CAUTION: Woman In Progress

Well kids, it's that time of year again. Time for my annual "Last post till the new year" post. It's funny to look at my archives for each December and see what each "last post" looked like. Fun for me anyway because I'm a dork like that. See: Good-bye and Good Luck  (2009) Blowin' This Popstand  (2008) Gone Baby, Gone  (2007) Merry Christmas From Dixie  (2006) and Happy Christmas and See Ya Later!  (2005). Am I not predictable, or what? LOL This year, I'm leaving you with a few of the pics I've been yammering about. Well, the one of the house all lit up with Christmas Glee, anyway. My super wonderful Daddy picked the coldest day last week (or week before last--I can't remember!) to string those up along the eves of the house and on the little trush (is it a tree? is it a bush? I can't tell!) in front. The lights around the front window are my little redneck contribution. ;-) Also thought I might leave a few thoughts on the p...

If you've read my blog at all, I'm sure you've heard me mention these savory delights several times--usually around the holidays. You may or may not have had any idea what I've been talking about, though.  Sausage balls are (as far as I know) a Southern thing. And the only reason I say that is because I read a book once (a romance novel, naturally) that was set in Louisiana and the hero was from "up yonder" (he was a yankee) and when he spent Christmas Day with the heroine's family in Louisiana he "ate something they told him was a sausage ball and it was the best thing he'd ever eaten". I took that to mean he'd never eaten one before, nor had he heard of it. And since a romance novel character from "up yonder" had never heard of them, naturally I assumed that sausage balls were a Southern secret. *grin* I've eaten them most of my life. And you can find them at just about any potluck or party as they are a southern appe...

While talking to Sis2 last night she told me a couple funny stories on the kids. Efan has learned out to climb onto the kitchen table. Sis2 said she went to the bathroom and when she came back he was sitting in the middle of the kitchen table banging the salt and pepper shakers together. Second time she went to the bathroom (later that day) she came back and he was on there again, this time polishing off what Lyssa hadn't eaten of her lunch. She said she's tried making sure the chairs are pushed all the way in and pulling the chairs all the way away from the table but either he has learned how to push the chairs away/in or Lyssa's helping him. Either way it's both funny and scary. lol Efan has also started the habit of diving for his sister whenever he spots her laying on the floor. Sis2 said he can be across the room playing but if he sees Lyssa lay down on the floor he runs for her and takes a dive, landing across her. Lyssa, I'm sure, loves this. At the rate ...

So last night after I got home and walked with Denise Austin I was so invigorated that I changed a light bulb in the kitchen, which inspired me to take photos of the lights outside, which inspired me to clean the kitchen which inspired me to get on the ball with baking for my Christmas goodie bags for the folks at work. And I took pictures of my baking--sausage balls and ranch oyster crackers. I also took pictures of the precarious light bulb changing experience. (step stools and a chair were involved.) I could have sworn I put my camera in my purse. But alas, it is not there. I think I left it on the microwave after the last sausage ball pic was shot. *sigh* In other news, the darks are STILL IN THE DRYER and at this point will probably stay there as they are slowly being emptied out each morning anyway and it's almost time to start over on the laundry. I do nothing if not half-arsed. lol I've still got two nights of baking left to do, though. More sausage balls t...

...The darks are still in the dryer. Yes. My work slacks are now wrinkled. But it's the last week before Christmas Vacation (or "Winter Break" as they PC call it now. Bleh.) and I don't care. ...I have not taken and thusly have not posted any outdoor Christmas decoration photos. Daddy got the lights up around my house and around one bush/tree (is it a tree? Is it a bush? Is it a trush? I don't know.) I got some lights and garland around my front window AND a new wreath made and hung. But after all that, the thought of stepping outside in the 25 degree loveliness just ain't happening. ...the dishes in my sink are threatening to take over the world. Or my kitchen, at least. I washed dishes Saturday but since then they've multiplied at an alarming rate and seeing them only inspires me to tears instead of washing. ...my recycling is littering the mudroom floor. Yes. I've gotten on the recycling bandwagon since the towns around me have finally stepped...

Anyone else a Friends fan? If so, anyone remember the episode where Monica is at her parent's house (or dealing with her parents) and they refer to silly accidents or clumsy mistakes and stuff as "pulling a Monica?" Like losing a fake fingernail in the lasagna? Well, I pulled plenty of Monicas this weekend. I'm surprised that my family doesn't refer to them as "Pulling a Jana." It started Friday afternoon when I was convinced that one of my student assistants had misplaced the shelf list drawer that I had been working on in the stacks. Either that or someone had hidden it to mess with me. I searched all over the department, questioned my colleagues, the other student assistants--even left the SA in question a frantic voice mail. (He's gone till after New Year's) I had even called myself checking the shelf list cabinet. Sure enough, there was an empty spot where a drawer should have been.  I was convinced that it was missing. Then as I was st...

There's a song about that that the local country station used to play every Friday morning. But then they fired the DJ because he made too much money and the station went to crap after that and I haven't heard that song in years. I think it was by George Jones, though. Anyway, this has been one heckova crazy week. Nothing particularly interesting going on, just crazy. You already know I was out most of Monday. Well, then Tuesday I left work early for a doctor's appointment to take care of my thyroid. (There's a story there but since it involves me not wanting to get nekkid, I won't go into here.) Wednesday I think my brain went on an early Christmas vacation without me because,  ya'll? I gotta tell ya. I was just plumb out of it Wednesday. When anyone would ask me a question they sounded like the teacher on Charlie Brown and I was all, "Huh?" And I had no grasp of what I was supposed to be doing. Folks kept sending me stuff that they weren't supp...

So Friday night I finally got around to putting together my behemoth Christmas tree. I'm happy to report that it only took me an hour to put together this time. As opposed to last year . If you recall, that little endeavor was a two and a half hour project. This year, having had last year's experience under my belt pajama bottoms, I had prepared a plan of attack. I was even able to go ahead and decorate the sucker the same night! AND take an hour's break to watch Medium. (That wasn't the series finale, was it Trix??) And here it is, in all it's 7.5' glory.  And using the candlelight setting on my camera... BTW, anyone up for helping me prime and paint the rest of the paneling in my house? Any takers? None? Well bah humbug to ya'll, too. LOL Anyway, Saturday night (after Christmas shopping, work, lunch with Mama and a brief nap) I got busy with the rest of my house. I'm not sure how long this took me since I had to take a long break to go he...

So,  yesterday I took off work at ten to make up for having worked Saturday. Most people would take that time to go home and catch a nap. Or go shopping or something. Not me. I used that time to work. Okay, and to play, too. I went to Sis2's house where I'd been promising her I'd help hang a photo collage in her living room. Portraits of the kids, mostly. We've been trying to get it together for a couple of months now but seems as though every time we were both at her house at the same time there were other things that needed doing. But since I had the time I went over and we got it done. Not without some frustration, though. I pretty much suck at measurements and dimensions but Sis2 is all about having everything exact and precise. It took us two hours to hang a picture in Efan's room several months ago because she wanted it centered exactly over his dresser. This time when she started all that measuring stuff I told her, "Look, it's a collage. It...

Surprise! Here on a Saturday. Yay me. :-/ My last Saturday to work this semester, so I shouldn't complain. And I've only got an hour and a half left to work. One good thing about working today, though, is that it afforded me the opportunity to come into the "city" to do some Christmas shopping. You can't find much in the way of gifts in my little tiny town so I've been wanting to do some shopping in the larger town where I work. Just, the price of gas is off putting in making an extra 45 minute trip. But since I had to be over here for work anyway, I just went ahead and got up early and got to the superWmart early. Well, I went to Lowe's first. I had the idea that I might convert my old coffee table into a desk or work table  but it needs higher legs. Went to Lowe's because I knew they sold things like that. And sure enough, they had some that were identical to the ones that are on the coffee table now, only table/desk height. Would be perfect....

And walkin' all over the place as though he's done it all his life. Still can't talk him outta suckin' his fingers, though. :-/

I am addicted to Twitter. I sob uncontrollably when I can't access my twitter feed. (Slight exaggeration, but only slight. hehehe) And it's because of tweets like the following. This from @Tmoney68 (Tony Randall)...Brilliant. lol I don't understand why when asked, "What one thing would you bring with you to a desert island?", no one responds, "A boat."

This week has just been bonkers. We've had two people out sick in our department which leaves three of us (and a handful of in and out student assistants) to man the fort. Not fun. Juggling projects and desk times will really take it out of a girl. Fortunately it's also been a quiet week in our department. All the "kids" are hunkered down preparing for finals which begin Friday. Whoo boy! Where did the semester go, exactly? For that matter, where did the YEAR go?? Seriously, shouldn't it be, like, March or something? *shakes head* At anyrate, I'm so looking forward to the Christmas break. I'm going to start praying now for a peaceful two weeks. Heck, make that a peaceful MONTH. After the madness of this past year (especially the last six months of it) I could definitely use a little peace and quiet in my life for at least this one month. Speaking of madness, though, update on BFF! She is at home and I got a message from her on Facebook. She still c...