Yawwwwwwn.  Mornin’ friends.  How were your weekends?  Ours was busy – we were up in upstate New York, picking up the kids.  We were actually there for a week, working from my parents’ house.  Ever-responsible goody-two-shoes types that we are, we were careful and mindful of the New York State travel advisory, and we spent the week holed up at my folks’ place.  (Which worked out fine, because we were both slammed with work and spent most of the week hunched over our laptops, punching at the keyboards.)  But on Saturday we escaped our self-imposed quarantine and headed to my parents’ Adirondack camp – a welcome diversion.  And don’t worry, it was totally deserted – no relatives – and we, the kids, and Nana-n-Grandad were the only ones there.  Nugget was chomping at the bit to get out on the water, so my dad hauled the kayaks down to the beach and we shoved off for a lovely ride – Nugget duffing in my old kayak (which dates from high school and is still going strong, thankyouverymuch) and Steve paddling alongside us.  (Ever the party pooper, Peanut had no interest in joining us, and stayed onshore with my folks.)  We let Nugget dictate where we paddled, and the result was over an hour on the water, which felt amazing.  We circumnavigated a nearby island (and also pulled ashore and did a short little hike, dodging goose poop), then paddled along the far side of my parents’ bay and into a little offshoot, where we got a good look at an enormous great blue heron.  Good call, little dude.  It was good we got all that paddling and lake fun in, because Sunday was driving day – six hours in the car, back to Virginia.  We rolled in around lunchtime and the kids were stoked to reunite with their toys after a month away.  It was a good afternoon of resting up for a fun week ahead – since our trip to Cape Cod got cancelled (BOO) we are doing a staycation at home, spreading the days out over the next two weeks (because we both have some work to get done as well).  We have a fun agenda for this week, including a day at Lake Anna; the zoo; berry-picking; and kayaking.  With more fun to come next week – and plenty of recaps ahead, promise.

Reading.  So, busy week of work and travel that it was, one thing I did not get done was much reading.  I’m still working my way through Mary Barton, slowly but with great enjoyment.  I’m about two thirds (or a little more) into it now, and the plot has really started to pick up.  Not sure how much reading time I’ll have this week – between family fun and squeezing in work, I expect to be busy.  But I’ll probably knock out at least the rest of Mary and start something new, so stay tuned.

Watching.  I never watch much TV, and especially not at my parents’ house – other than snippets of MSNBC and old sitcom reruns.  On Sunday night, we did have a little “family movie night” and watched two-and-a-half episodes of Rock the Park, which Nugget loves and Peanut tolerates.  But the best watching, by far, was Saturday at the lake – watching the kids splash and play and have the best time in the water.  Can’t beat it.

Listening.  Hmmm – I’m trying to think.  We listened to Hamilton on the way up to my folks’ house, and that might be it?  I forgot my earbuds, so runs this week were quiet (which was actually nice, and I might continue that).

Making.  Lots of pictures of the fam, on both my dSLR and my dad’s old Minolta.  He still thinks it’s absolutely ridiculous that I, A, wanted his camera, and B, am using it.  He’s at a loss to figure out why I would fiddle with film when I can shoot digitally and edit my photos.  Analog is trending right now, Dad!  Also, who do you think is to blame for me being a camera nerd?  The apple didn’t fall far from the tree, so there.

Moving.  Good week of movement!  After some waffling between programs, I went ahead and signed up for “Love the Run You’re With 2.0” from Another Mother Runner.  (I was considering doing their Heart & Sole program, but decided to save that for later.)  Last week was week one of the new program, and I did almost every workout – three runs and a day of barre3.  The only workout I missed was Saturday’s long run – I had big plans to run up at the lake, only to find out that my usual running route was blocked off by some rich lady’s gigantic new camp.  Poor form, rich lady.  But over an hour in the kayak was a good replacement workout, and probably more fun.

Blogging.  Bookish week coming atcha!  Just because my reading is slow right now doesn’t mean the book blogging has to be slow.  On Wednesday I’ll tell you what I got in this round of the CC Spin, and on Friday, I have a belated “top ten” post covering the first half of 2020.  (Side note: how many of those “2020 Challenge” posts have you seen on social?  My feed is full of them.  I think my favorite is the Jane Austen one with unconscious Louisa Musgrove for May, June and July.)

Loving.  After a month, it’s really nice to have the kids home again.  I’m sure within a week I will be begging Nana to take them back (just kidding – maybe) but I really missed them.  Their little empty rooms were making me so sad, and it’s warming my heart to see Peanut’s doll clothes box rifled through, and Nugget’s rubber snake collection slithering across the floor again.

Asking.  What are you reading this week?