January Hodgepodge

part of our deck after the 14 inches fell
on Sunday/Monday...this is Tuesday late morning

I have laundry going and while I wait for it to be time to stick it in the dryer, I thought I'd answer the Hodgepodge questions for today. Learn how to hop in by  heading to this site. 

1. I live in the south (this is the author of the meme talking, not me Faith from eastern NYS) so we're pretty much only talking about the weather right now. Give us a weather report from where you live. Does the kind of weather you're having today affect your mood in some way?

Kind of weather: currently at 2 pm it is Sunny with a gorgeous blue sky. The temp is currently 21 F and when I woke up at 6:30 it was -2. Today's high expects to not get above 21. 

Mood: it's Winter. I choose to live in the Northeast because I love the 4 seasons and I love the snow. I also love the cultural diversity of our Capital Region area and living so close to 3 different mountain ranges. However, it's annoying me that it's too bitter frigid to go snowshoeing. Hopefully next week! So my overall mood is one of impatience. I'm impatiently waiting for temps to creep up into the higher 20s and 30s so I can do some activity outdoors. (winter hiking, snowshoeing, power walking). 

2.  Avocados, kale, cauliflower and cottage cheese have all had their time to shine. 2026 brings us the year of the cabbage. Is this a vegetable you like? If so, what are some of your favorite dishes that call for cabbage?  

Not sure who says it's the year of the cabbage. HAHA but cabbage is not something I normally cook with.  I do like a good coleslaw and there are 2 places that make it to where I'd want seconds. One place is just to the north of us at this summer place to be. Yummy! I mainly use (from the above) Avocado and Kale. Cottage cheese hasn't entered my body since I was about 14. I don't do cows milk.  And now that I know PJ's BBQ has closed permanently as of last Sept (we went in July and I had no idea until I just linked to it that it was closing) I'll have to find a new place that sells GOOD coleslaw. 2nd fave place to eat it is a little dive on Cape Cod that sells fish n chips (fish and french fries for those of you not used to Cape Cod lingo). 

3. Was a Cabbage Patch Doll a part of your childhood? Or maybe your children's childhood? What's a toy trend from your childhood you remember wanting for your own? 

Oh thank God no.  I was a little girl in the 60s so thankfully didn't have one of those hideous and ugliest dolls on the planet. My daughters though had the 2nd ugliest dolls on the planet: ghetto Barbie aka Bratz dolls. Some still live in our basement. Bratz dolls where quite the trend when my oldest was about age 8-11.  So of course lil sis had to have them too. Cabbage Patch was for my youngest sister who was born in 1975 when I was 15.  I know she had at least 1. 

The toy trend that was one of the rages in my childhood was the Chrissy doll where you pushed a button and her hair grew. I had the brunette one since my hair was brunette (with red highlights) when I was young. And let's face it: Chrissy is way classier and prettier than a cabbage patch kid. 😏

Another toy trend was actually super creative and I don't think it's even a thing anymore: The Spirograph.  How cool was that when we were about 7 yrs old and just HAD to have one. And yup. I did. 

4. Something you've spent a lot of time doing lately? 

Playing Sims 4 in the evenings when I don't feel like watching Netflix, Hulu/Paramount +, Prime or Disney + and when Dave is busy doing his own thing and I don't  feel like reading. Our oldest daughter got me into The Sims a few years ago and I have to say it's quite creative. 

I've also been doing a lot of organizing in the kitchen getting rid of old things we no longer need or use. 

5. Somehow it's the last week of January...sum up your month in just three sentences. 

• We finally have a real winter. 
• I have loved the slower pace of January.
• Thank God for good books. 

6.  Random thought: 

a fun candle from Target!
as soon as you light it, the snowman shows up
I love candles on a snowy evening

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!  Stay Warm!