hot hot weekending

this weekend was about:


a very sweet visit from beeba (Claire's name for my mom)

the Brett Dennen pandora station running pretty much continuously (the way his voice seems to almost crack so often leaves me near tears.... it just sounds so soulful and vulnerable and it makes me feel the same)

A Saturday morning family bike ride to the market complete with buttery strawberry-rhubarb pastry enjoyed in the shade.  The ride added to my recent bike envy over a friend's amazing bike.  My ride is my old mountain bike with a somewhat cushier than before seat and Claire's seat on back.  It is not made for this.  The toting of toddlers, that is.  It is made for, well, for mountain biking.  Something that I've done zero of for the last....... oh, about 10 years.  With Claire back there in her seat, my center of gravity seems to elude me, the toe straps get in the way, and Claire's little tootsies knock into mine as I pedal.  I don't think I'm quite gonna go all out for a fabulous yuba, but I'm heading down to the bike shop in town this week to browse a bit for a more suitable option.  Looking for a cruiser with enough gears to handle our small hills in town and room enough for a couple small baskets/bags.  And of course, room to comfortably attach her seat.  I'm not completely throwing out the possibility of this, but there is it's hefty price tag to consider.  I'm sure my credit card company would appreciate it though.

I stocked up on a favorite coffee after hearing it will soon be unavailable.  'Tis the way with a small local roastery that purchases their beans in season from small farmers.  Now I'm not exactly a coffee connoisseur, (I totally looked up how to spell that) but ever since the chemex I've noticed the flavors in different beans much more and have definitely developed my preferences.  Dynamite's 'Greenways Please' blend has been my happy spot on many a morning lately and I'm sad to see it go, but pleased to have a small stash for the next little while.

I also went grocery shopping, which isn't glamorous of course, but what makes it notable is that I did it all by myself.  No two year old to set the pace and demand a new snack every five feet.  I lingered in produce, by the teas..... I smelled soaps and lotions and I did not rush at all.  Nor was I called upon to sing silly songs at too-loud-for-the-grocery-store volumes in an attempt to keep a child happily sitting in the cart instead of running off down the aisles.

I quite enjoy solo grocery trips.  I bet lots of mamas do.

This weekend was also about HEAT!  I know, it's pretty much been hot everywhere.  We been hovering right around 100 degrees and that's unusual for the mountains, even down here in North Carolina.  I remember being thrilled the first few years after we moved here because it never seemed to hit 90 degrees in the summer.  That's certainly not the case this year.  I caved in and turned the AC on on Saturday night for the first time this year.  It was just too dang humid in the house.  It was off again by Sunday afternoon and the windows are now open so as to bring in some of the cool(er) evening air.  It's not too bad, really.  We are always so hesitant to turn on both the heat and the air conditioning for the first time every year, and then reluctant to use them except for the coldest/hottest of days.  I think it makes us feel like weenies.

(at least I'm a comfortable weenie)

Another efficient way to cool down on a hot hot day?

Head to the lake!  Friends were celebrating their 10th anniversary with a potluck out at the lake we camped at recently, and Claire and I joined in for the fun yesterday afternoon.  There was swimming and playing and digging and eating and visiting and laughing and other good stuff.

happy hot summer days~



*linking up with amanda over at the habit of being