Happy Thanksgiving & FYI: 2016 is still being weird

Happy Thanksgiving!

Well, like you, I only have approximately eleventy million things to do before my parents come this week. I am so excited I can barely see straight, but I wanted to take some time to write and clear my head. I have a few very important things to discuss. Or maybe they're not important at all.

It's just that recently I read a tweet that said, "2016 is drunk" and I couldn't agree more. And yet, some of the odd happenings of late are not all that bad.

Case in point, I've been firing on all cylinders with all manner of chopping and sauteing and mixing and whatnot. In less than a week, I have baked two loaves of banana bread, two loaves of pumpkin bread and a pecan pie. I have whipped up a huge pot of tortilla soup and frozen it so that we can have it for the Texas vs. TCU game on Friday. I have made and frozen a sweet potato casserole and the makings for a spicy sausage dressing. I have spent more time on food websites than I have fashion websites. (Whaaaa???)  Also, there was throw pillow throwing and hand towel hanging and fall flower arranging. I am feeling very much like my life might become the Pinterest board of my dreams.

What I'm saying is that if you know me in the cooking and decorating department, this is the equivalent of 2016 ordering a double on the rocks.

After all of that all-star homemaking yesterday, I was feeling like I needed to hit the bed early, but then this happened.

This particular accessory was not what my puppy had in mind when he was planning his fall wardrobe.

Early yesterday morning I noticed that one of Mack's eyes was looking drainy and cloudy and not fully opening. If you know me in the pet owning department, you know that I barely do "walking of the dog" much less "looking in the goopy eye of the dog." Later in the day I thought maybe it looked fine so I blew it off while I did my version of the Rachel Ray show in the kitchen. By evening he was squinting up at me again, so Steve took him to the vet and they found a scratch on his eye. They gave him some antibiotic ointment and said he has to wear this cone thing for seven days.

As a very new dog person, I had no idea the trauma this particular situation would bring. Mack was virtually paralyzed when he came home. I expected him to be crying and whining and trying to fight that thing off. Instead he wouldn't walk into the house from the car. When Steve set him inside the door he just stood there staring at us motionless. He didn't eat, pee or poop for the rest of the night. If any of us tried to call him he just stared through us. It was the saddest thing I've ever seen.

This morning when I woke up at 6:00 am, I took him outside determined to make sure he was going to get used to this thing and not have to go to dog therapy. I had to spend no less than 30 minutes nudging him along in the dark, cold of the morning, but he finally figured out how to walk and do his business. I then came in and fed him his food handful by handful by which I mean directly out of my hand. Again, if you know me and my experience with dogs, this is nothing short of a Thanksgiving miracle.

In other words, 2016 just ordered a round of tequila shots for everyone in the entire bar.

Ok let's move on to something that is a bit more in my wheelhouse, but still proves to us that weird things are happening all over the land of the free and home of the brave. When I tell you this you will think I'm a big fat liar.

JCrew is having 40% off your purchase today and free shipping.

It's not even Black Friday! It is Tuesday, for the love! And JCrew acknowledges that this is the first time they've ever done this. I HAVE NEVER IN MY LIFE SEEN MORE THAN 20% off at JCREW AND IT HAS NEVER BEEN ON EVERYTHING. AND FREE SHIPPING?

2016 has just jumped up on the table and is downing Jack Daniels straight from the bottle.

I need someone to wear this top to a holiday party. It comes in three different color combinations.

Look at the back.

Also, these tassel earrings come in three different colors and are simply adorable.

I also need to tell you that Anthropologie has 25% off of all tops. Not just sale tops. ALL THE TOPS. It ends tonight so hustle up.

2016 has stumbled out of the bar and is still clutching his bottle in the Uber on the way home.

I've been eyeing this top for a long while now and it is finally on its way to me.

I think this is so cute. I'm not sure I can pull off the shoulder baring trend, but if you can this is your top. Bonus: you can wear a regular bra. It also comes in navy.

That's all I've got for now. And I really need to go because I have to make a giant batch of my grandmother's cornbread dressing and also some Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Maple Cream Sauce. I even think I might make some Dill Chicken Salad with pecans just because, I don't know, maybe someone will want something to snack on. I mean, I have no rational explanation for this.

All, I can say is:  Lock up the liquor cabinet folks. 2016 has no plans to sober up yet and if we take a deep breath and stick this out, it might end up kinda fun.

PS I'm so grateful for you who show up here especially since I've been pretty inconsistent lately.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!!!