities here...'The Last Supper' in the Santa Maria della Grazie Abbey in Milan Italy or 'The Mona Lisa' in The Louvre, Paris...which would you most like to see up close and in person?  Why?

The Last Supper, no question.  The Mona Lisa does nothing for me.  Especially considering "she" was probably a "he" .  And because I would rather visit Italy than France if I had to choose.

6. Your favorite dessert?

New York style cheesecake with strawberry topping.

7. This coming weekend marks the official start of autumn (in the Northern hemisphere)...what is something you do to get ready for fall? What is one thing you're looking forward to on your fall calendar? Spring or fall-which do you prefer?

I usually make new throw pillows for the family room.  My husband doesn't understand my quirky ritual, my obsession with pillows, my desire to replace 'perfectly good' pillows with new ones just because the weather is cooling and the leaves are turning color.  But that's okay. I'm 40-some years old and comfortable with my quirks.  Just like he is 50-some years old and the only time he yells his head off is at the TV but the rest of his life he is a calm, quiet, mature individual,and nothing's going to change his quirks.

But where was I? Oh yes, fall...pillows.

Here's a throw pillow I made this summer for the family room. Next to it is fabric for fall porch pillows. I'll simply be covering the existing cushions which aren't technically "seat cushions" but "knee cushions" for gardening that happened to be the perfect size for my front porch swing when I paired two side-by-side. (And they were only $3.99 each at Ollie's a few years ago!) . Naturally, sprucing up with pillows is going to mean I need to paint the porch swing afresh, and then the concrete porch itself and then...

Doesn't it seem like decorating the house is kind of like giving a mouse a cookie?

I'm looking forward to making and finishing a fall table runner before winter. Ha!

I think I look more forward to spring after a long, cold winter, as opposed to shorter, busier days following longer, lazy ones of summer. But, once the autumn season is here. it's my favorite because the color of the trees just wows me every single day of the fall season.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

I volunteered last Thursday in my daughter's classroom and thoroughly enjoyed it.   I got to help them review fact vs. opinion.  You know, it's really hard for seven year olds to believe that their own opinion is not a fact.  I mean, my daughter put up examples on the board.  

One was this: "Cake is delicious."  They all said it's a fact! Why? "Because I like it! It IS delicious!"

I think there's an inner 7-year-old in me.