Barking dogs and Tiny Prints

How is it Wednesday already?!  Seriously, this last week has been such a blur - mainly because our "lovely" neighbors (insert ALL manner of sarcasm here) have a pitbull and german shepherd that bark. all. night. long.  These are neighbors that split their time living between Las Vegas and here - and haven't been "home" since July.  I'll be honest, I haven't missed them.  But then they came home last week, and brought two dogs with them.  Did I mention that they bark all night long?  Yawn.  Double yawn.  And yes, this has further convinced me that THIS is why you have babies when you are young, for surely the lack of sleep would kill me now.  As is exemplified by my foggy headedness this last week.

But - enough about that.  On to the Hodgepodge, my friends!

1. When did you last have to interact, either by phone or in person, with someone in a government run agency? On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate the experience? (10 being fabulous and 1 being pass the Tylenol)

Um, do you count when I called the sheriff's department last week on our neighbor's dogs?  (I'm telling you, I get C-A-RANK-Y when I'm without sleep three nights in a row)  The deputy I spoke with was quite sympathetic, told me what steps I needed to take (darn bureaucracy, it's an animal control issue, not sheriffs...) But even she said "Really?  Nice, neighbor... go back to Vegas!"  We bonded.  I could tell.  So, on a scale of 1-10, I'll say an 8, only because she couldn't send the SWAT team out to take out the dogs.  Not that I would REALLY want that... but, just a nice man in uniform with a tranquilizer dart to get the message across would have been nice.  Sigh.

2. The current governor of Wisconsin is considering a run for President next time around. Walker attended Marquette University, but never graduated. In terms of any candidate running for the office of President (not asking here if you agree or disagree with Scott Walker's politics) would the lack of a college degree influence your vote or no? Would that be a factor in your support of any candidate running for public office, even a role less weighty than President?

Whether or not a candidate has a degree doesn't qualify or disqualify them from being a public role model and leader.  I myself wouldn't want to be judged solely based on whether I went to college or not!  What an individual does in his own personal life, how he lives out his beliefs, if he is a man of integrity, and whether he has served his country is of much more importance to me.  I do have difficulty feeling like a President can really identify with the mainstream if he has not worked his way to the top and had any military experience.  

3. When did you last visit a place or site named for George Washington or Abraham Lincoln, and what was that place or site?

I think it was back at Christmas, 2003, when we went to D.C. over Christmas and went to the Lincoln Memorial.  Inspiring, for sure.

4. February 16th was President's Day in the US, but did you know it was also National Almond Day? I didn't think so : ) Do you like almonds? If so, what's a food/dish/recipe you enjoy that contains almonds? 

Almonds... meh, I can take them or leave them.  I'd prefer cashews to snack on!  Of course, anything salted and/or in chocolate is excellent in my book.

5.The television program Saturday Night Live celebrated it's 40th anniversary this past weekend. Were/are you a fan of the show? If so what has been your favorite (or one of your favorite) skits, sayings, or characters that came out of the program?

Yes!  Oh, I loved this show when I was in high school.  Some of my fondest memories are of coming home from a date and finding my dad in his recliner, watching SNL, and I would sit and watch a bit with him before heading to bed.  My favorite skits - oh, so many - the Church Lady, Hanz and Franz, and the "More Cowbell!" is classic.  

(As a side note - no joke - last week in our church staff meeting, the Minister of Worship asked if anything was missing from worship.  Without skipping a beat my boss (the Director of Family Ministry) and I both said in unison "More cowbell!  I gotta fever!")  It was awesome.  

You can't take us anywhere.

6. Anything purple within ten feet of you? What is it?

My fuzzy blanket - it is white with a purple paisley print that I bought at TJ Maxx years ago.  It is so soft!!!

7. Back in December I asked you to submit a question for a future HP as part of a giveaway I was hosting. I grabbed this one from those entries, submitted by Zoanna who blogs over at Penchant for Pens. Thanks Zoanna!

She asks, "How often do you make your bed, and how do you like to make it-pull the covers all the way up over the pillows, tuck the covers in around the pillows, or place all the pillows on top of the covers?" 

Oh gosh, I feel like I know a celebrity!  Zo is one of my dearest bloggy friends! (no, not bloody as my auto spell correct keeps trying to say! sheesh, this is not a murder mystery, autocorrect!)  Anyway, I'm just so gosh darn proud of Zo for getting her question picked this week!  Yay, my friend!

So now, to answer her question...  

With my house on the market these past couple of months, I have been making my bed every. single. day.  And I"ll admit, I kinda like it.  And it's not hard to do, especially with my hubby not home, it means I really only have one side of the bed to make.  Kinda bittersweet, 'cause I would much rather have him at home with me... but, this long distance job won't be forever.  

Am I ever going to answer this question?

I make it every day - usually - and I pull the covers up, fold them down, place the bottom pillows on top, then pull up the comforter and add the rest of the pillows on top decoratively.
 

8. Insert your own random thought here. 

This past weekend the kiddos and I drove up to Salt Lake City to see my in-laws for the long weekend.  My hubby flew in too, to join us, and then to drive home with us to help us with the packing/moving/business meetings that are happening these next couple of weeks.  While we were there, I helped my mother-in-law with the preparations for my father-in-laws retirement party in April.  We chose the invitations, the wording, and the guest list, uploading them all into a database - and get this, we even found a site (tinyprints.com) that had beautiful invitations and would mail them all out to our guests for us!  Gosh, is technology wonderful or WHAT?!  WHERE was this when I got married?  Guess which site I am using forever and ever now, for Christmas cards and such?  Amazing - My helpful tip for the day!  

have a good one, friends... I'm off to hopefully get some barking-dog-free sleep!