Too much fun? A never-ending day.

Last night, we hosted one of the second-grade parent potlucks, and though these are arranged anonymously, it turned out that our guests were all parents we've known since Jack started in PK. Everyone is so busy that we don't see each other regularly enough in the least, so last night was a delightful reunion, and a hell of a delicious and fun time, too. We had an Armenian mushroom and bulgur pilaf, garlicky spinach salad, potato-and-pea-stuffed samosas with chutneys, veggies in coconut curry, salmon with pistachio-pepita pesto, chicken kebabs, lots of wine and an orange polenta cake with whipped cream. Thank you, friends, for all your wonderful contributions.

After four hours of eating and laughing, it was time to call it a night. I, happy and energized, stayed up for another hour cleaning dishes and putting leftovers away. In an alcohol-induced happy haze, I decided a final bit of wine was an excellent idea, and really, it was not. It tipped the scales to a poor night of sleep and a Sunday in which ever-increasing, hangover awfulness has been a shitty mainstay. My fault, and boy did I have fun, but darn it on wine + age.

Let's not forget to blame stupid Daylight Savings for throwing a wrench in the just-when-my-kids-adjusted-to-dark-mornings-by-sleeping-later treat. Daylight Savings is absolutely the bane of my parental existence; it lays waste to sleep schedules left and right, year after year. It's one of the two days of the year I consider Arizona in a more positive light. Why are they and Hawaii exempted from DS? We have got to get rid of this antiquated plan.

Bitching aside, as well as the amount of household crap I "hid" in the basement last night pre-party in order to clean up (should I just toss it all? I'm tempted.), today was a spectacular time, climatically-speaking. Vivid blue skies dotted by meringue clouds, sunshine in abundance, and the leaves. Oh, the leaves! Even the Northeast Peepers would admire DC's arboreal beauties. The reds and yellows look aflame, and when we drive past particularly resplendent foliage, the kids take to "putting out their fires" with imaginary fire hoses.

Oliver and I went on our regular date to the farmers market where he scarfed an apple bran muffin so fast I wasn't sure I'd actually bought it. Then he went on a cheese crawl, during which he tasted for the first time and fell head over heels for blue cheese; of course I agreed to buy him a wedge because really, I LOVE that he wanted a bunch of stanky blue. Then he meandered to Everona where he tasted his regular favorites -sheep's milk Manchego and Pecorino styles- as well as a hard sheep's milk laced with dill. We both loved it. I suggested we buy some not-cheese items so he picked apples, two different types of kale, and this awesome radish that looks like a dancing man. I also grabbed some end-of-season tomatoes for a last batch of tomato jam, some sausages for T and some leeks, fennel and turnips.

We headed home where I finished the chicken stock I started last night -7 gorgeous cups now in the freezer!- and made some ricotta. Tonight T and I are going to grill a pizza, and I plan to leave the bulk of the cooking in his hands because, as anyone over the age of 32 knows, hangovers do not improve as the day progresses. No, they get worse and make you feel remorseful (I did have so much fun) and rather desperate for bedtime to come. Which is yet another reason I'm cursing Daylight Savings right now; an extra hour for the love! One of my dearest pals, C, seems to have enjoyed her vino a tad too aggressively last night too; she's medicating with pho right now, smart girl.

Tomorrow is my last day of the writing class I've enjoyed this last month, and I've got another busy week ahead. Here's to lots of cooking and rest though, lots of peace and good stuff for you all.