….and other pre-Thanksgiving randoms!

• Why, why, why did I let the lady at W.alMart hand me a Black Friday flyer?  And why did I look inside?  I see three things I definitely want to get Lovegirl:  a guitar for $15, a Vtech handheld game for $30 and a coat for $7.  I’m also thinking about the $29 digital photo frame and the $59 GPS.  Of course, I have absolutely no need for a GPS, so that’s probably not happening.  I’ve only done the Black Friday shopping thing once and didn’t enjoy it at all – still on the fence about this year.  Do you participate?
• Smoochy called me yesterday and told me what he wanted for Christmas: satellite radio.  I was like “cool – that’d be good to have while you are driving.”  He then informed me that he’d just bought one and was enjoying it.  Alrightie then…..
• Lovegirl is at work with me today.  God help us all.  We’ve been to the cafeteria, had breakfast, she’s walked over to another set of offices, she’s helped count meal cards, been given a sucker, been complimented on her frog rain boots and asked if she was going to get a shot.  And it’s not even 9:30.  Come on two o’clock!
• This afternoon will be dedicated to cooking and cleaning.  For “our” Thanksgiving we are having: turkey breast roast, dressing, collard greens, macaroni and cheese, cranberry sauce, and rolls.  I’m making pasta salad for the big meal at my sister-in-law’s house.  I don’t even really like pasta salad, so I’m not sure how this became my signature dish, but whatever.  It’s cheap and easy, so I’m not mad.
• That’s about it.  It’s slow motion around here and in blogland.  I shall try to keep myself occupied for the next few hours and then I’m out ’til Monday.

Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.  Don’t forget to count your many, many blessings!!!

This weekend – in addition to sitting in the rain with Pserendipity and the kids at the Capital City Classic – I was all about beauty of one sort or another.

Friday

I washed Lovegirl’s hair with the usual products – Creme of Nature detangling shampoo to wash and some cholesterol to condition.  And then.  Oh, and then.  I used the Qhemet Biologics samples on her hair.  I. Love. This. Stuff.  The Cocoa Tree Detangling Ghee was used to detangle.  It didn’t make the comb “glide” through as I’d read in various reviews (and maybe on the website itself), but I gotta tell you – I was able to style Lovegirl’s entire head with nary an “ouch” from her.  I’m sold.  I applied a bit to each section of her wet hair, combed it through and twisted as usual.  I also used their Amla and Olive Heavy Cream for moisturizing.  Her hair seems softer  without being greasy as it had a tendency to be after I used Liv cream.  I did about 16 two-strand twists and probably won’t take her hair down until Tuesday night, but if her hair is still detangled and soft then?  I may order cases of this stuff.  I ordered the sample sizes which were 2oz and $5 each.   A little bit goes a long way – I’m anticipating ordering the full sizes maybe 2x a year.  I’m hoping that using these products will help me in encouraging Lovegirl to stay natural and just flat iron or blow her hair out when she wants to rock a straight look when she’s old enough to make that decision.

Saturday

After the game Pserendipity, the short people, and I went to U.lta in search of the nail drying spray that TM mentioned.  Didn’t find it, but I did find some delicious smelling sugar scrub from Tree Hut.  I cannot begin to tell y’all how much I love the way this stuff smells.  It’s not the best exfoliating scrub I’ve ever used, but it smells so good I’ll give it a pass.  It’s Brazilian Nut and to me smells like vanilla and carmel.

After our trip to Ulta, I painted my nails a deep, deep burgundy (Glossy by Sally Hansen).  I don’t usually paint my fingernails, but they’re so short that I just needed to do something to them.  I can’t vouch for the base coat/top coat (Top 2 Bottom by Orly) yet, but I’ll let you all know at week’s end how well my nails did, or did not, hold up.  Still on the hunt for the nail drying spray….

Sunday

Sunday I worked on beautifying our living space.  I went to Tarjhay and bought a cheapo black laminate bookself for 19 whole dollars.  It took me about 30 minutes to put together with Lovegirl’s “help.”  I put it in the entry way, decorated it with a lamp, some books and a few knick knacks.  I think the entryway looks much better.  The study is next.  I’ve got to find someone who can lay a tile floor for me on the cheap – but right.  Wish me luck!

Hey y’all!  Happy Friday!  What are you up to this weekend?  I’ve got a ticket to the JSU/ASU game – the Capital City Classic.  So, of course, heavy rain is forecast for tomorrow.  I may go anyhow – I definitely won’t melt! 

• First a recommendation for mammograms at a later age and now a recommendation for fewer pap smears?  I think this is irresponsible at best, deadly at worst.
• Yesterday at her Thanksgiving program, Lovegirl had a piece of paper with her speech written on it in case she forgot her lines.  And of course, she consulted the paper several times during her speech.  Cool.  Except that she can’t read!!!  At least not about Pilgrims and Plymouth Rock.  Maybe if the whole speech had pertained to hogs, dogs, cats, bats, and hats…..what a con artist!
• Y’all, I have some internet trolls.  Is that what they’re called?  Anyhow, they’ve been leaving comments about how bad Lovegirl is and that she’ll be pregnant in 5 years (WTH???) if I don’t get her under control.  This is the only mention they’ll be receiving, so I hope they bask in whatever glory they get from it.  Losers.
• I tried to talk my people into pizza for Thanksgiving dinner.  They weren’t trying to hear me, so let the cooking being.  Turkey roast, collards, dressing, mac and cheese, rolls, sweet potato pie and cranberry sauce.  That. Is. All.
• Why are smoked turkey wings almost $8 at W.al Mart??  Have they lost their rabbit-a minds? 
• Have you ever heard the phrase “no swap, no swindle?”  I heard it for the first time the other day, Smoochy swears it has been around for ever.  Maybe it’s a man thing??
• I’ve been planning a manicure ever since Therapeutic Musings posted her secret tools which extend the life of a paint job.  Of course, I can’t find them anywhere.  TM – where’d you get that stuff?
• I’m reading W.alter M.osley’s Blonde Faith.  Do you read him?  Have I mentioned how much I love the discount tables at B.orders and B.ooks-a-M.illion?

Okay, there was more, but wordpress shut down as soon as I hit “publish” and I’m too old to remember what I wrote just moments ago….

Have  a great weekend!  Be well.

So, the proverbial chickens have come home to roost. 

In news that shouldn’t – but does – make Nerd Girl happy I recently learned that….

The chair of my old department (Hell) has just been given a “promotion” and will be the special assistant to the assistant specialist – or some such nonsense (I predict he’ll be outta here in….18 months).  And!  His side piece?  My old supervisor?   She who I recently friended on FB and dined with?  Yeah, her.  She’s going to the house ’cause she already knows that everybody knows she is not qualified for her 90 thousand dollars a year job and there is no way the next chair would keep her.  She’s got qualifications alright, but they’re of the nature usually captured on videos wrapped in plain brown paper.

Na na na na….na na na na….hey hey hey GOOD BYE!!!

There’s a younger lady at work of whom I am quite fond.

She has recently become quite promiscuous loving (I know, I know, judge not….) and I am worried about her. She’s divorced, has kids, etc., etc.

I want to pull her aside and tell her that she is worth more than whatever hot s.ex on a platter she’s offering up. Lord, I’m starting to feel like somebody’s grandma….

Anyhow, should I express my concern and impart some of my 37 years of wisdom on her……or just keep listening to her exploits and hope to pick up a few tips??  Is this the kind of thing she’ll just have to learn from herself?

Thanks y’all!

Lately Lovegirl has been obsessed with death.  More specifically, my death. 

Oh, before you go and get all worried about the wee precious one and her psyche, let me assure you – she’s good.

Lovegirl:  Mama, are you going to be dying anytime soon?
Nerd Girl:  Uh, no.  I hope not, but really, only God knows.  Why?  What’s up?
Lovegirl:  Well, I’ve just been thinking that if you die, I sure hope they have cell phones in heaven.  You’re going to need to call Daddy every day and tell him what to do.  The only store he knows how to go to is the gas station to buy Cheetos.  That’s not going to work.  Oh, and when you get there can you tell Jesus that I do not like marshmallows and don’t want any when I get to heaven?
Nerd Girl:  Ooookayyyy……

Somehow I should’ve known her concern about my demise had absolutely nothing to do with her love for me or how much she’d miss me!

******

Lovegirl:  Yeah, so I think my mom’s going to be dying soon.
Aidan:  Why?
Lovegirl:  Well, she’s through growing and eats her vegetables because she likes them.  There’s nothing left for her to do.
Aidan:  So you think she’s dying huh?
Lovegirl:  Yeah.  I just hope she goes to heaven and not Hades.  If she goes to Hades she’ll be with the devil and just die over, and over, and over again.  And it’s hot down there.
Nerd Girl:  Alright y’all!  That’s enough.  Where are you getting this?
Lovegirl & Aidan:  Ms. J at school.

Dear God.  Perhaps a secular preschool would’ve been a wiser decision…..

******

Lovegirl:  Mom, when are you going to die?
Nerd Girl:  Honey, I told you, I don’t know.  Only God knows when we die. 
Lovegirl:  Well, if you died today, Daddy could come home off the road.  I sure do miss Daddy.

I will be sleeping with one eye open!!!

….or at least lunch with my crazy-a** ex-boss.  Yeah, you read right.  I ended up having lunch - on a Saturday no less – with my previous supervisor. 

See, what had happened was…..another work-friend (N) and I decided that after Tasha’s funeral on Saturday we’d go to lunch and just decompress and chillax for a bit.  Okay, okay, we were going to drink!

Anyhoo, ex-boss asked N what she was doing after the funeral, and N with her cannot-ever-be-trusted again self said “Oh, me and Nerd Girl are going to eat.”  And of course, crazy a** invited herself.  Which I did not find out until right before I pulled up at the restaurant.  It took every bit of my being to not burn rubber outta that parking lot, leaving gravel flying in her face…..ahem.

So there  I sat at Cozumel, a salsa laden tortilla chip in one hand, a Dos Equis in the other, glaring across the table at evil incarnate. 

I wanted to ask her why in the h-e-double hockey sticks did she derive such pleasure out of the pain of others.  Why she couldn’t seem to find a Mr. that didn’t have a Mrs.  Why she thinks nobody knows she wears a fall in her hair.

But I didn’t.  I smiled, I chatted, I made polite conversation….all in all, I really had a lovely time.  Which I will deny (outside of this blog) until my death!

First she friended me on FB.  Now we’re lunching together on the weekend.  If we keep this up (trust we won’t!) somebody is going to mistakenly think that we are friends.

Cue the Whitney tape – “Hell to the naw!”

*Special shout out to Pserendipity who gamely called with an “emergency” so I could break camp.  Next time, I’ll remember to turn my ringer on!!!

Feels good to have made it to the end of another work week! Yay for weekends. Got plans for this one?

Tonight I’ve got class and after that I’m free. Yep, free! Lovegirl is going to a sleepover birthday party for one of her classmates, so when I get out of class tonight at 6 I am responsible for no one but myself. I have no clue what I’m going to do with myself, but am going to fight the temptation to go home and clean up. I’m thinking maybe a movie and the consumption of Thai food.

I’m glad my parents are in Antarctica – I don’t have to explain to my Mama the “insanity” of my allowing Lovegirl to go to the sleepover. My Mama does not believe in sleepovers. At all. I thought I’d be the same way, but when Lovegirl got the invite I didn’t even hesitate to say she could go. Who knew?

Hmmm – I just went to fandango – I don’t see a single movie I’m interested in or know about. Anybody seen anything good at the theatre lately? Law Abiding Citizen maybe?

I plan on spending the rest of the weekend just kind of puttering around. Fall has truly arrived and I believe every leaf in Mississippi is chilling in our front yard. So, I’ll probably get my upper-body exercise in with a little raking.

Anyhoo, I guess that’s really it. I’ve got some draft posts that I might complete and post today, but even as I type that, I don’t see that happening

Hope everybody has a great weekend. I’m going to leave you with one of my favorite songs by Lucy Pearl. I love them and wish they’d get back together for at least one more record album disc.

• I very much enjoy a bowl (or two) of Honey Bunches of Oats w/Peaches!  But I do not care for real peaches.
• Lovegirl and I Skype-d with my Mom and Dad last night.  Pretty stankin’ cool.  Did I mention that my folks are in South America right now headed to Antarctica???
• I love the Mario song “Just a Friend” and get a little bit happier every time it pops up on Pandora.  “I stay dipped I stay laced and I know you know I”m flyyyy…”
• Back in the gym and it feels good.  Now if I could just reign in my eating habits which have been terrible lately!
• My sister-in-law asked me to bring paper goods to my father-in-law’s birthday party this weekend.  No problem.  When we get there she’s all, ummm, can you go to the store and get divided plates?  Seriously?  Nobody in this room looks like they’re going to refuse to eat just because their red rose sausage is touching their potato salad.  But of course, I just said okay and went to the store.
• December 2009?  Final car payment!  August 2010?  Childcare expenses reduced by 3/4!  I’m getting two “raises” next year y’all!!!
• I’m buying a laptop in January.  In February I will start saving my “car payment” money.  But I’m getting that darn laptop.  Actually, it’s a netbook, but whatev.
• I think Kevin is going to win Top Chef.  Whoo hooo!
• When I gain weight I get a little curvier on the bottom half.  Unfortunately it’s jiggly curve.  Then I work out and lose it.  I wish there were a way to keep the curve and lose the jiggle.  Is this even possible?
• Jameil posted a recipe for brined chicken which I think I shall attempt this weekend.  Minus the rosemary.  No me gusta rosemary.  Too similar to consuming pine needles – or so I would imagine.
• I am making a concerted effort to keep my hands off of my face.  I didn’t realize how much I touch my face during the day.  Disgusting, really.
• I accepted my ex-boss’ FB friend request.  So far, so good.  I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think she’s decent.  Just not to work for.  Hope I don’t end up eating my words.
• My brother paid the other brother’s bill.  I’m going to send dude a gift card this weekend.  We’re not going to give him an “allowance” but we are going to stash some cash for him “just in case” so it doesn’t create havoc in our financial lives if/when he needs some more help.  He’s good people, and just having a tough time right now.  I can’t see not helping him.  Thanks for the input!

Have a great Tuesday!!!

I had a post planned in which I’d regale you with tales from our lovely weekend – including the death of Flippy II, a birthday party for my father-in-law, and the tastiest pasta salad ever.

Instead, I’ve got a heavy heart.  One of my coworkers was killed in a hit and run accident early Sunday morning.  She was one of the sweetest people I’ve ever met.  Always smiling, always an encouraging word, living her life to the fullest. 

I just want to encourage everyone to seize the day, make the most of whatever time you’ve got left, to greet people with a kind word and a smile.  All of those cliches which ring so true during times like this.

Tasha was a blessing in my life.  My day was always better having seen and spoken to her.  I wish I’d told her that.  Instead, I’m telling you.

Make it a great day.  For yourself, and for someone else.