sagaciously is...

Bakers Dozen c/o KB via ej.

1. theHolidaysBegin:: last weekend? Oh yes honey - my boss, my boss's boss, and most of my colleagues were on vacation all last week, so other than being in maintenance mode, last week wasn't just short - it wasn't very deep either...


2. elTryptophan:: between the 20-lb-to-date-WW weight loss, and me thinking theChaos was cooking, I didn't plan on doing much. Little did I know theChaos would go on strike at the last minute. I threw the WW (weight watchers) version of din-din together.


3. theGathering:: Since this was impromptu, it ended up being just me & the kids, which are really no longer kids. My grown daughter theChaos, my wants-to-be-grown son Hammy, theChaos' future hubby theTruth, several of their friends, etc...etc. They complain about the lack of my so-good-it-is-its-own-food-group mac & cheese (there's no way to make that thing WW compliant, it is that rich), but we still pig out & have a good time. Sans football. Oh, get over it already.


4. theMenu:: Since the leftovers are already gone, and you can't come over beggin' - I'll share: Turkey stuffed with roasted garlic & oranges (sounds much weirder than it tastes), Apple-Sage-Sausage stuffing, Cherry-glazed ham, fresh Early Peas with Mushrooms and Pearl Onions, Collard Greens, barely Candied Yams, glazed carrots, yeast rolls. Oh yeah, and the Pecan Sweet Potato Pie and Caramel Apple Pie.


5. theHouseHop:: for all you other transplants out there, the best way to collect all your favorite dishes without cooking them all, is to house-hop - meaning you hit the house of every cooking person you know after you get your grub on. Since I'm on WW, I can't - but E came through just to add my Pecan-crusted Sweet Potato Pie to the other 4 varieties he had in the car. He's so shot out for that...


6. theShoppingFrenzy - NOT:: my new Black Friday tradition - laying on the couch, watching all those other idiots fight over discount electronics. And parking spaces.


7. GrindingInTheNameofJesus:: I take Marta to the airport, to pick up a rental. It's been a while, but please tell me I'm not the only one amazed that the Shouting-Unintelligible-Preacher is still screaming after all these years? He's been screaming his sermons unintelligibly at Marta riders for over 12 years now - how has he NOT permanently lost his voice? But he wasn't the entertaining part. The entertaining part was the amateur stripper sista who was apparently strutting her stuff for marta riders, to the tune of his sermon. Him, shouting unintellible scripture: "UGGGHHHHHH....YERRGGGGHH, UGGGHHHH....UHHHNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!" Her, responding while grinding on a concrete wall: "That's right, you tell 'em - ain't none of y'all gonna get to Heaven, unless'n you bow to the will of Jesus. Y'all all gonna burn...". I don't know why Marta put those tv's on the train, with this kind of entertainment, they're completely unnecessary.


8. 40 acres and a Bentley:: my play sista/favorite cousin Shonnie, comes down to B'ham to visit her mom, so of course I have to go see her. It's been 24+ years since we've even talked. But Bessie is still not feeling well, so I go get a rental, and end up with a crispy vanilla Chrysler 300 (pictured above). V8 Hemi, and rides like a dream. For real. It literally makes you want to lean. And floss. A lot. it probably does ride (as much as it looks) like a Bentley (the Continental Flying Spur, but with a gentler price tag), but I can't say for sure - never ridden in a Bentley. It's all I can do to return it on time.


9. theReunion:: Ever meet someone, friend, family member, etc. - and the connection is immediate, so that you feel like you've always been connected? That's me & my Shonnie. I'm sending her lots of love, hardcore, and hoping I can convince her to move to the South. Are you listening, girl? Me & your mom are gonna work on you...


10. theFlossingContinues:: get back to Atlanta, drop off theChaos, pick up E, and we have to cruise - it's mandatory ('Specially since I already had on a hot vanilla shabby-chic outfit that matched the vanilla pseudo-Bentley when I picked it up). We head to Intermezzo, for Gnocci in Lemon-Rosemary Cream Sauce (amazingly good), La Playa Sauvignon (semi-cheap White Wine), White Chocolate Mousse cake and Ciccolocino Bianco (white chocolate coffee). What can I say, it was officially a theme.


11. IFeelPretty:: since theChaos & I were tied at the hip, we spent a lot of time discussing male-female relationships, and finding a partner who is your "equal". I don't know how it came about (me being adamantly natural and not feeling the idea of having fake stuff on me) - but we end up in a nail salon, getting a full set. I think it was something about meeting baseline expectations, and liking the look of a neat manicure. Or we were feeling really vain. In any event, a trip to the brow specialist is also on the horizon.


12. Hammy-time:: I have to get my potty-mouth under control. Have you seen "Meet the Fockers"? Well you know the scene where lil Jack mimics the bad words? See, um yeah...me fighting holiday traffic with the kids in the car, has Hammy learning new vocabulary words, most of which are only fit for the Cursing for Dummies reading primer. A whole new version of the A, B, C's. Specially C. I think DFACS is looking for me.