Hodgepodge Wednesday - Oh Brother!

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. May 24th is National Brother's Day. Do you have a brother? Older or younger? 

I had a "brother from another mother." We were not raised together. His mom and my dad were teenagers when he was born. He was raised in rural Eastern Tennessee (Appalachia) and I was raised in San Francisco.  He was 4 years older than me. We couldn't have been more different. He had a Southern accent and I don't. We came from totally different backgrounds. I met him for the first time in 2009. I flew to Alabama, where he moved his young family for work back in the '70s and never left.  It's funny because as different and opposite as we were raised there were many similarities. Almost like twins, we had many of the same mannerisms and our personalities were similar as well. How did that happen??? 

My sister-in-law said after a day or so of observing the both of us together -

"Yep, you are John's sister." 

I took that as a huge compliment.  John passed away in Nov 2021 at the age of 71 and I miss him. 

 I keep up with my sister-in-law and their growing family there in Alabama. It was nice having a brother, even if for a little while... 

Did you raise brothers? Tell us something about your brother or tell us something about your own children who are brothers. 

Yes, I raised 3 brothers. All I can say is, Fun fun fun! They are three to three and a half years apart. Very close. I put them in the master bedroom in our house because they were friends as well as brothers. Foodie and Navy are still best buds. They know each other's friends as well. That's not to say, they always see eye to eye.  


"Half the time when brothers wrestle, it’s just an excuse to hug each other."

James Patterson


2. A great book you've read or a movie you enjoy that features brothers? 

1. A River Runs Through It with Brad Pitt - 

2. Legends of the Fall another early Brad Pitt

3. Tiptoes (my son Michael was an extra in this movie with Michael McConaughey and Gary Oldman.) 


3. Something you think is overrated? There is so much that is overrated in our current Bazzoro Clown World but I'll keep it simple and say: 

Chick-fil-A is overrated. 

In 2020 one was opened here in my town.  After hearing all the hype, my expectations were too high - maybe we ordered the wrong thing - maybe it was just that particular day. It wasn't bad, just not as good as we thought it would be. We haven't been back. 

I hope I didn't offend anyone - I know how Southerners love their Chick-Fil-A and Cracker Barrel. 

Something you think is underrated? 

Oh brother...sure you want me to go there? 

Anything good and innocent and pure is underrated. Everything that was once cherished, is underrated and demonized. And of course, anything that has to do with the Bible is put down as rubbish - mere stories of an imaginary superhero in the sky.  Even our womanhood has been hijacked -  now we have these cartoonish caricatures of what "they" believe a real woman looks like and acts like. 

And TRUTH is now underrated and redefined as well as History. 

Parents are underrated and Fathers are underrated. Masculinity is underrated.  Sorry, not sorry, but I want my man to be a manly man.


4. How much does your past shape you? What parts have shaped you the most?

The past has shaped who I am today. Both the good and the bad. The biggest change that happened to me was when my son Michael was born. As I have mentioned before I was 23, and this was 1977 and we didn't have the pre-natal tests they do now.  He was born with a form of bone dysplasia that resulted in dwarfism.  Up to that point, I was living in a happy little bubble of my own making. This slammed me into the world of being a parent - choosing what medical procedures I would allow, and what I wouldn't - always trying to seek the best for him.  

I had to take on responsibilities they didn't teach in Lamaze class! 


5. What's your favorite simple pleasure? It doesn't take much to please me. I'm a low-maintenance kind of gal. I'm content wherever I am. I have always enjoyed sitting by a body of water. Growing up it was the Pacific Ocean - years later, I have grown to enjoy the rivers and creeks and waterfalls. Although I am also quite fine, just sitting on my patio - watching the birds. 

6. Insert your own random thought here

On an airplane, which armrest is yours, if you sit in the middle?



11 comments:

  1. That is amazing that you were able to meet your brother from another mother!

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  2. I like the stories of a brother from another mother. My daughter has one as well. I have 3 brothers, 2 older than me, oldest one died when he was 50. I have a younger brother that is 4 years younger than me and a sister that's 7 years younger than me. I did help my younger brother at one point and still do as he is out of touch in life. Favorite books are from Jane Kirkpatrick and the Bible.

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  3. Yeah I have one brother 16yrs younger then me, he is so much like our dad having him and a sister 15yrs younger I helped a lot with them when they were little.

    Life is full of overrated things and people

    The past shapes all of our lives but how I can't say because I don't know

    My life is full of simple pleasures.

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  4. I have a step-brother 10 years younger than me. I was already 18 when when my mom remarried.
    We still keep in touch.

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  5. How wonderful that you got to meet your half brother and shared so many traits with him. I have two brothers both younger than me.

    Simple pleasures are what makes the world a wonderful place.

    God bless.

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  6. I have one brother, 14 months younger than me. He's a good guy! I had only one son (and 2 daughters) so didn't get to raise brothers.
    We have a Chik-fil-A near us - about 1 year old. We really like it!
    Good answers, I enjoyed your thoughts. Simple pleasures are the best.
    The right armrest is mine. :)

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  7. I do agree with you on the underrated things! And I think that becoming a mother was one of the pieces of my past that shaped me then and shapes me still today. (including my hips! haha!) Have a great week!

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  8. I really loved both of these Brad Pitt movies. I think they are his best and he will never make one as good again.

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  9. Chick-Fil-A ... I will agree with you on that. ;-)
    Thank you for sharing your honesty in answering #4 .... so true.. becoming a mother shapes us in so many ways. Ups and Downs. Thank you for sharing.
    Carla

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  10. We went to Chick-fil-a once and we were not impressed either. We love our Chicken Shack here. This world has gone off the deep end I am afraid. You do not see trans men joining any men's sport do you? It is ridiculous how they are trying to erase woman. Now I went on my own soap box. Sorry. Janice

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  11. I loved your story about your brother. I'm glad you got to know him. I am a very low maintenance gal too!

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