Has anyone seen my energy? I used to have it, I vaguely remember it, but it's been so long.... This weekend was a new low, hours on the couch knitting and watching young, energetic people win medals. I did minimal housework, didn't pull out the sewing machine, aside from felting the blue and green bag (and of course the washing machine actually did the work there) I was a total slug. This is bad. I really need to get my old energy level back, because this fall has a lot of demands on the agenda and this is a bad thing for a middle-aged woman who tends to run out of gas by 3:30 in the afternoon.

Part of the sluggishness by 3:30 is because I am still a rotten sleeper. I'm not as bad as I was a year ago, when post-traumatic stress would cause me to bolt awake at 3 a.m. and be totally unable to fall asleep, every damn night. Now I'd say I sleep well 3, maybe 4 nights a week, but I'm still plagued with the 3 a.m. wake-up call a few times a week - no bad dreams, nothing traumatic, my body is just conditioned to wake up at that hour, and it really sucks. Last night I managed to fall asleep again around 4:30, and of course had to get up at 6 for work.

I need to get my energy level up, so I am going to make a serious effort to improve my evening habits, cut out caffeine and alcohol and try to have a regular bedtime. My new favorite evening indulgence is white chocolate toffee rooibos tea. I buy it here: Glenbrook Farms and just had to place another order tonight. It's insanely good, especially when in a big mug with two packets of Splenda and a splash of half and half - incredibly delicious, and rooibos tea is so good for you. It's as rich and satisfying as a Starbucks white mocha, the 400 calorie sugar and caffeine bomb that always gives me a headache.

Right now I think I'll take the little bossy one for a stroll and retreat to bed, to thumb through knitting books and decide what to cast on next. I'm restless for a new project.