As you know if you read yesterday’s post, there was no TG in my IF this week. In addition to working Thursday and Friday night and all day Saturday, I ran over my dog, which is a sure way to ruin one’s weekend.

Things are looking up for Sunday, though.

I made some yummy banana-nut muffins for breakfast and I have this mouth-watering recipe on tap for our first Sunday Supper since Kate moved home for the summer. (And everybody knows how much I love family suppers!)

And . . . I added a lovely burst of color to our otherwise neutral living room in the form of a new rug and some throw pillows. Take a look:

As you can see, my furniture and my jute rug are all shades of camel. And my walls are white — which makes for a pretty bland room. (I know some would say my neutral palette is “calming” but I’m a person who craves color.) My pottery and art add pops of color, but I wanted something to grab your attention.

Here’s a close-up view:

Isn’t it amazing what a colorful rug and pillows can do for your room?

I’ve selected some bright yellow fabric to sew a slipcover for my ottoman. And I hope to reupholster the sofa in a luxe navy velvet if I ever save enough money.

In the mean time, my pretty new rug perks things up considerably.

And sometimes, a bright spot is all a girl needs.

With gratitude {for a quick fix},

Joan, whose also thrilled to have her favorite grocery shopper back in the house, despite what it means for her snack habits

Yesterday was a crapola day.

It started first thing with a severe vision disturbance that is a sure sign of an impending migraine. I was on my way to a meeting when my vision got all wonky. I don’t know how to explain what it’s like except to say it’s sorta like looking through a kaleidoscope and sorta like looking through goggles with Vaseline smeared on them.

In case you’re wondering, this was bad.

And wouldn’t you know it — I had recently switched purses and failed to transfer my medication to the purse I was carrying. Fortunately, a colleague who also suffers from migraines slipped me one of her capsules right as I stepped into the meeting.

Unfortunately, it’s not the exact prescription I take. So the effect was pretty weird. I felt like I had the flu and a wicked case of heartburn simultaneously. That I talked my way through an hour-long meeting in my flu-heartburn-kaleidoscope vision state is — in my humble opinion — a testament to an enviable talent at faking a whole lot of things.

Which might be a good thing normally, but the flu-heartburn-kaleidoscope vision state was definitely badder.

By the time I left the meeting, my migraine was nearing full bloom, so I went home and laid in the dark for two hours, mostly sleeping. When I awoke, I felt considerably better, although I kept asking Kate the same question. When she pointed this out to me, all I could say is “Sorry. I have a migraine.”

Still, I made it back to the office before 3:00 pm and put in two good hours, after which I had a couple of hours to spare before a business dinner. As I drove home, that’s where things really fell apart.

My sweet new puppy, Lily Pad, got too close to my tires as I pulled into the garage and I ran her over.

By the time I killed the engine and got out of the car, she was lying in the grass beside the garage with both back legs splayed to the side and wailing for mercy. Mr. Mom heard the commotion and came right out. Lily was bleeding and quivering and a pitiful sight to behold.

I’m guessing you can imagine how I felt. Flu-heartburn-kaleidoscope vision was a cake-walk compared to running over your dog, which is B-A-D-D-E-S-T.

Mr. Mom scooped Lily up and we headed for the Vet’s office. It was after 5:00 pm on a Friday, so we called ahead and the doctor was kind enough to wait on us.

Fortunately, she was only a little banged up. Her tail was split open and she had numerous abrasions, but no broken bones. The doctor gave her two shots — an antibiotic and a steroid — and a prescription to help her through the next few days. Mr. Mom treated her abrasions and we returned her to a shady spot in our yard by Ed’s side.

A few hours later, Mr. Mom observed her running full-tilt after a squirrel in our woods so we figured all was well. We’ve taken to calling the delicate Lily Pad a new name — Iron Dog.

With gratitude {for pliable puppy bones and a happy ending to an otherwise sucky Friday},

Joan, who is easily amused by Lily’s coonhound nose, which compels the pooch to retrieve and carry any object handled by her family, including empty flower pots

Kate came home last night. When she and Mr. Mom drove up just as the sun was going down, my shoulders relaxed a little and I couldn’t help but sigh in relief. I gave them both big hugs in the driveway and thought about how lucky any mother is to experience a homecoming of loved ones.

We spent the evening hauling boxes, unpacking, and listening to her funny college stories — all four of us plus her boyfriend, Jake, and her dog, SweetPea, piled on her her bed as if it were a life boat and we might drown if we left her side.

I couldn’t be more content to have her back in my nest for the summer. I hope we’ll make time for all kinds of fun, like watching old episodes of West Wing, going on float trips, participating in our annual girls weekend, making shopping trips to St. Louis, and engaging in any other activity that sparks our mutual interest during the glorious 90 days of summer she’ll spend in Missouri.

Kate’s looking for a seasonal job and enrolling in two summer classes, so her schedule will no doubt be tight. Still, just the opportunity to cook a few of my special “Sunday Suppers” while she’s home will satisfy this hen’s need to fuss over her chicks. Oh, and I hope to finish her quilt so she can go back to school knowing there’s nothing better than a mother’s love in which to wrap oneself tightly.

By the way, we had a fabulous time in Phoenix. Kate’s team lost in the “Round of 16″ but they gave the #3 team in the nation a run for their money in a very competitive match. Given the ordeal our girls have been through, I’d say just qualifying for the National Championship was a victory. They only lost one player to graduation, so they’re a young team with a highly promising future.

As you might imagine, I took a ton of photos during our four-day trip.  I won’t bore you with a travelogue, but I will share with you this favorite from the tournament awards banquet:

With gratitude {for my favorite girls, tennis, travel, vacation time with family, and all things summer},

Joan, who would love to hear what you’ve got planned for your summer

I’m flying into the wild blue yonder today. I’m practically giddy with excitement. I have my camera, sunglasses, a visor, industrial-strength sunscreen, cute summer outfits, and an assortment of sandles. What more could a tennis-spectating mother need for a trip to Phoenix?

Kate sent me a text message as she boarded her flight yesterday: I’m about to get on the plane. Love you.

Like her mother, flying makes Kate nervous. I tend to send messages and make phone calls to loved ones right before and after flights, too. I can’t wait to join her under the big blue Phoenix sky this evening, where we’ll both be happy to stand on terra firma.

Speaking of the blue, I received a hand-written note yesterday from a friend. It was completely unexpected and thanked me for my “advice, counsel, humor, mentorship and friendship for the past seven years.” It mentioned a mutually challenging experience and closed with “When the turkeys get you down — just wanted you to know — someone is in your corner.”

Any day is a good day to receive such a kind affirmation, but I can’t think of a better time than when I’m flying out for an adventure and some much-needed R&R. I don’t anticipate any difficulties but, hey, you never know. I might need bail money.

With gratitude {for May junkets and unexpected greetings from the thoughtful souls who enrich my life},

Joan, who’s lucky indeed to have so many dear friends on speed dial

Yesterday, I made two dozen quilt blocks.

You heard me right . . . 24 blocks.

That’s 192 pieces of fabric cut, 168 seams sewn, 672 threads snipped, and too many pins stuck to count. Oh yeah, it’s also two bobbins full of thread depleted. I had a bad case of tunnel vision by the time I finished for the day.

Somehow I ended up a few short, so I’m not quite done. I was in the zone so I really didn’t know how many blocks I had made until my back got tired and I quit around 7:00 pm. Once I laid it all out, I realized I was only five blocks away from the finish line.

Well, five blocks, a border, and a back — along with quilting and binding. Still, it feels good to be this far along.

I’ll be taking a break this week to head to Arizona, but with four more weekends left in May, I have a feeling I’ve got this.

Zoom, zoom!

With gratitude {for the rotary cutter and self-healing mat I bought last month that made today’s production so much easier — all 864 cuts},

Joan, who finds great satisfaction in the math of quilting once she adds it all up

It’s been two steps forward, one step backward on the quilting front.

I spent part of yesterday trying to muster a head of steam on quilt-blocking and . . . whew! It took me much of the day to construct what you see in the photo above.

The problem is that the last time I worked on this project — when I finally, mercifully made a proper quilt block that looked like my inspiration photo — it was more than two weeks ago. And for reasons I can’t explain, I didn’t make a pattern. After spending an entire day getting the block just right, I thought I had it in my head.

Yeah . . . not so much. Today, I couldn’t for the life of me figure out the angle I had cut my blocks on. So I had to do what every seamstress hates to do: deconstruct a block and start all over. It should probably go without saying, but this time I wrote down every dimension. (Eureka!)

There’s one thing I know for sure: I will never again attempt to make a quilt based solely on a photo. No pattern, no instructions? No quilt.

I’m beginning to wonder if I’ll get this done by the time Kate leaves for college in August.  She’s moving from a twin-sized bed to a full-sized bed and that’s been the impetus for this project. In the mean time, I watched a video tutorial for a super-simple and lovely quilt pattern called the disappearing 9-block and I can’t wait to get started on that one.

Right after I conquer the quilt that Joan conjured from thin air, where air equals Pinterest, which ought to be banned before it kills innocent, amateur crafters.

With gratitude {for pen and paper, on which I have written down the instructions for this quilt block, lest my feeble mind fails me again},

Joan, whose best advise for aspiring quilters is “Be thou not so stupid.”

I’ll be doing my job today. And maybe some quilting. And reading. And dreaming. Topped off with a dinner out with Mr. Mom.

What more does one need on a rainy spring Saturday?

Exactly.

With gratitude {for weekend meditations},

Joan, who as the former Mayberry Magpie is still stuck on bird motifs, so she added one here and plans to make a paper flock very soon for flight to friends everywhere

PS: PicMonkey is my new favorite photo editing software. If you’re no pro with Photoshop and are looking for something easy to use, give it a try here.

I’ve got tennis fever. It’s that time of year so I can’t do anything but spread my disease to you. Forgive me, won’t you?

Here’s the first cool thing I want to share:

My girls won their match 5-0 last weekend and now they’re headed to the Sweet Sixteen in Phoenix.

So am I, by the way. My plane ticket is purchased, my rental car is reserved and my hotel room is booked. I’ve done everything but pack my bags, which will happen on Sunday. I leave on Tuesday, and the girls start play on Wednesday. They will play every day until they lose.  I will scream loudly every day until they lose, or until I fry in the Phoenix sun, which with recent highs of 100+ might come sooner than one thinks. Either way, I’ll be in heaven even if the temps feel like hell.

Did I mention MY GIRLS ARE GOING TO THE SWEET SIXTEEN?!!!!

Oh, sorry. I’m suffering from a kind of Tennis Tourette’s and I can’t stop blurting it out.

Here’s another cool thing: My boy’s doing pretty good too.

We’ve lost track, but he’s won something like 12 straight matches. Recently, he served 11 aces in a single match. At 6’7″ tall, his serve is formidable. His doubles partner is about the same height, but weighs a good 30 pounds more than Parker. To say they are an intimidating duo at the net is an understatement.  I’ve heard tell some of their opponents are skeered. Don’t blame ‘em a bit.

The other day, one of his less experienced teammates was so awed by Parker’s serving display he later asked “Has anyone ever returned one of your aces?” I don’t mean to poke fun, but we sure got a belly laugh out of that one. You see, by definition, an ace is an UNRETURNED serve.  (So the answer is no.) You gotta love the kiddos that are working hard to learn the game.

While I’m in Phoenix following Kate’s team in the National Championship, Mr. Mom will be home following Parker’s team in District and Regional competition. Both are rough assignments, but we’re the kind of parents that don’t shy away from the hard jobs.

I know they’ll thank us some day for our tough love.

With gratitude {for two kids who make me proud every day to be their mother, not because they happen to be terrific tennis players, but because they happen to be terrific souls who also play my favorite sport},

Joan, who resisted the headline “by the time I get to Phoenix” because quoting Glen Campbell ages her more than she cares to admit

I was a busy bee yesterday. I took a day off following three consecutive 60-70 hour weeks. And while I was tempted to laze around, I had a project or two on my mind that urged me out of bed at 6:00 am and kept me working all day.

Remember my mud room makeover? Well, when I tackled that project I left a corner undone that has been bothering me ever since. You see, my mud space is an alcove that faces another alcove — which I didn’t show you in my last post. Basically, when you sit on my mudroom bench, you face an alcove that is lined with shelves. They’re nothing fancy, so as soon as I moved in, I hung curtains to hide the space — partly because it was more attractive, partly because I didn’t take time to organize the shelves.

So I spent a portion of Friday cleaning out and sorting all my cleaning and crafting supplies. Here’s a peek at the newly organized space:

I keep the curtains closed for a sleeker look, but it’s nice to know that everything behind them is tidy now.

I also went to work on a corner of our laundry room, which adjoins this space. One of the many things that sold me on this house is the enormous laundry room. It’s about 17′ X 17′ with three walls of built-in cabinets. Although it’s a bit plain — with white walls and white cabinetry — it’s certainly bright and has plenty of room for Mr. Mom’s projects, and lots more.

Here’s a view from the mudroom:

That drafting table is mine, but Mr. Mom co-opted it long ago as his preferred laundry folding table. It’s a much better height for my 6’6″ laundry man.

Here’s another view of the built-in desk:

This is Mr. Mom’s domain. It’s where he reads email, pays bills, talks on the phone and, of course, does laundry. It has been command central during our mountain saga and you can see he has a topographical map of  Colorado pinned above the computer and all his files (in the filing cabinet) nearby.

I don’t spend much time in the laundry room, except to retrieve my laundry, and I think Mr. Mom likes it that way. I’ve been thinking of hanging some sunny yellow wallpaper to break up the vast expanse of white walls, but I just haven’t gotten around to it. And I think Mr. Mom likes that, too.

On the opposite side of Mr. Mom’s desk is another bank of cabinets, with a sink and space for the washer and dryer. And until yesterday, there was an unused corner just waiting for me to make better use of it.

Voila! I created a sewing corner:

In the short time I’ve been sewing, I’ve grown weary of pulling my machine out of the closet and setting it up on my dining room table. So I sub-let Mr. Mom’s empty corner, set up a folding table, and created a space to store my supplies.

Here’s a close up:

I sewed a slipcover for the table so that it would look prettier and so I could hide things underneath. The dust cover for my sewing machine is merely the box it came in (top removed and turned upside down) with matching fabric glued on. And my supply caddy is nothing more than a $9 vinyl shoe organizer picked up at Lowe’s.

Underneath the table, I’ve stored my fabric and a stool to sit on.

All in all, not a bad day’s work I’d say.

With gratitude {for my man, who gave up a corner of his decidedly atypical man cave and even helped me organize it},

Joan, who is itchin’ to make more progress on her quilt now that she’s in tip-top organizational shape

I’ve had a less-than-lovely April, mostly due to a demanding work schedule, but here’s two things that have happened in the last 24 hours that ratcheted my excitement level way, way up.

Kate has recently gotten interested in the West Wing. I love every single thing about the West Wing, especially CJ Cregg, who I fancy I could be if I tried. Today Kate tweeted that some episodes were “wayy” over her head. To which I suggested that we should spend our summer watching the series together so I could explain the context. To which she agreed. To which my inner political nerd squealed. As if I wasn’t already soooooo ready for summer to be here (it snowed today, for Pete’s sake!), that totally sealed the deal for this television-loving, poly-sci junkie mom.

And, as if that wasn’t enough to amp my excitement meter, Kate’s college tennis team received an at-large bid and #2 seed in the NCAA Division II Women’s Tennis Championship Tournament. Holy smokes that’s cool!

Because of their favorable bid, they play their first match at home on Saturday. You can bet your left arm I’m making the trip. As a Freshman reserve, Kate is unlikely to get a match, but it matters not to me. I love these girls, I’m a rabid fan of the team, and I’ll be there cheering loudly.

By the way, the winner of Saturday’s match advances to the round of 16 in Phoenix, Arizona on May 8. Have I said holy smokes that’s cool?

So April may have given me a wild ride, but I cannot complain about the destination.

With gratitude {for plenty to look forward to},

Joan, who wishes President Josiah Bartlet was around to save the day