Weekly Roundup: Summer's Last Hurrah

August 25-31: Boating adventures, family visits, and the reluctant return to reality

I'm somewhere on the edge of summer and fall, and my 3-week summer "break" is coming to an end—which is pretty disappointing.

I have so enjoyed a deserved break from commuting to NYC but I have to return to NYC tomorrow, and I am NOT excited about it.

My parents have been here this past week, and it's been wonderful planning family dinners together. I made homemade hibachi on my Blackstone, Mom made delicious homemade pizza from scratch and fresh halibut the next night, and Jon (my step-dad) cooked Greek chicken (a staple from my childhood). It was the first time I've hosted Mom and Jon in my house, and it felt really special spending that quality time together.

The Long-Awaited Kayak Adventure

Back in early July, I finally ordered a kayak online—something I'd been wanting for several years, especially since we live within 15 minutes of a couple of gorgeous lakes. The Company gives us a $1000 "wellness" benefit that you can use on pretty much whatever you want as long as it benefits you some how, so I chose to invest in a kayak.

The whole process was quite the journey: the kayak was backordered, then shipped in early August, followed by three weeks of shipping time before it finally arrived. I mean, shipping a 10-foot kayak is pretty crazy logistically, but it felt like forever!

When it finally arrived this week, I was thrilled to get out on the lake and start pedaling around. I specifically wanted a pedal kayak since I don't bike as much anymore, and with my knee issues, I need the pedaling motion for physical therapy. Plus, I genuinely enjoy pedaling—it's a great workout.

These pedal kayaks aren't typically available locally unless you want to spend $3000+ (which I definitely didn't), so ordering online was my best option. I only paid $250 out of pocket for shipping, making it an almost free kayak!

The pedaling workout is intense—there's serious resistance from the water, but it's perfect PT for strengthening my knees. Win-win! I was pedaling all over the lake while Ethan happily watched and fished from the shore.

Now I'm working on figuring out how to load the kayak on top of my Mazda3 hatchback so I can take solo trips. My goal is to do some peaceful early morning paddles for exercise while enjoying the lake's beauty. I need to make it happen soon since the weather is definitely cooling off!

Lake George Adventure

On Saturday, we drove about an hour and a half to Lake George, NY, to visit family friends at their beautiful lake house. My mom is close with Karen, my family friend aunt type person, and they hadn't seen each other in several years, so they were eager to catch up. I brought Hazelnut along since Karen adores her and Hazelnut loves to soak up any attention.

I got to see her son Paul, who's in the Air Force and is usually deployed or stationed elsewhere. Paul and I were born just a month apart—our moms were pregnant together and were good friends when we were younger. We're like cousin-family-friends who grew up seeing each other once a year or so, though it's been at least 6-7 years since our last visit.

Paul had a friend over, so the four of us "kids" (though we're all adults now) hung out together. We went swimming in the lake and I got Hazelnut to swim a bit even though it is not her favorite.

Paul took us out on his parents' nice Cobalt boat for a ride around the lake. Unfortunately, strong winds created some serious chop, but it was still enjoyable. We actually boated over to the little lakeside village, docked at the public marina, and walked over to a local brewery for drinks.

I spent time asking Paul about his Air Force experience—something I have no personal knowledge of but find fascinating. Mostly, we just caught up on life while Hazelnut enjoyed the boat ride with her ears flapping in the wind.

Meanwhile, Mom stayed back with Karen for some quality mom-friend time, which was perfect.

On the return trip, the wind had calmed down considerably. Emily (Paul's friend) opened up the throttle, and we were flying across the water. It was honestly terrifying for me since I still have some lingering boat anxiety, but I tried to let go and enjoy the moment. Hazelnut was absolutely living her best life!

We ended the day with local takeout—pizza and grinders—sharing a lovely dinner with all seven of us. It was such a perfect day: relaxing on the lake and reconnecting with a childhood friend.

Productive Sunday

Yesterday, Ethan and I had an incredibly productive day. Mom came home to house and said, "You Martha'd!" (referencing cleaning enthusiast Martha Stewart). Ethan spent the entire day working on getting our electric fence up and running back and forth from the farm area and the house while I tackled various projects around the house.

By the time we both finally sat down, showered, and had drinks in hand, it was 6 PM, and I didn't have the energy to write—hence why I'm a day behind on this entry.

Labor Day and What's Next

Today is Labor Day, and we're heading to a new breakfast place that's "close" to us (meaning 45 minutes away, but it's a gorgeous day for a car ride). I'm currently sitting in the back of Mom's Lexus—thanks for driving, Mom! 😉

Tomorrow I return to NYC and the new office, which I'm sure will provide plenty of material for my next entry….