1. When did you most recently need to ‘think fast’? Elaborate.

I guess I’ll say last week when I was having that power steering issue. I left work to get to the auto parts store and still be on time to pick up my son but I ran into major traffic from an accident. I had to think fast about an alternate route and I found one!

2. The Hodgepodge lands on National Fast Food Day. What was the last fast food you ate? What’s your favorite fast food? How often do you grab fast food? 

We don’t ever eat that, really. I guess Monday night’s popcorn chicken from the grocery store was about the fastest lately. But I guess you can kind of consider Chipotle to be in that category? I mean, that whole in-between fast and sit down type restaurant has gained a lot of momentum. Honestly, and I know this sounds bougie, I look down on most fast food as non-viable food. I’m sorry if that offends anyone but it’s just something in my past. It’s typically too greasy and too processed and just no longer an option. Would it be easier if I were more in the dark about how poorly it’s made? Sure, especially since we have such little time these days, it’d sure be a lot easier!

3. Life in the fast lane, get nowhere fast, on the fast track, not so fast…pick one and tell us how it applies to your life in recent days. 

Oh you can probably guess this one – life in the fast lane! I am here, there, and everywhere these days. For example, today looks like this: IF the rain keeps up and Elliot doesn’t have soccer then I am sending Dakota to piano then I’ll pick her up, come home and get some meatballs in the crockpot, get her to dance, Isaac to his band concert, then get them both home, eat, then I have to clean out the freezer where meat thawed and leaked everywhere. Gross. Tomorrow: work all day then leave here to go straight to Elliot’s soccer game, which I won’t actually get to watch because I work concessions. Thursday: work all day, run home to gather Isaac, run back out to Elliot’s game (Isaac is going to be a ball chaser) then we run back home to get Dakota from girl scouts and THEN we eat. We are pressed for time, all the time!

4. Are you a fast walker? fast talker? fast worker? fall asleep fast? stay fast asleep without too much trouble? 

I’m actually all of those things! With the exception of staying asleep, and even then it depends on the day. But yes, I do talk fast (and I mumble). I got fast walking from my dad who always walked so far ahead of us on vacations, if you didn’t keep up you got lost! I like to work quickly to get more in, since my life is a mish-mash of many jobs and many deadlines. I tend to fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow but staying asleep takes CBD oil. LOL.

5. What is one ‘hard and fast rule’ in your house? 

The first one that came to mind was “no kids in the bed”. I mean, they’ll walk in my room with a bad dream (or did, when they were littler) but we always made sure to get them back in their own space. I know from how many other parents complain about that, that it is never going to be good for the parents. You can think it’s nice to have them so close and all but in the end, it’s detrimental.

6. Insert your own random thought here.  (I am detailing very random brain bits today)

I’m writing this Tuesday and I want you all to know that I only have 2 more class meetings with my students (by design) and I am so ready to be done teaching. It’s just too much to juggle with the full time job now. Glad it worked out that I could finish out the term but I am DONE.

I am feeling quite emotional today; not just because of the weight of doing all the aforementioned items in #3 but I don’t do well when Ash is gone. The first day is always ok but then I get to feeling run-down and like I can’t handle it all on my own, even though I know I can and take pride in it. It becomes overwhelming.

I bought these little Italian pinwheel sandwich things at the store yesterday and wouldn’t you know, I left them at home. The stupid part being I bought two and remembered to tell my son to take his. And then less than an hour later, I forgot mine. Depending on when I get out of my class today (and how bad the rain is) I may pick something up. I’m hungry and two meals a day is seeming to work for me so, what does it matter?

My mechanic friend (our piano teacher’s husband) has been giving me car advice because he owns the same one as me. Well, I told him how much my shop wants to charge me for new struts and a sway bar; he was shocked! So now he’s checking with his parts guy and says he can install them for me. This would be awesome! I really want to be able to get the job done quicker and cheaper.

OK now it is Wednesday and my sinuses are screaming! Haven’t seen sun in a few days and I am over it. It’s cold and gray and well, wintery. I am also in awe of where we are in this month. It seems like it’s only mid-month but in one week, it’ll already be Thanksgiving! And before I know it, dang December!