Hooray for the Red, White & Hodgepodge

1. The Hodgepodge lands on June 14th this week, Flag Day in the US of A. Do you fly your country's flag at home? Yes, we do. We have a regular flagpole in the front yard and I have a bracket mounted on the deck that holds 5 smaller flags (3 U.S. flags and 2 Marine Corp flags). Sometimes, often, or every single day? The smaller ones on the deck usually go out around Memorial Day and stay out all summer. I get new ones every year. The one on the flagpole is up everyday unless it's super windy or other nasty weather. Wind is a consideration because we've had one pole blow over in the past. Have you ever visited the city of Brotherly Love (Philadelphia)? I guess I was there as a baby or toddler. My mom took me to visit relatives. I've never been there since and honestly don't really have any desire to visit. Did you make a point of seeing The Betsy Ross House?  No. Have you ever made a trip to Baltimore? Yes, once when the kids were young. If so, was Fort McHenry on your itinerary? (where Francis Scott Key was inspired to write The Star Spangled Banner) No, it was a short weekend trip.  My husband had to go for work and the kids and I rode along, which was not the greatest idea since our daughter and I were sick with terrible colds and it was like 95 degrees and as humid as it could get without being rain.  The only "big" things we did were tour the boats and submarine at the harbor and the aquarium. LOVED the aquarium...would like to go back there again.

2. Red flag or white flag? Which have you encountered most recently? Explain. Maybe a combination of both? Our daughter tends to get worked up over everything. So a lot of things I think are nothing are kind of like waving a red flag in her face. It wears me out some times so I just wave a white flag to keep the peace.

3. Are you a stay in the car listen to the end of a song kind of person? I've been known to sit in the driveway till a song is over.  What kind of person is that? A person for whom music elicits strong emotions and memories. I identify most times in my life with certain music and nothing can take me back quicker than hearing a song.


4. What are some of the traits or qualities you think a good dad possesses? In other words, what makes a good dad?  Patience, unconditional love, availability, involvement, and someone of good character who respects the mother (whether they are together or not) and who teaches a child with love and discipline.What's an expression you associate with your father? Oh, there are many I associate with my dad. I know he loved me, but he was a harsh and strict disciplinarian and didn't balance that out with any shows of love or support so I didn't always know that.  Mostly life with him was full of rules...Children should be seen and not heard. If something is worth doing, it's worth doing right (which meant his way). You'd better get good grades so you can go to college...if you don't go to college you'll spend your life cleaning other people's toilets. If your mother cooked it and put it on the table you will eat it. And my personal "favorite"...Do as I say, not as I do.

5. What's one rule you always disagreed with while growing up?  Oh wow, I disagreed with most of them while growing up with probably Children should be seen and not heard and Do as I say not as I do winning for most hated. Is that rule somehow still part of your adult life? I understand his thinking behind the one about children being seen and not heard now that I'm an adult and have raised my own kids. He wanted me to be well behaved in social situations. He just took it too far.  I think kids can learn to behave well and still speak up around adults.  The do as I say not as I do one...no, still not okay with that one.  I can't see anything okay with having a higher standard for someone else than you have for yourself.  Is that a good or bad thing? I think it's a good thing that I didn't carry those over to my parenting of my own kids. 


6. Insert your own random thought here.  I spent most of the night at the ER with my daughter and grandson.  The baby is fine, I just had to take my daughter and was the only one able to watch him, too.  She, too, is fine...just needs to let her body adjust to an increased dose of one of her meds...or maybe cut it back again.  Time will tell if her body is going to adjust.  Anyway, I'm too tired to think up a random thought so I'm just going to share two of the Father's Day pictures of our grandson. And yes, that is his daddy's banjo. He does play, but other than a short video our daughter took I've never heard him. He's very shy.

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