Wednesday Hodge Podge

I'm joining up with From This Side of the Pond.

1. What are three words you would use to describe your 2011?

Crazy, changing, hectic. It seems like last year flew by in a whirlwind. We suffered hail storms that totaled two cars. Hubby went back to work in the food industry. I learned all the rules and regulations for Interstate trucking laws and what is needed for apportioned tags. Old friendships faltered. New friendships were made. Started doing more website designs. We didn't make it on vacation last year. There just didn't seem to be a good time for it. All in all, it was a pretty good year, the crazy changes that came our way ended up being for the best.

2. Do you like shrimp? What's your favorite way to have it prepared?

I have this obsession about NOT liking shrimp. I do not even like to see it in the store. When we pass the seafood section of raw seafood, I have to look away so I don't gag. Of course, that is true of just about any fish. I do love Starkist tuna...loaded with Miracle Whip. I only eat fish if it is made by Mrs. Paul and in a stick form. Then I convince myself she raises it in a nice clean aquarium in her house, just for me. But shrimp? Ooo, yuck. No way.

3. Is your house de-Christmased? If so when did you tackle that job? If not, when will the decorations come down?

We normally wait until January 1st to take everything down and get back to normal. But that was on a Sunday and I don't do that kind of work on Sunday's. So I took everything down the Thursday before New Year's. I love our new place. Before, all the storage was in a building out back and you had to move things out to put the Christmas stuff in the back for another year. Now that we moved, we have HUGE closets with lots of storage space and all my Christmas stuff is on the back wall of the big walk in closet.

4. Do you like to watch scary movies?

No. I am more of a comedy/romance/musical type movie person. I watched scary movies when I was young. Back when they were scary, but not really realistic. Nowadays they are so realistic that if I watch any, I would never feel safe in my house, in my car, in the store, on earth or even in outerspace. I would get paranoid and suspect of everything around me.

5. ice skating~sledding~skiing~snowboarding~of the four listed which wintertime activity do you most enjoy?

I love sledding. We had a wonderful hill for it when I was growing up and I enjoyed many, many hours out on that old Flexible Flyer sled. However, I would absolutely love to ice skate. I think it is so graceful and beautiful and love to watch it any time I can. They had a tribute to Peggy Fleming on TV the other night and I watched every moment of it. The only problem

6. Did you have a childhood hideout? Describe it.

Yes, I had forgotten all about it! My sisters and our two friend, who were also sisters, used to love to take walks up our road. We lived out in the country and would sometimes walk for one or two miles There was this one section that didn't have any houses, but there was a wide path that led from the road up a little hill into some thickets. In the middle of the thicket, was a little clearing with the softest grass you ever saw. It never got mowed and the grass got so tall it just fell over into a sort of cushiony area. We would walk up the path and one of us would be appointed the "door keeper" for the day and we had to do a secret handshake to "get in" the "clubhouse". We would set there for hours talking about the multitude of things young girls would talk about. We went there all the time the summers we were 11 through 13. Such sweet memories.

7. What's a place or space that motivates you?

I actually have two places. One is the mountains and the other is the beach. Either place is so full of grandeur and splendor that it makes me realize the overwhelming power of God. Either place helps me feel renewed and rejuvenated. When I visit either one, I come away fresh and motivated to tackle what the world throws my way.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I guess my random thought is something I would like to borrow from Albert Einstein - Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.