The Wednesday Hodgepodge #46

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. Are you a naturally trusting person? Is trust built on logic or 'gut instinct'? Does everyone deserve a second chance? Elaborate.

I wouldn’t say I’m naturally trusting these days. I probably used to be when I was younger as I just assumed people were decent and honest but life has a way of teaching you those lessons over time. After being burned a few times, I’ve put my guard up a bit. I’m friendly but I don’t hand out trust straight away. For me, trust is something that grows in time and is earned. I like to watch how people behave, how they treat others and whether their actions match their words.

Trust is both a mix of gut instinct and logic for me. Sometimes I meet someone and something just feels a bit off and I can’t quite explain why. I’ve learned it’s usually worth listening to that feeling. Other times it’s more about paying attention to patterns. If someone is kind, reliable and consistent, trust slowly builds without even realising it.

When it comes to second chances, I think it depends on the situation. People do make mistakes and sometimes they do learn from them but I don’t think everyone deserves endless chances either. If someone keeps doing the same thing over and over at some point, you have to say enough is enough.

2. 'Beware the Ides of March'...March 15th on the ancient Roman calendar, these words were made famous by William Shakespeare in his play Julius Caesar. Caesar was assassinated on March 15th 44 B.C. Have you read any Shakespeare? If so, do you have a favorite? Have you ever been to Rome?

I’ve read a bit of Shakespeare but only at school. The one my class read was A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Parts of it were fun but I struggled to understand the language. I do remember being a bit jealous that the other class got to read Romeo and Juliet which I always liked better. Around that time Baz Luhrmann was just releasing his movie version with Leonardo DiCaprio so everyone was talking about it and it made the story feel extra exciting.

I’ve never been to Rome but it’s definitely one of those places I’d love to visit. It just seems like one of those cities where everywhere you turn there’s something amazing to see.

3. Do you like a Caesar salad? If given the choice between a garden/house salad or Caesar which do you order? Anchovies or no? What's your favorite salad dressing?

Caesar salad has never really tempted me. I’ll always go for a simple garden/house salad instead. Just lettuce, cucumber, tomato, maybe a bit of onion. That’s all I need but definitely no anchovies! When it comes to dressing, I’m a Salad Cream fan. Is it just a UK thing? It's sort of like mayonnaise but not as thick, it's a little tangy, a little sweet and just right for a salad!

4. Where do you typically work (or blog if that's easier) at home? Do you have a dedicated home office space? Are you happy with that space?

Most of my blogging happens in my armchair in the living room. It’s where I’m most comfortable and where I seem to get the most done. I can sit here with my laptop on my knee, watching the TV and have a drink and snacks nearby, then I just get on with writing. I even wrote a whole blog post about my armchair at the start of the year. I don’t have a home office space. I know lots of people have lovely desks and beautiful offices but the living room is good enough for me and I like being in the middle of the house rather than tucked away somewhere else.

5. Snow drops, daffodils, lenten roses, crocus, hyacinth, or early tulips...what's your favorite early Spring flower?

It has to be Daffodils! The minute I start seeing daffodils popping up in gardens, parks and along the roadsides, it feels like spring is properly starting. They’re so bright and such a cheerful flower! After months of grey skies and bare gardens, they are something we need to see at this time of year. Most weeks I always buy a bunch or two to have in the house. They are only £1 a bunch, so it feels like a really inexpensive treat! They’re a simple little thing that make a room feel a bit happier.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

As I am writing this I am watching the replay of the F1 Australian Grand Prix, I wasn't getting up at 4am to watch it live. I stopped watching it in the early 2000's and only got back into is because my youngest has started watching over the last year. Over the past week I have been playing catch up learning all about the teams and cars! Watching the race reminded me how much I love it, the roaring engines, the speed and all the drama. My youngest says I'm not allowed to like George Russell but he is my favourite at the moment. I was so stressed watching him trying to overtake Charles Leclerc. Eek!