Perhaps it was a coping mechanism for the aforementioned birthday party anxiety but today found me in the kitchen with the impressive goal of baking ALL THE DESSERTS for my party. It may seem nonsensical for a chronically ill person to decide to make their own desserts but I promise there was solid reasoning behind it.

1. I am a glutard. All pre-purchased desserts are automatically more expensive than regular desserts. Pricing goes something like this:
   1. Regular decent-sized sheet cake available in 17 different flavors: $14.99
   2. Much smaller sized gluten free cake available in 2 flavors if you got there early enough today: $47.00 (Frosting extra)
2. Gluten free desserts are rarely good. Therefore ordering $120 worth of cakes from a bakery could result in several very expensive iced over bricks of straw. The chance for disappointment is high as is the risk that you will watch your friends and loved ones painfully attempt to eat said bricks of straw while slugging water from a fire hose to moisten it enough for them to swallow. Not pretty.
3. I make really good GF desserts and so it only makes sense that I should make them for my party. That way I know I will be eating and serving good desserts.

This was the reasoning path that led me to the kitchen at 10 am with the intention of making pumpkin spice cake, carrot cake, lemon poppyseed cake with buttercream frosting and lemon filling, brownies, and oatmeal cookies.

I realize that list makes me look like an insane person.

I’m okay with that.

I am okay with it because I wisely managed my spoons for the day! I slept well last night and rose late and went about baking in a fun and relaxing way. I took breaks as needed and didn’t stress out once. I have completed the delicious lemon poppyseed cake and the spice cake and the carrot cake. The brownies just came out of the oven and the oatmeal cookies are in it now. I decided to put the brownies and cookies into cupcake cups for easier serving and consuming.

All I have left to do is let things cool and frost them and I have several hours left to rest before I need to head over to the party.

I am feeling very proud that I managed my spoons successfully. I may be struggling with managing chronic pain but I am learning how to do what I want within my new perimeters. I may have to plan in rest days and anticipate taking twice as long to do half as much but I can do it. It’s a win.

Today it’s a cake win.