Wake up! Turns out, not much of a problem today. That coffee - the real deal - that I happily drank at Susie's yesterday? Vrooom, powered me through damn near the entire night. I've mentioned before that I'm off caffeine, for exactly this reason, but once in awhile I indulge. Usually, it's fine. But usually I don't drink more than two cups. And yesterday? I don't know. Many more than two. Talk, sip, laugh, sip, pretty soon hours had gone by and the whole pot was gone. Oops. Yet one more little window into why I subtitled this blog "a quest for measured pleasure..." I keep forgetting...

So, Big Byerly's Run later today. I'm making tortilla soup tonight for Susie and Kim (more on that in a bit) and John, Nathan, and A. And am also thinking ahead to my neighborhood women's association meeting Thursday night (appetizer) and the bridal shower I'm co-hosting for my cousin Michael's fiancee Amanda (coffee cakes) on Saturday (before the Chowhounds call-in, see below). Lots of cooking/baking coming up - yay! (And how 1950s house-wifey does this all sound? I just reread what I wrote, hilarious. And a little scary too. Hmmm...)

So I'm off. Quick, tasty lunch, just a few slices of hard salami on crackers, topped with sliced raw onion (you can tell I'm not sharing work space right now - fragrant), few olives, few slices of pickled beet. I guess I was in a salty/sour mood - I'm sure that list of foods could make more than a few people cringe! I'm not pregnant, so that means...PMS. Look out!