Hello Summer Hodgepodge

1. The first day of summer rolls in later this week. What are ten things you'd put on your list of  quintessential summer activities? Will you try to manage all ten this summer?

• Walking on the beach...probably won't happen unless I can get away to Lake Erie for a weekend (which isn't quite the same, but not bad).
• Grilling...we've already done that and will do it many more times before summer is over.
• Bonfires...probably not since Hubs took our fire pit out last year and the yard is still a "work in progress."
• Catching lightning bugs...possibly if the older two grands are here when it gets dark.
• Gardening...the Hubs built me two raised beds this year and they are doing great!
• Fireworks...doubtful since my husband usually doesn't stay awake that late because of having to get up so early for work.
• Fourth of July parade...our town has a doozey, but the grands won't be here so I doubt we'll go.  No other adults in the family besides me are really parade fans.  I get it from my dad.  When he was alive we went to ALL the local parades.
• Auctions, flea markets, and yard sales...I won't have a yard sale, but I will get to plenty of all of those.
• Swinging on the deck...I've gotten to a little bit, but so far it's either been raining or too hot to sit out there.
• Family reunions...No, we'll not get to any this year.  My dad's family quit having them (after nearly 100 years!) when my aunt, who was the driving force behind them, died.  Mom's family had it's first one two years ago on the 4th of July and is having another this year, but it's far enough away and so late in the day that it isn't doable for any of our clan this time.

2. Do you collect seashells when you're at the beach? What do you do with them once you get them home? What's your favorite place to comb for seashells? How many of these 'best beaches for hunting seashells' have you visited? Which one would you most like to visit?

Calvert Cliffs State Park (Maryland), Jeffrey's Bay (South Africa), Sanibel Island (Florida), Shipwreck Beach (Lanai Hawaii), Ocracoke Island (North Carolina), Galveston Island (Texas) and The Bahamas

Walking along picking up shells, beach glass and other interesting things is my favorite thing to do at the beach.  I usually just put them in a big jar at home or a big one might find a place on a bookshelf.

I may have visited Sanibel Island, but I'm not sure.  Of the rest, I'd most like to visit Ocracoke Island...it was featured in a book I once read.

3. At a snail's pace, shell out money, come out of your shell, go back into your shell, drop a bombshell, happy as a clam, clam up...which 'shell' phrase could most recently be applied to some event or circumstance in your life? Explain.

Shell out money is definitely this summer's theme with our daughter's wedding only 3 months away.

4. What summer activity do you dislike? Why?

I can't really think of anything I dislike except weeding the garden (and the raised beds have made that easier) and mowing the grass because they are never ending chores.  Otherwise, I'd probably enjoy just about anything.  It makes me pretty sad sometimes that we don't actually do much because one, my husband just doesn't feel up to it a lot of the time, and two, he's a workaholic who doesn't know how to relax.

5. What's something you see as quickly becoming obsolete? Does that bother you?

Probably a whole lot of stuff, but I have to admit that this early in the morning I'm drawing a blank on anything specific.  I don't think I'm really bothered by any one thing becoming obsolete...except maybe manners and common courtesy.  It's more of a general sadness at the fading away of a whole way of life.  The world is a very different place than the one I grew up in and I kind of worry about where it is going, what will life be like for my grandkids, that sort of thing.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Apparently I am going to look at wedding decor again today.  My daughter texted last night to ask if I wanted to.  I told her I can't buy today, but I guess she still wants to show me a bunch of stuff.  Oh well, I won't turn down time with her and the baby.

Have a blessed and wonderful Wednesday

and don't forget to stopover and visit Joyce's
blog, home of the Wednesday Hodgepodge!