what's been up

i am feeling a very holistic happiness these days. i just came off of the most lovely and well-rounded holiday weekend i've had in some time, my physical being is being looked after nicely, and my workplace is starting to tingle with the excitement of the new season.

viola and i went on a few lovely bicycle rides this weekend, both with friends and alone. we joined a large group at critical mass on friday, which stretched on into the late and warm summer night air, until tummies started to growl in protestation. it was the perfect way to end a series of CM rides - i'll be busy every friday night between now and the end of the calendar year with class, so this was my (temporary) last hurrah. i got up and out early on saturday, reluctanctly turning my back on very tempting tangle of nate-limbs and sheets, for a ride along my local bike path. and then on monday, nate and i rode 25 miles in the rolling hills around stow, massachusetts, starting and ending at the honey pot hill orchard. all in all, i got in about 75 miles. so, i just need to do 133% of that all in one day. hoo boy.

the rest of the weekend was full of little errands and chores around the house, dinner with nate's high school buddy and his girlfriend, vacation research, leisure reading, and of course, dinner on monday to celebrate two fantastic years with my partner in crime.

yesterday i finally went to have my hair trimmed. casey had offered to do it for me, but i couldn't resist treating myself to the joy of a salon shampooing. my scalp was in heaven. and, they threw in a mini neck massage. i said thank you. a lot. once again i have moderately well-behaved hair, and visibly present bangs, thanks to pyara salon in harvard square. (something in the water at pyara - most of the stylists are doing vastly dramatic thing with angles, color, and extensions. my stylist was rocking pink and purple and black hair. it must kill them a little bit to do such conservative cuts as mine.)

work is getting busy. i had about seventeen things to do this morning. i think i managed about sixteen of them. it's nice to have some work i need to sink my teeth into. although i enjoyed the low-key spirit of the summer, i need more oomph to feel productive. so, now i have it. and am about to feel overwhelmed. my office looks like a manilla file monster pooped on every surface. ah, the joys of autumn in a university.

i'm working in shelving for the apartment, and eating my way through incredibly delicious tomatoes and peaches from the orchard. nate and i are talking about the possibility of joining a CSA for next year, and working out travel plans for now through november. it's a full, busy, wonderful time. hooray for autumn!