2 Sept 2026

HODGEPODGE SEPTEMBRE 3

1. What's something you wanted to do this summer that you never got around to doing? 

Don't laugh, but after having traveled around Europe and the States until St. Petersburg in Russia, I only had a rather modest wish for this summer, to see the renovated Zoo in Antwerp (Belgium). But so far, my pump or COPD ...threw a wrench in my plans; the rollercoaster weather we had this summer was anything but good for me,  I felt like I was at the North Pole one day and in the desert the next. I had hoped to take the train to Antwerp one day to see the new zoo, but it never worked out. Maybe there will still be a few nice days at least as far as my health is concerned this autumn. It would be so easy as the train station in Antwerp is just besides the zoo.

 I love elephants !

2. Were you the student who sat in the front row or hid in the back of the class? If you could go back and take one high school class again just for fun, which would it be? 

I hated school, in primary school just after war, we were 80 pupils in one room with a dragon as a teacher, sitting on wooden old school benches which they had recuperated from the ruins The benches were meant for two students, but three of us sat there because there weren't enough. The school was hastily cobbled together out of metal; it was hot in the summer and freezing cold in the winter.
 
Those were my first years of school. We had to sit where we were told, I was in the back because I was tall. Anyway front or back I didn't care, I protested anyway for everything and was the enemy of this old wreck who spit when she talked. I defended all these little sheep who were so afraid of her. 
 
In Brussels high school until the end, it was nice and I had a lot of fun, but I don't want to go back in no school ! 

3. What characteristics do you think are essential in a good teacher (this can be applied to anyone who teaches, not just classroom teachers)? 
 
I really don't know, in my childhood teachers were a catastrophe, but all teachers my son had were nice, I became even friend with one.  

4.  September 2nd is National Grits Day. Have you ever eaten grits? Are you a fan? If so how do you like yours? Would people describe you as 'having grit'? 
 
I had never heard about Grits and had to google. I even learned a recipe and also that it can be compared to Polenta. Polenta I know very well and I made it from time to time. But I still don't know what grit is ?  Wheat ?? Polenta is corn. In one dictionary I found "the structure of a stone that adapts it to grinding " Difficult to think that this is made out of a stone !
 
 
 
Southern-Style Grits Recipe (Creamy and Divine) | The Kitchn

5. What's something you're never too old or too young to enjoy? 
 

Landscapes and skies 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Maybe you have noticed that I was absent for 3 weeks ! The reason was rather stupid. I lost the link to my dashboard, so I couldn't write a post. That was really awful. During all this time I tried to get into Blogger. I always ended up in my "reading" list and an empty Blog with a header I never made. I had to change my Google account so I was told, because they had made an update ! Updating means to make things easier. I found it rather more difficult. They had invented a lot of security things which in my case were completely useless, what should a hacker do with my information about "Grit" for example. It came to a point that when I got up I sneaked around my computer like a cat around a bowl of food. It kept getting worse; suddenly, I was receiving links to all sorts of companies. Eventually, I gave up and took a break, and every time I walked past my computer, I stuck my tongue out at it.

I only used it for making my photos new with the help of AI. 

I made this picture only with instructions ....

But yesterday evening, I thought I will try again and raked my brain who could help me. Here around nobody. So I tried to go to the Dashboard of my old Blog and .... oh miracle it worked ! From there I could go easily to this Blog. Was I happy ! I immediately felt better. I never had thought that blogging is such a big part of me ! 

PS. If there is anything which doesn't work or seems strange please let me know

 



11 comments:

  1. It’s weird about the blog glitches. My own dashboard has been wonky this week, and I have to keep reloading it…

    ReplyDelete
  2. I wondered what happened to you since I usually see you for Awww Mondays. I hope you get this resolved soon.

    I linked this post to Wordless Wednesday.

    Have a fabulous day and rest of the week. Scritches to Rosie. ♥

    ReplyDelete
  3. I hope you feel better soon and get to visit the zoo!
    Oh no! Your schooldays do sound horrible.
    I sort of knew what grits were but still had to give them a Google.
    What a beautiful view!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Dear Ingrid, I am so happy 😊 to see you back, dear friend. I had missed you. I hope you are feeling better very soon. Your photos are lovely, and I love your profile picture with you and Rosie.

    ReplyDelete
  5. By the way, you need to change your blog link because you are missing a dot.

    ReplyDelete
  6. You have to put a dot between nonnascastle and blogspot.
    Like this
    nonnascastle.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The link doesn't work without the dot. Hope this helps.

      Delete
    2. And no dot at the end of the link. nonnascastle.blogspot.com

      Delete
  7. Hooray! You are back, and it is good to know all is fine with your blog access once again.
    Sorry your health prevented you from going to the zoo...hopefully as you say, maybe there will still be some nice days in which you could go there.
    Your school days do not sound good at all, at least the elementary ones. yikes. But still, you got an education, in life and for the brain as well. It has helped shape you for who you are today, I think you were already compassionate and helpful then, as you are. now, to the best of your ability in the 'castle'.
    I like the new picture of your castle in the header.
    Cheers to you and hope all will be well, both with you and your wonderful blog!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love all your stunning photos! Thank you for sharing these. Yes, you need to go to edit your blogger profile and add a dot before blogspot in your link.

    ReplyDelete
  9. The new blog is working fine for me. I'm glad you got it sorted. I find that sort of thing so stressful. Grits are made of corn and are very similar to polenta, but the taste is not exact. Grits are creamy, not runny, but maybe not as thick as polenta. I like both. I don't know if your profile is missing a number or not. I hopped over from the Hodgepodge link list today. Hope you're doing well and you get to the zoo.

    ReplyDelete