You know that commercial for Jared jewelers? "He went to Jared!" I can say, "John went to my Pinterest Wish Board!" All three of these things came from there. The first I specifically asked for and pointed out in Kohl's. The second and third he totally surprised me with (little bugger).
Spoon roast (beef) (cooked in my brother-in-law's Set It & Forget It -- AMAZING!)
Rolls
Mashed potatoes
Carrots
Squash
Roasted brussels sprouts
Gravy
Dessert:
Cheesecake sampler
Congo bars from my mother-in-law
Jello cups from my sister-in-law
Tiramisu Brownie Trifle (this is another recipe found via Pinterest -- from Pampered Chef) (It came out pretty darn good.)
Cranberry Pear Crumble (this is from Woman's Day) (Not so much...something about the crust just didn't work out. It was edible, but not something I'd make again.)
After we ate, we opened some more gifts from my mother-in-law and then pretty much everyone left! It was an extremely tiring day, but not tiring enough that I didn't get up early the next morning to have my own version of "Black Friday." Stay tuned for the next post!
Christmas Eve
The first half of the day was spent doing some last minute grocery shopping, cleaning, and some food prep.
At about 6PM-ish, John and I decided to stop the madness and have some "us" time.
Good call -- it was the calm before the Christmas Day storm!
I made hot crab dip -- a recipe that I've had for umpteen years from a college friend, Meg. I have the actual recipe written on a scrap of paper somewhere (translation -- I don't know where!), so I cook it from memory and I'll write it here from memory.
Hot Crab Dip
2 bars cream cheese
2 cans crabmeat
slivered almonds (I eyeball it -- enough to give the dip some crunch)
onion (I eyeball this, too -- maybe 1/2 cup?)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine all of the above in an oven safe dish. (Use your hands to mix -- it's therapeutic!)
Bake for 30 minutes or until it begins to bubble/brown on top.
Serve with Fritos Scoops!
NOTE: I generally make this for just John and I so I half the recipe and it's a perfect amount for the two of us.
We dined on this and a lovely cocktail that I found on Pinterest! (Where else?)
Poinsettia Cocktail (it's the Mimosa's cranberry cousin!)
3 oz (splash) of cranberry juice
1 oz (smaller splash) of Cointreau (OK people, Cointreau is REALLY expensive, so we used some rip off orange liqueur. Worked totally fine.)
Pour these into a champagne flute and top off with champagne. (We used sparkling wine.)
We celebrate Christmas Eve with the "kids" on December 23rd. Our traditions are to make homemade pizza, open one gift each, and usually play a board game. We did all three of those (for the most part.)
The raw ingredients:
And just like that, you can make these:
left: half cheese with red sauce and half pepperoni & onion with red sauce
right: half cheese with red sauce & half white
Since we're all of age now, we decided to liven up the party with a cocktail I found on Pinterest. Here I am hand modeling our pitcher of Rudolph's Tipsy Spritzer. (Say that five times fast. John kept calling it Rudolph's Piss. Anywho...)
Here's the recipe (short & sweet):
5 cups of orange juice
2 cups of chilled lemon-lime soda (I used 7UP)
1 1/2 cups vodka
1/2 cup maraschino cherry juice (I bought a couple of jars of cherries and just drained the juice out)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Stir together all ingredients. Serve over ice, if desired.
Here's Grace with the one gift she opened (DVD of America's Next Top Model Cycle 1). I think she might've liked it...
Grace gave her brother some shower gel (no photos available).
Grace gave John a cookie/treat jar:
She gave me some homemade hand scrub that her peers and staff at her program made. Smells good enough to eat!
Stepdaughter/stepmother love:
We rounded out the evening with a game of Sorry! Guess who came from behind to win? YOURS TRULY!!!
This question was recently posed to me by a complete stranger and was one of a handful of circumstances/occasions that got me thinking about the whole "believing" thing.
Let me back up and provide a little context.
I was raised in the Catholic religion. Baptized. Made my first communion. Make my first confession. Attended Catholic school for grades K-5, 7-12. I'd say around junior high, I "stopped" being a practicing Catholic. I no longer went to church on weekends (but went with school during the week). I started getting notes from my parents to get me out of going to confession with school. I wasn't confirmed. That's pretty much where we're at. I've been to mass for funerals, wedding, and a few holidays. I don't agree with a lot of Catholicism's rules.
That's where we are today and I haven't done a lot of questioning of my beliefs as an adult -- I've just kind of avoided it...until a seemingly innocent shopping trip...
It all started about a month or so ago when I was in Newbury Comics with stepdaughter Grace. She was there to buy some used horror movie DVDs. After roaming up and down the aisles (and pondering whether or not it was appropriate for a 40-year old to purchase a Strawberry Shortcake car air freshener -- and deciding it wasn't) I happened by the holiday CD section. Of late, I've been enamored of Josh Groban's music and decided to see if they had his Christmas CD, "Noel." Lo and behold, they had a used copy for a couple of bucks and I decided to purchase it.
I popped it into the CD player in my car and after listening to it in its entirety and remembering all of the Christmas songs that you forget during the year, I decided that track #5 was my favorite -- "Angels We Have Heard on High" -- a duet with Brian McKnight. You can here it here (from YouTube):
In case you're not familiar with the song (or don't want to watch the video to refresh your memory), here are the lyrics:
Angels we have on heard high
Sweetly singing o'er the plains
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains
Gloria in excelsis Deo
Gloria in excelsis Deo
Come to Bethlehem and see
Christ whose birth the angels sing
Come adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord the newborn King
Gloria in excelsis Deo
(Let us sing in excelsis Deo)
Gloria in excelsis Deo
Gloria in excelsis Deo
(Angels we have on heard high
Sweetly singing)
Gloria in excelsis Deo
Gloria in excelsis Deo
In excelsis Deo
Even though there's some Latin thrown in here, it's crystal clear that this is a religious song. It's about Jesus Christ's birth and the fact that he's the King/Savior.
My second favorite song? Track #13 -- "Oh Come All Ye Faithful" (with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.) Another religious song (in case you aren't familiar, the refrain states, "Oh, come, let us adore him."). Oh, and just in case you're wondering (which I'm guessing you're not), this song slid into second place after I was in the car listening to it with Grace and she so kindly reminded me that this is the song that Carol Brady sang when she got her voice back in the Brady Christmas special. (Which then led to the question, "Do you remember the Brady 500?") Being equated with the Brady Bunch is always going to lead to being in second, third, or last place in my mind.
OK...where was I?
As I identified these two songs as being my favorites on the CD, I then started to question if this was "appropriate." What I mean by that is that I'm not the most religious chick on the block (or to put it in the words of the stranger that asked me the question in the title of this blog post, "I'm no holy roller.")
Is it "OK" that even though I might not believe in the words of these two songs that I still like them?
Do I HAVE to believe in the lyrics to like them?
Can I just appreciate them for their artistic quality?
All of these questions started to pop into my head.
Fast forward to a few weeks after I bought the CD and had this bit of internal debate. I was at a memorial service for a co-worker's son. I hadn't driven to the church with any co-workers, so I sat down alone amongst strangers.
Stranger sitting next to me: "Do you attend this church?"
Me: "No."
Stranger (getting even stranger): "What church do you attend?"
Me (thinking what I really want to say is, "None of your beeswax."): "I don't attend church."
Stranger: "You do believe, don't you?"
Me (face getting redder by the second): "I have my own beliefs."
Stranger appears to be silenced by my response but then says, "I'm no holy roller myself."
After said weird exchange, the incredibly moving and emotional service began (the deceased was a young man in his early 30's with tons of friends and family), but all the while I couldn't help but thinking, "What do I believe in?" "Could I see myself attending this church (it was an Episcopal church)" "What does this church believe in?"
After this service, while my Mom was in town, I played the Josh Groban CD in the car and mentioned that I liked the two previously mentioned songs. I said I didn't think one had to necessarily believe in the words to enjoy the songs. She agreed with me and I didn't give it much more thought.
Fast forward to a short time later, while Christmas shopping. While browsing decorations and ornaments, I recognized that I've always loved manger scenes/creches. We always put one up in our house (with fake grass) around Christmas time - even after we stopped going to church. I especially am fond of the three wise men. My Nana handmade a set during the 70's ceramics fad that I couldn't take my eyes off of. They were tall, regal, brightly colored, and very intriguing.
So, while shopping this year, I found myself wanting to buy these types of religious scenes/decorations.
Interesting.
Lastly (and by no means least), the tragic events in Newtown, CT on December 14th where 27 lives were lost (20 of them children) caused me to ask myself the age old questions --
"Why do things like these happen?"
"If there is a higher power, why is he/she/it allowing these things to take place?"
I watched the father of one of the deceased children, Emilie Parker, speak so calmly and bravely shortly after the tragedy and he kept referring to his and his family's faith and how it would guide them through the darkness of the tragedy.
Not only was I amazed by this statement, but I started to wonder what would happen if I was to go through something as horrific? Should I immediately go out and "find" a religion so that I could be as level-headed as he was in the face of darkness? Are my own cobbled together beliefs enough? What ARE my cobbled together beliefs?
I realize that I'm sort of all over the map in this post, so I appreciate you reading this far. I'm not making any profound proclamations in this post, just saying that sometimes life's circumstances prompt you to evaluate your beliefs (formal, informal, cobbled together, etc...) and I think that this is healthy. Often times, it seems like people get defensive of their beliefs (or non-beliefs). I certainly don't think strangers should be asking one another about their beliefs, but if this rudeness prompts some deep thinking, well, then maybe it's not so bad.
I'll end on the wise words of the 80's band Journey --
1/2 cup
(2 ounces) crumbled blue cheese 1 tablespoon
reduced-fat sour cream 1
teaspoon fresh lemon juice 1/8
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 4
(6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 1/4 cup
all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons
2% reduced-fat milk 1 large
egg, lightly beaten 1 cup
panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) 1 1/2
tablespoons butter, divided 6
tablespoons finely chopped drained bottled roasted red bell peppers 2
teaspoons water 1
teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1
teaspoon minced fresh garlic 1/2
teaspoon hot sauce
Preparation
Preheat
oven to 350°.
Combine
first 4 ingredients in a small bowl. Cut a horizontal slit through thickest
portion of each chicken breast half to form a pocket. Stuff cheese mixture
evenly into pockets.
Place
flour in a shallow dish. Combine milk and egg in a shallow dish, stirring well
with a whisk. Place panko in a shallow dish. Working with 1 chicken breast half
at a time, dredge chicken in flour, then dip in egg mixture; dredge in panko.
Repeat procedure with remaining chicken, flour, egg mixture, and panko.
Heat
a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon butter to
pan; swirl until butter melts. Arrange chicken in pan; cook 4 minutes or until
browned. Turn chicken over; place skillet in oven. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes
or until done.
While
chicken bakes, combine remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons butter, bell peppers, water,
Worcestershire, and garlic in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a
simmer; cook until butter melts. Remove from heat, and stir in hot sauce. Serve
sauce with chicken.
When did it turn into December? Last I knew it was December 16th and I was a tad over halfway through the November Photo-a-Day project. I had such high hopes for that little project. ::sigh::
Last I recall, I was going to take a picture of the last thing I'd purchased (the Thanksgiving Day turkey), but it all gets blurry after that.
We were in prep mode for Thanksgiving (cleaning and organizing) and Grace and I had hair cuts on the Tuesday and Wednesday night before (not such a good idea). We did end up having pretty much everything under control (thankfully as sisters and brother-in-law were bringing things) until John's Mom arrived. She collapsed and John and his uncle had to take her to the E.R. Turns out she was anemic and was having internal bleeding.
As John was about to drive away he said, "You'll have to handle the rest of the meal."
Yikes! Please pass the wine.
My brother and sister-in-law were godsends. Christine whipped up the gravy and guided me along through the stuffing. Stephen carved up the turkey. Thanks guys -- I really appreciate it.
We carried on as best as we could without some of the family and waited for phone call updates throughout the day. John and his uncle got home late afternoon once my mother-in-law had been admitted and had their belated meal.
Calm before the storm:
As I mentioned, it was discovered that John's Mom was having internal bleeding and they kept her in the hospital for four days. We visited her and tried to keep her company while she was in there. She was released on a Sunday night and they didn't find the cause of the internal bleeding (they say that happens in 25% of patients.)
The whirlwind continued, as I had to clean like crazy on Monday night and my Mom arrived on Tuesday night. She was here until this morning and we had a lovely visit. We had our fave Chinese food -- twice! It's an appetizer called Suan la Chow Show. If you haven't had it, you must try it. Both restaurants we went to do it differently, but both are good. It's a dumpling dish and even has its own Wikipedia page.
We visited with my aunt and did lots of shopping. It was fun, relaxing, and great!
We were up at 4:45 this morning and she was off to the airport. Sad to see her go!
I then came home and napped for a while and it was off to my urology appointment. I think I previously mentioned that I had a moderate amount of blood in my urine at my last physical (TMI?) so I had to go to the urologist. I had an ultrasound of my kidneys today and a cystoscopy. (Cystoscopy is a telescope put into your urethra to look at your bladder.) The ultrasound was nothing but the cystoscopy was uncomfortable, shall we say. I'll spare you the details. It leaves you with the sensation that you constantly have to go to the bathroom (#1, obviously), which is unpleasant, also. Luckily, I was able to get in a nap this afternoon and I feel better!
The craziness continues, however! I have three interviews scheduled this week for hiring someone in my group, I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow afternoon, I have a dentist appointment Thursday morning, and Friday is John's birthday! (And yes, I realize that this is "normal" for some people, but being busy and I are not friends!)
Oh, and did I mention it's 21 DAYS until Christmas?
I'm behind on the November Photo-a-Day Challenge. I've taken the pictures (granted, I may have taken them a day or two late...) and now I just need to post.
I haven't really updated the blog on what's going on with life in general around here, so now's as good a time as any to just do a general "catch-up" session.
November 10: can't {won't} live without:
Awwww. Yes, that's right. Can't/won't live without my dear husband.
Life in General Update #1: We're hosting Thanksgiving. The dinner count is 14, I believe. This is actually a small-ish number. (We had around 20 last Christmas and it was tight quarters.) I need to enact "Operation Clean Like Crazy" this weekend. I believe we have all of the decor items, such as tablecloths, plastic plates, plastic cups, etc... We need to buy the bird and the accoutrements. As I type this, I'm coveting stuffing and brussels sprouts. Mmmmmm.
November 11: night:
Around these parts we don't have many streetlights. Highbeams are a must at night around here.
Life in General Update #2: John the Younger ("Little" John just doesn't work anymore for a 22 year old that's taller than his father) will be home on Wednesday for Thanksgiving. We're all excited to see him! He's doing very well at U of MD Law School (so he says...LOL) and we're proud of him. Even though we saw him at the end of the summer, it feels like it's been longer. He'll only be here until Saturday, but hopefully we can squeeze in some laughs.
November 12: drink:
Before starting Weight Watchers I was wholeheartedly against diet soda of any kind. I thought it was revolting. However, once I realized that drinking regular soda was going to cost me a lot of points, I acquiesed and tried diet soda. Caffeine and I don't agree, so I settled on caffeine-free diet Coke. I don't love it, but I don't hate it and it fulfills my need for sweet tasting carbonated liquids.
Life in General Update #3: Pretty much the entire world knows this by now, but Grace has a job! If you haven't already, you should read John's blog in anticipation of her interview. She didn't give us too many details about the interview itself, but the feedback was good and that she smiled throughout it. She will now work a few days per week at a local restaurant chain as a hostess during lunch. A job coach will accompany her and she will work with at least one other hostess/host. She seems very excited and we are, too!
November 13: where you slept:
And no, I don't make my bed everyday. I only made it for you, the viewing audience. The spring/summer/fall quilt is still on the bed, but I think I've avoided it long enough and it's time to put the down-filled duvet on. ::sigh::
Life in General Update #4: John has done a great job around here, raking leaves, pruning bushes, and installing a new motion detector in our driveway. If it was up to me, we'd be knee deep in leaves, the bushes would be growing wild, and the old broken motion detector would've stayed up. Thankfully he handles these things.
November 14: man-made:
Can I just say that I swear I thought I knew how to flip photos? I've tried and tried but no dice. Sorry. This is "homemade" (which I'm likening to "man-made") soap from Texas. It has the most awesome smell -- yellow roses and something else which I've conveniently forgotten (I keep it at work, so I can't look). It emanates a lovely fragrance in my often stale (no open windows) office.
Life in General Update #5: I had my annual physical recently and was told I should see a urologist based on a "moderate" amount of blood in my urine. (TMI?) I went yesterday for a lengthy appointment of approximately five minutes and was told that because I had kidney stones about ten years ago, I should come back for an ultrasound of my kidneys to see if I have anymore and that because my Dad had bladder cancer, I should have a bladder scope. I've had the ultrasound before, so that's no biggie, but the thought of someone scoping my bladder while I'm wide awake is a tad daunting. (I realize that those that have given birth that are reading this are saying, "Wimp!!!!")
November 15: in your bag:
Here's a lovely aerial view of my bag. Yikes. Flyers. Coupons. Envelopes. Keys. Phone charger. Yet, a lovely Coach wallet shoved in the middle! Must.clean.out.bag.this.weekend.
Life in General Update #6: We're in the VERY early stages of looking for a puppy. We got the name of a breeder and have been looking online for others/recommendations, etc... Since it's been over ten years since we've bought one, the few prices we've seen seem a tad steep. Not sure if that's inflation or just overpriced. More research will take place and our plan is to get one AFTER the holidays. While I'd love to hang a stocking for our puppy (that was always a tradition with Max), I think one less body during the holidays is probably a good idea.
November 16: the view from your window:
This is the view from my office window. A parking garage! I'm just thankful to have a window period, though, as my last office had none.
Life in General Update #7: Exercise (jogging) has taken a backseat around here due to the cold weather, getting dark early nonsense, and laziness. John mentioned getting a treadmill and we've toyed with that idea before, but I think it might be the time to do it. I want to continue jogging/running and need to, so I think it's the only way to go. I've looked a little on Craigslist and may check out Sears. Any suggestions, speak up!
It's no coincidence that the word "epaulet" contains the name Paul.
Random statement you say?
I think not.
Even though epaulets (or epaulettes) made their appearance in fashion history way back in the 17th century (per the dreaded Wikipedia ), I'm pretty sure the military fashionistas of that day knew that hundreds of years later, a pop band named the Beatles would bring them to the forefront of fashion. I think they even knew that the band would have a member named Paul and thus, the name epaulet was born.
In case you're unfamiliar with the legendary epaulet, here you go:
Why am I blogging about this you ask? Excellent question.
I recently bought a new coat and I loved it in the store when I tried it on. The day I wore it for the first time in "real life" I immediately felt like a Beatle. Yes, a Beatle.
As soon as I said it to a few co-workers, they were like, "Yeah...I can kind of see that."
My new coat --> Epaulets --> Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
This stream of consiousness is how I roll.
Tell me if you can see the resemblance and why I almost burst into "Yellow Submarine."
I was actually in my boss' s office at 5PM, but I WISH I'd been home drinking this! I made up for it later.
November 6: a favorite thing
Yup. That's right. I'm 40 years old and I have a Strawberry Shortcake fleece blanket. I've had it for a few years and it's my favorite blanket to nestle under when it's cold outside. So there.
November 7: reflection
Sick and no makeup. I also look like the neighbor on "Home Improvement," Wilson.
November 8: something you do everyday
I contribute to the hole in the ozone layer. Still. I realize that this isn't the 80's, but I have thin hair. I NEED hairspray.
Growing up, I remember learning about elections and shortly after a presidential election (I'd have to guess the 1980 election) I asked my Mom who she voted for.
WHOA.
You would've thought I asked her to hand over the Hope Diamond. Or tell me who was buried in Grant's tomb.
I got a very serious/stern response.
"You do not ask people who they voted for."
OK then.
Did you ever get this response? (I'd like to think it wasn't just me.)
I have to say that I've carried this with me for the past 30ish years.
I never discuss voting with friends, co-workers, or even family. I even feel funny asking my husband who he voted for.
Why do I bring this up, you ask?
Facebook.
Or, in the weeks leading up to Election Day, shall we call it, "Politicsbook?"
I've blocked more people from my Facebook newsfeed over the last few weeks than I have over my entire Facebook "career."
People of the U.S. certainly have a right to their opinions and the right to voice them (benefit of living in this country!), but the whole, "I'm going to shove my political opinions down your throat and that will make you change your mind" is NOT the way to go, in my humble opinion.
Asking friends on Facebook who they're voting for, is NOT the way to go, in my humble opinion.
With Facebook and social media, everything is so "out there." And I realize I sound really old saying this, but is having everything so "out there" the way to go? Maybe if people had boundaries, it would work, but of course, that's not the case.
I realize this has been a rambling of my opinions and if you've read this far, thanks.
To summarize: it's no one's business but your own (and your soulmate's if you so desire) who you voted for. Don't ask someone who they voted for. Don't tell someone who you voted for.
Oh wait, did I already say that? I'm going to say it again.
It's the WEEKEND!
Phew. After a tough week, I'm going to enjoy every single minute of this weekend.
Started it off with a quick drink with friends last night and then had a nice dinner with John (with a lovely Appletini.) Watched some "Big Love" (Yes, it's been over for a while, yes, I'm only on Season 4). Slept in this morning and am now leisurely blogging. Ahhhh.
This photo doesn't quite capture the brilliance of these colors, but I love them. This is from the area rug that I have in my office at work. It's a bright spot in my day and catches people's eye as they walk by. It's amazing what a little color can do.
November 3: breakfast
I love these. Love love love them. (Is that a ringing endorsement or what?) They're great if you need a quick pick-me-up snack or an easy breakfast. Chocolate for breakfast? I'm in!
Since I'm new to this, I'm not sure if I'm supposed to caption the photo. I'll just give you some hints -- not for vegetarians! Jimmy Buffett wrote a song about one in paradise!
I'm sure you get it.
P.S. It was today's lunch and each bit of greasy goodness was.worth.it. (So take THAT Weight Watchers!)
The past few weeks (dare I say "month") have been non-stop.
Go, go, go go.
I miss writing and blogging, but I've been so freaking tired, that I just haven't felt like doing it. I'm actually writing this as I cook dinner, so let's hope I'm on my multi-tasking game and don't blow this place sky high.
Speaking of which, apparently my multi-tasking game wasn't on par on Sunday night. Sunday night is laundry night around here. Imagine my dismay when I went down to the basement tonight and happened to notice clothes in the washing machine. Smelly damp clothes. ::sigh:: Yes, they've been there since Sunday night. Space shot. Interplanet Janet.
The craziness all started a few days before we visited my parents in Florida, which you can read about HERE. Two nights prior to our scheduled departure, John was awake in the middle of the night saying he had some pain in his lower abdomen. Immediately I flashed back to the kidney stone he had a few years ago. (He was in so much pain then I thought maybe he was giving birth to an alien baby.) So, I say, "Well, let me know if you need me to take you anywhere." (i.e., the hospital.)
Shortly thereafter, I hear, "I hate to say this, but..."
Oke doke, throw the clothes on and we're off to the E.R.
He had another kidney stone. Luckily the pain wasn't quite as bad this time, or actually the pain was different. He more than likely passed it either at the hospital or shortly thereafter. (Is that TMI?)
So, that happens. We go to Florida. We had to get up at the crack of dawn on a Sunday (like 4:30 a.m.) to get to the airpor to come home. Now, granted, we were in our house by 11:00am at the latest, but our sleep was totally thrown off and all we wanted to do was sleep all day.
That week was OK/fairly normal, although I was scrambling to make arrangements to go to Birmingham, AL for work the following week.
I did that on a Monday and that day was prettty much wasted in flight. (No direct flights from Boston to Bham.) Did have a lovely dinner that night with some colleagues. Was go go go the next two days (with a little diversion trip to Hobby Lobby, my new fave store.)
Got back from Bham very early Thursday a.m. and headed to work. Had a half day Friday so I could help the lovely Miss Grace prepare for her big honor. She was named Citizen of the Year by the program that she attends! Here are some highlights (unfortunately, some are blurry):
I think I did a little too much handshaking and hugging on Friday night because I got a nasty cold. I got my haircut Saturday night (hopefully I didn't get my hairdresser sick!) and pretty much was out of commission for the rest of the weekend. (Translation: This place looks like a dump.) I did do some laundry on Sunday night (although only apparently half-way.)
I called in sick on Monday. Bleh.
Went back to work on Tuesday to a bazillion emails and just general busyness.
Silver lining? Last night after driving Grace to a social program, I decided to have some "me" time. A Burlington Coat Factory just opened up nearby, so I decided to peruse the merchandise.
It might not look like much, but with a black knit mockneck underneath, it's pretty snazzy. Out of my clothing comfort zone, too.
The best part? A bunch of people at work complimented me on it. Let's face it...we all want to hear that a clothing choice we made that was "out on a limb" was a good one.
So yes, I'm tooting my own horn. And I need to...so maybe the merry-go-round will stop.
