Tired as get out, one day shrimp deal, bitter orange-chicken tagine in the near future

Wow, Em-i-lis is really freaking tired today. It hit me like a ton of bricks at about 11am this morning. Jack and I dropped El and Michele at the airport, went to the market to replenish dwindling supplies of many things, and hit the big sale racks at Crate & Barrel for a few items. It was great fun, but when we got home, I plopped down on the couch and fell fast asleep despite a double-electric guitar and top-of-the-lungs singing concert of "OOh wecka-wecka" by the boys about 5 paces from my left ear. Fortunately now, O is napping and J is in his room for quiet time, so we've got an additional reprieve before the afternoon home stretch. In the context of the past week, it's impossibly quiet in our little abode right now, and though we miss folks, the space and silence feels nice right now. T is letting me sneak out for a pedi with a girlfriend at 3:30, and then I'll come home and do bathtime. It seems like a fair trade! And I had a yen this morning for a wonderful bitter orange-chicken tagine we make so am planning to work on that today. It's better after a day of flavor-marrying so perhaps that will be our meal tomorrow night, or even Sunday evening. I found fresh turmeric root at the market today- it's very cool although I must admit it does sort of look like an orange pupa which is a little gnarly. Anyway, a neat find.

Last night with our pals, Double G, was such fun, and they treated us to such a gorgeous spread in addition to the conversation and laughter that always flows in abundance. Please observe this table!

And, lastly, for those of you in the DC/PA area, today's One Day Deal at Whole Foods is: HUGE, BEAUTIFUL raw, shell-on shrimp for $9.99 a pound for large, and $11.99/pound for XL. I forgot I bought some of those too. I better get cooking....