Friday Favorites ~ March 13, 2026

 Happy Friday morning!  I am so happy it is Friday and I have a few favorites to share with you.

First up, I received these jeans earlier in the week.  These are some that Tanya mentioned and then Amy too.  I ordered them in white though since I really didn't need any more blue jeans.  I do really like these already!

Monday night I went to dinner with a friend and it was so good to catch up with her.  This looks like lasagna, but it is a pizza in a bowl.  I ordered a mix of pesto and red sauce, cheese and chicken.  The strips on top of this that look like cheese are actually chicken.

Monday night, I spent the night at my sisters and woke up with this sweet view.  I slept on the couch and there were 4 sleeping beauties in this picture!

I spent all day Tuesday at my sister's house with the kids and one more great joined us for the day.  We had a morning dance lesson as I showed them Harry Styles :).

Wednesday, I worked from home, did some grocery shopping and took dinner to a friend.  I also made me a pizza for lunch.  I poured some sourdough starter in my small black skillet until it bubbled up around the edges and center.  Then I transferred it to my air fryer to cook a little more.  I added marinara sauce, cheese and turkey pepperoni and cooked it a little more.  It was a delicious sourdough pizza!

I have struggled with sleep quite a bit the past few years due to the trauma of my marriage ending.  It improved some after I moved, but hasn't been great the past 2 months.  I have taken over the counter sleep medicine & all of the other things to help from time to time.  But, often, I just can't turn off my brain and memories happen.  I am thankful for all the time I have had alone to heal, but I am ready to have someone consistent in my life. Fast forward to Wednesday night, I had problems sleeping, like I slept for about 2 hours.  But, I remembered that Virgin River, season 7, dropped on Netflix on March 12th at 2am central time.  By 2:05am, I was watching the first episode of the season to help distract my brain.  I am so looking forward to going to see the scenery later this summer of where this is filmed!

I made it through the workday yesterday with such little sleep, but I did lose my footing when I was loading supplies in my car at work and got a pretty good scrape and bruise on my leg.  I was in bed by 6:30 last night, so it was a quiet night. 

The best favorite of this week will happen this weekend....my daughter is making the 9 hour drive to come home.  I haven't seen her since January 2nd and I have only seen my other daughter for 12 hours this year, so I miss my daughters!  

I hope you all have a great weekend!

Hodgepodge ~ March 11, 2026

 Good morning friends!  How is your week going?  Happy to be here to join in on Hodgepodge with Joyce.

1. Are you a naturally trusting person? Is trust built on logic or 'gut instinct'? Does everyone deserve a second chance? Elaborate. 

I am usually a trusting person and even if someone breaks trust, I can give a second chance. If someone doesn't change their behavior though, I don't continue to trust them.  

2. 'Beware the Ides of March'...March 15th on the ancient Roman calendar, these words were made famous by William Shakespeare in his play Julius Caesar.  Caesar was assassinated on March 15th 44 B.C. Have you read any Shakespeare? If so, do you have a favorite? Have you ever been to Rome? 

I have not read any Shakespeare.  I am familiar with some, but I am not a huge fan. However, I have been to some local Shakespeare plays.  

I have never been to Rome, Italy.  I am sure it is lovely and if gifted a trip, I would go, but it is not high on my list.  After living out of the country, my desire to travel internationally has changed some.  If I ever visit somewhere other than North America or the Caribbean islands, I want to visit Austria (for The Sound of Music Tour).  I would also re-visit Belgium, because I think it is the most beautiful European country, Australia (to see my friends who live there), a re-visit to England, and to see Spain/Portugal.  

Here are a few pictures from Belgium

3. Do you like a Caesar salad? If given the choice between a garden/house salad or Caesar which do you order? Anchovies or no? What's your favorite salad dressing?

I do like a ceasar salad, but usually don't eat the croutons.  My choice would be a house salad, but no anchovies please.  Most of the time, I don't use salad dressing at all if it is a regular salad.  If I have a strawberry pecan salad, I will use whatever comes with that at a restaurant.  If if do get a salad dressing, I will ask for it on the side. 

4. Where do you typically work (or blog if that's easier) at home? Do you have a dedicated home office space? Are you happy with that space? 

What a fun question! In this home, I honestly do most of it from my bed.  Sometimes, I will sit on my couch to blog or sit at my kitchen table to work from home.  But mostly, I am in my bed :).  This is is one of those things that is very different from a few years ago.  I never hung out in my bed or had a tv in my room. Now, I spend most of my time at home here.

5. Snow drops, daffodils, lenten roses, crocus, hyacinth, or early tulips...what's your favorite early Spring flower? 

I love the tulips, although all of these are so pretty!  

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I spent Monday night with my sister to help with some of the kiddos.  We had 4 of them spend the night at her house and one more joined us on Tuesday for the day.  Tuesday, they got so excited to hear the ice cream truck.  Great Aunt Marilyn had to let them down easy that we weren't getting ice cream.  So thankful for opportunities to help out when I can with this crew.

Have a great Hodgepodge of a day!

Hello Monday ~ March 9, 2026

 Good Monday morning.  I am going to do a little recap of the past few weeks this morning.  

I am so thankful March is here and a little more daylight.  Winter is hard when living alone, especially when we had almost 2 weeks shut down due to ice/snow.  Then I had a few weeks with little to no plans outside of work.  Last week was a little busier, which was nice.  This week will be a little different with my schedule, but it is yet to be determined due to some family health issues and spring break schedules.  

I have a new great nephew arriving next month.  We showered my expectant niece a few weeks ago.  She has 3 girls, so we are excited for them to welcome a boy in the family.

I hosted a wedding shower at my house with some other ladies to honor one of my daughter's best friends and her mom is one of my best friends.

I am still enjoying hot beverages in my newest mug.

This is a dinner I had out a few weeks ago in a nearby town. It was red fish with veggies and was delicious. 

I went to the touring production of Back to the Future, The Musical.  It was such a fun play and super creative.  I was so impressed and really enjoyed it.  It is one of the best I have seen in a long time! I of course loved the last 2 songs, which are Huey Lewis songs, and there is a nod to Huey in the play.

I kept nursery at church and played with the ducks.  Just trying to get my "ducks in a row!" Ha!

Yesterday was International Women's Day and I celebrate my daughters and myself for being strong and pressing forward in new ways we didn't expect, ask for or want the past few years.  

Happy Monday and thanks for reading today!

Hodgepodging Currently ~ March 4, 2026

 Hi guys!  We had an icestorm in January and then February was a slow month for me, but this week has been busy so I haven't been on the blog as much.  I will get caught up soon though, here in the blogland and at home hopefully.  I am happy to join in with Hodgepodge and Currently today with my sweet friends, Joyce and Amy.

1.  As the saying goes, 'March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.' Did your March come in roaring or like some other animal? Every month carries with it certain feelings, which is why some people love and anticipate December and others dread it. How do you feel about the month of March? 

March has come roaring in like a lion in the way that is has been busy.  I always look forward to March because usually a little taste of Spring comes (although we have had some historic big snows in March).  It is also good to know I have survived January and February!

2. Where in your life are you a lion? Where are you a lamb? 

I am like a lion by being a strong, independent woman who lives alone & doesn't have a male protector. 

I am like a lamb, hopefully, to my friends & family by being gentle, dependent and calm.

3. The Hodgepodge lands on National Pound Cake day. Do you like pound cake? If so do you have a favorite flavor? Let's play this or that-

pound cake or layer cake?

If my dear friend makes it, I vote pound cake.

pound cake or cheesecake?

cheesecake

pound cake or angel food cake?

pound cake

pound cake or brownie?

brownie

pound cake or pie?

pie...well, if it is lemon or key lime!

4. What makes you feel childlike wonder right now? 

The first thing that came to mind is the idea of getting my own apartment.  I am excited to have more of a permanent place soon. 

5. What's one thing you need to add to your wardrobe to get ready for spring? If you're in the southern hemisphere, then answer for fall? 

I would like to have a few new shirts.  I may look on Shein.  I have only placed one order with them, but it went well!

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Today is my parents 60th wedding anniversary! Last night, my sister, brother-in-law and I had dinner with them to celebrate.  My brother lives out of town, so we missed him and my sister-in-law.

Now on to Currently!

Saving your life right now

Truthfully, the humor of reels and comedians!  I watch reels and my friends and I send reels every day about the stresses of work, relationships and other things that helps us laugh about our lives.  Watching comedians/comedy keeps me laughing and I need laughter in my life!

Cleaning/purging

As most of you know, I moved last fall, so I purged a lot then.  I am living in a rental home now, but I will purge some more things before I move to an apartment this spring/summer.  I am purging kitchen items, clothes and other household items or old memorabilia. I am hosting a wedding shower this weekend, so I do have a lot of basic cleaning to do!

Loving

I am loving my friendship with my work friend.  She is the same age as my daughter, like born on the same day!  She calls me her bonus mom.  Yesterday after work, I went by her house to join in on her family's celebration of Purim.  It has been so interesting to learn about her Jewish traditions.

Planning (trip wise)

I have 4 trips to take this year, so far. I took one trip back in February. I am working on details for all of these upcoming trips.

Next, I have a blog trip...YAY!

Then I have a work trip, which is my once a year travel for work event.  I drive, so I don't have to fly anywhere.

I will travel at the end of spring to see my newborn baby daughter graduate from college!

At the end of the summer, I have a bucket list trip with my daughters for an Alaskan Cruise!  I am also doing a bonus trip by myself during the same time frame.

Taking a break from

Honestly, I have taken some breaks from blogging.  Don't get me wrong, I love this community and this outlet.  I have made some dear friends through blogging and I definitely consider you to be real friends and not just an online random person.  I am so incredibly thankful to have met such delightful people here!

Sometimes, life just isn't exciting in my little world of living alone.  I spent the last 2 weeks going to work and coming home at night and no weekend plans.  So not to sound depressing, but as they say, there just wasn't much "to write home about". Then the complete opposite happened this week, I have something every night and after being out of my house for over 12 hours, I am just too tired to do anything honestly other than crawl in bed. And okay, watch some funny reels.  

I hope you are enjoying your week and I may be back Friday....or not :). Thanks for reading!

Monthly Musings ~ February 26, 2026

 Good morning.  I am linking up with Patty for this month's Monthly Musings about ways we make our weeks easier.

1. Paper planner, digital calendar or other option?

I have used a paper planner in the past, but I mainly plan my schedule and to-do list straight from my phone's calendar.  I can view my personal and work calendar there.  On my desk at work, I do have a large paper calendar where I will write some work events.

2. Meal planning, meal prep, or wing it?

I do a little bit of all 3 at different times.  On Sundays, I will try to think of my week ahead if I have any night outings.  I have had very few this year during the week.  I have been trying to eat from my freezer.  From a meal prep standpoint, I have a lot of cooked meats in my freezer that I can use for meals.  There are some days/nights when I am at home and will wing it with just eating snacks though, which is not always a good thing.  

3. Do you choose your outfit the night before?

I usually do have an outfit in mind, but I often will change my mind!

4. Tips for managing laundry and ironing.

Keep in mind, all of my answers are based on a single adult living alone, so most of you are not in that situation, or probably not any of you for which is a good thing!

My laundry is easy to manage.  I do 2 loads a week...one of clothes and one for towels/sheets.  As far as ironing goes, it is on a need to basis.

5. Grocery shop instore or online?

I still do grocery instore shopping.  I have done a pick up order a handful of times.  If this service was an option when my kids were younger or when I was working out of the home full time, I think I would have done this more often.  I get every other kind of package at home, but I have never had groceries delivered.

6. Best tips for getting out the door in the morning without chaos?

Again, it is just me getting out the door and I only go to the office 2 days a week, so thankfully, I don't have to get out the door early every day. However, I do sometimes still rush out the door!  I try to have my lunch planned the night before so I just have to put it in my bag and get out the door.  My biggest struggle is getting out of bed.  I don't drink coffee or have pets, so I don't have anything getting me out of bed. I wake up early, but getting out of bed to get ready is a slow process for me.  This is a newer thing for me as another thing that has changed for me in the past few years. 

7. Share your easiest dinners for crazy weeks.

An easy dinner for me would be opening a box of tomato soup (from Trader Joe's is my favorite), a frozen pizza (Milton's brand is my favorite), or a protein bar!  

8. Best tips to keep your house organized during the week.

I think the easiest way for organization is to watch the paper intake that comes in the house, including receipts and mail.  Obviously, cleaning countertops helps a house feel organized too.  

9. Share your easiest breakfast.

I love a protein smoothie, sourdough bread, protein bar/shake,  I also like some of the chicken sausage that you can buy pre-packaged from Costco.

10.  Share your best overall tip not covered yet.

Balance as best you can work/home life.  I recommend to not do work outside of working hours.  However, if I do have something quick to do, I make sure to schedule send an email or not let it interfere with someone else's time off work.  I am big about being respectful of that.

Thanks for reading along and hope you all have a great day!

Hodgepodge ~ February 25, 2026

Hi and happy Hodgepodge day!

1. America celebrates turning 250 years old this year. Primary cities set to lead the celebrations on July 4th are Boston, Philadelphia, New York, and Washington D.C. Other significant locations for celebrating will be Charleston SC and the 'historic triangle' which includes Jamestown-Willimasburg-Yorktown Virginia. 

Of the cities listed how many have you seen in person? Of the cities listed which would you most like to visit this year? Any plans to do so? What's one place in America you think everyone should see? If you're not American what's one place in the US you'd like to see? 

I have been to all of these places, but Boston is a place I would like to explore.  I flew there years ago (like probably 30) on a trip to New England.  We basically landed at the airport and drove around the city on our way out of town, but didn't take time to see the sights really.  Here are pictures from all the other cities!

I think all of these cities are great, with honestly, NYC being my favorite.  But, if you really want to get some history, I recommend Philadelphia and Jamestown/Williamsburg.

Philadelphia with one of my dearest friends a few years ago

Young Marilyn at the age of 17 in New York City with the World Trade Towers behind me.  I have always loved this city and have been dozens of times.

Our family went to Washington, DC in 2013.  Ironically enough, the week we were there was a government shutdown for the first time in 17 years (at that time), so most things were closed.

My youngest daughter and I went to Charleston last October.

My brother lives in Richmond, which also has a lot of history.  On our first trip to see him, we went to Williamsburg and Jamestown.  Here are Brook and I at Williamsburg.

2. Three sounds you love to hear? 

The first thing that came to mind were words: 

Momma, Aunt Marilyn, I love you

Some other sounds I love to hear are:

a candle/fire burning

 music...Music is so healing and encouraging to me!

kids laughter

airplanes taking off

ocean waves

3. Three sounds you hate to hear? 

My word list:
I have bad news, political talk, rejection

Alternate sounds:
insects (mosquitos, flys)
echoes
gunshots/loud noises
nails on chalkboard

4. February 24th is/was National Tortilla Chip Day. Are you a fan? With salsa, guacamole, queso, or just plain please? Do you like nachos? With what on top? Is there anything (besides nachos) you make that calls for tortilla chips? 

I love chips plain or with any of the above, but guacamole is my favorite.  At home, I usually have salsa on hand though.  I like nachos with chicken, cheese and guacamole on top.  I have made a King Ranch Chicken before which is very good & so easy, especially this slow cooker recipe. I also enjoy a good margarita paired with chips and guac!

This is one of my stand out favorites I had on a cruise port in Mexico.

5. We March into March with next week's Hodgepodge...what's one thing on your March calendar that makes you smile? 

My youngest daughter will come home for her last Spring Break from college!  I haven't seen her in 10 weeks and I will be ready to hug her neck.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I have been experimenting lately with purchasing different brands of do-it-yourself nails.  I tried Doonails over the weekend and have been pleased so far.  This is a cat eye nail, so the color looks a little different in each picture.  As of writing this post, they have stayed on 3 days, so I am pleased so far and hoping to get at least a week's wear out of these.  

Have a great day and I will be back tomorrow for Monthly Musings!

Friday Favorites ~ February 20, 2026

 Woo hoo!  Happy Friday friends!

A favorite of mine from last week was spending a morning last weekend with my sister. We went to a bakery and enjoyed a variety of croughnuts (a hybrid of a croissant and a donut) and then went to a coffee house too.

After working from home Monday morning, I spent the afternoon visiting with some of my greats.  There is nothing like a little face running to meet you at the car.

The middle 3 of this crew wanted to ride with me to go see my parents.  Needless to say, they (their great grandparents) were so happy to see these little faces too. I was so thankful I could say yes when they asked to go with me.  

Before leaving, I got to hold their baby sister, my newest great born last fall.

We also went by to see my other nieces and this one is so full of life!  She just turned 1 year old in November.

When I went to drop off the other kiddos, their sweet momma (the one who made me an aunt) invited me to stay for dinner.  I left afterwards and these two loved running alongside the car as I was leaving.  I felt loved getting a strong welcome and a loving goodbye! The sky was so pretty too!

Wednesday afternoon, I got a massage, which is always a favorite.

Work has been more stressful for me the last few weeks, but I did receive this sunshine Jellycat from co-workers.

Other than the afternoon with my greats, it has been a really quiet, kind of boring week so I have been alone a lot and going to bed early.  Either way, I am always glad for a weekend!