Happy holiday weekend to my American friends, and happy new week to my friends around the world!  Here in the States, it’s Labor Day, which is usually a bittersweet holiday for me, because it marks something of a demarcation between my two favorite seasons – summer and fall.  I love fall with all my heart, but I love summer almost as much and am usually sad to see it go.  (It helps that here in Virginia, we have a couple more months of summer weather headed our way before the jeans, puffy vests, and boots come out to stay.)  But this summer has been so off that I’m kind of ready to bid it goodbye and turn my attention to fall fun – apple, blackberry and pumpkin picking, fall sunflower festival, foliage, cider, hiking, and Hallowe’en, I’m coming for you!  Anyway – this was a pretty low-key Labor Day weekend.  We spent it at home, which was just what I needed after either solo parenting or traveling most weekends in August.  On Saturday, we spent a very relaxed morning at home.  Nugget and I walked out on an errand in the neighborhood – taking my bike for a tune-up at a local cycling shop – and then went to REI to buy him his first two-wheeler (with training wheels).  It cost way too much money for a child’s bike, but he was smiling so big I couldn’t say no.  On Sunday, we spent the morning hiking at Lake Burke, one of my favorite nearby parks, but it was a bit of a dud of a hike.  The kids were just in a really belligerent, uncooperative mood, which makes it hard to relax and soak up the trail.  Peanut also wanted to loudly declaim on all the particulars of a character she had just invented, “Aloha Lahalo,” and while I love her imagination, she scared most of the birds away.  Sunday afternoon meant more errands – Target for dress-code compliant socks and a water bottle for school; Whole Foods for lunch goodies and a kombucha re-stock; and Lowe’s for my annual orange mums and some more birdseed.  We’re spending this morning hiking at Great Falls with some new friends, and I’m sure we will just chill at home – maybe Nugget will ride his new bike – this afternoon as we get ready for a short, but busy week and the first day of school.  How is it upon us already?

Reading.  Pretty fun reading week.  At the beginning of the week, I finished up Canoeing in the Wilderness – read my thoughts here.  For the rest of the workweek, I worked my way through The Woman Next Door, by Yewande Omotoso – after hearing Rebecca of Book Riot describe it as “Golden Girls, but woke and in Africa,” I was sold.  I wouldn’t say it’s destined to become a favorite, but it was good.  This weekend I blazed through one of my favorite books of all time, Where’d You Go, Bernadette, which I chose for this month’s book club selection (I’m hosting on Wednesday).  Finally – ’tis the season! – I picked up The Modern Guide to Witchcraft.  So don’t make me mad, because soon I will know how to hex you.  Just kidding!  (Or am I?)

Watching.  Kind of all over the place this week.  The latest season of The Great British Baking Show dropped and I am doing my best to reconcile myself to no Mary, Mel or Sue.  The new judge seems like a good not-Mary, but I don’t know what to do with the new hosts.  One looks like a glam rocker, so I’ve decided to call him Decibel Jones.  We’ve been alternating TGBBS with Making It – if you haven’t heard, same concept, but with crafts, hosted by Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman.  (I saw a thing on Twitter saying, basically, “There should be a category of Netflix recommendations for after you finish The Great British Baking Show and it should basically be, ‘you’re clearly going through some stuff, so here are more shows with people being nice to each other over low stakes things.'”  Making It would definitely fall into that category.)

Listening.  After watching the first episode of Making It, along with an episode of Parks and Recreation, which is almost a nightly occurrence in my house, I decided I needed more Nick Offerman in my life, so I downloaded Paddle Your Own Canoe on Audible, and I’m a little more than an hour into it.  (What is going on with me and canoes lately?)  You know how I loved Nick Offerman before?  You didn’t know?  Well – I did.  And now, multiply that by a thousand.  I don’t mind my commute at all as long as Nick is in my earbuds, talking about fishing and doing his Nick Offerman giggle (Ron Swanson fans, you’ve heard it).  Also, I might be getting old because I find Nick Offerman surprisingly handsome and I especially love his shaggy grey beard.  25-year-old me is shocked.

Moving.  Back to the usual hiking and walking – nothing much to report.  I did take my bike in for a tune-up (see above) this weekend, so once I have it back I’m hoping to get back in the [bike] saddle soon.  I mapped out my route to work and I could do almost the whole thing on car-free bike paths in about the same time it takes me on the commuter rail, so I’m thinking of trying bike commuting once the heat breaks a little bit.

Blogging.  I’ve got an outdoorsy week coming up for you; what with a vacation in Lake Placid to recap, you had to have seen that coming.  On Wednesday, I have another update to share on my 52 Hike Challenge, and on Friday, the first recap from my Adirondack vacation.  Check in with me then, or if you’re all, look, lady, I’m here for the books, I’ll have a book review for you next week.

Loving.  I’ve finally found my perfect kombucha brand!  I’m totally obsessed with Brew Dr. – finally, a kombucha that is tea-forward, not too sugary, readily available near me and doesn’t break the bank!  My favorite flavor so far has been the Strawberry Basil – the summer seasonal – but I’ve also really enjoyed the Clear Mind, and I’m digging the Harvest flavor – the autumn seasonal just released – too.  I got my BFF, Rebecca, to give it a whirl too, and she’s a fan.  It’s the best-tasting, least expensive kombucha I’ve found and I’m starting to get a twitch if I don’t have a week’s worth stocked in the fridge.

Asking.  What are you reading this week?