1) Four and one-half hours of sleep. I've essentially been awake since just after 3 AM. Early morning parlor breakfast, news, housekeeping before a dental appointment.
2) As it often does, the pace quickens in the last half of August. It's kind of like the week before returning to school as a child. Only instead of a trip to S**** for new clothes and that sort of thing, it seems to be an increased number of meetings and a sense of clearing the decks for battle.
3) Blesséd, blesséd coffee.