Hodgepodging... Roll Out Those....

Hazy, Lazy, Crazy Days of Summer... Those days of soda & pretzels & cheer...

(I know it's beer, but beer makes me feel sick, so I changed it up a bit...)

I am joining the Magnificent Joyce and her weekly Hodgepodge again...

Why don't ya follow the link below and see what everyone else answered... I know I will and then I will keep thinking "Good answer... I should have said that..." But that's probably just me...

1. The Summer Olympics officially begin this Friday night...will you be watching? If you could see just one event in person which one would you pick?



I do not enjoy crowds and when the sun beats down on my head (even with a hat on) I tend to get migraines... Summer really isn't my best season... So I would not really want to go to the Summer Olympics, but if I found myself there, I'd opt for inside, air conditioned venues...

Now the Winter Olympics is a different story... Sign me up!

2.Do lazy days make you feel rested or unproductive?


Can I just say "Yes" here?

I love a good "do nothing" day, but only enjoy them if I am not staring house work, projects and to do lists in the face... That is why I love going to my parents camp (cabin for you non-Mainers) on the island for a few days!


3. July 25th is 'officially' Threading the Needle Day...can you sew? On a scale of 1-10 with 1 being not at all and 10 being Betsy Ross-like, how would you rate your skill with a needle and thread?

Yes, I can sew... I'd say I'm about a 5...

I can do simple projects and such, but am constantly amazed by other people's work. I did love making simple dresses and jumpers for the girlies when they were little and and make easy stuff like curtains and pillow covers... I've even made a few very simple baby quilts, but that is where my talent ends...

4. 'Threading the Needle' can also mean to walk a fine line between two things or issues (think awkward social situation). When was the last time you had to 'thread the needle', figuratively speaking?

This answer may be a bit on the long side... Feel free to skip ahead to #5...

We have only lived back here in Maine a couple years and most of Katy's closest friends are elsewhere... She had a hard time picking bridesmaids... Her sister and two others were easy, but she needed to come up with one more to match Jed's number of groomsmen, so she asked the daughter of a friend who she didn't really know very well... She had been away at college most of the time so Katy never really got to even have a full conversation alone with her before she asked her. We love her mom, and since she was also engaged to marry this summer so it seemed like a good pick...

Turns out this girl was not a good fit for the wedding party... She spent every moment spewing hateful things about her mom and by the end of the second "bride & bridesmaids" get together had alienated herself from the rest of the wedding party... To the point where Katy was in tears after the rehearsal asking if she could just ask her not to come...

Problem was, before we really got to know her and her (then) fiance', they had asked Jed to be one of their groomsmen... And when one of Jed's groomsmen dropped out three weeks before the wedding, Jed asked her fiance' to be one of his... And remember we LOVE her mother... She is an amazing woman who without her help I don't think the wedding would have run smoothly at all... It was just a big, awkward mess... I begged all the girls to just be as nice and patient as possible because it was just for one day, and I think her mom might have spoken to her because it did seem like she really tried on the wedding day... (for the most part.)

BUT that isn't the awkward part... The awkward part came four weeks later when we all went to their wedding... Again the mom really wanted us there and Jed was part of the wedding party... I was feeling bad about how little I wanted to be there, but I guess it wasn't just me... The best man wouldn't toast them, the maid of honor left right after the ceremony and the one bridesmaid that was willing to do a toast actually did more of a roast then a toast, pointing out that none of their friends approve of them marring, but that she is sure she can speak for their when she says she is "pretty sure" they all want them to be happy... I guess this girl (couple) have burnt quite a few bridges on the way to the alter...

When we were leaving and had to say our goodbyes I wished them "Best Wishes" and told them I would be praying for them... But that was literally the first time I ever wished anyone "best wishes" because it was the nicest thing I could say...

5. Kidney, pinto, black, or navy...your favorite bean?


Pinto... Hands down... I love baked beans and homemade re-fried beans... (Homemade because the canned ones are full of all kinds of yucky stuff.)


6. Have you ever hosted a garage sale? Was it more success or bust?


I have hosted many, many garage sales and a couple have been a bust but most of them have been a big and sometimes HUGE success... I have even hosted fund raising yard sales and a few weeks back a friend was moving who lived about 30 minutes past the middle of nowhere so we did her two day moving sale here and it too was a big success... They are a lot of work, but usually a lot of fun if you have someone to do it with!


7. What makes you roll your eyes?


Passive-Aggressiveness... Can't stand it in others and really, really hate it when I catch myself being that way! I grew up with a lot of people around me who use passive aggressive manipulation as their weapon of choice, and have a low tolerance for it now. I much prefer to deal with things head-on, even when they are uncomfortable.


8. Insert your own random thought here.

Here is the link to the recipe for my "sold out" macaroons from the antique show this past weekend...

I made them drop style not squared like she did and ended up using a 1 1/3 (14 oz) bags of coconut for every can of sweetened condensed milk and I made my own chocolate ganache' (which is just semi-sweet chocolate and heavy cream melted together in a pyrex bowl over a sauce pan of simmering water until smooth and shiny), but her way might be easier... I was making the ganache' for other stuff too. 

These were so good people who don't generally like macaroons, loved them... One woman traded two she had previously bought with another vendor for a sandwich... Our sandwiches cost $7 and the macaroons were $1.50 each... Yes, there was a macaroon black-market! Make these! (Or not... it's up to you.)

Thanks for listening,