My boss is going to be out of town on my big birthday, so we celebrated a little early with a potluck lunch. It was really lovely. We all brought in a dish (the boys did the heavy lifting — thank you so much, fellas) and it was way better than any lunch at a restaurant, hands down. It’s so weird that I would actually feel that way. I’ve never been much of a baker or a cook, nor have I appreciated really good food. In fact, a long time ago, I had an ex-boyfriend repeatedly point out the irony of my Betty Crocker series microwave. (Hence the prefix: “ex”) But in recent years, I’ve grown to love being in the kitchen. I still have a lot of improving to do, but I’m not afraid to try any more. That alone is progress that I’m very proud of. So imagine how excited I was to receive a variety of extracts from my friend Lorraine for my birthday! Oh my gosh! It’s true! I can cook to the point that someone gave me something kitchen-related as a gift?! And I actually love it?! I cannot wait to put these to use. So unusual! Coffee extract? Really? Awesome. (Thank you, Lolo!)