Our garden is overflowing with tomatoes. These days there are many, many more ripe tomatoes than our house can harvest and eat in a day.

In addition, at long last, my white platter dahlias have begun to bloom, just as the early bloomers have become slower to bloom.

Yesterday, despite the fact that September is bike commute challenge month, I decided to take the bus into work. I was feeling a bit under the weather, and that combined with now being quite invested in my current book, Net of Jewels, by Ellen Gilchrist led me to opt for the bus. (Side note: about the book which has nothing to do with the story, is that it appears to be dedicated to my second cousin’s husband.)

Anyway, I took the bus in to work.

Then while at work I was waiting for people to join our web conference and decided to see what bikes were listed on Craigslist. Low and behold there was an Azor Oma, the quintessential dutch step-through bike. There is a great bike shop in town, Clever Cycles, that sells them new. However, the price is such that I’ve never been able to justify buying one.

I decided I needed to try it for myself, and so yesterday afternoon I left work and took the bus to see the bike, which was conveniently located one block from my bank.

This bike had been bought in Holland and thus was a 3 speed with coaster brakes rather than the 8 speeds with roller brakes that Clever Cycles sells. I rode it around the neighborhood and then called Craig and asked what I should do.

In the end, I negotiated a bit then bought it and rode it home. So now it seems I am becoming a collector of three speeds and a more committed member of the Slow Bicycle Movement.

Today, I rode my Trek into work (since I want to spend a bit more time away from traffic getting used to coaster brakes again) and settled into a quiet day at the office. And Craig totally Bonzi rolls me with this link: http://www.felonyflats.com/roadsign.jpg

What I had forgotten was that Craig’s uncle Dan taught and coached at Wasilla High School. Craig read an article today about Sarah Palin where they mention her parents by name and he came to realize his uncle is good friends with her father. Which should be no surprise since it is a small Alaskan town-now-suburb.

Anyway, Friday night we went to see Tom play a show at the Nine Muses Acoustic Cafe. Craig brought his video camera and recorded two songs before his battery died.

Saturday was a near perfect day of hanging out and just catching up. Craig worked with a singular focus on the stairway to the basement. I spent my time grocery shopping, working on computer projects and cleaning up my office. Plus, Craig’s stimulus check-purchased Bikes at Work trailer (made in Iowa) was delivered.

Saturday night we used the bogo personal pizza coupon Laura gave me for Hammy’s Pizza that was set to expire the next day. As Craig said after we first had Hammy’s the night we got back from Hawaii, “we’re dating a new pizza place.” They don’t deliver to our place until after midnight, but they aren’t so far away that it isn’t worth going to them.

While we ate our pizza we used Hulu to watch Friday night’s episodes of The Daily Show with John Stewart and the Colbert Report. Truly, the best recap of both the Palin nomination and the end of the Democratic National Convention that I could have hoped to see.

On Sunday we got up early and drove 200 miles south on I-5 to attend a reunion of Craig’s extended family. It was a crisp day that reminded us that our summer like days will now be fewer and further between.

His parents, aunt and uncle and cousins were all there. Unfortunately circumstances beyond her control caused Teresa to have to cancel her trip up.

While we were there Craig lured Bonzi down the slide. Craig and I had just finished the fantastic BBQ and when Bonzi got to the bottom of the slide he realized that he was no longer being held back by his leash and bounded across the field at top speed, not stopping until he reached the table where all the food was laid out.

On Monday Craig assembled his bike trailer:

And that evening we had a small group of friends over for a Labor Day BBQ, followed by an outdoor showing of Over the Edge. In the end, there were only seven of us left for the movie and we were all wearing sweaters, jackets and down blankets.

Tomorrow Craig and I are headed north to Marysville and then Lopez Island. At least I’m a bit more prepared for it being cool out.