No Gaps in a Homeward Bound Hodgepodge

1. Have you ever written a love letter? Have you written one recently? Had one written to you? Did you keep it?

If you mean a romantic love letter, I used to write a lot of them back in the day (and receive them).  If you mean  a letter to anyone I love, I sent my sister a Valentine note today expressing my love for her.  I have not kept any romantic love letters except from my husband, and actually I don't think he has ever written more than a card (and one poem) to me.

He's not a very wordy guy. You could say I balance him out.

2. What's a movie that ends in a way you especially love?

Homeward Bound.   Lost dogs  (and their bratty sidekick Siamese cat) made their long trek home to the family so desperately missing them.  When the kids were young, they loved the movie, and my daughter would ALWAYS cry at the end when the old dog says with a cracking voice, "Oh, Peter."  (Like "Oh, Pete-her!" )  

My oldest son used to always laugh at her for crying at that same spot, no matter how many times she watched it. For years all it took to make her cry was for him to say, "Oh, Pete-her!"  Sarah would yell, "Stop! Mom, make him stop!"

Brothers!

 3. Something that makes your heart sing? And for those of you who are parents, I mean something besides your children that makes your heart sing?

Several things make my heart sing.  Snail mail just for me.   Fabric stores.  Quilts. Pretty wrapped packages. A beautiful sunrise or sunset. A child's laughter. My husband's guitar playing.

4. What's the last event you had to attend, phone call you had to make, routine task you needed to complete, or meal you had to prepare, that you did do, but only half-heartedly?

I attended our school's annual community meeting.  I had already been to the school for drop off, pick up, and a basketball game, so I was physically spent. Plus it was cold and windy . And the bottom line of the meeting is that tuition is being raised again. 

5. Tuna fish salad-yay or blech? If you said yay, how do you like your tuna salad prepared? Hey, this is the Hodgepodge, right?

I like it, but must be in the mood. I like it with chopped celery, lite mayo, chopped dill pickle, dill weed, Old Bay and black pepper.  I prefer it on a 12-grain or Jewish rye bread with crisp Romaine lettuce.

6. What's something you 'know by heart'?

Several Bible verses and hymns, nursery rhymes, song lyrics of many 80's love songs, and my "times tables."

7. In the spirit of Valentine's Day, what two or three word phrase would you write on a conversation heart for someone you love? That someone could be a spouse, child, parent, cousin, bestie...anyone at all whom you love.

To my hubs- "got no gaps"  (was reminded of this phrase by my friend Preeti just recently, but about scraps, not gaps).  Years ago Paul and I attended a Family Life marriage weekend and they told us to look at each other and quote the line from Rocky.  In our best Sylvester Stallone accents, we repeated, "I got gaps. You got gaps. Togedduh we got no gaps."  

It's our little catchphrase.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

I think my sister, who just moved to Kentucky, has found her dream home .  It's a big log cabin on almost 8 acres, where she can have her three horses, donkey, dogs, and cats.  I hope her loan is approved soon and that I can go out and help her get settled in. The house is so "her" with loads of character for my nature-loving sister.