Sleep - It's a Good Thing

One of my best friends has been here visiting from California for the past week. She & I have some terrific late-night conversations. Sometimes, REALLY late-night. So we knew that Wednesday night we'd be chatting until . . . well, who knows? Until we drop off our chairs in exhaustion, most likely.

We made the obligatory Starbuck's run just before they closed at 10:00 pm to ensure adequate caffeination. We came home and chatted and laughed until around 2:30 a.m. Since her daughter was spending the night at a friend's house, my friend was able to sleep in awhile. I, on the other hand, wasn't able to sleep in much. Therefore, I got to function in sleep deprivation mode (SDM) the next day.

For dinner, I baked two pizzas that would require little to no brain abilities on my part - frozen, out of the box, Freschetta brick oven, pepperoni. The first one? Went great, baked just the right amount of time, removed from the oven, cut up, and eaten heartily by three hungry teenage boys.

Popped in the second pizza.

Set the timer (amazing I actually remembered this step).

Check the pizza. Hmmm, it was kind of pale.

Put it back, checked a few minutes later. Still pale.

Put it back, checked it a minute or two later. Still pale.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

I mean, put it back, check on it, still pale.

Step back.

I verify the oven temperature.

400 degrees? Check.
Oven warm/hot? Check.

Hmmm.

We replaced the element not that long ago and it's been working gloriously, so why on earth is the second pizza not cooking?

Oh.

I guess that when I took the first pizza out, I turned the oven off (it has the two-knob deal: one for temperature and one to turn it on and off). Sigh.

Turned the oven back on and finished the second pizza. The 12 minute baking time ended up being around, oh I don't know, probably 20 or 30. The pizza was done, but the crust was a little on the tough side. I wouldn't recommend baking pizza in this manner. Of course, if you aren't suffering from SDM, you probably wouldn't have that problem.

SDM also spilled over a little into the following morning. I came out to the kitchen to prepare my breakfast (hubby already ate and the boys were sleeping). I prepared my chai tea, then took my plate, butter, and knife over by the toaster to await my bagel. Hmm, the toaster seemed to be taking longer than normal. I turned around to discover that it had already popped up. As I looked inside the slots, I discovered there was no bagel.

I hadn't even gotten a bagel out of the bag.

So then.

Time to get some sleep.