CAUTION: Woman In Progress

Action laced with pain killers, that is. Stripping is hard work. Stripping furniture, that is. I'd show you pics but I'm lame and didn't take any. When I "get in the zone" of a project, I tend to only slightly muse that "hm, I should take a pic to document" and then I keep working and the camera stays in its bag on the mudroom table. I'm still working on stripping/sanding the small wood chest of drawers. So far I've sanded three different Saturdays and stripped it one Saturday. Apparently I was supposed to, like, strip it first. See statement above about my lameness. *shrugs* Both sanding and stripping are hard work, though, especially when you're a) out of shape b) over thirty and c) don't know what you're doing. And so far I'm $36 into this project and about ready to just dump the thing in the trash and call it a day paint it and be done with it. Who knew deciding to re-stain it would be such a PITA? Probably a lot of people...

Bleh. Ya'll probably haven't realized it yet, but I have been remiss in blogging lately. Lots of drab and dreary thoughts goin' on in the ol' noggin. Not sure yet if I'm ready to share any of it with anyone outside my head. It's a lot of whiney "woe is me" crap that sounds stupid when I type it out. But I can't really make myself interested in writing anything else right now. So, until I decide to blog about it or suck it up and move on, I'm leaving ya'll with this:  Because she looks how I feel right now--Not quite sure about what lies outside my door. BUT!! There should be a new addition to Kessler County Chronicles  in a bit. I wrote it last week before my head went all wonky on me.

Just TRY gettin' this kid off his most prized birthday present. Ever heard of the terrible twos? He'll show you terrible two's and then some. ;-)

Okay, so technically he turned two last week. The 27th, to be exact. But I'm a bad aunt and completely forgot to post his birthday tribute. Not that he cares. All he cares about is "Thomas Train!" And "Bite!" as in, you know, eating. Although he was all "I ready party" all morning as we waited for his guests to arrive Saturday. I fear we're raising a frat boy here. (See how I inserted myself into the raising of this child? As though I'm one of his parents? It's the joy of being an unwed and childless aunt. I get to "help" raise them all but they'll blame their parents years from now when they're in therapy. Ahhh, the sweet life. hehehe) Ahem. So anyway, Ethan--also known as Brother but better known as Efan turned two last week. One of the sweetest things in life is an unexpected, unprompted and completely spontaneous kiss from a little boy. Well, it's one of the sweetest joys in MY life. Almost a...

Libby and I are going to snuggle in and read about vampires. But not just ANY vampires. Sexy vampires. So you KNOW we're gonna have a good time. How 'bout the rest of you? Any Halloween plans? Or just the new episodes of How I Met Your Mother, 2Broke Girls and Mike & Molly? Oh wait, though. That's me again. My bad.

I started writing a totally downer post about friendships (or the lack of them--the ones here, notwithstanding) but deleted it because I made myself wanna puke. And if I don't want to read my OWN depressing musings, ya'll sure as shoot won't wanna. You're welcome. Anyway, in an effort to be more positive, here's three random things you never realized you always wished you never knew about me. 1. I keep used dryer sheets in my purse. Why? Because most of my purses are hand-me-downs from Sis1 (who has better fashion sense than me and doesn't feel guilty frivolously dropping wads of cash on accessories) and sometimes the insides are kinda stinky. They smell like whatever that lip bomb stuff is she uses. A used dryer sheet freshens them right up. It just looks odd when one pops out while I'm trying to find all the change that emptied out onto the bottom of my purse because I forgot to zip the coin pocket on the back of my wallet. Oops. 2. I always wash t...

I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing to re-read your previous day's posts/comments. It always makes me feel like an idiot. All the to/too/two and you're/your mistakes I've caught recently. Not to mention all the they're/their/there typos. Honest to Pete, I do actually know the difference. Just sometimes the ol' brain likes to play jokes on me. Meanie. If nothing else, I hope ya'll at least get a good chuckle out of it. But don't be like Carrie Bradshaw and celebrate my idiocy with your friends, ala Sex and the City (the one where Big's wife sends Carrie a note and writes "you're" where it supposed to be "your") because that's just rude. Also? I have a dreaded meeting in five and I'm HUNGRY. Belly is makin' all manner of noises. Where's a Snickers when you need one? Updated: Meeting was cancelled!! Yay!!! I'd flip cartwheels if I weren't so lightheaded from hunger. Or if, you kn...

As I mentioned Monday in the weekend snoozefest review  Uncle R finally got around to installing the new and totally gorgeous new light fixture in my boudoir. It only took him a month but since he's such a busy guy and, you know, family I'll give the guy a break. ;-) And since there's not a whole lot more to be said about it, here's the visual you've all been hoping to avoid  waiting for.  View from the doorway Notice how well it ties in with the scroll-y nature of the rest of the furnishings? Here it is all lit up.  It does render a nice soft ambient light which would be romantic if I had a hot fella to share it with. Anybody got one they wanna send me? Anybody? How 'bout you, Jen? No progress locating a chubby chasing fireman who wants to move south? *sniffle* View from the master bathroom. Anyway, it even compliments and sorta echos the design of the chair. How fortuitous is that? Needless to say, this chubby girl is super thrilled t...

Just some thoughts on the fancy lunch I just attended... The university catering needs to develop some new recipes. The cheesy chicken breast and roasted potatoes are gettin' kinda old. I've been to three or four events this year and at each one they served the same cheesy chicken breast, the same roasted potatoes and the same apple cobbler. Don't get me wrong, I loves me some apple cobbler and theirs is pretty dog-gone good. Good enough that I'd have loved to faceplant in it and lick the tray clean. And also good enough that  I'm going to start bringing my own big bowl to compensate for those tiny little dessert bowls they set out. BUT, shouldn't you have more in your catering arsenal than just chicken, potatoes and cobbler? Oh, wait. I forgot. This time they did have green beans instead of the squash from previous events. But also, what the crap is up with not having sweet tea??? This is the dag-gum south, ya'll. You do NOT not offer sweet tea at A...

Friday Night. I watched Bad Teacher on DVD Friday night. I'm not a huge Cameron Diaz fan but the trailer seemed to funny to pass up. I especially like when she gets hit in the face with the dodgeball. *snicker* My take? Not bad. It was really laugh out loud funny in places although some parts were bordering on ridiculous. And while there's nothing really all that redeemable about any of the characters (I don't think there was supposed to be) there is a little bit of "redemption" in the end to make it a happy ending. However, if your expecting Diaz's character to suddenly become "Good" teacher, you'll be disappointed. One thing I really wasn't all that crazy about in the film was the blatant drug use. Granted, I did watch the unrated version as opposed to the theatrical release. Not sure if the bulk of the nasty drug use was just in the unrated version or not. BUT, unlike a film or two that I quit watching because of it (I'm looki...

Did I ever show ya'll this? It's the finished and dressed newly blackened bookcase. In case you can't tell, I went with brushed nickle spray paint on the legs. I'm totally diggin' it. Savin' some dough for some major carpet replacement. Wish me luck! Or send donations! Totally your call. ;-)

Mama, as you know, went to Uncle Don's memorial service in the Delta yesterday. As we drove to work this morning, she told me of all her cousins who were there who she had not seen since many of them were babies or young children. It was a joyful reunion, of sorts. As she was relaying individual stories of each of them she came to one, who's name escapes me now, who she said is a "Jana." So I'm apparently an adjective now. But whatever. When she said this, I thought, Okay. That could mean anything. Emmy is compared to me because she has my sass. Lyssa is compared to me because she has my craziness and creativity. Ethan is compared to me because he likes to eat. A lot. So this cousin of my mother's, I wondered, in what way is she a "Jana"? Turns out it's our inability to find mates, penchant to live near (or with, in the cousin's case) our parents, read and be morbidly obese that we have in common. Mama said, (And this is a direct qu...

You've seen and read the frivolous happenings of my weekend. And now I suppose it's time to divulge the rest of it. Paw-Paw H's younger brother, Don, passed away sometime Saturday. He was my great uncle, but I didn't know him all that well. For whatever reason, Paw-Paw and his three siblings scattered to the four winds upon adulthood. Maybe because Paw-Paw was a pastor and moved around a lot. I don't know. What I do know, is Uncle Don was the only one who ever came to see Paw-Paw. I've seen him a handful of times over recent years. His first wife was in poor health so he couldn't get here very often for many years. I recall once when I was around Emmy's age that he, his wife, daughter and grandson came to our house for a short visit on their way to somewhere. And that was the only time I recall having seen him until his wife died a few years ago. After his wife died, he remarried quickly. He met his current wife (now his widow) while their spouses ...

Today has been crazy busy, as in, I think I've been up and running for 6 hours straight. Even when I was sitting, I was up and running. Periodicals and map retrievals wait for no man--or chubby girl. Anyway, now that I've got a few secs to sit and play, here's the rest of the "yard" tour photos and some completely "should be embarrassed because I'm so silly" photos. A tour of my Saturday morning, if you will. Contain your joy. You're embarrassing me. You probably have no idea what you're looking at, but trust me, those are azaleas. Two of the five I planted back in the spring. They haven't grown much--or at all--but at least these two are still alive. The same can not be said for this poor thing.  It's one of the pair that I set out a few feet away from the two above it. It looked fine when I planted it but a week or two later, the leaves started turning brown and by the middle of the summer, it was dead as  a doornail....

So, Saturday morning after I got back from town and finished breakfast (yes, I'm still indulging in Sonic breakfasts) I took the DP out for her "poop walk". While we were making tracks all over the yard, I noticed a strange new "breed" of mushrooms littering my yard. Actually, they're "clumping" all over my yard. I know ya'll probably don't care about mushrooms or my yard but I thought they were interesting. And since it's my blog I decided to take pictures to share with you! No, no. Don't thank me. They clump against tree stumps... They clump in bouquets... Small clumps... Black clumps... Heck, they even clump in formation! See the triangle?? Then there was this one lone green-ish one all on it's lonesome. Sad. That's it for the 'Shrooms but I'll be back tomorrow with more yard finds! Please. Contain your excitement. ;-)

Somebody stop me. Hold me back. Strap me to my chair and give me a stern lecture. Cause ya'll? On week two in the "sugar-lite zone" I've been doing pretty good. But this  just might undo me. Ack! So, you ask, how have I been? Well, let me tell you. I have been BLERGH all week. Not from missing sugar, really--although there was that one point the other day that I wanted a Coke so bad I almost cried. But really, I haven't missed it all that much. I've been off coffee this week, as well, which hasn't been as emotionally devastating as I'd thought it would be. Instead I've switched to green tea that only requires two teaspoons of sugar instead of three and offers the added bonus of not requiring half and half--aka Extra Calories! But I've had no bread. No desserts. No soft drinks...Okay, I did cave one day and have a Coke. Oddly enough, it wasn't the day that I nearly cried. It was a day (much like today) wherein my tummy was not liking m...

I've been super extra special busy lately playing pin the tail on the overloaded and needs to be emptied book cart. Not as fun as a donkey, but at least I'm getting a work out, right? [edited to add: I've been writing this post for three days. That's how nutso it's been around here.] So, Trixie  asked me about lunch with Sis2 Saturday. And you know, there are some instances in life where even as you're living it, you're thinking, "This is excellent blog fodder." That is, if you're like me and heavy into overshare. Except in my case, I usually forget to ever blog about the truly interesting stuff. So thanks, Trix for reminding me. :-D Lunch. Lunch was interesting mostly in how it started out. So our local newspaper has what they call Dawg Deals wherein local vendors/restaurants/etc. offer discounts and stuff if you purchase through the Dawg Deals website. Kinda like Groupons, if you've ever heard of/used those.  Mama is very into this be...

It's at work! Blech. Yeah, 'nother one of those pesky work Saturdays. Fortunately, it only lasts three hours and I'm already an hour in. Two hours left! Booya! Sis2 and I are meeting for lunch after. She wanted to get away from Goofus for a minute before she's stuck with him in Dallas all week. hehehe Poor girl. Hopefully this time, we can keep it under four hours. If he has to come looking for us again, it will NOT be pretty. Especially since she's supposed to be packing for their trip. She told me the other night while we were making plans that when she mentioned it to Goofus he didn't say anything but he did give her THE LOOK . After last week's late night out he'll always give her that look when mentioning going out with me. I'm such a BAD influence, doncha know. Anyway, I have good news and not so good news. The good news is: Yesterday when I stepped on the scale I was down 4lbs. Most of it is probably just water weight, or something. ...

This princess don't need no stinkin' knights ridin' in to rescue her . She's rockin' her own pony.

Ya'll, I've made a monumental mistake. I've tried going cold turkey on sugar for the month of October. I had actually written up this long meaningful post about why and all that but never actually posted it because, well, I didn't think ya'll would really want to know. I fell kinda dumb going this route anyway.  But trust me I had/have good intentions. One part spiritual, one part physical and one part insanity. Oddly enough, I think I could have actually pulled it off, too, if there hadn't been this one little detail that I failed to realize prior to my bold decision... All of my caffeine sources are laced with sugar. Giving up sugar meant giving them up, as well. And, well, anyone who's ever gone cold turkey on caffeine can tell you-- it ain't pretty . Two days in I'd had the headache from you-know-where and it was NOT going away. 800 milligrams of ibuprofen could barely even touch it. So last night I caved. I had a cup of coffee with three small...