I'm sorry to hear that KP is nearly back.  Maybe he'll have enjoyed his vacay so much he really will retire.

At least you got great service after complaining! *dirol*

Eff off to work getting super busy when I'm supposed to be off for the holidays.  

Eff off to people getting ill.  BIL's dad has had a second stroke recently.  He's lovely and I was looking forward to seeing him at Christmas.

F0rn

I do like a spicy christmas cookie.  Nigella Lawson has a great recipe for cookies that are peppery.  However, I think I might have bought the best cookies ever last weekend:  Speculaas cookies covered in french milk chocolate.  Yummy and they are all mine. *diablo*

Eff off to waiting. DH has developed a serious health condition. We are waiting for an appointment with the specialist. Waiting for insurance approval for a high-priced drug. He's already had three trips to the ER. Come on, the American health system is so flawed.

Christmas cookies. I always bake, always try new recipes. This year I found a basic sugar cookie that uses part almond flour. So good, substantial, no spread. Also on the list is peppermint pretzel brownies, mostly for shipping to family, but some for me too. 

Eff Off:

1. To SD23 Feral Forger and her stressfull phone call to me that I stupidly took and then Tuesday nights "popup" disappearing text from her.

2. To my stress and fear of gathering with Husbands large family that got us sick last year. Im so up in the air. I havent been sick ALL YEAR. And do NOT want to be sick for my vacation time.

3. To Co-worker Golden Boy (long story)

4. Not really ready for Christmas at all. Finances super tight.

Christmas Cookies. Ive always loved my mothers fudge, so Ill be making that and then will fill platters to give away to neighbors. Looking at different recipes Im thinking thumbprint. And maybe a sugar cookie to decorate simply. I really really want to have my own traditions...at 54...with no kids...meh.

Christmas cards - almost not quite ready to send out. Talk about not being prepared this year! But I am determined to send these suckers out! I got the personal pics, and edited and designed the thing and it printed within and hour, and now Im stuck on things like labels and last minute addresses and postage. Wish me luck. This WILL happen!

Eff off to waking up at 4:00 am not not going back to sleep. I am a walking zombie and told a couple trainees I am no good for them today so enjoy some free time and we'll chat next week.

Eff off to the monthly cramps. On top of the ^^^ not a happy camper today.

Eff off to buying a new mattress, and then realizing that NONE of our sheets fit. Emergency shopping trip to do after work.

Eff off to coming into work today exhausted and crampy - it's our holiday HUGE lunch (and very good food) and following a smaller group to a pub after lunch. No more work for the day. At least I will be home early even with sheet shop. I'm also a manager so I should be there. I think one beer may do me good actually.

Cookies - most of you all know I am a cookie maker for the holidays. The SDs, 7 and 9 when I met them had NEVER MADE HOLIDAY COOKIES EVER. So we did the first couple of years. Then of course I became persona non grata, a batch of dough thrown in the trash, another year's partial batch sabotaged, and I was done with SDs. So I bake them only when SDs are not around. I did my Spritz baking already (and yes, they are either given away or in the freezer for the second give), and broke my spritz cookie maker after many years of use. This weekend it's macaroons with tiny pieces of candied cherry added, and a batch of rum balls. I'm also making home-made pizza and cannot wait for that.  

A bunch of friends have requested a chocolate cake with creme filling for a New Year's treat so I'll be doing that the weekend of NY.  LOL. I guess my baking skills have now been validated among them.

eff off to being sick. and then regetting sick. 

eff off to so called besties who can't be bothered unless it's about them.

eff off to everything right now. 

including a stinky dog I just don't have the energy or lung power to bathe

Triggering me this week with her visit that never happened (thanks kitties. Pets are awesome!!)

We ended on new boundaries:. Bratty can visit with a partner (Nutter GF) but no friends or dogs.  It is too stressful for me (Bratty is sooo thoughtless)   But, not my circus...not dealing anymore.  Answer is no friends, they can go to Airbnb.

Wow PTSD is wierd. 

Stupid people, do they ever go to work or do they live for gathering together on the road when I go grocery shopping?  Why are they there?  

Eff off to crowds.  I'm all peopled out today.  It's too peoply outside and I still have to get back out and get dinner.  

Eff off to grocery stores not having what you need and then you have to go somewhere else and pay a ridiculous price for it.  

Eff off to the jerks who bought all the pecans at a good price. 

I love our guinea pigs.  I love them dearly.  But I don't have the energy to clean the cage and feed them.  But it has to be done and my daughter is at work.  So that leaves me.  I love them too much to say eff off to them but I am so worn out right now.

Eff off to my stomach.  Seriously, not in the mood for pain right now.  Don't have time to eat right now.

Eff off laundry and dirty dishes.  

Forn:

I got the recipe for a strawberry cake that my dad used to make every Thanksgiving and Christmas for his side of the family.  It hasn't been made in over 20 years since his passing.  It was actually my maternal grandmother's recipe and is written down in a cookbook that my mother has.  Funny story about that cookbook and a turkey roaster.  My parents divorced when I was 12.  They never fought over custody of me and my siblings.  They agreed on us living with Mom, with Dad paying child support and he was allowed visitation whenever he or we wanted.  She didn't want him restricted to EOW, allowing him to be more involved with us.  Anyway, as amicable as the divorce was, there was one thing that drove Mom crazy.  Every Thanksgiving and Christmas she could count on her turkey roaster and cookbook disappearing.  She'd have to send one of us to get them back at some point.  Maybe they should've established custodial rights to the turkey roaster and cookbook.  

This cake recipe is something else.  It has real strawberries, pecans, and coconut in the cake and the frosting.  I may be crying as I make it, remembering Dad.  Wish me luck that I can do it and it actually turn out good.  

F off to my narcissistic controlling oporessive supervisor. I'm making it my number one project to go for jobs so hopefully I won't be with him much longer. Three out of four of us analysts left and I'm sure I'll be the fourth in the near future. Yet upper management refuses to grab a clue. 

I have a fairly new cookie tradition. A few years ago I made Oreo stuffed chocolate chip cookies. They get requested every year. They're easy to make. You just mix up a batch of your favourite chocolate chip cookie recipe, encase an Oreo with the dough and bake for the same amount of time as the chocolate chip cookie recipe says. I often have to times the recipe by six because these cookies get eaten quite quickly. 

in notable detail earlier.

Eff-0ff Friday. A day late.

• Not an eff-0ff but... my likely bipolar and admittedly on the specrum #2 signed his offer letter for his next role on Thursday. His first day leading his own site is 12/25/2022.  Merry Chrismas to me. As odd as it may sound, I will miss him. I have invested a lot of myself in developing and mentoring him. I will not miss his volatility and explosive episode.
• Also not an Eff-0ff. My new #2 signed his offer letter yesterday.  As I said. Merry Christmas to me.  He is ~90% as technically competent as my departing #3 and his soft skills are outstanding. I forecast great things in 2023 for my team and business. Knock on wood.
• And yet another not an Eff-0ff.  Got a good raise. yesterday.  Much higher than I was expecting.
• And another.  DW got her first offer. Turned it down. Two other companies have advised her they are putting offer letters together. Go, go, go my dear. You ROCK!!!
• And another. SS gets here for Christmas on 12/23/22.  His mom and I are pumped for him to join us.
• And another. Our friends divorce is final.  Finally. She can get on with life with some calm rather than the antics of her batshit crazy XH.
• And another. DW lands in another hour and half.  Can't wait.
• Eff-off to the prickles, tickles, and itch.  I have grown my first beard ever.  Not as goofy as I expected.  If you like silver sparkles in the hair and stark white beards. DW likes the look.
• Eff-0ff to ignorant Senior leaders with no knowledge of what they are talking about and who question repeatedly people who do.  Long story.  I may go into it later in another forum or blog.

F0rn

• Went to my IP weigh in this AM. Down 10.lbs in the past two weeks.  Gastro Enteritis shrunk by stomach capacity and I can't eat big meals. So, several small eats every couple of hours.  
• Had a great salad this week. WIth sides of greenbeans and turnip greens.  Yum. 

Happy Holidays STalkers.