Ahh, September

Kids are back in school as of today, and the dancing starts tomorrow. Days are bright and sunny, nights are cool (though they were in August, too), though the sun is getting lower every day. Nice bike rides (though honestly, I don't need to be introducing major climbs 60K into a 70K ride). Fresh cucumbers and tomatoes, a little rosemary. Slowly perfecting the recipe for pretzels, which are a lot of fun to make (though still sticking to the parchment paper . . . hmmm). New memory in the computers so we can squeeze a little more life out of them. Checked out a new paddling spot with a narrow passage through an ancient bulkhead and a requirement to read the tide charts.

My Joe Cocker phase continues -- the "Mad Dogs & Englishmen" DVD did not disappoint ("Is Joe Cocker ready for Plattsburgh -- that's the question"), and I've ripped all the songs into my iTunes, as they're all different from the LP version. The kids have been into watching the Austin Powers movies, and in order to avoid endless interruptions, I told the younger one, "There are lots of sexual references in this movie -- just ask your friends at school what they mean." So now we walk around commanding "Get In My Belly!"

Soon the days will get cooler and it'll be time for rye toast and The Left Banke, fresh McIntosh apples, a couple of last days on the water, and my exhortations to get outside because "it's the last great, beautiful day of the year!"