The Wednesday Hodgepodge #39

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. Ice skating, skiing, sledding, snowshoeing, playing in the snow, or a snowy walk...which winter activity do you choose? Have you done any of these activities so far this winter?

It’s been a long time since I’ve done any of these things and it’s not even just because the girls are older now, though they definitely don’t need me to play in the snow any more. It’s mostly because we just haven’t had enough snow! The last proper snow day we had was back in 2021. We were all home because of the "virus" and being in lockdown, so the girls of course made a snowman!

For myself, I think I would choose ice skating! As a teenager, my friends and I would go to the local ice rink every Saturday where they would have a disco. It was such fun and I wasn't actually that bad at ice skating. I would like to give that a go again. In a dream world, I think Husky Sledding would be the ultimate experience. It looks like such an adventure, speeding through snowy landscapes with a team of huskies pulling you along!

2. Everyone is posting pictures from ten years ago on their social media sites so let's jump on the bandwagon too. Share one photo and one thought to go with said photo from the year 2016. And maybe everyone isn't doing this, but many are and we're going to be part of the fun.

Sticking with the wintery theme here, I’m sharing a photo from when we went to Disney On Ice back in 2016 when the theme was Frozen and we met the cast. I actually won a competition on a blog for VIP tickets and the prize included a limo to take us there and back. The girls still talk about it now as one of the absolute best nights of their lives! From the costumes to the skating, to the sheer joy on their faces. I will never forget it.

3. What's a trend you hope disappears in this new year?

Ohh! I have a list! Hehehe Clothes with fake pockets, overly loud hand dryers that scare the soul out of you, influencer morning routines starting at 4am, limited edition things that aren’t really limited, shopping apps sending notifications every 5 minutes, cushions with buttons that dig into your back, restaurants serving food on boards, slates or shovels, shoes with laces that never stay tied, instructions printed in a tiny font, supermarkets rearranging everything for no reason and anything described as quirky that’s just annoying!

4. 'They' say there's a day for everything and January 21st proves it. National Granola Bar Day. Do you like granola bars? How about just regular granola? Do you like bars of other kinds?

Granola bars are fine, especially when you’re busy and realise you haven’t eaten anything all morning. I definitely prefer the chewy kind, the ones that look healthy but are basically stuck together with honey. Granola in a bowl is not for me though. It's too crunchy, too dry and it rattles around in my mouth like a snack version of nails on a chalkboard. If we’re talking about bars of any kind, chocolate bars would still win every time for me but I think that’s not really the point here. I do like cereal bars, especially ones made from familiar cereals like Frosties, Coco Pops, or Rice Krispies.

5. A frozen lake, a trickling stream, a raging river, or a deep well...which one describes something about your life right now? Elaborate as much or as little as you like.

I’d say I feel like a trickling stream at the moment. Slowly moving, taking things at my own pace and not stressing about where I’m going. There’s a quiet flow and I’m happy with it. No drama, no sudden waves, just me moving along steadily and enjoying the little moments along the way. It feels nice to just plod along sometimes and accept that life doesn’t always have to be a roaring river.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

January can be a tricky month for me. Usually it feels like it drags on forever with the cold, dark days making everything feel slower and gloomier but this year has been completely different. It’s flying by! I think part of that is because I was under the weather recently and it forced me to slow down. I didn’t rush, I didn’t try to cram everything in and instead I’ve been taking things at a gentler pace. It’s funny how just slowing down a little can make everything feel so much more manageable, even with the rubbish weather. It’s a nice change and a reminder that sometimes we need to move like a trickling stream!