The Wednesday Hodgepodge #67

I hope you are all having a good week. It's Wednesday, which means it's time to join in with the Wednesday Hodgepodge with Joyce who blogs at From This Side of the Pond! Each week there are 6 questions, we answer and then link up. Simple!

1. What's something on your August calendar you're looking forward to? Or dreading if that's easier to answer.

August is always a busy month in our house because it’s the start of birthday season. We have Stu’s birthday in the middle of the month, Ellie’s at the end of August and then Becky’s right at the start of September. We have a few fun things planned which I’m really looking forward to but I also know it’s going to fly by and feel a little bit hectic. It always seems like once the birthdays start, the next few weeks are just one thing after another. It’s lovely having things to celebrate though, even if my bank account might not agree!

2. August 5th is National Oyster Day...do you partake? How do you feel about pearls?

Nope! I have never tried oysters and I don’t think I ever could. Every time I see one I just think they look like a slimy little blob and I can’t imagine actually putting one in my mouth. I’m usually quite good at trying new foods, but oysters have never tempted me. Pearls are a completely different story though. I think they are beautiful. They are classic, elegant and one of those things that never really go out of fashion. I don’t own any pearl jewellery and I don’t think I’ve ever actually worn pearls, but I do love how pretty they look. It’s quite funny really, that something so beautiful can come from something I have absolutely no interest in eating!

3. Tell us about a time when you felt like 'the world was your oyster'.

I think one of the times I really feel like the world is my oyster is actually now, with my girls being adults and starting to find their own way in life. For so many years, my life revolved around school runs, clubs, play dates, homework, appointments and making sure everyone else had what they needed and was where they needed to be. I loved that stage of life and wouldn’t change it for the world but when the girls started growing up, it felt like a whole new chapter was beginning. There is more time to think about what I want to do, places I would like to visit and things I want to try. It is exciting realising that life doesn’t stop changing just because your children get older. I think for a long time, so much of my focus was on creating memories for my family but now I’m also enjoying making memories for myself too. Life isn’t just about looking back, it’s also about looking ahead and being excited for what’s still to come!

4. Trip Advisor lists seven islands in the US that require no passport (for US citizens). If you're answering today from outside the US you'll still need to produce yours. An-y-way, have you been to any of the seven? Let's pretend you get an all expense paid trip to one this month...which one do you choose and why?

Catalina Island California ~ Martha's Vineyard Massachusetts ~ Mackinac Island Michigan ~ Key West Florida ~ South Padre Island Texas ~ Kauai Hawaii

I haven’t visited any of these islands. Before I saw this list, I didn’t even realise that some of these were islands and some I hadn't even heard of! I always end up learning something new from the Hodgepodge. If I was lucky enough to win an all-expenses paid trip, I think I would choose Kauai in Hawaii. It looks absolutely gorgeous! The scenery and beaches look like something straight out of a film!

5. Sylvia Plath is credited with the following - "August rain: the best of the summer gone, and the new fall not yet born. The odd uneven time." Agree or disagree? In other words, how do you feel about this month?

I don’t really agree with this quote. For me, August still feels very much like summer. Maybe that’s because I always connect August with the school summer holidays. There are days out happening, everyone is trying to make the most of the warmer weather and there is still plenty of time to enjoy being outside. Of course, there are little signs that autumn is on its way. I’ve noticed the evenings are starting to get darker earlier but I don’t think August is the month to say goodbye to summer just yet. For me, September is when things start to change. Once the children go back to school and routines begin again, that’s when it feels like summer is really coming to an end.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Ugh! I feel like poop!! I am writing this on Sunday afternoon after catching the cold that Stu brought home from work and shared. I'm not properly ill, I just feel meh with a ton of snot and a rotten cough. Hopefully, by the time this post is published, I will be feeling much better and Becky too, she isn't feeling too great either.

Buying birthday presents was so much easier when they were little!

Now that my girls are adults, I have realised I really struggle when it comes to buying their birthday gifts. When they were little it was easy. They'd circle half the Argos catalogue, write a birthday list that was about three miles long and there would always be something they desperately wanted. Dolls, games, craft kits, DVDs, clothes, Lego and the latest craze that everyone was talking about at school. Now they're adults, everything has changed.

Every year, a few weeks before their birthdays, I ask the same question: what they want for their birthday, hoping that this time they'll come up with loads of ideas but the answer is usually the same, that they don't really need anything! That is not helpful at all. Now if they want something, they usually just buy it. They don't have to wait for birthdays any more because they're earning their own money but the downside for me is that it completely ruins my gift ideas.

The older the girls have got, the more practical they've become and so have I. Years ago I'd never have dreamed of buying socks as a birthday present because I would have thought it was far too boring. Now, they're one of the first things I think about because everybody needs socks. The same goes for toiletries. I can remember being younger and wondering why adults bought people shower gel and body lotion as presents because it seemed such a strange thing to give someone. Now I completely understand it and my girls do too. They love a shower gel set.

I could just give them money. I know they'd appreciate it. Who doesn't love a bit of extra money? but I've never really like giving money on its own because it feels like something is missing. Birthdays are supposed to involve wrapping paper and opening presents and wondering what's inside. Gift cards are a little better because at least they show you've thought about where they like shopping but even then, it still feels a bit boring.

Lately, I've started thinking that experience gifts are the answer. Instead of buying more things that might end up sitting on a shelf or being forgotten about, making memories sounds way better. Concert tickets, theatre tickets, an afternoon tea, a spa day or even a night away all sound like presents that will be remembered long after their birthday. I know the experience itself is a gift, but I still want them to have something to open on the day and I am thinking if I bought tickets for something, I could also wrap something silly that goes with the day, some sweets for the journey or maybe even a little travel bag with everything they'd need for the day. That way they'd still have something to open but the main gift would be the day out itself.

This is just another one of those little reminders that my girls really have grown up. I am starting to think it might get easier once they leave home because at least I could buy them something practical that they need, like a new hoover or a set of pans. lol Now I just need someone to tell me what everyone else buys their grown-up children because I can't be the only parent who gets completely stuck every single birthday!

What do you buy your adult children for their birthdays?

Our weekly meal plan! 3rd - 9th August! #MealPlanningMonday

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a lovely weekend. Ours was a nice quiet one and it was just what I needed after coming down with the cold that Stu had last week. I thought I had escaped it Ugh! It's not even a proper cold, it's just there. I have been a little bit snotty, coughing a little and I feel like I am walking through mud. I don't feel really poorly but I also don't feel anywhere near 100% well. Luckily, I had plenty of Wrestling to watch on TV this weekend with a big event taking place over two nights. It was perfect timing because I could sit down with a blanket, a drink and just enjoy.

Last week's meal plan went really well, we ate everything and mostly on the day I had planned too. The Cheeseburger pasta bake went down really well and it was nice not cooking on Saturday night with the Chinese takeaway.

I have no plans at all for this week. At the moment I am planning on taking it easy while I get over this cold. Ugh! Hopefully it disappears quickly because I have things I want to do but I am not going to push myself too much.

On the menu this week we have:

Monday - Chicken casserole, dumplings and mashed potato!

Today is supposed to be a colder day. Not cold but cooler than what we've had lately and it might actually be forecast rain this afternoon. I can't remember the last time it rained, it was easily over a month ago. The garden really needs it, especially the grass! A chicken casserole feels like the perfect meal for today. Cosy and hearty!

Tuesday - Vegetable fingers and BBQ pasta!

Once upon a time, vegetable fingers were one of the only ways I could get vegetables into my girls. I think it was because they looked like fish fingers. lol Sometimes I had to be a little bit sneaky! If something was shaped like something they liked, of course they were going to eat it. We are having veggie fingers with pasta and the easiest sauce ever. It is simply mayonnaise with a squirt of BBQ sauce mixed in.

Wednesday - Sausage, chips and beans!

You really can't go wrong with sausage, chips and beans. It is one of those meals that everyone loves and enjoys!

Thursday - Jacket potatoes!

Another easy meal! I think I am going to have tuna mayonnaise and sweetcorn, which is one of my favourite toppings for jacket spuds and the girls will probably have baked beans and lots of cheese. I love meals like this where everyone can pick and choose what they want as there are never any complaints.

Friday - Chip shop tea!

Friday night and we're back to having a chip shop tea! No cooking and no fuss. The biggest drama is deciding what we fancy. It feels like a treat and it's something I always look forward to.

Saturday - Some sort of stir fry!

Saturday is going to be a bit of a make it up as I go meal. I am thinking some sort of stir-fry because we have a few packets of Udon noodles in the cupboard. I will see what's in the fridge and throw something together.

Sunday - A help yourself evening!

I have no plans for Sunday at all. Everyone can help themselves to whatever they fancy and use up bits from the fridge, freezer and cupboards.

What are you eating this week?

A photo every day for a year! 26th July - 1st August Week 31 of #Project365

Happy Sunday!! I hope you've all had a lovely week and are enjoying your weekend. I am having a great weekend. On Friday night, Becky and I went out for a meal, then met up with Stu and then Ellie later in the evening and went to The Irish bar in town. It was exactly the sort of night I needed. Yesterday I caught up on the housework and then the weekend has been filled with wrestling as it was on Friday night, last night and tonight. I did think about staying up to watch. It started at midnight but I decided just to play catch up.

Now for a photo every day!

207/365 26th July

Phew! This was easier than I thought it was going to be, verifying my age for a game I play. It's a new thing that has been introduced and I wasn't sure I could do it without photo ID. I did it and then found out I didn't even need to do it because I don't use the social or chat features on the game.

208/365 27th July

This one went for a job interview. She didn't get the job but it was a great experience for her. She had her fancy clothes on and I had to get a photo before she went and did her hair and make-up. It made me smile because it feels like only yesterday she was getting ready for school and now she is going off to interviews and looking for work.

209/365 28th July

I dyed my hair and first up was lightening it with the bleach. I always panic a little when I do this and think, will this be the time my hair fries and falls out? I feel like I have been lucky so far though, and my hair is in decent condition considering I bleach it every 12 weeks and colour it every 6. I

210/365 29th July

Becky baked a banana loaf! There might have been a couple of almost mishaps along the way though. At one point she got a teaspoon and a tablespoon mixed up and there was a little panic about whether she had overcooked it but it all worked out OK and the banana loaf was perfect!

211/365 30th July

My peppers are finally growing! I have been waiting patiently and they seem to have taken forever! Ellie doesn't usually get excited about what I am growing in the garden but she is interested in these as they are her favourite vegetable. Now I just need to keep them alive long enough for us to actually eat them!

212/365 31st July

Just me! Not the greatest of photos, I am so bad at taking selfies!

213/365 1st August

I am on a mission to find more of these plates. Becky has always said when she leaves home she is taking them and we only have two and I love them too. I think my dad gave us a pile of random plates years ago and these were in the mix. Anyway, I've made it my mission to find more of them online and I can find them but I am not paying the silly prices people are asking. £113 for 5 plates. Eesh! I will keep looking.

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