Cuh-ray-zee

I think the progesterone has built up in my system enough to start affecting my mood.

At least, I hope so. Because if not, I'm a freakin' nutcase.

This morning, we were awakened at the ungodly hour of 11:30 am by Shrike's dad calling to invite us over. Her sister will be there with the kids this afternoon, and she's planning to pick up Chinese food on her way over. Would we like to place an order?

Now, what could be wrong with that, you say?

Everything, if you're a hormonal crazy person.

The thing is, if I'm going to have Chinese food, I'd much prefer to go to the buffet and have a bite of each of several different things, rather than order take-out and have to settle on just one thing.

And if I do have to settle on one thing, I'd much prefer to share something with Shrike, rather than buying a pint of something of which I'm going to eat about a half-cup.

But, nooooooo, they are picking up Chinese and Shrike wants shrimp lo mein and I'm not in the mood for shrimp, and they come from the ocean and are probably full of mercury anyway and, oh-my-God, what if they use MSG, are you trying to doom little Coodby, and how could you possibly be so thoughtless and inconsiderate, you bastards!

Um, yeah.

And no, I don't want to pick up something different just for me, because then I'll be a wierdo.

Yeah, well that's going to be rather hard to avoid, now isn't it?

At least I did realize that it wasn't rational, but for a while I was blaming it on having just woken up and been hit with all these really hard questions and decisions, like "Do you want to go to mom and dad's to see the kids?" and "Would you like to order lunch?"

My God, people, what do you want from me?

Finally, though, as I was telling Shrike, "I don't know what's wrong. I don't know why this is bothering me so mu . . . oh. Nevermind."

I've still got that grumpy feeling in the middle of my gut, but it sure does help to know the reason - and to know that it's not a rational one.

Shrike was very understanding about it and did her best to defuse me, by agreeing to get pork lo mein instead of shrimp, so we could share, and to call the restaurant and ask about the MSG.

At one point, I told her that if I were to get something other than Chinese, I'd want to stop at this new little barbeque place that's on the way to her parent's house. But only if she wanted to get something from there, too.

A while later, I heard her on the phone.

"Hi dad. Don't get us anything for lunch, because we're going to stop and pick up barbeque on the way.

This new place, down the road from us, on the way to your house.

Yeah, it's pretty good, we've been there once.

Sure, what do you want us to get you?"

I guess I won't be the only wierdo.