Why, oh why, do I do this to myself? I know you all do it too. We must stop this madness! It’s time to stand up and say “NO, NO, NO!” 

When someone says, “Who can bring something to the teacher breakfast?” or “Who can make something for the ladies’ Bible study?” or “Can you bake some brownies for the PTF social?” … why, oh why, do I say, “Sure, I can.” and “No problem.” 
I will now say, “Sorry, I can’t do it,” or simply, “NO.” Or maybe I should make some really yucky dishes and they’ll stop asking me.
So, I’ll be cooking for the next three days.
Up at the crack of dawn to cook bacon, of all things, for 40-50 people.
Brownies for 200.
And, soup for 8 ladies, the only one I’m looking forward to, because I desperately want to try this from Pioneer Woman:


Sherried Tomato Soup
6 tablespoons melted butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 46-ounce bottle or can tomato juice
2 14 ounce cans diced tomatoes
1 to 3 tablespoons chicken base
3 to 6 tablespoons sugar
Pinch of salt
Black Pepper
1 cup cooking sherry
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
chopped fresh parsley
chopped fresh basil
Saute diced onions in butter until transluscent. Add canned tomatoes. Add tomato juice, sugar, pinch of salt, and black pepper and stir. Bring to a near boil, then turn off heat. Add in sherry and cream and stir. Add in parsley and basil to taste, adjust other seasoning, and serve with yummy, crusty bread on a cold, blustery, dreary, depressing, rainy, snowy day. Then close your eyes. And give thanks for soups like this.

I’ll let you know how the soup turns out.
I’d better get to sleep so I can get up early to cook all that bacon. Good night, my friends. And don’t you be calling me to ask me to cook something because the answer will be NO.