CAUTION: Woman In Progress

I started this post yesterday but, eh. Life.   Libby still likes to check out the goods that Mama brings home from town. She has done this since she was a wee babe. Grocery time is exciting times in Libby-land. Food!    Of course, when I facebooked this photo, one of my cousins commented about how all he saw was crab cakes, bacon and frozen pizza and that didn't look like groceries to him. Well, I hate to tell him, but bacon isn't just groceries...it's LIFE. And also, I'm in a no-cook zone these days. Me and my kitchen are on a break. It's convenience food all the way. With some random veggies in there somewhere. Kale, even. Promise. Besides, those crab cakes are delishus! (intentional misspelling, ya'll. I haven't gone that crazy yet. And sad that I feel the need to explain that.)     My one impulse purchase from my Saturday morning shopping trip...Minion socks. They were on clearance for a buck and a quarter. How could I pass that up...

Saturday on the way to town.  Sunday while walking Libby around the yard. 

I got home from work Wednesday just in time to catch the sunset as it slowly sank into the bushes.

I took a lot of photos in December that had nearly nothing to do with Christmas and most of them got Instagrammed. Some of them Facebooked, too but I tend to put more on Instagram, photowise, because I have less family following there and the followers I do have are as silly and into dogs and random crap as I am. :-D   One thing I've realized, though, is that since I have Instagram, I don't share as much HERE. And I should because this blog was my first love. So here day is. The best of December Instagrammed.   Okay, so this one never actually made it to Instagram but It's still cute. My wittle baby Devil Pup and her love for my feet/legs is infinite, real, and deep.      The kids came home with us one random Friday night and we had to stop at Dollar General to pick up rootbeer because Nana had forgotten it earlier. These kids love rootbeer. They also love making silly selfies with their Aunt Jana while waiting in the parking lot for Nana. ...

So I took one of those personality tests. Shock. I'm 100% introverted. Also shock, I'm 100% turbulent. Not sure that I agree with all of the assessment as it is explained but a lot of it, but yeah. Definitely introverted. Definitely drawn to more creative endeavors.  Definitely not confident in anything. Not sure how conformation of this is supposed to help me but heck. It was an entertaining way to pass twenty minutes. I found my favorite red lipstick that I'd been missing for over a year. I lost it last November when I brought it to work for the Christmas Gala when I had to glam up a bit. Searched my purse, desk and desk hutch for months to no avail. Then after lunch today I was looking for something in my rarely used desk drawer and there it was. So of course I had to put it on. And then instagram it. Duh. Feelin' sassy. Oh, and I've been told twice today that I look nice so naturally mah hed was swellun'. And then a co-worker stopped at my des...

Have y'all met Pita? I don't even know if I've really talked about her here much except maybe in passing. To be clear, Pita is NOT my dog. She belongs to my next door neighbors. I don't know her actual real name because I am a horrible hermit type person who does not do the whole "hang out with my neighbors" thing. I mean, I know the lady of the house's name but not one single clue what her husband's name is. I know their other dog's name because she came over with the lady to introduce themselves when I first moved in. But Pita has only been around for close to a year. I call her Pita because she is generally a pain in the ass. I mean, she's not a bad dog. She's actually pretty sweet but she's a pain in MY ass because her owners let her run free and she spends more time in my yard than she does theirs. Which annoys me for two reasons: 1.Giant poop all over my yard and 2. The fact that Libby HATES her. Which is ridiculous because...

**I finished reading a book which starts off my new year's "one book a week goal" on a good foot. Which is better than I can say for my "hour less of TV a week" goal. The book, though a thinner Harlequin Special Edition, was tough to get through. I think I am DONE with category romance. I just kept rolling my eyes and fighting my gag-reflex the whole way through. Sort of like when I try to watch a Hallmark movie. All the sticky sweek luuuuuurrrve at first sight just doesn't do it for me anymore. I don't know if I've just become too cynical for it or what. I have a handful of books I've purchased from authors I've always loved but now I hate to try to read them for fear they'll drag me down but I also hate to NOT read them in case I miss a really great story. I guess I'll just hafta give 'em a go and if they start to drag I'll put them up and move on. **I did start a new book yesterday. A new one from Brenda Novak who I trust...

So I know in yesterday's Christmas rundown post I mentioned that Sis1 and Emmy (and BIL, if you wanna get technical) got a new dog. She's an eight-year-old Western Highland Terrier named Maddie. She's a bit of a sassy pants and looks almost exactly like the dog on the Cesar's dog food commercial. Maddie had a loving home with a young couple for eight years and then they  had a baby who has some upper respiratory problems and it was determined that sassy pants Maddie may have been contributing to the severity of the child's problems. Fortunately for Maddie and the people who love her dearly, Maddie was already familiar with--and loved by--my sister and Emmy. They had been dog sitters for Maddie on several occasions and when Maddie's original family came to the conclusion that they couldn't keep her and keep their kid healthy, they thought of Sis1's family. Of course, Emmy has been trying to talk her parents into a new dog ever since their dog, Scarlett,...

Just as I knew it would, my nine days of freedom flew by in a blur of crazy. It seemed especially fast after all those weeks of anticipation when time dragged by in slow motion.   I'd like to say that I am back at work renewed and refreshed and ready to face the year. That's what I'd like to say. In reality I am back at work exhausted, headachy, mildly depressed and ready to go home. I don't know that this year's break did my soul much good. Also, it's taken me FOUR DAYS to finish this post. Four. So. You know. Soul crushing work is also a thing.   Anyway, on with my thoughts...   I started off the first week running errands and wrapping up last minute Christmasy things. Then on Tuesday, Mama  had surgery to correct a couple of bulging discs that were pinching a nerve and causing great pain. Yes. The Tuesday before Christmas my mother goes and has surgery. Fortunately, Daddy was able to go with her so I didn't have to spend the day in the hosp...