Wednesday Hodgepodge

How did you welcome the month of July, and tell us one fun thing you did to celebrate the 4th.

On July 1st I jumped up super early to go for a run and then head out for my grocery shopping. After getting all the groceries put away I drove the hour to my parents' lake house (alone) and spent the rest of the day there and spent the night with my parents. The kids didn't want to go, and Eli was actually running a low-grade fever, so Rick stayed home with them. Every year our family goes to our local park for 4th of July festivities. The celebration has been going on for over 100 years. We do all kinds of traditional races .. egg races, sack races, egg tosses, softball throws, etc. This year Brynne won 3rd place in the egg race, Rick and Collin won first place in the egg toss, and Collin won first place in the softball throw. The 4th is also Collin's birthday, so Rick and I went with him and Kyndal out to a late lunch, for some browsing at Lowe's, and shaved ice. Then after we got home Rick and I went for a 9 mile bike ride.

Right now ... what's your favorite red thing? white thing? blue thing?

Well this is actually a hard one! Hmmm .... My favorite red thing would be my red paisley chair and ottoman in our living room. It's where I nest. My favorite white thing would be my new-to-me rooster coffee cup that says "Rise and Shine". And my favorite blue thing would be my new KC Royals stemless wine glass. Me ... with coffee ... or wine ... in my red paisley chair. That's says a lot, huh?

Wave the white flag, raise a red flag, fly your freak flag ... which 'flag' have you flown most recently? Explain.

Today I am waving the white flag. Yes I am. In just one night of sleep I had a sinus headache, some indigestion, recurring pain from a pulled muscle in my back, and some womanly stomach cramping. I was hot and then cold and then hot and then cold, and I dreamed wacky stuff all night. Basically I had a horrible night of sleep. I didn't work out this morning. Instead I am sipping coffee and doing this Hodgepodge. We have schoolwork to do this morning, but that can be done from the couch. Eli has speech therapy this afternoon, but that's it for us. Hopefully I'll feel better so I can get out and mow the yard this afternoon. Besides that, it's me and a book today.

According to Cond Nast Traveler these are the seven best places to visit in July: a boat safari in Botswana's Okavango Delta, Riviera Maya Mexico (it's whale shark season and apparently you can swim with them), Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons, Pamplona Sapin (running of the bulls), St. Petersburg Russia, the Fuji Rock Festival at Mount Naeba Japan, the Salzburg Festival in Salzburg Austria. If time and money weren't factors would you want to see any/all of these? Which would you most like to see and why?

I have been to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons in July and, yes, I would agree that would be the time to visit there. It still gets down into the 30's at night, so if you are camping make sure you have good facilities to keep you warm. If you know me at all you know that shark season in Mexico would be the last place you would find me. In fact, good tip that July is whale shark season because I will make sure I am never near Mexico again in the month of July, even though I am too scared to go in the ocean anyway (or lake or river or pool at night) for fear of being attacked by a shark. Out of the other places listed, I would want to attend the Salzburg Festival in Salzburg Austria. Austria would be a really cool place to visit.

Grilled cheese, pimento cheese, or mac and cheese ... your favorite from the cheesy treats listed?

Yum, pimento cheese! I love it on a sandwich with tomato or on celery sticks.

What makes you sweat?

Talking about sharks (see answer above). And speaking of sharks, anything having to do with politics. The thought of Hillary Clinton ... well, we'll just keep it there.

Your favorite movie with a 'patriotic' theme of some sort?

Forrest Gump. I was watching it the other night and just thought how all-American it really is.

Insert your own random thought here.

Although I am not working out today because I feel like ick, I have really been enjoying my workouts lately. I always do so much better when I am planning for something. I am going to run in the Kansas City Royals Charities 5K at the end of August, so that has me hitting the pavement even though it's hot most days. Rick and I are planning to ride in the Katy Trail Ride next summer (241 miles in 5 days) so we are riding our bikes more regularly. And now I am planning a trip in January to see a friend and we will hopefully be running in a 5K together and doing some hiking. Knowing I have events coming up helps me to stay on schedule. I turn 45 years old in less than a month (and will be a grandma in about 10 weeks!), and I am very happy with my activity level. Staying physically fit and strong in the last half of my life is important to me.