Wednesday Hodgepodge - for May 31, 2023

It's EASY - If you want to join in the fun - Answer these questions on your own blog, then back here tomorrow to add your link to the party. 

Thanks to Janice for hosting these Hodgepodges every Wednesday. 

1. Do you know much about (or understand) Artificial Intelligence (AI)? Does it worry or excite you? 

I can't say I know that much about it nor am I following it. It doesn't worry me and I can say, it doesn't excite me either. I'm ambivalent. Anyway, Alexa told me not to worry about it. <smile>

2. What was the last song you listened to? Your favorite movie soundtrack?

Just an hour ago we listened to this - 

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly 

The Danish National Symphony Orchestra Live

 

 What song always puts you in a good mood?  

I can't think of a particular song right now, but almost all Christian music and some oldies from my past. 

3. What were you doing ten years ago? 

It was 2013. Well, about ten years ago (give or take) our adult children (The Boomerangs) finally moved out after living with us for about 3 years. 

Navy had just gotten out of the military - was living in the San Francisco Bay Area because he received a bigger living allowance since that was his home area - he was attending college through the GI bill - but he was unable to afford the rent. We suggested he move up here - after living in fleabag motels - he wouldn't make as much since the cost of living here is less and he took us up on it anyway. It was a joy having him back home. 

 Then Foodie was unemployed, living in Santa Clara.  To keep afloat, he was living off his 401k but the rents and cost of living were eating through it very fast so he moved up here from Santa Clara - It was nice having him up here - 

Then Char and her husband were practically destitute in Seattle - no work and lost their apartment. They had moved down here and lived in our 34-foot mobile home in our side yard - A few months later, they split up/ divorced and he went back up to Seattle. 

At first, it was nice - having them all here but then it wasn't after a while. Seems when our adult children moved back home after living independently on their own, they didn't feel they should follow our rules.  Cooking late at night - leaving dirty dishes, laying around playing on the computer all day when they should be looking for a job. Let’s face it. If you’re young and single, having to move back home isn’t fun for them either. I get that but It started to be stressful and ugly. I believe they were stuck from being depressed. 

I had to get a plan - and slowly I inched them out without them realizing it. 

I started making them pay me rent - once they got meaningful employment. Really what we did, was save the rent money they gave us, to give back to them when they moved out - first and last month's rent and deposit can be costly. Then I started making them buy their own food. I was not going to cook for them anymore unless it was a family dinner. 

It worked. And the experience made us closer. They respected us for standing our ground - even though at the time, it got heated. 

Within a month, they all moved out. And it was like Heaven on Earth. It's like they all three got together and had a meeting -  Char moved out first and the guys rented a place together and moved out 2 weeks after she did.

 We had our house back. We painted, put on a new roof, replaced all the windows in our home, new kitchen, new washer and dryer, new stove and microwave, extended the hardwood floors down the hall - replaced the carpet in our bedroom and living room area. We bought a car - sofa, and loveseat - 

When they were living with us, we just didn't want to do anything to the house. I think we were depressed. They were depressed as well. It’s not normal to live with your parents when you should be living your own life. 

Years later they apologized and Navy even had the experience of his in-laws living with him and his wife last year, having to foot the whole bill while they did nothing all day while he and Sara worked. It wasn't until they gave them an ultimatum.  NOW he fully understood our stress. 

Funny how that happens. 

4. Your favorite no-bake summer dessert?

 - the best no-bake dessert is a lemon meringue pie from the bakery. 

5. Something you're looking forward to in June? 

We had a fairly expensive action-packed May. I'd be fine to just chill at home and do what we always do - go out to eat, take in a few hikes, go to the lake - go to a local festival, and have the family over. 

We are tentatively planning to take a dinner cruise on Lake Shasta, with Navy and his wife sometime this summer.  I'm trying to get them to pinpoint the best time ...if not the husband and I will go without them. It books up fast and this is the year to go with the lake so full.  

I tend to be a spontaneous person so making plans tends to stress me out. I like to get up and say, "Let's go here." and we do it. To me, that's what retirement is all about. Sometimes, like this Dinner Cruise, you have to make advanced reservations and so trying to coordinate their schedule with ours (we really don't have a schedule) can be stressful for me. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

She has me wrapped around her paw

Susie has been coughing up those fur balls - my goodness those must be awful. I used to buy Petro-malt which she used to like but am unable to find that anywhere so I bought some little nibbly treats that are for hairball control. 

She refuses to eat it. 

I then went out and found another brand - expensive - the store said they will accept a return. Well, looks like I will be returning it for a refund. Now we could chase her around every other day, to place it on her nose or her paw - she will lick it then. But as soon as she sees that tube, she takes off and hides. 

As I have mentioned in past posts, I am codependent when it comes to my animals. I don't want her running away from me. So the husband and I are at odds -  I've decided HE can run after her.