Wednesday Hodgpodge

 

Hi Friends!  I am to join Joyce for her fun linkup as we answer her questions below...

 

 

 

1. What's one piece of advice you would you give a recent or soon-to-be graduate? 

 

 

(with my besties in Newport, RI during our Senior Year at UMD- June 1995)

 If your plan is college, when you get there, pace yourself.  There will be a party every night or an opportunity to go out to the bars with your friends.  Get your work done first.  Pick a day or two per week to go out and have fun.  Don't get behind.  Budget your time.  Plan for studying, school work and a sport (if you are playing one) first then reward yourself with those nights out.  Just don't give into the temptation every night.

 

 

2. May 15th marks the birth date of L. Frank Baum, author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. At this point in time are you more in need of brains, courage, heart, or a trip back home? Explain. 

 

 

(Playing the Role of The Wicked Witch in the UMD Theatre Co's Production of The Wizard of Oz- December 1994)

 

I would say courage.  I am moving forward to assist and accept that my baby bird is leaving her nest.  I need the courage to let her fly and smile while she is watching.  I can't crumble.  I can't be depressed.  This is not about me.  Just need a little courage, and of course faith, to help me through this :/ 

 

 

3.  "There's no place like home" is an oft repeated line from Baum's book. When was the last time you felt the truth of that statement?  

(Our Trip to Coastal Carolina University for their Cheer Clinic- October 2025)

 Anytime we travel.  I threw on my Myrtle Beach sweatshirt this past weekend.  My husband and I were joking about it.  We both agreed that it is an awesome place to visit but not to live, for us.  We agreed that we are grateful that Diana is staying close for college.  If we eventually buy a property down south, during retirement, it may be a community in South Carolina, just not there.  Time will tell...

 

 

4. May is National BBQ Month...do you own a grill? Who does the grilling at your house? What's your favorite thing to throw on the grill? What's the last thing you grilled? 

 

(Grilling pizzas in the back yard- Circa Summer 2013)

 Yeah!  I love this.  I love the unofficial start to summer and grilling season.  Rob does all of our grilling.  I can grill but he really enjoys it so I try to let him do it.  We grill mostly meats.  I love marinated steak tips on the grill- yum!  That is probably the last thing we grilled this past summer or fall.  Nothing too exciting!  Oh..I also occasionally love a grilled pizza.  

 

 

 

5. What's a memory you replay in your head when you need a little joy? 

 

(Our Family Trip to Cancun- February 2025)

 

 Our Road Trip to Niagara Falls

Trips to the Lake

Diana's entrance on the stairs when she played Clara in The Nutcracker

Friday Night Football Games 

Eva's softball games

The Beach- The Ocean

Our Family Trip to Cancun with Our Parents 

 

 

6. Insert your own random thought here.

 

Oh this post had me reminiscing big time...loved looking back through some old college photos..especially now that Diana is ready to embark on a similar journey- I am praying that she enjoys her campus- meets her people and eventually says they were some of the best years of her life!  I know they were mine....love looking back and thinking back to some of my favorite memories of my lifetime.  Grateful I had the experience I did and I am only wishing the same, if not, better experiences for my girls.

 

 

Fashion Files

 

Hi Friends!  I am squeaking this post in so I can linkup with the lovely Amy and talk fashion for a minute.

 

This post is reminding me of one of my favorite songs by the talented Zach Bryan called "Something In The Orange"

 

You can check out that song below... 

Something In The Orange 

 

Anyway, I digress...it was all about the orange last weekend.

 

There was orange in my palazzo pants that I wore for our real estate event....the event had a Cinco de Mayo theme so I thought they were very fitting and they ended up matching the decor- too funny!

 

Then on Saturday, for my cousin's bridal shower, my dress had orange and pink in it...a favorite spring and summer time color combo...really gravitated towards this color more than I realized!

 

My cocktail of choice, most of the time, is an Aperol Spritz as well which screams orange right?  

 

 

Orange makes me happy...almost as much as pink does...it screams energy and joy to me and the warmer seasons.  Do you have anything orange you like to wear?

 

 

 

Hello Monday (May 11, 2026)

 

Hi Friends and Happy Monday!  I am here with my pal Sarah and we are chatting about our weekends!  Hope you will join us....we are coming off a crazy busy spring weekend here...we don't expect things to slow down, at this point, until July...so buckle up...ride the wave with me if you would...here is what our weekend looked like...

 

Friday Night

 

It was time for our Annual Real Estate Appreciation Night and it was just fabulous.  Cass came with me and Tina and Misty met us there.  We had a blast and it was great to catch up with so many old friends!  I love the way Laura puts this event together with a Cinco de Mayo theme- so so fun!

 

Catching up with Mrs. Mullen was a fave

 

 

Team Gamache

 

When I got home, Rob was getting home from his gig and he helped me set up some things for Diana's friends who were coming over to "chill" and hang by the firepit- love the way these kids have come together this year- boys and girls- I know Diana is grateful as are we and we will never forget these happy days for her.

Snapped a pic of Rob dousing the fire late night- called him Fire Marshall Bill- ha!

 Meanwhile Pidge was at a birthday dinner and sleepover for her bestie!

 

 

 Saturday

 

We were up bright and early.  Rob, Eva and Papa headed up north for another softball tournament.  I headed down to Mass, picked up my mom and we headed to my Cousin Julia's Bridal Shower- it was so so lovely- loved the garden theme and had a great time catching up with relatives on my dad's side.

 

After that, I dropped off my mom and headed home to chill which felt luxurious.  Later on, Diana headed to work and Rob, Eva and I made subs for dinner and watched one of my favorite movies of all time, "Back To The Future." We wanted to introduce Eva to this classic- we just wish she liked it more- sigh

 

We crashed early!

 

Sunday

 

Happy Mother's Day!  Hope you had a great one if you celebrated!

 

It was such a great night of sleep for me!  I was giddy.  I haven't been sleeping well at all but that night I did- I slept over 10 hours!  So grateful!

 

I got up and headed to mass and Rob, Eva and Papa headed back up to softball.  After mass, I grabbed a tea and waited for my parents to arrive. Then I drove them up north so we could catch one of Eva's games- they did so well!

 

We left after the first game to enjoy lunch at the 99.  Then I dropped my parents back at my house and did a few things to get organized.

 

Later on, Rob came to pick me up so I could join them at the championship game! 

 

Though the girls were runners up, they had a heck of a weekend- the championship game was their only loss!  

 

 It was a very full spring weekend!  What were you all up to?

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