So I got to thinking after last week when so many of you said, "wow, that's a lot!" in reaction to our weekend. Seems like I've had that comment on quite a few Mondays. I guess we do manage to cram in a lot. It's not my preference. I much prefer to sit on the sofa all day and snuggle up to a Harry Potter (or West Wing) marathon, but I figure there'll be time enough for that when it's 40º and rainy outside. Suffice it to say, this weekend wasn't much different. :) But it was good.

I had two meetings on Friday, so instead of cleaning my house and hitting the grocery store (which is what I'm meant to do on Fridays), I was out and about nearly all day. My new Friday tradition is going to include stopping by Jackie's for bread, however. Especially when she feeds me brick-oven pizza. Really, nothing tastes better, you know. We might have to order one next week. Neel and Cal had what Cal has long called "Man's Night" Friday night while I went to Homearama with my friend Jean. We've been wanting to do this for ages, and the event totally lived up to its billing in one of my favorite neighborhoods in Norfolk. I'll post on that tomorrow, so you'll just have to stay in suspense for a bit! We had a spot of dinner too, and, like with my friend Tracy, solved all the world's problems. Why don't I do this more? Family time is important, yes, but time with friends leaves me refreshed and rejuvenated and brings home a better version of me for my family. I'd do well to remember that.

My goal for the weekend really was to set us up for the next week. Laundry, clean house, chores done. We pretty much got there. I don't want to fall into the trap of doing it all on the weekends, but we laid a good foundation for future weekends, I think. The studio is pretty functional. The bathroom ready for its final phase. Floors are vacuumed. Laundry done (mostly, and then there's the ironing...), groceries are here and meals are planned. We might make it! We didn't get everything done, but. But. We did give the dogs a bath! How's that for productive? And I've worked out my schedule for the week (in my head at least). And that alone makes me feel as if I'm starting the new week off right.

It was a gloriously beautiful October weekend here. I've mentioned in the comments on a couple blogs that fall hasn't really struck in the Tidewater yet. Our leaves don't really peak until early to mid-November, and they're just now starting to turn. We have so many evergreen magnolias and pine trees around us that every single year I wonder if the leaves really will turn. They do though. The bright yellow ginko and the scarlet maple. I'm trying to be patient. But that sky! That is what an October sky should look like. Give me more and more days like these. We rode our bikes to lunch (which was probably why we didn't get the pictures hung in the dining room, but I'll take it.) and the air had that perfect crisp bite to it. Lunch was a bit of a bust (neither Callum nor I liked our soup very much), but the ride alone, along the Elizabeth River was totally worth it, with the sky reflected in the water and the pop of white of a sailboat dotting the horizon. I'll respond to your comments from earlier posts this morning, especially the political ones, but if there was any doubt that Virginia was what they call a "swing" state: Obama won on yard signs on the way to the restaurant and Romney on the way home. Not long now.

As you know, I've been feeling very blessed and energized lately. I try to remember these moments when I fall into those inevitable pits of despair! They never last, but boy, you can try to pull the good lessons with you, I suppose. Theresa noted last week that the universe was smiling on her. Tori posted a wonderful video that, if you haven't seen, you should go check out. Janine found it very inspirational as she guides her daughter to begin her own choices for her life's work. As I read Janine's post, I was reminded of a series on NPR from years ago called This I Believe. They produced it in the 50s and then brought it back a few years ago. One of our favorite essays from the series was by professional skateboarder Tony Hawk and called "Do What You Love." Very few of his words are all that prophetic, but his story is truly remarkable. Worth noting, for sure. And at the end of the essay he writes, "You might not make it to the top, but if you are doing what you love, there is much more happiness there than being rich or famous."

Ah, yes. The universe and Tony Hawk have spoken. (Side note, what an amazing idea for a blog series, huh? Too bad it's already been used. Maybe I can tweek it.) Here's to a spectacular week, my lovelies!