I have just been feeling overwhelmed this week.  Too many things to get done.  So I’m giving you the Reader’s Digest version of my blog.

THIS FAT OLD LADY’S ME MONDAY – HO HO WHEW

The tree is up!  (Yes, it leans – and I can live with it like that – and it took me 3 full days to do it, but it’s up.)

The cards are designed and printed.

The stamps are picked up.

The envelopes and labels are ordered.

And 99% of the Christmas shopping is done.

Ho, ho, whew, indeed.

THIS FAT OLD LADY’S WHAT YOU COOKING TUESDAY – ITALIAN JOES ON TEXAS TOAST

Fancy name for what is basically a thick sloppy joe mixture on Texas Toast with a slice of Mozzarella on top.  Took longer than expected (because the bottom oven – yes, I have two ovens – takes a lot longer to warm up).  Quite tasty.

ITALIAN JOES ON TEXAS TOAST

1 # ground beef; 1 small green pepper, finely chopped; 1 med onion, finely chopped; 3 garlic cloves, minced; ½ C beef broth; 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained; ¼ C tomato paste; ¼ t salt; 1/8 t pepper; 11.25 oz pack frozen garlic Texas toast; 8 slices mozzarella cheese

Preheat 425°, line cookie sheet with foil   

In large skillet, cook beef with green pepper, onion and garlic over medium-high heat until meat is no longer pink (5-7 minutes); crumble beef; drain.  Stir in broth and bring to a boil; cook until broth is reduced by half (about 2 minutes). Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, salt and pepper; return to boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until mixture is thickened (2-3 minutes), stirring occasionally.            

Meanwhile, place toast on cookie sheet; bake until lightly browned (8-10 minutes).            

Spoon beef mixture onto toast; top with cheese.  Bake until cheese is melted (3-4 minutes). Serve immediately.

THIS FAT OLD LADY’S WTF WEDNESDAY – THE REAL WAR ON CHRISTMAS

I have been working with lawyers for over 40 years.  And the one thing that is sacrosanct with litigation attorneys is that over the holidays you slow the fuck down.  Unless you absolutely have to stir up some shit (because of a statute of limitations, say), you leave each other alone over the holidays.  Because if you don’t – YOU’RE THE ASSHOLE.

(Transactional and corporate attorneys don’t get a break –  because all your clients decide all that stuff that needed to be done by year-end that they’ve been putting off all year is now a huge fucking priority.)

Well, apparently, holiday civility and Christmas cheer have flown out the window because I have been swamped!  I mean, it’s nice to have a little extra jingle in my pockets for the holidays, but it makes me sad that this one small lone outpost of graciousness has disappeared.

Happy fucking Christmas.

And let’s hope that next week I’m back on some kind of schedule.  (Hope springs eternal.)