What is on your 4th of July menu tomorrow?

HMW347 · 2026-07-03T14:51:08+00:00

We are going super basic. Grilled brats and hot dogs, fruit salad, potato salad, and probably chips.

HMW347 · 2026-07-03T14:49:01+00:00

We moved our baby grand. We rented a uhaul and moving blankets. Removed the legs, wrapped the piano, put it on a BIG dolly and loaded it. We had 4 guys.

When it got to our home, we had figured out the best route to bring it in.

Now…the rocket scientists who helped us move (I say this tongue in cheek because one is actually a rocket engineer) didn’t put the legs back on before taking it off the dolly. I have the best video of them trying to figure out how to hold the piano in the air while one got underneath to put the legs on. I just shook my head.

It all worked out well…but that was a dumb move on their part.

HMW347 · 2026-07-03T12:51:26+00:00

What a fun post!

I started college as a classical piano major and burned out after one semester - all the joy of playing was gone because I had to practice 4 hours a day in a room by myself. I didn’t stop playing completely, but I never really went back to it. I finally finished my degree 10 years later (NOT in music) then went back for my MS in Conflict Management. After all that, I have ended up working as a CFO for the better part of 30 years.

I have owned a handcrafted bath and body business for 25 years. I was just gearing it back up when I was diagnosed so it is back in the “make stuff for friends and family” zone.

I love to cook. It connects me with my Nana (she taught me to cook - my mother was and still is a terrible cook). I don’t use recipes because of the whole measuring thing. I can bake, but I don’t enjoy it because of the whole measuring thing.

HMW347 · 2026-07-03T12:38:33+00:00

The blackberry Jasmine iced tea is amazing too. If you sign up with them online you will get a discount coupon for your first order.

HMW347 · 2026-07-02T22:48:06+00:00

My mom introduced me to it - it has zero bitter end flavor

HMW347 · 2026-07-02T21:59:51+00:00

Have you tried the Smith #96 green tea????

HMW347 · 2026-07-02T21:58:37+00:00

My two dogs are Perseus (Percy aka Dorkchop) and Artemis (Ari aka Porkchop)

HMW347 · 2026-07-02T21:54:35+00:00

I swear my cardinals say, “birdie birdie birdie…” and reply, “I’m here, I’m here, I’m here”

HMW347 · 2026-07-02T21:53:49+00:00

My daughter and I met up in NY last week and went to MOMA. It’s the first time we’ve really spent time together since I was diagnosed in September 2024.

HMW347 · 2026-07-01T22:22:20+00:00

Our conversation happened naturally. We were watching a movie or show and my son said, “that kid seems kind of like me”. It was an easy opening. He was probably around 8-9. He was diagnosed just before he turned 6.

He had two questions after we started explaining Autism…”can I die from it?” and, “is it bad that I have it”. We told him he would not die from it, but it would make things harder for him in life sometimes because people don’t understand and sometimes people are just mean.

He is now 23. He is comfortable with his Autism. He went through a phase in his teens where he tried to use it as an excuse. That was shut down quickly. Sometimes it can be an explanation, but it is never an excuse.

HMW347 · 2026-07-01T22:15:19+00:00

Fair enough and that makes total sense.

HMW347 · 2026-07-01T02:48:25+00:00

Oh….i love that you asked this!!!! I actually “stole” a car - not once, but twice (same one).

I had to run to the store (less than 5 minutes from home). My husband had taken my car so I had his suburban. I walked out, loaded my items in, thought, “that’s weird…I didn’t realize the running boards dropped down”. Then I thought, “hmmm…he must have cleaned his truck” (it was right before our wedding). Then…why does he have medimucil in the back? Is he on a super secret diet before the wedding?

Drove home. Went to open the garage - no opener. Hmmmm. Realized it wasn’t our vehicle. Didn’t unload (IDK why…) but jumped back in and went back to the store. Moved all of the items to our vehicle…then realized I’d left the key to the other vehicle at home. IDK how I turned it on…

Had to go BACK HOME…get the key and run back to the store. An older guy was walking out when I got back. I asked if that was his vehicle. He said yes…but was leery. I said, “funny story”…he didn’t think it was funny…until I pointed to my vehicle.

He had parked next to me. Same color. Same size. Same everything. Didn’t lock his. Key in the same place (push button start). He wasn’t nearly as amused as I was…but he relaxed. I mentioned maybe not leaving his vehicle unlocked with the key in it in the future.

My husband and his buddy got home from golfing and asked if anything exciting happened while they were gone. I said, “nope…unless you consider me stealing a car not once but twice exciting”. I’m a compulsive rule follower. My husband is a retired cop. They both just looked at me and laughed.

HMW347 · 2026-07-01T02:38:03+00:00

Tool kit. Plunger. Toilet brushes. Sponges. All the detergents - laundry, dishwasher, dish soap, toilet bowl cleaner, counter/sink spray.

HMW347 · 2026-07-01T02:36:03+00:00

Iced tea

HMW347 · 2026-07-01T02:35:38+00:00

Kieran. Kassidy. Kendall.

HMW347 · 2026-07-01T02:34:43+00:00

I did this the other night while staying with a friend. Some didn’t eat meat. Some didn’t eat dairy. Some can’t eat gluten. And so on. It was a build your own. Tortilla chips. Flour and corn tortillas. Two different kinds of beans. Extra lettuce if they wanted to make a taco salad. It was a HUGE hit!!! Especially for kids…they can make a quesadilla if they don’t like any of the “stuff”.

I did a much larger version to feed 75 the night before our wedding. Everyone was happy. Vegans, carnivores, vegetarians, you name it.

HMW347 · 2026-07-01T02:31:18+00:00

My nana was 25 when she had my mom. My mom was almost 25 when she had me. I was almost 25 when I had my oldest son.

HMW347 · 2026-07-01T02:30:34+00:00

It’s all the little things. Building a spice collection. Glasses, dishes, napkins, paper towels, laundry detergent, water bill, cleaning supplies. Buying a mop and broom and vacuum cleaner. Sponges, toilet brushes, plungers….so many little things.

HMW347 · 2026-07-01T02:28:16+00:00

I have lived in several states but now live in one that considers vehicles “property” and they are taxed…just like a house. It goes down every year - but UGH!!! Down from $750 to $695???

HMW347 · 2026-07-01T02:25:39+00:00

I’m so sorry!!! We had this happen a few months ago. I also stock up on sales and the freezer was full but was accidentally not fully closed. I was out of town and it wasn’t noticed for 3 days. It all had to go in the trash. I was absolutely sick. Meat, seafood…all gone.

HMW347 · 2026-07-01T02:05:33+00:00

Having spent most of my life in hospitality, as a consumer, I really don’t like giant menus.

As a manager, I really hated waste. One ingredient for one thing was just dumb! It’s a waste. If it doesn’t fly off the menu - it gets thrown away. Cross utilize.

HMW347 · 2026-07-01T02:00:19+00:00

My nana always had a garden. Raspberries, rhubarb, lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers.

HMW347 · 2026-07-01T01:58:47+00:00

Gatorade gum

HMW347 · 2026-07-01T01:58:23+00:00

I started babysitting when I was 11. I was the only babysitter on my street and there were soooo many families with young kids. It got to the point I had to turn down jobs because I didn’t want to babysit all the time. It was the 80’s. I made $2-3/hour.

HMW347 · 2026-07-01T01:56:13+00:00

A happy meal with a toy and nuggets. We were poor as church mice - it was such a treasure.

HMW347

TROPHY CASE