It's another pre-autumn day in lovely suburban Maryland. I am enjoying a nice hot caramel spice latte (from my home espresso machine) while the boys watch classic cartoons on the Howard County cable channel. Later today, we will go pick play giant chess at the library. Then we'll go get eggs and milk and come home and bake something. This has the beginnings of a perfect day to be a mom.

I have done some excellent cooking and baking over the past week that I have neglected to share with you, my faithful reader. (Come on, I know there's really only one of you out there.) Last week, I made some pumpkin chocolate chip muffins. These were the biggest baking hit I've had in months. Generally, there is a first day surge of excitement around my baked goods. Then, the excitement dwindles until the treats develop a cushion of mold and get thrown away on day 4 or 5. The boys wanted them for breakfast and every snack until they were completely gone. I'd share my recipe but it wasn't mine. I googled pumpkin chocolate chip muffin and used one of the recipes that popped up. I can say that I did modify the spices. I doubled the amount the recipe indicated, and substituted all spice for the nutmeg and ginger, mostly because I had it and didn't have the others. Nothing warms my heart more than my cooking creations being devoured by my family.

My other cooking success was a pizza I made the other night for dinner. I took Trader Joe pizza dough, spread it with a mixture of pesto and cream cheese, added pancetta, tomatoes from my garden, and topped it with a blend of 4 cheeses. This was perhaps one of the finest pizzas I have ever eaten. And unlike other things that I make, it was actually attractive! I was very tempted to hide the leftovers from my husband so I could keep it all to myself. Alas, he took it to work for lunch and finished it. Major disappointment. I guess I'll have to make more today. This is okay because I have a pack of turkey pepperoni that needs to be used anyway.

I've been in a bit of a funk since our friend learned he had cancer. His diagnosis left me feeling like life is very uncertain. We have routines and patterns that we follow. We awaken at the same time. We have pretty much the same thing for breakfast. We do laundry and other housework on the same days. Our kids grow accustomed to this certainty. Then suddenly, without warning, everything can be in a massive tizzy. When I feel upended, I need to create my way back to normalcy. I've done this through various crafts, mainly quilting with a little knitting on the side, thanks to the invention of the Knifty Knitter. I also cook. These two projects have lifted my back to a better place.

My friend and his family are working their way back to a better place too. But please do keep them in your prayers.